Category: Biology

When you’ve decided to become a fur parent, you certainly wanted only the best for them. Especially when they feel a little under the weather.

While there’s a ton of animal centers that can be found near your area, picking the best among them is only necessary. It may be a daunting task to take on, but this could be the most rewarding thing that you could do for your baby.

If you’ve already found the best vet in your area, congratulations! But if not, you might have a lot of work to do. Don’t worry, this may come to you as a grueling task, but it will be all worth it.

If you’re already planning to choose the right vet clinic, below are some steps that you can take to make your task much easier.

1. Make a list of all clinics near you

The best way to counter every emergency to plan for it beforehand. Emergencies happen unpredictably and with no warning. That’s why having a game plan is your best bet.

Here’s what you should do. Write a list of all the clinics or animal centers that are near you and the services that are on their roster. You would want a clinic near you so you can easily get there if an emergency happens.

After making that list, schedule an ocular to those clinics. Then ask everything you want to know about the clinic. You’re a potential client, so they’ll most likely welcome you.

These mini interviews will ultimately help you to paint a clearer picture of the clinic and their environment.

2. Observe the clinic’s environment

Make the most of your ocular and observe how the clinic is managed. See if the clinic is well-maintained. Is the equipment always sanitized? Does the clinic feel warm and welcoming for the animals? Are the cages and litter boxes regularly cleaned?

These are the questions that you want answered during your visit. Clean and relaxing environment can make your pet’s experience much better for them.

In addition to that, you might also need to observe how the pets are being treated. As furr parents ourselves, we know how much rough pet handling can anger us. That’s why it’s unacceptable when we see supposed animal care professionals do that.

So you have to make sure that the clinic you’re looking for employs vets and assistants that are gentle with animals.

Rough pet handling can be a great stressor to animals so if you see this in one of your prospect clinics, don’t hesitate. Leave because it’s not worth it.

3. Ask for a nursing specialist

A nursing specialist is what you need if you have pets who are still infant. These animal experts can handle them very well.

Kittens and puppies, because of their young age, are still not used to alternative feeding methods. It becomes a problem when they are admitted to animal centers. Because they’re away from their real mothers, but they have to be fed.

This is where nursing specialists come in. They are the pros when it comes to nursing animals who are still under six months old. With a nursing specialist on board, you don’t have to worry whether your baby pet is well-fed or not.

These are only some of the steps that you have to make when choosing the right vet clinic for your pet. It may sound like a pain in the ass, but these are necessary steps to prepare yourself and your pet for emergencies.

Trust us, you’ll thank us later. 

Are your children begging to adopt a pet, but you are skeptical about it? You may be scared that it is a big commitment, but before you decide against bringing a pet home, learn how it can benefit your kid.

1. It Teaches Them Responsibility:

Keeping a pet also means taking on a lot of responsibility. If your kid wants a pet, give them the condition that they have to share certain responsibilities of taking care of the pet. This will teach them to be responsible at an early age.

2. It Provides Companionship:

Kids who do not have siblings feel lonely on several occasions. A pet can fill in the gap and offer them much-needed companionship. They will feel as if they have a partner in crime and a friend to be around all the time.

3. It Keeps Them Busy:

Kids have a shorter attention span. This means they get bored with doing one activity for a longer time. With parents so busy nowadays, it becomes tough to engage a child. A pet can make that easier by playing around with the kid and keeping them so engaged, interested, and busy that you can get going with your chores and work.

4. It Promotes Good Health:

We know how obesity is gripping the health of kids in the USA. This is because kids are more into junk food and smartphones and less into playing outdoors. A pet like a dog can change that equation very quickly as your kid will learn to be active with the dog, which will promote good health.

5. It Helps Them Learn:

Animals teach kids so many things like empathy and being confident. Animals are used as therapy in several schools to help kids develop certain abilities; hence keeping a pet at home will only enhance your kid’s ability.

6. It Reduces Their Allergies:

Research shows that pets around growing children and strengthen their immune system and reduce any allergies. Many parents fear that a pet can induce allergy in kids, but it is actually the opposite. Still, you can consult your doctor before making an informed decision.

7. It Is Fun:

This goes without even saying that having a furry little friend is always fun, not just for your kid but for you too. And kids love any activity which is fun to engage with. What more? The pet is here to stay, and the fun becomes just endless.

The Bottom Line:

If you choose to adopt a dog, remember to read we love doodles to do enough research about the breed of dog you wish to bring home, which will adjust with your lifestyle.

Kids must learn the ability to remain comfortable around pets. Most people who have cynophobia are the ones who have never had a dog as their pet. If such skills do not develop from the beginning, they may develop a phobia when they are around pets. Kids are fearless; hence, this is the right time to teach them to take care of pets, developing a life skill.

The Megalodon was the largest shark and predator that ever existed. Its immense size and ferocious nature has certainly inspired hundreds of horror movies. With that said, this is truly one of the most amazing animals to have ever existed on earth. So, we will now look at 5 fun facts about the Megalodon that will certainly fascinate you. 

1. Huge Appetite 

The Megalodon certainly had a huge appetite befitting its size. It loved to eat giant whales, giant turtles, fish, dolphins, squid and more. Due to having such a large biting force (10 tons), there was very little that the Megalodon couldn’t bite into. It actually had the largest bite force of any animal that ever existed. However, what is interesting to note is that the Megalodon preferred to bite off the fins of its prey first so that it couldn’t swim away. Then, once the fins were removed, they would go in for the kill. 

2. The Teeth Were 7+ Inches Long

The teeth of the Megalodon measured 7+ inches long, which gave this shark the nickname of “Giant Tooth”. To put this into perspective, the length of a Great White Shark’s tooth is only around 3 inches. The Megalodon’s teeth are heart shaped and serrated which helps them to bite through cartilage, bone and just about anything else. The Megalodon’s teeth were also called tongue stones by people in the 17th century. Sharks shed their teeth almost constantly and due to this, many of their teeth washed up on the shores and people collected them and you can still purchase fossil Megalodon teeth. 

3. Worldwide Distribution

Next, Megalodon sharks were not just limited to particular areas and were able to swim just about anywhere they wanted, provided that the water was high enough to support their large size. This enabled them to eat and terrorize creatures all over the world. This is quite different from other sharks and sea animals which are restricted to coastlines and particular areas. 

4. The Great White Shark is Related to Megalodon

The Megalodon’s scientific name is Carcharodon megalodon and the Great White Shark’s name is Carcharodon carcharias which shows that they both belong to the same genus. With that said, there is some controversy about this among some paleontologists. 

5. Could Grow Up To 60 Feet Long

The bones of Megalodon sharks are relatively rare and there are only mainly the fossilized teeth to work with. However, in the last century, scientists were able to figure out the average size of an adult Megalodon. An adult typically ranged between 55 to 60 feet while weighing as much as 75 tons. To put this into perspective, a Great White Shark is only about 23 feet long at 3.5 tons. So, the prehistoric Megalodon shark was 20 times heavier than a Great White while being almost 3 times as long. 

Conclusion

The Megalodon Shark is truly a wonder and is certainly one of the most magnificent predators this world has ever seen. With that said, we are certainly quite lucky that this apex predator is no longer roaming the oceans!

The chances of hearing about CBD products are increasing by the day. This is due to two major reasons. First is the effectiveness of the medication and the second is the increasing number of corporate organizations going into the production of CBD products. The latter is because of how profitable it is.

For information about the profitability of the CBD industry and how companies switch into the production of these drugs, you can check here.

As a result, there are many affiliate programs for CBD products, and frequent advert stressing the benefits of using these products. What does this mean for you?

The corporate world can be funny. Without the proper oversight administration, manufacturers can play dirty in their bid to get huge financial returns. With cannabidiol products, the situation is complicated because the drugs are still termed as experimental.

As a result, manufacturers have a greater deal of control over the quality of the products. With this factor in mind, CBD users, especially pet owners, should be particular about getting the right product.

To achieve this, this article has put up several factors to consider before purchasing any CBD product for your pet. Before then, it is only helpful that we understand what CBD is and how it is obtained.

What Is CBD and How is it Gotten?

The cannabis plant is the source from which this chemical substance is gotten. In full, CBD is known as cannabidiol and is not the only therapeutic substance found in the plant. However, it stands out because it does not cause hallucinogenic feeling when used.

On this note, it is a better medicinal option than drugs made of THC. So, pet owners hoping to allow their pets benefit from CBD can be assured that the drugs do not have psychoactive causing properties.

In order words, your cat, dog, livestock, exotic animals, and other mammals cannot get high by simply using cannabidiol. This also means that you or your pet cannot get addicted to these drugs.

The female cannabis plant is the major producer of cannabidiol in terms of quality and quantity. This is not to say the male variety does not. However, the strains gotten from the females have a lot to offer. Even at that, the male is still especially important for reproduction.

For the female plant, the oil can be extracted from various parts such as the leaves, stems, flowers. However, the seeds are not carriers. In fact, cannabidiol farmers try various means to stop the female plant from growing seeds. This is so that the plant will grow a large amount of CBD.

For more relevant information on the female plant and cannabidiol, you can visit: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/biochemistry-genetics-and-molecular-biology/female-plant

How to Know Top-Quality CBD Oil?

Undoubtedly, there are many cannabidiol products on the market. This includes CBD oil for pets, which is a frequent option among pet owners. To ensure that you are getting top-quality oil among the many options available, you should look out for the following things:

Where is it Manufactured?

This is no attempt to promote unfairness towards some locations. The intent is to be sure that the standard for production in the location is not below regulated standard.

For instance, it is not ideal for manufacturers to extract the chemical substance from crops treated with pesticides. This can be harmful to human and animal consumers. However, some manufacturers have been found to do this because of the financial impact it guarantees.

On this note, you should not purchase a product manufactured in parts with a bad oversight body. Just to be certain you are getting a top-quality product, you may want to deal with manufacturers in the USA.

This is because the FDA is up and doing at conducting inspections and mandating product recalls when necessary.

Independent 3rd Party Product Examination

Even in the USA, there is a limit to the FDA’s inspection of cannabidiol manufacturers. As stated earlier, this is because the drugs are still considered experimental despite the tons of positive reviews.

Just to be on the safe side, make sure your chosen CBD oil pet product is tested and certified by an independent third-party lab. This will mean that the product is up to standard.

Organic and Natural

One way to ensure this is the case is by taking a look at the ingredients used to make it. Research these ingredients and make sure they are organic and natural. If any synthetic item is used, it must be minimal and necessary.

Packaging

A top-quality product with bad packaging can go bad sooner than you think. This is because the chemical composition of many CBD oil drugs can only survive a certain temperature.

So, the packaging should be more than a beautiful branding to attract users, but a protective case. As a result, you should make sure your chosen product has a good package. For information on getting products that meet these standards and more, you can check out this plant based site.

Conclusion

A good pet CBD oil product must meet all the requirements listed above. This is to ensure that the medication given to your pet is safe and effective. Therefore, you should do a background check before spending a cent on any cannabidiol drug.

Pets are wonderful things and you can share some truly unique and magical moments with them. A family pet is the staple of many people’s lives, and dogs and cats are the two most popular animals that people have. Kids love animals and a pet is a great way for them to learn about animals, as well as responsibility in taking care of them.

Some pets are high maintenance such as a dog, which will require regular walks throughout the day and lots of exercise. Cats on the other hand require less work, but there is still a lot involved with them such as the frequent changing of their kitty litter, as well as grooming and looking after them.

One pet that is very low maintenance is fish. Home aquariums are very popular and can really add charm and character to a room. Fish themselves don’t need much pampering. You don’t need to take them out for a walk. You don’t have to worry if they have water to drink. All you will have to do is make sure you feed them and to clean out their tank every so often and replace it with fresh water.

However, not all home aquariums have to be for fish. There are a variety of other pets that you can have in your fish tank besides the classic, but very popular, goldfish. Here we will take a look at some of the alternatives that are available.

Shrimps and Lobsters

Now most people wouldn’t really consider a shrimp or lobster as an ideal pet, but there are many people who have them at home. It is quite simple going about setting up a shrimp tank, and for most part, you wouldn’t really do much different that you would if setting it up for fish.

Having an invertebrate-only aquarium at home is a great idea and something different. As with regular fish, these are also very low maintenance, and don’t require any special attention. You’ll need to decide between a freshwater or marine aquarium, and this will obviously influence the type of invertebrates you can have inside, but there are lots to choose from, and they come in all colours and sizes.

One very popular shrimp is the Ghost shrimp, which is a very low-key and discreet option, but one that can actually help to keep your tank clean. Another is the coral banded shrimp which come in beautiful colours and add a touch of flare to your home aquarium.

Axolotl

These unique fish are becoming more and more popular with home aquariums and are often referred to as the “Walking fish” because of its front and back legs. They look like a type of lizard, but swim the way a fish does. It is actually a salamander, but unlike others that can live in and out of water, the Axolotl spend all their life underwater.

If you are planning on getting Axolotl you will want to have a large fish tank, as they can reach up to 13 inches or so when fully grown. They come in a variety of colours including gold, black and pink. The best type of aquarium for these would be a bare-bottom one, so it will be much easier for you to clean and look after.

Another very important thing to mention if you are planning on getting any Axolotl is that the water in your tank must be changed on a regular basis, or at least have a very good filter system placed inside.

Starfish

One other very unusual addition to your home aquarium could be a starfish. Most people would not have considered having one as a pet, but they are very easy on the eye and laid back. They will feed mainly on the waste and food that is found on the bottom of the tank, as they are scavengers by nature.

As with Axolotl you will need to make sure that your tank is one with a lot of space, and not a small 10×10 inch fish tank. Starfish need space to roam about. If you are planning on adding a starfish to your aquarium, then you will need to make sure that the water in the tank is prepared and stable (and in some situations is properly treated), as sometimes they do not react well with water changes. It is advisable to speak to an expert such as at your local pet shop to learn more about having a pet starfish.

Fish will always be the kings and queens of the aquarium, but sometimes, people want to have something a little different, and what better way to achieve that than by opting for a shrimp tank, or adding a couple of Axolotl to your existing aquarium setup.

Pets can be an important lesson for kids to teach them responsibility and compassion. Fish are an easy introduction into the world of pet ownership, and having your child care for and feed a fish can help them get used to the concept of completing tasks on time. 

However, knowing how and when to trust your child with that responsibility can be tricky. How do you know when the time is right? How much of the responsibility should you take on? What fish should you get them? Is pet ownership even right for your child?

When deciding whether or not to trust your child with the responsibility of a fish, it is important to know your child. The fact of the matter is every child is different, and there is no one size fits all solution. 

First of all, you should make sure your child wants a pet to begin with. If the child doesn’t care about the fish, they might feel bitter and resentful about the new responsibility suddenly being forced on them. Talk with your child, and ask how they would feel about being asked to take care of a fish. 

Another concern is whether or not your child can understand that the fish is a living creature, just like anything else. If your child is going to tap on the glass and try to take it out of the tank to play with it, it might be a good idea to wait until they are capable of understanding why they shouldn’t do the things you tell them not to do.

Another matter to consider is how much responsibility you can take on. We can all agree that expecting your kid to do all the work is a bit unreasonable, but the point of the exercise is to teach them responsibility.

One basic job you can give them is feeding the fish. Feeding is a simple job that nonetheless teaches them how to manage a schedule and value their responsibility. However, this doesn’t mean you have to do everything else by yourself. 

Asking your child to help pick out gravel and ornaments can be a fun bonding activity. In addition, while your child probably shouldn’t be cleaning out the tank themselves, asking them to help with minor parts of the process like cleaning filters and ornaments can teach teamwork and help foster a bond between you and your child.

However, before you can do any of this, you need to decide what kind of fish you should get your child. Which fish are low-maintenance enough that it doesn’t overwhelm your child, but beautiful enough that it’s worth the effort? 

The answer, ultimately, lies with your child. Talking to your child about which fish they might like, and briefing them on the responsibility that certain fish entail, is going to determine whether pet ownership becomes a fun bonding experience or an annoying slog. 

However, if you would like a starting point, smaller fish like goldfish and betta fish are usually easier to take care of. “The guppy is one of the most colorful and peaceful fish species, perfect for kids and beginners”, according to AquariumFishCity.

In general, you’re looking for fish who are docile in nature and don’t require so much space or attention as some bigger fish might. I encourage you to do your research and talk to your child to determine which fish is right for your family.

When deciding whether or not to trust your child with the responsibility of a pet, it is important to discuss with your child, and make them feel like the responsibility of pet ownership is something they want, rather than being forced to do. 

If you don’t feel your child is ready for the challenges that caring for a fish entails, then don’t force one on them anyways. Use your own best judgement and knowledge of your child to create a situation that you can all enjoy.

Whatever you decide, I wish you the best of luck.

We have all heard about Laika, a dog that, in 1957, became the first Earthly creature to orbit our planet. When people were preparing to send her to space, they didn’t know what it would do to her. They didn’t have answers to some basic questions, for example, how the blood, organs, and tissues would behave without gravity; would digestion still be possible? These are only some of the doubts scientists had back then, when they were preparing Laika for her trip.

As it turned out, Sputnik 2 was only designed for a one-way trip, and Laika never came back. And she wasn’t the last animal to be sent to space (though some of them survived). Although they significantly contributed to the development of space programs, a lot of people argue that it’s unethical, as animals are unable to verbalize their needs, problems, and desires.

Animals rights activists are growing in numbers these days, and their voices become louder. More and more people decide to give up eating meat or dairy products, or using cosmetics that have been tested on animals. So what about those being sent to space? Should humanity continue to do so in the name of progress and space exploration?

Why do people send animals to space?

According to NASA, many more people would have died if it hadn’t been for animals that provided us with a lot of necessary information. To this day, animals are being sent to space when there’s a need for additional data. Some things can be studied thanks to the astronauts aboard the Space Shuttle or International Space Station, but not everything, as these people have tons of other responsibilities. So they use, for example, a rat to study its reactions in space. Then, they can transfer the data to human models and predict the outcome.

Scientists are interested in how microgravity affects living organisms. Researchers themselves prefer studying people who are already in space or use computer models, but there are still situations when it seems absolutely necessary to observe another living thing. For example, with animals, it’s much easier to control their diet, as their feedings are always monitored (you can read so much about pets and their diet on this website.)

Laika showed people that they could survive in space physically, despite weightlessness, if the right conditions could be maintained. Experiments with snails helped understand how the inner ear will react to the change of conditions, while fish took part in genetic space studies. The results weren’t possible to be transferred one-to-one to humans, but the basics were necessary to develop precautions.

What are some of the animals sent to space?

Apart from Laika, many other animals were sent to space, and some even became quite famous.

• Fruit flies

Being sent to space in 1947, fruit flies were actually the first to experience it. Scientists wanted to check how the human body would behave there. Apparently, around three-quarters of human disease genes are similar to those of a fruit fly, which may be enough to collect relevant data. NASA still sends fruit flies to space to have a better understanding of biology outside the Earth.

• Monkeys

NASA started sending monkeys to space in 1948. The first was called Albert, and he was the first in the project and followed by other Alberts, but he suffocated during the flight. Albert II survived the flight but died on the impact. Five Alberts were sent to space in total, and they all died. The first to survive the whole trip was Yorick, but he died a couple of hours after his return.

Then, in 1959, a monkey called Miss Baker survived the trip and continued to live until 1984.

The US, Russia, and European countries haven’t been sending monkeys to space since the 1990s.

• Mice

The first mouse was sent to space in 1950 and died on the impact. NASA and other space agencies continue to do so. NASA found that mice are incredibly quick to adapt; after only several minutes, they are able to carry on their typical behaviors in the weightless environment.

• Soviet dogs

More dogs followed Laika to space. In 1960, Belka and Strelka reached orbit and returned safely to Earth, while Veterok and Ugolyok, spent 22 days in space in 1966 and still hold the record for the longest time spent in space by a canine.

• Ham

Being sent in 1961, Ham became the first chimpanzee in space. He returned safely and in good shape and continued to live his life in a zoo. He died in 1983.

• Félicette

She was the first and only cat ever sent to space, and she returned safely. Others were trained, but experienced more difficulties or… run away.

Should people continue to send animals to space?

It’s hard to provide the world with an unambiguous answer. It might be true that none animal would choose this life for themselves if they had a choice. Experts of the NASA Ames Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee claim that animals are very quick to adapt. They don’t get confused by microgravity. Apart from that, it’s not like people are sending animals on suicide missions as they did with Laika all these years ago. Now animals seem to be just as safe as humans are in space, and the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee take care of providing them with the best possible conditions. The regulations are more strict in the case of animals right now, as they can’t give their formal consent, unlike humans. You can never be sure, but it may be a chance for a better life to many animals that are now suffering on a daily basis because they are being hunted or they are living on the streets.