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Preventive Care & Wellness + English

  • Macaws are the largest members of the parrot family. They are high maintenance birds that require a great deal of space to house. They also require a lot of daily affection and attention. Their vocalizations tend to be loud, harsh, penetrating squawks. Their impressively large beak can be exceedingly destructive. Some commonly kept macaws include the blue and gold macaw, scarlet macaw, severe macaw, green-winged macaw, and the hyacinth macaw. Despite the exotic appeal of macaws, they are unsuitable for many households and family situations due to their loud screeching, destructive behavior, and great need for daily attention and time out of their cages. Macaws may be purchased from pet stores or reputable breeders or adopted from rescue organizations. After bringing your new bird home, you should have it examined by a veterinarian familiar with birds to help ensure that it is healthy. Like all other pet birds, macaws require annual, routine veterinary health check-ups.

  • Once a pet has lost some weight, the new goal is to make sure that excess weight stays off. Pet parents who partner with their veterinary health care team for support and who focus on changing their behaviors often have the most success. Examples of some changes include using a different food or a different feeding method, focusing more on portion control, and incorporating some movement or activity time into each day. This article addresses several commonly asked questions about how to help a pet during the maintenance phase (after the weight has been lost).

  • Glamorous and sweet, gentle and spirited, the Maltese has a long history as a treasured lap dog, sleeve dog, and close personal companion, especially to ladies at court. It is not hard to see why - the Maltese has the look of a tiny white angel and the manners to match.

  • Sleek and handsome in black-and-tan with his whip-like tail and his prick ears, the Manchester Terrier is one of the original terriers, and carries himself with all the majesty and confidence befitting an aristocrat. Even so, the Manchester is not above a good hard chase after a critter, and most will curl warmly into the laps of their favorite people so you can admire them up close, of course.

  • Mastiffs are mellow and many are happy just watching family ballgames from the sidelines, cheering their kids on with a wag or a woof. Some, however, might happily join in to steal the ball or play a short game.

  • Meyer's parrots are generally small- to medium-sized parrots with a very outgoing personality. They are very colorful and playful parrots. A hand-tamed Meyer's parrot makes a wonderful family pet.

  • The purpose of pet microchips is to provide permanent identification. Microchips are tiny, about the size of a grain of rice, and contain a unique identification number. They are inserted with a needle under the skin between the shoulder blades. A microchip reader detects the electronic code embedded in the chip and displays the identification number on its screen. The registration database is then checked for this identification number (either online or by telephone), and the pet owner's contact information is retrieved. A microchip is the most reliable way to reunite lost pets with their owners and may also be required for international travel.

  • Just as courageous, fiery, hard-headed and hilarious as his larger brother, the Miniature Bull Terrier combines all the pow of the Bull Terrier in a more compact and portable package. Even so, this is no lap dog. He would rather sit beside you or better yet, forge ahead towards the next great adventure. Of course, he wants you to come along, too.

  • With Napoleonic tendencies and terrier-like spirit, Miniature Pinschers are cunning, playful, and depending on their breeding, utterly fearless. Adventurous types, buckle your seatbelts!

  • The jaunty beard, bushy eyebrows, and lively personality of the Miniature Schnauzer make it a fun and comical companion. They would rather get up and go than lie down and sleep, but the top priority of the Miniature Schnauzer is to be with the people he lives to please.