I have rescued 12 kittens that have come around here all starved and wild. They were from different litters but they just have to be somewhat related. Two years ago, I took one of the kittens in for her check up and they discovered that she had a slight case of Stomatitis. I had no idea what that was, and the vet said to just wait and see what happened. I did notice that this particular cat had trouble eating sometimes but then she would start eating again, so I didn’t do anything about it.

Then I took in 3 more kittens and one of them has rodent ulcers which I will go into on another blog but she also has stomatitis. Now I have another cat, Orange Boy that I just took to the vet two days ago because every time he took a bite of food, he would run backwards like something had bitten him. And they think he may have stomatitis.

So I came home and did some research to find out what this is all about.
This stomatitis is a chronic disease of the mouth, an inflammation of the gums and is usually at the back of the mouth. It is also known as ‘feline gingivostomatitis’. The primary feature of the disease is severe inflammation of the gums where they touch the teeth. So that is why Orange boy, every time he took a bite of food would act like something had bitten him.

The exact cause is unknown, but it is primarily thought that some cats may have a hypersensitivity or allergic reaction to bacterial plaque. There isn’t any proof but it is thought it might be connected to the feline leukemia virus, but no studies have proven this. And Orange boy and the other kittens were all tested and have had the shots to prevent feline leukemia.

If the chronic stomatitis is due to plaque intolerance, then the plaque needs to be removed and kept off. You can do this by getting your vet to do a regular teeth cleaning at least every six months. The teeth may need to be extracted in the case of a severe periodontal disease.

You can try to brush your cat’s teeth at home if your cat will let you. I do not believe any of mine would let me do that. So good luck.

Another thing is good nutrition. Maybe even a vitamin supplement since these cats may not eat as much as they should because of their sore mouths.

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Once your dog is used with the crate, you should lock the dog inside. You can go away for a bit and watch from a distance to see how he calms down. If you see him protest, keep him inside until he calms down. Let him go only when he does. If you do this for a few days, he should be learning to enter and exit the crate on his own.

Some people don’t like crate training because they think that it resembles solitary confinement. But, if you read some of the benefits listed here, and those that are not mentioned and you might find on your own, you can easily reach the same conclusion I did, that a crate is good both for the dog and his owner.

If you train dogs or puppies enough, you can make them love it, and not consider it a place that they want to avoid. If they’re not trained, they can feel lonely and unsafe in this environment.

Crate or den training is done because dogs need a feeling of security, a place of nesting, where there aren’t any distractions. Such a home can be a den. If the right techniques are used and it’s introduced properly, crate training can be OK for dogs, and they will not consider it a punishment.

1. Benefits of using a crate.

a) When you want to be sure that your dog isn’t running around on his own, and you need him to stay put, you can use a crate to control him.

b) If they’re in a place where they feel vulnerable, a crate will provide them a safe haven.

c) A crate can be a place to rest and relax for the dog, where he can’t be distracted or bothered.

d) You can use the crate to make sure that dogs with behavioral problems are kept under control.

e) If your dog is untrained, you can keep him under control, so he doesn’t bite your guests or cause any accidents.

f) If your dog has separation anxiety a crate can help him.

g) If you need to take the dog out, a crate can keep him secure.

h) His confidence is boosted because he is more secure.

i) Can help the dog with their training, since it can be a direction for their activities.

2. Size of the crate.

You should choose a crate that allows the dog to stand up on all fours, where he can lie down or turn around without the walls being in the way. If you also want to use the crate to travel with your dog, you should pick a larger one.

If training is the only reason why you use the crate, you should still pick one that follows the rules I talked about before. Using a big crate will allow the dog to do things that are unwanted in an area of the crate where they don’t have to sit.

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You might want to know what you can do for aggressive dog pets. After all, if you truly love dogs, you would want only the best approaches to curb your dog’s unwanted behavior. Some dog owners however, unknowingly encourage dog aggression with the wrong approach.

Giving Way

You might feel like just letting your dog be. This is especially if you do not savor the potentially long and effort-filled task of correcting your dog’s behavior. Giving way to an aggressive dog however is never a good idea. Such simple acts as letting it walk ahead of you or giving it a treat while it is barking excessively can worsen your dog’s negative tendencies. It might think that it has a higher rank than you and that it’s doing all right by acting the way it does.

Head-On Confrontation

Some owners also believe they are doing what’s best for their dogs by being aggressive too. Hence they may openly shout and scream at a barking dog or even threaten to hit their pets. Such techniques however may encourage aggression more than discourage it. Instead of behaving, your dog may become fearful or may think that you are challenging it, thereby encouraging more negative behavior from it.

Neglect

Some think that the best approach would be to ignore them. You might think that your dog will behave itself eventually. Nothing can be farther from the truth though. Snubbing your dog when it acts up can also be a cause for more aggressive acts. This is especially if you have a very active dog that simply needs the proper outlet for its energy.

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