4 Pet Myths Busted

As a CPNA (Certified Pet Nutrition Advisor) and pet professional for 12 years, I am amazed with the amount of misinformation that caring pet parents receive! I have decided to debunk 4 of those myths.

Whatever else you do…

1. Don’t assume that because a dog is wagging his tail, that he will not bite you! A wagging tail can be a sign of happiness, but needs to be taken in context with other body language and behavior. People laugh for various reasons, out of anxiety, fear, or even pain. Same goes with the dogs’ tail. Always use caution when approaching a dog you are not familiar with and teach children to do the same.

2. This ties in to… Cat’s purr because they are happy. Many experts agree purring is more of an expression of emotion, than the exact emotion of happiness. Cats have been known to purr when in pain, while giving birth, even while dying. I even had a cat that would always purr just before he would try to bite me (one of his favorite games). Once again, look for body language and situational clues to determine your pet’s true communication.

3. Spaying and neutering your pet makes them fat. Not necessarily!!!!! Although there is a legitimate decreases in caloric needs (as much as 25%), there are other things that need to be considered in determining a pet’s daily calorie consumption needs. Activity level being the greatest, but current and ideal weight will also need to be part of the equation! Stop by a Pet Supplies Plus store and ask to speak to a CPNA (Certified Pet Nutrition Advisor), they can do a body condition score as well as ‘do the math’ to determine the correct calorie range for your individual pet. And remember, no 2 pets are identical in their metabolism or nutritional needs.

4. A dog that ‘scoots’ his rear along the ground has worms. He might, or he might not. A dirty hind end, full anal sacs and itchy behinds (usually from fleas or allergies) are more often the culprit(s).

I hope you share this info with friends and help do all we can to debunk these myths from the pet community. Stay tuned for more myth-busting in the future!