This document provides information about companion animals. It discusses pet ownership trends in countries like the US and China. It outlines the percentage of households that own pets and consider them family members. It also gives data on veterinary expenditures and the most common health problems in dogs and cats. The document discusses careers working with companion animals and debunks several myths about dogs and cats.

1. Companion Animals

2. Companion Animals

3. A fad in China is to dye pets to resemble
other animals.

4. 60% of households in
the U.S. have a pet

6. 50% of pets are considered as
members of the family
48% of pets are considered as
pets or companions
2% of pets are considered
property
(AVMA 2007)

7. Number of Dogs and Cats per 100 Humans
(1998)
Dogs Cats
USA 17.8 21.0
France 17.0 12.6
Australia 15.2 13.9
Canada 13.0 14.0
Denmark 13.3 10.8
Austria 8.0 14.7
UK 10.0 9.6
Netherlands 8.4 10.6
Switzerland 6.2 12.5
Sweden 8.9 9.5

8. Number of Dogs and Cats Total
(2002)
(‘000,000)
Dogs Cats
USA 60 72* 77 82*
China 23 53
Brazil 30 12.5
Russia 10 8
Japan 10 7.8
UK 6.1 7.5
* AVMA 2006

9. Pet Populations (millions)
Year
Type of Pet 1999 2001
2006
Fish 24.0 49.3
75.9
Birds 11.0 10.1 11.2
Rabbits 4.6 4.8 6.2
Hamsters/ Guinea pigs/ gerbils 2.7 1.8 2.7
Turtles/ snakes/ lizards/ amphibians 2.0 2.9 3.9
SOURCE: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (2002).

10. Veterinary Expenditures (Billions)
2001 2006
• Dogs $11.6 $16.1
• Cats $6.6 $ 7.1
• Horses $0.6 $ .7
• Pet foods $12.4

11. The world’s most expensive dog, a Tibetan Mastiff,
sold for $582,000 in China, September 2009. The
18-month old dog will be used for breeding.

12. Stewie, a five-year-old Maine Coon, has been
accepted by Guinness World Records as the
world's longest cat at 48.5 inches (2010).

13. Recent Trends in Pet Ownership in
U.S.
• 75% of dog and cat owners are female
• Smaller breeds of dogs became more
popular
• 90% of dogs reside in urban areas

14. Annual Costs of Pet Ownership
Dogs
Small Medium Large Cats
Food 150 250 350 120
Health care 225 275 325 225
Grooming 200 300 400 ---
Toys 50 60 70 50
Litter --- --- --- 175
Miscellaneous 155 230 315 80
TOTAL 780 1,115 1,500 640

17. March 1, 2012: Richard Scheiner, a 58 year-
old real-estate investor and hedge-fund
manager, saids he
pays $17,000 a year on food, health care,
boarding and a daily dog-walker (who charges
$17 each per outing)
to look after a labradoodle named Zelda and
a rescued bichon fries named Duke.

18. Annual Costs of Pet Ownership
Rabbit Guinea Pig Gerbil Small bird
Food 110 75 50 50
Litter 400 400 220 ---
Toys 25 25 10 30
Health care 200 50 --- ---
Miscellaneous 50 30 25 20
TOTAL 785 580 305 100

19. Preventable health
problems in pets

20. Proper diet to prevent obesity. About
50% of house dogs and cats over 5
years of age are over weight.

21. Walk your dog!

22. Good oral hygiene prevents tooth decay and
gum disease.

23. Bath with proper shampoo at proper intervals.

24. Spin Dry

25. Top 6 health problems in dogs
http://tedeboy.tripod.com/drmichaelwfox/index.html
• Skin disorders
• Adverse reactions to vaccines and
medications
• Lameness / arthritis
• Seizures
• Congestive heart failure
• Cancer

26. Top 6 health problems in cats
http://tedeboy.tripod.com/drmichaelwfox/index.html
• Skin disorders
• Feline urologic syndrome
• Chronic diarrhea
• Kidney failure
• Adverse reaction to vaccines / medication
• Vomiting

27. Top Behavior Problems in Dogs
http://tedeboy.tripod.com/drmichaelwfox/index.html
• Coprophagia and pica – eating stools, dirt, and grass
• Aggression toward dogs and people
• Fear / phobias
• Obessive compulsive disorder – tail chasing, carpet digging
• Urinating in house
• Separation anxiety
• Excessive barking

29. Frequency of major behavioral problems
(Source: Behavior Clinics, N=200)
Family dog
Nonsocial fear
Attachment/attention
Separation
Dog aggr/fear
Stranger fear
Owner aggr.
Stranger aggr.
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

30. Breed Comparisons
(all data from breed club members)
1.1
1
.9
.8
.7
DACHSHUND
.6 ROTTWEILER
.5 SHETLAND SHEEPDOG
SIBERIAN HUSKY
.4
.3
.2
.1
0
Dog f ear
Dog aggr
Separation
Body sensitiv e
Owner aggr
Non-social f ear
Stranger f ear
Stranger aggr

31. Don’t mess with weiner dogs

32. Breed Comparisons
(all data from breed club members)
3.4
3.2
3
2.8
2.6
DACHSHUND
2.4 ROTTWEILER
SHETLAND SHEEPDOG
2.2
SIBERIAN HUSKY
2
1.8
1.6
1.4
1.2
Attach/Attention Chasing Excitability Trainability

34. Careers with Companion Animals
• Veterinary medicine
• Teaching and research in companion animal
nutrition, biology, care, management, behavior, genetics,
and reproduction
• Pet food and supply industry
• Groomers
• Animal behaviorist / trainer
• Journalism

35. Careers (continued)
• Animal breeder
• Kennel management
• Pet motels
• Professional trainer and handler

36. Top two Pet Food Companies
• Nestle-Purina 26%
• Mars 24%
77% of food sold dry
23% of food sold moist or wet

38. Common problems in feeding dogs and cats.
1. Feeding cat food to dogs

39. Common problems in feeding dogs and cats.
1. Feeding cat food to dogs
a. Dogs do not need a diet containing 30%
protein as do cats.
b. Cat foods are usually more expense.
c. Cat foods are usually more palatable and
higher in energy which can lead to obesity in
dogs.

40. 2. Feeding Dog food to cats.

41. 2. Feeding Dog food to cats.
a. Cats can not convert cystine to taurine.
Lack of taurine can lead to blindness, heart
problems as well as reproductive problems.
b. Cat foods are formulated to produce a acid
urine to prevent urinary tract disease.
c. Can not utilize Beta-carotene as a source of
vitamin A.
d. Can not convert tryptophan into niacin as
can dogs.
e. Cats need arachidonic acid and higher
protein levels.

42. 3. Feeding sugar to dogs and cats.
Many dogs and cats become hyperactive
after consumption of sugar.

43. 4. Not ensuring that cats drink plenty of
water. Make sure fresh, clean water is
available and most people recommend
moisture cat food to prevent mineral
precipitation in the urinary tract.

44. Future Trends
• Increase in total number of pets and jobs
• More cats and smaller dogs
• Increased money spent per pet
• Increasing isolated personal lifestyle
• Genetically improved and healthier pets
• Better understanding of health and
nutrition

45. Myths and Facts
about Dogs and
Cats

46. Are dogs color blind?

47. Dogs see blue, violet, and many more shades of gray
than humans. They also see better in low light and
can pick up the slightest movement. They probably
do not see red, orange, yellow, or green.

48. Because dogs have a
much higher
concentration of rod
cells, responsible for
seeing black-and-
white, and also are
much more sensitive
in lower light
conditions, dogs have
much better night
vision than people.
Cats have similar

49. Fact: Dog Kisses Can Make You Sick
Think dogs' mouths are cleaner than humans?
Veterinarians say dogs' chops are teeming with
germs. These germs get into a dog's mouth from
eating spoiled food or when he uses his tongue as
toilet paper.

50. Fact: Humans Can Make Pets Sick
It's not common, but it happens. H1N1 "swine" flu has hit
cats, dogs, and ferrets — contracted from their sick owners.
Most often it's mild, but a few pets have died, so vets advise
frequent hand-washing and separate beds when the owner
is sick. Dogs and people can also share the same strains of
E. coli bacteria. And MRSA, the "superbug" is making its
way from humans to dogs.

51. Myth: Cats Steal a Baby's Breath
This superstition goes back to the 1700s. When
babies died of sudden infant death syndrome
(SIDS), cats were blamed – not true.

52. Fact: Dogs Can Smell Diabetes
It sounds like a Lassie TV episode, but it's truth, not fiction.
Dogs can sniff out a dangerous drop in blood sugar in a
diabetic owner and alert the person to take action by pawing,
licking, whining, or barking. A few dogs have even been
trained and placed as diabetic service dogs. Their nose for
hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) is correct 90% of the time,
according to their trainers.

53. Fact: Dogs Have a Look of Love
When your dog locks eyes with you, it may genuinely be a
look of love, and not simply a form of begging. Dogs can
develop this atypical behavior with close human
companions — while between dogs or with a strange
person, a direct stare is a threat. Of course not every glance
from Fido is loving — he may simply want your dinner. Or, if
his body is tense and ears flattened, he may be telling you
to back off.

54. Fact: Cats May Love Too Much
Behavior experts confirm that some cats really do experience
separation anxiety when apart from a favorite person — and
that's one reason a sweet kitty may pee on your clothes when
you're at work. Other signs: the cat paces, vocalizes, or blocks
the owner's path to the door. Left alone, she may vomit or be
too worried to eat. For cats who love too much, behavior
therapy can help – and Prozac.

55. Fact: Dogs Can Learn 250 Words
The smartest, best-trained breeds are similar to a 2-year-old
child in their ability to understand human speech, according to
researcher Stanley Coren, PhD. These dogs understand up to
250 words, while the average dog can understand 150 words.
Top Dog: Border collie, poodle, German shepherd, golden
retriever, Doberman pincher
Beauty Before Brains: Borzoi, chow chow, bull dog, basenji,
Afghan hound.

56. Fact: White Cats Are Often Deaf
Cats with a white coat are often deaf in one or both ears,
especially those with blue eyes. When only one eye is blue,
the cat is likely to be deaf on that side only. Many owners
report that deaf cats are not too bright — but it's not clear if
deafness or lower intelligence is to blame.

57. Myth: Cats Will Land on Their Feet
Cats are champs at landing feet first over short distances,
thanks to a highly flexible backbone. But they do sometimes
land on their heads. And beyond one-two stories, their feet
cannot "break" the fall. Their heads and bodies collide with
the ground, causing severe injuries. Cats with access to an
elevated, open window may also focus so intently on a bird,
that they lose their balance and fall — called high-rise
syndrome.

58. Fact: Dogs Can Dance
Dog lovers have created a competitive event called
canine freestyle that brings the bond between
human and animal to a new high. A dog and handler
pair up — ballroom dancing style — for a
choreographed dance performed with music and,
sometimes, matching costumes.

59. Fact: Cats Smell With Their Mouths
Cats have a small scent gland in the roof of the mouth called
the vomeronasal organ. For a really good whiff of something
like urine or another cat's private parts, they'll open their
mouths wide to draw the odor to this scent organ. This fierce-
looking behavior is called the Flehmen reaction, and it's often
seen in males who are checking out a female cat in heat.

60. Myth: Tail Wagging, Happy Dog
A dog wags his tail in three very different moods and only one
is happy. When it's unusually high and stiff, the dog is
agitated and ready to protect his turf. A tail held low and
wagged very quickly shows a scared and submissive dog. A
happy dog wags his tail in its natural, mid-level position —
and his ears, mouth, and body will look relaxed, too.

61. Fact: Newborn Pups Don't Wag
Puppies don't wag their tails before they are about three
weeks old — and some don't start until seven weeks old.
Vets believe tiny puppies are capable, but they're too busy
sleeping and eating to bother. As they become more alert,
tail wagging starts as a kind of sign language: a peace sign
to rambunctious littermates or when begging for food. Dogs
almost never wag their tails when alone.

62. Fact: Early Bonding Key for Kitty
Cats that are aloof or bite the hand that feeds them
probably had no exposure to people in early life.
Feline behavior experts say a kitten needs regular
contact with people in the first seven weeks, or it
may never bond with humans. Even five minutes a
day in the early weeks will teach a kitten not to bite
when the hand of a towering human lifts it off the
ground.

63. Myth: Warm Nose, Sick Dog
The temperature of a dog's nose changes easily and is not a
good sign of illness. It can be hot and dry after lying in the
sun or cool and wet from dipping into the water bowl. Better
signs of illness are lethargy, loss of appetite, vomiting,
coughing, or a fever higher than 102.5°F on a rectal
thermometer. The wet snout? It comes from tear ducts that
drain toward the nose.

64. Fact: A Limp Can Mean Lung Trouble
Dogs sometimes come to the vet for a limp and leave with
a lung cancer diagnosis. Cancer in the chest can activate
the leg bones to grow new tissue — causing swelling and
pain in the legs. A more typical symptom is a cough,
although about 25% of dogs have no symptoms until lung
cancer is detected on chest X-ray. The leg changes —
called hypertrophic osteopathy — go away once the
cancer is treated.

65. Myth: Cats Need Milk
The long-standing myth that cats need milk is wrong and
giving your pet a saucer of cow's milk could make it vomit or
have diarrhea. Kittens drink their mother's milk until they are
weaned and older cats may like the taste of cow's milk. But
adult cats don't have much lactase, the enzyme needed to
break down the lactose sugar in milk. The result is often
uncomfortable and messy: diarrhea.

66. Myth: Dogs Need Bones
This practice comes from the idea that ancient dogs (wolves)
ate plenty of bones. Today, pet dogs can get all the calcium
and nutrients they need from dry kibble. Bones do satisfy the
intense canine chewing instinct, but they can choke a dog or
splinter into knife-like shards, even when cooked. Edible
chewies or sturdy rubber chew toys from the store are a
safer choice.

67. Myth: Licking Heals Dogs' Wounds
There is no magic healing power in dog saliva, contrary to
popular belief. Quite the opposite: mouth bacteria may
cause an infection that delays healing. Dogs are also prone
to compulsive licking — called acral lick dermatitis — which
creates sores that are hard to eradicate. The healing choice
is usually an Elizabethan collar that blocks his tongue from
reaching a sore until it's completely healed.

68. Fact: Cats Kiss With Their Eyes
Cats communicate with a slow blink, according to feline experts.
With their own kind, it's a peace sign, meant to put other felines
at ease. Aimed at a human, this seductive blink shows affection,
even love. People can return the love with a long gaze and slow
blink to "blow a kiss" back in cat body language. The calming
blink works on house cats, feral cats, and even tigers in the
wild, according to behaviorist Roger Tabor.

69. Fact: Dogs Fall in Love
Can two dogs develop a loving relationship? Or do they
hook up with anyone at the dog park? Anthropologist
Elizabeth Marshall Thomas says dogs can fall in love and
she documents a remarkable love story between "Sundog"
and "Bean" in her book, "The Social Lives of Dogs."
Thomas claims few dogs develop relationships because
they are kept as pets in captivity, "born to do what we want,
not what they want."

70. Fact: Smoking Kills Cats and Dogs
Secondhand smoke causes at least two fatal cancers in cats:
lymphoma and oral carcinoma. Housecats get a double dose
of toxins by breathing cigarette smoke in the air and by licking
the residue off their fur when grooming. Dogs with long noses
may develop cancerous nasal tumors from living with a smoker
— and short-nosed breeds are more prone to lung cancer.

71. Cat Language: Purring Through Pain
The quiet, motor-like sound of a purring cat is not yet well
understood. Every cat fancier has seen their pet purring in
happiness; yet cats also purr when they are in pain or close
to death. It may be a self-soothing behavior. Kittens begin
purring within hours of birth as they nurse — and the mother
cat purrs during feeding sessions, too.

73. Cat Language: Chirping
Cats make this sharp, high-pitched sound when highly aroused
by the sight of prey, such as the animal more commonly known
for chirping, the bird. When a cat is blocked from getting at the
prey, he may chatter — a throaty vocalization accompanied by
quick movements of the lower jaw.

74. Dog Language: Grin and Bear It
Owners who insist their dogs can smile are correct in
thinking that the canine mouth can show emotions.
Relaxed and open, it can be a sign of a happy dog. A
submissive grin is a canine version of our nervous smile.
Dogs pull their lips up, show their front teeth, and may
crouch. This harmless, nervous "grin" is easily confused
with an aggressive snarl. When in doubt, don't mess with
the dog.

75. Dog Language: Whale Eye
When a dog turns his head away, but swivels his eyes
around to keep you in sight, he is displaying "whale eye,"
and is usually frightened or guarding something. The whites
of his eyes will show in a crescent shape and disturbing him
can lead to growling or snapping. A stiff body completes the
tense picture. Dogs have a sideways glance for more
relaxed moments, too: not much white will show and his
body will look at ease.

88. Keep your pet safe!