Veterinarian Dr. Julia Hammond came to our set armed with some True or False questions to test our pet IQ. How well will you do?
1. Dogs have a total of two eyelids on EACH eye....just like humans.
False! The correct answer is three. They have a main upper and lower lid but there is a third hidden lid - called the nictitans (or haw). It appears from the inner corner of the eye and acts like a windshield washer. Cherry eye in dogs refers to the prolapse of the gland of the third eyelid. This eyelid is also present in cats and can be seen when they are sedated/sleepy or ill.
2. A "quivering" cat tail means your cat is agitated.
False! If your cat is near you, and her tail is quivering, this is the greatest expression of love your cat can give you. If their tail is wagging, flicking or thrashing...it's not such good news.
3. Standard Poodles are considered one of the smartest dog breeds.
Trick Question! True AND False! The Standard Poodle is highly intelligent and one of the easiest breeds to train but they require an owner who is adept at maintaining their interest and socializing them very well. Herding breeds (Border Collie) are the sharpest by our definition of intelligence. The same can also be said of assistance dogs (for the blind, the deaf, seizure-watch dogs, etc.). These dogs show independent thought and great willingness to learn and please.
4. Siamese Fighting Fish like to live alone AND in small bowls.
False! The male must be alone (because they are fighters) but females can co-exist if necessary. They should live in at least 10 gallons (about 38 liters) of water.
5. Cats are the most common household pet in North America.
True! Cats outnumber dogs by millions as house pets. In the US alone, there are about sixty million. There are about five hundred million pet cats in the world.
6. The majority of a dog's sweat glands are on its tongue.
False! Dogs don't have a lot of sweat glands but the majority are between the pads of their paws. They pant when they are hot - but their bodies aren't as efficient as humans in cooling down because they don't sweat in the same way we do.
7. Cats love the smell of orange.
False! Cats' sense of smell is extremely sensitive. Pungent smells like lemon and orange don't work well for them. In fact, lots of people will spray these scents on their furniture and plants to deter their cats from scratching. What about dogs?
8. When a dog shakes his fur it experiences the same g-force as an astronaut landing in space.
False! It's even MORE impressive...the dog experiences 12 g-force and the man only 3 g-force.
Julia also showed us different household items that are toxic to our cats and dogs. She suggests you keep these items well out of reach of your pets.
