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Armitage Animal Clinic

Providing excellence in health care…for your pets!

Call us today! 905 836-4001
Call us today! 905-836-4001
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18025 Yonge St, Unit 6
Newmarket, ON L3Y 8C9

International Lazy Day

August 1 2021

There’s a holiday coming up that’s pretty relevant to some of our patients. International Lazy Day is August 10th. While the sloth may be the animal world’s ultimate (and adorable) king of laziness, dogs and cats aren’t too far behind. In this article from Armitage Animal Clinic, a Newmarket, ON vet discusses Fido and Fluffy’s lack of motivation.


 Cats

Cats are absolute masters of the art of being lazy. Kitties can sleep up to 20 hours a day. Over the course of Fluffy’s life, she’ll spend about two thirds of it sleeping. Why are kitties so tired? Is being cute really that exhausting? Fluffy may have a good reason: when hunting, our feline friends do expend a lot of energy in a very short time, and need to recoup. (We’ll just overlook the fact that most furballs never hunt anything more challenging than catnip mice or their food dishes.)


Dogs

Fido is somewhat more active than Fluffy, but he sleeps a lot too. In fact, our canine buddies spend about 12 hours a day sleeping, on average. Breed plays a role in determining how lazy your pooch is. Some of the laziest breeds include the Pug, Bulldog, and Chow. These aren’t unexpected, especially given that Pugs and Bulldogs are brachycephalic. Surprisingly, the Great Dane and, believe it or not, Greyhound, also make the list.


Lazy Vs. Lethargic

You may have noticed that we often list lethargy as a sign of sickness. This may seem odd, especially with cats, as they can spend up to 20 hours a day sleeping. How do you tell the difference? If Fluffy is just napping, she’ll respond to stimuli, and she’ll probably emerge, blinking and meowing, for supper. A cat that is sick, however, may withdraw to an odd hiding spot, and may not want to leave their hideaway. They may also not seem as alert, and may be limp, weak, and/or feverish. Contact your vet if you suspect your pet is lethargic.


Celebrating

How does one celebrate Lazy Day? By doing as little as possible! Order some takeout, sleep in if you can, and just relax with your furry pal. You may also want to order your pet a comfy new bed … which you can probably do from your phone.


Does your pet need an appointment? Contact us here at Armitage Animal Clinic, your Newmarket, ON veterinary hospital, today!