There are plenty of ways to increase the number of shares you can get on social media (some of which we’ve covered in our posts How to Get More Shares on Facebook [With Examples]). Today, we’re going to focus on one specific type of post that we’ve found often gets shared – the “Did You Know” post.

“Did you know” posts are a great way to both educate clients and encourage them to share your content on social media? They’re informative, allowing you to promote important pet health messages. And pet parents who care will share with their friends to ensure the message reaches as many people as possible.

Not all “did you know” posts are created equal. We’ve been posting these facts for over two years, and during that time, we’ve got a pretty good sense of what works and what doesn’t. We like to separate our “did you know” facts into two categories: fun and informative. Fun facts are facts that pet owners probably don’t know, like that Sir Isaac Newton invented the cat flap, or that a dog has 42 teeth. But they also contain information that isn’t directly relevant to the pet owner. The reader can’t act on the fact that their dog has 42 teeth, and the Sir Isaac Newton fact, while fun trivia, doesn’t have any direct impact on their lives today.

The second kind of fact, an informative fact, has more direct relevance to the reader’s life. Knowing that obesity is the number one health problem in dogs is something that a pet owner needs to know for their own dog’s health. And even if the fact doesn’t encourage action, if the pet owner can relate to it, e.g. petting your dog has been shown to decrease blood pressure, then it also qualifies under informative. In order to maximize the effectiveness of your “did you know” posts, it’s a good idea to make them as relevant and informative to pet owners as possible. 

That’s not to say that all of your posts have to be informative. Fun facts can be just that – fun information to share with your readers. But when you’re looking to maximize the number of shares you get on your social posts, be sure to keep these numbers and mind. Knowing what works well is the best way to achieve your goals and get the shares you’re looking for.

111 Fun & Interesting  Facts for Veterinary Practices

Informative

Cats

  1. When your cat headbutts, sits near you or shows you their stomach, it’s their way of saying “I love you.”
  2. Cats don’t like to drink water that’s too close to their food, because water near food could be contaminated. Encourage your cat to drink from their water bowl by separating from their food bowl.
  3. Sensitivity to catnip is genetic, and only about 50% of cats experience its effects.
  4. While dogs are the natural hosts, cats can get heartworms too. Protect your pet with monthly heartworm preventive.
  5. When cats knock things over, they usually want attention.
  6. Adult cats rarely meow to communicate with each other. Kittens will meow at their mothers, but once they’re grown, cats mostly only meow at humans.
  7. Spaying or neutering your cat can help them live longer. Spayed females live 39% longer and neutered males live 62% longer than cats who haven’t had the procedure.
  8. Contrary to popular belief, you shouldn’t feed your cat a saucer of milk or any dairy products. While they may love the taste, most cats are lactose intolerant.
  9. Contrary to the cartoons, you should never feed your cat raw fish or dairy products.
  10. Cats like tinsel, but tinsel isn’t good for them. If ingested, tinsel can cause intestinal blockages that can be harmful – or even fatal!

Dogs

Woman sitting with her dog looking at her phone

  1. Petting a dog lowers blood pressure and reduces stress.
  2. Grapes, raisins, onions, garlic, wild mushrooms, chocolate, and macadamia nuts are extremely toxic to dogs.
  3. Toothpaste made for humans is toxic to dogs. Fortunately, there is toothpaste for dogs too!
  4. Dogs can be trained to detect some types of cancers in humans.
  5. A skunk can spray 7-15 feet and even further if it’s windy – so keep your dog far away!
  6. Spaying or neutering your dog can prevent some forms of cancer.
  7. A study found that dogs would rather be petted than receive verbal praise.
  8. Dogs at work reduce stress and increase productivity, creativity, and customer impressions of the company.
  9. While some dogs love them, dogs who are frustrated with laser toys can become obsessed with chasing light and shadows.
  10. Bathing a dog too often strips away natural oils, which can cause dryness, dandruff, and itching.
  11. Porcupines can’t throw their quills, but with 30,000 of them, your dog should stay clear anyways!
  12. Petting a dog increases oxytocin levels (“the love hormone”) for both you and the dog.
  13. Dogs probably don’t feel guilt. Those puppy dog eyes they’re giving you are likely a reaction to your behavior.
  14. Dogs are the only species that look to where humans are pointing with their eyes or fingers.
  15. Contrary to rumor, giving your dog ice or ice water will not  cause a life-threatening illness. However, crush up ice cubes to avoid teeth injuries and be careful not to give your dog too much water all at once.

Pets

  1. Studies show that pet owners over the age of 65 make 30% fewer visits to the doctor than seniors without pets.
  2. Over 75% of pet owners buy Christmas presents for their pets.
  3. The American Heartworm Society recommends year-round prevention.
  4. A study found that lost dogs are 2 1/2 times and lost cats are 20 times more likely to get home when they have a microchip.
  5. Overweight pets can suffer from arthritis, diabetes, hypertension & many other problems, just like people.
  6. Bats, skunks, and raccoons are the most common sources of exposure to rabies in pets.
  7. Smelling urine in your house but having trouble finding the stain? Cat and dog urine glows under UV light, so use a UV flashlight to find the source of the odor.
  8. 70% of pet owners sign their pet’s name on greeting cards. Are you one of them?
  9. Research suggests that children who live with a pet before the age of one may be less likely to develop pet allergies later on.
  10. 58% of owners include their pets in holiday and family portraits.
  11. 72% of dog owners believe their pup can predict an incoming storm.
  12. Secondhand smoke can cause cancer in dogs and cats.
  13. Animal shelters experience a spike in pet returns after the Christmas holidays, primarily due to pets being given as gifts. Adopting is a big decision, so please don’t give a pet as a surprise present.

Fun Facts

Cats

  1. In many parts of the world, black cats are considered to be good luck
  2. Moggy is the British slang term for a domestic cat that does not have a pedigree.
  3. Cats sleep for about 2/3 of their lives. When your cat is 12 years old, it will have been awake for only 4 years of its life!
  4. Cats today live about twice as long as they did 50 years ago.
  5. Cats have 4 rows of whiskers. They can move the top 2 rows independently of the bottom 2 rows.
  6.  Sir Isaac Newton invented the cat flap because his cat, Spithead, kept pushing the door open when he was conducting experiments that needed darkness.
  7. Cats can make over 100 vocal sounds.
  8. The cheetah is the only cat that doesn’t sheathe its claws while at rest.
  9. Most kittens are born with blue eyes.
  10. Cats can be left-pawed or right-pawed (or both).
  11. Domestic cats can sprint at speeds of about 30 mph over short distances.
  12. Bad luck? Black cats are considered good luck in many places around the world.
  13. Pure-white cats with blue eyes are often deaf.
  14. Kitty litter was invented in 1947 by Ed Lowe.
  15. Cats have 32 muscles to control their ears, allowing them to turn a full 180 degrees.
  16. Cats can jump up to 5 times their own height.
  17. Cats can’t climb down head-first. They must jump or back down.
  18. The cat’s “righting reflex” doesn’t come from the tail – it comes from the eyes and the inner ears.
  19. Cats are the only known mammal that can’t taste sweet.
  20. Cats have 4 rows of whiskers. They can move the top 2 rows independently of the bottom 2 rows.
  21. When a cat died in ancient Egypt, family members would shave their eyebrows in mourning.
  22. The most popular pedigreed cat breeds in the USA are 1. Persian, 2. Maine Coon, and 3. Exotic Shorthair.
  23. Cats today live about twice as long as they did 50 years ago.
  24. Cats have between 30 and 50 million hairs on their bodies.
  25. A group of kittens is called a “kindle.”
  26. Compared to the size of their heads, cats have the largest eyes of any mammal.
  27. Cats can be trained to do a variety of tricks – it just takes a bit of patience and creativity.
  28. Napoleon is rumored to have had ailurophobia – that is, he was scared of cats.
  29. Cats can see with only one sixth the amount of light needed by humans.
  30. Cats spend about half of their waking hours grooming.
  31. A cat’s nose print is as unique as a human fingerprint.
  32. Domestic cats arrived in North America with the pilgrims.
  33. When cats scratch things, they deposit a scent that other cats can detect.
  34. Many ships in WWI and II had cats aboard – some even had their own hammocks.
  35. Cats can hear ultrasonic sounds that rodents make to communicate.
  36. A cat has over 200 million scent receptors in its nasal cavity.
  37. Cats purr at a frequency of 20-30 vibrations per second – about the same as a diesel engine!
  38. For the past 18 years, the mayor of a town in Alaska has been a cat named Stubbs.
  39. A group of cats is called a “clowder.”
  40. Cats sleep for about 2/3 of their lives. So when your cat is 12 years old, it will only have spent 4 years of its life awake.
  41. Cats have contributed to the extinction of more than 33 bird species worldwide.
  42. Cats have been around since the ancient Egyptians, but the Sphynx cat is a relatively young breed. The first Sphynx was born in 1955 in Toronto, Canada.

Dogs

young woman working on laptop at home,cute small dog besides. work from home, stay safe during coronavirus covid-2019

  1.  A dog’s nose print is as unique as a human fingerprint.
  2. Basenji dogs don’t bark. They yodel.
  3. Dogs do see color, just not as many colors as humans.
  4. “Max” and “Bella” were the most popular dog names in 2013.
  5. A dog’s nails grow continuously, just like human fingernails.
  6. A group of pugs is called a “grumble.”
  7. An estimated 70 million dogs live in 40 million households in the U.S.
  8. The first guide dogs were trained for war-blinded soldiers after WWI.
  9. Prairie dogs are not dogs at all. They are members of the squirrel family.
  10. Dogs have 18 different muscles for controlling their ears.
  11. Dogs can “catch yawns” from humans, and vice versa.
  12. The first guide dog training school in the US was the seeing eye. Hence the term “seeing eye dog.”
  13. Dogs in the USA produce over 10 million tons of feces per year.
  14. Discovery’s “MythBusters” proved Hollywood wrong. If you’re being tracked by a bloodhound, it will find you.
  15. Dogs can learn about 250 words. Short words representing objects (treat!) and behaviors (sit!) are easy.
  16. Girl scouts and boy scouts can earn a merit badge in dog care.
  17. At least 17 dog breeds have lines with naturally-occurring bobtails.
  18. August 26, 2015 is National Dog Day!
  19. About 1/3 of a dog’s brain mass is devoted to smell, compared with just 5% of a human’s brain!
  20. A puppy can learn simple commands like sit, down, and stay, as young as 7-8 weeks of age.
  21. Dogs have about 1700 taste buds, compared to about 9000 in humans.
  22. If a terrier randomly starts to dig, chances are, he’s heard prey moving underground.
  23. Approximately 25% of dog visits to the veterinarian are for problems with the skin and coat.
  24. Dogs often whine when frustrated. Think of whining as a “doggy complaint.”
  25. Not all dog breeds age at the same rate. Small dogs tend to age more slowly than larger dogs.
  26. According to Welsh legend, Corgis are enchanted and are a gift from the fairies. The fairies also used to ride Corgis or use them to pull their carriages.
  27. Dogs have not one, not two, but three sets of eyelids.
  28. If you own a Lab, you’re in good company. Labrador Retrievers are the most popular dogs in North America (and have been for more than 20 years!)
  29. Dalmatians are born entirely white, without spots. Most of their spots have appeared within a month.
  30. Some dog breeds are so smart, they can count to 4 or 5.

Pets

Pets provide us with companionship, laughter, and unconditional love. They are always there for us, no matter what. For these reasons and many more, it’s important to make sure that we return the favor by providing them with the best possible care. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of 111 fun and interesting facts about pets, specifically dogs and cats. Armed with these “did you know” facts, you’re ready to educate your clients and increase your social shares at the same time. It’s a win-win!  We hope that this information will be useful for veterinarians in providing the best possible care for our furry friends. 

Improve Your Vet Practice!

A veterinary practice is a complex business, with many moving parts that all need to work together efficiently to provide the best possible care for your patients. At Lifelearn, we are always looking for ways to help improve your veterinary practice efficiency. Our customizable online software solutions and strategically driven educational content can help you thrive. 

If you are interested in learning more about how we can help, please get a free consultation with us today. There is no obligation or hassle, and we would be more than happy to answer any of your questions. LifeLearn is always with animal health professionals. Prosper your vet business with us today!

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