- 10 Realtime And Reliable Photo Search Engines http://t.co/HoGUk218 via @zite
- Here they come to save the day! 10 Pet Heroes http://t.co/y3eMGNA2 via @zite
- Check out this article: Kemper’s director leaves http://t.co/CE7Usqk0
- This would've been very cool, I think....Steve Jobs' Dream Of iCar Revealed (VIDEO) http://t.co/ANCjjpwi via @zite
- Dogs helping their people..Dog Is Lifesaver for 3-Year-Old with Diabetes http://t.co/8HUXJWYW via @zite
Is Mother’s Day Deadly to Cats? It Can Be….
Party Marty with an important warning about Mother’s Day! My buddy Bolt, the Yorkie-Poo, just called me to let me know that one of the humans in his house bought the other human some stargazer lilies for Mother’s Day. The clerk at the store asked the person, “Do you have cats?” He asked why and the clerk emphasized that stargazer lilies are highly toxic to cats.
If you have a human who adores these aromatic flowers and likes to have them at home, be careful if you own a cat! If a cat eats them, she can go into kidney failure.
Symptoms off stargazer lily ingestion include vomiting, loss of appetite, overall lethargy, depression, inability to urinate due to kidney failure, and death.
If you suspect your cat has ingested any part of a stargazer lily, take action IMMEDIATELY! Hydrogen peroxide should be administered to the cat to induce vomiting so that the stomach can be emptied and no further absorption of the toxin can take effect. Take the cat to the nearest veterinarian clinic where a 24-hour fluid can be administered for diuresis to allow for the cat’s kidneys to continue functioning as they should. Other medication may also need to be administered.
On the other hand, if your mom likes flowers, go for the artificial ones! Or…how about some made out of cat nip? Yeah…that sounds like a great idea! Catnip flowers! Genius! I may have to check into getting a patent on that grand idea!
Happy Mother’s Day to all of the incredible Moms out there!
Thanks to pawsdogdaycare.com for this helpful information.
Helping “Flat-Faced” Dog Breeds Enjoy Summer
Summer is the time to get out and about with your dog, but for brachycephalic or “flat-faced” breeds like pugs or bulldogs, the warmer weather can pose serious health risks. Here are some ways to help your dog through the warm weather and still have fun:
- Walk your dog in the early morning and evening when the temperatures are lower
- Never leave your dog in the car unattended. Dogs can suffocate in a matter of minutes in hot weather
- Keep your dog at a healthy weight
- Use a halter rather than a collar to attach leash
- On extremely hot days, take short walks so you can get home easily if you need to
- Don’t overexercise your dog or get them too excited or stressed.
If you sense your dog is overheated, get him to a shady spot if outside, or to a cool place in the house such as the basement that has cool floors he can lay on. Put cool wet towels on him to get body heat down. Once stabilized, take him to the vet to be checked for any lingering problems.
Help Your Pet Reduce His Carbon Pawprint
With Earth Day coming up tomorrow, there is a lot of focus on taking care of the environment. Here are some ways you and your pet can help:
- Disposing of pet waste. It’s estimated dogs in the US produce 10 million tons of waste, cats 2 million. For dog waste, plastic bags do not decompose in landfills. Using biodegradable bags, which are often flushable, is an ecologically sound alternative. For cat waste, choosing a biodegradable litter is a good choice. Biodegradable litter is made of ingredients like wheat, corn, wheat or old newspapers. Odor control and absorption is often equal to the traditional clumping clay-based litter. Introduce the new litter gradually to minimize litter box avoidance issues.
- Spay/Neuter. Pet reproduction rates for dogs and cats account for 12-20 offspring per year, contributing to the 6-8 million homeless pets in the US. Many area animal shelters provide low cost spay/neuter services. If adopting a shelter pet, spay/neuter has already happened if the pet is of age.
- Sustainable Pet Supplies. A growing number of collars, leashes and pet toys are made with products such as cork, bamboo and hemp. Hemp is anti-fungal and breathable, making it a good choice for pets prone to allergies. It is also very sturdy, resistance to the elements is much higher than cotton. Hemp, cork and bamboo are highly renewable, making them a good ecological choice. Due to governmental regulations, hemp farming is not legal in the US. The majority of hemp used for products is imported from Canada, making the cost of hemp products higher.
Texting and Driving – Big No-No; Spot in Your Lap While Driving? Just as Dangerous?
Party Marty, the cool cat supposedly smarter than the dog in the house: Hey! I came across an interesting article online this week at theweek.com. We all know how dangerous driving and texting can be, but what about those drivers who let their dogs sit on their laps when they drive? That has to be a bit precarious, don’t you think?
According to the source, more than one in five drivers who bring their dogs along for the ride let them climb onto their laps while they drive. While texting has been heralded as the new drunk driving, cruising along with Spot on your lap can be just as dangerous. In fact, two states are considering making it illegal to do so – Rhode Island and Tennessee.
In a 2010 survey conducted by AAA, the results indicated that 21% of drivers who had their dogs in the car with them allowed those dogs on their laps while driving. Seven percent claimed they even fed or gave their dogs water while driving; and five percent confessed to actually playing with their dog while navigating the car. Seriously? Thirty-one percent admitted that having the dogs on their laps did create a distraction. Really?
Did you know that if you have a 10-pound dog unrestrained traveling with you at 50 mph, he can fly forward with 500 pounds of pressure in a crash, and an 80-pound beast going 30 mph in the car can create 2,400 pounds of pressure upon impact? That sounds pretty deadly to me.
While no state prohibits pets in the car, Tennessee and Rhode Island seem to be aggressively pursuing action that would ban an animal from being in one’s life while he or she is operating the vehicle. While fines in Rhode Island will be anywhere from $85.00 to $125.00, in Tennessee, driving with a dog in one’s lap or “between the driver and the driver’s door,” could result in a Class C misdemeanor, along with a $50.00 fine and up to 30 days in jail.
So, where do you think Spot should ride now when in the car? I’m thinking back seat with a restraining device. Safer for all! Don’t worry…we cats are highly independent creatures…we will find our own way to any destination…usually the warm spot near the window!
A Lean, Mean Running Machine
Obesity is becoming a real problem for pets like it is for us, but Road Runner the cat is taking steps to stay in shape. Check this out……
Veterinary Malpractice-A Different Ball Game
We’re all familiar with the term “malpractice” when it comes to medical care, but when dealing with veterinarians the laws are quite different than they are for medical doctors. Examples of veterinary malpractice include incorrect diagnosis, prescribing inappropriate medication, following a wrong course of treatment or abandonment of treatment altogether.
Awards for veterinary malpractice vary dramatically from medical malpractice. In most cases, if the court rules in your favor in a vet malpractice case, you recover only the costs you paid for your pet’s treatment. If your pet dies, most state laws allow for only the “market value” of replacing your pet. Damages for “pain and suffering” are not considered.
It’s best to settle vet malpractice cases out of court whenever possible, mediators can be a great help in keeping emotions on both sides in check and coming to a solution workable for both sides.
Veterinarians are licensed in the state where they practice and it is possible to lodge a complaint with the state licensing board if malpractice is suspected. Once a complaint is filed with the board, they will investigate and take whatever action they feel is appropriate. Normal sanctions include fines, suspension or revoking the veterinarians license. Some licensing boards offer a dispute resolution service which can be more cost effective than a court case.
Info for this post from Whole Dog Journal, March 2012
Beware The Lily
As stunningly beautiful as they are, lilies are a health risk to your cat. Members of the plant genus Lillium, which includes Easter lilies, Tiger lilies, Rubrums, Japanese show lilies, Stargazer lilies, and Daylilies can pose a toxin risk to your cat. When cats chew on the leaves of these plants, they can sustain kidney damage or even death. All parts of the plant are toxic, and your cat can become ill just chewing on one leaf.
Dogs, rabbits, and rats do not seem to respond to the toxins in lilies as cats do. While dogs may experience some minor tummy troubles from eating the leaves off these plants, they typically do not get renal damage.
Cats who are afflicted with the toxins of these plants will start vomiting, usually wtihing two to six hours after ingestion. While the vomiting may stop for awhile, it will usually return over the course of the next few days.
If your cat has ingested any part of these types of plants/flowers, please get him or her to your veterinarian immediately. If you postpone treatment more than 18 hours, your cat is at risk for kidney failure or death.
Do Your Homework Before Buying From A Breeder
I’m an advocate for adoption vs. buying when it comes to adding a new pet to your home, but for those looking for purebred puppies through a 
breeder, here are some points to check out:
- Breeder should breed puppies that are mentally, genetically and physically healthy. They should have paperwork available for you to review to show screening that’s been done to ensure health of puppy’s parents.
- The breeder should allow you to meet the puppy’s parents.
- They should stay in touch with you and follow up to ensure the puppy you purchased from them is doing well.
- Breeder should require puppy be spayed/neutered unless the puppy will participate in dog shows.
- They should thoroughly screen prospective pet parents and require that puppy be given a secure, loving home.
- Puppies should be well socialized prior to going to their permanent homes.
- The breeder should be willing to take back the dog for any reason for the life of the dog.
Information for this post from Your Dog, April 2011.
Take A Chill Pill With Reiki
Does your cat act out when you’re away? If so, he/she might be stressed out and some reiki might help.
I wrapped a pet sitting gig today with longtime client Abby the Cat. Abby, like most shy cats, hides when her people are gone. In her case, it’s been even more stressful because the house she lives in is for sale, so in addition to me, the pet sitter, there have been many other people Abby doesn’t know going in and out of her house.
When I visited, I could tell she was ok, she’d eaten food, had some water to drink but she didn’t make an appearance. I decided to send her some reiki to help ease her anxiety. I did this at the end of yesterday’s visit.
Today, when I arrived there was Abby, sitting in her usual spot watching me as I went about my chores. She didn’t run away or go into hiding, just sat there relaxed, observing.
It felt good to know the reiki helped relieve her stress. One of the perks of my job, seeing that I can make just a little difference.
Is Your Pet Into Working Out?
Pets require a regular fitness regimen to keep them on the road to good health, so make an appointment with your pet’s health.
Experts tend to agree that 30 minutes a day, four times a week, is enough exercise for a dog. However, just like it is for humans, a daily workout would be better. For cats, experts suggest 15 minutes of exercise each day to stay healthy. However, two 15 minute sessions for indoor cats are optimal.
Some ideas for the dog set include playing fetch with your pooch. Go for a long walk or jog. Play a wild game of chase. If your dog is a water-lover, go for a swim! Have fun! Whatever game you can drum up that will get your dog’s heart pounding is great!
Cats tend to engage in social play, such as romping, wrestling, and chasing. Or, they get into object play, such as stalking, pouncing, or chasing an object around the house. When it comes to exercising your cat, focus on the object play.
Some objects that make great fitness props include feather toys, furry toy mice, toy balls on slick floors, catnip toys, or even laser toys. (Just make sure not to beam the laser into the cat’s eyes!)
Are there some great benefits to all of this? Pets who experience regular exercise tend to act out less frequently. They will gain social skills through the constant interaction with you. You will bond with your pet. Above all, the health of your pet will be improved and he/she can most likely live a longer, healthier, and happier life!
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