The Pet Tree House - Where Pets Are Family Too The Pet Tree House - Where Pets Are Family Too

Saturday, March 2, 2019

Recipes For Dogs: Barbara Laino's Homemade Dog Food


In the April/May 2011 issue of The Bark, we interview Barbara Laino about the nutritional benefits of feeding your dog home-cooked meals in addition to, or in lieu of, commercial dog food (see “Home Cooking with Barbara Laino” April/May ’11). Here are two more recipes cooked up at Laino’s Midsummer Farm in Warwick, N.Y., that are sure to please your pup’s taste buds and keep her healthy:

Homemade Dinner Recipe for Dogs

This recipe feeds 2-3 large dogs for 7-10 days.

Grind the following ingredients in a meat grinder. Alternate ingredients so the grinder does the mixing for you. For instance, grind six necks, one carrot, a handful of garlic and pumpkin seeds, then six more necks and so on. Mix with a large spoon as you grind.

Meat:
• 40 lbs of chicken neck without skins
• 10 lbs of chicken hearts
• 5-10 lbs of organic chicken livers
• 2 cans of pink salmon (optional)

Vegetables:
Can be interchanged with other vegetables and fruits (no grapes or onions). Dogs and cats usually do not like citrus.
• 2-5 lbs carrots
• 1/2 a bunch of red cabbage
• 1 beet
• 2 apples
• 1/2 a bunch of spinach or other dark greens

Other ingredients:
• 1 cup of raw pumpkin seeds

Add a couple of the following items. Have these ready on hand as you are grinding and add a sprinkle here and there of each so you can thoroughly mix the batch of food.
• 9-12 raw whole eggs (optional)
• 2,000 mg of vitamin C powder
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup of Thorvin kelp powder
• 1/4 cup of tumeric powder
• 1/2 to 1 cup of dried parsley
• 1/2 to 1 cup of dried oregano
• 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup of tahini
• 1/4 cup of raw honey

After grinding and mixing all ingredients thoroughly, keep the food in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

Midsummer Farm Homemade Fish-Based Dog Dinner

(The below recipe is for 1 medium dog for 3 days, about 10 1-cup-size meatballs) This recipe can be made in larger batches for efficiency sake. This raw food can easily be frozen in meatball shapes appropriate for the size animals you are feeding.

Serving Sizes of Raw Meatballs:
• For a large 50-100 pound dog – three to five 1-cup-size meatballs per day
• For a 20-40 pound dog - two or three 1-cup-size meatballs per day
• For a 1-10 pound dog – one to two 1/2-cup-size meatballs per day
*Remember – this is a concentrated and efficient food source and is power packed. You won’t have to feed as much bulk-wise as with a commercial food; most commercial foods have a lot of fillers.

Ingredients
• 2 pounds of Frozen Fish Fillets. I like to use an oily fish like Mackerel or Whiting.
• 1-2 cans of Alaskan Wild Pink Salmon
• 1/4 - 1/2 pound of Beef Liver
• 1-3 Eggs (optional)
• 2 cups of Chopped Veggies (can be any combination of carrots, cabbage, broccoli, cooked squash, green beans, cooked yams, apples, berries, kale, spinach). Do NOT use onions or grapes of any kind.
• 1/2 cup of Pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds)
• 2 tbsp Honey
• 2 tbsp Dried Parsley
• 2 tbsp Dried Oregano
• 2 tbsp Tumeric Powder
• 2 tbsp Thorvin Kelp Powder
• Optional: 1 cup of cooked oatmeal, barley, or brown rice

Directions:
Alternate putting frozen (still frozen grind much easier), liver, vegetables, garlic, and seeds through a meat grinder. As you grind into a big bowl, add and mix in the canned salmon, eggs, honey, dried herbs, powdered kelp.

Keep in a well-sealed container in fridge. Scoop out appropriate amounts for your pet, or if you made a very large batch that is more than can be consumed in about 5 days, roll into meal-sized meatballs and freeze. Then you can just take out whatever number meatballs you need and defrost them a couple days before you need to feed them. Meatballs will last at least 3 months in the freezer.

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Chinchilla Sickness, Illness & Disease


The best cure to any illness, sickness or disease is prevention! A chinchilla will thrive and live a long and healthy life under the correct conditions but their health quickly breaks down when the basics of chinchilla care is not followed.

A chinchilla will generally hide any illness, sickness or disease very well as in the wild this would make them a prime target for predators. It is therefore important as a chinchilla owner, that you regularly examine a chinchilla to help identify any illness, sickness or disease sooner and prevent the condition progressing to a stage where it is hard to cure, or becomes incurable.

Chinchillas can acquire a disease, illness or sickness at any time and when they do, a chinchilla will go down-hill extremely rapidly, especially if you don't know what to do or what is actually wrong with them!

An understanding of the correct nutrition a chinchilla must have on a daily basis is of great importance, as improper feeding and unbalanced nutritional-ratios are one of the main causes of most illnesses, sickness or diseases in chinchillas.

The proper location and construction of the chinchilla cage is also essential for the prevention of many chinchilla diseases and illnesses. The cage must be housed in a quiet environment so a chinchilla can get a full uninterrupted night's sleep during the daytime hours and must be built to aid fresh air circulation daily. Dark or damp cages are not satisfactory nor are cages kept in a draughty area or in brightly lit areas.

To read more on this story, click here: Chinchilla Sickness, Illness & Disease


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Mountain Lion Killed By Colorado Jogger Was Orphaned 'Kitten,' Officials Reveal


A young mountain lion that was strangled last month by a Colorado jogger the animal attacked was a 4-month-old orphan, state wildlife officials have revealed.

According to a necropsy, the young male had weighed an estimated 35 or 40 pounds. The inexperienced hunter may have been desperate for prey when he pounced on 31-year-old Travis Kauffman on a scenic trail in Fort Collins.

The mountain lion’s body, which had been partially eaten, likely by his two orphaned siblings, was recovered Feb. 4, the day of the attack.

Officials saw no trace of a mother, according to the necropsy by Colorado Parks and Wildlife veterinarians, which referred to the dead male as a “kitten,” though young mountain lions are usually called cubs.

“Mountain lions are solitary animals, only coming together for breeding,” Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokesman Jason Clay told NBC News on Friday. “We had no signs of an adult female being anywhere near the scene that day, or in the following days, which is one reason why we think these kittens were orphaned.” Mountain lions are raised by their mothers alone.

To read more on this story, click here: Mountain Lion Killed By Colorado Jogger Was Orphaned 'Kitten,' Officials Reveal


You may be interested in reading: Mountain Lion Killed By Jogger After Attack During Run


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Did You Know These 30 Foods Are Harmful To Dogs?


Here's a common scene for a dog owner: You're trying to eat and there is this pup that you love, staring up at you. Whining. Pawing. Looking so cute and sad. So, you cave in and share your food — it just doesn't seem possible to say "no". 

But before you become a sucker to those sad doggie eyes again, it's important to know which foods are actually safe for your dog to consume. Some human food is safe and even healthy for your dog, but there are lots of other foods that can be very harmful — it's not just chocolate you need to avoid. 

The following are the foods your dog should never eat, even when they beg and try to get the best of you. Some of these foods are incredibly toxic to our four-legged friends, and some can lead to health issues if given too frequently. Either way, we hope you think twice about feeding your pup human food after reading this list. Your dog might not thank you right away, but you'll both be better off!

And, as always, when in doubt, err on the side of caution. And while these foods aren't good for dogs across the board, individual animals can even have allergies and adverse reactions to foods that are "safe".   By Liz Marple

To read more on this story, click here: Did You Know These 30 Foods Are Harmful To Dogs?

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List of Cat Diseases and Symptoms


Cat diseases can cause a variety of symptoms, including lethargy, weight loss, eye discharge, loss of appetite, and more. Learning to identify these illnesses and their symptoms may help you get a better understanding of the medical needs of your pet. Keep in mind, these charts provide helpful general information, but they are not intended to be a substitute for professional veterinary care.

Chart of Cat Diseases, Symptoms, Treatment and Prognosis
Cat illnesses can be broken down into several categories: degenerative, metabolic, cancer, infectious, or inflammatory with some overlap between the categories. Many diseases are difficult to diagnose because the symptoms overlap with other diseases.

To read more on this story, click here: List of Cat Diseases and Symptoms


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Meet the African ‘Water Man’ Who Delivers Truckloads of Water to Thirsty Animals Daily


The effects of climate change on biodiversity and ecosystems are being felt across the world. Since June 2018, the Tsavo West National Park in Kenya has been suffering from a severe drought. The many species of animals there would have perished if not for the kindness of one man.

Patrick Kilonzo Mwalua, a pea farmer, is keeping the animals alive by delivering thousands of liters of water to them every day.

“It was in June last year when visiting the Tsavo that I noticed that the waterholes were dry and animals were sitting around them looking very desperate,” Mwalua told Nairobi Wire.

“There is completely no water, so the animals are depending on humans,” Mwalua told The Dodo. “If we don’t help them, they will die.”

To read more on this story, click here: Meet the African ‘Water Man’ Who Delivers Truckloads of Water to Thirsty Animals Daily


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Dog Health: Diseases, Symptoms and Treatments


Like human health problems, some dog diseases, injuries and physical ailments are serious while others are not. Fortunately, the vast majority of health problems that dogs commonly experience can be successfully treated with medications, physical therapy, surgery, or other types of medical treatments.

Unfortunately, since animals can’t talk, it’s often very difficult to detect what type health problems dogs may be experiencing. We have, however, compiled the following list of common healthcare problems to help you detect and better understand possible problems that could affect your dog’s health and overall wellness.

If your dog is showing any of the symptoms that we have described for the various diseases and physical abnormalities listed below, it’s very important that you take your dog to see its vet at the earliest possible time. Early treatment will not only greatly improve your dog’s chances for a quick and complete recovery, but it could very well save your dog’s life.

To read more on this story, click here: Dog Health: Diseases, Symptoms and Treatments


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Mountain Lion Killed By Jogger After Attack During Run


FORT COLLINS, Colo. — Wildlife officials say a man who fought off a young mountain lion on a northern Colorado trail killed the animal by suffocating it.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife says the man was running alone near Fort Collins when the lion attacked him from behind after the movement apparently triggered its hunting instincts.

The runner, whose name hasn’t been released, fought off the cougar, hiked out of the area after Monday’s attack and drove himself to a hospital. He suffered facial cuts, wrist injuries and puncture wounds to his arms, legs and back.

To read more on this story, click here: Mountain Lion Killed By Jogger After Attack During Run

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Friday, March 1, 2019

Why Do Dogs Smell Each Other's Behinds?


It can be embarrassing when you run into a neighbor while you’re both walking your dogs and all your dog wants to do is smell the other dog’s butt. Relax a little; that’s normal dog behavior. If you pull on the leash to get your dog to stay away from the other dog’s butt, you might cause a fight to break out: by pulling your dog, you might make him look threatening to the other dog.

Powerful Sense of Smell

Humans can’t completely understand all the information a dog gets from smelling another dog’s butt. At least 33 percent of a dog’s brain is designed to process smells, as opposed to about 5 percent of a human’s brain. A dog’s sense of smell is so powerful that he can tell, for example, whether the dog before him in the veterinarian’s examination room was afraid, just by the smell the previous dog left behind.

They Can't Shake Hands
Dogs sniff butts to greet each other, much as humans do by shaking hands. Dogs have anal glands just inside their rectums, which produce a strong odor. Dogs can find out all sorts of information just by getting a whiff back there. They can find out the sex of the other dog, whether the dog is in heat, what the dog ate lately and whether the encounter is likely to be a friendly one. Because the smell is unique to each dog, butt sniffing is the best way dogs have to identify each other.

It Calms and Grounds Them
When a dog already knows about the other dog from a prior sniffing, he still smells the other dog every time they meet. Two dogs who live together typically smell each other’s butts when they come in from outside. So butt sniffing has another purpose: it’s also a dog calming mechanism, according to Kevin Behan, a Vermont dog trainer and author. Anytime something new happens—especially something stressful—dogs tend to sniff each other’s behinds. It satisfies the urge to do something, and it grounds them.

Dogs Might Get into Trouble
Some dogs, when meeting another dog for the first time, are enthusiastic sniffers. But the dog being sniffed might not take too kindly to all that focused attention. Whenever your dog is meeting another dog, be attentive. If the butt smelling is an unwelcome gesture, it’s time to separate the dogs.

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Unlike Dogs, Cats Use a Complicated Method of Communication


Every species has its own way of communication. I have often wondered, How do cats communicate with each other?

Cats use a complicated method of communication. There are three ways they tend to “talk.” They sometimes converse with humans in the same manner. According to the ASPCA Complete Guide to Cats , humans are so focused on speech, we sometimes don’t pick up on a feline’s subtler expressions.

How Do Cats Communicate With Each Other?

Three ways of communication between cats are:

1. Vocal: Your cat uses vocalization to tell other cats (or you) what she needs. Different pitches, as well as the intensity and volume of her meowing, reflect her different emotional and physical requirements. Loud meowing indicates anxiety and fear, while less intense meowing is her way of showing confidence and contentment. Sounds include murmurs (purring), vowel sounds (meowing) and high-intensity growls and howls.

2. Body Language: To interpret a cat’s subtle body language, you need to consider the combination of all her features and movements. Understanding her moves (of the eyes, ears and tail) along with her body position can tell you a lot about what exactly is on her mind.

Cats take on different postures for different situations, either in the presence of other cats or humans. But I’ll simplify things by saying that basically these movements break down into two categories: “Come closer” or “Go away.”

Rolling over and showing her tummy is her way of issuing a “Come closer” invitation. A female cat in heat may use this tactic to let her male mate know she wants to get physical. On the other end of the spectrum, arching her back, puffing up her stiffened tail, baring her teeth, unsheathing her claws — that all basically means, “Go away! I will fight if I have to.”

3. Scented Markings: A cat’s main form of communication is through scents. If you have more than one cat, you may see them butting heads or rubbing their cheeks together. This natural rubbing occurs only when the cats are comfy with each other. According to The Cat Bible, facial glands release pheromones containing personal information about the cat’s age, weight, health and reproductive status. Cats use scents (ranging from urine and feces to scents released by paw pads or the facial glands) to leave messages to other cats. Scents are used to mark territory, to threaten or to announce a cat’s presence.

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Horse Racing: Plans For Racing On City Streets 'Could Be The Sport's Twenty20'


Racehorses running down the streets at iconic global locations such as Sydney Harbour Bridge or Fifth Avenue in New York...

It might sound implausible, but the man spearheading the project has told BBC Sport he hopes agreements for the first such race meetings, on a special artificial surface, will be in place by the end of next month.

He is Peter Phillips, the Queen's eldest grandson, and here he outlines details of racing, safety, crowd and betting plans for the 'City Racing' project and how racing's best-known supporter is following the idea...

What is this all about?
Phillips, who is 14th in line to the throne, has been working on the proposals for five years since staging an equestrian event on a similar surface on Horse Guards Parade in London.

He says that leg of the Global Champions Tour demonstrated how safe 'pop-up' conditions for horses in a competitive environment could be installed and removed within three days.

To read more on this story, click here: Horse Racing: Plans For Racing On City Streets 'Could Be The Sport's Twenty20' 

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Animal Abusers Will Now Be Registered In A Database Like Sex Offenders


Now that animal abuse is being taken far more seriously than ever before; more and more jurisdictions are altering their laws to reflect this new reality.

A number of United States jurisdictions have now made laws that require the names of animal abusers to be displayed in a registry that is similar to the ones that are used for sex offenders.

These registries are designed with the objective of keeping people who have harmed animals in the past from ever having the chance to do so again.

They are a welcome addition to the lawmaking policies of places as disparate as New York City and Tampa.

To read more on this story, click here: Animal Abusers Will Now Be Registered In A Database Like Sex Offenders

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Thursday, February 28, 2019

Children's Author, Julia Heckathorn’s Pet Kangaroo Wears Clothes and Teaches Children About Nature


Julia Heckathorn, 28, adopted two-year-old Boomeroo from a farm in Texas when she was just 3 weeks old. The pair have been inseparable ever since.

Boomeroo, wears human clothing, lets out an excited squeak every time Julia walks into a room. She will stretch out her arms for cuddles, and follows her around the house.

Julia is a children's author and takes Boomeroo with her whenever she visits a school in the hope of teaching them more about nature.

She says Boomeroo loves to wear human clothes and even has her own wardrobe full of tops and dresses that have been specifically purchased from baby stores for her.

When she was a joey, she slept in the house with her Julia and her husband, Jason.

She eventually grew too big to spend time indoors, so the couple built a temperature controlled barn in their garden where she can sleep alongside the couple's other animals, an anteater, named Noche, four sugar glider possums, and a cat called named Larry.

Although she sleeps in the barn each night, she spends her days hopping around the house and garden with Larry, staring out the window, and sleeping at Julia's feet while she writes.

"When she was younger I used to carry her around in a bag with me to the supermarket so she could get used to seeing people," she said.

She thinks I'm her mother, and she follows me everywhere. When I come near her, she makes this little sound, like an excited chortle, just as kangaroos would do in the wild to locate their mom," she said."

Describing the kangaroo's love of human attire, she said: "When we first got her, she was wearing a little shirt and she's worn clothes ever since. The clothes give her comfort as a thunder shirt would give comfort to a dog."

"She loves her tops, and when I have to take her top off to clean it, she puts her arms out and waits for me to dress her again," said Julia.

Kangaroos are social animals, living in groups called mobs, so when she was a joey, Julia and her husband adopted Larry the cat to give her 24-hour companionship.

Talking about the animals' unorthodox friendship, she said: "Boomeroo and Larry get on really well, and the two are now the best of friends, doing everything together. They eat grass together, lay together, and watch the birds together. It's adorable."

Julia says that when she visits a school with one of her unusual animals, the childrens eyes 'light up with excitement" and they become really interested in learning about conservation.

She has put plans on hold for another animal, since the couple are expecting their first child.

"We are so excited to be expecting our first child, and I'm sure that she and the animals will be the best of friends. She will be a very lucky girl with wonderful experiences." said Julia.

                                            Click twice on arrow to start video



















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Man Brings Senior Homeless Dog To The Pet Store And Buys Him Everything He Touches


King is a 12-year-old dog who’s had a rougher life than most dogs — he has spent most of it living on the streets.

After being struck by a car, King lost one of his front legs. He was given the surgery he needed, and then a rescue group called Marley’s Mutts swooped in to help find the senior sweetie a forever home.

They knew they were going into it with the cards stacked against them. King was not only a senior dog, but one that was missing a leg.

Months passed with no one willing and able to take in the pooch…

Until Rocky Kanaka, TV host of the show Dog’s Day Out, heard King’s story and decided King deserved a really special day.

To read more on this story, click here: Man Brings Senior Homeless Dog To The Pet Store And Buys Him Everything He Touches


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Scientists Discover 512 Y.O. Shark, Which Makes It The Oldest Living Vertebrate On The Planet


Can there really be a living creature that’s over five centuries old? It may seem impossible, but scientists have discovered one such beast living in the Northern Atlantic Ocean: a Greenland Shark.

It’s long been known that this particular shark is older than most, but scientists had no idea just how old he was until recently. Now that they’ve pinpointed his age to be 512 years old, he’s claimed the title of world’s oldest living vertebrate.

To read more on this story, click here: Scientists Discover 512 Y.O. Shark, Which Makes It The Oldest Living Vertebrate On The Planet


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Sully The Service Dog Has New Role Helping Wounded Vets


The 2-year-old yellow Labrador Retriever on Wednesday joined Walter Reed National Military Medical Center's dog program to help wounded veterans.

BETHESDA, Md. — Sully, the service dog who symbolized devotion lying by former President George H.W. Bush's flag-draped casket, has a new mission. 

The 2-year-old yellow Labrador Retriever on Wednesday joined Walter Reed National Military Medical Center's dog program to help wounded veterans. Sully offered his paw as he was administered an oath streamed on Facebook to "support, comfort and cheer warriors and their families."    

To read more on this story, click here: Sully The Service Dog Has New Role Helping Wounded Vets


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Saturday, February 2, 2019

Watch Out for These Poisonous Plants and Flowers for Cats


Cats love to chew on many things, especially plants and flowers.  Our little explorers will jump to great heights if something looks enticing to them.  Therefore, if you like to have plants or flowers at home either inside or outside, it’s important to know which plants or flowers are poisonous to cats.

If a plant or flower is poisonous, than parts of the plant are poisonous even if some parts of the plant have higher concentrations of the toxic source than others. Many toxic plant and flowers are irritants: they cause inflammation of the skin, mouth, stomach, and some might affect a particular organ like the kidney or heart.

To read more on this story, click here: Watch Out for These Poisonous Plants and Flowers for Cats

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Friday, February 1, 2019

Is Your Pet Suffering from Depression? Do You Know?


People aren't the only ones that get depressed. Pets can suffer from depression too. Depression in pets can be caused by a variety of factors such as grief over the death of a human member of the household or another pet. It can also be the result of a move or other break from regular routine. If you work long hours and your pet is left alone for long periods of time, he can become depressed. There are usually several signs that may indicate your pet is suffering from depression.

 Many times a pet will get depressed if someone new comes around and they feel replaced, whether it's another pet or a person. So be sure to include your pet in activities with the new person or pet in your life. Don't leave them out. You can also help your pet get use to the new person or pet by allowing them time to get to know each other without you around. Be sure to continue your regular activities with your pet that you engaged in before the new person or pet arrived. Take walks and play at the same time and for the same length of time. If there will be a new baby in the house, get your pet use to the sounds and smells of a new baby as best you can.

Some signs of depression in pets may be:
  • Eating and drinking less often - A depressed pet will begin eating less and sometimes stop eating entirely.
  • Chewing and destroying things - When pets are depressed, they take up destructive behavior as a cry for help.
  • Going to the bathroom inside the house or outside of the litter box. This doesn’t just indicate bad behavior in mad or angry pets - bathroom “accidents” may not be accidents at all - your pet may be too sad to get up.
  • Loss of interest in Activities - Lethargy and lack of interest are telltale signs of depression in humans and animals alike.
  • Dog is wagging its tail less - Happy dogs wag their tails.
  • Hiding - When your pet starts making a home out of the dark corners and spaces in your house (closets, under your bed), and takes up residence in an area they don’t usually frequent, this could be a sign that they’re depressed.
  • Not wanting to be left alone - Like their human counterparts, when feeling particularly sad, some pets do not want to be left alone. Separation anxiety is signaled by excessive crying and whining when you attempt to leave the house. This is often accompanied by #2, chewing or destroying things.
  • Too little or too much grooming - Cats have a tendency to under-groom when they are depressed, but once in a while, you’ll get a pet that does quite the opposite. Watch out for skin irritation and shedding.
  • Increased vocalization - If your pet is crying, whining, or barking more than usual it’s possible there is something wrong and they are trying to communicate with you the only way they know how.





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Put To Sleep While Giving Birth, Rescue Center Says It Was The Right Call


One of the deepest sympathies we have as humans is for a mother who is carrying a baby or babies inside her, and that naturally extends to a doggie mother too, but this story tells of a time that such things made no difference at all to the awful decision!

The mother, in this case, was a pregnant pit bull, in the Texas area and it was reported that she was euthanized while she was still in labor, we are really shocked, even more than any other time, aren’t you?

Well, it seems people are certainly feeling emotive towards this case because it’s going viral all over the place, and that doesn’t surprise us at all!

Amarillo Animal Management and Welfare volunteer, Dacia Anderson, posted a photo of the doggie and a story about what was ha happened that day.

To read more on this story, click here: Put To Sleep While Giving Birth, Rescue Center Says It Was The Right Call!

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Putting Glitter on Your Dog’s Testicles is a Trend Now, Apparently


Beloved American prize wizard Bob Barker used to give us a daily reminder to spay and neuter our pets but, if this latest trend hits the mainstream, we should probably just start sterilizing all humans. A glittered dog scrotum. That’s where we’re at as a society. We’re so far up Maslow’s pyramid that we’re not even dipping our own nutsacks in glitter. We’ve moved on to our dogs. How far removed from the threat of starving to death to do you have to be to pay to have someone do this? This is the type of thing that’s so unnecessarily extravagant that when the working class sees it they start getting an urge to cut off the heads of the rich.

To read more on this story, click here: Putting Glitter on Your Dog’s Testicles is a Trend Now, Apparently

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How Animals Help Brain Chemistry


Our relationship to animals has a profound effect on the biochemistry of our brains; here’s how:

An oxytocin boost
There are documented physiological changes in people who spend as little as 15 minutes with a dog or cat or participate in equine therapy—Their oxytocin levels increase. Dubbed the “love” or “hug” hormone, oxytocin creates a profound sense of peace and comfort. It also slows the heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure in addition to reducing stress hormones.

Normalizing brain chemistry
A study by University of Missouri scientists documented that petting a dog can cause a spike in one’s serotonin level, the neurotransmitter that most antidepressants attempt to increase. Pets can profoundly change the biochemistry of our brains, so it’s no wonder that pet-assisted therapies help people with autism and those suffering from PTSD and drug addiction.


To read more on this story, click here: How Animals Help Brain Chemistry


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Tiny Little Pup Left In A Shoebox By A Supermarket Dumpster


If more people would just be a little bit braver and do the right thing and give their unwanted animals directly to the rescuers, it would be so much better, this poor little pup was left, we wonder if the person was ashamed?

Taking a break from his work at the time, Eddie Olivarez worked at Albertsons, a grocery store in Arcadia, California, he found the little pup.

He found the tiny pup in a shoebox left on the ground by the dumpsters, he could have easily thrown the box into the dumpster, not realizing…

But his senses took over and he realized that the box had to be opened, and sure enough there was something incredible inside a one pound pup desperately in need of help!

To read more on this story, click here: Tiny Little Pup Left In A Shoebox By A Supermarket Dumpster


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Incredibly Rare Puppy Is So Shiny That People Mistake Her for a Metal Statue


When Philippines resident Sandra Pineda’s father first saw a picture of the xoloitzcuintle, an incredibly rare Mexican-originated breed of dog, he was immediately in love.

The family searched far and wide for a breeder that could sell them a xoloitzcuintle, which are incredibly rare on the East Pacific island. They ended up with Piper, who arrived with her new family at just 8 weeks old—but little did they realize that a photo of their precious new pup would catapult the family to internet fame.

The reason? Thanks to a unique lack of fur for the North American breed, people thought the photo was of a statue!

The xoloitzcuintle is also known as the Mexican hairless dog, and is common in its native country but incredibly rare around the world. Characterized with incredibly sparse or completely absent hair and a condition known as oligodontia, which causes the dog to lose at least six teeth over the course of its life, the pups are certainly a fascinating specimen.

To read more on this story, click here: Incredibly Rare Puppy Is So Shiny That People Mistake Her for a Metal Statue

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‘Boo,’ Crowned The ‘World’s Cutest Dog,’ Dies Of A Broken Heart At Age 12


LOS ANGELES (CBS/CNN) — Get your tissues ready. If the January blues hadn’t already got to you, the world’s cutest dog, Boo, has died of a broken heart.

The Pomeranian Boo and his companion Buddy, who died last year, became internet sensations when their American owners started sharing pictures of their adorable antics.

His death was confirmed in a post made by his owners to his 16 million Facebook followers. He was 12 years old, in human years.

“Shortly after Buddy died, Boo showed signs of heart issues. We think his heart literally broke when Buddy left us,” his owners wrote. “He hung on and gave us over a year. But it looks like it was his time, and I’m sure it was a most joyous moment for them when they saw each other in heaven.”

“Our family is heartbroken, but we find comfort knowing that he is no longer in any pain or discomfort,” they added, noting that Boo “brought joy to people all over the world.

To read more on this story, click here: ‘Boo,’ Crowned The ‘World’s Cutest Dog,’ Dies Of A Broken Heart At Age 12

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Man Discovers A Family Of Mice Living In His Garden, Builds Them A Miniature Village


Recently, wildlife photography aficionado Simon Dell stumbled upon the family of a cute mouse running around his garden. Instead of reaching for the traps, however, he took out his tools. Dell built the mice a miniature village, and they repaid him by posing for adorable animal photography shots.

“I was out one day just taking photos of the birds in the garden and having just cut the grass I noticed something moving on the ground,” Simon told Bored Panda. “I pointed my camera at the ground and was shocked but very happy to see a very cute little house mouse standing up just like a meerkat in the fresh cut grass.”

To read more on this story, click here: Man Discovers A Family Of Mice Living In His Garden, Builds Them A Miniature Village



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Family Adopts A Tuxedo Cat With The Most Perfect Mustache


Kittens already have cute little whiskers but can you imagine coming across a kitty that has a perfectly, gentleman-like mustache printed on his furr? This is what happened to Dali the cat’s humans’ when they found and adopted him, he stood out with his wonderful stache!

Not only does Dali look like a gentleman, he acts the part, being a super chill cat, always watching over his human and just being one handsome kitty.

To read more on this story, click here: Family Adopts A Tuxedo Cat With The Most Perfect Mustache


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Tuesday, January 29, 2019

Pets Can Get Hypothermia, Frostbite Too


BALTIMORE (WJZ) –– As Maryland deals with an arctic blast for the next few days, pet owners are reminded to bring animals inside.

Pets are also at risk for hypothermia and frostbite, due to the colder temperatures.

Bring pets in from the cold or have a dry, draft-free shelter for them with access to food and water.

The Maryland SPCA offers the following tips to keep your pet safe this winter:

Pets should not be left outside for extended periods of time.
During the winter, outdoor cats sometimes sleep under the hoods of cars. When the motor is started, the cat can be injured or killed by the fan belt. I there are outdoor cats in your area, bang loudly on the car hood before starting the engine to give the cat a chance to escape.

To read more on this story, click here: Pets Can Get Hypothermia, Frostbite Too

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