Do You Know the Biggest Risks to Pets at Easter Time?

Brightly colored plastic grass, plastic eggs, Lilies and chocolate pose the biggest risk to pets at Easter time. These items may be symbols of the season but they can also make dogs and cats very sick and even result in death.

“Lilies can be very toxic to cats,” cautions Dr. Julia Georgesen at Blum Animal Hospital in Chicago. Georgesen is also resident pet expert for Eye on Pets on WBBM Newsradio and cbschicago.com. “All parts of the plant, the leaves, the stems and the pollen cause severe kidney failure in cats and it can happen 6-12 hours after they eat the plant.”

Georgesen says there is no antidote for Lily poisoning in cats. The best chance of survival for a cat is early veterinarian intervention. Early symptoms of poisoning are vomiting, dehydration, staggering and seizures. Cats may even stop producing urine.

“If you have a cat, you should avoid having Lilies in your house. That includes Tiger Lilies and Day Lilies,” she says. Cats can get sick from drinking even a small amount of water from a vase of Lilies.

“The pet poison center says calls increase 200 percent during the week of Easter,” Georgesen says and many of those calls involve chocolate – another common Easter treat that is toxic to pets. “Chocolate contains a chemical relative of caffeine that causes vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity, abnormal heart rhythms, seizures and death in both dogs and cats.” The darker and more bitter the chocolate, the greater the danger.

Plastic and/or aluminum Easter grass can also cause problems for pets and may lead to a serious intestinal blockage that might require surgery. “The plastic becomes stringy and can anchor at the base of a pet’s tongue or stomach, making it difficult to pass.” Georgesen says consider using straw, tissue paper or shredded newspaper instead to line Easter baskets.

If you are having an Easter egg hunt, be careful with plastic eggs. Georgesen says they can be broken, chewed and swallowed by pets, causing vomiting, diarrhea, and obstructions. Hard-boiled eggs can spoil quickly and make pets very sick, so keep track of all the eggs you use.

And while a fluffy little duckling or bunny might seem like an appealing Easter gift, Georgesen says they are anything but. For example, the average domestic duck relieves itself once every 15 minutes.

“Once that novelty wears off and the daily responsibility of feeding, cleaning and exercising sets in, a lot of these animals are dumped in parks or shelters,” says Georgesen. “Play it safe and buy your child a plush stuffed rabbit or chick instead.”

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Veterinarian Says Parents Should Resist the Urge to Give Live Rabbits and Chicks as Easter Gifts

A Purdue University veterinarian says parents should resist the urge to give live rabbits and chicks as Easter gifts.

Lorraine Corriveau, a pet wellness veterinarian, says the live chicks and rabbits available in many pet stores this time of year require more maintenance and care than most people realize.

"Often many folks think rabbits need only a small cage and don't need much attention," Corriveau says. "The truth is they have dietary requirements that include a balanced diet of pellets, fresh lettuce and other vegetables, and grass hays. They also require daily exercise and enough space to perform three consecutive hops in a cage. When you get a rabbit, it's potentially a 10-year commitment because the average life expectancy of most rabbits is 10 years."

Young children tend to be rougher and not understand that they can easily injure a rabbit's back. In addition, rabbits have long toenails that leave deep scratches if handled improperly.

Chicks can carry salmonella and E. coli, which can cause diarrhea and possibly even death to young children. Chicks also can be dangerous when they get older.

"Chicks grow into chickens," she says. "Roosters can potentially become aggressive when they hit sexual maturity. Roosters also tend to make a lot of noise in the wee hours of the morning before the sun comes up."

After Easter many shelters are overwhelmed by the number of rabbits admitted and have to euthanize several. Rabbits are the third-most relinquished pets to animal shelters, which are usually equipped to handle only a few rabbits and rodents at a time.

Rabbits also are often released to the wild to fend for themselves, and those that don't starve become easy prey for predators, she says.

"Those cute, long-eared, baby bunnies with their twitching noses and the soft, yellow, adorable chicks are not toys, and they grow up to become rabbits and chickens that carry big responsibilities," Corriveau says.




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Man Buys Stolen 10 Foot Long Python and Immediately Regrets It

Coventry, England - Dwayne Matthews, a 29-year-old man was at a house party when a van pulled up selling snakes. Dwayne bought Bruce, a 10 ft long Python, with the intent to sell him later. Unfortunately for Dwayne, Bruce was stolen property, and pretty mad about it.

Dwayne awoke the next morning to see Bruce the Snake trying to eat his sleeping friend. After saving his friend, Dwayne tried to sell Bruce to a local pet shop and was arrested for possession of stolen goods.

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Collar and Leash Pet Boutique - The Oldest Pet Store in Chicago has Stopped Selling Dogs from Puppy Mills

Chicago’s oldest pet store, Collar and Leash Pet Boutique, has decided to make some big changes.

Sonja Raymond’s family has been operating Collar & Leash since 1956, buying the dogs it sells from puppy mills.

“You know I had gone on the word of my distributors that I get my dogs from that ‘Oh yeah these people are reputable, I’ve known them for years.’ Within the past year I have found out they lied.”

So, Raymond has decided no more. Instead, Collar & Leash will sponsor adoptions from shelters and shelter rescues.

It is a decision championship dog owner Grace Tydings believes is long overdue.

“There are dogs that are basically pumping out litters of litters of litters of puppies until they basically die. It is pretty disgusting,” said Tydings.

As for Raymond and her pet store, stopping the sale of puppy mill dogs could also make good business sense.

“I have actually received a ton of feedback and it has all been excellent,” said Raymond.

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Pit Bull Legislation- Bill in Danger - House and Senate Committees Close to Deadlock!

If your legislator sits on THE COMMITTEES hearing the bill that addresses the Court of Appeals ruling declaring pit bulls "inherently dangerous" then please ACT NOW!  Very different bills (HB 78/SB 160) that would BOTH remedy the ruling have passed the House and Senate but the differences in these bills must be resolved for it to move forward. The House Judiciary committee hearing to consider the Senate version of the bill is Wednesday, March 27th.

The bill is in danger and we are running out of time – The Senate and House versions of the bill are quite different. This could lead to a deadlock that would mean the legislative session could end without a solution. Many people would be forced to choose between their beloved dog and their home.

Why should I care if I don't have a pit bull? –People who care about Maryland's dogs (whether you have a pit bull or not) MUST make your voices heard or many dogs will be turned into our already overcrowded shelters and euthanized. This Court of Appeals ruling must be resolved or this dangerous precedent could eventually affect additional breeds of dogs, both large and small.

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Dogs Prayer

I did not write this prayer, but found it so beautiful that I had to share. Arthur unknown.

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One of the Cutest Videos You Will Ever See - Cat Leads Dog Home by Leash

If you haven't seen this video yet, you are in for a treat! This is one of the cutest videos that I have seen. I am sharing.






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Meet The Cornish Rex Cat - Often Called the Greyhound of the Cat World

It’s hard not to stare or take a second glance at this cat with giant bat like ears perched on an egg-shaped head and a soft, curly coat. Go ahead and declare the Cornish Rex to be funny-looking. He won’t take offense. In fact, he is a happy-go-lucky comedian who loves to perform tricks and show off new antics to his favorite people. He may even outrace the family dog in a game of fetch. This is one cat who is never shy when it comes to demonstrating his delight in being with you.

The most striking feature of the breed is its very noticeably curly coat. Ideally falling in marcel waves, the coat is very short, lies close to the body, and is incredibly soft to the touch, prompting comparisons to cut velvet, karakul lamb, rabbit fur, or silk. In fact, nothing else feels exactly like a Cornish Rex coat.

Although otherworldly in appearance, Cornish Rex cats originated in Cornwall, England, where one first appeared in a litter of barn cats in 1950. A cream-colored male, named Kallibunker, was covered in tight rows of tiny curls, giving him the appearance of a miniature lamb. As he grew, his differences from his littermates became more dramatic: a slender, fine-boned body standing on long legs, a narrow head, enormous “bat ears,” and a long, whippy tail. Kallibunker was a genuine mutation and was bred back to his mother to produce curly kittens. The curly coated cats were bred with Burmese, Siamese, and British domestic shorthair cats, resulting in a broad genetic base for the Cornish Rex breed and the knowledge that the gene was recessive.

Some Rexes enjoy retrieving and will bring back objects for you to toss again and again. They are adept climbers, leapers, and sprinters, and have marvelously agile paws. No shelf or cupboard is safe from a persistent Cornish.

In selecting a Cornish Rex kitten, consider what characteristics are most important to you and discuss them with the breeder, who usually knows each kitten and can help match you with the right one.

Is the Cornish Rex Hypoallergenic?
Despite the assumption that the Cornish rex's lack of hair makes the cat breed hypoallergenic, this is not necessarily true. It should be recognized that no one cat (or dog) is truly capable of being hypoallergenic.

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