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

Sunday, July 8, 2018

Did You Know That Goldfish Were One of the First Fish Species to Be Kept in Ponds by Humans


Did you know that the goldfish are one of the most common type of pets in the world? They were one of the first fish species to be kept in ponds by humans. By nature, goldfish are social creatures and prefer to live with other goldfish.


Many people think that goldfish are pets for someone who doesn't have much time for pet care. The lifespan of your goldfish depend upon how much care you provide goldfish.  If cared for properly your goldfish could live for many years!

Goldfish start off small, but grow to be quite large, sometimes even a foot long, if you take good care of them. First time goldfish keepers usually buy a small tank or bowl to house their goldfish, only to discover that they need to keep buying ever-larger replacement tanks. You should buy a large enough tank at the beginning. You should provide a 20 to 30 gallon tank for your fish. Then add at least 10 gallons to that volume for each additional goldfish you might add. They grow large, excrete a lot of waste and need room to swim in order to be happy!

Food:    Goldfish like a diet of flakes, pellets, wafers and sticks

Goldfish Facts:

Do goldfish have ears? They have internal ear bones called an otolith that can feel vibrations. Avoid tapping on the glass since it will stress or even kill them.

A goldfish can survive in an outdoor pond where water temperatures dip down below 40*F (5*C). Some ponds might even freeze over during the winter and the goldfish still survive through to the spring.



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A Woman Rescues a Bee and Gives It a Lifeline


Inverness, Scottish Highlands - Humans and bees have a pretty symbiotic relationship: We steal their honey, and in return, they sting us sometimes. It works! There’s one woman who took this level of companionship even further, though, when she saw a bee in need and decided to give it a lifeline.

Fiona Presly, a library assistant from Inverness, Scottish Highlands, came across a wingless bee in her garden last spring, which became that way due to a virus that hampered its wing development. She decided to take care of it, and, grateful for the compassion, the bee ended up becoming very friendly towards her and actually outlived the typical bee lifespan.

As warm and fuzzy as this is, Presly warns in a recent Facebook post  that her experience was atypical, and that generally speaking, bees shouldn’t be kept as pets:

“My experience with Bee was somewhat unique as she was unable to fly. If you find a bumblebee and it has got caught out from cold or damp and is perhaps lacking in energy, help it by giving it some sugary water and a wee bit warmth. Once it has recovered send it on the way as it has a short life cycle and really needs to be outside to keep that cycle going. They are not meant to be pets. Plant some bee friendly flowers and have a place in your garden that isn’t quite as manicured and the bees, butterflies and others will love it.”



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A Woman Found a Baby Raccoon and Took it Into Her Home: 21 People Were Exposed to Rabies


Fort Collins, Colorado  — A baby raccoon that tested positive for rabies in Weld County, Colorado came into contact with 21 people before being tested.

A woman found the raccoon on her property and took it into her home after it was abandoned by its mother, according to a news release.

The raccoon was frequently held and would climb and lick the exposed individuals, Weld County health communications supervisor Rachel Freeman said.

Everyone who was exposed has already begun post-exposure treatment, the release stated.

“It is very important that people not touch or go near wild animals," Mark Wallace, Weld County health department executive director, said.

How to prevent being exposed to rabies:
  • Don't touch, feed or handle wild animals and be cautious around stray dogs and cats.
  • Leave orphaned animals alone. Baby animals often appear to be orphaned when they are not. The parent animal may not return if people are too close.
  • If you find a wild animal that appears to be sick, injured, or orphaned, contact your local animal control or a local veterinary clinic.
  • Do not feed, touch or handle wild animals and be cautious of stray dogs and cats.
  • Have dogs, cats, horses and livestock vaccinated regularly by a licensed veterinarian.
  • Keep food inside. Feed pets inside and do not feed wild animals.
  • Spay or neuter your pets to reduce the number of stray animals.
If you think you have been exposed to rabies, contact your doctor immediately. Rabies is almost always fatal if left untreated, but medicine is available if treatment is started before symptoms appear, according to a news release.

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A Lake in Washington State Has Been Overrun with Goldfish, and Are Having an Adverse Effect on the Native Trout


West Medical Lake, Washington - The West Medical Lake has been overrun with goldfish over the past few years, and now they're having an adverse effect on the native trout.

Washington Fish and Wildlife stock West Medical Lake with thousands of baby trout every year. Letting nature run its course and letting the fish grow. But sometimes they run into problems.

“This works really well until an undesirable species gets put in the lake and established,” said Randy Osborne, a Fisheries Biologist with Washington Fish and Wildlife.

Osborne says once these goldfish become established their population explodes. They take food sources and oxygen in the water, which directly impacts the trout.

Goldfish or Koi in West Medical Lake is not something new. Fish and wildlife have been battling this problem for more than two decades.

"If they get caught doing that and get prosecuted, they could be responsible for the restitution of fixing the problem that they created," added Osborne.

Fixing this problem won't be cheap. Fish and Wildlife said it will take $150,000 to rehab the entire lake. That's money most people don't have floating around. Fish and Wildlife Field Sergeant Mike Sprecher says sometimes pet owners think they're doing right by their fish by letting them go free. But the good deed is bad news for Mother Nature.

“The good deed of somebody here locally saying, 'Well I can't keep this anymore, I don't want to keep this anymore' and they let it go in the lake. I call it bucket biology," added Sprecher.

Fish and Wildlife tell KHQ they have submitted a proposal to the state with hopes to rehab the lake in October 2018.

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Friday, July 6, 2018

‘Dog Whisperer’ Cesar Millan, Is Living The American Dream


The Mexico native said he crossed the border into the United States more than 20 years ago with just $100 and the desire to be the “greatest dog trainer in the world.”

“When I was 21 years old, on December 23rd I went to my mom again, ‘Mom, I’m leaving,’” Millan, 48, shared on Monday’s episode of “Red Table Talk.”

She wondered where he was going so close to the holiday and Millan responded, “I’m going to America … I have to go right now.”

“So my dad saved $100, he gave it to me. He put it in my sock and that’s all I had,” the famed animal trainer shared. “I took a bus. It took, like, two days to get there.”

Millan says things got scary when he finally reached the border and encountered people ready to take advantage of his desperation. He says there were people waiting to either kill him or sell him for organs. “Dead is more likely than jumping it,” he said of crossing the border. “It’s not a piece of cake. I’m respectful about it. I know I broke a boundary and a rule. But it was for a dream.”

After being apprehended on more than one occasion, Millan finally crossed the border and by chance met a guy who would lend a helping hand.

“The guy said to me, ‘I’ll charge you $100,’” Millan said. “That’s all I had. That’s a sign.” Millan said he trusted the man, who said he knew the path. The man was aware of all the potential obstacles, including when the border patrol changes.

“Finally, we cross and we get to the gas station. The guy says, ‘I’m going to get you a taxi. And the taxi is going to get you to San Diego.’” By this point, Millan was out of money. Fortunately, the stranger gave Millan a break and paid the taxi driver $20, keeping the remaining $80 as payment.

Once he arrived in Southern California, Millan immediately began searching for work. The reality-TV star says he found the Yellow Pages and called local kennels.

“I knew that I had to start at the bottom and cleaning kennels is not a problem. Those are the jobs, we immigrants we get,” he said.

But things didn’t last long at the bottom. He soon developed a dog-walking business in the Inglewood neighborhood of Los Angeles. He quickly developed a name for himself and the Los Angeles Times caught wind, which exploded his business.

And in 2009, he became a US citizen

He also credits Jada Pinkett Smith, whom he’s known for 28 years, with helping him along his journey. He told her one day that he wanted to have his own television show, but that his English was limited. So, as a kind gesture, Pinkett Smith sent a tutor his way.


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Duke, The Golden Retriever That Became the Face of Bush’s Baked Beans Commercials Has Died


An Apopka golden retriever that became the face of Bush’s Baked Beans commercials died last week, the company confirmed Tuesday.

His real name was Sam, and he was one of several dogs that portrayed the loyal companion in more than 20 years of Bush’s commercials.

“The relationship between Jay and his beloved dog Duke is the embodiment of the BUSH’S brand,” the company wrote in a Facebook post. “While Sam has not worked with us in years, we are saddened by the news of his passing and are grateful to have had him depict Duke.”

“We continue to be overwhelmed by fan interest and their love of Duke,” the post said.

Meanwhile, a friend of the dog’s owner posted on Facebook that Sam had been battling an aggressive cancer and he had to be euthanized on Wednesday.

“He was a very special dog to all who ever knew or had the pleasure of meeting him,” David Odom wrote. “He is and will be missed.”



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Thursday, July 5, 2018

Air Conditioned Houses for Dogs are Popping Up Outside of Restaurants and Stores Across the Country Thanks to a Company Called DogSpot


With much of the country already sweating through the dog days of summer, a new company is offering four-legged friends a much-needed place to cool down.

Air-conditioned houses for dogs are popping up outside of restaurants and stores across the country thanks to a company called DogSpot.

“It’s just so hot,” said DogSpot founder Chelsea Brownridge. “That’s a reason we’ve been expanding in places like California, Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina.”

DogSpot offers fully air-conditioned and ventilated mini-houses where dogs can stay while their owners eat a meal inside a restaurant or run a quick errand.

The service for dogs operates similarly to the way Uber works for humans. Dog owners use an app to reserve a nearby house for their furry friend up to 15 minutes in advance.

The owner can unlock the house via the app, and then also monitor their dog on the app through a webcam.

The fee is 30 cents per minute or a $19.99 monthly membership.

“The average stay is around 15 minutes,” said Brownridge. “Which is exactly what we designed it for, to be able to live an active life with your dog but allow the dog to be comfortable too."

Brownridge created DogSpot after her experience living with her rescue dog, Winston, in Brooklyn.

“He has a ton of energy so to get him out of the house on as many walks as possible was really important,” she said. “I started to realize how many times he couldn’t come with me outside because I’d just be going to a store or restaurant for a few minutes.”

She added, “There are all these things you do every day in a walkable city like New York where dogs aren’t allowed to go inside."

In cities not as walkable as New York, dogs may be left behind in cars by their owners.

It takes 10 minutes for the inside of a car, even with its windows left slightly open, to reach 102 degrees on an 85-degree day, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). On a 70-degree day, the inside of a car can be as much as 20 degrees higher, proving dangerous for dogs, notes the ASPCA.

Some states and local governments have laws prohibiting leaving animals in cars in dangerous situations, like heat. Brownridge said she supports those laws amd wants to be "part of the solution."

"We want to make [DogSpot] the safest, cleanest, best-monitored space to give pet parents the comfort of knowing their dog is safe," Brownridge added.

Brownridge and her co-founder, Todd Schechter, said they worked to launch the company on nights and weekends while they both still had full-time jobs.

They placed prototypes throughout Brooklyn and soon had a membership of around 1,000 dog owners.

To address safety concerns, the DogSpot houses are only accessible to the owner of the dog currently using the house. There is also no anonymity, as DogSpot has each user's name, phone number, and credit card information on file.

The houses self-clean after each use via UV lights and are manually cleaned each day. In the winter, the houses activate a heated floor.

Two restaurants in Ferndale, Michigan, are among the first to use DogSpot houses as part of the company’s national expansion this month.

“The vast majority of the response has been great,” said Shane Hudson, marketing manager for Kramer Restaurant Group, who brought DogSpot to two of the group’s restaurants last week. “It’s going to take a little while for people to start using them, but we’ve had quite a response.”

“It reminds me of when Uber and Airbnb first arrived,” he added. “People’s first response is like, ‘What the heck are these things?’ but once people understand the technology and how it works, I do envision it will draw folks to our restaurants.”

DogSpot's founders say they have received letters of invitation from officials in cities like Orlando, Florida, and Kansas City, Missouri as well.

DogSpot plans to launch in Los Angeles, Boston, Washington D.C., as well as Orlando and Kansas City. DogSpots will also be available in Chattanooga, Southhampton, New York, Columbus, Ohio, and Charleston, South Carolina this year.

New features coming soon include the ability to play music for your dog inside the house and to talk to your pet if he or she needs comforting, DogSpot says.








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Sunday, July 1, 2018

Tragically, Hyponatraemia Kills Thousands of Dogs Every Year: Family Wants to Warn Others of This Hidden Danger


A few weeks ago, Jen Walsh spent a day at the lake with her family.

As always, her two-year-old Schnauzer, Hanz, went along with them. And, as always, the family and the dog played together happily.

Jen would throw a stick or ball into the water, while Hanz would rush out, retrieve it and then bring it back.

They repeated this over and over. Each time, Hanz came back ready for more; a bundle of energy and joy.

After around an hour and a half, Hanz had been in and out of the lake more than twenty times to collect balls and sticks. He seemed content, but no one could have known the danger he was in.

Just a short while later, Jen realised something was wrong with her dog. The last time he returned from the lake, he didn’t shake off the water as he usually did.

Shortly afterwards, he slumped to the ground, looking “worn out”.

With the dog’s condition deteriorating quickly, the family decided to rush him to the vet. On the journey he worsened further, and Jen knew they had to do something if they were to keep him alive.

When Jennifer finally arrived at the vets, the dog was immediately hurried into care. Sadly, it was without success. The little Schnauzer had died.

Only after he had passed, did Jen learn what had happened to her best friend: He had suffered from water intoxication, also known as hyponatraemia.


Tragically, this kills thousands of dogs every year. It might not be very common, but it’s good to know what can happen and in what situations the risk is most extreme.

The condition is brought on by excessive fluid intake, which causes the body to lose sodium.

As a result, the body’s cells begin to fill with water and swell. If the cells in the brain swell, it can affect the central nervous system, which can be fatal.

It’s important to remember that dogs can’t always determine when they need to stop drinking. This can occur when they’re playing in the ocean, a pool or drinking from a water hose.

The first symptoms of water intoxication can be weakness, dizziness, loss of appetite or nausea and vomiting.

Symptoms of water intoxication can include:

Tiredness
Confusion
Excessive licking
Loss of appetite
Vomiting
Bloated stomach
Widened pupils and a glazed look
In severe cases, difficulty breathing, cramps and loss of consciousness

Smaller dogs that are high energy and love to play in the water are at higher risk, because they can absorb a lot of fluid in relation to their body size.

It’s always important as an owner to keep an eye on your dog if they love playing in the water. Some dogs love to throw themselves into waves or completely submerge themselves, which puts them at added risk of taking in too much water.

What to do if it occurs
If you suspect your dog may be suffering from water intoxication, you should always contact a veterinarian directly.

The Walsh family didn’t know that Hanz was in danger, and will certainly regret what happened forevermore.

“This will never happen to us again, but I wish we had been warned of the possibility. It would have saved Hanz’ life. He was the best dog EVER,” Jen wrote on her Facebook page









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