I had no idea my older cat would hiss when my little one got back from the vet. It's called feline non-recognition aggression and here's what to do. Of all the potential problems I worried about when it came time for my kitten’s spay surgery, bringing her home to my older cat never even crossed my mind. Ever since Specter was a wee kitten, she and Ghost Cat have behaved like peanut butter and jelly — they stick together. Ghost Cat even lets the little one pretend to nurse on her. That’s why I was so surprised by what happened when my husband brought Specter home from her spay surgery last week. I had expected Ghosty to greet Specter with open paws and loving licks, but instead I heard the kind of hissing sound Ghost Cat hadn’t made since the first day she met Specter. It was like suddenly Ghost Cat didn’t even recognize her little buddy — because, I guess, she didn’t. After a little Googling I learned that what Ghosty experienced is called “feline non-recognition aggression,” and it can make the best of kitty friends turn on each other. Feline non-recognition aggression isn’t uncommon and happens when one cat in a household comes home from the vet. It makes sense when you look at it from the aggressive cat’s point of view. Their buddy smells different, acts different, and maybe even looks a little different. They don’t know who this imposter is, and so they feel like they need to defend their territory. Knowing what I know now, there is plenty I would do differently after bringing Specter home from her spay. Going forward as a cat mom, I plan to use the following tips whenever one of my kitties is returning home from the vet. To read more on this story, click here: Feline Non-Recognition Aggression: 4 Tips for Reintroducing Your Cats After One Returns From the Vet
At the ASPCA, we encourage all pet parents to spay/neuter their pets. There are so many benefits associated with these procedures, but many pet parents may not be aware that it can be dangerous to not spay their pets until it’s almost too late. One day last spring, Sandra R. noticed that her eight-year-old cat, Petra, wasn’t eating. Her belly distended, she vomited and was lethargic—far from her normal self. Sandra decided to bring Petra to the ASPCA Animal Hospital (AAH). Petra was suffering from a pyometra, an infection of the uterus that that can be fatal in cats and dogs. Pyometra usually occurs in older females, with about 25 percent of them suffering from pyometra before the age of 10. Radiographs showed Petra’s distended belly containing a greatly enlarged uterus filled with pus. Once removed by Dr. Maren Krafchik, the uterus weighed almost three lbs.—a third of Petra’s total weight. Fortunately, Petra has since made a full recovery. Dogs are equally susceptible to pyometra infection. Gershon C., a retired sanitation worker who lives in Queens, took notice when his 10-year-old Rottweiler, Princess, had not eaten for several days and was drinking water excessively. He brought her to the ASPCA, where veterinarian Dr. Marisa Altieri suspected a pyometra. Her diagnosis was spot on, and an ultrasound showed that Princess’s uterus had ruptured in two places. Dr. Altieri set about surgery immediately, removing the uterus, which weighed 20 lbs. To read more on this story, click here:Unspayed Pets Susceptible to Potentially Fatal Infections, Massive Swelling
Two baby elephants have died after suffering a virus at Chester Zoo, leaving staff and visitors absolutely devastated. The zoo announced three-year-old Nandita Hi Way and 18-month-old Aayu Hi Way were fighting for their lives on Wednesday, after contracting deadly elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV). Despite doing everything that could be done to save the elephants using groundbreaking blood transfusion procedures, the zoo has since confirmed that both calves have died. To read more on this story, click here:Two Baby Elephants Have Died After Contracting Virus At Chester Zoo
If you're anything like me, you get creeped out by things pretty easily. The likes of spiders, moths and other types of insects make my skin crawl, so when I heard about the moth-caterpillar-worm hybrid that has been found in Australia, I naturally felt something of a shiver down my spine. Footage of the freaky, and quite frankly disgusting, insect has appeared online after it was uploaded onto Facebook by a man called Gandik. Since the video emerged on Thursday, it has been viewed more than 37 million times by people who are both intrigued and horrified by what they are seeing. People have been lending plenty of guesses as to what the beast is, with one user saying it is a "rare Pokemon" and another one saying that it was "definitely a suicide spider moth demon". Obviously, the insect is neither of those things, and despite it being absolute terrifying and looking like nothing I've ever seen before, it does have an official name. The insect is actually a Creatonotos gangis moth, and the tentacles that you can see coming off of its body are scent organs which emit pheromones in order for the moth to attract potential mates. To read more this story, click here: This Scary Footage of a Mystery Insect Found in Australia is Freaking People Out
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An injured turtle is riding in style thanks to zoo keepers at The Maryland Zoo. The wild eastern box turtle has been outfitted with a wheelchair made of Lego bricks. A zoo employee found the injured turtle in Druid Hill Park in Baltimore, Maryland, in July. "He had multiple fractures on his plastron, the bottom part of his shell," said Dr. Ellen Bronson, senior director of animal health, conservation, and research at the zoo. The turtle underwent surgery to fix its fractured shell. The zoo's veterinary team used metal bone plates, sewing clasps and surgical wire to hold pieces of the turtle's fractured shell together. The shell had to stay off the ground in order to heal, posing a challenge to staffers who had a hard time helping the turtle get around in the meantime. That's when someone came up with the idea of the Lego wheelchair. To read more on this story, click here:Injured Turtle Gets Lego Wheelchair at Maryland Zoo
Bringing a new pet into your home is an exciting event, but it is important to be prepared for the commitment. Cats have a reputation for independence but still require an investment of time and money. There are several things to consider before making the decision to adopt. Do you have other pets in the home? Don't assume your pet will accept the newcomer with as much as excitement as the rest of your family. Particularly if the pet is older, a new addition can be stressful for both animals. Unfortunately, this is the exact time many people choose to add to their pet family. As the existing pet ages, he may become less “fun,” and the idea of adding a cute kitten is appealing. The older pet, justifiably, feels territorial, and may express his feelings in a variety of ways, including aggression toward the new pet, changing his toilet habits, refusing to eat or becoming less social with family members. If you have an older pet in the home, carefully consider how he may react before adding a new cat to the family. Who will take care of the pet? It is easy to say that kids will, but, until they are in their early teens, it is unrealistic to hand over the responsibility of your new cat's care entirely to a child. Encourage children to help and feel free to assign pet care chores, but, unless you or your spouse is willing to assume total responsibility for the cat's care, reconsider adoption. Is your home cat proof? Before bringing your cat home, take the time to walk through the house and determine how safe the home is for your new addition. Kittens are extremely playful and will make toys out of unlikely household items. Toilet paper, tissue, electric cords and houseplants are all tempting, and are all potentially dangerous. Gather the necessary supplies before bringing your cat home. Once your cat is home, you'll want to spend time helping him become acclimated and comfortable in his new environment, not running to the nearest pet store. Your cat will need a litter box, litter, food, dishes for food and water, brush, nail clippers, a few toys and a bed or blanket. Arrange your cat's possessions to give him the best chance of success. Place the litter box in a quiet, out-of-the-way location. Place his food and water near the litter box, but not so close that he will be averse to using the box. By spending some time thinking about what your new cat may need and preparing for his arrival, you increase the chances he will fit into the family with few problems.
“Select” is defined in the dictionary by such phrases as “a preferred choice” or “carefully chosen”. Selecting the family dog should be a well-researched and carefully soul-searched activity. Are you and your family willing to make a 10 – 15 year commitment to this sentient being in sickness and in health, for richer and for poorer, for as long as all shall live? Let’s pose some of the questions family members should discuss before obtaining a dog. How old are the members of my family? If the youngsters in your household are under seven years old, they are usually not developmentally suited for puppies 5 months old and under or toy-sized (under 15 pounds) dogs of any age. Puppies have ultra sharp “milk teeth” and toenails and often teethe on and scratch children, resulting in unintentional injury to the child. The puppy becomes something to be feared rather than loved. Toy dogs are fine-boned, touch-sensitive creatures that do not weather rough or clumsy handling well. They break relatively easily and are quicker to bite than their larger boned, mellower relatives. Unless your children are unusually sensitive, low-key, respectful individuals, a medium-to-large sized dog over 5 months old is usually the safer choice. Regardless of size, all interactions between small children and dogs should be monitored by a responsible adult. When there is no one to watch over them, they should be separated. At the opposite end of the spectrum, are there frail elderly or physically challenged individuals in the household? If so, strong vigorous adolescent dogs are not a wise idea. No aging hips or wrists are safe from these yahoos. People who were one-breed fans throughout their lives may one day find that their favorite breed demands more than they can physically handle. The new dog must fit the current physical capabilities of his keepers with an eye toward what the next 10-15 years will bring. Who will be the dog's primary caretaker? A decade or so back, this was an easy question to answer– Mom. She stayed home and cooked, cleaned and raised the family dog. Most families these days do not have that option. All adults have to go to work and the kids head off to school. This leaves the family dog to be sandwiched in between lessons and sports and household chores and so on. One parent should be designated Primary Caretaker to make sure the dog does not get lost in the shuffle. Some parents bow to the pressure their children put on them to get a dog. The kids promise with tears in their eyes that they will religiously take care of this soon-to-be best friend. The truth of the matter is, during the 10 – 15 year lifespan of the average dog, your children will be growing in and out of various life stages and the family dog’s importance in their lives will wax and wain like the Moon. You cannot saddle a child with total responsibility for the family dog and threaten to get rid of it if the child is not providing that care. It is not fair to child or dog. Choosing the family dog should include input from all family members with the cooler-headed, more experienced family members’ opinions carrying a bit more weight. The family dog should not be a gift from one family member to all the others. The selection experience is one the entire family can share. Doing some research and polling each family member about what is important to them in a dog will help pin down what you will be looking for. Books like Daniel Tortora’s The Right Dog for You or The ASPCA Complete Guide to Dogs can be tremendously helpful and can warn you away from unsuitable choices for your family’s circumstances. How much can I spend? The price to obtain a dog runs the gamut from free-to-a-good-home to several thousand dollars. It does not always hold true that you get what you pay for. The price you pay in a pet shop is usually 2 to 3 times higher than what you pay a reputable breeder for a puppy of similar (or usually better) quality. Too many folks spend all their available cash on a pet shop purchase and then have no money left for initial veterinary care, a training crate or obedience classes–all necessary expenses. Remember, the purchase price of a dog is a very small part of what the dog will actually cost. Save money for food (especially if it is a large or giant breed), grooming (fancy coated breeds such as Poodles, Cockers, and Shih Tzus need to be clipped every 4 to 6 weeks), chew toys (the vigorous chewers like a Bull Terrier or Mastiff can work their way through a $8.00 rawhide bone in a single sitting), outerwear (short-coated breeds like Greyhounds, Chihuahuas, and Whippets must have sweaters and coats in the winter or in lavishly air conditioned interiors), and miscellaneous supplies (bowls, beds, brushes, shampoos, flea products, odor neutralizers for accidents, baby gates, leashes, collars, heartworm preventative etc.). And then, there is the veterinary emergency! Very few dogs live their entire lives without at least one accident. Your puppy eats a battery or pair of pantyhose, your fine-boned toy breaks a leg, your big boy has bad hips, your dog gets hit by a car or beaten/bitten by the neighborhood bully. These surprises can cost $500 or more. Unlike our children, most of our dogs are not covered by health insurance. But “How much can I spend?” is not only a question of money. How much time and energy can you spend on a new dog? Various breeds and ages of dog make different demands on our precious spare time. In general, the Sporting, Hounds, Herding, and Terrier breeds will demand more time in training and daily exercise than will the Guardian or Companion breeds. A puppy or adolescent will need more exercise, training, and supervision than will an adult dog. And the first year with any new dog regardless of age or breed type will put more demands on the owner than any other time, for this is when you are setting up house rules and routines which will last for the lifetime of your dog. America has become a nation of disposable pet owners. Doesn’t your family dog deserve better? Choose wisely, for when the bond breaks, everybody concerned suffers. Make selecting your new family dog a life-affirming act.
Please tell every dog or cat owner you know. Even if you don’t have a pet, please pass this to those who do. Over the weekend, the doting owner of two young lab mixes purchased Cocoa Mulch from Target to use in their garden. The dogs loved the way it smelled and it was advertised to keep cats away from their garden. Their dog (Calypso) decided the mulch smelled good enough to eat and devoured a large helping. She vomited a few times which was typical when she eats something new but wasn’t acting lethargic in any way. The next day, Mom woke up and took Calypso out for her morning walk. Halfway through the walk, she had a seizure and died instantly. Although the mulch had NO warnings printed on the label, upon further investigation on the company’s web site, This product is HIGHLY toxic to dogs and cats. Cocoa Mulch is manufactured by Hershey’s, and they claim that “It is true that studies have shown that 50% of the dogs that eat Cocoa Mulch can suffer physical harm to a variety of degrees (depending on each individual dog). However, 98% of all dogs won’t eat it.” Cocoa Mulch, which is sold by Home Depot, Foreman’s Garden Supply and other garden supply stores contains a lethal ingredient called ‘Theobromine’. It is lethal to dogs and cats. It smells like chocolate and it really attracts dogs. They will ingest this stuff and die. Several deaths already occurred in the last 2-3 weeks. Theobromine is in all chocolate, especially dark or baker’s chocolate which is toxic to dogs. Cocoa bean shells contain potentially toxic quantities of theobromine, a xanthine compound similar in effects to caffeine and theophylline. A dog that ingested a lethal quantity of garden mulch made from cacao bean shells developed severe convulsions and died 17 hours later. Analysis of the stomach contents and the ingested cacao bean shells revealed the presence of lethal amounts of theobromine.
Cuddly pets? No, meerkats are savage little home wreckers: Thanks to THAT ad, meerkats have become trendy pets. But as these owners reveal, they're not as cute as they look... Bedtime in Kimmy Rudland’s house is a hectic affair. When the 27-year-old from Ipswich slides under her duvet, she allows her pet meerkats Lawrence and Lola to join her for a cuddle and catch up on a bit of TV before they turn in. Reclining against her linen sheets, or standing transfixed in front of a cartoon, their native African desert seems a very long way away. For Kimmy, who lives with parents Debbie and Mark, it’s always a special time. ‘Lola enjoys cuddling up with me but Lawrence is usually dashing all over the place playing with tassels on clothes or curtains and digging holes in the cushions and carpets. He tips the bin over as meerkats are very food-orientated and he runs out of the door when you open it. He’s very mischievous. ‘Their favourite programmes are anything to do with animals. They love watching Crufts and cartoons. But Lawrence hates anything with a jingle and will run off if he hears one. He saw the comparethemarket.com advert for the first time recently and was terrified. But they both seem fascinated by the little baby meerkat Oleg.’ The irony is not lost on Kimmy. The insurance advert featuring Aleksandr Orlov, the Russian meerkat puppet, is responsible for one of the most successful — some might argue annoying — marketing campaigns of all time. Since hitting TV screens in January 2009, Aleksandr and his six relatives have featured in 25 commercials. The latest one stars the impossibly cute baby meerkat Oleg on safari in Africa. To read more on this story, click here:Cuddly Pets? No, Meerkats Are Savage Little Home Wreckers
Belogorsk, Crimea - Three cubs of the rare white bengal tiger born in a Crimean safari park were shown to the public. Born in early October, the cubs were still not able to open their eyes and squeaked as they tried to crawl on the park grass. The Crimean safari park chief zookeeper said the birth of the blue-eyed bengal tiger triplets was an important contribution to the park's collection, which also helps saving the animals from extinction. Two of the cubs are male, and one female. The zookeeper reports that the little ones are developing really well. White tigers are a genetic variation of the better-known orange bengal tigers. Between 5000 and 7000 tigers live in the wild, down from 100,000 at the start of the 20th-century. Poaching, deforestation and over-hunting of their natural prey have hit their numbers. The peninsula of Crimea is recognized internationally as part of Ukraine, although it has been largely integrated into Russia after Moscow annexed the territory in 2014.
WARNING: The images in this story show deceased animals, which may be upsetting to some. An animal shelter president is in jail for killing more than 2,000 animals. She killed them in order to save money, even using a lower dosage of the euthanization drug to cut costs, cruelly extending their discomfort before death. The president was helped by the janitor, and they tried their best to cover up their crimes. In front of disconnected security cameras, investigators found large speakers pushed into place. They believe they were used to play loud music to help drown out the animals’ howls while they were being killed. Carmen Marin Aguilar, former president of the Paraque Animal Centre in Torremolinos, on the Costa del Sol, will spend the next 3 years and 9 months behind bars after being found guilty of animal abuse and falsifying professional documents. To read more on this story, click here:Animal Shelter President Jailed After Killing Over 2,000 Animals
Allison Cederberg and Zero Tolerance didn’t start off as the perfect pair, but you wouldn’t know that watching them top the $10,000 WIHS Adult Amateur Hunter Championship. You also wouldn’t know it was their first time ever contesting the Washington International Horse Show, as Cederberg and “Zero” looked like they’d been riding in the Capital One Arena all their lives. “It’s my first year really doing the indoors,” Cederberg, 22, said. “I’d done [the Pennsylvania National Horse Show in] Harrisburg before, but this is my first year doing Capital Challenge (Maryland), Harrisburg, and Washington. My horse was just amazing; he’s incredible, and it’s amazing to get to be here.” Cederberg, Fort Collins, Colorado, went late in the order for the first round, which saw multiple riders struggle at the last line. It wasn’t encouraging to see two horses eliminated and a handful of others rack up refusals. Cederberg and Zero—a 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood (Roven—Kim)—have been together for six years, and the strength of their relationship helped carry them through to a strong first-place finish in the first round. To read more on this story, click here:Cederberg And Zero Tolerance Have Zero Fear In WIHS Adult Hunter Championship
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Louisiana resident Stephanie Morse treats chickens like family, and like any other family member, Morse’s chickens get costumes every Halloween. "Their bare skin is exposed, I just like to put a sweater on them to keep them warm and comfortable, and some of them have more personality," Morse told CBS affiliate KNOE-TV. But people like Morse are being told not to trick-or-treat with their chickens this Halloween. The CDC is asking pet owners to refrain from dressing up their chickens this year due to a particular strain of salmonella. At least 92 people in 29 states have been infected with a strain of multidrug-resistant salmonella after coming into contact with raw chicken products. No deaths have been reported, but 21 of the sick patients have been hospitalized. The CDC warned that people could be infected by handling live chickens. When dressing a chicken, whether in a Halloween costume or a sweater, it is easier for a person to come into contact with harmful bacteria that live on poultry, including salmonella. The agency also warns, "Don't kiss your birds or snuggle them and then touch your face or mouth." Despite this, Morse said that her chickens will continue to strut their stuff.
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The Washington Capitals will be on their western Canadian road trip this week against the Vancouver Canucks, Edmonton Oilers, and Calgary Flames. Taking their place at Capital One Arena will be the 60th annual Washington International Horse Show (WIHS) which runs from Oct. 23-28. And this year there will be a special nod to the Caps and their Stanley Cup win. David Lauinger, an equestrian designer also in charge of installing and overseeing the footing at the horse show, designed a Capitals-themed horse jump. Yes, horses will be jumping over crossed hockey sticks and giant pucks adorned with the Capitals logo. On the outside wings of the jump, or standards, are two replica Stanley Cups. The jump, which is approximately six feet tall, won’t be used in any official competition, but it will be used during the jumper classes held by WIHS this week. To read more on this story, click here: There Will Be a Stanley Cup-themed Horse Jump at the Washington International Horse Show This Week
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