To read more on this story, click here: Tips for Keeping Your Dog Safe This Summer
Tuesday, August 3, 2021
Tips for Keeping Your Dog Safe This Summer
Pandemic Puppies: Tackling A Growing Problem
According to Pets4Homes, by May 2020 there were more than 400 buyers for every pet advertised in the UK. Pet insurance policies increased by 59%, according to data from LV= General Insurance, and Google searches for “buy a puppy” increased by 115%, with prices for some of the most sought-after breeds reaching record levels.
Fast forward just over a year, and animal shelters are bracing for an incoming wave of animals, and pet sales websites are filling up with listings for puppies being resold.
To read more on this story, click here: Pandemic Puppies: Tackling A Growing Problem
Did You Know That Cats Are Really Bad at Catching Rats?
As Wired reports, researchers led by Michael Parsons set up shop at a waste disposal facility in New York City in the hopes of studying urban rats in their natural environment. The original plan was to catch and release the rats and then study their behavior so that they could come up with more efficient ways of curbing rat populations. That’s when the cats spoiled their party… well, sort of.
Not content to just throw in the towel, the team decided to observe how the rats interacted with a group of feral cats which had made the facility their home. The felines, which are well-known as rodent hunters, would surely make life difficult for the rats, right?
Apparently not.
Using cameras to document the happenings inside the dump’s walls, the researchers found plenty of instances of the cats and rats being in the same place at the same time. They recorded over 300 instances of both cats and rats within close proximity of each other.
However, only 20 times did a cat actually attempt to hunt its rodent prey, and almost never actually followed through. In fact, only two rats were killed during the entirety of the observation period. Most of the time the cats just kind of watched the rodents from afar or ignored them completely.
But while the cats were clearly not adept at killing the rats, they did affect how the rats behaved in other ways. When the cats were present, the rats were more careful about their movements, sneaking around rather than trotting out in plain sight. This, as it turns out, does more harm than good, since stealthy rats are harder for humans to control and eliminate.
Feral cats have proven to be troublesome pests in their own right. In Australia, cats which hunt birds are such a massive problem that huge “cat-free zones” are under construction that will serve as a haven for bird populations to recover.
Coming up with new ways of controlling rats in urban environments is certainly a noble effort, but cats are apparently not the answer.
Police Dog Gets Fired From K-9 Job For Being Too Cute And Friendly, Later Gets An Even Better Job
Meet Gavel, the adorable German shepherd who was fired from k-9 job for being too friendly. Yup, instead of sniffing out explosives or tackling suspects for the Queensland Police Service in Brisbane, Eastern Australia, Gavel was more interested in getting belly tickles and cuddles from strangers.
To read more on this story, click here: Police Dog Gets Fired From K-9 Job For Being Too Cute And Friendly, Later Gets An Even Better Job
Sunday, August 1, 2021
Oak-Mite Bites: Cicadas May Have Left D.C. Region An Itchy Gift
“We wake up at night just scratching,” said Cynthia Palmer of Arlington, speaking for herself and her 16-year-old daughter. Palmer said she has 12 to 15 bites all over her body and finds new ones daily. “It’s like we have splotches of white paint all over us now that we’re using the calamine [lotion]. The sores are red and swollen, so it’s not pretty.”
To read more on this story, click here: Oak-Mite Bites: Cicadas May Have Left D.C. Region An Itchy Gift
‘High-Rise Syndrome’ In Cats: They Don’t Always Land on Their Feet -Breaking the Myth
To read more on this story, click here: ‘High-Rise Syndrome’ In Cats: They Don’t Always Land on Their Feet:- Breaking the Myth
I Cannot Figure Out Why My Cat Begs For Water From the Sink, So I Asked 2 Vets
To read more on this story, click here: I Cannot Figure Out Why My Cat Begs For Water From the Sink, So I Asked 2 Vets
These Common Household Foods Can Be Poisonous To Your Pets
Pet expert Haylee Bergeland from DailyPaws.com has some important information you should know to keep your pet happy and healthy.
Bergeland says that common pet poisons owners tend to forget are things like caffeine.
To read more on this story, click here: These Common Household Foods Can Be Poisonous To Your Pets
Dog Paw Problems: What You Can Do About Them
“Dogs feet are generally hardy, and minor cuts and abrasions usually heal quickly,” says Dr. Neil Marrinan of Old Lyme Veterinary Hospital in Old Lyme, Conn. But some injuries and conditions need your vet’s attention. Dr. Marrinan and Dr. Brett Levitzke, medical director of the Veterinary Emergency and Referral Group, Brooklyn, N.Y., describe some common paw problems and what pet parents can do about them.
Fungal Infections
Yeast organisms (fungi) are normally found on your dog’s paws, but an underlying condition can cause them to multiply and cause problems. Licking excessively is a tell-tale sign of a yeast infection, Levitzke says, along with red nail beds, a reaction to salivary enzymes. Other symptoms include itching, redness and discharge.
Yeast infections are often secondary to allergy, the doctors say, with the most likely culprit atopic dermatitis. However, environmental or food allergies also could be to blame. “The vast majority of dog paw problems are skin problems that are worse at the feet,” Marrinan says.
Your vet can test the area to determine if yeast is the culprit and treat the infection with topical products, antifungal wipes and shampoos. If these treatments don’t do the trick, the underlying allergy may need to be addressed with antihistamines, steroids or anti-itch medications, Levitzke says. If a food allergy is suspected, elimination diets—where ingredients are taken out and then added back in—can help identify the trigger.
Ringworm, a fungus found in soil or brought in from other animals, plants or from dog parks, also can infect your dog’s feet, and is not actually a worm or a ring. “It can look like a swollen toe or an abscess,” Marrinan says. Your vet will examine a sample of hair or skin under a microscope or send it to a lab for diagnosis. You can treat ringworm and prevent its spread with medicated bath products and a thorough cleaning of your dog’s environment. Ringworm is contagious and may spread to humans or other pets.
Bacterial Infections
Like yeast, bacterial organisms also are normally found on your dog’s paws, but a secondary health condition can cause them to multiply excessively. Symptoms include licking/biting, redness, swelling, pain/itching and abscess. Your vet can take a sample tissue from the affected area and evaluate it to determine if bacteria are the problem and, if so, prescribe either oral or topical antibiotics and antibacterial shampoos and soaks.
Ingrown Toenails
Nails that are not trimmed properly or naturally worn down by walking outside can become painful ingrown toenails. Your vet can treat them with antibiotics and pain medication, but severely ingrown nails might have to be surgically resected, Levitzke says.
Torn Toenails
A torn nail is common in the emergency room, Levitzke says, often after a tussle with another dog or a paw snags on carpeting or other material. When the entire nail has been pulled off, take your dog to the vet for immediate treatment to stop bleeding and manage pain. Antibiotics also might be prescribed. “If the nail has been incompletely removed, the treatment would be to remove the remaining bit,” Levitzke says.
Burns
Hot asphalt can hurt your dog’s paws, and burns need to be treated immediately. Bandaging usually is required as a protective barrier on the skin or paw pad affected, Levitzke says. Antibiotics and pain medication are also typically indicated.
Frostbite
Think of frostbite as a cold burn. As with burns from hot asphalt or pavement, these injuries need immediate veterinary attention. Treatment for frostbite includes bandaging, pain control and anti-infection measures. Avoid this injury by limiting your dog’s exposure to the elements.
Winter Salt
Prevention is the best way to avoid these injuries, Levitzke says. Put booties on your dog’s feet and use dog-safe salt. If your dog does get salt on his paws, wipe it off with a towel/paper towels. “We find that it tends to burn particularly when the paw pads with salt on them touch the snow, so try to avoid walking through salt and then snow, or wipe off feet between getting salt on them and walking through the snow,” he says.
Ticks
“One of the more common places we find ticks hiding is between the toes,” Levitzke says. “It is best to have a veterinary medical professional remove the tick.” Never take a lit or recently lit match to the tick. If you can’t get to the vet, use tweezers to grip the tick from the head and gently pull it out. The head must become detached along with the body for successful removal, he says. Pet supply stores also sell special tick-removal tools.
Mites
Mites such as Demodex canis can present a frustrating problem and require a deep skin scrape or a biopsy to diagnose, Marrinan says. These mites can cause Demodicosis in which the mites that normally live in your dog’s hair follicles multiply and cause swelling, hair loss and scaling on your dog’s paws. Your vet will examine hair or skin samples under a microscope to accurately diagnose the condition, which is treated with medication, sometimes for several months.
Hairy Feet
Dogs with lots of hair on their feet can catch gum, sticky asphalt, burrs and thorns in crevices, which can be hard to find and painful to remove. Prevent these problems by having the hair clipped by your groomer. Ingrown hairs manifest in short-haired dogs as tiny pimples and can lead to furunculosis, an infection deep in the hair follicle that can abscess and cause tissue damage.
~Source~
Dr. Neil Marrinan/Old Lyme Veterinary Hospital in Old Lyme, Conn.
Dr. Brett Levitzke, Medical Director/Veterinary Emergency and Referral Group, Brooklyn, N.Y.
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9 Great Apes At San Diego Zoo Become First Non-Humans To Receive A COVID Vaccine
The four orangutans and five bonobos received an experimental vaccine developed by drug maker Zoetis, per CBS News.
The zoo chose to give the great apes the vaccine after several gorillas at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park contracted COVID-19 in early January.
To read more on this story, click here: 9 Great Apes At San Diego Zoo Become First Non-Humans To Receive A COVID Vaccine
Understanding Why Cats Like High Places
Most cats enjoy being in high places. Whether it's a high shelf, a window perch or the top of the refrigerator, your cat may feel more comfortable in the upper half of the room where he can keep an eye on the world around and below him with greater confidence.
Instinct plays a large role in determining this feline habit. Cats are tree-climbing mammals that descended from Proailurus, the first true cat. Early cats were hunters and many of them lived in the rain forests. Their claws enabled them to climb skillfully, escaping into trees for safety or climbing up high to lie in wait for prey. In other words, climbing had survival value and became hard-wired as a way of life for cats.
To read more on this story, click here: Understanding Why Cats Like High Places
Meet Smoothie, The World’s Most Photogenic Cat
“This gorgeous kitty has a coat of fur that is luxuriously long and fluffy. When she sits up tall, her legs are hidden behind all that floof. With that bushy tail strutting about, she turns herself into a foxy kitty.“
To read more on this story, click here: Meet Smoothie, The World’s Most Photogenic Cat
A Complete Guide to the Best Rabbit Breeds
To read more on this story, click here: A Complete Guide to the Best Rabbit Breeds
Do Not Use Dog Hair For Bird Nests
Thank you so much to the person who wrote to me and asked about leaving materials outside for birds to use to make nests. While it isn’t time to think about that now – we still have snow in Manitoba – there are many places in the world where birds are looking for materials right now. You can also use this list to gather up materials later.
There are two common things that people put out thinking they are helping birds but they are not. Their little legs get caught, twisted, and broken. Those two things are mesh fruit bags and the other is yarn and string. There was a recent article suggesting that people put things inside a mesh bag so that the birds can pull the material out. Please don’t. Use a wire suet container – they cannot get their tiny legs caught in it – if you feel you have to hang up the material. There are also craftspeople making specialized metal objects just for this purpose. And while yarn is commonly thought of as a good nesting material and people delight in seeing the colourful strands woven into a nest, the yarn also can get twisted around little legs. I know that no one putting out nesting material wants to break the legs of these lovely creatures.
To read more on this story, click here: Do Not Use Dog Hair For Bird Nests
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