Archive for the ‘Pet facts’ Category

The story below was found on AJC.com and it really wrings my heart. Each and every one of our seven pets that we enjoy our lives with have their own stories of being homeless and not altered. Now they are living in the lap of luxury, being showered with affection and attention, are spayed and neutered, and only leave the house on a leash. It’s hard to imagine that they could have become one of the statistics, and be euthanized just because some person let his unaltered dog run free. It’s puppy season right now and any unaltered dog has a large chance of running off if they catch a whiff of the opposite sex. If you don’t have your dog spayed or neutered, please ask yourself why and then why not. There are MANY low cost spay and neuter clinics around Georgia. Here is a list of about 30 of them: Low Cost Spay/Neuter, Vaccinations and Veterinarians in Georgia

Here’s the AJC story:

Counties killing dogs, cats by the thousands

By Patrick Fox

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Troubled times are dooming more dogs and cats in metro Atlanta, and the same poor economy that puts animals in the pound ensures that many won’t get out.

Counties are cutting budgets at a time when animal shelters are putting down a growing number of animals. In the past two years, the number of cats and dogs destroyed at animal shelters in the five core metro counties has risen 24 percent. Last year, the counties killed almost 30,000 cats and dogs in Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett.

Gwinnett County led 2009 with 7,588 cats and dogs put down, almost half of them because the shelter could not house them.

“We are trying to help citizens who are having financial trouble and can’t feed their animals by giving them food donated to the shelter by local merchants,” said Gwinnett police Lt. Mary Lou Respess, who is director of the county’s animal shelter. “The shelter also helps sponsor events at local pet supply stores to promote adoptions and is planning a free spay and neuter clinic this spring for pit and pit mixes, the most common breed at the shelter.”

All the adoption promotions in the world will never solve the problem, said Virginia Keller, president of the Spay Neuter Action Coalition of Georgia.

“These people just don’t get it,” she said. “There will never be enough homes for all the animals that are produced at today’s rate. Never. The answer to this problem is strictly spay and neuter.”

Keller said she has seen people repeatedly drop off puppies or kittens at the shelter with no thought that they could end the cycle with a simple operation on their dogs. Others, she said, get a $1,000 pure-bred puppy and think they’re going to get their money back by breeding it. But instead, it wanders down the street and produces some mixed-breed pups that the owner has to try to give away, she said.

“They think animal control is an adoption center,” Keller said. “No way. I don’t know how you get this idea across to people, unless they want to come and watch it happen.”

Another tack many animal rights groups take is offering to volunteer at shelters. Several groups in Gwinnett have said they would drum up volunteers, but Respess has said there are liability issues to consider when working inside the kennels.

There are some things volunteers can do. Gwinnett’s shelter has begun a program to get volunteers to walk the dogs. Gail La Berge, who heads the county animal advisory council, said the staff has found the dog-walking program improves the animals’ disposition and makes them more adoptable. She also said volunteers can sign up online and commit to times of their choice.

The Gwinnett shelter has also explored expanding hours into evenings to allow working families more time to visit and shop for a pet. Statistics show a noticeable increase in adoptions when the shelter remains open late, La Berge said, but budget cuts won’t allow for overtime, so the shelter is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday.

The lean budget prompted the advisory council in mid-March to recommend increasing fees. The council, which recommends policy changes to the county commission, voted to double the charge for daily boarding to $10 and for quarantine to $200. But members balked at a suggestion to more than double the owner surrender fee from $20 to $50, fearing owners would abandon their animals on the streets. The fee was increased to $25.

Respess said the shelter offers reduced rates of $60 for spaying and neutering for animals that are being reclaimed, in lieu of the reclaim fee and subsequent boarding fees. The service includes rabies, DHLPP shots and microchip.

Other animal assistance groups operate on fewer dollars but with as much devotion.

“I think the increase is due to people losing their jobs,” said Samantha Shelton, founder and president of Furkids, the largest no-kill shelter in Georgia. “Yet there are so many resources out there that are available to people.”

Furkids operates a 5,000 square-foot facility for cats near Doraville. It also runs seven full-time adoption centers and has 20 active foster homes for dogs and kittens.

Over the past two years, the organization has seen donations plummet, yet it still offers free food and medical care to help owners keep their pets during tough times.

“I wish we could keep more of these pets in their homes, rather than people turning them over to animal control,” Shelton said.

Euthanasia counts at metro county shelters

	2007	2008	2009
Clayton
Cats	1,867	2,095	2,258
Dogs	3,095	3,715	4,099
Cobb
Cats	3,394	4,058	4,000
Dogs	3,095	3,715	4,099
DeKalb
Cats	1,077	1,895	1,843
Dogs	2,751	3,390	3,619
Fulton
Cats	464	400	565
Dogs	2,664	2,573	1,958
Gwinnett
Cats Dogs	3,169 2,763	4,025 2,966	4,588 3,020
Totals	23,874	28,091	29,612

The everyday kindness of the back roads more than makes up for the acts of greed in the headlines.                – Charles Kuralt

Being a professional pet sitter in Gwinnett County, GA, I want to learn everything that I can possibly learn about every breed of pet that I may encounter. The other day, my friend Cynthia Block of Cynsationally Yours (beautiful, personalized gifts and more) and I were meeting so that I could pick up a gift that she made for my Mom. While we were enjoying our coffees, she told me that her Basset Hound, Herkimer was right down the street at the groomer. Well, I’ve been waiting to meet him, so I just had to go with her to pick him up! He is everything that is dreamy about a Basset and more! I got the idea about doing a series of blogs about different breeds of pets from Herkimer, so he is the star of this blog. The sites that I got the information from are Your Pure Bred Puppy , Ammidan and Dog Breed Info.

Basset Hounds

History and Hunting

Basset Hounds are a direct descendant of the Bloodhound and a very old breed. The Basset’s popularity began in Paris in 1863 when they were first presented at a dog show. The American Kennel Club recognized this long-eared darling in 1885. The name Basset comes from the word “bas,” meaning “low.”

It has been suggested that they may have originated from genetic dwarf dogs born in litters of different types of hunting dogs. Bassets are able to hunt in packs or alone and they are also good at hunting in the open or in the den. They are used to hunt hare, fox, opposum and pheasant.

Personality and Training

Basset Hounds are one of the most easy going and friendly of all breeds. Almost any Basset that you meet is going to be good-natured, outgoing, warm and peaceful with everyone- strangers, other pets, kids- name it! They are sweet, devoted, and naturally well-behaved.

As friendly and happy-go-lucky as a Basset may be, they are not the easiest dogs to train. They can be very stubborn with compliant, lenient owners and need a firm, confident and consistent owner who displays natural authority over the dog. House training is one of the most difficult things to teach this breed, but with positive reinforcement and patient gentle training, anything can be accomplished.

Hard to train, but also very food motivated, keep in mind that tricks for treats is something that a Basset loves to do. Even using treats, you still may expect to see very slow, thought out, deliberate responses from him. Also remember that your Basset has a very strong and unique sense of smell. If they catch an interesting scent, the “Come” command goes in one big ear and out the other. When training or playing outside, keep your Basset either in a fenced area or on a leash or you may not see him again.

Exercise and General Health

Despite short legs, Bassets can weigh between 45-65 pounds. Their average life span is 10-12 years. They need a moderate amount of daily exercise, even if it seems they are perfectly happy snoring away on the couch. Overweight Bassets have concurrent health problems that can be very painful for them including aggravated arthritis, back problems, or heart trouble. Exercise is as important to your dog as it is for you. A long daily walk  (30 minutes or more) will be perfect to keep your dog mentally stable and a good healthy weight. Discourage any jumping or stress to the front legs and remember that Bassets are a hunting breed and it’s difficult to get their attention if they catch a scent they like. Keeping them on-leash or in a fence is crucial.

Bassets will run and play by the hour if allowed, but don’t leave them outside unattended. They tend to howl  when bored and the neighbors may call the cops on you. Also keep in mind that those short legs won’t prevent them from counter surfing, so keep any food or other items as far back on the counter as possible.

These dogs shed quite a lot and it never really stops. They are also prone to be gassy and have a distinct “houndy” odor that some people find offensive. I can’t help but love that “houndy” smell, but that’s probably just my dog addiction. Bassets are also predisposed to bone and joint problems, ear problems and skin diseases.

Bassets are apt  to otitis externa, (smelly yucky ears). This is easily prevented if ear cleaning is done regularly, such as when nails are clipped. Check with your veterinarian for an ear wash, or make a preventative cleaning mix of 50% isopropyl alcohol and 50% white vinegar. The Basset is also predisposed to Glaucoma.

Over feeding your Basset can cause too much weight on the legs and spine, leading to possible lameness and eventual paralysis. They are also prone to bloat, so feeding them 2 or 3 small meals instead of one large meal is highly recommended. If your Basset eats one big meal, keep an eye out for signs of bloat for the next few hours.~

So, what it comes down to is Bassets are family dogs with great dispositions, but can be very stubborn. If you have patience and you understand your dog’s breed and meet their exercise, diet and daily health care needs, you will have a wonderful family pet! If not, don’t blame the dog!

Here are a few Basset Hound rescues and resources that I found:

Basset Hound Rescue of Georgia

Basset Hound Rescue of Alabama

Carolina Basset Hound Rescue

Suncoast Basset Hound Rescue

Basset Hounds: Basset Hound Dog Forums

Wikipedia: Basset Hounds

“To be happy, use your nose.  Every day is rich in smells. … a cliche, sure, but if you got roses, smell ‘em.”
–dog quote by Trixie Koontz, dog, Life is Good! Lessons in Joyful Living, edited by Dean Koontz

The Truth about Vaccinations

To Vaccinate or Not?

The purpose of vaccines is to energize the body to generate germ-fighting proteins made by designated white blood cells and “memory” cells, so that if an animal encounters the disease again, his system will be primed and ready to defend against it. Most vaccines are so good at doing their jobs that they don’t need to be administered every year, if at all after the initial shots.

Although your vet may tell you that the shots are needed yearly, he or she may be resisting the overwhelming evidence against vaccines. A few reasons that your vet may resist are 1. because they are afraid of the liability from failing to vaccinate as recommended by the vaccine maker 2. It’s easier to send a yearly post card to remind you about vaccinations than to educate you on the vaccines 3. some simply don’t want to lose the vaccine income.

Vaccines cause major stress to the immune system. They can cause immediate side affects and allergic reactions. Some of the possible long term damages that have been linked to vaccinations include: skin allergies, arthritis, thyroid disease, recurrent ear and respiratory infections, irritable bowel disease, neurological conditions (such as aggression or epilepsy), auto-immune diseases, and cancer.

An initial two or three vaccine series for kittens and puppies is necessary for most vaccines to be effective and should be given 3 weeks apart. Pets should not be under 8 weeks of age and should not be sick or unhealthy. Rabies vaccinations are required by law in most states, so check with your local animal control to see what the requirements are.

Studies have shown that vaccines for parvovirus, canine distemper and feline panleukopenia provide extremely long term protection from disease. 8 to 10 years long.

A blood test called a “titer” can determine if your pet’s antibody levels for parvo, canine distemper, and feline panleukopenia are high enough to resist infection.

This information was gathered from Only Natural Pet Store

A vet that I recommend to talk to about vaccinations is Dr. Kim Parker in Roswell.

Lots of people talk to animals…. Not very many listen, though…. That’s the problem.  ~Benjamin Hoff, The Tao of Pooh

Keeping Your Pets Safe This Christmas

This is a truly fun time of year for all of us, including our pets! A lot of the decorations can pose a serious threat to our pets. Here are a few things to think about:

* If possible, put your Christmas tree in a room that is off limits to your pets. This can save you a lot of redecorating and also your pet from harm’s way. A baby gate around the tree can help as well.

* Tinsel and any other sort of string that can be swallowed are potentially deadly, as they can become entangled up within the intestines and will require surgery.

* Electric lights should be unplugged when your pets aren’t supervised. They are tempting to chew on and can cause electric shock.

* Glass ornaments look like toys and shatter easily, causing you and your pets painful cuts.

* The tree could fall on top of your pets, not only scaring them, but possibly hurting them.

* Some Christmas plants, such as poinsettias, mistletoe, and amaryllis bulbs, are poisonous, yet tasty. Keep these out of your pet’s reach.

* Tell your guests not to feed your pet holiday foods, such as chocolate and fatty or sugary foods. Keep pet treats around for your guests to give them instead.

* Make sure your guests keep all doors to outdoors closed and that your pet is wearing the appropriate identification.

* Keep your emergency vet and pet poison control numbers handy.

* Enjoy your holiday!

There are tons of great resources to learn training tips, pet diet tips, read great stories, etc. I’ve decided to make a list of some of these sites that I enjoy visiting and reading on.

Cesar Millan, The Dog Whisperer’s official website:

http://www.cesarmillaninc.com

On Pet Web Site you will find information on dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, hamsters, gerbils, and mice.

http://www.petwebsite.com/

Dog breed, adoption, health and care information:

http://www.dogster.com/

Dogster’s fantastic blog:

http://dogblog.dogster.com/

Cat breed, adoption, health and care information:

http://www.catster.com/

Catster’s fantastic blog:

http://blogs.catster.com/the-cats-meow-a-cat-and-kitten-blog/

Horses, horse care, horse riding and driving, and safety:

http://horses.about.com

A site dedicated to saving animals of all kinds. Click the purple button once a day to feed a pet in a shelter for free. Lots of great merchandise, all money goes to animal rescue:

http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/

Pet adoption, great blog and lots of info:

http://www.petfinder.com/index.html

All about birds. How to choose the right breed of bird for a pet, health tips, etc:

http://birds.about.com

Victoria Stilwell of It’s Me or the Dog’s official website:

http://www.victoriastilwell.com/

Daffy’s Pet Soup Kitchen. A non-profit organization helping struggling pet owners with pet food cost:

http://www.daffyspetsoupkitchen.com

Lifeline Animal Project, Atlanta’s LifeLine for Homeless Pets:

http://www.atlantapets.org

There are many more websites to choose from, these are just a few. Type any pet question that you may have in your search engine and you’d be surprised how much information you have to choose from. Personalize tips to fit your pet and your schedule and don’t be afraid to modify!

Animals are such agreeable friends. They ask no questions, they pass no criticisms. ~ George Elliot

While researching this subject, I found that there are MANY toxic dangers out there for your pets. I did my best to collect them all and put them in a readable and organized list. Please let me know if I left anything out and I’ll add it. There is so much, make sure that if you think that your pet has ingested or breathed or touched something that is making them act weird or feel bad, get them to the vet first and ask questions later. You could save their life.

PLANTS

Aloe Vera
Amaryllis
Apple (seeds)
Apricot (pit)
Arrowhead
Asparagus Fern
Avocado
Autumn Crocus
Azalea
Baneberry
Begonia
Bird of Paradise
Black Locust
Black Walnut
Bleeding Heart
Boston Ivy
Caladium
California Poppy
Calla Lily
Carnation
Castor Bean
Ceriman
Cherry (seeds, wilting leaves, and pit)
Chinese Evergreen
Chives
Christmas Rose
Chrysanthemum
Clematis
Corn Plant
Crocus
Croton
Crown of Thorns
Crown Vetch
Cyclamen
Daffodil
Delphinium
Devil’s Ivy
Dicentra
Dieffenbachia
Donkey Tail
Dumb Cane
Dutchman’s Breeches
Easter Lily
Elderberry
Elephant Ears
English Ivy
Eucalyptus
Fiddle-leaf Fig
Florida Beauty
Four O’Clock
Foxglove
Foxtail
Fruit Salad Plant
German Ivy
Gladiola
Hemlock
Holly
Honeysuckle
Hurricane Plant
Hyacinth
Hydrangea
Iris
Ivy
Jack in the Pulpit
Japanese Yew
Jerusalem Cherry
Jimson Weed
Jonquil
Kalanchoe
Lamb’s quarter
Lantana
Larkspur
Laurel
Lily
Lily of the Valley
Lobelia
Locoweed
Lords-and-Ladies
Lupine
Marigold (Marsh Marigold)
Marijuana
Mayapple
Mexican Breadfruit
Milkweed
Mistletoe
Monkshood
Morning Glory
Mother-in-Law plant
Mother-in-Law’s Tongue
Mountain Laurel
Mushrooms
Narcissus
Nephthytis
Nightshade
Oak Tree (buds and acorns)
Oleander
Onion
Peace Lily
Peach (wilting leaves and pits)
Pencil Tree
Philodendron
Pigweed
Poinsettia
Poison Ivy
Poison Hemlock
Poison Oak
Poison Sumac
Poppy
Potato (all green parts)
Pothos
Precatory Bean
Rhododendron
Rhubarb
Ribbon Cactus
Rubber Tree
Sago Palm
Schefflera
Shamrock Plant
Snake Plant
Snow on the Mountain
Sorghum
Star of Bethlehem
Stinging Nettle
Stinkweed
Swiss Cheese Plant
Taro Vine
Toadstools
Tobacco
Tomato Plant (entire plant except ripe fruit)
Umbrella Tree
Water Hemlock
Weeping Fig
Wisteria
Yew

FOODS
Alcoholic beverages
Apple seeds
Apricot pits
Avocados—toxic to birds, mice, rabbits, horses, cattle and dairy goats
Cherry pits
Candy (particularly chocolate, which is toxic to dogs, cats and ferrets, and any candy containing the sweetener Xylitol)
Coffee (grounds, beans, chocolate covered espresso beans)
Garlic
Grapes
Hops (used in home beer brewing)
Macadamia nuts
Moldy foods
Mushroom plants
Mustard seeds
Onions and onion powder
Peach pits
Potato leaves and stems (green parts)
Raisins
Rhubarb leaves
Salt
Tea (caffeine)
Tomato leaves and stems (green parts)
Walnuts
Yeast dough

This information was gathered from several sources.

The kind man feeds his beast before sitting down to dinner. ~Hebrew Proverb

My husband, Denny, and I have cut some holes in a few cardboard boxes, taped 2 of them together, and the cats are going nuts! I added some catnip, a few of their toys and shine the laser pointer in there one in a while. It is so fun to watch and basically hands free! The best part is, our cats are getting some exercise. Here are a few more ideas for your kitty’s exercise plan, whether they are actually indoor or outdoor cats. Lots of fun and bonding for you and your feline friend!

• Bring out your cat’s primal side and buy some toys with feathers. If they make some sort of noise, even better! Our cats really go for a rattle sound or a bell sound. I suggest something on a string attached to a pole. I can’t tell you how many scratches that I’ve gotten playing with Ajax with a toy in my hand. Ouch!
• You can use that toy on a pole to get your cat to chase it up a tiered cat tree, up and around the furniture, and down and up the stairs. Getting them to move and use their balance and coordination skills is important.
• I also LOVE the laser pointer. Be sure that you don’t shine it in anyone’s eyes, they can do some real retina damage. Get your cat to chase the laser pointer up a tiered cat tree; all the stretching and climbing helps to strengthen and tone the muscles in your cat’s shoulders, legs, hips and back.
• You don’t have to spend extra money to get your cat something fun to play with. Use the cap from your milk jug or water bottle, or even a piece of ice and throw it on the floor so your cat can chase and scoot it across the floor. Be sure that you supervise your cat so that he doesn’t try to swallow the cap or anything. Also, if you have dogs, be sure that the pup doesn’t pick up the caps. Major choking hazard!
• Before you play any of these games with your cat, be sure that they have a clean bill of health. Monitor your cat’s behavior and be on the watch for signs of change in personality, eye color, smell or behavior. Playing with string or yarn with your cat may be funny, but if he swallows the string, thread or yarn (or any other similar object), it could get wrapped around his tongue and if he swallows much of it, the string can wrap itself around your cat’s intestines, causing serious illness and eventually death.

Our cats are now all pooped out from playing. They’re still all 3 a little overweight (well, Ajax is a lot), but we’ll continue to work on it and keep you updated! Please feel free to comment with suggestions, comments or anything that you want to say on this subject!

“The reason cats climb is so that they can look down on almost every other animal…its also the reason they hate birds. – KC Buffington

CATS

• Cats can’t taste sugary foods due to a faulty sweet receptor gene
• Cats hearts beat twice as fast a human’s heart
• Calico cats are almost always female
• The sand cat found mostly in Africa, burrows it’s self in the sand to stay cool during the heat of the day
• Oldest known domestic cat lived to be 36 years old
• Cats are capable of up to 100 different vocalizations
• Cats have little resistance against snow, rain and fog
• While wet, they struggle to maintain their body temperatures of 102°
• Turkish Van breed of domestic cats love the water
• While hunting or angry, cats’ tail tips will twitch
• A high tail usually indicates happiness
• A friendly greeting between cats is touching noses

DOGS

• Dogs aren’t color blind, they see in color but not as vividly as humans
• They do have better low-light vision than us
• The U.S. has the highest dog population in the world
• Only humans and dogs have prostates
• Dogs do not have an appendix
• Dogs’ mouths exert 150-200 lbs of pressure per square inch, some breeds exert even more
• A Pomeranian, Newfoundland, and a Pekinese survived the sinking of the Titanic
• Basenjis, an African breed, are the only “barkless” dogs. They make a “yodel” sound
• Dogs’ sense of smell is more than 100,000 times better than humans
• The longer the dog’s snout, the better internal cooling system they have
• Dachshunds were originally bred for badger hunting

HORSES

• The first horse dates back 50 million years ago and was called a Hyracotherium
• Hyracotheriums were about as tall as a fox and also had toes
• Any markings on a horse’s forehead, regardless of actual shape, is referred to as a “star”
• The oldest recorded horse lived to be 62 years old
• The breed Akhal-Teke from Russia and Turkmenistan can go days without food and water
• The average horse’s heart weighs between 9 and 10 pounds
• Horses hoofs are like people’s finger and toe nails; they need to be clipped to stay comfortable
• Horses can drink 10 gallons of water per day
• A newborn foal is usually already standing after an hour or two of being born
• Horses have monocular vision, meaning that they are seeing a different image in each eye
• Horse’s large intestines are about 12 feet long and their small intestines are about 70 feet long
• Horses spend more energy when they are lying down than when they are standing

An animal’s eyes have the power to speak a great language.  ~Martin Buber