Infinite Animal Whispers

Article:- Labor Day Dangers To Avoid

2009-09-04T07:10:00.000-07:00

This was taken from the ASPCA website. Enjoy!

Labor Day Dangers to Avoid

Labor Day weekend marks summer’s unofficial end, and many families are heading out—with their companion animals—for end-of-season getaways. The ASPCA hopes you enjoy the last days of summer and reminds you to make sure your four-legged friends enjoy a safe holiday, too. By following these simple safety tips, you can rest assured your pet will remain happy and healthy during his last summer blast!

Do not apply any sunscreen or insect repellent product to your pet that is not labeled specifically for use on animals. Ingestion of sunscreen products can result in drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive thirst and lethargy. The misuse of insect repellent that contains DEET can lead to neurological problems.

Always assign a dog guardian. No matter where you’re celebrating, be sure to assign a friend or member of the family to keep an eye on your pooch; especially if you’re not in a fenced-in yard or other secure area. With all the festivities, it’s easy to overlook a dog on the run!

Made in the shade. Pets can get dehydrated quickly, so give them plenty of fresh, clean water, and make sure they have a shady place to escape the sun. Be careful to not over-exercise them, and keep them indoors when it's extremely hot.

Always keep matches and lighter fluid out of paws’ reach. Certain types of matches contain chlorates, which could potentially damage blood cells and result in difficulty breathing—or even kidney disease in severe cases. Lighter fluid can be irritating to skin, and if ingested, can produce gastrointestinal irritation and central nervous system depression. If lighter fluid is inhaled, pneumonia and breathing problems could develop.

Keep your pet on his normal diet. Any change, even for one meal, can give your pet severe indigestion and diarrhea. This is particularly true for older animals who have more delicate digestive systems and nutritional requirements. And keep in mind that people foods such as onions, chocolate, coffee, avocado, salt, yeast dough, grapes and raisins can all be potentially toxic to companion animals.

Keep citronella candles, insect coils and oil products out of reach. Ingesting any of these items can produce stomach irritation and possibly even central nervous system depression in your pets, and if inhaled, the oils could cause aspiration pneumonia.

Never leave your dog in the car on a hot day, even if you're just 'running in quickly'. If you can, leave the air conditioner on. Traveling with your dog means occasionally you’ll make stops in places where he’s not permitted. Be sure to rotate dog walking duties between family members. On a hot day, a parked car can become a furnace in no time, even with the windows open. It’s also illegal in several states!

Make a safe splash. Don’t leave pets unsupervised around a pool - not all dogs are good swimmers. Introduce your pets to water gradually and make sure they wear flotation devices when on boats. Rinse your dog off after swimming to remove chlorine or salt from his fur, and try to keep your dog from drinking pool water, which contains chlorine and other chemicals that could cause stomach upset.

*Also make sure you dog has an easy to access place around the pool where he is able to climb out of the water. I've witnessed several dogs 'freak out' when they got tired and couldn't easily get out of the pool. Make sure your dog know where the stairs are, for example.

Portland's Feline Fix-a-thon

2009-08-15T03:00:00.000-07:00

Feline Fix-a-Thon in Portland, Oregon

Feline Fix-a-Thon helps low-income families alter their pets at a discount
by Roger Gregory, The Oregonian
Thursday August 13, 2009, 4:00 AM
Low-income families can get their cats spayed or neutered at a discount through the Cat Adoption Team's "Beat the Heat" Feline Fix-a-Thon, running through Sept. 4.

The special price is $20 per female cat or kitten and $10 for males. Surgeries are done at the shelter's hospital, 14175 S.W. Galbreath Drive.

Appointments must be booked by calling CAT's office at 503-925-8903. Cats or kittens must be at least 10 weeks old, weigh at least 2-1/2 pounds and be healthy.

Feral cats are not eligible for this program; CAT staffers suggest contacting the Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon for assistance.

Dog Park Etiquette For People

2009-06-03T00:36:00.000-07:00

I know that as soon as you and your dog get to the dog park, it's tempting to just stand back and watch all of the activity or chat with other owners, but everybody will have a much more rewarding time if you observe some basic rules. Most of these rules are never posted at the actual dog parks but they involve common sense, responsible pet ownership and the respect for every other pet owner and dog that is in the park. Unfortunately in my experience, not enough pet owners abide by these rules but if they did, I think there would be a lot less problems that ensue in parks such as dog fights, arguments and various issues that come up. You need to realize that dog parks aren't a right, they're a privilege.

Please don't let bad behavior ruin things for everyone else. As I like to say as a professional pet sitter, it's the sitters that don't take their jobs seriously that ruin it for those of us who really care about our client's pets. This should go without saying for anyone who takes a dog into an enclosed off-leash dog park. It's a big responsibility and it should be taken seriously.

*My number one rule is: ALWAYS have control over your dog - whether he or she is on a leash; or if off-leash, you need to be able to call your dog back to you verbally, or with the use of a whistle or other tool. You need to be able to take charge and get control over your animal if a fight breaks out. You need to be able to remove your animal immediately from the park if he or she is causing a problem among the other dogs. You should also be supervising your dog - I don't advise turning your back on your dog's location.

*Always be aware of other dogs and the signals they are displaying. Take the time to learn dog behavior and body language - this gives you an edge in being able to identify a dog that may be fearful or shy around other dogs - you may be able to catch an approaching dog who is aggressive and be able to remove your dog from a potentially negative confrontation.

*Some of my best advice includes: not trusting that every other pet owner in the park has complete control over their dog(s), and, never assume that they know how to handle their animal, especially if a fight breaks out. Whenever I take a dog into a park, I have the leash on me, ready to use if needed. I leave the choke chain or halter on the dog so that I have something to grab onto if needed. I like to frequently 'check on' my dog by calling he or she back to me, where I give some TLC and treats for coming to me when called. I really like to use dog parks as a training tool - some dogs are more susceptible to not coming when called if they are distracted, so bring delicious treats with you and use some of your time in the park as a training session. I do training sessions every time I take a dog out for exercise, whether it's just around the neighborhood or to a dog park.

*ALWAYS clean up after your dog. This is the primary reason why dog parks get complaints, so pay attention to what your dog is doing and where it is, and pick up the poop. Even if you find poop that has not come from your dog, be responsible, respectful of the park and clean it up - after all, we've all been caught not looking.

*Keep your dog on-leash until you get to the off-leash area. This is not just respectful to neighbors and other park users, but it's much safer for your dog. Many parks are located in public parks with large parking lots and drivers may not be looking out for dogs in the street, so I don't advice letting your dog run around lose until you are safely inside the dog park boundaries.

*Children should be supervised closely, especially when approaching other dogs. I highly recommend getting permission from the dogs' owner to pet the dog. Many dogs are fearful or uncomfortable around children. I like to recommend that people do not bring their young children or babies into a dog park because it adds to the hazards already present. Dogs tend to play rough with their playmates and may run up to a child with the same playfulness and your child could get seriously injured.

*IMPORTANT - DO NOT bring a dog that is in estrus, or 'in heat'. This includes male dogs who are not fixed, as they can easily and very quickly, impregnate a female dog in the park. It can take a matter of seconds for two dogs to mate and many times this ends in unwanted pregnancies and angry dog owners. Please leave your dogs at home if they are not yet spayed or neutered. It's very irresponsible for any pet owner to allow their unfixed dogs to roam free. Please only bring your dogs if they have been spayed or neutered. Besides the risk of pregnancy, the hormones in dogs who have not been fixed, can many times cause fights between other dogs, as well as other problems.

*Don't allow your dog to harass other dogs or people. This means having respect for other people in the park. Not everyone wants to be jumped up on, have their hands slobbered on, or most importantly, have their crotches sniffed constantly. These are behaviors that you, the dog's owner, needs to be aware of and prevent if at all possible. Please teach your dog that jumping up on anyone is not okay. It's important to reprimand your dog when around strange people and unfamiliar dogs. If your dog is making someone uncomfortable, it is best to move your dog away from that person or leave the park immediately. This is especially important when the dog park shares a community park where children play.

*If your dog is having health problems, please consider staying at home. Please do not risk spreading disease or infection to the other dogs. Many ailments can make your dog uneasy around other dogs, especially if your dog is not feeling like it's normal self, and this can result in fights, aggression and potential injuries.

*Do bring treats to reward your dog for good behavior, like coming to you when called. But, please do not give your treats to other dogs. You should always get the owner's permission to give treats. This is very important because you have no idea if that other dog has certain health problems that may prevent it from digesting certain foods or you may give a treat that then causes a severe allergic reaction. This should be common sense. I know it's tempting to reward a cute dog for being sweet and nice to your dog but use your judgement - if in doubt, ask that dog's owner for permission.

All dog parks have municipal codes posted. Know your local dog laws, for both city and county - especially laws that require licensing and leashing, and follow them. This is not just for the safety of your own dog, but also for every one else.

Some good sites for more information include:

Dog Parks & Liability for Dog Bites: http://www.dogbitelaw.com/PAGES/dog_park.html

Park (State & National) Dog/Pet Rules: http://www.explorerdog.com/parks/parkregs.htm

You can do a Google search to find more information on your own city and county rules regarding leash laws, dog park rules by city and much more.

**Dog parks should be a wonderful place to take your dog(s). If everyone follows these basic rules, you will be helping prevent injuries, fights and other problems that are associated with dog parks. By following these simple rules, you will also allow more dog parks to be built and operate smoothly, instead of being shut down - which is what happens when people do not follow these rules. Let's keep dog parks around for everyone to use and enjoy!

The Truth About Feeding ONLY Dry Food

2009-06-03T00:11:00.000-07:00

Down With Dry Food

Dry food is, well... dry!
Dogs and cats are designed to eat carcasses and other fresh food, which contain a great deal of moisture, at least 70%. Compare this to packaged dry food which averages 8% moisture. So imagine what the animal has to make up by drinking water! Processing dry proteins puts a greater burden on their system, especially the kidneys. I think we can all agree that our pets are definitely not designed to eat dry nuggets of processed food. You don't eat this way, so why should your pet?

Do Cookies Clean your teeth?

Many people believe that dry food helps keep their pet's teeth clean. Chewing will help keep your pet's teeth and gums healthy, so offer raw bones or natural dried chews (not rawhide, but dried muscle or tendon). Or, do regular brushing with pet toothpaste (it tastes good, and, most importantly, doesn't foam up).

What Else is Missing in Dry Food?

To put it simply - LIVE food! Dry food doesn't have the enzymes that fresh food naturally contains. This forces the body to provide those missing enzymes itself, which can put stress on the system, especially the pancreas. Naturally occurring vitamins derived from food are always preferable to synthetic vitamins. Naturally derived nutrition is by design more balanced and usable by the body, and offers many trace elements that work together in the body.

The Bare Essentials

We know it's convenient to feed plain dry food, but I urge you to add a couple of things. Number one, add moisture, at least in the form of water poured over the food (healthy water, that means natural or filtered). You can add nutrition along with moisture if you add fish oil and canned food. Digestive enzymes are also a good addition for animals that aren't eating fresh food, who suffer from chronic illness, or are elderly.

"All-In-One" Supplements

Pets eating dry food don't need additional synthetic vitamins. They need naturally occurring vitamins from real food. One good way to optimize your pet's dry food diet is by adding a plant-based "all-in-one" supplement. The supplements will vary in their ingredients so be careful. The idea is to use highly nutritious foods to boost the processed food. Most of these supplements contain kelp and alfalfa, two very nutritious plants. They may also contain things like bee pollen, flax seed, garlic, nettle, and dandelion. Some are aimed toward boosting the immune system, while others are more of a spring tonic to help cleanse the blood and boost liver function. Some of the companies that make good ones are: Animal Essentials, The Wholistic Pet, The Honest Kitchen, and The Missing Link.

Any fresh food you can add is a good thing. You can add up to 25% additional fresh food to a dry diet without throwing off the balance too much. This really means fresh food from your own kitchen. The key is feeding healthy fresh food. This means avoiding most of the stuff you should avoid and sticking to natural, mainly RAW food. If you really look at the list below of items to add, you nearly have a healthy diet - without the dry food!

-Raw egg (from a reputable source)
-Raw or cooked meat or organ meats
-Yogurt, Kefir, or raw milk
-Soaked (if rolled) or cooked whole grains (millet, quinoa, oats, buckwheat, barley, rye)
-A few berries
-Assorted veggies (ground or grated is best if they're raw), NO ONIONS
-Aloe Juice, Apple Cider Vinegar
-Sweet Potatoes (cooked or out of a can) **Cats especially LOVE these in their diet!**
-Alfalfa, kelp, garlic (small to moderate amount)

New Option For Shelf-Stable Food:

If you rely on dry food because it's shelf-stable (doesn't need to be refridgerated/frozen), there are new dehydrated foods on the market that you can store on the shelf for just as many months, but are less processed. Some are dehydrated or freeze-dried versions of a companies' raw food diet (Nature's Variety, Bravo). Others are designed as their own unique diet. The Honest Kitchen has a food that is human-grade dehydrated food that looks powdery when dry, with a few recognizable chunks of banana and coconut. You just add warm water and let it sit for a bit (approx 10 min). They make 3 dog foods (2 without grains, one with), a cat food, and a veggie/vitamin mix that you can add meat to. One great thing about this food is that it mixes easily with dry, canned or raw, so this is another way to upgrade a dry food diet. It's not cheap, but you get a really good product. It's a good thing to have up on the shelf in case it is needed.

A Happy Ending - Tick-infestied Leo is found!

2009-04-16T23:23:00.000-07:00

"Happy ending": It's not exactly Disney, but the tick-infested Leo is found nine months later
by Kimberly A.C. Wilson, The Oregonian
Thursday April 16, 2009, 9:40 PM

Before going missing for nine months in southern Oregon, Leo spent a day at the beach with his owners, Marisa Davis and Jason McNichols. Leo was reunited with them Thursday.

Nine months and $2,000 after he disappeared in the wilds of southern Oregon, Leo the border collie is heading home to Northeast Portland.

He may appear a bit wolf-like now, shaggy and a wild look in the eye. But he was a well-groomed 2-year-old herding dog last Fourth of July weekend, when Jason McNichols, 30, and fiancee Marisa Davis, 29, left him with friends while they rafted for an hour on the Rogue River.

Agility-course trained and keen at playing Frisbee, Leo had never given the couple a reason to worry. But on that summer afternoon, he suddenly bolted when a friend pulled up to the Graves Creek boat landing to await McNichols and Davis.

"We were heartbroken," said McNichols.

The pair posted lost-dog fliers in Galice, the closest hamlet, six miles upriver, and in other towns to the north, where they were camped. Given Leo's distinctive brown, white and black coloring, they figured it wouldn't be long before someone spotted the 50-pound pup. But despite days spent hiking the area during her summer break from teaching at a Beaverton middle school, Davis couldn't find Leo.

So McNichols hired Longview, Wash., tracker Harry Oakes, whose corpse-sniffing dog tipped off investigators seven years ago to the buried remains of two murdered girls in the yard of convicted killer Ward Weaver.

The search dog pointed out one of Leo's trails, McNichols said, suggesting that the dog had at least survived a week on his own. But after no more news for the next eight months, there came Nanette Martin's phone call in early April.

On a break during a motorcycle ride through Galice, Martin spotted one of the Leo fliers. She recognized him at once as a stray that appeared now and then on her property 25 miles south of Galice in Wilderville.

"And when I saw the sign I thought, 'Oh my God, that's that lost dog,'" Martin said.

Turns out, Wilderville residents had been seeing the border collie with a patterned collar darting around town since November. Skittish around humans, he wandered through the woods, pilfering cat food.

"Everybody saw him but nobody could get close to him," Martin said.

After the call, McNichols and Davis took last Friday off and drove south to resume the search. More than once, they spotted Leo at a distance but he would flee. Finally, McNichols called Bug's Inc., a pest control company in Grants Pass that uses cages to trap cougars. He and Davis had to return to Portland, but on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights, Martin helped workers set a trap for Leo on a neighbor's property.

Finally, on Wednesday night, Martin called McNichols and asked if he wanted to speak with Leo, who sat nearby, scared but wagging his tail. Tempted by a can of cat food, dog kibble and a breast of chicken from Albertsons, the dog had walked into the cage.

Thursday morning, McNichols and Davis were reunited with Leo. Shaggy and covered in ticks, he seemed to be the pet the couple had lost.

Before heading for their home in the Rocky Butte area of Portland, they took Leo to the Wilderville Store to formally introduce residents to the dog who wandered through the area all those months.

"It's such a happy ending," a giddy Martin said Thursday afternoon.

McNichols agreed.

"Nine months later, and he's fine," he said, after taking the dog to a Eugene vet for a checkup. "All muscle. He only lost three pounds in the whole ordeal. We can't wait to get him home."

April 2009 Portland Animal Events

2009-04-12T04:26:00.000-07:00

This is something I'd like to do for each upcoming month. It also helps me to remember some fun upcoming things to go do and gives me outlets for volunteering with animals in Portland. Please contact me if your event is not included - as I'm just pulling these from the local shelter websites and other websites + Spot and the other Portland area animal magazines. So feel free to submit your event to me to put on the calendar for each month!

APRIL 2009 Animal Friendly Events in the Portland, Oregon area:

April 1st: Fuzzy, Furry & Feathered Friends Photo Contest Opens
April 1 - May 31

Have a favorite photo of your pet? OHS is looking for great photos of cats, dogs, birds, rabbits, horses, and other pets for its 18th annual photo contest. Entry forms available here April 1st. Wonderful prizes provided by Pro Photo Supply. For more information visit the OHS Photo Contest Webpage: http://www.oregonhumane.org/news/photo_contest.asp

April 14th: Klamath Falls, OR Magpies Trip
When: Apr 14, 2009 08:00 AM to Apr 17, 2009 05:00 PM

Look for Snow and Ross’s Geese, ducks, raptors and more in the Klamath Basin. Courting Clark’s Grebes are possible. Base of operations is Klamath Falls. Contact Dick Demarest, 503-407-7912 or Don Stein, 541-765-7567 for details.

Nature Night: Arctic Dreams and Nightmares: Wildlife Conservation in a Changing Arctic Alaska
When: Tuesday Apr 14, 2009 from 07:00 pm to 08:30 pm
Heron Hall, 5151 NW Cornell Rd, Portland, OR
Nature Night is free and open to the public

*Please note there has been a change in speaker*

Steve Zack, Wildlife Conservation Society

Arctic Alaska contains one of the world’s great migratory spectacles with birds migrating to breed there from every continent, every ocean. The most important Arctic wetlands are in western Arctic Alaska, home of the biggest single piece of public land in the United States. The Arctic’s climate is changing more quickly than anywhere else on earth, risking to transform this region and its wildlife in dramatic and diverse ways. Further, expanding energy development is displacing species and causing other challenges to wildlife conservation. The Wildlife Conservation Society has been on the ground in Arctic Alaska since 2001, attempting to understand wildlife amid such changes and seeking protection for key areas of wildlife importance. Steve Zack will present an overview of this dramatic region in transition, with emphasis on migratory shorebird conservation concerns.

April 15: Wood Warblers of Oregon
When: 07:00 pm to 09:00 pm
Contact:
Steve Engel
sengel@audubonportland.org
971-222-6119

Join us for a multi-media presentation by Doug Robberson on the wood warblers of Oregon. In addition to pictures and songs there will be video of birds in their natural surroundings. This is a good time to become familiar with Oregon warblers such as MacGillivray’s, Wilson’s and Orange-crowned Warblers as they have just begun to arrive from their tropical wintering grounds. The common wood warblers of Oregon will be the focus with some not so common species included.

FEE: $10 members / $15 non-members
FREE to volunteers!

April Wed 15: Free Seminar: Becoming the Leader. A Pawsitively Pawssible Approach.
Description: This free seminar teaches you the vital basics of dog training, including an intro to positive reinforcement training, how to teach your dog self control, patience, acceptance and most importantly to respect us. Everyone receives a free clicker and those who enroll in Super Dog will receive a free Easy Walk harness. This is a humans only class that is free to the public, not just Super Dog students. Although walk-ins are allowed register today so you don't get turned away!
Location: Pawsitively Pawssible, 1500 NW 18th Ave., Suite #105 Portland, OR
Time: 6:45pm
For more info visit: http://www.pawsitivelypawssible.com/Dog_Training/Home.html

April Fri 17: Indoor Dog Park Fun at PetUtopia

Learn how to keep your dog safe at the dog park. Bring your puppy or small dog in for supervised socialization. Bobbie Lyons will teach you about appropriate body language for play and what to watch for to keep your dog safe. This is a great way to socialize your dog and start them off with good habits when greeting and playing with other dogs. Class starts April 3, 2009 running every Friday from 1:00 to 2:00 on a drop in basis. Cost is $10 per session.
Location: PetUtopia, 8670 SW Scholls Ferry Rd., Beaverton, OR
Time: 1:00 - 2:00pm
For more info: Visit http://www.petutopia.com

April Sat 18: Wapato Access Greenway State Park
When: 08:00 am to 11:00 am
Contact:
Backyard Bird Shop - call first!
503-496-0908

Co-sponsored with Backyard Bird Shop. Meet at Wapato Greenway Access State Park on Sauvie Island for a leisurely walk around the small lake. We’ll look for songbirds, sapsuckers and waterfowl. From Portland take Hwy 30 West towards St Helens. Take Sauvie Island Bridge onto island and head north. Stay left at the Y with Reeder Rd. and continue for 0.5 mile to Wapato parking lot on left. An island parking permit is not needed at this site. Meet at 8am, bring binoculars and dress for weather. Beginners welcome! 8am-11am

April Sat 18th: Problem Pooch
12:30 - 1:30 pm at the Oregon Humane Society
(Ehmann Classroom, AMLC)

Find out why your dog does that at a round table discussion of animal behavior problems with an OHS expert. Please leave your pets at home. No RSVP required; $30 suggested donation.

Sat & Sun April 18 & 19: Northwest Pet & Companion Fair
9:30 am - 6:00 pm Saturday, 9:30 am - 5:00 pm Sunday at the Portland Expo Center, Hall E

Admission: $7 each, $5 for students and seniors
The Expo Center also charges for parking.
Bring your dog and check out Portland’s largest pet fair! More than 250 exhibitors are on hand to introduce you to the latest in pet care, food, toys and fun. Stop by the DoveLewis booth to play cool games and win fabulous prizes!

The two-day event provides both human guests and pets with a variety of activities, educational materials, entertainment, as well as over 150 retail and nonprofit groups. For more information visit the NW Pet Fair Website: http://www.petfairs.com. Discount Coupon available here: http://www.oregonhumane.org/news/images/PetFairCoupon_2009OHS.jpg

April Sunday 19: Legacy Society Inaugural Event
DoveLewis Community Room—1945 NW Pettygrove, Portland
4:00PM to 6:00PM

DoveLewis invites you to join us in celebrating our newly established Dr. Richard Werner Legacy Society. This social gathering honors our visionary supporters who share a belief in the power of Estate Planning and know the legacy they leave will grow and support the human–animal bond for future generations. Meet Richard Werner, veterinarian and DoveLewis’ founding father and hear his first hand stories about how the DoveLewis vision became reality back in 1973. Enjoy appetizers, wine and dessert, take a behind–the–scenes tour and get an up–close look at our newest life saving equipment.

All who have committed to supporting the future of DoveLewis through Estate Planning or those who simply want to learn more about it are invited to attend. The Dr. Richard Werner Legacy Society is strictly honorary in nature and involves no dues, obligations or solicitations.

RSVP is required - please RSVP to Lori Warner–McGee,
lwarner@dovelewis.org or 503.535.3382.

April Monday 20: Bay Ocean Spit Magpies Trip
When: 08:00 am to 03:00 pm

Join Leader Juergen Mueller for a trip to Tillamook Bay, Cape Meares and Netarts Bay. We will be looking for waterfowl on the way to their breeding grounds. Meet at the McDonalds in North Plains at 8am or the new Safeway in Tillamook in the Northwest corner of the parking lot at 9:15am.Bring a lunch and dress for the weather. For information call Juergen at 503-742-2464.

April Tues 21: Light-Fingered Five Goes to the Dogs - a benefit for OHS.
7:30 pm at Theatre! Theatre!, 3430 SE Belmont St.

Make your laughter help dogs in need at OHS! Enjoy an evening of improv comedy by Light Fingered Five, and 100% of net proceeds from the event goes to OHS. Tickets on sale at the door for $10.

Intro to Dog Training Class
5:30 - 6:00 pm at the Oregon Humane Society
(Ehmann Classroom, AMLC)

A prerequisite for Basic Manners classes for dogs. Learn about Basic Manners classes, requirements (spay/neuter & vaccinations), our positive philosophy, and ask questions. Free to attend; no registration required. Visit the OHS Training Webpage for more information about OHS Dog Training Classes: http://www.oregonhumane.org/pet_training/class_offerings.asp

April 22: Save the Frogs with Dr Kerry M Kriger
When: 05:30 pm to 06:30 pm

Amphibian declines and extinctions: where to from here?
A FREE Earth Day Lecture

Frog populations worldwide have been declining at unprecedented rates, and nearly one-third of the world's 6,468 amphibian species are threatened with extinction. Amphibians are faced with an onslaught of environmental problems, including pollution, infectious diseases, habitat loss, invasive species, climate change, and over-harvesting for the pet and food trades. Dr. Kriger will discuss these threats then detail his vision for SAVE THE FROGS!, the new nonprofit organization he founded and directs.

Dr. Kriger holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Science from Griffith University in Gold Coast, Australia. His research into amphibian declines has been supported by the National Geographic Society and other philanthropic organizations throughout the world. His current research focuses on the amphibian disease chytridiomycosis.

Location:
5151 NW Cornell Road
Portland, OR 97210
Phone: 503.292.9453
Email: store@audubonportland.org

April Sat 25: Intro to Dog Training Class
2:00 - 2:30 pm at the Oregon Humane Society
(Ehmann Classroom, AMLC)

A prerequisite for Basic Manners classes for dogs. Learn about Basic Manners classes, requirements (spay/neuter & vaccinations), our positive philosophy, and ask questions. Free to attend; no registration required.

April Sat 25: Gabriel Park Veterinary Clinic Open House
Gabriel Park Veterinary Clinic is celebrating their clinic's new expansion. They will have adoptable cats from Animal Aid, adoptable dogs from Golden Bond Rescue, Beaverton Police K9 units (doing a demo!), food, prizes, and raffles!
Location: Gabriel Park Veterinary Clinic, 4421 SW Vermont St., Portland, OR
Time: 12:00 - 4:00pm
For more info: http://gabrielparkvet.net/ or call 503-245-7275

April Sun 26: Dr. PAWS Educational Lecture Series
Dr. PAWS is a monthly lecture series presented by a variety of pet care specialists about specific pet topics. The series is meant to help pet owners make informed decisions regarding different pet issues. Parasites: Fleas, Ticks, Giardia, and Hookworms and different methods of prevention will be discussed on April 26th. This event is sponsored by VCA West Linn Animal Hospital and The Dog Club of West Linn. Cost: Free.
Location: The Dog Club of West Linn, 18675 Willamette Dr., West Linn, OR
Time: 2:00 - 3:00pm
For more info: Brianne at 503-635-3523

April Wed 29: Yappy Hour
6-8 pm at Paragon Restaurant, 1309 NW Hoyt St., Gallery Room

Join Lexi Dog Boutique & Social Club, the Oregon Humane Society, and Bishop Creek Cellars for a social hour for both you and your dog. Yappy Hour was voted best place to hang out with your pet by readers of Portland Monthly. Meet OHS dogs available for adoption, and enjoy food and wine, of which a portion of sales will be donated to OHS!

Upcoming May Events:

May Fri 1: Dog Massage for Owners Class
Rubi Sullivan, a certified animal massage therapist, will be offering a 'Dog Massage for Owners' class. Bring your four legged friend in and learn basic massage strokes to use on them at home. Heal provides dog beds for the class, take-home information and doggie bags. Please sign up at the location before the day of the class. Cost is only $40. And don't forget to bring your dog with you!
Location: Healthy Pets Northwest in SW Portland (http://www.healthypetsnw.com)
Time: 6:00 - 7:30pm
For more info: http://www.healnw.com

May 5 & 6: Magpies Birdathon
When: May 05, 2009 07:00 AM to May 06, 2009 04:30 PM

Join Denny Graham and Mike Skinner for the Magpies Birdathon. Tuesday we meet in the Mt. Tabor Volcano parking lot for birding Mt. Tabor then Ridgefield NWR. Wednesday we meet at the Tualatin Hills Nature Park Interpretive Center, 15655 SW Milikan Way. We will spend the early morning looking for songbirds at THNP, then proceed to Tualatin NWR, Gotter Prairie and Jackson Bottoms. Bring a lunch and water both days. You may attend one or both days. For information contact Denny Graham @ 503-659-1245 home / 503-351-8706 cell or Mike Skinner @ 503-590-3963 home /503-686-5126 cell.

May Sat 9: Festival of the Birds
When: 10:00 am to 03:00 pm
Contact:
Karen Munday
kmunday@audubonportland.org
503.292.6855 x122

Join Audubon Society of Portland, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the City of Portland for a Celebration of Migratory Birds.

Oaks Bottom and other natural areas in Portland are important to migrating birds for nesting, wintering, resting and re-fueling. Come and see birds hailing from as far away as Argentina in Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge, the City of Portland’s first designated Migratory Bird Park.

This is a free festival for the whole family to celebrate International Migratory Bird Day. No registration is required.

* Guided Bird Walks from 9 am – 2 pm. Come enjoy bird walks led by local naturalists. You will be amazed by the large variety of migratory birds that use Oaks Bottom and other Portland natural areas during their migratory route.

* Children’s Activities. Kids will love the bird related hands-on activities for children aged 3 – 11.

* Storytelling and Live Music by local storytellers and musicians. Come hear songs and stories about migratory birds in the Portland area.

* Education Birds from Audubon Society of Portland’s Wildlife Care Center. Meet in person Finnegan the Peregrine Falcon, Julio the Great Horned Owl, Hazel the Northern Spotted Owl, Jack the American Kestrel, Ruby the Turkey Vulture and Aristophanes the Common Raven.

* Interactive Displays. Visit with local partners of the Migratory Bird Treaty Program and find out what is happening locally to protect and enhance our bird populations.

Portland's Favorite Pet Event - Coming in May 2009!

2009-04-12T01:43:00.000-07:00

Downtown Portland goes to the dogs on May 9th for the 22nd Annual OHS Doggie Dash. Help us raise $245,000 for animals and have a great time doing it.

Please note: Cars will be banned from Naito Parkway for the 1.5 mile walk for pets and people (dogs not required!). We've also added a new 2.5 mile bridge-to-bridge loop for runners and walkers.

We'll transform Waterfront Park into a huge "barking lot" for for an estimated 5,000 people and almost as many four-legged friends, plus vendors, live music, and contests to show off your dog;'. The 2008 Doggie Dash was voted Portland's favorite pet event by readers of Spot magazine!

Here are the details:

When: May, 9th, 2009. On-site registration opens at 7:30 am; runners leave at 9:00 am; walkers begin at 9:15 am. Online registration is now open.

Where: Tom McCall Waterfront Park in Portland. The main registration tent is located in the park near the intersection of SW Naito Parkway and SW Pine St. (close to the Battleship Oregon monument). Vendor booths and demonstration areas will stretch along the park from Pine St. to the Morrison Bridge.

The Course: The 1.5 mile course begins on SW Naito Parkway near Stark St. You'll proceed down a car-free Naito Parkway to approximately the Hawthorne bridge, then turn north along the park's seawall, then return south again on Naito Parkway.

Bridge to Bridge Option: Our new 2.5 mile route uses the same stating and ending points as the 1.5 mile route, but now takes Dashers over the Hawthorne Bridge, down the Eastbank Esplanade, over the Steel Bridge, and back to Waterfront Park. It's dog friendly and has great views of the city. Runners go at 9:00 at 2.5 mile run, followed by walkers on the 2.5 mile route at 9:15, followed by walkers on the 1.5 mile loop at 9:30.

Contests & Activities: Doggie Dash activities continue until 1 pm with fun for all:

-Doggie contests such as Best Kisser, Musical Chairs, Strangest Mutt Mix, Best Dressed Dog, Best Singing Duo, and more (full list).

-Frisbee clinic and demonstration by Greg Gustafson of Border Collies International. You can enter your dog in the Frisbee contest.

-Free dog examinations by Banfield, The Pet Hospital.

-Vendor booths with pet products and services.

-Live music by the Lost Creek bluegrass band.

-Pancake breakfast for all registered Dashers.

Vendors

Waterfront Park will be lined with vendors who support OHS efforts to rescue, shelter and find homes for animals. Watch this space for a complete list of vendors who will be offering pet-friendly products and services.

Raise Donations and Earn Prizes: See more information here: http://www.oregonhumane.org/doggiedash/Collect_Donations.asp

Getting There by Tri-Met: Bring Your Dog!

Although dogs are usually not allowed on TriMet, TriMet is making an exception for Doggie Dash! Riders can bring their dogs to and from Doggie Dash on any TriMet MAX train until 2 pm on May 9th. Riders with dogs should bring their Dash registration receipt and/or their Dash race “bib” as proof they are going to Doggie Dash. Regular fares apply to riders, but dogs ride free!

Dog owners need to follow these rules:

* Dogs must be under the owner’s control - leash or in a crate - at all times.
* Dogs must be wearing a head collar such as Gentle Leader or wear a muzzle.
* Dogs need to be wearing an ID tag that includes the owner's contact information.
* Dogs and riders must use only the rear car only of a two-car train.

Parking

Smart Park Garages at:

SW 1st & Jefferson
SW 3rd & Alder (closest to registration tent)
SW 4th & Yamhill
NW Naito & Davis

For more information and forms, click here: http://www.oregonhumane.org/doggiedash/Doggie_Dash_Event_Information.asp

Happy, happy news for the day! :)

2009-04-07T23:25:00.000-07:00

Moose saved from icy lake

April 7, 2009 05:21 PM

April 7, 2009 07:55 PM
Also See:
Moose saved from icy lake
Story by:
Melissa Luck / KXLY4 Executive Producer

SPOKANE -- It may be warming up, but some lakes in our area are still frozen over, and a moose in Newman Lake found that out the hard way.

The animal fell through the ice this morning and it took a valiant effort to try and save him

"We got a 911 call, something out on the ice," said Bob pool of the Newman Lake Fire Department.

The ordeal began shortly after 9:00 Tuesday morning out in the middle of Newman Lake.

"He was about two football fields out in the middle of the lake," Spokane County Sheriff's Deputy Wade Nelson said.

It is not uncommon to see moose out here this time of year, but this was a first for Marshall Peterson who lives near the lake.

"First time I've ever seen one on the ice being rescued," said Peterson.

This rescue would not be an easy one because by the time rescuers got to the moose, he was helpless.

"When he first went in, he was getting out up to his chest and falling back in, but when we got out there he was so tired he could barely keep his head out of the water," Deputy Nelson said.

The water rescue team and the Newman Lake Fire Department had to get creative to save the animal.

"We got a rope around his chest, got a three-one system out on the ice with ice anchors," said Deputy Nelson.

The pulley system seemed to work, and the moose showed signs of life, but the rescue was not without its challenges.

Aside from battling to get the moose free, rescuers had to battle to keep themselves safe on the soft ice beneath them.

Finally, after hours of work, they pulled him in and onto shore.

With a little sunshine and a lot of oxygen, they hoped to bring the moose back to his feet.

"When we first pulled him out, he couldn't even move. He was taking a breath every 30 to 40 seconds, now he's getting some life back into him, so, I think he's gonna make it," Deputy Nelson said.

Peterson was happy to see the moose safe, but he was also in awe at something he will likely never see again.

"Those guys are exhausting, but they do so great! They've been out here two to three hours. Look at that baby feeding off the oxygen," Peterson said.

Click here for the website where you can view the rescue video!! http://www.kxly.com/Global/story.asp?S=10147165

:)

Exciting News - Whoo Hoo!

2009-01-29T18:01:00.000-08:00

Senate Passes Bill to Protect Oregon Wilderness

The US Senate approved the highest possible protections today for areas surrounding Mount Hood, passing a package of Wilderness bills by a vote of 73 to 21. Senator Ron Wyden and Senator Jeff Merkley ushered in the 111th Congress by bringing home protection for two state icons, Mount Hood and the Columbia River Gorge. The Public Lands Omnibus Bill (S.22) would also protect critical wildlife habitat in the Soda Mountain Wilderness, Copper Salmon Wilderness, Spring Basin Wilderness and Badlands Wilderness. The bill now moves on to the House of Representatives where its passage is expected.

The legislation introduced today would protect 202,000 acres in Oregon as Wilderness. Currently only 3.7% of Oregon is protected as Wilderness compared to 14% in California, 11% in Washington and 7.5% in Idaho. New Wilderness designations around Mount Hood and in the Columbia Gorge would safeguard some of the region’s last old-growth forests and pristine watersheds from logging and development, while also ensuring future generations can continue to enjoy these areas through activities like hiking, camping, fishing, and boating.

Among the protected areas is Bonney Butte, home to the largest known fall concentration of migrating raptors in Oregon, and an Important Bird Area.

In addition to the Oregon provisions, the bill designates more than 2 million acres of wilderness in nine states. It also creates three new national parks, more than 1,000 miles of wild and scenic rivers (including 70 miles in Oregon), and three new national conservation areas.

For more information, visit OregonWild.org

First Aid Advice from amazing Animal Hospital!

2009-01-29T17:43:00.000-08:00

Greetings:

I am currently in the process of moving, leaving next Friday Feb 6th for Ashland. One more 5 hour drive a day and a half later and I'll be in my new hometown, Portland, Oregon. I cannot wait. I am so super excited and so happy about where life has recently taken me and grateful for what the universe has continually been handing me. Please be patient as I get all packed, moved, unpacked and organized, and then rested and settled; so over the next two weeks I won't be posting much, if at all - unless I come across something urgent of course! :) Until then please enjoy my archives and look forward to lots of Portland pictures of local pets and events, pet gatherings, listings on pet activities and events all over the Northwest. I have a new passion and a new focus :) Unfortunately, I won't be able to post upcoming Bay Area dates anymore because my focus will be on providing top notch pet information and advice for pet owners all over Portland as well as Seattle and other parts of Oregon that I will visit frequently, like Ashland, Bend, the Coast, etc.

Thanks! :)

Here is a great database of advice on General First Aid from DoveLewis Animal Hospital, an amazing place for emergencies, animal assisted therapy and rescue, plus a whole lot more. I will introduce OHS later ;)

Emergency Care for your animals

From the experts at DoveLewis Emergency Animal Hospital:
Medical Director Andrea Oncken, DVM, DACVECC
Critical Care Director Alicia Faggella, DVM, DACVECC

Because of the serious and sensitive nature of emergency and critical care veterinary medicine, DoveLewis Emergency Animal Hospital does not give medical diagnoses or advice over the phone or through e-mail. The health of your pet is very important to us. We believe that in order to give you and your pet the best care, we must see your animal before we can accurately give a diagnosis or advice. We are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for emergency and critical cases. Your regular veterinarian may be best suited for non-emergency questions or concerns. These short explanations and general advice are for information only.

Website link: http://dovelewis.org/

Abrasions:

An abrasion does not fully penetrate and only involves the outer layer of skin. Small, uninfected wounds can be attended to at home. Large, infected, or multiple abrasions should be treated by a veterinarian. Use warm water or saline to flush out the wound. Flush enough to remove all dirt and debris from the area. Keep the wound clean and dry, and discourage your pet from licking at it (you may need to pick up an Elizabethan collar from your veterinarian). Monitor the wound for increasing pain, redness, or a pus-like discharge. If any of these occur, the animal should be seen by a veterinarian.

Artificial respiration:

If your animal stops breathing, you may need to start artificial respirations.

Birth (Whelping and Queening):

Dogs and cats have gestation periods of approximately 58 to 64 days. After 45 days, you could have an x-ray taken to see how many puppies or kittens to expect. By this time the skeletal tissues have calcified enough to be seen on a radiograph. At the time of birth, the animal will usually nest and will seek an isolated, quiet and private area. Expect one pup every 45-60 minutes with 10-30 minutes of hard straining. If she is seen straining hard for over one hour or if she takes longer than a four-hour break and you know more pups or kittens are present, a veterinarian should be consulted. Cats tend to queen a little faster, although they can occasionally take up to 24 hours to birth the entire litter, especially if the queen is young or nervous. Help clean the airways of the new puppies and kittens and place them back with their mother to start nursing.

Seek veterinary attention immediately if:

* The mother appears to be in pain
* 30-60 minutes of strong contractions occur with no newborn being produced
* Greater than four hours pass between newborns and you expect more
* A fetus seems to be stuck in the birth canal
* More than 65 days of gestation (since the last breeding) have passed
* The mother passes a green-colored or foul smelling vaginal discharge

Bite wounds:

Your animal may be frightened and hurt, so approach with caution. Use a muzzle if needed. Flush out the wound with saline or warm water. Apply pressure if it there is active bleeding. A light bandage may be applied to a limb if there is extensive bleeding, but take care to not wrap the limb too tight, cutting off circulation. Any bite wound to the chest or abdomen has potential to be penetrating into the body cavity. Cover chest and abdominal wounds with a clean cloth or bandage material and have your pet seen by a veterinarian immediately. Be sure to have your pet examined if there has been any bite wound inflicted. Often what you see at the surface, such as a few small punctures or bruising, will have extensive deeper tissue damage that you cannot see. Bite wounds can become infected, so it is necessary to have your pet started on appropriate antibiotic therapy.

Bloat:

What is Bloat?
Bloat, or gastric dilatation and volvulus, is a condition in which the stomach rotates on its own axis. Once the stomach flips, the entrance and exits to the stomach become pinched off, and it becomes greatly distended with gas that has no outlet. The stomach becomes greatly dilated and painful, and circulation to the stomach and other major organs becomes severely compromised, leading to shock and eventual death.

Bloat can occur rapidly; a dog can be dead within hours of the stomach distention. Bloat is most prevalent in large breeds with deep chests and seems to occur more commonly in dogs who have a tendency to be easily agitated or nervous, and in dogs who exercise after a large meal. Any time bloat occurs, it is very serious. Symptoms include attempts at vomiting with no production (occasionally they may get up small amounts of foamy fluid); a hard, distended abdomen; and severe abdominal pain. If you observe any of these symptoms in your dog, it must be transported to a veterinarian immediately. This is a true emergency.

Broken toenail:

To stop the bleeding, you may pack the nail with styptic powder, cornstarch, or white ivory soap. You or your veterinarian may need to trim the rest of the nail off to prevent further pain or bleeding. Occasionally a nail that breaks off very close to the nail bed may create an infection in the toe that will require antibiotic treatment so watch for any limping that persists longer than two days.

Burns:

Flush the injury immediately with cool running water. Gently apply an ice pack wrapped in a soft towel to the area. Seek veterinary attention immediately.

Choking:

Check to see if your animal is choking on a foreign object. If so, be careful not to get bitten, or push the object further down the throat. If the animal can still pass some breath, it is best to take it to a veterinarian immediately, so the object can be removed under sedation with the proper instrumentation. If the animal cannot pass any air, you can try to remove or dislodge the object carefully. If possible, use a second person to hold the mouth open while the first person attempts to remove the object. Pliers or tweezers may be used to grasp the object if the animal is calm and the object is visible in the back of the throat. If the object is not visible or cannot be dislodged, you may also use quick chest compressions by standing behind the animal and balling the fists under the sternum and use gentle but firm upward thrusts to force air from the lungs to dislodge the object. Even if you are able to dislodge the object yourself, always seek veterinary care after the incident to make sure there are no complications.

CPR:

Check to see if your animal is choking on a foreign object. If so, see “Choking.” If the animal is not breathing and the airway and mouth are free of objects, lay it down on its right side. Check for a heartbeat by listening to the chest where the elbow touches the ribs. If there is no heartbeat, you can start chest compressions with the flat of your hand. If the animal is a medium-sized or large dog, kneel over the animal and place one hand over the top of the other on the center of the chest. Then compress downward, moving the chest in and out rapidly (approximately one compression per second). Alternatively, if the animal is a cat or a small dog, you can place one or both hands on either side of the chest and compress inwards. To breathe for the animal extend the neck so that there is a straight airway, close its mouth; place your mouth around its nose and mouth (or just its nose if it is a large dog) and blow air into the nose until the chest expands. Be sure to keep the neck out straight, not flexed. You should be able to see the chest expand with each breath... don't over-do forcing air into the lungs. This should be performed every 5 seconds. If chest compressions are required to stimulate heart contractions, alternate this with the breathing procedure after 10 heart compressions. Seek veterinary attention immediately. Unfortunately, this procedure, because the patient may already be dead, is extremely unsuccessful in animals.

Cuts:

Use warm water or saline to flush out the wound. Flush enough to remove all dirt and debris from the area. Apply direct pressure with a cloth or towel if the wound is bleeding. A bandage can be applied to a wound on a limb if the bleeding will not stop. Take care not to apply the bandage too tightly, cutting off circulation to the limb. Cuts should always be treated by a veterinarian to prevent infection and to assess for damage to the deeper tissues.

Diarrhea:

Your judgment regarding the health status of a pet with diarrhea is critical. A pet with diarrhea and also weakness, pain, vomiting, or agitation may be in real trouble; whereas a pet with diarrhea but few other signs of distress may sometimes be treated at home. Always inform your veterinarian about the situation and have a fecal sample checked just in case worms or other parasites such as Giardia are a factor. Withhold food only for 12-24 hours to give the intestines a rest. Water should still be given frequently but in small amounts. Call your veterinarian for advice. You may be required to bring your animal in for medical attention if it persists for more than 24-48 hours or if there are concurrent symptoms (vomiting, weakness, lethargy, appetite loss, abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea). Chronic or frequent episodes of loose stool may be a sign of Inflammatory Bowel Disease which often requires veterinary attention.

Eye injuries:

Any injury to the eye can lead to permanent scarring or blindness. You can use any commercial saline flush to clean foreign objects from the eye and to visualize the extent of the damage. If your animal is squinting, hiding its eyes from the light, has a raised third eyelid or has any blood within or around the eye, seek veterinary attention immediately. Home treatment of eye injuries is not recommended without a veterinarian's exam and recommendation. Even a simple scratch on the cornea from a thorn or cinder could lead to severe damage to the eye.

Fractures:

Your animal may be frightened and hurt, so approach with caution. Use a muzzle and look for bleeding. Apply a clean cloth or bandage material gently to bleeding areas for protection and mild pressure. Do not pull on the fractured leg. Transport your pet as quickly as possible to your veterinarian, using a board or large blanket as a stretcher. Give careful support to any fractured limbs. Simple support may be better than trying to splint a fractured limb yourself. If the limb is severely unstable, or if the fracture is open, and there is a lot of movement of the fracture site, a temporary splint can be applied. Wrap a newspaper or magazine around the limb, and tape it in place, or tape a thin board to the limb, preventing movement of the fractured edges. Immobilization of the fractured limb is the key, as any movement of the fractured bones can lead to further tissue damage and pain.

Frostbite:

Frostbite is uncommon in animals and usually affects the ear tips, paws (mostly the footpads), tail, and scrotum. Hypothermia (low body temperature less than 98*F) may accompany frostbite. Signs of frostbite may be difficult to detect on pigmented skin. Typically the affected skin is pale or bluish in color early on in frostbite (will not detect on the footpads). There is a loss of sensation to the affected areas. With time if the frostbite is severe blisters may appear or the skin may develop dark scabs and the tissue may slough off. Signs of hypothermia are related to the degree of severity and may include shivering (not if temperature below 90°F), dullness, weakness or collapse, low heart rate, pale gums, shallow or slow breathing and coma. Treatment for frostbite and hypothermia includes removing the animal from the cold and checking for low body temperature. If hypothermia is present wrap the animal in blankets. If frostbite is present apply warm, moist compresses to the affected areas. If the feet or a large area of the body have frostbite, submerge these areas in water warmed to 102 - 103°F for 10 – 15 minutes. Gently dry the areas. DO NOT RUB THE AFFECTED AREAS as this will cause more tissue damage. Do not use dry heat such as hairdryers or electric heating pads for re-warming as further damage may occur. Seek veterinary attention immediately.

Heat exhaustion/ Heatstroke:

Heat exhaustion or heatstroke (more severe form of overheating) occurs when an animal cannot keep its core body temperature within a safe range (< 106°F). Environmental (temperature, humidity, shelter, lack of water), physical (breed, age, weight, exercise), and medical (medications, pre-existing illness) factors contribute to the development of heatstroke. Pets left in warm cars for even a few minutes are at high risk of developing heatstroke. Severity of signs depends on how severely the body temperature is elevated, duration of exposure to adverse conditions, and any pre-existing conditions. Signs may include: restlessness, excessive panting, brick red gums, lethargy, weakness, wobbly gait, vomiting and diarrhea. Progression to blindness, seizures, collapse, coma and death may occur. Treatment must start immediately. Remove the animal from the heat and continuously wet down the animal thoroughly by spraying or pouring cool water over the animal. Make sure there is complete penetration of the hair coat and that the belly and groin areas are wetted down as well. Avoid complete immersion in water because heat cannot leave the body as effectively. If available use a fan to help cool the animal while it is wet. If possible take the rectal temperature and stop cooling measures when the temperature is 103°F. Once you begin cooling measures take your pet to a veterinarian immediately and continue cooling (air conditioning) enroute if needed.

Hit by car:

Before administering first aid, make sure the animal and you are not in danger of further injury from oncoming traffic. Apply a muzzle on dogs and put a blanket over cats before attempting to touch the animal to decrease the chance of being bitten or scratched. Check the animal’s level of alertness as well as its breathing rate and effort. If the animal is unconscious and not breathing check for a heartbeat. See the section on CPR if there is no breathing or heartbeat. If possible check the color of the gums (do not attempt on a dog who is not muzzled or on an alert, fearful cat). Pale gums may indicate shock or bleeding. Check for external bleeding and open wounds. If external bleeding is severe especially if the blood is spurting instead of oozing, apply direct pressure over the wound using a clean gauze or cloth. If severe bleeding is present and the wound is on a leg, the chest, or the belly place a clean wrap over the sight. Do not use tourniquets to stop bleeding. IF the animal bleeds through a bandage do not remove the bandage but place a new one over it. Check for any abnormal position of the limbs but do not attempt to straighten or re-position the leg. If bone is visible through a wound rinse the area with clean water and place a clean bandage over the exposed bone. Transport dogs to the veterinarian immediately on a board, stretcher, or a blanket used as a stretcher. Make sure the legs of the animal are supported on the board or stretcher and that the animal can not fall off .Cats and small dogs may be placed in a small box or carrier. All animals hit by a car should be examined by a veterinarian regardless of how mild the signs may appear to be.

Hot Spots:

Hot spots (acute moist dermatitis) are seen more frequently in dogs than cats. These lesions are due to self inflicted trauma (licking, scratching, biting) that is set off by a skin irritant. Causes of irritation include fleas, allergies, insect and tick bites, skin infections and grooming complications. Typically, the lesions are moist, red, very tender and itchy, and have a foul odor. Hair loss may or may not be present and often the extent of the lesion is not seen if the pet has a thick hair coat. Lesions can be in multiple areas and grow rapidly in size. Treatment includes stopping the irritation and itching, controlling infection and removing the inciting cause when possible. For initial home care clean the area with tepid water and a mild veterinary approved solution and prevent the animal from scratching or chewing at the area. Cool compresses may temporarily relieve the irritation but usually an oral or topical mediation prescribed by your veterinarian is needed. Drying agents as well as antibiotics may be recommended by your veterinarian.

Insect bites:

Allergic reactions to bees, hornets, yellow jackets, wasps, and spiders are common in dogs and cats. Most of the bites/stings occur on the face, ears and paws. Typical signs of an allergic reaction are swelling and redness around the eyes, eyelids, muzzle, nose, and ears. If the bite/sting occurs on the paw it will be swollen. Trouble breathing may occur in severe allergic reactions. If an animal has these signs, look for a stinger and remove it with tweezers if it is present. Most animals will need to see a veterinarian to receive the initial allergy medications by injection but call your veterinarian for advice regarding home vs. clinic treatment. Your veterinarian may advise to have antihistamines available at home for any future incidents.

Punctures:

Puncture wounds may occur from fights with other animals or trauma from sharp objects. Before attempting to touch the wound muzzle a dog or place a blanket over a cat to decrease the chance of being bitten or scratched. Clean the area with clean tepid water or saline solution. Puncture wounds often are deeper than they appear and infection can be a serious problem. Do not attempt to probe the extent of the puncture but bring the animal into a veterinarian as soon as possible. If the object that caused the puncture is still imbedded in the wound do not attempt to remove it because this could cause further damage. Rather, bring the animal to the veterinarian immediately. Any deep puncture on the chest or belly should be covered with a clean cloth or gauze and a light applied wrap applied.

Poisoning:

Have the number of an animal poison control center always readily available. Signs of poisoning are varied and often non-specific and may be delayed depending on the type of toxin ingested. Some common sources of poisoning are: medications, household cleaners, insecticides/pesticides, chemicals and plants. If you know an animal ingested something that might be toxic call poison control immediately and bring the animal to the veterinarian. NEVER INDUCE VOMITING WITHOUT THE ADVICE OF A VETERINARIAN. Certain toxins can cause more damage or complications if vomiting occurs. Whenever possible bring the container or label of the product ingested or if it was plant material such as mushrooms bring a sample with you to the veterinarian.

Seizures:

If an animal is having a seizure, do not move it unless the animal is in an unsafe area such as near stairs, furniture or dangerous objects. If the animal is at risk of falling, set up a barricade with pillows and blankets. The majority of seizures in pets are the “grand mal” type. The animal is usually on its side and the legs are paddling. There may be vocalizing, drooling, abnormal facial movements and loss of bladder and bowel control. The animal will not be aware of its surroundings. Accurately time and record the length and severity of the seizure. Keep the environment quiet. All animals should be evaluated by a veterinarian if the seizure was a first time occurrence. Even if your pet has a history of seizures immediate veterinary care is needed if a seizure lasts more than 2 minutes or the animal is having several seizures in a day. If an animal is being treated for diabetes and experiences a seizure rub a small amount of Karo syrup or sugar water on the gums in case the cause of the seizure is low blood sugar. Do not attempt to make the animal swallow. Bring your pet to the veterinarian immediately.

Urination blockage (inability to urinate):

This can occur in any cat or dog but it is most commonly seen in male cats and male dogs. Some breeds of dogs such as Dalmatians are at higher risk of developing an obstruction. The obstruction is usually caused by mineral plugs or stones that block the urinary outflow tract (urethra). Early signs of a possible urinary blockage may include straining to urinate but producing little to no urine, crying when urinating, small drops of blood, excessive licking at the prepuce or vulva, frequent trips in and out of the litter box (cats) or frequent need to go outdoors (dogs). As the time since blocked increases waste products build up in the blood and the animal may exhibit vomiting, weakness, lethargy, disorientation, collapse and death. In ability to urinate is a life threatening emergency that must be dealt with quickly. If you notice any abnormalities when your pet is urinating go the veterinarian immediately.

Vomiting:

Vomiting can occur for many reasons and may be of little consequence or it may be life threatening. Only you can decide how distress your pet is and when immediate veterinary care is indicated. If your pet is alert, active, not distressed and vomits only a couple of times conservative management at home may be sufficient. Do not offer anything by mouth for 4 – 6 hours and then offer small amounts of water or ice chips. If there is no vomiting offer a small amount of bland food 12 hours after vomiting has stopped. If vomiting persists see your veterinarian. Vomiting is an emergency and the pet should go to the veterinarian immediately if any of the following signs are present: the animal is distressed; there is blood in the vomit; the pet ingested medication ,a foreign object, toxic material, or toxic plants; there is non-productive retching and/or vomiting; there is a swollen belly; there is weakness, lethargy or collapse; if the gums are pale, bluish or dark red; if the pet has a preexisting disease; or if there is a fever ( >103°F) or a low body temperature (<100°F).

Pet First Aid Kit

* Board or blanket to use as a stretcher
* Soft cloth to use as a muzzle (do not use if vomiting)
* Penlight
* Triple antibiotic ointment
* Towels or cloth to control bleeding
* Gauze and bandage material for wrapping wounds
* Adhesive tape
* Saline eye flush
* Syringe or eyedropper for medicating
* Non-stick (Telfa) bandages
* Instant ice pack
* Tweezers
* Bandage scissors
* Thermometer
* Disposable gloves
* Artificial tears eye ointment
* Medical tape
* List of Emergency Phone Numbers

TIP: Keeping Horses Warm

2009-01-20T19:27:00.000-08:00

Winter is in full force, and horse owners need to make sure their animals stay warm, according to North Dakota State University Extension Service equine specialist Carrie Hammer, DVM, PhD.

Horse owners have several ways to do that. One of them is giving the horses shelter.

"Horses have a wonderful ability to survive in the cold," Hammer said. "A full winter haircoat is perfect for insulating the horse against the cold winter weather. However, that insulation is lost if the haircoat gets wet. Providing shelter allows the horse to stay dry on wet, snowy days and, ultimately, allows them to stay warm."

Another way to keep horses warm is to feed them hay. Heat is produced through the digestion of feed and can be useful in helping a horse maintain body temperature in cold winter weather. The greatest amount of heat is released when microbes in the gut digest high-fiber feeds such as hay. In cattle, this process is going on in the rumen; in horses, the process occurs in the cecum and large colon.

High-fiber feeds produce more heat during digestion than low-fiber feeds. Thus, digestion of hay will result in the release of more heat than low-fiber grains, such as corn and barely. Although oats are a low-fiber grain, they will produce more heat during digestion, compared with other grains, due to their fibrous outer hull.

"Energy needs are increased during cold weather, and grains certainly can be fed to horses to help meet this need," Hammer said. "However, the bottom line is if you want to help your horse produce body heat, feed him more hay."

"The bottom line is if you want to help your horse produce body heat, feed him more hay."
–Dr. Carrie Hammer

The lower critical temperature for horses with a heavy winter coat during dry, calm weather is approximately 30° Fahrenheit. For each 10-degree change below the critical temperature, horses require an additional intake of approximately 2 pounds of feed per day, assuming the feed has an energy density of 1 megacalorie per pound, which is typical for most hay.

A 10- to 15-mph wind will require horses to consume an additional 4 to 8 pounds of hay to meet their increased energy requirements when temperatures are 32° F. When a horse without shelter encounters both wind and wet snow at 32° F, the animal must consume an additional 10 to 14 pounds of hay.

"Considering that a 1,000-pound horse consumes 15 to 20 pounds of hay daily to maintain body weight in ideal weather conditions, consuming an additional 10 to 14 pounds becomes impossible for many horses," Hammer said. "Therefore, in extreme conditions, hay alone is usually insufficient to supply the energy demands for a horse to maintain his body weight, and some type of additional grain source is justified."

While many horse owners might not worry about geldings losing weight during the winter, pregnant mares should not lose weight. In the coldest months, many mares are in the second and third trimester of pregnancy, a time when a great deal of fetal development and growth is occurring. Research has shown that nutrient restriction during this time not only can affect fetal growth, but also can have lasting effects on the growth and performance of the foal after birth, according to Hammer.

Maintaining a thin horse takes additional feed, compared with a fleshy horse. Because a layer of fat under the skin is the second line of defense against cold weather after the haircoat, thin horses require more feed to keep their body warm. Ideally, horses should be moderately fleshy to fleshy (body condition score of 6 or 7) at the start of winter.

Putting a blanket on the horse can also help keep it warm. A variety of winter blankets are available.

"These can be very beneficial, especially for horses that do not have a full, healthy winter hair coat," Hammer said. "However, blankets also can be detrimental because a blanket prevents the horse's hairs from standing up (their natural defense against cold weather), and using too light a blanket will actually cause the horse to get chilled."

As a general rule, horse owners should use a heavyweight blanket for subzero weather. These blankets usually have 400 grams or more of insulation.

Blankets also must be maintained. An ill-fitting blanket can rub, resulting in sores, and a dirty or wet blanket can lead to skin problems, such as fungal infections.

"If the predictions hold true, it sounds like we are in for a long, cold winter," Hammer said. "Make sure to do your part to keep your horse warm and comfortable during this winter season."

Dog Bone Alley Events in Jan

2009-01-07T19:20:00.001-08:00

Class on preparing your dog for a baby at home!

In the last few years, many planning and coping strategies have been developed to help you get your dog ready to live with an infant or toddler. Join us at our Alameda store on Wednesday, January 28th and learn what to do before the baby comes.

In this interactive workshop, you'll explore practical management techniques with SF SPCA -certified trainer Kate S. Knight. You'll come away with a customized plan for success and the top five commands your dog needs to know. If you've already had your baby, and find yourself needing some tips, please join us.

The talk will take place at our Alameda store and begins promptly at 7:30pm. Please e-mail or call us at 510-521-5800 to reserve your space now. We love dogs but request that they not attend.

Pet Adoption Days:

ARF will be visiting Dog Bone Alley in Danville with pets available for adoption on Thursday, January 8th from 11:00am to 2:00pm. ARF visits our Danville store on the second Thursday of every month.

The Berkeley-East Bay Humane Society will be visiting Dog Bone Alley in Alameda with pets available for adoption on Sunday, January 25th from 11:00am to 3:00pm. The BEBHS visits our Alameda store the fourth Sunday of every month.

Stop by and meet these adorable pets looking for a home!

Woof Report: Dog Park Manners

2008-12-25T14:48:00.001-08:00

Minding Manners at the Dog Park |
October 6, 2008

Just for fun, say “park” and watch what your dog does. If there’s that happy dance and mad dash for the door, read on. Keeping the dog park welcome and safe for pups requires manners and a few rules to remember. Here are some basics:

Know thy Pup. Some pups just can’t hang at the dog park. Be honest if this is your guy. Super territorial dogs would probably rather play alone anyway. So make sure your dog plays well with others or pick another spot. There are plenty of great places to play solo in the area.

Follow the Rules. Make the Bay Area even more dog-friendly by obeying the park rules. We want more parks that welcome dogs in the area, not fewer.

Scoop Every Time. Come prepared with extra bags for your dog or others in need. It’s the least we can do to keep the park clean. Your dog may not mind, but no one likes to bring proof of the park home with them.

Squelch the Squeak. Since dogs sometimes have a hard time sharing, especially squeaky balls, consider bringing along a squeak-free toy when lots of others will be sharing the space.

Watch your Dog. Tempting as it is to chat on your cell phone or catch up with friends, make sure you keep an eye on your dog so you’ll be ready to intervene if necessary.

Unleash Your Dog. Dogs on-leash in off-leash areas can cause aggressive interactions with other pups at the park. Make sure to turn him loose in off-leash areas, or pick an on-leash only spot if you need to keep control.

Mind Your Manners. The dog park is a great way to make friends, but be sensitive to other dog people who come to relax quietly with their pets. Many like to enjoy the simplicity of park time and may not want to hear everything about your day. Be sensitive to the body language of those around you and follow cue.

Proper care of your dog's nose

2008-12-25T14:40:00.001-08:00

Caring for Your Dog’s Nose | September 29, 2008

We know what you’re thinking. Nose care? What could I possibly need to do for my dog’s nose? Well, aside from the fact that it’s arguably the cutest feature on a pup, it’s also one of his most important ones too. Not only is his nose the canine equivalent of a fingerprint (note to pups considering a life of crime), it’s the first way dogs experience their world. From their very first puppy days, smell comes before their sight or hearing.

So since he’s following his nose from day one, it’s best to keep that little snout healthy. Here’s what to watch for:

Changes in Texture. Contrary to popular belief, a dry dog nose isn’t necessarily a cause for concern. But it’s smart to talk to your vet if you notice changes in texture such as a crusty or flaky skin, loss of color, sores or scabs of any kind.

Runny Nose. Pups don’t get colds like people do. So if your dog has a runny nose, it’s most likely an illness, allergy or even something stuck in his nasal passage. It’s definitely time for a trip to the vet.

Sneezing a lot. Occasional snorts and sneezes are normal for dogs, in fact – some dogs sneeze from excitement or nervousness that stimulates the nerves in the nasal passages. But if he’s at it a lot, it’s best to get him to the vet. It’s not too hard for an industrious pup to get a foreign body lodged in his nose. But getting it out is not a job for you since the skin on his sweet nose is super sensitive and likely to bleed heavily with the slightest nick.

Sunburn. Dogs, especially light-skinned ones, are at risk for sunburn and skin cancer just like us. That’s why it’s recommended to layer his little nose with doggie SPF before a sunny day outdoors. Read more about doggie sunscreen in our past tip.

Color changes. Believe it or not, the food or water bowls your dog eats and drinks from may affect the color of his nose. Plastic bowls can react with the skin, causing a color change. For this reason, and because they’re less likely to harbor bacteria, it’s highly recommended that you serve your dog’s food and water in stainless steel, glass or ceramic bowls.

The Scoop:

We all know dog's noses and snouts are just adorable – right up there with the paws. Take a quick look and you’ll agree:
www.dogsnoses.com

Baby, it's cold outside! Keep your pets warm!

2008-12-24T16:06:00.000-08:00

Brrrr....

The forecast is for cold -- maybe even snow. While it's fun to frolic in the snow with our dogs, it's a time of year that can put pets' lives in danger. Here are tips to keep your four-legged family members safe in cold weather:

* Hypothermia kills pets in cold weather. Your pet needs to be kept someplace warm and safe from drafts. Bring all pets indoors when temperature reaches 30 degrees.

* Dogs and cats can get frost-bitten ears, nose, and feet if left outside.

* Dehydration is also common and deadly this time of year. Make sure your animals have access to plenty of water.

* Very young, very old, and sick animals need special attention and warmth in the cold weather; their systems can't handle the low temperatures as well as other animals.

* For most animals, it's OK to leave them inside your home with the heat off while you're at work. However, make sure they have plenty of beds and blankets, since the floor becomes much colder in cold weather.

* Don't let your pet play in water. It can drop your pet's body temperature severely. If your pet runs through a puddle or jumps into a pond, get him out as soon as you can and dry him off immediately. Wrap him in a blanket and get him indoors immediately.

* Make sure a cat hasn't crawled under your car seeking shelter and warmth near the engine. Open the car hood or slap it noisily before starting the engine to startle any animal sleeping there.

* Wipe your pet's paws when he comes back into the house because he can ingest salt, antifreeze or other potentially dangerous chemicals while licking his paws. His paw pads may also bleed from snow or encrusted ice.

* Keep your dog on a leash and under your control during walks in the winter weather, especially during a snowstorm. More dogs are lost during the winter than during any other season, so make sure yours always wears ID tags.
.
* Try using "pet friendly" antifreeze products and thoroughly cleaning up any spills. Even a teaspoon of traditional antifreeze can kill an animal.

* Never leave your dog or cat alone in a car during cold weather. A car can act as a refrigerator in the winter, holding in the cold and causing the animal to freeze to death. Even if you're leaving your dog in the car for a just short period of time, make sure your small or short-haired dog is wearing a warm coat or is wrapped in a warm blanket.

* Keep the local emergency veterinarian's and family veterinarian's telephone number handy.

I NEVER recommend that pets live outside. However, if that's what you feel you must do, at least:

* Give your outdoor dog a dry, elevated house with clean, dry bedding and a flap over the opening to keep drafts out.

* Consider adding a dog door to the garage with a soft cushion in the warmest corner.

* Make sure water bowls are not frozen. Check them periodically throughout the day.

* Use plastic food and water bowls rather than metal; when the temperature is low, your pet's tongue can stick and freeze to metal.

* Give outdoor pets more food. Outdoor dogs and cats need more calories in the winter to produce body heat, so increase the amount fed to these pets.

Thanks to the good people at the Oregon Humane Society and the DoveLewis emergency animal hospital for these tips!

Winter grooming helps horses shine!

2008-12-16T11:24:00.001-08:00

From myhorse.com

Winter Grooming Helps Horses Shine

A good daily grooming is essential for healthy horses—especially in winter. Daily grooming helps a horse build a healthy coat, fight off fungus and makes weight loss and wounds easier to spot. It also builds a strong bond between humans and horses.

As the weather cools and in some climates dampens, you’ll need to pay particular attention to your horse’s hooves. Horses that stand in damp paddocks develop thrush and scratches, both of which can be easily prevented with a little daily maintenance.

If you want to give your horse a bath when the weather is cool, you still can—provided you have a few of the right tools. Following is a brief guide to cool weather grooming and bathing techniques.

1) Curry (using a circular motion to lift the dirt) and brush your horse every day. Use a rubber curry comb and a longer bristled brush to lift off the dirt. Use a soft brush around his face. After you’ve given him a good rubdown, you can spray him with a non-silicone grooming solution to keep further dirt at bay and rub him down with a clean towel.

2) Pick his hooves daily. Apply a dilution of Lysol disinfectant (2 oz. to 1 gallon of water), dilution of bleach, or a commercial thrush product, every week.

3) To give a horse a winter bath, work in sections and with the hottest water available that your horse can stand. A stock tank heater and a bucket work well for this purpose. As you finish each section of the horse, rub off the excess water and cover with a towel. When you’re totally finished, cover the horse (and the towels) with a fleece cooler and walk him in a warm place until he’s dry. A good rule of thumb is not to bathe a horse if it’s colder than 55 degrees.

Justice is served in case involving Princess cruises that killed a pregnant humpback whale

2008-12-16T10:47:00.001-08:00

Princess Cruise Lines pay $750,000 over the death of a Humpback whale in Alaska.
06/05/2007 00:00:00 news/Dead-Whale-Cruise-Ship
January 2007.

United States Attorney Nelson P. Cohen has announced that Princess Cruise Lines pled guilty to a charge of knowingly failing to operate its vessel, the Dawn Princess, at a slow, safe speed while near two humpback whales in the area of Glacier Bay, Alaska.

Princess was sentenced in federal court in Anchorage, Alaska, to pay a $200,000 fine and to pay $550,000 to the National Park Foundation as a form of community service. In addition, Princess was sentenced to serve a term of one-year probation which will expire when the required payments are made.

The following facts were established: On the afternoon of July 12, 2001, Princess Cruise Lines cruise ship, the Dawn Princess, was in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve (Park) ending a day in Park waters. At approximately 2:40 p.m., at the mouth of Bartlett Cove several miles inside the Park, the vessel slowed to five knots so that two Park rangers could be transferred from the Dawn Princess to a Park Service boat.

After dropping off the rangers, the vessel remained within Park waters for twenty-five more minutes until, at 3:05 p.m., it crossed the Park boundary and turned north into Icy Strait. During the vessel's transit of Glacier Bay, two licensed Southeast Alaska pilots were aboard, as required by Alaska law. During this transit, the vessel’s bridge was occupied by one of the pilots, a naturalist, the ship's captain and the usual complement of crew. The weather was clear, the winds were light and the vessel was moving against an incoming tide.

Humpback whale facts

* The humpback whale (Magaptera novaeangliae) is a warm-blooded baleen (filter feeding) marine mammal that can live 45-50 years in the wild, grows to about 50 feet long and can weigh 30-50 tons. Females reach sexual maturity at 4-7 years and give birth to a single calf every 1.3 years that remains with its mother for a year or longer. Humpbacks are well known for their ‘songs’, which are considered the most complex vocalizations in the animal kingdom.
* Commercial whaling, which continued through the mid-20th century, reduced the worldwide population of humpback whales from an estimated population of 125,000 animals to fewer than 5,000. The current worldwide population is estimated to be approximately 20,000. Of these, approximately 6,000 humpback whales make up the North Pacific population, most of which summer and feed in Alaskan waters and migrate in the fall to Hawaiian waters where they bear their young. In 2001, only 100 humpback whales were observed in the Glacier Bay/Icy Strait area. The North Pacific population will have to grow to over 9,000 animals before it is likely to be considered for removal from the list of endangered species.

According to passengers and bridge crew, two humpback whales were spotted from the bridge a short time after the rangers were dropped off. When first spotted, the whales were approximately 700 yards (between 1/4 and ½ mile) off the vessel's port (left) bow, headed to the right on a course that could intersect the ship's route. The whales dove and surfaced at least twice as they drew near the Dawn Princess, but did not change course. The Dawn Princess continued accelerating and did not change course. Within 100 yards of the Dawn Princess, one whale ‘dived deep’, but the other did not.

Just before passing out of sight under the vessel's prow, the second whale appeared to begin a terminal dive. Some persons aboard the ship reported feeling the ship shudder, others reported no shudder or any other indication that the vessel struck the whale. The naturalist and captain ran to the starboard bridge wing to look for the whales. The captain noticed that the vessel was traveling at 14 knots. The whales were not seen again. The vessel made no report of a possible collision to the National Park Service or any other government agency. The close encounter was not mentioned in the vessel's log

The next day, on July 13, the naturalist e-mailed a colleague, saying she thought the Dawn Princess may have struck a humpback whale the day before. The naturalist related the essential events and added that she thought the ship was traveling at 15-18 knots and was outside the Park boundary when the whale was struck. She wrote that the whales seemed to be unaware of the vessel and that ‘as the ship passed by there was no sign on the bridge that we might have made contact.’ She reported that she was told later by friends below decks that they heard a ‘resounding thud.’

On July 14, the Dawn Princess captain, in response to a question, told another pilot aboard the vessel that he was uncertain whether the Dawn Princess hit a whale the day before.

On July 16, a Park naturalist discovered a dead, bloated humpback whale floating in Glacier Bay within Park waters, near the area through which the Dawn Princess had transited four days earlier. The carcass appeared to have recently surfaced. The Park Service towed the carcass to Pt. Gustavus, where it was beached pending a necropsy.

On July 22, a marine mammal expert from California examined the whale carcass, finding massive blunt trauma injuries to the right side of the animal's head, including a fractured skull, eye socket and cervical vertebrae, consistent with a vessel collision. A fetal skeleton was found in the whale. That is, the whale was carrying a calf. The whale was identified from fluke markings as ‘Whale #68,’ which had been sighted many times in the past and was known to frequent the area.

On August 6, a vice-president for Princess Cruise Lines called the Park Superintendent and said that the Dawn Princess had a close encounter with two whales on July 12, 2001 and the company was investigating the matter. On the same day, Princess Cruise Lines imposed a fleet-wide speed limit of 10 knots for vessels transiting Icy Strait.

The unlawful taking (killing) of humpback whales is prohibited by both the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The ‘slow, safe speed’ regulation, under which this case was charged, was implemented in 2001 to support the ‘anti-taking’ provisions of the two laws. Thus, a knowing failure to maintain a ‘slow, safe speed’ when near humpback whales constitutes a violation of the Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act and carries the identical penalties of the taking violation. Such conduct is a federal Class A misdemeanour violation of law, punishable (for a corporation) by a fine of up to $200,000, restitution in an amount to be determined by the Court, and up to five years probation.

‘The specific purpose of the regulation under which this case was charged is to require vessels to reduce speed when they are near humpback whales in order to avoid collisions that could kill these endangered leviathans. In this first-of-its-kind prosecution, prosecutors from this office and the Environmental Crimes Section of the Department of Justice, along with special agents and investigators from the Park Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration engaged in a thorough and detailed investigation, often with the assistance and cooperation of Princess.’ said Mr. Cohen.

Tomie Lee, Superintendent of Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, expressed satisfaction at the outcome of the case. ‘It’s been a long time coming,’ she said, ‘but we support both the outcome and the diligence shown by the prosecutors and investigators in this landmark case. As well as being a majestic and endangered species, the humpback whale is also a public symbol of Glacier Bay,’ she added. ‘Protection of these resources is of paramount importance to us. So when we began to hear witness reports of a cruise-ship colliding with a whale and then learned that this particular whale, whom researchers had first identified in 1975 and nicknamed ‘Snow’ because of her fluke markings, died of injuries consistent with a ship-strike, we began a dialoge with Princess and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and proceeded diligently with our investigation, so we could be sure to get things right. While these kinds of criminal convictions can result in a loss of federal contracts to service visitors in a national park, in this case we feel Princess has stepped up and made significant, voluntary operational changes that protect whales and the marine environment..’

What is Oregon doing to help with the stunted population growth of frogs?

2008-12-16T10:44:00.000-08:00

Oregon spotted frog released into the wild to halt population crash
23/09/2008 12:06:50
news/sept_2008/oregon_spotted_frog_wdfw

Oregon spotted frog. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
In an effort to re-establish their populations in Washington State, approximately 500 Oregon spotted frogs were released into the wild after spending the first seven months of their lives in a captive rearing program.

September 2008. Biologists from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and the U.S. Army released the frogs into Dailman Lake on the Fort Lewis Military Reservation in Pierce County in a collaborative effort to return the state-endangered frog to a portion of its historic habitat.

Tiny frogs
The frogs, which weigh less than an ounce and are marked with a nontoxic dye, were collected as eggs in March and nurtured in captivity at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park to improve their chance of survival once they return to the wild.
"This is the first-ever captive rearing and release program for the Oregon spotted frog in Washington and represents a significant first step in our joint effort to help recover this fragile species," said Harriet Allen, WDFW endangered species program manager.

The captive-rearing strategy, called "head starting" is based on the premise that juvenile frogs are thought to be less vulnerable and better able to survive when released back into nature, Allen said. "Also, previous studies in British Columbia show that releasing large numbers at the same time has been the most successful approach," she said.

The Oregon spotted frog - devastated by habitat loss, predation and disease
The Oregon spotted frog historically ranged from south-western British Columbia to north-eastern California. The frog is now believed to have disappeared from California and Oregon's Willamette Valley and has suffered significant declines elsewhere in its historic range. Loss of habitat, predation by non-native species such as the American bullfrog, and disease have decimated its numbers, which prompted listing it as a Washington state-endangered species in 1997.

Dailman Lake
Through a partnership with the Fort Lewis Fish and Wildlife Program, the Dailman Lake area was chosen for reintroduction because it contains diverse wetlands connected to a stream system capable of supporting and sustaining a frog population, said Jim Lynch, wildlife biologist at Fort Lewis.

As a first step in the project, biologists collected fertilized eggs last spring from breeding areas in Klickitat and Thurston counties, which are the only known areas with existing populations within the frog's historic range in Washington. They were then transported to Northwest Trek Wildlife Park and Oregon Zoo for rearing and monitoring. Frogs reared at the Oregon Zoo will be released at the site at a later date.

The goal of the reintroduction program is to establish a self-sustaining population of Oregon spotted frogs at Fort Lewis and set the stage for a structured recovery effort that will continue for several years, Lynch said.

The reintroduction program was first developed in 2007 through a collaborative effort by WDFW, Fort Lewis, Northwest Trek Wildlife Park, Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Oregon Zoo, Washington State Department of Transportation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Woodland Park Zoo, Port Blakely Tree Farms, Washington Department of Natural Resources, NW Zoo & Aquarium Alliance, U.S Geological Survey, Mountain View Conservation & Breeding Centre and The Nature Conservancy.

The project's start-up coincides with efforts by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, which is highlighting 2008 as the Year of the Frog to mark a major conservation effort to address global amphibian extinction, Lynch said.

"Frogs are found in all parts of the world and are known as sentinel animals by alerting us to serious environmental and climate changes that can affect all species," Lynch said. "They also play an important role in balancing ecosystems and when they disappear from their habitat, that ecosystem is disrupted."

Activities related to the reintroduction program are being funded through grants from the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium and the Association of Zoo & Aquarium's amphibian fund.

How important are sea otters really?

2008-12-16T10:43:00.001-08:00

Orca killing Sea otters means Bald eagles kill more birds
04/10/2008 15:15:06
birds/birds_september_2008/bald_eagle_smith

Sea otters are a keystone species, filling such an important niche in ocean communities that without them, entire ecosystems can collapse. Scientists are finding, however, that sea otters can have even further reaching effects that extend to terrestrial communities and alter the diet and behaviour of another top predator: the bald eagle.

September 2008. In near-shore marine communities, kelp can reach heights of 250 feet and functions similarly to trees in a forest, providing food, homes and protection for fish and invertebrates. The most important enemies of these giant algae are tiny sea urchins, only inches in diameter, which live on the kelp and eat its tissue. When urchin populations become too large, they can defoliate entire kelp forests, leaving only barren remains.

Otters are major urchin predator
Enter the sea otter. Otters can eat the spiky urchins whole, making them the major urchin predator. The otters' presence keeps urchin populations in check and maintains the balance of the ecosystem.

Bald eagles
Scientists have known about these kelp forest community interactions since the 1970s. But in the October issue of the journal Ecology, Robert Anthony and colleagues report that the presence or absence of otters can also affect the diet of bald eagles, a neighbouring terrestrial predator. Anthony is an ecologist with the Oregon Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit of the U.S. Geological Survey and Oregon State University.

Bald eagles live in high densities along the Aleutian archipelago off the coast of Alaska and place their nests on islets, coastal cliffs and shoreline sea stacks. Historically, more than 90 percent of the eagles' food comes from the ocean. Sea otters once also occupied a large range of coastal marine environments near these islands, but in recent years, otter populations have declined in response to their own main predator.

Killer whales killing otters
"All of the available data point to increased numbers of killer whales as the direct cause of the sea otter decline in southwest Alaska," says co-author Jim Estes of the U.S.G.S. and the University of California at Santa Cruz. "The otter decline has caused a phase shift in the coastal ecosystem from a kelp dominated phase state to a deforested phase state."

Eagles switch diet to birds
This shift means many fewer kelp forest fish for the eagles to eat. In response, the eagles have adjusted their foraging tactics. Anthony and his colleagues surveyed remains of bald eagle prey in their nests during 1993 and 1994, when otters were abundant and the kelp forests were healthy, and in 2000, 2001 and 2002, when otters were scarce and the kelp forests had collapsed. They found that when otters were abundant, eagle prey consisted of predominantly kelp-forest fish and sea otter pups. When the otters were rare, however, the proportion of marine birds in the eagles' diet was much higher.

Anthony explains that because the eagles defend territories in dense patches along the coastline and there are few terrestrial animals to eat, they must be flexible in what they hunt.

"These bald eagles are opportunistic foragers as a consequence of their evolutionary history," he says. "They've developed foraging territories they defend against members of the same species along these coastlines, and the terrestrial environment provides very little for them. So they forage over the open water."

Anthony and his colleagues also found that the eagles had more young on average during 2000-2002, a fact that Anthony believes might be a result of a high caloric content in the eagles' increasingly seabird-dominated diet.
"Across the range of this species, their diet can be quite varied, but here it appears as though the change in diet had either a neutral or positive effect," he says. The propensity of the eagles to adapt quickly to a changing environment may have allowed them to flourish, but Anthony also cautions that adapting to this scenario might be difficult for more specialized predators.

The results are the first to show that the presence or absence of otters influences a terrestrial animal, and that the complex food web linkages can reach as far as five different food chain levels: from sea otters to sea urchins, kelp, marine fish and finally bald eagles.

"Top-down linkages can be very distant from their origin," says Anthony. "The effects of top predators can ripple throughout the ecosystem in ways we're just beginning to understand."

2nd-ever virgin birth of a shark confirmed!!!

2008-12-16T10:41:00.000-08:00

This is pretty cool!!

Virgin birth of a shark confirmed
10/10/2008 06:46:44 Virgin birth in sharks

October 2008. Scientists have confirmed the second-ever case of a "virgin birth" in a shark, indicating once again that female sharks can reproduce without mating and raising the possibility that many female sharks have this incredible capacity.

Lead author Dr. Demian Chapman, shark scientist with the Institute for Ocean Conservation Science at Stony Brook University, Beth Firchau, Curator of Fishes for the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center, and Dr. Mahmood Shivji, Director of the Guy Harvey Research Institute and Professor at Nova Southeastern University in Florida, have proved with DNA testing that the offspring of a female blacktip shark named "Tidbit" contained no genetic material from a father. Tidbit had lived at the Virginia Aquarium in the Norfolk Canyon Aquarium for eight years since shortly after her birth in the wild.

In 2007 Chapman and Shivji were part of a team that made the groundbreaking scientific discovery that confirmed for the first time a virgin birth in a female shark. That shark was a hammerhead residing at a zoo and had not been in contact with male sharks for at least three years. The DNA-fingerprinting techniques used to prove both cases of virgin birth (scientifically known as "parthenogenesis") are identical to those used in human paternity testing.

More virgin births in sharks
"It is now clear that parthenogenesis occurs in sharks other than just hammerheads," Chapman said. "The first case was no fluke. It is quite possible that this is something female sharks of many species can do on occasion." There have been nearly a dozen reports of suspected virgin births in sharks in recent years, but scientists largely assumed these cases were the result of long-term sperm storage by females after mating with males. Virgin birth is now the more probable explanation, and DNA testing is underway to confirm it in additional sharks. Chapman is currently analyzing the DNA of yet another shark species with Dr. Kevin Feldheim of the Field Museum in Chicago.

Single offspring
Sharks' ability to reproduce alone should not be viewed as an adequate replacement for normal sexual reproduction, Chapman cautioned. For one, the blacktip and hammerhead sharks that reproduced without mating both only produced one pup, rather than an entire litter. Shark litters can contain anywhere from a few to more than a hundred shark pups, depending upon the species. "The revelation that female sharks can reproduce alone shouldn't stop us from worrying about driving shark populations to very low levels through overfishing," said Chapman. "It is very unlikely that a small number of female survivors could build their numbers up very quickly by undergoing virgin birth."

The new paper is entitled "Parthenogenesis in a large-bodied requiem shark, the blacktip Carcharhinus limbatus." Tidbit was an Atlantic blacktip shark whom Virginia Aquarium biologists believe had only just reached sexual maturity.

Surprise pregnancy
"We have never observed her in reproductive behaviour or showing typical signs of having been bred," said Firchau. Scientists did not even know that Tidbit was pregnant until after she unfortunately died and an autopsy (called a necropsy for animals) was performed. "Sadness turned to surprise during the necropsy when we found that she was pregnant," Firchau said. "There were no male blacktips in the tank for the past eight years!"

Virgin births - fish, amphibians, reptiles, and birds
The phenomenon of "virgin birth" occurs when a baby is conceived without male sperm having first fertilized the female's eggs, and has been proven in some bony fish, amphibians, reptiles, and birds. In the type of parthenogenesis seen in these sharks, known as automictic parthenogenesis, the newly forming pup acquires one set of chromosomes when the mother's chromosomes split during egg development. But instead of uniting with similarly split chromosomes from sperm, as occurs in sexual reproduction, the mother's set is paired with a copy of itself. This results in offspring of reduced genetic diversity who may be at a disadvantage for surviving in the wild.
"The finding of parthenogenesis in blacktip sharks, which are close relatives of some of the larger predatory sharks in the ocean including the tiger, bull and dusky sharks, raises intriguing questions about how frequently parthenogenesis may occur in the wild in this group of heavily fished sharks," said Shivji. "It is possible that parthenogenesis could become more common in these sharks if population densities become so low that females have trouble finding mates." Populations of all of these sharks have declined in the past twenty years due to overexploitation, mainly to supply the shark fin markets.

This study has been published in the latest issue of the Journal of Fish Biology, a leading international journal.

North Atlantic right whale getting some protection at last

2008-12-16T10:37:00.000-08:00

Taken from: www.wildlifeextra.com

December 2008. As the first North Atlantic right whales are making their seasonal migration from New England waters to their calving grounds off Florida and Georgia, these critically endangered animals are finally getting protection from fast moving ships that accidentally kill or injure the majestic animals along the East Coast of America.

From December 9th, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will order that ships slow down to 10 knots within 20 miles of east coast ports during the whales migration season.

Fewer than 400 remain
With fewer than 400 remaining, the North Atlantic right whale is considered among the most endangered whale species in the world. Since 2001, 12 right whales have been struck and killed by vessels along the Atlantic coast. Right whales are particularly vulnerable to vessel strikes as they are slow swimming and spend much time near the water's surface. This regulation will impose seasonal speed restrictions throughout the right whale's range from the Gulf of Maine to Florida.

Resistance to whale protection
For the last 10 years, the New England Aquarium's North Atlantic right whale team and other protection groups have been working with the federal government to pass this mandatory speed limit despite concerns from the shipping industry and resistance from the Bush administration.
"At long last, the ocean is going to be a little bit safer for right whales - cause for celebration amongst the many of us who have worked for the past decade to see this rule enacted," said Amy Knowlton of the Aquarium's right whale research team.

"The passage of the ship strike reduction rule is the culmination of years of dedicated work by a variety of groups - scientists, policy experts, conservationists, state and federal governments, and the shipping industry itself and is based on solid scientific data," Knowlton said.

Huge increase in safety
Researchers have found that the probability of right whales dying after being struck drops from over 80% when a vessel is traveling at 15 knots or more to just above 20% when a vessel is traveling at 10 knots or less. Average vessel speeds in critical right whale habitats have been around 15 knots.
"We're really excited about this," said Kerry Lagueux, an associate scientist for the Aquarium's research department and a geographer who uses mapping technology to help identify potential conflicts between right whales, ships, and fishing gear entanglements.

Aquarium researchers are using Automatic Identification System technology, a transmitter system that sends data from vessels to a receiver they carry on their survey plane. This system has enabled researchers in the Southeast to collect data on ship speeds, vessel types, and port destinations in order to evaluate how vessels have responded to right whale information in the past. It will now be used to monitor their actions in response to this new regulation.
Right whales' primary calving grounds are in the near shore waters of Georgia and northern Florida from December to March each year.

"North Atlantic right whale with calf. Credit NOAA" Whale ID
New England Aquarium and participating Right Whale Consortium scientists have created the world's most extensive data base of all of known right whales. Accessible to the public at www.neaq.org, the catalog of over 45,000 photographed sightings allows scientists to identify whales by their callosities - or roughened skin patches on top of their head and to also monitor the level of vessel strikes and fishing gear entanglements. Scientists can then track their whereabouts, births, death, and other information.

The catalogue includes photos from three aerial survey teams which sweep calving grounds in coastal waters along Florida and Georgia from December to March. The Aquarium scientists work closely with NOAA, the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, Army Corps of Engineers, and Georgia and Florida state environmental officials to protect and monitor whales along the Southeast coast.

In August and September, Aquarium scientists conduct vessel surveys in the feeding and nursing area of Canada's Bay of Fundy to take photos and collect skin samples from the whales which give them genetic identification such as genotype, sex, potential paternity, and genetic ability to respond to disease.

With changes made to shipping lanes in Canada, Aquarium scientists are also seeing progress in protecting whales. This new vessel strike rule takes it one step further.

"To think that right whales will be able to migrate along the coast and avoid the now slow moving, oncoming ships that they come across routinely gives me tremendous hope that we are one step closer to giving this species a chance of avoiding extinction," Knowlton said.

**If you haven't seen it yet, check out Animal Planet for 'Whale Wars', a show about what the US is doing about illegal whale hunting that is still going on by Japanese whale fishermen.**

Article: What's Causing White Bats to Drop Like Flies?

2008-12-16T10:31:00.001-08:00

People near Albany, N.Y., began noticing the strange bat behavior at least two years ago: Droves of the normally nocturnal mammals were seen flying around on brisk winter days when they should have been hibernating in caves for the season. The state's Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) teamed up with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to investigate and made an alarming discovery: Bat populations throughout northeastern New York State, Connecticut, Maine and Vermont had thinned by as much as 97 percent in area bat caves and emaciated survivors were found hanging near cave entrances where it is typically too cold for them to stay the entire winter. The only clue to the mysterious phenom was a white, powdery organism on the muzzles, ears and wings of the dead and dying bats.

Scientists have since linked the deaths of more than 100,000 of the smaller species of brown bats, northern bats, tricolored bats, Indiana bats and small-footed Myotis, along with larger brown bats in the U.S. Northeast to a condition they dubbed "white-nose syndrome." These researchers suspect that, since the winter of 2006, the ailment may have contributed to a steep decline in the bat populations at many caves in the affected states; in the most extreme case, about 1,750 of 1,800 of the flying mammals were found dead. Bat declines at many surveyed hibernation caves exceeded 75 percent.

"If you apply this across [the northeastern U.S.] there could be 200,000 dead bats and possibly even more," says David Blehert, a USGS microbiologist and lead author of a paper on the syndrome published today in Science.

USGS scientists are working with New York State environmental and health officials to pinpoint the exact cause and consequences of the fatalities. A breakthrough came in April when Blehert identified the white organism on the critters' noses as a type of geomyces fungus, one of a group of organisms that live in soil, water and air and reproduce at refrigerator temperatures of 39 degrees Fahrenheit (four degrees Celsius), the temp in most bat caves.

"When bats are torpid [in a hibernating state], they drop their temperatures down to the ambient temperatures of the caves," Blehert says. This makes the dormant bats susceptible to infection by this fungus.

But researchers are in the dark about the source of geomyces. They don't know if its spores were carried to the bat caves by animals or the wind or if it was in these caves all along and recently spread to spots where the bats hibernate.

It is also unclear whether the fungus is killing the bats or is a contributing factor in their deaths. Most of the victims were also rail-thin and some were found outside of their caves, indicating they may have starved to death after an apparently futile attempt to find food (insects, primarily) in the winter.

"Fungi are opportunistic pathogens," Blehert says, "they don't usually attack and kill otherwise healthy animals."

One thing is certain, Blehert says, "Before the identification of white-nose syndrome, mass mortality events in bats as a result of disease were very rare."

Blehert and his colleagues are now attempting to determine whether the dead bats went into hibernation emaciated or filled with enough food to sustain them throughout the winter. "If they're entering with less than a full tank of gas," he notes, "we have to consider whether the insect populations that they feed on are down." Bats are meant to remain in a torpid state throughout the hibernation period, rousing only every two weeks or so to groom or drink water.

Another possibility, he says, is that the fungus killed them indirectly by causing so much skin irritation it prevented them from getting enough sleep. The longer they are awake during hibernation, the more fat they burn, which gives them less time to sustain their bodies without refueling.

Thomas Kunz, a biology professor and director Boston University's Center for Ecology and Conservation Biology, is also studying the mysterious bat deaths. "The mortality is unprecedented in my experience," he says, "and I've been working with bats for 40 years."

Blehert's work is groundbreaking, Kunz says, in that it has provided researchers with an understanding of the fungus, although the syndrome is most likely a secondary effect of some other underlying cause for the deaths. "This is serious in the sense that we're dealing with an unknown," he says, but he does not believe that the fungus itself is the pathogen.

Kunz and his team are approaching the mystery from three different angles: The first is to study the body weights of hibernating bats in different geographic areas by collecting samples of the creatures from three caves in the affected areas and from three caves in Ohio and Pennsylvania, where white-nose syndrome does not appear to have struck. Similar to Blehert's approach, this will inform Kunz and his team of whether the bats in the areas hit by the syndrome are beginning hibernation with the right amount of stored fat. If not, this might signal that pesticides are diminishing local insect populations, possibly choking off a primary food source for the bats.

The second angle is to determine whether the animals are storing the right type of fat (unsaturated fatty acids obtained by eating insects) for their dormancy, Kunz says. A lack of unsaturated fatty acids could again lead the scientists back to suspect declining local insect populations from insecticide use. A third area to investigate is whether the bats' immune systems are being suppressed for some reason, making them more susceptible to fungal infection. "There's no smoking gun at this point," Kunz says, but he and his colleagues are collecting bat samples at this time and hope to have some results by December.

In addition to the role bats play in vampire lore, these creatures of the night are indispensable to insect control, plant pollination and seed dissemination. White-nose syndrome's impact on the bat community is difficult to determine, Blehert says, because of the difficulty of keeping accurate population counts. (They tend to spend a good portion of their lives tucked away in caves inaccessible to people.)

Researchers have been able to count as many as 500,000 hibernating bats throughout the states were white-nose syndrome has been found, but Blehert says there are probably more than that. He likens the demise of the bats to the disappearance of amphibians worldwide over the past three decades that was ultimately traced to a lethal fungal skin infection—chytridiomycosis—which has wiped out entire populations

One possible bright spot is that some of the lesions on dead bats that Blehert and his colleagues examined had begun to heal before the bats died, which indicates that the bats are capable of fighting the infection to some extent. The researchers plan to spend this winter studying the effect of this fungus on healthy bats in the lab. Blehert says he will be surprised if the fungus alone was the sole culprit behind the plummeting bat population. "I'm not sure a fungus," he says, "can kill an otherwise healthy animal."

Tourists Helps Save Guadalupe's Great White Sharks

2008-12-16T10:27:00.000-08:00

A windless dawn rises over Isla Guadalupe, 150 miles west of the Baja California coast. Rolling slightly in a gentle Pacific swell, our 80-foot trawler Horizon motors toward the island’s north end. The skipper, Greg Grivetto, is standing the final watch of a 20-hour passage from San Diego. He glances down through the bridge windows at the dozen or so passengers gathered on Horizon’s foredeck. We’re shaking off sleep, gabbing, sipping coffee, eager to catch sight of our first landfall on this remote volcanic rock. In the distance, sunlight outlines the arc of Guadalupe’s northeast inlet. There, deep in flat, dark water, something is also stirring, and everyone onboard is thinking about it.

The inshore waters of Guadalupe make up one of the few known habitats for this formidable migrating creature. It is the world’s largest predatory fish, typically 13 to 16 feet long, weighing 1,500 to 2,500 pounds. The great white is the undisputed king of the cartilage-skeletoned vertebrates that have been swimming through the seas for 400 million years and the supreme iteration of an “apex predator”—top dog—in its watery world. To scientists and shark devotees, great whites are a feast of complex behaviors—maddeningly coy in their breeding habits and wary but stunningly accomplished killers. Remarkably, they also are now listed as endangered, and when an apex species is in trouble the threat can cascade down through the entire food chain.

For years close encounters were pretty much out of the question. Swimmers and scuba divers ardently avoid the sharks, and useful observation in study tanks or aquariums is impossible because the animals do not survive prolonged captivity. But recent growth in the popularity of shark-cage diving has opened new opportunities. On this August morning Horizon’s crew, scientists and ecotourists are arriving under the aegis of Shark Diver, a leading operator of “sharking” excursions to Guadalupe. The mission, as always: to watch at close hand this impressive animal in its natural surroundings.

Shark Diver, in conjunction with the Marine Conservation Science Institute, has identified, recorded and named more than 85 individual great whites that regularly return to the area, now a reserve protected by the Mexican government. A compilation of photographs (including contributions from amateur cage divers) plus tagging and satellite tracking is steadily producing a detailed profile of the Guadalupe community of great whites. A thick ring binder, the “family album,” circulates in Horizon’s wood-paneled saloon. Among the pictured sharks are Fat Tony (the charter member of Shark Diver’s roster), Nacho, Belt Strap, Bruce, Captain Hook, Harvey, the Russian. And the truly massive 18-foot females that migrate here late in the fall—Tlazolteotl (named for an Aztec goddess), Chicka, Dorri, Snow White, Lady Notch—many of them pregnant and voraciously hungry.

Even though the great whites are a protected species, relentless poaching has put them on the international “threatened” list. Shark Diver CEO Patric Douglas reports that one set of jaws alone can fetch $5,000 in Ensenada. His Guadalupe Island Conservation Fund (www.guadalupefund.org) has documented the sale of whole carcasses of the great white for $20,000 on the black market. Mexico’s national park service lacks the resources to station patrol boats at Guadalupe during the great whites’ season. But Shark Diver expedition vessels, along with those from several other adventure operators, have become an unofficial police presence against illegal sport fishing.

The great white shark will always be the subject of controversy, in large part because of Peter Benchley’s best-selling thriller Jaws and the movies it spawned. Two years before his death in 2004, Benchley boarded Horizon for his own Guadalupe visit. He wanted to see firsthand the creatures he had demonized. By that time Benchley was already an advocate for white shark conservation, having seen the senseless, bloody orgy of shark hunting touched off by his success. He was profoundly moved by the majesty of these animals, and his campaign to save them soon took hold in the media. Ecotourism now helps to fund great white conservation.

Sympathy for the great white shark should never obscure its important role as a predator, however. Luke Tipple, a respected shark biologist and Shark Diver’s director of operations, is outspoken on this subject. “Occasionally,” he muses, “you’ll hear the phrase that great whites are ‘misunderstood.’ They may have been mistreated, but they are definitely not misunderstood. Many millions of years of evolution went into producing this animal, and he is, first and foremost, an astonishingly efficient killer. Let’s not take that away from him.”

Watch a shark slide show here: http://www.sciam.com/slideshow.cfm?id=sharking-guadelupe

Article taken from Scientific American

Wonder Cat!

2008-12-16T10:18:00.000-08:00

De cat came back—thought she were a goner,
But de cat came back for it wouldn't stay away.
—Lyrics from "The Cat Came Back," a song written by Harry S. Miller in 1893.

It's a story that tugs at the heartstrings of all pet devotees: A cat given up for lost in 1995 has come home. As first reported by The Press Democrat, a gray and brown-tinged kitty with round, golden eyes named George was reunited with his Santa Rosa, Calif., owners last week after animal control officers tracked them down by scanning a microchip with identifying info implanted under the animal's skin. (See slideshow of George.)

Frank Walburg says his boy, George, now nearly 17, was but a shadow of his former self when found—weighing a paltry 6.3 pounds (2.9 kilograms), less than half the nearly 14 pounds (6.4 kilograms) he weighed the day he vanished over 13 years ago. He was also sick, suffering from a respiratory infection as well as toxoplasmosis, a parasitic disease characterized by lethargy and weight loss, which can be successfully treated with antibiotics.

"He used to be like a heater on wheels," Walburg chuckles about his beloved feline friend, "like a lion in both appearance and walk," his wife, Melinda Merman, wrote on her Web site. Still, Walburg told the San Francisco Chronicle "there was no ambiguity that he was the same dude, no doubt about it."

George disappeared on June 23, 1995, back when Bill Clinton was president and Whitewater was in the headlines. Walburg says that he and Merman spent weeks scouring the neighborhood for him. They visited Sonoma County's five animal shelters every other day for six months, posted missing cat signs, sent flyers to and called every veterinary clinic in the area and offered a hefty $500 reward for his return. Alas, as days turned into weeks and weeks into months and months into years, Walburg says their hopes of finding George faded, "but we never stopped thinking about him."

"It was hard not knowing what might have happened to him," Walburg told ScientificAmerican.com, pausing to control his emotions. "We would imagine that he was just around the corner or trapped somewhere—and we would go and check."

And so one can only imagine how he and Merman felt last week when they received a call from Sonoma County Animal Care and Control: George was there, the message said. "We didn't know what to expect, we didn't know if he was dead or alive, because they also pick up animals on the road that have been killed," Walburg says, noting that he and Merman cried the entire 20-minute trip to claim him.

When they arrived at the county shelter, George was in medical isolation. "The routine practice is to scan for a chip and, if there isn't one, to make a determination on the spot" about an animal's fate, he says. "George was grossly sick, way underweight, he had watery eyes, was lethargic, not eating; there is zero doubt that since his health was so bad, they would not have been able to adopt him out to anyone and he would have been euthanized if it weren't for the microchip."

"He's home because of his microchip,'' Walburg says, noting that his wife, then a volunteer at the Humane Society (and now at Forgotten Felines, which spays and neuters feral cats and provides food for them until their natural deaths), insisted that George and his three littermates be micro-chipped when they adopted them in 1992. At that time, the technology was new and mostly used on dogs.

U.S. animal microchip manufacturer AVID Identification Systems, Inc., based in southern California, filed for a patent on the technology in 1985; the first chips were implanted into companion animals in 1989, according to Mary Metzner, AVID's shelter operations representative (who trains animal control officers and shelter personnel on how to properly implant and use the system). She says the rice-size radio-frequency identification (RFID) device is activated with a handheld scanner; the radio frequency used is 125 kilohertz.

Microchips are generally implanted under the skin over the shoulder blades in dogs and cats. Each one contains an identification number unique to that animal; every microchip sold is automatically registered (to the vet who purchases it) in PETtrac, AVID's national recovery data base, according to Metzner.

She says private veterinary clinics on average charge from $60 to $100, and shelters from $20 to $30 (and often much less) to implant a microchip and register a pet for its lifetime. The chip is encapsulated in biocompatible glass (the type used in pacemakers, stents and other medical devices) and has been tested to last for at least 75 years, according to Metzner, who adds that AVID has sold more than 25 million microchips. Among other brands distributed in the U.S.: resQ, HomeAgain and 24PetWatch.

Some studies in the 1990s found that tumors formed in mice and rats in tissue around where the microchips were placed. But Metzner said further testing has produced no evidence of a link between cancer risk and the devices, which are only activated when scanned—and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2004 found the process safe enough to be used in animals and humans.

AVID, when contacted by Sonoma County Animal Care and Control, traced the device in George to Northtown Animal Hospital in Santa Rosa. Walburg says they were lucky their vet had their number, which had been changed since the chip was implanted and registered. In some cases, there is a more direct relationship with pet owners, who can change chip ID registration contact info online.

"Our sole purpose is to bring animals home. So it's a wonderful feeling to know that the system works," Metzner says about George's long-awaited homecoming. "It's a miracle. We get over 1,000 calls a day of people finding pets and reuniting them with families."

She says this is one of—if not the—longest period between a pet's loss and recovery ever recorded. Among other success stories: a cat that had been missing from Los Angeles for a decade, found in Texas several years ago, and a dog missing from Panama, Fla., who was found six years later in Ohio.

"There's no way this reunion after 13 and a half years would have happened without the microchip," Walburg stresses, urging all pet owners to chip their charges and anyone who finds a stray to take it to the nearest shelter or animal hospital to have it scanned for one. He also believes that vets should routinely scan their animal patients to make sure the humans bringing them in are their rightful owners, noting that they might have found George sooner had that been done.

"It's a very reasonable amount of money for something that potentially can help bring your pets home if they lose their collar. But even if your pet is micro-chipped, it's still important to have a visible collar and tag on that animal with the owner's name on it to get it home immediately," says Stephanie Shain, director of outreach at The Humane Society of the United States in Washington, D.C.

"It's pretty amazing," she adds about the George's homecoming. "If you're on the fence of whether you should or shouldn't get [a microchip], this would probably put a lot of people in the 'yes' column who weren't there before."

Walburg says that George was found at a mobile home park about 3.5 miles (5.5 kilometers) from their home, where he was turned over to animal control by the manager.

George was one of four kittens born to a feral cat that the Walburgs adopted. (They also took in their mom, who they had spayed.) Sadly, George's two brothers (twin Ira and Klaus) died two years ago from an intestinal disorder. But sister Grace is still alive (though Walburg reports she was more interested in George's special kibble than in seeing her long-lost brother when they were reunited) and George now has three new foster siblings—Foxy, Sam and Spook.

Walburg, a computer consultant and amateur winemaker who names some varieties after his cats (each bottle is labeled with a photo of its namesake; George will grace the next one), says that he and Merman are nursing George back to health, feeding him dabs of baby food mixed with chicken broth that he initially licked from a spoon and their fingers (but is now eating from a dish) and giving him antibiotics to clear up the toxoplasmosis. (See video.)

He says the cat spends most of his time in the guest room—which has been set aside for him—and that he's slowly but surely regaining his old vim and vigor – and has gained 3.5 ounces (99 grams) since he came home. (See video of George on the mend.)

About a year after George went missing, Melinda Merman wrote a "Letter to George" on her Web site in which she waxed poetic about his personality quirks, how he loved peanut butter and to bat at towels—and hated the rain. And how he always waited at the foot of their bed for them to wake up in the morning.

"There are so many things I miss now that you're gone," she wrote. "In fact, do you remember where you slept at night? On top of the bathroom towel cupboard. Remember your towel up there? Well it's still there. I have cleaned the top of the cupboard, but your towel is just as you left it. We will always wonder what happened to you. And we'll always hope you come home."

On November 5, 2008, she updated her blog: "George was found and returned to us. We are so thrilled to have him back in the family."

URGENT HELP DOGS IN OAKLAND SHELTERS

2008-12-12T16:33:00.000-08:00

2 Urgent Actions

ONE We need to convince the City of Oakland that closing the shelter for ten days is not an option for saving money

.
Please send an urgent email to Dan Lindheim, Budget Director at the Mayor's Office at dlindheim@oaklandnet.com, and/or call at (510) 238-6840 to let them know the shelter is different from other city agencies, in caring for HUNDREDS of animals each day, and needs special accommodation during the mandated Oakland shut-down days!

Talking points for your email/phone calls as to why the shelter needs special exemption for closure from 12/26 thru 1/2: Talking Points

TWO

We need to protect Point Isabel from developers who want to put a shopping center there. The final chance for public input is this Tuesday December 16 at the City Council meeting, at 1401 Marina Way South in Richmond Annex or Richmond. For more information see the Point Isabel Newsletter or contact PIDO via email at m22257m@yahoo.com or 5150-559-8362.

URGENT San Leandro Dog Parks In Trouble

By Karen Holzmeister - The Daily Review

12/10/2008

SAN LEANDRO — The City Council is backing offfrom its consideration of San Leandro'sfirst dog park, a decision that has canine lovers yapping mad and determined togather more support.

General park dedication fees paid by developers,which might have been a potential funding source for the dog park, couldinstead be used for projects at other parks, or even for upgrading policeheadquarters on East 14th Street,council members suggested Tuesday.

"This economy is in desperate straits, if you don't know it,"Mayor Tony Santos told six dog-park backers Tuesday during the council'sFacilities and Transportation Committee meeting. He suggested the city use thefees — the park dedication fund currently has $700,000 — for "desperatelyneeded" equipment and structural improvements in the police building.

Dog lovers pledged to fight for a dog park at the San Leandro Marina. AndPeggy Combs, vice chairwoman of the Recreation and Park Commission, said theconcept of a dog park has been "unanimously embraced by thecommunity."

"This is just the tip of the iceberg," park advocate SabrinaAlmazan said after Santos complained he is fielding 10 to 25 e-mails a day —and four phone calls on Monday alone — from dog owners.

"We represent a huge population of dog owners," added Almazan, amember of the Four Paws Society, which has gathered 1,100 signatures on apetition for a dog park at the San Leandro Marina.

"We will gather more support, and (demonstrate the) need for a dogpark," Almazan told Santosand the two other committee members, councilwomen Diana Souza and JoyceStarosciak. "You are our elected officials; they are yourconstituents."

Four Paws and the Recreation and Park Commission, the latter acouncil-appointed advisory group, have spent 18 months studying the dog parkissue. In September, commissioners asked the council to spend $491,000 for a1.3-acre linear park on the shoreline.

It had been assumed that the money would come from park dedication fees,paid by builders in lieu of land dedication, and traditionally used for newpark or recreation developments.

On Tuesday, council members and city administrators said the city attorneyis reviewing the park dedication fee ordinance to see if the money can be usedfor existing facilities.

The attorney's opinion will be available at the committee's next meeting inJanuary. Starosciak also asked that a list of citywide capital projects beavailable by that meeting so that the committee — and, eventually, the entirecouncil — can prioritize projects for all sources of funding.

©2008 Bay Area News Group
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For more information on the Dog Park Recommendation, Plans, Facts and Articles...

And, to Volunteer...

visit: www.FourPawsSociety.org

or contact:
Sabrina@FourPawsSociety.org or (510) 909-2163

Video: Two kitties on a treadmill

2008-12-09T19:47:00.000-08:00

This is so cute and funny - I think I laughed through the entire thing! :)

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5ezit_deux-chats-sur-un-tapis-roulant_animals

Watch video 'The Foaling Process' online Dec 15th

2008-12-08T21:52:00.000-08:00

December 15

FREE Web cast Online with Dr. Kathy Anderson on "The Foaling Process," Tuesday, Dec. 15; 7:00 p.m.

So your mare is going to have a foal this spring! Mare owners can be very anxious as foaling time approaches and the more prepared they are, the less stressful having a foal can be. It is important to understand and recognize the signs of a mare getting close to foaling. Decisions also need to be made on where she will foal. This presentation will help owners recognize the signs of a mare preparing for parturition, suggestions on foaling locations and what to expect during a normal foaling plus caution signs to watch for. Furthermore, how to care for the mare after foaling will also be addressed.

For more information, e-mail My Horse University at info@myhorseuniversity.com or call (517) 353-3123.

*If you love horses, please take this survey! Huge problem of UNWANTED horses :(

2008-12-08T21:49:00.000-08:00

Unwanted Horse Coalition Survey

You are likely aware of the problem of thousands of unwanted and abandoned horses in the United States. Some say the problem is an epidemic, however, much remains unknown. The first step toward a solution is to gather and examine the facts.

Your help is needed.The Unwanted Horse Coalition (UHC) is launching a nationwide survey of the problem and is asking for participation from horse owners, equine associations, veterinarians, breeders, state and local law enforcement and rescue groups. The goal is to hear from everyone interested in the welfare of horses, which is why your support is needed.

What you can do personally. Please take the UHC national online survey by going online at http://survey.ictgroup.com/uhcsurvey/. Your answers will be confidential.

Tip: Traveling with your Horse(s)

2008-12-08T21:43:00.000-08:00

*This article is taken from USRider online - link in title.

Lexington, Ky. (Nov. 18, 2008) – With the change of seasons, USRider, the national provider of roadside emergency assistance for equestrians, reminds those who travel with horse to be careful when traveling and to invest time doing routine preventive trailer maintenance to enhance their travel safety

“While trailering horses in the winter is not all that different from trailering any time of the year, you do need to make a few adjustments for hauling in cold weather,” said equine travel expert Neva Kittrell Scheve.

She added that during anytime of the year – regardless of temperatures – the basic rules apply:

* Make sure your trailer is safe.
* Drive carefully.
* Make sure the horse’s inoculations are up-to-date.
* Carry a current health certificate and certificate of negative EIA if crossing state lines.
* Wrap all four legs with shipping wraps or boots.
* Carry an emergency first aid kit and know how to use it.
* Learn to monitor vital signs of the horse.
* Carry backup supplies appropriate to the length of the trip.
* Carry emergency contact numbers for yourself and your horses and keep in a visible place.
* Carry a truck/car emergency kit. During the winter months, be sure the kit includes a shovel, sand, red flag, horse blankets, human blankets, candle, matches or lighter, and tire chains.

It’s also prudent to have a first-rate roadside assistance program to help in the event of an emergency.

“A good roadside assistance program is something all horse owners should have but hope they will never have to use,” says Mark Cole, managing member for USRider. “To that end, our mission is to continually educate horse owners about trailering safety.”

It is very important to make sure your vehicle is ready for winter driving. Be sure to maintain your vehicle according to the manufacturer’s service schedule. It’s also important to take your vehicle to a trusted mechanic.

“When it comes to vehicle maintenance, especially heavy-duty vehicles towing precious cargo, it is better to be proactive that reactive when it comes to vehicle maintenance,” said Cole. “If you have not already done so, the time to establish a relationship with a trusted ASE (www.ase.com) mechanic is before your vehicle breaks down on the side of the highway while towing your horse trailer.”

USRider recommends that you check tire pressure before each trip. This is especially important with temperature changes. If you are traveling from a warm climate to a cold climate, air pressure in your tires will drop. On the other hand, when traveling from a cold climate into a warm climate, the air pressure will rise.

The main reason for disablements is early tire failure (blowout) from temperature build-up from tires that are under inflated. So, be sure to invest in a high-quality pressure gauge and learn how to use it. Check the owner’s manual for the proper tire pressure for your passenger or tow vehicle. The proper tire pressure for your trailer should be stamped on the trailer tire, or contact the trailer manufacturer for that information.

A weak battery will usually reveal itself during cold weather. So, if your battery is more than a couple of years old, be sure to check it prior to cold weather setting in. Otherwise, you will most likely be inconvenienced on some cold morning when the battery fails to start your vehicle.

When driving, a good rule of thumb to follow on the road is “Rain, ice & snow – take it slow.” Before setting out on a trip, be sure to check weather reports and plan accordingly. Be sure to allow extra time for inclement weather. Mother Nature doesn’t care that you need to be somewhere at a certain time.

Keep in mind that weather and driving conditions can change rapidly, so be aware of changing conditions, and drive for the conditions.

It’s important to look ahead to keep track of the driving conditions in front of you. Actions by other drivers can alert you to problems and give you time to react. Always be on the lookout for black ice, as ice that forms on highways that may not always be visible.

“Don’t be susceptible to the false security of four-wheel drive, cautions Cole. “While four-wheel drive may help you go, it won’t help you stop.”

Always drive with your headlights on during inclement weather -– even if it is not dark. USRider recommends that horse owners drive with headlights on anytime when trailering horses, regardless of weather, because of increased visibility afforded by using headlights.

Also during inclement weather, be sure to increase distance between vehicles to allow more stopping room. USRider recommends that you double the normal distance between vehicles when towing a horse trailer.

“Stopping on snow or ice without skidding and/or jackknifing takes extra distance. Use brakes very gently to avoid skidding,” added Cole. “If you begin to skid or jackknife, ease up on the brake and steer into the skid to regain control.”

To help maintain control when roads could be slick, slow down when approaching curves, ramps, bridges and interchanges and avoid abrupt actions, such as quick lane changes, braking and accelerating. Another important way to help maintain control over your vehicle is to avoid using cruise control on wet roads.

During winter months, traction tires are recommended. In order to qualify as a traction tire, tires must have at least an eighth of an inch of tread and be labeled Mud and Snow, M+S, All-Season, or have a Mountain/Snowflake symbol. Since tire performance can vary, a trusted area dealer may be able to advise you on the best tires for your vehicle.

In some states, vehicles over 10,000 gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR), including some passenger trucks, SUVs, RVs, and vehicles towing trailers, must carry chains November 1 through March 31, on certain highways. Check with the Department of Transportation or Department of Motor Vehicles for information on the states you will be traveling.

One of the most confusing decisions when trailering in the cold weather is whether to blanket your horse, said Scheve. Horses are very comfortable in cold conditions, and most will travel very well during the winter. Two important factors should be considered when deciding making this decision, according to the equine travel expert:

1. The trailer should be well ventilated because horses are prone to respiratory illness. A trailer that is not properly ventilated becomes filled with toxic air from the hay dust, shavings and any gases from urine and manure. The body heat produced by the horses also builds up inside the trailer.
2. Be sure to keep the horse hydrated in the summer as well as during the winter. Dehydration is the most common cause of colic. Horses can become dehydrated even during the winter if they do not drink or they lose water through perspiration. If a horse is dressed too warmly, it will tend to lose more fluids than it should.

Be sure to dress the horse according to the situation. If the horse has a full winter coat and does well in daily life, it will not need a blanket for the trailer trip. In this case, open the roof vents and a few windows in the back so the air does not blow directly on the horse. If you have a stock trailer that does not have windows that close, a light sheet can protect the horse from the wind. If the horse is body clipped or does not have a heavy coat, it should wear the same weight blanket that it would normally wear, and vents and windows should be open.

Long-distance trips require a little more preparation. Be ready for driving through different temperatures. Pack blankets of different weights so you can change them as the weather changes during travel. Be sure the horse does not sweat too much. It could get wet and get chilled. Also, the horse can lose water through sweat and become dehydrated.

Take extra precaution when snow removal equipment is being used on the roads. In some cases, the snowplow operator’s vision may be reduced. Give them plenty of room. Stay at least 200 feet behind. While snow and ice removal differ from state-to-state, most will clear roads as follows:

1. Initial areas at most risk – hills, curves, ramps, bridges and interchanges
2. When clearing roads, crews will clear far right lanes first

Since it’s difficult to know what road conditions you may encounter during the winter, make it a practice to re-fuel when your vehicle when your fuel gauge drops below the halfway mark. In many states, you can dial 5-1-1 for travel conditions and road closures.

To provide a reliable and accessible source of information about trailering safety, USRider maintains an Equine Trailer Safety Area on its website, www.usrider.org. The safety information is developed with input from Neva Kittrell Scheve.

“We have carefully developed this area to be a resource with helpful and practical topics – all free and available to members and non-members alike,” added Cole. “Our website is designed so visitors can print out information as a handy reference. We also post safety bulletins as new information is developed.”

Examples of the information available at www.usrider.org include a list of items every horse trailer should have on board, short trip and long trip precautions, and trailer inspection procedures.

USRider provides roadside assistance and towing services along with other travel-related benefits to its members through the Equestrian Motor Plan. It includes standard features such as flat-tire repair, battery assistance and lockout services, plus towing up to 100 miles and roadside repairs for tow vehicles and trailers with horses, emergency stabling, veterinary referrals and more. For more information about the USRider Equestrian Motor Plan, visit www.usrider.org online or call 1-800-844-1409.

For additional safety tips, visit the Equine Travel Safety Area on the USRider website at www.usrider.org.

Event: Candy Canes for Horses - Kids event in St Helens

2008-12-06T01:03:00.000-08:00

Sunrise Stables and Sunrise Horse Rescue offer a free special event in December. The public is invited to Say Happy Holidays To The Animal Kingdom at Sunrise’s fourth annual Candy Canes For Ponies event from 12:00 – 2:00 p.m. on December 24 at 1098 Lodi Lane (a cross road between Hwy. 29 and the Silverado Trail just north of St. Helena).

Want a non-commercial activity for the family? Come feed the rescued horses and share some love! There is no charge and no RSVPs needed. Parents are encouraged to come ready to take photos; the horses will be wearing holiday attire. Each horse will have a display with the story of how he or she was rescued. Please note: if it’s raining, this event will not take place.

Bordered by vineyards and blackberry hedges, Sunrise Stables is a unique riding school in a picturesque country setting and is home to Sunrise Horse Rescue, Napa County’s only non-profit rescue organization for horses.

Sunrise Stables will be offering holiday day camps for children this winter: call Tracee Beebe at 337-5582 for dates and times.

Sunrise Stables celebrated its fifth anniversary this year. Locals Tracee and Mark Beebe teach students of all ages and ability with an assortment of horses of different breeds. Sunrise can also customize experiences for children.

To get more information about Sunrise Stables and its programs, contact Tracee at 707/337-5582 or visit the website at www.srshorsesnapavalley.com. To learn more about Sunrise Horse Rescue, visit www.sunrisehorserescue.org. Volunteers and donations are always welcome; currently Sunrise Horse Rescue shelters 9 rescued horses: Pippin (Welsh mountain pony), Big Guy (Belgian warmblood), Mo (walkaloosa), Captain (Icelandic pony), Bella (thoroughbred), Apricot (quarter-pony), Rain (Polish-Arabian), Aragon (Morgan) and Wall-E (Morgan).

Video: Tigers, Leopards and Pumpkins!

2008-12-03T15:03:00.000-08:00

This is extremely cute! Enjoy!

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/2098676/tigers_leopards_vs_pumpkins/

Advice: Rescued Pets are more than today's hottest trend!

2008-11-30T19:33:00.000-08:00

Kate Woodviolet of the Los Angeles Pet Rescue Examiner’s article about an emerging fad, “The Rescue Pet” is worth reading for prospective pet owners. She writes,

You’ll find them in the homes of your friends and coworkers, who no doubt love to tell their friends, “This is Ginny…she’s a rescue dog…” then a pause, presumably for the benefit of the Nobel nominating committee.

Animals rescued from shelters are certainly a nice way to adopt a pet for the home. It usually will be more a cost-effective alternative than going to a breeder or pet store. But make sure your heart is in the right place when making this decision.

Woodviolet notes,

Often, but not always, it means the animal was abused. More certainly it means the dog or cat was neglected…

That means that the care and affection required for these pets may be even more difficult. There could be behavioral and psychological challenges as well.

If you or someone you know is considering adopting a pet from a pet shelter, pay attention to the following:

* Be sure to understand the temperment, space/time requirements and other needs of the specific breed or mix of breeds.
* Understand the life expectancy of the animal. As an example, there are birds that can live 60+ years.
* Research and understand the costs associated with owning the animal. There’s more to owning a pet than just food and water; consider vaccines, spay/neuter and routine checkups or even emergencies.
* Make sure to identify a local veterinarian.

It’s not that rescuing a pet from a shelter would ever be a bad thing, but just remember the responsibilities and expectations of pet ownership never change. Pets don’t think that their adopted families are just today’s hot trend.

Need to find a great holiday gift for an animal lover?

2008-11-28T01:35:00.001-08:00

Help support the animals!

Looking for a unique, customized gift for the animal lover on your holiday list? A donation to Morris Animal Foundation (MAF) that benefits a favorite animal--dog, cat, horse, or species of wildlife--makes for a special gift for anyone on your list. Making a donation as a holiday gift is fast and easy. Visit MorrisAnimalFoundation.org and click on Donate Now.

For 60 years, MAF has been at the forefront of research to prevent, treat, and cure diseases and health issues that afflict the animals we love. Along with research initiatives to cure diseases in dogs and cats, the MAF has a worldwide research team working on an Equine Consortium for Genetic Research.

MAF research has been the catalyst for many animal health breakthroughs, and virtually every veterinarian on earth has been positively affected by MAF's research and training programs. For more information, visit MorrisAnimalFoundation.org or call 800/243-2345.

Requested: Pictures of Kitty & the Spider!

2008-11-27T22:38:00.000-08:00

So over Thanksgiving dinner tonight, some family members said that they never saw my series of Kitty & the Spider pics so I am posting them on here! Enjoy!

So sometime beginning of last summer or beginning of this year, a gigantic garden spider was found in my parent's bedroom - actually I should say that my mom found it and she let out a very loud scream upon finding it. It was the biggest garden spider I have ever found inside of a house! I've seen lots of big ones outside, in bushes and on beautiful webs, etc. I put it into a jar and noticed that Kineivel was aware of what was going on and really really wanted to know what I had in the jar. So I set it down on the ground and this is the series of pictures that came from this experience. They are very cute!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

Advice: Surprising Dangers for Pets during the Holidays

2008-11-27T00:50:00.000-08:00

(CNN) -- Our dog Tilly loves the holiday season. Turkey for Thanksgiving. Brisket for Hanukkah. Ham for Christmas and pot roast for New Year's. With so much food moving around the house and visitors who generously -- and covertly -- feed her under the table, Tilly has always been a happy dog during the season of giving.

Not anymore.

After we spent much of one holiday season at the animal emergency center trying to keep Tilly alive, our holiday celebration turned into a hunt for household toxics.

Tilly was diagnosed with severe anemia, which could have been caused by any one of numerous toxic items found in the refrigerators, cupboards and medicine cabinets of most homes.

Now, Tilly's kibble and treats practically need their own passport to reach her mouth; human food is out of reach; visitors are asked to put away any medications and shown where the "approved" treats are kept.

It may sound extreme, but veterinary medical experts say this type of preventative behavior can keep pets safe. This is especially true during the holidays, when family chaos increases and your pet's environment may change from day to day with the arrival of family and friends bearing gifts, holiday food items and exotic plants.

"Dogs and cats do not know what is bad for them," said Dr. Cynthia Gaskill, associate professor and veterinary clinical toxicologist at the University of Kentucky in Lexington. "If there is medicine on the bathroom counter or food left on the table, that is irresistible to them."
Keep out of pets' reach
• Antifreeze
• Chocolate
• Acetaminophen and non-steroidal anti-inflammatories
• Prescription or illegal drugs
• Rodenticides
• Xylitol
• Grapes and raisins
• Onions and garlic
• Lilies
• Macadamia nuts

And unless your houseguests are conscientious pet owners themselves, chances are they aren't aware that they may be creating a toxic environment for your pet. Gaskill says it is important to let guests know not to leave their medications in an open suitcase or otherwise exposed.

Over-the-counter and prescription medications can kill small animals.

Because metabolic systems vary between species, a drug that may alleviate pain in humans can easily induce a toxic reaction in a dog or cat. For example, ibuprofen ingested by a dog can cause gastrointestinal damage and kidney dysfunction. Cats are especially susceptible to even small amounts of acetaminophen (the active ingredient in Tylenol); ingestion of just one tablet can result in anemia and potential liver damage.

Dr. Robin Van Metre, a veterinarian at the Fort Collins Veterinary Emergency Hospital in Colorado, says that many of the emergency calls he receives involve pets that have accidentally ingested prescription medications or been given an over-the-counter medication by well-meaning owners who believe that their animal is in pain. Van Metre says these calls increase significantly over the holidays.

"Dogs will eat almost anything," Van Metre said, "and there is no such thing as a dog-proof cap."

Take care in the kitchen, too. Typical holiday staples such as grapes and raisins have been shown to cause renal failure when ingested by dogs.

Although small amounts of onions and garlic are often used in pet foods and treats to add flavor, ingestion of large amounts can cause severe red blood cell damage; cats are especially sensitive.

Macadamia nuts can cause a short-term hind-limb paralysis, and bread dough, if eaten before baking, can expand rapidly once ingested and cause ethanol poisoning.

Sweets, gum and hard candies are often problematic depending on ingredients. Chocolate contains a theobromine, a chemical that can affect the heart, kidneys and central nervous system. Dark chocolate and baker's chocolate contain higher concentrations of theobromine and are more toxic than similar amounts of milk chocolate.

Sugar-free gums and candies that contain the sugar-substitute xylitol can lead to quick onset of toxic clinical signs that may include a rapid decrease in blood sugar and possible seizures.

Think carefully before placing mistletoe or holly in low-lying areas, but put poinsettias anywhere you like. The effects of the poinsettia, long believed poisonous, are generally benign, says Dr. Anthony Knight, author of A Guide to Poisonous House and Garden Plants and professor of clinical sciences and toxicology at Colorado State University School of Veterinary Medicine and Biological Sciences.

Exposed plant bulbs such as Amaryllis and all species of lilies should be placed out of reach of pets not only during the holidays but year-round, Knight says.

Lily toxicity in cats can reach critical levels almost immediately after ingestion and lead to acute kidney failure within 48 hours or less.

"Lilies are one of the most poisonous houseplants that exists," Knight said. "It's not just the flower but also the leaves. ... If a cat eats any part of the plant, it would need to be treated immediately."

What should you do if your pet ingests a toxic holiday treat?

"Do not wait," Van Metre said. "Most people wait too long to call us, and that reduces our options for treatment."

Van Metre recommends calling a local veterinarian or animal emergency hospital first, or the ASPCA national animal poison control center (888-426-4435). The ASPCA charges a $60 veterinary consultation fee, but information about toxins is free on the ASPCA Web site.

Gaskill does not advise calling human poison control centers or attempting to diagnose your pet on the Internet.

Human poison control "is often not aware of the species differences and could inadvertently give the wrong advice," Gaskill said. "When doing a general Internet search, make sure the site is backed by a recognized veterinary organization or veterinary medical school. If it is not referenced, it is just someone's opinion."

Van Metre and Gaskill both warn against inducing vomiting in your pet before speaking with a veterinarian. Getting appropriate background information about the animal is critical to preparing a treatment plan for a particular toxin, they say, and every case -- every animal -- is different.

Tilly never recovered from her anemia, but she has been in remission long enough to create another toxic scare.

After learning that Tilly had ingested an entire bag of Hershey's kisses, we called our local animal emergency hospital in Atlanta. They did a quick calculation using Tilly's weight to determine whether a one-pound bag of milk chocolate would reach toxic levels in a dog of her size. It would not, but we were forced to clean up the silver-streaked evidence for many days afterwards.

------------
Melissa Tarkington is a former journalist for MSNBC, CNN.com and The Moscow Times. She is a second-year student in the professional veterinary program at Colorado State University.

Standardbred Breeding Farm to Receive AAEP Welfare Award

2008-11-23T03:41:00.000-08:00

Hanover Shoe Farms, the world's most prolific Standardbred breeding farm, will be honored with the American Association of Equine Practitioners' (AAEP) 2008 award for outstanding service in equine welfare, the Lavin Cup.

The Lavin Cup, named for former AAEP President A. Gary Lavin, VMD, will be presented to a representative of Hanover Shoe Farms Dec. 9 at the AAEP's 54th Annual Convention in San Diego. Each year the Lavin Cup is awarded to a non-veterinary individual or organization that has exemplified outstanding care and compassion for horses and upheld AAEP horse welfare guidelines.

Hanover Shoe Farms, located in Hanover, Pa., is owned by the partnership of Jim Simpson, Russell Williams, and the Paul Spears family. The farm sets an example for treatment of retired horses in an effort to reduce the population of unwanted horses. The operation adheres to a policy of retiring broodmares over the age of 15 deemed no longer fit for the breeding program. More than 100 are currently retired on the farm.

An estimated 1,000 retired broodmares have lived out their natural lives at Hanover Shoe Farms.
An estimated 1,000 retired broodmares have lived out their natural lives at Hanover Shoe Farms, as well as some retired stallions, racehorses, and grade horses used as lead ponies. They also care for the 1991 Hambletonian winner, 20-year-old Giant Victory, repatriated from an unsuccessful stud career in Italy this year with the help of his former owner, Ted Gewertz. Every retired horse receives the same level of routine health care, nutrition and hoof treatment afforded to horses worth hundreds of thousands of dollars or more. Nominators praised Hanover Shoe Farms for acting "ahead of the curve" in retired horse welfare by exercising compassion and generosity to its horses.

"At Hanover, we like to say, 'We set a standard for excellence,'" said Jim Simpson, Hanover Shoe Farms president. "In our view, no animal is unworthy of our high standard of care. These horses are here in our service; it is our responsibility to care for them for all of their lives, even when they are no longer commercially productive. We are delighted the AAEP has recognized our commitment to the horses under our care."

Hanover Shoe Farms was established in 1926 as a Standardbred breeding operation, boasting the production of eight Horses of the Year. It is the perennial leading breeder in North America, with the winners of $24.6 million in 2007 alone. The operation has grown from a single barn to a conglomerate of 27 farms comprised of 3,000 acres in two states, 100 employees, and about 1,200 horses at the peak of the season.

Past recipients of the Lavin Cup include the Finger Lakes Thoroughbred Adoption Program, the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation Inc., and the American Quarter Horse Association.

The AAEP, headquartered in Lexington, Ky., is a non-profit organization that aims to improve the health and welfare of horses through professional development of its members, educational resources for horse owners and research. The AAEP reaches more than five million horse owners through nearly 10,000 veterinary members worldwide.

BREAKING NEWS!

2008-11-23T03:32:00.000-08:00

Interesting about a popular pet store chain in Portland, Oregon. BEWARE!!

HSUS investigation reveals national chain Petland tied to puppy mill cruelty

Petland, Inc., the country’s largest chain of puppy-selling pet stores, has been linked to supporting puppy mills. The Humane Society of the United States revealed today the results of an 8-month-long investigation in which they found that Petland stores obtain their animals from puppy mills while telling customers the dogs come only from good breeders. This marks the largest-ever puppy mill investigation; HSUS investigators visited 21 Petland stores and 35 breeders and brokers who sold puppies to Petland stores. Investigators also reviewed interstate import records of an additional 322 breeders, USDA reports, and more than 17,000 individual puppies linked to Petland stores. There are approximately 140 Petland stores in the U.S., selling tens of thousands of puppies each year.

According to the HSUS, the investigation revealed:
Despite assurances by Petland staff and on their corporate website that the company knows its breeders and deals only with those who have "the highest standards of pet care," many Petland puppies come from massive commercial breeders in Missouri and other Midwestern states, where hundreds of breeding dogs are packed into cramped, barren cages—often for their entire lives, with no socialization, exercise, or human interaction.

· When HSUS investigators visited 35 of the large-scale breeding operations linked to Petland stores, they witnessed puppy mills where puppies are factory farmed in large numbers. At many, investigators saw appalling conditions: puppies living in filthy, barren cages reeking of urine, with inadequate care and socialization.

· Many of Petland’s puppies are not supplied directly by breeders, but are purchased from a “middle man”—large-scale “pet distributors,” otherwise known as brokers—showing that the company may not even know who the breeders are or what their standards of care may be like. The investigation revealed that some of Petland’s brokers are also buying from puppy mills.

· Some of Petland’s puppies are ordered online using a pet auction website called the Pet Board of Trade, demonstrating that many Petland stores are not screening breeders as its website claims. In fact, in some cases they may not even know the breeder’s name until after purchase.

· One of the most common sales pitches made by Petland staff is that they use “USDA licensed” breeders. However, investigators reviewed publicly available state and USDA inspection reports for more than 100 Petland breeders and found more than 60 percent of the reports listed serious violations of basic animal care regulations. Many USDA breeders exhibit a long history of substandard care and yet remained licensed. While USDA regulations are minimal, some of the Petland breeders are not even complying with these basic animal welfare standards.

· Documented USDA violations at some of Petland’s breeders and suppliers included dirty, unkempt enclosures; inadequate shelter from the cold; dogs kept in too-small cages; and inadequate veterinary care. Some of the breeders were found with sick or dead dogs in their cages.

More information on Holistic Remedies

2008-11-21T23:06:00.000-08:00

Natural Home Remedies For Cats & Dogs

There are many cases when expert veterinary attention is absolutely vital for your pet’s health and well being – but there are also some situations when a natural or home remedy can provide an excellent compliment to more conventional care. Of course the correct diagnosis is a must, and any time there is doubt, a consultation with your vet is the only responsible way forward. Once a diagnosis has made, however, a holistic or integrative approach may be appropriate. Discussed here, is a selection of common home remedies that may be useful tools in a holistic approach to total health.

Skin & Coat

The condition of the skin reflects underlying conditions within the body. A skin condition may be an indicator that another organ system is out of balance or in a diseased state.

The cause of skin and coat problems may also range from a food intolerance, to contact allergies (sensitivity to floor cleaners or laundry detergents or upholstery protectors for example) or some other underlying cause such as a thyroid condition.

A change to a simple diet, and the elimination of grain, can be a great first step in combating hot spots, constant itching, dryness, dry hair and associated problems. In addition, using natural home cleaning products and fragrance free detergents, as well as refraining from spraying anything in your yard for a month or two can help if the problem is a contact allergy.

Supplementation with essential fatty acids is excellent for the skin and coat. Flax, Coconut, Olive and Safflower oils, as well as fish (body, not liver) oils, contain a wealth of fats that support healthy, supply skin and a shiny, lustrous coat.

Herbs that promote normal skin function include nettle, dandelion and burdock which cleanse and replenish this important organ. Seaweed is also rich is many trace minerals, vitamins, amino acids and other compounds that are essential for the skin.

Zinc, magnesium, and the antioxidant vitamins A, C & E are also vital for skin function.

Bumps, Bruises & Strains

Arnica is the top homeopathic remedy for these ailments. It helps to alleviate pain and promote healing. Hypericum is useful for nerve pain.

Vitamins E & C have natural anti-inflammatory properties, and can be added directly to the food.

A gentle massage with lavender essential oil diluted in a carrier oil such as grape seed, can be very soothing for sprains and spasms.

Digestive Upset

A digestive disturbance is often caused by food, or other consumed substances (dirty water, household objects or substances not intended for digestion often take their toll, especially on younger pups who like to taste everything as they investigate their worlds!) A bland, simple diet can assist in determining the cause of chronic problems. Eliminating grains is very helpful in cases of IBS or other ‘mystery’ disturbances such as intermittent diarrhea and vomiting.

Slippery Elm is one of the most valuable herbs for GI upset; it soothes and protects and helps to regulate the system. Plantain and fennel are useful herbs to try.

Supplementation with a digestive enzyme can help with numerous chronic digestive disturbances. For acute conditions such as sudden diarrhea, the homeopathic remedy Arsenicum can work wonders. For loss of appetite, a teaspoon of honey, offered alone, may be all that is needed to return things to normal.

Ipecacuanha, a homeopathic remedy, is useful for vomiting and nausea.

Ear Infections

A chronic buildup of wax and debris in the ears, combined with incessant head shaking, scratching and other signs of discomfort, may be the result of a food allergy. Eating grains is one of the most common contributors to long term ear infections.

A topical solution made from apple cider vinegar mixed half and half with warm water can be used on a cotton ball to gently wipe the ears. This solution will help to acidify the ear, inhibiting bacterial growth. Never pour anything into the ears; do not push the cotton in too far and never use a Q-tip or other object that can cause severe long term damage to the delicate, sensitive ear canal.

Once cleaned a natural grain-free diet can help to keep the ears healthy long term, and a monthly ‘maintenance cleaning’ may be all that is required.

Cuts, Scrapes and other Minor Wounds

Never attempt to treat very deep wounds or bites at home, these can become seriously infected. Beware of using rubbing alcohol (which can sting) or peroxide (which can damage cells further) on cuts. Bathing with dilute epsom-salt water may be helpful. Applying topical calendula cream can have very potent healing benefits. Homeopathic phosphorus and arnica can help to stop bleeding.

Anxiety

Bach’s Rescue Remedy is a wonderful natural solution to stress, anxiety and general emotional upset. A few drops can be applied directly to the tongue or to drinking water, to help revive and restore calm.

A tea made from chamomile is also very soothing for nervous, irritable or upset animals. It can be added directly to the food.

Insect Bites & Stings

The homeopathic remedy Apis is the number one substance to reach for in cases of a bee sting or similar problem. Beware of extreme reactions to stings, such as severe swelling and hives as these can be a warming of anaphylactic shock – in which case emergency veterinary care is vital. Benadryl may be helpful for less sever reactions.

The information in this article is for informational purposes only and does not replace the expert care and advice provided by your veterinarian or other health care provider. Dietary and other healthcare changes should be made under the guidance of your vet, particularly when underlying health conditions exist.

Advice - Holistic Approach to Itchy Skin

2008-11-21T22:56:00.000-08:00

I don't know about you but the dogs that I take care of sure do have a lot of itchy skin problems this time of the year. Actually I'll add cats to that statement, because now that I think about it, Kineivel has been itching a bit more and also Tiger, the kitty who I'm also staying with (my current job) also has super itchy skin. Every night around dinner time, he waits for me upstairs and when I come up, he really wants me to brush him. I discovered that he loves it when I brush quickly, with lots of short strokes - which also causes large amounts of static electricity that comes off the cat and myself and we both start to shock each other more and more until either one can't take it anymore! Then I stop. But he is super super itchy. So I started and recommend you to start your dog or cat or other on a supplement of Fish Oil. Most pet stores sell the pump bottles plus you can also choose to feed them fish oil for humans, which makes more sense than paying extra just because it's for your pet!

Here is some more information I found on a holistic approach to itchy skin and reasons for it plus what you can do about it. Enjoy!

A Holistic Approach to Itchy Skin

There are many possible causes of the chronic itchy skin, hot-spots, dandruff and oily coat that plague many dogs. In the summer months, fleas or environmental / contact allergies may be the culprit – many pets are sensitive to certain types of grass and weeds. Other possible irritants in the home include detergents used to wash blankets and bedding, household cleaners, or sprays used in the yard.

One common cause that’s often overlooked, is diet. Food sensitivities are abundant in almost every breed, possibly due to genetics or that fact that many animals are fed the same food for months or even years on end, with no variety in ingredients or alternative sources of nutrition, such as fresh real food.

One of the most common causes of food sensitivity in pets, is grain. Lots of pets are sensitive to gluten, which can cause an inflammatory response that manifests itself as itchy skin or red and inflamed feet, GI Upset or persistent ear infections.

Feeding a no-grain diet to itchy pets, is a great first step in helping them to overcome this problem that can be uncomfortable for the pet - and frustrating and upsetting for the whole family.

If it is not possible to feed a completely no-grain diet, then one with only organic, whole-grains would be the next best choice. Grain fractions (gluten, husks, hulls etc) can be more problematic than the whole grain, and organic food, by definition, cannot be genetically modified. One school of thought is that GM grains are more likely to cause an adverse reaction in a sensitive pet; Studies show that when butterflies and other species come in contact with pollen from genetically modified crops, they suffer a number of health problems and genetic mutations eventually occur. It is possible that a similar thing happens when other species consume GM grains – especially species whose systems aren’t designed to cope with a grain overload in the first place.

Some pets are sensitive to ingredients other than grain, such as certain meats, vegetables or herbs. These sensitivities are generally less common, and in fact a pet who seems to be allergic to a certain meat, say chicken, because she gets itchy every time she eats her chicken flavored kibble, may actually be just fine when eating real, home-prepared raw or lightly cooked chicken. The problem is high heat processing that alters the amino acid structure, making the protein problematic in its processed form.

A natural, no-grain, minimally processed diet that’s also free of chemical preservatives and fillers, can go a long way to combating the problem of itchy skin, from the inside out. Customers are usually delighted with the results and under veterinary supervision , they may even be able to start reducing the long-term steroids and antibiotics they’ve had to administer to their pets. Many cats and dogs show a noticeable improvement in just a few days after starting a no-grain diet.

While a grain-free diet can be super-important part of the solution to chronic itchy skin in pets, a truly holistic approach looks at the big-picture. So other factors to consider are the chemical cleaners and other substances you use around your home and yard, including the substances used to treat most new carpets, the detergent used to wash your companion’s bedding, how high you run your central heat or A/C (both can be drying to the air) and of course – the shampoo and conditioner you use to bathe your pet. One of our favorite lines of pet shampoos is from Happy Tails Spa www.happytailsspa.com This California company’s products are free of parabens and other harmful chemicals such as Sodium Laureth Sulfate found in many shampoos, and we love ‘em! Itchin’ For Relief is an especially nice product to tackle irritations from the outside!

The Honest Kitchen produces a line of dehydrated foods that are guaranteed human grade because they’re actually produced in a human-grade plant. Our company offers several completely grain free diets as well as a gluten free option made with the ancient grain, Quinoa.

Recommeded link: 2 Dogs 2000 Miiles

2008-11-21T22:16:00.000-08:00

I was just playing around on Dogster.com and Catster.com. I may be sending some cool stuff out! So I just found this amazing blog about a guy who is walking with his two dogs across the country in support of finding a cure/treatment for Canine Cancer. Canine Cancer unfortunately made it's way into my life this past year. I am still saddened, especially with the loss of a very special furry friend of mine back in August. Tango was such an amazing dog and I had the pleasure of taking care of him over early summer, while his owner went back east to visit her parents. I took care of him and stayed overnight with him as his pet sitter for a bit over 2 weeks. I had an amazing time with him + he and I bonded very quickly! Special times together included a fun visit to the ocean beach off of Hwy 1 in Pescadero, along with a friend of mine and Blue, a friend's dog, who came with us as well. And watching Tango, who is a Corgi, chase Blue around and nip at her heals as if she's a sheep, was just so exciting and I was laughing most of the time! He loved riding in the car with me, he got to meet several of my other doggie buddies, because I was almost overbooked with pet sitting jobs between July and September, so I always had another job or two to do besides the overnight job that I happened to be doing at the same time. He was so incredibly good with other dogs and even kids - very protective as well. It was so refreshing to be around. I even got to bring him home (this never happens!!!) for a dinner my parents were having for my Gramma who was down to visit for 2 weeks; he was allowed inside, and to lie down underneath my chair while I ate dinner and then the rest of the time, he was content to just walk around and say hi to other people. I was quite impressed. I loved taking care of a dog who trully loved life, as I do as a human being. So when I got a weird phone call from his owner after she got back, saying he was acting weird and two days later wasn't able to walk around, let alone stand up. I was upset and his owner was upset & I thought maybe I had given him too much exercise or he ate something weird that I didn't see or.....he was taken to the vet 3 days later and the vet found 5 swollen lymph nodes, most in his armpits and near his elbow joint. One was biopsied and a couple days later I get an email from his owner saying that he has very far gone advanced lymphoma, I was very upset. I remember crying my eyes out for hours after I got that email; no one was even at home, I think my parents were in Tahoe at the time; wow, it took me a while to try to get over that and even to get a hold of his owner so that I could visit him and say goodbye. 3 weeks came and went before I was able to find out if I could see him but he was put down because it was obvious he was suddenly very sick and in a lot of pain and just wasn't himself. T (his owner), decided to just give him some peace instead of putting him on hardcore chemo just to help him live a bit longer.

I'm still very sad when I hear something about Canine Cancer. I will always miss Tango greatly and wish that I was given more time to get to know him and love him before he was put to sleep. Shortly after all of that happened, I was at a Pet Fair of some kind up in San Rafael and one of the tables was CanineCancer.org - the leading organization doing research along with the UK Vet Research people to try to make a test for canine cancer that can be done super early, even before showing symptoms of any kind and will be cheap/affordable & allow owners more information about exactly what is wrong with their dog, if it's treatable, how long you have if it isn't. So they are amazing and I got some really good information from them at that fair plus I donated some money and got a bracelet - one of those rubbery bracelets that are different colors and usually say something on them depending on what they stand for - I love it - it's Glow-in-the-Dark and says Cure CanineCancer.org. I recommend checking that out.

So when I just found the link to 2 Dogs 2000 Miles, I was amazed by what this dog owner is doing in the name of raising awarence and educating people about the reallities of Canine Cancer.

The link for the website is: http://www.2dogs2000miles.org/Home_Page.html. He also writes a blog and it can be found here: http://www.2dogs2000miles.org/Remember.html

If you want to put a dog you know who died of cancer on their memoriam wall on their site, you can email them the name at: memwall@2dogs2000miles.org

Owls on the Ground

2008-11-10T16:32:00.000-08:00

Owls on the Ground

Burrowing Owls, if present, can be easier to see than most owls because they are active during the day (diurnal) and do not hide out in trees. They nest and roost on the ground and are often found standing outside a burrow, which they defend vigorously from intruders. Unlike other owls, this owl will actually use odoriferous nest materials, including mammal scat (feces), to create a deterrent for other mammal predators that might want to enter the nesting burrow.

These owls do not dig their own burrows, but use those created by other creatures such as Ground Squirrels. So the suppression of Ground Squirrels also hurts Burrowing Owls. In places like Point Reyes, they also have used badger burrows, but the badger is a mammal that also may be declining in numbers. Fewer squirrels and badgers = fewer burrows for burrowing owls.

Burrowing Owls are approximately 9" tall, most of which is accounted for by their long legs.These long legs aid these owls in plucking rodents and other creatures out of tall grasses.

Burrowing Owls are very vocal, and have a wide range of different calls. Click here to listen: http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/audio/Burrowing_Owl.html The main call is given only by adult males, usually when near the burrow to attract a female. A two-syllable "who-who" is given at the entrance of a promising burrow. This call is also associated with breeding, and territory defence. Other sounds called the "rasp", "chuck", "chatter", and "scream" have been described. Juveniles give a rattlesnake-like buzz when threatened in the burrow, and adults give a short, low-level "chuck" call to warn of approaching predators. This is usually accompanied by bobbing the head up and down.
Species of Special Concern

Burrowing Owls have been declining in California for years and are classified as a California Species of Special Concern in our state. In 2003 attempts to get stronger protection for the owls as a state endangered species were denied by the California Department of Fish & Game.

These owls have many natural enemies, including larger owls, hawks, falcons, badgers, skunks, ferrets, armadillos, snakes, and domestic cats and dogs, and are often killed by vehicles when crossing roads, but the primary reason for this owl's decline is human development and agriculture that results in loss of habitat for the owl.

Additionally, the poisoning of ground squirrels and other smaller rodents also results in the poisoning of their predators. Burrowing Owls include insects as a large part of their diet, so insecticides also play a role in their decline. These owls are getting hit from all sides!

Badgers, Ground Squirrels, Burrowing Owls, rodents and insects are connected in a tenuous web. When a single strand is broken the consequences are far-reaching. John Muir said it best: "When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world."

To learn more about these efforts, visit the website of the Marin-based Institute for Bird Populations http://www.birdpop.org/

Turkey Talk

2008-11-10T16:25:00.000-08:00

This is fascinating, as I have always wondered the history of the wild turkeys we see out and about around town if you live in a country setting or near hills and wilder areas. This might answer your questions too!

Talking Turkey

by Susanne Cooper, Former Terwilliger Van Naturalist

They're showing up in the best neighborhoods and they're becoming bolder. But the Wild Turkeys you are seeing didn't invite themselves. They were here before, and we invited them back -- now they're here to stay.

The original West Coast Wild Turkey became extinct around 10,000 years ago, probably because of climate change at the end of the last ice age. No wild turkeys gobbled again in California until the late nineteenth century.

Wild turkeys of various subspecies were first reintroduced to California in 1877, and the Department of Fish and Game started releasing turkeys in California for hunting purposes in 1910. Preferring oak woodlands like those of Marin and Sonoma to any other habitat, the population exploded and quickly spread. Wild turkeys can now be found in almost every open space preserve (and in many residential areas!) in the Bay Area. The Bay Area is a veritable turkey's delight!

The domestic turkey of today came to farms in California after several hundred years of globe trotting. In the early sixteenth century Spanish explorers brought the Aztec's turkey, domesticated from the wild Mexican subspecies, to Europe. Europeans confused this new bird with an African guinea fowl imported through Turkey, and voilà: the name "turkey" was born. When the Pilgrims came to the Americas they brought their gobbling pheasant with them, having no idea that its wild counterparts were already in residence.

Bearded gobblers

The turkey hen is smaller and plainer than the male, only three feet tall and averaging eight pounds. As much as four feet high and weighing up to 25 pounds, a male turkey, aka "tom" or "gobbler," is impressive. And what a sight he is! The fleshy bumps on the turkey's head are called "caruncles." "Wattles" refer to the skin hanging from throat and neck. A "snood" is a flap of skin that hangs over the beak. Turkeys have "beards" or specialized feathers that stick out from the breast, up to nine inches in some males! Even more amusing than these turkey terms are the names given to the sounds turkeys emit-- they gobble, cluck, putt, purr, yelp, cutt, cackle and even kee-kee!

A National Symbol

Benjamin Franklin preferred the turkey over the bald eagle as our national symbol. In a letter to his daughter he stated "For the Truth the Turkey is in Comparison a much more respectable Bird... though a little vain & silly, a Bird of Courage, and would not hesitate to attack a Grenadier of the British Guards who should presume to invade his Farm Yard with a red Coat on."

4th Annual Fur Ball Fundraiser

2008-11-04T03:24:00.000-08:00

Hopalong Animal Rescue - 4th Annual Fur Ball (Join us - and save animals' lives!)
Reply to: comm-902480550@craigslist.org [?]
Date: 2008-11-01, 11:08PM PDT

Hopalong Animal Rescue adopts out 1000 cats and dogs annually, and provide education, spay/neuter and information and referral services to the greater Bay Area community.

On November 8, we will hold our 4th Annual Fur Ball fundraiser, to be held at the Clark Kerr Conference Center in Berkeley. We count on this fundraiser to help us replenish our medical fund (more is always needed - 1000 animals a year are expensive!).
LOL! The name is very cute!

The Details:

4th Annual Fur Ball Fundraiser
Clark Kerr Conference Center
2601 Warring St, Berkeley, CA

November 8, 2008 from 6 pm to 10 pm

$50/ticket when purchased or reserved by Nov 7

Raffle! -- VIVA LAS VEGAS!

4 night stay at a 29th Floor, luxury condominium at Turnberry Place, located one block off the Las Vegas Strip. 2 bedrooms, 3 full baths, sleeps four comfortably (and two additional on sofas). Limo transfer to and from the airport, access to a European style spa on the property (includes 5 pools, dry and wet saunas, gorgoues gym, yoga and pilates classes, etc). Stunning condo.

Raffle tickets are $10 each, or 6 for $50

To purchase tickets, please contact christina@hopalong.org, or mail a check to:

Hopalong Animal Rescue
PO Box 27507
Oakland, CA 94602

Hope to see you there!!!

http://hopalong.org/news_events/events.shtml

Best Cat Video Ever!

2008-10-31T02:49:00.001-07:00

http://video.stumbleupon.com/#p=fq55ieixwd

The Honey Badger

2008-10-31T02:05:00.000-07:00

This animal is insanely amazing! I've never seen anything like it and I had no idea Badgers were like this. It is called 'the most fearless animal on earth'. Check it out: http://video.stumbleupon.com/#p=e0uyj5fhzt

Last minute Halloween dog costume ideas!

2008-10-30T21:58:00.001-07:00

This is taken from the Woof Report:

New Woof Report Friends page! Is your dog there?
See our photos from Pet Pride Day in Golden Gate Park
Let other dog people in on the scoop. Invite them to subscribe to Woof Report!

Last Minute Halloween Costume Ideas | October 30, 2008

It’s Halloween eve and your dog doesn’t have a costume! Quick, get out a white sheet and some scissors for a classic ghost costume you can make in minutes – and best of all, no sewing required!

Thanks to Cerena Zutis from CZ Training and her adorable models, Little Guy (pictured) and Mariah, we’ve got the details for this famous trick or treat disguise. Follow along:

What you need:

* A sheet, preferably flannel because it stays in place on its own
* Scissors
* A plastic pumpkin treat bucket or a pumpkin dog toy
* A doggie trick or treater

How to:
Cutting the holes in the right place is the essential to the costume and the muzzle (face) hole is the most important. Size it correctly to keep the costume in place on your dog. Too big and the whole costume will slide back too far.

Next, work on the eye and ear holes. Make all holes a little smaller than you think they need to be -- you can always cut more fabric if necessary, but you can’t add it back on. Place the costume over your dog, muzzle first and smooth it over his back. The costume can be attached to your dog in some way, but that prevents it from flowing nicely, so you may just want to stop your dog and adjust the drape of the costume as needed.

Lastly, put the pumpkin bucket handle in your dog’s mouth for a laugh from door to door. Keep in mind that this last step is likely the hardest part of the costume, so just having him hold a toy pumpkin would certainly also work – and need we say, makes your pup look just as adorable.

The Scoop:

Little Guy and Mariah modeling his their costumes
www.youtube.com/lgandmariah

Little Guy’s Halloween Trick
www.youtube.com/lg

Instructions to make Halloween accessories for your dog -- bandanas, embellished collars and t-shirts. Don’t say we didn’t warn you – these require sewing skills.
www.diynetwork.com/doggiehalloween

Thank you to Cerena Zutis from CZ Training, Little Guy and Mariah for the tip.

PLEASE Vote YES on PROP 2

2008-10-30T16:42:00.000-07:00

Here is more information: http://www.yesonprop2.com/

This site offers you information covering both sides, yes and no votes. I was very confused and did not understand why anyone would vote no on this prop, as I feel strongly that something like this should have been done years ago, as has been done in Oregon, Arizona and one more that I cannot think of; but it's on the site. There is a great Q&A section that will answer all of your questions and give you both sides + a great Myth versus Facts section. If anything, click on that section and read that to make your decision. There are no lies here, just plain and simple facts about this prop.

Please be a voice for animals who are treated so cruelly in the farming industry. Factory farming is animal cruellity! Please pass the word before Nov 4th!

Thank you :)

Website for chicken owners or lovers

2008-10-23T01:29:00.000-07:00

Over the summer, I was in charge of quite a large number of water fowl - approximately 50 (and growing with all the baby chicken litters) of various breeds of chickens and hens, lots of ducks who were all very scared of me :( and a bunch of turkeys plus one very mean pair of geese - a couple who were inseperable. I learned a lot from that job, one that all of those birds make quite a mess and boy does it smell nasty. The worst was over the summer when it was so hot that I was just miserable since nothing was shaded in the coop - when the eggs would explode in the hot sun. I won't even go into details about the way that smelled. Anyway, the positive experience I had my first day with these chickens, were that they loved people and they equated people with food but that they were also very friendly and it was so easy to interact with them and start to care about them, as a pet almost, something I had never experienced. I didn't eat chicken for months after that first day. Some individuals were so happy and friendly, that they would walk up to me wanting to be petted and they are so soft, and their feathers are so beautiful.

So because this blog literally focuses on ALL species of animals around the world and my experiences with them, I like to keep up to date on all of my animal knowledge and working with the chickens just benefits me as a pet sitter and I know that when i move, it will be good that I do have experience with farm animals, as there is a lot of country and farms on the outskirts of Portland downtown. It was a great experience and I would love to have it again. So here is a great website I found that finally answered my question: how many breeds of chickens are there and how many different colors/patterns/sizes/shapes do they come in?? YOu can take a look here: http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/BRKPoultryPage.html. :)

Info/Tip: Salmonella in Reptiiles & other animals

2008-10-21T01:28:00.000-07:00

So I have an upcoming reptile care job at the end of December so I'm trying to do as much reading up and studying that I can on reptiles, the different species, etc and I will know more about what specifically I should read about once I meet all of them this week! I came across this great link which contained info on Salmonella, a common bacteria that can be passed on to humans from reptiles as well as even dogs & cats, something that I did not know (I thought it was only reptiles!). The site is: http://www.triciaswaterdragon.com/. While her information on the front page has not been updated since 2006, the links on information about various species and info on all sorts of information related to care of reptiles, all of those links work and are up to date. So I still recommend the website. Hopefully you can learn something new from the article below as I have! :)

Salmonella in Reptiles and Other Animals

I attended a reptile symposium here in Toronto in 1997. One of the speakers was a local reptile veterinarian- Dr. Craig Mosely. Part of the lecture he gave was about common ailments that many reptiles and amphibians suffer from. The other part of his lecture concerned zoonotic diseases such as Salmonella that animals may pass on to their human keepers and how we may prevent this transmission. Of course I took notes! On this page you will find information that I received during this lecture, and from doing research on my own.

Did you know that in one study, that was not species specific, of animals that had already died of various illnesses:

50% of snakes and lizards were found to carry salmonella, and
7% of the turtles carried salmonella as well
30% of dogs tested also carry a salmonella bacteria

So if you have say four reptiles, you could consider that perhaps 2 of them are infected with salmonella.

Estimated Infection rate in Reptiles

Species	Percentage infected
Turtles	12.1-85%
Snakes	16-92%
Lizards	36-77%

The vet himself was infected by salmonella from his pet cat! So it's not just reptiles and chicken that carry the over 2200 species of salmonella. Most animals seem to be host to one form or another- that also includes us!

Almost all animals- reptiles and mammals can carry salmonella bacteria. It is something that all pet owners should be aware of- not just reptile keepers! While many reptiles do carry one form or another of salmonella please keep in mind that if you take proper precautions the chances of a healthy adult becoming ill with salmonella from a reptile will be very low. It would be much easier to get a salmonella infection from poorly cooked or prepared eggs or chicken.

There are over 2000 strains of salmonella bacteria. Many of these strains are species specific and cannot cross over from one species to another. Many of these strains do not cause symptoms in their host but may make another species quite ill if the bacteria is one of those that is able to infect another species.

Of the strains of bacteria that can cross over from an animal to a human, many will cause no noticeable illness, or will perhaps make the person feel slightly ill and they may only think that they have a mild form of the flu. Other strains can make humans quite ill with severe flu like symptoms.

Whether salmonella bacteria infections should be treated?

Unless the animal is showing signs and symptoms that it itself is suffering from a salmonella infection it is believed that no reptile should be treated. First of all it is very difficult to tell whether your animal has salmonella. It may shed the bacteria in its feces, but only at certain times. Other times the bacteria may be present in their systems but they are not shedding the bacteria in their feces. So a false negative may be found when the stool is tested.

One other problem is that some people want to try to eliminate the salmonella without finding out exactly what kind of salmonella it is that might be infecting their animal. If your reptile or other animal is found to positive for salmonella a culture and sensitivity test should be done to find out exactly what antibiotic is effective for that salmonella species.

If the wrong antibiotic is used or if not enough of it is used to eliminate that bacteria the salmonella can develop a resistance to that antibiotic! This is scary... this is how other bacteria have come to be resistant to all or most commonly used antibiotics. Anyone hear of the flesh eating bacteria? I rest my case!

There is a salmonella bacteria in the United States that has become resistant to commonly used antibiotics. It doesn't come from reptiles though... but it can be severe.

To help prevent transmission of salmonella bacteria

You should wash your hands between handling each animal- at least ones housed separately so if they are contaminated with salmonella or have any other contagious health problems you are not passing it on from one reptile/animal to another...

Keeping cages clean etc. will not prevent your animals from getting salmonella... in studies that have been done it's been shown that over 50% of the animals carry one or more strains of salmonella... so it's best to just assume that your herps, cat, dog, mouse, gerbil or rabbit all have salmonella and take proper precautions.

Salmonella bacteria can infect the eggs too as they pass through the females cloaca, so even captive bred animals could be infected with salmonella. :( (why do you think 90% of the chicken eggs sold for human consumption are infected by salmonella?)

Wash your hands in warm water, soaping well and scrubbing the skin and under the nails after handling any animal, their enclosures or utensils/dishes you for their care; or preparing chicken or eggs.

You may use an antibacterial soap, but do keep in mind that many bacterias are becoming resistant to antibiotics and antibacterial soaps may actually contribute to the problem and make a bacteria become resistant to some forms of antibiotics.

Keep the cages very clean- removing any feces as soon as you see them, and keep their water clean... disinfect the cages, water bowls and their food dishes with either a mild bleach and water solution, a quatricide compound or novasolon.. and if your pets are allowed to free roam don't allow them in areas used for human food consumption or preparation i.e. the kitchen. Don't wash their things in the kitchen sink either- use the tub or a utility sink and bleach it all when you are done...

Most importantly... do not allow infants, or young children (up to the age of 8 or so), the elderly, or immuno-supressed (cancer, HIV) individuals to handle your animals or preferable even go into a room that reptiles are allowed to free roam in. There are some very virulent forms of salmonella, and salmonella in general seems to affect all of the above types of people in a much more serious manner than say a generally healthy adult.

How long can Salmonella bacteria live outside it's host?

The salmonella bacteria can live outside of the host for quite a long time. In some studies it's been shown to live on formites (contaminated inanimate objects i.e. your couch..) for several months.

In one study some researchers tested an old snake skin shed that had been hanging on a wall for years and it had viable salmonella bacteria on it!!!! (JW Grier, MS Bjerke, and LK Nolan [Zool. Dept & Dept of Veterinary Science & Microbiology, North Dakota State University, Fargo ND] "Snakes and the _Salmonella_ Situation", Bull Chicago Herp Society 28(3):53-59 (1993))

In 43 of their snakes that they checked (JW Grier, MS Bjerke, and LK Nolan [Zool. Dept & Dept of Veterinary Science & Microbiology, North Dakota State University, Fargo ND] "Snakes and the _Salmonella_ Situation", Bull Chicago Herp Society 28(3):53-59 (1993)), they found 24 serotypes of Salmonella, with 38 snakes (88%) carrying one or more types of S. They checked their snakes several times, occasionally coming up with false negatives in snakes that had previously tested positive. It is interesting to note that they sent duplicate samples out to two independent labs. One found S. in all of the same samples; the other found none! That indicates the importance of using a reptile vet who uses a lab who is familiar with reptile parasites, protozoans, bacterial and fungi to do diagnostic work. They also check an old, unused multi-unit snake display cage that had been in the "home of a private collector who moved to a new house and left the cage at his former house. Although no reptiles had been in the cage or building or even the building for over six months, we recovered viable salmonellae from several units of the cage. "In the process of running our tests, we froze some samples then later thawed and analysed them. Freezing did not kill the salmonellae. These bacteria are very resistant and can persist in the environment."

So those of us with free roaming reptiles and other pets, are particularly vulnerable to contamination, and any visitors we may have are also susceptible too.

Many reptiles (and other pets!) have one strain or another of salmonella- nothing we can do about it- it's part of them ... it's all around us really!

Salmonella bacteria is usually shed in the animals feces and sometimes their saliva ... so if you have a lizard walking around licking things and dragging it's body all over stuff you have potentially contaminate a large area of your home.

So, in general it's best to think of all reptiles and animals as carrying salmonella and to use proper precautions such as good hand washing techniques, and using a bleach and water solution to clean surfaces they come in contact with, their enclosures, their dishes, and their water containers, and not to clean their things in the kitchen sink either! Clean their things in an area not used by humans and use bleach to clean the sink or tub that you used for their stuff.

Note: Lysol spray states on the bottle that it kills salmonella bacteria, but please remember that this is a TOXIC chemical to reptiles. Do not use this!

Substance:	Salmonella Remains viable:
tap water	89 days
pond water	115 days
pasture soil	120 days
garden soil	280 days
in avian feces	28 months
bovine feces	30 months
Salmonella in substrate will penetrate through the shells of turtle eggs	within one hour of contact.

Information: What is Hippotherapy?

2008-10-20T03:19:00.000-07:00

For those not familiar, Hippotherapy is basically horseback riding for the disabled. It's a really neat thing that these horse barns do, especially for little kids and disabled kids and young adults who may otherwise never have access to horses or riding. At some point I would like to find a facility that is close by, where I can volunteer and be part of these wonderful programs.

Here is Wiki's definition to give you an idea:

Hippotherapy

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

According to the American Hippotherapy Association, Inc., "Hippotherapy" is a physical, occupational and speech therapy treatment strategy that utilizes equine movement."

In the hippotherapy environment, a therapist uses the horse's movement to provide carefully graded sensory input. A foundation is established to improve neurological function and sensory processing, which can be generalized to a wide range of daily activities. Unlike in therapeutic horseback riding where specific riding skills are taught, in hippotherapy the movement of the horse is a means to a treatment goal.

History: The medical use of the horse which addresses people with neuromotor dysfunction is called Hippotherapy and was developed in Germany, Austria and Switzerland in the 1960's. In Germany, Hippotherapy was a treatment by two physiotherapists, a specially trained horse and horse handler. The theories of physiotherapy practice where applied and the physiotherapist would give directives to the horse handler as to the gait, tempo, cadence,and direction for the horse to preform which would affect the patient throughout the therapy treatment. The movement of the horse is carefully modulated to influence neuromuscular changes in the patient. In the late 1980's a group of physical, occupational therapists and speech and language pathologists from Canada and the USA went to Germany to learn about hippotherapy. They brought it back to Canada and the USA.

Presently in the USA: Equine Assisted Therapy is the umbrella term for any specially trained licensed health professional who incorporates the equine environment into a treatment session within their scope of practice and professional designation. Equine Assisted Therapy is the umbrella term which lists Hippotherapy and Equine Assisted Psychotherapy. Licensed Physical, Occupational Therapists, Physical and Occupational Therapy Assistants and Speech and Language Pathologists incorporate the horse's movement( hippotherapy) into their total plan of care for their patients. In the Mental Health Industry, Social Workers, Psychologists and Mental Health providers may incorporate Equine Assisted Psychotherapy into their treatment sessions. This is different from hippotherapy where the movement of the horse influences or facilitates an adaptive response in the patient. Forms of Equine Assisted Psychotherapy may have the patient on the horse or off the horse and the treatment is not focused on a set of specific movements for the horse to produce an adaptive response in the patient.

How does the horse help in Hippotherapy?

Hippotherapy comes from the Greek roots hippo-, for horse and the word therapy , thus meaning therapy with the help of a horse.The horse's pelvis has the same three dimensional movement of the humans pelvis at the walk. The horse's three dimensional movement is carefully graded at the walk in each treatment for the patient. This three dimensional movement provides physical and sensory input, which is variable, rhythmic and repetitive. The variability of the horse's gait enables the therapist to grade the degree of input to the patient and utilize this movement in combination with other treatment strategies to achieve desired therapy goals or functional outcomes. In addition, the three-dimensional movement of the horse's pelvis leads to a movement response in the patient's pelvis which is similar to the movement patterns of human walking. A foundation is established to improve neurological function and sensory processing, which can be generalized to a wide range of daily activities and address functional outcomes and therapy goals. Hippotherapy can only be provided by a licensed Physical Therapist, Occupational Therapist or Speech and Language Pathologist. Adults and children with disabilities can improve their posture, muscle tone, coordination, balance,sensory/motor development as well as speech and language skills when hippotherapy is incorporated into a total Plan of Care for a patient.

What does hippotherapy help with?

Gross motor skills
Speech and language abilities
Articulation
Oral Motor skills
Respiration and postural/core control
Fine motor skills
Sensory Processing
Behavioral and cognitive abilities

Hippotherapy as a treatment strategy for Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Speech and Language Therapy

Physical Therapists who have had special training in hippotherapy will incorporate the three dimensional movement of the horse to achieve gait training goals, balance goals, postural / core control goals, and strengthening and stretching. Improvement in gross motor skills and functional activities for developing children with disabilities are gained as the natural environment and variability of the horse's gait present as new and unique to a child. Coordination and balance as well as equilibrium skills are addressed through the variability of the horse's movement as well as the rhythm, tempo and cadence of the horses movement.

In Occupational Therapy a specially trained Occupational Therapist will incorporate hippotherapy, the movement of the horse, to modulate and organize the sensory systems. Sensory processing via hippotherapy simultaneously addresses the vestibular, proprioceptive, tactile, visual, olfactory, and auditory systems. The occupational therapist will incorporate the movement of the horse, hippotherapy, to modulate the sensory system in preparation for a therapy or treatment goal and lead to a functional activity. The reciprocal three dimensional movement of the horse helps with the development of fine motor skills, visual motor skills, bilateral control and cognition as well.

Although many people associate hippotherapy with physical therapy, hippotherapy as a Speech and Language Therapy strategy is growing more common. Hippotherapy uses a horse to accomplish traditional speech, language, cognitive, and swallowing goals. Carefully modulated, well cadenced equine movement offers an effective means of addressing speech and language deficits through facilitation of the physiological systems that support speech and language function. Utilizing hippotherapy, appropriate sensory processing strategies have been integrated into the treatment to facilitate successful communication.

Medical conditions for which hippotherapy is indicated

Some medical conditions for which hippotherapy may be commonly indicated are listed below. However, hippotherapy is not for every patient; specially trained Physical or Occupational Therapists or Speech and Language Pathologists evaluate each potential patient on an individual basis as per their professional designation and within their scope of practice. There are specific contraindications and precautions for some conditions and diagnosis.

Autism Spectrum Disorders
Cerebral palsy
Cerebral vascular accident (stroke)
Developmental delay
Down syndrome
Functional spinal curvature (scoliosis)
Learning or language disabilities
Multiple Sclerosis
Sensory Processing Disorders
Traumatic brain injury

HPCS certification

Hippotherapy Clinical Specialty (HPCS) Certification is a designation indicating board certification of therapists who have advanced knowledge and experience in hippotherapy. Physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech and language pathologists who have been practicing their profession for at least three years (6,000 hours) and have 100 hours of hippotherapy practice within the three years prior are permitted to take the Hippotherapy Clinical Specialty Certification Examination. Those who pass become board certified in hippotherapy and are entitled to use the HPCS designation after their name. HPCS certification is for five years. After five years the therapist can either retake the exam, or show written evidence of 120 hours of continuing education distributed over the five years, with a relative balance of 50% (60 hours) in education related to equine subject matter: psychology, training, riding skills, etc., 25% (30 hours) in education related to direct service in your professional discipline and 25% (30 hours) in any other subject related to hippotherapy or show written evidence of scholarly activity* appropriate to the field of hippotherapy. Examples of acceptable scholarly activity include Hippotherapy Faculty in Graduate Education, Publication or research of scholarly article in Juried Publication, Scientific research related to hippotherapy, Teaching/developing courses, AHA Approved Course Faculty. The exam is offered twice a year, in February and in August. Please go to the Professional Testing Corporation of New York's website at www.ptcny.com or call them at 212.356.0660 for further information.

External links

http://www.americanhippotherapyassociation.org/
Federation of Riding for the Disabled: http://www.frdi.net/
NARHA: http://www.narha.org/

Tip: Top 10 Household Hazards for Pets

2008-10-19T20:17:00.000-07:00

(I'm playing around with colors).

I'm sure you're doing a great job of keeping your pets safe at home but we can all be more vigilant. So here are the top 10 hazards that can be found in your house or every place else, that can seriously harm your pets. This list is brought to you by the ASPCA/APCC. Last year, the APCC answered more than 116,000 calls, significantly more than the year before. In response, they have released this very helpful list for you.

1. Human medications
From over-the-counter pain relievers to prescription drugs, human medications are the most common cause of poisoning in dogs and cats. *I can tell you from experience that whenever I take my medications, especially my before bed ones, my cat is so interested in all of those colored pills and usually takes to playing with them, knocking them off the bed or sniffing/licking them, which I discipline him for. So be careful!* Just one extra-strength acetaminophen can be deadly to a cat, and just 4 regular-strength ibuprofens can lead to serious kidney problems in a 10-pound dog! Dr. Steven Hansen, a veterinary toxicologist with the ASPCA, suggests storing medications in a secure cabinet out of the animal's reach and watch your pets closely when you have your medications out in the open. For example, don't leave pills out on the counter and walk away - your cat could jump up there, grab the pills and then they are long gone in his/her system and now you need to rush to the vet.

2. Insecticides
In one recent year, the APCC handled more than 27,000 calls reporting problems involving flea & tick products, clearly demonstrating the toxicity of these products. Wherever possible, avoid the use of chemical-laden flea & tick killers in favor of a holistic approach to pest control through diet,, supplements, grooming and natural flea products. *There are many alternative methods that work really well from introducing garlic into your pet's diet to using less toxic forms of medication. An example is of my cat - growing up with cats we always gave them Advantage because they were indoor/outdoor cats and really needed it (and we didn't have alternatives back then). When my cat was old enough to get flea treatments, the first time I used Advantage on him, he because very ill and had an allergic reaction from the chemicals in the treatment. I learned that it makes sense, since Advantage is applied directly to the skin of the animal, rather than ingested, etc. So I switched him to Program, which is a once-a-month packet of liquid that you give to your dog or cat to control the flea cycle by mixing the fluid into their food. It's basically like flea birth control and it gets rid of the fleas that way. It's great, he never had a reaction from it and it always worked well. When I moved home to Alameda with Kineivel, I discovered that on the island that I live on, there isn't really a flea problem here at all anymore and because my cat never goes outside beyond our courtyard and therefore, has no contact with other cats or stray animals and therefore doesn't' have contact with fleas. So just this year, I stopped the Program and didn't' give him anything for flea control. Never got one flea problem, even during flea season. I also give him treats occasionally which have a natural flea control ingredient in them, like garlic and other natural forms of control just as an occasional backup, when he's spending a lot of time outside in the courtyard and when he goes to other places, like up to Tahoe or up to Oregon. I would highly recommend switching from your prescription flea products and especially those awful flea & tick collars - those things are so incredibly toxic - the active ingredient works by going into the skin and will go into your system just by you touching the collar. Scary stuff!

3. Veterinary medications
The poison center has seen a whopping 93% increase in cases involving vet medications, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, heartworm preventatives, antibiotics and vaccines. Minimize use of these drugs by consulting a holistic vet about alternative treatments and therapies. *I recommend researching the neighborhood where you live and if your neighborhood/city DOES NOT have a high feral/stray cat population, and your cat doesn't go outside or doesn't have contact with any other cats outside, you can get away with just giving your cat the 3-year rabies vaccine. This is another thing my cat is really allergic to - with any vaccine, he gets really sick for a 24 hour period after the vaccine is given. I have to give him a tiny dose of Benedryl to help his system to feel better faster. He is just miserable afterwards, poor guy. So I don't allow any other vaccines for his benefit. Talk to your vet, they should be flexible with giving vaccinations. Tell them your concerns. Plus it is being discovered that vaccines in animals may be a cause of cancer, especially in dogs and cats. Cancers many times form at the injection site and spread from there. *

4. Plants
Houseplants may look good, but many are highly toxic, including common varieties like azalea & rhododendron. Lilies, for example, are highly toxic to cats. Even ingested in small amounts, they can produce life-threatening kidney failure. Keep houseplants out of animal's reach (especially if your pet has a tendency to chew on things!) and provide safe alternatives like barley grass or catnip for cats.

5. Rodenticides
As pet food recalls tragically have shown, rat poisons and similar toxins can lead to potentially life-threatening situations for dogs and cats, including seizure or kidney damage. Consider safer, more humane ways of getting rid of rodents, such as live traps. Just as parents baby-proof a home, why not proactively pet-proof both home and property?

6. Household cleaners
Bleaches, detergents and disinfectants are just some of the household cleaners that can harm furry, four-footed and other companions. Store all cleaners in a secure spot; better yet, switch to nontoxic, green alternatives.

7. Chocolate
Don't share this tasty treat with animals!!! Chocolate contains caffeine-like substances known as methylxanthines, which can cause abnormal heart rhythm, tremors, seizures and even death in animals, especially dogs. Typically, the darker the chocolate, the greater the potential for poisoning - makes sense to me.

8. Chemical hazards
This group encompasses antifreeze, drain cleaners, pool and spa chemicals and many others. These substances can cause a variety of problems, ranging from gastrointestinal upset & depression to respiratory difficulties and chemical burns.

9. Physical hazards
Be alert for objects that could cause choking, intestinal obstruction or other injury. Dr Hansen has managed cases involving the ingestion of several common objects - from pet collars and adhesive tape to bones, paper products and similar items. It is important to make sure that items that could be easily knocked over, broken, chewed up or swallowed are kept out of the reach of curious pets.

10. Home Improvement Products
The APCC has dealt with thousands of cases involving paint, solvents, expanding glues and other products used in construction and renovation. Dr. Hansen advises pet parents to keep animals out of areas where home improvement projects are taking place to avoid ingestion of hazardous materials.

For more information, visit: www.ASPCA.org/APCC

Product Review: Wonder Oil Products, Emu jerky

2008-10-19T20:12:00.000-07:00

I want to recommend a great treat for cats and dogs. This comes from the company called: A Product of Wonder Oil Products, Inc. You can contact them at: PO Box 5808, Napa, CA 94581 or
www.wonderoil.com I believe I got these treats directly from the company because they had their products at one of the many pet expos that I attended this year. My cat LOVES the emu meat. In the past he wasn't very thrilled with any of the pet jerky products that are out for cats. But I thought because this was from a healthy source, as emu meat and oil has many beneficial qualities, that I should see what my cat thinks of it. He loves it and I am now all out and will have to order off the website. The treat comes in large slabs of jerky, which you can easily break into smaller pieces for cats and small dogs. This is 100% Emu meat grown without drugs or hormones. So try it and let me know what you think!

Upcoming Events - October 2008

2008-10-19T20:00:00.000-07:00

I want to tell you about some fun animal events coming up that you might want to go to. I will always update you with events in this area - for now those happening in the Bay Area, Calif. and then starting in February 2009, in the Portland area. I love events of any kind myself so I am always keeping my eye out for upcoming events that I might want to attend, by myself or with a friend or just to let people know about. So look for my posts with the same title to keep you up-to-date on things going on. Enjoy!

10/26/08 Pet Pride Day 12-3pm @ Sharon Meadows in San Francisco, GG Park. Will include products, vendors, contests, demos and more.

10/25/08 1-4pm Howloween Pet Party - Benefits the Humane Society of Sonoma County.
5345 Hwy 12 West, Santa Rosa $10 donation per dog requested. All proceeds benefit the humane society.
Join us for: dog costume contest, face painting, bobbing for hot dogs, prizes, pet photos, paws painting, pet psychic, wine tasting, K9 demos & much more! Dogs are welcome on leash only. For more info:
www.sonomahumane.org or (707) 542-0882

Clydstales in the snow

2008-10-19T01:02:00.000-07:00

I love how beautiful the Budweiser Clydesdales are and I love the commercials especially during the holidays as well as college football games, etc. Here's a link to one if you haven't' yet seen it or love them like I do. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6QPQIA4oEY

Advice/Tip: 7 ways to reduce your pet's carbon paw print

2008-10-19T00:20:00.000-07:00

Copied from: Green Living Journal, Portland. * = comments I have added below.

Are you a pet lover & an earth lover? Many of you work hard to reduce your carbon footprint, but you often overlook the problem of your pet's 'carbon paw print'. Here are 7 tips you can take to help your pets be more environmentally friendly:

1. Clean up after your pet regularly
The accumulation of pet waste is not only a health hazard, gut it has a real environmental impact, especially if storm drains carry it into waterways. The EPA estimates that two or three days worth of droppings from a population of about 100 dogs would contribute enough bacteria to temporarily close a bay, and all watershed areas within 20 miles of it, to swimming and also fishing.

2. Use biodegradable bags to dispose of pet waste
Every pet owner should be using biodegradable waste bags. A recent study in San Francisco determined that pet waste makes up 3>8% of residential landfills. (WOW!) Much of this landfill problem is the result of pet waste that is disposed of in regular plastic bags. Using biodegradable bags allows the pet waste to go back to the earth as nature intended.

3. Recycle your pet waste
Consider using an in-ground pet waste septic system. These septic systems are a sanitary and environmentally friendly alternative for pet waste disposal.

4. For cat lovers, consider using kitty litter made from recycled or organic materials.
Traditional clay-based kitty litters contribute significantly to landfills and do not biodegrade. Greener choices are available, including recycled newspaper or flushable kitty litter made from organic materials, such as corn, wheat and wood.

*Clay based litters and also any clumping litters are also responsible for human and pet allergies and annoyances around your home. It is extremely unhealthy to breathe in the clouds of clay that are produced each time your cat is in the box scratching around and also when you go to scoop out the litter. I can't stay working with these litters and I will bring a sterile mask with me so that I'm not breathing in the harmful contents of what else is in the clay litter or other clumping litters. I highly recommend using the Trader Joe's brand kitty litter which is made with recycled wood products, which are shaped like little cylinders, which when peed on, they turn into dust. Then any of the remaining dust can be either thrown into the Yard Waste container OR you can use it in your garden or put it anywhere on the ground, as long as it's just dirt and/or vegetation. This is so convenient.

5. Purchase all-natural pet food products
Look for the many healthy and eco-friendly alternatives for pet foods. Select foods that do not contain rendered meat or animal byproducts, and avoid pet foods made from protein sources, that may contain growth hormones or antibiotics. As we are continuing to learn regarding animal food products, we have learned about the unhealthy effects of gluten grains, including wheat and corn - which is the 'filler' used in most generic and some "natural" pet foods. Research indicates that pets have a difficult time digesting these sticky substances, which can even block the absorbtion of important nutrients. Most pets, especially dogs, are raised on wheat and corn, the top 3 ingredients in most foods. There are now so many health problems associated with dogs - incluging joint problems, itchy skin and allerigies - which are usually a result of the diet, which is one of the things your vet will look at once he/she has ruled out other problems with tests. Most dog food doesnn't provide enough protein to keep them healthy. And most protein sources are very low quality!

*If you see the words (name of meat like chicken) + 'meal' as the first ingredient listed on the ingredients list, stay far away. Meat meal is not good for your pets and wouldn't you want your pets getting the real thing, instead of body parts, bones which shouldn't be in food in the first place and unfresh ingredients? I certainly don't. I know the list of natural foods is pretty daunting, but if you do your research, talk to your vet or someone else that is knowledgeable regarding your pet's health and if they have any allergies, or other problems, to be able to pick the best brand of food for your pet. I recommend the California Naturals brands, as well as Evo Innova and others like Tiki Cat canned food - my cat loves this food, as well as California's Naturals wet food options. You should try to stay as far away from processed foods for our pets. I know it's harder to do and may be more expensive, but you're going to get a happy pet, who is getting all of their required daily nutrients & vitamins and you may also see a major change in your pet, especially if he/she suffered from things like IBS, kidney stones, joint stiffness, etc. If you eat organic, so should your pet.

6. Use eco-friendly pet grooming products
Avoid products that contain phosphates, sulfates & other chemicals that can be harmful to the environment. Earthbath pet shampoos & bath wipes do not contain any chemicals. If you purchase pet shampoos or flea & tick control products, please read the label and select products that are made from natural earth-friendly ingredients. Some chemicals can be unhealthy for your pet and can leave a residual "toxic trail" wherever they go. If you send your pet to the groomer, ask the groomer if they have a choice of earth-friendly products.

7. Buy earth-friendly pet toys and other products
When you buy toys, pet beds or other products for your pet, look for items that are made from all-natural materials. Remember, you have a choice in the products and services you buy for your pet.

Health Tip - Pumpkin for diarrhea or constipation

2008-10-18T00:40:00.001-07:00

If your dog or cat is having the occasional case of constipation or
diarrhea, one of the things that might help is canned pumpkin. Yes
canned pumpkin in its pureed form (NOT pumpkin pie filling) is a
fantastic stool softener which makes it a good natural remedy for
constipation. It often helps with upset stomach or indigestion for
both cats and dogs. It is very rich in fibre and adding just one or
two teaspoonfuls to your pet's food often gets the system moving in
no time. Dogs will occasionally want to eat it directly and that's
fine too. Sometimes though, finicky cats and dogs won't touch it no
matter what you do.

On the opposite end of things is diarrhea. Since the dietary fibre in
canned pumpkin absorbs water, it can be a great help to a cat or dog
that has diarrhea. Some pet owners report that it firms up their
pet's loose stools or diarrhea within a few hours. Again one to two
teaspoonfuls is all that is needed.

Product Review: Kitty Hooch Catnip

2008-10-17T23:09:00.000-07:00

I was just recently up in Portland, Oregon for 5 days/nights. I really enjoyed myself and had a lot of fun. People up there are really amazing and really proud of their city and they strive to make it a better place every single day. Portland is a home for thousands of animal lovers and the city has an amazing shelter - Oregon Humane Society: www.oregonhumane.org and other rescue organizations. The city is also home to many different practitioners and animal experts who want to offer the best to animal guardians all over the city - I was seriously impressed and I am very pleased with myself for finding a city that is perfect for both myself and my kitty. Kineivel is my rescue kitty, now 5 years old and really needs this move, almost as much as me.

So I went to the famous Saturday market the day before I flew back home. I was very impressed and got to talk to lots of different artists, mostly about how to eventually sell my own crafts and artwork at the market, which I will try to do come March 2009 after I move and get settled. There were a couple of pet-focused booths at the market, which was great to see. As I walked around, I found a gold mine of a product for all feline lovers!

The company is called: Kitty Hooch and they specialize in growing their own hand-processed 'White Lightning' catnip, catnip toys and they also customize cat furniture. For anyone going to or who live in Portland, OR, they are at every Saturday market, which goes from March to December. The owner of Kitty Hooch was very focused on making a product which they could garentee for their customers. The catnip that they sell is unlike any other catnip that you will find anywhere else, even at chain stores.

As the story goes, years ago the owners had bought various catnip filled toys for their cats and the response was lack of interest, making them assume that their cats didn't like catnip. Later they moved to Bald Peak and one day discovered a plant out in the field by their home that had been literally destroyed by their cats. With close inspection, they discovered that this plant was real catnip - the pure plant. They decided to grow the plants themselves and had to carefully protect them so that they would reach maturity otherwise their addicted cats would get a hold of the plants and chew them to pieces. When they finally matured, they filled old socks with catnip and their cats went crazy over them. They started giving the sock toys away to friends and friends were raving about how much their cats loved them! They decided to research the catnip that is sold in mainstream stores and the catnip that is also sold loose in a container. This catnip was different, dry and crunchy and had an odor of Oregano - the Catnip plant is in the mint family. The highest concentration of oils is in the flower of the plant, which is why you will find whole flowers in your product or toy, which you will never find in mainstream catnips. Also most mainstream catnip is machine processed and that is the main reason for it being loose and broken, instead of getting the whole plant - leaf, flower, seed, etc. Kitty Hooch is all 100% hand processed. The product is therefore a tad bit more expensive - the large mouse that I bought Kineivel was $8 and the container was $6 - but by processing everything by hand, this preserves the oils in the product which is what effects your cat. Because it is also stuffed whole into the toys, this allows for the catnip to stay fresh and every time your cat bites into the toy, the catnip automatically releases more of the oils. The process of farming this type of catnip is all 100% organic, so you're not giving your cat a toy or catnip that has been treated with pesticides and other harmful chemicals. They made the decision to provide cats with a premium catnip!

One difference is that you will NOT find this product at chain stores, you have to buy directly from the company itself. Their products are garenteed safe for cats, you won't find loose strings or buttons that fall off, all of which your cat might ingest and get sick from. Their toys are packed full with the premium catnip, garenteeing that the product last approximately a year and also the toy itself is made with a sturdy material, making it hard to tear apart, allowing for a longer lifespan of the toy which in turn saves you money! They do have a money-back garentee but hardly need to, as they only have a 0.2% return rate on their product! I'm never buying the other catnip every again!

You can read more customer reviews and read all about the company and their products on their website, as well as do some shopping for your kitty or find out where they will next be selling their products. The site is: http://kittyhooch.com

I highly recommend this product for all kitties, this stuff is liquid gold for cats! My cat carries his mouse around and I will find him rolling around on the floor, batting it in the air and even flying through the air himself after he has batted it into the air. It's very cute and I'm so happy to have found a product that really will last a long time. I'm considering investing in some of their other products around the time of my move, especially their fleecy cat blanket, in which you put a packet of the catnip into and it can serve as a safe place for your cat to sleep on while traveling. My kitty always gets the passenger seat in my car. Trust me, your cat will thank you!! >^..^<

Recommendation: Help your pets by brushing them out

2008-10-17T22:56:00.000-07:00

I have a new recommendation for everyone and their pets, especially with our recent wishy-washy weather - cold, then hot (and too hot at that) and now finally cooling off again - thank goodness! My poor kitty has medium length hair and gets so hot and is just so much happier when it is cold. When we recently went up to Lake Tahoe over the weekend, I left the windows cracked a bit, since I like fresh air while I'm asleep. I woke up during the night and found Kineivel down by the backs of my knees, under the comforter cover. It was so sweet, he got cold and figured out that snuggling with me in bed would make him warm. This is something he doesn't normally do and just started to do when he was four and a half or so.

Anyway, right now it's Fall and the weather and temps are changing. Your pet's system is getting ready for winter and that means it needs to shed out it's summer coat in order to make room for his/her winter coat to grow in. You may be finding clumps of hair around your house. To help your pet out, I highly recommend brushing them once a day if possible and focus on the areas that are shedding the most fur at this time. Brushing also stimulates the hair folicules in your pet's skin and these respond by secreting oil which helps keep the fur/hair soft instead of dry.

Also remember, if your pet has sensitive skin, especially to dry weather (before we start getting rain), find a skin spray or cream that works for your pet and try to use it often. It is always better to try to prevent dry skin problems before the areas get worse in winter. You can also help skin problems by adding olive oil to your pet's meal. Fish oil works on skin too and you can buy pump top bottles called: Wild Alaskan Fish Oil with Omega 3 for cats & dogs at various stores, definitely Petco or Petsmart. You can see where it is sold in your area by visiting: www.wild-alaskan.com. Hope that helps!

Welcome!

2008-10-17T22:44:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my new blog! I have tons of great ideas for what I want to do with this blog but just to begin, a few things:

-feel free to subscribe to this blog. The easiest way to do this is to sign up for a feed reader, such as Google or yahoo (you can find them on the main websites for each one) or if you have an address with either, you just need to set up your reader program. Then once it is setup, click on the link on the blog, usually on the bottom left titled: Posts (Atom). You may also subscribe to Comments if you want to. The blog will show up in your reader every time a new post is made. I love my reader program on Google and it's such a great way to stay up-to-date on anything that you are interested in.

-I welcome your comments and questions whether they pertain to a certain post or are just regarding animals in general. I will also do my best to answer them in the comments section, kind of like a running dialog for readers.

-if there is a particular issue or subject you want more information on, please email me and let me know your suggestion and I will do my very best to research your topic and post about it.

Thank you!