Archive for September, 2008

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Halloween Safety

Tuesday, September 30th, 2008

Tame Halloween Fright with Tips for Families with Dogs
Keep dogs safe during Halloween — the most dangerous holiday for dogs

Halloween brings a fun time for most of us, but for some of our much-loved four-legged family members, Halloween can be a nightmare. Dog owners may not be able to control external surroundings, but they can care for their dog’s safety and well being by observing the following tips:

-Don’t leave your dog outside. Even if you have a fenced yard, bring your dog inside where it is safe. If your dog is usually kept outside, bring him in a few times before the big night to get him used to being indoors. Your dog may be used to strangers, but so many little ghouls and goblins running about may be too much. Remember also that it is a natural instinct for dogs to protect the family from strangers, and on Halloween there will be no shortage of strangers.

-Keep your dog restrained. If your dog is timid or scared, or if he tends to love people a little too much, it is best to put him in a separate room away from the front door to limit his excitability, aggression, and chance of running outside and becoming lost.

-Reassure your dog. The best thing you can do for your dog when he is feeling unsettled by Halloween activities is to act as you normally would. By over-reassuring your dog or giving him an unusual amount of attention, you inadvertently can communicate to him that because you are acting differently, there must be something to worry about.

-Have your dog get used to costumes. Your dog may see his family members as strangers once they don their Halloween costumes. Before the kids put them on, allow your dog to scent the costumes. If your costume has a mask, keep the mask off when you are with your dog because dogs can become confused when they can’t see our faces.

-Check your dog’s ID tag. Be sure identification tags are secure on your dog’s collar — just in case.

-Keep candy away from your dog. Many candies — especially chocolate–are toxic to dogs. The severity of the toxicity depends greatly on factors such as breed, age, size, and how much candy was ingested. Problems may range from a mild upset tummy to vomiting and diarrhea, or even death. If you have any concerns at all, consult with a veterinarian immediately. If you want to keep your dog safe, make certain that sweets, including their wrappers, are kept well away from your dog.

-Protect dogs from candles and pumpkins. Excited or agitated dogs can easily knock over a lit candle or pumpkin. Be sure those items are away from your dog’s reach, or consider a battery-powered candle that does not burn

-Think twice about dressing your dog in a costume. While some dogs might enjoy being dressed up, many don’t. Experiment first to see if your dog likes being in a costume. If so, fine–he’ll most likely enjoy himself and the extra attention it brings. However, if he shows any resistance, don’t do it. Dogs feel enough stress around Halloween without also having to endure the discomfort and peculiarity of wearing a strange costume.

-Be prepared. If you take your dog with you while trick-or-treating, be prepared at all times. Do not let your dog approach the door of a house, and stay clear of possible gags or gangs of goblins who will gather at the door. Dogs do not understand that the person jumping out at you will not hurt you; they often think they can only help you by acting aggressively. Neither children nor adults in costumes should approach a dog without the owner’s consent.

-Have fun but think of your dog’s safety. Finally, if you want your dog to be included in Halloween festivities, think about his safety much as you would the safety of a small child. Your dog does not understand Halloween, so he needs you to provide the guidance and safety that you always do.

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Doggie Banana Biscotti – Bellissimo!

Monday, September 29th, 2008

I highly recommend this dog treat for all dogs, but especially for dogs that suffer with allergy problems.

After learning that my Westie Rose had several allergies, it had me checking all of her dry dog food, and goodies for the forbidden ingredients. She ended up being allergic to some of the most common ingredients in dry pet food, ingredients such as, beef, rice, corn, flax, milk, soy, white potato, and corn. As you can see from this list, it was not going to be easy to find a food that would be void of these popular ingredients. I had my work cut out for me!

It took a bit of work, and research to find a dry food Rose could eat, without aggravating her allergies. I finely found a dry dog food that would suit Rose’s dietary needs.

The dog food is a fish and sweet potato formula made by California Choice. She loves it, and it is void of all the additives she is allergic to.

I wasn’t having as much luck finding goodies that Rose would not turn her nose up at… Yes, Rose is a bit spoiled, as you most likely have realized by now! Well — I found a Doggie Bakery that could develop a custom treat for Rose. After the baker quoted a price per pound for these personalized treats, I decided quickly that this was not an affordable option for Rose’s dilemma.

I got to thinking; Rose loves people cookies, and begs with good vigor whenever one is in her vicinity. Perhaps I could whip up a wonderful, healthy treat for her myself.

I wanted to make a treat that would be not only healthy, but tasty. It also needed to be hard and crunchy. The consistencies that Rose was accustomed to, and would help keep her teeth clean. It didn’t take but a moment before one cookie came to mind, Biscotti! Yes Biscotti, let’s face it a stale Biscotti is so hard it could well be considered in the same class as a dog biscuit.

I developed the recipe with care. Adding ingredients that would provide Rose with not only a wonderful tasting treat, but would supply her with all the daily nutrients, protein, fiber, and vitamins she required, to sustain good dog health. After some lengthy research I came up with the major food ingredients I wanted to include in the Biscotti. Each ingredient was chosen not only to provide great taste, but also to provide good nutrition. Below is the recipe for my special healthy Dog Biscotti, I hope your dog enjoys this tasty treat!

Rose’s Banana Biscotti

4 cups flour

1 cup oatmeal (ground fine)

1/4 cup olive oil or vegetable oil

1 egg

1 1/2 cup pureed banana

3 Tablespoons brown sugar

1/3 cups well chopped peanuts

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons vanilla
You may need small amount of water.

Preheat oven to 325. Add all dry ingredients to large bowl, form a well with dry ingredients. Blend oil, banana, and egg with blender or food processor. Add a bit into well, start to incorporate wet with dry ingredients. Adding a small amount until all is mixed. Ay this time you may have to add a small amount of water. Add 1 teaspoon at a time. Knead with your hands until you have a soft non-sticky dough.

Form dough into a log, approximately 2 inches wide by 2 ½ inches high. Now flatten the log, until it is approximately 6 inches wide and 1 inch high.

Place log into a non-stick baking sheet that has been lightly greased. Place in oven, bake for 30-40 minutes. Remove from oven, cool for 10 minutes. With a sharp knife cut across the log in ½ inch pieces. (If your dog is a small breed cut Biscotti once more in the middle, making two cookies, instead of the larger 1 cookie).

Place all cookies back on baking sheet, bake at 325 for 20 minutes. Let the Biscotti air cool for 2 hours. Store some in an air tight container, freeze some for future needs.

Rose’s Biscotti are packed full of nutrients, fiber, protein, Vitamins, and Carbohydrates, along with Omega 6 fatty acids and loads of trace elements.

Last but not least, Rose loves her nightly treat…

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About The Author: For more information about feeding your dog, please visit the following url: http://www.oldandsold.com/articles02/dogs3.shtml

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Schwarzenegger vetoes bill forbidding drivers to hold pets

Sunday, September 28th, 2008

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed legislation Saturday that would have banned motorists from holding a live animal in their laps or arms.

The Republican governor gave no specific explanation other than to blame his veto of Assembly Bill 2233 on the recent budget dispute.

As he has with six dozen other bills this signing period, Schwarzenegger attached a uniform four-sentence message explaining he is signing bills only of the “highest priority” during the condensed signing period caused by the 85-day budget delay.

Talk show host Rush Limbaugh and other conservatives ridiculed the lap-dog measure as excessive government and dubbed it the “Paris Hilton Bill” in honor of the celebrity dog lover. Violators would have faced a base fine of $35, which could have risen to $150 with state and county fees.

Assemblyman Bill Maze, the bill’s author, said he proposed AB 2233 after seeing a Tulare County woman driving with three dogs on her lap.

“One had its feet on the steering wheel and the other two were leaning over her left arm,” said Maze, R-Visalia.

A traffic collision at 40 mph can hurtle a 25-pound dog through a vehicle with the force of a 1,000-pound object, according to a legislative analysis of the bill.

“You’ve got a live animal that has a mind of its own,” Maze said. “It can get tangled in the steering wheel or pinned between your knees. It can create a real hazard for yourself and everyone else.”

But Sacramentan Kurt Reiswig, 70, opposed the measure as a “nanny government” attempt to regulate personal behavior that should be left to common sense. Lawmakers simply can’t ban every driver distraction – from eating to changing a radio station – that can divert attention from the road, he said.

“Next thing, they’ll say we’ve got to have seat belts for the dog,” Reiswig said.

Schwarzenegger signed 114 bills and vetoed 95 on Saturday. Among the bills he signed was Assembly Bill 2168 by Assemblyman Dave Jones, D-Sacramento, which allows chefs to buy produce from farmers markets to cook restaurant meals as long as they obtain a memo detailing the food’s origin. The governor has 557 bills left to consider by Tuesday, according to spokeswoman Rachel Cameron.

The governor vetoed the lap-dog bill despite signing other restrictions in the past two years that ban drivers from text messaging and using phones without a hands-free device. State law currently allows drivers to be cited if their vision is obstructed or a distraction causes them to violate a rule of the road – but not simply for holding an animal.

Pets must be secured in the back of a pickup but can roam freely inside a vehicle.

California Highway Patrol statistics show that four people were killed and 346 others injured in collisions from 2001 to 2007 due to driver inattention caused by an animal. No breakdown exists of how many were in their owner’s lap.

Critics contend that government should not dictate who sits in their lap – period.

Quieting a whining or scared pet on your lap, while driving, can be safer than to be distracted by an animal’s barking, fidgeting or misbehavior in a back seat, opponents said.

Several Sacramento-area residents interviewed near a local dog park said AB 2233 would have been a positive step.

Darrin Richards, 41, said his mixed-breed dog rides in the back seat.

“If we can’t drive with our cell phone, we shouldn’t be able to drive with a dog in our lap, either,” Richards said.

Nationwide Mutual Insurance found in a 2006 survey that 8 percent of drivers had held a pet while behind the wheel.

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Aromatherapy For Man’s Faithful Friend – Dog

Friday, September 26th, 2008

Emotions like happiness, sadness, anger, fear and love play a crucial role in human being’s life. These feelings are also an integral part of an animal’s world. Aromatherapy also provides immediate, profound and long lasting results on animal’s overall health and well being.

Leaving animals alone for a long period of time, lack of attention, unhealthy food, abandonment, etc. are some of the common causes of stress in animals. These could lead to health problems like fatigue, excessive itching, shedding, panting and even aggression. Aromatherapy can be used to treat hot spots, itchy skin, ear infections, rashes, bites, cuts, scrapes, incisions from surgeries, stinky breath, flatulence and the list goes on.

Dogs are man’s faithful friends for life. Bringing affection, joy and loyalty into our lives, they are more emotionally dependent on their owners. They are in tune with our moods and show more difficulty in coping with emotional stress and loneliness. Hence they require more attention then any other animals.

If your dog is suffering from yeast or ear infection use either of these oils to treat it. Put these oils in a spray bottle with a base oil and swab the inside of the ear after cleansing.

- Lavender — soothes the skin and relieves itching

- Tea Tree — powerful antibacterial and antifungal

- Bergamot — antifungal properties

- Roman Chamomile — soothing and gentle, aids in healing tissue.

To repel fleas, use peppermint, citronella, lemon and clary sage essential oils. Ticks are repelled by essential oils such as Geranium, Bay, Lavender and Myrrh. 15-20 drops of these oils diluted with base oil and sprayed on your dog daily will keep the ticks and fleas away.

Mix 6 drops of lavender, 1 drop of Neroli and 4 drops of Marjoram essential oils with carrier oil such as jojoba or sweet almond oil. Apply on the spine and head lightly. Repeat when necessary. This blend will relieve emotional stress.

To relieve anxiety and loneliness — Blend 1 drop of Rose otto, 5 drops of cypress and marjoram essential oils with carrier oil. Apply on the spine and head lightly, repeating whenever necessary.

6 drops of lavender, 2 drops of roman chamomile and 4 drops of petitgrain essential oils mixed with carrier oil and applied to spine and head lightly reduce nervousness and hyperactivity.

Keep in mind the dog’s sensitive sense of smell when using essential oils. A dog that is besieged by the smells of blends may pace, whine, or rub his/her head on the ground. Introduce your dog to essential oils slowly and in small amounts.

About The Author: Sharon Hopkins is the Webmaster for www.armatherapies.net, an Online guide to Aromatherapy, alternative medicine, essential oils, recipes, synergies, blends, oil profiles and products.

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Guide dog allowed to enter mosque

Thursday, September 25th, 2008

Guide dog allowed to enter mosque
21 hours ago

A blind Muslim student has become the first person to be allowed to take a guide dog into a UK mosque.

Mahomed-Abraar Khatri, 18, can now enter his place of worship in Leicester with canine companion Vargo after the Muslim Law (Shari’ah) Council UK issued a historic fatwa in response to his request.

The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association described the decision as “a massive step forward for other blind and partially-sighted Muslims”.

Issued after months of work by the association and the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), the fatwa states “a blind person, in the light of Shariah Law, will be allowed to keep a guide dog to help him and if required to take him to the mosque for his prayers”.

Previously, all dogs were banned from mosques because the Islamic faith historically sees them as being for guarding and hunting only.

However, the position was softened because guide dogs could be classed in the “working dogs” category.

The animals are still barred from entering the prayer hall for the sake of hygiene but are allowed to guide their owners to the area where shoes are placed, says the fatwa.

A special rest area has been set up in the entrance of the Bilal Jamia Mosque for Vargo while Mr Khatri is praying.

Previously, the teenager, who attends the RNIB College in Loughborough, had to be accompanied to the mosque by a sighted helper.

It is also hoped that mosque leaders both in the UK and abroad will follow suit and allow guide dogs inside.

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What Are The Top Ten Dog Diseases?

Monday, September 22nd, 2008

Dog Diseases number in the scores, just as in humans. But, veterinarians tend to see some much more than others. Sadly, a great deal of grief could be avoided if more dog owners were careful to see that their pets are immunized regularly against preventable dog diseases.

While experts, as usual, may differ, what are the top ten dog diseases? Here’s a list (not necessarily in order of seriousness) with a brief explanation of each disease:

Distemper

— Of all the dog diseases, the American Veterinary Medical Association considers the distemper virus to be the worst canine disease threat to dogs world wide. Distemper is fatal in 80% of puppies and 50% of adults. All dogs are extremely vulnerable, and should be vaccinated, with subsequent boosters in keeping the recommendation of a Veterinarian.

Parvovirus (Parvo)

— Parvovirus is a worldwide dog disease. It is extremely contagious, especially among puppies, and can overwhelm a dog leading to death within 48 to 72 hours after exposure. Symptoms include depression, loss of appetite, vomiting and severe diarrhea. Parvo vaccination is essential with booster shots as recommended.

Rabies

— Rabies is a virus and becomes fatal when symptoms appear. Because rabies can be fatal to humans and other mammals, state and local laws uniformly require rabies vaccination, many mandating booster shots yearly.

Kennel Cough

— This is a respiratory disease especially prevalent in kennels and shelters. There are a variety of virus strains, including Bortadella. Symptoms can include a dry hacking cough along with inflammation of the larynx, bronchial tubes and trachea. Vaccination, as often as every six months is recommended.

Leptospirosis

— Symptoms of Leptospirosis include lethargy, kidney inflammation, low-grade fever, vomiting, reddening of the mucous membranes and conjunctiva, and blood clotting abnormalities. Since it is a bacterial disease, also found in humans, it is treated with antibiotics. Veterinarians are often reluctant to innoculate against this dog disease, since there is questionable effectiveness, and puppies can have adverse reactions.

Infectious Canine Hepatitis

— While this dog disease often manifests itself with mild symptoms such as a slight fever or slight lethargy, it can, in some instances become fatal. Recovery is usually rapid. Vaccination is recommended.

Lyme Disease

— Symptoms of Lyme Disease in dogs will include lethargy, joint pain, lack of appetite, lymph node enlargement, and fever. Lyme Disease is bacterial and is spread by ticks. Treatment is with tetracycline, an antibiotic. The available vaccine is not generally recommended.

Coronavirus

— Diarrhea and vomiting are symptomatic of this dog disease so it can be confused with parvovirus. Other indications are loss of appetite, smelly diarrhea, lethargy and dehydration. Replacement of lost fluids and control of vomiting and diarrhea are the recommended treatments. A vaccine is not generally recommended.

Obesity

— Just as in humans, this dog disease is a serious medical problem. Frequently, obese humans own obese dogs. Obviously, limiting food intake, withholding human food and enough exercise will contribute to a dogs longer life.

Heartworm

— Heartworms are parasites that grow and multiply, infesting the chambers in the heart, arteries in the lungs. Symptoms appear gradually, usually manifested in easy tiring, lethargy and a soft cough. If not treated, it eventually brings on death by congestive heart failure in a once active animal. Prevention with products such as HartGard is recommended.

Your veterinarian should give you a certificate showing your pet’s immunization against the common dog diseases. Ask for a wallet sized card which you can carry with you.

by Robert G. Knechtel
About The Author: Robert G. Knechtel maintains several websites, including www.petmedshop.com and www.go60.com

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A high-tech solution to the scourge of dog poop

Friday, September 19th, 2008

The City of Vancouver talks tough on the topic of dog poop. Sec. 4.9 of Bylaw No. 9510 requires dog owners, or anyone in control of a dog, to immediately remove any excrement produced by the animal and to deposit it in a suitable refuse container. Violations of the bylaw are punishable by fines from $250 to $2,000.

There are an estimated 50,000 dogs in Vancouver so enforcement of the pooper-scooper law should be enough to pay for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. It won’t be, of course, because people don’t think they’ll be caught, and they’re right.

New York City, with an estimated one million dogs, enacted a similar law in 1978 — though a first offence carried a penalty of just $50. But few violations are ticketed. Freakonomics authors Stephen Dubner and Steven Levitt calculated that an offender would stand a one-in-8,000 chance of getting a ticket. Given those odds, it’s surprising that so many people do pick up after their pets.

Well, it turns out the poop problem is universal but a solution has been elusive.

In Israel, when they’re not dodging rocket fire from Gaza or avoiding aggressive Egged bus drivers, they’re stepping around dog droppings. Petah Tikva, a suburb of Tel Aviv, finally had enough and decided to seize the bull by the horns, so to speak. In a six-month trial program, the city is asking dog owners to take their animals to a municipal veterinarian where DNA samples will be collected by a mouth swab. The DNA database will then be used to match feces lying underfoot to a registered dog. Its owner can then be identified and fined. If the program proves successful, providing DNA samples will become mandatory.

The program is not all stick; there’s a carrot, too. Owners who pick up their pets’ waste and deposit it in specially marked receptacles will earn rewards of pet-food coupons and dog toys.

If a state under siege with a population of only seven million, and which spends a disproportionate share of its national budget on defence, can mount what appears to be an expensive high-tech assault on the scourge of dog poop, surely cities in an affluent nation like Canada — Vancouver, for instance — could do the same.

Of course, in technology-obsessed Israel, the DNA plan won’t stop there. Petah Tikvah’s chief veterinarian, Tika Bar-On, said the database could help veterinarians research genetic diseases in dogs, investigate canine pedigree and identify stray animals, replacing the need for electronic chip identification.

“The sky is the limit on how far we can take this,” she said.

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Dog shows breed deformity: RSPCA

Wednesday, September 17th, 2008

Judging criteria produces disabled animals, charity says

The RSPCA will boycott Crufts next year, accusing it of encouraging the breeding of deformed and disabled dogs.

The charity says Britain’s premier dog show concentrates too much on animals’ appearance rather than their welfare and temperament.

“Intentionally breeding deformed and disabled animals is morally unjustifiable and it has to stop,” said its chief veterinary adviser Mark Evans.

Dog shows using current breed standards as the main judging criteria actively encourage both the intentional breeding of deformed and disabled dogs and the inbreeding of closely related animals,” Evans added in a statement.

The charity will not attend Crufts next March nor the Discover Dogs show in November. It called for more research into illnesses and causes of death linked with pedigree dogs. It has ordered a review of dog breeding, which is expected to report back later this year.

Preliminary recommendations from the review call for a radical change in the requirements for pedigree dog registration and breeding strategies.

“We want to see the emphasis shifted away from arbitrary appearance, so that health, welfare and temperament are considered first and foremost,” Evans said. The organizers of Crufts, the Kennel Club, described the RSPCA’s comments as “unhelpful.”

Club spokeswoman Caroline Kisko said in a statement that “the club invests a great deal of time, money and care into the area of pedigree health.” A health survey it conducted found that 90 per cent of pedigree dogs do not suffer from illnesses that affect their quality of life.

“Dog shows are fundamentally designed to reward those dogs that meet a particular breed standard, which is the blueprint for a healthy dog,” Kisko said. “The Kennel Club is continually working to ensure that this objective is achieved by regularly reviewing breed standards and ensuring that judges are educated so that dogs displaying visible health problems will not win at dog shows.

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RCMP probe shooting of dog that was a gift to boy

Tuesday, September 16th, 2008

A puppy, bought for a boy recovering from cancer, has been shot and killed amid circumstances that have sparked a police investigation.

Nick Rose and his 12-year-old son Max were working on their firewood pile at Quadra Island on Saturday, while Max’s Jack Russell terrier puppy, Seymour, played in the front yard. Two men in hunting vests and carrying shotguns walked past their property.

The puppy approached the two men.

Rose said he recognized one as a man who had invaded his home during his birthday party four years earlier, assaulting both Rose and several of his guests.

Rose called the puppy, but did not leave his property to retrieve the dog. “I didn’t want to be dealing with this person,” Rose said. “I was afraid.”

The puppy followed the men, who continued walking a short distance.

While a bush blocked them from Rose’s view, he and his son heard a single gunshot.

“I ran around the bush to find, to my horror and shock, our 16-week-old terrier, he was quivering in death throes and his head partly blown off,” Rose said. “My children were screaming and crying. My daughter threw up. It was horrible.”

Rose shouted at the men, who fled to a nearby residence that is owned by the parents of one of them.

Max was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumour when he was seven, the effects of which he still feels today, his father said. “He had to learn how to breathe, how to walk again. He suffered much. The sad part is this puppy was a replacement for a dog he lost during treatment,” Rose said. “This was a particularly sweet puppy.”

RCMP are looking for the two men to question them.

Quadra Island RCMP Cpl. Craig Peterson said one of them phoned him, but has not turned himself in.

“He was aware we were looking for him,” Peterson said.

The RCMP is issuing an arrest warrant for the suspected shooter, who lives in Greater Victoria. They are not releasing his name, pending a request to Crown counsel for a charge of dangerous use of a firearm and endangering an animal.

Peterson said the area where the shooting happened is partially wooded, but it is a residential district.

The RCMP confiscated more than 20 firearms in connection with the investigation. Peterson said all the weapons are legal and all are hunting guns. He would not say where the fireams were seized.

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Dog dials 911 to get help for owner

Monday, September 15th, 2008

Police say a service dog trained to use the phone called 911 and got help when his Scottsdale, Ariz., owner suffered a serious seizure.

Buddy, an 18-month-old German shepherd, used his teeth to press programmed buttons until a 911 dispatcher came on the line, The Arizona Republic reported Sunday.

Buddy can be heard whimpering in a recording of the call placed Wednesday from the home of Joe Stalnaker, who suffers seizures from injuries received during military service, the Republic reported.

Buddy was trained to retrieve the phone and call 911 with his teeth when Stalnaker blacks out, the Republic reported, noting Buddy previously had made three or four 911 calls for other emergencies.

“He’s my world. He’s my best friend, no question. He’s always there,” said Stalnaker, who was hospitalized for two days but has recovered.

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