Look for a new, well, look!

Hello readers!

I apologize for not posting to this blog in awhile.  I would love all of you to visit my new site at www.petlane.com/blog.  The thread of this blog will continue there – its new home.  In the meantime, look for this blog to receive a facelift!  Rather than be about pets and products and pet health care, this blog is going to be more business oriented in the future.  As someone who has literally grown up in the direct sales industry, I would like to turn this blog into a help manual for direct sellers (and business people!).  I look forward to hearing your comments!

Fun and Fascinating Facts About Birds

Call someone a bird brain – and you are actually paying them quite the compliment!  Current thinking is that birds have an intelligence level comparable to a four or five year old child.  By comparison, dogs are believed to have an intelligence level equivalent to a 2 year old child. 

Researcher Dr. Irene Pepperberg has demonstrated that her African Grey parrots can answer, in perfect English, questions like how many objects on a tray have two, three or four sides and which colors they are, and what objects are made of-cork, bark, plastic or wood. Her parrot, Alex, after learning his colors, asked, “What color is Alex?” Once told he was gray, he was able to identify other objects that were gray, even though never trained. Once when Alex was 1 ½ years old, he was in his cage when Dr. Pepperberg was hand-feeding some baby parrots. Alex asked, “What are you doing?” She said she was feeding some baby birds. Alex replied, “Alex is a baby bird!”

This video shows Dr. Pepperberg working with Alex as he identifies colors, sizes, shapes and much more.

Would you like more proof that birds can do some pretty amazing things?  Watch this video from Animal Planet.

Not all birds learn as easily as African Gray Parrots.  My brother-in-law John used to have a parakeet named Elvis.   John would literally spend hours attempting to teach Elvis to say “hello.”  The closest Elvis ever came to hello was “wkgrbt!” 

Here are some additional fun and interesting facts about birds:

According to anthropological records, the first birds lived 150 million ago. They were called Archaeopteryx.

Only pet parrots mimic people and noises. Wild parrots do not imitate the sounds they hear.

Ostriches lay the largest eggs of all birds. If you used an ostrich egg to cook with, one ostrich egg would make the equivalent of a 16 egg omelet.

Do you currently or have you ever had a bird for a pet?  I would love to hear about your experience.

Fun and Fascinating Facts About Cats

How much do you really know about cats?  Here are some fun facts to share with the cat lovers in your life!

• The official word for cat lovers is “ailurophile”.
• In ancient Egypt, cats were considered so important that ancient Egyptian family members shaved their eyebrows in mourning when the family cat died.
• The dominate cat in a multi-cat household will always be allowed to sleep in the warmest place in the house.
• A cat’s brain is programmed to detect changes in seasonal sunlight patterns patterns.  These changes directly affect when and how much your cat sheds.  As a result, indoor only cats shed more hair more often than indoor-outdoor cats.
• Studies have shown that diamond-shaped kibble is the most visually appealing to cats.

Fun and Fascinating Dog Facts

Recently, I have been engaged in fact finding about dogs, cats and birds.  I wanted to pass on what I considered some fo to be of the most interesting facts.  For today’s post, I wanted to share some of the dog trivia (cat and bird will follow in later posts).  Enjoy!

·        Cavemen were the first people to have dogs as pets.

• The trend of dogs wearing clothes dates back to 520 A.D. – the reign of King Arthur in England.  During this time in history dogs, like horses, were sometimes used in battle.  The dogs were given clothing to help protect them.     
• Today, the demand for pet clothing has become so big, that New York hosts an annual “Pet Fashion Week”.
• Each year, over 7.4 million American households dress their dogs in Halloween costumes.  Devil, pumpkin, and witch are the top three costume choices for pooches.
• 65% of Americans buy gifts for their pets during the holidays.
• Dogs are placed at the feet of humans in monuments to symbolize affection and fidelity.

Jade – An Update

After yesterday’s post, I received a flurry of e-mails saying “the information you provided is great, but how is poor Jade?”  Thankfully, Jade is just fine.  A little too fine in fact.  Jade was on heavy painkillers over the weekend so he basically slept straight through from Saturday morning to Sunday evening (at which point I stopped the painkillers because his eyes were obviously so much better). 

On Monday, I took Jade to work with he so I could keep a close eye on him.  The medication was still in his system so he was pretty docile all day.  By Monday night, having slept for practically 72 hours straight, Jade was up and raring to go; and when Jade is up, so is his mommy.  His nighttime escapades went something like this: ”I need to go outside,” “my Kong is empty and I’m hungry,” “I’m thirsty,” “I need to go outside – again,” “I’m cold, I want to come under the covers,” “I’m hot, I want to get off the bed and sleep on the floor,” “I need to go outside – yet again.”  Jade’s dog door (the one I bought three months ago and has sat happily on a shelf my garage ever since) will be installed this week.   

In all seriousness, Jade had a follow up appointment with our veterinarian yesterday and his eyes are healing beautifully.  The left eye is still mildly irritated so he will be on antibiotics through the end of the week and see the veterinarian for one final checkup on Friday.  The cheerful news was that our veterinarian told us that, although this was a lousy way to have to find out, the fact that Jade’s eyes heal so quickly is indicative of the fact that he has extremely healthy eyes.  Thank you so much everyone for your concern; Jade sends big, wet, slobbery kisses as his way of saying thanks.

Finding Emergency Medical Care For Your Pet

As my husband and I found out this weekend, pets, like children, don’t always get sick or injured during regular business hours.  This past Friday afternoon, my Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Jade started occasionally pawing at his left eye.  Upon closer inspection, Jade’s eye looked a little red and irritated but I could not find anything wrong.  There were no obvious signs of trauma, I could not see a burr or foxtail, and there was no swelling.  Since Jade had been groomed only a few hours before, I figured a hair had gotten in his eye and irritated it a little.  He was not crying or acting unusually distressed and his appetite seemed fine (read “gobbled up any treat offered”) so I decided a trip to the veterinarian was not necessary.  

By 9am the next morning, Jade’s left eye was swollen nearly shut and he was reluctant to open his right.  My husband and I agreed we needed to visit an emergency animal hospital (our vet is only available Monday-Friday) ASAP.  There was only one problem: neither of us knew anything about finding a good animal emergency center.  I did know that I did not want to take my dog just anyplace, I wanted to go somewhere where I could trust he would get the best care available; or at least the best care available in Contra Costa County at 9am on a Saturday morning.   I spotted an ad for a local emergency vet hospital that said it was AAHA accredited.  I had no idea what AAHA stood for, but I assumed it was positive.  I scribbled down the address, grabbed my husband and Jade, and we drove to the hospital.  It turns out that choosing an AAHA certified hospital was the best decision I could have made – and the name, phone number, and address of that hospital has now been added to our list of emergency contacts.

When looking for an emergency care facility, be sure to choose one that is AAHA accredited.  AAHA stands for American Animal Hospital Association.  Established in 1933, AAHA is the only organization that accredits animal hospitals across the United States and Canada.  Obtaining accreditation by the AAHA is voluntary and members agree to be evaluated on 900 standards of care.  Choosing an AAHA accredited hospital means that you are choosing to provide your animal with top quality care. 

Your best means of locating a good AAHA accredited animal hospital is to ask your veterinarian for a referral.  You can also find a local AAHA emergency animal hospital at www.healthypet.com   Just click on “Find A Hospital” and enter in your information.  Write this site down and put the information in your wallet; you will be glad you did if you are travelling with your animal and need veterinary care.  This site will help you quickly find a trusted place to take your pet.   

If your pet has a history of medical problems, or you have an unusual pet (such as an iguana), it is a good idea to call the hospital you have chosen to put on your resource list.  Ensure that they have veterinarians on duty at all times who are qualified to help your pet.  And whenever your pet is left in someone else’s care (a dog walker, a pet sitter, doggy day care, etc.), make sure that person has the contact information for both your veterinarian and your preferred choice of animal hospital.

Iowa Pets Displaced By Flood Reinforce Need for Emergency Preparedness

This spring, flood-waters in Iowa forced over 4,000 residents to evacuate – many with their animals.  According to an article in the New York Times, ashelter in Cedar Rapids has willingly accepted over 1,000 animals from residents who had to flee their homes and were unable to find a place that could accommodate both them and their pets.  This story has reinforced for me the need to ensure that all homes have an emergency preparedness kit that contains supplies for both the human and animal family members.  Remember, an emergency kit is one of those items you never think you will need…until it’s too late.  Here is a list of what your pet’s emergency kit should contain:

1. Emergency Contact Info (incl. your Vet’s info).
2. Portable radio and extra batteries (Listen to EAS, Emergency Alert System)
3. Pet carrier or portable cage for each pet; a stake-out chain is a good addition for your dog – you can use it to give him fresh air when fences and walls are down. 
4. One week’s supply of dry food and water (if pet only eats canned food, bring flip-top cans plus can opener for others you might buy).
5. Non-spill food and water bowls
6. Medications, dosing instructions and medical records in waterproof containers.
7. Pet first-aid book and kit appropriate for each type pet.
8. Vaccination and medical records (may not be able to board them without this).
9. Newspaper, paper towels and towelettes.
10.  Plastic bags for waste disposal, cleanser and disinfectants.
11.  Current photo of each pet (may be necessary to reclaim or find pet).
12.  I.D. tag. Include home and cell phone no., rabies and license tags.  Bring adhesive tape to write temporary address and phone on tags.  Use spray paint or fingernail polish to write on the side of the animal if you have nothing else.
13. Collars and leashes for each pet (no choke collars–consider a harness).
14. Duct tape and scissors/knife and rope.
15. Votive candle and water-proof matches.
16. Flashlights and extra batteries.
17. Blanket (to carry injured animal, cover bird cage if cold, etc.). In hot weather, carry a plant mister to cool down birds.  Rub the blanket over your pet before you put it in the kit to get your pet’s scent on it – it will give him great comfort.  If you must leave him at a facility, rub your hands on it to add your scent as well. 
18. Cash, credit card and your drivers’ license—be sure it has your current address or you may not be allowed to return to your home to retrieve your pets.
19. Tranquilizers, if possible.
20. Book or list of motels that accept pets
21. Toys and chews to distract them (they are even more terrified than you are).
22. Be sure your car/van is full of gas and that it can hold all your crates, cages and pets. 
23. Be sure you have Bleach to purify water.  (Use only household liquid bleach to kill micro-organisms.  Use bleach that contains 5.25% sodium hypochlorite—  Don’t use scented bleaches, color-safe bleaches or bleaches with added cleaners.)  Add 16 drops of bleach per gallon of water; stir and let stand for 30 minutes.  If the water doesn’t have a slight bleach odor, repeat the dosage and let stand another 15 minutes.  If you can boil water, it is the safer way to purify it – bring water to a rolling boil for 3-5 minutes.   

Foxtails – A Summertime Hazard

If you live in any state west of the Mississippi, you are probably pretty familiar with “foxtails.”  In this case, foxtails do not refer to the attractive, bushy tails found at the end of foxes; instead foxtails refers to a weed that poses a particularly nasty threat to dogs. 

In the article Foxtails Can Be Hazardous To Your Dog’s Health the author Dr. Don Beebe explains why foxtails are so easily picked up by dogs and hikers alike.  The seeds, he writes, have microscopic barbules along their surface.  They snag onto clothing and fur and,  once caught in an animal’s coat (or a hiker’s sock), they are passively propelled forward — usually because of the movement of the victim — and prevented from exiting. If not noticed and removed, foxtails can work their way into a pet’s skin and enter it.

The article, Foxtails – A Deadly Summertime Danger, provides the following excellent information about foxtails.

Indicators That Your Pet Has a Foxtail
A foxtail seed can cause an inflamed, painful, infected lump anywhere on an animal’s body. A dog with a foxtail seed in its ear might rub its head on the ground or shake its head violently from side to side. If a dog gets a foxtail seed in its eye, it might squint. The eye will water and the dog will paw at it. Even if you can clearly see the seed beneath the eyelid, do not attempt to remove it. Get the dog to a veterinarian immediately.

An inhaled foxtail seed which has lodged in the nasal cavity may cause violent sneezing, sometimes with a bloody discharge from the nostrils. To remove it, a veterinarian may need to sedate the animal, locate the seed with a scope, and remove it with a forceps.

Swallowed foxtail seeds lodged in the throat will cause symptoms of an inflamed sore throat. A dog will swallow repeatedly, gulp, cough and gag. Even if the barbed seeds can be detected on examination, the dog will need to be sedated to relax the throat muscles so a veterinarian can grasp the seeds and remove them.

Depending on the location of the seed or seeds, other symptoms are compulsive licking and biting at a paw or around the groin or rectal area or whining and crying with no obvious or acute injury.

What Makes Foxtails Dangerous
In addition to causing pain and localized infections, foxtail seeds can migrate and lodge in the spine, in the lungs and in other internal organs. They enter through the nose, ears, paws, eyes, urethra or just through the skin and travel through the body The seeds are very small, making locating them a painful, difficult and expensive procedure. Depending on where a foxtail seed has traveled to inside a dog, it can even be life threatening and will require prompt surgical removal.

What You Can Do To Keep Your Pet Safe

• Examine your pet daily. Carefully brush its hair, while feeling for any raised areas on its skin. Check inside and under its ears; check between the toes, under the armpits and in the groin area. Keep long haired and thick coated breeds especially well-groomed.
• If you see a foxtail seed sticking in the dog’s skin, carefully pull it straight out, making sure not to break it off in the process.
• If you think a seed might already embedded in the skin, in a paw, in an eye or an ear, or if a dog who has been eating grass seems to have a throat problem, get the dog to a veterinarian as soon as possible! Waiting can only make it harder to find, allow it to migrate and become more dangerous, and make treatment more difficult.

HSUS Tennessee Puppy Mill Dogs – Update

Just a few days ago, the HSUS raided a puppy mill in Tennessee and rescued, in addition to over 680 dogs, 25 horses and donkeys, 20 cats, 4 parrots, and 15 chickens.  This video, day 3 of the rescue, shows the dogs after they have been transported to a temporary shelter and are receiving food, water, and medical care.

HSUS CEO Wayne Pacelle wrote in his blog that, after sending 100 dogs to their branch in Maryland, the HSUS reached out to shelters across the country who willingly agreed to take in as many dogs as possible until they can be placed in good homes.  For example, the Washington Animal Rescue League and the Washington Humane Society took in 100 of the rescued pups.  If you are interested in adopting one of these rescued dogs, please contact your local animal shelter and ask about adopting one of the Tennessee Puppy Mill dogs, or any one of the thousands of other dogs in need of loving homes.  For more information on what you can do to stop puppy mills, please visit http://www.stoppuppymills.org. 

Protect Your Pet on the 4th of July

What comes to mind when someone says “4th of July”?  Fireworks?  Picnics?  Backyard BBQs with friends and family?  For us humans, the 4th of July is usually a fun and relaxing holiday; for our pets however, it can be one of the most stressful times of the year.  Even normally calm pets can become anxiety-ridden by the thunderous booms and bright lights generated by fireworks.  The Humane Society says it is quite typical at this time of year for shelters to receive “4thof July dogs.”  These are dogs that have run off after being scared by a fireworks celebration.  The good news is that by taking a few simple precautions, you and your pets can both have a wonderful holiday.

• If you are going to a fireworks display, leave your pet at home.  Even well-socialized dogs can become frightened and possibly aggressive when confronted with large crowds and thunderous explosions.
• Keep your pets indoors.  A stressed or anxious dog can become destructive, so make sure to “dog proof” the area where your dog will be while you are gone.  Leave out two or three favorite chew toys; chewing is a natural way for dogs to relieve anxiety.  Even if your dog typically spends his days outside, he should be kept inside during the evening and preferably overnight.  Outdoor dogs have been known to escape by digging their way out of yards or to become dangerously entangled in their chains or leashes.
• If your pet has a history of being frightened by loud noises, consult your vet about using an appropriate sedative.  I’m a personal fan of the all-natural product Rescue Remedy.
• Ensure your pet is wearing identification tags.  An ID tag is the absolute best way to ensure that a lost pet will be returned.  If you are travelling with your pet, write your temporary contact information on a piece of masking tape and wrap it around your pet’s collar, or use a paper luggage tag (like those you can pick up at the airport).

While these tips are written with dogs and cats in mind, many of them apply to small animals such as birds, rabbits, and ferrets.  An acquaintance of mine keeps llamas – I will definitely be asking her how she keeps her llamas calm and safe during this holiday!  How are you planning to keep your animals safe, calm and happy this 4th?  I would love to hear your ideas!