Funny misprint on sheriff’s offices rug

January 20, 2015September 18, 2023Pet information

Dog lovers trust in their dogs for almost everything, but this faith in pooches is rarely expressed in official environments. At least until a sheriff’s office in Pinellas County in Florida got a misprinted rug for their lobby.

The rug was supposed to say, “In God we trust” – this is the official motto for Florida. Instead, it said, “In Dog we trust.” It is an understandable typo and many would agree with the statement, but it’s still not what the office intended to say.

The rug has been replaced and will be sold for charity. Several dog lovers have already asked to buy it.

Sunshine story: hero cat saves infant

January 19, 2015September 18, 2023Pet information

The Russian winter is harsh and unforgiving, and the chance of an unprotected infant surviving the cold must be close to zero. That is, if it weren’t for cats.

Masha the cat became a hero recently when she found an abandoned baby in a box. The child had been left with a package of diapers and some baby food. He was well dressed, but alone in the cold.

Masha jumped into the box to keep the baby warm, and meowed for help. She is a communal cat, cared for by the local residents, and known for being friendly and quiet. Her loud outbursts now did not go unnoticed; help finally arrived in the shape of neighbor Irina Lavrova who thought Masha must have been hurt. Imagine her surprise when she found the cat in a box with a baby.

The boy is around two months old and was taken straight to a hospital. Thanks to Masha he will come out of this adventure unscathed – authorities believe she spent hours with him in the box. Masha is now reaping the rewards of being a good cat – she is considered a hero and is getting all her favorite foods.

//youtu.be/F0wU-_noDvo

Be careful with antifreeze

January 16, 2015September 18, 2023Pet information

At this time a year pet owners need to watch out for antifreeze spills. Antifreeze for cars is based on ethylene glycol, which is quite toxic and leads to many pet deaths every year. If a pet laps it up and isn’t treated immediately, severe damage to kidneys and nervous system will follow.

In the past all antifreeze solutions had a sweet smell and taste, nowadays some manufacturers have changed the formula to make them less appealing to pets, and some manufacturers make “pet safe” antifreeze. Using the pet safe products helps – they are less toxic than traditional products, but can still be dangerous.

If you see a puddle on the ground when you’re walking your dog, don’t let your pet drink from it or walk through it. If it gets on the paws, odds are the pet will lick it off later to clean itself.

Keep this type of product off the ground and out of reach for pets. If there’s a spill, clean it immediately and rinse the area with lots of water.

If you think your pet has ingested antifreeze – even a small amount – call your veterinarian or the closest pet ER at once.

Subtle signs of illness in cats

January 15, 2015September 18, 2023Pet information

Cats are masters at disguising any illness. This seems counterproductive to us – we can only help the cat if we know something is wrong – but to the cat, showing illness equals showing weakness.

The sooner a problem is detected the better and faster it can be treated, and it is important for cat owners to keep an eye for any subtle changes in behavior. And, if your cat suddenly starts acting “weird” it’s time for a trip to the vet.

Here are some of the most common – but subtle – signs of illness in cats:

Unexplained weight loss or gain

Since you see your cat every day it can be hard to notice weight loss or weight gain. It’s a good idea to weigh your cat once a month, or take monthly photos to compare.

Many cats are finicky eaters, and it can be difficult to keep track of consumption of food and water. Measuring the cat’s food helps. You also want to keep an eye on how your furry friend eats – if your cat has always been neat and suddenly starts eating in a messy fashion there might be a problem with their teeth.

Changes in behavior with others

If your cat has enjoyed playing with other cats regularly and starts avoiding them, something is most likely wrong. It can be a health problem, or stress. The other way around can also be true – if your cat has always been private and a loner and suddenly starts seeking attention, something might be wrong.

If your cat suddenly slows down from being energetic, or drastically increases activity, it’s a good idea to visit the vet. Sudden increases in activity in older cat can be a result of a thyroid problem.

Altered habits

If your cat suddenly changes their sleeping pattern or grooming habits, it’s time to see the vet. Also watch for a change in the cat’s voice and smell. Be particularly alert for foul breath.

These gray tabby kittens in a red basket show no signs of illness in cats

Three common cat care mistakes

January 14, 2015September 18, 2023Pet information

Everyone wants the best for their pets, but since we’re different species it can be difficult to figure out what the best really is. Here are three common cat care mistakes.

1. Never punish or frighten your cat

Cats are sensitive, and they’re definitely not human. Yelling at cats, hitting them, or scaring them does not work to change behavior. It will just leave your cat thinking you’re a horrible thing that should be avoided. Scared cats are stressed, and can lead to illness in the long run.

Shape your cat’s behavior with praise and treats. Cats like calm and predictable environments where they can be relaxed and happy while enjoying their calm and predictable humans.

2. Don’t use products made for humans, dogs, or horses on your cat

Cats have specific needs, and they’re sensitive to many things we don’t give a second thought. Only use products labeled for cats, and read the label carefully. Products created for adult cats might not be safe for kittens.

Never give a cat aspirin or tylenol, or flea-control products made for dogs. Also keep an eye on how your cat behaves around plants – many plants and flowers are toxic to cats. If your cat shows a tendency to chew plants, provide some safe cat grass.

3. Don’t overfeed your cat

Obesity is a huge problem for pets in the USA, and overfeeding leads to a wide variety of problems from diabetes to arthritis. If your cat is overweight, make sure that you measure the cat food, only feed cat food, and say no to begging. Keeping your cat’s weight in check can add years to his or her life span.

It is also important to know that dogs can eat cat food, but cats should not eat dog food. Cats have very specific nutrient needs that can only be satisfied through eating meat – they lack the ability to create some nutrients.

Grayish-brown cat eating from a teal bowl. Cat care mistakes possible here would be feeding a cat dog food.

Why do cats meow at humans?

January 13, 2015January 8, 2024Pet information

Cats in the wild have a wide range of vocal expressions; they hiss, growl, spit, and scream. Cats meow at humans. The regular “meow” a cat gives a human is different, and some cat experts believe the sound developed partly to communicate with people. We associate it with the cry of an infant, and meowing gives results.

Cats are good at varying their meows, and the cat owner learns to distinguish a meow saying “I want to go outside” from a content cuddle meow. Cats can vary the frequency, pitch, volume, tone, and length of their meows, and no two cats sound exactly the same.

If your cat starts meowing obsessively or exhibits other sudden changes in behavior, you need to take him or her to a vet, just to be on the safe side. Other than that, enjoy learning the language of your cat. It’s possible to learn to communicate well with them, and knowing what your furry friend wants opens a new dimension to your relationship.

Dog food allergies

January 12, 2015September 18, 2023Pet information

Allergies are fairly common both amongst humans and dogs, and just like a human, a dog can develop an allergy at any age. The most common dog allergy is against flea bites, and the second most common is inhaling allergens such as pollen or molds. Dog food allergies come in a close third place.

In order to develop dog food allergies, a dog must be exposed to the same food ingredient for a couple of years or more. Most dogs are between two and six years old when food allergies are first noticed.

What causes food allergy?

An allergy is caused by the immune system responding to something it believes is foreign. It is a defense mechanism that would normally protect the body, but instead causes an over-reaction to harmless substances met in everyday life.

When it comes to dogs and food the immune system most often reacts to a protein, and the most common triggers are beef, milk and other dairy products, chicken, eggs, soy, corn, and wheat.

What are the symptoms of food allergies?

Symptoms of food allergy include excessive scratching and itchy skin. A dog with a food allergy can scratch until they lose all hair in an area, and the skin is often red and irritated. This is particularly common on the ears, groin, and belly. Some dogs with food allergies lick or chew on their paws, get repeated ear infections, and/or rashes. Stomach problems are also often connected to food allergies.

How do you treat a food allergy?

To treat a food allergy, the dog needs to stay away from eating the problematic ingredient. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to find the problematic ingredient. The idea is to eliminate potential causes of the problem through feeding the dog something completely different from what he or she has eaten in the past. The new food – and nothing but the new food – has to be fed for two to three months to give enough time for the method to work. This means no treats or tastes of human foods, which can be frustrating for both dog and human.

Once the dog is symptom free, one ingredient can be added back at a time to see if the immune system reacts.

Bake apple pupcakes

January 9, 2015September 19, 2023Pet information

Many dogs like fruity tastes like these bake apple pupcakes. These apple treats are easy to make – very much like cupcakes but in a dog friendly format – and odds are your pooch will love them.

What you need:

Muffin pan or cups
2 and 3/4 cup of water
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 tablespoons honey
1/8 tablespoon of vanilla extract
1 egg
4 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup unsweetened dried apple chips
1 tablespoon baking powder

What to do:

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Mix water, applesauce, honey, egg, and vanilla in a large bowl. It works well to mix with a wooden spoon. Add the other ingredients and stir until everything is well blended.

Distribute the mix into greased muffin pans and bake for around an hour. It can take up to an hour and fifteen minutes before they’re done.

You can store the bake apple pupcakes in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Sunshine story: Penny the Vizsla is home after 2400 mile road trip!

January 8, 2015September 19, 2023Pet information

Penny is a 7 month old Vizsla who just came home after the adventure of a life time. She got lost in Royal City late December, and while her owners did everything to find her – including creating a Facebook page dedicated to finding her and bringing her home – Penny was on a road trip.

A kind truck driver saw her and picked her up, and she tagged along with him all the way to Pittsburgh, Pa. When his job was done he took Penny to an animal clinic where they scanned her microchip and were able to contact their owners.

Of course, Penny’s adventures weren’t over, because by now she was far from home. The puppy’s luck held and Alaska Airlines flew her home for free.

Make sure your pets have identification, and that your name, address, and phone number are updated. Even the most well behaved pet can get distracted by something. It only takes a couple of seconds for them to dash down the road in pursuit of a bird, squirrel, or something else.

Sunshine story: dog saves owner’s life

January 7, 2015September 19, 2023Pet information

A few days ago, Darky, a labrador and collie mix, became a hero. Darky was on a walk with his owner Arthur McGarvey along the fields near their home when Mr. McGarvey collapsed. Darky didn’t lose any time – he ran to the road, barking and prompting drivers to come investigate.

Darky’s strange behavior made motorists pull over, and the persons who stopped quickly spotted the man on the ground. Without Darky no one would have seen Mr. McGarvey, but now the passers by could call for help, and keep him warm until paramedics arrived.

Doctors say Darky’s quick response, getting help in the minutes immediately following the stroke, might have saved Arthur’s life and definitely boosted his chances to make a full recovery. The quicker help and necessary medications are given after a stroke, the better the chances of recovery.

Most people who suffer a stroke have less evident symptoms than Mr. McGarvey. If you think that you or someone close to you has a stroke, call 911 immediately. Also, check the time so you’ll know when the first symptoms appeared – this is important for correct treatment. Common signs include:

Face drooping. Ask the person to smile and see if the smile is uneven.
Numbness or weakness of a leg, arm, or face. Ask the person to raise both arms and observe if one arm drifts downward.
Speech difficulty. Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence.
Sudden confusion or trouble understanding.
Sudden trouble seeing in one of both eyes.
Sudden trouble walking, loss of balance, loss of coordination, or dizziness.
Sudden and severe headache without known cause

Darkey the dog with family — Image of Darkey with family from mirror.co.uk

Why do people look like their dogs?

January 6, 2015September 19, 2023Pet information

No matter how much we like dogs, most of us don’t want to look like a dog. There are exceptions, of course, but the vast majority of humans want to look like a human. Still, everyone has seen someone with an uncanny likeness to their dog. Many dog owners even see something of their dog in their own face in the mirror.

It would be easy to dismiss this as one of those things that aren’t real, but when shown a photo lineup of random people and random dogs, test subjects are able to match owners and pets.

It would be easy to dismiss that with people seeking out pets that have something in common with themselves. Maybe men would be more likely to have large dogs and women more likely to have toy breeds, or maybe women with long hair would be more likely to have dogs with long hair and floppy ears?

The ability to match strangers with their pets remain even when these types of characteristics are ruled out.

A Japanese scientist recently set out to solve the mystery. In prior tests he has proven that test subjects can match photos of owners and their dogs by looking at their faces – and see that arbitrarily coupled dogs and people were fake pairs. This time, 502 students were presented with 40 human faces and 40 dog faces.

When shown the entire faces, 80 percent could pick the real life pairs. The interesting thing is that when shown only eyes of humans and dogs, 74 percent could still pick out real life pairs. The scientists ran the test again, and in a second group of test subjects 76 percent could pick out the pairs just looking at the eyes.

Thus far, no one knows how this works, but there is something in the eyes of humans and dogs that can show to complete strangers that they belong together.

New laws for animal protection

January 5, 2015September 19, 2023Pet information

With the new year comes some new laws and statutes for animal protection. Some are practical, others sound a bit goofy but are clearly needed.

It might seem self evident that getting close enough to lions, tigers, and other big cats to take a selfie is a bad idea. Self-portraits with this type of animals have still become more and more popular online, and starting February 2015 it will be illegal to pose for this type of photo in New York. The new rule specifically prohibits contact between members of the public and big cats at animal shows.

New York is one of over 20 states with a ban on private citizens owning exotic animals, but all over the country it is believed that more exotic pets live in American homes than in American zoos. Seven states have no requirement of a license or permit to keep exotic animals. In these states you might need a license to own a dog, but you can buy a lion without thinking twice about it.

Naturally, many who own exotic pets are responsible and give the pets great care, others are less careful. There is no firm definition of the term exotic pet – in some states it refers to any wildlife kept in a human household, or to a pet that’s more unusual than a dog or cat.

In 2015, New York also makes it illegal to tattoo and pierce pets. This law allegedly came about a after a woman attempted to sell gothic kittens with piercings, and a man tattooed his dog. The only exception is markings done by a veterinarian for a medial reason or identifications.

On the other side of the USA, California takes a stand for farm animals. A new law requires that egg-laying hens, breeding sows, and veal calves have enough space to move around. It is no longer allowed to keep them in cramped cages. California also has a law that extends the space requirements for egg-laying hens for out of state suppliers.

Reasons to adopt an older dog

January 2, 2015September 19, 2023Pet information

There are many reasons to adopt an older dog instead of a puppy. While puppies are adorable and it is hard to resist puppy breath and puppy kisses, they are also a lot of work. If you’ve decided to start the new year with getting a pet and you want a puppy, think it through and make sure you really have the time and energy needed for raising a little dog through the puppy and teenage stages.

If you answer no to the 24-7 job of having a little one, consider visiting a local shelter or rescue and give an older dog a new chance on life. (There are often puppies there too, of course.)

Many dogs who end up in shelters and rescues are there through no fault of their own. In many cases the owner’s family, living situation, or financial situation changed, and the pet finds itself homeless. Older dogs are often the last to be adopted – and the first to be euthanized.

When you see a pet in a shelter, remember that the dog is stressed. Many shut down and become shy and unresponsive, others are hyper alert, ready for any chance to get away. The personality can change a little when you get home and your new pet settles in, and this process can take a couple of weeks until he or she figures out that they’re home and safe. Once the dog has settled in, you’ll have a devoted friend.

When you adopt an older dog you know important things like their final size and grooming requirements. Older dogs are far less likely to be destructive chewers than younger dogs – and if they chew on something it’s a training problem and not a teething problem. Older dogs are also more likely to be house trained than puppies. If the older dog isn’t house trained or has accidents in the new home, they have the physical and mental ability to “get it” quickly while a young puppy just can’t hold it.

Older dogs require exercise just like younger dogs, but they might not have the super-explosve energy that wants you to play ball for five hours and then run a marathon. Seniors often like to chill out.

Many believe older dogs can’t learn new tricks. This isn’t true. Training is great mental exercise for your furry friend, and it helps build the bond between you.

To find your new best friend, visit local shelters or rescues, or check petfinder.com!

Keep your pets safe over the New Year holiday

December 30, 2014September 19, 2023Pet information

The New Year holiday is just around the corner, and many Americans will celebrate the birth of the new year with fireworks, firecrackers, and even gunshots. While you and your neighbors celebrate, keep your pets in mind.

Cats, dogs, and other pets generally don’t like these loud noises, and the bright flashes of fireworks can add to their terror. Even dogs and cats that are normally calm can panic and run in an attempt to find safety from the perceived threat.

Keep your pets inside. If they choose to seek out a dark corner or hide under the bed, let them be. Never underestimate a frightened pet’s ability to flee. If you have visitors coming and going it’s a good idea to keep the pets separated so they can’t get out the front door.

If your family falls into the category that fires actual guns to celebrate the new year – fire into the ground, never up in the air. What goes up must come down, and bullets fired up in the air have been known to cause injury and even death on their return to the ground.

Make sure your pets have ID badges on their collars, and that they’re microchipped. Naturally, if you go to watch a fireworks display, leave your pets at home. Don’t leave them in the car.

Have a happy and safe New Year’s holiday!

Five New Year’s Resolutions for your pets

December 29, 2014September 19, 2023Pet information

Many use the new year holiday to reflect on the year that has passed, and to look forward on what they want to change. Top new year’s resolutions for humans often include to exercise more, lose weight, and stop smoking. The new year can be a fresh start for your pets too.

Here are five ideas for New Year’s Resolutions for your pet.

1. Measure your pet’s food. Every time

Over half of pets living in the USA are overweight. Measure your pet’s food every meal to make sure you’re not overfeeding your furry friends. Keeping a healthy weight can decrease the risk of serious diseases and increase the pet’s life span.

2. Do something new together

It’s easy to get stuck in a rut. Try something new – go hiking, take your dog to dogs, or try a dog sport. This is fun, a great way to bond, gives your pet important socialization, and you both get some exercise.

3. Groom your pet and brush their teeth

A daily session does more than help your pet look great – it builds the bond between you. Brushing your pet can help alleviate your stress, and show him or her that you love them. Brushing teeth can be more of an ordeal until you both get used to it, but keeping pets’ teeth clean is important to their overall health. Use a toothbrush and toothpaste meant for pets.

4. Teach your dog some new tricks

Mental stimulation helps keep your pets healthy and happy. Practice tricks your dog already knows, and learn something new. Puzzle feeders and toys are also great to help keep your pet entertained and alert.

5. Check your pet’s tags and microchip information

When something changes – be it a phone number, an address, or even your name – there’s a lot to think about, and the pet’s information is often forgotten. If any of your information has changed, update your pet’s tags and microchip information.