Hair, Hair, and More Hair

Photo from www.themalaysiantimes.com.my

The biggest complaint I hear from most people who are looking for a pet is that they want one that doesn’t shed.  They don’t want to deal with all the hair.  With 10 current residents in our Sanctuary, I can attest to the fact that the hair is a nightmare.  And to top it off I have long hair, which just adds to the mix.  I can’t tell you how many vacuum cleaners I have killed because of all the hair.  We finally ripped out all the carpet and use a shop vac.  J

This article give some simple tips to help clean up all that hair.  Of course the first step is regular vacuuming, but did you know you should start high and go low?  They also recommend you use a humidifier to help keep you and your house hydrated.  My favorite recommendation is that you us a damp mop or sponge to help pick up any excess hair that vacuuming didn’t get from carpet and furniture.  I can attest to the fact that this works wonders.

 

Photo from www.bellyrubspetcare.com  

 

This article basically says…clean, clean, and clean.  If you’re like me, you don’t always have time to clean and with all these dogs I would have to do it every day.  So of course, this lead me to do some research.  I found several articles about dealing with pet hair.  This one gave some great ideas.  I like the one that says dust with a dryer sheet because they are hair magnates.  Living on a gravel road though…it just can’t handle all that dust.  J

Personally I’ve found that daily grooming of your pet helps.  Especially the two times of year our pets shed heavily.  Around July is the worst because they blow out their winter coats.  American Eskimo Dogs are double coated.  They have an undercoat that keeps them warm in winter and this is the coat they shed every summer.  It literally comes out in clumps.  I have a grooming table that I pull out to do the heavy duty grooming.  In a perfect world all of them would get groomed daily.

 

Photo from www.flickr.com

But regular grooming does help keep the hair in the rest of the house down.  I will throw a blanket on the floor and call individual dogs over to me and groom while I’m watching television.  I have a garbage can next to me to throw the hair in and then I take the blanket outside to shake off all the excess hair.  This works great for multi-pet homes.  We also have blankets that we cover the furniture with.  This way we can take those out and shake the hair off and wash them regularly.

Photo from www.wienerwonderland.com

 

Of course you could always save all that pet hair and have something made out of it.  So I guess all my research agrees.  Regular grooming and regular cleaning is the best way to deal with pet hair.  Guess I better get out the shop vac when I get home.  J

Be Well & Be Happy,

Pet~Pourri

Fido says Charge It

Have you ever received a credit card offer for your pet?  According to this article on PetMD, it’s not that crazy.  What is crazy is that they are often offered larger credit limits than you would get.

This story mentions a couple who wrote their cat’s name on a warranty card for their entertainment center.  Max, the cat, stated getting all kinds of offers for credit, magazines, sweepstakes and other things.  Another woman completed a credit application in her dogs name because the company wouldn’t stop sending her deceased father offers.  Now her pet gets them. People have even gotten credit card offers for their under aged children.

 

Why do pets and children get credit card offers?  Because companies sell their mailing lists to credit card companies.  Many, many years ago I worked for a company in Illinois that pulled information for companies that requested certain demographics.  When you fill out your information on a drawing, warranty, or credit application, your information goes into a database that is sold to direct marketing companies that will sell other companies your information. 

 

 

Most of the time pets receive these offers because their owner didn’t want to put their information down, so they put their pets information down.  MSN Money recommends “If you’ve ever received a crazy credit card offer for a child or pet, think twice before you just throw it away. It’s a good idea to call the credit card company to ask where they received their information, and inform them that there’s been a mistake. Children must be 13 before they can legally be added onto your credit account (and 18 to acquire a card of their own) and as much as you wish your pets could buy their own kibble, they can’t be cardholders either.”

Have you ever received a crazy credit offer for your pet?  If so, what was it?

Be Well & Be Happy,

Pet~Pourri

Are You A Cat Person?

I’ve always been a cat person.  Hard to believe I know since I run a dog rescue.  I love all animals really…but am definitely a cat person.  I was perusing my usual blog sites looking for something to catch my eye when I came across this blog that asks “Are You A Cat Person?”  Of course I am…so I had to check it out.  J

I love the opening paragraph:

“For every type of person in the world, there is a breed of cat that will suit his or her tastes and lifestyle. Active or laid back, fluffy or lean, massive or petite, there are so many cats to choose from that even "dog people” will find a cat that fits. There are several suitable breeds that will make your heart purr.”

They list 10 of the most popular breeds of cat.  Growing up we always had Siamese and my ‘magic cat’ was a Lynx Point Siamese.  According to this site the top ten are (I’ve included links to Wikipedia for each breed):

The Oriental

 

 

 

The American Shorthair

The Birman

The Sphynx

The Ragdoll (one of my favorites)

The Siamese (J)

You didn't think I was going to pass up showing a picture of a Lynx Point...did you? J

The Abyssinian

The Exotic Shorthair

The Maine Coon

The Persian

So…are you a cat person?  What is your favorite kind of cat?  Do you agree with this Top Ten List?

 

Be Well & Be Happy,

Pet~Pourri

 

Mixed Breeds or Designer Dogs Vs. Pure Breeds

Those of my readers who know me…know that I don’t approve of this Designer Dog fad.  They cost an exorbitant amount of money and they are just plain mutts. Not that there is anything wrong with mutts.  It’s just the price and the fad that drive me nuts.  J  A lot of people think that designer breeds are healthier than pure breeds because inherent diseases aren’t inbred in mixed breeds.

 

Puggle (mix of Pug and Beagle)

 

Well there is a study by UC Davis out now that debunks this myth.  According to this article, “research indicates that mixed breeds don't automatically have an advantage when it comes to genetic disorders.”

Researchers looked at over 90,000 records and 27,254 of them had at least one of 24 genetic disorders.  13 of the 24 disorders had the same ratio of occurrence in pure-bred and mixed breed dogs.  10 disorders were found more frequently in pure-bred dogs.  One was more common in mixed-breeds.

 

Schnoodle (mix of Schnauzer and Poodle)

 

Breeds that are similar, ie: mastiff type dogs, will most likely all carry a gene for a particular disorder, therefore a mix of two different breeds does not necessarily mean they won’t have that disorder.

So use your best judgment when deciding on the type of breed you want to adopt.  Do your research.  If you must adopt a Goldendoodle or a Puggle or another designer breed, research the types if disorders each breed has so you can be prepared to help your pup if they get one of those disorders. 

 

Goldendoodle (Mix of  Golden Retriever and Poodle)

 

I’m always touting research I know, but it really will benefit you and your relationship with your pet if you know in advance what you are getting into.  How many times have you made a spur of the moment decision…and regretted it. 

 

Maltipoo (mix of Maltise and Poodle)

 

Be Well & Be Happy,

Pet~Pourri

UPDATE - Schoep & John

Some sad news to share today.  Remember my recent post about Schoep and John celebrating Schoep's 20th Birthday?  John just posted on their facebook page that Schoep passed away yesterday (Wednesday).

John posted the following on their Facebook page today (Thursday).

     "I Breathe But I Can't Catch My Breath...

      Schoep passed yesterday"

 

In Memory of a very special dog.  We all loved you Schoep and you will be missed.


The Rainbow Bridge

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.  When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind. They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster. You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart. Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....    Author unknown...

Courtroom Comfort Dogs

Ever heard of a “Comfort Dog”?  I just recently heard of them when I saw this news story where a defense attorney was trying to get a conviction overturned because the star witness had a comfort dog in the court room which caused the jury to have sympathy for her an therefore their verdict was biased.

 

Stilson

 

Then today I saw this story about a comfort dog who is retiring after 7 years of service.  Being a victim of abuse as a child, I really wish they had comfort dogs when I had to go to court to testify.  It would have made an extremely stressful situation so much easier.

What is a comfort dog?  Basically, they are therapy dogs.  These dogs are trained to offer comfort to children who are victims of abuse or other crimes.  Children are much more relaxed and better able to communicate when they have a dog to hug and pet and cry on.  Often they will work for hours. 

 

Goldens at Boston Marathon

A group of Golden Retrievers offered support to the victims of the Boston Marathon Bombing.  These same group also offered comfort and support to the residents of Newtown, CT.   When I Google Comfort Dogs stories pop up from all over the country where dogs have comforted people.  This is a very valuable service that has gained in popularity over the years. 

 

Goldens at Newtown, CT

 

The only drawback I see is that comfort dogs cannot be classified as service dogs.  So if your doctor tells you to get a pet to help you with anxiety and stress, public businesses do not have to allow you to bring your pet into the business with you.  The Pet Partners, formerly known as the Delta Society gets a lot of questions about this every day and give you some guidelines in this article.

 

 

Molly

 

I was so happy to share about all the wonderful work Stilson curing his 7 year career and thought I would share some information on comfort dogs and the valuable service they provide. 

Be Well & Be Happy,

Pet~Pourri

 

 

Make Your Own Dog Food…Or Not…

Make Your Own Dog Food…Or Not…

 

 

Do you make your own dog food?  If so, you may want to read this article in detail.  It seems that most of the recipes out there are ‘nutritionally deficient’, meaning your pups aren’t getting all the minerals and vitamins and other nutrients they need for a healthy diet.

This study analyzed 200 recipes.  “They found that only nine of the 200 recipes —including eight of the nine written by veterinarians — provided all essential nutrients in concentrations that met the minimum standards established for adult dogs by the Association of American Feed Control Officials, while only five recipes — all written by veterinarians — provided essential nutrients in concentrations that met the National Research Council’s Minimum Requirements for adult dogs.”

 

This can be dangerous for your dog.  Of the 5 recipes four of them were written by board-certified veterinary nutritionists.  This study recommends that if you do want to make your own dog food you consult a board certified veterinary nutritionist.

 

This may sound daunting…I mean how many board certified veterinary nutritionists do you know?  However, Google to the rescue.   There is a lot of information out there.   You could also contact your local Vet School to see if they can assist you.  For us here in Iowa, that is ISU Vet School.  There is a school just for veterinary nutrition (American College of Veterinary Nutrition) and they could also give you some pointers.

 

Whatever you feed your pup, make sure it is good quality and follow up with your vet to make sure your pup is healthy.  If you do have questions, contact a veterinary nutritionist.

Be Well & Be Happy,

Pet~Pourri

What Extreme Would You Go To

I read this news story today and it made me wonder, what extremes would you go to, to save a pet in danger?  Would you stop traffic to save a dog or cat or even a goose and goslings in the road?  What is the most extreme thing you have done to rescue an animal in need?

I was driving home from a rescue event at our local Petco a few years ago.  My husband had just gotten me a satellite radio and I had to wait 15 minutes for it to program.  Since I was almost home, instead of turning left to go home, I turned right to drive down the road a bit and give the radio time to program.  As I was driving along I saw a large white dog running down the side of the road.  She was emaciated and, to me, obviously needed help.

 

 

I pulled up behind her and she stopped to look at me. When I got out of the car, she turned around and ran down the road. Another car that saw what I was doing pulled over in front of her and tried to stop her. She ran across the highway at this point right in front of another car. She made it across the road and I pulled across, driving the wrong way on the shoulder. I pulled up beside her and rolled down the window to talk to her. She looked at me and sat down.

 

 

I got out of the car talking to her the whole time. I slowly walked toward her and she hung her head looking scared. I got down on my knees and crawled the rest of the way to her holding out my hand. She sniffed my hand and licked my finders. As I got closer she scooted up to me and laid her head on my chest and looked into my eyes. She just took one big sigh and reached up and licked me on the nose.  That right there made me say I’m going to help this dog.

 

 

She had no collar and was filthy and starving. I went back to the car to grab a leash, all the while talking to her. I hooked the clip part through the handle and slipped it over her head. She was fine with that till I started walking her to the car. She started to fight with me then, just terrified. I got her calmed down and tried to coax her to the car. She just sat there shaking. Finally I picked her up and put her in the back seat.

 

 

By this time my radio was programed and I turned around to go home.  I called hubby along the way to give him a heads up about bringing home a stray.  He wasn’t too thrilled with me, until I got home.  He saw the condition she was in and we did our best to help her.  We took her to the vet and she only weighed 50 lbs. According to the AKC a Great Pyrenees should weigh about 85 to 100 lbs. The vet thinks she is less than 2 years old and has had at least two litters of puppies already.  He said that was why she was so small was because the calcium and nutrients she needed to grow were going to her puppies.

 

 

She was so sweet and so gentle, we decided to name her Tenderheart, after Tenderheart Bear from the Care Bears.

 

 

We started feeding her up and getting her healthy again.  A few months later a young couple came to meet her and adopted her shortly thereafter.  This was about 7 years ago or so.  She has a wonderful new family with a sister named Tegan and a brother named Burney.  They changed her name to Lexie, but I still call her Tenderheart.  She also has a couple cats and a new human sister named Emory also.  Her family is very proud of her…as you can tell by all the photos they sent me for this blog.  :)

 

Burney, Lexie (Tenderheart) & Tegan

Tegan, Burney, & Lexie (Tenderheart)

Tegan & Lexie (Tenderheart) helping Emory with her snack

Tegan & Lexie (Tenderheart)

Tegan, Lexie (Tenderheart) & Burney

 

This was my extreme rescue.  So what extremes would you go to?

Be Well & Be Happy,

Pet~Pourri

Lucky Kitten, Momma Cat, and an Eskie Reunion

This is the story of a very lucky kitten and a momma cat.  I wrote this blog last week venting about a kitten that had been dumped in the weeds in front of our house. If you read that blog, you will see why we call her Lucky Kitten.

 

 

Lucky Kitten

 

When my husband first went out to get her, he thought it was just her.  Later that evening when we came home from an evening out we saw a black cat on the grill behind the shelter.  She was meowing in the window and the kitten was meowing back to her.  I immediately thought 'I bet she’s the momma cat'.  We found evidence where she had been trying to get into the back window of the shelter.

We attempted to catch her to see if she was the momma and needed help, but she eluded us.  We tried for quite a while to get her, but she wasn’t having any of it.  So we left out a bowl of food and water and went to bed.  All night and the next day we could hear her meowing to the kitten and the kitten meowing back to her. 

Later the next morning I went out to water my flowers.  I could tell it was going to be a hot day.  As I was winding up the hose I heard momma cat.  She was under my husband’s van.  When I walked toward her she came up to the fence and was rubbing up against it.  I reached through the fence and she let me pet her and was rubbing up against my hand.  I stood slowly and reached over the fence.  She let me pet her again.  I loved on her for a bit and then made my move.

I grabbed her and picked her up to give her some loving and she let me.  When my husband came around the corner she flipped out and fought to get away.  She has a full set of claws, but never once used to them to scratch me and never bit me.  She just turned into this wriggling maniac until she finally got loose.  She took off into the woods. 

A few hours later she was back meowing to the kitten.  I went outside again and slowly approached her.  She let me pet her again and again I was able to catch her.  This time she wriggled from the beginning, but I got her into the shelter and when she saw the kitten she stopped fighting.  I held her up to the kennel we had the kitten in and you could tell they were momma and baby.  I put her in the kennel with the kitten and she was a happy momma cat again.

 

 

Momma Cat

 

It’s been about 4 days since then and we have been trying frantically to find homes for Momma Cat and Lucky Kitten.  We are a dog rescue and are just not set up to rescue cats.  We couldn’t bring them in the house because they would not be safe.  We have a couple of dogs that do not tolerate cats.  So they stayed in the shelter in a kennel.  I’ve been sending out pleas via e-mail and Facebook to try and find a home for these two and finally have safe places for them to go.

Lucky Kitten has been adopted locally and will have a great home.  Momma Cat though is not going to a new home.  We worked with the Nebraska Humane Society, Omaha NE last year to save a little Toy Eskie named Tinkerbell.  They have agreed to take in Momma Cat and have assured us that she will be safe until she can find a new home of her own.

 

 

Tinkerbell helping load Momma Cat

 

On Friday I drove out to the Atlantic Hy-Vee to meet a wonderful volunteer who has agreed to overnight Momma Cat until she can be taken to the shelter in Omaha.  This is the same volunteer who told us about Tinkerbell and fell in love with her. They also wound up adopting another dog several years ago who went from Illinois to Montana and then back to her in Nebraska when Montana didn’t work out.

So even though Momma Cat isn’t staying in Iowa, she will be safe until she can find a home of her own.  Sometimes we have to look farther away to rescue dogs and in this case, cats.  Transport is a part of what we do and it’s nice when we find volunteers to meet us part way. 

 

 

Group shot of all the volunteers at the Atlantic, IA Hy-Vee

 

We met up at the Hy-Vee in Atlantic, IA.  Our volunteer had also brought two of her Eskies with her, Luke and Princess Penny.  She had also rescued them from the NHS in Omaha.  So now along with a rescue transport for an abandoned cat, we had a full blown Eskie Reunion on our hands.  Our volunteer’s son had a special bond with Tinkerbell, so she came along on the trip.

 

 

Eskie Reunion & Rescue Transport

 

So this is the story of Lucky Kitten and Momma Cat.  Fortunately this tail of dumping turned into a success story, but it doesn’t always work out so well for dumped pets.  A few days ago I saw this story online stating instances of dogs being shot have increased lately.  What kills me about this story is that it was a vet who shot the dogs.  But what really kills me is that he refused to treat the dog after he shot it. Grrr

Long story short…don’t dump your pet.  It is not always a happy ending.

Be Well & Be Happy,

Pet~Pourri

 

Watch Your Pets for Heat Stroke

Photo from www.pet360.com

The temps have been staying steadily above 90º here in the Midwest and above 100º in the southwest and even in the northwest.  My husband and I were at the Good Guys Car Show in Des Moines on July 5^th and we saw a couple walking two small rat terriers that were obviously over heated.  I decided to write this blog on the signs of heat stroke in pets and how to treat it. 

 

The key to saving a pet suffering from heat stroke or heat exhaustion is immediate treatment.  Pets do die from being over heated.  If you are going to take your pet out on hot days like this, please keep an eye on them to make sure they don’t get over heated.

Signs of heat stroke include (but are not limited to):

 

• Excessive or exaggerated panting
• Lethargy
• Weakness
• Drooling
• High fever
• Dark red gums
• Rapid heartbeat
• Unresponsiveness to commands and surroundings
• Vomiting
• Collapse
• Staring/anxious expression
• Warm/dry skin

photo from pitbullmixed.com

If you suspect that your pet is over heated, take them immediately inside to an air conditioned room or in front of a fan or if you can’t get indoors to a shady spot.  It is important to remove them from the source of the heat immediately.

Cool them down by pouring cool water over their head and body.  You could also use a garden hose by gently spraying them with water.  Put your pet in front of a fan and spread their fur with your fingers to help cool them.
 

Photo from blog.northjersey.com

When they come around give them a small amount of water to drink.  If you have it you could also give them a pediatric electrolyte solution.

Call the emergency vet for assistance.  If your dog is not coming around immediately take them to a vet or emergency vet clinic.  After your pet is recovered you should still visit your vet for a checkup just to make sure there isn’t any internal damage.

Photo from www.bordervetgoondiwindi.com.au

 

Remember to keep calm as you are treating your pet.  If you are panicking your pet will feel that and will be stressed out even more.

Remember during these hot summer days not to leave your pet in a parked car.  Even with the windows cracked and parked in the shade the inside temperature can get to 90º on a 70º day.  On a 90º+ day, even with the windows cracked, the inside temperature can get to 150º+. 
 

Photo from www.thepetdoctorinc.com

Also, if you have an outside dog, make sure they have plenty of fresh water and plenty of shade.  Especially if your dog has a thick coat of fur or is used to northern climates.  Black pets are also in more danger because dark colors absorb heat.

Breeds of dogs and cats with short snouts will be more prone to heat stroke because they have a more difficult time breathing.  You want to be especially aware of heat stroke in breeds like Pugs, Boston Terriers, and Persian cats.

Remember that dogs cannot sweat like we do.  They do sweat through their paws and pant to release excess body heat.  Cats sweat through their paws also and groom themselves to help keep cool.  The grooming wets their fur and cools the cat as it evaporates.  If you notice your cat panting, they are too hot and it is time to take them inside to cool off.

Photo from lifewithchcats.com

 

Best rule of thumb, if it’s too hot for you to be outside, it’s too hot for your pet to be outside.  Keep your pet inside or in a shady spot with plenty of fresh water to help keep them cool.

Be Well & Be Happy,

Pet~Pourri