Did you hear that?” the old dog shouted. They all ran to the front of their kennel doors to see if someone was coming to “pick them.” “Sorry,” he said to the other dogs as his ears fell down from their perked position. “I could have sworn I heard voices saying, ‘Isn’t he cute? Can’t we take him home with us?’”
“You must have been dreaming again old man,” said the dog in the cage next to him. “Anyway, what’s the big deal about getting picked ? We’ve all been through that routine and look where i…
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Added by Larry on December 25, 2009 at 6:56am —
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So there I was, alone, sitting outside Tully’s and enjoying a latte when a woman approached me.
“Excuse me,” she said, looking concerned. “Is your dog okay?”
Puzzled, I reassured her that Elvis was fine. He’d gone on a walk earlier and couldn’t be budged off his La-Z-Dog recliner.
I had to ask. “I’m sorry, but do I know you?”
“No,” she replied, smiling. “It’s just that I see you around town and you’re never without your dog. I wanted to be sure he’s okay.”
She was right. Elvis is such an integr…
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Added by Larry on December 1, 2009 at 4:19am —
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Many of us have seen the positive relationships that can develop between horses and humans. Who can forget Roy Rogers and Trigger? Wilbur and Mr. Ed? But long before Velvet and Pi were bonding in National Velvet, horses were being used to facilitate improved health and well-being in humans. The ancient Greeks documented the therapeutic use of riding horses in 600 B.C., and the first study of the value of riding as therapy was reported in 1875, when a French physician used it as a treatment for a…
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Added by Larry on November 28, 2009 at 12:42pm —
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95% of cat owners admit they talk to their cats.
A cat can either be left pawed or right pawed.
A cat can jump as much as 7 times its height.
A cant can spend 5 or more hours a day grooming itself.
A cat can sprint at about 31 mph.
A cat cannot see directly under its nose.
Cats have 230 bones in their body, whilst humans have 206.
Cats have 4 rows of whiskers.
A cat can be pregnant for about 58-65 days.
A cat can see about 6 times better at night than a human can.
A cat that bites you…
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Added by Larry on October 17, 2009 at 10:58pm —
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Whether your pet prefers squeaky rubber squirrels, stiff rawhide bones or fuzzy mice, he or she undoubtedly loves to play with toys. But is the source of your dog's or cat’s merriment safe? Many common household products—including toys for children and pets—may contain trace amounts of lead and other toxins. In most cases, however, the levels of these ingredients in toys don’t pose a significant threat to your furry friend.
The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) reviewed 200,000 cases fr…
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Added by Larry on October 16, 2009 at 2:48pm —
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There’s something disconcerting about being middle-aged and watching my once-agile dog leap ahead of me into old age. No, not leap - she’s too creaky for that, stiff and slow almost overnight, it seems. She’s suddenly terrified of the kinds of storms she once danced through; she spurns a morning walk to go back to bed, circling awkwardly in an effort to get comfortable. Once down, she’ll lie there for hours on end, chin over the edge like Snoopy at his most dejected.
She’s depressed about getti…
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Added by Larry on October 14, 2009 at 5:25am —
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If you’re going to feed your dogs “people” food, shouldn’t you feed them something that’s actually good for them? Here are some healthy, easily obtainable options straight from market shelves that can be added to spice up your pup’s regular fare. There are, of course, a few cautions to keep in mind. First, none of these items by themselves constitutes a “complete and balanced” meal, and if your dog has health or weight issues, check with your vet before introducing them. Next, considering that m…
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Added by Larry on October 8, 2009 at 8:11am —
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The month of October is Adopt-A-Dog month! American Humane is trying to help promote dog adoption from shelters and rescue groups. This is a great cause, since so many amazing dogs are waiting to find homes.
Their theme is Be a Superhero! How? By saving the day for a homeless dog. During the month they encourage everyone who can bring a dog into their lives to visit their local shelters and rescue groups. Not only will you meet some great dogs, but you can literally save a life.
There are a lo…
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Added by Larry on October 4, 2009 at 7:03pm —
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Can Cats and Dogs Catch Swine Flu?
Pet parents of dogs and cats can relax for now, say ASPCA veterinarians. While the 2009 H1N1 virus—a faster moving and possibly more debilitating strain of influenza than the typical seasonal flu—has become an international concern, the virus, referred to as swine flu when first identified, appears to present little risk of infecting dogs and cats. However, viruses can mutate quickly and taking important preventative measures remains essential.
“Many species…
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Added by Larry on October 2, 2009 at 3:03pm —
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For pets that are sensitive to heat, the steamy summer months are not only uncomfortable, they are also the time when the risk of fatal heatstroke is highest. Thousands of pets die needlessly every summer from over-exposure to heat.
Learn how to protect your pets from this easy-to-prevent killer. Here’s how:
Heatstroke is an emergency that needs medical attention as soon as possible. Even before you take your pet to the vet, however, you need to start cooling her body down by putting her in a…
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Added by Larry on October 1, 2009 at 8:01pm —
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A frequently overlooked area when it comes to greening your life is greening your pet’s life. This can be a tricky subject, since what works best to keep your pet healthy and happy may not always be an ecofriendly decision. Luckily, there are easy ways to make sure that Fido leaves a lighter pawprint.Where you get your pet can have the biggest overall impact. Rescuing a pet from a shelter or the Humane Society gives an already existing pet a good home and the possibility of a happy life. Why pay…
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Added by Larry on September 26, 2009 at 1:22pm —
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This information is primarily for individuals with companion animals in a permanent home, but some of them also help rescue organizations for individual animals, or help handicapped people purchase, train, and care for service animals. Perhaps this list of organizations that will help with emergency vet bills may be able to help you in times when the determining factor in saving your pet's life is the ability to pay an unexpected or costly vet bill.
Note: These organizations help only in EMERGE…
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Added by Larry on September 19, 2009 at 6:51pm —
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What is a "hot spot"?
A hot spot is a localized area of skin inflammation and infection. The infection can be superficial or deep. Other common names for this condition include: moist dermatitis, and acute moist dermatitis
What is the medical name for this condition?
Also known as "pyotraumatic dermatitis", these common skin lesions are usually caused (and made worse) by biting, licking, or scratching. Broken down, "pyo-" refers to "pus", "-traumatic" refers to self-inflicted trauma of biting,…
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Added by Larry on September 14, 2009 at 11:59pm —
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Feline immunodeficiency virus, also commonly referred to as FIV, feline AIDS or cat AIDS, is a contagious disease which can be passed from one cat to another.
What is feline immunodeficiency virus and how is it spread?
Feline immunodeficiency virus is similar in many ways to the feline leukemia (FeLV) virus. Both viruses are retroviruses and both viruses are contagious to other cats. However, the FIV and FeLV viruses are two completely different viruses.
Feline immunodeficiency virus is norma…
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Added by Larry on September 7, 2009 at 3:52pm —
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What is a Tapeworm?
A tapeworm is a flat segmented worm that attaches itself to the inside of its host’s intestine. They become a matter of great concern when that host is your beloved pet! Tapeworms consist of a head, with suckers, a neck and a body of multiple segments. The tapeworm’s ability to reproduce as a single organism makes it especially formidable as new segments are continually being developed in the neck.
These segments are cast off when they become mature and each mature segment c…
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Added by Larry on September 6, 2009 at 8:16pm —
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Does your dog bury his bones, or even his favorite toys, in the backyard? Or even worse, does he sometimes dig them up and bring the muddy mess back inside…smiling and wagging his tail all the while? According to pet expert Arden Moore in The Dog Behavior Answer Book (Storey, 2006), thousands of years ago, dogs did not know where their next meal would come from, so after a kill they would bury any uneaten food to hide it from scavengers. When they were hungry again, they would return to their ca…
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Added by Larry on August 25, 2009 at 1:27am —
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A unique American organization, Helping Hands Monkeys, trains monkeys to help paralyzed people function better in their daily lives. Many who are paralyzed spend hours each day by themselves, so the monkeys can be important in helping them get along without professional caregivers as well as a source of companionship. The monkeys bring food and drinks, help feed the paralyzed person, pick things up that are out of reach, put on a CD or video, and turn lights on and off.
While monkeys are except…
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Added by Larry on August 14, 2009 at 11:15pm —
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The next time your dog greets you when you come home, closely watch his tail. Scientists have discovered that a happy dog will wag harder to the right and an anxious dog will wag harder to the left.
The study’s findings, “Asymmetric tail-wagging responses by dogs to different emotive stimuli,” was recently published in Current Biology. Co-authors include neuroscientist Giorgio Vallortigara of the University of Trieste in Italy, and veterinarians Angelo Quaranta and Marcello Siniscalchi, at the…
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Added by Larry on August 11, 2009 at 10:56pm —
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People always ask whether animal communicators were born with their gifts or they learned the skill, and the most honest answer is both, with the added and extremely important note that we are all born with these gifts. Through intention we discover and strengthen them. The key to developing intuitive abiltiy is meditation. Meditation quiets the mind, allows you to not only observe but feel the silence and become receptive to higher energies, your own and others'. No valuable intuititive work is…
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Added by Larry on August 5, 2009 at 4:48pm —
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Old dog finds new home
By LACY ATALICK, SUN MEDIA
The Toronto Sun
Newly adopted 'Max' stretches outside his new home hours after being adopted by Carol Schiavetto, left. (Greg Henkenhaf/SUN MEDIA)
It's a Max made in heaven.
The Toronto Humane Society thought finding someone willing to adopt Max, a 15-year-old German shepherd, was a long shot.
Then Carol Schiavetto came along and fell for the "handsome boy."
"I love his face," she said before taking Max home from the humane society yes…
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Added by Larry on August 5, 2009 at 12:50am —
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