The Recession and Your Pets

Lately, everyone is feeling the tight pinch of their money during the worldwide recession that we are all currently in. The good news, however, is that the pet industry seems to be doing quite well for itself, especially in terms of luxury goods and gourmet pet foods.

The pet industry, according to the American Pet Products Association, grew by an astonishing $2 billion in 2008 and is predicted to do $45 billion in sales in 2009. In 1994, that sales number was a measly $17 billion.

"We're as recession-resistant as any industry I can think of," stated Bob Vetere, the association's president.

Euromonitor International, a market researching company that tracks the sales of pet food and accessories (not including the actual purchase price of pets, grooming, training and other such expenses), estimates this year's pet spending to be a whopping $23.9 billion. Astonishingly, the group also forecasts that the pet industry's sales are still on pace to increase to more than 13 percent by the year 2013.

Retail experts believe that many pet owners are as devoted to their pets as parents are to their children; which means that they are willing to forgo their own little luxuries before even considering denying their pets any luxuries.

Although 2008 saw one of the worst fourth quarters in generations, the luxury pet products industry saw itself expand.

Such pet product companies sell everything from organic doggie treats to couture inspired clothing and pet toys. These pet business owners are ecstatic that their business's sales are up, despite the economic indicators showing that the majority of today's shoppers are actually tightening their budgets during one of the worst downturns in monetary history.

"I think they're buying nice dog collars instead of remodeling their kitchen," said Fiona Tavernier, owner of Lollypadoodle in San Francisco which sells wool stuffed dog toys. Lollypadoodle's business is still going strong despite the current monetary deficiency.

"You know, for some families, the pet comes first," said Carol Perkins, the president and co-founder of Harry Barker, a Charleston, S.C. based pet toy company whose sales were up 40 percent by the end of 2008. "The dog goes to the vet first, and the dog gets organic food. Maybe some people will cut back on a dog bed, but they'll still buy dog treats, toys and collars and leashes."

Morningstar analyst, R.J. Hottovy explained that the pet industry is “more resilient than most categories tied to discretionary spending. It's one of the last categories [people] cut out of their budget."

Consumer Reports ran a poll in their ShopSmart magazine that concluded that female shoppers were more likely to buy the cheaper, no-name brands of goods but refused to switch to less expensive pet foods or personal care items.

Since the outbreak of pets that were poisoned from food that was imported in from China, many dog and cat owners have switched their pets to a more organic gourmet food, thereby securing the organic pet food's future profits.

Another aspect is that the potential of digestive problems in cats and dogs from switching their foods from a higher grade quality to a lower grade quality is too serious for most pet owners to risk.

"Once people have their pets on a certain pet food, there's health risks to switching over to another," Mr. Hottovy said. "As soon as they've moved up to the premium brands, they're kind of locked in, so it's hard to trade down."

However, there are a few luxury pet retailers that are finding that some of their most expensive items, such as custom made $4000 poster dog beds or crystal cat food dishes, are not selling as fast as they used to.

"Gone are the days when people would buy $100 collars and fake fur," said Claire Chew, of Venice, California, who founded Luxepets, a line of pet keepsakes.

Some pet store owners are actually increasing their sales by increasing the amount of less expensive products that they stock in their stores. Such as Paige Ormand, the owner of the Doggy Style Pet Shop in Chicago's Wicker Park, who ordered $5 toys instead of the $20 variation. However, Ormand is not removing the expensive gifts from her store shelves, either.

"This industry is way more insulated than other businesses," she said. "But I wouldn't say it's recession-proof."

In the last three recessions, pet supply stores actually saw a 3%, 3%, and 8% growth in sales. Even though their human companions have a lighter wallet, most pets will not have a lighter appetite, and it's because of that, that pet stores will be able to fare quite well for themselves in times of economic despair.

Photo Credit: Joi

The Rise of Natural Pet Care: Similar to the Natural Health Movement for Humans

Examining history is often a good way to predict the future. In the last decade, millions of people have turned to natural remedies to improve their health. They were tired of the traditional medical approach that rarely seems to get to the root of a health issue.

Popularity of Natural Remedies Has Soared

If you're in a room of 100 people, you'll discover that about 70% of them have. About half of these people will say that the reason they did was because they didn't want to start taking any prescription medications, they wanted a natural solution that wouldn't harm the body, or they didn't want to experience any side effects. The other half will say that they tried the remedy before they ever saw a medical doctor and they wanted to take control of their health.

We All Have Herbal Roots

In the1800s, herbal medicine and midwifery were commonly used. The American Medical Association became a lobbyist for invasive medicine in the last quarter of the1800s and went on a crusade to control health care. Fifty years later they had completely ousted all other natural therapies through regulation. There's no way to estimate the number of people who suffered as a result.

The first multiple vitamin mineral supplement came out in 1915 and was sold only to patients by doctors. The product was called Vita-Amines. The liquid was thought to activate the amino acids.

We're Mad... and Not Going to Take It Anymore

The shift away from doing everything a medical doctor said without question occurred in the mid to late 1970s as an underground movement by revolutionary health advocates. About that same time, the media started broadcasting stories about problems that resulted from drugs and surgery given during medical treatment.

During the 1960s and 1970s, very few alternative health practitioners were mentally and financially strong enough to speak out against current medical procedures because of frequent FDA arrests. The AMA developed subtle but angry tirades against chiropractors using the term "quackery". Despite the AMA's attempts to discredit a perceived competitor, chiropractic patients who experienced the positive health benefits of the art knew that no matter what sticks and stones the medical doctors threw at chiropractors, they would continue their chiropractic visits. They weren't about to give up feeling better. In the 1980s, the Chiropractic associations won a lawsuit against the medical profession for coordinated and well-orchestrated attempts to put them out of business and discredit them.

No Connection between Diet and Health

For decades, many traditional health care practitioners ignored the importance of diet in health. In 1979 the American Heart Association and the American Cancer Association denied there was a relationship between diet and cancer. In 1990, nutrition professors at universities still didn't believe that antioxidants such as vitamin A, C, and E worked against free radicals and that supplements helped improve health. They believed that all essential elements could be obtained from a normal diet. This didn't matter much to health advocates because they experienced benefits when they took the supplements. They knew the truth. Meanwhile, dietitians and the American Dietetic Association were still condoning the use of sugar and carbonated beverages. During the 1990s, certified nutritionist programs began to crop up, teaching the benefits of a natural diet and the art of using food as medicine.

The Battle Hasn't Stopped

In recent years medical doctors and pharmaceutical companies have attacked the use of herbs and tried to sway the public away from using dietary supplements in a new way - with public relations organizations that systematically flood the press with reports that certain vitamins, minerals and herbs do not work. Smart health advocates see through their research. For example, studies using mice genetically-resistant to environmental chemicals to prove that chemicals don't cause harm are one example of the type of tricks used to prove that chemicals are not a problem.

Natural Remedies at Your Fingertips

With the advent of the internet, information has become more easily available to obtain. Research reports, regulatory agency documents, press releases, videos and multimedia can be found on any topic in human and animal health, often with easy access to pros and cons on any topic. With this information comes the personal decision on whether or not to try a natural remedy, vitamin, mineral, herb or supplement.

Veterinary Medicine Parallels Medicine

Veterinary medicine in many ways is following in the footsteps of the medical doctors. Their philosophy is similar: when there's something wrong, give a drug or cut it out, burn it out or poison it to make it go away. According to one graduate from the University of California at Davis Veterinary School, present-day veterinarians are taught that nutrition and alternative health methods are essentially a waste of time. The irony is that millions of research studies completed worldwide on nutrition using animals were the basis for deciphering the code of human nutrition. The nutrition code for pet nutrition lies in all those journal articles, right under the nose of the veterinarians. But they're not doing any sniffing.

No Underground Movement Needed for Natural Pet Care

That's why many people have taken their pet's health into their own hands once they receive a diagnosis. The same internet that can give hope to humans trying to overcome a health issue can provide hope and solutions for pet owners. Many seek out alternative health care practitioners for answers since principles of healing are very similar for use of the modalities with pets. For example, a trained acupuncturist can easily adapt knowledge and experience to pets after taking a class or two on acupuncture for pets. A trained herbalist can do the same thing. Because the philosophies of natural health practitioners are vastly different from medical or veterinary philosophy, it's a lot easier for an alternative health practitioner to apply his art to animals than a medical / veterinary professional.

Protecting their Turf?

There are some clues that the American Veterinary Association is attempting to control their turf just as the American Medical Association did. The question is will you let your dog or cat suffer as they battle it out? For example, veterinarians believe that chiropractors who treat animals should work under their guidance, even though veterinarians have no knowledge whatsoever of how to adjust a vertebrae. Although few if any arrests have been made, it makes one wonder if history is starting to repeat itself.

You Have Every Right and Every Advantage

To take control of your pet's health you have one of the best tools at your fingertips: the internet. Because natural remedies and alternatives for pets are not yet found in any structured learning format, the information you may be looking for may take quite a bit of time to discover. No matter how long it takes, continue the search. Time is on your side and the information will be found. For whatever illness you are looking for, there is a natural remedy or a natural therapy that can lessen pain and suffering, improve quality of life and often reverse an illness. Never give up, do not listen to the naysayers and find it.

Managing Multiple Cats

Overview

Cats are territorial animals, but they can and do get along with other cats. In fact, many cats enjoy the company of other felines once they get used to the idea. While some cats will never get along, most cats find a way to peacefully coexist in the same household.

Introducing a New Cat into Your Household

When you bring a new cat into a home that already has a resident feline, keep in mind that initially, the cat that was there first will experience this as an invasion of her territory. It is usually less threatening to the resident cat if the new cat is younger and older cats usually adjust very well to the presence of kittens.

Keep the cats separated at first, with the new cat confined to one room. A general rule of thumb is that the cats should not come in direct contact with each other for about a week. The resident cat will sense the presence of the new cat, and will gradually become accustomed to the idea.

After a few days, you can switch the cats so that each can explore the territory of the other. Finally, bring the new cat into the same room as the resident cat with the new cat in a carrier so your resident cat can see him without making physical contact. Expect some growling or hissing to take place when the cats first encounter each other, though in many cases, cats that are introduced this way have little or no reaction to each other.

Once the cats seem reasonably accustomed to the idea that there is another feline in the household, you can allow them to meet face to face. Be sure to monitor the first meeting, but do not be overly concerned about hissing or growling. If you sense that they are going to hurt each other, separate them again and give them more time to adjust.

The cats should be supervised whenever they are together until you are completely sure that they can coexist without conflict. Don't be discouraged if this takes more time than you had initially hoped. Eventually, most cats are able to get along, though it can take several months to establish a routine of peaceful coexistence.

Practicalities

Cats are stressed when they are crowded, so if you have more than one cat, make sure there is enough space in your home for each cat to have his or her own territory. You will probably notice that the cats, not you, will choose their spots. For instance, if you have three cats, you may find one of them always on the left side of the sofa, another usually curled up on a chair, and the third always in the same location on your bed!

Cats will fight over food, water and litter boxes. Ideally, each cat in your household should have her own food and water bowl, and there should also be one litter box per cat. Provide each cat with his own bedding and his own toys as well.

Finally, be sure not to play favorites. If you have more than one cat in your home, be sure to give them equal amounts of attention and affection. You will get to know which cat needs what from you. Some cats will require lap time, while others will want to play. If you have a loner among your felines, respect that as well (without completely ignoring the animal, of course).

Photo Credit: Piez

Cat-astrophic Falls!

Recently the Center for Disease Control and Prevention released a report that stated that nearly 86,629 people in the US visit the emergency room after taking a fall caused by their pets and their belongings. That equals out to be 240 emergency room trips per day, and less than 1% of the 8 million visits for falls for all reasons.

In order to conclude these numbers CDC investigators researched emergency room data from 2001 to 2006 using the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System All Injury Program. This produced a national estimate of 86,629 pet-falls on the basis of 7,456 cases reported during the study period.

The authors of this report were quoted as saying: "The analysis showed that the highest rates of injuries occurred among persons aged >75 years, and the most common diagnosis was fracture," adding that some of these fractures could be in the hip. "Among older adults, hip fractures can result in serious health consequences, such as long-term functional impairments, nursing home admission, and increased mortality."

Out of the falls, approximately 1/3 resulted in broken bones, 1/4 resulted in bruises, 1/5 resulted in sprains and a little more than 1/10 resulted in lacerations. Although the highest rate of injury was found in people 75 and older, the largest number of injuries actually occurred in children who were under the age of 14.

However, this report was not aimed at discouraging pet awareness!

"We know that pets have many benefits," said Judy Stevens, an epidemiologist at CDC's injury center. "We just want people to be aware that pets and pet items can be a fall hazard and can lead to injuries."

In fact, the CDC report recommends: "Prevention strategies should focus on increasing public awareness of pets and pet items as fall hazards and of situations that can lead to fall injuries, and reinforcing American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) recommendations emphasizing obedience training for dogs."

Between dogs and cats, the biggest cause of the fall related injuries were dogs, causing almost 90% of all falls.

Puppies were the main cause as they were more likely to fall asleep quickly somewhere where their owners do not notice, as well as with older dogs with Alzheimer's. Therefore, the most common cause of a fall was the owner tripping over a sleeping dog or puppy inside their home, equaling out to 1/3 for all fall related reasons. In total, 62% of all falls occurred at home, whilst 16% happened outside at a park or on the street.

Of all the dog related injuries, 1/4 occurred whilst walking a dog, 3% whilst running away from a dog, one half of 1% occurred whilst trying to break up a dog fight and 1/5 were pulled by the animal.

Regarding falls and injuries associated with cats, approximately 12% involved chasing a cat and in 2/3 of falls, the owner had tripped over their cat. In total, 86% of falls happened inside the home and 17% whilst chasing a cat.
Pet paraphernalia, such as toys, blankets and food dishes, were cited as the cause of about 9% of the falls that occurred at home.

The CDC report also found that women are twice as likely to be injured as men are, and were usually between the ages of 35 and 54 years old.

However, both the CDC report and the nation's leading veterinarians and emergency room doctors all agree on one thing: That responsible pet ownership far outweighs the possibilities of pet related falls and injuries! According to the CDC, such pet ownership benefits included lower blood pressure, lower triglyceride levels, lower stress levels and a greater opportunity for exercise and socialization for both the pet and their owner.

The CDC also included valuable prevention tips in their report to help pet owners avoid falls and injuries. The most obvious one, according to Judy Stevens: "owner should know how a pet behaves on risky activities such as walks."

She also stated that obedience training for dogs is vitally essential as it will be able to stop a dog from pulling on their leash as well as stop them from jumping up to greet their owners.

"You can also prevent falls by removing tripping hazards like pet items," she said.

Keep rooms that house your pet's toys, bedding and food dishes well lighted, in order to decrease any chances of tripping over your dog's favorite chew toy.

The flip side to the CDC's report is that pets also suffer from fractures, broken bones and other injuries as a result of their owners either tripping over them or stepping on their tails and paws.

So, in summary, it is a good idea to enroll your dog in a local obedience class to help curb any unwanted behaviors, prevent your pet's belongings from being scattered all around your house, keep the area's where your pet sleeps and where his belongings are kept well lighted, and know where your pets are at all times.

Photo Credit: Indiewench

Doglympics

From the 28th of February to the 1st of March 2009, Orlando held its first ever Doglympics!

Teena Patel, founder and CEO of the University of Doglando, was the organizer for this spectacular doggie event that had dogs of all ages and sizes competing against each other in flying disc competitions, potato sack races and other exciting events.

But this Doglympics was not just for the athlete dog! There were events for both doggie novices and serious doggie competitors too.

Teena Patel explained: "You're encompassing both; it's something for pet owners to do, as well as [for] competition dogs to do."

The Doglympics saw more than 200 different dog teams from all over the USA and Canada competing against each other. It is interesting to note, however, that these Doglympics is actually the first doggie event of its kinds that held a variety of canine-focused sports in one central location.

"This is kind of the mall of dog sports because you can go somewhere and get everything all at once," stated Matt DiAno, flying disc champion.

DiAno and his dog had tough competition in the flying disc event: there was a total of 79 teams competing for gold, silver and bronze medals.

"We were here from 7 o'clock until 7:30 yesterday and there were people in the stands the entire day," DiAno said.

One of the main reasons that there were so many spectators was because of speedy events, such as competitive lure course racing, keeping the spectators enthralled all day long.

Almost all dogs have fun running the lure course race, in which they chase after a tied up plastic bag (the lure) right around an oval track. The dogs either compete against themselves in an attempt to beat their own time, or they compete against each other.

"Almost any breed can do this lure coursing," said Shelley Holland, a lure course racing participant. "It's really open to all dogs and we're always surprised at the dogs and 'How can they love a plastic bag,' you know?"

There were, however, a few events that were geared towards the more amateur of doggie athletes. Such as the musical chairs and the potato sack race. Michelle Snider's Daschund, Hershey, won the potato sack race. In order to win this race, Hershey had to run from the starting line to a 50 meter mark, where his handler was waiting standing inside a potato sack. Hershey's handler then had to jump back in the potato sack to the starting line.

"It's great! We watched the herding and some of the disc and it's just been neat to see what the different breeds can do." said Michelle.

The Doglympics also showcased the amazing talents of the 2009 Central Florida Flying Disc Challenge and Team MaddMac Lure Coursing team. The Central Florida Flying Disc Challenge was an open-invitational canine Frisbee tournament that had competitors from across the USA and Canada competing for the title of 'Top Disc-Dog'.

Other events included:

The Doggy Dash: In this event pairs of dogs raced against each other with the winning dog advancing to the next round. A steward holds each dog at the starting line and releases them as soon as the Judge says, 'Ready, steady go!' In order to win a dog has to be the first one to sit across the Finish Line. They then advance to the second round. If, however, a dog leaves their racing line, they are automatically disqualified. The dogs who win the second round then move onto the quarter finals, until there are only two dogs left competing against each other for the ultimate winner.

The Recall Relay: This event is comprised of two teams of four dogs each that race against each other, with the team that wins advancing to the next round. Handlers walk across the field, approximately 10 yards away, whilst their dogs are either instructed to Sit and Stay, or they are held by other team members behind the Start Line. In most cases these doggie team have a handler because after three false starts, the whole team is then eliminated from the race.

The 6 Legged Race: Here a dog and his handler had to run together for 50 meters whilst the handler holds an egg on a spoon in their mouth the whole way without dropping it.

The Longest Stay: For well trained dogs, this event is a breeze! Their handler instructs them to stay in either a sit position or a sit/down position. The dog that is able to sit and stay in that position is the winner.

3 Mile Run/Walk: This is the easiest of the races: the winners are determined by which ever dog and handler team finishes the race first.

The Olympic Ring: For this event, there are 4 stations that are spread approximately 25 meters apart. At the first station the handlers have to do 5 jumping jacks; at the second station the handlers have to do 5 push ups; at the third station the handlers have to do 5 sit ups; the fourth station is for the dogs to do a 10 second stay. The winners are the first dog and handler team that completes the requirements at each station and runs back to the finish line.

There was also breed specific races for Dachshunds', Jack Russells', Italian Greyhounds' and races for Yorkshire Terriers'.

Teena has high hopes for the Doglympics: "I would love for this to grow into a grooming competition, an obedience competition as well as confirmation," she said.

Photo Credit: doglympicsUSA.com

Pet Illness Detectives

It has long been known that our pets provide us with lots of love and companionship. But did you know that some pets can also provide us with illness detecting services too?

Dogs that have an acute sense of smell and awareness have been known to detect lung, breast and skin cancer in patients before a proper medical diagnosis has been made.

Support Dogs is a UK based charitable organization that has provided over 45 seizure alert dogs to epileptics.

One such person was Tony Brown-Griffin. Before obtaining her first seizure alert dog, Tony was suffering from at least 12 major seizures a week, not to mention the numerous minor ones. Due to all of this Tony was literally housebound and lonely. Today is she a thriving independent mother of two children and all because of her Golden Retriever, Ajay.

About 40 minutes before Tony experiences a major seizure, Ajay starts to lick her left hand. This allows Tony enough time to get herself out of harm's way.

"It's a major stress reduction. I don't have to worry about epilepsy at all unless my dog alerts me. Before I was thinking 'Do I have time to cross the road, will I have a seizure?'"

However, neither Tony nor her husband can understand how Ajay can pick up on any warning signs, as even the slightest of changes in Tony's behavior before she experiences a seizure are hardly noticeable to them.

"He doesn't get a crystal ball and headscarf and say 'I predict you will have one three weeks on Tuesday' but whether it's a change in blood pressure or body temperature or whether I sweat or smell differently, or a combination of things. In the early days it was very difficult to go with the dog because I would feel so well but he was 100% accurate, 100% of the time," explains Tony.

Another life-saving dog, Riker, a 9-year-old Australian Shepherd from California, kept poking persistently at his owner's father's chest. Since Riker didn't want to stop, a closer examination was done. Riker's owner found a lump on her father's chest. The doctor later explained that it was a melanoma that had spread beneath her father's skin.

Pamela Plante's Yorkshire Terrier, Morgan, would not stop jumping on leg one morning. Eventually, Pamela turned up her trousers and looked at her leg in a mirror. Her leg was completely red right up to the knee. She was admitted to the hospital for sepsis and spent a week there recovering.

But dog's aren't the only pet illness detectives!

At the Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Rhode Island, the resident cat, Oscar, has apparently predicted the deaths of 25 residents.

What is unusual about Oscar is that he is not really friendly to any of the nursing home patients ever. That is, until he predicts their death by cozying up with them. The nursing home staff will then warn the patient's family that the patient does not have much more time left to live.

Another cat, Tuffy, from South Dakota has been credited for keeping Ardis Matson's mother alive and able to live on her own for years.

"My mother was elderly and had insulin-dependent diabetes," Matson says. "Often, her blood sugar would go dangerously low during the night and if left unchecked it could have caused her to go into a coma and die. Tuffy always slept with her, and when her blood sugar started slipping really low during the night, he would nudge her and walk across her body and keep aggravating her until she would get up and take glucose to make her blood sugar levels rise. When she was in control again, Tuffy would go back to sleep."

Veterinarian Margie Scherk, who is also the president of the American Association of Feline Practitioners, believes that, in the case of Oscar, he is probably picking up on a variety of clues that most people are just too busy to notice or don't have the sensory capacity to detect them.

"Cats live in a world of smells; their olfactory sense is a lot more acute than that of a human," Scherk says. "People who are dying, as well as those who aren't eating, emit ketotic odors, which might be one clue that cats like Oscar detect. There could easily be other odors that a dying individual produces that our noses are unable to note."

It seems that not only are cats and dogs able to pick up on certain odors, they also seem to be able to understand when there are health issues that their owners need to know about.

Timothy E. Holy, an assistant professor of anatomy and neurobiology at Washington University in St. Louis explains it this way: "There is reason to believe that some odors do have an 'intrinsic' value to the animal, that evolution has led to the development of neural pathways that specialize in detecting and processing relevant categories of smell. Experience, too, plays a big role. You can train a dog to react in particular ways to relatively arbitrary smells."

Since dogs evolved from wolves, it has been theorized that dogs have such an aptitude because their wolf ancestors also had such an ability to tell when one of their pack members was ill.

Keep this mind the next time your dog or cat is desperately trying to obtain your attention; It could save your life!

Photo Credit: WFAA.com

A Different Kind of Swiss Bank Account

Last week, Kelley Davis went to her bank in Apex, North Carolina, to deposit money that she had been saving only to realize that the money was not in her pocket.

Through a rigorous process of elimination, Kelley discovered that her 2-year-old greater Swiss mountain dog, Augie, had deposited her money into his own Swiss bank account - his stomach!

Kelley and her family were trying to save up as much money as they could; even clipping newspaper coupons to save over $70 on their last trip to their local grocery store.

Kelley had picked up extra hours working as a physical therapist and had saved $400 in cash that she was excited to deposit into her bank account. But first she placed the crisp bills on top of her bedroom bureau and headed out to run a few quick errands.

With no one home to catch him in the act, Augie casually went into Kelley's bedroom and made off with the $400 in cash! Augie then quickly consumed the money in order to hide any evidence of his crime.

Kelley was not impressed and took Augie for a very, very long walk the next day, and waited patiently for Augie to withdraw her savings. She soon started to see tiny pieces of the three $100 bills and the five $20 bills amongst Augie's droppings.

That was when Kelley picked up the garden hose and remembered yelling to her kids: "Kids, get the colander! I'm out there panning for gold."

A few days later, Augie had withdrawn almost $160 in tiny remnants of their former, full size; and an intact $20 bill.

Kelley hopes that if she is able to retrieve enough pieces, she will turn them into the Federal Reserve in the hopes of exchanging the remnants for actual bills.

According to Federal regulations, any currency that has been mutilated can be replaced as long as more than 50% of the bill is identifiable or if "the method of mutilation and supporting evidence demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Treasury" that the rest of the bill has been damaged.

"Who knows if there's more coming or not," she said. "We're anxiously awaiting."

In case you are wondering if Augie's expensive taste will hurt him in any way, Dr. Steve Marks, an associate professor of internal medicine and critical care at the N.C. State University Veterinary School, says that the cash would not jeopardize Augie's health.

"Dogs will ingest almost anything if given the chance," Dr. Marks said.

It seems that money eating dogs are not that much of a rarity in the South. An 8 year old Lab and German shorthair mix named Pepper Ann, ate $800 in cash in Atlanta, Georgia, two years ago.

According to Pepper Ann's owner, Debbie Hulleman, though, Pepper Ann is a very curious dog who has a tendency to get herself into all kinds of trouble.

"She's always been naughty, and when she was little it was 'you're lucky you're so cute, you'd be gone otherwise.' But she's just a cute little dog. She has personality, but she has issues also," said her owner.

A great example of such an issue is Pepper Ann's affinity to swallow anything that she can fit into her mouth.

"She's eaten lipstick, so lipstick gets all over the carpet, ball point pens all over the carpet, toothpaste, shampoo. She's done a lot, Kleenex, she'll eat a whole box of Kleenex if she can get it," explained Debbie.

When Debbie and her husband went away on vacation, she dropped Pepper Ann and her sibling Zach, at her mother's house. Well, Pepper Ann's Grandmother had a friend over who, besides being forewarned, left her purse on the carpet.

Later on when both of the women had woken up, they discovered that Pepper Ann had dug into the friend's purse and consumed more than $800 in cash.

A few of the bills were scattered around the Grandmother's house, whilst other pieces were found in the backyard wherever Pepper Ann had gone potty.

"Pretty soon (I) came to a pile that had a $50 bill hanging out, part of a fifty, and I said 'gosh, look at that,'" Hulleman laughed "There were lots of piles with money hanging out there, so I had to save it, rinse it, strain it."

Debbie had to tape together the bits and pieces of the money that was recovered, before she was able to exchange a little more than $700 with cleaner bills at her local bank.

She is, however, holding onto half of a $100 bill, in the hopes that she will recover the other half of it from Pepper Ann. She is less optimistic that Pepper Ann will turn over a new leaf however.

"She goes from room to room, looking to get into trouble."

Photo Credit: The Examiner

Caboodle Cat Ranch

Craig Grant didn't like cats. But when his son moved out of the house and asked Craig to take care of his cat, Pepper, for him, Craig couldn't refuse. As Craig started to suffer from Empty Nest Syndrome, the relationship he hand with Pepper grew stronger and stronger. Although this surprised Craig, it also delighted him.

By the time Pepper gave birth to five kittens, Craig had fallen in love with the feline charisma and decided to keep all the kittens. However, his landlord and neighbors disagreed with his love for cats and Craig had to look for another place to live with his cats.

At first, Craig built a shed on his son's property and moved in there with his 6 cats. As a construction worker doing property maintenance, Craig would often find stray cats on the job sites and he would pick them and take them home with him. After realizing that the 8x10 shed was getting smaller each time a new cat was brought home, Craig decided that it was time to find a new place to live.

He stumbled upon an advertisement for a 5 acre parcel of land on a tree farm in Madison County, Florida, and bought it. With no electricity, running water or sewer system, Craig would travel over 280 miles round trip per day just to bring the cats' food and water.

As news of Craig's cat ranch spread, more and more cats were dropped off at his ranch and Craig realized he needed more land. He purchased more 5 acre plots until Caboodle Ranch had expanded to 30 acres.

"I bought enough property so that the cats would never be a nuisance to anyone," he says. Craig was soon able to move his shed onto the property and make it habitable for him to live amongst the cats.

Caboodle Ranch takes in any stray or unwanted cat or kitten. Craig requires them to be fixed first and a fee of $150 per cat to be paid. This helps to ensure that there is no breeding amongst the cats and helps offset the costs of a year's lifetime of cat food and veterinary care for the cats. He does not allow cats to be adopted from Caboodle Ranch and instead encourages people to adopt a cat from their local animal shelter.

In order to help cut costs, Craig treats commons cat ailments such as colds and eye infections, himself, as even a simple cold can be lethal since cats stop eating when they are congested. He has a separate kennel that he built that houses sick cats to keep any germs from spreading amongst the rest of the cat population.

Dinner time at the Ranch serves two purposes: firstly so that the cat's can all get a nutritious, moist, canned food meal; and second, so that Craig can do a head count to see if there are any cats missing, injured or just need a little bit more TLC.

Monthly costs for running Caboodle Ranch, including feeding the cats and their veterinary care, is roughly $6000: $3,000 for food, $500 for medicine, $800 in vet bills, and $400 for flea prevention. The cats eat through five 20lb bags of Purina Cat Chow and Friskies dry cat food every day, as well as 5 cases of the extra large cans of Friskies moist food per feeding.

Since Craig is a builder by trade, he has built an assortment of unusual buildings for the cats at the Ranch. There is even a well whose water empties into Shaky Jake Lake, which features a working water wheel and have tiny cabins scattered around the shoreline that Craig has called Cat Nap Inn.

"This is their resort. They can take the boat out if they want too," he laughs.

During the winter months these cabins are filled with straw and have heat lamps. Other buildings that he has made include a chalet, outhouse, and tree houses. There is even a cemetery for the cats who have reached the end of their lives whilst living at Caboodle Ranch.

Not all the buildings were built by Craig though; the Chapel, City Hall, Wal-Mart, Elementary School and Caboodle Police Station that adorn Gingerbread Lane were all donated by Pet Palaces.

However, there are still many dangers present; namely snakes and coyotes which have already killed a few of the resident cats. Currently, Craig is asking the general public to assist him with donations to build a $10,000 chain link fence for the front part of the first 5 acres of Caboodle Ranch.

Caboodle Ranch now has close to 500 cats and is a non-profit cat rescue society and has been deemed appropriate by the Tallahasee Humane Society and Tallahasee/Madison County Animal Control. It is also the only cat sanctuary that allows cats to actually roam free.

According to an article run by Jax 4 News in Jacksonville, Florida, Craig was quoted as saying: "Their lives are precious and I put as much value on a cat's life as I would a human life. People are going to hate me for saying this, but it's probably what motivated me to do this."

Iditarod 2009

The 2009 Iditarod race has come to an end with three time winner, Lance Mackey, racing through the finish line in Nome, Alaska, at 11.38am on Wednesday, 18 March.

This dog sled race has also been called 'The Last Great Race On Earth' and pits man and dog against Mother Nature during a 1150 mile race over diverse Alaskan terrain from Anchorage to Nome.

The Iditarod Trail is now a National Historic Trail, receiving such status after being used by sled dogs to carry life saving Diphtheria serum to Nome in 1925. This dog sled run actually received worldwide media coverage and gold medals were awarded to the mushers. There is even a statue of Balto, the heroic lead dog, in New York City's Central Park.

The race is run each year starting the first Saturday in March and continues for about 10 to 17 days, or until a Musher and his team of 12 to 16 dogs' crosses the finish line. However, the race route is alternated each year, with one year seeing the race run north to south and the next year seeing the race run from south to north. There are a few simple rules for this race: each musher has to carry an arctic parka, a heavy sleeping bag, an ax, snowshoes, musher food, dog food, GPS unit and at least 8 booties for every dog's paws in order to protect them from cutting ice and hard packed snow injuries.

The mushers usually spend the entire previous 12 months getting themselves and their dogs ready for this race. During the summer months, some sled dogs endure different training sessions and activity that is dependent upon the summer heat, training strategy, and the amount of time that the kennel owners can spend running the dogs. There a few mushers who actually fly their dogs to South America during the summertime so that they can run on snow during the South America's winter season.

A typical year long training program for these dogs will usually involve building strength in the early Fall, building up speed in the late Fall season, building on endurance during the early Winter, reaching peak training during Mid Winter, and maintaining fitness during late Winter before the Iditarod race starts in March.

Alaskan Huskies that are destined to become contenders in the Iditarod are bred, born and reared either in Alaska or in other places that have an extremely cold climate. They usually have very thick double coats to help them brace the wind and the cold, and their lungs are a bit bigger than your average stay at home dog, they seem to have a desire to run.

During a race, an injured or sick dog will have to be dropped from the race at a designated dog drop area and will then be flown to Nome so that the Musher can pick his or her dog up after the race is over.

The harnesses that are used must be non-chafing and all mushers need to carry a strong tie-out cable to secure the dogs at the checkpoints. Animal cruelty or inhumane treatment is forbidden and will cause the musher to be banned from the Iditarod race.

If there is a dog that dies during the race, he will need to be taken to a checkpoint where the musher must file a report. A necropsy is then conducted in order to determine the cause of death and the race marshal or an appointed judge will then determine if the musher is allowed to continue the race or is immediately disqualified.

The musher will be disqualified if the dog's death was caused by inhumane treatment or heat stress, or if the musher refused to drop a dog from his sled team even after a race veterinarian has recommended that he do so. However, the musher is not penalized if the cause of death cannot be determined.

Sadly, there have been at least 142 sled dog deaths since the Iditarod started. Pneumonia, heart and lung failure, liver injury, strangulation in towlines and internal bleeding and injury after being hit by a sled or snowmobile are the leading causes of sled dog deaths during each year's Iditarod race. Other causes such as 'Sudden Death' and 'external myopathy' (a condition in which a dog's muscles and organs deteriorate during extreme or prolonged exercise), have also been cited by Iditarod officials.

For this year's 2009 race three dogs unfortunately died: A 7 year old male Husky who had shown signs of pneumonia; a 3 year old female who was struck by a snowmobile; and a 4 year old male whose necropsy could not determine the cause of his death.

Each year animal rights organizations rally together in an attempt to end the Iditarod race, accusing mushers and Iditarod promoters and advertisers of tolerating animal cruelty.

However, before running in the Iditarod, each Husky has to receive a pre-race evaluation which includes a blood test and ECG recordings. During this time, the dogs are also microchipped, which is then scanned before starting the race, to verify their eligibility.

Also, every dog has to have a mandatory physical examination by a qualified veterinarian within 14 days of the start of the Iditarod, all their vaccinations must be current and they must all be dewormed at least 10 days before the start of the race.

The first thing that Lance Mackey did after crossing the finishing line was to give treats and hugs to all 15 of his sled dogs; they all gave him lots of licks! Mackey stated that he could not have won the race if it weren't for Larry, a 9 year old Husky, one of his traditional lead dogs, and Maple, a 3 year old Husky, calling her his 'little superstar' for being the lead dog for most of the last part of the Iditarod race.

Mackey wins a brand new pick up truck and $69,000.

Pups and Parvovirus - A Lethal Combination

Oprah Winfrey is well known for her love of dogs and on her show on 6 March 2009, she announced that not only had she adopted Sadie, a Cocker Spaniel puppy from the Pets Are Worth Saving (PAWS) Shelter in Chicago, but that she was also contemplating adopting one of Sadie's brothers as well.

True to her word, Oprah did indeed adopt Ivan and brought him home to be with his sister, Sadie. Sadly though, Ivan died last week after contracting Canine Parvovirus Type 2c virus, more commonly known as Parvo.

"It was just a little bit too late. All the veterinary community got together to save his life," said veterinarian Dr. Jean Dobbs. "The puppy didn't make it, but he's teaching others how important this is to get vaccinated at the right times."

Dr. Dobbs founded HemoPet, a non-profit animal blood bank that supplied the healthy blood plasma in an attempt to save Ivan's life. She believes that both the PAWS shelter and the veterinarians did everything that they could, but that Ivan had been exposed to the Parvo virus between two critical shots.

As Sadie had then been exposed to Ivan before she received her second inoculation, she is now being treated with 'plasma from hyper immunized healthy dogs' as a precautionary measure until she is old enough to get her second inoculation, Dr. Dobbs said.

Unfortunately, even dogs that are owned by wealthy owners who have the best veterinarians at their beck and call can still succumb to Parvo and those that do survive are never quite the same again as they usually experience some degree of intestinal deficiency many years later.

The only good thing about Parvo is that it is somewhat preventable.

It is a virus which targets rapidly dividing cells in a dog's body and therefore their intestines are usually affected first by this virus. The symptoms of Parvo are dehydration, lethargy, bloody diarrhea and even intestinal inflammation that prevents the dog's digestive system from absorbing nutrients.

In puppies, Parvo usually attacks the heart, which in turn causes sudden heart failure. This happens because as the puppy grows their heart cells rapidly divide.

The most common way that the Parvovirus is transmitted is through feces, although it can live in the environment and on surfaces, such as dog toys or blankets, for almost 6 months. Therefore it is quite possible for a healthy dog to contract the Parvovirus months after an infected dog has visited a location. Parvo is frequently found in dogs that live in shelters and kennels and other places where numerous dogs are in close contact with each other, as in the case with Ivan and Sadie.

Vaccinations against the Parvovirus are recommended for puppies at 6 weeks of age. Thereafter, a vaccination is given every three to four weeks until the puppy is 20 weeks old.

Like every other virus, Parvo has the potential to mutate into new types of strains. This simply means that whenever a new strain appears, puppies and dogs who are receiving vaccinations will not be protected from the new strain until veterinarians and scientists are able to identify the new Parvo strain and develop a newer version of the Parvo vaccine.

Besides vaccinations, the best way to help stop the spread of this virus is by routinely disinfecting kennels, bedding and toys.

Photo Credit: ohmidog!

Painting Pets!

Everyone knows about the artistic talents of Elephants and Dolphins, but did you know that dogs and cats are artistic as well?

Take 3 year old Ziggy for example: a rescued Pekingese with an affinity for creating his own paintings. Ziggy uses his teeth to hold a paint brush that has been modified with a paper towel roll as a larger handle. He then dips the bristles onto a paint pallet with a little help from his owner Elizabeth Monacelli, and is then placed upon a drop cloth by a wall, near a blank canvas. Ziggy approaches the canvas and starts his masterpiece by moving his head and smearing the paint against the canvas.

One of the most famous doggie artists is an 8 year old Jack Russell Terrier named, Tillamook Cheddar, aka Tillie. She first started painting using taped carbon paper that was placed face down on paper then mounted on mat board. These days, Tillie uses a more complex medium: using oil sticks applied to vellum. Her owner/assistant, F. Bowman Hastie III, discovered Tillie's artistic talent when she was five months old. To date, Tillie's has done 17 solo exhibits and her art has been shown in art galleries throughout the USA, Belgium, Holland where her paintings have fetched up to $2200 each. She has even done 26 collaborative works with other well-known human artists.

Tillie even has her own line of doggie merchandise: Tillie, LTD. Hastie opened a shop in New York that features everything from dog food and T-shirt apparel to note cards and a few of Tillie's paintings.

If you would like to know more about Tillie, you can always pick up a copy of her autobiography: Portrait of the Dog as a Young Artist: Art from Scratch, by the World's Preeminent Canine Painter by F. Bowman Hastie III. Tillie also has her own website.

Another great dog artist is Mozart, a Harlequin Great Dane. Mozart is the spokesdog for Harlequin Haven Great Dane Rescue which is against puppy mills, pet stores, and homeless dogs. According to Mozart's bio he has dedicated his life to this cause and in doing so creates art by painting with his paws. "Painting helps me to overcome my pain of my early days in a puppy mill and also helps with bringing awareness to these issues."



All proceeds of Mozart's paintings go to helping the homeless dogs that the Harlequin Great Dane Rescue helps. A few of his paintings have also been donated for various charitable benefits. Mozart has also had his paintings shown in several art gallery shows and has participated in art festivals.

Mozart's paintings can be bought online at the Harlequin Great Dane Rescue website. His paintings are done on stretched canvas with acrylic paint. None are framed.

Other charitable dog painters are the famous Shore Service Dogs dubbed the 'Doggy Da Vincis'. These pooches are not only trained service dogs but artists of note as well! These paintings are sold to raise money for the training of service dogs and their art has been documented in magazines, newspapers and television shows the world over. Their paintings can also be found in various art galleries as well. The dogs paint using a paint brush held in their mouth and paint on paper that is held up by an easel. To view there musterpieces you can visit their website.

The smallest dog painter is Lian Xi, a 2 year old Chihuahua. Lian Xi loves to paint using non-toxic tempera paints to run, jump and lick on canvas boards that are spread out on the floor. Her work is on show at her studio at the Pendleton Art Center and on her website at www.lianxinart.com.

Whilst there are no recorded kitty artists, be sure to visit the website of the Museum of Non Primate Art. It has a section dedicated to 'Why Cats Paint'. Although this site is obviously a spoof, there is quite some humor in their '18 pictorial cards which have been specially designed by their animal psychologist to enable people to test their cat's creative potential.'

If you are inspired to see whether or not your dog or cat has any artistic potential, you can purchase an Art-Casso Paint Kit for Dogs or an Art-Casso Paint Kit for Cats! It is a no mess, non-toxic paint kit for dogs and cats that provides hours of painting fun for your pet.

Photo Credit: Harlequin Great Dane Rescue

What You Need to Know About Dogs and Immunizations

The immunization of puppies and adult dogs is mandated by laws and regulations, which are necessary to prevent diseases associated with high communicability and/or mortality. Modern animal vaccines are considered to be safe and adverse reactions to vaccines are not common; however, controversy exists concerning the number of vaccines necessary to prevent illness and frequency of boosters. Since veterinarians are not required to notify regulating authorities or vaccine manufacturers of adverse reactions, it is impossible to determine the number of animals who may have been adversely affected by vaccines.

A dog's immune system builds up levels of antibodies against the virus antigen in the vaccine, providing protection against that specific illness in the future. Puppies are required to receive a specified number of vaccines, and follow-up boosters on a regular basis. Dogs may receive yearly immunizations with as many as 5 - 7 different vaccines. A number of vaccines are given in a combined polyvalent form, making it can be impossible to determine which vaccine was the cause of an adverse reaction or chronic illness. Polyvalent forms may overburden a dog's immune system unnecessarily. Blood titers, which measure the level of antibodies that the dog has developed against a particular disease, are not always a reliable method for determining how well a dog will react when they are actually exposed.

Vaccines

Vaccine production is regulated by government agencies in most countries. Vaccines provide disease-specific antigens most commonly as dead, live, or attenuated forms of the virus. Dead forms of a virus are the safest, are easy to manufacture and store, but may not produce enough antibodies to provide protection and may require boosters. Adjuvants, added to the vaccine in order to increase the effect of the viral antigen, can cause reactions at the injection site. Vaccines containing live antigens may be contaminated with other organisms, are complicated to produce, and require strict storage conditions. Live antigen vaccines present the possibility of contraction of a milder version of the disease, especially in dogs with depressed immune system. Attenuated, or weakened viral antigens, are able to replicate, but are unable to cause the disease. The possibility also exists that an attenuated viral antigen may revert to its more virulent form, resulting in the development of full-blown disease in the dog.

Very little scientific proof exists to support vaccine boosters being given every year to dogs. Some vaccines may require boosters only every 2-3 years, and some vaccines may provide lifelong immunity. Minimal immunity duration has not been measured or determined, and measurements are currently unreliable. Humans generally receive boosters every 10 years; booster protection may last as long in dogs. Boosters may stimulate the immune system unnecessarily, may not increase antibody levels against the virus, and may increase the risk of side effects. Multiple doses increase the risk of development of hypersensitivity to the vaccine.

Nosodes are made from tissue or body secretions of diseased animals, and are used by some homeopathic veterinarians to provide immunity in dogs against communicable diseases. While some practitioners report good results from the use of nosodes, there is not enough scientific evidence to support the use. Nosodes should only be administered by a reputable homeopathic veterinarian.


Canine distemper is a very serious viral infection with a high mortality rate. The disease attacks a dog's gastrointestinal, respiratory, and nervous systems. If a dog does survive the illness, irreversible brain damage will most likely be seen. Puppies are most at risk and should be vaccinated against this disease. The vaccine is usually given in a polyvalent form, and may soon be available to be given alone.

Canine parvovirus is a viral intestinal infection, causing severe vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, and sometimes death in the infected dog with mortality rates as high as 15%. Puppies are most at risk of contracting the illness and should be vaccinated; in older dogs the infection is less severe. Parvovirus can live in an area for up to 3 years. This vaccine is usually given in a polyvalent form, but is also available to be given alone.

Coronavirus is a viral intestinal infection that is transmitted like parvovirus, but the resulting illness is much milder, unless parvovirus is contracted at the same time. Puppies are affected the most; signs of illness in older dogs may not be noticeable. This vaccine is usually given in a polyvalent form, but is also available to be administered alone. Puppies who receive parvovirus vaccine will only have mild symptoms if they contract coronavirus.

Kennel cough is an upper respiratory infection caused by bacteria, resulting in a dry hacking cough that can persist for weeks. Kennel cough is highly contagious and is mainly seen where there are large populations of dogs, such as kennels, dog shows, boarding facilities, or shelters. Kennel cough is treatable with antibiotics, and is not considered to be life-threatening.

Leptospirosis is contracted from the urine of infected animals, especially opossums, raccoons, or skunks. This illness causes liver or kidney disease, with death occurring in 10-20% of dogs. The kidney failure may continue long-term. Dogs who have contact with wildlife, herding dogs or dogs who have contact with livestock, dogs who roam, or drink from contaminated water are at highest risk of contracting this illness. Leptospirosis vaccines are associated with the highest rate of adverse reactions, especially in miniature breeds, and may suppress the immune system in dogs less than 16 weeks of age. Different strains of leptospirosis exist; a vaccine may not protect against the strain that is in your area.

Lyme disease is transmitted to dogs by a spirochete that is carried in certain species of ticks, resulting in fever, lethargy, and arthritis. Further development of the disease may cause kidney failure, nerve damage, and heart problems. Contraction of Lyme disease appears to depend upon the immune system status of each individual dog. Only vaccinate if you live in an area where the disease is prevalent, and your dog is exposed to ticks. Lyme vaccine may cause adverse reactions at the injection site, and some veterinarians suspect a possible development of kidney disease and arthritis from the vaccine. Your best defense against Lyme-carrying ticks may be the use of tick control products, preventing your dog from roaming, maintaining short grass and removal of leaves in your yard, and checking your dog for ticks when they come inside.

Rabies is an untreatable viral infection that affects the central nervous system of all mammals, and inevitably results in death. Dogs that have contact with wildlife are at highest risk of contracting this disease, from the bite of an infected animal. Local laws mandate the frequency of rabies vaccinations and boosters in dogs. Some veterinarians believe that behavior problems or the development of chronic illness may be the result of rabies vaccines. Do not give the vaccine to an ill dog, or one who has had previous adverse reactions to the vaccine. Talk with your veterinarian; you may be able to receive exemption status for your dog, if this is available in your area.

Adverse Reactions

The stress from a vaccination reaction may be enough to activate sub-clinical infections, especially since some vaccines may cause mild suppression of a dog's immune system. Existing stress due to illness, temperature extremes, pregnancy, malnourishment, or fatigue can reduce a normal immune response. Some chronic illnesses, which include autoimmune diseases, may be caused by the over-vaccination of dogs. Proven problems with vaccines are allergic reaction, either localized or systemic leading to anaphylactic shock, development of the disease for which the dog is being vaccinated, hair loss at the site of injection, or nerve damage. The dog may enter a carrier state, where the dog will test positive for the disease but have no symptoms. Possible problems with vaccines are allergic skin disease, behavioral problems (especially aggression), chronic pain, fertility problems in female dogs, kidney failure, thyroid dysfunction, and seizures. Some symptoms that have been observed following immunization are chronic diarrhea associated with inflammatory bowel disease, cystitis, behavioral and emotional changes, seizures, skin eruptions, and thyroid disease.

Contact your veterinarian immediately if your puppy or dog exhibits signs of an allergic reaction after vaccine administration. Dogs are different from humans and other domesticated animals, in that the organ most affected by an anaphylactic reaction is the liver, not the lungs. Gastrointestinal symptoms are the result of severe anaphylactic reactions, and include salivation, abdominal pain, vomiting, restlessness, excitement, facial swelling, watery eyes, difficulty breathing, shock, convulsions, and possibly death.

Breeds which appear to have increased susceptibility to adverse reactions from vaccines are:

• Akita
• American Eskimo
• Chihuahua
• Cocker Spaniel
• Fox Terrier
• Harlequin Great Dane
• Parson Russell Terrier
• Springer Spaniel
• Weimaraner
  

What to do?

Inside dogs may be able to receive less frequent immunizations, as well as dogs with limited contact with other dogs or wild animals. Dogs with chronic illness, or a previous adverse reaction to vaccines in the past, those who are being treated with immunosuppressive drugs for autoimmune diseases, pregnant dogs, and very young puppies should not be immunized. It is up to you to make an informed decision after weighing risks versus benefits of immunization, the age and condition of your dog, and the prevalence of diseases in your area. Discuss your concerns with your veterinarian before deciding upon a course of action, whether it be less frequent boosters, pre-medication with antihistamines and/or corticosteroids, or possibly no boosters at all.

Good health and a strong immune system is your dog's best defense against all illnesses and development of chronic diseases. To strengthen and maintain your friend's immune system provide a balanced diet, adequate water, exercise, nutritional supplements, and, of course, lots of love and attention.

Recommended supplements:
Nu-Pet Vitamin & Antioxidant Wafers
Multi Essential Dog Vitamins
Nu-Pet Granular Greens
Nupro Electrolyte Formula- Large Dogs
Nupro Electrolyte Formula- Small Dogs


Sources:

Allegretti J, Sommers K DVM. The Complete Holistic Dog Book: Home Health Care for Our Canine Companions. Ten Speed Press; Berkeley, CA; 2003.

Vaccines and Immunotherapy. The Merck Veterinary Manual. Available at: http://www.merckvetmanual.com. Accessed February 26, 2009.

Photo Credit: BlackAngel

How NOT to Lose your Fingers...whilst Saving your Dog's Life

A loving dog owner recently lost the tip of his finger whilst trying to help his chocking dog.



Whilst playing fetch with his chocolate Labrador, Nick, Bob Larsen suddenly noticed that the dog was chocking on the ball.

"He loves to play ball so we were in the front yard playing ball this morning and just a split second he swallowed the ball, which is about the size of a tennis ball", said Larsen.

Whilst on the way to a nearby emergency vet, Larsen tried to pry the ball out of Nick's mouth: "I tried to get the ball out of his mouth one more time and he come down on my finger and I pulled my finger out and just lost the tip of it."

"Nick, in a panic stage was gagging and coughing and trying to dislodge that and the owner's attempt to go in and dislodge the ball, it was just an accident," explained the veterinarian Dr. Rod Van Horn.

Dr. Van Horn stated that Larsen had brought Nick into his office with only three minutes to spare. "The dog was totally unaware that it was acting this way, I mean it was gasping for life", said the Vet.

According to the Vet, Nick will be just fine. Larsen, on the other hand (or should that be finger?), decided not to have his finger tip reattached because his doctor was unsure whether or not the procedure would be successful. Larsen further stated that: "The finger was secondary, the dog was priority."

Sadly, choking on balls is one of the main causes of emergency vet visits. However, there are a few simple steps that you, as a dog owner, can take to help your dog if he is choking.

Firstly, take a Pet CPR and First Aid class through your local American Red Cross center. These classes will teach you the fundamentals of pet first aid, including mouth to snout resuscitation techniques. However, there are other types of organizations all over the country that used to provide traditional CPR training and certification on and for human beings that now include CPR training for Pets. You should also call your local animal shelter as they sometimes also offer pet CPR classes that you could attend. Try to encourage your friends and neighbors to attend the pet CPR class with you. The more people there are that are certified in pet CPR, the more pet lives will be saved!

Mouth to Snout resuscitation is very similar to the traditional human mouth to mouth resuscitation, with the obvious difference being that the person performing the procedure will close the dog's mouth and then breathe into the dog's nose. Knowing how to perform mouth to snout resuscitation on your dog or cat could help in saving their lives one day.

Most dogs also have chest compressions performed on them during an emergency when their heart stops beating. However, it is best to be cautious, because if the dog does come around during the compression process, you will need to be very careful that the dog does not bite you.

Secondly, when dealing with a choking pet, you can do the Heimlich maneuver.

"The bigger the dog, the easier it is," said David Smith of the American Red Cross. "You just stand behind him like a human and just do your Heimlich and you can try back blows and stuff."

Smith does not recommend that you reach into any animal's mouth to attempt to dislodge a foreign object, especially if the dog is conscious.

Photo Credit: WOWT.com

What's in a Name?

One of the best aspects of owning a cat or dog is getting to choose your pet's name. For years, people have thought that 'Fido' was the perfect name for a dog and 'Kitty' was the perfect name for a cat.

Well, times have changed and so have the names of pets. In January, The Veterinary Pet Insurance Company (VPI) surveyed more than 466,000 insured pets in their database, and released a listing of the most popular dog and cat names in 2008.

Not surprisingly, Max and Lucy were the most popular names for both dogs and cats. All-in-all, the surveyed data revealed that most pet owners forgo traditional pet names and opt for more 'people' names. In fact, some of the most popular dog and cat names also rank among the Social Security Administration's most popular baby names.

"Pets are often viewed as members of the family, treated like members of the family and, as a result, named like members of the family," said Curtis Steinhoff, Senior Director of Corporate Communications for VPI. "Max may sleep on his owner's bed, eat gourmet food and wear clothes to go out on the town. Rover probably does not. Max is short, yet easy to distinguish from common commands, so it is easy to understand why it's such a popular pet name."

Dogs
1. Max
2. Bailey
3. Bella
4. Molly
5. Lucy
6. Buddy
7. Maggie
8. Daisy
9. Sophie
10. Chloe


Cats
1. Max
2. Chloe
3. Tigger
4. Tiger
5. Lucy
6. Smokey
7. Oliver
8. Bella
9. Shadow
10. Charlie


Not to be forgotten though are those pets with highly unique names; VPI selected 50 of the most unusual dog and cat names and voted for the 10 most unusual names in each category:

Dogs
1. Rush Limbark
2. Sirius Lee Handsome
3. Rafikikadiki
4. Low Jack
5. Meatwad
6. Peanut Wigglebutt
7. Scuddles Unterfuss
8. Sophie Touch & Pee
9. Admiral Toot
10. Spatula

Cats
1. Edward Scissorpaws
2. Sir Lix-a-lot
3. Optimus Prrrime
4. Buddah Pest
5. Snoop Kitty Kitty
6. Miss Fuzzbutt
7. 80 Bucks
8. Sparklemonkey
9. Rosie Posie Prozac
10. Toot Uncommon


However, most pet experts usually advise new pet owners to choose an easy and simple name; one that their dog or cat can easily distinguish from other sounds and words. Avoid names such as 'Joe' as it sounds too close to the command 'No'. Pets will respond better to a name that has only one or two syllables.

Also, keep in mind that the name you choose should be one that you are comfortable calling out in public. For example, calling 'Max' is far less embarrassing than calling out 'Hairy Putter' at your local dog park. On the flip side, some dog names can cause people to judge a dog and react fearfully when meeting the dog, such as 'Demon' or 'Brutus'.

When going for a longer name, take a minute to think about any abbreviations that can come from such a long name. A long name will inevitably be shortened, but it may ruin the effect that you were originally looking for.

Your pet's name could also be chosen by watching their behavior and personality traits; or by physical characteristics that they might possess. The heritage of a pet's breed is another source for unusual pet names, such as 'Scotty' for Scottish Terriers, 'Fleur' for French Poodles and 'Ming' for Oriental cats.

Remember that the name that you ultimately choose for your dog or cat, will say as much about you as it does about your pet! It shows how you view your dog or cat and your relationship with them.

Photo Credit: Faeryboots

Tea Cup Kitten Anyone?

Everyone knows about Tea Cup puppies, but did you know that there are Tea Cup kittens too?

These tiny kittens will grow to be around 3 to 6 pounds for the female and 3 to 7 pounds for the male, and come in a variety of breeds. Tea cup kittens can be quite expensive and most breeders have a very long waiting list. Tea Cup breeders set their price on two factors: the kittens predicated adult size and how closely these kittens meet the standard for their breed. For example, the largest of the miniature cats will usually be between $350 to over $600 each. Persian kittens that are just a bit smaller will cost you between $500 and $1000 each and the tiniest of the miniature Persians will cost more than $1000 each.

However, most breeders are still working on breeding the perfect size tea cup kitten consistently. This is why most breeders will only be able to give you an estimate of the cat's adult size based upon the size of the kitten's parents. Genetics and environmental factors mean there will be a variation in size as well.

When deciding on purchasing one of these tea cup kittens, you will come across two different names: MiniPers and MiniPaws. Bred and developed by Cher Simnitt in California, the MiniPers are Tea Cup and Miniature Persians and Exotics that are not Achondroplastic-type dwarves, but instead are Primordial Dwarves, proportionate in all aspects, just smaller overall than a regularly sized Persian or Exotic.

The MiniPaws were developed by a cattery called My Tea Purdys. They are a hybrid of Tea Cup and Miniature Persians and Exotics, carrying both the Achondroplastic-type and Primordial-type dwarfism. MiniPaws are proportionately small with shortened, stubby, legs.

The most popular type of tea cup kitten is the Himalayan and the Munchkin, which is the only naturally occurring dwarf cat. Munchkins were bred with a Persian cat to develop the Napoleon tea cup kitten; and the Lambkin which was developed by cross breeding a Munchkin with a Selkirk Rex.

The Lamkin's have very soft curly coats that make them look a lot like miniature lambs.

The Teacup Himalayan kitten is a pedigree breed of cat and is one of the most sought after tea cup kitten. The costs of these kittens are usually between $450 and $1500 and are sold with a certificate of lineage. But are not for the faint hearted cat owner! These cats require extensive commitment to the proper care and grooming of their thick fur.

The newest of the tea cup cat breeds are the Napoleon's. These cats were bred by Joe Smith and have long, lovely coats and large beautiful eyes that resemble that of the Persians eye's.

In most catteries these tea cup kittens are bred to be small by inbreeding. The tiniest cat of one breed is bred with the tiniest cat of another breed. Such breeding progresses through the generations in order to perfect the tiniest of tea cup kittens. Frankly speaking, this breeding ultimately results in dwarfism for these cats.


Photo Credit: Cute-n-Tiny

Plastic Surgery for Pets!

Does your dog have droopy eyelids? Or excessive folds of skin? Does your dog have a nice, white smile?

If not, then perhaps you should take a look at pet plastic surgery!

It's all the rage in Brazil! In keeping up with Brazil's affinity for plastic surgery, Edgado Brito, a Doberman breeder and Veterinarian with over 20 years of experience, adapts human plastic surgery techniques for use on pets.

Brito has performed a few thousand plastic surgeries and keeps abreast of trends in human plastic surgery to develop his own plastic surgery treatments for his animal patients. Although the animal's health is Brito main concern, he also acknowledges that an animal's beauty is just as important to their well-being. He believes that if a dog owner thinks that his dog is attractive, then their relationship will be a better one.

Brito's surgeries cost anywhere from $100 to $200 each. He uses such techniques as Metacril to straighten bent ears and Botox to fix inverted eyelashes. Brito has even tightened the mammillae of female dogs, whose owners wanted to show them after they had given birth.

"Good symmetry is very important," Brito said. "All that is not symmetric we don't like."

Even though there has been considerable objection from animal rights activists and pet breeders, pet plastic surgery is increasingly in demand in Brazil, the United States and Europe.

Take the American Kennel Club for example. (The AKC defines the rules for recognized dog breeds on the U.S. dog-show circuit.) The AKC forbids any type of surgery that alters a dog's appearance, other than the cropping of ears and tails to meet breed standards, of course.

In Hollywood, celebrity pets are just as likely to be headlined as the celebrity who owns them.

"Pets are no longer considered property, but family members," says 'Veterinarian to the Stars', Dr. Alan Schulman, a board-certified orthopedic veterinary surgeon who performs plastic surgery and also sees general practice cases at the Animal Medical Center of Southern California in Los Angeles. "With the evolution of this emotional bond, people with a discretionary income are taking advantage of technology and veterinary expertise to give their animals medically indicated reconstructive surgery resulting in a better quality of life."

Unlike Brito, Schulman will not perform cosmetic surgery just to appease the pet's owner.

"I gently explain that unless there is a real medical reason for me to do some touch-up work, I won't recommend it or proceed," says Schulman. Liposuction for pets is not an option, he adds.

However, there are a few instances amongst certain dog breeds that do require reconstructive procedures costing about $1,000 each. The results of such procedures are doggie facelifts, eye lifts, rhinoplasty and even abdominoplasty.

One of the most common concerns is skin-fold issues, mainly around the eyes, lips, and tail.

"It's not uncommon to have skin folds surgically reduced in size or eliminated in order to help the animal from chronic discomfort and infection," says Schulman.

Sadly, there are a few cases where a dog's skin folds can become prone to bacterial infections and can lead to other life threatening concerns.

In 2006, a stray Shar-Pei named Shankly was brought into Battersea Dogs and Cats Home in the UK. Shankly's wrinkles had become so saggy that these folds of skin were hanging over his eyes and subsequently blinding him. Veterinarian, Shaun Opperman, was able to remove a large fold of Shankly's skin across his forehead and between his eyes, during an hour-long surgery. Pictured here is a before and after shot of Shankley. Breeds such as Pugs, Bulldogs and Boston Terriers usually need nose jobs to alleviate their breathing problems. Chin lifts are common amongst Mastiffs, Bloodhounds and Newfoundlands, to help curb their excessive drooling problems, which can cause chronic mouth infections. Such infections can spread to the kidneys and liver and even cause heart-valve infections.

Another aspect of plastic surgery for pets that is often overlooked is cosmetic dentistry. Veterinary Dental Specialists use an array of techniques to solve overbites and fractured teeth, such as orthodontic braces, retainers, root canal treatments and even crowns.

Cosmetic procedures are not new to cat owners and breeders either! During the early 1900's there were suggestions that cat breeders were attempting to create Manx cats through tail-docking and by using dye on cats not just to mask an imperfection, but to entirely change a cat's color!

In order to create a Maltese Cat, breeders would have to use a blue dye on the cat's coat which then had to be supplemented with dye combed into the cat's fur. The cat's muzzle would be dyed using a sponge technique and, if done rather well, the judges in the show ring would not be able to tell the difference!

Photo Credits: The Daily Mail and jvc

How to choose the perfect doggie day care

Do you work long hours every day? Or perhaps you feel guilty about not playing more with your dog or taking him out for walks so that he can get lots of exercise? Have you considered a doggie day care facility?

With a doggie day care there is now no reason to feel guilty; in fact, you should be quite happy! Such a facility allows your dog to run around and play all day long with other dogs his same size and energy level, whilst being supervised by a trained professional. At the end of the day, when you pick him up, he'll be so tired that he might actually fall asleep in the car on the way home! Remember, a tired dog is a good dog!

However, not all doggie day care facilities are the same and choosing which one for your dog can be overwhelming. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when choosing the perfect doggie day care:

- Price is always a major factor when deciding on a doggie day care. Most facilities in your local area will probably charge similar prices. However, you should be wary of prices that are too low; facilities that charge much lower prices than other facilities in your area, are probably skimping on something.

- Take a careful look at the range of services that the doggie day care offers. What are their operating hours? And do they offer extended hours in case you are late or need to go into your office early? Quite a few doggie daycares now offer to pick up and drop off your dog directly at your home; you should keep this mind if your work hours are irregular. Other types of services that may be offered are grooming and training, overnight boarding and dog walking services, although there are additional fees for such services.

- A good doggie daycare will have plenty of space in which your dog can run around and play, as well as a padded area in which he can rest. If the doggie daycare facility that you are considering only has an outside playground for the dogs, then there should be an appropriate indoor space set aside for them during inclement weather. Nevertheless, clean, fresh water should be available for the dogs to drink at all times. Every doggie daycare should be clean and well-maintained. Take a careful look at the ratio of dogs to employees inside the doggie play area. The lower the ratio, the more your dog will be well looked after.

- Find out if the employees are trained in first aid and CPR for dogs, as well as any other training that they might receive. Although some doggie daycares have a vet's office on the premises, it will still give you peace of mind knowing that there is someone in the play area with your dog that is well trained for medical emergencies. There should also be an experienced dog trainer on staff at all times.

- Most doggie daycares divide the dogs according to their size, weight or age. If a facility that you are contemplating doesn't do this. Move on. You don't want your Chihuahua to be crushed under the paws of a Rottweiler!

- Know their acceptance policies. Some of them may refuse entry to 'bully breed' dogs. Every facility should require that all dogs be up-to-date with their shots and free of fleas or other contagious diseases.

- Another thing to consider is whether or not the doggie daycare is licensed and insurance or bonded. This is very important as it helps protect you and your dog whilst your dog is enrolled at the doggie daycare.

- Get recommendations by talking to your vet, friends, neighbors and other pet professionals.

- Find out whether the dogs are screened for temperament before being accepted.

- Always call those doggie daycares that you are considering and ask questions. Try to get a feel for the type of staff that work in the front office and then ask to speak to the dog trainer and ask them a training question. Take note on how they offer their suggestion; does it involve old school training techniques or more positive reinforcement?

- Once you have narrowed down your choices, visit those doggie daycares unannounced. Remember, a good doggie daycare that has nothing to hide will allow you to drop in at any time. Visit during a time when you know that the dogs would all be out playing and ask for a tour. Return again during a peak pick-up time and notice whether or not there is order or if it's just chaos.

Make sure that you ask a lot of questions. To get you started, here are a few good examples:

- How many certified dog trainers are on staff at all times?

- What is the dog to employee ratio? This shouldn't be more than 1 employee to 10 dogs and there should always be at least two people on the playground at all times.

- Do they screen dogs?

- Are dogs dived into different play areas depending on their size?

- What is their protocol when dealing with dog fights?

- What training do their employees have?

- Do they offer dog obedience or training classes? If so, what are their training methods?

- Are you allowed to drop in for a visit whenever you want? Or is it a closed facility?

- Do they have grooming services? Does the groomer follow positive reinforcement with the dogs too?

- Are there any medical concerns that they do not allow at the doggie daycare?

- Do they discriminate against any specific breeds? Keep in mind that if a doggie day care states that they do not allow 'aggressive breeds', then they are unqualified owners/employees who do not know the difference between temperament and behavior.

Photo Credit: QT1p and My_Boy_Dodger

Is Pet Health Insurance Really Necessary?

Nearly 5% of all pet owners in the United States of America carry health insurance for their pets.

Since pet health insurance can be quite costly, you should first mull over the various pet health insurance policies that are available, including the cost and coverage for your pet.

According to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, the typical dog owner spends $800 per year on veterinary care, whilst the typical cat owner spends about $500 per year. It therefore makes sense to have health insurance for pets.

Vet bills have increased over the years mostly because Veterinarians are now using sophisticated diagnostic tools, such CAT scans and MRI's. These very expensive medical tools help in detecting any problem that may require further medical treatment, such as kidney transplants and radiation therapy.

Different Policies

Just as there are different companies that offer pet health insurance, there are different types of policies that are available.

One of the most economical pet health insurance plans are those that are considered to be safety plans. These plans only cover veterinary treatment for injuries, such as broken bones and bee stings.

The next level up is where you will find the more common wellness plans. Such plans are typically found in veterinary offices that are housed inside major pet stores. They usually include routine care, like physicals and vaccinations. There has been some debate, however, on whether or not this type of plan would actually save you money. It seems that in some cases the premiums, deductibles, and co-pays for routine care usually costs a bit more than paying out-of-pocket. However, should your pet get injured, such a plan may save you money.

The most expensive pet health insurance plans are called comprehensive plans. These are the policies that cover a broader range of treatments, such as cancer medications and acupuncture.

Another type of policy are HMOs. These work similar to the HMOs for humans: The pet owner will usually pay a nominal monthly fee. When your pet is treated by a vet who is an HMO participant, the vet will then submit all of the insurance paperwork directly to the HMO and will then get reimbursed directly from the HMO. The major disadvantage to this type of pet health insurance policy is that your choice of Veterinarian is limited to only those who are participants in the HMO plan.




Policy Exclusions and Limitations

When deciding on a pet health insurance policy, you should also think about the coverage exclusions, limitations, and other costs that are common to pet insurance plans:

Deductibles - How much do you have to pay out-of-pocket each year before the insurance coverage takes effect?

Co-payments - What is your co-payment? What percentage of the treatment does the insurance cover?

Annual and lifetime caps - Does the policy include any annual or lifetime cap? Keep in mind that once you go over the cap, you will have to pay out-of-pocket for any further treatment that your pet may need.

Policy Exclusions

Unfortunately, most policies have exclusions for hereditary conditions, and will not cover health problems that are common in certain breeds of dogs or cats.

Make sure that you understand your policies benefit schedules and know how much the policy will pay for certain procedures as you do not want to be sitting with an additional expense. For example, your dog has broken his leg and you take him in to see the Vet. The Vet sets the leg and bills your insurance $300. Your insurance may have capped such a charge to only $250. You will then be responsible for the remaining $50.

Do You Need Pet Insurance?

Before deciding on whether or not pet health insurance is the right choice for your family and pet situation, calculate how much you'll pay for vet care if you did obtain insurance by adding up all the premiums, deductibles, co-pays, and expenses after caps. Then compare that amount to how much you would have to pay out-of-pocket if you didn't have any pet health insurance.

There are a few factors to consider when trying to figure out how much you will be paying:

Higher premiums are always given to older pets. There are even a few policies that refuse to cover dogs that are older than 10 years. On the flip side, your premiums will go up as your pet ages.

Dogs and cats that are considered to be purebred usually have more health problems than mixed breeds. Some policies will not cover certain breed-specific ailments.

If your pet is in general good health and is not overweight and does exercise, then your pet's healthcare costs will be lower. Keep in mind as well that indoor cats have far less injuries than outside cats.

The toughest question to consider is how much you would be willingly to pay to keep your pet alive? Having adequate pet health insurance may help by reducing the chance that you'll have to put a dollar value on the life of your pet.

Choosing the Right Policy

If you truly feel that pet health insurance is right for you, then keep the following in mind:

Always shop around for the best available policy. Ask for recommendations from your Veterinarian and friends and neighbors. Search online and compare policies and prices.

Make sure that the pet health insurance company that you choose is registered with your state's Department of Insurance.

Check to see if your employer offers any pet health insurance plans.

Be sure that have read and understood all of the fine print before signing any contract. Know about all the costs involved such as premiums, co-pays, and deductibles. Find out whether the premiums will rise as your pet ages or if you file multiple claims. Also remember to pay close attention to any exclusions, such as dental care, vaccinations, and breed-specific health conditions.

Photo Credit: psd and Bill in Ash Vegas

Tattooed Cats All The Rage In Russia!

It seems that in Russia, tattoos are going to the cats!

Oksana Popova decided to celebrate the 'interesting times' that currently surround Russia by having a picture of Tutankhamun tattoed onto her Sphynx cat, Mickey.

Mickey, a rare Canadian Hairless breed, also known as a Sphynx, had to undergo three hours of anesthesia, whilst tattoo artist, Anatoly Keksel, owner of TattoonHamon Tattoo Parlor in Russia, carefully tattooed the Tutankhamun onto Mickey's chest under the watchful gaze of Mickey's owner, Oksana.

Oksana thought that the tattoo was quite fitting and rather appropriate for her Sphynx cat. After the procedure was complete, a delighted Oksana was reported as saying: "I wanted something new and different for the times we live in."

However, Irina Novozhilova, an animal rights activist in Moscow, was extremely disgusted and accused the tattooing as barbaric and cruel to Mickey.

Irina was quoted as saying: "The ethical thinking about animals in Russia lacks behind that of the West. People in Russia mostly buy animals for selfish reasons and anything that happens to them afterwards is a consequence of that."

Following suit, a London RSPCA spokesman stated: "We are totally against using animals for purely cosmetic reasons just on the owner's whim. Clearly the animal has no say in the matter. We do not believe in using pets as fashion accessories. It shows no respect for the animal whatsoever. So far we have only heard about this practice happening overseas - and we hope it doesn't spread."

Although this does seem to be the underlying fear: that tattooing cats could catch on amongst the more wealthy pet owners in the West, statistics show that incidences like this are quite few and far between.

Those pet owners who approve of the idea argue that tattooing their pet with a picture is not unlike tattooing them for identification purposes. Such identification tattoos are usually placed either on the inner leg of the cat, which of course requires shaving the cats hair, or inside of its outer ear and must be done by a veterinarian or a trained specialist.

The downside of this type of tattoo is that although the tattoo is linked to a registry with the owner's information, a person who finds a lost cat with a tattoo will need to know exactly which number to call and there are quite a few of these types of pet tattoo registries. This can make finding the rightful owner a bit hard to do.

However, such a fad should not be taken lightly and should be discussed with your veterinarian first. There are many risks to be considered such as, the anesthesia, ear tattoos being clipped off my unscrupulous pet thieves, and keeping the tattooed area clean shaven at all times.

Other problems are the tattoo wearing off over time and becoming illegible, thick fur and skin discoloration may cause the tattoo to be illegible as well, and if done on a kitten or puppy, that tattoo will grow as the pet's skin grows, which would also leave it illegible to read over time.

It is best to make sure that your cat has proper identification such as a collar and microchip and to be quite diligent about keeping your contact information current.

Photo Credit: BalkanPix

March Pet Horoscope

Do you want to know what's in the Stars for your Pet this month? Well read on to find out!

ARIES (March 21 - April 20)

Those pets that are born under the sign of Aries may now be ready for a change and could even stop eating their favorite treat. They could also be more willing to try something new, such as a new food or treat. Even taking their medicine will be easier! Since they are so open to experiencing new things, now would be a good time to give them a bath, especially if your Aries pet is a Cat.

TAURUS (April 21 - May 21)

Pets that are born under the sign of Taurus are going to come across to their owners as a bit grumpy and irritable. This is due to the fact that the alignment of the planets in March is actually encouraging these Taurean pets to define their role within their family. So, it is best if you give your pet a job to do instead. Help them define their family role.

GEMINI (May 22 - June 21)

This month sees Gemini pets becoming very bold with an attitude of 'What is Yours is Actually Mine'. Watch out for sneaky cat paws trying to steal your food right off of your plate, and warm dog bodies taking up the whole couch! But don't despair; this attitude will dissipate by month's end.

CANCER (June 22 - July 23)

Do you have an indoor cat? If so, this month they may appear to have cabin fever. Your dog may even prefer to spend as much time outside as possible, refusing to come in when you call him. The best way to help your pets through this month is to provide them with extra exercise and playtime to help them feel healthy and happy.

LEO (July 24 - August 23)

Your Leo pet will be most affected by the moon's cycle this month and will appear more lustful than ever. You can try to keep your pet's mind out of the gutter by giving them additional exercise or playtime. Buying them a new toy might also do the trick.

VIRGO (August 24 - September 23)

Virgo pets will become much more needy this month and will do everything that they can to get as much as attention from you as possible. Give in to their needs and lavish them with attention by brushing them and pampering them. Your Virgo pet will return the favor and give you many wet doggy kisses in return.

LIBRA (September 24 - October 23)

Although it will appear in March as if Libra pets are on some kind of mission and will play much harder than usual, they will also be more prone to getting run down. Immediately treat a sneeze as if it were a cold.

SCORPIO (October 24 - November 22)

Scorpio pets love to play and fool around this March. Humor them by giving them lots of tummy rubs and tickling them. This is a good time to teach a new trick to your old dog!

SAGITTARIUS (November 23 - December 22)

This is the perfect time to buy your Sagittarius pet a new bed, blanket or even a new food dish. Perhaps shopping for a new sweater for your dog would be a fun activity to do together? You certainly won't see your cat straying from home until the planets realign next month.

CAPRICORN (December 23 - January 20)

In March your Capricorn pet may cause a lot of stress for you. Your Capricorn pet will be rather feisty this month and will try to see just how far they can go before pushing your buttons too far. Screaming at your pet will not change their behavior. Instead give them something constructive to do or give them a new toy to chew on or bat around.

AQUARIUS (January 21 - February 19)

Aquarius pets will have an unending appetite this month and will seem as if they are constantly hungry. This is due to a growth spurt that they will experience this month. The best way to deal with this is to feed your pet smaller food portions more frequently throughout the day. This will help to keep their weight in check as well.

PISCES (February 20 - March 20)

This the month that the Pisces pet needs to be the center of attention. So help them out by teaching them new tricks and lavish them with praise. This is their month to shine in the limelight; all they want is to know that they are your most beloved pet in the whole world.

Photo Credit: grahamwilliam