Do You Know Which Ingredients In Your Pets Food Cause Allergies?

Every pet owner is on high alert after hearing about so many different pet food recalls. Our pet's food is just as important to us as our pets are! However, it is not only contaminated pet food that we need to be worried about but rather the ingredients that are in the pet food in the first place.

Allergies

Allergies in pets have slowly risen over the past few years mostly due to the introduction of sub-par ingredients in pet food. A visit to the vet clinic will reveal a dog with an ear infection, another with dandruff, and yet another dog or three with other kinds of skin problems or gastrointestinal problems. All these are causes of allergies that dogs, and cats, have towards certain ingredients. Unfortunately, those very ingredients are what make up most of the pet food these days.

If you suspect your dog or cat has a food allergy, usually a simple process of elimination can help you figure out which food it is that your pet is allergic to. However, it is sometimes a variety of ingredients or a certain combination of ingredients that cause allergic reactions in our pets.

For this reason there have been quite a few studies that have been performed to determine which ingredients cause the most allergic reactions. For example, in September 2002 the Advances in Small Animal Medicine and Surgery journal published a report in which the researchers had endeavored to tabulate the results of 22 different studies. All this report was able to cover a great variety of smaller studies in order to get the bigger picture; it was, in fact, authored by a pet food manufacturer employee: Philip Roudebush of the Hill’s Science and Technology Center.

Leading Food Allergens in Dogs

The results of Mr. Roudebush's study determined the following leading food allergens in dogs:

Beef - 34%
Dairy - 20%
Chicken - 20%
Wheat - 16%
Egg - 7%
Lamb - 5%
Soy - 5%
Corn - 3%
Pork - 2%
Rice - 2%
Fish - 1%

The percentages represent the percent of all known food allergy cases that have been caused by that particular ingredient. This does not particularly mean your pet will actually have an allergic reaction to that specific ingredient. Every animal is unique and different.

Leading Food Allergens in Cats

The results of the same study revealed the following allergens in cat food:

Beef - 29%
Dairy - 29%
Fish - 23%
Lamb - 7%
Chicken - 7%
Wheat - 5%
Corn - 5%
Egg - 4%

Once again, the percentages represent known food allergy cases in cats that were caused by a particular ingredient. Not all cats will develop an allergy or be allergic to the same allergen, whether it is a food ingredient or not.

Other Studies

In April of 2006, another study was published, this time in the online journal, Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. The Belgian researchers concluded the following to be the most common food allergens in dogs and cats:

Dogs

Beef - 36%
Dairy - 28%
Wheat - 15%
Egg - 10%
'Diverse' (this is comprised of corn, rice, 'biscuit', chocolate and gluten) - 10%
Chicken - 9.6%
'Canned foods' - 8.6%
Soy - 6%
'Dry foods' - 6%
Pork - 4%
Rabbit - 1%
Fish - 1%

Cats

'Commercial foods' (ingredient causing allergies undetermined) - 25%
Beef - 20%
Dairy - 15%
Fish - 13%
'Diverse' (includes penicillin, 'brand's essence', gluten, and viscera) - 11%
Lamb - 7%
Poultry - 5%
Barley and Wheat - 5%
Additives - 2%
Rabbit - 1%
Egg - 1%

Pet Food Labels

According to regulations set forth by the Association of American Feed Control Officials Incorporated ('AAFCO'), the ingredient list on the label of pet food must be listed in descending order of weight.

The names of the ingredients must also be legally defined, such as 'meat' can only refer to cows, pigs, goats and sheep and only includes specified muscle tissues.

A pet food label cannot contain the words 'all' or '100%', 'if the product contains more than one ingredient, not including water sufficient for processing, decharacterizing agents, or trace amounts of preservatives and condiments.'

The majority of the meat and fish and poultry found in pet foods are, in actual fact, meat by-products. This means that they left over from the animal’s carcass once it has been stripped of meat that has been deemed suitable for human consumption.

Grains, such as cereal grains and corn or wheat gluten meal, have been incorporated into pet foods as a means of providing texture and protein. It is the wheat gluten meal that is responsible for the shapes of the pet food, such as chunks or slices.

Photo Credit: Purrs & Paws of A.R.A.S.

Lessons Learned from Our Pets

In the United States of America there are approximately 74.8 million owned dogs, and approximately 88.3 million owned cats. With all these households that have pets, the idiosyncrasies of the pets most often leaks into the lives of their owners. This can be a good thing, especially if the owner takes notice of how their pets act and behave and then incorporates those lessons into their own lives. Our pets can actually teach us quite a bit about love, relationships and how best to live our lives.

Lesson #1-Loyalty:

Many of us have experienced having an awful day at work and then feeling like we just can't wait to get home and relax. After a tough day, nothing is better than coming home and being greeted enthusiastically by our pet. Our pets love us unconditionally and could care less if we seem a bit cranky. Either way, they love us just the same! How great would it be if we could learn to be that way with our significant others rather than feeling offended and taking it personally when they come home after a bad day and at first seems a bit distant and moody? If we could instead just greet our partners with a hug and kiss when they first arrive home regardless of what mood they seem to be in, it would most likely make the rest of the evening go much smoother. Our pets set an example for us through being loyal to us no matter what our mood is like or whether or not we took time out to play ball in the yard with them. People should be just as loyal to their friends and family members no matter what they do that might upset us or what kind of mood that they are in.

Lesson #2-The Importance of Time Together:

More often than not, our pets absolutely love it when we take time out of our busy, hectic schedules to spend time with them and play with them. Also, many of us consider it non-negotiable that we take our pets for daily walks, or regularly scheduled training classes. While some may say that doing things like walking the dog is just part of being a good pet owner, and of course there is a lot of truth to that, there is a lesson here that can and should be applied to our romantic love type relationships. One of the biggest relationship killers is not spending enough time together, and with how busy most of us are nowadays that's unfortunately very easy to do. However, just as with our pets we simply need to make it a priority to spend as much quality time as possible with our partners. Therefore, our pets teach us how to plan ahead and set aside meaningful quality time with our loved ones.

Lesson #3-Forgiving and Forgetting:

Every pet owner at some point or another has ended up yelling at their dog or cat for something that they did like perhaps having an accident on the living room floor or chewing on one of their favorite shoes or perhaps knocking over a pot plant. Even though our pet may initially appear to be a bit hurt by this, they will almost immediately forget and run right back over to us giving us lots of love and affection. They simply just don't seem to have it in them to stay angry at us. If we were able to be that way with our significant others, it would certainly go a very long way in helping to improve our relationships. Of course, it's just not human nature to immediately get over something that we find hurtful, but we can try and make a point to forgive our loved ones for wrongdoings rather than holding long term grudges against them. Our pets teach us how to forgive and forget.

Lesson #4-Living Day by Day:

Dogs, cats and other household pets do not think about tomorrow. They do not worry about whether it will rain later in the week, thereby preventing them to go to the dog park. They have no concerns about the future and only have the ability to live their lives on a day by day basis. Most people are constantly worried about their future: whether their bills will get paid on time, whether the weather will co-operate for their outdoor activities that they have planned for the weekend. These constant concerns sometimes end up ruling a person’s life. However, everyone can take a tip from their pets by learning to take each day as it comes and not spend too much time fretting over the future. Enjoy life, along with your pets, on a day by day basis.


Photo Credit: wsilver

New Universal Pet Microchip Lookup Tool

Reuniting lost pets that have microchips with their owners has just gotten a lot easier. On 22 September, 2009, the American Animal Hospital Association launched the internet's first Universal Pet Microchip Lookup Tool.

Microchipping is usually a surefire way to ensure that you will be reunited with your lost pet quickly. However, navigating through the multitude of microchip companies and different registries can make searching for a pet's owner very time consuming and sometimes downright difficult.

The American Animal Hospital Association

The American Animal Hospital Association's year long endeavor to launch the only universal microchip database has finally come to fruition. This free online tool has been carefully designed to assist animal control personnel, shelters, and veterinarian clinics to quickly reunite lost pets with their owners by being able to search through 4 different pet microchip registries at the same time.

When a pet is taken into an animal shelter or veterinary clinic, the first thing that is done is a scan over the pet's body to see if it has a microchip. Once located, the scanner will then identify the microchip number. Animal shelter or veterinary personnel will then have to call every single microchip registry in the US in order to find out whether that microchip number belongs to that registry. When a match is found, the microchip registry is then able to contact the pet's owner on behalf of the animal shelter or veterinary personnel.

How The Tool Works

The American Animal Hospital Association provided a press release to the public in which it was explained that the Microchip Lookup Tool works by "checking the databases of participating pet recovery services to determine which has registration information available for a microchip, within seconds a list of all the registries with microchip registration information available along with the registries' contact information will appear in chronological order."

Those microchip companies that are participating in the American Animal Hospital Association's Universal Microchip Lookup Tool are:

American Kennel Club Companion Animal Recovery

HomeAgain by Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health

Petlink by Datamars

resQ by Bayer Animal Health


Other Microchip Registries

Although the press release does not clearly explain why other popular microchip registries and companies had been excluded from the tool, the FAQ's on their website does give a better explanation: those microchip companies wishing to partake in the Universal Microchip Lookup Tool must distribute microchips to both dogs and cats in either the USA or in Canada and 24/7 service with a toll free number for pet owners to call. The American Animal Hospital Association's FAQ's also state that they are still working with other microchip registries to incorporate them into the Universal Microchip Lookup Tool as well.

The communications coordinator at the American Animal Hospital Association, Jason Merrihew, has indicated that a few more companies will join the endeavor within a few weeks.

"We've had amazing collaboration with the participating companies, but the tool is still a work in progress," he said.

The American Animal Hospital Association considers its tool to be in beta mode and as such is continuing to request feedback from the microchip registries already associated with the tool as well as with animal shelter and veterinarian personnel who use the tool.

If a pet's microchip has not been registered with any of the microchip registries that are participating with the Universal Microchip Lookup Tool, a search using the tool will provide the microchip's manufacturer or distributor instead. Due to privacy restrictions, the pet's owner's information will never be publicly displayed, only a list of registries that holds ownership information for that particular microchip.

"The goal is to streamline the complex issue of identifying the correct pet recovery registry for the people on the frontlines," Merrihew said. "When a pet is lost, time is of the essence."

Endorsements

Since its inception and subsequent launch the American Animal Hospital Association's Universal Microchip Lookup Tool has received much respect. Even the President of the American Veterinary Medical Association has stated that that the Association "absolutely supports the linking of companion animal microchip data bases."

Another major endorser of the tool is the Coalition for Reuniting Pets and Families, which is comprised of many animal related organizations and associations, such as:

Humane Society of the United States

American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

The American Humane Association

The American Society of Veterinary Medical Association Executives

The American Veterinary Medical Association

The National Federation of Humane Societies

The Society of Animal Welfare Administrators


Photo Credit: Chika

Pro's and Con's of the Trap, Neuter, Release Program for Feral Cats

Whether you are someone who loves cats, whether they are strays or house cats, or you are simply someone who is concerned about the population of feral cats in your area, you may have recently heard about growing efforts to trap, neuter and release feral cats. Also known as Feral Cat Colony Management, Trap Neuter, Release programs consists of trapping feral cats and then either neutering or spaying them, before releasing them back into the surrounding environment. A few of the programs also provide vaccinations and even micro-chipping for the cats. These programs are growing in popularity and if one is coming to your area, you will find that it might be something that you need to look into. What do you need to know about trap, neuter and release programs and what will the affect be on the feral cat population in your home area?

The Programs

Though the programs will vary from city to city and from state to state, the goal of every trap, neuter and release group, (often shortened to TNR), is the same. They are all intended to reduce the stray cat population in a given area. On a regular basis, cats are going to be humanely trapped, taken to a vet and then spayed or neutered. After they have had the operation, they will be returned to the wild without the ability to produce more kittens. While this does not eliminate the problem entirely, it does ensure that no new kittens are produced and that the problem does not become exponentially larger.

The overall goal of the TNR programs are to reduce the number of feral cats and then to hopefully eliminate cat colonies through natural attrition. A cat colony is simply a population of feral or stray cats that live and hunt together in a specific area. These colonies usually begin when a few unsterilized, domesticated, cats join together after either being abandoned by their owners, lose their way home after roaming around outside, or are born in the wild.

Cat colonies can exist with just a few cats or a few hundred cats. The greater the food source that exists for all of the cats in the colony to feed from, then the larger the colony will be.

There are currently more than 60 million feral cats in the United States today. According to the ASCPCA: "Feral females spend most of their lives pregnant or nursing. In seven years, one female cat and her offspring can yield 420,000 cats."

The Pro's

In the first place, this is far more humane and positive solution than simply killing all feral cats when they are caught, which some cities have advocated. The cats will be allowed to live and their breeding is curtailed, thanks to the neutering. This also means that the feral colonies that might be living in the area are going to get smaller and smaller as time goes on. By stabilizing the feral cat population via spaying and neutering, those cats will have access to more food, shelter and less risks of catching diseases.

It also frees the city from needing to take on care and feeding for feral cats; because many of these cats are born wild rather than having ever lived in a human home, their chances for being adopted as pets is much lower. In many ways, feral cats are wild animals and they would be more satisfied on their own.


The Con's

In the first place, TNR programs do not take the cats off the streets permanently. In fact, TNR programs tend to be a permanent fixture once they exist because pet cats do escape and people do still abandon them. There is also a concern for vet costs, though they are lower than what it would take to foster the cats. There is also a perception of the problem being glossed over, rather than solved. Many people feel that this solution will not go far enough.

Some wildlife advocates also believe that feral cat colonies are to blame for a reduction in the local bird and wildlife. Another concern is that since not every, single feral cat can and will be trapped and then spayed or neutered, they can still pose a health risk to humans and other animals.

When you are debating the pros and cons of a trap, neuter release program, there are many things that you need to consider. Think about the feral cat population in your area and think about how well a TNR program might fit there. This is a program that does have a certain amount of controversy attached to it, so take a moment and learn more about how it works!

Photo Credit: Professor Batty

World Rabies Day 2009

World Rabies Day 2009 is about helping the world wipe out Rabies and will be held on 28 September 28, 2009. This event has been created to help publicize the dangers of rabies and to raise a new awareness of this devastating disease. Although there are now fewer recorded cases of rabies occurring in the US and other major countries this animal borne disease continues to be a deadly problem for tens of thousands of people in Asia and Africa.

There are interventions and treatments that can be used to prevent and eliminate rabies in both animals and humans. With these tools and technologies available there should be no reason why so many individuals are continuing to suffer the effects of this controllable disease. Many of the present day rabies cases are taking place in countries where there are many other problems and diseases, but those issues should not mean that rabies has to be pushed to the back of the line.

If medical care is given promptly there is no reason that this 100% preventable disease should pose a problem. Still the statistics show that nearly 60,000 individuals are dying every year because of rabies.

How Rabies Is Carried

This disease is carried by bats, raccoons and other wild animals; but it is dogs that are responsible for most human rabies cases. World Rabies Day 2009 wants to let everyone know that this disease can be stopped but first the public has to become educated about what they need to do.

Young children are the most common victims of rabid dog bites. As a result they are the population group most at risk for developing rabies. Proper education of the public, widespread vaccinations for animals and appropriate medical treatment is a three pronged plan that can be used to deal with rabies in every country throughout the world.

The Alliance For Rabies Control

Three short years ago researchers, medical workers and volunteers created the Alliance for Rabies Control. This group was formed as a global organization and the mission was the prevention and eradication of this disease. As the organization grew in numbers and strength they began working to establish an annual World Rabies Day. The very first event took place in 2007 on September 8.

At this time there were several hundred thousand participants from more than 80 countries, which far exceeded the group's expectations. This was a positive response from the public and it brought much needed attention and publicity to both rabies and the Alliance for Rabies Control.

How You Can Help

World Rabies Day 2009 is a worldwide campaign that is dedicated to telling everyone about the prevention of rabies. In communities across the country, and around the globe, people are taking action to further the understanding and education concerning this disease. You can be part of the solution by participating in a World Rabies Day event, volunteering, or helping the Alliance for Rabies Control with their fund raising efforts.

Here are some simple ways that you can help defeat rabies and change the world for the better.

* Make certain to vaccinate your dogs and cats against rabies. What better time to do this than on World Rabies Day 2009? Many vets are participating in this latest campaign. There are also going to be mobile medical vans traveling to communities and offering affordable and convenient rabies vaccinations.

* Help spread the word with your Facebook account, Twitter Tweets and emails.

* Purchase products that support World Rabies Day 2009 events or donate money to fight against rabies. If you are able to donate even a small amount it will help prevent someone from contracting this disease.

* Become a volunteer and help organize a World Rabies Day 2009 event in your local area. It still is not too late to get some information and put a plan into action. If you want to find out how you can become involved just talk with a veterinarian, your Health Department or your local ASPCA. Health Departments are even supplying "toolkits" to volunteers that can help them organize activities at the grass roots level.

This year there are more World Rabies Day 2009 events taking place than in any previous year; and this means that more people are learning how they can help prevent rabies. There will be biking, running and walking events for people to participate in. There are also live fundraising concerts, free handouts of educational materials, bake sales, street fairs and sales of posters and t-shirts. The desire and momentum are greater than ever and with your help World Rabies Day 2009 could be the turning point in the global crusade to control and prevent rabies in every country throughout the world.

Photo Credit: smalltownguy22

Does Your Cat Have OCD?

It is one thing to joke about your cat compulsively cleaning themselves, but it is another thing when you begin to note that your cat is cleaning himself to the point where he is putting a bald patch into his skin or when he has actually injured himself due to this type of behavior. The truth of the matter is that cats can suffer from psychological issues just like humans do, and when a normal activity is taken from being something that is neutral to something that is deliberately harmful, it is time to start looking at it as a disorder and as something that needs treatment. Does one of your cats suffer from obsessive compulsive disorder?

Obsessive Compulsive Behaviors

There are several behaviors that might fall into the range of being obsessive compulsive if they are done too often. For instance, grooming, pawing at a certain place on the floor, licking or sucking on cloth or plastic, or running from room to room are all normal cat activities, but when they are constantly repeated to the detriment of the animal, it is time to step in. A cat who engages in these behaviors can hurt themselves over time and, like any habit, they are hard to break. According to experts, the more a cat is allowed to engage in these activities, the more likely it is that he will continue to do so, even when the original trigger has long been forgotten.

Causes of Obsessive Compulsive Behavior in Cats

There are many causes that are suggested when OCD is brought up in cats. In many ways, they parallel the things that can cause humans to engage in OCD behavior. The environment, emotional conflicts, stress, genetics and medical conditions can all be pointed to as causes for why this occurs, and sometimes the cause is simply unknown. When the cause is known, it is much more possible to fix the problem. Try to observe your cat and think back to the time when this specific type of activity began. What was going on in the household at the time? Did you introduce another cat into the household, or another species of pet? Did you move house or do any remodeling? Did you get a new job that required you to spend different hours away from home? If you have children, did they start school leaving your cat feeling alone at home? All of these things can play a part in your cat demonstrating obsessive compulsive behavior.

What the Vet Will Recommend

When you go to consult a veterinarian about the issue, you may also be offered the possibility of anti-anxiety medication. For instance, Prozac and clomipramine are both drugs that are often used when you are dealing with cats that have evidenced mental disorder. If you are considering giving your cat drugs, remember that it can take up to four to five months to see a result, and you should still be giving your cat the mental stimulation that he needs.

More Holistic Options

However there are other, more natural options in treating your cat's obsessive compulsive disorder without using harsh chemically-laden drugs. Since any kind of obsessively compulsive behavior exhibited by your cat, is linked directly to the level of stress she feels, giving her something to keep her stress levels down is a wonderfully holistic way to help your cat beat her OCD issues. You can purchase an herbal remedy made from Bach Flowers or bottle of LessStress from PetWellbeing.com. These can help greatly as they target a cat's nervous system to rid the cat of anxiety and reduce hyperactivity. LessStress also helps by boosting your cat's immune system as well.

If your cat does have OCD, then treating it as early as possible is definitely the best option. When you start noting this type of odd behavior in your cat, make sure that you look into the most simple and curable causes first. Is your cat getting enough food, enough social interaction and enough mental stimulation? Is your cat constantly bored or is there anything that will set him off? If you can remove the factor that is stressing your cat out or if you can put him in a situation where he will be more at peace, which is more ideal.

Another factor of obsessive compulsive disorder in cats is linked to the quality of food that they eat. Since most cats over groom as part of their OCD behavior, keeping their coats as healthy as possible will minimize any damage to their hair follicles and skin. Remember that for your cat, and for you as well, feeling good physically will in turn, encourage feeling good emotionally as well.


Photo Credit: Miss Claeson

How to Train a Dog to Stop Barking

Learn how to teach your dog to stop barking in this free dog training video.

World's First Pet Cloning Company Discontinues Service

BioArts International, a biotech startup company in San Francisco, California, with custom micro-engineering operations in London, has decided to put a stop to its dog cloning services.

BioArts started its cloning services by launching a competition in May 2008, called "Golden Clone Giveaway", to entice dog owners to enter their dog for future possible cloning. The winner, James Symington, was presented with five puppy clones of his 9/11 search and rescue dog, Trakr, in June of this year.

Also in 2008, BioArts offered a "Best Friends Again" auction for five dog cloning slots. Over Labor Day weekend, BioArts delivered the last of the cloned puppies from this auction, which accounted for the final set of cloned dogs that BioArts will ever deliver.

Cloning Service Discontinuation Reasons

The CEO, Lou Hawthorne, posted a press release on the company's website listing six reasons as to how the company made its decision to discontinue its dog cloning services. One of the main reasons was the apparent lack of a market for such services. The company's "Golden Clone Giveaway" was used as an example: the company had hoped to gather market data to determine whether there was indeed a demand for dog cloning services. A free clone of the winner's dog was the grand prize.

However, although the company had expected thousands of contest submissions, only 237 entries were received, prompting Hawthorne to state:

"Given how few people want to clone a dog when priced at zero, the market for dog cloning is at best a specialized niche. In a niche market, if one cannot capture a reasonably high price for each order, that market is not worth pursuing."

Black Market Competition

Another major reason, Hawthorne stated, was black market competition. Specifically, a company in Seoul called RNL Bio. Although BioArts International sought legal efforts to prevent RNL Bio from offering any pet cloning services, as a violation of international patents, their efforts failed. Start Licensing in Austin, Texas, granted the worldwide rights to BioArts International to clone dogs, cats and endangered species. Start Licensing's legal response to RNL's infringing activities were depicted by Hawthorne to be "too little, too late", which, in his opinion, resulted in the value of BioArts' license from Start Licensing as being "basically worthless."

Since BioArts holds the sole worldwide rights to clone dogs, cats and endangered species, any other company that attempts to do the same would be in violation of international patents.

However, not only did RNL Bio offer pet cloning despite not having a license to do so; it also offered it at a far reduced rate when compared to BioArts fees. In February 2008, RNL Bio advertised its cloning services to be a fraction of the cost of BioArt's prices, starting at $150,000. A few months later, RNL Bio announced that its fees had been decreased to a mere $30,000.

Hawthorne was quick to state:

"Of course, there is no technical way that [the South Korean company] can deliver clones for $30,000 unless they completely abandon all bioethical safeguards for surrogate mothers who carry the clones to term, and even then it's unclear how they could make a profit."

Because of the similarity in both name and services, Hawthorne believes it lead to public confusion that eventually destroyed the specialized, niche market of dog cloning. This was a major cause of concern for BioArts International.

"RNL Bio can only slash the price of dog cloning by ignoring the safeguards we use to ensure the well-being of dogs involved in the cloning process," Hawthorne said. "RNL will not be able to afford an adoption program for surrogate mothers, nor care for unwanted dogs in perpetuity. Instead, for every dog RNL clones, a dozen or more will likely be slaughtered."

Other Factors

BioArts International also based their decision to cease their pet cloning operations due to un-scalable bioethics, weak intellectual property, 'distraction factor' (which refers to negative media publicity surrounding the cloning business as a whole); and unpredictable cloning results.

Even though BioArts was successfully able to create and deliver many healthy cloned puppies, they also witnessed sporadic "physical anomalies" amongst the pups. This caused the company to deduce that "cloning is still an experimental technology and consumers would be well-advised to proceed cautiously."

Sooam Biotech Research Foundation

As part of ending their cloning services, BioArts International also ended their partnership with its cloning vendor, Sooam Biotech Research Foundation, and the head of the foundation, Dr. Hwang Woo-Suk, in South Korea.

"Dr. Hwang and the Sooam team were actually a pleasure to work with," said Hawthorne. "Unfortunately, this technology is not ready for prime time."

BioArts will now focus on the development of advanced tools and services for use in regenerative medicine, including micro-engineered cell culture devices and temperature-controlled bioshippers.

Photo Credit: jurvetson

Similarities Between Dogs And Toddlers

For many years, devout pet owners have often claimed that their beloved pets are able to read their minds and know exactly what they want or are thinking; and vice versa. Parents of young children have also stated the same thing. Now it appears that both types of 'parents' are correct: a recent study has shown that there are definitely strong similarities between dogs and toddlers.

Professor Stanley Coren, PhD, an author, psychologist and dog researcher, who presented his findings about such similarities during a speech at the American Psychological Association's annual convention in Toronto earlier this year, explains:

"Darwin basically said that anything that is useful doesn't just appear out of nothing."

Coren's research has indicated that dogs have a similar intelligence to that of a 24 to 30 month old toddler. Cats, on the other hand, are thought to have an intelligence level that is on par with an 18 month old child.

Toddlers and dogs also demonstrate the same basic emotions, such as fear and happiness. The only emotion that a dog does not 'get' is guilt.

Coren explains: "What we tend to be interpreting as guilt is really fear on the dog's part. They get the impression you're going to drop a piano on their head for something they've done wrong."

Coren's study also shows that dogs have the potential to understand fairness. One of the experiments involved a researcher who trained two different dogs to shake their paw when instructed. Once both dogs had mastered the trick, treats were then given by the researcher to only one of the two dogs each time he offered his paw. The researcher did not give any treats to the other dog.

Surprisingly, that dog refused to shake his paw and, in fact, would not look at the researcher at all.

"He doesn't want any part of you. He doesn't think this is fair," said Coren.

Although they both walk around a lot on all fours, and if you let them they will share the same food dish, these are not the comparisons found by recent studies. It seems that dogs and toddlers are both fantastic at reading hand signals and even simple turns of the head or gaze shifting.

It was found that dogs have the same capacity as toddlers when it comes to understanding hand gestures, and it takes them no time at all to figure them out. For instance, when you say 'go' to your dog and point to a specific area they understand that they should go there rapidly.

If you ever hear someone comment that their dog listens better than their toddler, you can tell them they are correct! It is a fascinating idea that dogs understand humans better than chimpanzees which are supposed to be our closest relatives in the animal world.

The only confusion from dogs or toddlers in pointing gesture tests come from using the knee as a pointing device or pointing with a finger in an opposite direction from the rest of the arm. Researchers believe that dogs excel in these areas because pointing is a cooperative in nature and dogs are well versed in cooperation.

This is great news for dog owners and even parents of toddlers, especially those frustrated by an inability to communicate verbally with their child. However, it appears the canine abilities do not end there! Studies are showing that they understand basic human words and even arithmetic on the same level as a toddler.

An average dog can understand around 165 words as well as hand gestures and the top 20% of dogs can comprehend around 250 words! If dogs start talking soon, we are all in trouble! If all that were not enough it seems our furry friends, have a basic concept of arithmetic, now if only my dog would have helped me with algebra!

Tests used to gauge a human child's understanding of arithmetic were used in a study with canines. In one such test dogs watch as researchers lower two treats behind a screen, in some instances researchers will remove or add a treat before raising the screen and gauge the dog's reaction. Low and behold when there were more or less treats behind the screen dogs acted surprised and would stare for a long period just as a human child would.

Part of the answer to the canine intelligence is in the way we speak and interact with them. Many dog owners will speak to their dogs in the same manner as their children thereby exposing both to the same level of social stimulation. The bottom line is dogs are much more intelligent than some people give them credit for as has been proven by these studies.

Photo Credit: mollypop

Reducing Your Pet's Carbon Footprint

Most environmentally conscious people are mindful of the carbon footprint that they leave behind them. But what about our pets? They too, can leave a carbon footprint behind. As their caretakers, it is up to the pet's owners to do what they can to reduce their pet's carbon footprint. Here are a few, very simple, tips on how best to reduce your pet's carbon footprint. Whilst these may not seem much at the moment, they will add up over the lifespan of your pet.

Quality Pet Food

You want the best for your pet, and so you should invest in the best food for your pet. Higher quality pet food not only improves your pet's health, but also leaves less mess in the garden to clean up. When choosing the right food, look at the list of ingredients on the packaging. The very first ingredient should be chicken, beef, lamb, or fish, as opposed to beef meal or some by-product.

Think Before You Treat

Every pet owner wants to reward their pet for learning a new trick, potty-ing in the right place, or for just being so darn cute! However, before you reach for the package of treats at the pet store, consider the reasons why you are leaning towards that particular package. Is it because it most closely resembles human food? Most pet owners subconsciously choose treats that are packaged in a similar fashion to human treats, such as Jerky looking sticks. All that extra packaging is harmful to the environment, not to mention that the heavily processed treats are also harmful to your pet's stomach.

Add Some Green

Help your dog eat healthier by adding in a few organic fruit and vegetables to their food. Sweet potatoes, carrots, broccoli and cauliflower are a few that you can try. Remember though that dogs can be as picky as humans can be when it comes to eating their vegetables, so be prepared for a bit of taste testing before you really know what your dog loves to eat.

No More Plastic

Providing your pet with a stainless steel or ceramic food and water bowl helps to prevent your pet from being exposed to Bisphenol-A or BPAs. Plus, they are also easier to clean and harbor less bacteria than a plastic food dish; and they also last longer too.

Green Bags

Choose poop bags that are considered to be 'green', as they are usually corn-based and biodegradable.

Kitty Litter

Go for biodegradable kitty litter and stay away from the clay clumping kind as they can end up on a landfill for many years. Old newspapers or wood chips work wonders!

Natural Toys

Not only is hemp considered organic, but it is also durable. Therefore, it is the perfect choice to use to make eco-friendly pet toys like stuffed animals and rope toys. You can find pet toys made from hemp in virtually every pet store.

Another option is to buy pet toys that have been made from recycled material and renewable resources. Most of these toys are considered to be completely non-toxic as well. One company in particular, West Paw, uses recycled plastic bottles to make its cat and dog toys. Some pet toy companies donate a percentage of their sales to national animal shelters or to animal conservation projects worldwide. Look out for these toys next time you are out at the pet store shopping for a new toy for your dog or cat, as you could also be helping other animals at the same time.

Make Your Own Toys

If you want to not only save your hard earned money, but also the planet, then consider making your own cat or dog toy. Cats love anything that moves and makes a noise, so rolling up a few grains of rice into a tight paper ball is the perfect homemade toy. During the summer months, feeding your dog a large, frozen, raw carrot is a great summertime treat! You can also grow your own pet grass and catnip at home as well. Just make sure that you keep the catnip out of the reach of your cat until you are ready to give it to her.

Recycle

If you buy tins of cat or dog food, remember to wash them out and recycle them, instead of throwing them away in the garbage. These tins can sit for many years in a landfill as they are not bio-degradable.

Reuse

If you do buy a toy that your pet does not like, consider donating it to a local animal shelter; after you have cleaned it thoroughly, of course.

Reduce

Use pet products that have minimal packaging that you can recycle at the end of its use.

Photo Credit: SuperFantastic

Creative Pet Grooming

A distinctively new market niche in the veterinary sector has recently come up and is on a steady rise, much to the appreciation of dog groomers everywhere: creatively grooming pets for fun or competition. Unlike traditional pet grooming, creative pet grooming incorporates trimming the fur of animals to create a desired design on their coats. Poodles are the favored animals for these creations because of their good looking and easy to rear coats.

Then and Now

Pet grooming in the past used to be about cleaning the animal, making sure that the animal's coat is tidy by shaving when necessary, clipping paw nails, as well as veterinary visits for the pet's vaccinations to curb certain transmittable diseases.

However, today pet grooming is about creating different looks for the animal, printing designs on its coat as well as all of the other previously mentioned grooming routines. What would drive someone to have their pet creatively groomed? For fun mostly, but since this cultural phenomenon is catching on, there are worldwide competitions in search of the best creatively groomed pet.

There is a whole world of pet products created just to satisfy this emerging market. There is an enormous amount of pet and animal grooming products that are advertised, both online and in print media that will improve or change your pets look. There are products such as paw print plaques, craft books with a variety of designs that can be used creatively on pets.

Patterns

The common patterns used by groomers include: elephant, mouse, dog, lion, Bambi, panda, alligator, and giraffe. The creative look comes off perfectly on poodles because of their predisposition to grow long hairs on their coats. The interesting thing is that the animals, when the groomers are through with them, actually look like the real deal!

Graphic designers are creating various designs to be imprinted on the pets' coats. There are all these mixes and creations of your favorite characters on your pet. The wonderful thing about it is that it is not permanent so when you the pet owner gets tired with it you can always change it. New hair needs to be grown on the pet and the colored fur can then just be trimmed off in order to obtain a different look.

Pet Display Shows

Pet groomers and owners are turning up in talent shows and creative searches showcasing their creations and how well the pets are taking it. The overall effect is most often theatrical and gives the audience a good laugh. Animal rights activists have come out to oppose this new trend but since no damage is done to the animal there is really no stopping the groomers or the amounts of owners who want their pets to stand out in the crowd.

Groomers are of late putting creative grooming talent on their skills profile to attract pet owners as there is a clear market emerging for them and no one knows how far this will go, but for now they are making the most of it and are certainly not being disappointed with ever increasing demand for creative pet grooming. The names given to this new sensation are quite interesting. You will hear of 'pet camouflage', 'show grooming' and 'creative pet designers'. The name leans towards the groomer's choice of ideas and their use. Show groomers will combine designs and training dogs for show. Pet camouflage will create a lion out of a poodle for fun, show or talent training.

One of the oldest pet grooming competitions in the world today is the All American Grooming Show, which was founded by Jerry Schinberg in the early 1970's. Mr Schinberg was a 15 year pet groomer veteran himself, before starting up the competition. The very first competition received 50 entries and 300 spectators. The creative pet grooming category was introduced into the competition in 1980 and has grown in popularity ever since.

The first prize for the Creative Styling Challenge at this year's All American Grooming Show, which was sponsored by Governor Insurance Agency, was $1700, plus an extra $100 for first time entry winners.

The biggest pet grooming competition is called Pet Expo and will be held September 17 - 20, 2009 in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Their Creative Styling Contest is being sponsored by Groomer to Groomer Magazine and offers a first prize of $5,000. The second and third prizes are $2500 and $1000, respectively, from Barkleigh Productions. A $500 prize will be awarded to the winner of the People's Choice Award and will also be placed on the front cover of Groomer to Groomer.

"This is the highlight of the Expo, with the winner taking home great prize money," says Sally Liddick, organizer of Groom Expo, "and it is a personal highlight for me. I love creative."

Photo Credit: Psyberartist

World's Most Expensive Dog

Most dog lovers are willing to spend a pretty penny to buy the breed of dog that they love the most. But very few would be willing, or able, to spend $582,000 on one dog.

Ms Wang, a Chinese citizen who is undoubtedly a millionaire, has done just that, by spending 4 million yuan (about 350,000 British Pounds) on an 18 month old Tibetan Mastiff named Yangtze River Number Two.

The earliest record of the Tibetan Mastiff was when a hunting dog was given to a Chinese emperor in 1121BC. The next encounter was by Marco Polo who depicted these dogs as being as "tall as a donkey with a voice as powerful as that of a lion."

The sacred city of Lhasa used them as guard dogs.

King George IV owned a pair of Tibetan Mastiffs in the early 19th century. In 1906 the breed was shown at the Crystal Palace show.

Although the Tibetan Mastiff is still considered to be a rare breed, are they are becoming more and more popular and breeders have sprung all over the world. At the start of the breeding of this breed there was a very limited gene pool from the original stock. However, breeders have since improved on the Tibetan Mastiff's genetic issues via selective breeding and the international exchange of new bloodlines.

The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show allowed the Tibetan Mastiff to compete for the first time in 2008.

Forever on the quest for the perfect Tibetan Mastiff, Ms Wang had apparently travelled to the town of Yushu in the Qinghai Province with a Tibetan Mastiff that she already owned. Ms Wang was hoping to breed her Tibetan Mastiff to one of the legendary pure blooded Tibetan Mastiffs that are well known to originate from that region of China. Whilst in the city itself, Ms Wang saw a Tibetan Mastiff known only as White Root and decided there and then that that dog was the perfect specimen of a Tibetan Mastiff.

It is unclear whether White Root is actually Yangtze, or whether Yangtze is somehow related to White Root. In any case, Ms Wang wanted the dog and was will to shell out big bucks for him.

It seems that Ms Wang, before leaving the Qinghai Province, excitedly contacted her wealthy friends back home and not only told them how much she had just spent on the 80cm tall pup, but also what time her flight would arrive back home at the Xi'an airport, in the capital of Shaanxi province.

Ms Wang's friends immediately sprang into action and, in their own show of opulence, descended upon the Xi'an airport in their own black Mercedes Benz limousines. They, somehow, also managed to arrange for a rather large crowd of dog owners, enthusiasts and other well wishers to be at the airport displaying handmade welcome signs and waving excitedly to Yangtze and Ms Wang.

Besides the handful of dog lovers that Ms Wang's friends had called upon, the crowd of onlookers started to slowly increase in size as the motorcade of the 30 luxurious Mercedes Benz Limousines drove closer and closer to the airport. Many of these people in the 'extra crowd' admitted to thinking that there would witness the arrival of a human celebrity, not a pet one!

Posing for a photograph with Yangtze, Ms Wang was quoted as saying:

"Gold has a price, but this Tibetan mastiff doesn't."

Because Tibetan Mastiffs are considered to be a rare breed of dog, you will not be able to purchase one in the Western world for under $2,000. However, due to their strong guarding instincts, Tibetan Mastiffs are a lot more expensive in China.

Ms Wang has admitted that she plans on mating Yangtze with the other Tibetan Mastiff that she owns, hoping to recreate the perfect Tibetan Mastiff!

Such extravagant parading of money and goods are not uncommon amongst the millionaires and other wealthy people in China.

However, the ownership of dogs in China, which is quickly growing in popularity, has become a problem for the local governments. Pets may be banned from most public places in Shanghai, if the authorities have their way! Even the host of next year's Asian Games, Guangzhou, has not escaped from the wrath of authorities; every family is now only allowed to have one dog.

In previous years, specifically during the reign of Mao Zedong, the Chinese people looked down upon owning a dog and thought dog ownership to be foolish and dog ownership was therefore quickly banned.

Today, however, Shanghai alone has over 150,000 registered dogs.

Earlier this year an American family living in Florida paid nearly $155,000 (or almost 90,000 British Pounds) for their dog. The Labrador, called Lancelot Encore, was a clone of the family’s original dog, Lancelot.

Photo Credit: Kjunstorm

Japan's Cat Cafes

A new type of cafe is springing up all around Japan - Cat Cafes. One such cafe is Neko JaLaLa, meaning 'Cat Time' in Japanese. Here there are 8 cats on permanent staff who mingle with the customers whilst they sip tea.

Neko JaLaLa was started when Mr. Osamu Maeda, an architect, along with his neighbor, came up with a way to educate the public about stray cats. Mr. Maeda hopes that his cafe will help to raise awareness of cats across Japan, which has a euthanasia rate of 240,000 cats per year.

Mr. Maeda believes that the concept of the cat cafe is working, even though many other cat cafe's are opening every month:

"Everything here is based on the idea of getting people to love cats. When it comes to the business of cat cafes, you can grow by opening more branches or expanding the scale of existing stores," he says. "But there is a limit to that – what happens to the cats once this isn't so popular anymore? That's why I'm looking for cats that I want to live with for the rest of my life. I'm not getting any extra cats."

Neko JaLaLa, like Japan's other cat cafe's, is kept spotless at all times. Not only is the vacuum cleaner used every ten minutes or so and air purifiers are on in all corners of the cafe at all times, but the customers also have to be clean. Before being allowed entry, customers have to remove their shoes and wash and sanitize their hands.

The Rules

There are, of course, a few rules which apply. Namely, no children under the age of ten - this is because most children have a tendency to play rough and pull on a cat's tail. Another rule is to always let sleeping cats lie. Kittens who are too young to be held usually have a scarf around their neck. Outside food is not allowed inside the cafe and customers are asked not to pet or pick up a cat if it initially resists them.

Mr. Maeda warns: "I don't hesitate to scold people who treat cats in a bad way."

However, only the customers have rules at these cafe's. The cats can do as they please. One cat in particular at Neko JaLaLa loves to run away with a customer's handkerchief, whilst another sneaky cat will try to drink a customer's tea when they are not looking. For the most part, the customers do not seem to mind at all.

One such customer is Mr. Tetsunori Oda, a system engineer, who believes that visiting the cafe is "a way to relax and let go of my stress."

Mr. Oda goes on to say, "When it comes to having cats, it's a burden. I work and I don't have the time to take care of them in a responsible manner."

This is the reason that the majority of the customers frequent the cafe.

For most Japanese their day consists of working up to 10 - 12 hour shifts and going home to an expensive complex that doesn't allow pets. Stopping by one of the seven cat cafe's in Tokyo after work enables them to relax and get their 'cat fix', at an affordable price too: $8 - $12 per hour with reservations recommend on Saturdays.

Japan's Cat History

Japan has a long romance with its Feline inhabitants. For instance, Japan's oldest novel, "The Tale of Genji", a prince's love story, has a resident cat that strolls through its pages. Another Japanese classic, "I am a Cat," which was written by Soseki Natsume, one of Japan's most famous novelists, in 1905, is narrated by a nameless cat who ponders about the peculiar habits of the people he comes in to contact with as he comes and goes from the social salon that is run by his owner, a high school teacher.

Visit any modern bookstore and you will find shelves of books, posters, comics, and magazines all devoted to cats.

College student, Yuka Sato, visits another of Japan's cat cafe's, Neko no Mise, and states how much she loves being there:

"I always used to play with cats back home, but now I can't, since I live on my own. I wish I could live together with cats like this."

This cafe, opened its doors in 2005 and has 12 resident cats, most of which were adopted by the owner Norimasa Hanada, after visitors abandoned them at the cafe.

"Basically, the visitors of this cafe are stressed," explains Mr. Hanada.

An added bonus of the cat cafe is the human interaction that it offers as well. Cafe patrons usually strike up conversations as they share notes on the different habits of all the cats.

Photo Credit: fletchy182

California's Budget Crisis Shortening Lives Of Shelter Pets

Every pet owner is afraid that their pet might end up in their local shelter should they escape from their house or yard whilst the owner is away. But, most pet owners find solace in the fact that shelter pets are usually kept safe and sound until they are reunited with each other.

However, this may all change in California due to the budget crisis that they state is facing, at least according to Humane Society officials.

When California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and other legislative leaders negotiated the State's budget to cut the $26 billion deficit, they decided to include proviso that would make it legal to lessen the amount of the mandatory holding period for stray pets from six days down to only three days. These same legislative leaders forgot to mention this to the California public!

This basically boils down to the fact that a lost pet that is picked up by Animal Control will only have three days to be reunited with his owners before being put to sleep. If an owner goes away for a week's vacation and leaves their pet in the care of a pet sitter, who accidently leaves the gate open and the dog escapes, the owner will probably not even know what happened to their pet until they return.

Cindy Machado of the Marin Humane Society, a facility that does not euthanize animals that can be adopted but instead rescues pets that are facing death at other shelters, explains the new law:

"It makes a difference because for some animals every day counts. The new law will affect a lot of the shelters that we rescue animals from because, especially in this economy, they are bursting at the seams."

In fact, the majority of the animal shelter in California's Bay Area, do not kill stray animals unless it is found that the animal has a ve'y serious health problem or behavioral problem which could make it harder for them to be adopted out.

However, there are other smaller shelters like the rural one in Central Valley as well as in parts of northern California that just do not have the space available to hold onto pets longer than required by state law. Sadly, most of these shelters are brimming over with pets that have been relinquished by their owners as a result of losing their jobs, or having their homes foreclosed upon.

Vice president of the Peninsula Humane Society, Scott Delucchi, explains:

"The places that are overrun with animals don't have many resources, and now the law will essentially allow them to euthanize animals more quickly. Probably those shelters were euthanizing animals anyway. It will just be earlier."

Mandatory Stay

The new bill was aimed at revising existing legislation known as the Hayden Bill which was passed in 1997. This bill is also referred to as the Animal Adoption Mandate.

Under this bill, California animal shelters were required to keep abandoned animals for a minimum of four days, but in some situations, six days. These time frames varied depending on whether or not the shelter was closed during anytime during the holding period.

The objective of this plan was to provide ample time for pet owners to search for and claim their pets from the animal shelters. On the flip side, this plan also provided shelters and other rescue groups a distinctive time frame within which they could relocate unclaimed pets to no-kill animal shelters or to another rescue organization.

President of the San Francisco SPCA, Jan McHugh-Smith, understand a pet owners frustration in trying to locate their lost pet, particularly when there are quite a few animal shelters in the area:

"People should have the opportunity and the time to properly search for a lost pet and be reunited. This law minimizes the amount of time a guardian has to find their lost pet, and that is a concern."

However, saving animals also costs the local county as well in terms of food, grooming, training and medical treatment.

Euthanasia

In 2008, 400,000 cats and dogs were euthanized in California which, according to the California Department of Public Health statistics, is approximately 15% higher than in 2004. More than 9.6 million pets are euthanized nationwide each year, states the American Humane Association.

The deputy director of San Francisco Animal Care and Control, Kat Brown, believes that because Bay Area residents are pet friendly, 86% of pets get out of the San Francisco shelter alive.

"Our mission is to try to save as many lives as possible," she said. "But if our budget takes a hit, the pocket pets, rats, hamsters, birds and guinea pigs, will probably be the ones that feel the brunt of it."

Photo Credit: mylerdude

How To Know If Your Cat Is Pregnant

This video offers simple clues on how to know whether or not your cat is pregnant; such as pinking, nesting and stopping normal activities that a non-spayed cat will engage in.

The North American Pet Health Insurance Awareness Month is September

Lately, the media has been reporting the proposed changes to health reform for humans, which has resulted in a lot of debate over differing viewpoints. However, although human health is important, so too is the health of our beloved pets and during the month of September the North American Pet Health Insurance Association will be bringing awareness of the health insurance needs of pets to the forefront.

Petsecure, a pet health insurance company in Canada began the Pet Health Insurance Month awareness campaign four years ago in an effort to educate pet owners on the importance of protecting the health of the pets by taking out pet health insurance as part of being a responsible pet owner.

The North American Pet Health Insurance Association

The US was not to be outdone and in 2007 the North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA) was created. According to the NAPHIA website, its members are "committed to educating and promoting to North American pet owners, the general public, and the veterinary industry, the values and benefits of pet health insurance."

This year NAPHIA will again join forces with the Canadian Petsecure health insurance company to raise awareness of how invaluable pet health insurance really is.

To do this, NAPHIA, has created two different, nationwide, contests. In the first contest, NAPHIA, is looking for a true story to be submitted that details exactly how pet health insurance was able to help a pet who was in dire need of medical attention. All entries should include a digital photo of your pet and should be sent in via email to lhickton@naphia.org by 30 September 2009. A panel of NAPHIA board members will choose the best story and that winner will receive a $500 cash prize.

The second contest finds NAPHIA requesting pet owners to vote on their favorite veterinarian from over 20,000 veterinarians all across North America. All entries should give clear details as to exactly why you feel that your veterinarian is the absolute best; do not forget to include your veterinarian's name and the address of the veterinary clinic. As with the first competition, this second contest ends on 30 September 2009 and entries should be emailed to lhickton@naphia.org. The veterinarian who wins will also win an educational grant as well as a plaque of excellence.

More Cats Than Dogs

The American Veterinary Medical Association estimates that nearly 60% of all US households contain at least one dog, cat, bird, or other small companion pet. Most surprising though is that across all of the pet households in America today, cats outnumbered dogs by nearly10 million!

Statistics show that there are approximately 82 million pet cats whilst there are only 72 million pet dogs in the United States of America. Luckily for these cats and dogs, the general American population spends quite a lot of money on their pets. In North America the projected 2009 expenditures are estimated to be in excess of $45 billion, with $25 billion of that amount being spent on veterinary care.

Pet Health Insurance Policies

Health insurance policies for humans are roughly the same as those policies that are exclusively for pets. For example, they both have deductibles and annual premiums that need to be paid. And, just with a human health insurance policy, a pet's health insurance policy also has a wide variety of coverage options from which to choose from.

Pet health policies are also based upon the age of the pet, its species and whether any pre-existing conditions exist or not. Another common thread that pet health insurance coverage has with human health insurance coverage is that there are a number of pet health insurance companies that will deny coverage to any animal that has known medical condition or terminal illness. However another aspect of pet health insurance is that some of the plans actually discriminate against certain breeds on the grounds that those particular breeds are usually prone to develop diseases that are commonly found in the breed.

A pet's health insurance policy can include prescription medications, annual checkups and vaccinations, spay/neuter surgeries as well as routine care. There are other policies that will only cover an illness of an accident. For multiple pet households, a multi-pet discount is also offered by most pet health insurance carriers.

Most pet owners have health insurance for their pet for the simple peace of mind that it gives them that if anything should happen to their pet, it will be covered.

The North American Pet Health Insurance Association has a lovely website that contains more about the ins and outs of pet health insurance in America.

Photo Credit: Miguel Vera

Peculiar Pet Accidents

During the previous year, the Veterinary Pet Insurance Company (VPI) received quite a few bizarre pet health insurance claims, ranging from ingested pacifiers and falling cows. Each month, the weirdest claim was chosen, and now VPI is asking the public to vote on which claim is the most bizarre, by logging on to www.VPIHamboneAward.com. Voting is currently open and will end on 14 September 2009.

The pet whose health insurance claim is voted as being the oddest will win VPI's first Hambone Award which was named in honor of a dog who became trapped inside a fridge and greedily ate an entire Thanksgiving ham while he was waiting to be saved. Thankfully, he was insured through VPI!

Below is a short review of each of the 12 strangest pet health insurance claims that were chosen for the Hambone award. It is good to note that every pet nominated made a full recovery and also received insurance reimbursements for eligible treatment expenses.

* July 2008

In Ocean Springs, Mississippi, a Jack Russell Terrier named Sugar, decided to indulge her hunger by eating a wild turtle, including the shell. During which a tiny piece of the turtle's shell got stuck in Sugar's nasal cavity and required surgical removal.

* August 2008

Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, resident Crawford the Brittany spaniel became very interested in his owner's bra which had gel inserts. So interested in fact, that he consumed it! Luckily, the gel inserts were only mildly toxic and the bra eventually passed.

* September 2008

Rider, a Belgian sheepdog from Ridgefield, Washington, took off after a wild squirrel one morning. However, the squirrel certainly knew his way around and quickly run up a nearby tree. Unfortunately, Rider, who was racing along, did not see that coming and instead collided head first with a decorative wheelbarrow under the tree.

* October 2008

Everyone always wonders what happens to the missing socks after the laundry has been done. Well in Becca's household in Greenwood Village, Colorado, her family knows where to look - in the Labrador retriever's stomach. Becca has ingested the same sock twice!

* November 2008

A French Bulldog in Ontario, California, named Jean Pierre, baffled his veterinarian with a lump on his side. Fearing that it was cancerous growth, exploratory surgery was conducted. A migrating corndog stick was proven to be the culprit behind the lump.

* December 2008

An English Bulldog in Warson Woods, Misouri, named Lulu had a desire to always remain the baby in her family by eating a pacifier. Lulu's owners immediately took her in for an X-ray and subsequent surgery. Not only did the veterinarian remove the original pacifier, but he also removed 14 other pacifiers that Lulu had apparently eaten over a 6 month period.

* January 2009

A caring beach goer, Marley the Labrador retriever's owner in Holiday, Florida, tried to remove sea urchins from the beach by throwing them back into the ocean. Marley mistook this as a game and chased after and caught one of the poisonous sea creatures. Over the next few hours Marley promised never to chase sea urchins again.

* February 2009

During a relaxing hike with his owners, Rincon the German shorthaired pointer from Tucson, Arizona, crossed paths with an aggressive family of javelinas. Poor Rincon incurred several bites from the small pig-like animals, requiring a visit to the pet emergency room for stitches.

* March 2009

In Montpelier, Vermont, Quincy the Labrador retriever, successfully managed to inhale a three pronged fishhook after peering into a bucket of minnows which were to be used as bait for an upcoming ice fishing trip.

* April 2009

Border collie's are well known for their cattle herding skills. Ranger, who lives in Flagstaff, Arizona, however, is still learning the ropes. During one practice session, Ranger crashed into the back legs of a poor unsuspecting cow, causing her to fall over. Luckily for her, Ranger was right there to help break her fall, and, luckily for Ranger, he didn't break anything else.

* May 2009

Toby the spaniel mix from Omaha, Nebraska, could not resist a round bone that was leftover from a roast. However, whilst chewing on his new 'toy', it managed to slither over his lower jaw. This resulted in surgery where the use of a hacksaw was implemented to remove the bone.

* June 2009

The only cat on the list is Scooter, a Siamese living in San Clemente, California. After incurring unexplainable seizures, Scooters was being prepped for an MRI. The vet tech found a sewing needle, with the thread still attached, embedded into the back of Scooter's tongue, which had penetrated an area of her brain. The needle was quickly removed and Scooter was free to leave.

Photo Credit: pamzpix

September 2009 - Pet Horoscope

Capricorn (December 22 - January 20)

As the season start to change in September, the Capricorn pet will become increasingly energetic. As the days become shorter it will be far too convenient for owners to want to forgo taking their dog out for an evening walk. Do not give in to this temptation; dogs need as much exercise as they can get. For those who are owned by outdoor cats - be sure to start bringing them inside sooner in the evening.

Aquarius (January 21 - February 18)

This month Aquarius pets will become very interested and curious in everything that goes on around them. So be sure to include your family pet in any decision making and other activities. Encourage their curiosity with new adventures outside or new interactive toys inside.

Pisces (February 19 - March 20)

As the back to school semester starts up again, your Pisces pet may begin to feel left out. Reassure your pet of their place in the family as well as your love for her by taking time each morning before leaving home and each evening after returning home, to give your Pisces pet a good tummy rub and hug.

Aries (March 21 - April 19)

September is the perfect month to sign your Aries pet up for training or agility classes, as they will be extremely eager to try new things. If classes are not an option, then teach your pet a few new tricks at home instead. Help your Aries pet to form new, healthier and happier, habits.

Taurus (April 20 - May 20)

Taurus pets will show signs of lethargy this month. This has more to do with cabin fever and summertime blues than anything else. Help keep their spirits up be providing play dates or going out to a new park or hiking trail. For cats, new toys and games will be purrfect too. Taurus pets are more susceptible to overeating this month so watch their diets carefully.

Gemini (May 21 - June 21)

Gemini pets may be suffering from back to school blues this month. Help your pet get over this by providing lots of one-on-one time. Your Gemini pet will be greatly appreciative as it will help to snap him out of his depressed state of mind.

Cancer (June 22 - July 22)

Although Cancer pets love to be involved in family affairs, too much attention focused on them can make them feel insecure and unhappy. Therefore, it is best to make sure that your pet has an escape route when boisterous houseguests are present. Allow your Cancer pet as much time as he needs to unwind after being around lots of activity.

Leo (July 23 - August 23)

Leo pets will show their owners just how energetic they can really be this September! Keep this in mind and remove anything harmful or valuable out of the reach of your pet. Be quick to curb such behavior, because if you don't it will turn into a bad habit. Scatter your pet's toys around the house so that there is a different toy in each room for her to play with.

Virgo (August 24 - September 22)

This is Birthday month for Virgo pets! However, other household pets will not understand that this is your Virgo pet's month and will attempt to instigate a fight. As a result, your Virgo pet will endeavor to redefine their pack status in the home by displaying dominant behavior. As owner you have two responsibilities here: first, do not allow your Virgo pet to hide between your legs as soon as he has become challenged, allow him to stand his own ground. Second, use a training session to quickly remind your Virgo pet about his status in the household.

Libra (September 23 - October 23)

Libra pets will demonstrate their nurturing side this month as they choose one particular family member to care for. This is perfectly fine and pet owners should give their Libra pet all the leeway they need. Reward your pet for their kindness by giving them some extra TLC as well.

Scorpio (October 24 - November 22)

Although Scorpio pets are usually quite cheerful pets, they will need to have reassurance from you regarding your love for them, especially if things around the home are become chaotic. Make sure that your pet is surrounded by toys and blankets that she knows and loves.

Sagittarius (November 23 - December 21)

September will see your Sagittarius pet showing you how protective they can really be! Try limiting the amount of houseguests that come in and out of your home this month to avoid upsetting your pet. However, just remember that once all the guests have gone home, your pet will turn back into their sweet, mellow self again.

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