Friday, January 16, 2009
Rescue dog is companion in a 'big way'
Just when you thought you’ve heard it all, yet another story in the animal world comes along and reminds you that you haven’t! View the poignant video here at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBtFTF2ii7U and yet another rescue dog has fulfilled a destiny we never conceived of for them… the “BFF” of another rescue – an elephant at the sanctuary! Twenty-three hundred acres to roam, and Tara (the elephant) stayed vigil as Bella (the dog) recovered from a spinal cord injury!
Friday, January 2, 2009
Top 10 Pet Poisons of 2008
I'm posting this timely article written by the ASPCA in the hopes it saves at least one dog or cat from accidental poisoning in the future!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Top 10 Pet Poisons of 2008
With various dangers lurking in corners and cabinets, the home can be a minefield of poisons for our pets. In 2008, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) in Urbana, IL, handled more than 140,000 cases of pets exposed to toxic substances, many of which included everyday household products. Don’t leave it up to Fido or Fluffy to keep themselves safe. Below is a list of the top ten pet poisons that affected our furry friends in 2008.
Human Medications
For several years, human medications have been number one on the ASPCA’s list of common hazards, and 2008 was no exception. Last year, the ASPCA managed more than 50,000 calls involving prescription and over-the-counter drugs, such as painkillers, cold medications, antidepressants and dietary supplements. Pets often snatch pill vials from counters and nightstands or gobble up medications accidentally dropped on the floor, so it’s essential to keep meds tucked away in hard-to-reach cabinets.
Insecticides
In our effort to battle home invasions of unwelcome pests, we often unwittingly put our pets at risk. In 2008, our toxicologists fielded more than 31,000 calls related to insecticides. One of the most common incidents involved the misuse of flea and tick products—such as applying the wrong topical treatment to the wrong species. Thus, it’s always important to talk to your pet’s veterinarian before beginning any flea and tick control program.
People Food
People food like grapes, raisins, avocado and certain citrus fruit can seriously harm our furry friends, and accounted for more than 13,500 cases in 2008. One of the worst offenders—chocolate—contains large amounts of methylxanthines, which, if ingested in significant amounts, can cause vomiting, diarrhea, panting, excessive thirst, urination, hyperactivity, and in severe cases, abnormal heart rhythm, tremors and seizures.
Rodenticides
Last year, the ASPCA received approximately 8,000 calls about pets who had accidentally ingested rat and mouse poisons. Many baits used to attract rodents contain inactive ingredients that are attractive to pets as well. Depending on the type of rodenticide, ingestions can lead to potentially life-threatening problems for pets, including bleeding, seizures and kidney damage.
Veterinary Medications
Even though veterinary medications are intended for pets, they’re often misapplied or improperly dispensed by well-meaning pet parents. In 2008, the ASPCA managed nearly 8,000 cases involving animal-related preparations such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, heartworm preventatives, de-wormers, antibiotics, vaccines and nutritional supplements.
Chemical Hazards
In 2008, the Animal Poison Control Center handled approximately 7,500 cases of pet exposure to chemical hazards. A category on the rise, chemical hazards—found in ethylene glycol antifreeze, paint thinner, drain cleaners and pool/spa chemicals—form a substantial danger to pets. Substances in this group can cause gastrointestinal upset, depression, respiratory difficulties and chemical burns.
Plants
Common houseplants were the subject of nearly 6,500 calls to the Animal Poison Control Center in 2008. Varieties such as azalea, rhododendron, sago palm, lilies, kalanchoe and schefflera are often found in homes and can be harmful to pets. Lilies are especially toxic to cats, and can cause life-threatening kidney failure even in small amounts.
Household Cleaners
Everybody knows that household cleaning supplies can be toxic to adults and children, but few take precautions to protect their pets from common agents such as bleaches, detergents and disinfectants. Last year, the ASPCA received more than 4,000 calls related to household cleaners. These products, when inhaled by our furry friends, can cause serious gastrointestinal distress and irritation to the respiratory tract.
Heavy Metals
It’s not too much loud music that constitutes our next pet poison offender. Instead, it’s heavy metals such as lead, zinc and mercury, which accounted for more than 3,000 cases of pet poisonings in 2008. Lead is especially pernicious, and pets are exposed to it through many sources, including consumer products, paint chips, linoleum, and lead dust produced when surfaces in older homes are scraped or sanded.
Fertilizer
It may keep your grass green, but certain types of fertilizer can cause problems for outdoor cats and dogs. Last year, the ASPCA fielded more than 2,000 calls related to fertilizer exposure. Prevention is really key to avoiding accidental exposure, but if you suspect your pet has ingested something lawn-side, please contact your veterinarian or the Animal Poison Control Center’s 24-hour hotline at (888) 426-4435.
Source
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Top 10 Pet Poisons of 2008
With various dangers lurking in corners and cabinets, the home can be a minefield of poisons for our pets. In 2008, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) in Urbana, IL, handled more than 140,000 cases of pets exposed to toxic substances, many of which included everyday household products. Don’t leave it up to Fido or Fluffy to keep themselves safe. Below is a list of the top ten pet poisons that affected our furry friends in 2008.
Human Medications
For several years, human medications have been number one on the ASPCA’s list of common hazards, and 2008 was no exception. Last year, the ASPCA managed more than 50,000 calls involving prescription and over-the-counter drugs, such as painkillers, cold medications, antidepressants and dietary supplements. Pets often snatch pill vials from counters and nightstands or gobble up medications accidentally dropped on the floor, so it’s essential to keep meds tucked away in hard-to-reach cabinets.
Insecticides
In our effort to battle home invasions of unwelcome pests, we often unwittingly put our pets at risk. In 2008, our toxicologists fielded more than 31,000 calls related to insecticides. One of the most common incidents involved the misuse of flea and tick products—such as applying the wrong topical treatment to the wrong species. Thus, it’s always important to talk to your pet’s veterinarian before beginning any flea and tick control program.
People Food
People food like grapes, raisins, avocado and certain citrus fruit can seriously harm our furry friends, and accounted for more than 13,500 cases in 2008. One of the worst offenders—chocolate—contains large amounts of methylxanthines, which, if ingested in significant amounts, can cause vomiting, diarrhea, panting, excessive thirst, urination, hyperactivity, and in severe cases, abnormal heart rhythm, tremors and seizures.
Rodenticides
Last year, the ASPCA received approximately 8,000 calls about pets who had accidentally ingested rat and mouse poisons. Many baits used to attract rodents contain inactive ingredients that are attractive to pets as well. Depending on the type of rodenticide, ingestions can lead to potentially life-threatening problems for pets, including bleeding, seizures and kidney damage.
Veterinary Medications
Even though veterinary medications are intended for pets, they’re often misapplied or improperly dispensed by well-meaning pet parents. In 2008, the ASPCA managed nearly 8,000 cases involving animal-related preparations such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, heartworm preventatives, de-wormers, antibiotics, vaccines and nutritional supplements.
Chemical Hazards
In 2008, the Animal Poison Control Center handled approximately 7,500 cases of pet exposure to chemical hazards. A category on the rise, chemical hazards—found in ethylene glycol antifreeze, paint thinner, drain cleaners and pool/spa chemicals—form a substantial danger to pets. Substances in this group can cause gastrointestinal upset, depression, respiratory difficulties and chemical burns.
Plants
Common houseplants were the subject of nearly 6,500 calls to the Animal Poison Control Center in 2008. Varieties such as azalea, rhododendron, sago palm, lilies, kalanchoe and schefflera are often found in homes and can be harmful to pets. Lilies are especially toxic to cats, and can cause life-threatening kidney failure even in small amounts.
Household Cleaners
Everybody knows that household cleaning supplies can be toxic to adults and children, but few take precautions to protect their pets from common agents such as bleaches, detergents and disinfectants. Last year, the ASPCA received more than 4,000 calls related to household cleaners. These products, when inhaled by our furry friends, can cause serious gastrointestinal distress and irritation to the respiratory tract.
Heavy Metals
It’s not too much loud music that constitutes our next pet poison offender. Instead, it’s heavy metals such as lead, zinc and mercury, which accounted for more than 3,000 cases of pet poisonings in 2008. Lead is especially pernicious, and pets are exposed to it through many sources, including consumer products, paint chips, linoleum, and lead dust produced when surfaces in older homes are scraped or sanded.
Fertilizer
It may keep your grass green, but certain types of fertilizer can cause problems for outdoor cats and dogs. Last year, the ASPCA fielded more than 2,000 calls related to fertilizer exposure. Prevention is really key to avoiding accidental exposure, but if you suspect your pet has ingested something lawn-side, please contact your veterinarian or the Animal Poison Control Center’s 24-hour hotline at (888) 426-4435.
Source
Saturday, December 20, 2008
FINALLY~!! Heightened awareness of the need to speuter pets!
Every time I read a news article about either a dog bite or an attack, I email the reporter and ask if the dogs were intact or speutered. Most don't know the answer, but it does bring about an awareness of their need to report ALL of the facts, not just the tragedy of yet another bite or attack. This reporter included the information along with a statement from someone they interviewed. This is progress, no matter how small! If we ALL do this, we WILL bring about a heightened change of awareness in others for the need to speuter pets and not leave them intact.
======================================
CA: Man Brutally Attacked, Killed By Grandson's Pitbulls
Saturday, December 20, 2008
RUBIDOUX, Calif. — A 60-year-old man was mauled to death by a pair of pit bulls Friday in the backyard of his rural Southern California home. The man was taking a cigarette break when the male and female pit bulls attacked him shortly after noon, said Sgt. Dennis Gutierrez of the Riverside County Sheriff's Department. The man, who was the grandfather of the dogs' owner, died at the scene. His name was not released.
County Animal Services spokesman John Welsh said the dogs were euthanized later in the afternoon. The male dog weighed 107 pounds and was about 3 years old, while the female weighed 52 pounds and was about 6 years old.
Welsh said it was unclear why the dogs suddenly attacked the man, who was familiar with them and had played with them before. But he noted that neither dog had been spayed. "Unaltered dogs are always more aggressive," Welsh said. "We always recommend that for family pets, people spay or neuter their dogs."
Gutierrez called the incident a "vicious attack and very tragic for the family right before the holidays."
Source: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/12/19/state/n160550S73.DTL&type=newsbayarea
=====================================
For more news, see www.DoesYourDogBite.org
======================================
CA: Man Brutally Attacked, Killed By Grandson's Pitbulls
Saturday, December 20, 2008
RUBIDOUX, Calif. — A 60-year-old man was mauled to death by a pair of pit bulls Friday in the backyard of his rural Southern California home. The man was taking a cigarette break when the male and female pit bulls attacked him shortly after noon, said Sgt. Dennis Gutierrez of the Riverside County Sheriff's Department. The man, who was the grandfather of the dogs' owner, died at the scene. His name was not released.
County Animal Services spokesman John Welsh said the dogs were euthanized later in the afternoon. The male dog weighed 107 pounds and was about 3 years old, while the female weighed 52 pounds and was about 6 years old.
Welsh said it was unclear why the dogs suddenly attacked the man, who was familiar with them and had played with them before. But he noted that neither dog had been spayed. "Unaltered dogs are always more aggressive," Welsh said. "We always recommend that for family pets, people spay or neuter their dogs."
Gutierrez called the incident a "vicious attack and very tragic for the family right before the holidays."
Source: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/12/19/state/n160550S73.DTL&type=newsbayarea
=====================================
For more news, see www.DoesYourDogBite.org
Monday, May 21, 2007
Every journey begins with the first step....
So here goes the first step!... Diving in head first~!... (splash)... Hope no one got wet!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)