Pet talk

On March 15, 2008 the Monroe Humane Society is holding its annual dinner and auction.  This event is probably the biggest activity the Humane Society has to fund the care and placement of local animals into loving homes.   After dinner, an auction is held for donated items.  So if you are a Detroit Tigers fan there will be a chance to bid on VERY good seats for a game or two this season.  This may be the only way to score some awesome tickets. The dinner and auction will take place at LaRoy’s Hall, 12375 South Telegraph Road in LaSalle, MI.  The doors open at 6pm and you need to get there early.  Tickets are $50 each.  The Tigers are a hot team this year and their ticket sales are at an all time high.  Don’t miss out on the opportunity to support the Humane Society and see a winning team slug their way to the World Series!  

One of the most frustrating things in private practice was the pet owners themselves.  People can be so stupid at times.  An example of this was in the local newspapers this week.  Most of the reports were titled something like:  “Python Eats Dog”.  Unfortunately, the real story went more like this:  “Stupid Dog Owners Stand by as Python Stalks and Kills Pet”.

In

If they had any sense, they should have called the local game warden, who when interviewed, said he would have come over right away to haul the snake back into the jungle. 

But no.  They waited until the poor dog had been crushed to death and was half way down the snake’s throat before calling anyone.  By then the only thing that could be done was to take a picture. 

At least the snake was allowed to live, (unlike the alligators that eat dogs in

The Westminster Kennel Club dog show is a lot like the Oscars.  And the dog who wins Best of Show is also a lot like the winner of the Best Movie category.  Once a movie wins, thousands of people will stream to the theaters to see what all the fuss is about.  And once a certain breed wins Best of Show, people will rush to pet shops to obtain a that breed of puppy.

But is a Beagle the right dog for you?  Although they are cute, smallish, and intelligent, they also have their down side. 

The biggest of their “faults” isn’t really a fault at all. Beagles are a hunting breed and some of them are quite good at it—even to the extent that hunting is all they are interested in.  Once they catch a scent, they can be very single minded and forget all about you, any training they have, and their own preservation.

Beagles also tend to be very vocal.  They bark, whine, howl, and whimper any time they feel the need to communicate.  Most of them feel that need pretty darn frequently.  So if you live in a thin walled apartment, or next to a sensitive neighbor, the noise might be a problem. 

Otherwise, Beagles are even tempered, good with children, and make excellent house pets.  So do your research and look into getting a Beagle.  If you do, you will own a very popular pet.

Check out Monroe’s own pet psychic…..

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11318440/

http://wchoroscope.com/articles/Features/249/Show_Dog_Psychic.aspx     

Annie you made us proud!! 

More and more people are taking their pets with them when driving around town.  I see dogs of every size, shape and breed gazing out the windows as I drive along Telegraph.  Especially in the summer, it is very common to see dogs with their heads stuck out the windows happily gulping down the rushing air.  One writer even described the doggie experience of sticking their head out the window as a sensory explosion similar to orgasm in that the dog is able to smell thousands of smells while moving so fast.  So we know the animals love doing it.  But for their safety there are some definite rules to follow.

Firstly, despite a very popular, (at least in

Secondly, if you are buckled up for safety, then it stands to reason that your pet needs to be buckled up too.  Christina Selter founded a company called Bark Buckle Up which makes a pet restraint similar to a seat belt.  The device is basically a harness which buckles into the existing seat belt system in the car.  This allows them the freedom to look out the window and to sit next to someone.  It also keeps them from running around in the car or trying to sit on the drivers lap—a real safety issue. 

Even car companies are getting into the act by incorporating cages within the vehicle itself.  Volvo XC90 is one of these cars and it sounds like a wonderful idea to me.  But if you can’t afford a new car, and your pet is a little too excited when s/he goes for “a ride”, get a plastic pet carrier and secure it within the vehicle.  Using the seatbelt restraints to secure the carrier works well as they will lock down with any quick stop.  With so many roll overs occurring these days it would just be devastating to total out your car AND loose your best friend because s/he wasn’t secured in the vehicle.

A recent study in pound animals has shown that 20 minutes of calmly stroking a dog or cat will lower their stress hormones significantly.  When compared to animals that were not cuddled or petted, the stroked animals adapted quicker and seemed outwardly calmer as well. 

The method of touch is also important with animals.  Horses appreciate being rubbed versus being patted.  Cats and dogs prefer gentle stroking rather than having someone rub them against the grain of their fur.  Even tortoises like their necks rubbed gingerly.  We all know that touch is vital in human beings.  Having the right touch will win you a special place in your pets heart.

What is it with Livingston County and loose pit bulls?  This is another sad case of loose dogs running around killing things.  This time it was an old Arabian mare in her own barn, in her own stall.  She was literally torn apart by the dogs and after a police officer shot them dead, she herself had to be put down.

Today the news is saying that the owner of the dogs is being charged with 3 counts of unlicensed dogs, and 2 counts of allowing dogs to stray.  All misdemeanors and he probably will get off with a small fine.

My suggestion?  The owner of the horse needs to obtain a lawyer.  Then she needs to sue David Clyde McGalliard for the cost of the horse, disposal, vet bills and clean up.  Next she needs to file a suit for mental trauma–and that one needs to be a whopper.  I am talking LOTS of money. 

 Historically, the courts in Michigan have not awarded any more for an animals death than the actual cost of the animal.  I say she sues for all the medical bills she will have going through therapy from seeing her beloved pet get ripped to shreds by the dogs.  The mental pain this lady must feel simply has to be unbearable.  I can only imagine her pain–as I know how horrible I feel when I have to euthanize a sick or dying pet.

Owners need to be responsible for their pets.  Dogs CAN NOT run loose.  I don’t care if they are poodles!  Loose animals cause damage to people, property and other animals.  If you own pit bulls, you need to make sure they stay home.  There is no excuse.  I hope this woman takes my advise.  Sometimes the only way to get a persons attention is to hit them in the wallet.

Remember years ago when the car companies told us that fossil fuel was the only thing that would make our cars run?  And look what we have today:  a true oil shortage, and a variety of ways to run cars.  Turns out that corn, cooking oil, and even some type of grass can be made into fuel. 

Such was the case in animal testing.  Years ago the cosmetics and pharmaceutical firms told us that animal testing was the only way to ensure safety in new products.  Well clearer minds prevailed, and in Europe animal testing for cosmetics will come to an end in March 2009.  What has happened since that law was passed?  The cosmetics companies have been forced to get cracking and come up with alternatives.  Companies have sprung up and have invented “in vitro” methods that are expected to replace animals totally by the March deadline. 

Of course the United States is way behind the trends in Europe.  But it is a start.  With “in vitro” testing being accepted in other countries, it will only be a matter of time before the FDA is forced into changing its stance as well.  The progress is slow, but still marching on.  And maybe these tests will only cut down on the number of animals used in research.  If so, that is better than nothing.  “Replace, reduce and refine”, should be the mantra of every animal researcher on the planet.  If it isn’t we need to ask, “Why isn’t this your goal?”  That answer should be fascinating.     

This week an

She got about 60 calls and the most noteworthy thing was that nearly 20 of them were from people interested in eating horse meat.  And I guess I can relate.  I routinely try out different types of meat when I get the chance.  Cabela’s restaurant has buffalo, ostrich and even elk—which are all pretty good.  I have tried alligator, rabbit, pheasant, quail, and venison too.  But horsemeat?  Nope.  I just can’t force myself to eat something I love so much.  It would be like eating dog or cat.  A staple in other countries, but just not done here.  

The slaughter of horses for meat has been outlawed in the

Did we do the horses justice?  I don’t think so.  Are we going to stop people from eating horses?  I seriously doubt that as we can not stop the people in some cultures who eat their relative’s brains! All we can do is ensure that the animals are raised well, enjoy the life they have and die painlessly.            

I recently had my dogs micro chipped.  Eventually, the government will require the horses to be chipped as well as the chickens.  (That is another blog for another time!).  But those chips are only good after the animal is found and sent to a pound or shelter with a reader.  But wouldn’t it be great if a chip could have GPS capability?  So when your pet gets lost a “LoJack” type of system could be activated to find him? 

It seems this technology is already on its way.  Along with a collar that contains a cell phone.  With this device, you can speak to your pet in a normal voice up 12 miles away.  You could call him home.  The best feature in this collar is the “call owner” button.  You press it and it immediately calls the owner so you can tell him/her that you have found their pet.  I LOVE this idea because it completely by passes the law in

Older technology that is really catching on is the pet cam.  Being able to observe your pet from work or anyplace with an internet connection is becoming a must have in the doggie daycare/spa business.  And what a huge advantage it is to the veterinarian who is monitoring a critical pet in intensive care.  Let’s face it; your veterinarian is probably not living at the clinic.  They have homes and family duties just like you.  Nothing beats being physically there to check an animal.  But being able to monitor the patient via web cam brings help immediately instead of at the next scheduled visit. 

My husband and I are discussing putting a camera in our kennel just for peace of mind.  As the technology becomes less costly, I bet we even put one out in the barn.  Just in case.