What are the basic things that one can do to prepare a home for the arrival for a pet? Which are most important?

Question posed by Dave Mackenzie

Get down to ground level and remove potential risks such as small chewable items, plants, electric cords and grates where a pet could get a foot or leg stuck.

For dogs – buying a crate is essential. Dogs like to den in small dark spaces and this will give your new dog a place to retreat to if he becomes stressed and overwhelmed. Remove the door (so it can’t get closed by accident) and cover it with a dark blanket on all three sides, leaving only the front open. Place the crate in a room where the dog will be near you most. A second one in the bedroom or a guest room would be ideal, in case he wants peace and quiet away from guests and other family members or pets.

For cats – a tall carpeted kitty condo with some fresh catnip (catnip for adult cats only) will make even the scardiest of scaredy cats feel at home. Your new cat or kitten will be happy to hide and play inside the dark spaces of a kitty condo. It’s a great tool to fill all needs of a new feline friend. Also, to avoid potty issues, always have two litterboxes per cat in each household and clean it as soon as possible after being soiled. Cats are very sensitive to dirty litterboxes (wouldn’t you be?) and may start to potty on your carpet - which quickly becomes a hard habit to break.

Photo by Tom Sadowski

 

What are the main essential things to consider when looking for a new pet to bring home? Posed by J. Sullivan

Do your homework. Always choose a breed of cat or dog that is within the limits of your ability to care for their physical characteristics (such as coat, teeth and diet) while making great consideration for their exercise requirements. Most dogs in shelters are there because they’re energy level was mismatched with their owner’s and thus, resulted in behavior issues that the owner was unable to manage.

Make sure that you really have the time for a pet. This also a significant reason why animals are abandoned – people find they just don’t have the time. Cats are more independent and easier to leave alone for long periods of time but still they need daily play time and affection. Puppies and re-homed dogs do not do well left alone for more than a couple of hours. If you work full time, plan to have the financial resources to hire a dog walker or a doggy daycare, so your pooch gets the right amount of attention, exercise and socialization.

Be financially prepared. Just like children, animals can become ill and it can cost thousands to save their lives. If a pet becomes ill or is diagnosed with a disease, it can cost several hundred dollars a month for food and medication…sometimes for the rest of their lives.

Always rescue an animal. Shelters all across the nation are overcrowded with wonderful animals that only have a day left to live. Even if a prospective pet parent is really set on particular breed, they can find that breed from a pure breed rescue. If you do choose to buy your next pet, never buy from a pet store and never meet a breeder to exchange money anywhere other than where the animal resides so you can witness first hand what kind of environment they are living in. If the breeder asks to meet you in a mall parking lot or similar place, or offers to bring the animal to you – this is a sure sign of a “backyard breeder”.  Most of these animals have poor health and have been neglected, abused and under socialized. Photo by Tom Sadowski

 

The Happy Thrush-free Horse

by Colleen Paige

Horses are some the most sensitive animals on this earth. If they are forced to live in unclean conditions, not only does it affect their emotional well being, but it can also compromise their health.

Keeping infection, disease and parasites away from your horse is of the utmost importance. Fall starts the rat and mice season and they like to make their home in
the stable. It’s a perfect place for them to nest, away from the rain and cold and unless food is kept in mice-proof, airtight containers, it’s a virtually endless food supply as well. It’s also a place for them to poop, leaving all kinds of bacteria under your horses feet. As much as I love mice and rats, (don’t forget, you’re talking to a true animal lover here!) I do not like them in the stable.

Another problem posing risk in unclean conditions is Thrush.

Equine thrush is caused by bacteria that when trapped in a warm and moist environment, such as a horse hoof, can create a fungal infection that in a degenerative way, eats away at the horse’s hoof tissue and smells really horrible. Left untreated, the thrush can infect the frog, (the part of a horse’s hoof, located on the underside, which should touch the ground if the horse is standing on soft footing) causing discomfort and bleeding.

Thrush infected hooves present with black pus-like liquid discharge that is foul smelling. The look and smell of thrush is almost always worse than the infection really is and the fact that the bacteria is anaerobic, which means that it cannot survive in a dry, oxygenated environment. Keeping stall shavings clean and dry, as well as well as offering routine hoof care by yourself if you’re experienced enough – or by a farrier, will easily keep this issue at bay. But if you experience a strain that seems resistant to an environmental remedy and presents with with multiple reoccurrences, it’s as simple as applying either Kopertox and Thrush Remedy by Absorbine, which are highly recommended by professional farriers.

Remember, preventative care is always the best approach. Your horse will love you for it!

 

The Healthy Horse

by Colleen Paige

Rotten and contaminated fruits and food can make your horse very ill. Fall and winter are when rats and mice like to make their home, the stable. Not only does the warmth appeal to them but so does the endless varieties of food to munch on.

A plump rodent is a happy rodent, and, if you don’t quickly map out your campaign to protect your investments, a horde of them can easily contaminate hundreds of dollars in feed and even damage any electrical system by chewing and digging. Often, electrical fires are caused by rodents, costing hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage and tragically, animal loss of life. Being that these cute little furries carry all kinds of bacteria and diseases such as, salmonellosis, leptospirosis, trichinosis, and, in some parts of the world, rabies, keeping them away from your animals and yourself is the best thing to do to ensure the health of your horse and other animals. Rodents are like little poop machines that have the potential to ruin ten times as much food as they eat with their urine, droppings, and fur. They carry mites, ticks, lice, internal parasites, and fleas which can be transferred onto your horses and cause them much discomfort and infection. They can easily make you sick as well. The US Department of Agriculture estimates that over $2 billion in feed is destroyed by rodents annually. Remember, it was rats that carried the bubonic plague, which killed millions of people in the 1600′s. Because they also like to feed on fruit that has fallen from trees, never feed your horse fruit from the ground and especially rotten fruit that may possibly be contaminated with fly eggs and other larvae.

Keeping the rodents out

If you live in wet environment with lots of rain, you’ll need to be vigil about keeping the stable dry. Keep sand bags around the perimeter year round and dig trenches funneling water away from the building. Rats and mice love to live where there’s ample water supply.

Employ a building inspector, if you can, to help you find all the areas of your structure that could be a potential entrance for rodents. Cover all vents with a fine mesh screen. Caulk any holes in the walls.  Use insulation around all pipe openings and making sure all doors have kick plates with no gaps larger than 6mm.

Keep all feed in tough plastic or metal containers with tight fitting lids to prevent rodents from getting at it. Also keep feed areas as clean as possible by sweeping up any spilled grain at feeding time and removing it from the area to a secure trash can. Do not sweep up spilled feed and place it back into the feed container, as you may end up contaminating the rest of the feed if rodents have been on the floor around the area.  It’s very easy for them to chew through a bag of grain, so never store more food than you can fit in a secure container. Try also to store hay away from stables and feed rooms, as the seeds can provide a good source of food for rodents. Hay should be kept elevated if possible to prevent infestation and contamination.

Many people use cats and dogs specifically for catching rats and mice. I don’t recommend that as there is always a more humane way to rid yourself of pests. Cats especially like to play with their catch, causing great injury to their prey, prey that often gets away and sadly ends up dying slowly. I use humane traps. It takes some work to catch those little furry perpetrators and relocate them them, but at least they won’t also be a health threat to your cat or dog and you can rest easy knowing they aren’t suffering and dying under your floor where you can’t reach them.

 

10 Things to Make a Happy Bird

1. Provide a healthy and varied diet — not just seeds, but grains, beans, vegetables (cooked and raw) formulated pellets, and some fruit. (Harmful foods include chocolate, avocado, highly processed or overly salted foods, human junk food, and caffeine.)

2. Give your bird the largest enclosure possible — no space is too big for a creature adapted to flying through jungles and across savannas.

3. Provide daily exercise and ample out-of-cage time, preferably to include free flying in a safe, supervised environment. (Bird-proofing a room for out-of-cage time includes keeping birds away from items containing lead and zinc, and from paint chips, ceiling fans, electrical cords, cats and dogs, and open windows.)

4. Offer a variety of toys and enrichment activities. (Buy toys from “Out of this World Bird Toys” and help support bird rescue.)

5. Provide plenty of socialization with other birds and/or human caretakers.

6. Give access to unfiltered sunlight and/or full-spectrum lighting. Birds need exposure to UVA and UVB rays from direct sunlight (windows block necessary UV rays) or full-spectrum lighting to synthesize vitamin D necessary for bone health.

7. Offer daily or weekly misting with a clean spray bottle of water to promote feather and skin health and for fun! Some birds prefer to bathe in a small container (like their water dish); others enjoy being misted with water. It is important to allow the birds to air-dry in a warm room or in the sunshine.

8. Develop games and teach your bird skills (“jobs”) like foraging or treasure hunts (this can be done in the house or with creative toys in the cage), cleaning up toys by putting them in a basket.

9. Provide a secure enclosure, carrier, or harness so your bird can enjoy the outdoors with you.

10. Place multiple perches/stands throughout the house so that your bird can benefit from ambient “flock time” while being included in family activities like watching TV or movies, preparing meals, playing cards or games.
Submitted by the Animal Protection Institute – founders of National Bird Day.

Article courtesy of the Animal Protection Institute – founders of National Bird Day.

National Bird Day is a day to appreciate our own native wild birds flying free outside our windows, and a day to reflect on how we treat the native birds of other countries which are commonly kept in cages. National Bird Day also aims to raise awareness about the abuse of birds in the retail pet industry and the difficult reality of caring for birds as pets, as well as to expose the cruelty of the wild bird trade and the importance of keeping birds wild.

National Bird Day was founded by the Animal Protection Institute. Visit www.NationalBirdDay.com for more information.

 

Is Your Child…Your Dog?

by Colleen Paige

It’s funny when I ponder the word “own” to describe my place in my dog’s life. I can’t imagine telling someone that I own a child — biological, adopted, or otherwise. And I feel that the word “own” — when it comes to describing the inclusion of a dog in my life — sounds so arrogant, because it implies that dogs live with us and have no control over who they love and where they wish to be. If a dog chooses not to live with you he will find a way to leave — though he may destroy a whole door jamb in the process and you may not mind his absence so much after all. People are not much different.

When asked if I own a dog, I frequently find myself replying, “Yes, I have a dog.” But even then the word “have” implies that your dog is an object or a thing, a possession of sorts. For example, “I have a goiter” or “I have a Stanley drill” is one thing, but “I have a dog” makes it sound like he’s lodged in your side like a third arm or something. And, truly, what else can one say except “I have a dog”? I could say that I “live with” a dog or that I “coexist” with a dog, but people might need more of an explanation. Often, I delight in saying that I gave spiritual birth to a second child who just happens to be a dog.

But, as with all children, no matter how good a parent you are, your little ones are bound to act up at the most inopportune times and places. Part of being a good dog mom is not to sweat it if your pooch doesn’t behave as Miss Manners at the dog park. The only people who will go home gossiping about your little lady in all likelihood have nothing better to do with their time. Too many dog mommies get unnecessarily strung out over the behavior of their furry charges. Just let go of it. Kids are kids, even if they are dogs. And we have enough other things to stress about…like our bills, global warming and of course, most importantly, how to get a hold of that new padded underwear promising you a fantastic derrière. Well…if you’re gonna have to bend over and pick up the ball as much as you do – you might as well look good doing it, right? I certainly think having a perfect rear compartment, {even if it is made of Polyethylene} can be a stress reliever in itself!

But all kidding aside – stress is to humans what one brand of dry-only dog food — day in and day out for fifteen years — is to dogs. Seek out new alternatives to enhance your life, one of them being get over dog stress. Any parent who has more than one child will tell you that he or she is much more relaxed now, having learned from the first child that it’s not necessary to spray Clorox® on the shopping-cart handle or hide in the baby aisle the entire time Junior is having a tantrum. Children teach us patience — perhaps that’s the miracle of tantrums, shedding, and destroyed furniture.

When it comes to excuses for my dog’s behavior, {she’s not perfect, nor am I} I try to use humor to diffuse any stress she may cause me or others. If you can make someone laugh about it, then you’ve got it in the bag. Very casually I’ll tell people she is my second child, who, due to some bad genes somewhere in my family, was born with excessive hair growth and bad teeth. I’ll go on to explain that her tail is something we had surgically implanted for balance to help with vertigo. Then I’ll finish with an appropriate apology for the drool on their Manolo’s or other cherished accessory.

As a behaviorist, I am supposed to clarify that “dogs are not people too.” But they do seem to know how to push our buttons to get attention. They also seem to know just what kind of facial expression to throw at us when hoping for the rest of our ice cream or French fries. {Fortunately for me and my dog, I have cut out most fat from my diet.} And, like the husband you forget needs some mothering too, dogs have no idea that something as natural as shedding can make you speak in tongues from time to time….anyone have some holy water?

There are so many similarities between dogs and children. My child eats out of a bowl and so does my dog. My child has been known to beg for food on more than one occasion and so has my dog. My child whines at me to take him to the park; throws up in the car; breaks toys, glasses, and collectibles — and so does his sister, MY DOG.

It really is OK to treat your dog like your child, as long as you don’t get the two and their unique needs mixed up. Spot may enjoy eating a LUNCHABLE® with twenty-five first-graders, but it really isn’t proper food for him. Likewise, it would be awful to confuse your biological little one with a pet and send him off to the groomer instead of pre-school. Express your animal love freely, but remember: Robby’s toothbrush is the blue one with the rocket, Spot’s is the red one with the bone, and your husband’s is the one that you’re often tempted to clean the tile with when he’s in the doghouse.