Thursday, December 26, 2024
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Truths and Myths of Declawing Your Cat

By
Richard Christian
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20
declawing your cat

Pulling fingernails off with a pair of tweezers is something we imagine happens in some torture chamber during wartime, in order for someone to gain important information. But according to many people, that’s exactly what we do when we declaw our cats (and heck, they never tell us anything!). Other people swear by it. They say their cats don’t mind, and, better yet, their furniture is forever saved. So, which is it? Is declawing your cat an act of animal abuse, or is it the only way to save your couch, bed, and arm? What is declawing … the truth Declawing a cat is considered major surgery. It’s when you (well, your vet) amputates the front toes at the first joint (hind paws are typically not declawed). That’s the same as you losing not just your fingernail, but your fingertip, up to the first knuckle. It’s typically done to prevent cats from scratching furniture, ...

Greyhound Friends Changes Focus as Greyhound Racing Dwindles

By
Richard Christian
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0
greyhound racing

In one aspect, non-profit groups like Greyhound Friends in Massachusetts should be happy with the trend happening here in the states: greyhound racing is on the decline. On the other hand, these groups, who set out to save retired race dogs from being euthanized, are in jeopardy of closing down, because there are fewer dogs to rescue. But the truth is, while the number of greyhounds in need of being rescued are dwindling (although there are still plenty in need), thousands of other dogs are at risk of being euthanized every year. Realizing that, Greyhound Friends has decided to shift its purpose to accept all types of dog breeds from the South and Midwest, including mixed breeds. “Greyhound racing is dwindling in this country,” said Louise Coleman, the director of Greyhound Friends. “We’re always going to be a greyhound group, but it made sense to expand our base.” The illegalities of greyhound racing Greyhound ...

Five Tips for Camping with Dogs

By
Kristin Masliuk
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2
camping with dogs

Camping season is here. Whether you’re an extreme adventurer hiking the Appalachian Trail or a city escapist relaxing at a campground, camping with a dog requires preparation. Furry friends love to spend the extra time with you outside of their air conditioned pad, so keep them safe and follow a few of the below tips for camping with dogs. Apply flea and tick prevention. Before you leave for the campground, protect your pet with flea and tick medication. Medications like Frontline will kill fleas and ticks within 12 hours and prevent the growth of larva. As Fido pushes through the underbrush of a woodsy trail, ticks may hop on for the ride. Check your dog's fur each day to catch ticks before they burrow. A flea bath as soon as you arrive home from your camping trip may also be a great addition to preventing any infestations on your dog.   Pack a ...

Therapy Dogs: How Do They Help?

By
Heather Brennan
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0
therapy dogs

  The use of dogs to assist people with autism is well documented. There have also been many studies that have demonstrated the positive effects of stroking and animal on blood pressure, stress levels, and mood in general. More recent studies have focussed on the benefits of dogs to veterans with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and teenagers recovering from drug and alcohol abuse. Dogs represent one of man’s longest and closest relationships with an animal and the two species have evolved together for over twelve thousand years. Studies have shown that a dog’s understanding of human facial expressions and gestures is better than that of humanity’s closest genetic relatives – chimpanzees. Perhaps it is this understanding that has led to their being such a benefit to people in times of distress. PTSD is common in war veterans and other jobs like police officers and firemen. With time and treatment many of its ...

Miss USAs Pose Naked for PETA to Fight Fur

By
Richard Christian
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0
miss usa

When we hear about a beauty queen’s nude pics, we usually expect it to be some kind of scandal that forces her to give up her crown. But that’s not the case with these Miss USA pageant winners, who chose to pose in the nude for a PETA ad, in an effort to urge the pageant industry to stop supporting the fur trade. Susie Castillo, Shandi Finnessey, Shanna Moakler, and Alyssa Campanella expose it all for the ad campaign, in the hopes that this will bring attention to the fact that the pageant industry often gives furs to pageant winners. Miss USA gives each winner a full-length mink coat and jacket (valued at $15,000). “I was so disgusted that I would wear this skin … and consider myself beautiful,” said Finnessey, who won the 2004 Miss USA pageant. According to PETA, millions of foxes, minks, raccoons, chinchillas, cats and dogs are “electrocuted, beaten, ...

Vote For 2013 Hero Dog Awards

By
Kristin Masliuk
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0
hero dog awards

  Cast your vote for the 2013 American Hero Dog. 2013 will be the third annual American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards. Any dog can be submitted for the award by a person 18 or older and put into one of the following categories: Law Enforcement, Service, Therapy, Hearing, Emerging Hero, Military, Guide, and Search and Rescue. The first ever dog to win the Hero Dog Awards in 2011 was Roselle, a guide dog. Roselle bravely led her blind owner down 78 flights of stairs during the attacks on 9/11. Roselle was a golden retriever with an amazing ability to focus and save her owner's life. The 2012 American Hero Dog is Gabe. Gabe is also a golden retriever, who is a specialized search dog working for the US Military. Gabe and his handler completed over 200 search missions to find explosives in the field. His acts of heroism and bravery saved hundreds ...

Alternatives to Dog Euthanasia

By
Richard Christian
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0
dog euthanasia

  This was inspired by a true story with an unhappy ending. It began with a simple question to a neighbor in my building: “How’s your dog?” But the answer was far from simple, or expected. Rather than the typical “Good, good,  full of energy,” my neighbor thinned her lips, creased the newspaper she held, and let trickle out: “We have to put him down on Monday.” If you’re like me, your first reaction was to wonder what ailment befell this poor dog, who was only around 14 months old. But there was no sudden illness, no traumatic injury or constant pain. The reason my neighbor had to put her dog down was because, after months of anguish, and living in fear, she and her husband decided they could no longer handle this dog’s tendency toward viciousness. The dog’s anger issues were not news to me. But for all the times I heard that ...

Six Toxic Foods For Dogs

By
Kristin Masliuk
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1
toxic foods for dogs

As a pet owner, you wouldn’t intentionally feed poisonous food to your dog. Almost every dog owner could tell you to keep the Halloween and easter chocolate away from the dog. However, there are many more foods that are dangerous for your dogs to consume that could cause sickness or death. Among the list of toxic foods for dogs are some surprising and common items that just might end up on the floor of your kitchen on a daily basis. Here’s a cheat sheet of poisonous foods to watch out for. Grapes and Raisins If you want to give your sweet pup a treat, make sure it's not a grape or raisin. The hazard for dogs and grapes is not the small round shape that may get lodged in their throats – grapes and raisins are toxic to dogs. The reason why grapes are toxic to dogs is that ingesting even ...

Meet Ray Charles: a Bruins Loving Blind Puppy

By
Heather Brennan
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1
ray charles

He may not play the piano, but Ray Charles the golden retriever has found fame of a different sort. He was born in December of 2012. His breeder noticed something wasn’t right about him and took him into the vet. Poor Ray Charles was blind from birth. Because it takes 10-14 days for a puppy’s eyes and ears to open after birth, it was difficult to discover the problem until he began to show a reluctance to wander about that is atypical for a golden retriever puppy. Blindness in dogs can be caused by a number of diseases but most of them occur later in life. Blindness at birth is more likely to have been caused by a problem during pregnancy. Blind dogs can adapt and live a good, normal life. It can take a bit of time to become comfortable with the layout of their environment and some will rely ...

Considerations and Tips on Pet Insurance

By
TIng Pen
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0
pet insurance

From the first time we lay eyes on them as kittens, puppies, or whatever size and shape they came in, our pets tug at our heartstrings in a very special and unique way. Five years or a decade later, they’ve added on some twenty pounds or ten inches, but they’re still our beloved furry babies. Every pet parent wants the best for their furry children, and this is why today, I want to talk about the serious topic of pet insurance. Try as we might to make life easier for our pets, there will likely be unexpected accidents and illnesses that we have no control over. Far too often there are diseases, illnesses, or emergencies inflicted on our beloved pets that can drain our savings - a real risk in this economy. I’ve heard stories of parents weighing heartbreaking decisions to pursue veterinary treatment at the expense of their own health ...

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