For “Mammal Monday”:
Who Will Care for Your Pet After You’re Gone?
Story at-a-glance
- “Did you know an estimated 500,000 dogs and cats are euthanized each year after their owners pass away? These are pets for which no provisions are made in the event something happens to their human best friend.
- There are a number of ways to provide for your pet in case you can’t. These include wills, trusts, and other legal vehicles that get your pet and the money for his upkeep into the hands of his new caretaker immediately upon your death.
- Choosing a caretaker for your animal – and a backup caretaker – is the most important decision you will make in planning for your pet’s care after you’re gone. It’s crucial to choose wisely, and to understand your options in the event you don’t know anyone personally who can take on the responsibility of your dog, cat, bird or other companion.” Complete article at: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2012/05/21/alternative-caretaker-for-pets.aspx
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Sadly, an estimated half million dogs and cats are euthanized each year after their owners pass away with no provisions made for their pet.
From Me: This is important, if you love your pet, don’t put it off, as we don’t know what is around the corner. Just think of Ben’s sudden passing, and now his two ‘carpet sharks’ have no Dad, and no provisions were made for them. http://benntexas.blogspot.com/2012/06/leg-cramp-alarm-clock-now-6am-on-62112.html
I am hoping that his daughter can find them a wonderful home there in Mansfield, TX, but if push comes to shove I will try to get them here, and find them a nice carpet with responsible new ‘parents’.
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If Your Vet Thinks Your Pet Needs Antibiotics, Ask Him to Do This First
Story at-a-glance
- “MRSA, or Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, is a common strain of bacteria found in most animals. Ordinarily a staph infection is harmless and easily treated, however, when these bacteria undergo genetic mutation they become resistant to even the strongest antibiotics available. This makes them potentially deadly.
- Initially a MRSA infection looks like any other skin infection. It’s only when the skin lesions refuse to heal that we realize there’s a more serious problem.
- MRSA in pets is the result primarily of indiscriminate use of antibiotics in veterinary medicine. Antibiotics should only be used for bacterial infections (not viral or fungal infections), and a culture and sensitivity test should always be done to determine the type of bacteria involved and the best antibiotic to treat it.
- To curb the rampant overuse of antibiotics in veterinary medicine, only pets with a life-threatening illness or injury that must be treated with antibiotics should be prescribed these drugs.
If your pet must take a course of antibiotics, supplement with a high quality pet probiotic to replenish good bacteria in the gut. Talk to your integrative vet about natural supplements and other remedies to control bacterial overgrowth.” Article at: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2012/04/30/dangers-of-mrsa-for-pets.aspx
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Would You Recognize Signs of Heart Disease in Your Dog?
Story at-a-glance
- “Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a type of heart disease in dogs in which the heart muscle doesn’t contract or pump efficiently. Eventually the heart chambers enlarge, the valves of the heart may leak, and congestive heart failure can occur.
- The cause of DCM is unknown, but nutritional deficiencies could be a contributing factor. Male dogs and certain large breeds are more prone to the condition.
- Symptoms can be non-existent or very mild in the beginning, but as the disease progresses there can be decreased exercise tolerance, tiring quickly, increased respiration, excessive panting and coughing, sudden episodes of weakness or fainting, and an enlarged abdomen due to fluid accumulation.
- Several tests are usually required to make a definitive diagnosis of DCM, including an echocardiogram. Also, the proBNP test is a simple blood test with a fast turnaround time that can detect a problem very early in the disease process.
- Treatment of dilated cardiomyopathy focuses on improving heart function and treating symptoms of congestive heart failure. Because the disease is irreversible and heart failure is typically progressive, the drugs and dosages required to manage DCM usually increase over time.”
Complete article at: _http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2012/06/18/heart-disease-causes-of-dogs.aspx
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Teach a Puppy to Lie Down Teacher's Pet With Victoria Stilwell
“Follow eHow Pets for regular tips from Victoria Stilwell and more: http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=ehowpets
Now that he has learned to sit, Dylan practices the "down" cue with Victoria.
In Teacher's Pet, Victoria Stilwell shows you how to employ her Positively Method to train your dog the right way, growing your level of communication to strengthen the bond between you and your pet.”
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Forever Ellen
“Beautiful Ellen was one of the dogs rescued from Michael Vick's dogfighting operation. She thrived under the love and care she received at Best Friends, and became a charming ambassador for pit-bull-type dogs everywhere. We had to say goodbye to Ellen recently, and while we will miss her terribly, all of us at Best Friends feel blessed to have known her. And we are so grateful to all of you who loved her, too. Farewell, Ellen Belly.”
“Best Friends Animal Society is a nonprofit organization building no-kill programs and partnerships that will bring about a day when there are No More Homeless Pets®. At the core of Best Friends' work is the dream that one day kindness will replace cruelty and animals will no longer be destroyed because they are unwanted or imperfect. Spaying and neutering will be the rule for all pets and adoption will be the first option for everyone. Making this dream a reality is the mission we call No More Homeless Pets. The society's leading initiatives in animal care and community programs are coordinated from its Kanab, Utah, headquarters, the country's largest no-kill sanctuary. This work is made possible by the personal and financial support of a grassroots network of supporters and community partners across the nation. For more information, visit http://www.bestfriends.org.”
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Studies Show Outdoor Cats Are Popular Prey for Coyotes
“American Bird Conservancy advises that as coyotes continue to move into and around large cities such as New York, Chicago, Boston, Washington, D.C., Detroit, Los Angeles, and others, owners of cats should think twice before letting their pet roam free outdoors. Studies show that outdoor cats make up 13-45 percent of coyote diets in those environments.”
Read the full story here
www.abcbirds.org/newsandreports/releases/120329.html
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Foxes Jumping on my Trampoline
“Here are a couple of wild foxes jumping on my trampoline. They were having lots of fun! Enjoy!”
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On This Day:
Korean War begins, Jun 25, 1950:
“Armed forces from communist North Korea smash into South Korea, setting off the Korean War. The United States, acting under the auspices of the United Nations, quickly sprang to the defense of South Korea and fought a bloody and frustrating war for the next three years.
Korea, a former Japanese possession, had been divided into zones of occupation following World War II. U.S. forces accepted the surrender of Japanese forces in southern Korea, while Soviet forces did the same in northern Korea. Like in Germany, however, the "temporary" division soon became permanent. The Soviets assisted in the establishment of a communist regime in North Korea, while the United States became the main source of financial and military support for South Korea.
On June 25, 1950, North Korean forces surprised the South Korean army (and the small U.S. force stationed in the country), and quickly headed toward the capital city of Seoul. The United States responded by pushing a resolution through the U.N.'s Security Council calling for military assistance to South Korea. (Russia was not present to veto the action as it was boycotting the Security Council at the time.) With this resolution in hand, President Harry S. Truman rapidly dispatched U.S. land, air, and sea forces to Korea to engage in what he termed a "police action." The American intervention turned the tide, and U.S. and South Korean forces marched into North Korea. This action, however, prompted the massive intervention of communist Chinese forces in late 1950. The war in Korea subsequently bogged down into a bloody stalemate. In 1953, the United States and North Korea signed a cease-fire that ended the conflict. The cease-fire agreement also resulted in the continued division of North and South Korea at just about the same geographical point as before the conflict.
The Korean War was the first "hot" war of the Cold War. Over 55,000 American troops were killed in the conflict. Korea was the first "limited war," one in which the U.S. aim was not the complete and total defeat of the enemy, but rather the "limited" goal of protecting South Korea. For the U.S. government, such an approach was the only rational option in order to avoid a third world war and to keep from stretching finite American resources too thinly around the globe. It proved to be a frustrating experience for the American people, who were used to the kind of total victory that had been achieved in World War II. The public found the concept of limited war difficult to understand or support and the Korean War never really gained popular support.”
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Hurricane Audrey hits Gulf Coast, Jun 25, 1957:
“A hurricane watch was declared for the Texas and Louisiana coastlines as a tropical depression from the Gulf of Mexico heads toward the United States. The storm quickly becomes Hurricane Audrey, which kills 390 people.
A day after the watch was declared, the residents of Louisiana near the Gulf of Mexico were told to seek higher ground. By the time many residents actually began to follow the advice–on the morning of June 27–it was too late. Roads were already washed out because of the strong rain and winds and an oil rig in the gulf had capsized after a storm surge.
Water on the coast reached as high as 15 feet above the normal high-tide mark. Boats were washed ashore by the tremendous waves. The towns of Cameron, Creole and Grand Chenier were devastated by the hurricane. Only one building survived in Creole and only two were left standing in Cameron, thankfully including the courthouse that was sheltering many of the residents.
Many people were simply swept away by the floods. Eighteen people in a single family perished when their home was knocked down and washed away. Some survivors lived by tying themselves to tree tops, other by clinging to driftwood. At least one person died from the bite of a poisonous water snake while clinging to wreckage. Many bodies were not found for months after the hurricane--including one that was not recovered until the next year. It is possible that the death toll from Audrey exceeded 500 people.
Louisiana was not the only place that suffered Audrey's wrath. A building in Port Arthur, Texas, collapsed under heavy rain and wind. As far away as Canada, four people lost their lives at the tail end of the storm over a week later. More than 40,000 people were left homeless by Hurricane Audrey. Many were housed at McNeese State University near Lake Charles, Louisiana, until they could be permanently resettled. Many victims found it difficult to rebuild–their insurance offered financial protection from wind damage, but not water damage.”
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Yesterday:
Prime is very happy now that she has the best cat seat in the house, the one overlooking the back yard and the road, from one of my bathroom windows. That was Bobbie’s favorite spot, too.
Misty and I went for a little walk, and I did some odd jobs around here, like laundry, and trying to find a NO-Kill shelter up in the Mansfield area that could take Ben’s cat’s, Tiny and Bassett, and put them up for adoption. Hopefully, one of Ben’s neighbors will want them, but if they can’t be placed, I will have to try to do something. I don’t think Ben would have wanted them to be put to sleep.
Ben's daughter Autumn is hosting a reception in Ben's honor on Tuesday, June 26 from 7:00-9:00 p.m. at Steven's Garden and Grill at 223 Depot Street in Mansfield, TX www.stevensgardenandgrill.com/ location. It is casual and come and go.
Anyone going to it, through or near Houston, please email me at rsvpta at aol. Maybe we can get the poor orphans here, if they haven’t found a home in the next couple of days.
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