I Love Animals

Twelve years ago, after he started living on his own, my son adopted a Siamese mix and called him, “Yoda.” Although a mix, Yoda has the temperament, large ears, huge blue eyes, and the cute, dark face of a true Siamese. He has also acquired their thermosensitivity of the Siamese’s coat coloring. The only part of Yoda that would alert a knowing eye that his iffy bloodline is the slightly rounded shape of his face, as the pure-bred Siamese are known to have elongated faces.

Yoda only takes to my son, nobody else. He has gotten used to my daughter-in-law, and just that, because no one can replace his true owner. Although I have taken care of Yoda numerous times and he stays with me every now and then, he barely tolerates me, and that is when he needs fed or asks for a treat.

Knowing the Siamese psychology, I don’t blame myself or my cat-sitting skills, but I sort of wish he’d jump on my lap and purr like the tabbies I once owned. Maybe it is the Himalayan gene that the Siamese share with rabbits and mice that makes Yoda hop away from me after his needs are met. This could be also because Yoda’s gene memory prevents him from getting on with too many people at a time.

In their country of origin, Siam (now called Thailand), the Siamese cats guarded the Buddhist temples and were considered sacred. Their blood lines were vigilantly protected; and the cats were bred as if they were angels sent from heaven. Later on, the Siamese became the cats of royalty, babysitting for the King’s children.

Inside the “Cat-Book Poems,” a manuscript written in Siam during 1350’s, seal-point Siamese looking like Yoda are pictured. Those cats in those old pictures must be the representations of adult Siamese cats, because a Siamese kitten is pure white at birth. Since the Siamese kitten’s coat is heat-sensitive, in time, it develops the point color: that is, the points on his tail, paws, and face.

At his advanced age, Yoda’s coat still changes color according to heat. When he stays with us, Yoda demands to be let out to the porch. From behind the screen and the glass doors, this cat loves to watch the golf course, the squirrels, the birds, and the golfers goofing up their swings. When Yoda stays in our house, because he goes on the porch so often, his coat lightens up, giving him a younger look.

For an aged cat, Yoda is also very agile. A few days ago, when a squirrel dared climb on the screen mesh to the roof, Yoda suddenly jumped at it, higher than my height.

Yoda’s love of high places must have come down from being of royalty. When alone in the house with me, I usually find him perched on a table or on any other high place as if to rule the world, his kinked tail moving ever so slightly and his large ears alert, watching his environs. Although I don’t tell on this transgression of his, the cat still avoids me. I guess, Yoda can’t help the way he is, since Siamese are famous for emotionally attaching to only one owner.

From the time they are kittens, the Siamese develop their own loud voice and conversational tone. On the occasions when my son is walking out the front door and leaving his cat with me, Yoda stops evading me to complain of his misfortune with his loud voice, as if he is suffering at the hands of a torturer. In those times, he sounds like a baby in pain.

If you want to adopt a Siamese mix, several states have organizations called Siamese Rescue, but if you want to buy a Siamese kitten, you have to go to a breeder. On the average a Siamese kitten will cost for about $500 if pedigreed, or about $250, if he will only be your pet.

Frankly, I don’t care if Yoda is not a purebred. To us, he is royalty and he thinks he is royalty. Still, I wish his highness would give me the some of that a purring affection he exhibits when my son is around.

Spaying or neutering your dog is an important consideration for any responsible dog owner. Not only does spaying or neutering your dog prevent unwanted pregnancy but it also can prevent conditions such as cancer and other reproductive diseases and conditions. Spayed females and neutered males are less likely to run away when other female dogs in the area are in heat and they are also less likely to engage in pack like behavior with other dogs.

Benefits of Spaying And Neutering Your Dog

There are many different reasons to spay or neuter your dog. While there is the obvious pregnancy prevention with spaying or neutering there are also other, more practical and subtle benefits. The following are all characteristics of dogs that have been spayed or neutered.

· The dogs tend to be calmer and less aggressive towards both people and other pets.

· Females will get along much better with other females, either spayed or not.

· Males will be much less aggressive towards other males.

· Males will less likely run or engage in pack like behaviors even if there are other female dogs in the area.

· Males will be less likely to develop testicular cancers.

· Females will not develop ovarian cancer and will be less likely to develop breast cancer provided they are spayed prior to having their first litter.

Spayed and neutered dogs do not become less protective or less able as watchdogs. This common myth is what prevents many people from spaying or neutering their dogs. The reality is the protective instinct is not based on reproductive hormones; rather it is a hereditary trait that has been developed within the breed. It is also very dependent on the training that the individual dog as had as well as the personality of the dog.

What is spaying and neutering?

Spaying is the procedure used for female dogs. The procedure is surgical and requires the veterinarian to make a small incision in the lower abdominal area between the hind legs. The reproductive organs are completely removed from the body cavity. The incision is usually stitched up with dissolving stitches. Often the dog will have to wear a plastic cone or Elizabethan collar around their neck for a day or two to prevent them from licking or chewing at the incision. The dog should be kept calm and avoid any kind of jumping or strenuous exercise for the first week after the surgery.

Male dogs are neutered. This process also involves surgical procedures and general anesthesia. The testicles are completely removed with the procedure. There is no possibility of reversing either of the procedures. As with females the male dogs will need to be kept quiet and calm for several days after the surgery.

It is important to remember that male dogs, even after neutering, may still be able to impregnate females for a period of a few days or even weeks after the surgery. This occurs because viable sperm may still be in the male reproductive tract. Be sure to keep neutered males away from females for a couple of weeks after surgery just to be safe.

Cat Food Info #1 Cats Need Protein in their Cat Food The cat

food you feed to your cat should always be rich in protein. This

generally should come from meat, poultry or fish. Many cat food

brands advertise chicken, beef, and tuna flavored cat food

because they know that cats need protein and cat owners are

looking for quality cat food. However, you need to make sure the

cat food you buy has a sufficient amount of cat food regardless

of what flavor it is.

Cat Food Info #2 Cat Food with Taurine Also check the cat food

you typically buy for an amino acid called taurine. This

particular amino acid is very important in the overall health of

your cat, and your cat will eat as much food as it has to in

order to supplement this particular amino acid. So, if you are

buying cheap cat food that does not have the proper nutrients

your cat will eat a lot. If you buy a nutrient rich cat food

then your cat will eat little and save you more money while

still getting proper nutrition.

Cat Food Info #3 Canned Cat Food or Dry Cat Food? Many people do

not know whether they should buy canned or dry cat food, or

whether it even matters. Because of this, many people simply buy

the cat food that is most affordable or convenient for them.

This is actually a mistake. Cats should be fed a mixture of cat

food. The dry cat food should be given for free feeding,

especially if you are away on vacation or out for the day.

Canned cat food should be supplemented at other times as well

because it has water in the food and significantly more protein

than the carbohydrate rich dry cat food. Not to mention the same

food over and over might bore your cat and cause him to stop

eating that cat food altogether.

Cat Food Info #4 Avoid Cat Food Fillers Cats need to eat a cat

food that is rich in protein, so make sure the amount of fillers

is kept to a minimum. Carbohydrates are not essential for a

cat’s existence, so don’t buy cat food that is full of them.

Instead, read labels and buy cat food that is not filled with

fillers and other by products.

Every year, around Christmas time the RSPCA make appeals to everyone to think before buying a puppy or any other pet as a Christmas present. The RSPCA’s message is “A dog is for life, not just for Christmas”. This prompt is to make people think, and to consider the implications of owning a pet.

It is a wonderful experience to see your child’s face light up when you present them with an adorable puppy. There’s no getting away from that, however it doesn’t last very long and it is only one side of the coin.

Puppies are hard work. They chew, they soil, they can interrupt sleep, they dig and they demand a lot of attention, it’s rather like taking on another child.

Although puppy’s grow quickly, their education is a slow process, even if you have an intelligent breed. During your puppy’s education and socialisation you need to remain calm and patient at all times, and above all you must be consistent, even if you are at the end of your tether. One small slip up confuses your pup and can set his education back.

Puppies tend to take up a lot of time, Just like a child. Your puppy would need walking (come rain, blizzard or shine) training, feeding, brushing, cleaning up after, as well as playing with. Children soon loose interest with all these chores and they inevitably fall to the parents. Do you have time for all these little jobs every day? If not your bored depressed little puppy will probably eat your sofa.

Of course puppy farms are applying hard sell tactics in the run up to Christmas. They prey on people who are unsure if they should buy a puppy or not. The puppy farms force people into making rash decisions that are not thought through properly. The salesmen may say “Well, someone else is interested in this pup”, of course there isn’t anyone else, they just want to force the sale by making the buyers think that they may loose the chance of buying the cute little puppy they have shown interest in. The puppy farmers are not concerned if you are ready and able to take on a puppy, they are only thinking of the wonderful Christmas they can have once they have their hands on your cash.

Christmas day will no doubt be a wonderful day with your new puppy and your happy children. Any puppy mishaps will be regarded as little accidents and mischievous behaviour and all pups’ naughtiness will be heart warming and laughed off.

Six to eight months down the line, puppy is still having little accidents. Puppy is now a big puppy, and proving to be a bit of a handful. The kids have lost interest and everything is covered in dog hairs

This is when the RSPCA see a boom in puppies that have been placed into their care. The RSPCA can not possibly re-home every adorable puppy that comes to them. Anyway, who wants your unruly puppy at the RSPCA when they can go to the puppy farm and buy a younger, smaller and cuter puppy there?

The fact is that some cute adorable pups that find themselves at the RSPCA have to be destroyed, due to no fault of their own, other than nobody want them.

Happy Christmas Pup!

It is very important that you watch your dog’s health carefully and notice any changes in your dog’s behavior and health. For example if your dog stops eating, or starts sleeping more than normal, these behaviors can signal a larger health problem for your dog. Once you do notice a change in your dog, set up a vet appointment as soon as possible. Since the dog can’t tell you how bad it feels, you have no idea how severe the condition is. In these cases, it is often better to be safe than sorry. When you do see the vet, any information you have about the dog and it’s recent behavior will be crucial to determining the problem and a proper diagnosis. The vet should complete a physical examination of your dog and ask you questions about how the dog has been acting, or if anything in it’s environment has changed. During the physical examination the vet will inspect the following areas in hopes of finding additional information about your dog’s health.

Here are a few important aspects of your dog’s health that you should pay attention to and talk to your vet about if you notice any irregularities.

1. Eating habits- Has your dog been eating more/less dog feed recently?

2. Sleeping habits- Has your dog been sleeping more than normal or staying up all night instead of sleeping?

3. Activity- Has your dog been slower and less active than normal? Is your dog limping when walking, or has the dog stopped jumping recently?

4. Skin/Coat- Have you noticed any changes in your dog’s skin or coat? Does the dog have bumps, bites, rash?

5. Breathing- Has your dog had breathing or coughing problems lately?

A dog should defecate at least once in two days, with soft feces. The dog suffers from Constipation if it does not do so.

Mechanical obstructions such as tumors, strictures and foreign bodies are the most probable causes of initial Constipation. The ingestion of large meals of bones and some indigestible fibrous material can cause Constipation. If we do not notice it in time the feces accumulates in the colon, loses its moisture and becomes dry. It makes it all the harder to move the bowel. The older dogs are affected more. The dog may strain to defecate, and pass a small amount of liquid stool. Loss of appetite, vomiting and lethargy are other symptoms of Dog Constipation.

Frequent Constipation causes a condition called megacolon. When the feces accumulate in the colon, it dilates to hold the feces. Over a period it loses its ability to contract and expand to propel the feces out.

Clinical signs are the important methods by which the Constipation is diagnosed. Physical examination and, in certain cases, radiography can help in assessing the Constipation of the pet. First, treatment may involve enemas and or the physical removal of the feces in a veterinary clinic. If that doesn’t work then surgery may be used. The dog may need intravenous liquids to treat dehydration. Various laxatives are available for dogs, that soften the stools and improve colon contraction.

We can take several measures to prevent Dog Constipation. A high-fiber diet and the availability of water at all times are most important. Regularly exercising the dog is very important, and it also allows the dog regular chances for bowel movements. Encouraging the dog to pass stools by taking the dogs out often can improve the frequency. There are serious diseases that can cause Constipation. As the dog ages, the chance of Constipation also increases.

If the normal treatment is not effective, the veterinarian may do surgery to partially or fully remove the colon.

Are you nuts? You think banging your finger with a hammer is fun? No, I don’t. But building your own snake and other reptile cages can be a fun and rewarding experience.

Before you even start, it is important to spend some time planning your reptile enclosure and carefully examining at how other cages are manufactured. Check out all of the parts, examine the locks, joins and vents. How is the lighting done? What about the heating?

Use this information to design your own cages, based on the needs of your reptile and its size. Work out the size of cage you require and design it accordingly, altering the basic designs as needed to suit your purposes.

Building something yourself is a great feeling. I personally enjoy the process of shopping for materials and deciding which is best for the purpose.

There are quite a few questions to consider, such as:

• what should I make the base from

• what is the best way to make a vent

• how do you make the base water resistant

• what sort of lock should I use

• what sort of door should I use and how do I make it

• what is the best light fitting

• How should I heat it

Getting the materials home and the anticipation of starting your reptile cage is an exciting time. The will be frustrations to overcome, problems to solve but the feeling of accomplishing and achievement you finally get from building something yourself is fantastic.

Every time you go into the room and see the cages you made you can feel good about them. Sure, you will sometimes get a bit picky about the smaller details. What could you have done better, what if you had done this here etc. – well maybe next time.

Some people even use the skills they learn to make cages for other people and make a bit of money. Once you have the skills and tools it is easy. Even if you don not have all of the tools, there are ways around it. You can go to local cabinet makers when you need something cut to size that is too large for you to handle. They are generally happy to oblige for a small fee and you get a perfectly square piece of timber.

On a final note, making your own cages is a fun and rewarding experience and is recommended it to anyone considering it.

Now, my favorite part of this whole Christmas holiday thing is the eating part! Humans LOVE to eat extra good stuff around this time of year. While that is definitely a good thing (alot more scraps to go around) there are some rules to follow to make sure you are included in your human’s holiday cheer.

5. Your humans may occasionally invite lots of strangers to come visit during this season. These parties can be lots of fun, but they also call for some discretion on your part:

a. Not all strangers appreciate kisses and leans

b. Don’t eat off the buffet table

c. Beg for goodies subtly

d. Be pleasant, even if unknowing strangers sit on your sofa

e. Don’t drink out of glasses that are left within your reach

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I don’t know about you, but I for one LOVE attention. And any attention I can get is good attention, but to get that extra special attention from your humans on the holidays there are some rules you must follow.

6. Your humans may take you visiting. Here your manners will also be important:

a. Observe all the rules in #4 for trees that may be in other people’s houses. (4a is particularly important)

b. Respect the territory of other animals that may live in the house.

c. Tolerate children.

d. Turn on your charm big time.

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Ok, last but certainly not least is the most important rule of all. I cannot stress this enough. Please pay attention and stop licking your hind-end for one second and perk up your ears. This holiday tip for us dogs deserves some extra special attention. Now I for oone have not witnessed such a creature, but I am told that he definately does exist and he keeps our humans happy with lost of presents, even some of them for us. So please do not ever, ever break this rule.

7. A big man with a white beard and a very loud laugh may emerge from your fireplace in the middle of the night. DO NOT BITE HIM!!

And that’s it for our “A Dog’s Rules for Christmas” series. Hope you like it and Happy Holidays!

Grooming your horse can be a very relaxing and pleasurable experience for both of you and is an essential part of your horse care. How much you groom is a matter of time and choice, from a quick clean up before or after riding to preparing for the show ring.

It is a good way to check your horse over regularly for any knocks and scrapes and to make sure that it is free of parasites and skin infections like sweet-itch and ringworm, which can become serious if not treated.

I am lucky enough to have a horse who loves being groomed and will happily stand for as long as I want and enjoy her session at the “beauty parlour”.

There are many different brushes and tools available for grooming, made from a variety of materials, both natural and synthetic.

We all have our favourite items, but the basics are the same

Dandy Brush - a stiff medium length bristled brush to remove dirt and dust. Work with a flicking action to prevent pushing dirt further into the coat. Work from the head down the neck, along the back and down the legs to avoid pushing dirt onto already brushed areas. I also use the dandy brush to remove dirt from the tail, though would not recommend this if your horses tail is very fine.

Body Brush - a shorter bristled dense brush to smooth the hair and distribute the natural oils in the horses coat. Brush in long sweeping strokes in the direction of the coat.

Finishing Brush - long softer bristled brush to give the final touch and a nice shine to the coat - used instead of a cloth.

Mane Comb or brush - plastic combs are kinder than metal ones but I have found a wooden bristled mane and tail brush to be better than this. I apply some conditioner onto the mane and tail first then use the brush to tease out tangles and dried in mud etc. I also use the brush in place of a rubber curry comb on my horses coat, especially when she is shedding. If the tail is really dirty I rinse it out in a bucket of water first before trying to brush it through.

Hoofpick - to remove debris from the hooves. I use a sturdy steel one but also have a very handy folding one that I keep in my saddlebag for removing stones whilst we are out hacking.

Mud Brush - These are usually made with very course fibres and are used for removing stubborn patches of dried on mud. I have one that looks like a scrubbing brush and is ideal for my horses feathered legs.

Nancy Griffiths @ www.horseandrider-directory.com

Congestive heart failure is a serious condition that does affect older small breeds such as our beloved Shih Tzu. Congestive heart failure is defined as the heart’s inability to function normally, which leads to excessive retention of water and salt causing fluid build-up in the lungs. The major underlying cause is degeneration of the heart valves. Dogs and the Shih Tzu with this condition often develop a heart murmur, however, it is important to know and remember that not all dogs who have heart murmurs will develop congestive heart failure.

The three main signs to look out for congestive heart failure in your Shih Tzu or older Shih Tzu are:

1. Exercise intolerance;

2. Labored breathing;

3. And coughing.

Always provide your Shih Tzu with a yearly vet check-up and allow your vet to follow-up on any abnormal findings.

Treatment for congestive heart failure includes:

• Diet low in sodium

• Diuretics

• Dilator drugs

• Digoxin (Digitalis)

A Shih Tzu or dog that has been diagnosed with heart failure usually has a life expectancy of between six months and several years. Treated Shih Tzu and dogs will live longer than those left untreated.

You need to also remember that a degeneration of heart valves is a common aging change in small breed dogs like our beloved Shih Tzu. Also remember that even if your Shih Tzu puppy is diagnosed with a heart murmur, this does not mean he or she will ever develop heart failure.

Many times new owners think a heart problem is the result of in-breeding or line breeding or breeding Shih Tzu that are smaller in the size than the standard show dog AKC calls for as 9 to 16 pounds.

Would be Shih Tzu owners need to realize that the size of any living creature does not dictate the health of that creature, and that most of the statements made in this regard are purely by those who do not have the smaller sizes and are fearful their sales will be damaged by breeders who do have the smaller size Shih Tzu.

It is all about money for most of those who talk the most and loudest against smaller size Shih Tzu. Few of those people are actually worried that you the consumer is going to get burned or that the Shih Tzu breed will be ruined forever by these smaller Shih Tzu gene pools. They are worried it takes dollars from their pockets.

I think if these people are sincerely worried about the Shih Tzu breed being ruined, they need to start donating most of their income derived from their puppy sales and/or Show Dog winnings to research of genetic problems in the Shih Tzu in general. It is my opinion this would benefit the breed much more than “bad-mouthing” people who raise and adore the smaller size Shih Tzu in the hopes that consumers will not purchase them and have to resort to purchasing only the size they promote.

As always please consult with a professional vet of your choice about any kind of health problem related to your pets. This article is not meant to diagnose, treat or cure any kind of a pet health problem. It is offered as information only.

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