SENIOR PETS, COYOTES, AND STEELERS....

For those of you who might be wondering whether Helpful Buckeye would be able to "answer the bell" and finish this week's issue of the blog after watching the Pittsburgh Steelers essentially give away the Super Bowl, I'm here to tell you that the sun will still come up tomorrow morning (a Flagstaff sunrise shot from our deck)!  More on this later.... 

Most of the USA suffered a major dose of rough winter weather this past week.  Here in northern Arizona, we felt the grip of -25 degrees of wind chill for most of 2 days, while we watched the TV coverage of the winter storm that crossed the country.  Even though the groundhog (Punxsutawney Phil, in Pennsylvania) didn't see its shadow, we still felt the intense grip of winter.  Andrew Wyeth, the famed American artist, apparently loved winter:  “I prefer winter and fall, when you feel the bone structure of the landscape—the loneliness of it, the dead feeling of winter.  Something waits beneath it, the whole story doesn’t show.” 

Considering the extremes of winter seen in the USA this year, Andy can have all the winter he wants...but, as for me, give me spring, summer, or fall!

Only about 40% of our pet-owning readers have their pet's teeth checked at least once a year by their veterinarian.  That number should be at least twice that high!  Let's work on that in 2011....

Most of you (75%) feel that the Humane Society of the US is not getting their message across by using Michael Vick as part of their awareness programs.  80% of respondents said they allow their pets to be loose in a moving vehicle...a true recipe for disaster!  Only 10% of you said you would pay for a DNA analysis of your dog's heritage.  Be sure to answer this week's poll questions in the column to the left.

Remember that you can submit any questions or comments to Helpful Buckeye by e-mail to: dogcatvethelp@gmail.com  and by clicking on the "Comments" icon at the end of this issue.

CURRENT NEWS OF INTEREST

Certain pet treats distributed nationwide under the name Jr. Texas Taffy have been recalled because they have the potential to be contaminated with salmonella.  No illnesses have been reported, according to the manufacturer, Merrick Pet Care Inc. of Amarillo, Texas.

Salmonella can affect animals, and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products. Healthy people infected with salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Pets with salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain.

If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, you are advised to contact a veterinarian immediately.  Consumers with questions can contact the company at 800-664-7387 Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST.

DISEASES, AILMENTS, AND MEDICAL CONDITIONS

Do you have a senior citizen canine?  Join the crowd! Fifty percent of dog owners share their hearts with pets age 7 or older. Modern veterinary care helps many dogs stay healthy much longer.  A longer life increases the odds dogs develop "senior" problems, though. Medical help is important, but you can keep your old-timer happy and healthy with simple and/or inexpensive tips for dealing with these eight common aging dog issues.

1. Arthritis
2. Cataracts
3. Constipation
4. Deafness
5. Dental Issues
6. Incontinence
7. Obesity
8. Senility

If you are fortunate enough to have a dog live into its senior years, you will face dealing with most, if not all, of these issues.  Helpful Buckeye will go into these topics in greater depth beginning with next week's issue of Questions On Dogs and Cats. 

NON-MEDICAL CONCERNS

Not too long ago, coyotes were only found in the states west of the Mississippi River.  Now, they are present in all states east of the Mississippi as well.  Since coyotes feel comfortable living around humans and their pets, it is becoming more important to be aware of some of the concerns about this "cousin" of the domestic dog.

Valerie Blaine, a naturalist with Kane County, Illinois, presents a very informative overview of coyote behavior and ecology and what it might mean for your pets:

Coyote sightings and even periodic attacks on dogs have become part of the suburban culture. Separating facts from fiction, and learning how to protect your pets during coyote mating season, can help prevent public panic.



It's time for the proverbial Paul Revere to race through town crying, “The coyotes are coming! The coyotes are coming!”


The citizenry of suburbia will soon be up in arms, public officials will be a-tizzy, and the media will have a heyday with news about vicious maulings by these purportedly ruthless varmints.


But I'm going to head off Revere at the pass. Coyote's not just coming, he's here. And he has been here since the last public panic a year ago. The much-maligned coyotes are a reality in suburbia and knowing a bit about their behavior and ecology will help dispel unnecessary alarm.


First, let's look at when and why most concerns about coyotes are raised.


Mating season


The coyotes that have been living at the perimeter of your subdivision, at the edge of the cornfield and behind the strip mall are more visible come February because it's courtship and mating season. These wild dogs are searching the canine equivalent of match.com. Coyotes take the dating game very seriously and will cover a lot of territory to find a match. That territory may well include your neighborhood.


As with human dating, coyote courtship is an expensive endeavor. Instead of cash, however, it's calories that coyotes need.


As they pair up, they need calories in order to find and fashion suitable dens. An abandoned badger borrow may be a fixer-upper for a den, or Mr. and Mrs. Coyote may redesign a brush pile out back, or they may remodel the woodchuck hole under your garage.


Newly pregnant females also require extra caloric input. Both males and females hunt, but the males take over most of the grocery shopping when mom is great with pups. She will take whatever form of prenatal vitamins, snacks and sustenance she can get.


It doesn't matter whether the calories come in the form of Pekingese or possum, Maltese or mouse, Bichon or bunny. Coyote is not a respecter of food. Is this malicious maleficence or the ecological reality of the complex food web?


The gestation period for coyotes is roughly 60 days. The female will give birth to four to nine blind and helpless pups in late April or May. As the pups are weaned, hunting is intensified for all the new mouths to feed. It will take five to six weeks for the pups to grow and develop enough to venture outside the den. Here they enter coyote kindergarten, the beginning of a lifetime of survival education.


Adapting to suburbia


Coyotes are quick learners. From Suburban Survival 101 they work their way to earning doctorates in the field. These savvy canids have survived all attempts to wipe them out — from bounty hunting to poisoning, shooting and trapping. Now they have proved an uncanny ability to adjust to the drastic changes in habitat brought about by humans.


From prairie to farm fields to housing developments, coyotes have altered their lifestyles accordingly. They've shifted their housing needs from tree hollows to porch decks and their menu from deer to Dachshunds.


Perhaps you've recently seen a coyote in your neighborhood and are wondering if this one has friends around the corner. Probably. Dr. Stan Gehrt of Ohio State University has directed extensive research on coyotes over the past decade, focusing on the greater Chicago area.


In The Ohio State Research journal Gehrt stated, “We couldn't find an area in Chicago where there weren't coyotes. They've learned to exploit all parts of their landscape.”


Coyotes may hunt individually, so you may just see one, but they also form packs for territorial defense. Gehrt's research found that “roughly half of all urban coyotes live in territorial packs that consist of five to six adults and their pups that were born that year. These urban packs establish territories of about five to 10 square miles.”


The coyotes that don't belong to a pack roam as loners throughout the 'burbs. A coyote on its own has to cover more territory than a pack, and Gehrt's study found these individuals can range over as much as 50 square miles in one night.


“The first solitary coyote we tracked covered five adjacent cities in a single night,” reported Gehrt.


Fears and facts


These wild canines bring out people's fears and fire their imaginations. In the Wheaton, Illinois, coyote panic that occurred a year ago when several pet dogs were killed by coyotes, a Wheatonite was quoted as saying these coyotes were “enormous … possibly 80 pounds.” In fact, an exceptionally large male coyote weighs at most 50 pounds. Average coyotes range from 22 to 42 pounds, according to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources' Furbearer Guide.


Are they dangerous? To small dogs, rabbits and rodents, most definitely. To humans? When habituated to humans, coyotes are emboldened and may be aggressive. There are scattered reports of aggression toward humans. These habituated animals are dangerous, as many wild animals are, when in proximity to people.


There are two key points to bear in mind in the suburban coyote conundrum. Coyotes, at their meager forty pounds, are the largest predator in an ecosystem sorely lacking native predators. (Really large predators, the wolves and cougars, were extirpated from Illinois in the early 1800s.) The die-hard coyotes are a critical strand in the food web, consuming untold numbers of rodents, rabbits and other natural prey each year.


Secondly, it's up to us to prevent coyotes from becoming “nuisance animals.” The cardinal rule is to not welcome them into your yard. This translates into keeping all possible food items inside and/or out of reach — pet food, leftovers on the grill — and your Shih Tzu.


Protecting your pet


But you have to take Fido out, you say. Yes. If you have a small breed, however, you must take extra precaution when, where and how you let the dog out. A small dog in a yard bordered by an invisible electric fence is a meal waiting to be eaten. An old-fashioned fence is a better choice — not foolproof, as a coyote can easily climb over a fence, but it is at least a deterrent. There are roll bars that can be added to a fence to prevent unwanted guests from coming in.


“Hazing” has been touted as another preventive measure to make coyotes feel unwelcome. This involves making a big racket when you see a coyote, jumping up and down, waving arms and generally acting weird enough to scare the 'yotes away.


You should also be mindful that clever coyotes learn the daily schedules of people and their pets. If you let your dog out every evening at 9 p.m., chances are that a coyote is well aware of your routine and is waiting in the shadows at 9 p.m. sharp. There's an old Navajo saying, “Coyote is always out there waiting, and Coyote is always hungry.” So change your schedule a bit, walk your dog on leash close to you, and keep a close eye on her at all times.


Thus as coyote courtship and mating season is here, you will likely see a coyote or two or three. Remember that they didn't just get here and they're not invading en masse, so there's no need to panic. With knowledge of coyote behavior and ecology, we can take prudent measures to prevent conflicts in the wild kingdom of suburbia.

BREEDS OF THE WEEK

One of our readers, Suzanne, from Houston, saw this film clip on CBS TV and was reminded of our news item in last week's issue about the AKC accepting 3 new breeds of dog.  This video shows a veterinarian talking about the 3 new breeds: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7313815n&tag=related;photovideo

Take a few minutes and enjoy this selection....

GENERAL INTEREST

1) With powers of smell far superior to those of humans, dogs can sniff out buried earthquake victims. They can unearth hidden bombs or drugs. They can also apparently detect colorectal cancer, Japanese researchers suggest.  Researchers from Kyushu University and colleagues report that a specially trained 8-year-old female Labrador retriever named Marine is able to detect colorectal cancer among patients with up to 98 percent accuracy.  A graduate of the St. Sugar Cancer-Sniffing Dog Training Center in Chiba, Japan, the dog was initially trained for water rescue and could already detect 12 types of cancer in patients' breath samples before she joined the colorectal cancer study, the researchers said.

For the rest of this unusual story, read: http://consumer.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=649419

2) It's that time of year again.  This is when the ASPCA compiles its annual list of the Top 10 Pet Toxins.  The list for 2010, in order from #1 to #10, is:

1. Human Medications--The most common culprits include over-the-counter medications (ibuprofen, acetaminophen), antidepressants and ADHD medications.
2. Insecticides--The most serious poisonings occurred when products not labeled for use in cats were applied to them. Always follow label directions.
3. Rodenticides--Always make sure these items are placed in areas that pets cannot access.
4. People Food--Xylitol, grapes, raisins, onions and garlic are commonly ingested by our pets and all can be toxic.
5. Veterinary Medications--Many medications made for our pets are flavored for ease of giving. Unfortunately, that means that animals may ingest the entire bottle of medication if they find it tasty.
6. Chocolate--Chocolate can cause agitation, vomiting, diarrhea, high heart rate, muscle tremors, seizures and death.
7. Household Toxins--Cleaning supplies, such as bleach, acids, alkalis and other detergents, can cause corrosive injury to the mouth and stomach. Other household items such as batteries and liquid potpourri can cause similar problems.
8. Plants--Both house plants and outdoor plants can be ingested by our pets. Keep house plants and bouquets away from your pets.
9. Herbicides--Many herbicides have a salty taste, and our pets will commonly ingest them. Always follow label directions and keep pets off treated areas until they are dry.
10. Outdoor Toxins--Antifreeze, fertilizers and ice melts are all substances that animals can find outdoors. Keep these items in securely locked sheds or on high shelves where pets cannot get to them.

3) Pet owners know it can be very difficult to prevent a dog or cat on a diet from eating another pet's food. Now a Houston-area veterinarian claims to have devised a simple solution to the problem.  The U.S. government acknowledged her invention with a patent last week.

Read about this ingenious concept at: http://ultimatewestu.com/stories/230406-west-u-area-veterinarian-scores-patent-for-pet-diet-control-device

4) Spend a few seconds watching this video...it will amuse you:  http://www.pawnation.com/2011/02/02/video-cute-french-bulldog-puppy-takes-on-doorstop/?icid=main%7Chtmlws-main-w%7Cdl6%7Csec3_lnk2%7C199323

5) Most of our regular readers already know that the Labrador Retriever has been at the top of the AKC list of registrations for a lot of years.  How many consecutive years do you think they have topped this list?  Think it over...the answer will appear at the end of this issue.

SPORTS NEWS 

The Pittsburgh Steelers and the Green Bay Packers played Super Bowl XLV (45) on Sunday in Dallas.  The Steelers played giveaway in the game, turning the ball over 3 times, each resulting in a Green Bay touchdown.  Even though the Steelers out-played Green Bay otherwise, the game is all about what you do with your opportunities...and the Packers made the most of theirs.  Still, it was a pretty good year for the Steelers.  After all, with nobody expecting us to do much at the beginning of the season, we played through a lot of off-the-field problems and on-field injuries to reach the title game.  Only 2 teams made it this far and 1 had to go home a loser.  Second best is still pretty good...and congrats to the Packers and their fans!

The Ohio State men's basketball team continued as the #1 ranked team in the USA this week.  We have 3 tough road games coming up in the next 10 days, any one of which could provide our 1st loss of the year.  Pitt's men's basketball team held the #4 spot in the rankings.

The San Antonio Spurs continue to enjoy the NBA's best record.

PERSONAL STUFF

"When life hands you lemons, make some lemonade"...so says the famous philosopher, Anonymous.  Helpful Buckeye got handed some lemons this week...from Charlene and Ken...and lemonade will be made...as soon as I can find my juicer!

The lovable and very popular Labrador Retriever has been at the top of AKC yearly registrations for...20 consecutive years!  That's an amazing run of popularity, when you consider how frequently people change their minds about most things.

~~The goal of this blog is to provide general information and advice to help you be a better pet owner and to have a more rewarding relationship with your pet. This blog does not intend to replace the professional one-on-one care your pet receives from a practicing veterinarian. When in doubt about your pet's health, always visit a veterinarian.~~

KENNEL COUGH AND YOUR DOG....

The last few weeks have been very interesting for veterinary medicine. First, we learned of two pet ferrets that had come down with swine flu, most likely contracted from their owners. Both of the ferrets died. Then, this week, a pet cat in Iowa was treated at Iowa State University veterinary hospital for swine flu. The cat has since recovered. A couple of people in the cat's household had been experiencing flu-like symptoms before the cat became sick. What does this all mean for you and your cats and dogs? Helpful Buckeye has already discussed swine flu in a previous issue of Questions On Dogs and Cats, at: http://questionsondogsandcats.blogspot.com/2009/05/swine-flu-and-your-pets.html and these recent events have required an update to that information. That update will be presented in the "Current News" section below. In the meantime, be alert for the swine flu virus:

Helpful Buckeye was surprised by how many of our readers had either read the book or seen the movie, Marley & Me. There were 26 responses, both at this site and by e-mail and 18 of those had read the book AND seen the movie! Remember to answer this week's poll question in the column to the left.

CURRENT NEWS OF INTEREST

1) The Food & Drug Administration, as reported by the American Veterinary Medical Association, has issued an alert about the insulin product, Vetsulin, from Schering-Plough Animal Health. The concern is that the concentration of the active ingredient may have variations between formulations. If your pet is using this product, read more about it at: http://www.avma.org/aa/vetsulin_091102.asp

2) The FDA, through the AVMA, has also issued a recall for pig ear and beef hooves pet treats. These pet treats, produced by Pet Carousel, may be contaminated with Salmonella organisms. The affected products are as follows: Pet Carousel Pig ear pet treats...Doggie Delight and Pet Carousel Beef hooves pet treats...Choo Hooves, Dentley’s, Doggie Delight. For more information on these products, go to: http://www.avma.org/petfoodsafety/recalls/2009/pet_carousel_091105.asp

3) The AVMA has released a new public health statement this week to address new information about swine flu and its effects on household pets. Take a few minutes to read the questions and answers so that you will be aware of the important new recommendations: http://www.avma.org/public_health/influenza/new_virus/new_flu_virus_faq_pet_owners.asp

DISEASES, AILMENTS, AND MEDICAL CONDITIONS

Helpful Buckeye has received just about as many e-mails about kennel cough in dogs as for any other pet disease. Since kennel cough is the most common upper respiratory ailment seen in dogs, many of our readers have most likely experienced it with their dogs.

Kennel cough, known medically as canine infectious tracheobronchitis, is a highly contagious disease in dogs. It is found worldwide and probably will infect a very high percentage of all dogs at some point in their lifetime. The disease became known as kennel cough since it usually showed up soon after a dog had been boarded in a kennel. We now know that, due to the highly contagious nature of the causative agents of the disease, dogs can also become infected at vaccination clinics, obedience classes, local dog parks, animal shelters, veterinary hospital waiting rooms, and grooming parlors. Kennel cough is the most prevalent upper respiratory ailment of dogs in the USA.

Kennel cough usually begins as a result of inflammation of the upper airways. It is currently thought that this inflammation occurs mainly from an inhalation of canine parainfluenza virus, canine adenovirus, or even canine distemper virus. The damage to the linings of the upper airways by these viruses can then allow certain bacteria to complicate the already bothersome viral infection. The most common bacteria to do so is Bordetella bronchiseptica, a close relative of B. pertussis, the cause of human whooping cough. The illness spreads rapidly among susceptible dogs which are in close confinement, particularly if they are stressed by extremes in ventilation, temperature, and humidity. Both the viral and bacterial components are mainly spread through the air by infected dogs which are sneezing and coughing. They are also spread through contact with contaminated surfaces and through direct contact with infected dogs.

Signs and Symptoms

The first sign of a kennel cough infection is usually a dry, hacking cough, which may be followed by a lot of gagging or retching. There may also be sneezing and snorting. The dog’s owner will frequently describe this as “my dog sounds like it has something stuck in its throat.” Any or all of these signs may be easily brought on by exercise, excitement, or simply rubbing on the dog’s windpipe. In most cases of kennel cough, it is considered to be a self-limiting disease and the dog will recover on its own, without any medical intervention. Most of these dogs will maintain their level of activity and a normal appetite, in spite of the frequent fits of coughing. They usually don’t have a fever or show any listlessness. Puppies and adult dogs with compromised immune systems from other problems are most likely to suffer more serious complications as a result of kennel cough. The main and most serious complication is bronchopneumonia, which would be accompanied by a fever, lack of appetite, lethargy, and a productive cough.

Treatment

Due to the self-limiting nature of uncomplicated kennel cough, most of these dogs will not need to receive any treatment while they are recovering. Ideally, they will be kept at home, away from other dogs that might be susceptible. Limiting exercise and any form of excitement should help to reduce the “tickling” feeling in their windpipes that brings on the spasms of coughing. Most veterinarians now feel that uncomplicated cases of kennel cough should not be treated with antibiotics. If these dogs need anything at all, it might be beneficial to use a cough suppressant or a bronchodilator, but only on the advice of your veterinarian. For the more complicated or chronic cases, your veterinarian may recommend antibiotics in order to deal with the secondary bacterial components of the infection. The more seriously affected dogs and those with probable bronchopneumonia will need to be hospitalized in order to be more closely monitored.

Prevention

The best way to prevent your dog from contracting kennel cough is to not expose your dog to other dogs. However, in many situations, this cannot be avoided. That being the case, then having your dog up-to-date on its vaccinations would be the next best protection. Most of the annual vaccines given by your veterinarian will include parainfluenza and adenovirus. The Bordetella vaccine is available as an injectable or an intranasal preparation. The important thing to remember about these vaccines is that your dog needs to have the vaccine several days before being exposed to any of those diseases in order for its immune system to build a decent response. If your dog is going to a boarding kennel or a dog show, don’t wait until the day before to have it vaccinated. Also, it must be pointed out that vaccination is not useful in a dog that is already incubating kennel cough. Spend a little time discussing your dog’s circumstances with your veterinarian in order to put together the proper vaccination program. Have your dog well-protected before a disease exposure moment arises.

There has been some recent research that seems to show that Bordetella bronchiseptica might cause disease in certain humans, especially young children and those with a compromised immune system. Normal, healthy adult humans do not appear to be at risk.

Please send any questions or comments to: dogcatvethelp@gmail.com or click on the comment icon at the end of this issue and leave your comment.

NON-MEDICAL CONDITIONS

1) "Clipnosis"…A new technique can calm cats in a veterinarian’s office and at home. Using clips to gently squeeze the skin at the back of a cat's neck before minor veterinary procedures or even a nail-trimming at home is an effective and pain-free way to humanely hold cats that might otherwise put up a fuss, according to a study conducted in the College of Veterinary Medicine of The Ohio State University. Read more about this new technique in the OSU Veterinary School newsletter at: http://vet.osu.edu/5732.htm

2) Part 2 of the ASPCA's winter health tips for your pets is here.

Top Ten Cold Weather Tips

Brrrr…it’s cold outside! The following guidelines will help you protect your companion animals when the mercury dips:

1. Keep your cat inside. Outdoors, felines can freeze, become lost or be stolen, injured or killed. Cats who are allowed to stray are exposed to infectious diseases, including rabies, from other cats, dogs and wildlife.


2. During the winter, outdoor cats sometimes sleep under the hoods of cars. When the motor is started, the cat can be injured or killed by the fan belt. If there are outdoor cats in your area, bang loudly on the car hood before starting the engine to give the cat a chance to escape.


3. Never let your dog off the leash on snow or ice, especially during a snowstorm—dogs can lose their scent and easily become lost. More dogs are lost during the winter than during any other season, so make sure yours always wears ID tags.


4. Thoroughly wipe off your dog's legs and stomach when he comes in out of the sleet, snow or ice. He can ingest salt, antifreeze or other potentially dangerous chemicals while licking his paws, and his paw pads may also bleed from snow or encrusted ice.


5. Never shave your dog down to the skin in winter, as a longer coat will provide more warmth. When you bathe your dog in the colder months, be sure to completely dry him before taking him out for a walk. Own a short-haired breed? Consider getting him a coat or sweater with a high collar or turtleneck with coverage from the base of the tail to the belly. For many dogs, this is regulation winter wear.


6. Never leave your dog or cat alone in a car during cold weather. A car can act as a refrigerator in the winter, holding in the cold and causing the animal to freeze to death.


7. Puppies do not tolerate the cold as well as adult dogs, and may be difficult to housebreak during the winter. If your puppy appears to be sensitive to the weather, you may opt to paper-train him inside. If your dog is sensitive to the cold due to age, illness or breed type, take him outdoors only to relieve himself.


8. Does your dog spend a lot of time engaged in outdoor activities? Increase his supply of food, particularly protein, to keep him—and his fur—in tip-top shape.


9. Like coolant, antifreeze is a lethal poison for dogs and cats. Be sure to thoroughly clean up any spills from your vehicle, and consider using products that contain propylene glycol rather than ethylene glycol. Visit the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center more information.


10. Make sure your companion animal has a warm place to sleep, off the floor and away from all drafts. A cozy dog or cat bed with a warm blanket or pillow is perfect.

Part 3 of the ASPCA's winter health tips will appear next week.

PRODUCT OF THE WEEK

The QuickFinder and QuickFinder Deluxe are a new type of pet nail trimmer that will actually give you a red light or a green light when trimming your pet's nails. Red light...you're too close to the quick. Green light...you're safely away from the quick. Read about these at: http://www.quickfinderclipper.com/ Click on either product to learn about its availability.









GENERAL INTEREST

1) The Top 10 Pet-Safe Vehicles as determined by Edmunds.com and reported in Highroads magazine are (in alphabetical order):

1. Dodge Journey


2. Ford Flex


3. GMC Acadia


4. Hyundai Tucson


5. Jeep Liberty


6. Kia Borrego


7. Mazda 5


8. Mitsubishi Outlander


9. Subaru Tribeca


10. Volvo XC70

The criteria for making this list were pet safety restraints, tri-climate control, fold-flat rear seats, treat holders, and backup cameras.

2) Helpful Buckeye's Aunt Cathy in Florida sent this information about a web site that helps free food and care to be given to animal rescue shelters. Simply go to: http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=3 and click on the purple icon to start the ball rolling. You can do this once a day. I checked snopes.com for the credibility of the web site and they declared it as "True."

3) According to a study by a Dublin university, Irish pet owners are much more fond of dogs than they are of cats. To find out some of the reasons, go to: http://www.pawnation.com/2009/11/02/dog-loving-irish-hate-cats-new-study-reveals/

4) ...But a hidden danger lurks in many lakes and ponds -- toxic blooms of blue-green algae that can be harmful to people and fatal to dogs. These toxins can be neurotoxins, hepatotoxins, and endotoxins. Several cases of human poisoning (and now this dog) have been documented but a lack of knowledge prevents an accurate assessment of the risks. Blue-green algae are probably best known for the extensive and highly visible blooms that can form in freshwater ponds and lakes and can have the appearance of blue-green paint or scum. The association of toxicity with such blooms has frequently led to the closure of recreational waters when blooms are observed. Officials in Minnesota last month warned residents to keep kids and pets away from suspicious looking lakes after linking the algae to the death of a 3-year old black Labrador Retriever, the Minnesota Star Tribune reports. For the rest of the story, read: http://www.pawnation.com/2009/11/05/blue-green-algae-can-be-fatal-to-pets/

5) Due to the recent recall of certain pet treats as described earlier in this issue, perhaps our readers would like to try their hand at making some dog bone treats at home. That way, you can be a little more certain of the safety of the ingredients. For some easy dog bone recipes, go to: http://www.best-dog-treat-recipes.com/dog-bone-recipes-3.html and cursor down the page until you get to the list of 9 tasty recipes. Let us know if you try any of these and whether or not your pooch likes them.

For those of you seeking even more pet culinary challenges, you might want to get a copy of the book, The Ultimate Dog Treat Cookbook: Homemade Goodies for Man's Best Friend, which is available at: http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Dog-Treat-Cookbook-Homemade/dp/0764597736

6) Now that we've gotten the serious stuff taken care of, let's finish this section with a little "salsa"....

No, not the kind you dip your nachos into...this salsa is the dance. Turn on your speakers and check out this dog doing the salsa. You decide whether the dog needs more practice or not: http://www.pawnation.com/2009/11/06/salsa-dancing-dog/ Desperado gave the dog an "8" and Helpful Buckeye gave it a "9"....

SPORTS NEWS

The LA Dodgers announced that Manny Ramirez will be back again next year. That will only be good news if Manny stays away from the forbidden pharmaceuticals that got him suspended for 50 games this past season. He never did get back into his normal style of play after the suspension.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are playing in Denver tomorrow (Monday) night. A win in Denver would keep us in first place in our division, but Denver always seems to enjoy a big home field advantage.

The San Antonio Spurs have lost 2 games this week as they try to get more comfortable with the new players in their lineup.

PERSONAL STUFF

Helpful Buckeye ran into an unexpected change in biking plans this past week. My bike had a flat front tire while hanging on the rack...I pumped up the pressure to 60 lb...rode 35 miles with no problem...an hour after I got back home, the tire was flat again! When getting the problem diagnosed, my bike guru, Lionel, found a long sliver of glass actually puncturing the tire and the tube. Helpful Buckeye decided to go with a Kevlar replacement tire in case there may be more glass slivers in my future.

Galileo felt that discovering truth was important: "All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them." Questions On Dogs and Cats always attempts to help our readers discover some "truths" about their pets.

Albert Schweitzer, the German/French physician and philosopher, had this to say about certain "special" people: "In everyone's life at some time our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit." If you have been rekindled by one of those people, take a minute to thank them this week....it's also very conceivable that a dog or a cat could have done the rekindling?

~~The goal of this blog is to provide general information and advice to help you be a better pet owner and to have a more rewarding relationship with your pet. This blog does not intend to replace the professional one-on-one care your pet receives from a practicing veterinarian. When in doubt about your pet's health, always visit a veterinarian.~~