Anything For Animals

posted by admin on Jul 21

You may be helping to kill turtles, sharks and even whales - all for a snack!

As you sit at home reading this, there are dying sea turtles taking their last painful look at the world; a young shark could be struggling to breath in a place it has always lived; or a passing whale wondering why it can’t resurface this time for one last breath…..

All so that you can have that fish lunch you have been promising yourself….

Unfortunately, fish hooks don’t just catch fish and fish nets don’t just catch fish either - infact more species of fish, mammal and crustacean die than the very fish we are trying to catch.

You may be currently aware of the problems of by-catch closer to home - but it is just as important across the World as it is at home with WWF estimating that a marine turtle is killed every few minutes across the Oceans; and they are trying to highlight just one - but very important - area that is currently under threat.

The Coral Triangle:

This is a vast area of the Oceans stretching from South-East Asia out into the Pacific Ocean where some 3000 species of fish ply the reefs - along with 5 of the 7 known species of turtles; plus all sorts of other associated species in tropical waters.

The fishermen here are just fishing - as they have done for centuries - to make a living, however the equipment they are using is old-fashioned and is the root of the issue.

With rising numbers of mouths to feed, and rising costs of living - these fishermen are increasing in numbers and so is the amount of by-catch - ie; turtles and dolphins!

However, with a few new items of fishing equipment and a small amount of training - the number of non-fish species caught and killed by these fishermen can be greatly reduced.  For example a newly designed hook that can reduce turtle deaths by an amazing 90%.

And if turtles do get snared, it is normally only a slight wound that results and with the employment of another great invention, these hooks can be removed simply and with as little damage as possible.

How To Help:

Well, these fishermen still need to make a living - and we still want to eat fish - so the best way you can help is to get in touch with WWF to promote and increase the use of these specialist hooks.  A 90% reduction in turtle deaths is well worth just a small donation.

The fishermen don’t want to catch the turtles as they take up a hook that a fish could have been on, but they weren’t able to move on from their old techniques - however, technology can help - and so can you.

And by donating regularly to WWF, you can help them to investigate more ways to save marine life and improve the livelihood or other people across the globe who rely on the oceans for their food and wages.

We already have quite easy lives - so let’s share that good fortune.

posted by admin on Jun 2

There are many types of roundworms that could infect mammals; but the 2 most common types found in domestic cats are:

Toxicara felis:
Kittens can be infected after birth by their mothers milk. Towards the end of her pregnancy, hormones trigger any dormant larvae in her muscles to pass into the mammary glands. These larvae migrate through the milk glands and straight into the stomachs of the newborn kittens.

Once ingested, these larvae grow inside the kitten and can become adult worms while the kitten is still young - obviously they will use the nutrition from the milk instead of the kitten itself.

The kittens can also ingest futher larvae from infective eggs in the environment (on their bedding, etc) or more commonly, through the bitches milk until they are weaned. 

Kittens with a heavy burden of worms will have their growth stunted, and very likely have distended, swollen bellies and will often vomit and have diarrhoea.  Severe infections of worms have been known to totally block the intestines.

However, kittens should have naturally expelled all their adult worms by 7 months of age. Any eggs or larvae ingested after this time won’t become adult worms in the gut, but will pass through the intestine wall into the body of the kitten (now an adult cat) and settle as their resting state (as cysts) in the muscle tissues.

Any eggs that were ‘passed’ by these kittens or the queen onto the ground or bedding, usually in faeces, have very protective cases and can survive outside for up to 2 years waiting to be eaten or licked up by an animal or human (not washing their hands before eating).

If these eggs are ingested by any animal other than a dog (their specific host) they will not become adult worms in the body - it is host specific to only cats.

However instead, they will travel through the body to the muscle tissue and remain temporarily inactive in a ‘cyst’. This animal (or person) then becomes their temporary host as the worm larvae are hoping that one day, when this ‘animal’ dies, it will be eaten by a cat (or other animal that is then eaten by a cat) and they can complete their lifecycle.

Basically this worms job is to live in the female cats muscle tissue until she becomes pregnant so it can infect her kittens.

Toxicara leonina:
This roundworm will infect both cats and dogs as part of it’s life cycle, but it is not a zoonosis - it has not been known to pass to humans in it’s live state.

There is no infection before birth from the mother to her unborn young, or through the mothers milk - infection is commonly seen in young adolescent animals as they begin to explore their enviroment and ingest eggs or temporary hosts containing inactive larvae (i.e; a cat eating an infected mouse or beetle, or a dog eating undercooked offal and game).

There are normally no outward clinical signs of light or heavy infestation with this worm, as they are well tolerated by both cats and dogs, so you wouldn’t know that your pet even had them!

A good a reason as any to regularly worm your cats!!!

posted by admin on May 26

There are many types of roundworms that could infect mammals; but the 2 most common types found in domestic dogs are listed below:

Toxicara canis:
Puppies can be infected before birth by their mothers (bitches). Towards the end of her pregnancy, hormones trigger any dormant larvae in her muscles to pass into the uterus. These larvae migrate through the flesh of the unborn puppies into their liver and lungs.

Once born and breathing, the puppies will cough these larvae up and normally swallow them stright back into their own intestines where they become adult worms.

The puppies can also ingest futher larvae from infective eggs in the environment (on their bedding, etc) or more commonly, through the bitches milk (dormant roundworms would have migrated to the mammary tissues and were also triggered by the bitches hormones).

Puppies with a heavy burden of worms will have their growth stunted, and very likely have distended, swollen bellies. They may even vomit or have diarrhoea. Severe infections have been known to totally block the intestines.

However, puppies will have naturally expelled all their adult worms by 7 months of age. Any eggs or larvae ingested after this time won’t become adult worms, but will pass through the intestine wall and settle into their resting state (as cysts) in the muscle tissues.

Any eggs that were ‘passed’ by these puppies or the bitch onto the ground with faeces have very protective cases and can survive outside for up to 2 years waiting to be eaten or licked up by an animal or human (not washing their hands before eating).

If these eggs are ingested by any animal other than a dog (their specific host) they will not stay in the gut to become adult worms.

Instead, they will travel through the body to the muscle tissue and remain temporarily inactive in a ‘cyst’. This animal then becomes their temporary host as the worm larvae are hoping that one day, when this ‘animal’ dies, it will be eaten by a dog and they can complete their lifecycle.

Basically this worms job is to live in the female dogs muscle tissue until she becomes pregnant so it can infect her pups.

Toxicara leonina: 
This roundworm will infect both cats and dogs as part of it’s life cycle, but it is not a zoonosis - it has not been known to pass to humans in it’s live state.

There is no infection before birth from the mother to her unborn young, or through the mothers milk - infection is commonly seen in young adolescent animals as they begin to explore their enviroment and ingest eggs or temporary hosts containing inactive larvae (i.e; a cat eating an infected mouse or beetle, or a dog eating undercooked offal and game).

There are normally no outward clinical signs of light or heavy infestation with this worm, as they are well tolerated by both cats and dogs, so you wouldn’t know that your pet even had them!

A good a reason as any to regularly worm your dog!!!

posted by admin on May 7

Why not create a fun game to teach your kids or friends about dog breeds?

In the same way that wildlife books help you identify random plants by following a simple flow chart - you could split up and identify common - or not so common - dog breeds.  Or cat breeds, rabbit breeds or horse breeds etc…..

Obviously, it is far easier to learn something new when it is simple and you get fast results - so using technical terms is out of the question as well as things that can only be found out through serious study!

This should be fun!

The Key:

Now you need to decide whether this is for the very beginner - or whether they have a certain amount of doggy knowledge as otherwise this could become quite tedious - or just make 2.

The basic one assumes that they know no breeds at all - and the other can be more specific to rare or unusual breeds - after all if they know what a dalmation looks like - they won’t be using your guide anyway!

Now to get started you need to group your dogs in appearance related groups rather than show groups - as people who see a dog in the street might not know whether it is a working breed or toy dog - so go for looks alone - and start with the simple and most obvious breeds to get them out the way.

For example you may want to filter out Dalmation and Komandors straight away as they are unique in their looks and can’t be mistaken for anything else.  You could also look to be filtering out whole colour groups, like the blues, tri-colours and black and tans - as these groups are easy to spot and can then be further reduced to split up your Dobermanns from your Manchester Terriers.

You could also go on coat type early on if you wanted - although this might be better for later stages - however, a Mexican hairless and a Chow are also very easy to spot!

Problem Areas?

Yes, I know a German Shepherd can be white, black, black and tan, sable, long-haired or normal-haired - but you leave these till you need them - rule out the Maltese, Patterdales, Rottweilers, Collies and Shelties first before proceeding to the more variable breeds.

Try out different ways on scrap paper first as there will be more than one way to get to the same answer - and certain breeds may be at the end of several threads depending on your style of filtering.

Here’s a simple one to give you the jist.  Lets take a Rottweiler, GSD, Maltese and a Sheltie.  Now more than one could be black and tan; more than one could be white and more than one could be long-haired - so how do you filter them out?

Well, here are 2 ways:

1) Has it got very short hair - Yes - Rottweiler (leaving GSD, Maltese and Sheltie)
No: Could you pick it up easily? - No - GSD (leaving Maltese and Sheltie)
Yes: Is it White? - Yes - Maltese - No: it’s a Sheltie

2) Is it really fluffy? - Yes - Maltese
No: Could you pick it up easily? Yes - Sheltie
No: Has it got long hair? - Yes - GSD
No: Rottie

I know that this is only a small group and assumes that all the dogs are present - but it gives you an idea of how to avoid lengthy questions or variable breed descriptions.

These keys can also be used for the very basic teaching or breeds even - like how to tell the difference between all the common pet rodents, pet reptiles or caged birds etc.

It doesn’t have to stop at German Shepherds!  

posted by admin on Apr 27

Would you know what to do if an animal in your care collapsed?  Or a member of staff was seriously injured?

We all hope that these things will never happen to us - but they may well do and it is best to be prepared.  If you run a business that leaves animals in your care and you employ staff, work with volunteers or come into contact with the public - you should really get yourself trained up in case of emergencies.

And it isn’t just for work that you should get qualified either - it is for your own friends, family and pets.  Imagine being able to save a life in exchange for 1 day a year taking a First Aid course.

Animals First:
If you are a dog walker, groomer, sitter, owner or work in an animal shelter - you should really know the basics for animal health and safety.  Yes - the trained or experienced staff aren’t that far away and can come to the rescue - but sometimes it is the first few minutes that are the most important - so need you to act fast.

Sometimes - seeing that something is going to happen in advance is even better!  But you can only do this if you know what you are looking out for.

So, find a local course with a veterinary or animal care college and sign up!  You won’t ever regret going on a course - only not going!  And imagine the way you will feel if an animal dies in your care - then the course fee won’t seem that much in exchange for an animals life.

People Too:
It isn’t just your animal customers that might benefit from your help - while out walking or driving or when visiting a clients home - you could find a human in need of emergency assistance.

If you have taken an Emergency First Aid course you will know how to assess the situation in an instant and make sure that that person gets the best first aid that you can offer - and the basic checks only take about 15 seconds.

Such a short amount of your time could actually have saved their life.

Don’t Be A Stranger:
Why do you have to take this for work anyway - you might not even meet any humans in your day to day working hours?  Well, think of your family and friends.  People you know can have accidents too you know - so take the course for them if anything.

You can never know too much about emergency first aid!

posted by admin on Apr 9

Do you have a rabbit? And want to know more about their needs and requirements?

Rabbit Awareness Week (RAW) is just what you are after.  No longer are we happy to leave bunnies in tiny hutches out in the garden with nothing but the odd carrot top to entertain them.

Studies have shown that rabbits are very intelligent animals that thrive on stimulation and enjoy playing games.  We also know a lot more about their dietary requirements and what other rabbits and pets they are most likely to get on with.

However, their behaviour is an area that is only just beginning to be explored by owners.  Apart from the odd foot thumps, digging in the garden and their habit of eating every cable in the house, many rabbit owners know little more.

So, RAW are hoping to shed some light on their peculiar habits and help you see your pets in a new and interesting light!

Housing Requirements:
Rabbits are very social animals - as you can tell from the number of rabbit holes over nearby fields and farmland - so why keep just 1 on it’s own? 

I know that certain breeds of rabbit require very large hutches and runs, so having 2 in there might make a ’small animal’ into a very large pet responsibility - but think of the scale.

If you look at how long an average pet-shop hutch is in ‘rabbits’ (in length) they are around 4 rabbits long and just over 1 rabbit wide - now lay that out for a cat, dog or horse!  It would just be unacceptable.

So why do we think that it is OK for a rabbit to live alone in such a small space?  And to only be handled a few times a week in summer and hardly at all in winter?

Also, rabbits talk ‘rabbit’ not ‘guinea pig’ - so why we ever thought that these 2 animals should live together in a confined space is quite strange?  And with rabbits being so much bigger and having giant thumpy feet - that poor guinea pig could get quite squashed! 

Free Health Checks:
Also as part of the RAW drive - vets across the country are opening their appointment schedule up for free bunny check-ups where you can discuss all sorts of lagomorphic queries (thats things relating to bunnies to you and me!).

Whether you are concerned over their fussy eating, worried about vaccinations or just think your bunny could lose a few pounds - take a few minutes to talk to your local vets and vet nurses about it for not a single penny!

You can also talk about housing requirements, handling, teeth checking, nail clipping and neutering at the same time.

Hop on over to their website for more great tips, a chance to enter your bunny pictures and to find the dates of rabbit-related events in your area.

Happy Bunny Week!

posted by admin on Apr 1

You must have heard of a doxipoo, a morkie, a zuchon or a pekepoo?

But should we be creating these crossbreeds for fun?  We are messing with years and years of diligent breeding to create specific dogs that look and act a certain way - and have centuries of history - just to make a one-off cute new puppy!

If we go back to the original ‘designer dog’ which was the labradoodle (labrador x poodle) there was a new purpose needed.  A non-moulting large dog that was intelligent enough to work with the blind - a moult-free Guide Dog.

We took an existing guide dog and bred it with with a similarly sized non-moulting dog - the standard poodle.  The result was a labrador-sized hypo-allergenic Guide Dog - well a small proprtion were.  Not every labradoodle retains the non-moulting gene, or the labrador sized gene, or the easy to train gene - so can’t be used at all. 

This is exactly the same for these new designer dogs.

People originally started working breeds along the non-moulting route for all sizes - as there are 4 different sized poodles as well as bichon frises and their clan who don’t moult as much as normal dogs either - and account for a lot of the ‘poo’ and ‘oodle’ breeds, like cockerpoo, yorkapoo, roodles and schnoodles.  But then something happened.

Rather than crossing breeds to gain any sort of benefit - people just thought it was fun to be the first to cross anything at all.  There were pugs with beagles, yorkies with shih-tzus, chihuahuas with daxies and King Charles spaniels with corgis.

It was all done in the name a novelty.

And of course - these designer dogs are just one-offs.  They aren’t true breeds - they are cross-breeds by definition and can’t breed true.  This means that if you breed a cockerpoo with a cockerpoo - you won’t necessarily get a litter of cockerpoos!

True breeding takes years and a formal pattern of breeding with certain individuals - you can’t just keep shoving 2 dogs together just because they look the same!

This happens now with bad breeding - for example, by breeding any old German Shepherds together you do still get a litter of German Shepherds - but they might not make very good pets or have any of the normal German Shepherd traits.  The reason is that most bad breeders only manage to get second-hand dogs or bitches - or the individuals that the breeder didn’t want to keep themselves - hence a bad gene pool!

Now imagine a whole country full of people who have decided that they want a designer dog to carry around with them in an over-the-shoulder bag.  Are these the type of people who can realistically control breeding to make sure that these breeds stay true?  Or will their efforts only further confuse the breeds and end up making mongrels instead?

The Genetics Are Tricky: 
If you cross a yorkshire terrier and a maltese, you get a morkie (apparently) - so lets say that all the puppies are somewhere between 75% yorkie/25% maltese and 25% yorkie/75% maltese.  This is a very wide range of numbers!  But needless to say people won’t think that this is a problem.

However the very nature of cross-breeds is they are just that - a cross between 2 breeds.  So if you then breed them with either a yorkie or a maltese - they are no longer morkies are they?  They might be 87% yorkie and only 13% maltese.  Breed them again with a maltese and you might not notice any yorkie at all - but breed them with another morkie or a yorkie and you will start to see shared traits again.

This could lead to all sorts of problems down the line in terms of true breeds though.  Will it come to a point where you can’t 100% tell which breeds you are breeding?  What if someone took that Yorkie with a hint of maltese and assumed that it was pure yorkie and bred it as such - it would still hold some maltese genes.  The breed is no longer pure.

I thought the reason that people liked a certain breed of dog was because it was just that - a specific breed of dog.  However, with all these designer cross-breeds lurking about - filling up classified and rescue centres - it might not be too long before there aren’t any pure small breeds anymore.

Pedigree papers will become gold dust as dogs that look like bichons, cocker spaniels and poodles - aren’t.  There will be no other way to tell which is which unless you get a DNA test!  But then pedigree dogs aren’t the most expensive or most sought after breeds anymore - people want a cross-breed!

Some people might say that pedigree dogs have been over-breed and have inherent diseases caused by our ‘breed standards’ and that it is good to get a non-pedigree.  But then we go ahead and start breeding dogs in our back yards based purely on what they look like - or what they sound like more often than not!

We are basically creating our own breed standards - but with no rules at all…..

posted by admin on Mar 26

Losing your pet must be one of the most dreaded experiences for a pet owner.

But you don’t have to face it alone - you just need to plan ahead.  Or get someone else to do it all for you!

Now, you may be wondering how can someone else reunite you with your lost pet - but finding your pet can be achieved with just one simple step.

Bearing in mind that there are a number of ways that you can make sure that your pet is reported to you as ’safe’ before you even lose them - you need to understand hoe the whole process works.

For example - nothing can make your pet be found any faster than it could be found in the first place.  You can have a collar, tag, microchip, tattoo, name tag in the coat or a giant flag with your details on it hanging off your dog or cat - but it still won’t be found until it is found!

What you can do though is make sure that the moment it is found - is one minute before you get the call!

Check, Plan and Prepare:
It’s all right having a microchip or a tag on your pets collar - but if your contact details aren’t correct or the best number to contact you on - then there will be an inevitable delay in you finding out your pet is safe and well.

For example, if a vets scan your chip to find you details and you have since moved - they will be ringing a wrong number until they either give up or someone else answers and tells them you have moved.  And if the number you have given on your dogs collar is your home number - you won’t hear them call you as you will be out and about local parks looking for your dog - and so will miss the call.  Lost cats are found during the day too - so make sure your work number is on there instead of your home number if you are a 9-5 commuter!

Silly little things could make all the difference in the rush to find your pet again.

Ask Others:
Asking all your neighbours is a great way to find a lost cat - but you will ultimately be calling up all your local vets, pet stores and rescue centres to ask around.

But - if your pet is chipped, then as soon as it is found by any of these or are taken to a vet at any time, they will call you.

However, if you want to call all these people up you are wasting a lot of time and effort for them as well as you!  They have to listen to all your details and write them all down in a folder - and sometimes these are volunteers doing this - so why not find a company that will contact them all for you in 1 go.

People like PetAmberAlert will fax or text your pets details to everyone on their books in your area in an instant - solving all your worries in one call!  Especially if you have lost your pet while travelling or on holiday - as you won’t know all the local vets and centres to call?

Or, just make sure you never lose you pet in the first place!

posted by admin on Mar 9

We all love puppies - but here are a few tips for your search!

Buying your first puppy can seem so easy; you choose a breed you like then see the cutest little puppy ever - and buy it!

But there are a few things to bear in mind before you take that little ball of fluff home with you.

Rule Number 1:
The most important thing to remember when buying a puppy is that all puppies are cute!

All of them will tug at your heart-strings and you will come up with some little thing about them that means ‘they are the one’.  However, you need to be sensible about these things as not all cute puppies will be perfect for you as they grow up.

When you start looking for puppies for sale, you will find 3 types of puppy:

1) Puppies from a breeder who has many different breeds of puppy
2) Puppies from a breeder who only breeds that 1 type of puppy
3) Puppies from a family pet who has only had this 1 litter

Buying your puppy from the 2) and 3) examples is fine and usually (with 2) the breeder has had years and years of experience handling, breeding, showing and training your chosen breed or (3) the family pet was used just once for breeding so that the family can keep one of the pups for themselves because they love their existing dog so much!

The breeder in example 1) has no doubt been breeding dogs for the money.  They no doubt can tell you a lovely story about this and that - but someone who breeds numerous breeds of dog will predictably breed the most popular puppies - because that’s where the money is.

I mean isn’t that the breed that you are looking to buy?

Great breeders will use the best stud dogs and the kindest bitches to make sure that they are improving the breed and ‘weeding out’ bad genetic traits like hip dysplasia or skin problems - other breeders will just breed which ever 2 dogs they have at the time - regardless of health or behavioural issues.

You can still get your dream puppy from a good breeder - but they might ask you a few questions about you first - well, wouldn’t you want to know the type of person you are selling your puppies to?

So if you are searching for dogs for sale in your local area - then at least do it properly.  There are hundreds of breeders out there to chose from and take your time looking for the healthiest, disease-free individuals.

You wouldn’t buy a car that might have been badly made, or rush into choosing that new kitchen without learning a bit about the manufacturers and fitters would you?

And your dog should be with you for 8-18 years - longer than that car or kitchen - so get it right first time! 

Remember: All puppies are cute - but are they all healthy…….

posted by admin on Feb 8

We all know that rabbits love dandilion leaves - but what about other plants?

There are many plants that your pet rabbit or guinea pig would just love you to bring home from a walk in the countryside - or for you to grow in the garden where their run is - but do you know which plants are actually toxic to your pet?

Yes, they grow in the wild and wild rabbits don’t get sick all the time - but they have had certain knowledge or experiences passed down to them through their parents. 

Your pet has no idea what is safe to eat - and they will give anything a try.

How you know this is true is the fact that a rabbit or guinea pig left to run free in your home would no doubt chew through your electricity cables - a very dangerous thing to do!  But they just don’t know the danger.

You have to do the thinking for them to make sure that they are safe - I mean even the common buttercup can upset their tiny tummies!

So before you let them loose on your lawn or givet hem a handful of plants as a treat - take a look at the following list of toxic plants:

Wild Plants:
Here are some wild growing plants that you may find in woodlands, footpaths and open coutryside.

Ivy: Very common throughout the year - but very toxic to nearly every living creature.
Holly: This winter fruiting evergreen will upset anyone’s tummy - unless you are a bird!
Ragwort: This plant is even an irritant if you hand pick it - so no eating…..
Yew: And most evergreen trees - highly toxic and can cause death in large doses!

Wild Flowers:
They might look pretty in the woods - but can cause you to itch or your pets to get sick.  Leave these plants where you find them!

Bluebells: Cover the woodland floor in Spring - but look and don’t touch!
Foxglove: Grow tall in the grasses - but can damage your pet’s heart muscles.
Poppies: Can cause many problems in a small pet - so leave in the fields please.
Daffodils: The flowers, leaves, or bulbs can kill a human in just hours……..

Garden Flowers:
You may be growing these in your own garden - so make sure you use a run for your pets or fence off the flower beds instead…..

Tulips:  A definate no-no for tiny tummies - and they look better in a vase anyway!
Rhodedendron:  Always a problem for pets - and will cause stomach problems too.
Lobelia: Highly toxic to small mammals and can cause your pet to salivate.
Dahlias: These pretty flowers could give you a trip to the vets if you aren’t careful!

Other Considerations:
It is also worth thinking about where you pick your plants from in the first place - as you have to think ahead.

For example, dandilion leaves picked from along the pavement would almost certainly be covered in layers of dog urine from all the dog walkers using the same route - and all the dogs scent-marking the same spot.

Leaves picked from the side of a busy road or car park could well have been exposed to all the exhaust fumes from passing traffic as well as the potential for having been sprayed with weedkiller by the council or car park owners.

Neither of which would do your bunny any good!

So, either stick to plants, treats and nibbles from a reputble pet store - or do a bit of forward thinking before you start feeding your pet unknown plants as treats.

It won’t be very much of a treat if it makes your pet poorly!