ToastedRav.com: Pet Guide

Oh No- Looks Like Felines are Succeptible to Swine Flu Too!

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:05:30 -0700

For the first time, a cat has been diagnosed with having become infected with the H1N1, or swine flu, virus. The cat was 13 year old and lived indoors with a family in Iowa, reports the AVMA. When the cat began showing signs of a respiratory infection, the cat was tested and found positive for swine flu.

“Two of the three members of the family that owns the pet had suffered from influenza-like illness before the cat became ill,” said Dr. Ann Garvey, the Iowa Department of Public Health Veterinarian. “This is not completely unexpected, as other strains of influenza have been found in cats in the past.”

The family members most likely were infected with H1N1 and passed it along to their pet cat, Dr. Garvey tells Pet News Examiner. "It's important to remember that the cat did not pass the H1N1 virus to the humans in the household. It was the family members who made their cat ill."

Luckily, both the cat and humans living in the household have recovered.

Dr. Garvey advises individuals feeling flu-like symptoms to take the same common sense precautions when they are around their pets, as well as other people. "Wash your hands, cover coughs and sneezes, and minimize contact with your pets while you're sick with influenza-like symptoms."

Keep those hands clean and those coughs covered, humans! Or your pets just might become very sick too.

Fire Department Saved Pregnant Dog

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:26:36 -0700

On October 30th The Fire Engine Company #9 saved a stray pregnant dog. The dog was stuck on the second floor of an abandon building for almost a week. She almost jumped out of the building. They got her safely down.

Click here for the story and the link to the video

Bulldog Gives Birth to 21 Puppies

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:02:13 -0700

Daisy Mae is an American Bulldog. She gave birth to 21 puppies. The average litter size is 11. The owners kept waiting and puppies just kept coming. Unfortunately four of the puppies died in labor. The remaining puppies and mother are doing fine. the labor lasted over twenty hours.

Exotic Pet Going For a Ride or Car Jacking?

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:23:23 -0700

My vote is planted firmly on the "car jacking" side of the fence. Who in their right mind would do this? I like the part of the video where the camera guy quickly rolls up his window after the leopard stares him down- LOL!

Happy Wednesday!

First Dog in Space Nov. 3, 1957

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 08:38:51 -0700

Yesterday in history the first dog got launched into space 52 years ago. Sputnick 2 was a one-way history making trip for Laika the dog. He was found in the streets of Moscow and was the first living creature to orbit the Earth.

Police Save Dog from Flood

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 08:15:09 -0700

A dog got surrounded by flooding water on Sunday in the Mississippi River. The St. Louis County Police saved the dog. The dog was a border collie named Murphy. Murphy broke loose from his chain and was chasing deer into the woods. That is when he got stuck on a dry patch surrounded by rushing water from the flood. Two officers got into the water up to their necks to save the dog. They grabbed the dog and safely brought it back to his owner. Those heroic officers were Kevin Martin and Jared Ruhland. The dog and officers are fine.

Cat-Proof Your Home

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:29:58 -0700

From pawnation.com, by Rose Martelli:

They say curiosity killed the cat. But a cat's curiosity can also kill your curtains, curios, carpets and more!

The best way to cat-proof your home is to think like a cat. What would a cat want to climb, topple, claw at or play with? Probably all of the following:

- Knickknacks. Anything that is lightweight enough for a cat to push over is a no-no. And don't think you can protect your bric-a-brac by just moving it to a higher shelf. Cats love high shelves! If you can't lock something away in a cabinet, better to move it to a lower shelf where it'll look less tempting and have a shorter fall should the cat get to it.

- Drapes and curtains. Cats love to climb these, and their favorite target is window treatments that hang low to the floor. See if you can tie up the ends so they're out of the cat's reach. Alternately, try spritzing them regularly with a cat-repelling scent like citrus or pine.

- Upholstered furniture. The arms of fabric-covered chairs and couches are particular feline favorites because they're hard enough to offer resistance to the cat's scratching. Consider making or investing in inexpensive cloth or plastic coverings at least for the arms. Also, a scratching post or cat tree can be a godsend in these situations by providing the cat a better outlet for its clawing cravings.

- Wooden furniture. Yes, cats like to dig their claws into wood, too. Treat these surfaces with Pine-Sol, a natural cat repellent.

- Houseplants. This little bit of nature brought indoors can be irresistible to cats. Not only is that bad news for your plants, but some greenery is poisonous to cats. Hang plants from the ceiling with as much distance as possible from climbable things like window frames or high furniture such as bookcases.

- Phone and electrical cords. Cats treat them like mice. There are lots of cord-management products available that will conceal or consolidate cords. At the very least, wrap cords in electrical tape so the cat doesn't scratch or chew all the way through them.

What to Remember when Traveling with Pets

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:15:05 -0700

Traveling with pets is fun but it is important to be prepared. Here is a list of some helpful information.

1. When traveling in a car bring water for your pet to drink. Also bring enough of the food that your pet eats because you might not be able to find it in every store.

2. Put a leash on your pet at all times when exiting the car.

3. Use a pet carrier for all pets less than 20 pounds to keep them safe in the car. If they weigh over 20 pounds use a safety harness to clip to the seatbelt.

4. Always have a collar with id on it. Bring a picture with you so if you get separated from the pet you can show the photo.

5. Never leave your pet in the car all closed up. High temperatures can result in death.

6. Supervise your pet when strangers are around so your animal doesn't get confused or too excited.

7. Never let your pet approach a wild animal.

8. Make sure your pet has flea and tick medication already applied.

9. Be respectful of your pet. Make sure they are comfortable in their environment. Stop frequently for bathroom breaks and stretching.

10. Make sure when you stop for a bathroom break to clean up after your pet.

Some People Are Truly Insane.

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:52:22 -0600

If you're plain and simple out of your mind, that's cool... I've been known to do rather bizarre things from time to time myself (blazing from one end of the house to the other, all while screaming at the top of my feline lungs, anyone?).

Heck- even if you're just really REALLY into a celebrity, to the point where you like to know what they're doing at all times, that's considered normal to lots of folks! In fact, the tabloids genuinely thank you for your business, I'm sure.

However, if you bring another living thing into your crazy world 'o' lunacy... THAT, my friend, is NOT cool.

I present to you the case of an anonymous Miley Cyrus "fan" who has vowed to kill, cook, and EAT his/her own cat if Miley doesn't return to Twitter by 11/16.

Read the whole story here.

What could possibly be going on in this person's head?? I'm horrified and sad about this. What do you think?

Fat Dog Taken Away from Owner

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:23:22 -0600

Fat Bob is a Labrador that is overweight. He was taken away from his owner because he weighed 141 pounds. His owner fed him four cans of dog food and fish dinners every day. The new owners said when they first got him he couldn't walk from the car to the front door. Now he has lost 50 pounds through diet and exercise. His previous owner was convicted of causing unnecessary suffering. It is very important to keep your animal at a healthy weight.

Trained to Smell Peanuts

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:46:22 -0600

Nicco is a dog that is trained to smell peanuts. He is an 18-month old Portuguese Water Dog that was went through months of training to become a peanut detecting machine. He has turned Ethan's life around. Ethan has an extreme allergy towards peanuts. Nicco goes into a new place and automatically begins to smell around. This allows Ethan to be able to go to new places.

Bears Like Beer

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:21:56 -0600

From pawnation.com:

You might know that cats like to nap on top of refrigerators, but you probably wouldn't expect a 125-pound bear to try anything similar. Well, shoppers in a Wisconsin supermarket learned a little something about our ursine friends when a black bear made its way into their grocery store and headed straight for the beer cooler. Hey, where else would any self-respecting Midwestern bear go?

According to MSNBC, the bear did its shopping on a Friday night at Marketplace Foods in Hayward, Wis., 140 miles northeast of Minneapolis. It strolled in through the automatic doors and climbed onto the 12-foot-tall shelf in the beer cooler where it hung out for about an hour. Then it went bowling with some of its buddies. Just kidding! Officials from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources tranquilized and removed the bear. The bear has not yet announced whether it plans to sue for shopper discrimination.

WebMD now has Pet Health

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 08:50:02 -0600

Now you can look on WebMD for medical advice on pets. Go to the website and find the extension titled "Pet Health." This is fairly new but has a pretty wide range of topics. Veterinarians give their advice and answer questions. This is a wonderful idea.

Click here for the website

7 Ways to Save on Pet Care

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 09:04:05 -0600

Here are some ways to help you save money on pet care.

1. Reduce the cost of checkups- You can do this by looking in the phone book for colleges around you that are always looking for patients to learn from.

2. Do your own grooming- You can learn from the groomers and try to do it yourself. If your animal needs to be groomed just space out the visits.

3. Don't accessorize as much- Your pet does not need a lot of extras. For their supplies look at the dollar store.

4. Buy in bulk- Most of the time the food is cheaper when it is in a bigger bag. Try splitting it with a friend or neighbor if their animal eats the same food.

5. Research the cheapest prescription prices- look on the internet and compare prices with your vet.

6. Look into pet insurance- If your animal needs a major surgery the bill can be very high. If you have pet insurance you can pay a little at a time and hopefully be covered for surgeries.

7. Keep your pet healthy- Have them eat healthy, maintain a certain weight, and go to regular checkups.

This information was found here

Who Says Kitties Aren't Smart??

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:07:35 -0600

You know, there are a lot of folks out there who would have you believe that cats are dumb. So much so that we're inferior to dogs for heaven's sakes!

Enough with the silly back and forth. Following is a video that is clearly going to put the "cats are stupid" argument to rest:

What say you NOW anti-feline people??