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by Gayle Bentham
There are many benefits to getting your cat microchipped and the procedure can be done relatively cheaply and painlessly at your local veterinary surgery. A microchip is very small, slightly larger than a grain of rice. Using a syringe, a vet can quickly insert a microchip under the skin of a cat around its shoulder blades. Microchipping a cat costs around $30-$50 in the USA and £20-£30 in the UK.
Microchipping a cat is one of the best ways to identify your pet. While collars and tags work well also, while these can sometimes get lost, a microchip can't. Some cats dislike wearing collars – they can cause discomfort and become snagged easily. Even if your cat doesn't mind wearing a collar there is still the chance that it can become lost.
Once your cat is microchipped, his unique ID number will be stored on a registry. Each microchip number is unique so there is no chance of your cat being misidentified. If you live in the USA, you will need to register your microchip. There are many differing microchip registries in the States, so the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) has devised the Universal Pet Microchip Lookup Tool to pool them all in one place.
In the UK, you will be asked to fill out a form at the vets after your cat has been microchipped. This will be sent off to be registered on a microchipping database. If you move, don't forget to update the address associated with your cat's microchip.
Many lost cats are reunited with their owners thanks to their microchips. In fact cats are 20 times more likely to be reunited if they have a microchip. Vets and animal shelters have devices that read microchips, allowing them to instantly identify the cat's owners.
Another advantage of having your cat microchipped is that your cat will be able to use a microchip cat door. Microchip cat doors work by reading your cat's existing microchip and unlocking only for your pet.
by Gayle Bentham
Many cat owners have the problem of neighboring cats entering their homes through their cat flaps. Foxes and raccoons can also gain access to your house in the same way. By installing a microchip cat flap, you can banish unwanted visitors from your home for good!
Cat owners that install a microchip cat flap often notice that they are saving money on cat food because neighboring cats are no longer eating their pet's food. With a microchip cat flap installed, cats also become more relaxed because they are no longer being terrorized by unwanted visitors.
As you can see, microchipping your cat has many benefits. It is a cost effective, efficient way of identifying your cat, and it can be used to take advantage of current cat flap technology. For more information about microchipping your cat, contact your vet for details.
Gayle Bentham is an animal lover and writer who works at SureFlap, a UK based company that sells microchip cat flaps in Europe, USA and Canada. Gayle also writes content for SureFlap's blog, What's New Pussycat? For more information about the SureFlap Microchip Cat Flap, visit the SureFlap website or contact
support@sureflap.com
by Ben West
You know what it's like, you have a lovely, peaceful and beautiful garden and then you buy a dog who decides he wants to run through, dig up and pee on every square foot of it! So the question becomes, how do you create a garden that looks great, stays nice but is completely dog-friendly?
Well, there are many ways in which you can landscape your garden to suite both you and your dogs needs. By creating and designating specific areas for all his activities you can keep the rest of the garden undisturbed and looking nice. Follow these tips to create the perfect dog-friendly garden:
Build a path – Most dogs like to patrol, looking for intruders and keeping you and your home safe. If you don't already have a path in your garden you will probably have noticed that you dog runs round a set route, creating a warn track in the grass. You probably won't be able to change his route but if you build a stone path where it already is then he should stick to it, and a stone path looks much nicer than warn out grass.
Keep it clean – What you don't want is your dog peeing and pooping all over your lovely garden! So why not build a specific toilet area in your garden where you can train them to go. A small area of flagstone or gravel in particular is easy to clean, looks great and is suitable for all your dog's natural bodily functions.
Create a shady place – As much as dogs love basking in the sun, when they are tired from running about, they like a nice shady and relaxing spot as much as we do. So why not build a nice arbor or gazebo where both you and your dog can relax in the shade on a warm summer's day.
Keep it interesting – When dogs get bored and have too much energy they tend to dig and that is the last thing you want happening in your garden. So to keep them entertained, without wrecking your garden, make sure you have enough dog toys about, open space to run about in and lots of interesting paths and areas they can explore.
Get big plants – No matter what you do to try and stop it, your dog is likely to pull up some of your plants. However, he is less likely to be able to pull up bigger plants so why not invest in larger ones or put cages around the smaller ones until they grow big enough to stand strong against the dog.
So there you have it, some top tips for creating a dog-friendly garden that will keep him entertained and keep you happy all year round.
Ben West is a professional garden designer who has many years experience of creating personal landscape gardens that both pets and people love. He also writes a blog on his site which is full of useful gardening tips and advice.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – March 8, 2011 – Jones Natural Chews Co of Rockford, IL is recalling 2705 boxes of Pig Ears because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. Salmonella can affect animals and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products. People handling dry pet food and/or treats can become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the chews or any surfaces exposed to these 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. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.
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. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.
Jones Natural Chews Pig Ears were distributed in CT, IA, IL, MA, ME, MI, MN, MO, MT, NC, ND, NJ, NM, NY, PA,VA, WA, and WI. They were shipped to distributors and retailers between September 15, 2010 and November 2, 2010 where they were available for purchase.
Jones Natural Chews Co Pig Ears 2pk bag with header card–item upc 741956001047 lot 2420
Jones Natural Chews Co Pig Ears bulk 100ct box-box upc 741956001139 lot 2490, 2560, 2630, 2700, 2840, 2910, 2980
Jones Natural Chews Co Pig Ears bulk 50 ct box-box upc 741956001504 lot 2490, 2840
Jones Natural Chews Co Pig Ears bulk 25ct box-box upc 741956001467 lot 2700
Jones Natural Chews Co Pig Ears 1pk shrinkwrapped-item upc 741956001146 lot 2700, 2840, 2420
Jones Natural Chews Co Pig Ears 10pk printed bag-item upc 741956001405 lot 2420, 2560, 2630, 2840
Blain's Farm & Fleet Pig Ears 10 pieces bag-item upc 741956001405 lot 2560
Country Butcher Dog Chews Pig Ears 1pk shrinkwrapped-item upc 741956001511 lot 2630
Country Butcher Dog Chews Pig Ears 1pk shrinkwrapped-item upc 741956001146 lot 2420
Country Butcher Dog Chews Pig Ears 12pk bag-item upc 741956001245 lot 2910
No illnesses have been reported to date.
The recall was the result of a routine sampling program by Washington State Department of Agriculture which revealed that the finished products contained the bacteria. The company has no product left in inventory from this batch of pig ears.
Consumers who have purchased any of these pig ears are urged to return it to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-877-481-2663.
###
Photo courtesy of Lily Arbee
by Sybil Sage
There's no song that captures what you're experiencing when you lose your pet, no Sinatra to croon, "One less coat to untangle, one less water bowl to fill." You're not sure if others have felt the same grief and you don't know how you'll come to grips with the pain.
Minutes after our dog died, with her lifeless body lying on an examining table, the vet asked, "What would you like to do with the remains?" Neither my husband, our son nor I knew how to answer. We shook our heads and waved off the options of keeping or scattering her ashes, returning home with an intense emptiness.
For eleven years, I'd shared a queen-sized bed with my husband and a Tibetan Terrier named Z.C. Now there would be two of us, no bundle of warmth resting at my feet. For eleven years, I made sure to get home before she needed to be fed or walked. Now there was no excited greeting at the door. For eleven years, I had to make sure not to leave food on the coffee table as she would eat anything within her reach. I gave more time and attention to her coat than I did to my own hair. It was only after she was gone that I realized how much of my attention went to her and how large a role she played in everything we did.
The only comfort came from looking at pictures of Z.C. I took a particularly cute one and made it my computer's screen saver. What I learned from losing my pet inspired me to add a new item to my online mosaic boutique, an urn designed to be warm and fuzzy. I include the pet's name and photos in a mosaic design. The process and the object are intended to be personal and uplifting. For those not needing an urn, I create a vase with photos of the pet. The pet URN ity is for anyone wanting to embrace loving memories and keep the pet's presence in the home.
After a career writing comedy for television, Sybil Sage brought her creativity to pique assiette, the French mosaic style that uses plates, designing functional art that includes vases, picture frames, planters, candlestick holders and her newest item, custom made cremation urns (for people as well as pets). The work is original, unusual and often personalized. She developed a process that allows her to include small photos in the vases and urns.
A piece from her Breaking News series — political satire on cremation urns — was selected by the Brooklyn Waterfront Arts Coalition to be in their Wide Open 2 exhibition. The pet URN ity, "Remembering Cinnamon," was chosen by the American Juried Art Salon for their 2011 show.
A group of graduate students at DePaul University in Chicago are working on a project to spread the word of the efforts The Chicago English Bulldog Rescue is using to bring awareness to pet adoption. They are implementing various media to accomplish this goal and we were delighted when contacted to participate in the project. After reading the press release and looking at the before and after pictures, help us spread the word about Cranberry's rescue and a new chance at life!
Please read the following press release and see if it touches your heart like it did ours.
CHICAGO, Feb. 26, 2011—The Chicago English Bulldog Rescue (CEBR), the only 501c3 English Bulldog rescue in Illinois, may have taken on its biggest project yet—helping one of its foster pups, Cranberry, get the opportunity to walk for the first time.
On Dec. 5, 2010, a 15-week-old bully pup now known as Cranberry embarked on a journey most dogs will never experience. Cranberry suffered from a congenital defect, which has caused severe deformity to her front legs, requiring special orthopedic care. As a result, over the past few months, many have banded together—pilots, surgeons, specialists and other volunteers—to ensure that this puppy with special needs receives the surgery and aftercare she requires.
"Bulldogs just grab your heart and pull you in, especially Cranberry," said Molly Marino, executive director and founder of CEBR. "Despite the hurdles, she has had to overcome at an early age, she has a thriving spirit. Her zest for life in her pint-sized body has spurred thousands of people to support her on Facebook and has mobilized not only our rescue network, but volunteers from other organizations that want to see her walk someday. She truly has a cult-like fan following."
From private pilots flying Cranberry into Chicago to start her journey with CEBR to the veterinary surgeons at Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine who reconstructed her legs, and even the volunteers who donated $5,000 to CEBR toward Cranberry's medical fund, people across the country are determined to make sure that Cranberry's quality of life is improved completely.
Currently, Cranberry is getting therapy five days a week. She received four sessions a day at home, which includes electro-stimulation therapy that requires her to be hooked up to electrodes that send a healing current through the damaged parts of her body. She then gets range of motion and stretching therapy.
About Chicago English Bulldog Rescue
The Chicago English Bulldog Rescue (CEBR), Illinois' premiere English Bully rescue, has been helping pure-bred bullies and their families for four years. The only 501c3 English Bully rescue in the state, CEBR's members belong to the Bulldog Club of America Rescue Network, adhering to the highest standards of care. CEBR is a licensed shelter with the Illinois Department of Agriculture.
Photos: (Left) Cranberry suffers from a congenital defect, which prevents her from walking on her front legs. (Right) Cranberry wears her "bumpers" to keep her legs protected.
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