Pet of the Week
These are two kitties that were saved, brought to a cat shelter, and adopted out to fine homes!
It's easy to get your pet into the Pet of the Week feature - here is what you need to do!
Dogs and Cats Blog Too!
You can still have a blog if you have four feet! After all, dogs and cats have things to say too and they are just as interesting as all the nonsense us humans blog about – maybe more interesting! My boys, the Pembroke Welsh Corgis pictured above don’t have a blog but they are still puppies and have the attention span of a gnat (on a good day). Until they have their own blogs, they can pitch in here as a guest at their leisure.
One of the most popular blogs by pets, is authored by Max. Max is a golden retriever living in North Carolina. He has a good readership too, judging from the amount of comments posted on the blog.
So why do pets have blogs? Psychologist Larina Kase of Philadelphia says it is, “21st-century dog walking.” It creates social bonds between pet owners; who better to socially network with than a person who is devoted to their pet as you are? Interestingly, dogs blog a lot more than cats. 34,000 dogs visit “Dogbook,” (like our “Facebook”) daily but cats are clocking in at approximately 20,000 fewer logins each day.
Larina Kase also believes that pet blogging gives pet owners a way to connect with what their dogs or cats might be feeling and experiencing. “Pets are part of the family, yet we can’t communicate with them about many things, so pet owners may blog about their pets as a way to better understand how their pets think and feel,” she says.
My personal favorites for pet networking sites are Catster and Dogster. They are just plain fun sites and very informative as well. The interaction between the pet owners is great. I enjoy looking at the various photos and stories about the dogs and cats. You can meet three of my kitties there; one does have a diary but hasn’t made an entry for awhile. (Hey, her life is busy!!)
Personally were my pets to set up blogs, I believe it would be my cats. As I said the corgis aren’t focused enough yet. That will come in time. But my cats? They have much wisdom to share I am sure. Perhaps they could get together for a joint blog and appoint the polydactyl to the keyboard; with his opposable thumb, I would think he would be a natural!
Dog Blogs
Finding a Vet
If you have just relocated to a new town or have acquired a new pet, you need to find a vet. In a perfect world. you would have found one and have already met him or her before you need their services. But the world is rarely perfect and usually an emergency is what makes a person find a vet.
How do you find a vet you can work with, respect, trust, and afford? The best way is word of mouth advertising; nothing beats the recommendation of a friend. But a little more information can be nice.
Vet Locator is the site for you. You can locate a vet easily and in advance of needing one. You can also use this site to find one quickly when you don’t have the time to research and talk to different vets. If you have a pet emergency, you need that animal clinic now.
For people needing particular services, Vet Locator can also help you find vets specializing in holistic animal care and who will come see your pet at your home. That is great for parrot owners or people who are unable to leave the house easily.
I ran a test of the site, entering my town’s zip code and found my very own vet’s office! It really is a wonderful site and resource. Check it out and by the way, if your animal clinic isn’t listed, let them know about this site. You can only help other pet owners!
Pet Health – We All Have Questions
Sometimes taking a pet to the vet is a tough call. You might not be sure the visit is necessary and in today’s economy it is important to spend our money wisely. But if Fido or Fluffy need medical attention, then of course, bundling them up and going to the vet is important and what you should do.
Other times, you may have gone to the vet but it isn’t improving like you had expected. A second opinion might be a good idea. Perhaps just getting additional information to discuss with your current vet is what is in order.
A Web site is now available for these kinds of questions. “Ask a Pro,” is a site that will help you give your pet the best possible care and help you with your budget as well.
When you visit the site you will notice a lot of questions and answers. These are answers from veterinarians to give you food for thought with definitive facts and possible solutions. I found myself exploring the list of topics (indexed on the right) and touring the entire site.
Take a look if you have a concern or question about pet health. And be sure to bookmark this valuable resource!
Psittacosis Outbreak at Pet Smart
A recent outbreak of Psittacosis, an avian disease, has caused over 700 Petsmart stores to stop selling pet birds. The disease was found in some cockatiels, but as it is contagious to other parrots, the large chain decided it would be wise to err on the side of caution and suspend sales of birds until the illness could be contained.
Psittacosis is a bacterial infection that affects parrots and is also known as ornithosis when carried by birds outside of the parrot, 
or Psittacine family. It is contagious between birds and other birds as well as from bird to people. Although the incidence of serious disease is rare, and in fact the transmission to humans is very rare, it is a disease bird retailers and bird breeders do not like to see sweep through their aviaries.
Petsmart has taken a responsible position by halting bird sales until the outbreak is over. The birds will recover and soon business will return to normal. In the meantime, the spread of the infection to other birds and possibly people, has been stopped before it started.
If you own a bird, especially a parrot, and your bird displays respiratory illness symptoms, it would be wise to have your bird seen by a qualified avian bird specialist. Treatment can prevent serious illness.
And as always, bird owners should be careful about washing their hands thoroughly before and after handling their birds. Never handle a bird in a sales or show environment without knowing the bird’s health status, and be sure to wash your hands carefully before handling another bird.
Psittacosis is an easy disease to treat, but an even easier disease to prevent. Keeping your hands clean, the bird’s food and water containers clean, and not handling strange birds are the best tools a bird owner can use to prevent psittacosis. And as tempting as it is, because all bird owners, particularly parrot owners, are infamous for exchanging “birdie kisses,” any bird displaying symptoms should be on a “kissing sabbatical.”
Petsmart Speaks Out on Psittacosis Outbreak
PetSmart halts bird sales after outbreak
Five Myths About Constrictors
They seem, at first glance, to be unusual pets. In fact, calling them “pets” seems a stretch to many people. But, if you enjoy reptiles, you will find that a boa constrictor or a python, can be wonderful pets that involve little care. There are some definite issues involved in the keeping of these animals, however, and a little knowledge goes along way to keeping these animals safe. Human safety must be considered as well.
I became interested in “alternative pets” when I developed asthma. Having had a virtual zoo about me since childhood, this was just not a happy thing for me. Then I discovered reptiles.
Reptiles are wonderful for anyone with allergies. They are totally hypoallergenic. They are clean and they are quiet. The bedding they require is also not a trigger for allergies. And what I found, after I had amassed quite a collection, is that reptiles are very rewarding pets to own. I found the snakes that I owned were my favorites in my collection and I eventually concentrated on them. My choice for a snake was always a Royal Python, otherwise known as a Ball Python, and mentioned in this blog by his name, Decaf.
Many people have preconceived notions about snakes, and in particular about constrictors. Both boas and pythons are in the constrictor family, although they come from different regions of the world. Throughout this series of articles, I will be describing various sub-species of both the python and the boa, but for right now, let’s lump them together in one category.
Let’s start with dispelling some myths about these creatures. This does NOT apply to all snakes, since some species of snakes are venomous, and are not suitable for pets. So keep in mind that we’re just discussing the constrictor family.
Myth #1. Snakes are slimy. This is probably the most common myth about snakes, and has been handed down from generation to generation. The boa constrictor has a skin texture that feels very much like silk. It is very soft and very dry. The python’s skin feels exactly like leather and is also very dry.
Myth #2. Boa constrictors and pythons are poisonous. This is ABSOLUTELY not true. They do carry a fluid in their fangs, but this fluid is not toxic, unless you have a particular allergy to it. I personally have never heard of anyone who had this allergy, but I presume there could be someone, somewhere who is.
Myth #3. They bite a lot. Pythons are extremely reluctant to bite. They will avoid biting unless they are cornered. A boa has a bit more of a tendency to bite if taken by surprise, but if it is aware of your presence, it is not likely to do so. As a side note, as rare as the bites are, they are not painful and they are not dangerous. Like any animal, caution must be taken to avoid startling a constrictor.
Myth #4. Pythons and boas are stupid and can’t recognize people. Both of these snakes do know their handlers, and they are very comfortable with their normal handler. A python, in particular, will respond to an individual.
Myth #5. Other household pets are in danger from a snake. This is really half-true. If you don’t provide proper housing, with a lock-down lid, this can be an issue. These animals are escape artists and would thoroughly enjoy having “Tweety Bird” for lunch, but then so would your cat. The typical behavior of a constrictor if it does escape is to hide. They are usually scared to death, and only want a safe shelter from the activity of a normal household. They can be found in odd places if they escape. I once had a cage that was not properly locked down, and I ended up moving three dressers to retrieve him. His escape was caused by not locking the lid down. With proper housing, escape is not an issue. As a side note, lock down cages do not cost any more than ones that don’t lock.
Now that you know that the snake is not something to fear, but is something to respect, I would like to introduce you to this wonderful world of pet keeping. In the future, I will be discussing health issues, housing issues, safety issues, and of course, many different species of constrictors. I’ll be talking about purchase prices of different species, availability, and just exactly how big that little 10 inch baby you are bringing home is going to get. I hope you’ll enjoy and benefit from these articles, and come away with a new respect and understanding of these misunderstood pets.
