Animals Unfolded

A jaunt with your pooch out in the woods can be a great way to get exercise and spend time together. Most dogs like to dart off into the brush, sniffing as they meander around. Typical dog behavior, right? Of course! flickr photo courtesy of The Equinest It's important when fun time is over, to examine your pooch thoroughly. Looking for ticks is crucial, of course, but there is another caveat to outdoor fun, especially for long haired dogs, like golden retrievers . Foxtails are notorious for hitching a ride and embedding themselves easily into tangles of fur, but they can pose a bigger risk: digging into openings in the skin. If this happens, big problems can ensue and surgical removal may become necessary. Three common places that foxtails enter the body are the ears , nose and paws, so if your pooch spends a lot of time outdoors in fields or brushy areas, examining these areas is very important. Paws: Keep the fur trimmed on the underside of the paws and che...

A couple of nights ago, I was doing my nightly reading and research and ran across a blog post that one of my fellow tweeps, @MelzPetPals had written. The post included a gut wrenching letter from a Shelter Manager that details the not-so-pretty side of reality in a dog shelter. Read it here - but I caution you to grab a box of tissues; you're going to need them. For quite some time, I've had this sort of thing on my mind, and have been trying to organize my thoughts to pull together a concise blog. I cannot figure out why people are not "getting it". Why is it that there continues to be a steady stream of unwanted pets relinquished to shelters, unplanned litters of puppies and kittens who were result of an 'accident' and cases of abuse toward animals? Why do people insist on having exotic pets - ones that they have no idea how to, nor ability to care for properly? The plight of  "designer dogs" is distressing, too - and unethical breeders n...

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(Photo courtesy of Kim Garrison) Sequel, seen here padding through a creek in NJ The weather here in southeast Michigan has been uncomfortable as of late - hot, muggy - oppressive! It's not just so for us, but our pets! We all want ways to keep cool, and safe from the effects of the high temperatures. This morning, one of my pawsome followers and fellow dog owner, @kimhalligan1 on Twitter reminded me of a great way to keep dogs cool on days like these, while getting them their much needed exercise. Read it here. Ordinarily, I'm not a fan of retractable leashes because they do not allow me the control and safety factor that is often needed when I'm walking dogs, but in this case - swimming alongside a clear riverbank, or even running or biking in a safe, open area - retractables work great and allow your pooch a bit more freedom and distance while keeping them tethered safely. Sometimes, that's a really good thing. So, why not get out there with your pup to...

Fred the umbrella cockatoo available for adoption at Huron Society of Huron Valley - AnnArbor.com

Firefly toxicity a problem in lizards - AnnArbor.com

Great Lakes Rabbit Sanctuary is hopping over to the Ann Arbor Art Fair - AnnArbor.com

Ann Arbor Art Fairs and animals - AnnArbor.com

flickr photo courtesy of TerryJohnston It's no secret that the number of homeless and unwanted pets is difficult to manage for humane societies, shelters and rescues alike. Typically there are opportunities for people to foster animals at their homes, and the rewards can be momumental for both pet and human. In Rikke Jorgensen's article " The Joy of Dog Fostering " in the current The Bark magazine illustrates the scenario of fostering well, giving a glimpse into the lives of foster families. For the animals, just the tip of the iceberg is getting the one-on-one attention that they receive in a household setting, a reduction in the exposure to stress. For the humans, the rewards are limitless. Many animals being considered for fostering have physical challenges or illnesses - which, when they are housed in a traditional shelter-type setting can make it difficult to heal or thrive. Others are advanced in age; shelters can be hard on them, too. Being fostered provide...

Local vet takes over Animal Rehabilitation Facility in Dexter; offers options for canine rehabilitation, pain management, conditioning - AnnArbor.com

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Merging two households into one successfully: the blended pet family - AnnArbor.com

Service dogs are an integral part of some peoples lives who are coping with chronic illness. Shaylee Jones is no exception, Shaylee, who is 5 and has Aicardi Syndrome is plagued by the possibility of seizures - as well as the risk of stopping breathing while she sleeps at night. A service dog can help by alerting her family when an emergency arises, saving her life. A garage sale was held in Berkeley, MI to help defray the cost of a service dog. A local business donated $10,000 to the cause and 95.5's Mojo in the Morning were on site to help out. Roop Raj of Fox 2 spent some time there, and with the help of his tweet , brought more attention to the cause. Watch the video story here . The ability of canines - especially those that have been through training - to perceive a possible health crisis and to bring comfort to the individual that they have been carefully matched with is uncanny. A lot of work goes into the selection, training of the dogs, and then matching up human to ...

Dog food recalls: Merrick treats and United Pet Group nutritional supplements - AnnArbor.com

Flickr photo courtesy of Justin Baeder This heat wave that we are experiencing has reminded me of a condition that affects canines , and I think that it bears emphasizing as it hits one of the most popular breeds - and can be exacerbated by temperatures and humidity that are higher than the dog is used to . Exercise Induced Collapse , or EIC, is an inherited disorder that is characterized by onset of weakness in the hind limbs, (sometimes progressing to the front limbs,) an unusual gait, inability to coordinate limbs - to in some cases, inability to move at all. Symptoms are typically brought on by strenuous exercise, sometimes only after a few minutes. EIC is usually found to affect Labrador Retrievers (all colors and both sexes), Chesapeake Retrievers and curly coated retrievers. Although a pooch may seem in tip top condition and athletic, do not let this fool you - EIC can affect seemingly healthy dogs. Researchers at the University of Minnesota discovered the gene . Add...

The heat wave is going to continue through Wednesday. Keep your pets safe with these tips. Common sense, precautions can protect animals from heat-related illness - AnnArbor.com

AnnArbor.com to be dropoff location for Bountiful Bowls program - AnnArbor.com

Excessive barking problem? Local animal behaviorist offers safe, humane solutions - AnnArbor.com