Animals Unfolded

"We'll need a urine sample from your pet, so you'll need to collect one and have it ready..." is a common refrain that's heard when talking to a veterinarian's office. Urine samples can yield a lot of helpful information from anything from a routine health check up, to sleuthing an unknown illness. They're easy to test and it's an inexpensive way to glean much-needed insight.  I found that getting one from the dog is relatively easy; I'll quietly follow said pooch outside and reach down with a clean container in hand to snag a sample mid-stream without their knowledge.  I'm imagining several quizzical-looking faces reading this and thinking, "How does one get a urine sample from a cat?" Though I'm lucky that at this point, my cat, Silver is non-plussed by my sneaking into his litter box area to catch some urine mid-stream as he's tending to business, it's safe to say that most cats are not as cooperative. I...

Cats   are inquisitive, as anyone who shares life with them will tell you. And while their shenanigans in exploring the great indoors and outdoors don’t typically yield serious harm in the majority of cases, you’d be surprised at what items can cause their well-being to be put into jeopardy. We all know felines can be seriously injured when they suffer a fall from an open window or can die from ingesting radiator coolant, but one of the most toxic items known to affect cats could already be in your home.  Lilies   are a common sight when entering most homes this time of year, as many hostesses and Moms out there can attest, and soon the botanical beauties will be shooting out of the soil and blooming in our backyards as well.  Sadly, there are countless cats each year poisoned by Easter lilies and their relatives (Day lily, Asiatic lily,Tiger lily, etc.) by chewing on or eating them.  They are pretty, but it's important to note that all parts of ...

The minute I open the door, the tell-tale smell is unmistakable. Then I look at the face, and usually there's a note on the counter confirming the unfortunate news: one of my canine charges had gotten tangled up with a skunk in previous days.  It happens in all sorts of scenarios, and some of the dogs in my life seem to be more prone than others to getting sprayed by a skunk. Though skunks are active year-round, this time of year seems to be the most prevalent time for the unfortunate interactions. That because we're in the midst of mating season for skunks, which will run through March.   Skunks, which belong to the Mustelidae family, are peaceable creatures by and large and will avoid confrontation. But when faced with a threatening situation, they will unleash their defense: an oily, smelly musk the can be sprayed to an accurate distance of 10 feet via their anal glands.  For that, they get a bad rap but it seems important to note that they serve an imp...

Nestle Purina has issued a voluntary recall of some formulas of their wet dog food according to a release dated March 9, 2016. Though many pet food recalls stem from contamination by a pathogen, it's not the case with this recall. Nestle indicates that the products contain insufficient levels of vitamins and excess minerals. The voluntary recall only involves a handful of brands, which includes Beneful Prepared Meals, Beneful Chopped Blends and 5 varieties of Pro Plan Savory Meals in 10 oz. tubs. They bear a best-by date range of June 2017 to August 2017 and production code range starting with 5363 to 6054 as the first four digits. A full list of products – which is lengthy – along with the UPC codes, lot codes and expiration dates can be found by clicking here . Though no illnesses have been reported, the company notes that if consumers have fed their pet food on the list and have concerns, that they consult their veterinarian.   Consumers who have bought the pro...

Before too long, we’ll be relishing longer days, and warmer temperatures  -- but first we’ll be adjusting our clocks. This coming weekend, we’ll be setting our timepieces forward for daylight savings time (DST). Though that task doesn’t seem challenging, we’ll be slogging through the first few days of having lost that hour of sleep. So tough, right?  For many households, it’s not just the biped members of the family that will need to adjust: our pets will right there along with us, and that can throw a wrench into things. Despite the fact that pets are not on a circadian rhythm as we are (though cats are crepescular), they are very much in tune to our schedules and habits, no matter what those are. Though mine is very much a household without canines for now, I had to laugh every year during those first few days after daylight savings time when Gretchen -- who was always the kind of dog that was all too happy to sleep in -- would raise her head and give the loo...

It's been a mild winter across much of the Midwest in comparison to those in recent past. That despite the snowy weather we've experienced here in Michigan so late in the season. So clement in fact that it has resulted in far fewer days where I've needed to be extra-creative with indoor play for my charges because of the bitterly-cold temperatures.  It's no doubt that the winter weather can wreak havoc on our outdoor fun, and that of our canine friends. Their paws are a special consideration because they have direct contact with the ground. I'm seeing the use of dog booties more often. And, since I work professionally with animals, I'm asked about my opinion on them. It seems that though a lot of dog owner's gut instinct is telling them that using booties doesn't seem necessary, they feel like they might not be doing the right thing by forgoing them. They admit part of it is due to peer pressure, which is unfortunate.  I have to say that for the m...