The holiday season is often the most joyous time of the year. However, joy can turn to tragedy if simple precautions are not taken to ensure the safety of your pets.

“Pets are curious by nature,” said Dr. Steve Hansen, a board-certified veterinary toxicologist and senior vice president of The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). Hansen, whose department also includes the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center, asks pet parents to be mindful of their pets this holiday season.

“Thinking about your home from your pet’s point of view will help ensure everyone has happy and safe holidays,” Hansen said. “Pets have the ability to get into everything, especially during the holidays when there is more to see and do.”

Simple holiday traditions, such as trimming the tree and decorating the house, can pose potential problems to pets if not monitored carefully. Dr. Leon Robbins, doctor of veterinary medicine at Grandview Animal Hospital near Winston-Salem, NC, warned that much like toddlers, pets are attracted to bright lights, shining ornaments and dangling tinsel.

“Many holiday decorations are hazardous to pets,” said Robbins. “Try to use big, pet-friendly ornaments and keep the ornaments, as well as the lights, out of a pet’s reach.”

The most common pet-related emergency that occurs over the holidays is the consumption of human pharmaceuticals. Dr. Hansen said that many people keep their medications in daily pill minders, their luggage or even leave it lying out when staying with family or friends.

“All prescription and non-prescription drugs should be safely stored,” Hansen said. “Even in small doses, human medications can be potentially lethal to pets.”

Food is the culprit for the second most common holiday pet emergency. According to Dr. Robbins, pets should be kept on a normal diet, as it will alleviate digestive problems. “If there is food left over, don’t give it to your pet as a holiday treat,” said Robbins. “Instead give baby carrots, green beans or broccoli as treats.”

To ensure a happy and safe holiday season for you and your pets, Cat Daddy recommends that pet owners be cautious of the following:

Dark and baker’s chocolate: While milk chocolate is not poisonous, it will cause your pet to have an upset stomach. On the other hand, dark chocolate and baker’s chocolate contain high levels of theobromine and caffeine. Animals are extremely sensitive to both and ingesting either type of chocolate could be fatal.

Xylitol: This sugar substitute causes a dog’s blood sugar to drop quickly. This poisoning can be treated, but causes liver failure if not treated properly.

Macadamia nuts: Dogs experience severe weakness in their back legs, appearing paralyzed, after ingesting macadamia nuts. Dogs usually recover from this condition within three days.

Avocados: Avocados pose a serious threat to birds. Avocados cause respiratory distress in birds, causing fluid to build up in their lungs.

Bread Dough: When bread dough is ingested it continues to rise, causing an intestinal blockage. If your pet ingests any potentially harmful product, call your vet or a local emergency animal hospital immediately.

Raisins: Dogs and cats should never be given raisins to eat. The reasons for the toxicity are unclear at this time.

Cat Daddy offers pet owners these helpful hints to keep pets out of danger, while still enjoying the food, fun and festivities that accompany the holidays.

Small scissors, preferably with blunt ends. (For cutting hair, bandages, tape.)

Sterile 3” X 3” gauze pads, rolled 2” sterile gauze, white surgical tape.

Cotton balls and a roll of cotton padding.

4 oz. Hydrogen Peroxide for cleaning out wounds.

Eye droppers.

Cotton swabs.

Sterile eyewash solution (The human variety is fine.)

Antiseptic cleaner, such as Bactine.

Hydrocortisone ointment for insect stings.

Cold pack or at least ice pack in freezer.

Vinyl exam gloves (latex and powder free).

Roll of Coflex self-adhesive bandage.

Styptic pencil to stop minor bleeding.

A small box like a child’s lunch box to pack it all in.

A PET FIRST AID GUIDE IS A MUST TO HAVE!

Rotate your supplies so the medications will be fresh.

Package spillables in plastic zip-lock bags in case you have to evacuate during a disaster.

Do not use your First Aid Kit in lieu of seeing a veterinarian, in case of serious injuries or illness.

CALIFORNIA STATE VETERINARIAN MEDICAL BOARD

This is the number for the state medical board that oversees veterinarians. You can call them to check up on any vet to see if they've had any lawsuits against them, any complaints, any license suspensions, etc. It does happen that someone will continue to practice in another area after they've had their license taken away. (916) 263-2610.

DISASTER PREPARATION FOR YOUR PET

Living as we do on an active fault zone, we all are aware that some day or night, we may be driven from our homes by a large earthquake. If your home suffers major structural damage or is simply made unsafe by a ruptured gas main, where will you go, what will you do? Experts strongly advise us to be prepared for that eventuality by having a plan and an emergency kit. A large disaster may prevent rescue crews from reaching everyone for several days, so you and your family are on your own and must be responsible for feeding and taking care of yourself for a week or more. This includes making an evacuation plan for your pet. Everyone remembers all of the abandoned pets after Hurricane Katrina destroyed New Orleans. A hard hit family can stay in a shelter after a disaster, but pets are not allowed due to obvious concerns. If an earthquake hits, there isn’t time to figure out what to bring and where to go, so pre-planning is essential. You need to research kennels, shelters, boarding facilities and pet-friendly hotels. The American Red Cross will sometimes set up a special shelter for affected animals in a disaster area. 

They suggest these 3 steps to get prepared: 

1. Make a plan covering escape and a place to meet up with family members. Keep your pet carrier handy. A communication plan is essential, outside contacts that family members can call if separated. Carry these numbers in your wallet. A place to meet, if you can’t go home. 

2. Prepare disaster kits for family and pets. Enough food for at least three days and one gallon of water a day for each person, plus extra for the pet. Copies of important papers, including a file with the pet’s health history, vaccination dates and a recent photo. 

3. Be informed. Have a portable radio to hear news updates. For more info, go to www.redcross.org or call (888) HELPBAY. Supplies should be packed in a portable container, ready to grab and go, along with the family earthquake kit. The pet kit should contain food and water dishes, a leash and collar with ID tags with phone number, medication with instructions and a muzzle and harness in case behavior becomes a problem in strange surroundings. Supplies like flashlights, batteries, trash bags, baby wipes and paper towels should also be packed in case of pet “accidents”. For cats, a new, small litter box could be used to pack the supplies in. Don’t forget liners and some clay litter you can toss every day. A familiar toy or blanket can be comforting to a pet in a strange place. If you can’t make it home, pre-arrange for a neighbor or your pet sitter to check on and care for your pet if you’re unable to reach them.  Our Loma Prieta quake in 1989 may not have been the legendary “big one” we’ve been told to expect, but at 6.9 on the Richter, it left between 8,000 to 12,000 people homeless. This weekend is a great time to start shopping and putting your kits and plans together. Seriously.

   STOP  FEEDING YOUR CAT DRY FOOD!! Cats need protein, NOT carbohydrates!

 Dry cat food is NOT a natural diet for a cat. It has far more carbohydrates and sugars than they need and leads to obesity and diabetes. The main ingredient is usually a grain like corn which is loaded with carbs and simple sugars. (Consider that high fructose corn syrup is now linked with obesity in Americans, due to its inclusion in so many foods today. It is usually the indicator of a "junk food") 

What we consider a domestic cat, is not truely domesticated and still has the dietary needs of its ancestors and modern big-cat cousins, which is a high protein, all meat diet, with only incidental amounts (0% to 2%) of carbohydrates. These were usually seeds and grains inside the carcass.

Cats are obligatory carnivores. For omnivores, meat is not mandatory, and vegetable sources can sustain them. This startling discovery was found by Elizabeth M. Hodgkins, DVM (exclusively feline practice), researcher, nutritionist, immunologist, internist, breeder and attorney, when working with her diabetic cat Punkin. On a hunch, she switched Punkin's diet from dry foods, to canned and within one day, her need for insulin dropped significantly. After 2 weeks of all canned meat foods, Punkin no longer required insulin injections! Researching further with other diabetic cats, she found that this happened in almost all of the cases. Also, ancient cats were desert dwelling mammals, subsisting on very little water. Modern cats carry this trait and, when switched to a high protein meat diet, also drink very little water. Cats on the dry food regime, usually consume a lot of water because of the cereal diet. She noticed also that many skin problems went away and the fur became shiny when it had been dry before. This diet may also be the reason for a high incident in kidney disease, the top killer of house cats. She goes on to assert that a well cared for cat (especially one kept indoors and away from cars, should live 20 to 30 years. She cautions against buying so-called "Life Stage" food formulas, as cats in the wild eat the same food as kittens as they do as adults or seniors.  Also bad are the "Semi Moist" foods, as they are the most artificial and least nutritious of all. They are high in sugar and contain added flavorings, along with being expensive and nutritionally empty "junk food". If you look closely at the foods with "gravy", they contain wheat gluten. Avoid any foods that contain vegetables, fruits like cranberries, apples and blueberries, herbs, seeds, nuts or brown rice. These are NOT part of any cat's natural diet and are just marketing gimmicks to appeal to human buyers. There's a helpful chapter on how to read labels and what to look for. She had previously worked for years for Hills Pet Foods, where she was head of legal and claims division and was privy to the actuarial data of illness and death in the pet population. She now feeds her own cats raw meat. Also important is the chapter with the 10 Myths of  Cat Care. Corn, being the main ingredient in all pet foods, is no doubt the culprit adding to the obestity of dogs that subsist on dry food alone. Corn is the favorite feed of farmers that want to fatten their animals for market. No dog or cat should be fed dry food only. They need the higher protein, oils and fat that meat provides them.

 All cat lovers must read Your Cat: Simple New Secrets to a Longer, Stronger Life. You can read lots of excerpts on Amazon.com. Go down the Look Inside list and read what's offered and then, click on Surprise Me for many more pages to read at random. An inexpensive paperback version is available. I strongly urge EVERY cat owner to read this book! Alameda Main Library has one copy.

                                    

Written by BARRY WOLFE    Published: THURSDAY, 14 JANUARY 2010

Pet owners love their animals and want to do the best for them, sometimes to the point of babying them and anthropomorphizing human characteristics onto them. Most of this doting and pampering is harmless, like dressing them up for Halloween or including them in family portraits. The latter is fine, because they are a beloved part of the family. The kind of unhealthy pampering that concerns pet experts is feeding pets foods that are unhealthy, makes them fat, diabetic or ill with other chronic diseases that plague our pet population. A little over a year ago, I reviewed an important book here written by feline expert, Dr. Elizabeth Hodgkins, DVM, called "Your Cat." In it, she outlined the research that she had done to help her diabetic cat. After extensive investigation into what non-domestic cats feed on, she found that they lived on high protein diets of strictly meat. They're carnivores from birth to old age. When she examined dry cat foods, she found that they were all formulated with a high percentage of corn and wheat. If you've been paying attention to recent obesity studies in humans, high-fructose corn syrup has found it's way into much of our foods and beverages, especially those aimed at children, because it's an inexpensive sweetener. Corn, in itself is not as bad as HFCS, but it is a high-glycemic grain, converting to sucrose when consumed, and, when allowed to be grazed on 24 hours a day in a food bowl, will cause obesity in both dogs and cats. Many pet owners say their pets don't like canned food, but the fact is, they're addicted to the sweeter dry foods. It's like leaving potato chips or candy out for your family to eat all the time. It's junk food. Dry food is less expensive because it's produced with inexpensive grains and canned costs more because they are produced with more expensive protein sources. Good protein is expensive, one of the leading problems in poorer regions of the world, affordable protein. Dr. Hogkins has concluded in her research that cats fed an all meat diet, could live to be 20 to 30 years old. A high carbohydrate diet only leads to obesity, diabetes and renal failure after years of consumption. One drawback to serving canned pet foods or cooking your own from scratch, is what to leave for your pet when you're gone all day or overnight. Wet food will get nasty if too much is left out, and dry food would be convenient for those instances. I recently discovered two dry foods that are high protein, contain no corn or wheat, plus have the added bonus of added probiotics. For cats, I recommend all natural CORE by Wellness. It's turkey, chicken and fish proteins, salmon oil Omega 3, flaxseed and vegetable fiber. For dogs, try the brand called Chicken Soup For The Pet Lover's Soul. It has most of the same ingredients as CORE, including the probiotics, which I've always fed my pets. They have a similar cat formula, but it has more fruits, vegetables and odd things than I see as necessary for a cat's diet, so I'd stick with CORE. These are the only two corn-free products that I know of. Lastly, whenever changing a pet's diet, do it gradually over several days, slowly adding the new in with the old, until the older food is eliminated and they can adjust. Both of these products can be purchased at pet food stores. So, check your dry food ingredients and make the switch. Your pet will thank you by living a longer and healthier life! Barry Wolfe is the owner of Cat Daddy Pet Care. Play Nice, Play Safe Written by BARRY WOLFE    Published: THURSDAY, 11 FEBRUARY 2010 Big, Bad Wolfe Courtesy photo Half the children in the United States will be bitten by a dog before they reach age 12. It's a good idea to teach both kids and pets how to interact safely. Many households are filled with the sounds of little feet scampering around, back and forth through rooms and up and down stairs. The feet usually belong either to small children, pets or both. It's a blessing to have a happy household filled with both, along with the playing, laughing and sometimes mayhem. When things turn unhappy, is when playtime turns to roughhousing between the aforementioned players and there are injuries. Perhaps the biggest cause of dog bites comes from small children just trying to pet a dog. If you read the fire and police reports for Alameda, hardly a week goes by without a couple of dog or cat bites reported. In fact, half the children in this country are bitten by a dog before they reach the age of 12. The most serious injuries are with kids under the age of seven. It's so important for parents to explain to their children to not approach a strange dog, especially a lone one, or even a dog they may know; to approach them carefully and be sniffed first. Teach them about watching for signs of fear or distrust, like backing away, tail down or growling a warning to stay back. Cats display similar warnings to keep away. Flattened ears, arched back, fluffed up fur, a warning hiss or yowl. Always ask the owner if it's OK to pet their dog and never go near a dog that's eating, gnawing on a bone, sleeping or nursing pups. Most importantly, children should be taught to respect animals and to never tease or play rough with them. The pet may not understand their intent. Rough play can make the pet think that that's the normal way to play and bite or scratch viciously when grown. It's hard to unlearn that conditioning. Never hit an animal for biting. It only serves to confuse them more. Supervised play for young kids is advised. Children should not be made to fear animals, just use caution. I know two adult women who grew up afraid of dogs and cats and have instilled it in their children. I wince when I see parents bringing very young kids by to look for a kitten to adopt, because I'm afraid that they will neglect to instill that respect in the kids, who may be too young to understand. Parents and children also need to consider how much time and responsibility it takes to be a pet owner. Animals aren't toys and take a lot of love and attention. They'll need feeding, cleaned up after, groomed, medical treatment and played with. A small "starter pet" like a gerbil, turtle or goldfish might be best for the under-seven set. Many pets are just being dumped because owners can't afford to care for them any longer. This is so cruel, as most starve or get run over and don't stand a chance. Please turn them over to a shelter, where hopefully a kind family will adopt them. Also, support our local shelters and rescue groups whenever you can. They need the financial help now more than ever. Barry Wolfe is the owner of Cat Daddy Pet Care in Alameda. You can reach him at 434-6294.

FUNTIME FOR FELINES

Dog owners know that their pooches are always ready for a romp, anytime, anywhere. Dogs love to run, chase and fetch thrown objects, or engage in a good tug-o-war. They're pretty easy to entertain, overall.

Cats, on the other hand, can seem aloof and content to just be left alone for yet another long catnap. The fact is, though, cats are also very intelligent animals that can get bored and need some playtime and stimulation as well, not to mention a good workout, especially in the case of indoor cats.

Cats, being natural hunters, still have the instinct to run after prey, even those that have never been outside. If you've observed your cat suddenly exploding into crazed running around the house, up and down stairs and even over furniture, this is simply their way of releasing their pent-up primal energy, with frenetic racing about. They're naturally providing their own stimulation with their imagination of chasing prey. It's their job.

It's a good idea to provide your cat with some stimulation through play for a few minutes every day. It also provides exercise to burn some calories, preventing obesity, and is fun for you as well.

Laser pointers are popular as a toy that gives cats a fast, red dot to chase around the floor. While this seems like the ideal chase toy, caution is strongly advised. It's very easy for the powerful beam to flash the cat in the eyes, causing dazzling and temporary blindness. I don't recommend the use of these pens as toys, due to their potential danger.

I was once hit in the eyes by kids shining one at passing cars and my eyes were dazzled for days afterwards. Sometime later, I was diagnosed with cataracts and needed surgery in both eyes eventually. Was the laser beam the cause? My doctors couldn't say for sure, so let's say that the jury is still out on the true harm from being hit.

One toy that I've found that all cats go nuts over is the Feline Flyer feather wand. Oh, how they'll run and do incredible acrobatic leaps pursuing it. Most cats also love to chase a tightly wadded-up sheet of paper. My cat turns into Pele when I toss one to him. He runs the length of the house furiously batting it about. A wonderfully simple and inexpensive toy (not recommended if you have a floor furnace that it may roll on).

Cats love a good roll in catnip, as well as eating it. I recommend buying a bag of 'nip over catnip-filled toys, as you don't know how much is inside or the quality. Spread a newspaper to contain the mess and crush the herb between your fingers to release the oils. Curious Cat, organic catnip by Castor & Pollux is very high potency and only $3.99.

A third of cats won't respond, nor will young kittens or elderly cats. The euphoria lasts about 20 minutes and is harmless. You can easily grow your own catnip in pots, as it's very invasive if planted outside, plus it's much cheaper than the live plants in the stores. Put toys away when playtime is over to keep your cats interested.

Barry Wolfe is the owner of Cat Daddy Pet Sitting Service in Alameda. (Run in the Alameda Sun, Fur, Fin & Feathers section 4/9/09)

EXTRA SUPPLEMENTATION

  Everyone by now is pretty aware of the importance of adding acidolphilus, aka "probiotics",  "friendly bacteria" or "friendly flora" to their diet to combat unfriendly bacteria in their "gut".  It's a good idea to put some in your dog or cat's food as well to help their little "guts"!  Once or twice a week, I take one of my uncoated tablets, put it on a small piece of paper on the counter and grind it with the bottom of a salt shaker. I then pour the fine powder over the food and my cat woofs it down. Some brands come incapsulated, and are easy to pull apart and use. No cat that I've ever had has turned up their nose at it. In fact, they usually will really tear into the food! 

  Another excellent and inexpensive food supplement to sprinkle on their food is Nutritional yeast, also known as brewer's yeast. It can be purchased in bulk at many grocery and natural food stores. Just sprinkle it on wet food and watch them go for it! It's rich in the B vitamins, including B12, as well as naturally occurring chromium, which regulates blood surgar. It's also very good for their fur and helps make it soft and shiny. I've long said that you could put it on wet newspaper strips and they'd gobble it up!  However, if the pets turn up their noses to it, use it yourself! It's an acquired taste for some, but try a heaping tablespoon in your orange juice in the morning. Later, you can add 2 or 3 tablespoons-full when you get used to it. also, it's wonderful on popcorn! We always make ours and put on butter, yeast and garlic powder. Yum!!

                            PET RESOURCE - INEXPENSIVE ADVANTAGE/PROGRAM VENDOR (NOTE: AS OF JANUARY, THEY ARE NO LONGER SELLING PRODUCTS)

          SHOP ONLINE TO TRY AND MATCH THE LOW PRICE, LOOK FOR FREE OR CHEAP SHIPPING!

 Keeping our animal friends free of torturous fleas is a never ending battle. Using ADVANTAGE as an aid in this battle makes it easier, but a pretty costly treatment. One supplier that I've used for the last couple of years has one of the lowest costs that I've found.......
It's sold by a veterinarian with a practice in Virginia, but they get orders out pretty fast, ship for free and it gets here in about a week.  
For a price example, I buy the purple 4-pack for cats over 9 lbs. and pay $35.50. This price is for ALL dog and cat weights.

They've recently added PROGRAM as well. 6 month protection is $37.50 for all weight of dogs and cats. Pills for dogs and liquid to put on food for cats.
(I've used them for 3+ years and have no connection to them.) Remember to hold your pet for about five minutes after applying so it has the chance to absorb in before they shake it off when released! 

                                                                                        Animal Clinic of Caroline, Ruther Glen, VA
                                                                                                http://www.petvetsupplies.com/

                                                                          PET RESOURCE - DOES YOUR PET HAVE ISSUES, BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS?  

                                                           For puzzling pet behavioral issues; barking, biting, multiple pet territorial conflicts, contact Barbara Samuelson-Animal Communicator. 

(510) 523-0828

http://barbarascamera.com/communicator.html

Net Worth - Kathleen Pender Archive | E-mail |  Don't let the world know you're going on vacation! Kathleen Pender Sunday, June 7, 2009 When I was growing up, my parents insisted that we not talk about our vacation plans in public, lest someone overhear and break into our house while we were gone. These days, kids and even many adults think nothing of telling the world - or at least their 795 closest friends - that they're not at home by posting their whereabouts or vacation plans on Twitter, Facebook or other social media. Israel Hyman, an Arizona video editor who says he has close to 2,000 people following him on Twitter and also uses Facebook "a lot," recently was burglarized while he was in Kansas City. "We had mentioned that we were going out of town for an extended period and even Twittered about the trip as we drove for three days," he told an Arizona television station. While he was gone, video-editing equipment was stolen from his home. Although he is not sure his tweeting tipped off the burglars, he says he will be more careful in the future about what he shares online. "People just don't realize the kind of information they give out in social-networking sites can be used on its own or with other information to commit identity theft and other fraudulent activity," says Paul Stephens, director of policy and advocacy with the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse. Most social-networking operations let users restrict access to people they approve. But many people fail to take this important step, especially if they are seeking a wide audience or trying to look ultra-popular. Others assume they are safe because they restrict access to the kind of friends they would share their vacation plans with in person. What they forget is that these friends may share that information. "There is nothing to stop them from showing it to someone else or doing a screen capture and sending it on to somebody," Stephens says. According to the British government Web site Get Safe Online, 13 percent of social-network users report posting friends' pictures without their consent and 7 percent report posting friends' contact information without consent. Those most likely to give away their friends' information are 18- to 24-year-olds. Know your friends If your kids tell you they are networking only with "friends," beware. "What an adult thinks of as a friend and what a friend is in social media are two different things," says Peter Spicer, communications manager with Chubb Personal Insurance. Spicer says parents should remind their kids "not to post the fact that we are going on vacation. That's a heads-up to criminals." Tell them it's OK to post pictures and talk about the trip after they're home. Joanne McNabb, chief of the California Office of Privacy Protection, says she hasn't received any complaints from people who think they were robbed because they disclosed their whereabouts on social networks. But, she says, "It's a risk in the online world just like in the offline world." Robbers have long been known to scour the newspaper for death or wedding announcements and target homes when families are likely to be at the funeral or on a honeymoon. "It's not that these Web 2.0 things are creating new crimes. They are providing some new vectors or venues for the crimes that can happen anyway," McNabb says. While you're away Stephens says vacationers also need to protect themselves against identity fraud when they're away from home. His Web site, www.privacyrights.org, offers these tips for travelers: -- Photocopy or make a list of the contents of your wallet. Keep it in a locked location at your hotel or with a trusted person at home whom you can contact if your wallet is lost or stolen. -- Don't carry unnecessary credit cards, your Social Security card or other documents that could compromise your identity if lost or stolen. If you have a Medicare card, make a photocopy without the last four digits of your Social Security number. -- Carry two credit cards. If you carry only one and it is deactivated because of suspected fraud or the magnetic strip gets damaged, you'll be in trouble until it is replaced. -- Use traveler's checks or credit cards. Leave your checkbook in a secure locked place at home. Do not use debit cards (check cards). This reduces your vulnerability to having your checking account emptied while you are on vacation. -- When dining in a restaurant, try to keep an eye on your credit card. If the server removes your card from sight, he may be able to create a "clone" by using a portable card skimmer that will copy the information from the card's magnetic strip. -- If you are bringing your laptop, be careful when using it to access online banking or other password-protected services from Wi-Fi networks. Be sure to use Wi-Fi hotspots that are secure. For Wi-Fi tips, seelinks.sfgate.com/ZHHR. -- Don't access sensitive information from a cybercafe or other public computer because keyloggers (software that can track your keystrokes) may be tracking you. Vacation tips -- Don't post your vacation plans or whereabouts on social-networking sites until you return. -- Ask the post office to hold your mail. Mail piling up in an unlocked box indicates to burglars that you are not home and puts you at risk for identity theft. -- Suspend (but please don't cancel) your newspaper subscription. -- Ask a trusted neighbor to report suspicious activity around your house to the police and remove any free newspapers that pile up in your yard. -- Park a car in the driveway. -- Set your lights, TV or radio on a timer, preferably one that switches on and off at varying times. -- Have package deliveries sent to your office or make sure they won't be left on your doorstep. -- Unplug toasters and other appliances; shut off the water to your washing machine. -- Don't leave a voice-mail message saying you are out of town or your return date. -- If you must leave an out-of-office reply on your e-mail, don't say you are on vacation or when you will return. Your pet sitter will check your home on every visit. Pet Grooming Simplified Written by BARRY WOLFE    Published: THURSDAY, 13 AUGUST 2009 Use the right tool for the job Barry Wolfe 'A little more to the left, please.' Orangino is happy someone took the time to groom him. Keeping pets certainly isn't for lazy people. Pets are rather high maintenance, especially dogs that must be walked a couple of times a day and "picked up after." No one enjoys the "warm handshake" but it's part of the responsibility that goes with owning dogs. Cats require considerably less maintenance, but cleaning the litter box every day isn't exactly fun either. We all cherish our animal companions and can't do enough for them. Good grooming is also a very important task in caretaking. Cats are fastidious creatures that groom themselves regularly and dogs, especially ones that romp outside, need a little help from their owners to keep sleek. Regular grooming helps your pet's appearance and aids in reducing hairballs in cats. Grooming helps you bond with your pet, and they appreciate the attention. Obese pets need extra help with their grooming as they can't reach some areas. There is a confusing array of tools to choose from for different purposes, so I consulted with Julie Bonachea, manager of Dog Bone Alley to explain the uses of various brushes and combs. First, she explained that just one tool won't do it all. You need both a brush and a comb. If bathing the pet first, use a comb to smooth the fur, and then brush after fur dries. The curved "saw edged" shedding blade is good for raking water off. Bonachea highly recommended the Furminator for dogs with a long, double coat, but the Furminator will remove gigantic piles of loose fur from any pet. There's a smaller one for cats. A bi-length comb is good for a combo-coat, as it does both the outer and under coat together. Regular combs are good for cats, dogs with fur (like Poodles) as well as longhaired breeds. Use this type of comb to finish after a brushing. Flea combs also serve to groom shorthaired breeds like Boxers and Chihuahuas. Regular boar-bristle brushes are useful for removing dried mud and debris. A de-matting brush can safely be used to work out small tangles. Use a gentle sawing motion to work out matted fur. Never try to pull through the mat as it may damage the skin and hurt the pet. Thick mats may need to be cut and are best left to a professional groomer. A pin brush is for shorthaired breeds to remove dirt and loose hair, and the combo version has a bristle back to brush off dirt. The most important tool in your arsenal might be the versatile slicker brush. The slicker is a good finishing tool for dogs and cats. It fluffs the fur back up and collects loose fur. The back-slanting bristles will have either sharp pins with bent tips, or bristles topped with a bead that aren't sharp. Always start brushing on the hindquarters, then do the "pants," the back and sides and finally the head and neck region, brushing carefully as you go. After this, you can brush straight down after the tangles have been worked out. Bonachea cautions users to keep the sharp-tined slickers in their cartons to prevent bending tines or sticking yourself! The store has a helpful handout sheet prepared by Pamela Kearby of Pamela's Mobile pet grooming; another handout describes which tool works best for each breed's fur or hair type. I run a slicker over my cat every day and he relishes it, even letting me do his belly. Spend a little quality time by pampering your "fur-kid" and "curry" their favor. Barry Wolfe is the owner of Cat Daddy Pet Sitting Service in Alameda. Call him at 434-6294 or visit sites.google.com/site/catdaddypetsit.  PET ADOPTION MADE EASY

   The Alameda Main Library on Oak Street has installed an electronic kiosk in cooperation with the Alameda Animal Shelter that's an easy to use data base of all of the animals that are available for adoption. With the touch-screen interface, just "click" on your area of interest and you're offered choices of sex, age etc. of dogs and cats, with pictures of each animal looking for a loving new home. Please consider adoption if you are thinking of adding a new animal companion to your household. Again, if everyone would be responsible and spay and neuter their pets, the shelters wouldn't be bursting with adoptable animals! PETCO at Alameda Towne Center has kittens for adoption every Saturday. $100 gets a pet that has been "fixed" and had their shots!  Other shelters have "discounted" animals that are older and in desparate need of a loving new home.

From the comfort of your sofa at home, if you're a Comcast subscriber, go to their ON DEMAND area, where you will find local pets available for adoption from local shelters. You'll see their pictures and be able to read about them! Could it get any easier?

SAFE CHEW TOYS FOR DOGS

Avoid giving your dog "pigs ears" and rawhide, as they are notorious choking hazards! Stick to Nylabone-type chew toys. Symptoms for a choking animal may include pawing at face, drooling, breathing loudly and coughing. A Heimlich maneuver, carefully applied, can eject the object. Choking is the leading cause of canine cardiac arrest!

                                                                          PET RESOURCE - PROFESSIONAL GROOMING SERVICE

Local certified groomer, Seiji Morikawa is recommended by several of my clients as one of the best groomer's on the Island.  His little shop is located at 647 Central Ave. (catty corner from Foster's Freeze). Phone for appointments at (510) 523-3224. Open Tues. through Sat.

 PET RESOURCE - DIGGING DEEP INTO THE CAT LITTER QUESTION. WHICH BRAND IS BEST?

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2007/07/10/petscol.DTL

Which Sexes of Cats Are The Most Compatible?

I've long pondered what sexes of cats get along the best together. You want to adopt another cat to keep yours company, or perhaps adopt two together at once? Dr. Elizabeth Hodgkins, in her book Your Cat: Simple New Secrets to a Longer, Stronger Life, thankfully answers this question for her readers. Because of the complicated politics within any cat tribe, females tended to stay more to themselves and raise the kittens. Most males, except for the odd ostracized member, would keep to themselves as well. The two would mainly get together when the Queen was in heat and she would mate. Of course, there's a complicted pecking order to which alpha Tom would get the honor. This same territorial fighting goes on in homes with two or more cats, and, depending on factors like the size of the house or apartment, and if they are given access to the outdoors. The more cats in a small area can cause a lot of competition to make and keep territory, which will lead to fighting spats or spray marking. If they come and go outside, the pressure is relieved some. 

I'm not going into all of the complicated politics and social issues here, (please refer to the book) but the bottom line is, if you're trying to decide what matchup to bring together under your roof, a male and female, two males or two females, the suprising answer is, two males will get along the best. The other two pairings will lead to much more fighting. Of course, we're talking about neutered males. The best situation is having two youngsters that grow up together, but sometimes and old Tom will foster a kitten or youngster and befriend it. This does not mean that will not ever be spats or fights between them, but females are much more likely to be agressive and territorial when put together, even litter mates.

Dogs Understand Fairness, Get Jealous, Study Finds

by Nell Greenfieldboyce - 12/9/08

Dogs have an intuitive understanding of fair play and become resentful if they feel that another dog is getting a better deal, a new study has found.

The study, in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, looked at how dogs react when a buddy is rewarded for the same trick in an unequal way.

Friederike Range, a researcher at the University of Vienna in Austria, and her colleagues did a series of experiments with dogs who knew how to respond to the command "give the paw," or shake. The dogs were normally happy to repeatedly give the paw, whether they got a reward or not.

But that changed if they saw that another dog was being rewarded with a piece of food, while they received nothing.

"We found that the dogs hesitated significantly longer when obeying the command to give the paw," the researchers write. The unrewarded dogs eventually stopped cooperating.

Scientists have long known that humans pay close attention to inequity. Even little children are quick to yell "Not fair!" But researchers always assumed that animals didn't share this trait.

"The argument was that this is a uniquely human phenomenon," says Frans de Waal, a professor of psychology at Emory University in Atlanta and a researcher at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center.

That changed in 2003 when he and a colleague named Sarah Brosnan did a study on monkeys. Monkeys had to hand a small rock to researchers to get a piece of food in return. Monkeys were happy to do this to get a piece of cucumber. But the monkeys would suddenly act insulted to be offered cucumber if they saw that another monkey was getting a more delicious reward, a grape, for doing the same job.

"The one who got cucumber became very agitated, threw out the food, threw out the rock that we exchanged with them, and at some point just stopped performing," says de Waal.

In that experiment, the monkeys considered the fairness of two different types of payment. But when Range and her colleagues did a similar study with their trained dogs, testing to see if dogs would become upset if they only got dark bread when other dogs received sausage, they found that dogs did not make that kind of subtle distinction. As long as the dogs got some kind of food payment, even if it wasn't the yummiest kind, the animals would play along.

Dogs, like monkeys, live in cooperative societies, so de Waal was not surprised that they would have also some sense of fairness. He expects other animals do as well. For example, he says, lions hunt cooperatively, and he "would predict that lions would be sensitive to who has done what and what do they get for it."

Nervous cat? Pheromone sprays can work
Melanie Ellis, DVM


  Q: Do plug-in and spray pheromone products for cats, such as Comfort Zone,
really work? Exactly how do they work, and can they have an adverse
effect?

  A: When a cat is happy or feeling affectionate, you may see her rub her
face on furniture, another cat or even you. This is a marking behavior,
and the effect of these scents is thought to be positive and soothing.
Synthetic feline pheromones, such as Feliway and Comfort Zone with
Feliway, are designed to mimic these natural scents. They are available as
sprays and plug-in diffusers.
  Pheromone therapy is most often suggested for use with urinary marking,
and it can be helpful, but only if your cat's marking problem is
associated with anxiety. (Any urinary issue needs to be brought to your
veterinarian's attention first, to rule out possibly serious medical
problems.) These products may also be recommended in cases of general
anxiety. Some vets use Feliway spray on lab coats, their hands or around
an exam room if a cat seems especially stressed during a visit. For home
use, these products seem to be most helpful in association with
environmental changes (closing blinds to block views of outdoor cats, for
example), behavior modification (working through aversions) or even
prescription medications.
  Adverse effects are rare - some cats will dislike the alcohol in the
spray, so it might help to wait 10 minutes or so after spraying before
introducing the cat to the room. Some people with respiratory diseases
find they are sensitive to both the diffusers and the spray. And, of
course, take care if spraying around delicate upholstery or fabrics.
Synthetic pheromones can make a difference for an anxious cat, but you
won't know until you try.

Melanie Ellis, DVM, Civic Feline Clinic, Walnut Creek. 

More California cities pass declawing bans

The question of whether to regulate the declawing of domestic cats has quickly become a hot ticket item for lawmakers across California. This flurry of political activity comes courtesy of the the bill Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger green-lighted this summer to prohibit local bans on declawing.

Schwarzenegger's support was prompted by veterinarians' groups who opposed the bans. But now lawmakers are resisting state regulation by passing local bans that will stand despite the state law that goes into effect on January 1.

Emotions, both for those in favor of banning declawing altogether and for those that believe the decision should be left up to the owner and his or her veterinarian on a case-by-case basis, are running high.

Until October 27, West Hollywood was the only city in the country with such a ban. The California Veterinary Medical Association took West Hollywood to court in the hopes of reversing its ban and preventing further local anti-declawing regulation but lost. Since that time, four other cities — Berkeley, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Santa Monica — have all passed anti-declawing ordinances in quick succession.

Culver City and Burbank are currently working on passing similar ordinances, while several counties, including Humboldt, Marin and Sonoma, have also expressed interest in banning the practice.

Unlike a manicure, declawing is considered to be serious surgery. A cat's claws are closely adhered to the bone, so in order to successfully remove the claw, the last bone or joint of the cat's claw must also be removed. When a cat is declawed, part or all of a cat's first paw joints are amputated to prevent regrowth.

Some vets do not always remove paw joints and many already consider the procedure to be a last resort for curbing scratching-related behavior issues.

There are many alternatives to the surgery, including educating cat owners about why cats scratch in the first place (namely to stretch and sharpen their claws and as a form of communication with other cats), placing a scratching post near your prized sofa, regularly trimming your cat's nails and using pain-free products like Soft Paws or Sticky Paws (essentially sheets of very thin double-sided tape) to help deter unwanted scratching. But some still argue that these solutions don't work for all cats and if declawing is completely removed as an option, even more cats will be surrendered to shelters and potentially euthanized for their scratching ways. (I support the ban whole- heartedly.)

Pet Tooth Cleaning Drops - Don't believe pet dental product's claims
Robert Yelland


  Q: I saw a product at the pet store that claims by simply adding it to the
dog's water bowl, it controls plaque and tartar buildup, and helps
maintain a clean, healthy mouth. This sounds too good to be true. Does it
really work? And are there any possible side effects?