Pet Monologues

We have often heard, and probably experienced, that a human bite can be more infectious than an animal’s bite. Well, what about your pet hamster as a deadly-germ machine? What’s a parent to do?

chicago tribune

The American Academy of Pediatrics, just published that pets pose serious health threats to young children.

Here’s the lineup of no-no pets:
• Reptiles. Small turtles were banished from pet stores decades ago because they harbor salmonella, which causes intestinal problems that can be deadly in children. But other reptiles, including iguanas, lizards, and snakes, also carry salmonella that doesn’t sicken them but could land your kid in the hospital.

• Hamsters. These small, furry rodents are not just cute. They’re carriers of salmonella and have sparked outbreaks of lymphocytic choriomeningitis, a virus that causes brain inflammation and can lead to permanent nerve damage.

• Hedgehogs. These adorable nocturnal critters are increasingly popular in the United States, despite the fact that they can spread salmonella, yersinia pseudotuberculosis (which causes appendicitis-like abdominal pain), and rabies. Hedgehogs’ prickly spines also make it more likely that they will transmit fungal skin infection.

• Monkeys and other primates. Macaques spread herpes B virus, which can cause fatal meningitis in humans, and primates spread a host of other nasty germs, including tuberculosis. A more likely risk is injury, since even “tame” primates have seriously injured trained handlers. Read the rest of this entry »

havakuk levison / Reuters 2002

Altering genetics brings killer karma into play

by John Kass, Chicago Tribune

Before I explain how the Chicken Kama Sutra got me fired from my dad’s butcher shop when I was a 6th grader—I foolishly posed the cold fryers in X-rated combos on the butcher blocks—you need to know how this memory was hatched:

With a horrifying news photo of a live, smooth-skinned rooster without feathers, part of a genetic experiment to develop chickens that will stay cool in their hot coops. Now, I can’t grill a chicken without retching.

“For Dinner: Genetically Altered ‘Superchicken’ ” said the headline of the wire story.

“We hope to provide a rigorous, risk-based regulatory path for [genetic] developers to follow, to help the public health and the health of animals,” said a pin-head bureaucrat from the Food and Drug Administration, thinking he could save the world from a “12 Monkeys” scenario if a superchicken escapes from the lab, along with the spider-goats and the salmon-pigs. Read the rest of this entry »

1) Lacerations/bite wounds: By are the most common wounds—about three times the incidence of any other injury - come mostly from cats and dogs mixing it up with other cats and dogs or wild animals.

Lacerations also occur when pet are involved in car crashes. So drive carefully.

2) Torn nail: It’s all about romping and stomping and fun until little Spanky snags a nail. The the howling and bleeding begin.

3) Insect bites/stings: The bites can be virtually harmless - you don’t even know your pet is bitten - or they can be extremely serious because of an animal’s hypersensitivity.

“Most of the time dogs are nosing around someplace, they’ll get bit and they’ll look like a Shar-pei,” said veterinarian Tony Kremer, from Hinsdale Animal Hospital.

4) Abrasions: The dog version of a skinned knee, said Kathleen Heneghan, past president of the Chicago Veterinary Medical Association and a veterinarian practicing in River Grove. Read the rest of this entry »

After many years of having a variety of pets—mammals, birds, reptiles, fish—we realize that a remedy is determined by your particular need at the time. Right now we have a 19-year-old blind cat who howls. We realize that we can bring in no new mammal playmate for our kitty.

For us, vet costs are higher as our cat has been on meds for his thyroid for three years. Let’s talk about the vet bills and how to keep them as low as possible.

We just read that in 1973 a vet opened a rural Kansas office and charged $6 for a visit. Things change: last year Americans spent more than $10 billion on veterinary care, according to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association.

A single visit to a vet cost an average of $135 for a dog owner as of 2006, the last time the veterinary group took a survey of those costs. That’s up 83 percent from 10 years earlier. Inflation played a major role—the costs of office space, staff salaries, equipment and supplies have all shot up.

Pet owners also are demanding a higher level of care. “Years ago, if an animal had a serious cancer,” Gregory Hammer, president of the American Veterinary Medical Association, said, “someone would say to put him to sleep. Now they want to be referred to an oncologist.” Read the rest of this entry »

Though summer is upon us and there are many good summer tips to keep your pet out of harms way, here is year-round advice that can save a life.

An emergency situations calls for staying calm and making quick decisions. What should you do? Knowledge is power, so take the steps right now to learn how to handle an emergency. In addition to the first aid kit you have for home, camping, have a fully stocked pet first-aid kit (see below) know where the nearest 24-hour emergency pet clinic is. It could mean the difference between life and death. And act cautiously—animals in severe pain or fear may bite.

CAR ACCIDENTS
A pet that has been hit by a car needs to see a vet immediately. Internal bleeding is common, and outward signs of distress may not show for several hours. Also, puncture wounds that close rapidly can cause life-threatening infections later on. Enlist someone’s help in moving the animal by sliding a heavy towel beneath it. To avoid being bitten, tie a strip of cloth over your dog’s nose, or cover your cat’s face with a coat.

BLEEDING
Using direct pressure, apply a clean, dry cloth to the wound. If blood soaks through the first layer of fabric, add more so you don’t disrupt any clots that may be forming. Use a tourniquet only as a last resort, and make it just tight enough to significantly reduce the flow of blood. Loosen it every five minutes, and don’t keep it on for longer than 20 minutes. Transport your pet to the vet as soon as possible. Read the rest of this entry »

Is Rover coughing? It could be dog flu.

Experts urge pet owners to be on the alert now that the disease has been confirmed in Illinois. Read the rest of this entry »

Man returns dogs’ bones.

Transplants of bone marrow, perfected in canine tests, will soon treat their cancers. Read the rest of this entry »

swine n. , pl. swine . Any of various omnivorous, even-toed ungulates of the family Suidae, including pigs, hogs, and boars, having a stout body.

nellie, a hampshire from indiana is a clone

clone “offspring” pork chop from indiana

acorn-fed iberico pig in eastern spain

a proper carving jamonero with hoof properly up

chow time

Top two photos from Wired magazine [wired 15.11] discussing cloning. “The other other white meat”—it looks the same, it cooks the same, it tastes the same. but this pig, a Hampshire from Indiana name Nelly, is a clone. And cloned bacon? It may already be at your supermarket. The second photo deck copy reads “My fist-size chop is glazed in a sugary, thick-as-molasses marinade. It tastes better than anything I’ve had at a restaurant—moist, succulent, and wonderfully tender.” Read the rest of this entry »

Pet Monologues launched just as the pet-food recalls were front-page headlines one year ago. The events propelled us into the blogosphere to be sure. A year later it seems fitting to revisit pet-food and diet.

We (PM household) have not yet gone organic but feel fortunate living in a large metro area where there are many choices. However we also find ourselves having to decide daily whether to pay the premium for eating organic. You can find a more in-depth viewpoint on pet diet in our pet-food recipe section.

Let’s think about diet, fitness, and spirit. We are the messenger at this point in time.

The top five benefits of natural organic pet food for your dog:

Whether or not you’ve “gone organic,” you probably know how crucial a role diet plays in your overall health. People who switch to organic foods report a boost in their energy levels. Their complexions improve and rashes clear up. They catch fewer colds, suffer fewer allergies, and recover quicker from illnesses. The health benefits of eating organic seem to last long-term. Read the rest of this entry »

If you think the Pug can clean your monitor, wait until you see the cat clean your monitor.

The cat’s tongue…

When our cat scarfs his moist food placed on his chrome Wetnoz serving-plate, the surface looks like a mirror. There is nothing left, just a haze-free shine. You could not get the same results with sandpaper, yet that is what his tongue can feel like on your face in the middle of the night.

A Grooming Tool and More
A cat’s ability to groom itself is the result of numerous knobs called papillae on the surface of a cat’s tongue. Located at the tongue’s center, the papillae form backward-facing hooks containing large amounts of keratin, the same material found in human fingernails. These hooks provide the abrasiveness a cat needs for self-grooming. Read the rest of this entry »