Pet Monologues

As breeders test DNA, dogs become guinea pigs. FORT MOTT STATE PARK, N.J. — When mutant, muscle-bound puppies started showing up in litters of champion racing whippets, the breeders of the normally sleek dogs invited scientists to take DNA samples at race meets here and across the country. They hoped to find a genetic cause for the condition and a way to purge it from the breed.

It worked. “Bully whippets,” as the heavyset dogs are known, turn out to have a genetic mutation that enhances muscle development. And breeders may not want to eliminate the “bully” gene after all. The scientists found that the same mutation that pumps up some whippets makes others among the fastest dogs on the track. Read the rest of this entry »

Drug firms check out pets. According to London-based Animal Pharm, world animal health business which had a 5 percent growth in 2006, to $2.3 billion, for which there seems to be greater prospects on the horizon. These figures are largely driven by so-called companion animals: dogs, cats, and horses, which make up 56% of the animal health market. Two big U.S. firms on the animal health bandwagon are Pfizer and Abbott. Dr. Bonnie Beaver, past president of the American Veterinary Medical Society, says “A lot of what we see parallels human medicine. Obesity, a problem in human medicine. Diabetes, a problem in human medicine. For more information, visit animalpharmnews.com

How to tell if your pet has eaten poisoned pet-food. Every pet owner in the country is concerned about whether their four-legged family member is at risk due to the recent pet food and treat recalls.

To date, kidney failure has been the cause of death in pets that have eaten the poison food.

Do you know what symptoms to look for? Read the rest of this entry »

Hospital plans to unleash animal-assisted therapy.

Like other hospitals that have used animal-assisted therapy to help patients reduce stress and heal faster, Northwest Community Hospital is recruiting dogs and owners interested in volunteering for a new program expected to begin in August.

“The animals provide a unique dimension of care that is unlike any other therapy around,” said Diane Colville, manager of cardiopulmonary rehabilitation at the Arlington Heights hospital. Read the rest of this entry »

Summer care tips for you and your pets. Summer is a time for both you and your pet to enjoy the sunshine and outdoors, but along with the fun, the season also offers up situations that can endanger your pet. By taking precautions, you can decrease the chance that disaster will happen. The HSUS offers these tips for pet owners to keep their furry friends safe this summer: Read the rest of this entry »

Heide Winings warms raw ground beef in the microwave, throws in shredded carrots, cheese and a fried egg and serves breakfast to her four dogs that surround her panting and whining for a bite.

Like a growing number of pet owners, she feeds her dogs a natural diet that she figures costs up to $400 a month compared with the roughly $250 she spent before going raw.

Photo: Tribune Terry Harris

Winings’ approach is among several alternative pet diets that have attracted new followers since the massive recall of contaminated pet food blamed for the illness and death of thousands of cats and dogs.

“It’s a difference in how they enjoy the food,” said Winnings, 53, who lives in the Barrington enclave of Tower Lakes with her husband and two children. “They just love it. It’s the excitement of choices.”

Winings recalled people buying leftover bags of meat at the butcher shops in her native Germany and decided to give it a try four years ago. It was an instant hit. Read the rest of this entry »

Danderless Dempsey, the hypoallergenic cat. Last year, it was revealed that a Greenwich Village family had purchased a $4,000 hypoallergenic cat from Allerca (not to mention the $3,000 in insurance and shipping). Now, the Daily News has visited the family and cat! [RK] Read the rest of this entry »

Is pet insurance a good idea? First, the good news: veterinarians can do more for your pet than ever before. State-of-the-art medical procedures — from open-heart surgery to kidney transplants — are now available to help prolong an animal’s life. Cats receive dialysis, and even ducks are getting cataract surgery. My own Labrador, Duke, developed a heart condition and had a pacemaker implanted at age 12. He lived a year beyond his natural life expectancy, and I cherished every extra minute I had with him. [RK] Read the rest of this entry »

What’s the Big Deal?
Ah, the pitter patter of four-legged feet as they whip through your living room at overclocked speeds or uproot your prize gladiolas with manic fervor. But Snookiepuss and Mrs. Fluffypants are practically family, right?

So why should they settle for anything less than top drawer when their health and wellbeing are at stake? Throw the planet a bone while you’re at it; we’ve got the goods on how to reduce your pets’ carbon paw prints—without making your wallet roll over and play dead. Read the rest of this entry »