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Cancer Deadly to Humans and Wild Animals Alike

PetSugar — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 06:00:18 -0700

It's heartbreaking enough to see your furry friends go through the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, but imagine being a wild animal and not having the medical care or love that a family pet would. Cancer not only affects people and pets, but wild animals as well. A new study conducted by the Wildlife Conservation Society shows that cancer accounts for 10 percent of human deaths, and wild animals are dying from cancer at about the same rate.

And although you may want to wish away these similarities as a natural occurrence, take in this fact first: high levels of a chemical called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are found in the St. Lawrence river system, where beluga whales and many species of fish are frequently found hunting for food. Studies show that this (human-produced) pollutant is the leading cause of intestinal cancer in the beluga whale population. Coincidence? I'm not so sure about that. Although there isn't much you can do to monitor signs of cancer in wild animals from your home, you can keep an eye out for common signs of cancer in your pets!

What Is the Most You've Ever Paid for Vet Services?

PetSugar — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 10:00:23 -0700

Giggle tipped me off to a story the other day about a woman who spent nearly $12,000 dollars in reconstructive surgery on her cat after he was injured in a car accident. While I was stunned at the amount, I was not completely surprised.

How much is too much to spend on the health of your pet? I'm sure the answer may be "money is no object" but after reading her story, I was still very thankful that North and I have not encountered any catastrophic injuries that would literally break the bank to pay for. That's not to say that I haven't had some insane vet bills to deal with in my lifetime, but they were nowhere near the $12,000 dollar mark like in this story. What was the most that you've ever had to pay on a vet bill?

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Your Pets and Hygiene: Advice Roundup!

PetSugar — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 15:00:28 -0700

We've exchanged lots of advice on these pages, and I think it's pretty cool that we have both the tried-and-true, and new methods to try thanks to your comments! In order to keep everyone up on their pets' hygiene, I rounded up my favorite tips and tricks to keep your pets clean, healthy, and smelling fresh all year. Check out the slideshow by hitting the start button below! Source

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Do You Leave Music on For Your Pets?

PetSugar — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 07:00:10 -0700

Not only are pets great companions, we now know what good therapy having a pet can be. Petting our furry friends, or even just watching our fishies swim around their tank can lower our blood pressure and reduce the risk of a heart attack. But as much as pets benefit humans, I can't help but wonder how we can help them in return. I know from experience that pets can get stressed and anxious too, showing it by tearing up your couch cushions, or ripping to shreds their fave toy in five seconds flat. Now, a recent report says there's an easy way to return all the healthful favors.

A study conducted in 2000 shows that the sounds of a harp aid in lowering the blood pressure, heart rate and anxiety in pets that were recouping at a Florida vet hospital, leading us to believe that classical music could be as calming to Fido as it is to humans.

While I don't personally leave tunes on for North to chill to while I'm at work, he does get treated to the soothing classical sounds when he's staying at our fave Pet Camp and at our local Wag Hotel. Now I just might add a few classical tunes to our road trip soundtrack! Until then, I'm curious to know: do any of you leave music on for your pets while you're out?

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Bare Bones: Pet Food Can Cover

PetSugar — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 03:00:02 -0700

Spring cleaning doesn't have to be limited to actual cleaning. You can take this opportunity to tidy up your daily routine as well. And what better way than to start with your beloved pets, and the food that fuels your pet's body! Since you should be keeping your pet food in a sealed container – to keep creepy crawlies from munching on it instead of your dog or cat – these Bamboo Can Covers ($7) come in handy for those wet food containers. Since aluminum foil doesn't quite make the cut for keeping the food sealed and fresh, this can cover keeps an airtight seal and is inexpensive to replace if your furry friend somehow gets a hold of it, mistaking it for a toy. Plus, it will help your fridge smell free. Not that you don't love the smell of your pet's food, right? Right.

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Insanely Cute Alert! Piglet Kingsford Goes to the Beach (and More)

PetSugar — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:50:53 -0800

OK, so maybe you don't buy into all the teensy piggie hype. I hear ya - some animals that reach "fad" status, especially those praised for tiny, teacup sizes, can have health issues or be discarded. . . . once they grow bigger than expected. Now I'm weak for videos of nearly any cute species doing cute stuff and this mini flick of Kingsford meeting a cat, navigating the steps and frolicking in the water is too much to pass up on my dreary Friday. Check it out for yourself below!

Four Cute Tasmanian Devil Babies Born at the Taronga Zoo!

PetSugar — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 11:10:47 -0700

These lil babes don't look much like Taz twinsies, but they are the real Tasmanian Devil deals! As the world's largest meat-eating marsupials, the famed cartoon character was inspired by the actual animals' ravenous appetites.

The babes are getting health checks, paternity tests and microchipped at Sydney's Taronga Zoo in hopes of protecting and checking up on this endangered species in the wild. The joeys look rather expressive (and so squirmy!) - what handfuls!

See more pictures of all four when you read more.

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Cat Owners Eight Times More Likely to Have MRSA at Home

PetSugar — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 09:55:01 -0700

If you're not familiar with it already, MRSA is a bacteria resistant to certain antibiotics, dangerous because of, well, its drug resistance. The first cases in pets popped up about five years ago in therapy dogs exposed to patients or healthcare workers, but the tables could turn, putting humans in more danger any day.

Typically, humans usually infect pets (and not vice versa), but animals can serve as a reservoir for the bacteria and pass it back to humans. Healthy animals rid themselves of bacteria in a matter of weeks.

According to a study this Summer, Elizabeth A. Scott and colleagues at the Center For Hygiene and Health in Home and Community at Simmons College in Boston swabbed household surfaces and found that one variable that overwhelmingly predicted the presence of the germ was the presence of a cat - they were eight times more likely than others to have MRSA at home.

To learn some tips to keep your human (and furry) family safe, read more.

Wash your hands or use antibacterial hand gels before and after playing with a pet or handling wastes and food.
Don't let pets lick near your face or any cuts or sores, and be sure to keep your broken skin bandaged up.

Have Your Pets Had Acupuncture?

PetSugar — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 05:50:55 -0700

I know, first doggie blood donors and now acupuncture?! As it turns out veterinary acupuncturists are growing in popularity as they can work to cure a variety of ailments or diseases and relieve inflammation and stress for furry friends. Since some incorporate other treatments such as chiropractic and massage therapy, it could be considered an integrative health approach . . . but for animals.

Anna Paquin Takes Her Pups For a Stroll

PetSugar — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 06:00:27 -0700

When she's not frolicking around with dolphins and seals, Anna Paquin knows that a good walk is essential to a dog's health. The True Blood star was spotted yesterday taking a stroll through the streets of Santa Monica with her two best furry friends. Although I can see that one of her four-legged pals is a Border Collie, I'm having quite the time trying to place the breed of the brown companion. Besides keeping the dogs in good shape with long walks, Anna practices good owner behavior by keeping poop bags handy with a black Bon Ton dispenser.

Keeping up with her dogs isn't the only thing going on in Anna's life - she just recently announced her engagement to fellow animal lover and costar Stephen Moyer, who comes with a family of his own. But if either of them need any advice on how to introduce new family members into the mix, they know where to come!

To see more of Anna and her pups, just read more.

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