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Dog Swallows an Arrow, but Her Name Isn't Cupid

PetSugar — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 14:10:48 -0700

I said give the dog a bone, not give the dog a bow! Betty, a lucky pup from London, recently swallowed a toy arrow that got lodged in her tummy. Betty's family noticed her gulping down an object and rushed her to the vet's office where doctors were stunned to find a 10-inch arrow! And after a risky surgery, doctors were able to put the pup on the road back to recovery.

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Curious pets are prone to swallowing everything from pennies to action figures and toys, so if you have a pup in the house, be sure to puppy-proof your home. Need some tips? Check out ways to keep your home safe for your pets here!

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!

This Monkey Babe Looks Just Like a Monchhichi

PetSugar — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 07:15:27 -0700

When I was little, I went through a phase of collecting Monchhichi figurines, remember those all you kids of the 80s?! I haven't thought of them in years until I saw this lil face and it came rushing back. Meet Elke, an infant Francois Langur born at Sydney's Taronga Zoo. Newborns are bright red or orange all over, but this color changes slowly and reaches black by one year of age. A critically endangered species, there are only around 1,000 of these leaf-eating monkeys still in northeast Vietnam – see one more photo of the rare babe when you read more.

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The Scoop: Joe Biden Picks His Puppy

PetSugar — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 12:05:42 -0800

While we've been anxiously waiting for any announcement about the TBD Obama puppy, the "second dog" was just introduced over the weekend. Vice President-elect Joe Biden picked out a three-month-old German Shepherd from a kennel in suburban Philadelphia on Saturday. The lil boy won't join the family quite yet and still remains nameless. Turns out Biden told the breeder that honor will go to his grandkids . . . but, with five of them, how will everyone agree on just one name?!

Do you have any name suggestions for the cutie pie? Let's hear them below!

Curious How to Transport a Giraffe?

PetSugar — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 03:00:00 -0800

I love giraffes but even with all the things I do know about these guys, I never gave much thought about how you'd get the world's tallest animal from point A to point B . . . if walking was not an option! Now I've got my answer as this animal recently relocated from the Auckland Zoo in New Zealand to Taronga's Western Plains Zoo in Australia. How did Ntombi make the big trip? Why by a huuuuge boat of course, followed by a hitching a lift from this crane as he arrives at Sydney's Port Botany today.

Check out more piccys of big Ntombi's big trip when you read more.

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Glenn Close Honors Puppies Behind Bars and Dog Tags

PetSugar — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 12:15:40 -0800

Glenn Close hosted an event last night to honor pups that have served in combat, and with returning veterans, for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The benefit celebrated the brave men and women (and dogs!) and raised awareness for the organization that makes it all possible, Puppies Behind Bars.

The prison-based nonprofit trains dogs to be explosive detection canines and service dogs for the disabled with their newest initiative, titled “Dog Tags: Service Dogs For Those Who’ve Served Us”, offering these inmate-trained canines to help soldiers readjust to civilian life. See members of the first New York "Dog Tags" graduating class and their new families in the gallery below.

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Killer Whales Are Picky Eaters!

PetSugar — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 07:30:42 -0800

I have a good friend that will travel to great lengths to get the best sushi. Her favorite restaurant is here in SF (she lives about 25 miles outside of town), and she swears by their salmon and yellowtail. Little does she know that her raw fish obsession is one she shares with killer whales!

A recent study finds that salmon is killer whales' favorite food, and they will travel large distances to nosh on the best. Using their Ecolocators (creating an echoing sound), they can scan areas up to a half mile away to find their favorite King Salmon, which provides the high concentration of fats and lipids that these whales seem to prefer. I can see traveling 25 miles to a favorite sushi bar a couple of times a month, but scanning hundreds of miles of ocean for a particular fish? Now that's a dedication that my pal Yum could appreciate!

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Oldest Creatures Around? Count Spiders as One of Them!

PetSugar — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 08:00:14 -0800

Like I said before, spiders give me the creepy-crawlies, but I have to give them some respect – they're among the oldest creatures around, with recently found fossils dating back at least 130 million years!

If you think that's old, wait 'til you get a load of this number: 450 million years. That's when the first arachnid was said to have appeared on Earth, based on genetic research recently published in the latest issue of Experimental and Applied Acarology.

I can't even fathom what the earth looked like back then, but seriously, spiders are pretty well equipped for almost any condition. Highly developed senses, self-constructing materials, protective outer armor, and (some) even have a pretty dangerous venom defense system. These guys can live almost anywhere. . . but I try not to think about that when I open my dark closet!

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Could You Care For Chacoan Peccary Babies?

PetSugar — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 16:00:12 -0700

Just like that cute vicuña, I had no clue what creature to expect when I opened these images of endangered Chacoan Peccaries. Turns out the pig-like animals feature similar snouts, but belong to a different taxonomic group, than "true pigs."Native to Bolivia, Argentina, and Paraguay, the animal was thought to be extinct until 1972 when the species was discovered to still exist in the Chaco region of Paraguay.

There are only 11 zoos in the US exhibiting these creatures – including the Los Angeles Zoo where four new babes live. Have you ever seen one? I sure haven't but in the spirit of the season, peek at the photo of a peccary piglet picking at pumpkin (phew!) when you read more.

Photo Credit: Jamie Pham

Hayden Wants to Save the Whales Again . . . and You Can Help!

PetSugar — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 12:40:50 -0700

Nearly one year after Hayden Panettiere joined animal activists in the rescue mission to stop a dolphin slaughter in Taiji, Japan, the actress has a new tactic to save the whales - she's joining forces with SocialVibe to petition this annual event. Watch the video below to learn how you can get involved:

Hayden also spoke about her efforts (and continued commitment) at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on Sunday in partnership with Save the Whales Again!, a conservation campaign of the Whaleman Foundation.

Check out pictures of her speech and rally when you read more.

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