Frequently Asked Questions

A: By now most pet owners know dogs and cats shouldn't have chocolate, raisins, onions, and macadamia nuts. Many other common every-day objects are also very dangerous to cats and dogs, and they're so small and common it's easy to forget they're easily available in an open purse or on a table. Human medications like Advil, Motrin, and Tylenol are present in almost every home, and very dangerous to pets. The acetaminophen in one Tylenol is enough to kill a cat or cause severe liver problems in a dog. Asthma inhalers can also pose a problem if a pet chews on them. If a dog were to bite through the shell, the substance inside is enough to cause an acute, life-threatening poisoning. Most chewing gums and mints contain xylitol. Xylitol is also common in chewable vitamins, sugar free candy, and nicotine gum. Xylitol is very toxic to dogs. Also look out for all forms of nicotine. Cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, e-cigarette cartridges and fluid, nicotine gum, lozenges, anything with nicotine can potentially kill a pet. Another common item that can be found in many cars, purses, and backpacks is hand sanitizer. These products contain lots of alcohol and can potentially cause coma and death in pets. Prevention is naturally the best. Create good habits with putting potentially dangerous things away. If you still think your pet got into something poisonous, call your veterinarian at once. If the cat really ate something they shouldn't have minutes can matter, and the sooner you get the correct diagnose the easier, safer, and less expensive it will be to treat your pet.

A: Lilies are beautiful, and in springtime many yards hold an abundance of them. They're also common in many Easter flower arrangements. While not particularly dangerous to humans or dogs, some types of lilies are poisonous to cats. This article will tell you what kinds are the most dangerous to cats, and what to watch out for. Around Easter time, the Easter lily is a welcome guest in many homes. These flowers are very poisonous to cats, and it goes for every part of the plant. Leaves, petals, stems, and pollen are all poisonous. If you see your cat eating or licking an Easter lily, even if it's just nibbling a leaf, call the vet. Cats can also accidentally ingest the pollen while grooming, and even such a small amount can lead to kidney failure. Symptoms develop in six to twelve hours after exposure, and the signs of poisoning include: Vomiting Loss of appetite Dehydration Lethargy Some cats also stagger, become disoriented, or suffer seizures. Easter Lilies are dangerous to cats If your cat ingested any part of an Easter lily, it needs treatment at once. There aren't any antidotes to lily poison, and the vet will administer drugs to bind the poison and give intravenous fluids to flush out the kidneys. They will also monitor the kidneys through blood testing. If the cat gets treatment quickly, all this will be easier on both the pet and your wallet. Other types of lilies known to be poisonous to cats include Tiger lilies - common in yards - Day lilies, and Asiatic lilies. Amongst lilies that usually do not pose a problem to cats we find Peace lilies, Calla lilies, and Peruvian lilies. It's always a good idea to keep the numbers to your regular vet and pet emergency rooms saved in your phone and written down somewhere you can find it even in a time of stress.

A: Dogs perform many important functions in society, and there are many different kinds of working dogs. Assistance dogs enhances people's lives through helping with tasks their person would have trouble completing on their own. Assistance dogs are divided into three categories: Guide dogs  help the blind and visually impaired. These dogs help humans through guiding their handler past obstacles, stopping at stabs and curbs, and negotiating traffic. The handler gives commands, but it is the dog's responsibility to ensure the team's safety. This type of job can be difficult and requires a lot from the dog, because doing the job to keep the handler safe can require disobeying direct commands. Hearing dogs  help the deaf and heard of hearing. They assist through alerting their handlers to sound, and are trained to make physical contact with their handler, leading them to the source of the sound. These dogs are commonly trained to react to doorbells, alarm clocks, telephones, crying babies, and similar. Service dogs  help people with other types of disabilities. Some are trained to work with wheelchairs, some are medical alert dogs, others help children with autism. There is a wide range of task performed by service dogs and they are often trained to open and close doors, turn on lights, bring objects, provide balance, and many other things. Assistance groups are recognized by the ADA. Their handler have the right to bring them to any place that is open to the public

A: As society changes, pets are evolving into family members - a process called humanization - and a steadily increasing number of people choose to travel with their loved furry friends. According to the American Hotel and Lodging Association, 61% of hotels in the US now permit pets.  On the website Travelocity, more than 20,500 hotels are listed as pet friendly. The Kimpton Hotel and Restaurant Group estimates more than 100,000 pets stay in their 60 hotels each year, and 99% of these pets are dogs. The Essex Resort and Spa in Vermont has between 10 and 15 animals each night, and that makes up around 10% of their business. Going back just a few years, pets could be allowed at a hotel, but people weren't encouraged to bring them. This has also changed. Today, many hotels welcome furry visitors with water bowls, pet-icures, dog Reiki, pet sitting, and more. It's not just a gimmick; many hotels get a decent extra income from catering to pets. On the other hand, pet lovers can bring Speckles and Fido, and having the pet by one's side provides company, comfort, joy, and freedom from worry. If you're looking for a pet-friendly hotel, the websites petswelcome.com, bringfido.com, andtripswithpets.com can assist in finding the right place.

A: A Virginia Detective, Mac Adams, has been involved with rescuing deaf dogs since 2010 when he adopted his dog Pickles from the Richmond Animal Care and Control. Since then, he has gotten four more; Nea, Piglet, Opal, and Mortimer. Detective Mac Adams with his five deaf dogs. Photo from Facebook Adams says there are 56 breeds of dogs prone to deafness. The puppies are born deaf and don't know they're supposed to hear, but it can be an obstacle in first figuring out a means of communication. Once the connection is made he thinks they pay a lot more attention to their person than hearing dogs, and might even be easier to train because they're not distracted by sounds around them. Four of the deaf dogs in the Adams' household are Pitbulls, and he works on educating people about the breed. He says they are a great breed, generally gentle, calm, and good natured, but used for nefarious purposes by a small potion of the population. Read more about Mac Adams and his dogs in this article on dogheirs.com.

A: The Greyhound is considered the fastest dog on Earth. They can run 45 miles per hour. The Irish Wolfhound is the largest dog breed. The Great Dane is the tallest dog. The Great Dane really originated in Germany, not in Denmark. The Chihuahua is the smallest dog breed. The St. Bernard is the heaviest dog breed. The oldest dog in the world was an Australian cattle-dog named Bluey. He lived to be over 29 years. Dogs have twice as many muscles for moving their ears as people.

A: There are all sorts of lists of most popular dog breeds in different countries, cities, and areas. Google put a new twist on it with a list of their top ten most searched dog breeds in the USA during 2013. Bulldog Chihuahua Poodle Golden Retriever Pug Pomeranian Shih Tzu Collie Beagle Maltese The Bulldog was also the fifth most popular dog breed in America in 2013 according to the AKC.

A: Supercomputer model of the Earth's magnetic field. Source: nasa.gov The Earth has a magnetic field. Many people only come in contact with it through the use of a compass, but it has great importance for every living being on the planet. Amongst other things, it shields us from solar radiation. In theory, the field is straight and neat with a magnetic north pole close to the geographic north pole, and a magnetic south pole close to the geographic south pole. In reality, it's a bit more complicated, but for the sake of discussion, north and south are quite sufficient. So, what does this have to do with pets? Good question. Scientists at the Czech University of Life Sciences along with the zoology department at the University of Duisburg-Essen in Germany have studied dogs doing the "potty dance" and found that dogs prefer to align their body axis with the planet's magnetic field. They prefer the North-South direction, and avoid the East-West direction. While the reason for the magnetic preference remains unknown, this is the first time magnetic sensitivity has been proven in dogs. It is also the first time a mammal has been unambiguously proven to be sensitive to small changes in magnetic polarity. The scientists believe there might a biological explanation to the phenomenon. Birds are thought to navigate with assistance of the magnetic field, and dogs might also have a "magnetic map" aiding them with their sense of direction. This could explain how some dogs are able to hike home across the country after being separated from their owners, or after a move. 70 dogs from 37 different breeds participated in the experiment, and their habits were studied over a period of two years. You can read more here, and see the report here. If you're interested in learning more about the Earth's magnetic field, this Introduction to Geomag can be a good starting point, along with this article on Nasa's website.

A: Venus the bulldog steering the HMS Vansittart. Image source //www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205185297 Venus the bulldog steering the HMS Vansittart. Image source //www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205185297Cats at sea might not come as a big surprise - they are excellent hunters and good at keeping pest populations at bay. Dogs have also been popular mascots through the ages, and a large number of four-legged marines have served in the United States sea services. The dogs build morale and provide relief from the monotony of being at sea for months at a time. They have also served a practical function through warning for dangers, and many have led patrols onto foreign shores. The photo shows Venus, the naval mascot of British Destroyer Vansittart. The photo is from 1941. In the US, the English Bulldog has been a mascot of the marines since the first world war. It was unofficial until 1922 when a dog named Jiggs got the official duty for the first time. There were a long row of dogs named Jiggs, but the modern day mascot is called Chesty. It is always a pure bred English bulldog and the name stays the same for generations. A long line of Chestys have gotten their name from legendary Lt Gen Lewis B 'Chesty' Puller Jr. who served in World War II and the Korean War. He is thus far the only Marine to be awarded five navy crosses. If you want to see more dogs at sea, visit the US Naval Institute's website here.

A: Dogs perform important jobs all over the world, not just for individuals but also for organizations such as military and police. The website forsvarsmakten.se - the Swedish armed forces - gives a glimpse into breeding and training dogs for the Swedish defense. Swedish military dogs assist with everything from patrolling to searching for explosives or missing persons. It is a big country area-wise but has a small population, and the same facility breeds and trains dogs for both the military and police. Every year, selected dogs produce 35 to 40 litters of German Shepherd puppies. This sounds like a lot of dogs, but it is important to note that Sweden doesn't have the same problem with overpopulation of dogs as for instance the USA. Sixteen people work full time with planning the breeding, caring for the dogs, finding foster homes, and other tasks involved with the dogs. The most suitable puppies from each litter are chosen and go to foster homes when they're between eight and ten weeks old. They stay in their foster home until they're a year and a half. Don't worry; the puppies not chosen for service are placed in good homes. At eighteen months, the dogs are considered old enough to go through a suitability test. This test makes sure the dog is stable and mentally suited to perform at the level needed. Every year around 250 dogs go through the test, and around 60 move on to training. Most of the dogs that don't get approved stay with their foster homes, or go to another good home. There are more people wanting dogs than dogs available.