Who Knew?

Here’s a shocker: scientists are beginning to believe that animals have personalities.

According to a recent story in our local daily newspaper, scientists at the University of Guelph who were conducting a study were sitting by the Credit River west of Toronto. They apparently noticed that brook trout exhibited different personalities.

Let’s just forget for a moment that highly paid scientists are sitting on the riverbank and calling it work. Let’s instead focus on the obvious: animals might have personalities – who knew?

Here’s a study I’d like to see: let’s capture a group of scientists and take them away from their natural environment on the riverbanks of Ontario and run them through some tests. First of all, let’s determine whether any of these people have pets and, if so, how many of them are pet owners.

Then we’ll isolate the group of scientists who do indeed have pets and observe them in the natural environment of their own homes.

We need to determine why these people have not yet clued into the fact that their family dog or cat behaves differently than, say, an end table or the dishwasher.

Weird Stuff Dogs Eat

According to a recent newspaper article, an American pet insurer has released a list of the top ten things most commonly removed surgically from the stomachs of our beloved pets. (Your Grade Five book report was not on the list – so much for that old excuse.) Ingested items include batteries, underwear, socks, drywall, rubber bands, rocks, sticks, balls, and pagers.

When my Basset Hound, Annie, was young, she ate a goodly portion of a medical encyclopedia. I had thought, at the time, that it would have been ironic and fitting if that little snack made her sick.

It didn’t.

Once I was certain that Annie hadn’t been affected in the slightest by her latest gastronomic experiment, I could hardly wait to get to the dog park so I could one-up my fellow puppy owners. I thought that my story had finally topped everyone else’s stories about their dogs’ odd eating habits.

It didn’t.

I was shocked and properly impressed with the story told by the owners of a young Golden Retriever. Apparently their young dog had chewed up and swallowed a brand new, very expensive 35 mm camera.

Your vet may tell you that since most foreign objects are ingested by young dogs under two years of age, it’s important to “puppy-proof” your home by keeping an eye out for potential hazards.

Unfortunately, we have no way of anticipating every type of foreign object that may tantalize the taste buds of the family’s canine gourmand. If you suspect Sparky has munched on your DVD player, get him/her to the vet right away. Dogs who have ingested a foreign body will often lose their appetites and may vomit. The sooner you can get your dog to the vet for assessment, the faster you can prevent serious consequences.

Many times, we might not even realize that our dogs have eaten something they shouldn’t have. If your dog begins vomiting, drooling, refusing food, and having abnormal bowel movements, get to a vet.

And if your cell phone is missing, have someone phone your number or call it yourself from another phone. If your dog rings, you can only hope that she didn’t eat your car keys, too.

Update On Molly

On Saturday, October 13, Molly had surgery on both of her eyes. Dr. Kam Brar of the Lifeline Animal Clinic performed the three-hour operation and the prognosis is good. Molly is seeing the world in a new light!

On October 20 and 21, we had a "twoonie collection" jar for Molly at the Pointer Craft Fair and Sale at the Willis Point Community Hall near Victoria, BC. Thanks to the caring generosity of the customers and vendors at the sale, we raised just over $100 to help with Molly's vet bill.

Stay tuned for more updates on Molly!

Help A Special Dog!

Molly is a friendly and forgiving two-year-old Golden Retriever cross. She was taken into the Greater Victoria Animals’ Crusaders’ care after suffering severe neglect and abuse in her short life.

But while beautiful Molly is now living in a caring and loving environment, her problems are not over. She suffers from “entropian”, a painful condition of the eyes. Both her upper and lower eyelids roll inward. The resulting abrasion from her eyelashes on her eyeballs has caused infections in both eyes.

Due to the continual irritation of Molly’s eyeballs, she is also at great risk for corneal ulcers, which may result in total blindness.

This condition can be corrected surgically, allowing Molly to live a quality, pain-free life, but requires a lengthy and costly procedure.

Can you help Molly? If so, please send your donation to the Greater Victoria Animals’ Crusaders at the address below:

“The Molly Fund”
c/o Greater Victoria Animals’ Crusaders
P. O. Box 5541, Station B
Victoria, BC
V8R 6S4
Tax receipts will be issued.

"Beautiful Joe", A Good Book

When I was young, I read a life-changing book titled Beautiful Joe. It’s the story of a dog rescued from a life with an unimaginably cruel owner who cut off his ears and tail with an axe. Adopted by a kind family, Beautiful Joe goes on to heal, then blossom into a wonderful dog who, in turn, performs his own rescues. It was written by Nova Scotia author Margaret Marshall Saunders and is set in Canada.

What makes Beautiful Joe a great story is that it explores the way animals are commonly treated from the dog’s point of view. As with the great classic, Black Beauty, we see ourselves through the eyes of harmless beings who just want to live in peace.

This is one of the books that prompted me to embark on a life-long mission to bring home every sad, sick, or broken animal I found and to try to fix it up. It’s also a very old book, first published in 1894, and it’s sad to think that the same book could have been written, with little change, today. The message is as valid today as it was back at the turn of the century. It’s a good read for anyone who loves animals.

A number of readers who loved the story of Beautiful Joe have banded together in the form of a society to honour both the book and its author. They created a park in Ontario at the grave site of Beautiful Joe. The park is graced with a statue of the book’s hero and the theme of the park, awareness of animal welfare, is carried throughout. Activities such as performances by the SuperDogs and Blessing of the Animals services are held within its green spaces.

You can find more information about the book, the Society, and the park at www.beautifuljoe.org.

Snickle...What?

Do you have room in your heart and home for two affectionate cats?

Bandit (black) and Snicklefritz (tabby) are siblings and have been together since they were kittens. They are seven years old, have both been neutered, and have both recently had dental cleanings. They are fairly shy, quiet boys, but they are both absolute lap cats and will make the perfect addition to any family. They are very laid back and get along with pretty much everyone: cats, dogs, and kids. They would love to find a home where they can relax together.

Health: Good (but beginning to get a little overweight from all of their time in a kennel)

Nicknames: B&S

Favourite treats: Love

Favourite activity: Tunneling under the blankets

Major dislikes: Not many, they’re pretty laid back

Endearing qualities: They both appear to be shy at first, but once you offer pats and love, they cannot get enough of you. They are both total lap cats and will fit into any home very well. For some reason they love to tunnel under their blankets, but this is not their way of hiding; it is just their way of playing.

If you live in the Greater Victoria area and you’d like to adopt these two lovebugs, please contact Catherine Clayton at the Victoria Pet Adoption Society by calling 652-4312 or e-mailing vpas@wormers.com.

Feline “Acatemy” A Good Beginning

A group of animal behaviourists have taken their “acatemy” on the road in the United States. A training school that helps people understand their cats by teaching them to behave like cats, the acatemy travels around the country, offering various innovative classes.

People learn to think, stretch, and sleep like a cat and the benefits are obvious. Not only do the cats’ owners come away from the classes understanding their pets better, they’ve also learned a new way to de-stress from the day. Few members of the animal kingdom have mastered the art of relaxation like cats have — most are better at it than dogs. A cat doesn’t have a dog’s “Lassie” list of responsibilities: for example, most don’t care who comes to the door and couldn’t care less if little Timmy falls down the water well as long as he doesn’t make too much noise.

The example set by this “acatemy” is heartwarming and the potential spin-offs are tempting. Someone should now organize a “lab-ratory” for those who want to understand their dogs better by behaving like dogs. In a lab-ratory, we humans would learn how to:

• be wildly happy about everything
• take a restful nap in a sunbeam despite the sunbeam’s location in a high-traffic area of the house or deck
• yawn grandly and noisily without covering our mouths
• accept everyone for who they are, not for what they have
• have fun spontaneously without needing someone to organize it
• trust without reservation
• forgive wholeheartedly
• take each day as it comes and not worry about tomorrow

Anyone who has ever been loved by a dog or a cat knows that our furry companions have many traits that we would do well to emulate.

Nature's Perfect Mousetrap

Many pet rescue groups are developing programs to deal with the problem of feral cat populations.

One such program is operated by the Greater Victoria Animal Crusaders (GVAC) in Victoria, BC, Canada. Feral cats are captured, given necessary veterinary care and sterilized. New homes are found for them on rural properties such as farms and acreages. The cats get new jobs (rodent control officers), new offices (barns, stables, or outbuildings) and a chance to make new lives for themselves.

GVAC is currently looking for rural property owners who wish to adopt these animals. All these cats need from their new owners is a bit of patience during their initial introduction period, food and water, shelter (such as a barn, a garage, or a stable), and veterinary care.

Not all cats in the program are wild. This is Benson. He will spray if kept in the house so he needs a place where he can live outside with a nice, warm barn or garage to sleep in, but where he still gets lots of love and attention. He’s a very sweet cat who just wants to cuddle. He’s young, neutered, vaccinated, and ready to go to a new home.

For information on Benson or to fill out an application to adopt him, please contact Pamela at the Greater Victoria Animal Crusaders at gvac@shaw.ca or call 250-381-4744.

If you live in the Greater Victoria area and you’re interested in adopting feral cats, please contact GVAC at 250-474-5581 or e-mail gvac@shaw.ca. They’ll provide you with guidance and help during your new cat’s adjustment period.

For areas outside the Greater Victoria area, contact your local animal shelter or rescue group. There are many barn cat programs starting up everywhere and the chances that you’ll find one in your area are very good.

Up A Tree Without A Squirrel

Even the smartest dog has dumb habits that make its owner wonder not only about its intelligence but its sanity.

My Border Collie, Jasper, was an exceptionally bright dog. He learned faster than my kids, with a better attitude. I had only to show Jasper a new thing once or twice and he happily did it. My kids, on the other hand, required four or five demonstrations and a significant bribe.

Jasper had one dumb habit that absolutely baffled me. While we walked through the woods on the farm, he would chase a squirrel up a tree. Unable to climb, he instead jumped up against the tree trunk until he could grab a branch with his teeth. Then he would hang there motionless, a look of intense concentration on his handsome face.

The kids would be rolling around on the ground laughing at him but I always stood and studied my dog in puzzlement. I wondered what (if anything) was going through his usually sharp brain at that moment.

If he was as intelligent as I thought he was, he would be thinking, “Okay, if I can just flip my lower body up six or seven feet, I might be able to make that next branch and pursue my prey.”

Or, perhaps he was simply trying to think of a way to save face: “Darn. My canine instincts once again overrode my innate intelligence. My jaws are getting tired. Any minute, I’m going to have to let go and fall back to Earth in front of my whole family.”

Then again, maybe I had vastly over-estimated his intelligence and his thought processes were actually going something like this: “Squirrel up tree. Jasper up tree. Jasper no got squirrel. What up wit dat?”

Inevitably, gravity won over intellect and Jasper would lose his grasp on the branch and fall. He never hurt himself — but he also never learned that his ambitious pursuit strategy had a major flaw.

Watch Out For Foxtail Barley!

A few years ago, Cooper, a bouncy, young Spaniel-cross, felt miserable. He licked constantly at the inside of his forearm, and lost both his appetite and energy.

His family took him to the vet several times before the problem was identified. A seed (called an “awn”) from foxtail barley had penetrated the skin of his forearm, migrated up into his chest area and lodged there.

The awn was successfully removed surgically. Cooper made a full and fast recovery but the operation cost the family several thousand dollars.

Foxtail barley is an invasive weed that grows everywhere. Grazing animals like to eat it in the spring and early summer but after it matures, they lose interest in it. The seedheads, which look like a fox’s tail or a squirrel’s tail, dry out in mid- and late summer, become yellow and bristly, and begin to break apart. The seeds or awns are barbed like fish hooks or porcupine quills and are easily picked up by animals. This is one of the ways in which this botanical pest propagates, but it’s just a nuisance to pet people.

Juna, a young female Rottweiler, hadn’t been feeling well for days. When I stopped by her family’s home for a quick visit, they immediately took me to see her. Normally, this exuberant pup bounced up and down like a big, black-and-tan basketball upon my arrival, then parked her 70-pound self on my feet. That day, however, she just lay on one of kid’s beds, drooling and looking thoroughly miserable. She was feverish and had stopped eating.

I didn’t even have to look into her mouth. I told the family to take her to the animal clinic immediately to have her examined. Sure enough, the vet found a foxtail barley awn deep in her throat. He pulled it out and Juna recovered quickly and completely.

Here’s how to protect your dog from foxtail barley awns:

1. Check your dog when she comes in from outdoors, especially in areas where the fur is fine such as the face, legs, armpits, underside, and tail area. Check between her toes, too.

2. Groom your dog regularly to dislodge awns that may be lurking in his fur.

3. If your dog has medium to long hair, trim around the foot pads and ears.

4. An awn that sticks in your dog’s anatomy somewhere will cause changes in behaviour. She may lick or scratch one area repeatedly, appear uncomfortable, or lose her appetite.

5. Immediately have a vet check any swellings or open sores on your dog. Barley awns can migrate internally and the sooner the seed is found, the faster your vet can remove it.

Horses and cattle pick them up, too. In cattle, the awns work their way into the mouth and cause a condition called “lump jaw”.

I’ve seen horses pick up barley awns in their lips. If you have a horse, watch for rubbing the mouth area on fences. Usually, an awn stuck in a horse’s lip is easy to see because it forms an itchy lump but if the seed works its way into the horse’s mouth, it’s harder to detect.

Have a safe and happy summer with your pet and remember to check it over regularly for summertime hazards.