| Sleep with Fluffy? Of course. Take her to the vet? Um, no.
VANCOUVER -- We like to pamper our pets, sleep with them, include them in family photographs and take them to the spa -- but apparently they're not getting many dates with the vet. According to a national survey of 1,150 cat and dog owners conducted by Ipsos-Reid/Pfizer, 35 per cent of dog owners and nearly one-fifth of cat owners include their pets in family photographs, while 82 per cent of cat owners and 68 per cent of dog owners allow their pets to sleep on the bed with them. When it comes to relationships, about 20 per cent of cat and dog owners say they wouldn't consider dating someone who doesn't love pets. .
Golden Retriever Foundation donates to canine cancer campaign
The Golden Retriever Foundation has pledged $500,000 over a five-year period to the Morris Animal Foundation's Canine Cancer Campaign. In April, the MAF officially kicked off the campaign, a large-scale, $30 million initiative to cure cancer in dogs within the equivalent of a dog's lifetime of 10 to 20 years (see JAVMA, May 1, 2007, page 1287). The GRF was the first breed foundation or club to pledge a major gift to the campaign. "Cancer is the leading cause of death among Goldens, as it is among many breeds," said David Kinghorn, president of GRF. "We hope that other breed groups will follow our lead and support this important endeavor." Established in 1997 by the Golden Retriever Club of America, the GRF supports research, rescue, and education and has awarded more than $1 million in grants.
'Yappy Hours' and more for your dogs
I don't like the yappy little ones that nip at your feet or the loud, big ones that stick their noses in places they don't belong. I like the ones that lie in the shade and gently snore. I liked my friend's boxer Samson (rest in peace) who was big and drool-y. So when I was asked to be on the dog committee (aka the "paws" committee and the "Fifi" committee) for the park district, I was a bit hesitant. Everyone else on the committee has at least one pet. In fact, they have lizards and horses and cats and dogs and probably other animals roaming about their homes and yards that they haven't mentioned yet. But I agreed because I am generally a nice person who looks like a dog lover. Little did I know that the committee, aside from planning fun events, had a secondary, more surreptitious goal: to make me the adoptive mother of some poor pooch.
Animal Corner / The poodle hairdo
It continues until fall. "During the winter I have time to play backgammon," says Muli Perlman, a veteran dog and cat groomer. "At this time most dogs are brought in for shampooing after having played in the mud. Few owners are interested in a winter haircut. Sometimes, owners bring their dogs for a haircut only because they did not brush them and dead fur collected," Perlman reveals. "I tell every customer: 'Keep a brush in your back pocket and brush the dog at every opportunity.' You also have to brush against the direction of hair growth - this technique takes out a lot of dead fur. In addition, brushing is also a nice massage for the dog."
Cats also need frequent brushing. This is especially true of long-haired cats, such as Persians. "If you don't brush them every day, they begin to get dreadlocks," explains veterinarian Dr.
Health Alert: Pet diseases
NATIONAL - More than half of all US households own a pet. And while pets provide companionship and comfort, they can also pass along up to 200 diseases to humans. Eleven-week-old Maggie is a Cocker Spaniel puppy and the newest member of the Moreau family. Seven-year-old Merit just can't get enough of her. But Merit's mother has her concerns. Megan Moreau says, "Having a child around and having her and the dog in her face, and playing with it after the dog's been outside, I did consider that." Puppies are precious, but diseases they can carry, like rabies and ringworm, can be dangerous. So a visit to the vet should be the first order of business for new pet owners. Bonnie Beaver, D.V.M., says, "One of the things the veterinarians will check for would be for intestinal parasites.
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