While the cat’s away
This video about a couple who set up a video camera because their deck was always wet, makes me want to set up a camera to see what goes on at my house when I’m not home. The couple thought the neighborhood children were waiting for them to leave and then having big pool parties, apparently. So they set up a video camera to do a little spying. Check out what they found.
That’s so funny. Too bad my dogs don’t have a pool. I have a feeling that if I set up a video camera, all I’d see is sleeping and maybe some licking.
- Staff Writer Dawn Marks
Break it down, birdie!
A friend forwarded this video to me this morning. Hilarious! Sadly, this bird can dance better than I can: cockatoo.wmv
- Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll
Be prepared this tornado season
The devastating tornadoes in Picher remind us that disaster can strike any time. The photo here by Oklahoman photographer Jim Beckel is of Boudreaux, a basset hound who’s peering out of his owner’s pickup. His owner lost his entire home in the tornado.
Even though we can’t control nature, we can control something: our preparedness. The ASPCA Web site has an entire section devoted to disaster preparedness. They have six key steps to making sure you and your animals survive whatever nature throws at you:
- Put an animal alert sticker on your home.
- Arrange a safe haven where you can stay.
- Create an emergency and travel kit.
- Choose designated caregivers.
- Make an evacuation plan.
- Prepare for what might happen where you live.
- Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll
That’s a big bovine
Caregivers of a 6-feet 6-inch steer named Chilli in Britain have contacted the Guinness Book of Records to determine if he’s the largest of his kind in the world. Chilli started out as any calf does but soon outpaced his sister and all other calves. Now, he towers over other cows, steers and bulls, which are about 5 feet tall.
He certainly looks like a hulking fellow. I never saw such a large steer in my years of growing up on a farm, but I did see something on the opposite end of the spectrum. When I was a teenager, a little black calf was born on the farm. Dad mentioned the really small calf but I didn’t think much of it, until it got out. It was so small, it walked under the bottom wire on the barbed wire fence. Dad had to put it in a special pen to keep it in.
After that, I went to visit the small calf and found that it looked like a small to medium-sized dog. I even picked it up and cradled it. Eventually, the little calf grew and couldn’t walk under the fence anymore. Dad put it out with the rest of the cattle and the calf became one of the many frolicking in the field. I think it grew into a regular-sized steer or cow, but I doubt it came anywhere close to Chilli.
Dawn Marks, Staff Writer
No diploma in responsibility
There’s a brief story out of Pullman, Wash., the city that’s home to Washington State University. Animal shelter officials there say 30 percent of their animals for the year come in after graduation at the school.
I wonder how often this happens in college towns. Of course, not all college kids are irresponsible pet owners, but no one who takes in an animal should be without a contingency plan. Planning is often tough to do during the college years, when internships, job offers and transfers can mean lots of life changes for students. What will happen to their pets?
But of course, responsible folks should be able to own pets. The Florida State University student paper had this story about how pets can make kids feel at home when they’re’e in a new place. This story, published by the Elon University student paper, says having animals on campus give it a cozier feel. Some students at the State University of New York at New Paltz sneak their furry friends into their dorms anyway.
Long story short, college students should take the same responsibility as all other pet owners. Know that your life might change, and you’ll have to give up your dog or cat. It’s better to give them a good place to live than risk taking them to the shelter.
Daddy Deerest
Another unbelievably cute story with photos. A baby deer in England has been adopted by a Great Dane. The dog reportedly is as protective of the deer, Cindy, as his own puppies.
- Staff Writer Bryan Dean
Hole in the Wall Gang
A news editor at the Gadsden Times in Alabama found a couple of adorable kittens inside his wall. He has no idea how they got there, but he now has two permanent members of the family. Here is a photo of the two kittens. Waldo is the tabby and Boo is the black cat.
- Staff Writer Bryan Dean
Pet Show – Racing and the Kentucky Derby
Listen to our Pet Show podcast! Our guest was Joe Lucas, president of the Thoroughbred Racing Association of Oklahoma. Joe talked with us about the tragic death of Eight Belles at the Kentucky Derby last weekend. Joe gave a lot of good insight into the world of racing and answered our questions about horse safety and treatment.
Here are links to our news stories for the week:
- - The Louisiana State Penitentiary accidentally has an extra security guard: a black bear.
- - Elephants in India are enjoying a new retirement home just for them. (Want to know more about India elephants in Oklahoma? Go here.)
- - Comet is apparently the smartest goldfish in the world, his owner says.
- Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll
Is that a pit bull in your engine?
A Vacaville, Calif. man opens the hood of his truck to find a frightened pit bull trapped next to his engine. The pit bull eventually freed itself and was taken to a shelter where officials hope someone recognizes her.
- Staff Writer Bryan Dean
OSU offers advice to owners of cats with asthma
Every so often, the experts at Oklahoma State University Veterinary Hospital send out info about animal care. Here’s their latest bit of advice:
My cat was recently diagnosed with asthma and oral medications are impossible to administer. Are there alternatives?
Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the lungs. Most cats with asthma experience wheezing, coughing, and/or intermittent episodes of difficulty breathing. In some cases, the clinical symptoms may be worse certain times of the year.
The diagnosis of asthma requires radiographs (X-rays) of the lungs and endoscopic airway examination. These diagnostics are important in order to eliminate other diseases that may mimic asthma.
Once diagnosed, the goals of therapy for asthma are: 1. reduction of the episodes of difficulty breathing 2. minimize airway inflammation and 3. provide the patient with a good quality of life.
Similar to people, these goals are accomplished with bronchodilators and anti-inflammatory agents such as glucocorticoids (steroids). However, given that some cats do not tolerate oral medications, quality of life for the cat (and owner) may be compromised.
In human medicine, the trend in asthma therapy has focused on the development of inhalant therapies. Benefits of inhalant therapy include rapid onset of action, improved delivery to inflamed airways, and limited systemic absorption (and thus diminished side effects).
Bronchodilators and glucocorticoids have now been incorporated into metered dose inhalers (MDIs).
MDIs are designed for drug delivery during a deep breath. Clearly, cats cannot be trained to breathe deeply.
However, veterinary-specific products (AeroKat) include a mask of the appropriate size/shape and a spacer that holds the aerosolized medication for delivery over a series of breaths (3-5 seconds).
Thus far, the use of MDIs in cats has been promising and well tolerated.
