Animal Radio® Show #484 March 14, 2009
Dr. Jim Humphries - Veterinary Minute
Ultrasound Technology in Veterinary Medicine
Flip the switch, squirt on some gel and give old Sparky a friendly pat. A few minutes from now your veterinarian might be able to diagnose a problem with your pet. Increasingly, veterinarians are adding diagnostic ultrasounds to their offices as the technology improves. It used to be only used by specialists, but now more general practice veterinarians have the machines. The machines allow your veterinarian to get near instant feedback without hurting the animal. It also allows the doctor to capture the images, which means they can e-mail the footage to a specialist and get a quick second opinion.
Pet Spending On the Rise
Pet spending is on the rise, reaching over 35.9 billion dollars. There are three major factors, which have contributed to this increase:
With these new developments, pet spending is expected to continue to grow.
Animal Minute With Britt Savage
Peacock Finds Love at a Gas Station 
A peacock in England has fallen in love. Not with another peacock, but with a gas pump! Everyday from 6:30am to 10:00pm, when the station is open, you can find Mr. P, the peacock, displaying his plumage to the gasoline pumps. It is speculated that the clicking noise from the gas pump is similar to the mating call of a female peacock. Mr. P is not the only peacock in his family with a strange new love. His brothers have fallen in love with a cat and a light fixture.
Dog “Rattles” After Ingesting 13 Golf balls
A Scottish Labrador retriever apparently loves the national pass-time a little too much. Oscar the 5-year-old lab was used to taking walks along the fairways near his home in Scotland when his owner Chris Morrison noticed his dog was rattling. A vet found the source of the noise - 13 golf balls. Oscar scarfed down more than a dozen of the dimpled balls, which were removed during surgery. Oscar now wears a muzzle on his walks.
Cockatoo Cries Wolf
When screams of help were heard outside a home in Trenton, NJ, concerned neighbors quickly called the police. Police arrived to hear a woman screaming, “Help me, Help me!” And when no one answered the door, they kicked it in only to find not a woman, but a cockatoo. Owner Evelyn DeLeon said it wasn’t the first time 10-year-old Luna had brought authorities to their home. About seven years ago, Luna went through a phase where he imitated a baby crying. Child welfare workers responding to reports of a possible abandoned baby showed up. DeLeon said her bird is forever adding new sounds from watching TV in both English and Spanish. I’m thinking it might be a good time for Luna to take up reading books!
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Vladae,
The "World Famous" Russian Dog Wizard
Dog Chews On Electronics
This dog travels in a truck with 5 other dogs. Every time he is left alone in the truck with the other dogs, he chews on remote controls, blue tooth, or any other electronics he can get a hold of. Vladae explains how to stop this bad behavior.
10-Year-Old Schnauzer Still Marks
First, look at the privileges your dog has in the house. He can’t be allowed to sleep in the bed and he can’t jump on the furniture. Chose one room that he is not allowed to go in. When it comes to dinnertime, the family eats first, before the dog, and don’t let the dog approach the table. Teach him simple obedience commands such as “sit” and “stay” in the areas that he is marking. This is a way of marking your territory. If you mark your territory, your dog will not mark his.
Terrier Climbs Fence And Escapes
After asking several questions, Vladae finds out that this male dog is NOT neutered. And, it seems to be that this is the cause of this dog’s problem. If he is neutered, he is less likely to want to run away to find female, plus, it is healthier for him.
http://www.animalradio.com/vladae.html
Vinnie Penn, Animal Radio's Resident Party
Animal
Peeing on Snowmen
I have three words I want to say. I don’t want to say them, but it’s something that I don’t dig. Peeing on Snowmen. Now, you have to let your dog out, but things have changed so much you have to follow the dog around with the pooper-scooper, or whatnot, and of course the dog aims right for the fire hydrant, we all know that.
But if I see one more lightening yellow streak across a snowman that some adorable little children put together with their own tiny little hands, is it beyond you dog owner to shout at Thor or Monarch or Lucky or Rover, and say, ”Scoot, Scoot, away from the snowman.”
Don’t let your dog pee on the snowman – children made it! Some of the pee will inevitably get on that scarf, and that scarf doesn’t get washed, and the next thing you know, in February daddy is wearing that scarf to work and it has dog urine all over it.
If you see the dog heading for the snowman, teach the dog, “Paw, roll over, respect Frosty!”
Eleven Dogs Named Steve
I want to talk to you about a very popular commercial. It might be about saving money on your long distance. It’s a disgruntled couple and they’re talking about how he doesn’t want to be committed to a phone plan. The wife then says that they have been married for 40 years, when the husband says, 38! He then says you know how I like variety, to which the wife replies, we’ve had eleven Bulldogs all named Steve! And therein lies this week’s party animal.
I can see getting the same breed of dog over and over, but 11 of them? Over a span of 38 years! Is that possible, to have gone through 11 Bulldogs? Are you feeding them? I want to write in to the producers of this commercial and ask how are they going through the 11? Has Michael Vick been getting his hands on some of these dogs? Eleven seems a bit much!
Now, I am not going to go off on a rant about the fact that they named the dogs Steve, although I am not a big fan of human names for dogs. That’s an age-old rant! But, I stand by it. Dogs don’t deserve human names. But, I know a human family who had a beloved dog named Sport and when they replaced him, they named the new dog Sport II. I can see the sequel – if you have a third one, just call it “Sport – the Return.” I would understand that.
But 11 Steves? That’s insulting to Steve No. One, Steve No. Two, very insulting to Steve No. Three, because you know the “third times a charm” and 4 through 10, could you call him “King Steve,” or Steve-O for the next one, or Steve-a-Rino for another? I would love Steve-a-Rino! I would love to go to a house that had a dog named Steve-a-Rino!
Animal Radio® News with Bobbie Hill
“First Dog” Will Be a Portuguese Water Dog
It’s official - first lady Michelle Obama said the first dog will be a Portuguese Water Dog for Sasha and Malia. The First Lady said in a People Magazine interview she wants the family dog to be a rescued pooch adding “the folks we know who own them have raved about them so that’s where we’re leaning.” Mrs. Obama said her daughters have also come up with some names for the Portie - Frank and Moose...the First Lady told the girls to work with the names and said the family will wait until at least April before getting their Portuguese Water Dog.
Dug Sniffing Dog Finds Nose Candy
In Northern San Diego County last week one of the U.S. Border Patrol’s drug sniffing dogs found a little something extra in a Volkswagen Jetta. Agents at the checkpoint near Temecula on Interstate 15 were questioning the driver when the agent smelled an excess of air freshener in the car. When the agency’s canine unit arrived, the dog alerted and agents who promptly searched the car found nine packages of cocaine hidden in the back seat with another 17 in the back bumper. Grand total came to 68 pounds of the nasty nose candy with the driver and passenger turned over to the local D.E.A.
Puppy Mill “Tiger” Doing Well
Updating a story we brought you about a suspected puppy mill in Missouri where officials also found a 9-year-old Bengal tiger. Sheena has been transferred to the National Tiger Sanctuary about 50 miles south of St. Louis. Caretakers said the underweight cat is doing better munching on 10 pounds of bovine meat a day. When she was rescued, she was not only malnourished, she also had parasites. Zookeepers say Sheena should fully recover. More good news, none of the 208 dogs and puppies confiscated by the Humane Society had to be euthanized. Jewel Bond ran Precious Puppies and is charged with two misdemeanor counts of animal abuse - one involving Sheena the tiger.
Vick on His Way to Halfway House
Convicted felon and former NFL quarterback Michael Vick will soon end his prison sentence and head to a halfway house. But because of overcrowding, the former football star could serve the remainder of his sentence in his own Virginia home. AP says, Vick, who is currently serving 23 months for his part in a dog fighting ring, will be required to wear an electronic monitor if he’s released to his 3500 square foot brick home in Hampton Virginia assessed at nearly 750-thousand dollars. By the way, the Atlanta Falcons, Vicks former team, said they will try to trade him but other NFL teams may not jump at the chance to add the admitted dog killer to their roster.
Dog Club Fears Unwanted Publicity
The first family’s choice of the energetic Portuguese water dog as their family pet has not thrilled some of the breed’s fans. The president of the Portuguese Water Dog Club of America is concerned what the publicity will bring to the breed. Stu Freeman said he doesn’t want to see the dogs suffer from what’s known as “101 Dalmatians Syndrome”. That’s the phenomenon rescue shelters see when a large number of people rush out to get the most popular dog and end up dumping them once the dog matures.
Birds Save Nudist Colony
A group of nudists across the pond in Portsmouth England are jumping for joy... The naked lovers feared they would lose their nude beach to an apartment development project but thanks to a rare little bird the beach is safe for now. The Dartford Warbler is on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s “near threatened” list and thankfully decided to nest with the nudists on the beach. The rare bird has put the development plans on hold until a “full bird survey” is completed.
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Your Vet Questions Answered with Dr. Debbie
Getting Two Dogs - Large And Small - What Are Best? 
If you are just looking at the breed type, there is no perfect fit for a large and small dog. But there are some guidelines you should follow. In raising two dogs together, getting them of the same approximate age will help them in trying to figure out their social structure of who is going to be the head dog. And you will find in most cases, it is usually the smaller dog, because they usually have the bigger, bolder personality. The most important thing is getting dogs that match your lifestyle. Are they going to be home alone frequently, are they going to be active or travel a lot? And, the best combination is a male and female dog. Don’t get two females!
Cat Has Abscess That’s Not Healing
This cat was playing with a housemate when it got either a tooth or nail in his side. He went to the vets and had it cleaned and a tube put in for drainage, but the skin around did not heal properly and is now dead. The next step unfortunately is a second surgery to have the dead skin removed.
Dog Has Problem With Anal Glands
This King Charles Cavalier Spaniel does not know how to properly empty her anal glands. Anal glands are essentially useless organs, which are believed to be involved in scent marking. All carnivores have these, which emit a really foul smelling scent. Most dogs can empty them on their own, but some dogs can’t empty them and they build up and can become infected. If your dog can’t empty them on their own, have your vet do it manually about once a month.
19-Year-Old Cat Has Hyperthyroidism
This 19-year-old cat was recently diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and has been on medicine for a couple of years. The guardian has been reading a lot about protein restricted foods but he has also read a lot of controversy about these specialized diets. He wonders if it may not be as important to feed a restricted diet, as it is to make sure that cat eats a high quality protein and drinks a lot.
Tips On Introducing Two Dogs XM
This guardian currently has a male, neutered Chihuahua about 1 and 1/2 years old and is adding another male, neutered Chihuahua about 8 weeks old. When bringing a new puppy into the home, start off with making their interactions positive and make sure you always supervise the new puppy. You can make the experience a positive one with the older dog by rewarding him with treats, love, etc., when the two are together. When you can’t supervise them, make sure the new puppy is kept in a crate or small area, away from the older dog. Also keep the puppy on a leash, and if you can, have someone help you in keeping the puppy under control during their introduction. For some dogs, this can be a quick process, and if not, just be patient.
Cat Groans When He Sleeps
This 7-year-old neutered male cat was recently diagnosed with FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus) and when he is sleeping, he groans. His eyes will sometime open, but he doesn’t get up or move. One time he even bolted up from a sound sleep and started hissing. The guardian even wakes him up occasionally, but he just opens his eyes and looks at her and then goes back to sleep. Dr. Debbie feels that if the cat does this only when sleeping, it could be a very active REM type of sleep!
Dogs Bark At Anyone Who Comes To The House – Even Him!
This guy’s roommate has two Miniature Schnauzers that bark horribly any time anyone comes to the house. They have free roam of the house and will bark when someone comes to the door whether they are home alone or someone is with them in the house. The female seems to be the biggest instigator and then the other dog joins in. Dr. Debbie says stay away from the shock collars and try to use positive reinforcement instead, and try to redirect their attention towards something else. If possible, have someone come in a different door and avoid using a doorbell or knocking on the door. You can even set this up and have friends or neighbors help with this new training.
Rae Ann Kumelos, Voice of the Animal
Ants: Do They Carry the Secret to Success?
Ants have the patience of Job, the strength of Hercules and the community ethic of your local mayor. Whether building a palace for the Hindu God Indra or blazing a trail to your picnic, ants remind us that working for the good of the whole will guarantee success for us as well.
http://www.voiceoftheanimal.org
Fido Friendly Travel Talk with Susan Sims
Orange Alert for the Month of April
Susan speaks with Jo Sullivan, ASPCA, who talks about how they are taking the entire month of April to recognize the plight of animals. They will be kicking off the First Annual Celebration of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals month with events around the country, from New York to Los Angeles.
Their goal is to remind people that animals are suffering everyday, and for those of you who love animals, go orange and bring attention to this problem and show people how to treat animals better.
Some of the things you can do in your hometown, if you have young kids in school, talk to the schoolteacher and see if there can be an orange cupcake day. You can also see if someone from your local shelter can come to the school and speak to the kids about the importance of treating animals nicely.
If you have your own business or work in a bank, talk to your co-workers and have them wear orange for one day at work. Take a picture of your group and upload the photo on the ASPCA website.
Visit their website, www.ASPCAApril.org, to find out how you can go orange. Let’s make a difference for the animals!
Fido Friendly Magazine:
The Travel Magazine For You & Your Dog, a complete guide to Fido-friendly accommodations across the United States and Canada. "Fido Friendly is the only magazine dedicated to the travel lifestyle of man's best friend, and the one magazine your dog will thank you for." And don't forget to join the Fido Friendly Travel Club.
http://www.fidofriendlytravelclub.com
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