Animal Radio® Show #443 May 31, 2008

 

Eddie Money
Eddie's tours keep him on the road most of the time, and he leaves behind his 5 children and his beloved Bassett Hound - Dudley Do Right. Eddie's children have many animals, including snakes and scorpions (which he tries to avoid). Eddie is and always has been a big animal lover and works quite often with Tony La Russa and his Animal Rescue Foundation.

Having come from a long line of police officers, a very young Eddie joined the police force back home in Long Island, New York. But, it wasn't long before Eddie decided that police work was not for him (his hair was looking too good for the uniform), and he moved to California. There, he was discovered by rock impresario Bill Graham, and it was rock and roll forever!

Visit www.EddieMoney.com to see his tour dates and find out if he will be coming to your city!



Ed Begley, Jr.
Going "Green" with Your Pet
Ed Begley first became aware of conservation growing up in smoggy Los Angeles. By the 1970 (and the First Earth Day) Ed decided that enough was enough and he decided to do something about it.

He is one of those people who doesn't just talk the talk, he walks the walk. Literally.

One of the first actions Ed took himself was to become a vegetarian. "It just seemed like a good thing to do in 1970. But it was so hard back then that I was only a vegetarian for about a year. Then I started eating some fish because I couldn't find vegetarian food when I traveled. I'd do a movie in some distant city or even on location and they wouldn't have anything to eat," Ed explains. "I became a vegan again in 1992."

And can you believe he actually has (and uses!) a Los Angeles bus pass! He also drives an electric car, lives in a solar powered home and recycles everything he can.

Ed currently has a 17-year-old dog and a 12-year-old cat. This, of course, doesn't include the feral cats that he regularly feeds. Ed traps and alters the feral cats that he can. But, trapping a feral cat can be a tough thing to do. Find out how Ed was able to trap one feline who eluded him for years!

Ed offers some great suggestions on how pet guardians can become environmentally friendly:

Besides his environmental lifestyle, Ed has also created some environmental friendly cleaning products, "Begley's Best," for you to use in your own home. He has created everything from an all-purpose cleaner to a carpet spot remover. To find out where you can find these products, visit www.begleysbest.com. You can also catch Ed on HGTV "Living with Ed," for more points on being "green."



Cats in the Swim
Mary Ellen, AngelScribe.com
Many people assume that cats cannot swim - and so did Mary Ellen!

When Mary Ellen moved into a new home that had a pool, she decided that she didn't want to cover it, empty it, or put up a fence. But, she was worried about her 5 cats, should they ever fall into the pool. At the time, they were outside cats and she was afraid that while chasing butterflies, they might fall in.

Mary Ellen's daughter, who is a lifeguard, swim instructor and EMT, then decided to teach the five cats to swim.

To start with, she walked the cats into the water talking to them with love. They were raised with kindness and are very trusting. (As you know not all cats will react this way in water!)

When holding the cats, they began to move their front feet in panic to swim to shore. As they were being gently caressed, their fear leaves (most of the time!).

They then start to calm down and you can see it in their eyes. They've learned how to move their front feet and feel confident in the water.

The cats are caught and released about five times. By the fifth time, they are fast and strong swimmers. The look of confidence in her eyes is amazing.

Mary Ellen then let the cats climb out of the pool so they feel a sense of accomplishment, and if they ever fell in they know they will be OK...and so does Mary Ellen.

Unfortunately, clean up with one single pink tongue takes hours! Swim class is then finished off by towel drying the cats and then letting the hot summer sun and wind blow them dry.

Click here to view a video of Mary Ellen's swimming cats.
http://www.angelscribe.com

Note: This is a safety article and not an encouragement to casualty test if your cats can swim. Our swim lessons were carefully structured and conducted in a series of safe steps, and we did everything so the cats would not feel terrorized. If you have a pool, however, your cats (and dogs!) may well benefit from similar lessons.



Mom Sues When Kid Steps in Poop
Britt Savage
A woman who took her family to visit the Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk, Connecticut, has filed a claim against the city because her one-year-old son stepped in dog feces outside the Maritime garage. Kelly DeBrocky seeks $100 to cover her son's $54 shows she bought at Stride Rite and $50 to cover the money she spent on the Aquarium.

Quoted in the Stanford Advocate, DeBrocky said, "The incident ruined the child's shoes and the entire outing. I was just really steamed, I thought the whole thing was disgusting."

City Attorney and dog owner, M. Jeffry Spahr, denied the claim although he doesn't deny the incident probably happened. He said he often has the same thing happen when he mows his grass, and he didn't think it should have ruined the whole outing. The City's official response: Poop Happens. He added that if anyone should be able to understand that, you'd think it would be the mother of a one-year-old.



Vladae, The "World Famous" Russian Dog Wizard
Is your dog out of control ­ barking non-stop, pulling on the leash, chewing your belongings, digging in the backyard, growling or possibly biting? If you have a problem ­ Vladae has the solution. Vladae, the World Famous Russian dog Wizard, teaches people how to control their dogs.

My Dog Eats Her Poop
Your dog may be eating their poop as habit. Maybe the previous guardians did not pick up the poop. It could also happen while switching diets. Also, your dog may not be producing certain enzymes to digest the food, and his poop still has the smell of some nutrition. What to do: Try putting the product "Stop" on your dog's food. This will help their digestion and make their poop taste bad. If you do catch your dog eating poop, clap your hands and make a growling sound to startle him to a stop.

My Dog is Afraid of Thunder & Lightening
About 15 minutes before any storm, my dog goes crazy. What to do: 1. Use a great holistic product called "Pro-Quiet' which has tryptophan like turkey has to calm your dog without any sedation. If you know a storm is coming, give it to your dog about 40 minutes prior. (Please consult with your veterinarian before starting any medications on your pet.) 2. Distract your dog. Put a leash on your dog about 30 minutes before a storm and put him through obedience exercises: sit, stay, down. Don't feed his mind by talking to him like a baby. You need to be firm and confident. You can also use treats, such as cheese to distract him. 3. You can also put a doggy backpack on him with a little weight and walk him around the house so he doesn't think about the storm. 4. You can also try the CD "Scary Sounds" on low intensity then up to high intensity to de-sensitize him.

My 2 Chihuahuas Will Only Eat One Food
My dogs will sometimes go 2 to 3 days without eating. What to do: 1. You are probably allowing them to free-feed by leaving the food down all day. Their stomachs are not set up to digest food all day long like a cow; they need to have a schedule. 2. Put them on a schedule. Once or twice a day give them food. After 10 or 15 minutes, pick it up even if they didn't eat it. 3. After about 2 to 3 days of doing this, they will get used to the new schedule and will start eating regularly. 4. Try feeding dog food that has fish, as little dogs like foods containing fish. 5. You can also try a product called "Picky Eater" which is a powder you can sprinkle on dog food ­ your dogs will love it.
http://www.911dogwizard.com




Bobbie Hill, Special Correspondent
Obese Pets
Obesity affects not only millions of Americans it also affects their pets. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, 54 million pets in the U.S. are obese. That's why the AVMA is asking the FDA to require pet food manufacturers to label their product with the number of calories per serving. But the vice president of the Pet Food Institute claims labeling would be unnecessary and wouldn't prevent overweight pets. The AVMA disagrees saying nutritional labels on food would list the calories per measured serving helping owners to avoid overfeeding. The information would also allow consumers and vets to better compare pet food ingredients before choosing a product.

Keep Your Pet Hydrated
Summer is just a few weeks away that means more outdoor activity for dogs and humans. People know how important hydration is for them and veterinarians point out it's just as important to your furry companion. The standard rule for proper doggy hydration is to have them drink about one ounce of water per pound of body weight. That's a daily average, say vets, but if your dog is very active you need to know the signs of under-hydration. Owners should check then* pet's gum line for dryness or discoloration. Another warning sign is if the skin on the neck loses elasticity. Vets advise dog owners to provide access to fresh drinking water.... avoid ponds, lakes, streams or even standing water which can contain harmful bacteria as well as chemicals from runoff. When it comes to the health of your dog during the summer veterinarians want owners to remember to provide ample clean water every day.

Pet Blackout Periods
Just when you thought it was safe to fly your pet north on Air Canada comes news of a "blackout period" restricting pets from travel on some routes. The Canadian airline, which was forced to accommodate pets on its flights, announced its stopped allowing them on flights traveling to Northern Canada between November and March. The reason -the airline says smaller planes without heated cargo holds are used on those routes preventing passengers from checking a pet weighing less than 70 pounds as luggage. The airline is expanding that blackout period over the summer, which has angered some passengers. The airline says the animal's welfare is the top concern explaining that the smaller planes would carry extra baggage during summer cutting off proper air circulation in the compartment.

About Animal Radio® News Correspondent Bobbie Hill: This beautiful piece of artwork by Bobbie Hill was drawn by the artist in 1990, at the very beginnings of her career. Ms. Hill is a self taught artist who's talent awoke 18 years ago exploding onto paper and canvas. The Canadian Lynx, done in colored pencil, shows each strand of fur on this magnificent animal with incredible detail topped off by astonishing eyes. This original 22" by 30" framed piece is available to Animal Radio listeners "exclusively" with a portion of the purchase price going to animal rescue organizations.

NEWS UPDATE Brought To You By Simple Solution Natural Line Of Products



International Animal News with Kaye Browne, Pet Talk Radio
Dog in Iowa makes history ­ first to have a plastic cornea implant
80 Giant Pandas escape injury in earthquake ­ but what about the other animals?
Happy ending for Buddy in California - dog found in Texas with microchip
Woman now believes in animal psychics - British psychic describes location of lost dog
Do you want to be immortalized by having something named after you? Neal Young has his own spider
http://www.pettalkradio.com.au




Opposition to Proposed Rule Regarding Microchips
Dr. Jim Humphries, Veterinary News Network
A national companion animal organization voices opposition to microchip rule that will endanger the lives of millions of pets. The Microchip Advisory Council for animals has voiced opposition to a proposed rule by the USDA, which would require the use of a microchip that is incompatible with the system that is now used in the United States.

This could adversely affect millions of American pets that have been microchipped or will be microchipped in the future. The tiny rice-sized microchip is used in millions of pets and horses and can save the life of an animal that is lost or displaced after a disaster or one that simply wanders away from home.

Many shelters and rescue organizations microchip 100% of the pets adopted, and thousands of veterinarians offer the service to their clients. More than 1,200 calls a day are placed by veterinary hospitals, humane societies and rescuers who are looking for a microchip number to reunite pets with their owners. Microchip numbers are maintained in pet databases what work together to provide the information necessary for animal care providers to quickly reunite lost or displaced pets with families 24 hours a day, everyday of the year.

The identification system has grown rapidly since 1996 when microchip manufacturers complied with compatibility requests from veterinary and shelter organizations. Since that time, scanners used in recovery efforts have been able to read all chips made in America, regardless of the manufacturer. In the wake of numerous disasters, such as Katrina and the California wildfires, the council has become the voice of microchip users who want to safeguard and enhance the system so many depend on now. Council members form the infrastructure of the current practice of microchipping pets and horses in this country.

The organization has voiced its strong opposition to a proposed rule that is being considered by the USDA. This proposed rule would require an incompatible change within the microchip frequency in America. This would cause a huge problem for animal caregivers and needs careful consideration.
http://www.myvnn.com




Walking Your Dog To Health
Dr. Marty Becker, Good Morning America
The great thing about walking with your dog is that you can bust a gut but not your budget. A typical gym membership is around $50 a month, but for a can of dog food a day and a nail trim, you can head out the door with your dog.

Most people ask what is a good way is to get started? You don't want to train for a marathon the very first time you go out. I would recommend that you go two blocks (which is about 200 yards) per 10 pounds of your dog's bodyweight per day. You will then aim to increase that 5% to 10% per week.

For example, if you have a 40-pound-dog, you are going to walk 8 blocks a day, and then increase that 5% to 10% per week.

Just like Weight Watchers, your pet is going to lose 1% to 2% of their body weight per week, and it is going to take 6 to 18 months to get that weight off. One of the first things you will notice is that your dog is getting to his feet quicker and he has more tolerance. But what you don't know on the inside, is that the liver and kidney functions are returning to normal, and the risk of heart disease, cancer and joint disease is greatly diminished.

Besides watching the pounds melt away on your dog, you will also notice that behavioral problems melt away as well, as walking them on a daily walk will give them a job to do. And everyone knows, a tired dog is a happy dog!
http://www.petconnection.com




"What Is Your Most Outrageous Pet Cleaning Problem" Contest

What is your most outrageous pet cleaning problem? Perhaps your dog got into something he shouldn't and got sick, or your cat has left you little hairball presents all over the house.

Call us at 866-405-8405 with the worst pet cleaning problem that you have ever had to face. One listener per week will receive a gift basket valued at $70 (retail) sponsored by Simple Solution.

The gift basket includes a Stain and Odor Remover for all surfaces and pet messes in your home - even the most outrageous pet messes!

You'll get:

  • Simple Solution® Stain and Odor Remover - the original - for everyday pet messes,
  • an all-natural pet stain and odor eliminator,
  • a carpet pre-treat product for tough stains,
  • a specialized Hardfloors cleaner,
  • an oxygen activated remover with the power of orange,
  • and to top it off, a U.V. Spot Spotter™ Urine Detector.

Call us now at 866-405-8405 and tell us your worst pet cleaning problem!



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