Animal Radio® Show #446 June 21, 2008
Fred Willard 
Fred
Willard is an actor, comedian, writer and animal lover. Fred currently
lives in Los Angeles with his wife where they run a weekly sketch
comedy workshop, and while Fred currently does not have any pets,
he has been feeding homeless cats for the last 8 years, even though
he says he is allergic to them!
Fred recently hosted the Canine Film Festival in San Francisco with Jane Lynch, to present the film "Best in Show, " where his improvisational performance as dog show commentator Buck Laughlin earned him the adulation of critics and an American Comedy Award for funniest performance by a supporting actor in a feature film.
Born and raised in Shaker Heights, Ohio,
Willard got his start performing in a comedy duo and spent a year
at Chicago's famed Second City. He was a founding member of the
improvisational comedy group Ace Trucking Company, with who he
appeared on "The Tonight Show" more than 40 times. Fred
enjoys working with Jay Leno and states that what you see is what
you get, a blue-collar no-nonsense guy. He says that Leno usually
holds back when someone else is saying something funny, but there
is no way you are going to have the last joke with him!
http://www.fredwillard.com
Mystery of the Blind Crocs
Dr. Brady Barr, National Geographic
National Geographic's Dangerous Encounters with Brady Barr takes
him to Costa Rica's Tarcoles River in an attempt to understand
what is making the giant crocodile population blind.
His goal was to determine what is causing a cataract looking white film that seems to be coating the eyes of crocs in the contaminated Tarcoles River of Costa Rica. Barr floats some theories: Is it trauma, or viral and/or bacterial pathogens? Perhaps it is pollutants and heavy metals that are also found in these waters from run-off.
After a careful evaluation, they are able to make two key findings. The eye damage does not appear to be a result of infection and it seems to affect only large male crocodiles. Further examination reveals the eye trauma is a result of injuries from battering and mating bad behaviors. The blindness appears to be the result of a rageful reptilian guy thing.
An unusually higher than normal male to
female ratio is causing havoc and river rumbles with the big males.
Males in the animal kingdom apparently need their space from other
males, or bad things occur!
Vladae,
The "World Famous" Russian Dog Wizard
My Big Dog Suddenly Attacks My Little Dog
Vladae tackles dogs that attack other family dogs. Maybe they
will never be best friends, but Vladae can teach them how to get
along.
My Newly Adopted Dog Cowers With Men
Vladae helps a caller who's newly
adopted dog appears to be afraid of men tune in for his
great advice with this common problem.
My Dogs Nips People's Feet
Do you have one of those dogs that nip at
people's feet? Why do they do this? Are the just being protective?
Listen for some awesome tips from Vladae on how to retrain the
little nipper.
http://www.911dogwizard.com
If You Think You're Stressed Out - Check
Out Your Dog!
Joshua Leeds, Through a Dog's
Ear
You know that your dog's hearing
is very sensitive, but did you know that you can create an environment
of sound to improve the health and well being of your canine companion?
Using the latest science on how dogs hear and react to sound, Joshua Leeds provides a treasury of fresh insight on the inner auditory life of our best friends, including:
* How to use sound as a tool to help alleviate
separation anxiety, excitement with visitors, thunderstorm panic,
and other behavior challenges
* For nervous dogs: tips and tricks for making any house or apartment
more comfortable for canines
* Sensory confusion, over- and under-stimulation, the orienting
response, and keys to understanding how our dogs hear the human
world
* 45-minute starter CD of classical music psychoacoustically designed
to soothe and relax dogs-and their human companions
If you've ever wondered what's really happening when your furry friend perks up her ears and cocks her head-or when she hides under the bed-here is the first book to examine the powerful effect of the human soundscape on canines. Through a Dog's Ear provides an indispensable source of cutting-edge research, heartwarming stories, and practical sound-based solutions to help your dog live a happier and healthier life.
Through a Dog's Ear has also recently
come out with a great CD on music to drive when Fido is in the
car.
http://www.throughadogsear.com
Vinnie Penn, Animal Radio's Resident Party
Animal
Dog Visitation What's
Next?
I wanted
to read this email to you. It's actually just from a girlfriend
that I haven't talked to in a long time. I actually worked with
her many years back, and she's telling me how she recently broke
up with a boyfriend of hers, and that they had been together for
a long time.
At one point, this most ridiculous word pops up, and for all of you dog owners who got a dog together as a sign of commitment in a dating relationship, this word comes up and it is the stupidest word known to dog owners visitation. Yes, they've broken up and now they're trying to determine what the visitation rights will be so they can both spend time with their dog Sarah. Sarah is short for "Serendipity" because that is the first movie they went to see together, a John Cusack movie with Kate Beckinsale. That's trouble right there, when you're naming animals after this one wonderful romantic night that they have together. So now they're discussing visitation rights. He's keeping the dog, since he had just gotten it when they first started dating. But I imagine there was an adoption process, a little ceremony, perhaps even a doggie treat with a little ribbon around it whatever!
At this point, though, she wants to know when she can see the dog? Can the dog stay with her every other weekend? And, there's a lot of crying.
If you ask me, this is just another way
to stay in relationship. You don't need visitation rights for
the dog, as much as the dog may love the two of you. There's really
no debating this as far as I'm concerned. She got the CD's he
got the dog end of story! To come to this, especially for
her, who was a kind of "cut the chord woman," stating
that he needed to "cut the chord with his mother." Well,
she then needs to "cut the chord 
with
Sarah" and move on.
Visitation rights for a dog? What if you
bought an appliance together? "I need to see the refrigerator,
it's stainless steel, I remember the day we move it in, it was
a wonderful day, we ate Chinese food on the floor, it's the first
thing we bought. I'm coming over next Thursday don't be
there, leave the key under the mat I want to spend time
with stainless steel. I want to spend time with Dipity, the refrigerator!"
Animal Minute With Britt Savage
What Came First, The Chicken Or The Gecko?
A doctor
in Australia was making some breakfast, cracking eggs in a pan,
when he made a bizarre discovery - a dead gecko. Inside one of
the regular chicken eggs was a dead little lizard. This is the
part of the story where I tell you to put down whatever you're
eating!
Scientists have confirmed that yes, this
was a gecko, and no, it didn't enter the egg after it was formed.
The gecko could not have been ingested by the chicken and end
up in an egg, so it's thought that the gecko probably crawled
into the chicken's other end and ended up in this very strange
animal news story!
Keeping Your Older Pet Healthy
Mary Cooley
Mary Cooley shares with us the story of
her three dogs. One of her dogs, Cinnamon, will chase anything
and jump anywhere, and he had damaged a vertebrae in his lower
back. Unfortunately, the doctor wasn't able to do anything about
it surgically because of his age, and suggested that glucosamine
and chondroitin might help him. However, a lot of the ones on
the market were not effective.
She was using Rimadyl at the same time, because her dog was in a lot of pain, which is a heavy-duty pain medication. Rimadyl can have some affect on their kidneys and heart, so you really don't want to give it to your dog for a long time if you can help it, and this problem was going to be there for the rest of her dog's life.
Along with the problems with his back, Cinnamon also had arthritis in his knees. Mary was a wit's end, and her dog was not able to climb up the stairs to get in the back door, and he just wasn't a very happy dog anymore.
Mary then found Flavocin on the Internet. She receives all types of solicitations (like we all do!) but found some great information on Flavocin, how it's produced and what it does. It has a glucosamine and chondroitin base to it. It also has some other things in it, which helps with bone, ligaments and tendons.
You can put Flavocin over your dog's food, but Mary's dogs think that it is a dog treat, and they think it is something special. It is about the size of Pet Tab, and based on the weight of your dog, you give them either 3 or 4 a day in two different doses. It's very palatable with a beefy, livery flavor to it, but if you get it on your hands, it doesn't stink!
Her dog's general movement changed drastically. When he got up in the morning, he was no longer stiff like dogs are usually at that age and he got up more easily. Instead of dragging himself up to his feet, he would just hop up. He could jump back on the bed in about two weeks, which he hadn't been able to do for about 2 months. Within a month, his eyes had cleared; his back didn't seem to bother him that much, and she was able to drop to about 1/3 as much Rimadyl as she had been given him. Cinnamon even started chasing things again!
Mary also has a dog with a broken leg that she accidentally ran over (whoops!), her dog was very young and when given Flavocin, the vet as amazed at how fast she healed!
Mary would definitely recommend Flavocin for anyone who is having similar
problems with their dog.
http://www.yourolderdog.com
Animal
Radio® News with Bobbie Hill
Monk Seal Now Extinct
Last Friday the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration's
Fisheries Service listed the Caribbean Monk seal as extinct. The
docile seal had been classified as endangered since 1967 with
the last confirmed sighting in 1952 somewhere off the Yucatan
Peninsula and Jamaica. Biologists had feared the seal was extinct
and now warn the same thing could happen to both the Mediterranean
and Hawaiian monk seals. NOAA's Fisheries Services said the Caribbean
monk is the only seal to become extinct from human causes.
Rising Oil Prices Affect Pets
Rising oil prices are having a trickle down effect on everyday
buying for consumers. Animal owners are feeling the pinch more
according to Molly Hurtado, owner of a tack and feed store in
Hemet, California. Her customers are dropping off fliers looking
for homes for everything from dogs and cats to horses. She's even
adopted one customer's dog herself. Hurtado said it's an unfortunate
side effect of the rising gas prices, when gas goes up it costs
more to deliver food, and that increase gets passed on to the
consumer.
Are Zoo Animals Stressed?
Scientists and experts from zoos
and universities met at Chicago's Brookfield Zoo to learn more
about animal behavior in confinement. They've learned some animals
can be helped with training or even by toys, which cut the endless
pacing, exhibited by some species in captivity. Experts at the
meeting said this behavior is actually stress reducing, not unlike
humans swimming laps. Animals who exhibit repetitive behavior
were tested for the presence of stress hormones, but showed no
elevated levels of corticosteroids, which indicate stress. The
behavior is more of a calming effect for the animal. But zoo experts
say while some species do well in zoos it is clear that elephants,
large cats and bears do not.
NEWS
UPDATE Brought To You By Simple Solution Natural Line Of ProductsS
Your Vet Questions Answered by Dr. Debbie
Help, My
Dog Eats His Own Poop!
Dr. White tackles a common question about a dog that eats his
own poop - listen to her great advice on this common problem.
My Dog Moves and Cries Out When He's
Sleeping
Does your dog do this? Do dogs dream - we many never know.
Why Does My Dog Start Shaking?
Dr. White tries to figure out
why a poodle has reoccurring episodes of shaking and breathing
strangely - how serious is this?
International Animal News with Kaye Browne
Fruit Flies Lifespan Reduced
There's a popular saying - you're
only as old as the man or woman you feel now
the humble fruit fly has confirmed it. Researchers at the University
of Iowa genetically modified fruit flies to reduce their lifespan
by removing an enzyme that mops up dangerous free radicals - the
same enzyme implicated in human age-related diseases like Alzheimer's
and Parkinson's. However they were stunned to find that their
mutant flies were able to overcome the missing enzyme if they
shared a home and interacted with younger flies through courtship,
aggression, or grooming. Apparently social activity is the key
to living longer.
British Woman Threatened With Littering
After Putting Up Found Posters
A British woman who put up posters advertising a stray cat she'd
found in her yard was threatened with prosecution by her local
authorities for littering. Joy Tracey complained to local media
she'd been ordered to remove the posters or cop a fine. She did
so but in the ensuing publicity the cat's owners spotted
their missing moggy and reclaimed him the cat's name?
Copper which is the British nickname for a policeman.
Japanese Drug Officers Lose Stash
Owner Found Drugs, Returns Them
You may recall I told you recently about Japanese drug detection
officers losing a stash of hash when a sniffer dog failed to find
some drugs planted at random in a black bag? Well the owner
of the bag did find the drugs - worth almost ten grand - and he
returned them. Red faced customs officers apparently phoned every
single passenger who'd been on the flight into Narita airport
and one identified only as a foreigner said
he was happy to help and could they come and pick the drugs up.
Town Raises $30,00 at Annual "Rocky Mountain Oysters"
Festival
A town called
Woodruff in Utah has raised thirty thousand dollars for charity
at its annual 'Rocky Mountain Oysters' festival. In case you're
not familiar with the term they've got nothing to do with
John Denver or seafood but thousands of people lined up
to purchase plates of this culinary delight at the eighth annual
Testicle Festival. Festival organizer Lori Cornia said the most
popular were the deep-fried bull testicles with not many opting
to trial them au natural!
Name of Horse Causes Stir
Horse race authorities in Australia have demanded the re-naming
of a horse after Lebanese punters attending a race meeting erupted
in laughter as the favorite, Aydee Fic was cheered home. What
the owner knew, but racing officials didn't, was that the name
could be mistaken for a similar sounding Arabic phrase, along
the lines of 'get lost' only more colorful if you
get my drift. The owner, businessman Rodney Lane confessed to
the prank saying he'd only been having a bit of fun and the world's
become overly sanitized. Aydee Fic will now be known as Journey
On.
(Despite the diligence
of racing officials, there have been a few risqué names
sneak through the system. E.g. Wear The Fox Hat (say it quickly);
and Stun On is spell it backwards - he was a gelding).
Look Before You "Leak"
And lastly if you wanted proof that danger can strike when
you least expect it a tourist visiting the scenic Cairns
region in far north Australia will never again answer the call
of nature with a road-side toilet stop. The man was crouched behind
a bush when a brown snake slithered between his legs and lunged
at his manhood. Luckily the snake didn't hang on and
emergency workers who rushed to the scene said the snake hadn't
injected any poison although the man was left with a scratch,
abdominal pain and a very red face. Some less than charitable
people have suggested tourists should " Look before you leak!"
Listen to Current World News
Eulogy for a Lizard
David Alan, News Director,
Kowl-Am/Krlt-Fm Radio
Like a lot of us who has lost a
close loved one, I was going to keep my sadness inside, not mentioning
my loss to anyone; especially to my wife and adopted daughter.
I know now for the very first time in my life, just how it feels
and how it is so hard to convey this sadness to someone who has
not yet fortunately experienced the loss of someone close to them.
Besides, I wasn't going to tell anyone because I fell deeply in
love with my lost loved one.
Obviously, at an age in the latter 50's,
I was not going through a mid-life crisis, being well past that
age and married. But when my adopted daughter, Corvette, gave
me a young one-year-old Savannah Monitor Lizard, it was love at
first sight!
He was beautiful to look at, being mostly tan in color with a
light brown spot design, and with a tan-yellow background to his
lizard skin. His skin was soft and smooth to the touch. My daughter
named him "Hissy" because Savannah Monitors hiss loudly
when they are disturbed. I simply called him, My Buddy.
My Buddy died recently of unknown causes at the young age of only
two and half years. Mr. Lizard, as I sometimes called him, still
had a lot of growing up to do. When he departed this world for
lizard heaven, he weighed in at 9 pounds, and was 31 inches long.
My Buddy, if he had been given the chance, would have lived a
lot longer and grown quite a bit more in size. In fact, Monitors
can live to 20 years-of-age, grow to a length of four or five
feet, and weigh in at 20 pounds.
My wife and I had grown rather close to My Buddy in the past year
and a half that he was with us. He spent a lot of his time on
weekends lying in bed with me, napping, and watching TV. He often
could be found on the big couch in the living room, next to or
under my wife, covered up, all snuggled and warm. He also loved
to bask in the sun in the dining room, and could be seen at times
wandering around outside in the front and backyard clover or sunning
himself on our back deck.
Mr. Lizard always looked forward to his daily warm bath. He could float and lounge in a warm tub for hours. I imagine, during quite a few of those warm baths, he was even sleeping. Hmmm, I wonder what he dreamed about. Speaking of sleeping lizards, when he slept, which was a lot, he slept on a heating pad, wrapping himself up in his Blankey. That's right, like most juveniles, My Buddy had his very own Blankey. He never traveled anywhere without it.
A traveling lizard? Yep, Mr. Lizard made
the rounds to various locations in the South Shore area of Lake
Tahoe and Carson City. While traveling, he stayed wrapped in his
blankey, nice and warm, inside a small dog carrier. When he arrived
at his destination, he would waddle out of the carrier, a leash
put on him and he was good to go.
Everywhere My Buddy visited, all loved him, especially children.
He never bit anyone and hardly gave anyone even a loud hissss!
Feeding Mr. Lizard was a joy! First of all, Savannah Monitor lizards are meat eaters. No greens for this lizard! My Buddy was fed every two to three days. When he was still a little guy, he was fed crickets and small live mice. It was fun watching him going after the crickets. He would be lunging at them; all the while crickets would be jumping all around and on him. As he got older and bigger, he was given his own food bowl, and just like a dog, would come to eat whenever I whistled! Upon hearing my whistle, he would waddle over to his bowl to find chicken, hamburger, steak, pork, and hot dogs. In fact, that lizard could swallow a whole hot dog in one gulp! He was also still eating live mice that were fed to him by hand. From time to time, My Buddy was also known to scrounge in the cat food bowls for an extra meal.
Unfortunately, after awhile My Buddy just
wasn't himself. He began to sleep more and then he just would
not eat. Now this was strange for Mr. Lizard, who was always looking
for a meal. After he stopped eating, I immediately took him over
to a Lizard Vet in Carson City, Nevada to have him checked out.
The Vet said he was sick but did not know from what. And then,
a short time later, and no matter what the Vet tried, My Buddy
decided to give up his body and travel to a higher level. Now,
if you had asked me if I believed in that reincarnation stuff,
I would probably say "Maybe, who knows." But when it
comes to Hissy, I know My Buddy will be back with us soon, probably
as a cat. He always liked our three cats.
Animal Minute With Britt Savage
Cat Spends Days at Posh Hotel
Butterscotch, a 14-year-old tabby
started out his life living on the streets of South Burlington,
Vermont. But now, he spends his days at a posh hotel, often sleeping
on the leather chair in front of a fireplace.
Patrick Benner adopted Butterscotch from the Humane Society 8 years ago and was surprised to learn what his cat was up to. According to the staff at Hawthorne Suites, Butterscotch shows up every day at 7:00am and leaves at 6:00pm, almost like he is coming in for work.
He sometimes lounges on the front desk or escorts the new arrivals with their bags. Luckily it's a pet friendly hotel. Repeat guests sometimes ask, "if that cat's still there?" when they make reservations. And Butterscotch frequently gets high marks on guest's comment cards.
Owner Benner says he believes Butterscotch
must have lived the "high life" in one of his past cat
lives.
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