QVC Host Loves Animals
Carolyn Gracie

QVC's Carolyn Gracie loves her animals. Besides a house full of rescues, she also is quick to bring a pet into the QVC fold. "If you want to sell-out a product, bring a pet on TV with you," Carolyn advises. She regularly pitches products from small up-and-coming pet product entrepreneurs.

Carolyn Gracie's extensive broadcasting career began in 1981 as a radio announcer in Lafayette, Indiana. In 1986, she relocated to Los Angeles to be a radio host during the morning and afternoon drives at KOST and KBIG. Most people don't know that Carolyn Gracie was also instrumental in the start of Animal Radio, helping to get it on air at these stations in Los Angeles.

At home, Carolyn and her husband have dogs and cats, bunnies and chinchillas, all from shelters, and everyone gets along!

Since January 2005, Carolyn has been a program host for QVC. Animal Radio's own Dogfather, Groomer Joey Villani, has been on QVC selling his own line of grooming products, which did very well. Joey brought his own dog Miles as an assistant, and Carolyn says when you bring a really cute pet on the show, the item always sells out!

Carolyn will sometimes even bring in her own dogs to demo the products. She also tests some of the products at home with her pets. If they don't pass the test with her own animals, they don't make it to the show.

QVC has its own pet category filled with great products and is growing all of the time. One pet product on the show was the Neater Feeder (which was basically launched on QVC); the company also has a new product out called the Neater Scooper. Another product was Polar Bowls.

Look for Carolyn on QVC on Tuesday mornings from 9:00 to noon eastern; Wednesdays from 2:00 - 6:00pm eastern; and Sundays from 9:00 to noon eastern.

Visit Carolyn's QVC Facebook where folks can post their pet's pictures. Every Monday they have a featured blog called the Paparazzi Showcase, which shows off their viewer's Facebook pet pictures.

Carolyn's passion for animals has led to several recognitions, including the Women in Business Award from the California State Legislature for her work as a broadcaster in support of pet rescue organizations. She also received the Wild Hearts Angel Award from the California Wildlife Center and volunteers at a number of pet rescues.

You can follow her on Twitter, and check out her blog.

Sneezy, The Penn State Squirrel, Goes Viral
Mary Krupa, Squirrel Whisperer

When Mary Krupa befriended a wild squirrel, she learned that she could easily dress "Sneezy" up and take photos of the rodent in hats and clothing. Now, she regularly meets up with the squirrel for photo sessions.

Sneezy, the Penn State Squirrel, has become an Internet sensation and her Facebook likes have soared. Sneezy has more likes on her Facebook page than the real Penn State mascot, the Nittany Lion.

So who is Sneezy? Sneezy is a squirrel that doesn't mind dressing up in tiny, adorable, handmade hats to be photographed.

It all started when Mary Krupa, a junior English major, with a minor in wildlife science, was having lunch with friends in front of Old Main on campus. The squirrel came up to them and appeared to be begging for food. Mary said the squirrel allowed her to touch it. This is not surprising, as the squirrels have become accustomed to being fed by the students.

After Sneezy let Mary touch her, Mary then thought the next step would be of course, to see if Sneezy would let her pet a hat on her head.

Mary has been putting little hats on Sneezy and taking her photograph for about two years now. But how does Mary know it's the real Sneezy every time? Mary said she can tell the squirrels apart. She says they have different gaits and are different sizes. Even their facial structures and tails are different. But that's not all. Sneezy can recognize people as well and will sometimes seek out Mary.

So how did she get the name Sneezy? Mary said she had to think about it in three seconds when someone saw her interacting with the squirrel and asked her what its name was. Mary hadn't yet named her, but Mary said she does tend to sneeze a lot when she is running around the dirt. So, Mary said her name was Sneezy, and it stuck.

Mary tries to see Sneezy every day in between her classes.

It has been about two year since this all started and things are looking pretty good for Sneezy, Mary said. Recently she has done interviews on NPR, the Canadian Broadcasting Company and local television and a calendar company and a book publishing company have contacted her. USA Today mentioned Sneezy and Pepsi even came to shoot a promo with Sneezy, which unfortunately didn't work out, because Sneezy didn't show up!

https://www.facebook.com/SneezySquirrel

"HERO PEOPLE OF THE WEEK" - Joe Sowerby - Helped Over 30,000 Animals Find Forever Homes

Joe Sowerby has a broad business background, which includes managing, developing and selling commercial property, apartments and businesses. He also has a soft spot for the animals.

Joe became enlightened to the plight of homeless animals back in the early 90's and has felt driven to do something about it.

Joe personally founded the two largest animal adoption events in the United States for homeless cats and dogs (Pet-A-Palooza & Meet Your Best Friend at the Zoo), which are held annually.

Over the years, Joe can state with certainty that he has helped over 30,000 animals find homes through his adoption events. Joe is a salesman by trade, always making business deals, but making deals to find home for homeless animals is his most gratifying deals of all.

Joe says that homeless animals get a raw deal. We call them 'Man's Best Friend,' but we put down millions of them every year in this country and no one wants to look the issue dead in the eye! People want to wring their hands and say that's terrible, but they need to do something about it.

Paying it forward means helping the animals. For Joe, he has had a good life and this is his way of putting back.

Joe's focus has always been to increase public awareness of the homeless animal epidemic and he is now also working on eliminating the use of gas chambers. He has succeeded so far in the state of Michigan, but unfortunately, there are still about 20 states that use this barbaric and inhumane method to kill animals.

To learn more about Joe and what he's up against, please view "Forgotten Fur," a short documentary about the plight of homeless pets and how one person can make a big difference.

Thinking Globally. Acting Locally. Do you know someone that should be nominated for our Hero Person of the Week? Send us an email to: YourVoice@AnimalRadio.com.

Animal Radio's HERO PEOPLE is brought to you by Zeuterin a safe, permanent and virtually painless alternative to surgical castration.

The Twelve Days Of Christmas & The Eight Days Of Hanukkah
Lisa Hennessy, Your Pet Chef

Lisa Hennessy decided she was done with commercial dog food for her Collie. She started creating healthy, fresh dishes that her dog could share with her. Lisa tested dozens of recipes and compiled them into several cookbooks. She's here to share some of her recipes with you.

Lisa Hennessy started preparing special meals for dogs about 5 years ago when her rough collie, Shelby, was diagnosed with degenerative myelopathy. This disease caused her to lose control of her hind limbs.

Lisa's vet asked her if she would be willing to prepare a special diet for Shelby that had been designed by a leading veterinary researcher on this disease, which would help to slow it down. She said of course! She then began cooking the recipe.

At first, she thought there was no way her dog was going to eat this. The recipe included tofu, spinach, peppers, a combination that she said smelled like dirt. Well, to her surprise, Shelby gobbled it up!! She was stunned. Lisa then mixed this food with Shelby's regular kibble for a couple of weeks, gradually decreasing the kibble and increasing the "Shelby Food."

When the opportunity presented itself, Lisa started Your Pet Chef to share her love of preparing home cooked meals for her dogs with others.

Lisa said commercial dog food is filled with chemicals and fillers and is just plain junk! She says we would start seeing less medical issues than we have now with our pets if we just started feeding them a more natural, healthy diet.

Lisa knows she is providing a complete and balanced diet for her dog, because she worked with her veterinarian on her recipes, so they are all vet-approved. She also rotates the proteins and rotates the organ meat, because each organ has its own key essential minerals, so that it is a balanced diet throughout the week.

Your Pet Chef has gathered some of the most popular Christmas dishes and adapted them for your dog in The Twelve Days of Christmas, as well as some of the post popular Hanukkah dishes and adapted them to your dog in The Eight Days of Hanukkah. All of Your Pet Chef meals are grain free, so they use that same philosophy with these recipes. Each day brings a new recipe and a fun story. They like to think of these books as an advent calendar for our dogs. Most recipes contain 5 ingredients or less so there's no excuse not to give them a try. Your dog is sure to love you even more and you can eat them along with your dog, if they are willing to share! Merry Christmas & Happy Hanukkah!

Don't have time to cook? Your Pet Chef's innovative meal plan program provides single-serving meals in a recyclable containers delivered right to your door in the Chicago land area or shipped to you if you live outside Chicago.

http://www.yourpetchef.com

The Dogfather's Grooming Tip with Joey Villani

Ear Mats Can Lead To Bigger Problems
Joey talks about dogs that are extremely knotted, which have to be clipped down, especially dogs that have matted ears. Surprisingly, matted ears can lead to a much bigger problem if not addressed right away.

Unfortunately, most groomers aren't very pro-active on dealing with matted ears after the fact.

When a dog has heavy, matted ears, which actually weigh them down, your pet adjusts to the weight of them. But when you get rid of the mats, you also get rid of the weight.

Sometimes this matted weight can be heavier than their actual ears. The sudden loss of this weight can sometimes make your dog feel like something's not right with their ears. Even if it doesn't cause any irritation, because they are now so light, it is a natural reaction for them to start shaking their heads.

With all of this head shaking, the blood is forced into the ends of the ears. This can lead to a hematoma, which is essentially a giant blood blister.

Two things can happen when they got an ear hematoma. First of all, they can burst by themselves, leaving a bloody mess all over the place. Or, you can have your veterinarian lance it open to drain the blood. Surprisingly, ear hematomas don't take a long time to happen. They can occur in just minutes. But there is a solution.

If your groomer didn't already advise you to watch out for this potential problem, you can take a sock or stocking and cut the closed end off. Put this around your pet's head. What this will do is when your pet shakes his head; this will hold his ears tight against his head so they won't flap around. This will stop the blood from being pushed to the ends of their ears.

Eventually your pet is going to get used to the weightlessness and realize that everything is okay and they will stop shaking their head. After just a couple of hours, you can remove the stocking. If they still shake their head, go ahead and put it back on for a couple more hours, and just monitor your pet to see when they stop shaking.

If you do this, it will save a lot of heartache for both you and your pet and will eliminate the need to clean up a bloody mess! Also, keep up with the combing and brushing of their ears to stop the mats from forming in the first place.

Circovirus Identified in Las Vegas Dog - Dr. Debbie

In 2013, there has been nationwide attention on the novel canine virus called Circovirus. The virus is thought to play a role in the illness and deaths reported in Ohio, Michigan and California earlier this year. The disease causes diarrhea and vomiting, both which may become bloody. Symptoms can rapidly worsen and result in shock, bleeding disorders and in some cases death.

Now there is news of a dog staying at a boarding facility in Las Vegas that became sick and subsequently died. The dog tested positive for Circovirus. Although this is a sad loss, it was fortunate that veterinarians were alert enough to send samples in for testing, as this is still a very rare disease.

Current research indicates that Circovirus may act as either a primary or perhaps a co-infection with other pathogens to cause illness. But the virus has been isolated from the stool of completely healthy dogs, so just because a dog tests positive for the virus, it doesn't mean it necessarily will get sick.

Because the virus is so new, much is not known of about Circovirus virus and how it may, or may not lead to disease in dogs. But the good news is that researchers are actively studying the virus, and practicing veterinarians are watchful for suspected cases.

Circovirus Background - What is Circovirus?
Circovirus is a virus affecting dogs that was first identified as recently as June 2012. Although circoviruses are also known to affect pigs and birds, these are distinctly different than the canine Circovirus. As far as we know now, this virus does not affect cats.

What are symptoms of Circovirus?
Vomiting, diarrhea - which may be bloody
Rapidly worsening condition
Shock, fluid accumulation and bleeding problems

How is Circovirus spread?
The specific behavior of the virus is still being studied. But many other gastrointestinal agents are concentrated in the vomit and feces from infected dogs. Direct exposure to feces or vomit can transmit disease or contaminate surfaces or items.

How is Circovirus treated?
Just like Parvovirus in the 1980's, many gastrointestinal viruses have no specific cure but are treated with supportive care including intravenous fluids, antibiotics for secondary infections, and other therapies. Early in-hospital treatment was one important factor believed to improve survival for some earlier cases of suspected Circovirus.

Is there a vaccine?
A vaccine isn't available at this time. This is a new virus, and it should be recognized that it takes years to get a vaccine tested and approved for use in pets.

What should pet owners do if their pet is showing symptoms?
It's important not to panic. There are many reasons why dogs develop vomiting and diarrhea. Dog owners should consult with your veterinarian if your dog develops symptoms consistent with Circovirus.

How can pet owners keep their dogs safe?
Pet owners should use good sense measures - clean up your pets waste, avoid contact with sick animals, and keep up to date on other preventative measures like vaccines and dewormings.

Featured veterinarian known as "Dr. Debbie" on national pet radio program, Animal Radio. Ebook author of "Yorkshire Terriers: How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend"; "Pugs: How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend"; "Mini Schnauzers: How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend"; and "Shih Tzu: How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend."

http://www.drdebbie

It's a Wacky Wednesday Here at the Animal Radio® Studios

WackyWed Contest IS ON - LIKE your FAVORITE pic and the pic with the most LIKES & shares is the week's winner and will receive a FANTASTIC item for your dog from West Paw Design.

TO ENTER Send us your FUNNY pet pic to WackyWed@AnimalRadio.com - (Please put WACKYWED in the subject line & give us your pet's name, your name & where you hail from) If YOUR pic is chosen then spread the word to your friends & family on Wednesday - the pics w/the most LIKES and SHARES will be the winner!

This week's Wacky Wednesday prizes are great items for your dog from West Paw Design.

Original and inviting, West Paw Design's Bumper Beds® cradle dogs in comfort—while complementing your décor. Brushed, extra soft and linen-like hemp still has a tough side, battling odors and microbes naturally. Our dog beds are so comfy your pooch will be happily sleeping through everything (so much for thinking you had a guard dog). If you (or your dog) aren't totally satisfied, we'll make it right - Guaranteed. Our dog beds may feature luxurious, silky-soft fabrics (like Organic Cotton and Hemp) but they don't need special care - they're all easily refreshed with a single wash and dry. And don't forget bout Ella. We've got a playmate for your pooch that packs lots of fun in that little trunk. Made from 55-percent organic hemp fibers and 45-percent recycled polyester, Ella is an elephant who never forgets to care for the planet. Hemp is a natural anti-microbial fiber that fights oder-causing bacteria until you're ready to throw this cute toy into the wash.

Join Animal Radio® on Facebook for Wacky Wednesday! Win great prizes every week for your wacky pet pictures. Last month we gave out goodies from Dexas, Stella & Chewy's, WetNoz, Best Friend Botanicals, PetMate, West Paw Design and more. Visit us on Facebook now.

Animal Radio® News with Tammy Trujillo

Could Testing Cosmetics on Animals Be Banned In US?
Testing cosmetics on animals has recently been banned in Europe and India and a similar ban here in the United States will be on the front burner when the new Congress convenes in January. Virginia Democrat Don Beyer is expected to take the lead on the issue. He's succeeding Representative Jim Moran who introduced the legislation that not only bans testing make-up products on animals but also bans the sale of any new cosmetics if the final product or any component was developed using animal testing. Their state, Virginia, is home to several big cosmetic companies.

Freshpet For Cats In Your Store's Refrigerators
Freshpet is the company that has those refrigerators in stores that are just for their dog food products. And it's had some pretty good success. Enough to get investors going when its stock started trading on Wall Street recently. Now, the company says it's going after the cat market. Americans share their homes with more cats than dogs, roughly 95-million cats to about 83-million dogs according to figures from the American Pet Products Association.

Woman Spends $35,000 For Lost Dog
How much would you spend to try and find your dog if he got lost? I'm not talking about a reward here, but paying for the effort of finding him. The sky is the limit it seems for Janet Mihalyfi of Georgetown. Her 5-year-old, Rotweiler mix, Havoc, has been missing for a year this month. So far she's spent $35,000 dollars trying to find him, including printing thousands of signs and hiring four psychics and private eye dog investigators. Havoc got lost when he and his sister Raze went on an off-leash run with Mihalyfi in a Washington DC Reservoir. The dogs took off after a deer. Raze came back, Havoc didn't. Her story has gone national over the past year, with some people saying she should give up. Mihalyfi says she doesn't think about the money, just about finding Havoc and bringing him home.

Guardian Sues Over Dog Killed Because of Ebola Exposure
The nurse in Spain who recovered from Ebola, but whose dog ExCalibur was killed by Spanish Health authorities, is suing. Teresa Romero's lawsuit seeks the equivalent of $186,000 for the loss of her dog and another $186,000 for damage done to her name. ExCalibur was killed even though he showed no signs of the disease and despite an international petition to save him that had nearly 400,000 signatures.

U.S. Adds Guidelines on Pets Exposed to Ebola
There are now official guidelines here in the U.S. on how to deal with cats and dogs that may have been exposed to humans with Ebola. Experts don't think cats or dogs are able to get the disease or spread it, but the American Veterinary Medical Association says that if an animal is exposed, state health officials should evaluate the extent of the exposure through questions about where the pet sleeps and where it has gone outside the home. Based on the answers, the CDC would then help decide whether to quarantine the pet. Actual testing would only happen if the CDC says, but an animal that tests positive for the virus, not just the antibodies, would be euthanized. So far, only one dog has been quarantined in the U.S. Bentley was safely returned to his person, nurse Nina Pham in Dallas, after she recovered from Ebola.

Here's A Story Of How Much A Dog Can Love
A little Beagle mix named Buddy hitched a 20-mile ride on the step of an ambulance that was taking his person to the emergency room. This happened in in San Angelo, Texas. A driver flagged down the ambulance to let them know the dog was riding on the step. The ambulance crew stopped and brought the dog inside and he made the trip to the ER with his person, an 85-year-old man who had called the ambulance because he felt dizzy.

NEWS UPDATE brought to you by Drs. Foster & Smith, affordable pet supplies. Low prices every day, so you save on every order.

Listen to the entire Podcast of this show (#782)