Jo Anne Worley, Rowan & Martin's Laugh In
Jo Anne Worley is most remembered as one of the cast members of Rowan & Martin's Laugh In from 1968 to 1970. Jo Anne was also named "School Comedian" in high school.
Currently, Jo Anne is the President of Actors and Others for Animals, a California non-profit corporation dedicated to the promotion of the humane treatment of animals.
Jo Anne says that the name, "Actors and Others for Animals" is a silly name. People always mess it up and say, "Actors and Other Animals" or "Animals For Actors." The organization was started years ago when Doris Day saw a need and started collecting money from actors on a set. The people who were behind the cameras, the lighting crew, the people who did wardrobe, all said they wanted to contribute. So that's how the words "And Others" got into it.
Their main mission is to curb the pet overpopulation problem by subsidizing spaying and neutering surgeries. Together with other vital services, they are there to help pet guardians living on a low or fixed income care for their beloved companions.
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A Real Life Pet Entertainer!
Lee Day, Pet Entertainer
Lee Day provides a service not performed by any other entertainer worldwide. She has combined two of her most intense passions, show business and pets, into a business that has endured for many years. She is like the Chuck Woolery for dating animals!
Lee Day is a Pet Entertainer! She performs pet weddings and pet dating services. In 1984, Lee created the first Bark Mitzvah. Dogs have to be 2 years of age (in human years - which equals about 13 in dog years) and Lee says the Jewish Prayer with the dog receiving presents. Lee has performed many Bark Mitzvahs, including one for Joan River's dog, Spike, who got a lot of attention and love, which is what its all about!
But that's not all, Lee is the only person in the world to provide a romantic dating service for animals. She even took two lobsters out for a romantic date to Red Lobster! She also took two penguins from Sea World out and actually performed their marriage, complete with a wedding certificate. Lee also performed a marriage between two of Sally Jesse Raphael's horses.
You would think that would be enough, but Lee is also a pet hairstylist and when she comes to your home to groom your pet, she will also sing to them. The singer, actress, comedian and dancer is a "full-service" service!
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Black Widow Spiders Poisonous to Pets - Dr. Debbie
Pet Threats Come in All Sizes
Our doggie family ambled along on our typical morning walk along the community trail. With a family of two Labradors and a Yorkie mix, my crew is always up for fun and they investigate anything and everything.
Sometimes it's a crunchy cockroach snack or the fortunate edible remnant in a discarded candy wrapper. My dogs enjoy the "date game" where they snatch up shriveled fruit fallen from date palms, crunching away before the mom and dad notice. And sometimes it's a half-hearted game of chase with an unsuspecting rabbit. A more gut wrenching episode once involved my Labrador ingesting a rat with tail slipping down his gullet like a piece of spaghetti. My furry kids are professional trouble finders, so I try to keep a watchful eye for things that make them go "Oooh," and make me go "Ugh!"
Female Black Widow Spider
While walking along the pedestrian pathway we came upon the day's discovery - spiders and lots of them living in the recesses of a block wall. The hairs on my arm stood up as my Yorkie mix approached their lair. I recognize what these spiders are and what could happen to a 16-pound pup.
The long legged spiders were over 1 and 1/2" in length, black in color with a distinctive orange hourglass mark on its underbelly. Meet the black widow spider, a common arachnid found in every state in the U.S. except Alaska.
The Black Widow Bite
Black widow spiders contain a potent neurotoxin that causes pain, swelling and can lead paralysis. Female black widows are the dangerous ones, while the males rarely ever bite. While some black widow bites go unnoticed, others cause immediate pain at the site or result in pain at the nearest lymph node. Pain intensity reaches its maximum within 1 to 3 hours after the bite, but can last up to 48 hours.
Symptoms of a black widow bite appear within 8 hours after a bite and include muscle twitching, restlessness, rigid abdomen and difficulty breathing. Symptoms may result in high blood pressure, a racing heart rate, seizures and collapse. Cats are very sensitive to the toxins and can suffer fatalities, and while dogs are more resistant to a black widow bite, they still can suffer serious illness.
Symptoms of black widow bite include:
- Pain and numbness around bite site
- Anxiety
- Racing heart rate
- Muscle pain and stiffness, especially abdominal muscles
- Difficulty breathing
- Paralysis
- Seizures
Treatment for Black Widow Spider Bite
Call your veterinarian if you suspect your pet was bitten by a black widow. Initial home emergency care of a black widow bite may include ice packing the bite area and oral antihistamines like Benadryl. Your veterinarian will need to see your pet to evaluate and treat the more serious symptoms. Treatment may include medications to control muscle spasms and seizures. Blood pressure and blood sugar are monitored and intravenous fluids may be administered. An antivenin is available for more serious confirmed cases of black widow bites.
Prevention
Avoidance of spider habitats is the best prevention. These eight-legged critters favor dark recesses both indoors and outdoors. Look for cobwebs with a distinctive funnel-shaped opening at the top. Keep a close eye on your dog when out exploring and inquire about spider control methods with your pest control company.
With pet noses so close to web level, the risk of black widow bites is just natural to being a dog. Our morning spider encounter ended without any drama, thankfully. After one firm "No!" my doggies retreated to unearth some other lucky find. Here's to hoping it doesn't involve any rats or bugs next time.
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." Dr. Debbie's books.
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The Dogfather's Grooming Tip with Joey Villani
Sprucing Up Your Pet's Coat Color
People frequently ask Joey if there is a way to spruce up their pet's coat color. Not only is there a way, but it's easy if you do it right.
If you have a multi-colored dog, like a Dalmatian, you don't want to try this, as it is too difficult. But if your dog is a solid color, like apricot or black, it is real easy. Go out and buy a small jar of Vaseline, not scented, just regular Vaseline. Next, buy Just For Men Hair Color, not the type for the beard or mustache, but for the hair. Don't buy a color that is permanent. Permanent products are dangerous and messy and should be left for professionals.
First, you want to do a test patch on your dog. After mixing the formula for a test patch, it is no longer any good, so just take a couple of drops of each solution, one being the activator and the other being the color. Mix them together and put it on a test spot on your dog and leave it on for five minutes. Rinse it off and wait 24 hours to see if there is any irritation or if the skin looks pink. If you do see a reaction, do not go through with the coloring of your dog.
If there is no reaction, you need to figure out how to secure your dog safely in your bathtub or in a sink. This can't be stressed enough! Because if your dog is not secure, they may jump out, run around and stain your carpets and your furniture.
When your dog is secure and you are ready to begin, start off with a dry dog. It is a good idea to put a little Vaseline in your dog's eyes to protect them from any dye. Put on the plastic gloves that are provided and mix the remaining solution together.
You need to work fast now. If you have a big dog, you might want an extra person to help you out. You need to get the solution on your dog and be able to rinse it off within five minutes. It is best to apply it to the areas where it is usually needed the most, like the head and the back. Leave it on for the recommended five minutes. If your dog is not solid black or brown and has a hint of other colors, leave it on for three minutes.
After you have rinsed off the dye, shampoo and condition your dog. Conditioning is very important because it's going to lock everything in place.
When you are done, you will be left with a dog that looks 10 years younger!
Animal Radio News with Stacey Cohen
The Way Your Dog Behaves Could Be In His Feet!
If your otherwise well-behaved dog barks at the postman, the reason could well be in its feet. Scientists have found that 'left-pawed' canines are more aggressive towards strangers than their 'right-pawed' counterparts. They tested dozens of pets with a special toy to find out which side they favored and then analyzed their behavior. The left paw is controlled by the right hemisphere of the brain, which other studies have shown is linked to negative emotions. The results mirror those for humans as research has shown the same is true of people.
Package Of Poop
A town in Spain found a unique way to encourage dog-owners to pick up after their pets. The council launched a campaign that involved packaging unscooped droppings and sending them back to the owners in a box marked "Lost Property." A spokesman for the council explained that they had a team of 20 volunteers spend a week looking out for the irresponsible owners. If they saw someone who failed to clean up their pup's mess, they'd approach them and casually try to find out the dog's name. They were then able to use the town's registered pet database to get the owner's address and return whatever their dog left behind. The volunteers made 147 deliveries during the weeklong scheme, and it seemed to work. There was a reported 70-percent drop in unscooped dog poo.
Shelter Dogs Help Troubled Teens
A study at Washington State University looked at how shelter dogs could help teens struggling with drug and alcohol dependency. The researchers hope the success of the program can be implemented in other teen behavioral therapy programs across the country and be a win-win for teens and shelter dogs alike. Any sort of activity that provides an opportunity for shelter dogs to socialize with humans and other dogs outside of the kennel environment is great, and that is the value that the shelter sees in these dog-interaction activities.
Extinct Lizard Named For Late Dead Singer
An extinct lizard that lived 40-million years ago was named for the late lead singer of The Doors. Scientists named the six-foot-long lizard Barbaturex Morrisoni. Jim Morrison referred to himself as the Lizard King and scientists decided to pin his name on a creature that was much bigger than other reptiles; in other words, a "lizard king." They say it was the biggest plant-eating lizard that ever lived. Jim Morrison died in 1971 at the age of 27.
Largest Complete Skeleton Of Triceratops Found
Scientists dug out one of the most complete skeletons ever found of a Triceratops, the three-horned, plant-eating dinosaur. They found the remains of three of the giant reptiles on a Wyoming ranch. The most complete to date has about 76-percent of its skeleton. It was on display at the Houston Museum of Natural Science in Texas. The triceratops lived about a half-a-million years before the dinosaurs became extinct.
Chanel Designer Wanted To Marry His Cat
Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld said he'd marry his cat if it were legal. Lagerfeld announced he fell in love with his pampered feline named Choupette. In the past, he was known to buy her an iPad and a silken pillow to sleep on. In an interview, he said he never thought he'd fall in love like this with a cat.
Law Says Animals Must Be Microchipped
Some owners of exotic animals say an Ohio law is onerous and infringes on their constitutional rights. The private owners argued that the law violates the First and Fifth Amendments by limiting their freedom of association and effectively taking their property by requiring them to implant microchips in their animals at their own expense before being registered with the state. They argue the law includes impossible hurdles that leave owners who want to operate for-profit businesses only one option: joining a zoological group that private owners are "loathe to associate with." An attorney called Ohio permitting requirements "A sham," imposing compliance costs so exorbitantly high they exceed the value of the animals involved and threatening to financially wipe out those who seek permits.
Listen to the entire Podcast of this show (#1328)