When A Pet Passes
Leigh Meriweather, Pet Honoring

If you are a long time pet owner, you have probably experienced the sadness of a pet passing. You may hear statements, such as "It's only a cat or only a dog" or to "Get Over It," from people who have never had pets. These people don't understand the connection and bond people have with their pets, so they don't understand the loss.

Leigh Meriweather is one of those people who understands the loss. She states the grief from pet loss is very real. When she lost her beloved Kelsey, her black lab mix companion of 13 years, she thought, "Is this it?" It felt so empty. It just didn't feel right to her that we don't have anything in place to honor them or say thank you. So that started the process of her providing items and services to others, and creating a website called Pet Honoring.

One thing she offers is an in-person honoring ceremony for a family. She can also customize a pet honoring ceremony, hold it in her studios and record it. This is similar to what a human memorial is like, but it has the elements of honoring and blessing the pet and the relationship with the human and is like honoring the pet's soul.

Leigh also offers Pet Honoring Ceremony Kits, which contain everything needed to conduct your own pet honoring. It comes with instructions, a sample script, which can be used as is or tailored and items such as a picture frame, candle, shell, silk flowers and such.

A Special Pouch For Your Pet
Donna Fox, Cinderooz

Donna fox was a registered nurse and a wildlife rehabilitator. She then started a new career and invented the Cuddle 'N Carry Shirt.

It all started when Donna adopted her dog Cinders. When she first brought Cinders home, he was eight weeks old, little and not very healthy. The only place he was happy and warm was in her shirt. Donna tucked Cinders underneath her sweatshirt, but it was limiting. She had to hold him there, and could only do things one handed. This didn't work well for someone who was constantly moving.

Donna then went to her sewing machine and created the Cuddle 'N Carry Shirt. This was a sweatshirt, with a special zippered pouch for your small pet. The pouch allowed them to sit between two layers, the outer layer and the one against your body. This let you have direct supervision of your pet who was literally under your watchful eye. You could feel him breathe, feel his every movement, and hear every sound he made. But the difference is you could move and your pet stayed put.

Ticks Hitchhike on City Dogs Too - Dr. Debbie

Ticks are common parasites known to infect people, pets and spread disease. Over 850 tick species exist worldwide, although fewer than a dozen species are of risk to pets in the U.S. But here in Las Vegas, pet owners often dismiss the existence of ticks with the likes of Bigfoot or the Loch Ness Monster. Think ticks are only a problem for pets that travel or visit the mountains? Think again.

The Tick Tale
Ticks are parasites known to infect mammals, reptiles and birds and feed on their host's blood. Although of tiny size, ticks ingest 200 to 600 times their weight in a blood meal.

Ticks are attracted to a host's movement, body warmth or exhaled carbon dioxide and then latch on. Through this feeding behavior they can transmit diseases to pets such as Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Ehrlichia, Babesia and Tularemia. Disease transmission takes some time and may occur after 36 to 48 hours of feeding behavior.

Some ticks can live months or up to a year off its host without a feeding, so year-round prevention is important for pets at risk for continued exposure.

Battling Ticks
There are many topical tick control products available for pets. Speak with your veterinarian for a product that is effective and safe with your pet's individual health in mind. Cats are sensitive to some ingredients, may develop toxicity, and should never be treated with a product labeled only for dogs. Additionally, pet owners using multiple products on their pet should first consult with their veterinarian to ensure safe use of combined products.

When removing a tick, avoid handling it directly. Wear gloves or handle with Kleenex since ticks can pass infections to people as well. Grasp the tick with tweezers close to the skin. Extract the tick by pulling straight out of skin. Don't squeeze, twist or leave any legs behind. Disinfect the area and dispose of ticks in rubbing alcohol.

Here's a photo of a typical tick, born and bred in Las Vegas and extracted from one of my Shih Tzu patients named Kane. Kane never leaves the state, doesn't hike in the mountains, and enjoys the comforts of a house-dog lifestyle. A tick was discovered on Kane after a day of supervising his owner's yard work and shrub trimming.

Maybe Kane's story will be an eye-opener for city dwelling pet owners. Pet parasites like fleas, ticks and mosquitoes still lurk in that urban jungle.

Visit the Dogs & Ticks website for more information ticks, diseases and prevention.

The Dogfather's Grooming Tip with Joey Villani

How To Properly Remove Ticks From Your Pet
Joey received a call from a family member for something that was so simple for him, but can be difficult and a problem for others, and that's removing a tick from you dog or cat.

First of all, when you come back from a walk with your pet, you should always run a comb through them, especially if you walk in a wooded area. You want to spot a tick on your pet sooner than later.

If you find a tick that is embedded in your pet, there are several things you shouldn't do. Don't put a pesticide directly on the tick. Don't apply a match or cigarette to the tick to burn them. When you try these methods, they will not make the tick back out and will make the tick secrete saliva. Now picture this, a tick buried underneath the skin, secreting saliva. Some ticks carry Lyme disease or Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and will secrete it into your pet's skin.

Instead, get a pair of tweezers. Start by clearing the hair away from the tick, and then place the tweezers between the tick and your pet's skin. Squeeze tight and pull straight back. Just make sure that you get underneath the tick and don't just pull the body. If you just pull on the body, it is easy to break the head off, which will remain in your pet and can cause an abscess or infection. You can also find special tick removers from your pet store.

Oldest Horse Dies
A horse believed to be the oldest in the world died after reaching the age of 51. The horse, a liver chestnut Irish Draught cross thoroughbred, had been enjoying a comfortable retirement at a sanctuary, spending up to five hours a day in the fresh air despite suffering from mild arthritis. But, unfortunately, he was unable to get back up after his legs gave way and staff made the decision to put him down. Staff at the sanctuary believed him to be 51 based on the date of birth given by his previous owner and medical checks. Veterinary staff try to find out how old a horse is by looking at the condition of a horse's teeth. How long teeth are, how worn they are, and how deep any grooves are, can all give clues as to which birthday should be celebrated. It was estimated that the horse's years made him the human equivalent of more than 100, but the older they get, the harder it is to tell once horses get past their average life expectancy of early thirties.

Dog Protected Lost Boy
A toddler in South Dakota was safe and unharmed thanks in part to his pit bull dog. The three-year-old boy and his dog wandered off in freezing temperatures. The child's mother notified police and they found the boy not far from his home about an hour later. The sheriff said they found him in a wooded area, but the dog wouldn't let officers get near the boy. His dad was called to come get the dog. Police said the boy had no visible injuries, but he was taken to a nearby hospital as a precaution.

Dog Shot Man
A Florida man recovered after his dog shot him in the leg. It turned out the man was in his truck with his dog when his four-legged friend kicked a loaded gun to the floor. The 380-pistol went off, shooting the man in the leg. Police said his injuries were not serious.

Don't Mess With Her Cat!
A Siberian woman was accused of murdering her husband over a pet cat. The 56-year-old woman was allegedly protecting her cat when she stabbed her husband to death. The couple had been at home drinking to the point of intoxication when the tragic incident occurred. Over dinner one evening, the couple had been drinking alcohol when the husband's eyes fixed on the cat. He seized a poker and chased the cat, attempting to hit and injure it. To protect her cat, the woman allegedly grabbed a knife from the table and stabbed her husband three times in the chest. The man reportedly died at the scene. The husband had previously expressed a deep dislike for the cat, which his wife had taken in earlier this year, and had often hit the animal. The woman was investigated and required to undergo a psychological examination. She faced up to 15 years in jail. This is not the first time that a woman had been accused of attacking her husband over a pet cat. A Texas resident was arrested after she allegedly shot her husband in the stomach when he threatened to shoot her cat with a pellet gun.

The Boy that Cried "Crocodile"
James Bond was blamed for a supposed crocodile sighting in the Thames River. A retired university lecturer cried crocodile after he spotted the beast during a bike ride near his home. But, a local boat expert said there was nothing to worry about because the reptile was just a prop from the Double-Oh-Seven film Live and Let Die. The boat expert had worked on several Bond films and was keeping the fake crock on an island. It was suspected that it must have floated out on its own. It was confirmed that the crocodile was on the island at one point, but there is no indication as to whether it was still there.

Listen to the entire Podcast of this show (#1320)