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Animal Radio® Show #956

Mistakes Veterinarians Make
As hard as it may be to believe, doctors are human too. An anonymous veterinarian confesses to the mistakes he/she made in their practice. Common errors include forgetting to take out an IV catheter to leaving a thermometer in. Listen as Dr. Debbie comments on these FAILS.

How Much Does A Vet Visit Really Cost
Research shows that 1 in 3 pets will need urgent vet care this year. Every 6 seconds an owner is given a vet bill more than $1000. This is why Rob Jackson, top dog at Healthy Paws Pet Insurance says you need his service. He'll tell us why only 1% of pet owners carry an kind of pet insurance.

3 Strikes For United
Already under scrutiny about a French bulldog dying in an overhead bin and another dog being accidentally sent to Japan, United Airlines has acknowledged its third animal-related mistake in just that week. This latest case happened when a United flight was diverted to Akron, Ohio after the airline realized a pet had been loaded onto the flight by mistake. That plane was headed to St. Louis, Missouri with 33 passengers. What do you do when you're an airline that's had as bad of a week for pet disasters as United had? You get that dog to where it was supposed to be - never mind the 33 passengers that are supposed to be going to St. Louis. You take those passengers along for an emergency drop off of the dog in Akron, Ohio.

Comforting The Kids After Shooting
When students and teachers returned to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School after the Valentine's Day school shooting, a team of golden retrievers were there to offer comfort and hope. Cubby, a comfort dog from Fort Collins, was among the furry, four-legged counselors, gently placing her paw on the hands and arms of the traumatized students and teachers. Bonnie Fear, Cubby's guardian explains how her church is deploying comfort dogs regularly.

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Animal Radio® Show #955

Animal Officer Sings To Dogs
Vance County North Carolina Animal Control Officer Chad Olds discovered a new use for his incredible singing skills. He's able to quiet the barking a several dozen dogs by playing guitar and singing to them. The shelter videotaped one of his sessions. The video went viral and adoptions increased.

Stress and Skin
Did you know that stress could be a factor in your pet's skin issues? The number one reason animal guardians visit the vet revolves around skin and dermatological problems. Dr. Tom Lewis specializes in these sorts of health issues. As a proponent for the Fear Free movement, he says it's made a big difference in his practice. Dr. Lewis is next up in the Fear Free Expert Series.

Shock Collars Banned In England
A ban on pet "shock collars" will be enacted in England, under plans confirmed by the government. Shock collars are often marketed as a harmless quick-fix solution or training aides, but animal experts say shock collars can easily cause more problems than they seek to fix.

High Rate Of Veterinarian Suicides
Santa Barbara, California is dealing with a crisis in its animal care community, which is a problem happening all over the country. The problem is the high rate of suicide among veterinarians. In fact, vets have the highest rate of suicide among all professional groups.

Top Household Pet Poisons
Pet World Insider Robert Semrow is at it again. He's a list-maker and he has the top toxins that you may have in your house. Make sure your pet is safe by putting these items out of their reach.

Do You Talk 'Baby Talk' To Your Pets?
Researchers Alex Benjamin and Katie Slocombe set out to investigate if so-called dog-speak improves bonding between pets and humans, and specifically, whether it is useful for the dogs to hear that high pitched baby talk. They found that adult dogs were more likely to want to interact and spend time with the speaker that used dog-directed speech with dog-related content.

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Animal Radio® Show #954

Are People Harming Their Pet For Drugs
A lady in Kentucky was charged with fraud and torture after she cut her dog multiple times to get the opioid and pain-killer Tramadol. Is this just the tip of the iceberg? Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald is back to chime in on the national opioid crisis and how it affects our pets.

Who's Your Daddy?
Mindy Tenenbaum has joined the ranks of the increasingly popular pet DNA testing industry. Her company, DNA My Dog uses a sophisticated, yet easy to use cheek swab test that reveals your dog's genetic make-up. This information can be used to moderate your pet's health and understanding its behavior. Mindy will be giving away a DNA test to a deserving listener.

Dogs Are Chick Magnets
As much as it can irk cat people, studies show people with dogs are thought to be more approachable, happier and more empathetic. For men, there is also the chick magnet effect. But why is that? Dr. Helen Fisher a longtime relationship researcher who also consults Match.com says people are attracted to dog owners because, "It says you can care for a creature, that you can follow a schedule and get home to feed it, that you can walk it and love it and spend time with it." Nearly 33% of respondents said they had been "more attracted to someone" because they had a pet. 66% of respondents said they would judge their date based on how he or she responded to their own pet.

How Much Would You Pay To Save Your Cat?
A little over a year ago Betsy Boyd of Baltimore got the bad news that her 17-year-old cat Stanley's kidneys were failing and he likely had only a few months to live. So Betsy, who is a very frugal part time professor, made the decision for Stanley to have a $19,000 kidney transplant.

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Animal Radio® Show #953

Why Is Pentobarbital In Our Pet Food?
Jaclyn Bowen of the Clean Label Project is back to explain why our pet's food supply is constantly jeopardized. What are the implications of the Blue Buffalo's sale to General Mills? You should listen before you shop for pet food again.

Understanding UTI
Urinary Tract Infections are more common than you think. Did you know stress could cause a UTI in your cat or dog? Dr. Tony Huffington explains how a stressed animal is at higher risk for infection. Have you heard the Fear Free Pet Expert Series?

People Prefer Pets Over Partners
A study of 2,000 cat and dog owners shows more than half often prefer spending time with their pet instead of their partner. This is because they love unconditionally, they don't nag, they never talk back and are always in a good mood. 3 in 10 adults say their pet is a better listener than their partner, while 45% like the fact they are never judged or questioned by their cat or dog. Surprisingly, 29% even say their four-legged friend is better at snuggling.

Dog Tests Positive For Rabies After Biting Owners
A family dog in Delaware has tested positive for rabies after biting his two adult owners. The dog was also not up to date on shots. The adults, who were bitten by the dog, have begun rabies treatment. Rabies is an infectious disease affecting the nervous system of humans and other mammals. Infection happens through the bite or scratch of an infected animal or if saliva from an infected animal gets into the eyes, nose, mouth, or an opening in the skin of the bite victim.

Sleeping In The Doghouse
A cold winter has led to the deaths of several dogs left outside in the elements. Ian Matheson spent the evening in the brutal cold weather to bring awareness to pet owners about the risks of leaving your dog outside overnight. Listen to Ian tell his story.

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Animal Radio® Show #952

Not Sci-fi. A Device That Translates Woofs and Meows Into Words
Dr. Con Slobodchikoff (Professor Emeritus NAU) believes we are close to developing a gadget that will translate what your dog or cat is saying into English words. While several novelty items are currently on the market, his work is based in science. Slobodchikoff says "So many people would dearly love to talk with their dog. With cats, I'm not sure what they'd have to say. A lot of times it might just be 'you idiot, just feed me.'"

What's Really Behind The Smucker's Pet Food Contamination
What appears to be the biggest recall to date this year, Smucker's (yes, the jelly people) is pulling some of the market's lowest-grade food for pets. Names you've known forever, like Gravy Train, Kibbles 'n Bits, Ol' Roy and Skippy have been found to have the euthanasia drug pentobarbital in low but illegal doses. This is indicative of problems with the food supply. Probably euthanized animals have been used as proteins. But if you think that's the worst stuff in this food, you should see how it's made.

Catastrophic Year for United Airlines Pet Passengers
Last year, 24 animals transported as cargo by U.S. airlines were found to have died in-flight and another 15 were injured, according to a new report by the Department of Transportation. The deaths and injuries were only a small percentage of the nearly 507,000 animals transported by 17 airlines. The biggest air carrier at Newark, United Airlines, accounted for most of the deaths and injuries nationwide. A spokesman for the company said United saw a significant increase in the number of pets it transported last year, which may have accounted for the rise in transported pet deaths.

Counting Cats
Because most everyone has their own opinion on whether cats or dogs are smarter, a new study has created quite a stir when it suggested that dogs might have an intelligence edge over cats. On the other hand, a few other studies have shown that cats have a greater mathematical ability than dogs. Meanwhile, other less traditionally "smart" animals like fish and frogs, according to new research, are able to count.

Dating Advice For Pet Parents
Things can get complicated if you are in a relationship that progresses to the point where you are thinking about moving in together. And if the other person is also bringing a pet to the new household then you have a lot to consider. Animal Radio News Director Lori Brooks has some good advice for pet parents who want to combine households.

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Animal Radio® Show #951

Is It Wrong To Love Your Pets More Than Humans?
Clinical Forensic Psychologist Dr. John Huber culled research indicating that, given the choice, we prefer puppies over people. Respondents to a recent survey are significantly less distressed when adult humans were victimized, in comparison with human babies, puppies and adult dogs.

Myths of Dog Training
Monique Feyrecilde breaks the common fallacies associated with training your dog. She'll share the mistakes we make when trying to change our dog's behavior. Monique is next in the spotlight in the Fear Free Pets Expert Series.

Pets of the Homeless
Genevieve Frederick heads up an organization that connects pet food and veterinary care with homeless folks and their animals. Since 2008, her non-profit has found health care for 17,500 pets. Now, the organization is on the hunt for more veterinary practitioners to offer discounted assistance to the homeless.

Airline Passenger Allegedly Told To Flush Hamster Down The Toilet
This story has become the latest controversial case in airlines versus people seeking to travel with emotional support animals. It sure started a lot of conversations and caused a lot of online emotional venting and virtually all of it not good. It all began Thanksgiving weekend when a beloved pet hamster was flushed down a toilet in an airport bathroom, supposedly after the airline, Spirit Airlines, refused to let a 21 year old college student bring her pet hamster.

Why Is It So Important To Care For Your Pet's Teeth
It's National Pet Dental Month. Not another Hallmark card opportunity. This is the ideal opportunity for your veterinarian to check for dental issues that could ultimately be fatal if gone unchecked. Dental care isn't about vanity as much as it's about preventing organ failure because you thought a 'non-anesthesia dental cleaning' was all you needed.

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Animal Radio® Show #950

Pit Bulls Being Used To Fight Crime
Brad Croft of Universal K9 trains shelter pit-bulls to assist police officers in fighting crime and searching for people. The success of the program can be seen around the country as more police departments express interest in these dogs.

Fixing A Broken Heart
Even the most grounded person can be devastated by the loss of a pet. Dr. Guy Winch is an authority on broken-hearts and has answers to common questions following the death of a pet. He says you should avoid the 5 common mistakes when grieving the loss of a pet, including not getting rid of reminders like feeding bowls and leashes and feeling guilty about getting another pet.

Can Dogs Really Smell Fear?
If you've ever been nervous around a dog and told to just be calm because dogs can "smell fear," well, that is good advice though most people can't suddenly calm their fear. Believe it or not, the sentiment behind that guidance is rooted in some truth. While dogs probably can't literally smell fear, they do seem to respond to fearful people with more aggression according to a new study in the British Medical Journal.

If You Gave Your Pet A Valentine Gift, You're Not Alone
The numbers are in and consumer spending for Valentine's Day was estimated to have grown 8% over last year and that growth is thanks mostly to those who showered their pets with Valentines gifts and surprises.

Emotional Support Peacock Not Allowed on United
The stories of unruly flights caused by animals continue to grab headlines around the world, like the one where a woman attempted to bring her pet peacock onto a flight out of New Jersey's Newark airport. The woman was told the big bird would not be allowed on the plane even though the owner had bought a separate ticket for the peacock. United Airlines issued a statement saying the peacock did not meet guidelines for a number of reasons, including its weight and size.

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Animal Radio® Show #949

Southwest Airlines Donates Rescue Flight
It wasn't an easy task for pet advocate Mirah Horowitz. She explains how she managed to convince Southwest Airlines to donate a round trip flight to rescue animals from hurricane stricken Puerto Rico. The pilots and flight attendants all donated their time, unpaid for this jaunt to America's own third-world territory. The government has done little to restore power and clean water to 60% of the island. The animals are suffering. This rescue flight helped many dogs and cats to escape the damage ravaged island.

Food Stamps For Pets
There's a big debate brewing about the SNAP program (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) otherwise known as food stamps. A petition has already attracted signatures from more than 85,000 supporters. Though experts say the petition has very little chance of success, it asks the federal government to modify food-stamp rules to make it easier for low-income people to buy food for their pets. These groups say that allowing food stamps to be used for pet food could potentially keep tens of thousands of animals out of shelters and prevent low-income people from giving their own food to their pets.

Is Pet Insurance Worth It?
The pet insurance industry is booming. So many players that it's hard to select the proper insurance. Red Rover CEO Nicole Forsyth discusses pet insurance and how to select it. But pet insurance isn't the only way to pay for those vet visits. You'll hear about some other options to care for your pet.

5 Ways To Show Your Pet Some Love
Pet World Insider Robert Semrow put together his list of honey-dos for your pet. This is a great way to celebrate Valentine's Day. After all, who gives you unconditional love year round?

The Fear Free Movement Keeps Expanding
Fear Free Pets founder Dr. Marty Becker created a way to make vet visits enjoyable for your pet. The new mindset is proliferating all aspects of pet care. Now, you can make your home and Fear Free Happy Home. Dr. Becker will tell us what's on the docket for 2018 for your pets and Fear Free. Visit the Fear Free Expert Series Archives

Why You Should Know If Your Pet Is Right Or Left Pawed.
When your cat knocks your favorite coffee mug off the counter, does it use its left paw or its right? There's no need to break your favorite cup for the answer because your cat's gender should tell you enough. According to a small feline-behavior study published in the journal Animal Behaviour, female cats are significantly more likely to be right-paw-dominant, while male cats typically favor their left paws.

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