Animal Radio® Show #670

Clint Eastwood's Daughter To Do TV Show
Alison Eastwood is about to kick off her new Reality TV show on Nat Geo. "Animal Invaders" focuses on exotic animals that are living in inadequate conditions. The first episode features monkeys living in an RV and tigers in a magic show act. She talks about life with dad and says Clint is allergic to horses, making much of his early days of film a tough act.

Living Piggy Bank
A Florida couple doesn't seem to have any need for a piggy bank, since their ten-year-old beagle Arnie appears to be more than willing to fill the role of money-holder. Corey and Hope O'Kelley say their canine companion has twice swallowed hundreds of dollars in cash. The O'Kelleys were able to recover $100 after it passed through the dog's system, but they weren't as lucky when Arnie came back for a second expensive meal last month.

Dogs Banned From Downtown
A western Pennsylvania city working hard to revitalize a key 10-block stretch of its downtown business district is considering banning dogs from the area as part of the plan. Officials in Beaver Falls, population 10,000, believe part of the problem is that larger dogs, including Pit Bulls and Rottweilers, are sometimes left tied to parking meters by their owners.

Dog Holds Vigil At Grave For Six Years
A faithful dog is refusing to leave his master, even though he's been at his side for six years in a graveyard. An Argentinean newspaper reports the dog ran away from home after his owner died in 2006. One week later, the man's family found the German Shepherd wailing by his owner's grave.

360 Dogs Died From Jerky Treats Made In China
In the past year and a half, at least 360 dogs and one cat have died in the U.S. after eating chicken jerky pet treats made in China, according to a new online summary posted by the FDA. Meanwhile, more than 2,200 reports have come in to the agency from pet owners claiming their animals were sickened or died after eating these products.

Sugar Gliders as a Pet
Dr. Laurie Hess is a small exotic pet veterinarian. She says we are woefully uneducated about the husbandry of birds and other small pets. The good doctor tells us about some great alternatives to dogs and cats, like the marsupial Sugar Glider.

Listen to this Animal Radio® episode

Animal Radio® Show #669

Nat Geo's Incredible Dr. Pol
Not only is he Incredible, but he has quite the sense of humor also. Dr. Pol describes what it's like to have a camera watching your every move, including when his arm is two feet up a cow's ... well ... you know.

Puppy IN Pants Results In Animal Cruelty
A Colorado woman has been arrested on suspicion of animal cruelty after allegedly shoving her Chihuahua puppy down her pants. The incident occurred during a domestic dispute in which policed found Johna Turner arguing with a man. When police arrived, eyewitnesses told them to search Turner's pants and when they did a Chihuahua fell out.

DNA Poop Patrol
A homeowners association in Texas is trying to collect samples of dog poop for DNA testing. The HOA says too many dogs are doing their business in common areas, and they want a database of DNA profiles. That way, future messes will be matched to the correct owners in the small condominium complex, who will then be fined.

Couple's Fight Over Dog
Pet insurance company Esure say dogs cause 156 fights per year per family. The most contentious canine disputes center around who will take the little guy for a walk, whether he's allowed in bed, and where he goes when family vacations. 17% of doggie disputes leave owners sleeping on the couch.

Foul Mouthed Cockatoo Offends Neighbors
A Rhode Island woman's allegedly foul-mouthed cockatoo is being accused of ruining her neighbors' quality of life. According to the "Boston Herald," Lynne Taylor is scheduled to return to court next week to fight allegations that she violated a city animal noise ordinance. Taylor's neighbors, her ex-husband Craig Fontaine and his girlfriend Kathleen Melker, say Taylor trained her pet bird Willy to yell curse words at them.

Listen to this Animal Radio® episode

Get 15% off by using promo code "animalradio"

Animal Radio® Show #668

Animal Radio® is LIVE from SuperZoo Las Vegas
Our New Pet Product Special is from the floor of the Mandalay Bay Convention Center and the world's largest trade show for the pet industry. Not only are we featuring the best new stuff for you and your pet, we are also giving you every new product we're talking about...so be ready to call us toll-free at 1-866-405-8405 to pick up on goodies from Tagg/Qualcomm, KURGO, Gumbone, Natural Balance, Petmate, Pet Hub and many more.

This years new products include a lot of gadgets, from GPS collars that tell how much activity, if any, your dog has had, to safety items that will keep you and your dog safe when you drive. We'll have them for your before you can buy them.

Double Header Jose Canseco and Steve Garvey Guest
Don't miss this opportunity to hear Jose Canseco go gaga over Dr. Debbie. And what in the world is Steve Garvey doing? And most importantly, where do their dogs sleep? Here's a hint....not in their dog-bed.

Rihanna Is The Latest Celeb Attacked By PETA
Rihanna is the latest pop star to spark the ire of PETA for her wardrobe. The animal rights organization is calling the singer out for the thigh-high snakeskin boots she was seen wearing in London last week. PETA reps recall Rihanna's tearful discussion about her relationship with Chris Brown in saying that the snakes are brutally killed for fashion but they "can't go on Oprah to cry about it."

Drought Causes Shortage of "Cow Pies"
Add one more problem caused by drought this summer, a shortage of cow pies. To the east of Minnesota, organizers have changed their line-up for the annual Wisconsin Cow-Chip Throwing Contest in Prairie du Sac. The quality of this year's crop, as it were, is questionable. So about 200 cow pies that were being held in reserve are being used to supplement the few that are okay to throw.

Listen to this Animal Radio® episode

Animal Radio® Show #667

Blessing of the Animals
He's back to bless your dogs, cats, fish, birds, snakes, and even your iguanas! Dr. James Capers claims to be fluent in "parrot" among other languages. His charismatic personality will put a smile on your face and his blessing will bring your pet years of happiness.

Rock Eating Kitty
Dr. Debbie takes on some of America's biggest challenges every week. This week it's all about a cat that eats rocks. What would make a kitty do such a thing. How do you stop this behavior before it becomes trouble?

The Truth About Cats and Dogs€¦and Fleas
Dr. Paris Revoir know things about ticks and fleas that will make you squirm. Fleas on your pet make up only 5% of the problem. The good doctor has solutions to rid your pet from these pests and keep them tapeworm-free.

Craigslist Scam On Lost Pets
Losing a pet is an emotional time for any pet owner and the best possible scenario is for your pet to come home on its own, the next is to receive a call from someone who found your pet, safe and uninjured. The Connecticut Humane Society has issued a warning about a scam, preying on vulnerable pet owners.

Candy Eating Cows
You know what they say: "If life gives you bulk quantities of defective candy unfit for human consumption, make chocolate-laced cattle feed." Or that's what they say in Kentucky apparently, where an industrious cattleman has responded to skyrocketing corn prices by swapping out the corn in his 1,400 cows' diets for low-grade candy.

Listen to this Animal Radio® episode

Animal Radio® Show #666

Reality TV
If your last airplane flight had you sitting next to a baboon, it could've been for a client of Pacific Pet Transport, the latest company to get a Reality TV show. They move animals for the rich and famous. From rhinos to snakes, James Nelligan shares their travels and spills the beans on Alanis Morissette and several other big names.

Banned Pit Bulls
Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) has many up in arms over these ridiculous laws. What's the real story behind Lennox, the dog put to sleep simply because he was a Pit Bull in a county that outlaws them. Even big cities like Denver are saying "no" to Pit Bulls. Good laws or just plain arrogance? Tammy Crew tells you about an organization that has formed to fight BSL.

Rogue Turtle
Searching for an escaped turtle requires more thinking than walking. Zeke couldn't have gone far. Driving that shell around town can't be easy, and top-speed is about 300 yards per hour. Still, after much searching, and a blast of publicity that has made him a North Shore celebrity.

Baby Boomers Giving Up On Pets
While we have heard about people abandoning animals because they couldn't afford them any longer, it's more likely the decline in ownership is due to people choosing not to bring new pets into their households after their old pets have passed away, Stephen Zawistowski, science advisor to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), says that the aging baby boomer population may be part of the reason why fewer pets are in homes.

No More Fried Green Tomatoes
While you shouldn't be feeding your dog table scraps anyway, now there is a warning to avoid green tomatoes altogether. The chemicals in un-ripe tomatoes and even raw potatoes can easily cause your dog to go into seizures. Dr. Debbie has what you need to know to protect your pup.

Listen to this Animal Radio® episode

Animal Radio® FREE Pets & People Drug Discount Card
SAVE NOW ON ALL UNINSURED MEDS!! For both you and your pet!

You may already know how expensive pet medication can be. Especially when pet insurance doesn't cover drugs.

All of us at Animal Radio® are doing our best to help out. After all, we're all in the same financial boat and don't want the pets to suffer because a medicine's cost is prohibitive. We made a deal with the top pharmacy benefits managers. Here's what we came up with:

- The Animal Radio® Pets & People Drug Discount Card is FREE.
- It offers 15-55% discount on pet medicines or uninsured human medicines.
- It's usable at almost 60,000 pharmacies, including Walgreens, Wal-mart, Rite-Aid, Target, Costco, CVS...all the biggies!
- Card is pre-activated and never expires.
- Great for small businesses that can't afford benefits for employees, or even your church or local Senior Center. We will gladly send you as many cards as you need.
- You can print out the FREE card online at: http://animalradio.com/Pets_People_Discount_Drug_Card.html

Or, if you would like us to mail you a free card, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to:

Animal Radio Drug Card
699 Paula Street
Morro Bay, CA. 93442

Please help spread the word. Your friends will thank you.

Print Your Free Drug Discount Card

Ask the Animal Radio® Dream Team

Listen to Animal Radio® LIVE every Saturday at noon eastern and Sundays at 5pm eastern on XM ch. 166 (America's Talk) or on any of the 102 AM-FM radio stations. Call with your questions toll-free 1-866-405-8405 or email yourvoice@AnimalRadio.com

Dull Coat

Mike K.: Have a 9mo old chocolate lab travels with me in truck, shedding constantly and coat is very dull, recently changed to blue buffalo dry food now I'm mixing with timber wolf food.

Dr. Debbie: Labradors shed more than most long-haired breeds so we won't have any easy fix for that. I advise battling the constant hair loss with brushing several times a week and bathing every 2-4 weeks. For my denser coated Labrador I use the Furminator to brush out the undercoat, but it doesn't work as well with my smoother coated male.

You didn't mention how long the diet change to Blue Buffalo was. For haircoat issues you might not notice any difference for 1-3 months after changing from one brand to another. I also find that for many brands of dog food, the duck flavor varieties seem to make the haircoat sheen a bit nicer than others like venison or chicken flavors. Also, to help the haircoat, it wouldn't hurt to supplement with a good fatty acid product like Eicosaderm or 3V caps. I give fatty acids daily to my Labradors to battle the desert dryness.

The NEW Animal Radio® APP is available for Android and iPhone! Get it NOW!


Dogs Eating Grass

Rachel W.: I was listening last weekend when a woman called to ask about her dog's grass eating habit.

My dog "needs" to eat grass on a regular basis (maybe 2 x's per month or so). His stomach will start making noises and then he urgently "tells" me (pokes me with his nose and acts excited) until I take him out to eat grass. As soon as he eats enough grass, which acts as a laxative, he seems to feel some relief. He may require eating grass a few times in one day. Also, he seeks out a specific grass - not just any old garden variety. He prefers crab grass of all things, or a leafy something or other that usually grows on boxwood or other hedges.

My vet discourages me from allowing him to eat grass, saying it could harm him, but I've explained to her that he is relentless until I get him to a grass-feeding source. Can you shed some light on this for me? He's 8 1/2 years old, and a rat-terrier (maybe mixed with Basenji?).

Dr. Debbie: Ah, the great mystery of grass eating dogs ...there continues to be many theories on why dogs dine on grasss. We do know there are some dogs that do it because of GI upset or illness. Then there are some that just enjoy it. And in some cases it's believed to be a misplaced behavior through dog's evolution.

In your situation I would wonder if your dog could have some underlying GI issues that cause the behavior. If the behavior is accompanied by gut sounds, diarrhea, or vomiting then it might give some support of a GI issue. Since he is a senior pet, I would advise a full senior wellness checkup with labwork and fecal testing. In some cases I will go with a dietary change for 4-8 weeks since food intolerance and food allergies can cause low grade GI upset for many dogs. And some dogs get mild gi upset from eating rawhides or frequent treats- so if that is a possibility, you might try discontinuing all but his dog food for a week or two to see if the grass eating continues.

Grass ingestion can also be an attention seeking behavior. Sometimes our reaction to seeing our pets nibble on grass can serve as the "reward" - just like a naughty child that is happy with ANY attention, be it positive or negative. It sounds as if he has already "trained" you to provide the grass when he demands it! As for why he prefers different styles of grass...there are sure to be different flavors and textures of grasses that he must have a discriminating palate to prefer!

I would agree with your veterinarian that I wouldn't want to permit or encourage the grass eating behavior. However, I think my bigger concern would be to take steps to evaluate your babies GI health and try a hypoallergenic diet regimen.

Picking a Groomer

Richard B.: It's abundantly clear that I need to find a groomer for my 2 year old German Shepard. He looks a wreck. How do I even begging going about finding a good groomer?

Joey Villani: The first thing you need to look for in finding the right groomer is an inviting place. Don't just pick it from the phone book. You really need to spend some time in your selection and actually visit these places.

When you look at a grooming salon from the outside, look to see if all the lights in the ceiling are lit. Make sure there are no burned out bulbs. Because its important for the groomer to be able to see the dog properly. If a bulb is out, this could make a potential client feel that if they neglect their salon, then the dogs will be neglected as well. It should look like a salon you want to go in. It doesn't have to be elaborately decorated, but it should look inviting.

When you walk in the door, the first thing you should do is "smell" the place. Does sit smell clean? Does it smell like dirty dogs, urine or feces? The exception is that perhaps a dog just did his business in the saloon, but you should be able to tell the difference.

When speaking to a groomer, listen to the questions they ask you. You shouldn't have to ask them questions. One thing they should ask you about is your pet's vaccinations. This means that they will make sure that not only are they safe, but that your pets will be safe there too.

Do they address your pet as well? You want to make sure that your pet is comfortable with them. Of course there are some pets that won't be comfortable no matter what you do. These pets can be served a steak dinner and champagne and they will still want to walk out the door. But the groomer should pay attention to the pet and have a smile on their face.

Before you leave your pet, make sure that you tour the salon. And if they offer to take you on a tour, that is even better. When groomers say you can't go in to the back because it might stress some of the dogs there, run away! There is no reason why you shouldn't be allowed to view the area and see what goes on. Don't let them hide anything from you.

And lastly, when you leave with your groomed dog, make sure your dog is a happy dog!

Celebrate your pets right now at AnimalRadio.com

Get Animal Radio® Headlines emailed to you, or catch us on Twitter and Facebook.
"Like" Animal Radio® on Facebook - and win goodies for you and your pet.

Copyright 2003-12 Animal Radio®, its logo and Animal Radio Network(TM) are registered trademarks of Animal Radio Network LLC. All rights reserved. Submissions for newsletter, programming, editorial comments and opinions may be sent to: YourVoice@AnimalRadio.com. See our website for additional information.