Newsletter

Tips on Preventing and Avoiding Dog and Cat Bites

Bites from dogs and cats are a serious public health problem. Approximately 3 million people are bitten each year, and an average of 14 people die each year from dog attacks. Dog bites are responsible for more liability homeowner insurance claims than any other cause. Children are at the greatest risk for dog bites resulting in serious or fatal injuries.

Dogs and cats are carnivores (meat-eaters) and bite by instinct when hunting, when defending themselves and during social conflicts. They may even use their teeth in play. IT IS NATURAL FOR DOGS AND CATS TO BITE! To avoid dog/cat bites, dogs and cats have to be taught not to bite. Cats are more difficult to train, but their bites and scratches can also be prevented.

Tips for Avoiding Dog Bites

The first step in avoiding dog bites is to take care in selecting a dog. Guarding and fighting breeds of dogs should not be selected for family pets. If an adult dog is being obtained, special attention should be paid to its temperament and how will socialized it has been with people of all ages and with other animals. If a puppy is being selected, the temperament of its parents and of puppies from previous litters should be evaluated. Ask the owner to see the puppy's parents and for names and phone numbers of others who got puppies from these parents. Puppies need to be properly socialized, especially between four and 16 weeks of age in order to prevent excessive fear and aggression toward strangers when they are adults.

Puppies naturally use their teeth when playing, however they must be discouraged from using their teeth on people even during play. Their chewing and "mouthing" should be corrected with a sharp "NO" then the chewing should be redirected to an appropriate chew toy.

Puppies and dogs should not be allowed to use their teeth when taking treats out of hands. To discourage this, offer the treat inside a closed fist. Only allow the dog to take the treat after they have gently nudged with their muzzle. Do not hold the treat above the dog's head which would encourage them to jump up and grab the treat out of the hand. Never allow anyone to tease a puppy, dog, kitten, or cat. Teasing even during play will unintentionally frustrate the dog or cat and may lead to biting.

Tips for Avoiding Dog & Cat Bites

Never approach, touch or try to pick up an unfamiliar dog or cat without the owner's permission. Especially avoid a dog that is on a chain or tied up.

Never tease or make menacing gestures toward a dog or cat.

Keep your movements and actions low-key and your voice firm but subdued.

Never enter a fenced yard with a dog if the owner is not there and, even then, not without the owner's permission. If a dog approaches or runs toward you, stand still. You cannot out run a dog. Running away will encourage the dog to chase you.

If a dog approaches you, do not stare or make direct eye contact with it. Instead, watch it's movements out of the corner of your eye.

Do not turn your back on the dog. You may try to slowly back away. If this movement makes the dog more assertive or aggressive, move toward you in a more aggressive way or growl/snarl, then you must stand still and very slowly move your hands and arms to protect your chest and neck. You may only back away once the dog has left.

If a dog knocks you down, do not move. Lie on your stomach and cover the back of your neck with your hands.

If you are bitten, first contact your physician or obtain emergency medical assistance. Children should contact their parents or another adult. As soon as possible, report the bite to Animal Control officers, provide them with a detailed description of the dog and the specific location where the dog or cat was last seen.

Facts About Cat Fables

They're playful and loving, aloof and mysterious, frisky and mischievous. They're cats! And The Humane Society of the United States invites you to celebrate our feline friends in all their glory and to see these graceful creatures with new appreciation.

Cats have fascinated humans ever since the day, probably about four thousand years ago, the first domestic cat made himself at home on the hearth by the fire. From ancient times to our modern age, myths and superstitions have surrounded cats. The ancient Egyptians worshiped them as gods, but people in later centuries feared them as harbingers of witchcraft and evil.

In today's high-tech world, we may think we've outgrown such fables. Yet a surprising number of modern-day myths about cats persist. Did you know that the following are feline fables, not facts?

Feline Fables

1. CATS ARE "NO-MAINTENANCE" PETS. Because cats are litter-trained, some people think that simply giving their cat food and water is enough. Not so. Cats also need regular veterinary care and, just as important, lots of love and attention.
2. CATS ALWAYS LAND ON THEIR FEET. While cats can often land on their feet after a short fall, falling from heights is another story. Upper-level windows and porches, unless securely screened, should be off-limits to cats, particularly in high-rise buildings.
3. CATS CAN'T BE TRAINED. Cats will, of course, do things their way if left to their own devices. But most cats can be taught to obey simple rules like not scratching the couch, eating plants, or jumping up on the kitchen counter. Repeated, gentle, and consistent training gets good results.
4. CATS AREN'T HAPPY UNLESS THEY CAN GO OUTSIDE TO ROAM AND HUNT. Cats like to play, prowl, and pounce, and they can do all those activities indoors with you and a few toys - without being exposed to predators, disease, traps, poison, and traffic. Indoor cats are healthier, happier - and safer!







5. CATS BECOME FAT AND LAZY AFTER THEY ARE SPAYED OR NEUTERED. Cats, just like people, generally become fat because they eat too much and don't get enough exercise. The fact is, cats who are spayed or neutered live longer lives and make better companions. And they don't contribute to the pet-overpopulation problem in this country, where millions of unwanted cats and dogs are destroyed every year. There's no need to wait until a female cat has had a litter to have her spayed; it can be done before her first heat cycle.
6. CATS CAN SEE IN THE DARK. Cats cannot see in total darkness any better than a person can. They can see better than other animals in semidarkness, however, because of their eyes' anatomy.
7. CATS DON'T NEED TO WEAR A COLLAR AND TAGS. An identification tag is a lost cat's ticket home. Every cat, even an indoor cat, should wear a collar with an ID tag to help him come home if he is lost. Many cat owners believe a collar can injure a cat. But a breakaway collar lets a cat escape if the collar becomes snagged.
8. CATS WHO DISAPPEAR FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS ARE JUST OUT HUNTING; THERE'S NO NEED TO WORRY. The prolonged disappearance of any pet is cause for alarm. Cats are no exception, and as domestic animals, they cannot cope with the dangers posed by the outdoors. For their own safety and well-being, cats should always be kept indoors, but if your cat does somehow become lost, he needs to be looked for immediately - before it's too late.







9. CATS WILL SUCK THE BREATH FROM SLEEPING INFANTS. Curious by nature, a cat may want to climb into the crib to see what new manner of squalling creature her family has brought home. But she won't suck the baby's breath. She may feel a little jealous, however, so introductions should be gradual. Lots of lavish attention will also help reassure her that she's still an important member of the family. Cats can suffer from sibling rivalry, too!
10. CATS ARE ALOOF, INDEPENDENT ANIMALS AND DON'T REALLY WANT A LOT OF ATTENTION FROM HUMANS. Cats are domestic animals because they live in the home. They crave human companionship and establish loving bonds with their human families. They may not always show it, but that's just the feline way. If you toss the cat outdoors, or spend little time with him, you'll never know the rewarding - and very special - relationship that comes from making a cat a true member of the family.

1. Start training your puppy at an early age. While old dogs can be taught new tricks, what's learned earliest is often learned quickest and easiest. Also, the older the dog, the more bad habits he may need to unlearn.
2. Train your dog gently and humanely. Use positive rewards and motivation methods. Rewards should be the rule and reprimands should be the rare exception. Keep obedience sessions lively, so that the training process is enjoyable for all parties. Training your dog should not be drudgery.
3. Does your dog listen to you and obey you at home? Does he treat you like a human gymnasium when you're sitting on the furniture? Does he beg at the table? Jump up on visitors? Demand your attention by annoying you to death? Ignore your commands?
   
   How well your dog responds to you at home affects his behavior outside of the home. If your dog doesn't respond reliably to commands at home, where distractions are relatively minimal, he certainly won't respond to you properly when you are outdoors and he's tempted by other dogs, pigeons, passersby, sidewalk food scraps, etc.
4. Avoid giving your dog commands that he cannot obey. Each time you give a command that is neither complied nor enforced, your dog learns that commands are optional.
5. One command should equal one response. Give your dog a command, say it once (twice, maximum!), and then gently enforce it. Repeating commands tunes your dog out, as does nagging, and teaches your dog that the first several commands are a bluff. For instance, telling your dog to "sit, sit, sit, sit" is neither an efficient nor effective way to issue commands. Simply give your dog a single command, gently place or lure him into it, and give him praise or reward.
6. Avoid giving your dog combined commands which are incompatible. Combined commands such as "sit-down" can confuse your dog. Use either "sit" or "down".
7. When giving your dog a command, avoid using a loud voice. Even if your dog is especially independent/unresponsive, your tone of voice when issuing an obedience command should be calm and authoritative, rather than harsh or loud.
8. Whenever possible, use your dog's name positively, rather than using it associated to reprimands, warnings or punishment. Your dog should trust that when he hears his name good things happen. His name should always be a word he responds to with enthusiasm, never hesitancy or fear.
9. Correct or prevent the unwanted behavior. Don't punish, but try to teach him. Do not reprimand or get even with him. After-the-fact discipline does NOT work. If you're taking a "whip 'em into shape" approach, you'll undermine your relationship with him. Also, you'll be missing out on all the fun that a motivational training approach can offer.
10. When training your dog, timing is everything. Take the following example: You've prepared a platter of food for a small dinner party and it is sitting on a small table in the dining room. Your dog walks into the room and smells the food. He air-sniffs, then eyes the food, and is poised to jump up. This is the best, easiest and most effective time to correct your dog's behavior - while he's thinking about jumping up to get the food. If he has already eaten the food and is resting comfortably in his bed, correcting him at this point is useless. He cannot associate something that occurred earlier with a correction that he is receiving at the present time.
11. Often, dog owners inadvertently reinforce their dogs' misbehavior by giving them lots of negative attention when they misbehave. Needless to say, if your dog receives lots of attention and handling when he jumps up on you, that behavior is being reinforced, and is therefore likely to be repeated.
12. Keep a lid on your anger. Never train your dog when you're feeling grouchy or impatient. Earning your dog's respect is never accomplished by yelling, hitting, or handling your dog in a harsh manner. Moreover, studies have shown that fear and stress inhibit the learning process.

Health Benefits Associated With Spays & Neuters

Spaying or neutering pets is a common procedure, and most pet owners have probably had some experience with having the procedure done on animals they have owned.

Aside from the inconvenience of heat cycles and/or roaming tom cats, there are medical benefits associated to having your pet spayed or neutered. The direct health benefits of spaying or neutering are significant for the pet. If female pets are spayed before their first heat cycle, the risk of developing mammary tumors (breast cancer) is significantly reduced.

Spaying female pets eliminates the risk of pyometra, an infection of the uterus. This disease can be very serious, even fatal, in female pets. Male pets can also benefit. Neutering eliminates the risk of testicular cancer and reduces the risk of prostate disease.

Spay and Neuter Stamps Issued by the U.S. Postal Service

Spaying or neutering can indirectly help prolong a pet's life as well. When pets are spayed or neutered, their tendencies to roam or fight are greatly reduced. This prevents the pets from getting lost, stolen, hit by cars, or contracting a contagious disease.

Cats that fight are at risk of contracting a serious disease called feline leukemia. This disease, which affects the immune system of the cat, can be passed from feline to feline through saliva or blood. Cats also run the risk of contracting feline immune deficiency virus when they fight. This disease is very similar to human HIV. It can lie dormant in the cat for quite a while, and when activated, can cause the cat's immune system to function improperly.

Spaying or neutering dogs can help keep them under control. Dogs that have not been spayed or neutered are more likely to wander away from home. While running loose, they have a chance of being hit by a car, getting lost, stolen, or taken to the animal shelter.

Even though spays and neuters are considered routine surgery, there is nothing routine about any abdominal surgery performed under general anesthesia. Most veterinarians consider spays and neuters to be major surgery, especially when spaying older animals that have had several heat cycles or have had litters.

Veterinarians and humane societies advise pet owners to have their pets spayed or neutered. The medical advantages have been proven. Complications resulting from these procedures are rare and pets recover from surgery very quickly. Often the day after surgery, animals are bright and alert, sometimes seeming as if nothing had ever happened.

The cost of the procedure varies depending upon the species, sex, size, and age of the pet.

An animal that has trouble going up or down the stairs, can't jump up on the furniture, and / or seems to be in constant pain may have a back problem

Disk problems are the most common back problems in dogs. The disk functions as a shock absorber between the vertebrae, commonly known as the bones of the back.

When these disks are injured or degenerate, they put pressure on the nerves, creating a "pinched nerve." Aside from a pinched nerve, the injury can interfere with nerve impulses that are sent down the spinal cord. Without a complete functioning nervous system, advanced cases can cause a wobbly gait, leading to paralysis in the hind limbs.

Dogs with short legs and long bodies are most affected by disk problems. Commonly affected breeds include dachshunds and basset hounds.

Basset Hound

Dachshund

Early detection is very important in the treatment of back problems. As soon as a problem is noticed, strict rest is recommended. Unlike humans, dogs don't lie on their backs and certainly don't do very well in traction. Strict rest, and particularly no jumping, is best for the animal.

In more pronounced cases, your veterinarian may recommend surgery in order to remove the affected disk. Back surgery is generally pretty expensive and there are risks that go with it. Back surgery is generally performed by a surgeon / specialist at a referral veterinary hospital.

The earlier the surgical procedure is done, the higher its success rate. Back injuries in dogs are like spinal cord injuries in people. Once paralysis sets in, the success rate declines rapidly, and some veterinarians elect not to take their patients to surgery.

Early detection and a veterinary examination are essential for quick recovery from a back injury. Depending upon the severity of the injury, most dogs recover quite well with medication, rest and lots of TLC. Dogs that have more complicated injuries may be candidates for more complicated back surgery.