Excellent advice on 10 things for safe and courteous behavior in your vet’s waiting room. I think my favorite is keep your dog leashed and under your control—no retractable leashes. Vet clinics are places of stress and fear, not to mention being populated with sick and injured animals, so it pays to be alert.
DIY: Custom Pet Tee
Cute! Here’s a Pet Tee project for that little someone in your life. (via CRAFT) Ellen over at The Long Thread has a great tutorial on how to make these custom pet tees with pics of your own pets. She tells you how to photoshop your images and what to do next. Pretty easy!
You’ll need:
- digital images
- computer
- ink jet printer
- photoshop or image software
- iron-on image transfer paper (don’t use the opaque version or the color of the shirt won’t show through the image)
- iron
- cotton shirt
If you need help with how to use iron-on transfer paper, check out this video tutorial and this tutorial with some more tips.
Stanley’s Most Recent Update
What an amazing journey. It all started with Cathy at CampCocker quietly going about the hard work of rescuing Cocker Spaniels when she saw a dog in desperate need like so many dogs, except this wasn’t a Cocker, it was a pitt bull. Cathy stepped up, made an amazing video, and Stanley’s rescue started. It’s so inspiring to see how far he’s come in this latest video and the other dogs who have been saved as a result.
But, I think we have to remember he is just one dog. There are thousands out there every day who are also desperately in need of medical care, kindness, and a home. Stanley really isn’t any more special than all those other dogs. Every dog needing rescue has a story, a will to live, a personality, a spirit, and a mind. Please consider adopting a dog instead of purchasing a dog. They’re all special. And your journey with them will be so rewarding.
Lastly, I want to say I do not understand how people can demonize a breed of dog. Stanley has been through hell, but just look at the tail wagging when he gets out of his crate at the airport.
Stanley’s story wouldn’t be possible without these groups and they all need donations including LA Animal Services:
- Los Angeles Animal Services—they have programs to improve the welfare of animals in their shelters, to provide foster homes, for spay/neuter campaigns in low income areas, & to provide medical treatment for “severely injured, abused, and neglected animals rescued by Animal Services”
- CampCocker
- Respect-A-Bull
Friday Fun: Yoshi & The Phone
Oh the fruity cuteness! (thanks Holly!)
Pet Food Recall: Iams & Eukanuba
The recall of Iams Veterinary Prescription Renal Diet Cat Food has been expanded by Procter & Gamble to include many other varieties made in the same manufacturing plant due to possible salmonella contamination. The recall now includes
- Iams Veterinary Dry Formulas–All dry sizes & varieties, Best by: 01Jul10-01Dec11, All UPC Codes
- Eukanuba Naturally Wild—All dry sizes & varieties, Best by: 01Jul10-01Dec11, All UPC Codes
- Eukanuba Pure—All dry sizes & varieties, Best by: 01Jul10-01Dec11, All UPC Codes
- Eukanuba Custom Care Sensitive Skin—All dry sizes & varieties, Best by: 01Jul10-01Dec11, All UPC Codes
There are over 60 varieties being recalled so be sure to check the lengthy list.
Interestingly Proctor & Gamble and the FDA have conflicting explanations as to why this news was made public yet again on a Friday where it gets less coverage over the weekend—dump & run. Therese at PetSitUSA recieved email from Bev VanZant from P&G stating the FDA dictated the timing of the news release. However, FDA representatives at the American Veterinary Medical Convention told Gina Spadafori from PetConnection:
the FDA has no power to force a mandatory recall, and only after companies refuse to put out information on these so-called “voluntary” recalls — which are often the result of FDA arm-twisting — will the FDA put out information in advance of a company’s own efforts to share — or not share — the information.
Maybe someday all companies will put safety before profits. Maybe?
What you need to know about Salmonella
Salmonella can cause serious illness in cats and dogs and there can be cross-contamination to humans causing serious illness in humans.
- Here is good information on the symptoms & treatment of salmonellosis in dogs & cats.
- The FDA has information on safe pet food handling to prevent food born illnesses like salmonella.
- The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention has a very informative page on salmonellosis in humans.