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Update: Baltic The Dog

Do you remember Baltic the dog? He was the poor pup rescued off an ice floe 15 miles out to sea about a year ago by the crew of the Polish research ship The Baltica.  He’d been spotted 2 days earlier floating down the Vistula River, but firemen weren’t able to rescue him at the time.

Baltic has since been adopted by a member of the crew and he accompanies them on some of their trips to sea.  Storms still make him nervous, but otherwise he spends his time supervising the ship.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtTZNNJJ438

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Oh Please!: Sleeping With Your Pets = Black Plague?

You hear that odd noise?  That’s a bunch of nitwits doing their Chicken Little impressions by running in circles screeching that the sky is falling.  A new study authored by Bruno Chomel points out it’s possible to catch certain serious diseases from our pets if we let them sleep with us. Chomel goes so far as saying we should not let pets sleep with us.  And the media is reporting that letting your dog or cat sleep with you—COULD. KILL. YOU.  (Cue spooky music.)

It’s not that I’m disputing the facts.

  • you can catch the plague from your pets, if you sleep with a flea infested animal.
  • you can catch meningitis from your dog.  If you let him lick the wound from your hip replacement surgery or open wounds.  Or if you regularly feed it food from your own mouth.
  • you can catch Chagas.  If you sleep with a bug infested animal.
  • you can catch MRSA.  If you dog carries it and licks you a lot & you don’t wash.

But, instead of saying “Ban all pets from your beds or you’re gonna die!”, I think we should be saying, “Keep your pet healthy and you’ll be healthier too!”  I have a feeling we’re at far greater risk of getting hurt by tripping over our pets than catching the Black Plague from them.  You know?

So be sure to:

  • take your pets to the vet
  • get them vaccinated
  • treat them for fleas & ticks
  • keep your cats indoors
  • bathe your dogs
  • make sure your pets don’t have worms
  • don’t allow them access to carrion
  • keep vermin like rats & mice away from your home
  • keep raccoons away from your property (they carry round worm in their feces)
  • feed your pets quality food and make sure they get exercise so their immune systems stay strong

And use some common sense, for pete’s sake.

  • if your immune system is compromised, be very careful to avoid risks
  • keep your open wounds covered and don’t let anyone lick them—cat, dog, human
  • limit contact between pets and babies
  • wash your hands
  • don’t feed you pets food from your mouth
  • don’t snuggle with a bunch of blood sucking bugs

And don’t trip over them!

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Scientist Finds Evidence Of Oldest Domesticated Dog In Americas

What’s interesting is not just that a scientist found an ancient bone fragment, it’s where he found it. The 9,400 year old fragment was found in a “human paleofecal sample”—really, really old poop.  Which means this dog was someone’s supper.  The dog was probably 25-30 lbs. and is closely related to a Peruvian species of dog.  According to studies, dogs were eaten in times of famine and at celebrations.  It’s unknown if the bone fragment came from a dog raised to be food or if it was a companion/working dog.

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