Animal abuse should require harsher punishment for offenders

 
 Two animal welfare reality shows that are currently airing on television are animal 24/7 which follows a branch of Britain's ASPCA on animal cruelty cases and animal cops which follows various States ASPCA animal cruelty calls, one has to wonder, why are there enough cases of animal abuse for these shows to still be on the air? Some of the animals are in such poor condition from neglect that they are literally skeletons with fur. How can people justify having an animal or animals and then literally and figuratively starve them to death? I clearly remember one episode of animal 24/7 where a whippet was seized by the ASPCA with a tumour the size of a softball on one of his hind legs. It was so big that even the vet was, as the British say, visibly gobsmacked at the site of it. The vet felt that the tumour had to have been growing on that poor dog's leg for quite a while to have grown so big. The owners clearly lacked any kind of compassion for their pet who had to lug around that huge growth. If you can't afford a pet why get one in the first place?  Another "breed" of pet owner who should be charged and prosecuted more than they are include those who make money with dog fighting, and puppy mills. Believe it or not puppy mills are legal in some places. Using dogs as a commodity isn't right and all should be declared illegal. Animal hoarders are guilty of animal abuse in my view whether intended or not and they need to be charged a fine for keeping animals in conditions that are usually horrid. Some hoarders have a mental illness and they should be forced to get counselling in order to cure it. Perhaps the most famous of illegal dog fighting rings was run by a Pro football player named Michael Vic. He did get charged and spent time in jail for his crime but in my view he should have known better. Dogs used in the ring are usually chained up outside and not well looked after at all. The bait dogs are usually found in the worst condition of all. Crimes against humans result in the offender going to jail for years and years depending on the severity of the crime but to my knowledge most animal cruelty offenders get less than a year to two years for their crimes even-though in some extreme cases their actions result in horribly painful and slow deaths for the animals who were abused. In my opinion even for animals the type of crime should dictate the length of time behind bars.

Anthropomorphism is becoming an epidemic

 I am a big fan of Dancing with the Stars for several years now and last night marked the premiere of the sixteenth season. They include at least one reality "star" every season and this season is no different. This year's competitor is Lisa Vanderpump from The Real housewives of Beverly Hills, which I have not watched nor do I wish too. Mrs. Vanderpump has a male Pomeranian named Giggy whom she apparently takes everywhere with her and treats like a human baby. Last night for her debut on Dancing with the Stars was no different. She  dressed him  in a tuxedo and started her dance with him under her arm and passed him off to who I am guessing is her personal assistant, just before she started dancing. He was also included in the small video of dance practice which they always show before the  each couple takes to the dance floor. When Mrs. Vanderpump makes appearances on the red carpet at charity events or awards shows there is Giggy dressed to the nines and tucked under her arm.

    Correct me if I am wrong but these adorable toy and tea-cup breeds are dogs and not a fashion accessory or stuffed animal with which to play dress-up!
Dogs should be allowed to do what is natural to them such as socializing with other dogs and people, run around, explore their surroundings, play with toys etc. Anthropomorphism is the terms used to describe dogs who are treated like humans by their owners. Clearly because they are "pocket-sized' and are misconceived to be fragile the toy and tea-cup breeds are most often immune to this phenomenon. These reasons are by no means justification for treating these breed of dogs  like a human  baby or the latest fashion accessory.
The owners who treat their dogs like their children and insist on carrying them around like  helpless babies who are unable to walk are doing their pets a huge dis-service by not allowing them to do what comes naturally to them. Mrs. Vanderpump is doing her dog Giggy no favours by treating him like a fashion accessory. He appears to be devoid of any personality and looks comatose most of the time, probably because he is not allowed to be a dog.  As Cesar Millan you  can't have a well-rounded dog if they are not allowed to simply be a dog with  all rules and expectations that go along with it. . I have a toy mix breed and I do dress her in coats but only to protect her from the elements when I take her for a walk. I do not take her everywhere with me and I do not call her my "child". The result of which is that she is a happy well-rounded and well- adjusted dog who knows that she is a dog.
  
   This phenomenon of anthropomorphism will never stop if people don't stop treating their Pomeranians, Chihuahuas, and other small breeds like their "children". Dogs are not included in the list of things that are considered true fashion accessories and owners should stop treating them as such.

How Much Water Does My Pet Need?

Another informative article for Dog owners written by a person named Stephanie

Pets are always said to be wonderful playmates for kids, they will also keep accompany for the older, they can actually bring happiness to us all. I believe only a few will refuse the fluffy and lovely pet god has brought to us. Here I will talk about how to take care of our cute pets, and the first one I want to discuss is how much water dose a pet need, now follow me!

Water, simple but essential, it is a must in everyday life for people as well as for our pets. We all know that it is quite important for one person to obtain enough water a day, this is the same with our pets, they need lots of fresh water to stay healthy and hydrated. It is really a task for us to feed proper amount of water for our pets, so we must learn how much water do our pets need. For most pets, the amount of food is limited, but this is not the same with water, water is never enough.

Pets are living things, they do know how to take care of themselves even in the dangerous wild, so we do not need to be with them for exactly every minute and do exactly everything for them. If they feel thirsty, they will go and find water themselves. In reality, we can not be around our pets for like every minute, what if our pets are left home along and can not find fresh water to drink. Now you just need to prepare a automatic water feeder.

There are many kinds of pet water station like automatic water feeder, drink well or fountain with hydrate filtration systems. Do not take the idea that it is enough to prepare a bowl of water for your pets, sometimes you will have no idea how thirsty they will be after they have taken some exercises by themselves. Most pet water stations sold online are simple and cheap, you just need to install the machine in accordance to the instructions, then your pets will have enough fresh water everyday. Besides, water movement increases your pet's natural instinct to drink more water, and activated carbon filter removes chlorine, odor and other small particles, thus fresh and clean water is guaranteed!

The function theory of automatic water feeder is actually very simple and easy. As the specific weight of air and water is different, air will always stay above water. When the bottle mouth stays out of the water, air will enter the bottle and form pressure, then the same volume of water will come out of the bottle. When the bottle mouth stays in the water, air will have no way to enter into the bottle, then water will still stay in the bottle. Quite easy to understand and easy to operate.

Attention here! We need to know that not every pets need a water feeder. As some pets do not drink water directly, they obtain water right from their food, mostly vegetables, so now you do not need a water feeder, it all depends on which kind of pet you have.

At last, I want to say that it is indispensable for you to know your pets well and learn how to keep them healthy. Not only how much water they need a day, but also other basic questions. Different methods are taken for different pets at different ages. You can always search for answers on the internet, follow my articles and you will learn more!

Pioneer Pet Stainless Steel Drinking Fountain with Continuously Filtered Water

 

   find it under the Feeding and watering supplies link on the index page of my website

 

 

 

 

 

 



Could your Dog be Suffering from Canine Acne?

The following informative article was written by a vet named Dr. Matthew Homfray. See the about the author under the article.

Everyone knows of acne as a human condition suffered by unfortunate teenagers during adolescence, but it is in fact quite common in certain breeds of dog too. The most susceptible breeds are young adult boxers, English bulldogs, Doberman pinschers, Great Danes and Rottweilers. The condition starts at puberty around 5 to 8 months of age. Most dogs improve with age and the condition typically resolves after one year of age, though some dogs can develop chronic acne.

Dogs with canine acne develop multiple comedones (blackheads) on their chin, lips, and muzzle. Plugs of debris made of natural substances such as keratin and sebum block the hair follicles, causing focal swellings which can rupture to form scabs.
Dogs with this condition have swellings, scabs and blackheads on their lips, chin and muzzle. These usually do not bother the dog unless a secondary bacterial skin infection develops. This can cause pain and itching, leading the dog to scratch at his/her face or rub it along the carpet.
Diagnosis is usually straight forward: the characteristic appearance described above, in one of the known susceptible breeds is usually sufficient. Your vet may decide to take a skin biopsy for confirmation, which can be done under sedation, local or general anaesthetic and then sent off to a histopathologist for analysis.
Treatment
Canine acne cannot really be cured, but can be controlled. Mild cases are usually not treated. The first step is always to rule out other conditions such as demodecosis (a mite infestation), ringworm and puppy strangles. The latter also causes anorexia and depression so if your dog is bright with a good appetite, it is unlikely to be this. Also important is to uncover any predisposing factors such as underlying allergies. Some of the breeds mentioned above, such as Boxers, are particularly susceptible to food allergy. Regular cleaning with anti-acne products (eg benzoyl peroxide) or mild anti-seborrheic shampoos will be required to decrease the bacterial load of the skin and remove cellular debris which could contribute to blocking the pores.
If pustules have ruptured and a secondary bacterial infection develops, your dog will need to take antibiotics for 3 or 4 weeks. Most broad spectrum antibiotics are effective, but to avoid any resistance problems a bacteriology swab is advisable so that a suitable antibiotic can be chosen with certain efficacy against the bacterium in question.
If a dog is scratching at his/her face a lot, an anti-inflammatory drug such as a one off steroid injection is probably indicated to alleviate the discomfort.
Refractory and recurrent cases can sometimes respond to retinoid therapy, similar to the human drug Roaccutane, which essentially stops the sebaceous glands in the skin from producing sebum. This however requires a veterinary specialists consent.

About the Author                                                                        

Matthew Homfray

Dr Matthew Homfray is one of the experts at www.WhyDoesMyPet.com - Expert Answers for all your Pet QuestionsVisit them today, you will be impressed by the quality of their pet experts and the speed with which your question is answered!

Pet Insurance and Why You Can’t Afford To Be Without It

Pet insurance has been and still is a growing concern with pet owners alike, due to the increasing amount of necessary trips to the veterinarian. Some of these trips can be extremely expensive depending on the reason for your visit. Routine check ups as well as emergency visits can be a costly expense that can be greatly minimized by simply opting into a basic pet insurance plan. Pets are often exposed to situations that can cause illness and accidental injuries. Lets face it, you can’t be with your pet all the time, and like children, pets can get themselves into dangerous situations. Unfortunately, these situations can sometimes lead to vet bills reaching hundreds, sometime thousands of dollars. When you take into consideration routine check ups, medicines, preventative measures, exams and surgeries, you can imagine how quickly this can add up.

There are a number of options available concerning pet insurance and dog insurance that are very affordable to keep your pet well taken care of when those unexpected veterinary pet care bills arise. Complete pet health insurance plans can start as low as 10 dollars per month, which is a small amount to keep your loved pet safe and healthy for years to come. Dog insurance and cat insurance plans can save you a lot of money and stress.
What would you do if your pet suddenly became ill and you needed a thousand dollars for the treatment of your pet? Would you be able to cover the costs without pet health insurance? For some people, this may not be a problem, but for most, this can be a devastating unexpected expense. We love our pets, that is why we have them isn’t it? It would be very difficult to have to let your pet go because of not being able to pay the medical bill. That wouldn’t be an option, besides, how would you tell your children? Absolutely right, you couldn’t. So, for as little as it costs, why not bring piece of mind into the household and make sure your pets medical expenses are covered with pet insurance plan. Believe me, there are many advantages to a good dog insurance plan. Don’t take the chance, and risk finding out the hard way, it’s just not worth it. It’s cheaper to have a pet plan than it is not to have one.

Pet Safety At Home – What You Should Know

Your pet is precious, and like your own family member. Like you it needs to be cared for and protected and, of course, loved unconditionally. It’s like a small child, which is curious and can get up to all sorts of mischief. This is why you must maintain pet safety at home.

Pet Proofing Your Home

a good veterinarian for a curative remedy. Moreover, keep your pets clean, and give them a bath at least twice a month.

A Pet in Your Home
As aforementioned, treat your pet like a respected and loved family member. You must teach your children to be gentle with the pet, and to enjoy their company. Also, teach the children how to take proper care of the pet, but care must be taken, not to leave a young child alone with a new pet. This is when accidents can occur, if the child teases the pet, or does something to the pet that it dislikes.

Checking the Pet CollarRegular inspection of your pet’s collar is necessary for maintaining the pet’s safety. Pets outgrow their collars rapidly. If not replaced or loosened, they will tighten themselves around the neck of the pet, and will grow right into it. A tight color will give excruciating and constant pain to the pet.
Inspect the collar on a weekly basis. You will get some indication as to whether the pet is comfortable with the collar or not. Adjust it accordingly. Also, remember to put an ID on the collar of your pet, which will help you find him/her in case they get lost.

The String and Your Cat
You must have seen innumerable pictures of cats playing with string. They look cute don’t they? Well, if you are a stickler for pet safety, then you won’t allow your cat to play with a ball of string without supervision.
If left unattended, cats are quite likely to eat the balls of string, and as can be imagined, this is not conducive for the good health of the cat. However, if your cat has swallowed the piece of string, here are a few considerations:* If the string is still protruding from the mouth, don’t pull it out. If you pull the string, it might lead to a sawing of the intestinal wall, leading to a medical condition called peritonitis.
* Take your pet to a veterinary specialist on an immediate basis.

Pet-Inside or Outside
There is a school of thought that proposes that, pets must spend most of their time out of doors and not inside the house. However, this can be true for some pets, especially some breed of dogs, but the “thought” cannot be generalized.

It is a fact, that there are dozens of dangers in the world outsides, especially for pets. Take the case of cats. Cats are better off inside the house then outside. Cats like fighting for territory and will pick a fight at the drop of a hat. This is just one of the reasons, why cats are safer in the precincts of a home.
Dogs are no better and most of them are liable to get into trouble when they are out of the house. Of course, this does not mean that pets must remain cooped up all the time. They need their daily dose of exercise for a healthy life.

A Matter of Individual Perception
In the end, pet safety is all about awareness about the pet you own and its intrinsic behavior. There are pets that are docile, and there are others that are mischievous. After taking care of the standard safety measures, you will need to incorporate a few special safety features, in cases of pets that have a habit of getting out of hand.
Once you get a pet, its best to focus on the pet safety aspect before, something untoward happens.

Information about Chihuahua Rescues and Adoptions

    Unfortunately not everyone treats pets and animals inside a humane way and that includes Chihuahuas. That is why you need to always look to get a Chihuahua rescue centre if you ever see a Chihuahua which has been abused or abandoned. You will find things that every Chihuahua rescue centre ought to have and do not be discouraged in the event you do not readily discover a Chihuahua rescue middle near for you. You will find options and other issues you are able to look for to obtain some help for your little dog and you should not give up searching because it is the life of the residing animal which you are combating for.

The very first place you want to go when it comes to the well being of any pet or animal is a vet. Your vet, or the closest vet to you, if you do not have pets and do company with a vet, will be extremely worried about abandoned animals and can probably have very useful information for you personally on exactly where you can take the little dog. A good rescue centre will have a close relationship with a vet for medical services so a vet ought to have the ability to help you discover one.

groups in your area. It tends to make lifestyle so much easier for animal rescue com. A great Chihuahua rescue centre will have some sort of operating connection with local law enforcement authorities. It's almost not possible to actively rescue small Chihuahua canines without some sort of assist or help from local legislation authorities. It is not to suggest that they go about breaking within the doors of abusive owners, just that a great rescue centre will want the back up from the law and also the ability to report criminal elements to the proper authorities because animal neglect and abuse is against the law.

A Chihuahua Rescue centre can also be likely to have a near working relationship with other animal rescue and adoption panies when they are all working with each other to provide services for your numerous animals they cope with. Numerous rescue centers aren't adoption companies so they'll obtain the animals, look after them, and then function with an Chihuahua Adoption team to locate a new home.

It isn't something everybody thinks of but a Chihuahua breeder might be prepared to act as a Chihuahua rescue centre occasionally. It by no means hurts to inquire and many reputable breeders do not wish to see a Chihuahua endure any more than you do, as well as they have the resources to complete something about it and help the little canine discover a brand new house. Don't anticipate it all of the time but if you see an abandoned or abused Chihuahua then get in touch with a breeder to see if they will assist.

Don't allow abused animals suffer. In many cases all it takes is an easy telephone call to obtain assist for the poor animal and then you can know you did a fantastic factor by giving a pet a second opportunity. So in the event you know of abuse or see an abandoned pet don't flip absent, just choose up the phone and call someone simply because pets are worthy of equally as a lot of the opportunity to live a happy lifestyle as you do.
As a dog lover the Sandra Dean has spent time studying the background of dog breeds. The Chihuahua is really a various breed suitable for particular kinds of homes. As a bold breed, the Chihuahua is highly protective and dependable of their proprietors. Understanding Chihuahua information can assist you to figure out if it's a breed correct for you personally.