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Well Trained Dog Survives Deadly Snake

By Steven P on January 18, 2010 9:07 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks

I know it's cold out in most of the USA, but it's mid-summer here in Australia and we are seeing alot of snakes in some areas! I wanted to share a photo that's in today's local (Australian) papers. Victorian labrador Bronson had a very close call with a deadly snake!.

According to news reports, Bronson, a champion obedience dog returned home from a run on the family property on Jan 4, with a deadly Copperhead locked firmly in his jaws and coiled around his snout.

Bronson's quick thinking owners found a chaff bag and lowered the snake to the ground, pulling the bag up and over the snake while at the same time releasing its body which remained wrapped around Bronson's snout. The well trained dog did not release the snake until commanded to "drop" by his owner.

Blood tests at the near by West Gippsland Veterinary Centre (Victoria) confirmed Bronson had received a bite but thankfully after four days of treatment in hospital Bronson is now happily at home.

Symptoms of snakebite include seizures, vomiting, bleeding around the bite, weakness in the limb and paralysis. The animal may collapse with laboured breathing. In cases of snake bite, urgent treatment is needed but make sure you call ahead to your veterinarian or emergency veterinarian centre, so they have antivenene on standby.

Acupuncture and Pets

By Steven P on December 22, 2009 4:56 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks

A lot of vets are now embracing alternative therapies for pets. Treating dogs with acupuncture is not new, and this trend is something we've been watching for some time. I was surprised to read last week just how many vets are accredited with the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society.

Continue reading Acupuncture and Pets.

10 Tips for Thanksgiving

By JoeK on November 27, 2009 12:06 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks

10 Tips for Ensuring a Happy Thanksgiving for your Pets

Thanksgiving is a time when we all get together and share in a feast with our loved ones. Many people also like to include their pets in their celebrations as they are a part of the family as well. However, holidays can be a stressful and even dangerous time for pets, which is why it is important to follow these 10 easy steps to ensure a happy and safe Thanksgiving for both your and your furry friends.

1. Maintain their regular diet
The best thing to keep your pets happy and healthy during the holiday periods is to maintain their regular diet. If you want to give them a thanksgiving treat then it is best to give them treats made for pets.

2. Resist the temptation of sharing your food
It can be very tempting to give them some of our delicious food, especially as it is a day for sharing, but something as harmless as turkey and gravy can have very negative effects. Feeding pets fatty and rich foods can also cause pancreatitis or gastroenteritis.

Continue reading 10 Tips for Thanksgiving.

Comfortis now available on VetShopOnline.com

By Dr Mark on October 21, 2009 4:18 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks

Discount Comfortis Flea meds are now available on VetShopOnline.com

Comfortis Chewable Tablets for Dogs are a meat flavored tablet that rapidly kills fleas on dogs and then goes on to prevent flea infestations for a further month. Comfortis starts to kill fleas within 30 minutes of administration and will kill 100% of fleas on a dog within 4 hours. The chewable meat flavored tablet is readily accepted by dogs and as the product is an oral medication there are no restrictions with regards to swimming or washing after treatment. Comfortis comes in 5 convenient sizes for dogs between 5 and 120 lbs in weight.

To check out the range click here.

More from the Pet Fact File

By Steven P on September 11, 2009 4:01 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks

Following on from my post on the number of dogs and cats in the US, here are another 8 interesting pet facts:

Parakeets, canaries and finches are the most popular bird species for pets.
Max is the most popular name for dogs in the U.S., U.K. and Australia.
Contrary to common belief, dogs can see in color, but not as well as humans. However, they probably can't see red or green.
Studies have shown that cats have better memories than dogs, monkeys or orangutans.
Nearly 94 percent of pet owners say their animal pal makes them smile more than once a day.
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, the average visit to a vet costs $135 for dogs and $112 for cats.

The last one reminds us that prevention is sure better than cure!

US Dog and Cat Numbers on Increase

By Steven P on August 14, 2009 5:28 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks

So exactly how many dogs are there in the USA? How many cats are there in the US? No one knows for sure just how many dogs and cats call the United States home, but recent estimates published in Science Daily, suggest that there are more than 71 million pet dogs and 81 million pet cats in the United States!

The number of dogs and cats represents a significant increase in recent times, with previous estimates suggesting that in 2001, there were 61 million dogs and 70 million cats. That's an increase of 16% in the number of dogs and cats in US households in just a few years.

Nurture or Nature? Aggression in Dogs

By Dr Mark on July 3, 2009 12:32 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks

Researchers at a Spanish University have released research showing that owner-dependant factors have a greater influence on a dog's aggressive nature than breed.

The study by a research team from the University of Córdoba included breeds that are considered by some as aggressive by nature, such as Alsatians, Boxers, Rottweilers and Dobermans. According to the study, factors that cause aggressiveness in dogs include first-time dog ownership; failure to subject the dog to basic obedience training; spoiling or pampering the dog; buying a dog as a present, as a guard dog or on impulse; leaving the dog with a constant supply of food, and spending very little time with the dog in general and on its walks.

Continue reading Nurture or Nature? Aggression in Dogs.

Is it getting harder to control fleas?

By Dr Mark on June 18, 2009 2:47 PM | 3 Comments | 0 TrackBacks

Many readers would agree with the view that it seems to be getting harder to control fleas in dogs and cats than it used to.

There are many pet owners reporting that leading products like Frontline Plus, Revolution, Advantage, Advocate (Advantage Multi) and Advantix just don't work like they used to.

So are fleas getting resistant to the products currently available on the market? Are these tough little so and so's developing in to super fleas resistant to Fipronil (Frontline), Selamectin (Revolution) and the other active ingredients in leading products?

Continue reading Is it getting harder to control fleas?.

Hartz, BioSpot and Others in the Media

By Dr Mark on March 30, 2009 4:51 PM | 1 Comment | 0 TrackBacks

You may have read recent media reports (such as this one on NBC) regarding adverse reactions said to be caused by certain supermarket and pet store brand flea and tick control products such as Hartz, Sergeant's and Bio Spot. The reports are certainly disturbing with claims that these products have caused seizures, burns, vomiting and even death in dogs and cats.

Continue reading Hartz, BioSpot and Others in the Media.

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