A large scale study of Cat intestinal cancer reveals some interesting results that will not only benefit cats, but could also benefit humans down the road. The oncology department at the MU College of Veterinary Medicine conducted the study on 1,129 cases of intestinal tumors in cats. The large sample was able to span 47 years of cancer and give some detailed results.
The most common intestinal cancers discovered in the cats were lymphoma (cancer of the immune system), and most of the cancers showed up in the small intestines.
The cat breed most at risk of intestinal cancer was the Siamese. With the most at risk group being the male Siamese aged 7 years or older.
“This is important because there are very few population-based studies that allow us to evaluate cancer and risk factors on such a large scale,” Selting said. “Pet owners should be on the lookout for unexplained weight loss, vomiting and diarrhea, because these issues can be associated with intestinal cancer.”
Selting says that tracking animal cancer is important because animals share the environment with humans. By noting patterns of cancer development, doctors and veterinarians may become aware of environmental factors that could be causing tumor progression in different species, including humans.
“Animal health care may predict what could be coming for human health care,” Selting said. “For example, dogs are really the only species, other than humans, that develop the toughest type of prostate cancers. If a treatment develops that can help with prostate cancer, we can test it on dogs and find results faster because cancer in dogs progresses faster than cancer in humans.”
This is a fine example of helping animals ultimately benefiting humans. Let us hope that they are indeed able to find a cure for cancer in cats.
This would have to be one of the most appalling cases I have seen recently.
A Cincinnati police dog is reported to have died while locked in a hot vehicle.
Police say 13-year department member Brian Trotta inadvertently left the female German shepherd, Juno, in the car while responding to a family emergency. source
I am not sure what the family emergency was, obviously it was serious enough to entertain the officer in question for an extended time period. No doubt the loss of his trusted companion only added to the woes of officer Trotta. But that does not help his dog any.
Perhaps it is unfortunate for officer Trotta that his case is going to be so high-profile, but if members of the police cannot set the example for the rest of society on animal welfare then there is something wrong. These are not only man’s best friend, they are highly trained members of the constabulary that the public has a vested interest in. To have them treated so poorly is a tragedy on many counts.
I am sorry constable Trotta but I see no acceptable excuse for allowing your partner to slowly cook to death in your vehicle.
AT&T have combined with Apisphere to create a dog collar that will enable you keep tabs on your family pet at all times.
Apisphere already have successfully launched the Geomatejr product and believe their second hardware product, the Location-Based Dog Collar will be equally successful.
Using wireless SIM technology embedded in the collar a dog owner will be able to track their pet via the AT&T network using a wireless handset or personal computer.
Updates on the dog’s whereabouts can be sent via text, email, video or audio alerts as often as programmed. Once registered owners can program pet details and important contact details. They can then create a geo-fence around the section in which the animal can roam freely under geo-supervision. One outside of this designated area it is possible to track the dog with street level mapping technology.
The collar itself has been designed with your pet in mind and through the use of optimized GPS and wireless technologies has very little if any restrictions on the size of the dog, or discomfort to your pet when wearing the collar.
The Real Ham Bone for Dogs product sold under the Dynamic Pet Products label has been accused of causing serious illness or death in dogs.
The Food and Drug Administration is is investigating complaints about the product. If the claims are founded then they will be looking to take action and notify the public.
The company itself has expressed concern and grief that the product may be responsible for such reactions with pets. They say quality and safety are among their main priorities and they have made the following statement:
That is why every package contains a label that provides detailed instructions to owners on how they can help their pets best enjoy our products. We strongly encourage owners to supervise their pets with any treats or snacks.
The treat is a smoked pig femur and is packaged as a dog treat or chew bone.
According to Better Business Bureau reports from St. Louis the main area of concern is the bones splintering, causing ulcerations or obstructions in the dogs’ intestines. Reported symptoms include dogs becoming lethargic or vomiting.
Unfortunately, the warnings are too late for at least one dog lover who discovered his dog too late. The dog was found dead and bleeding from the mouth.
In a tragic turn of events an eastern Pennsylvania man was fatally attacked the day before he turned 53. The guilty party was a “pet” bull, which makes a change from the usual “pit bull” head lines. Pit bull owners can breathe a sigh of relief.
Once again an animal with a less than pet like nature turns on its owner. Yes, I am sad to see a man dead, but a bull is not a pet.
I have been surrounded by cattle all my life, and I would not trust a bull. Our bulls, are normally very handleable and I have never been attacked by one. Yet, I would not trust any of them. Even a playful bunt can have tragic consequences when you are talking about an animal weighing a ton or more.
Ricky Weinhold, loved animals, and apparently treated all his cattle as pets. It is often “pet” animals the most dangerous, as they do not respect humans the same.
We will never know exactly what happened to Mr. Weinhold, but is fair to assume, as the coroner did, that his bull “known to be temperamental” was responsible for the death. Having already inflicted serious harm on Mr. Weinhold in the past, the bull should have already been burgers.
No doubt this will not be the last attack of its kind, just as it is not the first, but taking proper precautions when dealing with dangerous animals would go a long to preventing these occurrences.
Casper the bus riding cat has been the tragic victim of a hit and run (source).
Many people around the world were amazed and taken by the antics of Casper the cat who was a regular on his local Plymouth bus service.
The local bus company, First Devon and Cornwall, used an image of Casper as advertising on one of their buses. Although devastated by the cat’s death they say they will not be removing his picture. So Casper the bus riding cat will have his own cat memorial for some time to come.
Perhaps one of the greatest tragedies of the accident was the failure of the driver to stop and access the damage caused.
Is this a sign of the times – that the life of a cat has so little value to warrant stopping to see if it can be saved?
Do we care about, not only the cat, but the loving family sat at home waiting for their cat to return?
Perhaps our “civilized” society should pause to reflect on the lessons of the loss of our celebrity commuter – Casper the cat.
Initially prescribed with conjunctivitis the 29-year-old British man was sent home with an antibiotic ointment. It was until a visit 3 weeks later to hospital because the condition wouldn’t clear up that the man remembered the incident with his pet tarantula.
While examining the man’s eye with a high magnification the doctors found fine hair-like projections embedded in the man’s cornea. Continue Reading »
If the sales being reported this Christmas are anything to go by you could be forgiven for thinking so.
The big toy retailers like Walmart and Toys R Us are having trouble keeping shelves stocked over night as the in-demand toys fly off the shelves.
These furry little robots make all the right noises, and move around like cute little hamsters, but are they as much fun as the real thing?
There is certainly not the responsibility attached to owning a robot, and the cost of feeding them will be much lower, not to mention vet bills. So there are many pluses with families in a recession.
But I can’t help but think that we are missing out on teaching our children some valuable life lessons with these new and improved pets.
Bo the Obama families pet dog celebrates his first birthday.
One Year Old Bo
It has been an amazing journey for the Portuguese water dog. A nation held in suspense for weeks waiting to see which dog would fulfil the Presidents first promise watched in great anticipation as “Bo” was revealed.
Some say that President Obama did not live up to his to promise, but not taking in a rescue dog, but that has generally been accepted in light of Malia’s allergies.
The Telegraph reports that:
“We had a really sweet celebration,” admitted Mrs Obama. “He got a doghouse cake made out of veal stuff and he had his brother Cappy come over and we had party hats.”
“We did this in the Rose Garden. It was so much fun. Cappy actually stole the rest of the cake off the table but Bo did not seem to mind.”
So obviously Bo is as gracious as his Presidential mentor.
All that we can do now is watch and wait to see if the next 12 months of Bo’s life are as happy as the past 12.
Sam is not your average dog. The artistic talents of this dog have been recognised across the USA. His art has been sold for up to $1700 and has featured in swanky New York galleries such as Denise Dibro’s studio.
Mary Stadelbacher, rescued Sam from a shelter six years ago. The sheep dog, bloodhound cross, had been transferred between shelters and was not looking at much of a future before Mary rescued him.
After taking him in, Mary trained Sam to paint using a regular brush in a specially designed holder. Sam not only took to the art, he excelled. If allowed he will paint for hours.
Sam’s technique is pretty sound too, starting with darker colours and layering on lighter colours.
Mary describes Sam as “quite a unique abstract artist.”
A South American over-stayer uses the cat (whose identity has been protected) as an excuse to avoid deportation.
To separate the man from his cat would be a breach of human rights. And were the man not in the country 4 years longer than his visa allowed one might agree.
Home Office officials, however, failed to see the funny side of the judge allowing the cat to step in and save the over-stayer. They mounted an appeal, which was over-ruled, and name suppression was granted to both the man and his cat.
So a victory for the cat and cat lovers around the world.
Kimberly Otey wants her 86 year old neighbourhood cat-napper locked up. She says that Fauniel Kliemt stole her cat and should pay.
Mrs Kliemt, on the other hand, pleads not guilty. She says that her neighbour brought over a stray cat that was an unwanted pest next door, and it stayed. So Mrs Kliemt had “Shatzie” spayed and given her shots.
For almost 12 months Shatzie slept on Mrs Kliemt’s bed at night, and wandered in out of the house freely during the day. The cat has been a great comfort to the recently widowed Mrs Kliemt.
86 Year Old Cat-Napper
Neighbourhood Otey family turned up out of the blue claiming the cat was theirs and tried pressing charges. The police refused to incarcerate the 86 year old on the grounds she showed up for a hearing.
The whole mess has been dragging on for the past 2 years and has already cost Kliemt $1500 on a lawyer.
This bizarre case begs the question: who owns a cat?
The feline breed is notorious for its lack of loyalty. If a cat chooses to leave home, probably at the torment of a young family, do we have the right to stop it? After all, this one could have returned home any day it chose.
If you feed a stray cat and allow it to stay in your home should you be liable to face criminal charges?
The latest innovation from Nintendo Wii includes a dog fitness tracking program. Wii Fit Plus, as the sequel to Wii Fit is known, gives you the ability to enter your dog’s weight and create an avatar for your dog.
Although Nintendo say there are no specific dog exercise programs, it could be fun tracking your dogs fitness along side your own. After all, walking your dog is good for both fitness and relationship bonding.
is will pan out, and Nintendo says there aren’t really any canine training exercises. But you can make an avatar of your dog, which is kind of cool, if you’re into that sort of thing.
Will this latest innovation combined with the price drop be enough to boost flagging sales for the Nintendo team? Over the last year Nintendo lost market share to the Sony and Microsoft consoles. Perhaps to do with them already having dropped their prices.
Is this the key to tipping you getting a Wii console?
Will X-box come out in reply with a complete dog fitness range of games?
Sumo strikes fear into former French President Chirac.
“I was very scared”
Says former French President Jacques Chirac’s wife after announcing that she has sent Sumo to exhile.
The beloved Maltese terrier attacked Chirac for a third time. Sumo’s small drawing blood after a bite to the stomach.
A previous attack saw the president in hospital with bite wounds to an unnamed portion of the anatomy.
What was the cause of this once loved animal’s aggression? It appears that he did not leaving the spacious grounds of the Elysee Palace for an apartment in Paris.
Mrs Chirac, Bernadette, says Sumo was being treated for depression. Former President Chirac was not the only one finding it difficult to adapt to civilian life.
He was going wild. He wanted to jump up and bite again
~ Bernadette Chirac
Three strikes and you are out. Despite Mrs Chirac never being on the receiving end of the terrier’s rage, she made the decision to have him removed for the safety of the former President. Sumo was given to a new home in the French countryside where he is said to be very happy.
The farm in Seine-et-Marne seems to be more to Sumo’s liking as he has not felt the need to savage his new hosts.
The odds are 3 to 1 in favour of dogs in Ireland. The University College Dublin (UCD) released the results of a survey indicating that 36 percent of households in Ireland own a dog, but only 10 percent own up to having a pet cat.
The majority of other countries have a fairly even split between cats and dogs. Britain comes in at a narrow differentiation of 22 percent for dogs, and 18 for cats. While the U.S only has a slightly larger split with 37 percent in favor of dogs, and 32 for cats.
What makes the Irish so dog biased?
Some research points to the rural heritage of the Irish as the cause. A long connection with the land and farming has generated a strong bond with “man’s best friend.”
It could also be the large houses that the Irish tend to favour that make dog ownership a more natural choice. But there is also an inherent fondness of dogs that elevates them to the status of pet whereas cats tend to be viewed as mere strays.
Perhaps the media are partly to blame. Tony Forshaw of the Siamese and All Breeds Cat Club of Ireland blames the fact that dogs get more air time on TV and movies for the favouritism.
Forshaw blames the Irish dog bias on the fact that man’s best friend gets more screen time in movies and TV. “When people see cats in a popular context, they do go looking for them,” he says.
Only elderly ladies break the mould as the only demographic favouring cats according to the UCD survey. This is undoubtedly due to the less robust requirements of cats. They don’t need long walks on leashes, are less rambunctious, and still provide comfort and companionship.
Which do you prefer?
Are you Irish and can shed more light on the study?
If it wasn’t for Murphy, the 9 year old dog next door, an 80 year old man would have perished in his own septic tank.
Although the reason for Mr. Paff being in the 15 foot deep tank was unknown, Murphy knew there was no time to be lost in getting him out. Stacey Walsh from Delhi, Ohio, reports that her dog Murphy barked like never before. She believed he was being attacked and came running.
After finding Murphy pointing in the direction of the septic tank, Stacey then heard Paff’s voice calling for help from its unpleasant depths.
It took rescuers a couple of hours to drain the waste from the tank so that Paff could be rescued. They managed to remove him using a rope and pulley system and rushed him to hospital after a quick decontamination. Last report states that Paff is in a stable condition.
No small miracle for an 80 year old man who spent up to 6 hours trapped in a septic tank. The fire brigade report Paff was a pretty tough old guy, and friendly. Perhaps that is why Murphy was so keen to see him rescued.
Cats suffer from arthritis just like humans. The sad fact is that unlike in humans, only 7% of cats receive any kind of treatment for their arthritis.
Signs to look for that may suggest your cat has arthritis:
Slower than normal movements and an unwillingness to jump or climb.
More time spent sleeping and lying about.
Unwillingness to be handled, or increasingly grumpy behavior.
A shabby coat that shows signs of reduced grooming.
Defecation/urination in the house and not using a litter box.
Decreasing appetite.
Generally poorly in health and well-being.
Oriental and Burmese cats have a greater incidence of treatment suggesting that they may be more susceptible to arthritis. As are Scottish fold cats – because of a genetic defect affecting the cartilage.
With early diagnosis and treatment it is possible to greatly improve the quality of life and longevity of your cat.
Another great work by authors Allen and Linda Anderson. This husband and wife writing team have put together such classics as the popular Angel Animals anthology series published by New World Library including Angel Dogs, Angel Cats, Angel Horses, and many more.
The Andersons use their literary works to draw attention to the miraculous benefits of the human-animal relationship. A portion of their book sales goes to supporting animal shelters.
Horses With A Mission is the dramatic true stories of twenty-one courageous, loyal, and loving horses who found their life’s purpose. These amazing tales share the wonders of humans and horses bonding in extraordinary ways.
These horses have changed human lives in a very real and dramatic way. Whether it is Molly the three-legged survivor of Hurricane Katrina who has inspired a city, or Butch the retired gelding that inspired a mentally retarded girl, these stories will leave you teary eyed.
Even Diana, lead mare of a herd of wild horses in Arizona, has a lesson for us all when it comes to faith and forgiveness. So pick up a copy today and support animal shelters while you find the inner strength to reach out to others in times of trial just as these magnificent horses have.
Pilots N Paws is a new movement to save the lives of animals on death row. The website PilotsNPaws is an online forum where pilots and other volunteers who wish to help transport rescue animals by air can meet up with people who wish adopt pets interstate.
This is a NO CHARGE service – people do not have to pay to have the pet of their choice flown from the shelter to their home city.
The foster animals are teamed up with pilots and plane owners willing to assist with the transportation of these animals. Volunteer pilots are not the only people involved – so don’t think you have to fly a plane to be a part of the mission. The Pilots N Paws program also provides overnight foster care or shelter, transfer shuttles and all other related activities with getting these animals from shelter to new home.
The program has a 5000 pets relocated in a week mission scheduled for September 12-20, 2009. So if you can help in any way – even financially – get aboard today.
Pilots n Paws has the endorsement of such celebrities as top aerobatic pilot Patty Wagstaff and author Ted Kerasote. Will you also join the list to save 5000 potential pets on death row this September?
In Westmont on Sunday morning a man drowned trying to rescue his dog from a lake. The Palos Park lake – Horsetail Lake – was the scene of a tragic death as a man tried to rescue his dog.
The 59 year old man was walking his two dogs along side his wife. Vasily threw a ball into the water for his dog to retrieve. The dog became ensnared by the vegetation in the lake while retrieving the ball.
Without a second thought Vasily Fedorouk lept in to save his dog. The dog was able to swim to safety after being set free, but Vasily was unable to free himself from the weeds.
Although the lake is only 5 to 8 feet deep, the weeds were able to get the upper hand with Vasily.
We often hear stories of dogs coming to the rescue of their owners, so it is refreshing to hear a story of a man dying to save his dog. It is just tragic that the end of the story was not a happy one.
A Tongan family living in New Zealand killed a pet dog and prepared it for roasting. The nation is horrified.
Mr Taufa inherited a pitbull cross dog from a relation. It was skinny and unruly. After the dog attempted to bite family members on more than one occasion the decision was made to put the dog down.
Tongan culture is such that eating a dog is normal. Mr Taufa humanely killed the pitbull cross and was preparing it for a traditional roasting when the fire brigade burst in because of a report of heavy smoke (a result of the traditional Umu). Then SPCA were called and confiscated the dogs remains much to Mr Taufa’s surprise.
In Tonga it is common place for families, especially poor families, to eat dog meat. In New Zealand it is not illegal to humanely kill a dog and there is no law against eating it. But the nation was horrified – especially the SPCA.
A few days later there is another news report. This time it is of a council killing six “harmless” rottweiler puppies yesterday because of their breed, while the dogs’ aggressive mother was returned to its owners for a fee.
The puppies were housed in the kennels of The Southland Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Animals. The society were angry that they had been used a death row for the puppies.
The only crime the six week old puppies committed was being born rottweiler. Their mother threatened some children which attracted the attention of animal control officers.The dog’s owners paid the fine for the mother but did not wish for the return of the puppies.
The execution of the puppies went ahead despite the SPCA offering to re-home them.
The Guinness Book Of World Records tallest dog in the world passed away recently.
Gibson the Harlequin Great Dane measured in at a massive 7 ft 1 (215.9 cm) standing on his hind legs, or 42.6 inches (108.2 cm) from the ground to the top of his shoulder standing on all fours.
Gibson suffered from bone cancer and was unable to recover despite chemotherapy and a leg amputation. At 7 years of age Gibson might not have been the oldest dog, but his fame was wide spread.
Gibson had his own website (www.gibsondog.com), and was co-author of a children’s book. He became an outspoken supporter of a canine cancer charity and you can donate to the charity through his website. Sandy Hall, Gibson’s owner, will continue the good works that Gibson had begun.
Gibson’s son, Brewster, is already eyeing up his father’s crown, and at 38 inches from the ground to his shoulder, is likely to be a contender for the tallest dog in the world.
A 2 year-old girl was found crushed to death by a pet python in Florida. The Burmese python was found wrapped around the child’s body and had bitten the girl several times on the upper arms and forehead.
According to the report in the St. Petersburg Times, the family was known to the police for drug related offences, and did not have a registration to keep a pet python as required by the State law. The snake was not kept in a locked terrarium as required by law either.
It seems that this is a case of gross negligence by the snake owners and prosecution is being considered by the officials, but even if the courts do punish Darnell and Hare for their negligence it is too late for little Shaiunna.
DCF have moved to have the pair’s other two children removed from the home after the attack.
But none of this helps a young girl who was the victim of the snake attack. Nor does it help the image of snakes. Prior to this there had never been a confirmed death-by-Python in the State of Florida.
There are several other incidents of pet Pythons killing family members in the U.S.A. A one year-old boy was killed 1982 by an eight foot python in Nevada. In Colorado a fifteen year-old boy was killed by an 11 foot python in 1993. 1999 saw a three year-old girl killed by a pet 7 foot python in Illinois. And in 2001 an eight year-old girl was tragically strangled by the family pet python in PA.
Snakes are not to be treated with complacency – they incredibly powerful and have no sense of loyalty that is characteristic of animals such as cats and dogs.
An increasingly popular trend in weddings is to walk down the isle with your pet in tow. Of course your pet will need their own pet costume.
It is natural that you would want all you family at your wedding, and with animals playing such an important role in families today they deserve their invite to the big occasion. After all, they are going to a part of the newly blended family and what better way to be made to feel welcome and at home?
Perhaps this is also an increasing because the age that couples are wedding today has on average increased. So pets have been the major part of each individuals life for a longer period of time and are expected to feature more in the major life events.
The winner appears to be pets. Once just props in country wedding backdrops, pets are now dressed in the doggie version of Versace, Gucci, or Klein. Dressed to the nines and standing front and centre.
This new trend of pets at weddings is wonderful when all is going well. It is the job of the wedding planner to make sure that all goes well. The wedding planner has a lot of new responsibilities – like pet pottys.
I am sure they charge accordingly, and everyone is happy. So how about your big day – are you making room for the pets?
Pet Memorial World 