Daily Dish 
MyPetCARETV.com's Daily Dish chews up pet headlines and spits them out in easily digestible bite-size stories. Consume our RSS feed and never go hungry!
Let's Get Social
TO THE WORLD. ASIDE FROM A VERY SHORT ISOLATION PERIOD THAT YOUR VETERINARIAN WILL INFORM YOU OF, PUPPIES NEED TO LEARN SOCIALIZATION SKILLS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. AND THAT INCLUDES INTERACTING WITH BOTH HUMANS AND ANIMALS. EARLY INTRODUCTIONS WILL ENCOURAGE ANIMALS TO REMAIN CALM AND FRIENDLY WITH ALL HUMANS AND ANIMALS. DOGS WILL ALSO BE HAPPIER IN GENERAL AND MORE CONTENT WITH THEIR SURROUNDINGS, REGARDLESS OF WHAT THEY MAY BE. THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO GET YOUR PUPPY ON THE RIGHT TRACK. YOUR VETERINARIAN CAN HELP YOU FIND A DOG FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT OR TRAINER IN YOUR AREA.
Don't Declaw
DECLAWING CATS SHOULD BE A LAST RESORT. IF YOUR CAT IS CONSTANTLY DESTROYING YOUR HOUSEHOLD ITEMS, IT MAY BE TIME TO BUY MORE SCRATCH POSTS. CATS SPEND A LOT OF TIME WORKING ON THEIR NAILS BECAUSE THEY NEED TO. A CAT WITH UNKEMPT NAILS MAY SOON BEGIN TO SUFFER. IF A FELINE CANNOT RETRACT ITS CLAWS, IT WILL CAUSE SEVERE PAIN AND CAN CAUSE LIMPING, AND BIOMECHANICAL CHANGES ALL THE WAY THROUGH THEIR SPINES ULTIMATELY. THEY ARE ALSO ESSENTIAL FOR SELF-PRESERVATION DURING ATTACKS FROM OTHER CATS OR PREDATORS. IF ALL ELSE FAILS AND YOUR PET IS IN THE VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE THAT DECLAWING IS NECESSARY, KNOW THAT THERE ARE INHERENT RISKS WITH SURGERY. IN ADDITION, YOUR CAT’S BEHAVIOR IS NOT LIKELY TO CHANGE. AND ONCE A CAT IS DECLAWED, IT SHOULD BE KEPT INDOORS, AS IT WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PROTECT ITSELF FROM NATURE, NOR WILL IT BE AS AGILE WHILE RUNNING OR SCALING WALLS AND TREES.
Children and Pet Safety
HAVEN HUMANE SOCIETY IN CALIFORNIA HOLDS A CAMP THAT TEACHES CHILDREN ABOUT PET SAFETY. BAD EXPERIENCES WITH DOGS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD CAN LEAVE LASTING ILL FEELINGS AND FEAR CONCERNING DOGS. THE CAMP OBJECTIVE IS TO ENSURE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MAN AND MAN’S BEST FRIEND. CAMPERS LEARN HOW TO PROPERLY READ BODY LANGUAGE OF DOGS AND ALSO HOW THEIR OWN BODY LANGUAGE IS INTERPRETED BY DOGS. ONE MAJOR LESSON TAUGHT IS THAT DOGS CONSIDER EYE CONTACT A SIGN OF DOMINANCE. DOGS NEED TO BE TREATED WITH RESPECT AND CHILDREN SHOULD NEVER APPROACH AN UNKNOWN DOG QUICKLY; AND NEVER WITH A HUG OR KISS. THIS IS INTERPRETED BY DOGS AS AN AGGRESSIVE ACT AND SOME MAY TRY TO DEFEND THEMSELVES. INSTEAD OFFER A GENTLE HAND FOR IT TO SNIFF UNTIL IT IS COMFORTABLE.
Stop Biting That
WHEN IT COMES TO BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS, LOOK YOUR HORSE IN THE MOUTH. A RECENT STUDY SUGGESTS THAT EQUINE DISOBEDIENCE MAY BE DUE TO DISCOMFORT CAUSED BY BITS. THE STUDY COMPARED DENTAL DAMAGE AND ORAL BONE SPURS IN DOMESTIC VERSUS WILD HORSES. BONE OR ORAL DAMAGES WERE FOUND IN 88% OF THE DOMESTIC HORSES WHILE THE 12 WILD HORSES THAT WERE TESTED HAD NO DAMAGE. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT BITS BE CUSTOM FIT TO A HORSE’S MOUTH AND THAT IT BE USED PROPERLY AND AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE.
An End to Pet Allergies?
In the movie, Cats and Dogs, Jeff Goldblum’s character invents a vaccine for humans that cures dog allergies. Well, real life scientists are currently working on an injection that will cure cat allergies. Early studies show the vaccine is effective at reducing cat allergy symptoms by about 40%. When the irritants are injected instead of breathed in naturally, they turn off the T-Cells. The body builds a long term tolerance to the allergen, allowing the patient to interact with cats without the severe coughing and sneezing.
Pets, Plants, and Dangers
If you have been outside at all lately, then you have seen the trees and flowers in full bloom. And while they are beautiful, some plant life is very dangerous for your pets. The toxins can cause difficulty breathing, convulsions, or organ failure. Among a list of toxic plants are lilies, azaleas, elephant’s ear, oleander, and sago palms. The ASPCA website has a complete list.
