Some Rats Actually Help Detect Disease, Not Spread It! http://www.care2.com/causes/these-arent-lab-rats-theyre-lab-tech-rats-detecting-tb.html

nice little write up today on Mike's Pet Care in the SAN CLEMENTE TIMES! http://www.sanclementetimes.com/blog/2013/01/02/business-beat-new-developments-milestones-and-giving-back/

Chocolate toxicity

got a call today from my client that has a spastic young boxer who ate a pound of See's chocolate yesterday. yep yesterday. so if your pet eats a pound of chocolate you might want to take him to the vet or call me and i can tell you how to make him vomit at home, since that s all the vet is going to do and charge $400 dollars in the end. i checked on him today, way after the fact, and he s going to be fine. prob just a bunch of diarrhea. dogs can't process the caffeine and theobromine in chocolate and here is a list of what can happen: Vomiting Diarrhea Increased body temperature Increased reflex responses Muscle rigidity Rapid breathing Increased heart rate Low blood pressure Seizures Advanced signs (cardiac failure, weakness, and coma) Bolt is one lucky Boxer ..

Toxoplasmosis

Did you know over 60 million men, women & children in the U.S. are known carriers of Toxoplasmosis? But they display little to no clinical signs of illness due to the ability of the immune system to block the parasite from taking effect. However immune compromised and esp pregnant women need to take prevantative measures to avoid exposure to this parasite as their immune systems might not be able to fight of the infection. So if you re pregnant, no cleaning out the cat box for you! Get the hubby to do that wonderful chore ..

Dog dies after being doused in lighter fluid, set on fire near Camarillo

http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/local/ventura_county&id=8869844

tutorial video of me showing you how to express a bladder on a paralyzed doggie http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meFowjDG4IQ&feature=plcp

Is your older dog getting cranky?

does anyone have an older dog that is starting to get cranky or aggressive? arthritis and a low thyroid are 2 top reasons for this new behavior. have your vet do an examination & blood work to rule these things out. both are very treatable ..

Man Rescues a Puppy From a 350 Feet Canyon

Man Rescues a Puppy From a 350 Feet Canyon! http://www.godvine.com/Man-Rescues-a-Puppy-From-a-350-Feet-Canyon-894.html

Quick Tip!

if a dog repeatedly sniffs a mole or a spot on your skin have a dermatologist look at it. with their incredible sense of smell it is now known that dogs can detect skin cancer!

De-Skunking a dog

dog got sprayed by a skunk? here is a good recipe: 1 qt hydrogen peroxide 1/4 cup baking soda 2 teaspoons liquid soap combine ingredients in a plastic container. needs to be used right away. do not store. if the dog was sprayed in the face place some mineral oil or an eye lubricant as this solution will sting eyes, nose & mouth. the sooner you bathe your pup the better the outcome. massage into the DRY coat not wet and leave on for 5-10 min. i ve never heard of this completely working the first time as skunkys are funky and their oily spray contains sulfur, so you prob will need to repeat. again be careful of the eyes when washing the face and rinse well ..

More money is being spent on pet services than ever before!

The 2011-2012 APPA National Pet Owners Survey found that spending grew 5.3 percent last year to $50.96 billion. And a 3.8 percent growth rate is projected for 2012, with nearly $53 billion in overall pet spending. The trend of pet pampering continued last year with pet owners spending $3.79 billion on pet services. And an estimated $4.11 billion will be spent on pet services this year. Pet services include pet sitting, dog walking, grooming and other services.

Manitoba bans cosmetic ear cropping

Manitoba bans cosmetic ear cropping; other provinces may follow suit - http://bit.ly/AvNenZ

Dog survives 53 days in wild, reunited with owner

http://news.yahoo.com/dog-survives-53-days-wild-reunited-owner-213444488.html

James Franco and Kevin Nealon Pledge to Help Pass Great Ape Protection and Cost Savings Act in 2012

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjiUUNiHqjY&feature=youtu.be

Going to the Dogs: Plan for Dog Beach Moves Forward

http://sanclementetimes.com/pages/full_story/push?article-Going+to+the+Dogs-+Plan+for+Dog+Beach+Moves+Forward+&id=16795895&instance=top_stories

Rancho Niguel Animal Hospital

Just met with Dr. Pat Echolds with Rancho Niguel Animal Hospital. I have heard so many good things about him and definitely recommend him as your Vet if you are out in the Laguna Niguel area.

http://www.ranchoniguelanimalhospital.com/

Cats Endure Bleeding and Bruising in University of Virginia Training Program

http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

New tick-borne bacterium found in upper Midwest

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44010883/ns/health-health_care

New York dog-fighting "legend" gets 5 years

Dopamine in kidneys

Dopamine, an important neurotransmitter that helps to control the brain’s reward and pleasure centers, is often studied in connection with neurological disorders like Parkinson’s disease. Now researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center have discovered that dopamine produced within the kidneys, rather than the brain, is critical to maintaining normal blood pressure and salt and water balance.