Dog washed out to sea has lucky escape!

Pulled from yahoo news

WARSAW (Reuters) – A dog had a lucky escape when a Polish boat rescued him from an ice floe that had carried him more than 100 miles up a river and out onto the icy waters of the Baltic Sea.

“My crew saw… a shape moving on the water and we immediately decided to get closer to check if it was a dog or maybe a seal relaxing on the ice,” Jan Joachim, senior officer aboard the Baltica, told Reuters Television.

“As we got closer to the ice floe we saw that it was a dog struggling not to fall into the water.”

Ship engineer Adam Buczynski managed to scoop the dog off the floe onto an inflatable dinghy and wrapped him in a blanket.

“He didn’t even squeal. There was just fear in his big eyes,” said Buczynski.

The dog was first seen on the ice floe some 100 km (70 miles) inland to the south on the Vistula river but firemen were unable to rescue him. When the Baltica crew found him, he had already drifted some 24 km (18 miles) out to sea.

“We were in the right place at the right time,” said Joachim, noting that they rescued him shortly before night fall.

The crew are now trying to locate the dog’s owner.

Poland is in the grip of bitterly cold weather, with night temperatures in some areas falling as low as -34 Celsius (-31 Fahrenheit).

DOG FACTS

Dogs are pack animals by nature and enjoy companionship.

A dog can hear sounds from 250 yards away.

Dogs are direct descendants of wolves.

The Basenji is the only barkless dog in the world.

There are 701 dog breeds.

HORSE FACTS

a stallion is a male horse
a mare is a female horse
a foal is a baby horse
a filly is a young female horse
a colt is a young male horse
a yearling is a foal after its first birthday
a sire is the word used for the father of a horse
a dam is the word used for the mother of a horse
a pony is not a baby horse. It is a fully grown small horse
a horse’s height is measured in hands. One hand = 4″

DOLPHIN FACTS

Unlike any other mammal, dolphin babies are born tail first.

A dolphin’s dorsal fin is as distinctive as a person’s face.

Some dolphin species can swim up to 25 miles an hour for long periods, more than three times faster than the best human swimmers.

Some dolphins can hold their breath for as long as 30 minutes, while others have to breathe every 20 seconds.

The largest member of the dolphin family is the Orca, which can grow to 30 feet long.

SEA TURTLE FACTS

There are 7 species of sea turtles:
Green
Loggerhead
Kemp’s Ridley
Olive Ridley
Hawksvill
Flatback
Leatherback

A sea turtle cannot retract its limbs, head or neck under its shell like a land turtle. The shell adaptations necessary for retractile limbs would impede rapid swimming.

Sea turtles can live up to 80 years.

During the first year after hatching, many species of sea turtles are rarely seen. This first year is known as the “lost year”.

Green sea turtles can stay under water for as long as five hours.

WHALE FACTS

There are 2 types of whales: baleen and toothed. “Toothed” whales include dolphins and porpoises.

There are 11 species of baleen whales:
Blue Whale
Gray Whale
Bowhead Whale
Fin Whale
Humpback Whale
Minke Whale
Narwhal Whale
Pilot Whale
Right Whale
Sperm Whale
Beluga Whale

Some whales have a lifespan similar to humans. The blue and the fin whales can reach up to 85 years old.

Blue whales are the largest creatures on earth and can be as long a 2 buses. They can produce sounds louder than a jet engine and communicate with other whales up to 1000 miles away.

GIRAFFE FACTS

For a long time people called the giraffe a “camel-leopard,” because they believed that it was a combination of a camel and a leopard.

Giraffes only sleep for a few minutes at a time, usually no more than 20 minutes.

A giraffe is able to clean its ears with its own tongue.

Giraffes can go without water longer than camels can.

Newborn giraffe calves begin their lives by falling 6 feet to the ground

TIGER FACTS

Most tigers have more than 100 stripes, and no two tigers have identical stripes.

A tiger’s roar can be heard up to a mile away.

Tigers walk on their toes.

Tigers have striped skin, not just striped fur.

Tigers are largely solitary cats and are most active between dusk and dawn.

PENGUIN FACTS

There are no penguins at the North Pole.

All 17 varieties of the bird are found in nature only below the equator, primarily in the Antarctic.

Penguins in the Antarctic move quickly on the ice by tobogganing on their bellies.

Pulled from Yahoo news and written by Sue Manning

Pop culture main reason Calif has Chihuahua crisis!

LOS ANGELES – California has more Chihuahuas than it can handle, and it has Hollywood to blame.

There are so many Chihuahuas at shelters in Oakland, they have started shipping the dogs out of state, said Megan Webb, director of Oakland Animal Services. They have sent about 100 to Washington, Oregon and Arizona, she said, “and as soon as they get them, they are ready for new ones.”

Chihuahuas make up 30 percent or more of the dog populations at many California shelters. And experts say pop culture is to blame, with fans immitating Chihuahua-toting celebrities like Paris Hilton and Miley Cyrus, then abandoning the dogs.

The problem appears to be specific to California — shelters elsewhere would love to share the wealth, said Gail Buchwald, senior vice president overseeing the ASPCA adoption center in New York City.

“We never have enough supply for the huge consumer demand for small dogs,” she said.

One of Webb’s biggest problems is a lack of money to fly the dogs to other states. Buchwald said she would be happy to help.

“Nothing is outside the realm of possibility here. We have a supply-demand isssue,” she said.

Chihuahuas are the most popular breed of dog in Los Angeles, so it makes sense it is the most abandoned breed, said Madeline Bernstein, president of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles. In Oakland, some days, they get 10 of the 5-pound dogs a day, Webb said.

The problem is so bad that shelters all over California that were built for big dogs had to remodel to accommodate the little guys.

Among the reasons for the glut is the breed’s popularity in movies like “Beverly Hills Chihuahua” and as celebrity pets, said Dave Frangipane, senior coordinator for Chihuahua Rescue of Beverly Hills. A cute puppy can grow up to have adult health problems or become protective and aggressive.

There are less glamorous reasons, too, like the high vet bills Chihuahuas can bring. And the biggest spikes in California Chihuahua populations are probably due to puppy mills and backyard breeders, Buchwald and Frangipane said.

Chihuahas are cute, but vulnerable, Frangipane said. “People think nothing of kicking a small, yappy dog. And they can be abused by people of all sizes. A toddler can snap a Chihuahua’s leg in a second,” he said.

ND woman’s 7-foot-long dog could be record holder

Pulled from Yahoo news

CASSELTON, N.D. – Boomer may be a buster: Measuring 3 feet tall at the shoulders and 7 feet long from nose to destructive wagging tail, he might be the world’s tallest living dog. Owner Caryn Weber says her 3-year-old Landseer Newfoundland keeps all four paws on the floor when he drinks from the kitchen faucet in her family’s eastern North Dakota farm house.

Boomer stares into car windows eye to eye with drivers. A 20-pound bag of dry dog food lasts the 180-pound canine a couple of weeks.

Weber says her furry black and white dog “comes into the house and his tail is so high everything gets knocked around.”

Weber plans to send Boomer’s measurements to Guinness World Records. The previous record holder was a nearly 4-foot-tall Great Dane that died this summer.

I pulled this news article from Statesmanjournal.com. With today’s economy I am noticing that people are having to get rid of their beloved animals and are facing hard really times. The impact HAS to be showing with the healthcare of animals at the vet’s office as well. I have three horses and two dogs…and I treat all injuries/sicknesses that I can myself, but I do still take my animals to the vet when it is needed…however, there have been many times I cringe when I get the bill! Are fewer checkups the answer to spending less? Or does it create more problems in the long run?

Financial hardships can extend to animal care
Veterinarians schedule fewer annual checkups as clients spend less.

As U.S. Census data released Monday confirm, the economic downturn is altering Americans’ lives and behaviors in many ways, from homeownership trends to commuting habits.The pinch even extends to the realm of veterinary care, and some Mid-Valley vets are reporting a change in demand.

Dr. Kim Erbes of Salem Veterinary Emergency Clinic said traffic is down about 10 percent to 15 percent in the past year. More clients also are capping their expenditures; when they do come in with a sick or injured pet, they also come with a clear idea of how much they’re willing to spend, Erbes said.

The clinic treats 200 to 300 animals per month and has the equivalent of three full-time doctors and about a half-dozen other staffers.

Erbes said she has noted a trend of pet owners waiting longer to seek treatment for their animals. “They’re thinking and hoping their animal is going to get better,” Erbes said. When they finally come to the clinic, the animal’s illness or injury often is worse than if the owner had sought treatment earlier, Erbes said. “People think they’re saving money by nursing the animal at home, but they’re not,” Erbes said.

Still, she emphasized that pet care remains a priority for many people. “It’s something people have (some) budget for,” Erbes said. “People will always care for their pets.”

Dr. Julie DeMarco of Whole Pet Veterinary Care in central Salem said what people are willing to spend on their pets in a tough economy depends on whether they see animal spending as discretionary or not. “For some people, their pets are like children,” DeMarco said. But overall, her clients are spending less, she said.

VCA Salem Animal Hospital reports that during a period of about four months earlier this year, fewer clients were coming in for annual wellness care for their pets.
The clinic reports more stable traffic now, however.

Dr. Richard Hillmer of Oak Hills Veterinary Clinic said this is the first year in his career — which spans more than 20 years — that he has noticed a downturn. “People used to say veterinary medicine was recession-proof,” he said. “It’s a little different this year.” Oak Hills cares for about 120 dogs, cats and birds each month. He said his clinic hasn’t seen growth this year, and clients are looking for cheaper options and holding off on treatment such as diagnostics.

Alternative savings

New office Whole Pet Veterinary Care puts the focus on alternative treatments, but DeMarco cautions against the thought that naturopathic treatments are always less expensive. She said in the long run, alternative treatments can reduce medical bills because animals are healthier.

Whole Pet integrates modern technology with acupuncture, herbal therapies and other Eastern remedies. “People want options; they don’t always want a pill,” she said.

Dr. Don Howard of Twin Oaks Veterinary Hospital in southeast Salem said some clients looking to save money seek animal acupuncture as an alternative to surgery. The cost for a series of three to five treatments is $500 to $700, Howard said, which he said can be a savings of thousands of dollars over surgery options.

A man runs into the vet’s office carrying his dog, screaming for help. The vet rushes him back to an examination room and has him put his dog down on the examination table. The vet examines the still, limp body and after a few moments tells the man that his dog, regrettably, is dead.

The man, clearly agitated and not willing to accept this, demands a second opinion.
The vet goes into the back room and comes out with a cat and puts the cat down next to the dog’s body. The cat sniffs the body, walks from head to tail poking and sniffing the dog’s body and finally looks at the vet and meows.

The vet looks at the man and says, “I’m sorry, but the cat thinks that your dog is dead too.” The man is still unwilling to accept that his dog is dead.

The vet brings in a black labrador. The lab sniffs the body, walks from head to tail, and finally looks at the vet and barks.

The vet looks at the man and says, “I’m sorry, but the lab thinks your dog is dead too.”
The man, finally resigned to the diagnosis, thanks the vet and asks how much he owes.
The vet answers, “$650.”

“$650 to tell me my dog is dead?” exclaimed the man.

“Well,” the vet replies, “I would only have charged you $50 for my initial diagnosis. The additional $600 was for the cat scan and lab tests.”

I found and pulled this news article from msnbc today as a post for my friend Kendra. Kendra is just one of the many people I know that has a scaredy-pants pooch that will try anything to get away from a thunderstorms…climbing in laundry baskets, closets, even the dryer! What makes him think that hiding will actually ‘make it go away’? While sometimes funny, these dogs that are so afraid of storms can cause havoc to their home and even themselves. So I found this article very interesting…..does ‘thunderwear’ really help? Check out the link below and you decide!

****Try ‘thunderwear’!****

World’s oldest dog dies in NY at 21 — or 147

Pulled from Yahoo news, by By VIRGINIA BYRNE

NEW YORK – A wire-haired dachshund that held the record as the world’s oldest dog and celebrated its last birthday with a party at a dog hotel and spa has died at age 21 — or 147 in dog years.

The dog, named Chanel, died Friday of natural causes at her owners’ home in suburban Port Jefferson Station, on Long Island.

Chanel, as stylish as her legendary namesake, wore tinted goggles for her cataracts in her later years and favored sweaters because she was sensitive to the cold, owners Denice and Karl Shaughnessy said Monday.

The playful dachshund was only 6 weeks old when Denice Shaughnessy, then serving with the U.S. Army, adopted her from a shelter in Newport News, Va.

Along with her owner, Chanel spent nine years on assignment in Germany, where she became adept at stealing sticks of butter from kitchen countertops and hiding them in sofa cushions in the living room, Shaughnessy said. She also liked chocolate, usually considered toxic to dogs, Shaughnessy said.

“She once ate an entire bag of Reese’s peanut butter cups, and, you see, she lived to be 21, so go figure,” Shaughnessy added.

Karl Shaughnessy nominated Chanel for the title of world’s oldest dog after noticing the Guinness World Records book had no record.

Guinness World Records officials presented Chanel with a certificate as the world’s oldest dog at a Manhattan birthday bash hosted by a private pet food company in May.

Chanel loved the party, especially the cake, which had a peanut butter flavor and had been made for dogs, Denice Shaughnessy said.

Chanel exercised daily and ate home-cooked chicken with her dog food, but good care wasn’t entirely responsible for her long life, said her owners, who attributed God.

“Dogs are God’s angels sent here to look out for us,” Denice Shaughnessy said.

A dog from New Iberia, La., named Max, is vying for the record of world’s oldest dog. Owner Janelle Derouen said Max marked his 26th birthday on Aug. 9. She said Guinness World Records officials were reviewing documents to authenticate his age; a Guinness World Records official in London didn’t immediately answer an e-mail from The Associated Press requesting confirmation of that.

When asked the secret to her dog’s long life, Derouen said she was shocked he’s still with her.

“I have five kids, and all my kids are grown and gone,” she said. “Now my grandkids are playing with this dog.”

A day In the Life of My Dogs

The day starts out with a little morning play time on the bed. Charlie antagonizes Dude which gets Dude jumping and rolling all over me which is the reason I don’t need coffee in the morning. Charlie loves to play what we call “alligator tamer” which is when he sticks his head all the way into Dude’s mouth. Dude is always so gentile with Charlie. He will take his paw and smack Charlie right on his back, pushing him down. Dude then, instead of biting, nibbles him. They play and play until either Charlie gets board of it or I decide to get up.

The second I get up out of bed they are ready! They know that it’s time to go outside and that must mean it’s almost time for breakfast! I try to get dressed but it’s a little difficult when there is a Chihuahua jumping on me and Dude getting in the way. Finally I get to the door and let them out. They take off down the hill towards the barn. Running around, they try and find a decent spot to do their thing. Meanwhile I feed the horses and get them ready for the day.

I don’t even have to call them when it’s time to go back into the house; they know it’s time for breakfast which we call “doggie dinner.” I get Dude’s breakfast; go upstairs, get Charlie’s breakfast and then finally, I get to eat. All my animals eat before I do, must be nice.

After the morning ruckus, they settle down. Charlie goes into his bed and Dude lies on the couch. This will last all day until I say “go out side?” and they bound out of the house once again. Dude runs to get his toy and plops it right down in front of me barking if I don’t throw it. Charlie runs around trying to find a nice spot to lie in the sun. I throw Dude’s toy until I get tired of it and we go in.

Once night falls, we turn the television on and watch our normal afternoon shows. The Empire Carpet commercial will come on once in a while and we have to turn it up for Dude. He will be laying on his back sound asleep and once “his show” comes on he flips over, runs to the television and howls. We love it when he does that. Charlie just watches him and he must be thinking “what is so special about that commercial,” something we all wonder.

The night rolls on. When it’s time for bed I call Charlie into the bedroom. He has his own little bed next to me on the floor, actually it’s my extra pillow, he’s spoiled. Dude has his bed on the hope chest which is at the foot of our bed and we all fall asleep only to have it start all over again the next day. Oh to be a dog!

A Bad Day

I was outside yesterday getting some gardening done. The week had been way too hot for any type of outside activity so I was taking advantage of the cloudy weather. I had the pony out eating some grass as I always do and also had the dogs out just playing around, as I always do.

Over in the garden I was doing my thing, when all of a sudden I heard Dude attacking the pony. I ran over to Dude, who was already in submission mode because he knew he did something wrong. I yelled at him, telling him he was a bad dog and then ran over to the pony to make sure he was ok.

The way that the pony was shaking his head I thought that Dude had gotten his ear. I felt it and it was bloody. I was furious. I walked him into the barn and tried to cross tie him, which he’s not very welled trained with yet. When I was hooking up the cross ties I noticed his eye was rigorously bleeding. I freaked. My day had already been a mess and now I have to deal with this poor pony and the fact that his eye might be severely damaged. I was so upset and shaking. I knew what I needed to do and I usually can handle things like this well but everything was going wrong all at once and I just couldn’t handle it anymore.

The pony finally stood still enough for me to hook him up to the cross ties and I ran over to get something to wipe the blood away. His poor eye was all bloody and dilated and I feared that it was really damaged. I called my mom, because we share custody of him and told her the bad news and of course she freaked which made it even worse for me. But once again I calmed myself down and told her I would call the vet.

By the time I got the vet on the phone the bleeding wasn’t as bad but I still wanted to know what else I could do to help my little man. The vet said to keep pressure on it and once it stops bleeding to flush it out and then cold pack it and give him something to keep the swelling down like bute. I was so relieved! I thought that I would have to have the vet come out and that there was gong to be a huge bill and the pony was going to need some serious attention but it was all ok.

I really have the best pony ever! He was amazing. He just stood there and let me do what I had to do. I knew it had to hurt but he was doing his best at staying still. I took a look at his ear because I wanted to make sure that Dude didn’t get that too. It was bloody but not too bad so I checked the other one just to be sure. Come to find out it was dried blood from the terrible amount of flies that we have. I can’t find the proper fitting fly mask for him so unfortunately he gets eaten.

Once his eye looked alright I let him back out in the paddock. Usually something like that with my other horse I would have put her in a stall but the pony, he would do more damage in the stall than out in the paddock. I felt that he would be just fine in the paddock and he was. I walked up to the house and got a small ice pack and grabbed a towel.
When I got back down to the paddock he was standing in the lean to being a great boy. I placed the ice pack on his eye and that pony just stood there. He rested his nose on my shoulder, letting me do what needed to be done. After a couple of minutes he would move, I think it was getting a little too cold and he was like “ahh it’s cold!” But after a few minutes he let me do all over again.

Once everything that needed to be done was done I walked up to the house and flopped onto the couch and just took a big, deep breath. What a day! It’s a little swollen today but it’s nothing he can’t handle, he’s one tough little man!