An athlete’s body is trained to handle an amazing amount of work and stress. From runners to swimmers, all athletes train to handle the specific stress their sport requires. Unfortunately, it is still not uncommon for these athletes to injure themselves performing the very actions they trained for. This is also true of a horse’s body. Many horses are trained athletes that are bred and conditioned for a specific sport such as racing, jumping, western performance or dressage. While these sports are relatively safe, just like a human athlete, there is always a possibility of injury and in most cases with horses the injury tends to be lameness. Lameness is an abnormality of gait that is caused...

We all want our pets to live long, happy and healthy lives. In order to achieve this, we take them for their annual veterinary appointments, make sure they get plenty of exercise and feed them the best pet food we can afford. Some of us even go so far as to give our pets vitamins or supplements to add an extra degree of protection. But are these supplements necessary? “Healthy animals with complete and balanced diets should not need supplements, and therefore they are not necessarily recommended,” said Dr. John Bauer, Professor of Small Animal Medicine & Faculty of Nutrition at the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. Just as a healthy diet should provide...

Have you ever taken a brand new puppy on its first walk, or to a dog park with other dogs? This can sometimes be a difficult undertaking, seeing as puppies have yet to be exposed to many humans and animals in their young lives. But dogs and cats need to develop social skills just as much as people do! It is important for an animal’s health and well-being to become a socially acceptable pet. “The most important time for puppy socialization is before the age of 12 weeks,” Dr. M.A. Crist, Clinical Assistant Professor at Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine, said. “Puppies should be handled from birth and exposed to as many new animals, people, surroundings, and stimuli without causing fear,...

Maybe you’ve seen the comical home video on YouTube titled “sleepwalking fail”? It is a short clip of a sleeping dog that starts to “run” horizontally in his sleep, then suddenly jumps up and slams into a wall! Although the video is seriously funny, there is nothing funny about what might be wrong with this animal. This dog could be dreaming, although it is not known for certain if animals dream, according to Dr. M.A. Crist, Clinical Assistant Professor at Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine. Most likely this animal is displaying signs of a sleep disorder. Sleeping disorders are not healthy, and as with humans, we see disturbed sleep patterns as a sign of old age, disease or life-altering...

With the fall season in sight, many of us will venture to the great outdoors and go camping. All kinds of fascinating creatures can be found in the great outdoors, but when your puppy is roaming around, beware the skunks! Puppies especially can become curious when they come across these foreign creatures, but skunks are startled easily and have no mercy. The skunk odor, which is actually a poison, can sometimes take years to remove from a dog’s fur. Skunks have an incredible talent for spraying with accuracy. They also have the ability to spray multiple times in a row, reaching up to ten feet away. The spray that a skunk emits is a type of oil, ayed by a skunk. She also warned pet owners...

By Scott Craven The Arizona Republic PHOENIX (AP) — This is what Tonya Bunce remembers from the funeral, the details still clear though months have passed: a peaceful Roxy - front legs wrapped around a Teddy bear with ears frayed from chewing - surrounded by loved ones, friends and much of the staff from the veterinarian's office. After the chaplain's comforting words, others shared their favorite memories of Roxy as they said goodbye to the little Yorkie cut down in her prime. For Bunce, who had no idea just weeks earlier that such a service was possible, it was a fitting tribute to a dog who had so touched her life in the 3 1/2 years Roxy had lived before being hit by a car. On that Sunday...

Pets & Water Safety With temperatures topping 100 degrees it is officially time to cool off. Summer time is time to get to the pool or lake for relief and fun in the sun. While we all know that water safety is crucial for ourselves and especially for children, it’s also important to keep our pets safe around water as well. “The good news is that all pets instinctively know how to swim,” says Dr. Mark Stickney, Director of General Surgery Services at the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. “However, it is still important that you monitor them and watch for any hazards they may encounter.” Although pools can be a great way for both pets and owners...

The recent emergence and spread of the Swine Flu virus, also known as H1N1, has affected people throughout the world. From school closings to cancelled vacations, the Swine Flu has caused a lot of concern. These concerns have led many to take extended precautions for themselves, their spouses and their children. But what, if any, precautions should be taken for the furry members of our families? The H1N1 strain may not affect our animals in the way that it does humans, but similar type A flu viruses can affect our pets. In 2005, the first cases of the canine influenza virus were reported in Florida and have since spread throughout the country. The virus is a mutant of the H3N8 equine influenza...

His pudgy nose, tiny paws and sloppy, wet kisses melted your heart in an instant. But after giving in to desire and surprising the family with a new furry friend, you found that caring for a new puppy was not exactly what you expected. Adopting a pet can be rewarding, but certain steps must be made before both you and your pet can be ready for the transition. “It’s important to avoid impulse adopting,” emphasizes Dr. Snowden, an associate professor at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. “Pets are a life-long commitment. Dogs and cats can live ten to fifteen years, while parrots and turtles will live much longer.” So, how do you know if you are ready to...

NAMPA — Anyone seeking a new or a lost pet should call the Pet Haven Shelter at 466-1298 for information, or visit the shelter at 333 Orchard Ave.
Pet Haven’s shelter is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, Saturday noon to 4 p.m. and closed Sunday and most holidays....

The African Grey (Psittacus erithacus) from central Africa is a highly intelligent bird commonly encountered in captivity. This elegant medium-sized bird is entirely grey with a strikingly red short blunt tail. The African Grey has a charming personality and is recognized as one of the best talkers among all the pet birds. With this extraordinary ability to imitate, some African Greys develop extensive vocabularies of words, songs, verses, whistles, sneezes, coughs and electronic sounds such as telephones and microwave ovens. Some individuals, especially if wild or improperly socialized, may have unacceptable vocalizations.
The sound...

NAMPA — Anyone seeking a new or a lost pet should call the Pet Haven Shelter at 466-1298 for information, or visit the shelter at 333 Orchard Ave.
Pet Haven’s shelter is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, Saturday noon to 4 p.m. and closed Sunday and most holidays....

Pyometra is defined as a bacterial infection of the uterus. Unfortunately, most cases of pyometra are much more difficult to manage than a routine infection. Pyometra is most often diagnosed within 1-12 weeks after the end of estrus (“heat”). Pyometra is most often seen in middle-aged bitches that have undergone numerous estrous cycles during their...

As 2009 opens a year of promise, we all start pondering our New
Year’s resolutions. For many people the top of that list includes
weight loss and exercise. While most people could benefit from this
resolution, so could most pets.

Obesity occurs in up to 40 percent in our pet dogs and cats and it has
many causes, but inactivity is a major contributor....

NAMPA — Anyone seeking a new or a lost pet should call the Pet Haven Shelter at 466-1298 for information, or visit the shelter at 333 Orchard Ave.
Pet Haven’s shelter is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, Saturday noon to 4 p.m. and closed Sunday and most holidays.
It costs $50 to adopt a cat. These charges include spaying or neutering the pet, deworming it, vaccination and a leukemia test.
Remember the low-cost spay and neuter clinic at the shelter. Call for times and dates....

Anyone who owns a dog or a cat knows that they will typically eat
anything they can get their paws on. While it is not harmful for a dog
to eat a cat’s food, it can be potentially hazardous for a cat to eat
a dog’s food. In moderation, a cat eating a dog’s food is probably
safe, but if the cat is only eating Fido’s dinner, they are probably
not getting the nutrients that are essential to their specific...

Anyone who owns a dog or a cat knows that they will typically eat anything they can get their paws on. While it is not harmful for a dog to eat a cat’s food, it can be potentially hazardous for a cat to eat a dog’s food. In moderation, a cat eating a dog’s food is probably safe, but if the cat is only eating Fido’s dinner, they are probably not getting the nutrients that are essential to their specific health needs.

“Cats’ nutrition requirements are different than dogs’, they have unique needs,” explains Dr. John Bauer, a professor of animal nutrition at the Texas A&M College...

The Bulldog is small in stature, but wide and compact, with a thick, massive head. Its head should be broad (the broader the more prized) with cheeks that extend to the sides of the eyes. The skin on the skull and forehead should fall in dense folds. Its muzzle is short and pug, its nose, broad and black with large nostrils. Its upper lip is pendent...

By MIKE BAIRD
Corpus Christi Caller-Times


CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (AP) — A Vietnam veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder received an unconventional prescription in July.

"John McGahey needs a service pet," his physician wrote. "He plans on using a cat. This pet is allowed to travel with Mr. McGahey anywhere."...

By AMANDA RICKER
Bozeman Daily Chronicle


BOZEMAN, Mont. (AP) — Bozeman-based West Paw Design’s mission is to appeal to the human desire to reduce their carbon footprint by helping them cut their furry friends’ carbon pawprint as well.

West Paw produces eco-friendly pet beds, toys and apparel. The "green" material employed by the company ranges...

NAMPA — Anyone seeking a new or a lost pet should call the Pet Haven Shelter at 466-1298 for information, or visit the shelter at 333 Orchard Ave.
Pet Haven’s shelter is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, Saturday noon to 4 p.m. and closed Sunday and most holidays....

Goldfish (Carassium aruatus) are often the first type of fish that people will buy as pets. They are very easy to care for and are graceful to watch; especially the varieties with the longer fins and tails.
Originating in China where goldfish cultivation is still a very popular activity, the...

Depending on your family’s lifestyle, the responsibility of taking are of a cat or dog may be too time consuming. Left with the desire for a pet but time constraints that aren’t conducive to a cat or dog, some people think that getting a “pocket pet”, reptile, or another exotic animal might seem like the right solution.

Unfortunately, if you have small children exotic pets can be dangerous to your family’s health.

“Pocket pets” are small animals, often rodents...

NAMPA — Anyone seeking a new or a lost pet should call the Pet Haven Shelter at 466-1298 for information, or visit the shelter at 333 Orchard Ave.
Pet Haven’s shelter is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, Saturday noon to 4 p.m. and closed Sunday and most holidays....

Gingivitis is an inflammation of the gums, with or without infection. Stomatitis means that the inflammation involves the entire mouth. Cats have a disease that causes severe gum irritation that may involve almost all of the mouth. The tissues are infiltrated with plasmacytes and lymphocytes, cells of the immune system. Therefore, this disease is called lymphocytic-plasmacytic gingivitis, lymphoplasmacytic gingivitis, lymphocytic-plasmacytic stomatitis, or lymphoplasmacytic stomatitis.
Contributing factors are tartar formation on the teeth and accompanying bacteria around the teeth and gums are usually present. Although these factors...