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 by pain or restriction of movement. “Most of the injuries we see are muscular/skeletal lamenesses,” states Dr. Kent Carter, professor of equine lameness and chief o f medicine at the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences Large Animal Hospital. “The lameness can be a result of things...

Described by their name, pocket pets are small fluffy companions that could fit right into your pocket! Guinea pigs, sugar gliders, hedgehogs and hamsters are all a part of the pocket pet family. Pocket pets are an excellent addition to a home that is looking for a first pet, or has very small children who might be afraid of dogs or larger traditional pets. Pocket pets have a shorter lifespan than dogs and cats, require less space, and are usually quiet and friendly. “Pocket pets are more fragile than traditional pets and are very good at hiding any signs of illness,” said Dr. Christy Rettenmund, intern with the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Science. “Any changes in behavior, appetite, or appearance warrant a visit to your veterinarian”. Owning a pocket pet is a little different than owning a dog or a cat. It is a good idea to do some research before purchasing one of these pets because they have specific diet and husbandry needs. “Each type of pocket pet has specific nutritional requirements,...

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 people with their essential vitamins and nutrients, the same is true for our pets. “Pet food companies use a vitamin pre-mix for the particular species to which it is marketed,” Bauer said. “For this reason, a good quality food should already meet the nutritional needs of your pet.” If you formulate your own pet food...

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, overstimulation, or avoidance behavior. Puppies should be encouraged to survey and investigate their environments, and these exposures should continue into adulthood to help maintain an outgoing and sociable dog.” Many cats are easily frightened and spend a lot of time hiding and trying to avoid the things they are afraid...

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 illness. The two sleeping disorders that are most dangerous to an animal’s health are narcolepsy and cataplexy. If your pet has one of these disorders and is left alone or unattended near water, it could possibly drown. “Narcolepsy is the occurrence of uncontrollable Rapid Eye Movement sleep phase, characterized by...

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 to be sure pets do not get loose on the way to the bath tub, because the odor-causing oil will stick to anything it touches. There are no toxins in skunk spray, so it will not harm your pet. However, it could become uncomfortable for them. “If your pet was sprayed in the face, make sure to clean it properly,” said Dr. Blue-...

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 virus and is a contagious respiratory disease that may mirror signs of kennel cough, including sneezing, coughing and fever. “Nearly one-hundred percent of dogs that come in contact with the virus become infected, regardless of age or vaccination history because the virus is new to them,” says Dr. Deb Zoran, an associate...

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.
All cats ready for adoption are spayed or neutered.
Find out more online at www.pethavenonline.org.
The Thrift Store at 619 Main St., Caldwell, helps fund the operating expenses of Pet Haven. Hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; 10-4:30 Saturday. For more information call 455-1303.

CALDWELL — The Canyon County Animal Shelter is at 5801 Graye Lane, behind the Larry Miller Auto Mall. For information about lost pets or adopting a companion animal, call 455-5920.
All dogs cost $65 for males or females, for neuter or spay, first...

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 that a frightened, defensive or timid African Grey will make is a characteristic, loud growl. African Greys bond readily, often with one member of the family or specifically with males or females. This bond occasionally leads to aggression towards others. These handsome, good-natured birds make excellent companions and family pets. Most are generally interactive and affectionate....

If your younger dog always deferred to the older dog, but now they fight, one scenario may be that an older, previously dominant dog is challenged by a younger, more domineering dog. This may happen as the older dog ages, or as the younger dog reaches behavioral maturity at 12 to 36 months. This may be an attempt to alter the existing hierarchy but at other times the dog is being a “bully.” Sometimes the older dog will acquiesce and things are fine, but at other times the owners do not want the change and intervene. In some situations, the older dog will not relinquish the dominant role even though it cannot physically compete with the younger dog. This can result in severe, injurious fights.
Breaking up a fight can be a dangerous situation for people and dogs alike. Owners usually try to reach for the collar of the fighting dogs, or if one is small, pick it up. This can result in severe owner injury if the fighting is very intense. If both are wearing leashes, they can usually be pulled apart. If all else fails,...

Dogs are social animals whose evolutionary history makes them willing and able to live in groups. Group living enabled wolves to work together to obtain food, raise their young and defend their territory. It would be counter-productive for members of a group to fight with each other and risk injury. That would prevent them from working with the group.
Although domestic dogs are not wolves, they do have a social structure in which each dog is either dominant (leader) or subordinate in its relationship with each pack member. This is a “dominance hierarchy.” The leader or “alpha” dog is the one that has first access to all the “critical” resources. These resources include food, resting places, mates, territory and favored possessions. Assertion of dominance by the alpha is generally communicated through facial expressions, body postures and actions. Fighting is rare, since as soon as the subordinate submits or defers to the alpha animal and the alpha gets its way, he or she gives up the challenge.
Fights between...

Dogs fight for a variety of reasons. Usually there is a dominant and subordinate dog and the owner should not interfere with the relationship.
On other occasions, neither dog is willing to be subordinate. This could be due to a challenge to the hierarchy as a younger dog matures, as an older dog becomes sick or aged, when a new dog is introduced into the home or when one dog is not clearly dominant to the other. You should learn how to recognize canine body language and low-level threats such as eye contact, snarls or low growls. Keep records of threats, attacks or tension-producing situations. An owner must have excellent control over both dogs in order to succeed. To facilitate treatment, decrease the chances of injuries and increase owner control, a remote leash can be left attached to one or both dogs. Often the best form of owner control is to fit and train each dog with a head halter, and to leave a leash and head halter on each dog when they are together (under the owner’s supervision). In other cases,...

As the winter season settles in, the chill of the cold air often make
us more aware of our joint health problems- the same goes for your pet.
Though commonly bothersome in the winter, joint discomfort can be a year
round-pain that affects your pet’s quality of life.

“Joints are areas where bones come together,” explains Dr. Sharon
Kerwin, an associate professor at the Texas A&M University College of
Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. “They are a combination of
bone, ligaments, cartilage, and the joint capsule and fluid. If anything
damages the cartilage or another structure in the joint then arthritis
or deterioration results.”

Unfortunately, at this point in time, there is no cure for arthritis.
Symptoms can be treated but arthritis is often progressive and gets
worse with time.

Though no cure has been found yet, there are ways to prevent or
postpone the onset of your pet’s joint problems.

“While genetics do play a role in the development of some joint
issues, weight control and proper diet are essential in both prevention<...

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.
All cats ready for adoption are spayed or neutered. Cats available this week include two polydachtyl males, three orange-and-white males and eight kittens.
Find out more online at www.pethavenonline.org.
The Thrift Store at 619 Main St., Caldwell, helps fund the operating expenses of Pet Haven. Hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; 10-4:30 Saturday. The store is gearing up for spring. Spring clothes are coming out this week. For more information call 455-1303.

CALDWELL — The Canyon County Animal Shelter is at 5801 Graye Lane,...

Sharing With your Pets is Bad… At Least When it Comes to Disease.

Many of us share just about everything with our pets. After all, they
are part of our families. We share our home, our food, even part of our
couch. While we are taught early in life that sharing is good, there
are definitely some things that we don’t want to share with our pets
and one of these is disease.

Diseases that can be transferred between humans and people are called
zoonotic diseases. Dr. Mark Stickney, Director of General Surgery
Services at Texas A&M’s College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical
Sciences, explains how these diseases can be transferred and how they
can be prevented.

“The good news is that if you are sick you are almost certainly not
going to give it to your pet,” reassures Stickney. “The only real
exception is that it is possible to spread the flu virus from people to
ferrets.”

On the other hand, Stickney notes that it is much more common for
humans to catch diseases and/or illnesses from our pets.

“Our pets can actually give us...

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.
All cats ready for adoption are spayed or neutered.
Find out more online at www.pethavenonline.org.
The Thrift Store at 619 Main St., Caldwell, helps fund the operating expenses of Pet Haven. Hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; 10-4:30 Saturday. For more information call 455-1303.
CALDWELL — The Canyon County Animal Shelter is at 5801 Graye Lane, behind the Larry Miller Auto Mall. For information about lost pets or adopting a companion animal, call 455-5920.
All dogs cost $65 for males or females, for neuter or spay, first...

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 lifetime. There is no known breed predisposition for canine pyometra.
Clinical signs depend on whether or not the cervix is open. If it is open, pus will drain from the uterus through the vagina to the outside. It may be noted on the skin or hair under the tail or on bedding and furniture where the dog has been. Fever, lethargy, anorexia and depression may or may not be present.
If the cervix is closed, pus that forms is not able to drain to the outside. It collects in the uterus causing distention of the abdomen. The bacteria release toxins that are absorbed into circulation. These dogs often become severely ill very rapidly. They are anorectic, very listless and very...

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.

“Animals require exercise to maintain a healthy weight just as people
do,” states J. David Sessum, registered veterinary technician at the
College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences at Texas A&M
University. “The difference between animals and people is that for the
most part it is easier for pets to lose weight because the owner is the
one who regulates their diet.”

Pets that have a recommended diet from a veterinary professional
usually maintain a healthy weight because they are fed the correct
amount of kilocalories in their diet that is suited for their level of
activity.

“I do believe that owners play a huge role in helping their pet lose
and maintain a healthy...