How Your Dog or Cat’s Gut Microbiome Affects Overall Health
When we think of the gut microbiome, we consider it mainly in terms of digestive health. But the truth is, the state of your dog or cat’s gut microbiome can affect other parts of his body, from his brain to his lungs. Every surface of your dog or cat’s body (and your own) has a microbiome. However, the vast majority of microbial biodiversity is found in the nutrient-rich environment of the gastrointestinal tract. At least 200 times as many cells, and even more unique gene products, are found in the intestinal microbiome than in...
Guinness World Records Recognizes Flossie As The World’s Oldest Living Cat
I wonder what it would feel like to live for 120 years… The world’s oldest living cat is 27 years old, and that is equivalent to an impressive 120 human years old. The Guinness World Records officially recognized Flossie as the oldest living cat, and she definitely doesn’t look her age. Born on December 29, 1995, Flossie lives in the UK with her owner, Vicki. Flossie may be old and deaf already, but the senior cat is in good health, although her eyesight isn’t as good as it used to be. PHOTO: Youtube/Guinness World...
‘Unfriendly’ Cat Who Had Lived in Shelter for Two Years Finally Finds Forever Home
This story was originally shared on The Animal Rescue Site. Submit your own rescue story here. Your story just might be the next to be featured on our blog! I had been a volunteer at my local shelter for over two years, so I was there when Kit was surrendered due to her owner being evicted. Immediately, I thought she was a gorgeous cat, but I soon found out that she wasn’t very “friendly”. Didn’t appear to have a cuddly bone in her body! CAT. PHOTO: PIXABAY / JOSÉ PAULO VASCONCELOS Fast forward two years –...
Sweet Siamese and Snowshoe Mix Wants to Move in With You Now!
Meet Shere, a gorgeous tortie point Siamese and Snowshoe girl who’s been spayed and weighs approximately 11.28 lbs. The shelter staff at Pima Animal Care Center (PACC) in Tucson, Arizona, believe sweet miss Shere is about 6 years old. Regardless, she’s an exceptionally good girl who wants very much to find her forever home so she can get out of the shelter. Animal Rescue Shelters and rescues, no matter how well-equipped and/or maintained they are, create high levels of stress in animals. That’s why it’s so important...
Senior Sanctuary Looks After the Most Vulnerable Rescue Pets
Cherished Tails Senior Sanctuary is a 501(c)3, all-volunteer, foster-based rescue group in Marana, Arizona, that rescues senior shelter dogs at high risk of euthanasia due to age, illness, or behavior. The group keeps the animals until they’re able to find forever homes or hospice care for them. The work they perform is so valuable because so many people consider animals like these unadoptable. Together, CTSS has been able to save more than 1,000 pets since its inception, which — all things considered — speaks volumes....
Pot-Sniffing Dogs Retiring Early Around the Country Now that Weed is Legal
As Virginia prepares to legalize adult possession of up to an ounce of marijuana on July 1, drug-sniffing dogs working in departments around that state are being forced into early retirement. The news follows a trend in other states where legalization has led to dogs cut loose from their jobs earlier than originally planned. Photo: Pixabay/mariuszopole Connecticut K-9 Units In Monroe, Connecticut, they retired a pot-sniffing German shepherd named Murphy in September (2022). The reason is that the department can’t untrain him and they...
Shelter Dog Overlooked Because She Is Missing A Front Leg
A three-legged shelter dog named Maci doesn’t understand why people continue to pass her by. She is a sweet dog who loves to run, play, and cuddle. Last August she arrived at the shelter emaciated with a badly broken leg. The vet decided to amputate the leg to give her the best chance at a normal life. After months of recovery in a foster home, Maci is ready to find her person. Her foster family shared that not much slows her down. “Maci is so spunky and sweet! She plays hard but she also knows how to settle herself. She loves to...
Ohio Firefighters Rescue Kittens Thrown Off Bridge Into Icy River
It was all hands on deck when a call came in about a box of kittens stranded in the icy Tuscarawas River. Tuscarawas County Sheriff’s Department, Arrowhead Joint Fire District, Tuscarawas County Humane Society staff and Humane Officer Jim Hitchcock immediately responded. According to the animal shelter, the kittens were “thrown off a bridge” and stranded on ice. However, the ice was melting, and rescuers needed to act fast. Firefighters decided a water rescue was going to be the safest way to rescue the kittens. They used a...
Looking for a Dog Community? Check out a Facebook Group
I’m an admitted “lurker” in Facebook groups. I’m a member of hundreds of groups, nearly all dog or pet related. They pepper my feed as I scroll during my lunch break or as I’m relaxing in front of the TV at night. In many cases, they provide an escape from other, more stressful parts of my life. But in other cases, I see life-changing personal connections happening in real time, and life-saving commentary occur even though members are in different time zones, and sometimes different countries. As with all groups,...
Top 5 Popular Prescription Medications to Treat Anxiety in Dogs
If your dog quivers and paces during thunderstorms or becomes queasy on car rides to a perceived fearful place like the veterinary clinic, the remedy is not as simple as giving him an anti-anxiety medication. Recognize that a one-pill-cures-all-anxiety medication is not currently available for dogs. “Anxiety issues in dogs are complex, and it is not like, say, a person who may need to take insulin for diabetes,” says Dr. Lisa Radosta, a board-certified veterinary behaviorist who operates the Florida Veterinary Behavior Service in...
