March 28/2018

Feature:

10 Weird Things Pets Have Swallowed

“…Veterinary Practice News holds an annual ‘They Ate What?! X-Ray Contest’ for the most ‘odd & incomprehensible’ objects that veterinarians have discovered in their patients’ guts.

The medical term for eating non-food items is pica… dogs tend to do it more often than other pets because they use their mouths to investigate objects, & in the process can sometimes swallow those objects by mistake…

Here are some of the unusual items pets have swallowed & lived to bark or meow about.

1. Pacifiers

…Dovey, a 4-year-old Shar Pei, was taken to the vet after his owner’s mom saw him snatch a pacifier off a counter & swallow it. Dovey had been losing weight. At the same time, pacifiers had been disappearing.

‘In 20 years, this is the craziest surgery I’ve ever done,’ Dr. Chris Rispoli at the Gentle Care Animal Hospital in Edmond, Okla., told KOKH. An X-ray revealed several pacifiers in Dovey’s stomach. During surgery, Rispoli discovered & removed 21 of them…

2. Live Rifle Rounds

Benno, a Belgian Malinois from Mountain Home, Ark., had previously eaten socks, glass, marbles, coins, & other objects before he got ahold of a bag of .308 caliber bullets in 2015. He swallowed 23 of the live rifle rounds.

His owner took him to the vet the next day after he saw a couple of the bullets in the dog’s vomit…

3. Candles

A Lab mix named Ben ate an entire bag of tea candles. ‘During surgery, we removed approximately 38 candles/discs & chunks of wax,’ Dr. Helen Dane of Danada Veterinary Hospital in Wheaton, Ill., told Veterinary Practice News…

4. Foam Darts & Bullets

Cats as well as dogs have swallowed the foam ammunition from toy guns. ‘Seems like a strange enough object to want to consume, & I find it even stranger that I’ve witnessed this type of foreign body more than once,’ wrote former veterinary technician Ann Staub…

5. Steak Knives

Within the past 16 months, 2 different Staffordshire bull terrier puppies miraculously survived after they somehow swallowed entire 8-inch steak knives. In August 2016, it took veterinarians at the Animal Referral Hospital in Sydney, Australia, 45 minutes to use forceps to very, very carefully lift the knife back up the esophagus of a 6-month-old puppy named Lexi… 

6. Forks

Back in 2008, a dog named Apachee had to undergo surgery as well as blood transfusions after he swallowed a fork. It took a couple of weeks after eating it for Apachee to start coughing, refusing food, & eventually collapsing. The fork had become lodged in his chest cavity & pierced a vein.

Dr. Gary Spodnick & the surgical team at the Veterinary Specialty Hospital of the Carolinas in Cary, N.C., were able to successfully remove the fork & patch up the vein.

7. Spoons

When the owner of a Lab noticed the spoons upon which she fed him peanut butter were disappearing, she took him to Dr. Carsten Henkel at Robinson Animal Hospital in McKees Rocks, Penn. An X-ray revealed not one, but 2 metal spoons in the dog’s stomach.

8. Hair Ties

One cat patient… ‘decided to eat over a dozen’ hair ties… ‘It was like a never-ending bottomless pit of hair ties that we removed from this patient’s stomach & intestines.’

9. Monopoly Dog Token

…a canine swallowed the Scottie dog token from a Monopoly game…The X-ray was posted on Reddit.

10. Turtle Pendant

…a male 15-pound tortoise named Lola… didn’t poop for a month (!), his owner brought him to Dr. Don Harris at the South Dade Avian & Exotic Animal Medical Center in Miami.

An X-ray revealed that Lola had eaten a 1.5-cm turtle pendant ‘of unknown origin,’ according to Veterinary Practice News. It was successfully surgically removed & Lola has completely recovered..."

Laura Goldman

Dec. 19/2017

Care2.com

                                 

Cute Critter Pic

Weekly Chuckle

March 21/2018

Feature:

From Shelter to Service: Search Dogs Help Save Lives

“While hundreds of pets were being removed from flood zones in the wake of Hurricanes Harvey & Irma, search dogs were entering those very same areas to find people who might have opted to stay behind & were now trapped by rising flood waters…

…trained by the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation (SDF). The nonprofit organization located in Santa Paula, CA recruits & trains shelter dogs & partners them with firefighters & other first responders to find people trapped or buried alive in the wreckage of disasters. Most recently 12 SDF-trained search teams were deployed to help in the wake of the earthquake in Mexico City & Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico.

What types of dogs excel in the SDF Program?

‘Our trainers look for extremely driven, toy-obsessed dogs that don’t just want the toy, they need to possess the toy,’ said Denise Sanders, SDF Communications & Development Officer. ‘This drive is what carries them through the process of learning to bark when they smell the scent of a live human—that toy is their reward & they will do anything to get it!’

The SDF recently celebrated the grand opening of its National Training Center located on 125 acres of donated historic ranch land in Santa Paula. The new center features kennels, beginning & advanced training areas, handlers’ accommodations, classrooms, & offices.

Sanders said that it takes 8 to 10 months to train a search dog... After anywhere from 8 months to one year, the search team is generally ready to take their Certification Evaluation (administered either by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) or the State Urban Search & Rescue Alliance). This certification makes them deployable & ready to respond when the call comes…

When they’re not on deployment all of the search dogs live at home with their handlers or at the fire station when their partners are at work.

‘The dogs and handlers are together 24/7 so they are ready to go at a moment’s notice,’ Sanders said…”

Vera Lawlor

Sept. 29/2017

Care2.com

Cute Critter Pic

Weekly Chuckle

March 14/2018

Feature:

Scores Rush Beach to Save Life of Stranded Whale

“Dozens of volunteers raced to a Nova Scotia beach…to help return a stranded pilot whale back to sea. The male whale, which could weigh between 1,500 to 2,000 kg was spotted…in Cow Bay…Andrew Reid of the Marine Animal Response Society headed to the area as a call went out on Facebook for help. Roughly 100 volunteers descended on the beach. Reid, some volunteers, & a few surfers walked the animal out into deeper water before releasing it.”

Canadian Press

In The Gazette, Montreal

Jan. 3/2018

                                      

Cute Critter Pic

Weekly Chuckle

March 7/2018

Feature:

Cute Groundhogs (& Their Relatives) to Look Forward to in Spring

“…Groundhog

The groundhog is the most widespread marmot & can be found from Nova Scotia to Yukon. Despite their name, groundhogs don’t just restrict themselves to the ground; they can also climb trees & swim. Nicknamed whistle-pigs, groundhogs make peculiar noises, including a loud whistle when alarmed, a squeal when fighting or hurt, tooth grinding when cornered & barking.

 

Vancouver Island Marmot

The endangered Vancouver Island marmot is the island’s only marmot species & the only truly Canadian one, as it is found nowhere else in the world. Producing 5 different whistle sounds, the Vancouver Island marmot makes the most whistle sounds of any other marmot species.

 

Hoary Marmot

The hoary marmot got its name from the color of its fur (hoary means greyish-white). For hours on end, these rodents ‘wrestle’ each other, standing on their hind legs, putting their front paws together & pushing one another. They live along the treeline in the mountains of western Canada.

Yellow-Bellied Marmot

Yellow-bellied marmots, also known as rock chucks, can be found at high elevations in the mountains of southern BC…

 

Richardson’s Ground Squirrel

The Richardson’s ground squirrel occurs in grasslands in Manitoba, Saskatchewan & Alberta. Females are fertile for just 2 to 3 hours on one afternoon of one day each year. During this short period, each female mates with multiple males.

Artic Ground Squirrel

The Arctic ground squirrel is the only ground squirrel species found in the Arctic. It has large eyes surrounded by light-coloured rings, providing it with a wide field of vision, which makes it easier to detect threats. Its bushy tail is used for balance when running & jumping & as a blanket when sleeping. Twice a year, this species moults: in spring, it has a soft, reddish-brown coat & closer to winter, it has thick, grey-brown fur.

Northern Flying Squirrel

Contrary to its name, the northern flying squirrel doesn’t actually fly. Instead, it glides from tree to tree by extending a skin fold that stretches from its wrists to its ankles. Unlike other squirrel species, northern flying squirrels are nocturnal, using their large eyes to help them see in the dark.

 

American Red Squirrel

American red squirrels can be found in every province & territory. They gather between 2,000 & 4,000 pine cones & store them in middens (piles), which may be used by multiple generations. Believe it or not, these small squirrels sometimes eat young birds, mice, & rabbits. Some have even been observed biting into maple trees to get at the sap inside.

 

Black-Tailed Prairie Dog

Black-tailed prairie dogs are highly social, living in large colonies called towns, which have hundreds to millions of individuals. Every colony shares a complex burrow network, often covering around 250 acres (100 hectares) or more…

 

Eastern Chipmunk

Like many other squirrel family members, eastern chipmunks make various alarm & defensive calls, such as low chucks & repeated high-pitched chirps, trills, & chatters. Some research suggests that this species may use different calls for different predators.”

Adam Hunter (The Nature Conservancy of Canada)

Feb. 7/2018

care2.com

Cute Critter Pic

Weekly Chuckle

Memorial
Arthur March 12/1999 RIP

Feb. 28/2018

Feature:

At Their Peak: 5 Extreme Animals Who Can Survive Mount Everest

“...1. Himalayan tahr

This relative of the wild goat is specially adapted to life on the rugged mountain slopes of the Himalayas. The tahr’s range...is between 2,500 & 5,000 meters in elevation. The animals manage to live in this extreme environment because of their dense woolly coat & thick undercoat. In the summer, tahrs shed much of this fur, even becoming a lighter color. Their hooves, as with many goats, help them traverse the steep mountainside. Tahrs, in particular, have flexible, rubbery cores in their hooves to allow for a solid grip on smooth rocks. Meanwhile, the hard, sharp keratin rims on the outside of their hooves allows them to lodge their feet in small footholds, keeping them upright.

 

2. Snow leopard

Snow leopards in this area generally live between 3,000 & 4,500 meters in elevation... they have stocky bodies with thick fur & small, rounded ears — all of which helps these cats minimize heat loss. Snow leopard paws are wide, distributing their weight for walking on snow, & they have fur on their undersides to increase their grip as they move. Their tails have also been specially evolved as blankets: they are extra thick & very fuzzy — perfect for protecting their faces while sleeping. Snow leopards are even able to breathe the thin air more easily with their unusually large nasal cavities.

 

3. Himalayan black bear

This rare subspecies of the Asiatic black bear lives in the range of 3,000 to 4,000 meters... In the winter, the bear moves down to 1,500 meters... preferring to stay around the tree line. Himalayan black bears have longer, thicker fun than their other Asian black bear cousins. These creatures manage the cold, as many bears do, by hibernating through the worst parts of the winter.

 

4. Alpine chough

The alpine chough... is a part of the crow family. Although they naturally fly quite a bit higher, these birds nest between 3,500-5,000 meters up in the Himalayas...They are quite fond of humans sometimes, as they like to sit outside hotel windows & wait for any food they can get from tourists.

 

5. Himalayan jumping spider

... the Himalayan jumping spider is known to live at a higher elevation than any other animal. Fittingly, its scientific name, Euophrys omnisuperstes, means ‘standing above all’. This small spider hides in crevices high up on the mountain at elevations up to 6,700 meters. But what does it eat? The answer, as far as experts can tell, is frozen insects delivered by the wind.”

Laura Burge

Aug. 14/2017

care2.com

Cute Critter Pic:

Weekly Chuckle:

Feb. 21/2018

Feature:

Snowmobilers Rescue Moose Neck-Deep in Snow

“A group of snowmobilers pulled out their shovels to free a stuck moose after spotting its head poking out of freshly fallen snow in western Newfoundland. Jonathan Anstey, who owns a snowmobile riding clinic, said he & several other riders set out on the trails near Deer Lake, N.L….& spotted a moose neck-deep in snow. The liberated moose hung around for a bit to dry off, Anstey said, occasionally looking at its rescuers as if to say, ‘a little thank you,’ before trotting away.”

Canadian Press

In The Gazette, Montreal

Jan. 4/2018

 Cute Critter Pic

Weekly Chuckle

Feb. 14/2018

                                                E.B.W. Critter Corner
Feature: 

It's a Miracle! Wisdom Lays an Egg at Age 67

“Wisdom, a Laysan albatross, has once again returned to Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge & Battle of Midway National Memorial & has laid an egg. The approximately 67-year-old flies thousands of miles every year before returning to the Midway Atoll…

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) refuge staff recognized Wisdom, the world’s oldest known breeding bird, along with her mate Akeakamai, in late November; On Dec. 13 they spotted Akeakamai sitting on a nest, incubating an egg.

Midway Atoll is part of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, located at the far northern end of the Hawaiian archipelago.

One of the oldest atoll formations in the world, it provides grounds for more than 3 million seabirds to nest & raise their young, including 70% of the world’s Laysan albatross population. According to the USFWS, it is also home to nearly 40% of Black-footed albatross, as well as Short-tailed albatross & at least 20 other species of seabirds.

But Wisdom is special.

 In 1956 Chandler Robbins banded Wisdom, whom he guessed was about 6 years old. Little did he know that 61 years later, that albatross, now known as the oldest seabird in the world, would be expecting another baby. She’s been coming back to the same nest every year. Over the course of these years, it’s estimated that she’s logged an incredible 6 million miles of flight time.

The average lifespan of her species, the Layman albatross, is between 12 & 40 years, so it’s amazing that she’s still alive & even more impressive that she is still breeding.

These birds are equally responsible for raising their young & they form long-term partnerships. They lay only one egg per year, so each one is special to their parents. According to the USFWS, Wisdom & her partner have raised at least 8 chicks since 2006 & she has raised as many as 40 during her long life.

This year the USFW reports that Wisdom’s mate Akeakamai took the first shift on the nest while Wisdom went to look for food.

…they will swap places. And after the egg hatches, the 2 parents will share equally in the rearing & feeding of their chick.

…Nature is truly amazing!”

Judy M.

Dec. 30/ 2017

Care2.com

Cute Critter Pic

Weekly Chuckle