Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Did you know that cats can transmit Toxoplasma parasite to us??

WTH?  I was just watching the National Geographic and learned how our domestic cats can transmit Toxoplasma parasite...  Makes you think 2x about not cleaning your litter box daily & just tossing the dirty cat litter in the trash bin!

According to Centers for Disease Control and PreventionToxoplasma is the third leading cause of death attributed to foodborne illness in the United States. More than 60 million men, women, and children in the U.S. carry the Toxoplasma parasite!!  Wait, huh? what?!!

How this parasite can be transmitted from an infected cat: 
  • Accidental ingestion of oocysts after cleaning a cat's litter box when the cat has shed Toxoplasma in its feces
  • Accidental ingestion of oocysts after touching or ingesting anything that has come into contact with a cat's feces that contain Toxoplasma
  • Accidental ingestion of oocysts in contaminated soil (e.g., not washing hands after gardening or eating unwashed fruits or vegetables from a garden)
  • Drinking water contaminated with the Toxoplasma parasite 
Learn more about Toxoplasma & how to prevent/reduce the risk of infection...


Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Dog Waits Every Day For Dead Owner ...

This video below breaks my heart!  After Wayne Giroux was killed by a drunk driver last June, his faithful dog Spot still waits at the end of the drive-way for him to come home every day.

Similar to the story of Hachiko, a faithful Akita back in 1925 waited for his owner... people would see Hachiko at the same train station everyday for 9 years after his owner passed away!!!  O.M.G... *tears*....

Make sure to hug & love your dogs today & everyday, because they are truly happy to see you!!

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Does your puppy sleep talk?

I wonder what this puppy was dreaming about?? I caught my dog sleep talk a few times & I'm 99% sure that he was dreaming about barking at our UPS delivery guy...

A Blue Merle Pom puppy!

He's sooooo cute and soft!  Only ~ 4 lbs with very interesting coloring.

Did you know  that the original Pomeranians were much larger, weighing up to 30 pounds and worked as sheep herders?  Marie Antoinette, Emile Zola, Mozart and Queen Victoria all owned Pomeranians.

Julesey says...

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Missouri Approves Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act

On 11/2/10, the majority voted to approve Proposition B (by narrow margin...), also known as the Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act.

A study done by the Better Business Bureau, "the southwest section of Missouri is the hub of the puppy industry." The Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act states legal guidelines for Missouri dog breeders to maintain humane, small-scale breeding facilities rather than large-scale breeding kennels (puppy mills).

Want to know more about Prob B? Read the full text of the Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Canine Parvovirus season

I often have to tell customers why we require vaccination records for grooming before we take in new dogs, especially puppies.  Just imaging our dogs out and about sniffing and walking through all kinds of wonderful stuff daily, you know they can't bathe themselves everyday!  They are exposed to viruses that can be easily prevented with vaccines.  A Nor Cal vet recently saw an increase in Parvo.  Parvo is a commonly known nasty virus & can easily spread directly/indirectly through a sick dog.    See full story via Andersonvalleypost.com

"The virus attacks the gastrointestinal system and can lead to lethargy, vomiting and bloody diarrhea."

"The virus passes from the dog through feces, and the virus can live for seven years in the soil, King said. Dogs that are kept indoors are not protected from the virus either, as people can carry the virus from the outside on the bottoms of their shoes. The change in weather can bring it up out of the ground."

So protect your furry kids!  The best treatment is prevention!