December 1, 2009
Let’s face it. Flies stink. This article offers some potential solutions if you’re plagued with flies. (Some of these tips come from an article I read about how to get rid of flies on another site.)
Common sense solution #1 for getting rid of flies is buying a flyswatter. Seems obvious, simplistic, short-term, etc. Whatever. Few things are more satisfying than just smashing one of those little pests and killing him instantly. People in my parents’ and grandparents’ generations used them to discipline children, too, but I don’t recommend that.
Common sense solution #2 for getting rid of flies is buying some fly paper. It’s not as satisfying as crushing the life from the little jerks with a swatter, but there is something entertaining and satisfying about watching a bunch of flies stuck to that fly paper and knowing that they’ll never divebomb you and/or buzz in your ear again. Flies really do stink.
Common sense solution #3 for getting rid of flies is cleaning up your area. Flies are attracted to gross stuff. So if you have any gross stuff, get rid of it. For purposes of this discussion, gross stuff means leftover food, lots of different kinds of trash, animal waste, etc. I’m not judging, and everyone has different standards of cleanliness, but if you’ve got a lot of flies, one of the surest ways to solve the problem is to become a clean freak. Spray down the counter with 409 and scrub it with a sponge. Buy some new shoes. Mop the floors thoroughly. Scrub the toiler. Carry out all the trash and clean the trash receptacles thoroughly with disinfectant.
Common sense solution #4 for getting rid of flies is making sure that the air is circulating. Flies hate breezes. So if you’ve got flies in your house, make sure to keep a fan blowing. You’ll save on your electric bill too, because if you’re running a fan, you won’t have to keep the air conditioner turned up so high.
Flies are disgusting. They spread diseases like conjunctivitis, malaria, and tuberculosis, and they’re just gross to look at. The buzzing sound they make is irritating, and they itch when they land on you. You can’t completely eliminate flies from the world, but the common sense approaches above can help you minimize their annoyances in your life.
July 18, 2009
For hundreds of years the trouble of feeding a vast crowd on high days and holidays was resolved by spit-roasting a whole animal, and the process itself became a focus of the celebration. Today, although entire carcasses are no longer so simple to come by, a return to informality even in big gatherings has brought about renewed interest in spit-roasting and hog roasting.During his years in South Africa, Grant spit-roasted many an animal. Unfortunately he was not able to fit his spit-roaster into the container that brought his property to the United Kingdom. It was Grant’s passion for hog-roasting and Scott’s want to own and use such a specific piece of cooking equipment, that led them down the path of designing and inventing the ultimate spit-roaster. An 800-pound monster that would spin a rhino effortlessly over a bed of hot coals.Of course any kind of animal can (and should) be fair game for spit-roasting. Whatever the creature, it is normally a time consuming exercise and a screw up can be costly! Perhaps to a greater degree than any other type of barbecuing or grilling, a spit-roast has the potential to be a great success, or an downright disaster. It needs exact preparation right from the purchase of the carcass to its serving - and enough of time for the roasting, and accompanying beer-drinking ritual! For the most part the rules of the game are fairly similar, but for purposes of example we will focus on roasting pigs and a hog roast.
May 30, 2009
Last Week, something dramatic happened on little old Hayling Island. an 8 m long Northern Bottlenose whale beached on some of the mudflats just north of Hayling in the adjoinging Langstone Harbour, Hampshire.
Upsettingly, the Northern Bottlenose had experienced severe dehydration, which caused it to be suffering from kidney failure, when it became entrapped on Saturday night.
There was a huge saving system, where individuals tried tirelessly to preserve the Northern Bottlenose’s life. At one point the trained medics felt that the had to issue a lethal injection to put the whale to sleep. Still, the whale then floated out to sea yet again. Unfortunately, it came back towards the land again and was then beached for a second and terminative time.
The medical officers decided that the only caring thing to do would be to supply the lethal injection, which they did on Friday morning. They used Immobilon, which was a very quick acting and lethal strength of anaesthetic.
If the mammal wasn’t put to sleep, the experts believe that it would have taken about two further days for the creature to die, during which it would have been sick and distressed.
It seemed bizarre that the 6 tonne mammalian, which is normally found about 3000 miles away, finished up here on Hayling Island, but it is another wonderful story that Hampshire’s Hayling Island brings to its history.
There were around a dozen firefighters, police, coastguard personnel as well as members of the Hayling Island harvour lifeboat staff involved in the attempt.
July 11, 2008
Most people love their pets and will always ensure their comfort. Pets make good company, and it is essential to take excellent care of all of them. Whatever is fascinating about your pet should make you take good care of it. Every pet needs to feed well, so understanding what your pet feeds on will help you follow the correct procedures to feeding it correctly.
In the case of sugar gliders, sugar gliders are omnivorous. For modern sugar gliders and pocket pets different feeding habits are required. There are a number of commercially processed foods for them that come in the form of pellets.
Sugar gliders need a considerable amount of fruits and vegetables, since they enjoy eating them a lot and so they can get their calcium requirements. If the food is not available, then you will need to substitute for it with cat food, but it has to be of a low fat variety, and also do not use too much - just enough until you get the recommended food.
Sugar gliders are used to warm climate, so when preparing your housing facility, take into consideration that they will need to be kept warm and dry. Another thing about sugar gliders is that they are very active, hence a lot of space is needed. Make the cage spacious enough and provide them something that they can hang on because they naturally like hanging.
Sugar gliders suffer from various diseases that are treatable: skin problems is one of them. They do not need vaccines, but it is important they be examined regularly so that if there is any disease it can be detected early and treated.
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June 29, 2008
If you, or a family member, received a kitten as a Christmas present there are many things you need to think about.
It is essential that you take the time to really consider whether or not you should neuter your cat. Because there are so many strays and so few homes for them, it is wise to really take the time to make sure that if you are going to keep your pet natural that you should keep him from reproducing.
Many of the feral cats out there are those that pet owners released simply because they could no longer care for them. A colony of them can easily spread diseases to pet cats and even dogs. Even when they are healthy they are often infested with fleas. Females that are in heat the colony of cats can cause quite a disturbance with all the crying and even fighting. Cats that are hungry can get into trash cans, ruin furniture on your patio and dig in soil in your flower beds.
Cats in heat often cause a lot of trouble and noise. Neutering or spraying cats can help to prevent many things including this. Female house cat in heat can pitifully mew at the door and then cats throughout the neighborhood will soon chime in. Cats that are not neutered have a tendency to ram far from home and they are likely to spray everything in their path.
These cats are also likely to get certain types of cancers as well. The cancers of the reproductive organs are very rare in cats that have been fixed. Unaltered cats can also develop several contagious reproductive diseases.
But, if you do have your cat altered, there are some down notes to take note of. For example, cats that are altered can compete in the show ring but even if he wins the championship he can not reproduce for you.
The humane society will alter kittens as young as eight weeks of age. Most vets will agree that it is healthier to do this to kittens at five to six months, though. If they are feral kittens how are trapped to be altered and then released back they can be done earlier.
Female kittens have a harder time with neutering than males do. Males can handle it at a younger age, then and you can wait until they are six months old to neuter your females.
Most cats have no problems with neutering but sometimes they can develop an infection for the incision. It is important to check the cat daily to insure that it is doing well with it. If the cat licks and chews at the stitches you’ll need to have the vet put on a surgery collar to keep the cat from reaching them. Female cats need to be confined indoors for up to five days after having the surgery.
Neutering your cat can keep the pet population under control. It will not necessary do anything to the cat’s temperament and it will not be a cruel event to the animal. It can be the responsible thing to do.
Niall Kennedy is a lifelong pet lover and has worked in several pet sanctuaries. Best Pet Health Information is a resource that brings you information about many aspects cat health. You will also find great deals for cat medication such as Frontline, Advantage, Revolution and Cosequin. www.Best-Pet-Health.info
Copyright Best-Pet-Health.info All rights reserved. This article may be reprinted in full so long as the resource box and the live links are included intact.
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June 8, 2008
In compiling some information on achieving a proper fit to the horse when purchasing a saddle I came across several “Rules of Thumb” to bear in mind. There’s a wealth of information available on the subject of saddle fitting, some of it contradictory. It’s easy for the first time (or even second time) saddle buyer to get confused . The following Rules of Thumb are designed to help a prospective buyer get pointed in the right direction.
The Rules :
Rule of Thumb #1: All saddles don’t fit all horses.
This would seem obvious, but the novice might buy a saddle with only the rider in mind. While it’s obvious that a Belgian, Quarterhorse, and Haflinger would each require a saddle of a different size this is still a good rule to keep in mind.
Rule of Thumb #2: Some western saddle (trees) fit most western or stock horses.
There is truth to this statement. A Western Saddle built on semi-quarter horse bars will fit most cow ponies and similarly an English saddle on a medium tree will fit most horses. Either way, you have maybe an 80% chance of success. But if you have to go through the hassle of returning a saddle or have to suffer with a poor fit those aren’t necessarily the best odds.
Rule of Thumb #3: If you purchase a saddle based on appearance alone, it won’t fit (Murphy’s Law applied to saddle buying).
Well, we all do things like this occasionally, probably more with automobiles than with saddles. It’s hard to turn down something that appeals to the eye. But most experienced horsemen and horsewomen wouldn’t buy based on looks alone - would we?
Rule of Thumb #4: Like other things in life, the more information you gather, the better your chance of success.
What this says is that if you’re going to purchase a saddle, the more you know about saddles and the more you know about the horse(s) in question, the better your chance of success (a good fit) will be. You needn’t be an expert - just take the time to learn a few things like, why fit is important, the basic parts of the saddle tree, etc..
A corollary to this rule is - find out what the saddle maker or retailer needs in the way of information to get you the saddle you need. If they don’t ask for some information find another retailer.
Rule of Thumb #5: If you don’t know a lot about horses, get someone who does to help you out.
Put another way - If you don’t know what you’re doing, don’t do too much of it. This is probably the best ruile for the novice to follow. Get a friend or aquaintance who knows a lot about horses, or your vet or your local outfitter - anyone you feel you can trust - to help you out. They can tell you what measurements to need to take or, by looking at the horse, whether you really need to take any. Getting some expert assistance can save you lots of grief downstream.
Rule of Thumb #6 (Golden Rule): You won’t know for sure if the saddle fits until you put it on the horse and go for a ride.
This rule has all sorts of implications. “Measuring” the horse for saddle fit can range from visual inspection to withers tracings to molds and high tech measuring devices. The more you measure the better the fit you are apt to achieve but at some point it can be overkill because you never achieve a “perfect fit”. The only way to validate good fit is to put the saddle on the horse and go for a ride.
More detailed information on saddle fit plus a number of related articles can be found at www.your-guide-to-gifts-for-horse-lovers.com/saddle.html.
Copyright © 2005 W. Savage. All Rights Reserved.
William “Bill” Savage, a retired, engineer lives on the Goose Bay Ranch in Montana where he spends time with family, horses, and his web site.
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June 2, 2008
A New Understanding of Allergies
Allergies of all kinds seem to be on the rise–both for people and for their pets. The exciting new science of Glycobiology points strongly to a common basis for many of these allergies; and the revolutionary new nutritional technology of glyconutrition, which has developed from this new science, is proving to be a very effective–and natural–way to help both pets and their owners get marked relief from their allergies.
A recent 12-year longitudinal study with people who began the study as young, healthy adults found that the functional level of their immune systems declined, on average, at the rate of about 3% per year. This rapid decline is correlated with a corresponding increase in the incidence of auto-immune diseases and a proliferation of allergies of all kinds–including allergies to pets.
Ironically, however, pets also are commonly afflicted with stubborn allergies that are a source of much distress–and expense–for their owners. And, very commonly–just as with their owners–medical interventions that mainly focus on treating the symptoms are quite ineffective.
The findings of Glycobiology suggest that this prevailing approach may be barking up the wrong tree, so to speak, and that a nutritional intervention that, instead, supplies the body with crucial micronutrients that are lacking is likely to be far more effective.
Glycobiology has now established that every cell in the mammalian body requires eight necessary sugar molecules in order to function effectively. These sugars combine with protein and fat molecules into glycoforms that attach themselves to the surfaces of every cell in the body. Under an electron microscope, they look like weird trees growing on the cell surface. One of their most important functions there is to allow cells to communicate effectively with each other.
To the degree that these “super sugars” are deficient, cell-to-cell communication tends to break down and some form of illness starts to develop.
An insufficiency of these sugar molecules is particularly disastrous for the immune system, because it causes the cells of the immune system to become, in effect, partially blind. These cells can then become over-reactive in attacking allergens of all kinds and even in attacking the tissues of the body; on the other hand, ironically, they may become under-reactive in attacking true pathogens that are serious threats to the body.
Unfortunately, six of these crucially-important sugar molecules are seriously lacking in the modern diet. They are commonly found, however, in vine-ripened fruits and vegetables and also in many of the wild foods that our stone-age ancestors consumed in abundance.
When these glyconutrients, as they are called technically (glyco from the Greek word for “sweet”), are provided in adequate quantity to the body through supplementation, all of the cells in the body start functioning much more effectively. This is especially true for cells in the immune system. As cell-to-cell communication improves in this system, it tends to become better modulated–that is, less likely either to over- or under-react. Correspondingly, allergies and auto-immune conditions tend to diminish or disappear.
Just as these crucial glyconutrients are lacking in the modern diet for humans, they are similarly deficient in nearly all commercial pet food, which is also loaded with artificial dyes, perservatives and additives. The ancestors of our canine and feline pets–just like our human ancestors–have spent eons eating wild, natural foods, and this is what their systems are designed for. It is only in the last several decades that they–along with their owners–have been exposed to commercially prepared foods, as well as the chemicals these foods contain - chemicals that their bodies (as well as ours) cannot tolerate. In addition, artificial ingredients in these foods can trigger an immune response that, quite literally, can make pets sick.
An Example of Applying this New Approach
The following true story illustrates just how effective glyconutrition can be in helping to restore balance to a pet’s over-reactive immune system.
Ted, a Golden Retriever, is the pride and joy of his owner, Mary. His chronic, severe ear infections and skin rash, therefore, distressed her very much. She consulted with various Veterinarians and tried every kind of treatment she heard of to get them under control. But nothing worked.
When a friend recommended glyconutritional supplements as a possible remedy, she was very skeptical. After giving Ted a teaspoon of glyconutritional powder, mixed with ice cream, once a day for about two weeks, however, his ear infections”and his skin rash”went away. Her skepticism continued, however, so she stopped giving it to him when her supply of these natural sugars ran out. Almost immediately, his ear infections and skin rash came back.
Still skeptical, Mary got some more of this product and resumed the previous regimen; and again, after just a few days, all of his symptoms went away. Around this time, a close friend and dog lover who knew Ted very well and who didn’t know that he was receiving this daily supplement, commented to Mary that she had never before seen his coat looking so healthy and shiny. And then, as they both observed Ted more closely, they noticed to their surprise, that he had grown eyelashes that he didnt have previously!
Ted then continued to be symptom-free for a period of several months. But then, once again, when the supplement supply ran out, Mary thought that he might not need it anymore. But, again, all of his symptoms quickly returned when she stopped giving it to him. She then quickly started him on this nutritional regimen once again, and this has continued to be a part of his daily diet to the present time”about two years since he first started. He remains completely free of his original symptoms and both he and his owner are delighted. After examining him, a Veterinarian who had treated him unsuccessfully for many years, was very impressed and decided to try this new nutritional approach with some of her other pet clients.
Impressive though they are, very similar results have been reported for animals subject to a wide array of health challenges that have also received glyconutrients. Some of these results have been presented on an audiotape by Arthur Young, DVM, a homeopathic Veterinarian with over 50 years experience. (Information about how to obtain a copy of this tape is available from the author.)
Anyone interested in learning more about glyconutrition–for their pets and/or for themselves–can do so by clicking on the URL below. It’s also possible to purchase glyconutritional supplements at this site.
George Shears
Retired Psychologists & Wellness Consultant
218-482-5287
http://www.MannaSpirit.com/GetWellNow
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May 21, 2008
We enjoy camping, and love to take our yellow lab, Kayla, along
with us. With Illinois currently as our home base, we’ve taken
her on trips as far away as California, Utah, New Mexico,
Colorado, Arizona, and South Carolina for wonderful camping
trips. Being prepared for road trips with your dog is very
important. And in this article I’d like to share some of the
things I’ve learned from our experiences.
Before you hit the road:
*There’s nothing worse than loading up the car and heading off
for a long-awaited family vacation, only to discover your
carsick dog is throwing up all over the back seat sixty miles
from home. So make sure your dog can handle long car trips well
before you leave town. Take you your dog on several “practice
runs” of varying time/distance, and if your dog does experience
car sickness, consult your vet about possible remedies, or
consider leaving your dog home.
*Speaking of the vet, we get print-outs of all our of dog’s most
recent records to take with us on the road. We do this in case
she has to visit a vet while we are away, and some kennels
require them for short-term boarding and/or grooming. And we
make sure she’s up to date on all of her vaccinations. If one
will expire while we are away, we make sure she gets it before
we leave, even if it’s early.
*If you’ll be staying in motels along the way, make sure you are
familiar with chains that accept dogs in the room. Don’t wait
until you are tired from a long drive to start looking for a
motel, because many won’t allow pets, and you could be searching
for quite a while. We do one of two things. Either we call ahead
and reserve a room at a motel we know accepts pets. Or we plan
to stay at a chain we know allows pets. Motel Six and Holiday
Inn have pretty broad acceptance policies, as do many Super 8’s
and Day’s Inn (though not all, so make sure you know which ones
do). Some motels will allow pets on an individual basis. Just
make sure you have travel guides, or have done internet
searches, so that you are know where you will be welcome with
your pet before you leave home. (For example, AAA guides list
which motels allow pets, and there are many pet-travel websites
that list them as well.)
*If you’ll be camping, make sure you know the rules for dogs in
campgrounds before you arrive. Most private and public
campgrounds will allow pets, but require them to be leashed at
all times. We have discovered that National Parks allow leashed
dogs in parking areas and paved walkways, but most won’t allow
them on hiking trails. Zion National Park has a 2 mile paved
trail on which dogs are allowed, and they welcome in their
campgrounds. Grand Canyon allows dogs on the paved “Rim” trail,
but not on hikes down into the canyon. Bryce Canyon allows dogs,
but only in cars on in parking areas. However, Red Rock Canyon
in the Dixie National Forest, near Bryce, allows dogs not only
in campgrounds, but also on all of their hiking trails (as long
as they are leashed). My advice is to find out before you go by
visiting web sites or calling ahead so that you aren’t
disappointed by the restrictions when you arrive.
What to bring:
*Kayla has her own “suitcase” - and whenever she sees us take it
out of the closet, she knows we are about to take her on a trip
(and she gets very excited). Here is what we keep in her bag:
1. A couple of towels (she’s a lab, likes to swim wherever she
sees water, so they are handy for drying her off, or if she has
an unexpected accident, throws up, etc.).
2. Plenty of plastic grocery bags for picking up after her while
on the road. One of the reasons pet owners are unwelcome in many
places is because they don’t pick up after their dogs in rest
areas, motel lawns, campgrounds, etc. So make sure you always
clean up after your dog.
3. A couple of filled water bottles and water dish. We offer
Kayla water at every rest stop, and occasionally even on the
road if she seems thirsty. Keep her hydrated. As much as dogs
love to travel, it can also be stressful for them.
4. Individual baggies of food portions, if her mealtimes will
occur on the road. We also include a few treats, to reward her
for being such a good girl in the car.
5. Chew toys/balls: Kayla doesn’t usually like to chew things
while we are driving, but some dogs do, and it helps alleviate
boredom.
6. We also bring wet wipes and paper towels, in case of any
spillage or accidents.
7. Bringing a dog bed of some sort is helpful because motels
don’t like dogs on the beds. If your dog uses their bed
regularly at home, it also brings something familiar along with
them. If it will fit, you might put it on the seat where the dog
will ride as well. The familiar scent is comforting, and offers
more comfortable ride for the dog.
*In addition to the items we bring in Kayla’s suitcase, we keep
her medical records in a safe place.
*Some dogs get pretty excited when traveling, and are hard to
restrain. This can cause dangerous situations for drivers. If
your dog has a hard time sitting still during the trip, you
might consider a dog harness which attaches to seat belts. There
are many out there, and make the trip safer for you, and more
comfortable for the dog (like when you make those sudden stops
or turns that throw the dog onto the floor).
While on the road:
*Frequent stops: We try to stop every couple of hours at a rest
stop. Normally Kayla doesn’t need to go potty that often at
home, but being in the car for long stretches can be stressful
and/or boring for a dog. So we stop more frequently to let her
get out and stretch her legs. She LOVES rests stops (all those
new smells) and sniffs every blade of grass she can. We find it
is good for us as well, because when we travel without her, we
stop very rarely. But with Kayla, we find our travel experience
more enjoyable because we get to take a break from driving and
stretch our legs too. Just remember to always pick up after your
dog. It’s the right thing to do, and in some places, it’s the
law.
*We don’t let Kayla stick her head out the window when we are
driving, particularly at high speeds. As much as dogs love doing
this, it can be harmful for them. Objects flying through the air
may strike their faces and do damage to eyes and ears. When we
do open the window to let her hang her head out, we do so only
at lower speeds.
*Never leave your pet alone in your motel room. It’s against
motel policy, and if a dog destroys objects in a room, you have
to pay for them. In addition, if a barking dog annoys other
guests, you may be asked to leave. If a motel has several
problems with pets, they may change their pet policy, so for
your sake and other pet lovers, always stay with your dog.
*On a warm or hot days, we try to never leave Kayla in our
parked car for long periods of time. On the rare occasions that
it’s unavoidable, we try to find shade and leave the windows
cracked, and get back as soon as possible. Most of the time we
can avoid leaving her alone by splitting up to do shopping and
other errands, always leaving one of us with her.
*Related to the suggestion above, we tend to eat “on the road.”
We get fast food or other take-out food while driving, and eat
it in the car so as not to leave Kayla unattended for long
periods. If we do go in to eat at a restaurant, we try to go
after dark, when the sun is down, and leave the window cracked.
Then one of us checks on her every half hour or so (particularly
when it’s very hot) and makes sure she has water and is doing
okay. Traveling in the cooler months makes this less necessary -
but if your dog is a barker it can quickly become a nuisance to
other patrons, so be respectful of them.
Other general suggestions:
*The reality is that sometimes while on the road, we like to
visit places Kayla isn’t allowed. So rather than leave her alone
at camp or in the car, what we do is check around at local
kennels for day boarding possibilities, or even overnight
boarding. For instance, we spent a day at Disneyland a few years
ago, and for $10, she was boarded at the Disney Kennels for the
day (she even got a certificate after her stay). On a rafting
trip in Colorado, we found another day kennel nearby where we
could leave her. And for an evening excursion, we know we can
leave her overnight. Sure she’ll miss us, and we’ll miss her.
But she’ll be safe and well cared for, which is what is most
important. (Be prepared that this is where you may need a copy
of her medical records - and make sure her Bordetella (Kennel
Cough) Vaccine is up to date.)
*Be patient with your pet. Traveling is an exciting experience
for them, but can also be stressful because you are removing
them from their regular routine. Just like children, they may
not behave as they normally do at home. Kayla tends to bark at
anyone who wanders near our campground, and is hard to handle on
her leash when we get anywhere near a river. Be calm and
consistent with your dog, understanding that this is a new
situation for them. And if it seems to be causing more problems
for you and your dog than it’s worth, you may have to consider
leaving your pet at home in the future. Hopefully that won’t
happen - but if it’s what is best for your beloved dog, then you
do have to keep it under consideration.
These are just a few suggestions I have from several trips with
our dog, Kayla. It certainly isn’t exhaustive, and I may add
things as they occur to me or I experience them in future
travels. But I hope the suggestions are helpful for you as you
consider traveling with you dog.
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