Books don’t always sell in direct relationship to how much their authors love them. Sometimes that’s for reasons outside of our control (such as the pet care book that came out just before Sept. 11, 2001), but there’s often no reason for it at all.
Two of our books, “bowWOW!: Curiously Compelling Facts, True Tales, and Trivia Even Your Dog Won’t Know” and its feline companion, “meowWOW!” (both from HCI, $14.95, 224 pages), remain our little, almost-forgotten favorites: bright, fun and interesting, with illustrations by Molly Pearce so wonderful that we have them framed in our offices. We loved researching and writing these two books. Some fun facts we found:
• Dogs have been taxed for centuries, but the idea of a tag to signify that a dog was “licensed” seems to date to the late 19th century, when Cincinnati started issuing tags on an annual basis, and other cities and states soon followed suit. Although wooden tags for soldiers were used in the U.S. Civil War to help identify the injured and the dead, it wasn’t until World War I that American soldiers got metal tags as standard issue. The resemblance between the tags of soldiers and of dogs (along with a good dollop of droll military humor) soon had the men calling them “dog tags” – a term that sticks to this day.
• The cat has one up on the lion: Cats purr, but lions cannot. (On the flip side: Lions roar, which cats can’t.) No big cat can get his motor running the way our household kitties can, purring constantly as effortlessly as breathing, both in and out. Tigers can rumble a tiger-sized purr-like sound, but on the exhale only.
• All dogs have pink tongues, with two notable exceptions: the Chow Chow and the Chinese Shar-Pei, both breeds with tongues variously described as “purple,” “black” or “blue-black.” Black spots on tongues are common in many dogs, and are not necessarily an indication that there’s a Chow Chow or Shar-Pei in the gene pool, however.
• Most cats have five toes on their front paws, but only four of them hit the ground. The fifth toe is found on the inside of the front paw. This “dewclaw” is the feline equivalent of our thumb, and it’s used for grasping prey and climbing trees. Any number of toes over the norm (usually an extra one or two, but occasionally as many as three or four) makes a cat polydactyl, which means “many fingers.” Polydactylism is a dominant genetic trait, which means just one polydactyl parent is enough to make a litter of polydactyl kittens.
• Helen Keller, the blind and deaf woman whose triumph over her disabilities made her an international sensation, was the first American to own an Akita dog.
• Cats can hear nearly three times more frequencies than humans can. For you technical types, a cat’s hearing stops at 80 kilohertz, a dog’s at 45 kHz, and a human’s at a pathetic 20 kHz. Because cats can rotate their ears and focus each ear independently, they also can hear well from all directions. A cat can rotate its outer ear to locate a sound – such as the sound of a mouse’s footsteps trying to sneak by – 10 times faster than a dog.
• The phrase “Beware of dog” is so old that its Latin equivalent – cave canem – has been found on signs in Roman ruins. The word “watchdog” isn’t quite as old, but it has been around a long, long time. The first mention of it? By Shakespeare, in “The Tempest.”
• Cats’ heads come in three basic shapes: round, such as on the fluffy Persians; triangular, such as on the sleek, show-bred Siamese and other so-called “Oriental” breeds; and rec-tangular, such as on the burly Maine Coon. Most random-bred cats tend more toward the triangular head, albeit a less extreme version than on the show-quality Siamese.
• One final one, just for summer: The “dog days” of summer have nothing to do with dogs and everything to do with the brightest star in the night sky: Sirius, the constellation also known as the “dog star” that’s highly visible during some of the hottest weeks of the year.
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Hidden Gem from San Diego Humane Society
Posted on August 31st, 2012As a huge supporter of the San Diego Humane Society and finding animals a forever home, Clear the Air would like to share a Hidden Gem in need of a home.
Cindercol is Simply Irresistible!
Cindercol is a beautiful, 2-year old female feline, whose personality size is only exceeded by the size of her heart. This pretty kitty is sure to keep you endlessly entertained with her playfulness and enthusiasm for life, and her sweet sassiness is a bit contagious. One can’t help but imagine the letters of Cindercol’s name lighting up some margue on Broadway, such is the charisma and vibrance of this cat’s personality! And boy-oh-boy, does this kitty love attention! Whether it’s a well-earned chin scratch, some rousing playtime with a toy, or engaging in a leisurely conversation about your day, Cindercol is happy as long as she’s with you!
During our Pick Your Purrfect Price promotion YOU can determine Cindercol’s fee, which includes her spay, current vaccinations, permanent microchip identification, a certificate for a free veterinary exam, and a license if residing in Oceanside or Vista!
For more information about this lovable gem of a kitty, or if you’d like to meet her, please contact Customer Service at (619) 299-7012 or stop by our Gaines Campus.
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Veterinary Care For Cats Is Important
Posted on August 22nd, 2012Did you know there are approximately 10 million more cats than dogs sharing the homes and hearts with kitty aficionados?
Based on these figures we can speculate that cats as pets may be more popular than dogs. But when it comes to routine veterinary care, dogs receive the lion’s share. With the numbers of cats living in households far exceeding those of dogs, according to a survey conducted by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), 58 % of dogs receive these all important exams, as opposed to just 28% of our beloved felines. So what may be some of the reasons for this unseemly discrepancy?
Many cat owners believe that cats don’t need medical care. This misinformation is often based on the myth that cats are more self-sufficient, but more importantly symptoms of disease often go unnoticed since cats tend to hide signs of illness. Dogs may also be considered more “dependent” and needier than felines.
Fortunately for felines, Wednesday, August 22 celebrates National Take your Cat to the Vet Day, a special day that emphasizes the necessity of routine veterinary care for cats. And as the age equivalent of one year in cats is between five and seven years, annual veterinary wellness examinations are an essential part of their care. And as our kitties reach their senior years, semi-annual wellness visits are highly recommended.
Evaluating your cat’s overall health is at the core of a regular wellness examination. The wellness exam is the ideal opportunity for your veterinarian to become aware of any health problems before they evolve into serious illnesses. Your veterinarian will weigh your kitty, listen to your cat’s heart and lungs, and give your kitty a thorough dental exam. If this is your cats first visit to a new clinic, a complete medical history will be taken by a veterinary technician, or the practitioner.
Be sure to advise the veterinarian of any health issues that you have noticed in your cat, such as “odd” behavior”, coughing, a decrease or increase of appetite, frequent urination, vomiting, diarrhea or constipation, coughing, weight loss or gain, sluggishness, or excessive and/or loud vocalization.
During the wellness exam your vet may suggest that your kitty receive routine diagnostic tests, which include blood-work, urine analysis and/or x-rays in order to make a complete analysis of your pet’s health.
In order to help maintain the good health of your senior cat, AAHA offers some excellent guidelines for both cat guardians and veterinarians to consider.
And even though your kitty may appear perfectly healthy right now, if it’s been more than a year since your cat received a routine check-up, this is an ideal time to make an appointment to celebrate National Take your Cat to the Vet Day. Several veterinary clinics may be offering special discounts to help make wellness examinations for cats more affordable.
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San Diego Humane Society’s Hidden Gem, Poodie
Posted on August 17th, 2012Check out one of the Hidden Gem from The San Diego Humane Society.
Poodie…Talk About a CUTIE!!
Poodie is a 4-year old Border Collie/American Pit Bull Terrier mix who is as gentle and sweet as they come! She has it all: brains, looks, kindness…you simply can’t go wrong with a doggie like Poodie at your side. While Poodie can be a bit shy at first, once she’s had some time to get comfortable with her surroundings, she will be quick to show you how unbelievably loving & affectionate she is.
And did I mention her smarts?! She knows a bunch of impressive tricks: sit, down, shake, stay, and come …just to name a few. In addition to flexing her brain muscles, Poodie enjoys snuggling, taking in the tranquil sights and sounds around her as she goes on walks, and spending special playtime with a canine companion. In fact, Poodie would love to go to a home where she might have a doggie friend to play with.
Poodie’s adoption fee of $75 includes her spay, current vaccinations, permanent microchip identification, and a certificate for a free veterinary exam!
If you would like to arrange an introduction or get more information about this amazing gem of a dog, please contact Customer Service at (619) 299-7012.
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Stop Your Dog From Urinating In The House
Posted on August 10th, 2012No more dog urine in the house.
House training is a challenging part of dog ownership, and some breeds of dogs are more resistant to house training than others. Dogs urinate in the house due to inadequate house training, anxiety and the lingering smell of urine.
Dogs will also urinate inside if they are forced to wait too long to go outside. You can effectively house train your dog using positive, reward-based methods.
Follow these steps to house train your dog effectively:
Put your dog in a crate when you are not supervising it or are not home. Dogs are unlikely to soil the area in which they sleep unless it’s a true emergency, so keeping your dog in a crate deters it from urinating inside. Every time your dog urinates inside this encourages it to continue doing so, so preventing accidents is the first step in proper house training.
Take your dog outside at least every two hours when you first begin house training. You should also take your dog out when you get home, before you leave, after eating or drinking, after playtime and when your dog wakes up. When your dog urinates outside, praise him lavishly, click the training clicker and give your dog a treat. This teaches your dog to associate going outside with receiving a reward and will increase the frequency with which the dog goes outside.
Take your dog outside immediately if he has an accident. This helps your dog develop an association between urinating and being outside, and will discourage future accidents.
Remove the scent of urine from any places where your dog has urinated by using Clear the Air Odor Eliminator for Carpet/Furniture. Dogs are driven by scent and are far more likely to urinate in areas that smell like urine.
You can order our products online at www.cleartheair.com. We currently have a promotion for the month of August: Buy 2 Get 2 Free of our Carpet/Furniture Odor Eliminator. Simply add 4 canisters to your shopping cart, enter “carpetodor” into the redemption code and the price of two canisters is automatically taken away from your total.
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Dogs Can Get Sunburned Too
Posted on August 6th, 2012Did you know your dog is susceptible to getting sunburned?
Just like humans, dogs can get sunburned. This is especially true of light coated short hair dogs and breeds like Shar Peis, white Pit Bulls, and Chinese Crested Hairless dogs.
All dogs, even ones with thick coats, can get sunburn too. The areas to be mindful of are the ears, nose, and around the eyes, where the coat is often thinner. These areas are usually lighter in pigment and are frequently exposed to direct sunlight.
When using sunblock on dogs, it is usually a good idea to use a child’s sunscreen which contains avobenzone, a UVA blocker, and octisalate, a UVB blocker. It is usually a good idea to avoid using sunscreens containing zinc oxide which can be harmful if ingested. In addition to using sunblock, you can pick up clothes for dogs with UV protection. Another popular item that protects a dog’s face is a sun visor. Dogs can get sunburned even in the winter if the sun is strong.
Long walks and fun times at the dog park are encouraged, but beware of high temperatures. In general, once it gets above 85 degrees, dog owners should use caution when exercising their dog outdoors. For most dogs, moderate activity for 30 minutes is safe. If the temps exceed 95 degrees, it’s probably best for both of you to skip the outdoor workout until it cools down.
During the summer months, try to walk or jog in the early morning or evenings or seek shady trails. If your dog begins to have rapid or labored breathing, begins to resist walking, or acts depressed, your dog may be overheating. In these cases, stop, rest, and rehydrate. This doesn’t mean you should stop exercising just because your dog is panting; you need to closely watch your pet to determine if the panting is excessive or abnormal. If in doubt, take a break and cool down.
Always be sure to take water with you when you exercise with your dog in warm weather. There are many styles of portable dog bowls that are convenient to carry.
In any type of circumstance, use caution when exercising your dog and make sure he/she is in good health.
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Clear the Air Will Help Sell or Rent Your House Faster
Posted on August 2nd, 2012Trying to Sell or Rent?
Property management companies and Real Estate Brokers and Agents deal with odor issues on a routine basis. Cigarette, pet, musty/mildew, dead rodent, and cooking odors are most common and make a home harder to sell or rent.
Real Estate is often slow selling/renting or discounted due to odor issues. It has been reported that approximately 5-10% of all listing have odor issues that may impact the sale. Clear The Air Odor Eliminators are an easy, inexpensive way to solve the problem and get your property sold or rented.
Clear The Air Odor Eliminators are an easy, inexpensive way to solve the problem and get your property sold or rented. Clear the Air does not have to come into contact with the odor producer; it will pull the odors from the carpet pad, and sub-floor. Clear The Air draws in odors like a powerful magnet. The odors are adsorbed, and neutralized without any fragrances. Clear The Air does not cover up odors; it literally “clears the air” leaving the air fresh and clean. Clear The Air is made from an all natural mineral, is non toxic and biodegradable and safe for Planet Earth. It is also safe around children and pets even if eaten.
Check out how to eliminate odors in a house:
- Hang 1 or 2 bags in each room that has odor. Some air circulation is best. One bag covers approximately 100 square feet. Bags will last approximately 3 months; we suggest leaving them up until house is sold/rented.
- If you have pet urine odors in the carpet (including cat urine) sprinkle Clear The Air Odor Eliminator for Cat Urine on carpet, tile, concrete, furniture, or any other surface. Leave down overnight; sweep or vacuum up and odor will be completely eliminated. One canister covers approximately 100 square feet.
- If you have odors outside on lawn or shrubs sprinkle Clear The Air Odor Eliminator for Lawns down. Leave down indefinitely, Clear The Air is an excellent nitrogen soil amendment. One canister covers approximately 100 square feet.
- If you have a dead rodent odor please click How to Eliminate Dead Rodent Odors PDF
- Many agents keep a case of bags in their trunk.
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Tick Removal For Your Pets
Posted on July 30th, 2012Removing ticks from your pets – what you need to know!
Ewe, it is flea and tick season! Keep fleas and ticks away with our helpful tips.
Need help on removing those pesky ticks your dog and cat pick up from outside? Check out ASPCA’s article:
So, you’ve found a tick on your pet—how do you deal with it? While it’s important to get these little suckers off quickly, ASPCA veterinarians advise that you stay calm and don’t rush it. Moving too fast when removing a tick could potentially create more problems, both for your pet and for you.
While the following instructions employ tweezers, be aware that there are some very good products on the market designed specifically for safe tick removal. If you live in a tick-heavy area or are taking your pets to a place where they are likely to get ticks, it’s a good idea to buy one of these tools and have it on hand. They generally work better than tweezers at getting out the whole tick, and are relatively inexpensive.
Step-by-Step Tick Removal Instructions
Step 1—Prepare its Final Resting Place – Throwing a tick in the trash or flushing it down the toilet will not kill it, and it’s actually best to hold on to it for awhile for veterinary testing in case your pet falls ill from the bite. Be ready with somewhere to put the tick after you’ve removed it—the best option is a screw-top jar containing some rubbing alcohol.
Step 2—Don’t Bare-Hand It – Put on latex or rubber gloves so you’ll never have direct contact with the tick or your pet’s bite area. Ticks can carry infective agents that may enter your bloodstream through breaks in your skin or through mucous membranes (if you touch your eyes, nostrils or mouth).
Step 3—Grab a Partner – You don’t want your pet squirming away before you’re finished, so if possible, have a helper on hand to distract, soothe or hold her still.
Step 4—The Removal – Treat the bite area with rubbing alcohol and, using a pair of tweezers, grasp the tick as close to the animal’s skin as possible. Pull straight upwards with steady, even pressure. Place the tick in your jar.
- Do not twist or jerk the tick! This may leave the mouth-parts embedded in your pet, or cause the tick to regurgitate infective fluids.
- Do not squeeze or crush the body of the tick, because its fluids (saliva and gut contents) may contain infective organisms.
Step 5—All that Remains – Sometimes, in spite of doing everything right, a tick’s mouth-parts will get left behind in your pet’s skin. If the area doesn’t appear red or inflamed, the best thing to do is to disinfect it and not to try to take the mouth-parts out. A warm compress to the area might help the body expel them, but do not go at it with tweezers.
Step 6—Clean Up – Thoroughly disinfect the bite site and wash your hands with soap and water (even though you were wearing gloves). Sterilize your tweezers with alcohol or by carefully running them over a flame.
Step 7—Keep Watch – Over the next few weeks, closely monitor the bite area for any signs of localized infection. If the area is already red and inflamed, or becomes so later, please bring your pet—and your jarred tick—to your veterinarian for evaluation.
From: http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/pet-care-tips/how-to-remove-a-tick-from-your-pet.aspx
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Dog Care Tips
Posted on July 26th, 2012If you are new to dog ownership or have had dogs all your life, there are some crucial tips which every dog owner needs to be aware of and sometimes reminded of.
While dogs are fun and loyal creatures, they can also be complex. It takes a fair amount of understanding to care for dogs—one that requires a lot more effort than just feeding them every day. Check out our helpful dog care tips:
- Stay away from unhealthy additives: During your search, you’ll find lots of pet products that have been manufactured out of low quality ingredients and enhanced with artificial sweeteners. Avoid such option. Before you buy a product, go through the nutritional label to find out exactly what it contains. Search for foods that are manufactured from healthy protein sources such as chicken or beef. Avoid foods that contain high percentages of bone meal.
- Don’t ignore fleas or ticks: Combined, fleas and ticks form a larger percentage of most canine health problems. Dogs that play outdoors are highly susceptible to these. Pay attention to your dog. If left untreated, ticks can go on to cause severe conditions such as anemia. Your dog may also spread the fleas and ticks to other members of the home.
- Give your dog somewhere cool to relax: Don’t just assign any resting place for your dog. Pick a spot in your home where your dog will get enough protection from the heat. Dogs are more prone to heat strokes than humans. Ensure that your dog gets enough water during the day, especially during the warmer months. Design a regular feeding schedule. This will help when the dog is being housebroken.
- Stock up on pet supplies and equipment: For the best living experience, take the time to get everything that you might need. For instance, it’s always advisable that you get your dog a collar. It doesn’t have to be very stylish but it should at least be comfortable. You can also get feeding bowls and pet wash supplies to make grooming easier.
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Tick Removal for your Pets
Posted on July 20th, 2012Removing ticks from your pets.
Ewe, it is flea and tick season! Need help on removing those pesky ticks your dog and cat pick up from outside? Check out ASPCA’s article:
So, you’ve found a tick on your pet—how do you deal with it? While it’s important to get these little suckers off quickly, ASPCA veterinarians advise that you stay calm and don’t rush it. Moving too fast when removing a tick could potentially create more problems, both for your pet and for you.
While the following instructions employ tweezers, be aware that there are some very good products on the market designed specifically for safe tick removal. If you live in a tick-heavy area or are taking your pets to a place where they are likely to get ticks, it’s a good idea to buy one of these tools and have it on hand. They generally work better than tweezers at getting out the whole tick, and are relatively inexpensive.
Step-by-Step Tick Removal Instructions
Step 1—Prepare its Final Resting Place – Throwing a tick in the trash or flushing it down the toilet will not kill it, and it’s actually best to hold on to it for awhile for veterinary testing in case your pet falls ill from the bite. Be ready with somewhere to put the tick after you’ve removed it—the best option is a screw-top jar containing some rubbing alcohol.
Step 2—Don’t Bare-Hand It – Put on latex or rubber gloves so you’ll never have direct contact with the tick or your pet’s bite area. Ticks can carry infective agents that may enter your bloodstream through breaks in your skin or through mucous membranes (if you touch your eyes, nostrils or mouth).
Step 3—Grab a Partner – You don’t want your pet squirming away before you’re finished, so if possible, have a helper on hand to distract, soothe or hold her still.
Step 4—The Removal – Treat the bite area with rubbing alcohol and, using a pair of tweezers, grasp the tick as close to the animal’s skin as possible. Pull straight upwards with steady, even pressure. Place the tick in your jar.
- Do not twist or jerk the tick! This may leave the mouth-parts embedded in your pet, or cause the tick to regurgitate infective fluids.
- Do not squeeze or crush the body of the tick, because its fluids (saliva and gut contents) may contain infective organisms.
Step 5—All that Remains – Sometimes, in spite of doing everything right, a tick’s mouth-parts will get left behind in your pet’s skin. If the area doesn’t appear red or inflamed, the best thing to do is to disinfect it and not to try to take the mouth-parts out. A warm compress to the area might help the body expel them, but do not go at it with tweezers.
Step 6—Clean Up – Thoroughly disinfect the bite site and wash your hands with soap and water (even though you were wearing gloves). Sterilize your tweezers with alcohol or by carefully running them over a flame.
Step 7—Keep Watch – Over the next few weeks, closely monitor the bite area for any signs of localized infection. If the area is already red and inflamed, or becomes so later, please bring your pet—and your jarred tick—to your veterinarian for evaluation.
From: http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/pet-care-tips/how-to-remove-a-tick-from-your-pet.aspx
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Dog and Cats and Their Facts
Posted on July 17th, 2012Fun facts about dogs, cats – and stars