Archive for the ‘Blog’ Category

Five Important Facts About Heartworm

From ARAcontent.com:

With warm weather here, pets as well as people are spending more time outdoors. But is your pet protected from one of the most common – and deadly – diseases?

A nationwide survey of more than 5,000 veterinary hospitals was recently completed by the American Heartworm Society (AHS) to gauge the incidence of heartworm disease in the United States. The sad news: While effective and affordable heartworm preventives for dogs and cats have been available for decades, the 2010 AHS survey documented heartworm in each of the contiguous United States and Hawaii – as well as in almost every county and parish.

If you’re a pet owner, here are five facts you should know about heartworm disease:

1. Blame the mosquito. Pets don’t infect each other, they require a go-between: the mosquito. More than 20 species of mosquitoes are known to spread heartworm, and they can carry the infected larvae for miles, even transmitting the disease from wild animals (such as coyotes) to pets. And while mosquito repellents are a good idea for reducing mosquito numbers, they don’t take the place of monthly heartworm preventives. All it takes is for one infected mosquito to bite your dog or cat, and even the best mosquito repellent won’t provide adequate heartworm protection.

2. Your pet can’t escape the threat of heartworm disease. Heartworm incidence has been documented in all 50 states. That’s why the American Heartworm Society guidelines recommend that all U.S. pets be given heartworm preventive on a monthly basis, and dogs be tested annually for heartworm.

3. Cats get heartworm disease, too. Dogs are more susceptible than cats, but cats can become seriously ill from just a few worms. The bottom line: if you live in an area where heartworm disease in dogs is prevalent, your cat should get preventive medication, too.

4. Pets need more than “fair-weather” friends. While spring is when many pets are tested for heartworm, the American Heartworm Society recommends that pets be protected from this deadly parasite year-round. Between varying weather conditions, warm microclimates that form protective pockets where mosquitoes can survive and frequent travel with pets, limiting heartworm protection to warm-weather months can be a risky proposition.

5. Prevention beats the cure any day. Dogs with heartworm disease can and should be treated, but the cost is significant; treating a dog can cost more than $1,000 and dogs need careful monitoring and cage confinement for a month or more. Meanwhile, there is no effective medication for treating cats with heartworm disease. The good news: prevention, which is available for both dogs and cats, is a fraction of the cost of treatment and is much easier on your pet.

Only a veterinarian can ensure your pet is getting optimal protection from heartworm. For more information, talk to your veterinarian or visit www.heartwormsociety.org.

Garden Insects: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

From greenstrides.com:
Article by Joyce Benson  

Knowing which bugs are beneficial, and which ones are pests, goes hand-in-hand with natural, non-toxic gardening.  Whether you have a fruit and vegetable garden or a flower garden, a little knowledge about the creepy crawlies and flying insects that kill pests will keep your garden blooming without the use of harsh chemicals.

Synthetic yard and garden chemicals can’t tell the difference between pests and beneficial insects, and therefore kill both.  Plus, pesticides are dangerous for you, your kids and pets, other animals and the environment.  Read on to learn more about organic gardening and the natural enemies of pests.

Beneficial insects that control pests can be classified into the following groups:

1. Parasitoids attach themselves to a pest and ultimately kill it.  Some “female parasitoids may also kill many pests by direct feeding on the pest eggs and immatures”.  Many are wasps or flies.
2. Pathogens carry diseases that kill pests and are labeled in spray form as microbial insecticides, biorational or bio-insecticides.  Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), is a common pathogen.  Pathogens typically target specific pests.
3. Predators include lady beetles, true bugs, lacewings, flies, midges, spiders, wasps, and predatory mites which kill pests.
4. Weed Feeders consume exotic and invasive weeds that choke out native plant species.

Simply planting specific types of flowers in your garden will attract beneficial insects, such as lady bugs, lacewings, minute pirate bugs, stink bugs (some species, such as the Spined Soldier Bug and the Two-spotted Stink Bug), assassin bugs, hover flies, paper wasps and many kinds of parasitic wasps.  Flowers to include are: coriader (cilantro), dill (especially ‘Bouquet’ variety), fennel, caraway, alyssum, flowering buckwheat, black-eyed susans, dwarf sunflowers and yarrow.

To learn more about individual beneficial insects, including photos, click here.  For more information about pests, including pictures, visit the National Gardening Association website.

Turning 5 Outdoor Chores into Summer Fun with the Kids

From shine.yahoo.com:
Article by Charlene Prince Birkeland

Whether it’s cleaning the windows or washing the car, you still have chores to do while the kids are on summer break. There’s no reason you can’t get the family involved in the your outdoor chores. We’ve  five outdoor chores into games that are perfect for the under-8 crowd. Check ‘em out!

• Silly Sweeping: Using outdoor chalk, have your kids draw a circle on the ground. The circle is their target. Each child must sweep leaves, tree droppings, whatever they find on the ground, into their circle. Whoever has the largest pile at the end of a set time limit wins!

• Plant Showers:  Using scissors, poke 5-8 holes in an aluminum pie tin. Fill a container with water (clean plastic milk or juice bottles work well because of the have handles). Let your little ones hold the pie tin over plants or flowers, pour water into the tin and “shower” the plants and flowers.

• Gold Panning in the Garden: My son came up with this twist on Plant Showers. You’ll still need an aluminum plant tin, but instead of just pouring showers on plants, your kids will be panning for gold — or other treasures. Fill a large plastic container with fake gold pebbles or other shiny gems (found at craft stores), light dirt and water. Your child can scoop the mixture out with the pie tin. They drip the water onto the plants while shaking the tin for treasure!

• Super Soaker Car Wash: Most little kids love the opportunity to wash the car. The chance to steal the water hose from mom or dad and spray them with water naturally elicits extreme giggles. But what if you turn that car wash into a real water game? Use water blasters and all the other fun water toys your kids have to wash the car.

• Window Washers: After leaving fingerprints all over your front windows and glass doors, get the kids to help you clean them up! Give your kids a squirt bottle filled with a 50/50 mix of vinegar and warm water, and pieces of newspaper. After squirting the vinegar/water mix on glass, they can dry it off by crumpling up a piece of newspaper and rubbing it on wet window. No streaks! (Also? You’re kids are giving their gross and fine motor skills a workout!)

For Some Baltimore Employees, Every day is Take Your Dog to Work Day

From baltimoresun.com:
Article by Jill Rosen

Ever-prepared, executive assistant Marian Smith stocks her desk with all the trappings of a modern office: Paper clips. Sticky notes. Pup-Peroni.  That last one? It’s the only thing Smith’s officemates at the Maryland Institute College of Art actually beg for.

Coscimo, for instance, a white bichon, regularly wanders from one vice provost’s office to join Smith for snacks — his little coffee break. And there’s the rescue dog that’s a regular in the alumni relations department. Or Budge, the aptly named pit bull that barely moves from under the desk of the guy who manages the school’s publications.

Though most companies still forbiddogs, on the nation’s 13th annual Take Your Dog to Work Day, which takes place Friday, officials say the workplace is warming toward pets. According to a recent survey by the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, about one in five companies allows pets. And 3 percent of dog owners have brought theirs to work up to a couple of dozen times.

And it’s not just mom-and-pop gift shops withcats in the window.

Dogs are now welcome at mega-corporations including Amazon and Google. Lobbyists in California only wish they could hit as many high-level shindigs as Gov. Jerry Brown‘s corgi. Even at North Carolina’s Replacements Ltd., the nation’s largest vendor of china and crystal, pets accompany the workers who tend to the fragile merchandise.

The growing allure of the office dog can be attributed to money, suspects Jennifer Fearing, a former economist for The Humane Society of the United States and co-author of a book about creating a dog-friendly workplace. It’s an inexpensive perk that goes a long way with the workforce.

“Most dog owners feel guilty about leaving them alone all day and feel tension between trying to get what we want done at work and being the guardian to our dogs we think they deserve,” says Fearing, who’s now the Humane Society’s California director. “From an employer standpoint in this era of benefit cutting, this is something employees value, but costs us nothing to provide.”

In the Baltimore region, dogs are hardly an office staple, but companies that welcome them include IMRE Communications in Baltimore County, the Timonium home theater installer Gramophone and the Inner Harbor yachting firm Marinalife.

At MICA, one of the Baltimore-area’s larger pet-friendly organizations, 150 dogs, cats and even a rabbit or two have permission to roam campus, allowed pretty much anywhere, except eating areas, residence halls, libraries and computer labs, where fur could do a number on expensive equipment.

To be on campus, a pet must be registered and wear a school ID badge shaped like a bone on its collar.

MICA faculty and staff who take advantage of the privilege — and many of their co-workers that don’t — say having pets around makes the office a happier, more collegial place. Even the college’s president, Fred Lazarus, has been known to bring his two Jack Russell terriers to the office — where they’re likely to run into Vice Provost Jan Stinchcomb’s bichon, whom most folks just call Cosmo or The Cos.

“It keeps things human and provides a sense of the simple,” says Stinchcomb, who’s brought Cosmo to work so often, people wonder where he is if an executive meeting starts without him. “The informality of allowing it is something people really like. Well, I’m sure some don’t. But I do. It adds humor and fun.”

Read the rest of this article at http://www.baltimoresun.com/features/pets/bs-ae-pets-at-work-20110623,0,3422868.story

Fancy Summer Fun and Games

From CNN.com:
Article by Stephanie Steinberg

Summer has barely begun, but are you already bored and dreaming of fun things to do? How about climbing up an inflatable iceberg, riding an ATV through dunes or continue dreaming while swinging on a state-of-the-art hammock.

Unusual summer toys and outdoor decor might not be necessary, but they look like they could provide hours of fun and relaxation.

Take the 14-foot Iceberg Climb Slide Wall Mountain.

Hundreds of people buy inflatable toys like the iceberg each summer, according to sales associate Elizabeth Herrera at CozyDays Inc., which sells the iceberg, water trampoline and large rafts. The inflatables are so popular this time of year the company often runs out of stock, she said.

Most buyers of big inflatables live on lakes, according to CozyDays spokesman Ken Ozturan. Though devices can be anchored in the ocean, Ozturan says the ocean is “too unpredictable with winds and waves, which makes it harder to handle large inflatable rafts.”

12 most beautiful lakes in the world

Families that would rather stay dry and have an adventure on land can splurge on motorized vehicles such as All Terrain Vehicles, Recreation Utility Vehicles and scooters.

Joe Bromley, director of racing for the American Motorcyclist Association, says ATVing is a sport in which the whole family can get involved. Serious ATVers can enter races around the country, but riders who just want to feel the wind through their hair can breeze through local or state parks with designated ATV trails.

10 epic train journeys

The cost to buy an ATV ranges from $1,000 for a vehicle fit for a 6-year-old to $7,000 for the most “elaborate” kind, Bromley said.

Sales of RUVS have exploded the past five years, according to Sean Alexander, a spokesman for Kawasaki Motor Corp. U.S.A., which sells RUVS, ATVs and Jet Skis. The four-wheel drive features allow the vehicles to travel over rough terrains, including beaches, deserts, mountains and even snow.

“This means they sell well from Florida to Alaska and everywhere in-between, Alexander said.

The one place you can’t easily drive an RUV: the city.

“Obviously, being off-road, they do not do well in the city, so dealers in suburbs and rural settings sell more of them than dealers in Manhattan,” Alexander said.

Besides having all the latest recreational toys, consumers are burning cash on high-end outdoor decor for the season. Plush outdoor daybeds with canopies that block the sun are the item to own for homeowners looking for comfort.

Steve Reisman, CEO of Neoteric Luxury in Miami, says daybeds have risen in popularity the past few years. He attributes the spike to a growing awareness about skin cancer and the dangers of UV rays.

Sun-blocking clothing styles

“These days the philosophy is not to stay in the sun,” he said.

All Neoteric products are UV protected and made with heavy, long-lasting materials such as polypropylene, which don’t release toxins when exposed to heat. The furniture ranges in price from about $3,000 to $14,000 for canopy daybeds.

Then there’s the Puzzle Set that’s taken seating to a whole new level.

Nine pieces, including five chairs, two lounges and two tables, fit into the foam square that can be taken to the beach or stored by the pool.

Debuting in Paris in September, the Puzzle Set — available for $18,170 — has sold in Europe, Israel and Australia and has had “great success,” according to EGO Paris spokeswoman Nathalie Jacquemin.

Preventing Pet Injuries During the July 4 Holiday

Help Identifying What’s “Bugging You”

From insectidentification.org:

There are over 1 million identified species of insects and spiders (Arthropods) in the world today with many more still awaiting categorization and discovery. As ancient as time itself, insects offer up an mostly forgone and, often times, misunderstood existence in regards to our fragile ecosystem. In short, without their being here among us, we surely would and could not exist in the way that we do. InsectIdentification.org attempts to provide an understanding of common North American insects and spiders.

Go to http://www.insectidentification.org/ and use the BugFinder to find out which pest is bugging you!

Consumers Continue to Pamper Their Pets

From drugstorenews.com:
Article by Barbara White- Sax

Consumers may have tightened their belts in the current economy, but they aren’t skimping when it comes to their pets. The American Pet Products Association’s annual review of spending data revealed that overall spending in the pet category grew more than 6% to more than $48 billion in 2010.

More Americans own pets than ever before. The APPA said that the number of U.S. households that own a pet has increased by 2.1% to an all-time high of 72.9 million. And those pet owners are pampering their pets. Dog owners spend the most on their pets — an average of $364 a year. In 2010, there was a 30% gain in dollars spent on dog gifts, according to the APPA.

The APPA projected overall pet spending will increase 5% to exceed $50 billion in the coming year.

Pet owners are hungry for the “next big thing,” according to Bob Vetere, president of APPA. Pet foods offering more complete and balanced diets have grabbed a bigger share of the pet food market. Pet owners also are purchasing more pet health and beauty care products, including mouthwash and electric toothbrushes for dogs.

The APPA predicted strong growth for programmable feeding and drinking systems, automatic and battery-operated toys, self-cleaning litter boxes and self-warming pet mats.

http://www.drugstorenews.com/article/consumers-continue-pamper-their-pets

shoo!TAG Featured in Fetch Magazine

Ideas and Innovations in the Pet Industry
From fetchmag.com

Article by Pamela Stace
June 20, 2011

Sometimes, with a little luck, some brilliant thinking and a lot of hard work, good ideas become great innovations. 

Two cases in point are the Thundershirt and Shoo!tag, created and developed by companies which were founded and are run by real people who solved real problems.  Both of these award-winning, U.S. based companies are committed to making the world a better place for pets and people.  Both companies have websites that represent and explain their products.

The Shoo!tag story began when two organically minded sisters wanted a safe, earth-friendly alternative to the pesticides that they were using on their cow.  They eventually created a product that protects people and animals (including dogs) from unwanted insect pests without toxic chemicals.  It took about a year and a half of research and development before the first Shoo!tag appeared on the market two and a half years ago.
Shoo!tags “utilize an understanding of nature’s energetic principles in combination with physics and quantum physics, as well as advanced computer software”.  What exactly does that mean?  Well, just as the magnetic strip on a credit card is encoded with specific information, there is a three dimensional electromagnetic field embedded in the Shoo!tag.  Shoo!tag uses the energy field that a animal emits, then adds other frequencies that repel insects.  Although they don’t actually kill insect pests, these frequency barriers disturb and confuse the pests.  Essentially, the pests don’t want to be anywhere near the Shoo!tag wearer.  Because each patented, waterproof Shoo!tag is species and pest-specific, the company offers tags for humans, dogs, cats, horses, and cows.  Dog Shoo!tags repel fleas, ticks, mosquitoes or flies.  The human/mosquito Shoo!tag is the company’s best seller.

The inventors wanted to ensure that the tag could stand the test of time and remain competitive with other treatments on the market. So they found ways to bring the price as low as possible, and added a 30-day money-back guarantee. To honor their environmental values, the company recycles used product, or re-encodes the tags for distribution to shelters or rescue organizations.  To remain viable as business owners, Shoo!tag continues to test and refine their products.

The Thundershirt Company was founded by Phil Blizzard, and has been operating since 2009.   When he could find no relief for his dog Dosi’s anxiety attacks during fireworks and thunderstorms, Phil invented the Thundershirt.  Neither noise desensitization therapy nor sedation worked for Dosi.  After several frustrating years, Phil decided to try to calm Dosi with gentle, constant body pressure.  At first Phil was skeptical, but it worked!  Like swaddling clothes on a human baby, or pressure vests used by autistic children, the Thundershirt had a calming effect on his dog’s nervous system.  
As Phil developed the Thundershirt, he kept five factors in mind.  It had to be comfortable, nice-looking, washable, easy to put on and take off, and inexpensive.  He advised that while most people purchase a Thundershirt to help with noise anxiety, it is useful for a lot of other conditions.  These include general anxiety, aggression, shyness, post-surgical recovery, seizures, travel anxiety, obsessive compulsive behaviors, and problem barking.  It can also be used to facilitate training.  

Phil also decided that his company needed to construct a “statement” that would encompass the product’s values.  Thundershirt’s mission is to “relieve the suffering of millions of dogs, and to help strengthen the dog/human bond.”  That mission statement has been realized in part by Thundershirt’s commitment to shelters, rescue groups and other organizations through financial support and donations of the product.  Last December for example, for each Thundershirt purchased, the company donated another one to the shelter or rescue organization of the purchaser’s choice.  The company just established a partnership with Petfinder.com, and they support “Operation Baghdad Pups” (SPCA International).  This organization has helped over 125 U. S. soldiers bring dogs from Iraq back home with them. 

So the next time you find yourself searching for a solution to a problem, look no further than your own ingenuity!

http://www.fetchmag.com/index.php?id=13&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=653&tx_ttnews[backPid]=40&cHash=565428b716

Camping in NYC? New park planned for Brooklyn

From msnbc.msn.com:
By Karen Matthews

NEW YORK — Many visitors to New York plan their trips to include shopping, a Broadway show and a hotel with fresh, clean sheets.

Sleeping bags under the stars? Not so much.

But Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said Monday that the National Park Service will develop the nation’s largest urban campground at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn, a former airport used by Amelia Earhart and Howard Hughes.

“We want to make New York the leading example of what we can do around the country with urban parks,” Salazar said.

Floyd Bennett Field was the city’s first municipal airport but is essentially unused for aviation, except for police helicopters. It has been managed by the park service since 1972 as part of the Gateway National Recreation Area.

Salazar visited the former airfield and said the campground there will expand from five campsites to 90 over the next two years and may ultimately grow to 600 campsites. “You don’t even realize you’re in the middle of the city,” he marveled.

The development of the Floyd Bennett Field campground is one of several initiatives aimed at improving access to the outdoors in the New York region under President Barack Obama’s America’s Great Outdoors campaign.

Salazar said the park service will work with local agencies in New York and New Jersey to link existing waterfront parks through a New York Harbor trail and greenway network.

The park service operates more than 26,000 acres of natural and historic properties, including the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, in the New York region.

Salazar said the park service is beefing up its use of social media to reach younger audiences with stories of the region. For example, historic sites overseen by the park service will be featured in smartphone applications and video podcasts available on iTunes.