Winter, particularly in the parts of the country plunged into the most frigid conditions, can be a dangerous season for pets. In the most extreme cold, frostbite can set in with some breeds in as little as ten minutes of exposure. From the Morton Grove (Ill.) Patch,
If the frostbitten parts freeze, they will die. If you see pale grayish skin and it feels hard to the touch you may be dealing with frostbite. In severe cases the skin is dark in color, scaly and may slough off. For first aid, warm the affected area with water at 85 degrees Fahrenheit or a gently applied warm, moist compress.
In the case of hypothermia, your pet may be shaking and have pale grayish gums. This is another reason to check your cat’s or dog’s mouth often and get them used to the exam as a matter of daily brushing. If their body temperatures are low enough they may not shiver, but will have pale gums. Immediately bring them in a warm room and bring their body temperature up slowly with towels or blankets warmed in the dryer.
With these symptoms of frostbite or hypothermia, call your veterinarian immediately or an emergency veterinarian clinic and take your pet in for care.
Also, beware that certain snow and ice melt formulations can burn a dog’s paws and nose. Make sure the mixture you use is safe for pets (it should have a label on the container).
Parrots are left-footed, uh, handed: Until recently, scientists believed that “handedness” (the inborn propensity to prefer one dominant side over the other) was a human-only thing. The newest wisdom refuting that idea comes from a team of Australian researchers at Macquarie University in Sydney. They studied different species of birds, and found nearly all parrots showed a distinct preference, whereas cockatiels did not. From the BBC:
“We looked at the eye preferences these birds have,” explains Dr Culum Brown, the project’s lead researcher.
“For every species except one, there was a very strong correlation between the eye they view food with and the foot they use to pick it up.”
The exception is the cockatiel, the smallest species of Australian cockatoo, which showed no relationship between eye and foot preference.
The researchers suggest this difference may have evolved because of differences in cockatiel foraging behaviour, as cockatiels graze on small grass seeds that may require little coordination between the eyes and feet.
Dr Brown’s research shows that in four species of the 16, almost every individual member of each parrot species was either left handed or “left footed”, or right footed, showing the preference for using one side has somehow become fixed in the population.
“Indeed we have yet to find a right handed Sulphur-crested cockatoo, says Dr Brown.
“It is interesting because there are very few examples of extreme foot preferences in any animals except humans.”
Ninety percent of humans are right-handed.
Cat food for cats, dog food for dogs: Is it safe to feed your dog the same food you feed your cat? How about the other way around? Pet Connection BFF Dr. Patty Khuly says no, and discusses the reasons for her view in this special column for USA Today.
Bomb diggity meeses: After all the mention I’ve given to dogs who have bomb-detecting skills, I’d like to give other species their due. At Bio Explorers, an Israeli company, the talents of mice are being examined. Details at New Scientist:
Eran Lumbroso conceived the mouse-based explosives detector while serving as a major in the Israeli navy. Along with his brother, Alon, he founded the company and built a device that looks much like an average airport metal detector or full-body scanner.
Along one side of an archway, a detection unit contains three concealed cartridges, each of which houses eight mice. During their 4-hour shifts in the detector, the mice mill about in a common area in each cartridge as air is passed over people paused in the archway and through the cartridge. When the mice sniff traces of any of eight key explosives in the air, they are conditioned to avoid the scent and flee to a side chamber, triggering an alarm. To avoid false positives, more than one mouse must enter the room at the same time.
“It’s as if they’re smelling a cat and escaping,” Eran says. “We detect the escape.” Unlike dogs, which are often trained for explosives and drugs detection, mice don’t require constant interaction with their trainers or treats to keep them motivated. As a result, they can live in comfortable cages with unlimited access to food and water. Each mouse would work two 4-hour shifts a day, and would have a working life of 18 months.
What’s more, mice beat dogs for olfactory talent, and by much more than a nose: dogs have 756 olfactory receptor genes, while mice have 1120, resulting in a more acute sense of smell.
(insert wisecrack about mice replacing TSA staff, and working for easy cheese)
Count the birdies! I’ve mentioned it before, but PetHobbyist reminds us it’s that time of year again — time for the Great Backyard Bird Count.
A horse saga with multiple angles: First the good news. …Through the wonders of social media, 52 Thoroughbreds in Ohio found homes in an emergency in a matter of days. That part we’re sure of. Both The Horse and Eventing Nation agree on that part. Where the story gets a little muddier is the point at which Fugly Blog picks up the trail. There’s either some significant spin at work, or, equally likely, someone isn’t being entirely truthful. Not entirely sure which. In either case, I’m glad that more than four dozen horses have new homes in the dead of winter.
An ode to the feline soul mate: My colleague (and resident cat expert) Ingrid King tipped me to this wonderful meditation from the Natural Cat Care Blog on the feline soul mate. It’s a well-written post that rings oh, so true.
Finally, the last word in today’s post goes to the band of geniuses at icanhascheezburger. I don’t know why this picture makes me think of our Dr. Tony, but it definitely does…you too?
see more Lolcats and funny pictures
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I always like to hear from readers, especially if you have tips, and links for interesting stories. Give me a shout in the comments, or better yet, send me an e-mail
Photo credit: Snowy paw print, Laura Frisch.
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