Blogging bulldogs

Believe it or not, Dogs, Cats, Etc. is 2 years old today.

The very first post — called The very first post — can be seen here.

And, also believe it or not, this is the very first time (out of 694 postings) my Woyton has allowed me — Kate, with the cheekbones — to write an entry.

Woyton is usually gone during the day, and he always leaves his computer on. So I spend a little time when I'm not sleeping on the Enterwebs.

I just discovered that Martha Stewart's French bulldogs have entered the world of blogging.

That's right. The Domestic Goddess's two pooches — Francesca and Sharkey — now have a presence on the WWW.

Called The Daily Wag, the dogs' effort showcases the life they lead. Recent entries had them flying to St. Louis, Mo., for the day and a face-off with Rufus, one of Stewart's donkeys.

I think there is a bit of deception here on the part of Stewart. The blog entries, while entertaining, are labeled as being "posted by Francesca" or "posted by Sharkey."

Come now, Martha, something doesn't smell right here. And it's not just the March 15 entry where the dogs got skunked.

I talked it over with my Woyton and we both agree. Francesca and Sharkey are not really writing the blog.

This type of amusing fraud has to stop. And if the dogs are going to write about something, at least have them include some recipes for dog treats!

Signed,
Kate, with the cheekbones

P.S.: Martha, please don't anthropomorphize animals. They hate that!

Wet vs. dry food for cats

I've been hearing that cats shouldn't be fed dry food, that they require meat not carbohydrates.

Until I read this article, it didn't really make sense.

Veterinarian Dr. Loren Nations wrote in the Winter Haven (Fla.) News Chief that a cat's nutritional needs are different from a dog's.

Dogs and cats have evolved different feeding strategies through eons of time. Cats are obligate carnivores or meat eaters; the cat cannot sustain its life unless it consumes animal protein. Dogs, however, are omnivores, meaning they can digest and utilize both plant and animal food sources. Dogs by nature are still primarily meat eaters and many dogs go undernourished by cheap grain-based dog foods. Grain-based cat foods are even worse.

This basic difference is why cats have a much higher protein requirement than dogs. Cats use protein for energy as well as growth, repair and maintenance. Many diets use grains and carbohydrates for a cheap energy source. This works OK for an omnivore, but it can lead to obesity and disease in carbohydrate-sensitive animals. This is one theory as to why cats fed small amounts of food can get so fat.

Nations said cats are like Atkin's Diet eaters needing less than 10 percent carbohydrate out of their menu. Many commercial foods and dry foods in particular are 40 to 60 percent carbohydrate.

Tracie Hotchner, who hosts "Cat Chat" on SiriusXM radio, jumps in on the wet vs. dry food debate here.

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Finally, I ran across this picture and it is at the same time the sadness and funniest thing I've seen in a long time.

I think the caption should be: "In the name of all things holy, get me out of here."

To mulch or not to mulch

A posting on a local bulletin board today warned people about using cocoa mulch in their gardens, saying it could be harmful to your dogs.

Snopes.com, the great debunker of urban legends (and sometimes, I guess, a bunker of legends as well) says it's partly true.

According to tables we've examined, cocoa mulch contains 300-1,200 mg of theobromine per ounce, making cocoa mulch one of the strongest concentrations of theobromine a pet is likely to encounter in any chocolate product. However, the question of the gravity of the risk presented by this type of gardening mulch remains a matter of debate.

ConsumerReports.com weighed in on cocoa mulch back in June 2006.

Cocoa mulch is made from crushed cacao shells, which contain caffeine and theobromine, two compounds to which dogs are particularly sensitive. (These substances are also present in everyday comestibles like baker's chocolate, chocolate bars and candies, colas, and tea.) Depending on the size of the dog and the amount of cocoa mulch it ingests, symptoms can range from stomach upset to cardiac arrest. Dogs metabolize the compounds slowly, so symptoms may take hours or even days to manifest themselves. The ASPCA's advice: Avoid using cocoa mulch anywhere unsupervised dogs roam.

I haven't made any trips to gardening stores so I don't know if cocoa mulch is sold locally. But it sounds as if it should be avoided.

There are other mulch products out there like cedar chips and pine straw, Consumer Reports said. They are typically less toxic but still may contain resins and oils that cause gastrointestinal problems in pets that eat them.

This 'n that

Diabetes in cats: from the Fort Collins Coloradoan.

More pet treat recalls: from the FDA.

Marc Marrone solves iguana's drinking problem: from Newsday.

Beaumont, Texas, man takes geese for walk: from KEYE-TV Austin (be sure and click on the video link above the AP article).

Taking care of older pets

With Kate now on the other side of 14 years, I've been thinking more and more about how she's aging and what, if anything, I need to do for her.

An article in the St. Petersburg Times by veterinarian Tracy Acosta gives some tips all of us with older pets should be aware of.

Older pets have different veterinary and nutritional needs and can benefit greatly from specialized care, health testing and dietary planning. ... So, with good genes and excellent care, you can be sure that your pet's life will be a long and happy one.

Included in the article is such advice as:

• Providing steps or a ramp to allow your pet up on the bed or couch, if you actually allow them to do that.

• Make sure bedding is comfortable and washable (for those accidents).

• Keep your pet mentally and physically stimulated.

• Regular grooming and teeth brushing should be maintained.

We all know how I feel about grooming.

Did you bring me anything?

I'm sure Kate would go shopping with me if she could. As soon as I come home from the grocery store, she heads straight for the shopping bags.

Notice how much time she spends at the bag containing ground turkey and a rotisserie chicken — not so much the other one that has the vegetables in it.

The only problem about this is if Kate decides to get a drink of water before the bag inspection.

That can make for some damp groceries.

By the way, reusable bags are the way to go. Even though Hannaford no longer gives you a nickle back.

Good news for Joey

I just got this e-mail and wanted to share it with you.

Dear Michael and Kate,

As I write this I have tears in my eyes ... Joey the Sheltie has a home ... I can not thank you enough for your time and efforts in getting the word out for this incredible dog.

Since we last spoke Joey has gained weight and with the extra attention he is getting around a little better than when he first came to us.

The other day he actually lifted one of his rear legs to do a big boy pee. OK, that's probably too much info, but it's a big deal if all of your legs are deformed.

Thank you again!

Joan Vercruse
Vice President, Animal Rescue League

Here's the original story.

It rhymes with 'slosh'

Today, we have a mish mash of items, ranging from an ugly kitty to why don't the caged birds sing.

From WBZ-TV in Boston comes a report about a cat that only a mother could love.

See the story and video here.

Ugly Bat Boy, nicknamed "Uggs," has a mane but is otherwise bald. He is owned by a veterinarian in Stratham, N.H., and is not a rare breed but a genetic mystery.

Ugly in a cute way? Or ugly in a cute way?

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From Newsday.com, pet expert Marc Morrone answers readers questions about a cat that seems to have forgotten about its litter box (eeewww), a West Highland terrier that likes to move its food bowls around (annoying) and two canaries who won't sing when they are in the same cage (a mystery).

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On the WashingtonPost.com Web site, veterinarian Dr. Michael Fox tries to lick a licking problem that an English springer spaniel has. It seems the dog will lick anything and everything in sight for hours on end, driving its owner ka-razy.

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And finally, a dog in Olathe, Kansas, caused a $105,000 worth of damage to its owners' home and almost killed the family cat.

An article in the Kansas City Star said the unnamed pooch chewed a laptop computer cord causing an electrical short that made the couch burst into flames. A woman and her son were home at the time. They escaped, along with the dog, leaving the cat — named Tater — to fend for itself.

Firefighters found the cat, who was soot-covered but otherwise OK, and returned it to the family.

So, the dog was too embarrassed to give its name?

Time to vote

I know most people aren't yet over having to vote in November and around here some village elections are coming soon.

But it's time to cast your vote for what is really important: Cats or dogs, which make a better comics pet?

Washington Post blogger Michael Cavna poses the question in today's entry of Comic Riffs.

Garfield aside (please), how do you feel about the way dogs and cats are portrayed in the comics?

Sure, there is the usually funny, sometimes touching Earl and Mooch in Mutts; Farley, the dog who literally gave his all in For Better or For Worse; Rover in Red and Rover who Red loves more than anything and Peekaboo, the cat in Rose is Rose whose dexterity never ceases to amaze.

While I'm not fond of books, movies and TV shows that anthropomorphize dogs and cats — they hate that — I do love doggies and kitties in my morning comics.

Dog helps girl go to school

When you think peanuts, what dog comes to mind?

A beagle like Snoopy?

How about a Portuguese water dog like Rock'O.

The trained pooch allows 8-year-old Riley Mers to go to school and have some semblance of a normal life.

Mers has an allergy to peanuts so severe that even touching one can send her to the hospital. Rock'O sniffs out the offending substance and alerts her to its presence.

Here's the story and video from ABC News's Neal Karlinsky.