Christmas Animals

As far back as anyone can remember, animals have been a central part of Christmas celebrations.   These animals have been instrumental in the development of the stories of the holiday and date back all the way to the origin and birth of Christianity. The creatures of old—the camel and the owl for example—are not very common in present-day festivities.  Some of the newer generation of Christmas animals that revolve primarily around myths and newer periods of celebration include the reindeer and polar bears.  The miniatures of these animals are hung on the Christmas tree according to their significance. Read on to know more on the animals associated with the joyous festival of Christmas.

Reindeer

Reindeer are symbolic of good fortune and joy in abundance. They are happy creatures, who are most closely associated with Santa Claus.  Reindeer are one of the first beasts of provision - meaning the first upon humankind relied for food, supplies, warm clothing, and tools. This puts the Reindeer on high status - worthy of honoring - and so it is an animal of nobility, worthiness and is symbolic of continuance.   

Camels and Donkeys

These are the “go-to” animals of the Christmas story; it is said that they brought the three Magi to the birth scene of Jesus Christ. The donkey is believed to have carried Mary and baby Jesus into Bethlehem which is why it is of religious importance and is directly linked to Christmas today.

Sheep

Sheep are an integral part of the Nativity Scene and are also popular animals associated with renewal, purification and compassion.  Sheep are used as decorative items on the tree as a symbol of loyalty and devotion.

Goats

Many Scandinavians, as well as Americans of Nordic descent, include the figure of a Yule goat as a prominent Christmas decoration. It is also used as food in some Christmas feasts.  And still other communities set up straw goats during Christmas as a part of historical tradition.

Birds

Birds such as the robin, the wren, penguins and doves are all linked with Christmas. Most of the time, these birds come in the form of traditional Christmas motifs and are mentioned in the Bible. The turtle dove is also mentioned in the tune of The Twelve Days of Christmas. Birds are popular Christmas decorations for the house, the tree, etc., and often symbolize the coming of good news and family happiness.

There will never be an exact count of how many animals are associated with Christmas. A few of the other animals such as dogs, bees, pigs and cows are all believed to have a direct relationship to the holiday.  At the end of the day, personal belief and cultural preference are all-important to the celebration. 

Diagnostic Imaging Systems wishes you holiday cheer and a happy new year...

Olive Oil for Dogs

An awesome addition to your pooch’s diet, olive oil packs a nutritious one-two punch. Ever wonder why?  Here are just a few reasons to share with your canine buddy. 

When it comes to homeopathic remedies for dogs, there are a variety of “people foods” that can provide some valuable benefits. A superstar in the category is olive oil – a wonderful source of monounsaturated fatty acids (aka healthy fat). We know that it’s great for humans, but what can olive oil do for dogs? Here are a few fabulous benefits.   

It Boosts General Health

In addition to providing specific benefits for your dog’s brain and immune system (see below), olive oil can help to boost Fido’s overall health. Olive oil contains healthy monounsaturated fats which can reduce your dog’s risk for heart disease and diabetes. And it’s loaded with oleic acid, a compound that has been shown to reduce the risk for cancer.

It Defends the Immune System

In addition to moisturizing your dog’s skin and coat, olive oil can be beneficial for his immune system. Olive oil is rich in polyphenols and carotenoids which have been demonstrated to improve immune system health. A strong immune system will give your dog a better chance of fighting off infection.  A robust immune system is important in transitioning from one season to the next.  Like you, dogs can get sick when the weather changes, so add a little olive oil to prepare him/her for the transition. 

It’s a Brain Food

You’ve already learned that olive oil is rich in antioxidants, but you may not realize just how important antioxidants are for your dog’s health (yours, too!). A number of animal research studies have confirmed a link between olive oil and brain health. In one study oleocanthal, a type of polyphenol found in olives (and extra virgin olive oil), was linked to risk reduction for Alzheimer’s disease. We’ve read that Mediterranean-style diets continue to be linked to lower levels of dementia in humans.  It would seem that adding olive oil to your dog’s diet can help to protect his brain from cognitive decline. This is especially important for senior dogs.   

It’s a Beauty Treatment

Fancy (aka overpriced) pet shampoos and conditioners are not a sure-cure for dry, flaky skin.  The answer may be the addition of a bit of olive oil to your dog’s diet.   Olive oil is rich in Vitamin E and other antioxidants, and it is a good source of natural chemicals (phytonutrients) that protect against germs. Pet owners have reported seeing improvements in their dogs in as little as one week!  And by continuing to add omega-3 fatty acids rich olive oil, you may just keep that flaky skin at bay.  Check with the veterinarian to see what the proper amount should be.  

Now you know the benefits of this kitchen staple.  Just a little bit in your dog’s diet may contribute to your pet’s health, happiness, and mental well-being—a part of your family for many years to come. 

Why You Should Consider a Barn Cat

The farm cat, also known as a barn cat, is a domestic cat, usually of mixed breed, that lives primarily out-of-doors, in a feral or semi-feral condition on agricultural properties, usually sheltering in outbuildings.

Have you seen stray cats hanging around the barn or home?  Wish they’d go away?  Don’t be so sure they can’t lend a helping paw.  Here’s what we’ve observed of our feline farm friends…

• Cats make the barn a happier place.  Cats make people happy. Perhaps it’s the fact that they live their own independent lives.  Or the fact that they seem to know just when you need your leg rubbed.
• They eat bugs.  It’s a hunting thing.  Like it or not, cats enjoy the hunt and the kill.
•  They are gold medal-winning exterminators.  Indoors and outdoors, you can count on a cat to keep rodents from feed bins, garbage cans, etc. Obviously, the humans must do their best to fend off these pests (covers, metal bins, traps, etc.).  But sadly, that probably won’t do the trick at keeping them away for good. This is where having a barn cat around comes in handy.

  

You’ll just need to keep a couple of cats around your property, and you’ll likely find that your rodent population will begin to decline.

• They save money.  Sure you’ll need to feed them and provide proper care.  But consider this, for each bug or rodent they discourage…it’s one less pest consuming your feed.  Feed or human food—it’s all expensive.  The cost of keeping a barn cat healthy is small compared to the cost of the food.
• They make great friends.  Maybe not always for the humans, but they make great animal companions, depending on their temperament.  There are pictures across the internet of dogs and cats, goats and cats, pigs and cats, etc.  Consider it a bonus to a barn cat.
• They are low maintenance.  Barn cats are low maintenance.  They require a few shots to keep them disease free. And perhaps some nutritious food.   They need very little and usually give a whole lot back. So you don’t get a whole lot lower maintenance than keeping cats around your barn.
• They are orphans who need a home.    Most barn cats are strays or orphaned cats that have nowhere else to live. Yet, if you give them a home in your barn or around your home, you give them a purpose.  And it’s an amazing thing to watch this animal grow and thrive as a productive member of your farm.  

  

There are a number of organizations with programs detailing feral cat adoption and barn cat training.  Check with your local vet, animal society or rescue organization for more details.  

Horse Rescue - Start a Successful Sanctuary

Rescuing horses is unlike rescuing dogs, cats, and other typical pets.  Often, these animals are saved when they are given away for free, or abandoned.   Conversely, horses are often saved from the road to the slaughterhouse or purchased at auctions attended by meat buyers. 

The How To

Best case, rescue organizations don’t “buy” animals, but horse rescue is filled with exceptions.  Some animals are bought at auction in an effort to prevent a trip to the slaughterhouse.  Often, timely rescues result in free or inexpensive foals.     Some rescues are set up specifically to rescue retired race horses, or former rodeo stock.

Talking to people in the community or online gets the word out about your passion.  Other rescuers, veterinarians, and horse owners are all willing and able to help.  Owners who can no longer provide care for their animals and cannot sell the horse may be persuaded to relinquish to a shelter and provide a relinquishment fee to cover some of the expense of care.  

The Legal

A true pet rescue is a charitable organization, one that runs as a non-profit. Anyone wishing to form a proper horse rescue organization needs to establish themselves as a charity – naming, licensing and funding needs to be addressed.  In most cases they need to form a board of directors to promote the rescue operation, and do fund raising.   Raising funds is very difficult for “new” rescues, as such most rescues, including horse rescue, starts out of the organizer’s own pockets.

Rescue organizations need to

• create relinquishment contracts – for owners who surrender their horses to sign, having the owner relinquish all rights to the horse and provide some history on it. 
• create adoption questionnaires – something that contains information about the horse and for potential adopters to fill out to determine suitability
• create adoption contracts that include the date, the name/number of the horse, fees, and other important information. Many adoption contracts include a clause that says the animal cannot be sold or given away for at least a year, and that if there are any problems with the horse in that time, the rescue group must be contacted, and the horse returned.  Rarely is money refunded (error or health may be exceptions).  The contracts nearly always forbid using the animal for breeding stock.

The Facility

Obviously, the horse rescuer will need some land and a few buildings—shelter for the animals, storage for feed and necessary equipment and a small office area for the humans who are involved (administrative, handlers, etc.) there will need to be not one, but several corrals. The simple fact is that you should not expect to place all rescued horses in one corral.  Some horses may come with no “background check,” others may be stressed or aggressive and others may be too weak to thrive within a group setting. 

The Supplies

Speak to the community for donations of halters, feed buckets, water buckets, grooming equipment, basic horse first aid box, cameras, and computers. Animals will need to have a veterinarian, and a farrier (expect to pay both, but negotiate reduced rates for a visit that includes multiple horses). 

The horse rescue will need to have people (generally volunteers) ready, willing, and capable, to work with horses that may never have had any training, to clean stalls (if needed), to feed, water, and care for the horses on day-to-day basis

And always remember that the goal of any horse rescue is to save the life of an unwanted horse and to place it in a safe and caring permanent home as soon as possible.

Pet and Disaster Preparedness

Hurricanes.  Tornadoes.  Earthquakes.  It could be a snowstorm.  Or a flood.   You've made it through safely, but what about your pets?

Follow these tips to make an emergency plan for your pets:

1. Microchip your pets

Microchipping is one of the best ways to ensure that you and your pet are reunited if you are separated.  Include at least one non-local friend/relative emergency number, and always keep the microchip registration up-to-date.

2. Keep a collar and tag on all cats and dogs

Keep a few working phone numbers on your animal’s identification tag. Identification on indoor-only cats is particularly important. If your home is damaged during a disaster, they could easily escape.

3. Plan a pet-friendly place to stay

Seek out and keep a list of out-of-town pet-friendly hotels and boarding facilities.  You’ll find lots of them by doing an internet search.  Contact out-of-area friends and relatives and agree to a housing exchange plan

4. Use the buddy system

Exchange pet information, plans and house keys with a few trusted neighbors or nearby friends.  If you find that you are unable to get back to your home, your friends and neighbors can help save your pet’s life. 

5. Prepare an emergency kit for each animal

Stock up on the items you may need during a disaster so you do not get caught unprepared. Below are basic items you should include in your pets' disaster kits. Think “Go Bag” for pets; supplies should be placed in an easy-to-move container.  Store your disaster kit supplies in an easy-to-grab container.

One-week supply of food. Store it in a water-tight container and rotate it every three months to keep it fresh. Don’t forget to include a can opener, if that’s your food of choice.

One-week supply of fresh water. Water unsafe for humans is water unsafe for animals.  Follow American Red Cross guidelines for storing emergency water for your family and your pets.

Medication. A replacement supply may not be easily available following a disaster.

Copies of vaccination records

Photographs of you with your pets to prove ownership

Photographs of your pets in case you need to make "lost pet" fliers

Pet first aid kit

Temporary ID tags. If you've evacuated, use this to record your temporary contact information and/or the phone number of an unaffected friend or relative.

Carrier or leash for each animal

6. Identify emergency veterinary facilities outside of your immediate area

If a disaster has affected your community, emergency veterinary facilities may be closed. Make sure you know how to access other emergency facilities. Ask your vet if they have an emergency plan to provide services for disaster relief. 

7. Plan for temporary confinement

Physical structures, like walls, fences and barns may be destroyed during a disaster. Have a plan for keeping your animal safely confined. You may need a tie-out, crate or kennel.

8. Soothe your animals

Your animals will appreciate your calm presence and soft, comforting voice if they are stressed following a disaster or while evacuated, and you may find it comforting to spend time with them, too. Interact with them on their terms. Some animals may find toys, especially long-lasting chew toys, comforting.

9. Know where to search for lost animals

When animals become lost during a disaster, they often end up at a local shelter. Keep a list of all area shelters; phone numbers and addresses.   

10. Take action

Get the family, neighbors and the entire town involved in a pet disaster preparedness plan.  If there is a plan in place, be sure you have all the information. 

If a disaster hit your town, would you be prepared to care for your pet? Assemble your kit and have a plan now.  Your pet is depending on you.

For more information, please visit aspca.org 

Beloved Best Friends - Our Favorite Dogs in Literature

The kids are back in school.  The days are growing shorter.  Soon, a cold wind will blow and we’ll be spending more time indoors.  Put the remote down; it’s time to pick up a good book and hunker down in a comfy chair.

Kids and adults alike love a good story that has a great dog in the plot.  From the classics to the modern, here are a few of our preferred dog stories.  Read something you’ve never read before, or re-visit a tried-and-true favorite.

Spoiler Alert!  In some cases, we may be giving away the ending.

Argos, The Odyssey, Homer

He may be the first dog ever noted in Western literature.  Argos waited 20 years for the return of his master, Odysseus, and was the only one to recognize the man.  Knowing his master is home, safe and sound, the old dog peacefully dies, becoming a symbol of never-ending love and fidelity.

Toto, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, L. Frank Baum

L. Frank Baum described Toto as “a little black dog with long silky hair and small black eyes that twinkled merrily on either side of his funny, wee nose. Toto seems average enough but, in later books, he and other animals reveal that they’ve always had the ability to communicate with humans.  Why didn’t they reveal their secret earlier?

Buck, The Call of the Wild, Jack London

A powder puff living the good life in California, Buck is sold into dog sled slavery and must face the hard life of winters in Canada.  Having gone virtually wild, he is tamed when he meets gold miner/outdoorsman John Thornton, and is reminded of the power of love, even in the face of tragedy.

Lassie, Lassie Come Home, Eric Knight

Though most people probably know Lassie from her on-screen appearances (“What’s that girl?  Timmy fell down the well?”), she originated in a 1938 Saturday Evening Post story by Eric Knight.  The full-length novel was published in 1940, which chronicles the dog’s journey to get back to the boy she loves.   The beloved collie spawned additional books, radio programs and an entire series of movies. 

Old Yeller, Old Yeller, Fred Gipson

A story that makes the most hard-hearted well up.  He hunts, saves the family from a bear and loves the 14-year-old hero of the book.  Yeller makes the ultimate sacrifice for the Coates family; he’s lost but never forgotten.  This is probably the first tragedy that youngsters experience; it deserves high marks for what it teaches all of us about love.

Fang, Harry Potter, J. K. Rowling

We have a soft spot for Hagrid’s bumbling boarhound. Sure, he’s a big, drooling coward — but when the plot calls for him, he’s ready to take the stupendous spell. 

So, head to the library, download an eBook, or check the dusty boxes in your attic.  Who better to help you enjoy the shorter days than man’s best friend?

Protect Your Horse From Autumn Health Hazards

With the start of autumn, new challenges arise for breeders, owners, and boarders. You need to be aware of a variety of conditions from colic to worming, atypical myopathy to mud fever. 

Colic

 Equine colic is defined as a condition of severe abdominal discomfort characterized by pawing, rolling, and sometimes the inability to defecate. The change in weather can increase the risk for a number of reasons.  Horses may start to be stabled for longer periods of time, resulting in a change in routine, feeding and activity levels. Making sure that fluid intake is maximized with stress minimized can reduce the risk of an impaction occurring.

Ways to reduce the risk

-Soak hay to help hydrate horses

-Add water to hard feeds to help increase water intake

-Ensure buckets/troughs are not frozen

-Make any changes in feed gradually

-Make sure teeth are routinely rasped to avoid potential pain as well as to ensure the horse can adequately chew roughage prior to swallowing  

Worming

Autumn/winter is the time to treat horses for tapeworm and red worm. The best way to monitor a horse’s worm burden and generate a worming plan is to carry out worm egg counts (WEC) at routine intervals throughout the year.

Ways to reduce the risk

-Perform a WEC every 3-4 months throughout the year to monitor worm burdens.  Speak with your vet and determine when and if your horse needs a worming.   

-Let nature be your guide.  After the first frost (November/December) is a good time to fight both tapeworm and red worm.  Your vet can offer advice on best products. 

Atypical Myopathy/Seasonal Pasture Myopathy

This is a condition linked to the ingestion of sycamore seeds, leading to severe muscle damage. AM affects full-time pastured horses and is more frequently reported in the autumn, immediately following inclement weather such as cold, humidity and rain. Horses that develop AM are usually kept in sparse pastures with an accumulation of dead leaves, dead wood and trees in or around the pasture, are often not fed any supplementary hay or feed and have less-than adequate exercise.  Animals 3 years and younger are especially susceptible.

NOTE: This is a potentially fatal condition and so early recognition and hospitalization are vital.

Signs of atypical myopathy:

-Severe muscle stiffness/weakness, shaking and collapse

-Red or brown urine

-Reduced appetite

Ways to reduce the risk

-Check pasture for sycamore seeds.  Fence off trees (seeds can travel a long way on the wind so the absence of a tree in the field does not mean there won’t be seeds)

-Supplement poor pastures with hay

-Reduce stocking density in paddocks (overcrowding leads to bullying and horses at the bottom of the pecking order are more likely to resort to poorer areas of pasture with a higher concentration of seeds)

-Reduce turnout time if sycamore seeds are found and there is no alternative pasture.

Mud fever

Mud fever, also known as scratches or pastern dermatitis, is a group of diseases of horses causing irritation and dermatitis in the lower limbs of horses. Cases of mud fever are much more common in autumn/winter as horses’ legs are more likely to be wet for long periods of time. The severity of mud fever can vary and not all cases will require veterinary attention.

Recommendations

-Avoid excessive washing of legs; bacteria thrive in damp areas

-Brush legs instead of washing legs 

-Use cold water and dry thoroughly.   

- Mud fever scabs shelter bacteria.   It’s important to remove scabs (either by softening with an antibacterial wash or an emollient cream).

If limbs become swollen, hot, and painful or lameness is seen your vet can provide systemic and topical treatment.