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Saturday, December 22, 2012 ��� Daily News 3B Pets health&activities Pudgy pooches and corpulent kitties We have all heard about the child obesity problem in this country. Obesity in pets, a preventable condition, is now also causing veterinarians to be concerned. In a 2011 study, the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP) found that 24.9% of cats and 21.4% of dogs were overweight. An abundance of food with not enough exercise often results in a pudgy pooch or a fat feline. Unfortunately, that extra weight can cause a multitude of problems, such as osteoarthritis, hypertension, Type 2 diabetes, kidney disease, respiratory disease, dermatitis, and a shortened life span. A few simple tests can help determine if your pet has a weight problem. The first should be that the pet���s ribs can be felt without pressing down. In addition, the pet should have a waist. This is the area between the back of the ribs and the hips, when looking at your pet from above. Also, when looking at your pet from the side, the belly should go up from the bottom of the ribcage to the inside of the thighs. If you think your pet has packed on one too many pounds, schedule an examination with your veterinarian. There are diseases that cause a pet to gain and you want to be sure to rule out any physical problems. In addition, like humans, before beginning any weight loss program and increased exercise workout, it is advisable to be positive the pet is healthy enough to By Jeff Kahler, D.V.M. The Modesto Bee (MCT) sustain it. So how does one get fido or kitty to slim down? The bottom line is to employ calorie restriction and be sure your pet has daily exercise. Owners often feel their pet does not eat much and are concerned they will go hungry. Therefore, by providing an abundance of yummy treats and people foods that are not in the best interest of the pet, the feeling is negated. Dog or cat foods should meet all of the pet���s dietary needs, without having to add additional table scraps. Ingesting fewer calories is a good first step to pet weight loss, and your veterinarian can help with recommendations on how to accomplish it. Once the vet gives a clean bill of health, it is a good time to start an exercise regimen. For dogs, a wonderful way to begin is taking a daily walk. Increase activity once it is determined the pet can handle it without undue fatigue or stress. However, it is always important to watch for any unusual physical signs or difficulty breathing. Be attuned and, if the pet wants to stop, let him. Cats also get fat from lack of exercise. Though prodding a cat into activity may be a bit more difficult, there are a few ways to entice him to move. Cats adore climbing on or into things, batting, swatting at, and scratching objects. Cat trees are an excellent way to stretch and tone muscles. In addition, interactive cat toys that mimic escaping prey or spark normal behavior can be utilized. For both dogs and cats, consider adopting a playmate from the local shelter if the pet is the only animal in the household. The pet will have a "like" companion to play with, which assists in preventing boredom, and sedentary behavior. By providing proper food portions, good nutrition, and adequate exercise, you can help your pet have a longer, more enjoyable life. Ronnie Casey is a volunteer with Providing Essentials for Tehama Shelter. You can read her blog, Mutts & Moggies, at redbluffdailynews.com. Visit a dog show to check out all sorts of breeds By Lisa Moore The Modesto Bee (MCT) So you���ve decided to bring a new dog into your life, and are considering numerous breeds. Doing your research and carefully selecting a breed of dog that suits your lifestyle and meets your expectations in temperament, coat upkeep, energy level, etc., will greatly increase the likelihood of a long and satisfying relationship. Before choosing a specific breed, spending time with a few individuals might give you a better idea of the general characteristics of the breed you are interested in. There are few better ways to gain this experience than by attending a few dog shows. On any given weekend, you can usually drive a couple of hours to reach a dog show. Some shows include All Breed competitions, where most of the AKC registered breeds will be represented. There may also be Obedience and Rally competitions, as well as numerous venders offering everything from dog toys, treats and diet supplements, to leashes, collars, and grooming products. If you love dogs, and are looking for an educational experience, you won���t want to miss these shows. When you arrive at a dog show, you will want to pur- chase a catalog. This will tell you when a particular breed of dog is showing, and at what ring. Also listed in the catalog is the contact information for every person with a dog entered, so if you are looking to connect with people who have the breed of dog you are interested in, a catalog is a wise purchase. Bear in mind that although these shows are all about dogs, your personal dog is not allowed to attend. Only dogs that are entered in competition are allowed to be on the show grounds. You may be surprised to find that although there will likely be more than 1,000 dogs present, it will be relatively quiet, with dogs well- WHY I ��� CORNING! An Olive City essay contest! A fun opportunity for residents and visitors alike to share why they love living, working or visiting California���s Olive City in 300 (three hundred) words or less. First, second and third place winners will be published in ���Corning 2013,��� the annual community resource guide and information directory, published January 31, 2013. Digital version will be published online for a full year, with links to the interactive edition posted on the Corning Chamber, City of Corning and Tehama County websites. Deadline for receipt of entries: Friday, January 11, 2013 1 ST Prize: $200 2 ND Prize: $100 DAILY NEWS RED BLUFF Pet Vet: Keeping pets safe during the holidays 3 RD Prize: $50 TEHAMA COUNTY and T H E V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U NTY S I N C E 1 8 8 5 HOW TO ENTER: Via Email: Send c/o tehama.up@gmail.com Via Mail: I love Corning c/o The Daily News, PO Box 220, Red Bluff CA 96080 Entries must be accompanied by name of author, address, telephone number and email address if any. Original work only. All entries become the property of The Daily News and cannot be returned. Entries may be republished by The Daily News in whole or part, and may be afforded to the Corning Chamber of Commerce for community promotional purposes. Selection of winners will be made by a committee composed of representatives of The Daily News and Corning Chamber of Commerce. controlled. Most of the dogs present will have been wellsocialized, and are accustomed to the dog show surroundings and routine. But just because you are surrounded by calm, controlled dogs doesn���t mean you should get directly into their space to interact with them. If you have children, keep them with you, and ask for permission to pet or interact with any dog you fancy. While ringside, scoping out your breed of choice, be mindful that when people are showing their dogs, they won���t want to talk with you. Your best approach is to watch quietly, and after the competition is over for that particular breed, then find some people to chat with. People are more than happy to talk about their particular breed of dog before or after their time in the ring is done. Dog shows are a great place to be if you are interested in all things canine, and may give you a rare glimpse of some uncommon breeds that you might not otherwise encounter. ���Tis the season, and the big day is almost here. Houses are decorated, Christmas trees are dressed and our animal companions are walking around the house thinking about all the neat stuff there is to play with. There are a few reasons to avoid such interaction, not the least of which is that some degree of destruction might be involved. It is natural for dogs and cats to be curious about the wrappings and ribbon on packages, the lights on the tree, the water bowl beneath the tree, the tinsel hanging from it, etc. But with this curiosity comes potential problems. The water in Christmas tree bases can be toxic to our companions. I personally have never seen a case of Christmas tree water toxicity, but I certainly have heard of such cases. Do not let your companion drink that stuff! This includes dogs, cats and rabbits ��� any species of companion that might have access. I have seen a handful of cases in which an animal has chewed on a tree-lights cord, resulting in electrical shock. In two cases I recall, both cats, electrocution resulted. Curiously, I have known many rabbits to chew on electrical cords without incident. That said, I would advise that no companion be allowed access to electrical cords of any kind. Package wrapping, if swallowed, can result in obstruction of the digestive tract. I have noted this in cats, dogs and rabbits, and these cases can result in the need for surgery to remove the wrapping. This is especially the case with plastic wrapping. Ribbon used to wrap packages can present problems, as well. A piece of ribbon of significant length, when swallowed, can become what we term a ���string foreign body��� in an animal���s digestive tract. One end of the ribbon can adhere to a section of bowel wall up closer to the stomach, while Get the rest of the year free! Get a jump start on your New Years resolution Start your membership at Tehama County���s Premier Facility now and pay nothing until 2013 Must sign up EFT * 3 month minimum commitment Tehama Family Fitness Center 2498 South Main St, Red Bluff 528-8656 www.tehamafamilyfitness.com the other end can move down the tract to a further point and then adhere. With the normal contracting of the intestinal tract, the ribbon will cause the intestine to accordion into itself, effectively blocking the tract. This condition is fatal if not addressed immediately, because the intestine���s blood flow is blocked by its compression. Surgery is the only treatment. Tinsel hanging from the tree can cause the same problem and seems to be highly attractive, especially to cats. A final hazard is best observed by glancing in the mirror. That���s right, it is us! Sometimes we think we are being kind to our companions by giving them inappropriate food (think ���people food���). In reality, we could be putting them at risk for health problems. There are certain foods that are outright toxic to our companions: Chocolate, for example, is toxic to dogs, while other foods can cause problems in different ways. There can be long-term issues, such as obesity. In my experience, highfat human foods are the biggest culprit, and the holiday season certainly brings around plenty of those. Dogs tend to be the more common companions affected by their caretakers��� inappropriate generosity with such food items. Meats, in my experience, are the biggest culprit. When a dog is fed a piece of steak or holiday roast, it usually represents some of the sections that we ourselves might not be eating; usually, this involves fat. I can���t tell you how often I have cringed when a client tells me they routinely pour bacon grease on their dog���s food. This load of fat can lead to pancreatitis in our companions, and in a worstcase scenario, pancreatitis can be fatal, even with aggressive medical therapy. Certainly many companions are fed what I consider to be inappropriate foods and do not have problems, but I am a firm believer in the notion, ���Why take the chance?��� Merry Christmas to all, and that includes those fourlegged friends that can���t read these words. $ 77100 in Discount Coupons were published last week in the DAILY NEWS RED BLUFF TEHAMA COUNTY ��� And that does not Count all the ads offering percentage discounts, two-for-ones and Free-with-Purchase offers! Don���t miss a Day of it! Subscribe Today 527-2151 It pays for itself.