Unleashed: Southern Oregon Pet Blog

I had to go out of town last week to deliver the eulogy at the funeral of a good friend. My friend’s death was sad and sudden. There wasn’t much time to do more than throw some clothes in a bag and buy an airline ticket online before I had to fly out early one morning.

Luckily, scrambling for last-minute pet care was not an issue. I have a built in pet-sitter in my neighbor, Cindy. She knows my pets’ daily habits, what they eat and how to check for signs of illness or distress. In short, she’s extremely pet savvy and beloved by my critters. And me.

In fact, when told her about Squiggy’s hairball issue, she brought over some of her cats’ hairball meds and gave some to her Royal Gurfness. Happily, I returned to a (so far) non-gakking kitty. Phew!

But my sudden emergency flight got me thinking. What I would have done if Cindy hadn’t been available? I could have asked another neighbor, or a nearby family member. But that would put a lot of stress on people who don’t need it. Especially when it comes to parrot care.

Most folks can put down some cat food and change a litter box. But not everyone knows how to care for parrots. What they can eat. What might be deadly.

I suppose I could have boarded my parrots at my vet’s office. But that creates potential exposure to disease. And it would have stressed Goose and Gaia out to be taken from their home and placed in a loud and strange environment.

Studies show that it is less stressful for pets if they can remain at home, assuming they aren’t traveling with you. And assuming that can safely be done. So it looks like I’m back to the finding a back-up sitter. Oh Sis…… Yoohoo!

I have been chatting with fellow cat lovers here at the Mail Tribune. (I was going to say ’cat owners’ - but we all know the true alpha mammal in the human/feline combo.)

Anyway, back to the topic at hand - hairballs. What the heck? 

This seems to be a seasonal affliction. Moving into high gear during shedding season when I start thinking perhaps I should figure out how to cure Squiggy of her belly burps. Then the problem will wane significantly. To the point where it seems an issue not worth addressing. Aka ”No puke? No problem!”   

For the past couple weeks, Squiggy has been gurfing up little furry packages every few days or so. They appear on the carpet in the morning, on my bedspread in the middle of the night, or on the sofa whenever the spirit moves her. Yuck!

One of my cohorts is also dealing with a cat in hairball high gear. She says it strikes her as odd because this isn’t the Season of the Big Shed.

I know there are foods that are designed to help with this problem. But Squiggs is on a special diet already.  I’m sure the vets have medicines. My friend says a little dab of Vasoline is also recommended.

Any one else having off-season hairball issues with their puddys? And are there any other homegrown remedies readers know about?

I’m sad to report there have been no new sightings of Sally, the missing black and white border collie.

Last week I’d asked folks to keep a weather eye out for the scared little girl who was recently rescued by Norm, a kindly Foots Creek man, who was hoping to give Sally a happy home.

Unfortunately, Sally is not well socialized and hadn’t yet had time to bond with Norm when she was startled and slipped out the door. Shy Sally skittered off down the road and has been seen around the Gold Hill area.

I checked out the Jackson County Animal Shelter last Friday afternoon when I heard from Norm saying he’d had no luck. My heart skipped a beat when I saw a black and white face peering out of one of the kennel spaces. But this pooch was two things Sally is not - uber-friendly and male.  

I gave the shelter staff Norm’s number and Sally’s stats – such as we have. And am still hoping for the best. If you see Sally, please give Norm a call at 541-531-2576. Or contact the shelter at 541-776-6654.

A fun and free opportunity to check out various dog breeds is happening Saturday in the Olsrud Building at the Jackson County Expo.

Sponsored by local 4-H clubs, the day of the dog display is designed to help kids learn about the differences between breeds.

Beginning at 9:30 a.m., different breeds of dogs will be presented by their owners/breeders/handlers. Discussion of origins, standards and abilities will occur. As will a test at the end of the day, for the 4-H kiddos.

From service dogs to those who are used for sporting, herding, companionship and more. Here’s your chance to sniff around and see what’s what in the canine world. Sounds like a howling good time.

Hey folks. A little help here, please. We have a lost and frightened black and white border collie last seen in the Gold Hill area who needs to get back to her new home.

Sally is a 1-year-old female with a white blaze between her eyes. She went missing over a week ago from her new home with Norm Jones in the Foots Creek area.

The scared little girl didn’t come from the best of circumstances. Norm had just rescued her the very day she was lost.

“I’d only had her home for about a half hour,” Norm said. “I was walking her around the yard and her tail was just starting to wag.”

But the pair hadn’t had near enough time to bond. Sally panicked in her strange new surroundings a few minutes later, wiggled out of her collar and bolted out the door.

Sally has lived most of her life in a pen, is fearful of strangers and is not likely to come when called. She does know one command, “That’ll do,” which might work, says Norm.

Norm has put up flyers at the Foots Creek Deli, called the Jackson County animal shelter and posted an add on Craigslist. He’s heard about sightings. But no luck yet getting her back.

Regular readers will know this story tugs at my heart. I rescued my sainted Twirley Jane in similar circumstances. We shared 15 wonderful years together before she passed last year. Norm is also a long-time fan of the breed. Sally will hopefully fill the void in his heart after the passing of his border collie, if we can get her back.

There have been several Sally sightings in the Gold Hill area. If you see her, please don’t spook her into bolting further. Please give Norm a call at 541-531-2576.

The Calvary Temple Church, located at 513 E. Pine St., Central Point, has offered to be a warming station during these upcoming freezing nights.

The church organizers have partnered with Access, which will provide warm soup and bread.

They also will allow homeless guests to bring their dogs inside the shelter – so long as the pet is crated. Since a crate/cage is generally not an item most homeless folks own, the outreach is asking for donations of the following to help keep pets safe and warm:

Dog crates/cages/pens – all sizes

Leashes and collars

Pet food, kibble only, please

The shelter could also use donations of sleeping bags and toiletries, as well as volunteers to help staff the shelter’s warming station on the nights they are open.

If you can be a volunteer or have any of the items above, they are needed ASAP.

For more information, contact Rita at 664-3226 at the Calvary Temple Church, or Debbie at 727-1679.

When it comes to the Holidays, what do you put in your pets’ stockings?

Personally, while I do purchase an annual frou-frou outfit for my neighbor’s tiny poo-dell, Gracie, (because she looks so rediculous cute in pink tutus), I am not so good at gifting the feathered and furry friends in my own abode. What is up with that? Bad mommie!

I’ve decided to blame the bad economy with my Grinch-like tendencies this year. But luckily for my cat and parrots, my friends have taken pity on them.

Squiggy received a new catnip mouse. Don’t tell my friend, but Squiggy has dissed the mouse. I guess she’s off the leaves right now. 

Goose the tiel and Gaia the African Gray got treat sticks from this same pal. Goose has already decimated his. Gaia is waiting to see if the large seed-bearing object has any parrot-eating capabilities. Once she finally figures it’s safe to nosh, she’ll be on that thing like the proverbial duck/junebug.

I was perusing some websites to see what a good parent would give their Fifi or Fido and came across this story from better economic days. Don’t let your pets read over your shoulder or they may beg, whine and wheedle for their own pearl necklaces and cell phones.

Happy Holidays!

• A number of seasonal plants are poisonous to pets if nibbled or eaten, including ivy, holly, mistletoe and others.
• Keep holiday decorations away from pets. Tinsel, bows, ribbons and wrapping paper can be tempting chew toys for pets, but can damage their digestive systems. Remember to keep tree ornaments high enough that they’re out of your pet’s reach.
• Provide your pet with a quiet, out-of-the-way room during holiday parties. Though some pets may enjoy socializing opportunities, others will be overwhelmed by the excitement of a party.
• As you enjoy candy and other treats during the holidays, please don’t share with your pets. Chocolate can be especially hazardous. And individually wrapped candies are double troubles as some pets might eat both the candy and the wrapper.
• Avoid the urge to give you pets table scraps, especially bones. Bones easily splinter and can cause serious health problems, even death.
• If you are planning to take your pet with you when visiting friends and relatives during the holidays, be sure to contact them in advance to find out if your pet is welcome.  Because of the excitement during the holidays, it might be best to board your pet or hire a reputable pet sitter instead.
• Don’t leave candles unattended. Pets may accidentally knock them over and spill wax or start a fire.

A woman wrote to say a neighbor’s pit bull had come onto her fenced property and savaged her pet sheep and her horses last week. The ewe, Sally, had attempted to protect the horses and ended up with fatal injuries inflicted to her cheek, jaw and throat. Sally was humanely destroyed. The horses were very traumatized “and possibly injured,” she said.

The pit was the neighbor’s family pet. It also had a history of getting loose, she said. The owner was ”crushed” at the damage the dog had done. But this person had also allegedly become increasingly concerned at the dog’s behavior. 

The incident, the woman said, has left her wondering if pit bull ownership should be restricted. “I am not about more laws or punishing the dogs for doing what they are bred to do,” she said. “I am about not more breeding of pit bulls and very restrictive ownership.”

I sympathize with the woman’s concerns. But I disagree with her premise that this incident happened because the dog was a pit bull. The predator/prey instinct is strong in many breeds. And most dogs, from the lowliest mutt to the highest-brow purebred, are capable of harrassing and hurting livestock if left to their own devices.

I do believe many pit owners are ill-equipped to deal with their dogs. And, let’s face it, pits are not chihuahuas or some other little ankle-biting breed. So when an owner fails to control a poorly trained and ill-socialized dog, the results can be deadly to animals, adults and children.

Our reader suggested pit owners be required to get better education or perhaps even acquire a permit to own the breed. Other options included requiring an insurance policy for potential damage and restricting ownership.

What, if anything, do you think should be done to control (potentially) dangerous dogs? And do you think the changes should apply strictly to pit bulls? E-mail me, and we can keep the discussion going.

I woke up from a Sunday nap to find devastation in my deck pond. And I’m still trying to find out what might have happened.

The 50-gallon whiskey barrel tub with the trickling water can spout has been the home of several goldfish for many years. But when I went out to scoop out the falling leaves and give my fishy friends some food yesterday, three of my six fish were floating dead. And a fourth was at death’s door.

I scooped out the deceased fellows – and discovered they were covered with a slimy white substance. The survivor was slimy as well. But he also had bloody fins and gills. 

I felt so sad and he looked really miserable. I put him in a small hospital tank and added some aquatic salt and a bit of stress coat, but he died a few hours later.

Meanwhile, I can’t find the other two fish at all. Eeek!

What could have happened to turn my happy little pond into such a toxic mess? The waterspout had clogged and wasn’t trickling a steady stream of water down onto the pond. But that has happened before with no ill effect. I haven’t changed water in awhile, so I know the problem wasn’t due to an influx of nasty aqua.

I’m going to take a water sample to my local pet store. But in the meantime, I’m struggling to figure this one out. Any fish doctors out there?