This will be a very very very long week of work for my pal.... huhuhu

I actually had a play with my pal, but very sadly he told me that starting today, the rest of the days will be a long days of work for him, about 7 straight working days for him; he says. Not to mention that between those days he actually have 16 hour shift with more than 22 patients on deck on his unit. Tough luck! He can't be very sure if there will be no mortality during that 7 straight working days for him.

Arf arf arf!!! Hope he could really spend time for his mom. She ain't looking that good lately. But she his mom is coping up though with the help of the medication my pal has given her... Till then guys. Keep the faith! arf, arf, arf,...

TIRED...

My pal went home today from a noc shift, he was literally closing his eyes and crawling for the bed when he stepped in the house. He says he was so tired that we have to cancel play this mornng and do it as soon as he wakes up. But he took time to pat me on my head and gave me a hug when he arrived so that alone was a great relief for me...

My pals mom said; that she will be buying me yummies from grocery and I can't wait to to grab a bite. For the meantime I'm going to lay beside my pal so he'll see me as soon as he wakes up...Mwuah!

DOG NURSES - cool !

Therapy Dogs

There are many uses for therapy dogs. They provide a general feeling of well being, unconditional affection, and can help people with specific therapy activities. There are two ways that therapy dogs can help -- through Animal Assisted Activities (AAA) and Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT).

Animal Assisted Activities are casual activities where people and pets connect. These meetings can happen anywhere, at any time, and help make tough situations a little easier for the people involved. These dogs might conduct visits to nursing homes, childcare facilities, schools, and even disaster sites. Though the dogs don't need any specialized training, it is important that they be calm and friendly and well behaved. These dogs work with lots of different people.

Animal Assisted Therapy is when an animal such as a therapy dog is an important part of someone's physical, social, and emotional therapy activities. For example, a physical therapist might work with a patient and therapy dog to improve their physical fitness. Dog grooming, walking and even Frisbee throwing can help with coordination, strength, and flexibility. These dogs require special training and work intensely with one person at a time.

ARF ! ARF !! ARF !

To bark or not to bark

Wolves rarely bark except as an alarm, but most dogs bark often and everywhere. There are alarm barks, "let-me-outside" barks, "I-want-to-play" barks, and more. All this barking may be a result of early breeding of the first dogs where humans selected for effective guarders -- more specifically, the noisiest!

One breed of dog never barks -- the African basenji.

Last laugh?

Recent research has discovered distinct vocalizations made by playing dogs. Could these sounds be dogs laughing? When researchers play the sounds for a group of dogs at rest, some of the dogs will grab toys and try to get their buddies to play.

DO THIS !

Try This at Home Can you rely on your sense of smell to solve a mystery? Put on a blindfold. Have a friend or family member hold up different types of food or spices to your nose one at a time. Can you tell what each "mystery item" is just by smelling?

A DOG NOSE...

Dogs experience the world nose-first

How does a dog get the neighborhood news? Through its nose! Of all a dog's senses, its sense of smell is the most highly developed. Dogs have about 25 times more olfactory (smell) receptors than humans do. These receptors occur in special sniffing cells deep in a dog's snout and are what allow a dog to "out-smell" humans.

Dogs can sense odors at concentrations nearly 100 million times lower than humans can. They can detect one drop of blood in five quarts of water! Sniffing the bare sidewalk may seem crazy, but it yields a wealth of information to your dog, whether it's the scent of the poodle next door or a whiff of the bacon sandwich someone dropped last week.

When a dog breathes normally, air doesn't pass directly over the smell receptors. But when the dog takes a deep sniff, the air travels all the way to the smell receptors, near the back of the dog's snout. So for a dog, sniffing is a big

HUHUHU.. mah Pals' on a worry-mode' (sigh...)

Just recently my pal's mom went to his house to have herself examined. Her mother had not been feeling so well lately. My pal is actually a nurse so he decided to look at her mom personally, she had the laboratories checked, ECG and the vital signs. Apparently my pal found out that her mom was suffering from ISH - that's Isolated Systolic Hypertension; a disease very common among elderly.

My pal has been doing a lot of readings lately, he's kinda stressed out how to properly deal with the ailment of her mom. That's so sad. We haven't been playing since then,.. But I know My pal can find ways on how to alleviate her mom's condition... huhuhu.. (sigh..)

OUR NOT SO FRIENDLY FRIENDS - THE CATS !

Myths and Facts About Cats

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Are these statements true or false?

• Cats always land on their feet.
• Cats should drink milk everyday.

The correct answer to both is FALSE.

These are common misunderstandings that veterinarians frequently hear from pet owners, according to the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA). Following is a list of popular myths that AAHA veterinarians and The Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) would like to dispel.

Myth: Cats always land on their feet.
Fact: While cats instinctively fall feet first and may survive falls from high places, they also may receive broken bones in the process. Some kind of screening on balconies and windows can help protect pets from disastrous falls.

Myth: Cats should drink milk everyday.
Fact: Most cats like milk, but do not need it if properly nourished. Also, many will get diarrhea if they drink too much milk. If it is given at all, the amount should be small and infrequent.

Myth: Cats that are spayed or neutered automatically gain weight.
Fact: Like people, cats gain weight from eating too much, not exercising enough or both. In many cases, spaying or neutering is done at an age when the animal's metabolism already has slowed, and its need for food has decreased. If the cat continues to eat the same amount, it may gain weight. Cat owners can help their cats stay fit by providing exercise and not over-feeding.

Myth: Cats cannot get rabies.
Fact: Actually, most warm-blooded mammals, including cats, bats, skunks and ferrets, can carry rabies. Like dogs, cats should be vaccinated regularly according to local laws.

Myth: Indoor cats cannot get diseases.
Fact: Cats still are exposed to organisms that are carried through the air or brought in on a cat owner's shoes or clothing. Even the most housebound cat ventures outdoors at some time and can be exposed to diseases and worms through contact with other animals feces.

Myth: Tapeworms come from bad food.
Fact: Pets become infected with tape worms from swallowing fleas, which carry the parasite. Also, cats can get tapeworms from eating infected mice or other exposed animals.

Myth: Putting garlic on a pet's food will get rid of worms.
Fact: Garlic may make the animal's food taste better but has no effect on worms. The most effective way to treat worms is by medication prescribed by a veterinarian.

Myth: Pregnant women should not own cats.
Fact: Some cats can be infected with a disease called toxoplasmosis, which occasionally can be spread to humans through cat litter boxes and cause serious problems in unborn babies. However, these problems can be controlled, if the expectant mother avoids contact with the litter box and assigns daily cleaning to a friend or other family member.

Myth: A cat's sense of balance is in its whiskers.
Fact: Cats use their whiskers as "feelers" but not to maintain their balance.

Myth: Animals heal themselves by licking their wounds.
Fact: Such licking actually can slow the healing process and further damage the wound.

For the most accurate information on these and other concerns about pet health care, the American Animal Hospital Association and The Cat Fanciers' Association advise cat owners to contact a veterinarian.

The AAHA is an international association of more than 12,000 veterinarians who treat companion animals, such as cats and dogs. The association is well-known among veterinarians for its high standards for hospitals and pet health care.

The CFA is the world's largest registry of pedigreed cats and has reaffirmed its commitment to the promotion of the welfare of ALL cats, pedigreed or random bred.

YOUR DOG'S INTELLIGENCE

When choosing a dog, breed intelligence and temperament, among other things, are important considerations. If you already have a dog, how does your breed measure up?

Intelligence can be measured in more ways than one. Problem solving ability and instinctive ability are important qualities in a dog but, when tested in obedience alone, a dog trainers'survey produced some interesting results. When dog breeds were temperament tested by the American Temperament Testing Society, even more surprising results were recorded.

Alfons Ertel established the American Temperament Testing Society (ATTS) in 1977. The test simulates a casual walk through a park and focuses on stability, shyness, aggressiveness, and friendliness as well as the dog's instinct for protectiveness toward its handler, and/or self-preservation. The test is for all breeds and is uniform throughout the country. Approximately one thousand test events have been held, with 26,615 dogs tested as of December 2005 and 21,615 dogs have earned TT titles.