PAWPRINTS

Archive for April, 2009

Have you joined Twitter yet?

What is Twitter? Twitter is a service for friends, family, and co–workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: “What are you doing?”

At least, that was the concept. However, it is becoming a dumping ground for every advertiser to just promote their product with sometimes 10 or more entries in a row that are nothing more than “commercials’.

I believe in networking with like-minded individuals, and enjoy reading the little comments from pet lovers many of whom also have web sites. I do not object to an occasional plug for a product or service. But an endless list of entries from large commercial pet product outlets and manufacturers just clutters up the page and makes it nigh onto impossible to find the personal entries.

How, I wonder, can anyone possibly follow 1000 + followers?  For some this has just become a numbers game. I don’t want that many ”tweets” on my page. I can’t possible read them all, nor do I want to.

That having been said, the original concept is still a great one. Through twitter you can find other pet lovers to connect with and make friends. All About Dogs and Cats has a Twitter account. You can find us at: http://twitter.com/AboutDogsNCats  We welcome all dog and cat parents to join us. We’d love to hear from you.

Spring has sprung, and it’s time to put away your winter woolens! But beware, pet parents—take care when storing your cold weather gear with mothballs, warns the ASPCA. These strong-smelling deterrents contain pesticides that repel sweater-loving moths but can wreak havoc on the health of your furry family members.

In the past year, the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) has managed 113 cases of mothball poisoning, and most of those accidents happened during the spring and summer months. According to the APCC’s Dana Farbman, CVT, the ingestion of just one mothball can produce significant illness.

Naphthalene—an offending chemical found in some brands of mothballs—is toxic to dogs, cats and other animals, and if ingested, can cause serious illness, including vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, swelling of the brain tissue, seizures, damage to the liver, kidneys and blood cells, coma and even death.

Farbman also advises pet parents to look out for mothballs that contain dichlorobenzene. “This insecticide is somewhat less toxic than naphthalene,” she says, “but it can still cause stomach upset and potentially even neurological effects if consumed in large amounts.”

It’s important to seek immediate attention if your pet has ingested mothballs. Prompt treatment can make the difference between just another household accident and permanent tragedy. The prognosis for those pets who receive immediate care is quite good, provided no other underlying conditions like liver disease or anemia are present.

If you suspect that your pet may have ingested mothballs—or any other poisonous substance—please call your local veterinarian or the ASPCA’s emergency hotline at (888) 426-4435. For more information about keeping your pet safe from household poisons, please visit APCC online.