Hot Topic: Tax Breaks

I received a couple of emails this week regarding two different and very unique pet businesses. I thought I’d spend a second talking about each one, and leave you with websites to check out. While I’m thinking about it, I should also let you know I’ll be on my annual two week vacation in northeastern Minnesota starting this weekend. Although we’ll be enjoying God’s country and all the outdoor fun to go along with it(Chase will spend most of his time dock-jumping!) I’m still planning on blogging for Weather Lab Wednesday. Be sure to check out our discussions!

The first company I thought I’d highlight may make your skin crawl a bit. I’d like to thank Nancy Janssen, one of the owners of AQ Allstate Pest Control here in Des Moines, who shared her story of their adopted black lab Abby. Abby was saved from a kennel in Kentucky where she was on death row. After training in Florida, Nancy and her husband adopted Abby and brought her home to Iowa. Since then, Abby has been Iowa’s only bed bug detection dog! Check out her story and AQ Allstate Pest Control at  www.aqallstatepc.com

Our second focus is on an attorney in Minnesota my Mom heard about recently. Although I’ve never met her, I found her career pretty interesting. www.animalattorneyonline.com Barbara Gislason handles, “drafting agreements when animals are bought or sold, resolving disputes about ownership, representing people in harassment or disability, municipal land use, zoning, dangerous and exotic animals, deceptive trade practice and defamation, veterinary malpractice, and injury to pets and people proceedings and litigation.” I grabbed this quote from her website: www.animalattorneyonline.com Guess I’d never thought of this type of law practice, but it sounds interesting!

Finally, I’m curious to hear your thoughts on a bill regarding tax breaks for pet people currently in the legislation. As a pet fan, I know the expense of adopting a dog into my home. This is something I’ve budgeted for, and it doesn’t bother me if I don’t have a tax break for Chase. Now I’m not saying the money wouldn’t be nice, but my thought may be askew from most of you. My fear is that if this bill passes, everyone and their brother will be out buying a pet just for a tax credit. This means people who SHOULDN’T have pets will adopt, leaving some to be neglected or abused. It may also mean an increase in multiple-pet families, and unless you can afford it and have the patience, multiple pets might be a mistake. Again, I hate playing devil’s advocate on this one, but the only positive I’ve found is a few extra dollars in my pocket. What are your thoughts? We could have quite a debate on our hands! If you want this bill voted in, follow the link I’m including: http://www.animallawcoalition.com/animals-and-politics/article/1019

Until next week- Bryan & Chase ^..^

Artsy Fartsy

First, I should start off by thanking all of you who stopped by the KCCI gazebo yesterday to say hi! I met many very friendly faces, and one of the most commonly asked question was, “Where’s Chase?” Although I’d love to bring him to the fair, I am pretty sure the fair board would say otherwise. Plus, Chase would be a Hoover vacuum, sucking up all the fair food scraps he could grab! For those of you who haven’t seen the card I sign while I’m at the gazebo, here’s a copy of the photo that was taken last summer.I was peering through a list of blog topics some of you have helped me build, and it looks like we have enough to last another few weeks. We may possibly revisit topics we haven’t discussed since first kicking off Chattin’ With Chase as well. This week, I actually have a topic we haven’t brought up yet! How many of you have done arts and crafts types of projects with your pets? I know it sounds a little different, but there are a few doggie daycare facilities that get your pets involved in arts and crafts.

I was thinking about two projects in particular, and I’ll do my best to describe how to go about these crafts.  Jason and Kelly Parkin’s dog Harry has his paw print in plaster of paris, a fairly easy memory maker for anyone! Here’s a how-to I found online:  http://www.digginthedirt.ca/?p=482 This isn’t something I’ve tried yet, but may be willing to give it a shot. Have any of you done something with your pet’s paw in plaster? How about wet cement? If you do have your pet step on wet cement, be sure to wash the paw(s) immediately and thoroughly.

This is something cool I did, although it did take a bit of patience. I’ve decorated a few of my work ties for the Animal Rescue League’s Raise Your Paw Auction, and after trying to paw stamp a tie with a dog who hates to have his paws touched, I finally decided a stamp would be best. I stirred up a little mud in my backyard(not a mud puddle, but basically slightly wet dirt) and had Chase put one of his paws into the dirt. Then I had him step on a white piece of paper, leaving his muddy paw print behind. I let it dry, and trimmed around the outside edge of the paw. Once I had his paw print cut out of paper, I took it down to Outstamping by Design in Valley Junction. The owner, Marge, was very helpful in this whole process, creating exactly what I wanted…Chase’s paw print on a stamp!! I purchased multipurpose, water-based pigment ink to stamp fabric, wood, paper and more. Now I use it to stamp our autograph cards at the fair, or when I’m at an event. You can tell it gets used in this photo:For those of you who are planning a trip out to the fair before it wraps up, we’ll have a few showers around tomorrow, along with wind and cooler air. Friday still looks a little on the cool side(low 70s,) but Saturday and Sunday look beautiful! Have a good time, and don’t eat too much…
Until next week-  Bryan & Chase ^..^

Now In the News…

Although I have a few blog topics to choose from in my file folder, thought we’d take a step out of our normal 1-topic discussions and find out the latest and greatest in the world of pets. I’d like to grab articles and find out what pets are making the news every couple months or so, allowing us to stay up to speed on new techniques or procedures for pet folks, or to shine a spotlight on pet heroes or human heroes to our pets. If you’ve read something recently you would like to share, please pass it along!

Let’s get things started with a bit of a tear-jerker. Grab a Kleenex and read this heart-warming story of a lost terrier who saved a young man. My eyes are still swelling with tears thinking about it…

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,538724,00.html?test=latestnews

On a bit of a different(and funny) note, Jason Parkin sent me this advertisement:

https://www.thesnuggiefordogs.com/

This in an interesting article asking if your cat is left or right-pawed:

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17510-is-your-cat-left-or-right-pawed.html

This cat is VERY talented…how funny!!

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/06/04/earlyshow/contributors/debbyeturner/main2880762.shtml

Have any of you caught an episode of Animal Planet’s, It’s Me or the Dog? Here is a link to the show’s site: http://animal.discovery.com/tv/its-me-or-dog/

Here’s another interesting article on where dogs may have actually been domesticated:

http://archaeology.about.com/b/2009/08/03/dog-domestication-news.htm

If you’ve seen something interesting, whether it’s an article or a television show, let us know where to find it! I’m always looking for fun facts to share, and new pet tips for me and Chase.

Until next week- Bryan & Chase ^..^

Someone To Lean On

Thank you to those who passed along congratulatory messages on Chattin’ With Chase’s 2-year anniversary! As I mentioned last week, although I may not respond as much in our blog discussions, I read the messages and have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know more about you and your pets.

This week’s discussion could be a bit of a tear-jerker. I have to thank our fellow blogger, Makata, for passing along the idea. She has a dog who helped her family, and especially her son, through a very rough period in their lives. So our question of the week: Have you had a pet help you or someone in your family through a rocky time, and if so, how did they help? Grab a Kleenex and be prepared to shed a few tears!

We can be assured of one thing with our pets(dogs in particular.) If they’ve been treated properly, you can come home in the worst mood or have had the saddest day, but they will be waiting with tail wagging and a few kisses! There have been many times I’ve walked in after an extra-long day or after being dealt some bad news, only to get the world’s biggest hug and barrage of kisses from Chase. He’s listened to me complain, become irate, sulk and even cry. At no point did he pass judgment. He knew when I needed a hug or to be left alone.

Have you ever wondered what your pet must be thinking when they listen to your hardships? Do you suppose their advice is to just give them a big hug, and you’ll feel better? I know it really does help to wrap my arms around Chase. My family’s dogs were always therapeutic as well when I was growing up. Tails wagging and kisses waiting to be given!

Makata reminds us to think of how important our pets are in our lives. They bring us joy in some of our most trying times. They listen and don’t pass judgement. They are faithful and stand by our sides. Give your pet(s) a hug today, and do so every day of their lives!

Yet Another Anniversary?!

I know this is cliche, but where did the year go? Really, where did the past two years disappear?? Chattin’ with Chase is celebrating two years of blogging, and I want to take a second to thank all of you for helping steer our successful discussions! In that same breath, I should also apologize for not chiming in as much after I’ve sent the latest topic your way. It’s not that I don’t enjoy discussing(I love it,) I’ve just enjoyed writing them up and reading what you have to say. If you ever have a question or comment you’d rather not post it, or you really want to make sure I have an answer for you, please send me a direct email at bkarrick@hearst.com.

The most commonly asked question asked of me when out and about in town doesn’t have to do with the weather or a forecast, it’s “WHERE’S CHASE?” You would be surprised at how many people only know me as Chase’s Dad, and not necessarily as Bryan! The second most asked question, “HOW’S CHASE?” If my friends are with me, they get quite a chuckle out of my dog’s ‘celebrity.’ I wonder if it goes to his head, especially the way he sometimes acts entitled to things around the house! To tell you the truth, Chase does have me wrapped around his paw!

Chase had a comprehensive exam yesterday. He weighs around 76-pounds(for those of you who weren’t aware, Chase was the runt of his litter.) His only shot this visit was a bordetella, and the vet said his overall health was very good. She did suggest giving him more to chew on, including Greenies or rawhides, anything to take the plaque off his teeth. She also mentioned his coat isn’t quite as shiny, and thought maybe it was his diet. I’ve recently switched food to something the pet store suggested would be better for his hips. For the life of me, I cannot recall the name of this food, although it’s the same brand that makes the food he ate before we switched. I may go back to his original food, since he liked it and the brand was healthy.

As we begin another year of blogging, I’d like to once again thank those of you who have been apart of, or read Chattin’ With Chase. You’ve helped answer questions and have stirred up some great discussion for our fellow bloggers. We have run the gamut in topics, and continue to look for new topics each week. Send your ideas my way, and be sure to let us know of any new developments in pet research or laws that may be of interest.

Until next week- Bryan & Chase ^..^

Not For The Squeamish…

Chase and I were walking along the Greenbelt Trail Tuesday, and I noticed a couple different groups of kids playing in a small creek that runs through our neighborhood. One of the first things that came to mind was a photo of a large snake of some variety(must have been 5-feet long) the city of Clive posted in their last public works newsletter, caught along Walnut Creek. I’ve seen pics of these snakes in past newsletters, but it still gives me goosebumps to think they sun themselves along the Greenbelt in Clive! If we ever come across something as big as this on our walks, I’m not sure how I would react. I am NOT a snake fan. Chase has walked over garter snakes without issue, but I still jump when I see them. This snake showdown photo was sent by a fellow blogger last summer. I apologize, but the name of both parent and pet escape me!

Have any of you had a pet bitten by any kind of snake? Garter snakes can bite and are now known to have a small amount of venom secreted near their lips. Although it’s not enough venom to kill, it can create swelling and itchiness. We also have a number of other snakes in Iowa, including crayfish snakes, prairie king, red belly’s, rat, bull, green, racer, brown, and even 3 different types of rattlesnakes found in various locations across the state. There are others not listed here, but I’m giving myself the willies writing about them, so I’ll stop listing. Do you know what to do if your pet is bitten by a snake? The ASPCA has a great post, discussing prevention, recognition, and treatment of snake bites: http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control/snake-bite-safety-prevention-tips.html

From one nasty creature to another, how about a quick discussion of spiders?! How many of you have had pets bitten by a spider? What did you do to treat them? Here is another very good source of information on spider bites: http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+1677+1681&aid=2395 This next article from the same site discusses bee, wasp and hornet stings, as well as ant bites: http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+1677&aid=2393

One final note before we wrap up our disgusting blog! We also came across a large toad on our walk, and although Chase didn’t notice, I bent down and pointed it out to him. Each time the toad jumped, Chase jumped back! It was comic relief! He isn’t as curious as some dogs, so I’m glad he didn’t grab it. Has your pet picked up a toad before? They secrete a fluid that can actually irritate your pet’s eyes and tongue. This may cause them to foam at the mouth and pant, but flushing with water should take care of it. If your pet has symptoms that don’t go away, call your vet. As a matter of fact, if any of the above bites or stings do occur, call and inform your vet and ask for first aid advice. They may check back, or want you to bring your pet in for observation.

On that note, time to go out and enjoy this GORGEOUS late July weather! Hope you can get outside too! The above photo is of Chase enjoying his two favorite things…a pizzle and his glow-in-the-dark ball.

Until next week- Bryan & Chase  ^..^

Fly Me To The Moon!

Some of you may be questioning where summer disappeared after such a hot June! We’ve been below average 13 of the first 16 days of July, and I don’t foresee a big warm up anytime soon. Although I’m not complaining too much, I am a fan of summer and hate to think of fall-ish weather already! One really good thing about this cooler weather is that many of you have probably been able to enjoy the great outdoors with your furry friends without breaking into a sweat. By the way, here is a photo of us after a warm rain soaked us on a recent walk. It felt refreshing!

Summer is full of travel, and I’m very much looking forward to my yearly trip to northern Minnesota at the end of August. Have you taken a summer trip yet, and if so, was your pet allowed on vacation too? We’ve discussed traveling with your pets in a past blog, but there’s a new way for them to travel long distances in first class! It’s called Pet Airways. What an ingenious concept, and I’m amazed it took this long for someone to test it out. Unfortunately, we have to travel outside of Iowa to GET to an airport served by this pampered pet travel service, and the closest location is Chicago. They are currently serving 5 large cities: Chicago; Denver; Washington D.C./Baltimore; L.A.; New York. Price-wise, they may be able to beat any human airline shipping your pet in their dark & scary cargo. Here’s a link to their website: http://petairways.com/

So what do you think? Would you book a flight with Pet Airways if it served Des Moines? How about their prices? I wish I would have pursued my private pilot’s license, especially if this idea takes off(pun intended…) Do you suppose a special pet train or private vacation shuttle/bus service would be successful? I’m not planning on testing these concepts out, but if you decide to attempt it, I’d be happy to take a cut of your profits as the idea finder!

Since we shared some incredible hail photos Wednesday morning, we moved Weather Lab Wednesday to this morning’s show. If you missed it, here’s a photo of Chase’s injured nose. Click on the pic and look closely. You’ll see where a little Boston Terrier took some of the skin. In a way, Chase brought it on himself by getting worked up around the little dog, but this little dog had BIG attitude. Chase is doing just fine and his nose continues to heal at a rapid pace.

Until next week- Bryan & Chase ^..^

Hot Topic: Dog Fighting

Wow, I started a blog discussion Wednesday and never got back to it! Time to slow down and let life catch up. It’s too short to be so busy! A couple topics to touch on this week, and we’ll get to the heated topic in just a minute.

First, I’ve mentioned the Animal Rescue League and other Iowa shelters in past blogs, but after hearing a recent and disturbing trend, I thought it might be a good time to talk a little more in depth. In recent media reports, Tom Colvin at the ARL has discussed a recent influx of pets into their shelter, with a majority of those dropped off being cats. Although area shelters usually have a rush this time of year(I’m not exactly sure why,) this time around seems a bit more extreme. As the ARL continues to take on more animals, they are squeezing their newly expanded space and running low on supplies! If you have extra pet food, blankets, toys, even cleaning supplies you would like to donate, please contact the ARL at 515-262-2612. Cash donations are also appreciated. You can also contact any pet shelters near you to help.

Now on to a topic that REALLY chaps my hide. How many of you ‘raised hackles’ when you heard about these jack@$$es busted in the nation’s largest(6 state) dog-fighting ring?? UNBELIEVABLE! What makes me even more sick to my stomach is to hear what these worthless piles did to some of the dogs when they were finished with them. Maybe someone should put them in a ring, let them fight to the death, and toss them into a river or worse when finished. I sure hope the 4 Iowans charged are found innocent(we’ll give them the benefit of the doubt until found guilty, because I’d like to hope one of our local teachers wasn’t involved.) Here’s the story from KCCI: http://www.kcci.com/news/19998229/detail.html#

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this outrageous topic, and I’m sure we’ll generate quite a few. Please keep in mind our moderators will not allow use of bad language, so be careful in your responses. One last thought from my soapbox…any low-life piles found guilty should rot in jail for life! Okay, off the soapbox and onto possible storms again this afternoon.

Have a wonderful and safe weekend! Until next week-  Bryan & Chase ^..^

Ear Hematomas

I was just reading over an article Marlo forwarded my way about a condition your pet may be prone to called Ear Hematomas. Now I’ve heard of hematomas in humans, but didn’t realize it also afflicts our furry friends on a fairly common basis. Have you dealt with ear hematomas in your pets? Let’s go over some of the facts, causes, and how you go about treating something that left alone could permanently disfigure your pet’s ears.

According to Utah Veterinary Clinics, an ear hematoma is defined as, “a firm, fluid-filled swollen mass that is visible on the inside of the  ear flap.”(www.uvma.org) They are blood vessels that have ruptured in the ear, and the pressure from these ruptures cause the ear to swell. This can become quite painful for your dog or cat, and as they shake their heads or scratch and dig at the pain, it can make their condition even worse.  Without immediate attention, your dog or cat could end up with a disfigurement of their ears due to scar tissue.

So what actually causes an ear hematoma? There are several factors that can lead to an ear hematoma, including the general make-up of your pet’s ears. Dogs with floppy ears are more prone than those with upright ears, and cats are the least prone. Shaking of large, floppy ears may break the delicate blood vessels in the ear, allowing for infection and ear hematoma development. Itchy skin due to allergies may cause your pet to dig in or violently shake their ears. Yet another cause could be a foreign object in the ear(s) cause a similar reaction to allergies. Ear mites and bug bites or stings can also lead to ear hematomas.

If you’ve had a pet with an ear hematoma, what caused it to form? How did you handle this potentially painful situation? Anytime you question something that has your pet shaking or constantly scratching, you should give your vet a call or bring them in for a check-up. It’s better to be safe than sorry! If your pet is diagnosed with an ear hematoma, the best treatment is to surgically drain the blood, which will allow your vet to figure out what caused the swollen mass. Future recurrences are quite possible, but with constant cleaning and checking of their ears, you may be able to keep this condition from developing, or catch it before the hematoma worsens. Check out this article for more ways to prevent ear hematomas: http://ezinearticles.com/?Ear-Hematomas-in-Pets&id=2435971

Sure hope you can get outside with your pets and take advantage of our GORGEOUS weather! We’ve got a long summer ahead of us, and it’s not often we can kick off July without heat and humidity.

Until next week- Bryan & Chase ^..^

The Comforts of Home

Hey blog friends! Wow, what a busy week weather-wise, and SO darn hot. Chase has been less active in this recent heat wave, and I don’t blame him. On our last couple of walks, we’ve made it about 20 minutes before finding a shade tree. It’s still too dangerous for pets and owners alike to be in this intense heat for too long. If they must be outside, PLEASE make sure your pets have fresh water and a shady retreat. Unless the garage is air-conditioned, it’s not a great place to leave an animal. Garages tend to hold that heat too.

Not sure if we’ve talked about in-home daycare yet,  although I know we’ve discussed out-of- home daycare for your pets. I got a surprise last week when dropping Chase off at Greenbelt Kennels. Jean usually has cats staying with her, but I was welcomed by the sounds of a bird when walking in the door! Guess she’s had a bit of variety lately. I prefer Greenbelt when I’m in town, but if I have a business trip or something away from central Iowa, I’d rather have someone staying in my home with Chase. I’ve been lucky to have a great group of friends who offer to stay with him, which eases my mind, and is of some comfort to when he’s separated from me for an extended period.

Do you use in-home daycare for your pets, whether on a daily basis, or during trips away from home? If so, how do you go about screening someone you may not know before letting them stay in your house, with your pet(s)? My parents had a sitter stay with their dogs a couple years ago, someone they sort of knew at the time. Unfortunately, when they got home, some of their possessions were missing. They didn’t want to jump to conclusions or create a scene with this sitter, since only a few items were missing. Needless to say, they have not invited her back to the house, and they try and bribe my brother into staying with the pups if they need to be gone.

If you’re just joining in our discussion and didn’t participate in our daycare conversation awhile back, feel free to chime in about your experiences and how you went about choosing an out-of- home daycare as well! I heard about Greenbelt via word of mouth, and Chase has a great time when he’s playing with his daycare friends

A quick reminder, our blog postings are monitored and must be approved. If you don’t see your posting right away, check back because it will get posted at some point. Thanks!

Until next week- Bryan & Chase ^..^