The most beautiful of all big cats, the elusive leopard is also the most accomplished. A marvelous hunter and opportunistic predator, the leopard hunts what others do not and resides where other cannot. With a wide geographic distribution, leopard lives everywhere yet is seen virtually nowhere owing to its supreme stealth and cunning. Smallest of the four big cats of the Panthera genus, leopard - Panthera Pardus, has a weight ranging from 80-150 lbs for the males and 65-100 lbs for the female, subject to subspecies variation.
The word leopard reflects the supposed evolutionary origin of the big cat, with the original belief being that it was a hybrid of lion (leo) and panther (pard). However, the closest resemblance is to the Jaguar, even as the leopard is less stocky and its rosette coat markings are smaller, more numerous and lack internal spots. The rosettes also distinguish it from the spots of the Cheetah. Plus leopard is a more gifted tree climber and a nocturnal hunter, whereas Cheetah prefers the less competitive daytime for his kills.
Coloration is usually tawny yellow with the black rosettes ranging from a circular shape in East African leopard to square in South African Leopard. Melanism is frequently seen with the black leopard often found in dense forests of South East Asia. Called 'panther', the black coloration is a result of the merging together of skin markings. Designed for camouflage, leopard's coat is generally considered as one of the most beautiful in animal kingdom and varies according to the habitat of the great hunter. Its geographical distribution is also used for classification purposes as leopard is segregated into nine modern species (down from a previous thirty), namely the African Leopard, Amur Leopard, Arabian Leopard, Indian Leopard, Indo-Chinese Leopard, Java Leopard, North China Leopard, Persian Leopard and Sri Lankan Leopard. The Snow Leopard, Clouded Leopard and Bornean Clouded Leopard are all considered separate species now (to be discussed later!).
A graceful hunter, leopard epitomizes stealth and predation. Leopard's ability to go undetected enables it to prey on the most sensitive of animals like gazelles and dogs. The most successful hunter amongst big cats, leopard spares nothing - takes everything as prey from insects to birds, reptiles, monkeys, fish and deer. Its wide prey base supplemented by its ability to survive in diverse environments ensures leopard's survival beyond the realm of its peers. Despite rare predation by the tiger in India, leopard enjoys greater success since it survives in areas with scarce water. The same is true in Africa where conflicts with lions and hyenas are won by the leopard's terrific ability to carry prey up to three times its weight into trees, beyond the reach of its competitors. Its tree climbing abilities are the best among cats and alongside a strong swimming ability make it the best hunter in all of Africa, surviving in drought and tough climatic conditions where others perish.
Whilst the prey base is diverse, leopard may at times attack humans. The risks are supplemented in case of disease, eradication of prey animals and habitat encroachment. As man-eaters, leopards are extremely dangerous and very hard to eliminate. Their great stalking ability and cunning makes them the most feared killers amongst men. Many in Africa and India don't fear the lion and tiger, respectively, as much as they do the leopard that spares nothing and yet is never seen. In fact many hunters maintain the leopard to be ten times as dangerous as a lion or tiger, making it a killer of great notoriety. Whereas other man-eating cats almost never dare to enter human settlements at day time, leopard has been known to take people from inside their houses! The famous Panar Leopard and Rudraprayag Leopard of India are startling examples (more on man-eating later!).
Solitary creatures, leopards come in unison for mating, that may occur seasonally or year-round depending on the individual sub-specie. Two or three cubs are born that the female takes great care to protect and hide, warning intruders into its territory by roaring and hissing (leopard's growl is slightly different from lion and tiger's loud roars - I personally find the rumbling growl of the leopard more frightening!). The young are able to hunt at nearly one year of age but may stay with the mother up to one and a half to two years.
Leopard often appears on coat of arms of nations and has great admiration worldwide for its beauty, something that poachers relish as they try to market its splendid fur. Though not vulnerable as a specie yet, leopard is under threat in certain parts of the world, spared only by its adaptability and reclusive nature!
Samantha Frost sleeps with her pit bull terrier Rex. She is eight years old and the five-month-old pup has already bitten her once. The little girl raises the heel of her hand to show the small scar that marks the day when the dog was a "bit giggly" and attacked her. She had shouted at him to get down off the sofa and he had responded with his incisors. Luckily, he let go - pit bulls usually lock on to their victims and try to rip, a trait that has led them to be labelled "devil dogs".
Samantha and Rex have become inseparable since he moved into her terraced home in Salford. This week, Samantha's mother, Claire, 24, became all too aware of how Rex could be a time-bomb waiting to go off, after five-year-old Ellie Lawrenson was savaged to death on New Year's Day by her uncle's "pit bull-type" dog. Ellie had been staying with her grandmother, Jackie Simpson, when she was attacked at 4.30am. The dog, Reuben, which also hospitalised Simpson, was shot by police officers.
The RSPCA says Claire should seriously consider having Rex put down. Martin Marsh, the charity's chief inspector for the Merseyside region, said: "We could not, in all conscience, rehouse a known biter. Anybody who has a dog that's bitten a child should not leave the child alone with the dog. I would say it's bordering on criminal letting that child sleep with the dog. You may as well leave that child with a loaded shotgun. It's a no-win situation. The only way forward there is that the mother should be seriously considering whether the poor sod should be euthanased."
When Claire paid £300 for the white puppy with a patch on his eye she had no idea that he was an illegal breed, that traditionally his forebears had been reared for fighting and had been known to attack not just other animals, but adults and children.
"When I got him, I didn't have a clue about dogs," she explains. "My daughter said "get me a brother or a sister or a dog", so I opted for the dog. After I got him people told me he was a pit bull terrier. I got him from my friend, his dog had had a load of puppies and I took one, not knowing what they were. I want to get rid of him but I don't like breaking my daughter's heart. I didn't have a clue whether he was legal or not, then people told me he was illegal but it was too late."
Rex's breed was made illegal under the 1991 Dangerous Dogs Act, along with Japanese tosas, fila brasileiro and dogo argentino. The only way Samantha would be allowed to keep him is if her mother obtained a certificate of exemption from a court after having Rex neutered, insuring him, having a transponder implanted beneath his skin and marking him with an identification tattoo. Rex should also be leashed and muzzled in public places and led by a person over the age of 16. Like many owners of pit bulls, or pit bull crosses - which are also illegal - Claire was wholly unaware of the law.
"He has had his injections, the vet didn't say anything about it being a full pit bull or that it wasn't legal. It's not worrying me that it's illegal. I don't really know much about the law," she says. "Every time I mention getting rid of him, she's heartbroken. But I keep thinking, 'what if it takes her face off?'. I am scared now and I will never leave him alone with her. I have never left her alone with him since he bit her hand. I have told her if he bites her again he will be put down. You just don't think your dog's going to do it. The more he is growing up the more you realise he is capable of it."
Samantha has been told that a little girl, just like her, was killed by a dog just like Rex. She seems confused because her bite was "just a little bit sore" and she says that she sleeps alone with the dog. She says: "I am not scared of him - I love him. Well, I am not scared of him any more. When I first got him I was a little bit scared but now I am just used to him being around. I am a little bit scared that he might bite me again."
The Office of National Statistics records the number of deaths caused by dangerous dogs as an average of 2.3 a year from 1999 to 2005. More than 3,000 people are recorded injured by dogs each year but many more incidents, like Samantha's bite, go unreported. In 2005, three people were convicted of breeding a fighting dog or from a fighting dog while just over 400 were found guilty of allowing a dog "to be dangerously out of control in a public place injuring a person". This can be any dog, not just the four that are illegal.
There is no breakdown for pit bull attacks but they have historically been bred to be fearsome, vicious attack dogs that are willing to fight to the death. Some are tortured or inbred to make them more vicious. There is a burgeoning, hidden market in pit bulls despite the dogs being virtually outlawed. In reality, Rex simply shouldn't exist.
Martin Marsh says: "With the 1991 act, if you follow it to the letter, those dogs that people have should have been neutered and we should be getting to a stage where every pit bull should have naturally died of old age. There's obviously breeding going on in the country, some of it organised through dog fighters and people who never got them registered and neutered in the first place. The natural gene pool has been watered down and there are a lot of crosses. You do have your pure breeds that are being produced totally illegally."
Since the attack on Ellie Lawrenson, there has been an influx to Merseyside's RSPCA kennel of pit-bull type strays as people abandon them in fear. In recent years, Marsh explains, there has been a marked increase in the number of these dogs on the streets. "You see a large number of fellas with these big, powerful breeds. They are tough guys, big hard men and they have got big hard dogs. They like the kudos that goes with it."
There are, he says, responsible owners and irresponsible ones. The latter "are people who keep them as status symbols, irresponsible owners who don't think about other people". It is not pit bulls, as a breed, that is the problem, but the owners.
Some breed or keep the dogs for fighting. Marsh explains: "We know dog fighting goes on in Merseyside. You have got your amateurish sparring on street corners and the guys who will meet up for a 10-minute roll with the dogs in the park. It goes on and then they move on. There is proper professional dog fighting that is extremely well-organised and well-hidden. It is hard to get close to and get to the bottom of."
Joe Dowd is no longer involved in the pit bull fighting game in the Manchester area. "My last fighting dog was 10 years old when he suddenly started snapping at people, so he had to go. They're a lovely animal, but you can't always trust them - and you certainly can't trust the ordinary public with them, you have to understand them," he says.
Joe got his first pit bull in the early 1990s when there were around 20 fights a month on either side of the Pennines. Staged mostly on farms, dogs would be matched by weight - "just the same as boxing really", he says. There would be a referee and a qualified vet in attendance. The two contestants, held on a leash initially, would face up to each other in the sandpit which formed the ring. When the leads were slipped, the animals would fight until one of them turned "tail-a sign" indicating that he had had enough.
Before the 1991 act, the animals were imported from America, where only prolific winners would be used as sires. "Technically," says Joe. "Pit bulls are just a bigger version of a staffordshire bull terrier, but whereas staffs have been domesticated for a long time, pit bulls are still being bred from dogs that are still fighting."
Joe left the game when the gangsters moved in. "They were making money from drugs and protection and started going to the fights to enhance their macho image," he explains. "They would intimidate the referee into allowing dogs to fight to the death. They would also match dogs of different weights, knowing that the bigger dogs would have a massive advantage. Fights would then take place in any available venue, cellars, council house bedrooms, you name it."
Joe says he has nothing but contempt for the current crop of "irresponsible" owners, saying that they have no idea of how to train a dog.
"I've seen the dogs in their big collars, with weights attached. They think it strengthens the dog's neck muscles. It doesn't - the best way to do that is to hang a tyre, let the dog jump up and 'rag it' and a good strong dog will hang there, by its teeth, for maybe quarter of an hour or more."
Treadmills in the back garden are the sign of a lazy owner. Younger owners, he says, don't take fighting seriously. "Maybe they have the odd little set-to in the park, but mainly they keep them to boost their macho image. They are saying, 'look at me, I'm in control of this tough dog, that must make me tough'."
Mitchell Bryan, 18, is one of the new type of owners, who got his pit bull crossbred Lynch not for fighting but because his idols have them. "If you look at these rap stars in these videos, they have got them and you want to listen to them and you want one too," he explains, before springing to the defence of his dog. "If this was an angry pit bull, I would have to hold it on a lead and it would try to bite people but it doesn't. I wouldn't leave it in a room with my little sister. They might just jump on her or bite her. With a pit bull you can train them to do anything."
Mitchell's 15-month-old dog is a beautiful specimen, the brindle and white colours on his back clean and shiny: he pulls and tugs on his leash but does not bare his teeth. Mitchell got him from a friend for £100 but did not know he was illegal. He says: "I think this is legal because the police don't ever say anything about him. And he's had his needles done, so he must have been to a vet. Maybe he's semi-legal."
The increasing fondness for pit bulls among people like Mitchell and the attack on Ellie has led Merseyside chief constable Bernard Hogan-Howe to call for a national amnesty. He has this week introduced an amnesty in his own force area. Last year, he said, there were 68 incidents involving dangerous dogs on Merseyside. His officers seized eight pit bull dogs, believed to be used for dog fighting on Wednesday nights. His proposal was immediately criticised by the Kennel Club. Branding it a "knee-jerk response", a spokeswoman said: "We do not welcome the pit bull amnesty or any other breed-specific knee-jerk response reminiscent of the rushed, and ineffective, Dangerous Dogs Act 1991. While we understand the intentions of the amnesty to reduce the number of dog attacks, the Kennel Club is of the view that displays of aggressive behaviour by any dog, regardless of breed, is the responsibility of the dog's owner."
Claire and Samantha may take heart that just because Rex is a pit bull terrier it does not mean that he will kill - the Kennel Club mantra is "Blame the deed, not the breed". But they need to know how to train the puppy and neither of them have had a dog before, never mind a pit bull. As Rex bounds in from the back yard, clothed in a special doggy jumper, Claire shakes her head: "I'll have to find him a new home. He could just snap." The tears well up in Samantha's eyes. "On the pit bull website," says the child. "You can see a little baby sleeping with a big massive pit bull. I want to sleep with Rex."
A nation and its dogs
6.8m UK dog population as estimated by Pet Food Manufacturers Association. Of these, 1.6m are mongrels
2.3 People killed by dogs each year. Before Ellie Lawrenson, the most recent fatality was Cadey-Lee Deacon, five months, in September 2006
3,000 The number of people injured by dogs each year
23,000 The number of neglected dogs looked after by the RSPCA in 2005. Lifestyle changes mean there are fewer owners
37.5p The price of a dog licence. But when they were abolished in 1987 fewer than half of owners held one
£22,000 The average cost of owning a dog over its lifetime. Great Danes cost £3,216 a year, a Jack Russell £212
Great apes, gorillas seem to have evolved from lesser apes nearly twenty million years ago. They are currently divided variously into species and subspecies, though four distinct subspecies seem to be somewhat agreed upon: Mountain Gorilla (Gorilla Beringei Beringei), Cross River Gorilla (Gorilla Gorilla Diehli), Western Lowland Gorilla (Gorilla Gorilla Gorilla) and Eastern Lowland Gorilla (Gorilla Beringei Graueri).
Physical features vary amongst subspecies with Mountain Gorillas being the largest and hairiest of the four. They also are the darkest in color. Lowland Gorillas have longer arms and lighter coloration, being in the range of brown to gray in case of the Western Lowland Gorilla. Males of the species are bigger with weight averaging around four hundred pounds, though larger individuals of over five hundred pounds have been recorded in the wild and more often in captivity. Height is between five and a half to six feet. Females are nearly half that size with an average body weight of two hundred pounds and height generally under five feet. Overall body structure is bulky in case of both genders and upper body is very well developed including wide chest and strong shoulders with long and powerful limbs. Gorillas have opposable thumbs and move on all fours in a form known as knuckle-walking. The have been documented to use tools like chimps in the wild. Head is big with a prominent sagittal crest and strong jaws, including well developed canines. Eyes are small and brown and nose is uniquely patterned like human finger prints.
Despite their display in certain films and media as aggressive, dangerous beasts, gorillas are totally harmless and calm animals. They live in small groups headed by an adult male 'silverback' gorilla, named after a saddle shaped pattern of silver hair on the back. Younger 'blackback' males at times support the leader who makes all the choices regarding foraging and eating. They live in tropical and subtropical forests in equatorial Africa, usually occupying limited ranges of a few square kilometers per tribe. They spend their day eating leaves, twigs, fruits, branches, shoots, bamboos and even insects. Silverback leads them to their daily place of feeding and also takes care to supervise and protects its tribe. In case an intruder threatens to invade the group's space, silverbacks show aggression through roaring, beating of chest, breaking and throwing of bamboos and objects and charging. Though gorillas can climb trees, they spend most of their time on the ground. Every evening they prepare nests in which to spend their night. These nests are distinct and enable researchers to accurately predict the numbers of gorillas in a locality by simply counting of the nests.
Gorillas are seen in countries of Central and West Africa. Mountain Gorillas are seen at high altitudes in Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Uganda. Lowland Gorillas reside in Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Equatorial Congo, Republic of Congo, Gabon and Democratic Republic of Congo. Unfortunately unstable political climate and the war like atmosphere of these parts has not been conductive towards the great apes in the past and as a result, gorillas exist in small pockets today on the map of Africa.
Maturity is reached in gorillas at nearly ten years of age. Females give birth after every three to four years, following a gestation period of near eight and a half months. Mothers look after the young for up to three to four years. As adulthood is reached, the young often move off to establish their own families. Silverbacks are older than twelve years.
it's hard to escape the charm of a goldfish. This member of the carp family is one of the oldest fishes to have been domesticated. The goldfish that we commonly have today in our aquariums trace their origins to the brown/olive/dark-gray variety of goldfish in East Asia. Despite its name, selective breeding has created a variety of goldfish of different colors and which can be kept in ponds as well as in aquariums. However, the ones that are of the more fancy type aren't usually able to stand wide temperature fluctuations that they may be subjected to if they are kept outside in a pond. So for those who want own a goldfish as a pet or already have one, need to choose the right variety depending upon where they are going to keep it. Whether it is kept as an aquarium fish or in the pond, pet goldfish care is important to ensure that these flamboyant fishes add to the beauty of your home.Pet Goldfish CareType of Goldfish Though there is a wide variation as far as color of goldfish is concerned, broadly, there are two types of goldfishes. One type is the egg-shaped body goldfish and the other is the flat-body goldfish. The latter are hardier than than those with egg-shaped bodies and hence are an ideal choice for beginners. Therefore, avoid choosing any of the egg-body shaped goldfish types that include the oranda, pearlscale, telescope-eyed, black moor, ranchu, bubble-eye and others, to be kept in a pond. (Fantail, ryukin, and black moor however, are exceptions to this rule). The flat-body variety includes the common goldfish, comet, wakin, and shubunkin goldfish.Fish Tank Whatever the size and age of your pet goldfish, ensure that it has enough space to move around freely. The ideal goldfish tank is an all glass, silicone sealed aquarium that should be as big as the owner can afford. However, the fish tank should never be smaller than 24 x 12 x 12 inches in size for housing two large goldfish at the same time. A tank of this size would approximately hold 50 liters of water that besides providing enough space for the fishes to move, is also enough to dilute the ammonia that they excrete. The next aspect of goldfish care is where to place the aquarium. Choose a spot that would not expose the tank to direct sunlight. Also keep the tank in a low noise area of the house. The sunlight factor is important from the point of view that goldfish are cold water fishes and do not adapt well to wide temperature fluctuations. This is specially true of the fancier varieties as already discussed. The ideal temperature of a goldfish tank is anywhere between 65 to 68º F. Despite the fact that being a cold water fish, they do not need a thermostat like tropical fishes do but it is important to ensure that the temperature of the fish tank never drops below 50º F.Cleaning Cleanliness of the environment is important for proper pet goldfish care. Avoid using tap water to fill the aquarium. However, if you have to fall back on tap water, then be sure to treat it with water conditioner to reduce the chances of introducing contaminants to your fishes' environment. Though many people use bottled water, distilled or ionized water is a strict no-no for goldfish aquarium. As far as aquarium care is concerned, never use soaps or detergents to clean the fish tank or accessories used to decorate it. It is best to use a 10% bleach solution and soak the aquarium paraphernalia in it for 15 minutes and then wash them thoroughly. Let them dry completely so that no trace of bleach residue is left on them. Goldfish tend to pollute their water frequently hence, water in their tank should be changed regularly. For this, do a partial water change once every week or at least once in every two weeks. Never change more than 25 to 30% of the fish tank water at a time. When you add fresh water, ensure that it is de-chlorinated, or that the water has sat overnight for enough oxygen to dissolve in it. Another useful goldfish care tip is to use a water filter and ensure proper aeration in the aquarium. Feeding Goldfish are omnivores, i.e they eat both plants and worms and the good news is that they love variety too! Dry pellets available at the local pet store is a good choice. However, before feeding your fish with these, soak them in aquarium water for a couple of minutes so that they expand before the fish eats them. Goldfish also love eating frozen, live or gel based foods. However, while feeding live foods to your fish, you also expose it to the risk of ingesting parasites which are sources of goldfish diseases. Hence, the freeze dried varieties are safer than the live ones. Blood worms, shrimps, meal worms and daphnia are some of the favorite items on the goldfish menu. Besides feeding them the right type of food, it is also important to give goldfishes the right amount of food. Goldfish owners always run the risk of overfeeding their pets which may spell serious trouble for the fish. Feeding the fish once a week is sufficient. Also do not add more food to the tank than what the fish eats within the first 5 minutes. Anything more than that may lead to overfeeding the fish as well as polluting the aquarium.
Children are fascinated by pets and many parents are confused about choosing the right pet for their kids. Most of the kids, who are under the age of ten, may go for small, hairy, cuddly animals, like, teddy bear hamsters as pets. This is the reason why most kids pester their parents for a hamster as pet. Hamsters are very popular as pets and are considered as the best small pets for children. But, are pet hamsters good for small children? While most parents have speculations about why hamsters make the best pet for kids, there are others, who readily succumb to the pestering of their kids. Hence, it is better to have a fair idea regarding hamsters as pets for children.
More About Hamsters We all know that hamsters are tiny, hairy creatures that resemble rat and mice. They are mammals that belong to the class of rodents. The word hamster is derived from a German word, meaning 'to hoard'. They have the habit of hoarding food with the help of their cheek pouches. In their natural habitat, they run around in search of food and once they find it, they store it in their cheek pouches. This food will be stored in their burrows for later use. These nocturnal animals come in different colors and attractive markings. The most popular pet hamster is the six-inch Syrian hamster, which is otherwise known as the golden hamster. There are many other species, like, Roborovsky’s Djungarian, Chinese hamster, White Russian (Siberian) dwarf hamster, Campbell's Russian dwarf hamsters, etc. While the Syrian hamsters are bigger in size as compared to others, they have a good lifespan too. The lifespan of Syrian hamsters ranges between two to three years, whereas others live up to 12 or 18 months. Now, you have a basic idea about hamsters, so, we shall take a look at the various aspects of hamsters as pets. Read more on the facts about dwarf hamsters.
Advantages of Hamsters as Pets There are many reasons behind the popularity of hamsters as pets. They are one amongst the inexpensive pets category and are often called as 'pocket pets' for their small size. Hamsters are perfect as pets for those people that find it difficult to afford expensive pets and also for those that have a shortage of space for larger pets. They are sure to win the hearts of your kids with their antics, as hamsters love to roll on the ground, like small, soft balls, and they climb tunnels and make funny movements. They are quite entertaining and require minimal care, which includes, food, water, bedding, some toys, vitamins and minerals. The hamster house has to be cleaned regularly and fresh water and food should be provided on a regular basis.
Hamsters as Pets for Kids Selecting the right animal as a pet for your kids is a difficult task. Children may have their own priorities, but before giving in to their pestering, you must have some idea about these pets. If you kid wants a hamster, you must get some information about these animals, their habits, requirements, compatibility with kids, and you must also know about how to care for your pet hamsters. You are already aware of the advantages of hamsters as pets. But, this animal has many disadvantages too. In general, hamsters have short lifespans, they are nocturnal, can bite, can escape easily, take time to socialize, chew on everything, breed rapidly and the males have urine that has a strong smell. Now, coming to hamsters as pets for children, we shall make two categories – kids under the age of five and those who are above that age. For the second category, hamsters can be good pets, as they are entertaining, of small size, require less care, etc. But as these animals are nocturnal, they will be active during the night time, when your children sleep. You will also have to wary of its bite, especially when they are awakened during the day or when handled improperly. These animals are so fragile, that the kids have to be gentle while handling these tiny, furry creatures. You can also opt for hamsters as classroom pets. Read more on the hamsters life span.
For a child, who is under the age of five, hamsters are not a good choice. There is no point in adopting a nocturnal animal as a pet for small children. Apart from that, the biting tendency of hamsters may hurt your child and small kids may not be able to handle these small creatures gently and properly. Above all, like some other "nontraditional" pets, like turtles, hedgehogs, lizards and baby chicks, hamsters too carry harmful and deadly germs that can cause infections in small children. Even though, others are also exposed to this risk, kids under the age of five are more prone to infections, because of their still-developing immune systems and their habit of putting their hands in their mouths. According to health experts, hamsters can also carry harmful germs that can cause severe diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps in small children. You have to be extra cautious of your kids when they handle hamsters and the hamsters should be cleaned regularly and properly, along with their shelter. Precautions like regular hand washing are also advisable. Read more about hamsters.
Now, you are aware of the pros and cons of hamsters as pets for children. Pets are good for children, but make sure that you keep infants, toddlers and pre-schoolers away from pets, especially the non-traditional ones, in order to avoid the risk of infections. Or else, you can consult the veterinarian about the specific risks associated with your pet and adopt measures to minimize or eliminate the risks. You can also wait for your child to get older and then bring your favorite pet into your home.
Here are some facts about the cutting edge of equine dentistry. You may think horse dentistry is a new fad, but there is nothing new under the sun. When our livelihoods depended on equines, horse dentistry was a lively profession for practitioners in every county. Well-known in Europe in the fourteenth century, the observation of horse's teeth goes back at least two thousand years. For the past couple of centuries, Europeans have had a particularly strong interest in horse's teeth. The tools which were being made by the end of the nineteenth century would still not be out of place in a modern horse dentist's set of tools – although diamond technology has brought advances in cutting, burring and grinding tools, which uncannily grind tooth enamel while leaving softer tissues such as the inside of cheeks unscathed on contact. There are currently about 25 horse dentistry tool manufacturers in the U.S.
So, what does an equine dentist do, and which horses could benefit from their practices? An equine dentist basically equilibrates a horse's teeth in a number of ways. Horses in the natural state do not usually require dentistry, the same as they do not require a furrier. Free-roaming horses eat a lot of hard plants with a high woody content, as well as grasses with silicates. These are abrasive substances, which wear down the incisors as the horse tears at the grass stalks. Hay-fed horses do not need to use their incisors in the same way, with the result that these do not get worn down and eventually get so long that the horse cannot close its mouth sufficiently to use the molars to grind its food.
All horses could benefit from the services of an equine dentist, although only a small proportion receives them. Even if your vet checks your horse’s teeth every half year, the chances are very high that there are points on the outside of the upper premolars and molars which are causing either constant discomfort or digging ulcerations in the cheeks. A thorough oral examination requires the use of a full-mouth speculum and a mild sedative or relaxant.
The most discerning owners tend to call in a specialized dentist as standard procedure, because it can improve a horse's performance dramatically and prolong active life for up to a decade. Dental work always improves the horse's digestion, and better food uptake means better performance. Over and above that, a surprising proportion of horses suffer from tooth maladies which affect the way they take the bit. A tendency to resist turning in a particular direction is, for example, a strong indication that the horse has some kind of problem on that side of its mouth. If turning is uncomfortable, the horse is going to act up. It may be simply a question of getting the bit to sit more comfortably to cause an immediate change in the behavior of the horse.
Many horses have persistent problems which cause uneven eating, distortions of facial muscle development and a build-up of pressure, which in turn can lead to constant headaches. When the horse first experiences relief from this, typically during the first session of dental treatment, under mild sedation, the effects can be dramatic. Have you ever seen a horse smile?
Friction can arise between dental practitioners and standard vets, who have very different approaches to dental problems. Typically, a vet is called in to file down teeth when they become long, but tends to do so in a very uniform manner, which does not take into account the natural variations in the horse's own way of grinding, or the angles of the teeth necessary for comfortable eating. Incorrect filing can radically change the angle of impact and effectively prevent the horse from eating.
There is unfortunately no accredited certification program for equine dentistry through veterinary organizations. Ironically, only veterinary practitioners are legally empowered to practice equine dentistry, although many are not capable of the most basic form of it. Vets sometimes act in conjunction with a highly specialized and trained lay-dentist. The equine dentists themselves are a rare breed. Because of the problems they are up against in terms of training programs and chances to practice freely, they tend to be fierce animal lovers with a high commitment to their chosen profession and an almost evangelical passion to spread the word. There is a worldwide network of practitioners, who are in constant consultation for problem-solving and sharing new techniques and findings. A visit from and equine dentist can be as rewarding an experience for the owner as it is for the horse.
For pet portrait paintings let portrait artists like Jerry Carpos do the job. They will turn any ordinary pet photo into oil painting horse portraits.
You probably hear birds chirping and singing every day, but did you ever stop to identify what bird you were hearing? Birdwatching, also known as birding, has become an increasingly popular hobby in many parts of the world. Fortunately you don’t have to travel to remote locations to observe birds in their natural habitats. Often, all you need is a window in your home to peer out or a bench in your backyard to observe from. Field guides with pictures and bird descriptions are helpful and so are binoculars, but they are not necessary for the beginning bird watcher. Here is a list of the most common backyard birds across America:
1. American Goldfinch: These small finches are active in spring and early summer and are bright yellow with a black forehead and black wings. They can be quite acrobatic and fly with a flouncy pattern and often call while in flight, drawing attention to themselves. During the winter they turn a drab, streaked color and often come out to the feeder more often. They feed primarily on sunflower and nyjer seeds.
2. Baltimore Oriole: These birds are black on top with orange underbellies and black wings with white stripes. If you wish to attract these birds try placing orange halves or grape jelly in a fruit feeder in early spring.
3. Belted Kingfisher: These blue-gray birds are on the larger side at 12 to 14 inches long with a dramatic crest on their heads resembling a Mohawk. They build their nests in tunnels near the banks of their fishing territory.
4. Blue Jay: These colorful birds are bright blue with white faces and streaked white wings. They are typically around 9 to 12 inches tall and can be a bit of a bully at the bird feeder. If you wish to attract these birds to your yard try a hopper style feeder filled with black oil sunflower seeds.
5. Cardinal: One of the most admired birds in the backyard the Cardinal has been named the state bird of seven US States. This 8 inch long bird is bright red with a pointed crest on top of the head. The females are mostly brown; however, both sexes have small black masks on their faces. They enjoy black oil sunflower seeds and tend to feed and mate together. Some Cardinals even mate for life.
6. Carolina Wrens: These small brown birds are often have light brown bellies with dark brown backs and wings. They also have a bright white line above the eyes that looks like a pronounced eyebrow that helps to identify them. These birds often mate in pairs for life like the Cardinal.
7. Mountain Bluebird: These birds struggle to find nesting sites and often benefit from the placement of birdhouses. They are approximately 7 inches long and are bright blue all over. Females are grayish with blue heads and tails. Their song is robin-like with a slightly higher pitch.
8. Red-headed Woodpecker: These aggressive birds are bright white and black with bright red heads and prefer to feed from suet feeders. Their primary diet consists of insects they catch in mid-air; however, they will feed on black oil sunflower seeds.
9. Robin: These red-breasted birds are the largest of the thrush family and are often found in backyards even through the winter, as long as it is mild. Robins feed from fruit left on trays in ledge feeders and prefer to line their nests with mud. Robins also live for about 14 years providing they make it through their first year.
10. Starlings: These birds are quite populous all over the country so their habits can be easily studied. They are around 8 inches long with a short stocky build and a square tipped tail. Their bills are yellow in the summer and black in the winter with an all over dark colored plumage.
Whether quite young or later on in life, a colt may be castrated for one or many reasons. The horse may be hard to manage or perhaps isn’t considered valuable as a stallion and so the decision is made to geld it.
There are generally two options put forward by a vet regarding how to go about gelding the horse. A standing castration carried out where the horse resides is one possibility while sending the male horse into an equine hospital to go under anaesthetic is the other option. Either way, the horse needs to be at an age where both testes have descended through the inguinal ring and are palpable by a vet.
A Standing Castration can be Appealing on a Financial Level
the horse doesn’t have to be transported to a vet hospital which can cost or take up valuable time
there isn’t the expense of putting the horse under anaesthetic or other hospital associated costs
There will probably however be expenses associated with the vet having to make a call out. If the vet is already frequenting the farm for other reasons – mares getting lined up to be bred, perhaps – then this may not be an issue.
Others prefer the option of sending the horse in to be gelded under anaesthetic. This can be appealing to the owner who isn’t sure about post operative care or hasn’t a decent place on the property for the horse to be castrated.
Management of the Recently Gelded Colt
Post operative care of a horse that has been castrated should be pretty low maintenance. It’s not uncommon for the male horse to be swollen around the sheath area and this should be noted and monitored. Any concerns can be raised with the vet but the swelling should diminish over the short term
Read more at Suite101: Considerations When Looking to Castrate a Horse: When to Geld a Colt and What Process to Undertake http://horse-breeding.suite101.com/article.cfm/considerations_when_looking_to_castrate_a_horse#ixzz0cWaTHzpR
German Shepherds are a well-loved and popular dog breed. They are strong, agile and muscular animals. German Shepherds are beautiful dogs with distinct personality characteristics. They usually adapt well to training and are admired for their intelligence.
German Shepherds make good guide dogs for the blind. They are often recruited by law enforcement officials and trained as police dogs. They are helpful companions for the handicapped as well. If you’re looking for a courageous, loyal companion, these dogs make a good choice. They are both protective and devoted companions.
German Shepherds are medium size dogs, neither small nor overly large. They are robust and muscular in structure yet they are graceful in their movements. Their fur can be either short or long in length with a somewhat wavy or wiry texture. German Shepherds can have variations in the color of their coats ranging from the standard tan and black to solid black, or white. There are also German Shepherds with tri colored coats such as the tan, black and white combination.
These dogs have an average weight of seventy-five to ninety-five pounds. Although they are strong, sturdy dogs some German Shepherds may be prone to hip dysplasia, skin allergies and eye or ear problems though such health problems are usually due to poor breeding.
German Shepherd dogs were originally used to herd sheep and cattle. Their natural guarding instinct made them very good at their job. Even as household pets and companions these dogs are very protective and tend to guard the family flock. German Shepherds are very energetic and active dogs. They need plenty of room to run. The German Shepherd’s ability to get along with other pets in a household depends on factors such as breeding and training though typically when raised with other pets they will do well.
The average lifespan of the German Shepherd breed is ten to thirteen years. The popular and sociable German Shepherd can be a wonderful addition to any family. They can provide you with years of love, loyalty and protection and you will come to respect your companion for his intelligent, dependable nature. A German Shepherd companion will become a loveable, lifelong friend.
Most retrievers are renowned for being generally outgoing, happy, highly energetic, and eager to please. Labrador retrievers have long been the most popular breeds in America, loved for their exuberance and for being highly responsive to their owners. Would a Lab make an ideal pet for you? Quite possibly, if you happen to be the rugged outdoor type – and if you can tolerate a somewhat chaotic environment at home.
These dogs have energy and a strong will to match. Their powerful tails can scatter everything on your coffee table with ease. They can be single-minded at times; once they’re set on doing something, you might have a difficult time persuading them not to. The primary question to ask yourself before you bring a Lab into your home is this: can you provide it with a good outlet for all that energy and enthusiasm? If you’re accustomed to a lifestyle that involves a lot of T.V. or quiet reading, you might be better off with a Pug or other dog with similar sedentary tendencies.
If, on the other hand, you enjoy forays out into the woods, up and down mountain trails and into the water, then a Labrador retriever might be the perfect companion for you. Labs relish the outdoors; they love to run, fetch, and swim. Above all, they love to interact with their owners as much as possible. Tell your Lab to retrieve something for you, and then praise it for a job well done, and it’ll want to repeat this activity with you again and again. Gregarious perhaps to a fault, Labs can be content with nearly anything except being cooped up or left alone.
Labs make obedient and responsive pets if they’re trained early in life either by you (if you plan on adopting a puppy), or by a breeder (if you will be adopting a full-grown dog). Obedience training gives them a measure of self-discipline, which is essential lest these powerful dogs wreak havoc with your home life. Well-bred and trained Labs can follow simple orders and exhibit patience and restraint around children. Even so, they are prone to eat with abandon; so their diet (measured feeding as opposed to self-feeding) and level of exercise should be monitored throughout their lives.
Labs that have received adequate obedience training make ideal pets for owners with active lifestyles. Because they’re filled with a lot of passion and zest for life, they tend to remain enthusiastic and faithful companions so long as they’re provided with a steady outlet for their energies. If you enjoy jogging around the park, hiking the backcountry and/or going out to the lake for the afternoon, you’re likely to discover that a well-trained Lab is the ideal friend to take along with you.
