Archive for the ‘Horses’ Category

ISPCA Better Together/Hay Drive Appeals

The ISPCA are this week asking their supporters to help them out with two very important campaigns.

Ireland’s leading animal welfare charity has been shortlisted for the Better Together Charity Awards. €10,000 is at stake for the organisation which receives the most individual donations. It is not about how much money you donate – every single contribution, big or small, will count towards putting them in first place! The closing date is this Friday, the 25^th of November. They are currently coming second – please make a donation to help put them in the lead.

As well as this, they are launching their ISPCA Hay Drive in the coming week. The sad truth is that many horses, ponies and donkeys will die of starvation this winter in Ireland as a result of neglect or abandonment. Just €3 will provide a bale of hay for a needy equine – you can donate by texting the word Hay to 57802 or by making a pledge online. The Hay Drive will be officially launched on Ryan Tubridy’s radio show next Tuesday, but you can kick off the campaign by making a commitment today.

Sign up to the ISPCA’s newsletter to receive regular updates on their work.

By Sinéad. Posted in Animal Welfare, Events, Horses, News

The DSPCA Needs Your Help

Reports this week say that the Dublin Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals are facing a funding crisis, forcing them to reject unwanted pets and to let 17 of its 41-strong staff go. They say that they will now focus on caring for suffering and lost animals rather than taking in pets that owners are unable to cope with, or have simply become tired of.

It takes almost €2 million a year to keep Ireland’s oldest animal welfare organisation afloat. The society receives only 3% of its funding from the government, with the rest kindly provided by their supporters. You can do your bit to help the DSPCA and the many animals that are surrendered every day by making a donation, fundraising, volunteering or even by buying your Christmas cards early this year.

If you are thinking of getting a pet, please consider adopting from the DSPCA. Visits to their animal rescue and rehoming centre in Rathfarnham are encouraged – they are open to the public 7 days a week, house all kinds of animals and entry to the centre is free.

By Sinéad. Posted in Animal Welfare, Cats, Dogs, Horses, Lost & Found, News

World’s Smallest Horse

Meet Einstein, the world’s smallest stallion. This one year old has now stopped growing and stands at just 20 inches tall. The tiny horse is going down a treat with the general public – thousands have queued to see him at his home farm in Barnstead, New Hampshire and he has even appeared on Oprah.

Here we see him meeting a neighbouring horse but unfortunately, Einstein is unable to socialise safely with his fellow equine beasts. He has made friends with animals closer to his own size, a St. Bernard dog and a dwarf goat.

One of his owners, Charlie, says of his popularity: “He loves children and they of course love him. They get wide eyed because they have never seen a horse this size before and they want to smother him.” Einstein will be appearing in a book celebrating his first birthday, which Charlie says will satisfy his fans’ desire to see into his cute and unusual life.

By Sinéad. Posted in Horses, News

Winter Health for Pets

The trees are almost bare, it’s dark by five o’clock, and the shops are getting their Christmas decorations out; it must be winter. As the temperatures drop we all know to wrap ourselves up to keep warm, but a lot of people make the false assumption that cats, dogs, and other furries are ‘fine’ with the cold weather. Not true – winter can cause health problems for animals too. Here are some of the most common ailments that can happen to your pet at this time of year, and what to do about them.

Arthritis

Older pets with arthritis can have a terrible time during winter. Cold temperatures can increase stiffness, cause more pain, and restrict movement. The best way to combat this is to make sure your animal is warm and comfortable at all times – set a bed up for them in a warm, cosy room, handle them gently, and don’t expose them to the elements too much. Be especially careful when your pet is out and about on icy, slippery ground. If they stumble, there is a huge risk of broken bones or other serious injury.

Frostbite

Yes, it does happen! Unless you make them wear booties, you pet’s paws come into direct contact with the freezing ground regularly. Blood is pulled from the extremities into the centre of the body when exposed to cold temperatures, and ice crystals can form in the skin tissue. There may be no outward symptoms for several days, but if your pet shows signs of discomfort, or is licking its paws repeatedly, you should immerse the affected area in warm water. Don’t rub it, as this can cause even more damage, and seek the advice of a veterinarian as soon as possible.

Hypothermia

Animals with poor health or circulation, and who are exposed to the cold for long periods of time, can become hypothermic. This means their body temperature has fallen below normal, and they are unable to maintain it. Symptoms include shivering, lethargy, weakness, which will progress to stiffness and a slowing heart and breathing rate. If you suspect your pet is suffering from hypothermia, wrap them up in warm blankets and get it to a vet a.s.a.p.

Chapped Paws

Walking on snowy or ice-covered ground can cause ice balls to form between the claws of your pets. Pavements that have been salted or treated with anti-freeze also cause the paws to become raw and chapped. After walks, wash and dry the animal’s feet, and consider trimming the fur between claws to prevent matting. This will not only remove any build-up of ice and grit, but will prevent them from ingesting harmful chemicals used in de-icing roads. Beware that salt can cause gastrointestinal infection, too.

Food Hazards

Many plant varieties that blossom in winter are extremely poisonous to animals. These include holly, poinsettia, and mistletoe. Keep them well out of reach if your pet shows a particular fondness for them! Also beware of where antifreeze and other chemicals are kept in the house, making sure they are not readily accessible by four-legged friends – just a small amount can be fatal.

Fleas

Multitudes of pet owners wrongly assume that the problem of fleas goes away in winter. While the temperature can be cold outside, our lovely warm homes provide the perfect environment for flea breeding. The tiny parasites can jump up to 20cm high and one metre long, and cause skin problems and, in some extreme cases, anaemia, in the host animals. If your pet is repeatedly scratching and seems irritated, he or she probably needs treatment. There are a number of affordable flea shampoos and treatments available from pet shops.

Here’s some more information on Winter Pet Care

By Edel. Posted in Cats, Dogs, Horses, Pet Care

Winter Pet Care

After the coldest December in Ireland in almost 30 years and as the cold snap continues and temperatures dip to well below zero again tonight here are some tips to keep your pets safe and warm. As we all wrap up in our winter woolies and light the open fires spare a thought for our pets that can’t tell us how cold they are.

Dogs and Cats

• Outdoor or roaming cats often climb up into the engine of a vehicle to keep warm, so before you set off, honk the horn or bang on the bonnet to alert any cat, that might be there. In fact, if your cat knows this trick already you will have to open the bonnet and do a full check as a cat can at best be lost (when car stops in strange place and your cat jumps out) or even be killed.
• Ensure your pet’s water container is not frozen over, as even in cold weather they should have access to fresh clean drinking water.
• Even in the frost and snow a dog needs to be walked but please ensure that you check your dog’s paws afterwards as snow and ice can build up between the toes and form ice balls. Applying vaseline or cooking oil can help prevent this. If you walk your dog on footpaths or roads that have been salted you will need to wash your dog’s paws when you return, as the salt be very irritating to skin.
• Anti-freeze is highly toxic to pets and even small amounts can prove fatal if ingested. It is sweet tasting and so it will be readily ingested by pets if some is spilt or an open container is knocked over or but can also be ingested when cleaning their paws. Poisoning causes depression and loss of coordination and renal failure soon follows.
• Old, thin, young or short-haired dogs e.g Greyhounds or Chihuahuas will naturally feel the cold more and breeds who would normally have thick coats e.g Bichon Frises which have been clipped short will also have little protection in cold weather. Even dogs who should have thick coats but who are mostly inside and are constantly shedding their coats and so are not used to inclement weather will be at risk of hypothermia. Provide these pets with a warm waterproof jacket. Breeds such as Alaskan Malamutes and Bermese Mountain dogs will love the colder weather but remember they too must be given shelter from the cold, wind and rain.
• Ensure arthritic or debilitated pets have somewhere warm, soft and draft free to sleep as they are unable to move around to keep warm and drafty cold environments can aggravate their condition.
• Food amounts may need to be adjusted. Those outdoors may need extra food in order to provide energy to keep themselves warm. However dogs who cannot go out for there usual long walks will need less food as they will be burning less calories.
• Extreme care should be taken of frozen ponds, as thin ice may break under your dog’s weight and he may fall in and be unable to get out.

Small Furries

• Ensure rabbits and guinea pigs in outdoor hutches are warm enough. If the hutch is insulated, elevated off the ground, provided with extra straw, has protection from prevailing winds and is fully waterproof it will probably be ok outside. Otherwise the hutch will need to be brought into a garden shed or garage or into the house.
• Ensure their water bottle isn’t frozen.

Wildlife

• Don’t forget wildlife in the winter. Birds find it difficult to find food in the cold weather particularly with snow on the ground. Leave out some table scraps or provide bird seed or peanuts. Make sure any food is out of reach of cats.
• Make sure the water in the bird bath isn’t frozen over.

Horses

• Check under their rugs to make sure they are warm enough and not soaked through. They can often cope with the cold as long as they are dry, but a horse that is wet will get cold very quickly. Horses, particularly thoroughbreds and horses that have been clipped, may need to be given an extra or heavier rug or brought into a stable or shelter.
• Make sure there feet is picked out daily as snow or frozen mud can build up in their hoofs. . Feel through any long winter cats to make sure they are not getting thin.
• Extra hay and feed will almost certainly be required in cold weather particularly for those kept at grass.
• Ensure their water doesn’t freeze over. Try floating a football in their water trough to help prevent the top freezing over and remove any ice if it does freeze.
• Be very cautious when dealing with horses on icy yards or on the roads particularly when riding as horses, especially those shod, will have little grip (unless they have studs) and may slip.
• Keep an eye out on your horse’s legs and heels for mud fever which can be a problem if the fields are badly poached, forcing your horse to stand in water or mud constantly and so not allowing the skin to dry out.

By Una. Posted in Cats, Dogs, Horses, Pet Care