Archive for the ‘raise a paw’ Category

Whether you’ve seen it in person, television or on some kind of comical YouTube video, chances are that you’ve seen a horse tilt its head up and curl that lip showcasing what we would consider to be a “smile.” Raise a Paw wants to know if this is for real.  Can horses smile?

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Oh, December. With all holiday parties, gatherings and bonanzas happening you are by far the drunkest month.  As I lay here in my bed, considering what to write about for this week’s Raise A Paw, I roll over and look at Lily the Dog, who is sleeping so sober and sound and have to wonder: Using the holidays as an excuse or not, Do Dogs Get Drunk?

I mean, yes they can get drunk but it’s not in any way fun for your pup the way it might be fun you from time to time. It’s dangerous for your dog to be drinking and ultimately, sloshed.  They aren’t dancing around the party with a lampshade on their head, photocopying and faxing copies of their bum to their boss (people still party like that, right?)  When your pooch hits the hooch, they lose control of their motor skills and senses and rather than find it funny, they become scared. Man’s best friend doesn’t comprehend that they have a) been drinking and b) are now drunk and can react in ways that are dangerous to themselves and to others, much like the case of the 10 year old boy who was bitten by a dog forced to drink Stella.

Additionally, canines don’t generally like the taste of alcohol. However there are other ways in which your dog can become tanked.  For instance, if they eat a lot of unbaked bread dough – yes, that’s correct. If they eat a lot of unbaked bread dough, the Pillsbury Drunk Boy comes knocking. When the uncooked dough enters their system and hits their stomach, which is warm and moist the dough then rises, just like it would if you were baking it in the oven. What happens then is the very quick production and release of carbon dioxide and alcohol in to their system – not to mention the emergency that will then ensue due to the quickly growing object in their stomach.

So what do you do if your find that your pup has been hitting the hard stuff?  Often the vet will suggest they sleep it off just like you or I, but depending on the size of your dog, they could need serious medical attention so it is important to keep a close eye on your pup and monitor what’s happening to it and do NOT give it more alcohol of any kind. Additionally, maybe ditch your friends/party goers who do think it is funny.  If you dog cannot stand up, becomes aggressive or cannot stop vomiting, it’s important to get them to a vet immediately.

In short, if your dog laps your beer don’t fly off the handle as they probably aren’t going to die (although keep an eye on them of course). However, if your dog laps all six beers in the pack you bought then 1) you need to seek medical attention for your pooch and 2) you’re probably a poor dog owner so shame on you.

Image: buzzfeed

Not to talk bad about myself, but my absolute worst quality is memory recall. I have no idea why (clearly if I could remember why, then it wouldn’t be my worst quality). I love to joke that I’m like a goldfish; picking up bits of information only to retain them for a fleeting moment before it is lost. I mentioned this the other day and a co-worker said in response to me, “You know, that’s a myth? Goldfish actually have a fairly good capacity for remembering things despite their tiny brains.” Well there goes my joke. So this week Raise A Paw dives in to find out, Are There Any Goods In A Goldfish Brain?

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Sometimes you come across something that just doesn’t sit right with you and you have to investigate it further. Such is the case with this week’s Raise A Paw. In trolling the internet one morning, I came across something that I found to be a tad unsettling. So, this week Raise A Paw takes a look at What The Hell Is A Squitten?
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