After a winter of dry hay, last years grass from the horse’s point of view, anything green can be very tempting for a horse. During certain seasons or under certain pasture conditions some plants can be more dangerous to horses than at other time. A time of high risk can be the early spring. Many toxic weeds sprout out before the grasses do. During a dry period without rainfall, late fall as the grass is dying off, even an overgrazed pasture can cause your pasture conditions to be at high risk for poisonous plants.

Allowing these conditions in a pasture can give weeds a chance to grow and flourish. Horses may eat them under such conditions when normally they would leave them alone. Ryegrass that is intended for lawns may carry fungi (endophytes) that grow inside the plants. Tall fescue can be harmful to pregnant mares in their last trimester of pregnancy because it can harbor an endophyte. Toxins found in the leaves from the red maple tree that are normally at low levels after wilting become very strong making them a danger to horses. In the spring oak buds and young leaves can be toxic for horses. We often think our horses know instinctively to stay away from poisonous plants. NOT TRUE. If there is not plenty of good forage available, if a horse is bored, hungry, or thirsty they may be tempted to nibble on a poisonous plant.

Many poisonous plants taste bad to horses and they will avoid them, but not all do. It can be difficult to diagnose plant poisoning in your horse. The signs can mimic many other problems and they can vary. Symptoms may appear in hours of contact with the plant, or days, or even weeks after contact with the offending plant. If the poisoning is gradual the signs may be subtle such as weight loss or intolerance to exercise. Some symptoms that can be indications of plant poisoning in horses are: gastrointestinal upset (diarrhea or colic), drooling or slobbering, unable to swallow, red skin, blistered skin, cracked skin, neurological signs (hyperexcitablility, depression or incoordination), weakness, rapid pulse and labored breathing.

To prevent your horse from being poisoned by a toxic pasture make sure you keep toxic plants from their food supply. Become familiar with the poisonous plants in the area where your horse is kept. The list of poisonous or potentially harmful plants can vary from one region to another. Check with your counties Cooperative Extension service. They can also offer suggestions for methods of elimination of poisonous plants that will be safe for horses. Universities can be another source to check for information about plants in a specific area.

After becoming familiar with poisonous plants in your area it is up to you to walk your pasture. Look for signs of these plants, especially at high-risk times (spring, fall, or branches after storms). Remember your horse can reach forage a good three or four feet beyond your fence line. Check anywhere you allow your horse to graze. Check the quality of your pasture. Is it thick and healthy or grazed down? Bare ground allows for toxic plants to take over. Eliminate any toxic plants you find. Inspect brushy areas and hedgerows along the pasture.

Toxic trees and plants may thrive in such areas. If you find any get rid of them. Don’t overlook your hay supply. Drying will not eliminate toxins in plants that may be baled up in your horses hay. If the hay has broad-leaved weeds, reject it. If your hay is purchased locally, you will probably more readily recognize any toxic plants that might be in the bales. It is up to you to keep your horse’s pasture and their other food supply free from toxic plants. Following these steps can prevent your horse from grazing in a toxic pasture and insure a high quality food supply.

Fran Mullens has been a barn manager, trainer and riding instructor for several years, and has worked with horses for nearly 25 years. Fran is co-author with Skimbleshanks the Farm Cat at his blog. To learn more about the farm cat go to skimbleshanksthefarmcat.blogspot.com/ skimbleshanksthefarmcat.blogspot.com/

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You own, or are thinking of owning, an alpaca pet on your farm. Alpacas are gentle creatures that will bring years of pleasure if properly cared for. Below are 7 deadly mistakes that you can avoid so your camelid friend will be with you until old age.

Mistake # 1 - Insufficient fencing

Your alpaca pet will not challenge a fence. Your fencing should be made to keep predators out. Neighborhood dogs are the #1 killer of alpacas. Be sure and provide a fence that predators can not get over, under, or through. Read more about alpaca fencing.

Mistake # 2 - Not checking for poisonous plants

Your Alpaca pet is a ruminant. They eat weeds, bark off wood posts, and anything else they want to try. They can not tell if what they are eating is good for them or not. You must do that for them. Your pastures and your yard must be free of plants that are poisonous to alpacas. Many ornamental plants are poisonous to alpacas.

Mistake # 3 - The open gate

Forgetting to close a gate behind you leaves your alpaca pet open to mistakes number 1 and 2. Without a fence to protect them, all alpacas can do is run from a prey. If they get cornered, they will be killed. A pack of dogs or coyotes can bring an alpaca down quickly. If your alpacas stay inside the fenced area, an open gate allows predators to get inside and kill.

You may have taken the time to be sure your home is free of poisons but your neighbors haven’t. An open gate allows your alpaca to roam and possibly get into your neighbors poisonous ornamental plants.

Mistake # 4 - Improper fencing material

Those wood split rail fences look fantastic. White rail horse fencing looks pristine. Field fencing is cheap. None of these will work for your alpaca pet. Use 2 x 4 wire no climb fencing. Use any of the other fencing and you are taking a chance with your alpacas life. The first two are just too open, allowing predators into your pastures. The holes on field fencing are just too large. An alpaca can stick it’s head through and die. Their heads may not come back through as easily and they will panic and strangle.

Mistake # 5 - Not shearing

Alpacas natural habitat is high in the Andean Mountains where it stays cool. Their fiber is very dense. If you do not shear your alpaca pet in the spring, and you live somewhere that summer temperatures climb, your alpaca can die from heat stress. If your alpaca is having trouble staying in a cush position, breathing with its mouth open, drooling, or walking stiffly, your alpaca is in trouble and needs to be cooled down quickly. Avoid this emergency by shearing before the heat soars.

Mistake # 6 - Feeding pellets

You can feed pellets to get needed supplements to your alpaca pet, but you must be very careful. Your alpaca will be in competition with any other alpaca for the most pellets they can eat and will grab large mouthfuls and swallow without chewing so they can get more. This causes a choking problem. The container you put the pellets in makes a big difference. A small bucket that hangs on the fence is not good. The pellets pile up and your alpaca can gulp a big mouthful and choke. It’s better to have a long trough that you can spread in a thin layer. Placing rocks in buckets or feeders can help. The alpaca must pick around the rocks and can not get large mouthfuls. You force them to eat slower.

Mistake # 7 - Irregular or no worming

Your alpaca pet will eat off the ground. Worms get into their system. There’s no way to avoid it. If you don’t worm your alpaca regularly, your alpaca will eventually die of malnutrition. If you live in an area that has white-tail deer, you might have meningeal worms. If your alpaca gets meningeal worms it will die a horrible death. Check with your veterinarian to see if meningeal worms exist in your area and the proper scheduling and dose of worming medication.

If you avoid these 7 deadly mistakes, your will take big steps to insuring your alpaca pet has a long and happy life. Alpacas can live 20 years or more so you have a long time to enjoy the benefits of owning an alpaca.

Learn about owning an

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People who love gardening are often at a loss as to how to maintain pet friendly yards. Fortunately, with a little thought and compromise, it is not a difficult task to achieve. Pets and their owners can both enjoy their pet friendly yards with no major mishap to the pets or the gardens.

One of the first things that are needed in pet friendly yards is a high and sturdy fence all around. This will not only prevent pets from running out, it will deter stray dogs from coming in. The fence should be equipped with wire meshing at the edges to block off any gaps. Do not grow plants near the fence, as dogs like to establish their territorial rights. This may lead to unsightly dog paths being created here. Dogs need places to run around, so pet friendly yards should have stone paved areas or paths.

Take care not to leave any area with loose mud in the garden- it is an invitation to start digging! It may be a good idea to fence off an area that is exclusively for the dog to romp around. A dog house is also essential to protect the pets from excessive heat or wind. It should not be too close to the outer fence as dogs can climb on the house and jump out. The dogs should also have a bath room area that they are trained to use, to prevent the lawn from being messed up. Make sure there is water available for them to drink.

What to Grow In Pet Friendly Yards

Grass and plans cannot tolerate the nitrates in dog urine, so train them to keep off the grass. Some varieties of grass are sturdier than others, such as Bermuda grass and can with stand treading. Clover is perhaps the ideal choice, as it does not stain the way grass does after being subjected to dog urine. Delicate plants can be protected with wooden picket fences or wire cages around them. This prevents dog urine from reaching their trunks and roots, and damaging them. While there are numerous plants to choose from to grow in gardens, pet friendly yards should not have poisonous plants. Check out lists of plants that are suitable to have around with pets before planning the garden.

Pet friendly yards should have secure places for storing herbicides and other chemicals. Pets should be allowed to play only after 24 hours of fertilizing a yard. It is also a good idea to have pet toys and chews to keep them entertained while they are out.

Caroline Bourke is a full time beauty therapist in Florida. Check out these great dogsdogdogs.net Dogs Advice resources and articles or the more general awpblog.com/pets-advice/ Pets advice.

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Many dog owners don’t consider that harmless little house and garden plants may be a potential source of danger to your dog or puppy. Usually poisonous plants are more deadly to small puppies, but some plants, even in small amounts, can be toxic to dogs of any size. By taking the time to understand the various plants and their levels of toxicity for dogs you can avoid costly vet bills and even more serious conditions.

Depending on the type of plant either the leaves, stems, bark, roots or fruit can be toxic. Some plants are only toxic at various times in their growth stage whereas others are always poisonous. For information on each type of plant the internet, your vet, or even a plant and gardening book is great resource.

Garden Plants

Believe it or not some of the most common garden plants are also the most deadly. Tomato plants, both the leaves and the stems, can be toxic to dogs. St. John’s Wort, an herbal plant, is very toxic leading to vomiting and seizures. Other garden plants that can be problematic include:

· Apricot

· Avocado

· Black Cherry

· Black Walnuts

· Castor Beans

· Catnip

· Chokecherry

· Eggplant

· Garlic

· Mushrooms

· Mustard plants/greens

· Onion

· Peach

· Plum

· Potato

· Pokeweed

· Spinach

Fencing the garden area or monitoring if the dog is actually eating the plants within the garden is important. When in doubt completely isolating the garden from the area the dog is kept is a great idea.

Ornamental Outdoor Plants

Everyone loves to have their yard area looking great, but not at the expense of his or her animals becoming ill. Some of the showiest of the flowering plants are also the most deadly, including Oleander and many of the flowering shrubs. The list of the most common flowering and ornamental plants that are frequently found in gardens are:

· Amaryllis

· Baby’s Breath

· Bird of Paradise

· Black Eyed Susan

· Bleeding Heart

· Bluebonnet

· Boston Ivy

· Calla Lilly

· Chrysanthemums

· Cyclamen

· Daffodil

· Daisy

· Elephant Ear

· Easter Lilly

· Ferns

· Flamingo plant

· Geranium

· Honeysuckle

· Hyacinth

· Hydrangea

· Ivy

· Jade plant

· Lantana

· Larkspur

· Marigolds

· Morning Glory

· Peony

· Primrose

· Rhododendron

· Tiger Lily

· Yucca

There are many other beautiful garden flower that can also be deadly, so be sure to check with the nursery or garden shop before planting them in the same area that you are planning on keeping your dog.

Indoor Plants

Many of the houseplants including ferns, dieffenbachia, pothos, ivy, philodendron, and even poinsettias are very toxic to dogs. Corn plant, peace lilies and any of the ornamental tobacco plants can be very dangerous for both full-grown dogs and puppies.

If you think that your dog may have consumed a poisonous or potentially poisonous plant immediately get them to the vet. Bring a small amount of the plant with you, including the leaf and the flower, to help with identification.

More information can be found at Oh My Dog Supplies: ohmydogsupplies.com/xnews.php ohmydogsupplies.com/xnews.php - also shop for dog beds at ohmydogsupplies.com/dog-supplies/dog-beds ohmydogsupplies.com/dog-supplies/dog-beds

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Everyone is excited about the arrival of the new kitten to the home, except your kitten! This will be a stressful time for the new arrival, which can go smoothly if you provide the right amount of space, care and items. After you made sure to have the vet check over your kittens its time to bring it home.

Some planning and items are needed before bringing the new kitten into the home, the basic items are food bowls with preferably the same cat food, which the kitten is accustomed to. If you are planning on changing the cat food, do this gradually. Mixing in more of the new brand daily, until you converted the cat to the new brand.

Next, you will need a litter box, even if you already have one with another cat. A new litter box will help your old cat not feel threatened and your new one will feel much more at home away from the scent of your other cats.

Childproof your home, cats are very curious and try to climb into every dark hole they can find and may stuck or hurt. Make sure all windows and doors are shut and to remove any poisonous plants, chemicals or food from them. They are several household plants, which can be poisonous to your cats.

Preparing a room for your new kitten or cat, this is important because they will need a place to feel safe and have their necessities like a place to sleep, litter box, food, scratching post and toys.

Now the big moment of opening the cage, your kitten may be extremely scared and not want to come out. You should not force anything and let things happen gradually. They will eventually get curious or hungry and come out. Hiding under anything they can find, looking for a secure place, even though they are extremely scared it is not uncommon they may crawl into bed with you and get close for heat and protection on the first night. The first few days they can be demanding and lots of meowing but after some time this will get better.

If you have other pets and cats, make sure to keep them separated for a few days. This could be very difficult for some and will be an extremely tough few days, possibly weeks for everyone. Cats are hard to introduce to each other and may lead to a lot of fighting and biting. Making them get used to each others scent and let them meet each other at their own terms. After a few days you will start to notice a difference and most become good friends. On rare occasions two cats will not get along with and they will just tolerate each other.

This is a beginning to a great relationship; patients, knowledge and a lot of love will make this experience worth while for everyone.

For more information please visit

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