Help Control the Pet Population

By Diane Forrest

My grandmother loved to watch game shows on TV.  Her favorite was the Price is Right with Bob Barker.    Mr. Barker was/is a huge advocate for animal rights, and after every show he would say "Bob Barker reminding you to help control the pet population. Have your pet spayed or neutered. Bye-bye."  Click here to hear him say it:  http://www.hark.com/clips/jbssvdssll-spade-and-neutered.

My husband and my son both would adopt rescued animals from pet shelters and part of the fee included the cost of the procedures for the animal.  To spay means to remove the ovaries, and to neuter means to remove the testicles to prevent any unwanted litters.

The following are some reasons why to spay/neuter your animal:

Spaying and Neutering helps dogs and cats live longer healthier lives

Spaying helps to reduce or eliminate uterine or ovarian cancer and greatly reduces the incident of breast cancer

Neutering eliminates testicular cancer and decreases the incident of prostrate disease

Spaying and Neutering makes pets more affectionate

Neutering cats makes them less likely to spray and mark their territory

Spaying a dog or cat eliminates her heat cycle.  Females in heat can cry incessantly, show nervous behavior and attract males.

Unsterilized animals often exhibit more behavior and temperament problems than those who have been spayed or neutered.

Neutering makes pets less likely to roam the neighborhood run away or get into fights.

Communities spend millions of dollars to prevent unwanted animals

Animal shelters are overwhelmed with unwanted animals.  Millions of dogs and cats are killed every year due to overpopulation.

This month is Spay/Neuter Awareness Month.  I encourage you to have this done to your pet if you do not intend to any litters.  If you don't have any pets, but would still like to help prevent unwanted animals, click on this site to donate for the spaying and neutering for other animals.  http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/spay_day/

[All images from Google] 

Telecommuning For or Against?

By Terry Orr

So where do you stand on the issue of Telecommuting? 

What are the advantages and disadvantages from your perspective?

Do you currently telecommute? 

Does your office permit it and if so, what are the general rules?

 
[all images from Google]

Eating Disorder

(Google Image)

By Nurse Diane

Rainy days and Mondays always get me down.  This was a song by Karen Carpenter.  30 years ago, on February 4th she died from complications from Anorexia.  At that time, there wasn't alot known about this illness, but has since become studied and more has been learned about this disease in the hopes of preventing further deaths from this disorder.  People with eating disorders have a distorted view of their own bodies.

(Google Image)

They strive to be thin at the risk of endangering their lives.  I was reading that this is a particularly difficult time for some with all the television awards programs.  People who view these programs with all the movie stars in beautiful dresses want to look that way too.  Bulimia is another eating disorder where the person binge eats then forces vomiting, takes laxatives and diuretics to remove the food that was just consumed.

(Google Image)

Anorexia nervosa is characterized by:

Extreme thinness (emaciation);

A relentless pursuit of thinness and unwillingness to maintain a normal or healthy weight;

Intense fear of gaining weight;

Distorted body image, a self-esteem that is heavily influenced by perceptions of body weight and shape, or a denial of the seriousness of low body weight;

Lack of menstruation among girls and women’ and or

Extremely restricted eating.

Some other signs to look for if you suspect a person may have anorexia are:

Thinning of the bones (osteopenia or osteoporosis)

Brittle hair and nails

Dry and yellowish skin

Growth of fine hair all over the body (lanugo)

Mild anemia and muscle wasting and weakness

Severe constipation

Low blood pressure, slowed breathing and pulse

Damage to the structure and function of the heart

Brain damage

Multi-organ failure

Drop in internal body temperature, causing a person to feel cold all the time

Lethargy, sluggishness, or feeling tired all the time

Infertility.

Signs of Bulimia include:

Chronically inflamed and sore throat

Swollen salivary glands in the neck and jaw area

Worn tooth enamel, increasingly sensitive and decaying teeth as a result of exposure to stomach acid

Acid reflux disorder and other gastrointestinal problems

Intestinal distress and irritation from laxative abuse

Severe dehydration from purging of fluids

Electrolyte imbalance (too low or too high levels of sodium, calcium, potassium and other minerals) which can lead to heart attack.

Treatment for these disorders include:

Restoring the person to a healthy weight;

Treating the psychological issues related to the eating disorder;

Reducing or eliminating behaviors or thoughts that lead to insufficient eating and preventing relapse;

Individual, group, and/or family psychotherapy;

Medical care and monitoring;

Nutritional counseling; and or

Medications.

This week is Eating Disorder Awareness Week.  The campaign slogan is everybody knows somebody.  If you know someone or suspect someone has an eating disorder, check out this site and learn more ways to help them.  http://nedawareness.org/learn

 

Are U a Responsible Pet Owner?

By Terry Orr

February in National Responsible Pet Owners month and this is our 2013 follow-up to last years article. We love our pets and consider them part of our family - and often refer to them as our four-legged children.

They love us unconditionally and as pet owners, we must do our part in taking care of them.  While doing updated research for this article, came upon an different web site - Bikers Against Animal Cruelty (BAAC) follow the link below and please spend a few moments reading their "Are you a Responsible Pet Owner?"article.

At times, we humans get wrapped up in things and forget that our Pets need some quality "TLC" - often finding unique ways to get our attention.

I believe our Pets can teach us many things about life and love - if only we will take time and learn.

 
Sure a wonder picture and caption. 

References and Links:
http://www.bikersagainstanimalcruelty.org/RPOM.html 
 

 

Beautiful Photographs of the World Part 3

More wonderful photographs for your viewing pleasure!

Big Island, Hawaii

The gap between Europe and the United States is widening - by one inch a year. This photograph shows the vast gap between the two tectonic plates, as seen by a British scuba diver. Alex Mustard, 36, dived 80 feet into the crevice between North America and Eurasia to reveal the stunning landscape.The area - near Iceland - is riddled with faults, valleys, volcanoes and hot springs, caused by the plates pulling apart at about 1 inch per year.

Snowy Night, Moscow, Russia

An onlooker of the annular solar eclipse witnesses the celestial event on May 20, 2012 .Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA

To Sua Ocean Trench - Upolu, Western Samoa

Natural Architecture' of Italy

Which photograph grabs your fancy?