Animal Health
- Winter Barn Preparation Starts Before the Freeze
- Dog Proof Trash Cans
- Sugar-Free Gum and Snacks with Xylitol Sweetener Can be Deadly for Dogs
- Top Ten Cold Weather Tips
- Hot Weather Tips
- Hot Weather Cat Care
- Equine Nutrition for Health and Happiness
- Equine Health, Five Tips For A Healthy Horse
- Car Sickness
- Dog Allergies
- Ten Important Tips for Keeping Your Older Dog Healthy
- Poisons—Cats And Dogs
- Recognizing Illness
- Horse Care
- Grooming
- Top 10 Nutritional Tips for Horses
- Prevent Bad Breath in Pets
- Keep Your Parrot Happy with Safe Parrot Toys
- Parrot Care Advice: Buying Parrot Cages
- Dog Health - Tips to Keep Your Dog Healthy
Winter Barn Preparation Starts Before the Freeze
Horse owners need to make plans to protect the animals from a possible deadly combination of extreme cold and rain, said Louisiana State University AgCenter equine agent Howard J. Cormier, MS
“Weak adults and newborn colts can’t survive that,” Cormier said. “A normal winter haircoat is much more insulating than most horse blankets—but not if it gets wet.”
If horses are accustomed to being outdoors, their haircoat will provide good protection as long as it is dry. Brush mud off to allow the hair to provide more of an insulating effect. Horses that are normally kept in stalls might benefit from an additional blanket layer.
Food and water
Feeding is especially important during cold periods. If pastures are frozen, there will be no forage to eat, but horses will have increased demands for energy to provide body heat. Owners should provide an adequate diet to maintain body heat during the cold spell.
“Feed and decent hay are critical,” Cormier said. “Buy feed and hay now, in case stores close during periods of no electricity.”
Water is a major consideration during freezing weather. Horses still need to drink, even in cold weather. Owners should make plans to save water in horse troughs, barrels, ponds, or any other large containers in case the well goes out or the water is shut off for several days.
“Don’t forget that someone will have to crack the ice, if it freezes hard,” Cormier said.
Pipes can freeze solid and split, so insulate exposed pipes, Cormier said.
“You can also put buckets over low faucets after they have been insulated. Drain the water, if that is practical. There must be a way to let the water out from a low valve and air in from a high valve. Just opening the valve after you turn the water off might not be enough,” Cormier said.
Cormier said to run a water hose to a place lower than the faucet to siphon water out of the lines.
“Keeping water trickling won’t work if the power goes out, and most times it is frowned upon by water districts,” Cormier said. “Drain water hoses so they don’t break when they are frozen.”
In ryegrass pastures, low temperatures will usually cause the top of the grass to freeze. Cold weather before a hard freeze can harden off the ryegrass to give it some resistance to the cold, but it is doubtful that ryegrass will survive without damage at temperatures in the teens.
Take care of trailer campers
Horse trailer campers with water tanks should be serviced. Drain the hot water tank and lines, or keep the power on with propane or a generator to keep the water lines from freezing. A light bulb can help, too, as long as the power doesn’t go out, Cormier said.
Most drain plugs on RV hot water heaters are easily accessible from the outside panel.
“Many are plastic, so don’t over-tighten when you replace it,” Cormier said. “Don’t forget to open the shower faucet and sink to drain water out of the lines, too.”
The article was found at www.thehorse.com
Dog Proof Trash Cans
By
Dog trash… it’s the trash you have to clean up after you find that your dog has raided the garbage can! Have you had to deal with any dog trash lately?
Maybe your dog simply loves to eat items from the trash.
Or maybe your dog makes a game of secretly stealing things from the garbage can in your house when you’re not looking.
This is definitely risky behavior, as your dog could unknowingly eat something dangerous for them.
Sometimes, it’s difficult to out-wit a smart dog that is determined to get into the garbage one way or another
Following are the best dog-proof trash cans, plus tips for keeping your dog out of the trash can once and for all!...
Your #1 priority should be to keep the trash can securely out of the reach of your dog.
A dog’s desire to get to food that they can smell is instinctual, so it’s up to us as dog owners to prevent their access to the garbage.
Some Places To Keep The Trash Can:
- in a closet or pantry that has a full-size door
- behind a cabinet ...but with child-proof locks
- in the garage—where the dog doesn’t have access
This video shows a dog that is used to getting into the trash can stored in the cabinet under the kitchen sink. (You can tell, because he keeps licking his lips :-D) The $2.99 childlocks kept him out!
Metal Dog-Proof Trash Cans
A basic metal trash can that you have to step on a pedal to open works well for many dog owners, because dogs obviously can’t maneuver the pedal with their paws.
Just make sure you get one that’s large and heavy enough so your dog can’t tip it over. Then again, if you happen to have a very large and very determined dog, then the size of the trash can matters very little.
Two downsides to the basic pedal-style trash cans:
- If the trash can is full, the dog could get access to whatever is near the top, since the lid won’t properly close.
- If the lid simply rests loosely atop the can itself, a simple push of the can itself could cause the lid to become ajar and/or fall off the can altogether.
One metal trash can that comes with a few extra security measures is the SimpleHuman trash can with butterfly doors. It can also be bolted to the wall!
Other Dog-Proof Trash Cans
Most durable metal trash cans that are pet-proof are going to be in the $100 price range. This is a reasonable price for a large metal trash can, but there are cheaper garbage cans you can find that are pet-proof as well.
One good option is the SimpleHuman slim plastic garbage can. It has a step-on lever to open it, and the lid locks securely closed with a sliding lever.
Some dog owners have had good luck with wooden trash can holders that you put your existing trash can inside (even better if it has a small latch to secure it closed). But some dogs can open the kind that tilt forward to open.
Others have found success with trash cans that have swinging lids. Just be careful… those swinging lids can be dangerous. No, really!
To read more…This article is from the Fun Times Guide.com
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