A LITTLE PET-POURRI ...
What's up, Doc? If you've adopted a rabbit recently, as many do around Easter, you'll need to make sure your pet is getting the food he needs to stay healthy. While rabbit pellets (1/4 cup per 5 pounds of body weight) form the basis of a healthy diet, you should supplement your new pet's rations with fresh greens. Fiber is especially important, which is why your bunny should have plenty of grass hay to nibble on -- fresh timothy and oat.
Dark-green leafy vegetables are great, too. For a special treat, ask for the leaves off broccoli heads in the produce department of your supermarket, along with carrot or beet tops. The carrots themselves are good, too.
More rabbit-friendly foods include dandelion greens and flowers (collected from pesticide-free areas), kale, collard greens, escarole, romaine lettuce, endive, Swiss chard, parsley, clover, cabbage, green peppers, pea pods, brussels sprouts, basil, peppermint leaves, raspberry leaves, radicchio, bok choy and spinach. Variety is the spice of life, so keep things mixed up.
Speaking of greens, your cat likes them, too, and you can offer the very freshest by keeping plants growing indoors. Plant catnip and valerian to tickle your pet's fancy, but keep them out of reach as seedlings or they'll be pulled out by the roots! When the plants mature, clip off little bits and share them with your cat. Other plants are fine for grazing straight from the pot. Alfalfa, rye and wheat make tasty seedlings (keep a fresh tray growing always), and parsley and thyme are also popular with many felines.
Even dogs like treats from the vegetable garden. My neighbors always plant a cherry tomato for my oldest dog, Andy, and give him a handful of fresh tomatoes on his birthday every June. Carrots are also popular with many dogs.
Whose pet are you? It must be fate. Here you are, thinking about getting a dog, and one follows your daughter home from school (with the aid of half a bologna sandwich). Or you find a kitten in the parking lot at the supermarket.
Before you start picking out names, consider the possibility the animal may belong to someone else.
You may not think that could be the case with an animal who isn't wearing a collar and looks as if he's been malnourished and, possibly, maltreated. But a lot of people -- promise me you won't be one of them -- never bother to put collars on their pets, much less an ID tag or license. And it takes only a few days on the loose to make even a previously well-cared-for pet look dirty, sick and dog-tired.
If you find a stray, do everything you can to find the owner first. Someone may be heartbroken over the loss. Put up fliers in the neighborhood (most pets stay within a couple miles of home when they get out), take out a classified ad in the newspaper, and post "found" notices at local shelters and animal-related businesses such as groomers and veterinary hospitals.
Give it your best shot for a week or two, and then if your decide to keep him, feel free. Sometimes the best relationships start just this way.
Hot dog! Most people realize it's not safe to leave a dog in the car on a hot summer day, but fewer know that even a pleasant spring afternoon can be deadly. A car is like a greenhouse with all those windows, and heat can build up to lethal levels in a matter of minutes -- even when the temperature isn't all that high, even when the windows are cracked a little. Dogs aren't very efficient at lowering their internal temperature (panting is about the only mechanism they have) and can quickly become overheated, or worse. Don't take a chance with your pet's life.
Pets on the Web: What are veterinarians interested in? You can find part of the answer on the Web site of the American Veterinary Medical Association (www.avma.org), the nation's trade organization for the profession. In addition to information for veterinarians, the site offers news, links to other sites, an area for kids and some basic animal care information.
Gina Spadafori is the award-winning author of "Dogs for Dummies" and "Cats for Dummies," and is the editorial director of the Veterinary Information Network Inc., an international online service for veterinary professionals. Write to her in care of this newspaper, or e-mail to Giori(at)aol.com.
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