Most Viewed Animals Blogs (472)

If you were to be converted to an animal, which one would you prefare to be? Both Domestic or Wild.

Dogs don't like fireworks, sure, we all know that but reactions range from flinching to outright hysterics. Why?

We know hunting dogs cope with the fairly hectic sound of rifles. We know, or know of, dogs that are so distressed by gunshots, fireworks, thunderstorms, that they can die of shock.

The whole of Granada province is starting fiestas to celebrate San Antonio and the vanquishing of El Moros by El Cristianos and my town is already rocked by occasional exuberant rifles, it will be pretty hectic over fiesta time. Although my dog used to get angry during Guy Fawkes and Hogmanay and rush out through the dog flap to bark furiously, here she is ignoring the occasional bang and if there is a fusillade she heads to her basket and is hopefully going to cope. She wasn't bothered by 2018 NY fireworks, now that I think back. She and the cat both watch me anxiously during thunderstorms but while I'm calm, they're calm.

Her change of home has brought a change of reaction, is what I'm saying, and it made me wonder why different dogs react so differently anyway.

Ambled into my kitchen to make coffee and met the rodent.

He wasn't looking at all well. The cat, ever hopeful of a midnight snack, followed me in the kitchen, saw the rodent, and wandered over to have a look.

I left the kitchen. (Bear in mind I do know the cat has never, in 14 years, eaten so much as a nibble of any of his catches)

The cat then appeared in the hall, looking undecided, gingerly holding it in his mouth.

Take it outside, I said.

Cat instead went upstairs. I bravely followed. Can't find either of them.

So I'm here for the night. What we gonna talk about, chaps?

I took you in when you were starving, gave you a home and put food on the table. When you were sick and injured I comforted you and paid your medical bills, I even got you a passport.

We had some good years together with lots of caresses and cuddles and even though at times you took up most of the room on the bed I didnt mind.

When you started spending the odd night away, I understood, when you disappeared for days at a time I was never concerned until the day about a year ago when you didnt return home, I was fraught with worry.

Then last night when I saw you on the corner of the street, I stopped the car and called your name, but you walked away from me. As you stood before the door waiting to be let in we chatted and I caressed you. I was pleased to see you looked healthy and well fed. Drop by the house sometime I said, we all miss you my dear cat Paco.

Django, the Iraq war dog, reunited with SA handler after two years



Working side-by-side for 18 months, the two became inseparable and when Holland finished his contract with the AMK9 unit, he promised his furry friend that he would one day live with him in South Africa.




I love it.

More:

Wednesday she was fine - she's old, a little wobblier in the mornings than in years of yore, but lively, greedy, healthy.

Yesterday morning very wobbly, fell over climbing over doorstep, and twice on her walk when switching direction to check out a scent. Eating normally, drinking well, adapted to using both back legs together to hop up steps.

Today, unable to walk in a straight line, falling over constantly, she was throwing up clear fluid during the night, and, first time in her entire life, unable to eat this morning. She still wanted her walk but even though it was a short one, she was trailing behind me by the time we got back instead of enthusiastically at point.

Poison? Stroke? Or - looked up the symptoms - vestibular disease?

She hates vets with a passion. I won't subject her to a barrage of tests and I won't leave her there - she is a rescue dog, and can't even be left in kennels without stressing, in my days of travelling I finally had to have a house sitter as she refused food, lost fur, and turned overnight into a basket case, even in the nicest kennels you can imagine. From everything I can find on line, vets will want to do tests and most will want to keep her in. My problem is that my Spanish is exceedingly basic and all I want is - what? anti-inflammatory? antibiotic? If they refuse, then she must be put down.

If anyone here knows anything about this condition, I'd really appreciate feedback. I can't take her anywhere until after my classes today so I have until this afternoon. She finally accepted a little handfeeding, drank some water, weaved off to bed and is sleeping. She's not distressed, just puzzled.

Updated: thanks to all who commented, took her to the vet in the afternoon of the blog, blood test confirmed the middle ear infection (idiopathic canine vestibular syndrome, to give it another of its names) she is taking antibiotics, corticosteroids (for 3 days only), anti-nausea tabs, and improving, she should be back to her cantankerous self within the week and on this morning's wobbly walk tried to hurl herself at a scooter - fell over, but at least she tried, which is a very good sign

Long time readers will recall that last winter and through this fall I had something killing and eating deer in my forest.

Although I had suspicions I never did find out for sure what it was. It all stopped around the time human hunting season began and I put it out my mind. The only clue I ever had beyond the fact of the kills and the devoured carcasses left behind was this strange paw print.



Today, early this AM I let one of the Toms out. We still have a lot of snow on the ground so he wandered down the driveway, sat there awhile then came back in. Late this afternoon I went out to check my mail box. Down at the bottom of the driveway I observed strange tracks coming out of the forest and very clearly exactly following (as in right alongside of) the paw prints of my cat. Right up to the doorway of the house, then it turned and meandered around the house and disappeared into the woods in back.

Again I have photographed the prints and present them here. I am puzzled by them. I have spent several hours on line attempting to match them to the tracks of known species with no success. I present the imagery to you below. I am open to reasonable suggestions (no, it is not a midget bigfoot). These are, as you can see about twice the size of the paw print of a large domestic cat. No (supposedly) predator species in North America has both 3 pads on the foot and 3 prominent claws. There should be 4 or 5 pads. Just like the thing in the woods, there are 3. Herbivores have two. Anyone have a sane idea what I am dealing with?



A different track



It does not appear to be wolf or coyote and is the wrong shape for a big cat.

The Big 5 comprises:-

Elephant
Rhino
Buffalo
Lion
Leopard



African bush elephant (Loxodonta africana)

The African elephant (Loxodonta africana) is a very large herbivore having thick, almost hairless skin, a long, flexible, prehensile trunk, upper incisors forming long curved tusks of ivory, and large, fan-shaped ears. There are two distinct species of African elephant: African forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis) and the African bush elephant (Loxodonta africana). Elephants are difficult to hunt because despite their large size, they are able to hide in tall grass and are more likely to charge than the other species.

Black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis)

The black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) is a large, thick-skinned herbivore having one or two upright horns on the nasal bridge. Rhinoceros may refer to either black or white rhinoceros. Among big five game hunters, the black rhinoceros is preferred, although it is now critically endangered.

African Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer)

The African or Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer) is a large horned bovid. Buffalo are sometimes reported to kill more hunters in Africa than any other animal. A similar claim is also made of hippos and crocodiles, but these statements include all people and not strictly hunters. The Cape Buffalo is considered by many to be the most dangerous of the big five, reportedly causing the most hunter deaths, with wounded animals reported to ambush and attack pursuers.

Lion (Panthera leo)

The lion (Panthera leo) is a large carnivorous feline of Africa and northwest India, having a short, tawny coat, a tufted tail, and, in the male, a heavy mane around the neck and shoulders. Lions are desirable to hunters because of the very real danger involved. A lion may attack without provocation, and is considered by many to be the best of the big five.

Leopard (Panthera pardus)

The leopard (Panthera pardus) is a large, carnivorous feline having either tawny fur with dark rosette-like markings or black fur. Of the big five, it is most difficult to acquire hunting licenses for leopards. The leopard is considered the most difficult of the big five to hunt because of their nocturnal and secretive nature. They are wary of humans and will take flight in the face of danger. The leopard is solitary by nature, and is most active between sunset and sunrise, although it may hunt during the day in some areas. Leopards can be found in the savanna grasslands, brush land and forested areas in Africa.

Conservation status

The African lion and the African bush elephant are both classified as vulnerable. The African leopard and the white rhinoceros are both classified as near threatened. The black rhinoceros and northern white rhinoceros are both classified as critically endangered so hunting them is greatly restricted. The African buffalo is the most popular big five game animal to hunt, as its conservation status is least concern, but it is experiencing a population decline in uncontrolled areas due to poaching and urbanization.

(Wikipedia)

In the memory of my dearest…


There was a very little spider in the lower right corner of my kitchen window. It span his tiny net and caught smallest flies appearing from the pots with plants… Once a week, I dusted off his corner with a cloth very carefully, using only my index finger and only when I was sure that you, my darling, had time enough to hide yourself in the window frame.

We lived in harmony.

That was a prelude.

…left my key to my best neighbour when departing for my usual 2-weeks late-autumn sun-holiday and asked her to water my pot-plants. Which she certainly did. The woman is an angel.

Upon returning noticed that my windows were washed. Couldn’t believe my eyes at first, but eventually surrendered to the fact: my windows shone clean! Turned out that the woman liked to wash windows. Indisputably an angel and my appreciation has no limits.

…but my spider was gone.


Now the small flies are flying all over my flat and there’s no one to catch them… And – snow, rain, nearest road – the windows are dirty again.


I hope, my dearest, that your short life in my window corner was happy and plentiful. I miss you so much…

Some lay eggs and others lay people...
She laid this one earlier...clever girl....