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  • Annual Checkups
    May Save Your Pet Bird's Life

    Most parrots and large pet birds die from disease at age 1 or 2, even though their life expectancy is 50 years or more, according to veterinarians with the American Animal Hospital Association. "Birds hide their illnesses very well," said Dr. Dave McCluggage, a Boulder, Colo., veterinarian. "Often, owners don't realize their birds are sick and therefore, do not seek veterinary care. By the time the birds show symptoms, they have been sick a long time." In fact, only 7.6 percent of the 5.2 million bird owners in the United States obtain veterinary care for these pets, according to a 1988 study by the American Veterinary Medical Association. And that makes it difficult to prevent birds from becoming seriously ill.

    To catch problems early, pet birds should have annual checkups with qualified veterinarians, he advised. The veterinarian can run proper blood and fecal tests, trim the bird's beak, nails and wings, and suggest a proper nutrition program. Unable to thrive on seeds alone, birds need balanced diets with all four food groups. One way of providing this is through specially formulated bird pellets. Another method is to feed them a variety of "people foods." Dr. Katherine Quesenberry, a veterinarian with the Animal Medical Center in New York City, said birds can eat fruits, vegetables, chicken, fish, even pasta. "We tell people to feed them whatever they eat for dinner," she said.

    Annual checkups also allow the veterinarian to check the bird's cage for any objects that could be poisonous or dangerous. For example, although sandpaper perches are touted as aids that keep a bird's nails trimmed, they actually can sand the bottom of the bird's feet until they are raw and infected. Also, a bird could be poisoned by pecking the metal off the back of a toy mirror. "We recommend these only be placed in the cage for about an hour a day," Dr. McCluggage said. And canisters that are sold to kill mites are potentially hazardous to birds because they release a low-grade pesticide, which may be harmful. Also, a bird could be poisoned by biting into the chemical itself, he added.

    Before buying a new bird, owners should observe it several times. A veterinary checkup should be set up as soon as possible after bringing the pet home. Thereafter, the owner should watch the bird for any subtle change in behavior. Even a slight decrease in talking or eating may signal the need for medical attention.

    The American Animal Hospital Association is an international organization of more than 12,000 veterinarians who treat companion animals, such as dogs and cats. Established in 1933, the association is well known among veterinarians for its standards for hospitals and pet health care.

    Animal Communication


    Transforming Your Perspective of Animals
    by Nedda E. Wittels

    While my friend and I chatted over the phone, a sleek, black feline stealthily approached the bird feeder hanging outside my dining room window. The two and half foot-long feeder hung from a wire I had strung between my back door and a very sturdy oak tree. Wrapped lovingly around the feeder was a large gray squirrel, its face shoved into the corn and seeds. The cat came closer and closer. The squirrel seemed oblivious to approaching danger as it inhaled large mouthfuls of food.

    Finally the cat sprang upward to grab the squirrel, who scurried up the feeder to the wire. Balanced like an acrobat in the circus, the squirrel looked down at the cat and waved its tail in defiance.

    "Leave my squirrel alone! " I shouted telepathically, so as not to deafen my friend on the other end of the phone line. The cat, who had walked several feet away from the feeder, stopped in its tracks, turned, and started walking quite deliberately towards the window where I looked out, the phone stuck against my ear. Stopping beneath the window and looking directly into my eyes, the cat said "That's NOT your squirrel." Then it turned on its heels and strode away.

    "Yes," I reminded myself. "That, in fact, is not anyone's squirrel. The squirrel belongs to itself." The cat was reminding me that all of life is sentient and does not belong to any human.

    Since rediscovering my childhood abilities to communicate telepathically with animals, I have been expanding my consciousness about our relationship to the earth and to earth's creatures. As I speak with them, they teach me that each animal's life has a particular purpose and meaning, and that it is not up to us humans to determine what that is.

    As an Animal Communicator, I am called on daily to help people and their animals with a wide variety of situations. Sometimes an animal is very ill and the person wants to know how it feels about various treatment plans or about euthanasia. I may be called upon to help animals accept a new family member, or to deal with the loss of one. Sometimes the human is concerned about unusual behavior and wants to understand what is going on and how to stop the animal from repeating it. In other cases, the person is competiting with the animal in shows and wants help improving their ability to work together as a team.

    For scientists trapped in the Behaviorist, so-called "objective" mode of thinking, Animal Communication may seem like a fantasy. Even people who live with animals and feel emotionally close to them may at first balk at the idea that telepathic communication is possible. After all, that's what our educational system has taught us. To quote Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson, writing in When Elephants Weep: The Emotional Lives of Animals, published in 1993,

    Comparative psychology to this day discusses observable behavior and physical states of animals, and evolutionary explanations for their existence, but shies away from the mental states that are inextricably involved in that behavior... Although many scientists have believed that the animals they observed had emotions, few have written about it.

    If we cannot even consider that animals experience emotion, how can we make the jump to the idea that they are sentient beings of deep feeling, equal to ourselves in spirituality and individual consciousness? Yet this is what my experience with animals has taught me.

    This article reflects my personal experience, and, of course, another person will have a different experience. Nevertheless, I cannot discount what I know to be the truth of my own experience.

    The point is not to debate this issue intellectually. At that level, no one "knows" anything. All is hypothesis, supposition. The point is to connect at an experiential level. Do you have any memories as a child (or an adult) of connecting with an animal in a special way, so that you felt you knew what the animal was thinking and/or feeling? Did the animal seem to converse with you, to share its perception of life? Have you ever felt you could see the world through the animal's eyes? Have you ever imagined that you were a specific animal or species and felt your frame-of-reference change as a result of that encounter?

    That's all I'm suggesting for starters: that it is possible to make this connection, that the connection is real, and that it is a profound experience. And like any other profound experience, it can change your perceptions of yourself and the universe at a level that affects your values and beliefs and how you live.

    And that's what Animal Communication can do for you. It can open you to another way of thinking and feeling about life here on earth, a perspective that can help us heal ourselves and the earth and our relationship to all the beings who share are home on this planet.

    If you have any questions, you can contact Nedda E. Wittels, the author of this article.


    Traveling With A Pet?
    Planning and Preparation Help Make it Fun and Safe for the Whole Family

    An increasing number of pet owners across the country are including their four-legged friends in travel plans, and in many cases that means airplane rides for dogs, cats, and other animals. Planning and preparation can make the trip safe and pleasant for both people and pets, according to the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) and airline industry representatives. A few general tips apply when traveling by plane with animals.

    Before undertaking a long trip, AAHA advises having the pet examined by a veterinarian. Owners should also consult their veterinarian for specific feeding instructions. Age and size of the pet, time and distance of the flight, and regular dietary routine must be considered.

    Travelers should contact the airline in advance to check regulations and services and to make reservations. A direct midweek flight, or one with minimum stops, is usually best. Regulations state that dogs and cats must be at least eight weeks old and weaned at least five days before flying. Current health and rabies vaccination certificates will be required. "In January of this year, a Continental Airlines task force was formed to review all of the airline's policies regarding the handling of live animals," said Ray Scippa, director of employee communications for Continental Airlines. "The results were a number of technical changes to animal handling policies that further ensure the safety and comfort of our customer's pets, both on the ground and in flight. This includes feeding and watering of the animals by airline personnel whether the animal is shipped as checked baggage or air freight." The pet also should be exercised, placed in the cage by the owner, and picked up promptly upon arrival.

    The proper cage, available from most airlines or pet shops, should have the following features:

    • Large enough to allow the animal to stand, turn, and lie down
    • Strong, free of interior protrusions, with handles or grips
    • Leak-proof bottom covered with plenty of absorbent material
    • Ventilation on opposite sides, with exterior rims or knobs to prevent blocked air flow.
    • Label "Live Animals" with arrows indicating upright position, and the owner's name, address, and phone number
    Pets should wear collars with complete identification and a license tag. Owners should have a rabies vaccination certificate and a health certificate when crossing state or international borders. Veterinarians can provide these documents. While packing, the owner should remember to throw in a few of the pet's favorite toys, bowl, leash, and regular food.

    "Unique to Continental among the new policies is positive sign-off by the captain of each flight on which a live animal is traveling," said Scippa. "In other words, the captain of the flight is required to read and sign a form prior to take-off confirming knowledge that a live animal is on board and that certain time and temperature restrictions apply." Continental's policy during summer conditions, for example, is that animals will not be subjected to temperatures of 85 degrees for more than 45 minutes, according to Scippa. Other airlines also provide tips for happier pet travel, especially during the summer heat. "During the summer, we recommend traveling with your pet in the evening," said Joe Hopkins, spokesperson for United Airlines. "Short-snouted dogs, such as boxers, are particularly sensitive to heat. Early morning or late evening flights should be selected for them."

    Travelers should also be aware of other cargo on the flight. For example, fumes from dry ice can be lethal. In addition, leashed animals should not ride on escalators.

    Airline passengers should also use special caution when shipping pets to Hawaii, according to Hopkins. Hawaii requires a 120-day quarantine for all animals susceptible to rabies. This applies regardless of any previous shots. "Your pet must arrive and be quarantined in Honolulu, because there are no facilities elsewhere in Hawaii," said Hopkins. "Guide dogs for the sight or hearing impaired must also meet the 120-day quarantine requirements."

    Finally, owners should consider whether the pet is comfortable with traveling. Some animals do not function well in unfamiliar surroundings, and an unhappy pet can make a trip miserable for everyone. Some ill or physically impaired dogs and cats cannot withstand the rigors of travel. If this is the case, veterinarians advise pet owners to leave pets with a friend or relative or at a clean, well-run boarding kennel.


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