http://swkpets.com Southwest Kansas' very best advice on pet care, training, products, and much more Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:01:21 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en “Frito feet.” Many dog owners are aware of this condition, but few likely know its origins. Although most people don’t go around sniffing a dog’s paws, individuals who come in regular contact with dogs might have noticed dog feet sometimes smell like stale popcorn or corn chips. The condition has thusly been dubbed “Frito feet,” [...]]]> http://swkpets.com/the-mystery-behind-frito-feet/ LOS ANGELES (AP) — Seven in 10 pet owners say they believe animal shelters should be allowed to euthanize animals only when they are too sick to be treated or too aggressive to be adopted. Only a quarter of the people who took part in a recent AP-Petside.com poll said animal shelters should sometimes be [...]]]> http://swkpets.com/euthanasia-to-control-shelter-population-unpopular/ LOS ANGELES (AP) — Do you brake for cats, dogs, squirrels, skunks and possums? How about horses, cows, elk, moose, or deer? Fight the urge to swerve as you brake if you don’t have time to check traffic first, said Julie Startup, a Washington State trooper and spokeswoman in the agency’s Seattle and Bellevue area. [...]]]> http://swkpets.com/swerving-worse-than-hitting-animal-on-road/ BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — If you’ve ever wanted a goat but didn’t have the farm to go with it, Boulder County 4-H has a solution — rent one. Boulder County 4-H, which provides educational programming for kids 8 to 18, is starting a “Lease-a-Goat” program. The program, which will be open to any members of [...]]]> http://swkpets.com/boulder-county-to-start-a-lease-a-goat-program/ LAKE ANDES, S.D. (AP) — Famous for its role as Harry Potter’s companion in the books and movies, a species of majestic, mostly white owls is being sighted in abundant numbers this winter far from both Hogwarts and its native Arctic habitat. It’s typical for snowy owls to arrive in the U.S. every three or [...]]]> http://swkpets.com/snowy-owls-spotted-across-us/ http://swkpets.com/central-kansas-residents-urged-to-avoid-creek/ Many families decide to open their homes to an adopted pet. Cats are in dire need of homes because of their abundance in shelters across the country. Before a cat is welcomed into a home, certain measures should be taken to prepare the space — and residents — for the addition of a pet. The [...]]]> http://swkpets.com/preparing-the-home-for-an-adopted-cat/ http://swkpets.com/pets-and-babies-easing-the-transition/ Keep Man’s Best Friend Healthy Dog owners are well aware that caring for man’s best friend has taken on a greater responsibility in recent years. Perhaps that’s a result of the popularity of the cable channel Animal Planet or the television show “The Dog Whisperer,” each of which has helped to educate dog owners about [...]]]> http://swkpets.com/fitness-for-fido/ (MS) — Over the last several years, influenza has grabbed headlines around the world, with outbreaks of bird flu and swine flu causing illness among humans. As it turns out, man’s best friend can catch the flu, too. The canine influenza virus, (CIV), H3N8, affects dogs and can cause the same symptoms experienced by people: [...]]]> http://swkpets.com/dog-influenza-fido-has-flu-worries/