Animal Chatter by Iris Winston How many different breeds of dog are there? That’s something of a trick question. Even if it were limited to the number recognized by kennel clubs, the numbers would vary from nation to nation. At last count, the Canadian Kennel Club recognized 187 breeds—including the uniquely Canadian Inuit...
Tag - animal chatter
Animal Chatter by Iris Winston I know that Freya, my 20-year-old Norwegian forest cat, is near the end of her life. She has oral cancer and the malignant tumor is invading her jaw bone and growing to the point that she is not able to close her mouth completely. Certainly, this means that her quality of life has declined, but...
Animal Chatter by Iris Winston “Music has charms to soothe a savage breast.” So playwright William Congreve wrote in the 17th century and music continues to have a strong effect on the mood and emotions of many creatures in the 21st century. For instance, music therapy is regularly used as an anti-anxiety remedy or to treat...
Animal Chatter By Iris Winston Think about the pain you would feel to have the first joint of each of your fingers removed. Consider the discomfort associated with cosmetic procedures — even if you made the decision that the surgery would be worthwhile. Animals don’t have any say in the matter of surgery inflicted upon them...
Animal Chatter By Iris Winston It looks attractive, but… Those were the words from a friend of mine as she looked at the illustration accompanying one of my pet columns. It showed a cute white dog on a long leash walking far ahead of an older man holding the leash. It brought to mind a life-changing accident for my friend. She...
Animal Chatter By Iris Winston If you are thinking how your grandchild’s eyes will sparkle when you give her a puppy or kitten for Christmas, complete with a red bow round its neck, reconsider. The vision is appealing — for a moment. But the consequences could be really upsetting for the animal and for a family that may not be...
Animal Chatter By Iris Winston As soon as Marnie, my Irish Setter, and I returned home after finishing a few errands, she raised her head and sniffed the air. Then she ran around, barking as she checked every room, looking for the stranger that she sensed/scented had been there while we were out. I knew from her reaction that...
