The myth of cats and milk

Ever since I was a kid, I had the notion that cats liked nothing better than a saucer of milk.

Wrong, according to an article in The Washington Post.

The writer, Jura Koncius, wondered if the old myth was true since Koncius’ cat seemed to crave cow’s milk. Koncius went to California vet Paula Kislak for the answer.

According to Kislak, most cats cannot tolerate milk products. She says it’s not good to give cats any measurable milk as it can give them digestive problems

Kislak said the mythology of giving cats a saucer of milk dates to when cats were farm animals and they had to eat whatever was available. “Now we have such well-balanced foods, they don’t need to have milk,” she said..

Instead of milk, give felines clear, fresh water.

Next, I suppose they’ll tell me the cow DIDN’T jump over the moon.

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If you haven’t read “Marley and Me” or seen the movie, don’t read this item. In the interest of greater pet health, I’m about to foreshadow the ending.

Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Ready?

Some dogs – normally big ones – are prone to stomach bloat. But an outpatient surgical procedure can head off devastating results, MyFox Atlanta reports.

“For many dogs … the most exciting thing in their life is eating, (and) they eat with a lot of gusto, swallow a lot of air and that air has nowhere to go so it can expand,” veterinarian Dr. Mike Smith told MyFox.

The dog’s stomach can twist, cutting off the blood supply and leading to organ failure.

Symptoms of bloat include drooling, unsuccessful attempts to belch or vomit, pacing then weakness and a swollen belly.

But a procedure called gastropexy can keep a dog’s stomach from twisting.

Dr. Smith used a laproscopic camera and made two small incisions during a recent surgery. The doctor grasped a small piece of the stomach and then attached that part to the body wall. The procedure will prevent the stomach from twisting in the future.

Three hours after the surgery, Smith said, the patient was awake and ready to do her favorite thing - eat.

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PET CALENDAR

Bikers for barks? The third annual Molly-Dharma Run for MaxFund, a fundraising motocycle jaunt through the foothills for the Denver-based animal shelter, will be June 14. It will be sponsored by Freedom Harley-Davidson, The Platte River Bar & Grill and other businesses. Get into at www.ThePlatte.com.

Picture this . Have a photogenic furball? The Humane Society of the United States recently launched its annual Spay Day Online Pet Contest. It will have two sets of winners - one determined solely by the amount of money raised for Spay Day projects, and another determined by a panel of celebrity judges. To enter the contest, go to http://www.hsus.org and click on the Happy Faces link at the top of the page.

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