Animal Friendly Lawns.
None of us want to endanger the lives of our children and pets (dogs and cats). But if you live in a neighbourhood where the lawns look like golf greens, you may feel some pressure to keep up with the Jones’. Or you may just be tired of sheltering every weed that blows into town.
Pesticides, whether they are insecticides, fungicides or herbicides, are designed to kill unwanted species of life. They are not selective in what they kill and their effect goes beyond those few irritating bugs or weeds we want to eradicate. These pesticides are among the 75,000 new chemicals that have been introduced into our world since World War II. Twelve of the most common pesticides are suspected carcinogens while 850 have hormone-disrupting effects. Today, we carry 500 measurable chemicals in our bodies, chemicals that would not have been evident in the 1920s.
There are steps you can take to return your lawn to its natural state, but you have to be patient. A chemical-dependent lawn is highly susceptible to pests and diseases so it will take some time to restore its health. Likewise, if you’re starting out fresh with a “mixed bag” lawn, you’ve got some work ahead of you. Fortunately, there are a number of organic lawn care companies sprouting up across North America who can do part or all of the work for you.
Aerating You don’t want compacted soil, so aerate it in the spring to encourage the exchange of oxygen, moisture and plant nutrients. Ants and earthworms will fertilize and continue the aeration process.
Topdressing Add nutrients and microorganisms to your lawn with applications of compost, topsoil and/or composted manure.
Overseeding Spread a layer of grass seed over the existing lawn to improve grass density. Use hardy, pest-resistant grass species.
Mowing Never cut off more than the top third of each grass blade in a single mowing. Mow to a height of three inches. This leads to good root development and denser turf which shades out the weeds. Make sure you cut with sharp blades.
Watering Water one morning a week to a depth of one inch.
Fertilizing Use compost, grass clippings and slow-release organic products. Be aware that natural botanical pesticides do not necessarily mean less toxicity.
Finally, consider alternatives to 100-per-cent grass. Check out other possible ground covers and vegetation. Welcome the dandelions; eat them! Grow thyme. Plant wildflowers and attract the birds and butterflies. And share your enthusiasm for a drug-free lawn with your neighbors.
Did you know that
Children are six times more likely to get leukemia if their parents use pesticides around the house?
Dogs face a doubled risk of lymphatic cancer when exposed to 2,4-D (a component of Agent Orange used during the Vietnam War)?
Miscarriages and birth defects are causally linked to pesticides?
Breast cancer has been linked to pesticides?
Cancers such as soft-tissue sarcoma, non-Hodgkins lymphoma, as well as cancers of the brain, lungs, skin and stomach, are connected to pesticide use?
Birds die as a result of eating grass and clover sprayed with pesticides? They may take days to die.
People suffering from asthma and allergies are adversely affected by pesticides? Pesticides are cumulative and are stored in our fat cells?
A moderate walk through the water meadows by the River Stour, and short distances on country lanes and along gravel tracks. Follow waymarks for Walk 10 on the route.
Begin trail
Start: Car park opposite White Mill
1
Leave the car park in the direction of Shapwick and then turn right up a straight country lane, passing White Mill Farm on the right.
Shapwick Parish name derives from the Saxon meaning sheep village. It was the smallest of the four Manors in East Dorset and pre-dates the Norman period. The village centre has an old stone cross, now a memorial to the men of the First and Second World Wars. In 1800 there were 409 inhabitants, today there are 197. The predominant employment in the area is agriculture. Two mills for corn and grain existed in Shapwick.
2
At the junction with Park Lane turn right onto the bridleway, Sweetbrier Drove. Sweetbrier Drove was the medieval route to Shapwick, before the more southerly road by the Stour was adopted. The walking surface is normally dry, being on chalk. The surrounding farmland is a mixture of arable and of particular value to birds. Continue to the end of the drove.
Sweetbrier Drove used to be the main road to Blandford. Looking south-easterly along the drove, the tower on the horizon is at Charborough Park Estate. At the end of Sweetbrier Drove, when the BP pipeline was being constructed from Wych Farm on Purbeck to Southampton in the 1980s, a Roman and Iron Age settlement was revealed in the field to the north. The Iron Age one likely to have been a farmstead with connections to the ancient hill fort at Badbury.
3
Here you meet Kingston Lacy Drove and the perimeter belt of Kingston Lacy Park. The woodland on the park side is known as Coneygar, associated with the breeding of rabbits in the medieval period. Artificial banks may have encouraged the creation of burrows. This section of the walk can be muddy underfoot after rain. Turn right and then right again onto the Stour Valley Way and proceed in the Sturminster Marshall direction. The link from here on the edge of Kingston Lacy Park back to White Mill forms part of the national long distance walk along the Stour Valley Way.
4
You will then rejoin the Shapwick to Cowgrove road, turn right, cross the road and then after approximately 220yd (200m) pass through the stile on your left. It is here that during the season you can make the short diversion to visit Barford Farm ice cream garden and shop. These long time tenants of the estate are building an excellent reputation for the quality of their products.
5
Crossing the pasture towards the river, another stile is encountered, whereupon the footpath then follows the bank of the Stour back to White Mill.
White Mill itself is open March-November at weekends and on Bank Holiday Mondays, subject to an admission charge, National Trust members free. Henry Bankes was responsible for having the Mill rebuilt in 1776 and we have conserved the 18th-century wooden machinery. The millstones remained in use right until the end of the 19th century, grinding grain (grist) for both flour and animal feed. The arched bridge here is reputed to be the oldest in Dorset.
End: Car park opposite White Mill.
To find out more visit the National Trust website. http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/kingston-lacy/
Please ensure your dog or dogs are supervised at all times.
Have a great Walk!
We all know someone with arthritis, whether it’s a human friend or family member, or an animal companion. But if asked to describe what goes on inside an arthritic joint, many of us would be lost for words. We know it hurts, but we don’t really know why or how it happens.
Dogs and cats have an intricate skeletal system made of bones, muscles tendons and ligaments. The joints are the hinges that allow the skeleton to move and flex in amazing ways. They’re composed of cartilage over the bone ends and are stabilized by tendons and ligaments. The cartilage is a smooth but tough and protective coating for the bones underneath. It absorbs shock and reduces friction. The synovial tissue encloses the joint in a joint capsule and the synovial or joint fluid adds to the cushioning effects and provides lubrication for smooth joint action. When joints are damaged by disease or injury, inflammation results. Inflammation in the joints is known as arthritis. It may be either degenerative or inflammatory in nature. Degenerative joint disease, or osteoarthritis, is more common in dogs than inflammatory joint disease.
How does osteoarthritis develop?
With osteoarthritis, changes that occur in the cartilage cause damage in the underlying bone. The cartilage provides a cushion for the bones of the joint during movement and prevents them from rubbing or hitting each other. But if it becomes dried or chipped, the underlying layer of cartilage-producing cells is exposed. These cells lose elasticity and begin to degenerate, and the cells that make up the cartilage matrix decrease.
Enzymes are released that damage the cartilage and thin the synovial fluid, greatly reducing its lubricating properties. The bones are exposed and the articular surfaces rub together, causing further damage and interfering with the joint’s normally smooth movement. This leads to joint instability. The joint fluid increases further and the joint space is filled with thin fluid and degenerating cartilage debris. The animal’s body responds by sending white blood cells to the affected joint. These cells release enzymes that cause inflammation and swelling or effusion in the joint. This causes stiffness and pain.
Unfortunately, since the joint cartilage does not contain any nerves, considerable damage and thinning of the synovial fluid has to take place before degenerative joint disease manifests itself. The remodeling and inflammatory changes create pain and decrease the mobility of the affected joint. Muscle atrophy results from the disuse of the painful limb. Pain and discomfort result in lameness that may be more noticeable first thing in the morning or upon rising.
Osteoarthritis is a progressive disease that gets worse as more and more of the cartilage in the joint dies. When the cartilage has all degenerated, then the sensitive bone (which does have innervation) is exposed. This is an extremely painful situation and the animal will be lame by this stage.
Causes of degenerative joint disease
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis in dogs and can be divided into primary or secondary arthritis.
Primary osteoarthritis is due to an inherited predisposition towards the problem. An example would be hip dysplasia in certain lines of German shepherd. These dogs are predisposed because their inherited anatomical conformation puts excessive stress on the hip joints.
Secondary osteoarthritis results from wear and tear on the joint. This can be abnormal stress on normal joints, or normal stress on abnormal joints. Vigorous exercise, excessive jumping, injuries, accidents or stretching and tearing ligaments can lead to arthritis due to abnormal stresses on previously normal joints. Large breed dogs are more susceptible to osteoarthritis due to increased weight and stress on the joints. Dogs who are overweight, senior, working or have medical conditions such as diabetes are also at an increased risk of osteoarthritis.
Osteoarthritis or degenerative joint disease is also seen in cats. In a recent study, it was found that 90% of cats over the age of 12 had radiographic evidence of degenerative joint disease. Clinical signs of arthritis in cats can be a reluctance to use the litter box, poor grooming habits, decreased appetite, weight loss, depression, neurological signs and lameness. Many cases of arthritis are idiopathic in nature.
Focus on inflammatory arthritis Inflammatory
joint disease can be caused by infections (septic arthritis) or immune mediated disease. Diagnosis is critical for both these types of arthritis. Inflammatory arthritis is usually accompanied by systemic illness such as fever, loss of appetite and painful movement. Generally, multiple joints are involved.
Infectious joint disease can be caused by bacteria, tick borne diseases (such as Lyme disease) or fungal infections. These organisms and the body’s response to them damage the joint and the cartilage.
Immune mediated arthritis can be caused by an underlying immune deficiency or problem. It results from the body attacking itself. Rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus are two types of inflammatory arthritis, neither of which is very common in animals.
How it arthritis diagnosed?
Radiography of the bones and joints can confirm degenerative joint disease that had been diagnosed based on clinical signs. In cases of suspected infectious or immune arthritis, a joint fluid analysis may be needed. Special blood tests may also be needed to diagnose conditions such as tick borne arthritis and lupus.
Learning something about the pathology of arthritis and its causes will help you determine when your companion animal might be starting to suffer from the disease and is in need of a veterinary diagnosis and treatment. A little education on your part can mean a long, healthy and painfree life for your best friend!
Treatment and prevention Treatments for arthritis are varied but focus on reducing pain and improving mobility.
• Pharmaceutical treatments can include steroids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, polyglycosaminoglycans (drugs that prevent cartilage breakdown) and painkillers.
• Surgical treatments may be necessary for some conditions.
• More natural treatments include glucosamine, Omega 3 fatty acids, dietary therapy, acupuncture, laser or magnetic therapy, herbal treatments, chiropractic, massage and physiotherapy including water therapy.
• Weight loss and exercise are extremely important for any arthritic animal.
A good healthy diet and proper exercise can help prevent arthritis or reduce its effects. Maintaining a healthy body weight and avoiding obesity are critical. Omega 3 fatty acids can help prevent the inflammation seen with degenerative joint disease. Supplements like glucosamine can also help prevent arthritis.
Q) I would like to know the best way to keep my dog’s bed clean. I have a Springer Spaniel and he comes in from walks quite wet and often his bed smells. Any easy answer?!
A) Of course there is the very easy answer to pop your dog’s bed in the washing machine, providing it’s small enough to fit! But choosing the right dog bed in the first place can help make life easier.
Beds made from a collection of old towels and blankets are best washed at high temperatures and regularly treated for fleas. Fabric beds purchased from pet stores can also be cleaned in the same way. A longer laster alternative – and arguably easier to clean – is to invest in a waterproof bed. The initial cost may be higher, but its higher durability should last a lot longer.
Dog Picture to make you Smile. I Love Fridays!
Cute or What!
COMPETITION TIME, DOG LOVERS!
WIN A BOTTLE OF SOIL ASSOCIATION CERTIFIED ORGANIC DOG SHAMPOO, COURTESY OF Bonnie & Bailey!
For the chance to win, simply answer the following question by posting in the comments below…
A dog shampoo labelled “organic” is required by law to contain what percentage of organic ingredients: Is it…
A) 100%
B) 50%
C) 20%
D) 10%
Correct answers will be published on 30 April, 2016.*
*winners will be placed in a draw on 31 April, the three winners will receive a bottle of shampoo of their choice!
UK entries only.
Visit http://www.bonnieandbailey.com for more information.
Good Luck everyone!
National Pet Month promotes responsible pet ownership. A key part of being a dog owner is regularly worming your dog. Here we break down everything you need to know about worming. http://www.yourdog.co.uk/Indepth-Dog-…/worming-your-dog.html. Go to Links to find out more.
Four Paws Dog Archie presenting me with his soft toy on my arrival at his home!
Thank you Archie. You’re a darling!
No charges will be brought against TV “Dog Whisperer” Cesar Millan following an investigation of animal cruelty complaints involving an episode in which a dog nipped a pig’s ear, authorities said on Monday.
The investigation showed the dog accidentally escaped Millan’s control. The dog was captured moments later, while people present attended to the pig and called in a veterinarian, who found there was no need for treatment, Los Angeles County deputy district attorney David Jacobs wrote in a case evaluation statement.
“There is no evidence that the pig was used as bait, and all parties who witnessed the incident felt it was an accident,” the evaluation said. “Although in the video the pig is seen bleeding, the dog’s act was merely a nip and did not tear or bite the skin off.”
The complaint was started online and based on footage from Millan’s television show Cesar 911, in which a French bulldog-terrier mix named Simon was undergoing behavior modification because it had a history of attacking other animals, including its owner’s pigs.
Simon chased and nipped the pig after Millan placed the animals together in a yard. A Change.org petition called on Nat Geo Wild to take the show off the air, calling Millan’s methods inhumane.
The county department of animal care and control independently investigated and concluded the pig “is fine and has no discernable injury to its ear”, the evaluation said.
Millan said in a statement that he was pleased but not surprised by the decision.
“Our animal handling procedures are safe and humane … I am continuing my work rescuing and rehabilitating even the most difficult problem dogs, which has saved the lives of thousands of animals that otherwise would have been euthanized,” Millan said.
The dog trainer has said he has used the same technique to help aggressive canines hundreds of times. The training involves getting the dog together with the animal it doesn’t like so the two can learn to get along.
Millan’s attorney, Brian Klein, said his client cooperated throughout the investigation.
“We were always confident that Animal Control would conclude that Cesar and his team did nothing wrong and that there would be no charges,” he said.
