allodwick said:
Now we know why Marsha likes cats. At least small cats.
Small cats??
Try handling a 10-month-old Maine Coon Cat that already weighs 14-15 pounds. And is as big as some smaller dogs. I showed one such cat in late 2005 and through February 2006. I'm sure this one will be 22-25 pounds by 2-3 years of age. And no fat on his body.
Cats have smaller, sharper teeth than dogs. My experience has been that animals having shorter muzzles, such as Persians, Burmese, Chartreaux and American Shorthairs, among cats, and I'm sure Boston terriers, Pekes, boxers and bulldogs, have greater pressure and strength in those short jaws than animals with longer muzzles.
Anyone who lives with an animal with short muzzles should use a long pill gun when giving pills. It's hard to pry open those short jaws to pop in a pill and you're apt to get a finger bitten. Even giving a liquid Rx can be difficult.
People living with an animal should know what to do in case of a bite or scratch. Even the most docile animal can be come frightened by a new pet, a sudden noise, a stray animal jumping onto an outside window ledge, etc., and take it out on you. Been there, done that.
It's even more critical for those of us with valve problems and especially those on warfarin to know how to stop bleeding by applying pressure, how to clean a wound thoroughly, when medical treatment may be needed, appropriate dressings/topical lotions for such, what antibiotics and how much to take after an incident, signs of infection, etc.
Keep your animals current on rabies vaccination. In some areas, if you show up at an ER with an animal bite, animal control could impound the animal or you may need to board the animal at a vet clinic. If the animal's not current, uh-oh.
If you do go to an ER, make sure they apply pressure on a wound to stop the bleeding -- not just ice and a bandage. Again, been there, done that.
![Mad :mad: :mad:](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)