While animal owners are known for being extremely attentive when it comes to pet care for their furry friends, sometimes they can completely misdiagnose a problem.
John Grant was noticing that his Black Labrador, Bracken, was having trouble coughing something up and brought him to the vet, according to PeoplePets.com. When the doctors gave the pup X-rays, they noticed a strange, dark object near his heart.
Veterinarians suggested that Bracken be moved to a larger facility at the University of Glasgow Veterinary School for surgery, fearing that the object was a cancerous tumor. It turned out that the object in question was actually a 5-inch soccer ball. Bracken quickly received surgery to remove the ball, potentially saving his life.
"Most definitely, if he didn’t have this surgery, he would have died," surgeon, Damian Chase, told the news provider. "It’s good that he came in, though, because this way we found out about his disorder. He’s very lucky."
Grant told the BBC that he knows his dog has developed a taste for foreign objects, including plastic bottles, stones and golf balls.
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Study finds one-third of pet owners compare the passing of a pet to the passing of a close family member
For many pet owners, their pet is a best friend or even sometimes a family member. While they try to instill the best pet care imaginable, animal owners know that death is inevitable. Because people become so attached to their pet, losing their furry friend can be unimaginably devastating.
A recent study conducted by More Than found that one-third of pet owners believe that the death of their pet is comparable to the death of a parent, sibling or spouse, according to the Daily Mail. More than 1,300 dog and cat owners were interviewed in the study, and more than half believe that a pet’s death is equivalent to that of a close family member.
Approximately 53 percent of respondents also ventured to say that once a pet dies, their grief "never goes away."
According to USA Today, pet owners are also going above and beyond when it comes to funeral arrangements. Some animal lovers go as far as having a goodbye ceremony complete with $500 casket and headstones that could cost up to $3,000.
"Even in this economy, some people want to go the extra mile to commemorate their pet, and we do whatever helps them," Chris Stoessner, a licensed funeral director, told the news provider.
Woman fined $9,000 for living with 23 animals in her car
While pet owners can have the utmost dedication to their animals, some individuals may be doing more harm than good when it comes to pet care.
Carol Lynette Samuels, who was hit hard by the recession last year, was recently fined $9,000 for animal cruelty for living in her car with 11 Persian cats, one Himalayan cat, nine Pomeranians and two poodles, according to the Herald Sun.
Samuels was forced to move out of her $1.5 million mansion last year due to financial troubles, and said she could not bear to part with her animals as they were like her children.
"I’d lost an awful lot and didn’t want to lose my cats as well because they are the only family I’ve got," she told the news provider.
The animals were taken to the local veterinarian where a majority were found to be in poor pet health. A number of the cats were malnourished and had matted fur. While all of the animals were seized, one cat had to be put down.
According to News.com.au, Samuels was charged on nine counts of animal cruelty.
Portia de Rossi spreads awareness about feral cats
Some people may view feral cats as a nuisance, but others believe that they deserve compassion just like any other animal. Many Americans end up caring for stray cats on their own as they feel a sense of sympathy towards the homeless felines.
Portia de Rossi, who stars in the ABC Comedy Better Off Ted, recently teamed up with Alley Cat Allies to remind individuals to look after the well-being of feral cats, according to CatChannel.com.
"I’m very happy to be involved with Alley Cat Allies and their efforts to help stray and feral cats," de Rossi told the news provider. "The trap-neuter-return approach is the only way to help contain the populations and save their lives."
By getting the feral cat population under control, shelters may eventually become less crowded and more cats could be deemed adoptable. Feral cats are often not friendly animals and statistics show that they are usually the first animals killed in shelters because it is believed that no one would adopt them otherwise.
According to the American Humane Society, 71 percent of all cats that enter shelters are euthanized.
Judge praises dog for stopping a rape
While animal owners know that it’s their duty to provide pet care to ensure their furry friend is happy, some may not realize that animals can return the favor. When Liz Maxted-Bluck was taking her 2-year-old Rottweiler, Jake, out for a walk, she had no idea that her beloved canine would be proclaimed a hero.
The pair were walking in a park in West Midlands, UK, last July when they heard a woman screaming, according to the Daily Mail. While Maxted-Bluck thought it was just children playing, Jake, a former rescue dog, ran into the woods to find an illegal immigrant attempting to rape a woman.
Jake chased the attacker away and circled both the girl and Maxted-Bluck to protect them. The attacker is currently on trial, where the judge was able to hear about Jake’s heroic efforts.
"He has always hated conflict so when he heard her screaming he must have known someone was in trouble," Maxted-Bluck told the court. "After he ran back to the woman, I rang the police and he circled us like he was guarding us. The woman was very grateful."