Keep Healthy Through Grooming

Question: How can an ugly guy become beautiful? Believe it or not, I used to be beautiful during my second year of high school. After lack of sleep, depression, and a handful of life problems that I still deal with everyday my looks have become very foul. All I want to know is how an ugly guy like me can look good so people don't criticize me badly, insult me, or make my chances of getting a job after high school impossible. I already try my best to keep healthy skin, fit and make sure I'm groomed well- but because of my daily struggles it's hard for me to be consistent with looking good and believing in myself. So, any tips on how an ugly guy can be good looking would be appreciated and any answers from people who have been through the same situation would be helpful too.

Answer: it's simple if you think you're ugly, you are ugly... if you quit calling yourself ugly and believe you're beautiful, other people will believe it too

Question: I have a persian cat who HATES to be brushed...I try to do it like groomers suggest, but nothing is working? My cat is a persian so obviously she has long fur...I have to groom her to keep her safe and healthy, but she HATES being brushed...The groomers suggest lifting the fur up and brushing through layers which is what I do...but still she hisses and scratches! I get her groomed professionally when I can, but that gets costly...Does anyone else have this problem and have a suggestion on what to do? I love my kitty very much, and it kills me to see her so unhappy! HELP!! Thanks!

Answer: A groomer told you to BRUSH a Persian's coat? Persian's coats shouldn't brushed - they should be COMBED with a steel toothed comb. This will gently work out the dead hairs of the undercoat and leave the topcoat intact. Harsh brushes can break the long hairs of the top coat and do little to work out the undercoat. Sit her in your lap every day and work through her coat GENTLY with the comb. Just do a few minutes each day. Eventually your cat will get used to - and possibly even start to enjoy - the grooming sessions. Once you get the coat under control then you can cut back to every other day - but never let it go longer than that. What are you feeding your cat? For dry food mine eats Royal Canin for Persians. It contains a hairball preventative and in the two years I've had him he's never had a hairball. He also eats Tiki Cat, Merricks canned foods and Nature's Variety raw diet. The better the quality of food you feed your cat, the healthier and silkier the coat will be.

Question: friend has mini pin with water/pee prob. and she knows someone with a hit dog that's in pain. What can??? ? What could be causing this? She rescued a Mini Pin that is aprox. 6 years old. Appears healthy and happy (fixed male); problem is he drinks like a fish and pees like a horse all through the house. She has two other large dogs and leaves a dish of water out for them when she is out. The large dogs drink less than the Mini Pin, and do not pee in the house like the smaller dog does. I am no vet, but I wonder if the dog could be diabetic, or have some sort of imbalance that makes him drink so much. I used to work in a vet/grooming job years back and remember a diabetic Schnauzer, who had a special diet we prepared for her (governors dog). She drank a lot of water ( which made me think of diabetes in the Mini Pin ). This dog sometimes drinks less, but tends to pee in the house in spite of being taken outside. He even pees during the night when they are asleep. She has already tried crating to see if that would help; he just pees out through the sides. I suggested she keep the water away from the dog, only she leaves it down for the dogs that were there before she brought this dog home. She had taken him to the vet. before she learned about the peeing problem; or, she would have been aware of it and told the vet. about it. She also told me of a dog she is going to go check on that was hit in the last 2 or 3 days (time frame is not clear). She said that she was told that the dog cries and lays most of the time ( also dog may be pregnant). The people who have the injured dog know her and had called to see what she thought about it laying around and crying. And that when they rubbed the dogs' side that it would whine and yelp. As I said, I am not a vet., but I suspect broken or cracked ribs, possible dead pups (if the dog is preg.) and that the dog needs to go to the vet asap. for the injuries/pups/dogs sake. Please any vets. out there that could give me a heads up on this. I am going to go with her to pick up the dog and take it to the vet as soon as the people with the injured dog get home from work. In the mean time any info for making this dog comfortable would be appreciated. I may even have a new owner for the dog as well. Thanks for any help you can give.

Answer: Increased water intake/peeing can be a sign of diabetes as well as kidney dysfunction. Both can be tested for with blood tests at the vet. As for the injured dog, I would doubt broken ribs because if a dog has broken ribs he will get something called "flail chest" which is a term relating to how dogs breathe with broken ribs. You need your ribs and attached muscles to help control the expansion of your lungs when you breathe. If the dog had broken ribs, his breathing would be rapid, shallow, and you would definitely notice something was wrong. Also, if the dog had dead puppies inside of her, she would be septic by now, and would be lethargic, not eating, pale, probably have a low temperature, and may have a vaginal discharge. If it was hit (by a car??) 2-3 days ago and the only symptom is crying and laying around, then I doubt that it has anything like internal bleeding, etc, simply because the dog wouldn't have lived this long without medical attention. Its possible it has some lung contusions and generalized pain from the trauma, but it needs medical care ASAP as some symptoms may take a while to appear with that type of trauma.

Question: Should I be concerned about this horse? Before I say my question I'll give some background information: I live in a large city, but my particular neighborhood is "rural" with half acre to three acre lots--- some with horses/livestock. Theres a large trail that loops around the entire neighborhood, and goes into surrounding hills. On the side of the road, there's a pretty wide ravine that is flat at the bottom and shaded by trees. I take this ravine as a short cut sometimes, it's easy to get into because it slopes gently at both ends. There's a lot of grass/weeds at the bottom of the ravine. A month or so earlier, my neighbor had to give away his horse for free because he could not afford it. Anyway, I was taking a walk to get some exercise, and I decided to walk through said ravine---- I hadn't walked through it in quite a long while(like 2 months) and I find my neighbor's old horse tied (by a very long rope) to a tree. He has a makeshift shelter that is just like a shade made out of wood, and also a big bucket of water that is full.i looked under a tarp that was there and i found a saddle and bridle, and extra buckets of water a hoof pic and a curry comb(no other grooming materials). I don't see any hay around, but the grass(very plentiful) is cropped short in some places and the horse is grazing as i see him. He doesn't have shoes, but this is normal for him because he has always gone barefoot. THere's also one of those fly catchers attached to the tree. His mane and tail are long, as is his coat, but that's just because of winter----other than that, he is actually in very good condition, fine weight and no injuries. He's just attached to this tree by a long rope halter, and can travel in like a 100 foot radius. Thing is, I've no idea who my neighbor gave the horse to, and i havnet seen him being ridden(but the ravine itself is flat on the bottom, and in places where there is no grass is hard packed flat dirt, like an arena so i think he's just being ridden there) Thing is, although the horse seems to be faring well, I want to know is this actually safe for a horse to be living like this? Nobody owns the ravine, so it's free use I guess, but not many people go down there. The previous owner(my neighbor) said he gave the horse to "some kid, seemed nice" but idk why someone nice would keep a horse away form their property(or at least a proper barn) Should i be concerned and contact authorities, or let it be because the horse is healthy??? ive been giving the horse apples every day, because i know him well and used to ride him for my neighbor---love him dearl and dont want any harm to come of him im REALLYYY sorry this is so darn long, i couldnt get al the info in there otherwise

Answer: What an unusual situation. It seems the kid has taken the horse without the knowlegde of their parents and is doing what they can to keep it. Firstly, it is very irresponsible of your neighbour to have given the horse to just anyone who 'seemed nice', he should have atleast checked the kids ability to provide for the horse properly. But whats done is done. It is fortunate the horse is in good health and seemingly happy under the situation, it must be a very tollerant horse. While what the kid has done is very irresponsible, they seem to be doing what they think is right for the horse, altho ignorant, theyre doing the best they can. This is in no way suitable for any horse to live and is dangerous on so many levels, the horse should be removed from the situation immediatly. The problem with calling authorities is who knows where the horse may end up if they confiscate it, atleast where it is it is healthy for the moment. If you told your neighbour about it, what do you think he would do? would he take the horse back in or give it away to just anyone for a second time? Do you know or know anyone who knows much about horses? I would try to find the kid and ask them questions first, maybe try to help them out with proper care for the horse becasue is seems the kid is trying to care for the horse, they just dont know the danger in what they are doing. If no suitable situation can be sought, can you contact someone in your area to take the horse before contacting authorities? There are no guarantees authorities will be quick to act, and rescues are probably swamped with other horse, I would try to make the present situation better for the horse before having it removed to be passed around homes. Good luck, I would like to know what happens.

Question: Multiple horse questions: please help!!? I am trying to write up a "business plan" to convince my parents to buy me a horse. I am totally aware of everything to consider when buying a horse. my mom has said that if we had the money she would buy or lease me a horse, so i'm trying to figure out if we do have the money or not. i have some questions to ask to find the monthly expenses of keeping a horse in our area. 1 - On average, how many bales of hay/alfalfa (etc.) does a horse go through in one month? (i know all horses are different, but i'm kind of looking for the general number of hay bales) 2 - How often does a healthy horse need to be seen by a the vet? farrier? 3 - What are some different types of grain that horses commonly eat, and how much (in general) do they eat of it? 4 - What is some essential equipment (besides the saddle, saddle pad, bridle, bit, halter, lead rope, blanket, and grooming kit) that first-time (or any time) horse owners should have? 5 - Which stall bedding do you prefer: straw, shavings, or a stall mat? which is most practical? Thank you so much guys, please answer as many as you can!! I appreciate your help!! also, if you have any advice for keeping a horse safe and healthy for the lowest cost, that would be awesome :) i really want to be able to afford a horse but i don't want to be too cheap. (btw, i've been riding for years, i have lots of horse experience, i'm just not familiar with the money side of things) PLEASE no rude answers!! the reason i am asking these questions is because i want to learn everything i can before i decide that i'm ready for a horse, because i don't want to be irresponsible and just buy a pony before i know what i'm doing. and my mom is definitely NOT a horse person; she doesn't know what the difference between a halter and a bridle is. i'm just trying to figure out the monthly costs to see if its a possibility to afford it. thanks to all the answers so far!! oh, and i've been taking riding lessons for years, so i've got boots, a helmet, gloves, breeches, all that stuff already. and a random grooming kit :) even though i don't have a horse to brush

Answer: 1. 20 lbs a day for a horse to maintain a healthy weight. About 6-8 flakes depending on the bale. So, between 15 and 30 bales a month. This is definitely going to vary because a small pony and a draft horse do not eat the same amount of feed... Not to mention a horse's individual metabolism will determine how much hay you need. I don't feed bales by the month, I feed bales by the day (I order about 100 at a time and buy another 100 when I get down to about 10), whatever it takes to keep my horses at a healthy weight. 2. I do a yearly check to make sure teeth don't need floated. I give my own vaccinations. Farrier should be out every 6-8 weeks to trim and replace shoes if needed. Deworming should be done every 2 or 3 months. 3. A horse should eat about 1 cup of grain per 100 kg of body weight (some people go by lbs but I think its way too much). Also, a lot of horses do not need that much grain. My guys only get 4 cups of grain a day, but they also get beet pulp and canola oil. The entire amount should be split into twice daily feedings. 4. A first-aid kid for horses. This consists of vet wrap, velcro leg wraps, wonder dust, polysporin or SWAT, gauze, duct tape, tensor bandage, saline solution or hydrogen peroxide, absorbine, scissors, tweezers, and I also like to have banamine and bute on hand. You should also have a lunge line and a lunge whip, and protective horse boots such as Professional's Choice SMB II boots. 5. Stall matts with just a light dusting of shavings on top to soak up urine and wet poopies. So easy to clean. When they get really dirty, just lift and hose them. I prefer my barns to have a sand floor instead of cement, so that when I hose the rubber matts, the water and urine just soak into the sand and into the ground.

Question: What's wrong with my pet mouse? She was full grown when I got her in August so I don't know exactly how old she is, but when I got her she was perfectly healthy and fine. She used to keep me up at night running on her wheel, and always seemed happy to run around on my floor or in her ball. Now I never hear her running on her wheel, and when I take her out she just kind of walks around awkwardly. When she's in her ball she just sits there and grooms herself, then she'll move it a little and groom herself some more. My mom had a hamster once and told me to give my mouse the tubes from an empty roll of toilet paper to chew on, so I did and usually she chewed through them in under a week, but I put one in her cage about 3 weeks ago and it's only half chewed. Also her breathing is really sped up lately and it looks like she's loosing weight. I'm thinking maybe it could be the new food I switched her to, because even though this hasn't happened in a bit but she was pooping green for a while. And I see her eating sometimes, but mostly it looks like she's just taking her food out of her bowl and spreading it around her cage. I don't know if there's anything I can do for her but obviously I'd like to try. Has anyone else had these changes happen to their mouse? And if so what did you do?

Answer: Go to a vet

Question: Campbell Russian Dwarf Hamster behavior.? Hey all! I just got my new hammie (Benji) Saturday afternoon (8~22~2009). I'm probably just being paranoid but I just wanted to clear up some normal Dwarf hamster behaviors so I can make sure he is healthy (I have never had a hamster before). Here is Benji's normal routine so far... Sleeps all day buried under his nest of CareFresh bedding. He wakes up intermittently to eat or check things out, maybe run on the wheel. Especially in the early AM. I'm pretty sure he drinks water but I can't be sure because I haven't caught him in the act yet. Around eight or nine o'clock PM he wakes up and races around the cage and runs on the wheel for awhile. He also sits in his dish and eats, or chews on his "cheesie chewz" brand chew for awhile. He is rather docile and let's me pet him whenever I want, as long as I'm patient and I don't rush in on him, I haven't tried holding him yet on my own yet and we only tried him in the "ball" once so far and that was on Sunday night. The question I have is that at night, Benji will do this thing where he will be have bursts of energy where he eats, runs on the wheel, chews on the chewy, runs through his tunnels or what appears to be grooming (rubbing his face kinda like a cat, etc.) but in between he sits in the wheel and kinda like.....goes to sleep. Sometimes he just sits there, or sometimes he get's in a fetal position etc. He looks asleep to me, but I just want to make sure that this is normal. After awhile he'll wake up and groom again, eat, or run on the wheel or around the cage, or he'll stretch kinda like a dog or cat might. Is this normal for him to have bursts then breaks for a nap? Also, how do I know if he has allergies or if he is just a prolific groomer? BONUS INFORMATION: The lady at the pet store told me he was still a baby and only two months old. He is completely clean and his coat, ears and eyes look clear I use CareFresh Brown bedding he eats SunSeed brand Sunscription Vita hamster feed. His home is a CritterTrail plastic and wire cage mix. (wire on the outside walls only, none interior) He has a Cheesie Chews brand chewy He has a empty toilet paper roll that he uses as a toy. He also has a exercise ball but we have only used it once so far. His droppings are solid and look to be what I would assume would be normal for rodents (my sister used to raise rats) Any and all information would be really appreciated. Like I said, I'm just getting into keeping hamsters as pets and I just want to make sure that Benji is happy, healthy and comfortable. Thanks in advance!!! :o)

Answer: Your hamster is completely normal. Everything you have described is absolutely expected for hamsters, including the "obsessive" cleaning. His bursts of energy-just a cute part of hamster behavior. And, you are doing everything right. It looks like he has got everything he needs. I would recommend adding a few things, if you aren't already. Feed him fruits and vegetables in addition to what you are already giving him. Uncooked vegetables and wash the fruit. Try lots of things including celery, carrots, grapes, lettuce, strawberries, cucumber, apple slices, and pretty much anything you can think of. Just make sure to take out anything he didn't eat after a day so it doesn't start to rot. You should also periodically check to make sure he didn't take it into his "burrow" sleeping area so it doesn't rot in there. Also, if you didn't, you can give him a "house". Just a cardboard box of somekind-an empty cracker box or a 1/4 of an empty cereal box. He will love to sleep in there because it will feel more like his natural burrow habitat. Have fun with your hamster!

Question: Re: Chocolate Lab New today! So Sad Circumstances though...? Today I looked out the window to see if it snowed again. Just then I saw someone had dumped or dropped off a beautiful Chocolate Labador Retriever down on the highway in front of my house. I didnt catch what kind of vehicle it was because I was watching the dog. He came to my house immediately. I wasnt sure if he was gonna keep on going past my property just cutting through. I yelled to my husband to warn our child about him because she was just about to walk our dog to go potty and she is only 12. I didnt know if he was friendly or not. Well to my suprise by the time I got out there he was playing with my daughter. She came back in and I checked on him a few minutes later and he was still there laying down on my pool deck cover trying to warm himself because of the ice on the ground. We are in the midst of a horriable Ice snow storm recovery, most do not have electric and alot of animals have been given to shelters because of it. So Im thinking this is what happened. All of my animals except my horses have come to me by people just dumping them at the end of my drive. Its so sad. But I keep them all.I did find a home for the brother of the first dog that was dumped together a year and half ago. Anyways so to my suprise my husband said to bring the lab in the house because he was so friendly and obviously decided to stay and the weather is not appropriate for animals to be out in. So I did!! (I HAVE ALWAYS WANTED A CHOCOLATE LAB SO I AM SO HAPPY) The previous owners must have had a really hard time giving this dog up because he was very well cared for. Meaning he was groomed! His nails are trimmed the fur around his paws trimmed, his ears are spottlessly clean, his coat shiney ect. The only thing is he needed a bath as he smelled like a dog...we have been out of electric for 2 weeks now. So who knows the circumstances of the previous owners. He was so cold and shivering so I turned on the shower and he went right in and sat down and loved his shower. Then he made himself right at home from in front of the fire to on the couch ( I didnt let him stay there but it was so cute...) I fed him and he ate well and he drank alot of water.He has shown to love kids, cats,horses,dogs and even tolerates my scared smaller dogs growling behavior, which we are keeping a close eye on till he relaxes. He was dropped off with a running mate black lab but that one kept on going and never stopped at my house. I hope he found someone nice to shelter him as it is 8* out there tonite. The only thing is I havent been able to get the chocolate lab to go to the bathroom. He has now been here all night and Ive walked him at least 6 times to no avail. so I put him up for the rest of the night in a large kennel in the kitchen just so there wont be any accidents while we sleep. He is such a sweet dog and we will take real good care of him. We named him Ceasar after our favorite dog whisperer... I guess I will take him in to the vets for a check up to make sure he is healthy tomorrow. Hope you like my story. Thanks for reading! I finally got him to PEE yippee! I know this sounds dumb but I was worried after him not going all day and night. but he finally did it and not in the house lol! Now with enough patience I will have him walking on leash.. instead of stopping and sitting and not budging. But I watch the dog whisperer and know how to do it right and Im patient so it should come soon enough just like the potty training. Thank you to all for your kind words!!! Have a great day!!! ;) Took him to the vets. No chip,or missing dog reports. He is a 9 month old healthy chocolate lab. He walks with me on leash now and Im sore lol. I adore him and cant imagine not having him a part of our lives here. He woke me up this morning by crawling in bed with us and laying all his 60 pounds weight right on me! Thank god he then crawled over onto hubby! We laughed and got up and took him walking! Life is good!

Answer: I loved reading your story! I am glad Ceasar found such a good home. This world needs more people like you.

Question: Wondering about this breeder (boutique kennel?) (link inside)? Any feedback on this breeder would be great! Well, if you read the first sentence they call themselves a boutique kennel. I was wondering what this means. http://www.taliesencollies.com/Index.html But, they do seem very good so I'm pretty sure they're not in it for cranking out as many puppies as possible... This is info directly off their site which seems really great: either read it here or go to the site probably easier to read on the website We are dedicated to being a quality rough collie breeder of rough collie puppies in all colors (blue merle, tri-color, and sable & white), that are healthy with good temperaments that can compete in conformation, performance, and most importantly make loving companions. When we decide to breed a rough Collie puppy litter, much thought and planning occurs as, we strive to achieve improvements in every breeding. We raise each rough Collie litter with the intention of keeping a rough Collie puppy (or two at most) for the conformation show ring and for future breeding, with the remaining intended to enrich the lives of families who seek us for Collie puppy adoption. Our Collie breeding program is very limited (averaging about one litter per year), and our adoptable Collie puppies that are sold as pets receive care identical to those destined for the show ring. All are raised in our rural Michigan home environment and are socialized and exposed to many situations to which they must become accustomed as adults, such as car rides, household noises, other non-Collie pets, and being groomed & handled regularly. Through all these situations, we attempt to make the transition from our home to the Collie puppy's new adopted home as stress free as possible. All Taliesen Collie Puppies are current on inoculations, receive a negative stool check and/or are de-wormed if needed. They receive a general health examination and a CEA eye examination for the presence of hereditary eye disease by a licensed veterinarian with many years of canine eye examination experience. Taliesen Collies will provide to all new owners a written health guarantee, puppy food to get you started, information on caring for your rough Collie puppy, and both a towel and toy with the scent of their siblings and mother on it to help ease the adoption transition. Additionally, we will provide you with a CD of pictures of your Collie puppy showing your puppy's development since birth. Occasionally we may have older rough Collie puppies or young Collie adults available for adoption to loving family homes, since we sometimes grow out a pair of Collie puppies from a litter, and then only later decide on keeping one or the other. Any of our Collie puppies, young Collies, or adult Collies come with our same written health guarantee, and are usually house and leash trained, and all are placed with a return guarantee that they are welcome back at any time. Thank you very much!

Answer: There was only thing I didn't like: I'm assuming they don't have all of their breeding stock listed. Either that or they wont be breeding for a while since the only male I saw on there is retired at 7 years old (not that his being retired at this age is a bad thing). In a way I'd rather have them show ALL of their dogs on their site. But, at the same time, it's not necessarily a bad thing, since it does give incentive for people to actually come to their kennel and see the dogs. All in all, I would have liked to have seen a contract (unless it's there and I missed it), and would've liked to have seen what makes the dogs worth breeding, such as show or working titles, health certs, etc... Other then that, seems like a halfway decent site to me.

Question: Should I have my rat's tumor removed? My female rat had 2 tumors appear this year. I took her to my exotics vet to remove one because it was growing between her "girly bits" and affecting her hygiene. At that time the 2nd tumor (on her side, just behind one of her front legs) was just a small lump, but it took so long to remove the first tumor that he couldn't keep her under long enough to remove the 2nd. Since it cost me nearly $500 ($300 US??) to get the first one removed, plus i didn't want to put her through too much surgery, I chose not to have the 2nd one removed. The vet felt it was benign and told me just to keep an eye on it, so that's what I've been doing. The tumor has continued to grow out sideways, and it is now almost as big as she is!!! But she can still eat, drink, and poo normally. She has a *little* trouble moving around, but manages okay. The only thing she can't do is groom herself properly. She is 2 yrs and 3 months old. I have had rats before so I know they don't live much past 3 yrs. To be honest, I kind of thought she might get sick and pass away naturally, but she is as healthy, bright and alert as ever. So I don't know if I should look into getting it removed, as I said it is an expensive surgery but with her being so healthy I feel bad allowing this giant thing to keep growing on her! :(

Answer: first of all rats actually have an average life span of 4-5 years. secondly if she seems to b coping fine with it then i would bother. just, as the vet said keep an eye on it. as long as she can get food and water and is not in pain it should be fine. i would only get it removed if it seems 2 b bothering her. especially cuz the size of an animal such as a rat increases the risk of any type of surgery.

Question: Would you want to read my book? The wind whipped angrily around two men who dared to venture into the ancient forest after dark. It wailed between distorted tree trunks and branches whipped at the travelers clothes and scratched their skin. The distant silver moon was hidden well from view; blotted out by violent storm clouds that predicted another of winter’s harsh snow falls as they raced across the sky. Eerie shadows danced from the lone torch that revealed an old, worn path that weaved into the heart of the forest. “Stop,” one of the men called out over the wind, “Please slow down. I am an old man and I must rest.” The old man, his hair as white as snow and his beard perfectly groomed, shivered in the cold and watched as his breath drifted away in small white clouds in the frosty air. Snowflakes gracefully started to fall around them, warning them to retreat back inside the safely of the castle walls. “It’s not far now, sir,” the younger man’s green eyes glowed in the torch light as he held the torch high and paused to wait. His spare hand rested lightly on a gleaming silver sword and he cautiously watched the shadows. Dark hair brushed the collar of his woolen coat and a healthy tan showed clearly in the light. He stamped his feet as he tried to keep warm, “We need to keep moving; it’s not safe out here by ourselves.” The old man shuddered and, pulling his gray cloak around him further, he tried to protect himself from the bitter chill that sent tingles down his spine. “Lead the way then son,” His husky voice wavered but the glint in his blue eyes showed determination as he hurried after the young man. They walked for sometime as the snow fell heavier around them until the path disappeared completely but still the young man led the way, breaking a path through the deep snow and bushes until they finally arrived in a small clearing. The old man looked around and was surprised to see three others step out from the trees beyond the clearing boundary and walk toward him. “King Aidric, it is an honor to meet you,” the first voice addressed the old man as he stepped into the light, “We are sorry to have called for you on such a cold night but we believe it was wise to meet with you when no one would expect it.” The old man, King Aidric, tried not to show his suprise as he realized that the deep, rich voice was not of a human but rather a centaur. The centaur was of tall stature and the torch light revealed a well build muscular frame. Although it was cold and the north wind swirled the snow fiercely around him, all that clothed the centaur was a dark fur cape draped over his shoulders and a long bow and quiver of arrows that hung at his side. His face was boyishly handsome and young but smoky gray eyes betrayed wisdom beyond his years. His equine half was deep mahogany brown in colour but his lower legs were covered with long heavy white hair and a long dark tail flowed from powerful hindquarters. "Please don’t be alarmed, sir. We are not here to harm you but to help you," the soft and warm voice of a young lady soothed the king’s nerves and he inhaled sharply as he turned to see a beautiful creature step toward him. Heavy blue robes draped around her delicate figure and her dark hair, shining like finely spun silk, was held off her face with two precious silver and sapphire combs before it cascaded down her back in soft curls. Her face was serene and elegant; marked by high cheekbones and pale creamy white skin that was smooth and flawless. Her brilliant blue eyes dominated her face and sleek upswept eyebrows and long lashes framed them beautifully as they twinkled and sparkled; holding King Aidric captive. "Who are you people?" King Aidric asked as the woman opened a satchel from her side and removed a white fur cape. She threw it around her shoulders and lifted the hood to cover her head from the now heavily falling snow. "Who we are is irrelevant and may only put you and us, in more danger. What does matter is your sons," a wavering voice spoke and King Aidric turned to see a frail, old man a small distance away from him. He looked as old as Time himself and was a very thin, feeble-looking man with white hair and pale, milky blue eyes. His face was covered in wrinkles and his shallow cheeks were pale and faded. He wore dirty brown robe and his threadbare cloak was thrown carelessly around his thin shoulders. "Follow me," the old man indicated as he leaned heavily on his cane and hobbled away from the king. Usually King Aidric would have been offended by the lack of respect shown to him but the pain in his chest steadily grew greater each day and the urgency to save his country before he passed on was enough to ignore any disrespect, especially if these beings were the only ones able to break the curse. King Aidric followed the old man into a small hut on the far side of the clearing. The shack had only one room and smelt musty and d The shack had only one room and smelt musty and dust clouds floated up from the floor with every footstep. Dry, mangled herbs and empty vials lay abandoned on shelves, smothered in cobwebs and a few old wooden chairs were placed around a small three-legged table which was covered with parchments and books. A hearty fire crackled in the hearth, casting its warm glow onto the mud-plastered walls and the thatched roof creaked and groaned loudly in the wind. Wooden shutters rattled against each other as the snow storm desperately tried to get inside but the old hut stood firm and unmovable. The woman and centaur crowded into the hut and candles slowly burned down to nothing as the group talked long into the night. Finally, after much debate they settled on a plan that would eventually save Muridin. King Aidric left that strange meeting, with creatures usually hidden from view, a different man. He felt that, although his time was coming to an end, he would be able to rest in peace knowing that his country would be redeemed. However the other, much younger man, left the meeting carrying a burden far greater and more destructive than anyone had expected. More can be read at http://www.authonomy.com/ReadBook.aspx?bookid=21599#chapter. Thanks

Answer: wow, this is so descriptive and i can see it in my head as i read. I love the beginning and i would definitely buy this book if you published it! The only thing that bugged me was i didn't have a clue as to what they were talking about. If you could put a bit more detail about that in this chapter or in the ones after it, i think this book would have soooooo much potential! Don't put anymore out on the internet though cuz i don't think you would want it stolen!

Question: I am an overweight teen and want good advice? Hi everyone, my name is Jonathan and just yesterday I turned fifteen. I want to express my feelings a little on my problem, and the question that I truly have will be asked at the end. I am at a point in my life where things are going well in many areas, such as school-life, social life, family and academics. I consider my personality to be cool, calm, collected, organized and well mannered. Throughout my life I have gone through some challenges, and I have always worked hard to face them. Yet, I still have one glaring problem that has haunted me for nearly half my life. I am overweight. Not OBESE and not HEAVILY overweight, but I am overweight, and have been for the past seven years from what I can recall. My parents gave me a great upbringing, but I realize they never taught me the importance of healthy eating and exercising which is why I am mildly overweight today. I am the point in my life where I can’t just shrug of being overweight like its okay and I will “grow out of it”, because I am well aware that a persons health is one of the MOST important things in your life. I am not a slob, nor am I pig. Throughout my life, I have been fortunate enough to only get teased once or twice over the past 7-8 years of being overweight, and I have had no problem socializing with people includes girls. Generally, my personality overshadows my weight along with that girls generally tell me they love my style and how “clean, cut and well groomed I am”. I really want to take control of my health, and improve it because it has been effecting areas in my life, because I have been feeling fatigued a lot of the time, even when getting enough sleep. I also sometimes find it hard to concentrate, and I think the underlying issue to all this is my relatively poor health. What are some ways I can gradually improve my health, I do not want to set up sometime so unrealistic and just jump towards losing weight, because I think a more gradual approach is necessary and I want to take baby steps to reach my goal. What are some good healthy eating tips? Good ideas to monitor my weight loss and what I eat? Good exercises that I can do at home without equipment? Any suggestions are welcome, and the best answer gets ten points. Please keep this spam free, and respect my feelings and situation, because I am being as mature as possible when asking this question.

Answer: Well, Jonathan, you are very mature for your age and I congratulate you on wanting to be healthy. The internet is a wonderful place to start. There is so much information out there on nutrition and you seem intelligent enough to figure out what is good and whats not so good. My advice is to keep it simple. Eat lean protein with every meal, such as eggs, fish, chicken, turkey. Also eat fresh fruits and vegetables whenever possible and also try to cut down on sugar and processed foods and junk food. Eat whole grain breads, crackers and pasta, its better for you. Drink plenty of water and try to cut down or eliminate sodas and diet sodas. Exercise everyday even if it just going for a walk. I lost 86lbs 5 years ago and I decided to take it slowly and it took me about 3 years from start to finish. I started with my eating habits since I thought that it was my biggest problem. I bought a book called the sugar addicts total recovery program and followed it step by step. There is also a website called www.radiantrecovery.com which is very informative and supportive. I wish you luck and hope you achieve all of your dreams...........

Question: Pet statutes? Legal beagles (no pun) What is the right thing to do? Today, I went to help my friend paint and clean her sister's vacant house, which will hopefully soon be sold or rented out. To make a long story short, I discovered a dog living in the hot, dark, dirty garage. The dog's (probably a shih tzu) fur was SEVERELY matted, mangy, filthy and infested with God knows what. The mats in the fur were the size of baseballs. It had food/water but it's clear it hadn't been bathed, groomed, or combed in probably a year (again, this is a long haired breed that needs attention to its coat). I ended up taking the dog with me (with my friend's permission) where I found an emergency vet open Sundays who shaved him down and bathed him (looks 100 times better). I couldn't afford the bloodwork and tests, but other than an ear infection, the vet said the dog appeared healthy. Before I left, I had told my friend that I would be willing to care for the dog temporarily and keep her posted on what was going on. 7 hours later on this Sunday evening, I have the dog safely in my home. He's clean, fed, and sleeping in a crate in my living room. Now, I already own a shih tzu dog of my own who isn't thrilled about the situation. The dog is cute and has a great temperment, but I cannot afford another dog. But now... I really do not think the girl who owns him is a suitable pet owner. I promised my friend (the owner's sister) that I would touch base with her, but I'm still livid about the situation and the fact that my friend knew about this for months and didn't think it was a big deal. She told me her sister is going through a rough time financially and emotionally now... What do I do? What are the dog's rights? what are my rights? I have no idea what to do or say to anyone. I would prefer to only foster the dog temporarily, but DO NOT want it to go back to these people or into another hope equally as ill equipped. What should I do? I posted this same question under the pets category and got a completely different response. However, did any of you read the part about where I said it had mats the size of baseballs hanging from its fur? Same as the dread locks concept on humans, but not in a cute or fashionable way. This dog has bruises and welts on its skin as the result of the mats, as well as secondary infections. Clearly, you know nothing about caring for dogs, this probably transfers over to humans as well, since animal abuse is PROVEN to be linked to human abuse (yes, there is empirical evidence to demonstrate this). What fools. Tallen and followers: beyond pathetic and I doubt you you have any healthy human relationships to vouch for. Esther - back in your day, all dogs probably just lived outside and did not receive vet care. Your profile says you're a knitting expert, so stick with what you know! The vet reported it to the SPCA as neglect. (Tallen, do you even know what this stands for?) The "owners" are getting slapped with a citation and I am getting reimbursed for vet expenses and fostering it until a new home is ready. Again, this dog has bruises and welts on him from the baseball sized mats attached to his 10lb body, an ear infection, and multiple other secondary infections. So, don't try to minimize this as just not getting brushed. The dog has been living in its own filth in the garage of a vacant house. A bucket of food had been left which we found maggots in today and the water a ses pool. ***Question of the day - how does rescuing a creature from this make me psychotic?*** Some people have no soul. Period.

Answer: As far as the law is concerned, a dog is merely property, so it has no rights of which to speak. Since you took the dog to a vet, depending on the laws in your area, the vet may have been required to report that the dog appeared to have been neglected. Under no circumstances should you return the dog to its previous home. While it has had food and water up to this point, there is no guarantee that will continue, especially if the "owner" is experiencing financial problems. However, if you just keep/foster the dog, you could be charged with stealing it. Your best bet would be to contact a human society, breed rescue group, or no-kill shelter. If you are willing, they may even allow you to continue to foster the dog while they look for a suitable home. But, you need to involve the authorities, so that you are protected, and not accused of stealing.

Question: What's the proper/legal thing to do? is this animal neglect? Today, I went to help my friend paint and clean her sister's vacant house, which will hopefully soon be sold or rented out. To make a long story short, I discovered a dog living in the hot, dark, dirty garage. The dog's (probably a shih tzu) fur was SEVERELY matted, mangy, filthy and infested with God knows what. The mats in the fur were the size of baseballs. It had food/water but it's clear it hadn't been bathed, groomed, or combed in probably a year (again, this is a long haired breed that needs attention to its coat). I ended up taking the dog with me (with my friend's permission) where I found an emergency vet open Sundays who shaved him down and bathed him (looks 100 times better). I couldn't afford the bloodwork and tests, but other than an ear infection, the vet said the dog appeared healthy. Before I left, I had told my friend that I would be willing to care for the dog temporarily and keep her posted on what was going on. 7 hours later on this Sunday evening, I have the dog safely in my home. He's clean, fed, and sleeping in a crate in my living room. Now, I already own a shih tzu dog of my own who isn't thrilled about the situation. The dog is cute and has a great temperment, but I cannot afford another dog. But now... I really do not think the girl who owns him is a suitable pet owner. I promised my friend (the owner's sister) that I would touch base with her, but I'm still livid about the situation and the fact that my friend knew about this for months and didn't think it was a big deal. She told me her sister is going through a rough time financially and emotionally now... What do I do? What are the dog's rights? what are my rights? I have no idea what to do or say to anyone. I would prefer to only foster the dog temporarily, but DO NOT want it to go back to these people or into another hope equally as ill equipped. What should I do? Thanks, everyone. In this economy, most of the shelters are packed already because so many people are giving up their pets due to financial reasons. I'm willing to foster, but what, specifically to I say to my friend and her family at this point? Thank you everyone! I'm going to bed soon since I've had a hell of a day. But tomorrow when I'm more rested and cooled off I am going to get a statement from the vet as well, and gently tell my friend to tell her sister that I'd be happy to temporarily care for and find the dog a new home, politely making her aware of the evidence I've gathered. I'm going to be as diplomatic as I can and I hope they don't put up a fight. Thanks, again, especially to the legal beagle (no pun intended). Now that he is all cleaned up and pretty, they want him back. I told them he has an ear infection and how much the medicine was and they sounded shocked. The dog has bruises and welts from the mats that were in the fur. He needs to be screened for worms and parasites and be on monthly flea/worm control. The SPCA won't answer their phone...

Answer: Legally, unless the rightful owner of the dog gives him to you, the dog is hers and you are not allowed to keep him or rehome him. Morally I wouldn't say that, but that's the legal part of it. So if she doesn't want to give the dog up, you are bound by the law to do so or could face a lawsuit or arrest for theft in a worst case scenario. Do you have photos of the dog in the condition that he was in? If not, get a statement from the veterinarian and the groomer attesting to his health and appearance and obvious neglect. To cover your behind, the best option would have been to call animal control and have them remove the dog. Ask if you can have her dog. Then legally he would be your property and you could find him a suitable home. Of course you could always just rehome the dog and neglect to tell them where the dog went, but you are subject to a lawsuit for the cost of the dog. It's obviously neglect, but you don't have the authority to do anything. Animal control would have. I'm not saying you taking him and getting him fixed up is wrong, i'm just telling you the facts regarding the situation. What I would do is talk to your friend who in turn can talk to her sister. Ask if you can keep the dog, and then start looking for a new home for him. Without the sisters permission, unfortunately there's really nothing you can do and she can take her dog back. So just be kind about it, offer to show photos of the dog or for her to see the dog and the way he looks now, how well he is being taken care of, and try to get her to give him to you. Add: What you did was a great thing, getting him better. There are a lot of rescues that will be happy to post him up for adoption, especially if you're willing to foster him. If you want to get the dog, no matter how much it will probably pain you, you have to be friendly about it. Say you understand the financial difficulties they are facing and have fallen in love with the dog. Fibbing is a must to get on their good side, depending on how snooty they can be about the situation. Your friend knows what condition that dog was in so if she cared, she would try to help you in any way possible. It's easier for a sister to convince a sister to rehome the dog. So talk to her and see what she says about it and if she thinks her sister would be willing to give the dog to you.

Question: 9yr old silky terrier won't eat dry food. Best yummilicious dry food brand. i've always known that canned food is bad for dogs cos of high sugar or sodium contents and whatnot (synthetic ingredients etc). Now, i believe she has mouthful of rotten teeth which hurts if she ate or chewed on kibbles. So, if i brought her to the vet, and unfortunately have to have all the major chewing teeth pulled, what can i feed her? Anyone has experienced a dog with no teeth, refusing to feed on dry food? What and how did you feed it? Please recommend me some gd brands that wouldn't cost me a bomb. Or any simple yet healthy homemade recipes? Background: Yuki lives with my mum, dad, brother. Mum- prefers not to have dog but my sis bought yuki before she got pregnant and moved in with in-laws thus decided to leave her in mum's care. She changes yuki's water and cleans her wastes. Not very learned nor interested in animal care. Dad- retired and diabetic adores her too but feeds her only once a day. Since he's always lethargic and weak. Brother- adores her but is very busy with work, still, he tries to find time to bathe/groom/feed her. He brushes her teeth only occasionally. Believes that bad teeth will fall out eventually on its own. No reason to spend a bomb on vet. Thinks she's simply picky with her food. All the dogs we've had prefers canned food so he doesn't think much about yuki's dental health. Me- married, just had a baby 8mths ago, stays with in-laws who're overprotective over my son. Doesn't approve of him hanging with animals now. They think he's too young, doesn't want him to have a chance to develop asthma/allergies. They think Yuki has some oral disease (cos of her bad breath) that's gotta harm my a baby somehow. Don't mind bringing yuki over after her dental check-up to care for her and feed her proper meals then hand her back to my mum's. Sweet Yuki is a very obedient, eager-to-please, easily contented, loving little silky who's getting so skinny i can feel and see her spine through her skin days back when i paid my mum a visit. She's still eating but i'm afraid not enough. Brought her to a vet to have some of her teeth pulled out before, bro thinks it's because of that so she can't chew on hard things. Reading some of the answers i believe that it's not true as some old dogs do well with dry food even without any teeth. Right? haha. BTW, She hates soaked-dry food. I feel so sorry for her. My sister's house is crowded with rowdy kids and adults who're not used to having dogs. She feels responsible for yuki's well-being but can't help it. Besides her young son has very sensitive nose and skin. A silky's hair is very fine and clingy if you know what i mean. I get bad allergies what with my sinusitis but i never cared and kept dogs since i was young. Prob is i can't have her with me now and i care for my son 24/7 at home. How can i help her and how can i help my mum/dad/bro to help her? I don't wanna be too harsh on them as they never asked to adopt the dog. They're already very resentful with my sis about having her. I cannot promise a better life for her if she's with me since my in-laws are very against it. I appreciate any helpful and constructive suggestions/advice/ideas. Thanks a lot guys!!!

Answer: Dogs can learn to eat with missing or no teeth. They sort of learn to just throw it back there, and swallow. You could try a good quality food like Wellness or Canidae, and instead of soaking it with water.. Soak it with a splash of Goat's milk. My dogs love goat's milk and would eat anything soaked with it. At least it will be food into her. Still better than canned food. Careful about letting the inlaws make too many decisions for you and your kid. You will begin to resent them when you decide that you want them to butt out and they are used to butting in. Without being aggressive, make sure you have a line that they can't cross, or you will end up mad and moving out just to get away from them dominating you.

Question: Keeping a cat indoors? My 2 year old cat, female, lives a indoor/outdoor lifestyle. She's intact, she's a mouser, she loves the outdoors...it's like she's a genuine farmcat. She's never been to the vet. She has had kittens twuice before. I guess I never really thought about it as "big deal", and I never make a big deal out of it. I just let nature take its course. She's happy, healthy, and she comes in as often as she pleases--and is in all the time when her kittens are born(until they're rehomed, at 8wks). Every night, generally, she sleeps with me. I groom her everyday, and during grooming i check for ticks, visible parasites, bruises, wounds, etc. She hasn't had one yet. I check her feces for worms regularly, but she has been wormed before. The second cat is 6 months old. She's spayed, strictly indoors. She's current on vaccinations. She's on frontline flea/tick prevention. I dno't know why I treat her so much differently...maybe beccause she's a lot younger. Either way, she's no house cat. Or at least, she doesn't want to be. She's clawing at the door constantly, whenever someone comes in she darts out as fast as she can. I've taken her out once because her constant scratching was more than I could take. All she did was roll around in the grass and pur, and chase butterflies. Then I brought her back in. I'm seriously considering letting her roam, as my adult cat does. Problem is...my adult cat was raised outside from about 10wks on... while Queenie, the 6 month old, has never been out before... and while I provide fresh food&water, bedding, shelter, heat/shade etc.. I'm worried she wouldn't know her way around. My adult cat doesn't kill birds. Well, she has killed two before in her lifetime. And I would know, because she brings them to the doorstep for me(as she does with mice). She has only once tried to catch a rabbit once.. our town is OVERRUN with rabbits! I'm telling you, my neighbors would come over to hug me if they thought my cat was a rabbit hunter. No one can have a decent garden, because all these rabbits are digging through fences, jumping them, etc. etc. But I caught the baby rabbit and nursed it up, anyways. I'm kind of concerned that Queenie would hunt more. LIke, kill birds...rabbits...squirrels....and i don't want her to. I guess it doesn't matter too much. I've ujst always liked that my older cat primarily hunts mice. So, those are my concerns to not let her out. But I also know she owuld be 10x happier outside, running around, loving life, climbing trees, etc... instead of inside, clawing at the door, waiting desperately for someone to open the door. As for my adult cat--YES I am aware that indoor cats have a higher life expectancy. However, what good is that life span if it's spent whining and crying by a door? I won't be selfish like that. I know my cats would rather live a year outside, enjoying themselves thoroughly, than twenty years inside, trapped, bored, etc. I'm not judging anyone else, i'm not trying to say all cats should be outdoors--if your cat's happy indoors, GREAT. mine's not and I want to know how to deal with it. TY (sorry if my facts are all rambled. I have not slept for like three days)

Answer: ummm just take it to a traning place in your town and they will train it for you