Horses are herbivores, animals made to live primarily on plants (forages). About 65 percent of the digestive capacity of the horse is in the lower gut, or the cecum and colon. The cecum and colon contain large microbial populations which allow for the digestion of fibrous feeds, much like the digestive tracts of cattle and sheep (ruminants). Evidenced by the size of the lower gut and the presence of bacteria, the horse is designed to digest primarily forages.

For proper digestive tract function, horses require a minimum of 1 percent of their body weight per day in long-stem dry matter. Forages are most healthfully offered as pasture during the growing season. Conditions such as limited acreage, low productive pastures, seasonal rainfall variations, and the need to house horses separately or indoors restricts the ability to utilize pasture and necessitates the feeding of hay as the primary forage. In order for pasture to provide the majority of the nutrients for a horse, at least two acres should be allocated per horse.

Nothing touches my heart more than animals in need.  If I could, I would take all of these beautiful kitties into my home.

There are about 45 adult cats left to adopt that need a good home NOW.  Tisa Lynch has been quietly running a cat sanctuary in the Mountain Area for over 23 years.  Unfortunately, she is renting property that is currently in foreclosure.   Sadly, she is about to lose her home, through no fault of her own.  She needs areas residents to adopt her rescued furry friends.

She is not a cat hoarder. She has simply provided a much needed place for cats that had no other place to live.   Tisa has taken care of these animals with her own personal funding, which is certainly a huge undertaking.  Now is the time for the public to help out.  Starting with nearly 75 cats, some kitties have been adopted, but more still need loving homes.

The cats come in different shapes and colors.  All of the remaining cats need a loving home as soon as possible.  If you are in need of a cat for wonderful companionship, contact: Tisa Lynch at (559) 683-3590 or Sharon Fitzgerald at the Eastern Madera County SPCA at (559) 642-6611 as soon as possible.

Feel free to spread the word about these animals in need.  It would be a shame if any of them had to be euthanized.  The foreclosure clock is ticking, only 3 weeks to go.  Please help out if you can.

In continuation from the post on Wednesday.

If the owner is not able to provide adequate quarantine facilities, then the animal will need to be contained at the County Animal Shelter for the ten day period of time.  The charge for the quarantine is $45 plus an additional $6 per day to care for the animal.

After the ten days of quarantine, an Animal Control Officer will need to revisit the animal.  Once it is determined that the animal is normal and showing no signs of rabies, the animal will be released from quarantine.  There will be a $20 charge to clear any animal from quarantine.  It is wise to have your animal vaccinated for rabies immediately.

If a bite is experienced from livestock, then most of the same procedures should be followed as listed above.  The main difference is that livestock will need to be quarantined for fourteen days instead of ten days.

If you have experienced a bite from any animal, you should immediately contact the Madera County Health Department at (559) 675-7893 as well as the Madera County Department of Animal Control at (559) 675-7891.  Calls should be made as soon as possible as rabies is a threat to the public at large.   Whenever possible, callers should have as the animal owner’s name, address, phone number and the description of the biting animal.

Ouch!  Anyone who has experienced an animal bite, from a small hamster to a horse, knows how bad an infection can be.  Some bites from animals are downright dangerous.  If you have been bitten, it is wise to quarantine the animal for a period of time to ascertain whether or not the animal has rabies.

In California, a dog or a cat must be quarantined for a period of ten days after the bite occurs.  The animal must be away from other animals and people at all times.  The only person allowed near the animal would be the one who will be taking care of the animal on a daily basis.  During this time, the quarantined animal may not be vaccinated for rabies.   The only way that an animal can be quarantined at home is by approval of an Animal Control Officer.  They must make a personal visit to the location where the animal will be kept before making such approval.  In Madera County, there will be a $45 charge to have your property inspected before home quarantine is approved. 

Animal Control Officer are allowed to visit your property at any time during the quarantine time to recheck your animal.  If it is determined that there are violations to the rules of quarantine, then the animal will be impounded by the County Animal Shelter.   Owners will be charged for the remaining days of quarantine.

Please check back on Friday for the conclusion to this post.

You should also consider the safety of your pet when you have a Christmas tree.  Don’t let your pets drink the water out of your tree stand, especially if you have added a preservative to the water.  Stagnant water is also not healthy to drink and can cause serious stomach problems.  Cats love to climb Christmas tress and dogs can easily knock a tree over with their powerful wagging tail.  Be sure to anchor your tree securely.  Keep ribbons, bows, tinsel and garland out of your pets reach.    Cats seem to especially love to eat these items.  Ingesting them can lead to surgery or death.  Be sure to clean up your dropped pine needles often as they can be toxic if eaten by your pets.

Keep your pet safe from your holiday lights by investing in a pet-proof extension cord or spray your cords with a product like Bitter Apple.  Pets who chew through cords risk electric shock or electrocution.  Never leave a burning candle out where your pet is.  It could be knocked over easily and a resulting fire could occur.  Scented candles are a wonderful addition to any home, but the fumes are deadly for birds.

Don’t forget to make the holidays special for your pet.  Buy them a special toy or yummy treat.  They will thank you for it in more ways than you can imagine.

Just like you want to keep your children safe during the holidays, you should keep your pet’s safety in mind too.  The decorations and food available can add up to disaster for your furry friend.

Holiday food is ready and available for all to enjoy….even your pet!  Many foods can cause stomach upset, or in worse case scenarios, death.  Chocolate, especially dark chocolate, is known to be harmful to dogs when ingested in large quantities.  Onions inhibit an animal’s ability to coagulate blood and are toxic.  Traditional holiday foods such as ham and turkey can cause Pancreatitis in some animals.  Foods that are high in fat can cause upsets to the digestive system.  Animals should never be fed bones that are not designated for animals.  They are likely to become lodged in the intestines and can cause a blockage that can result in death.  Poultry bones are the worse type of bones to feed an animal.  All types of alcohol and coffee, beans and grounds, should be kept far away from your pet.

Ingestion of some holiday plants can be tragic for your pets.  Most people think that the Poinsettia is the most dangerous plant to have around a pet during the holidays.  Although it is bad and can cause some serious digestive issues, there are others that are worse. Lilies are beautiful to have as an inside decoration, but are highly toxic to cats.  Many types can cause kidney failure.  Mistletoe is highly toxic, especially the berries, and is known to cause fatal heart failure in animals.  Holly can cause diarrhea, nausea and vomiting in your pets.  It is wise to keep all holiday plants away from all pets.

Check back on Monday for the Part II of II.