What's New @ Animal Designs December 2003
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1. What's New
2. Pet Journals
3. Featured Item
4. Holiday Do's and Don'ts
5. Drawing and Fun Stuff
6. Comments-Questions-Suggestions

1) WHAT'S NEW
Best wishes to you and your families, both human and furry, for happy
holiday season. Is the time running out to get that purr-fect gift
for a pet lover? Why not give them a choice with an Animal Designs
gift certificate. It couldn't be easier, just click here:
http://www.animaldesigns.com/giftcertificates.htm and choose the
dollar amount and add it to your order. You can shop with
confidence knowing that your recipient will receive a truly unique
gift.

2) PET JOURNALS
Maggie a basset hound was a wonderful and loving dog. We got her at
6 weeks old and she was a beauty. On a Thursday night two years
later my husband was playing with her in the house and they were
having a wonderful time. He said Maggie lets go outside before we
settle down for the evening. It was dark outside and she saw
something in the road and ran out there and was run down by a van
that kept going. My husband ran down the road and carried her back
when we had to dig her a grave in our back yard. It was an awful
night for both of us. We both didn't want another dog ever, but the
Lord didn't want it that way. I was at work three weeks later and my
boss's wife was shopping and said that the women across the street
had to get rid of her dog. I told her I don't want another dog and
called my husband and he said well we don't want the dog to go to the
pound. We called the lady and she brought the dog to our house not
knowing what kind of dog it was. The dog jump out of the truck and
she was a female basset hound with a club foot. Her name is Ethel
and we have had her for over a year now. She is the love of our life
and she gives us so much love that we know that God sent her to us.
Thanks to Chris G. for submitting this Pet Journal
We all have stories that we like to tell our friends about our pets,
so send us your favorite "tail", and we will select one each month
to feature in our newsletter.

3) FEATURED ITEM
Keep your feet warm this winter with our soft and cozy slippers.
Made of cotton/flannel outside with polar fleece inner lining, they
are generously padded and have a non-skid sole. They conform
naturally to your feet and best of all are washable. To custom make
a pair just for you, select your favorite print at:
http://www.animaldesigns.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?
Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=animaldesigns&Category_Code=21

4) HOLIDAY DO'S AND DON'TS
Once again the holiday season is here, there are extra precautions
you need to take with your pets. Most people think of cats and dogs
getting into everything, but other small animals such as rabbits and
ferrets can easilyget into mischief at this time of year as well.

While you are cooking the turkey, you must remember that even though
turkey isnąt necessarily bad for your pet, any animal that eats
too
much turkey can get an upset stomach or diarrhea. And, never give
your animal a turkey bone. Turkey bones can splinter and lodge in
their throat, or even in their
stomach, causing a puncture, laceration, or obstruction. You should
never allow your pet to chew on these bones. If your pet somehow gets
into the
trash and gets the turkey carcass, donąt try to get them to vomit,
just call your vet immediately. If your pet vomits bones, this can
actually cut the
inside of his throat. So, before throwing out the remains of the
turkey, make sure that the bones are securely wrapped so your pet
canąt get to them. This should also include any kind of skewer or
string used to close the turkey as well. Now it is time to decorate
the tree. Did you know that this could be a hazard for your pet?
All of those lights, ornaments and tinsel are just too irresistible
for your pet. You might also want to think about skipping that fake
snow you spray on your tree this year, because it can be toxic to
your pet. Cats like to climb the tree and not only knock off
ornaments, but also knock the whole tree down. This can result in
broken pieces of glass where your pet can cut his paws. To prevent
this, make sure that your tree is anchored to the wall. And, if you
use any chemicals in the water for your tree, place a cover on it,
such as aluminum foil, so your pet canąt drink it. Also, dogs
like
to eat ornaments and candy canes, even with the wrappers on. Try to
put all breakable ornaments near the top of the tree where your pet
canąt reach them, and donąt use glass or edible ornaments. You
should
avoid putting tinsel on the tree, because if ingested, it can
cause serious intestinal blockages. Tinsel can even cut through the
wall of the intestines, and can be deadly! If you see tinsel, or a
similar object
hanging from your pet's rectum or mouth, do not pull it out, because
you donąt know how far in it goes. If you believe the animal has
only recently
swallowed it within the past 30 minutes, try to get the animal to
vomit. This will bring it up before it has left the stomach and gone
into the intestines. If you believe it has been longer than 30
minutes, call your vet right away. All of the electrical chords for
your tree and other decorations are also a
hazard at this time of year. Make sure that all electrical cords are
taped against the tree or wall and not lying on the floor. Not only
will cats and
dogs chew on the chords, but other small pets such as rabbit and
ferrets will chew on them as well. Do you like to decorate your home
with Mistletoe and poinsettias? For a long time, everyone thought
that Poinsettias were highly toxic. This is not true. But,
the "milk" inside of the leaves can cause skin and stomach irritation
and vomiting. Mistletoe, on the other hand, is very toxic to
animals. With Mistletoe it is the berries that are toxic, and not
the
leaves. And, holly berries are also toxic. Pine needles are also
toxic to cats, because of the pine oil. For dogs, pine needles are
not poisonous but
can cause stomach upset if a few are swallowed. If too many are
swallowed, it can cause persistent vomiting, loss of appetite, or
lack of bowel
movements. If you see these signs, contact your vet immediately.
Liquor and beer, as well as chocolate, are also very dangerous to
your pet.
Your guests may leave food or drinks out where your pets can get into
them. Dogs in particularly love alcohol and chocolate, and both can
be dangerous, bringing on coma or death. If you think your dog has
eaten any of these items, look for signs of him staggering, losing
his coordination, and if he is sleeping so deeply you canąt wake
him,
get him to your vet immediately. You must also be careful with
candles. Not only during the holidays, but also at any time of the
year for that matter. Make sure that your animal cannot reach the
candles and knock them over. Also be careful of hot
liquids, such as cider, that an animal can knock over. Both of these
can cause serious burns. With everyone coming and going at the
holidays, it is a good idea to put a sign on both the inside and
outside of your door, stating that you have pets, so that everyone is
careful to close it securely so they canąt get out. With all of
the
commotion, you might not notice for a while if your pet has gotten
outside. You might even want to put your animal in a quiet part of
the house while everyone is there. Now is a good time to make sure
that he has a collar with identification just in case he gets out the
door.
Now that the holidays are here, it is time to sit back and relax!
What, are you kidding? You need to decorate the tree, prepare the
guest room, cook
that turkey and make sure your house is pet proof! Only then can you
sit back, relax and enjoy the holidays. Animal Radio wishes you and
your pets a Happy and Safe Holiday Season!
adapted from http://AnimalRadioNetwork.com.

5) DRAWING & FUN STUFF
Congratulations to Kim E. ..the winner of the paw print plastic bag
holder. December's drawing is a paw print mini cosmetic bag. After
entering your name, check out the rest of the fun page at
http://www.animaldesigns.com/trivia.htm
Thanks to Jane P. for submitting this month's photo of Sassy, her
mare who just loves to get her own way (don't we all). We would like
to honor your Pet next month, so send us a copy of their photo either
by email or snail mail.
November's question was: Do you have more photos of your pet or your
spouse? Without going into much detail or controversy, it appears
that there are alot of photos of our pets out there!

6) COMMENTS-QUESTIONS-SUGGESTIONS
A recent comment from Silvija Z., one of our valued customers. "Wow!
I just received the "Wild Horses" fleece scarf I ordered from you and
it far exceeds my expectations! I can't wait for the horse-loving
recipient to see it on Christmas Day! Am looking forward to doing
more business with you-SMART move enclosing your catalog on CD with
my order-I'll definitely share it with friends and family. Happy
Holidays!!!

As always, we appreciate your comments, questions and suggestions
and we've provided this link for sharing this newsletter with your
friends. http://www.recommend-it.com/l.z.e?s=620320 Thank you for
taking the time to tell your friends and family about Animal
Designs. It is the ultimate compliment and we greatly appreciate it.

All the Best,
Jeanie
Animal Designs
www.animaldesigns.com
1.866.468.1739