Emro our house guest

We’ve been taking care of a Conure that lives at the Boardwalk Plaza Hotel in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Emro has been a fixture in the lobby for several years. Recently she laid an unfertilized egg . My partner, loves birds and always takes care of Emro and Peanut, the McCaw in the hotel lobby. After Emro laid his first egg, he volunteered to take him home with us because it is preferred that she remain quiet in anticipation that here will be more eggs. We’ve had her for about 5 days now and she’s been a delight. She laid another egg then today, another.

Vivo pets .com, has put together some helpful information about Conure egg laying.

When do Conures Lay Their Eggs?

You might come across an egg in your female conure’s cage quite unexpectedly, even when there is no male in sight. It is normal for female conures to lay eggs whether or not there is a male provided it is the breeding season.

Emro’s eggs

The egg, in this instance, is not necessarily fertilized meaning that it does not contain a baby bird. As lighting patterns and weather start changing to herald the breeding season, a female conure’s endocrine system signals that it is time to release an egg.

Though the egg will be released and laid, it will not be fertilized if no mating has taken place.

Thankfully, conures will exhibit several signs to indicate that they are ready for mating. The signs are largely a result of hormonal changes. For example, a conure that was initially mild-mannered and meek might start acting out when ready for mating.

This should be of no concern because the bird will revert to its normal behavior after breeding. Some of the signs that your conure is ready for mating include:

• Biting more than normal
• Becoming territorial
• Screaming
• Plucking at the feathers more so in female conures
• Displaying signs of affection like tail wagging and wing flapping

During mating, the ovum attached to the egg yolk in the female conure will be sucked into the oviduct then fertilized. The ovum will then travel through a tube into the magnum where the egg white is produced.

The resultant product then travels into the uterus for the creation of an eggshell. In general, this process takes twenty hours. Therefore, after mating, it will take 20-24 hours for your conure to lay a fertilized egg.

This is helpful to Conure owners who are intending to breed their feathered friends.

Remember, your pets count!

Add Astro’s Oil to your cats diet if he has been diagnosed with feline kidney disease. You can read all about the benefits of this great product on their website: Astrosoil.com.

All of your holiday favorites are playing along with your favorite oldies on Edgewater Gold Radio! Keep in the holiday spirit with us! Ask Alexa to “play Edgewater Gold Radio” or listen from our website: Edgewater Gold Radio.com.

Now that you’ve adopted the cutest puppy, you have to house train him as soon as possible. Here are five simple steps to get you on the right track.

Step 1 – Watch your puppy like a hawk. Do not give freedom to roam around the entire house.

Step 2 – Find a place outside for your pup to go. Take him to that place each time you take him out. Give him a verbal cue like “do your business.” Use this cue before he goes and while he’s going. After he goes, give him praise and a treat. Do this consistently every time you take him out.

Step 3  -If your pup has an accident in the house, you need to interrupt him immediately. Take him to his spot outdoors and let him finish his business.

Step 4 –Clean up any accidents with an enzymatic odor eliminator. You can use products like Natures Miracle or Urine Gone. These will change the chemical structure of urine and feces and will totally eliminate the scent.

Step 5 – Set up a consistent feeding and watering schedule. Do not leave the food out all day. Your pup will likely have to go 10 to 15 minutes after eating.

Remember, your pets count!

Astro’s Oil –– for feline kidney disease. www.astrosoil.com

Your oldies and holiday music are playing on Edgewater Gold Radio! Spend your holidays with the station that brings back the most memories! Edgewter Gold Radio! Ask Alexa to “play Edgewater Gold Radio” or listen from our website: Edgewater Gold Radio.com.

Did you know that there are 130,000 hairs per square inch in a cat’s coat? Cat hairs do many things.

> They give a cat sensory data.

> They protect your cat from heat and cold and wind and rain.

>They help your cat manufacture nutrients and vitamin D.

According to Web MD, if your cats coat is not shiny, it could be one of the following reasons:

Poor nutrition. For healthy hair, skin, and body, your cat needs a diet with a good balance of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, just like you do. And also just like you, if your cat eats nothing but poor quality food that is more difficult to digest, kitty may end up short on vital minerals and vitamins.
Weight problems. As many as 57% of U.S. cats are estimated to be overweight or obese. When some cats get fat, they stop being able to reach their whole bodies for cleaning. This can lead to a dull, unkempt coat.
Age. When cats get old they can become less flexible or arthritic. Then they just can’t twist and turn the way they used to, says Arnold Plotnick, MS, DVM, a veterinary internist and feline specialist in New York. So, age or pain could leave your normally fussy feline with a dull, bedraggled coat.
Bathing too often. In an effort to control dander or foil fleas, some people bathe their cat. Bathe kitty too much and you could be the cause of kitty’s bedraggled coat.

Groom your cat regularly. I brush my cats every day.  Brushes remove dead surface hair and  dander, It also helps distribute oil to keep your cats coat shiny. Many vets recommend bathing your cat. My take on that is that cats are really great at taking care of themselves. They usually don’t need bathing as it can dry out the skin and make the coat even more dull.

If your cat’s coat suddenly turns dull, it’s a good idea to have your vet check her out to rule out any serious illness.

Remember, your pets count!

Astros Oil is a great benefit to cats with Kidney disease. This natural project with it’s many benefits can prolong you cats life and life quality. It is also good for a shiny coat. Read all about Astro’s Oil from their website: www.astrosoil.com.

Edgewater Gold Radio is playing all of your holiday favorites plus the greatest oldies from the 50s 60s 70s and 80s. Ask Alexa to “play Edgewater Gold Radio” or listen from our website: Edgewater Gold Radio.com.

My partner Jim works at a Victorian Style hotel where there are birds in the lobby. One is a Conure and one is MaCaw. Since Jim is an avid animal lover, he loves taking care of the birds while on his shift.  Emro, the Conure was always thought to be a male…..until now. Last Thursday, Emro laid an egg! So there goes that theory. The problem is that the egg is not fertilized and sometimes hormonal conditions can cause these birds to lay eggs . An avian expert came by and determined that Emro will lay another egg and should be kept in a quiet place, undisturbed.  The hotel lobby attracts visitors that love playing with Emro while out of his cage. So Jim volunteered to take Emro home where he can care for him and  provide a more quiet environment for him.

Emro is with us now for a few days until all of her egg laying is over. She is comfortably in her cage in my radio studio near a big window. She seems very happy and content. Yesterday we woke up to find another egg at the bottom of her cage.

What about my cats, you must be thinking by now? Well we keep the door closed all the time in the studio so Emro is always safe. Our two older cats aren’t even curious. This may come with age but we are happy that they are not clawing at the door to studio to disrupt Emro’s peace and quiet.

We love our new visitor and she now has a “new hotel” to stay at if she ever needs to!

Remember, your pets count!

If your cat has been diagnosed with feline kidney disease, add Astro’s oil products to his diet. Read all about this great product on the website and purchase online! www.astrosoil.com.

Great oldies plus lots and lots of holiday favorites are playing for you right now on Edgewater Gold Radio. Ask Alexa to “play Edgewater Gold Radio or listen from our website” Edgewater Gold Radio.com.

My cat, Molly had renal disease and an overactive thyroid. Thanks to Astro’s CRF oil she was able to live five extra years. I’m gonna let you read the story of Astro and the development of Astro’s oil. I can attest,  that this has really helped Molly and is now greatly helping my 16 year old cat Atlantis.

Here’s Astro’s story: Thanks to Astroscrfoil.com and Dr. Marco for this positive, inspiring story!

Astro is a pampered Siamese, though he didn’t start out life that way. He was the bullied runt of a large litter and had to be hand reared. A fact which might explain his special affinity with people (the ones he knows in any case).

When we got him, Astro was small enough to easily fit in a shirt pocket, yet he was willful and brave. His restless spirit was only defeated by well placed massages that would send him into reluctant but deep sleeps.

As he grew, Astro developed a unique character. He moves like a sleek panther, is not much interested in stalking, fights with some form of feline martial arts that totally unnerves Quaily, our other cat, speaks more than meows and growls like an angry dog at suspicious sounds. He is at his happiest cuddling on the couch with whoever is radiating the most heat.

One early spring when Astro was not quite six years old, I noticed some white spots on the fur on his flanks. At about the same time he began losing weight and throwing up his food once or twice a day. He became lethargic, lost his appetite and started acting strangely, plucking chunks of fur from his coat and behaving as if he didn’t recognize us.

I had seen similar symptoms exhibited by my human patients who suffered from system toxicity. In humans this toxic syndrome can be caused by a wide range of metabolic and organ system diseases. I had my suspicions as to what might be causing these symptoms in Astro. A positive diagnosis, however, would depend on some lab tests.

I brought Astro to the vet . He took blood and urine samples and sent them to the lab for analysis. He also took an x-ray and administered fluid therapy.

Astro 16 months after diagnosis

The x-ray was the first result we got back and as I suspected, it wasn’t good news. One kidney was greatly enlarged and there was significant calcium deposits in both kidneys. The blood and urine test results were even more devastating. Simply put Astro’s kidneys were shot. His diagnosis was chronic renal failure.
I knew that in humans there is no cure for this condition. It is progressive and ultimately results in the patients death unless dialysis is routinely performed or they get a kidney transplant . The vet told me the same holds true for cats and dogs, though dialysis and transplants are not routinely performed due mainly to the prohibitive costs.

We discussed Astro’s prognosis and treatment. It seemed that treatment options were limited and his prognosis poor. The vet prescribed some potassium pills and we agreed that I would continue hydrating Astro at home by a process called subcutaneous hydration, also known as sub-Q’s. He was put on a renal diet designed to limit his intake of protein and phosphorus in the hope of decreasing the waste products his kidneys would have to filter out.

Astro condition stabilized. Hydrating him seemed to help but nausea continued to plague him. He gained a little weight, had some good days, some bad. Over all, however, it was clear that his condition would not improve significantly. Though we tried not to dwell on it, we were aware that it was just a matter of time before this fine balancing act would fail him.

Three month after first being diagnosed with crf, Astro’s condition took a dramatic turn for the worse. Subcutaneous hydration was no longer effective in helping flush the toxins out of his system. His nausea grew worse and he had trouble keeping anything down. His already thin frame began to show signs of emaciation, and he became so weak that at times it was difficult for him to keep his head up.

We struggled with the question of how much we were willing to put Astro through to keep him alive. Taking him to the vet and leaving him overnight or longer for treatment stressed him out so much that we decided it would no longer be an option.

When Astro, who hated to be alone, found himself a secluded niche away from everyone and refused to leave, we knew he was preparing himself for the end. We began to consider euthanasia.

I watched him sit in his sheltered spot one night after everyone had gone to sleep. There was little left of him, just fur and bones. He had stopped eating a couple of days before and hardly even drank. His eyes were focused on a spot fare away and he looked agitated, as if he were earnestly waiting for something. I went over to try and comfort him but he pulled away. He didn’t recognize me.

I had watched many patients near their end, and though it was never easy, one had to know when it was time to let them go. It was time to let Astro go.

I was surprised, however, at how difficult it was for me to accept this fact and found myself sitting in front of my computer looking up research papers on kidney pathology and cellular metabolism well past dawn.

On my way to catch a couple of hours sleep I stopped to look in on Astro. He was awake but transfixed. How long could he endure I wondered. I had resolved that we would not take him to the vet to be euthanized. If there was still some fight left in Astro to re-ignite, I had found a weapon that might help him win a few battles.

I had discovered some very promising research on feline and canine CRF, cellular metabolism and free radical neutralization. The challenge was to combine the results of this diverse research into a formula designed to arrest, and hopefully reverse the progression of his CRF. The formula would be prepared as soon as all the ingredients could procured, however, we first needed to buy some time. For Astro that meant hydration and nutrition.

Unfortunately, Astro steadfastly refused to eat his renal diet cat food and forcing him to do so would not be a solution. We offered him a Whiskas cat treat instead and gently pleaded with him to eat. He seemed oblivious to our pleas, it was as if he were determined to meet his end.

Eventually, in one of those hard to forget moments, he came out of his trance and focused on us. He considered the treat held before him for a long while. Suddenly, with a decisive movement he gingerly plucked the treat with his teeth and ate it. He was going to try again even though it would have been so much easier for him to give up and end the suffering.

Morsel by morsel we hand feed him and praised him for every courageous bite he accepted. He ate six or seven pieces and a while later, another ten or so. Astro was coxed back to life with love more than food.

Once all the ingredients were procured and the proportions calculated, I mix the formula. I administered the first dose with a pipette the day after Astro resumed eating and drinking.

After a month of daily 1.5 ml doses of the formula, Astro’s condition was stable and he was out of danger. He had regained his appetite and put on some much needed weight. Based on his blood and urine tests and lack of nausea I began weaning him of the subq’s.
(Subcutaneous hydration is a great way to help a cat or dog that suffers from CRF flush the toxins out of its systems, however, it can be harmful if continued too long. It can over burden the remaining undamaged nephrons and actually accelerate the progression of the CRF. At the very least, it’s a very good idea to discontinue hydrating every so often to “rest” the already over burdened kidneys.)

We put Astro back on his regular cat food because it’s his favorite (he hated the renal diet stuff) and because I have come to believe that limiting the protein in a cats diet will cause more harm than good. However, cat food with low phosphorus levels is definitely recommended, as long as your pet will eat it.

As for medication, the only thing Astro receives is 1.5 ml/day of the formula. We named it Astro’s CRF Oil in his honor. His comeback has truly been miraculous, his progress continuous from month to month. He is thriving, happy and enjoys a great quality of life. He is also very relieved not to have to endure being hydrated. Friends who saw Astro at his sickest can not believe that he is the same cat.

Astro’s coat had suffered greatly from his illness. It was mottled, depigmented and bare in places. The colors have returned with a vengeance. Astro’s coat is now a shinny, dark chocolate brown and various shades of beige. His ears which had lost most of their fur are now pure velvet.

His blood and urine values are normal and though his kidneys are damaged the formula has managed to recoup enough kidney function to help him lead a normal and energetic life with, I hope, normal longevity.

Remember, your pets count!

So called seizure response dogs provide support for people with epilepsy by helping prevent unintentional injuries during and after a seizure. Some of these seizure dogs are able to predict when their owner is going to have a seizure.  The dog will alert the person by whining, pawing or circling. There are many stories of this happening but scientists are not sure as to how and why some dogs seem to have this ability. Many people suspect that the dogs respond to very subtle visual or hearing changes that occur during the early stages of a seizure. Some research suggest that the dogs are responding to psychological not epileptic seizures. Regardless, it shows how strong the bond can be between people and pets. These dogs deserve lots of love and appreciation. Give them a big hug!

Remember, your pets count!

*******For cats with feline kidney disease, add Astros Oil to their daily diet. This great natural product will help delay the progress of this disease. Find out all about the benefits of Astro’s Oil through their website: www.astrosoil.com.

Our Tree has been up and it was a pretty straightforward task . Both of our cats are older and really don’t pay any attention except for a little sniffing here and there. They both like to sit under the tree but never disrupt anything. Years ago when we adopted Millie, I found her peering out the top of the tree when I was having my morning coffee. Luckily, she very delicately climbed down without disturbing a single ornament.

All plastic ornaments are placed at the bottom of the tree.

Cats hate citrus scents, so another trick to prevent your cat from climbing the tree is to make a DIY cat repellent. Peel some oranges or lemons, put the rinds in an old sock, tie it shut and place it near the tree base. Or tuck it inside the tree in a hidden spot.

If this doesn’t deter the cats, consider adding a few drops of citrus essential oils like citronella, orange or lemongrass to a squirt bottle filled with water. Spray the tree to keep your furry friend away.

If you have a new cat, keep a close eye on him. There are products that you can spray around your tree to keep you new kitty away.

Go slow and don’t get too loud when correcting him.

Good luck and have a happy holiday!

Remember, your pets count!

Astros Oil helps cats with kidney disease. It’s a natural product that helps cats live longer and enjoy a better quality of life. Check out their website: www.astrosoil.com.

Enjoy the best oldies of all time on Edgewater Gold Radio! We’re in the middle of a 60s and 70s weekend! Ask Alexa to “play Edgewater Gold Radio” or listen from our website” Edgewater Gold Radio.com.

Local animal shelters are filled with cats and dogs abandoned due to various reasons. It really bothers me how many people got rid of their pets for financial reasons yet maintain an unlimited cellphone plan and mindlessly text all day! The fact is that many people will not adopt an older cat or dog for fear that it only has a few years to live. Remember cats can live as long as 20 years, so if you adopt a twelve year old cat and if it’s in good health, you can have eight good years with it. Giving a second chance to an abandoned older cat or dog is a very rewarding experience. Perhaps, during the holiday season we can bring in 2021 by  really helping the animal shelters and adopting a needy animal. If you cannot adopt a pet due to allergies or financial reasons, animal shelters could use old blankets, food or anything else that you can donate. Spend your money on cat toys or a pet carrier instead of  mindlessly texting and playing with social media  all day. Now that’s really making a difference!

Remember your pet count!

If your cat has been diagnosed with Kidney disease, try Astro’s Oil products to help slow down the progress and enjoy your pet for a longer period of time! Go to their website to find out more. www.astrosoil.com.

Oldies and all of your holiday favorites are playing on Edgewater Gold Radio. Just ask Alexa to “play Edgewater Gold Radio” or listen from our website: Edgewater Gold Radio.com.

If your dog or cat has been your only baby for years, and now you’re bringing home a new baby, you’ll have to prepare your pet. A few weeks before the baby arrives, start spending less time with your pet. Allow him to smell the lotions and powder in the baby’s nursery but don’t let him on the crib or blanket. You can also play recorded baby noises. When your baby comes home, first greet your pet empty handed, then sit in a chair with your baby and cover her head with your hand. Let your pet sniff, but not lick. Before you know it, they’ll be best buddies but never leave the two alone together. Remember to give your pet plenty of attention once your baby is home.

Remember, your pets count!

For Feine Kidney disease, add Astro’s Oil to his daily regimen. Find out all about Astro’s Oil through their website: www.astrosoil.com.

Your favorite oldies and holiday music is playing right now on Edgewater Gold Radio. Ask Alexa to “play Edgewater Gold Radio” or listen from one of the many apps including Tunein, Apple Music, My Radio tuner etc.

You are always giving love and affection to your pets but you still have more to give. How can you help dogs and cats in need? You can start at your local animal shelter. Many times they really need volunteers to walk dogs and pet and play with cats or even to provide foster care to some kittens or puppies until they are old enough to be adopted. There are rescue organizations for almost every breed of dog and for cats too. Animal sanctuaries need volunteers to help with care and feeding. After a natural disaster, like the earthquake in Haiti, or Hurricane Maria, or Sandy, the fires in California, many pets may need foster homes and a warm dog or cat bed until they can be adopted. This is very vital at this time of need. To find a place to volunteer in your area, check the yellow pages or search online under animal shelter or animal rescue. You help is greatly needed.

Remember, your pets count!

Astro’s Oil products are very beneficial for cats that have kidney disease. I’ve been using them for years and they have proven to be a life saver. These all natural products developed by a doctor in Canada, improve life quality and actually extend life. You can read all about Astro’s Oil products and order online from their website: www.astrosoil.com. After putting my cats on Astro’s oil, I noticed an improvement in eating, weight gain, coat and overall health. Add Astro’s oil to your cats daily regimen and notice the difference!

Remember, your pets count!