Laska The Dog Plays Mom To Two Baby Boars

Call it motherly instinct: A dog named Laska in Hamburg, Germany, has taken to two tiny wild boar babies, after both were found abandoned in nearby forests. Walkers separately spotted the pint-sized females, now named Alice and Emma, and dropped them with the Heckers, a local family known for rehabilitating ailing creatures.

But this time, it wasn’t the family members who nursed the animals to health; instead Laska, an Alsatian mix, stepped in and took charge. According to the U.K.’s Daily Mail, both Alice and Emma were severely malnourished, and too small to stay warm through the night. Realizing this, Laska made it her mission to keep them going, cuddling up to them in the evenings, cleaning them with her tongue and even picking them up when they topple over.

Since boars can grow to up to 200 lbs. as adults, the Heckers, who have ties to a local wildlife preserve, may have to give them up once they’re bigger. But luckily for Laska, the babies still need her care — and she seems happy to oblige.

(source)

Is Your Dog's Pet Food Making Him Sick?

Your dog is scratching like crazy, or sick to his stomach. Could his food be the culprit?

Food allergies aren’t extremely common in dogs, but they aren’t uncommon either. Food allergies affect dogs in two primary ways, says Korinn Saker, a clinical nutritionist at the North Carolina State School of Veterinary Medicine who specializes in canine allergies. “We either see skin issues, or GI [gastrointestinal] issues,” she says. If your dog is experiencing vomiting or diarrhea on a regular basis, or is itching constantly and licking or biting at his skin or fur, allergies may be to blame. (Your vet can help you rule out other ailments, like parasites or infections, that could cause similar symptoms.)

Unfortunately, it can be hard to tell whether an allergic dog is having a reaction to his food or to an environmental allergen such as pollen. (Dogs can also become allergic to food they’ve happily eaten their entire lives making detection even more difficult.) Still, there are ways to tell if food is the foe, Sakar says. “The most definitive way to do that is to do a feeding elimination trial,” she says. In other words, try removing the suspected ingredient or ingredients from the dog’s diet, and see what happens.

Is Your Dog's Pet Food Making Him Sick?

Your dog is scratching like crazy, or sick to his stomach. Could his food be the culprit?

Food allergies aren’t extremely common in dogs, but they aren’t uncommon either. Food allergies affect dogs in two primary ways, says Korinn Saker, a clinical nutritionist at the North Carolina State School of Veterinary Medicine who specializes in canine allergies. “We either see skin issues, or GI [gastrointestinal] issues,” she says. If your dog is experiencing vomiting or diarrhea on a regular basis, or is itching constantly and licking or biting at his skin or fur, allergies may be to blame. (Your vet can help you rule out other ailments, like parasites or infections, that could cause similar symptoms.)

Unfortunately, it can be hard to tell whether an allergic dog is having a reaction to his food or to an environmental allergen such as pollen. (Dogs can also become allergic to food they’ve happily eaten their entire lives making detection even more difficult.) Still, there are ways to tell if food is the foe, Sakar says. “The most definitive way to do that is to do a feeding elimination trial,” she says. In other words, try removing the suspected ingredient or ingredients from the dog’s diet, and see what happens.