Pet Pee-ewww

Cat's litter box:  Empty litter and pour half an inch of vinegar into the box and cover with a healthy dose of baking soda (the mixture will bubble).  Top with several inches of water and stir.  Let box soak for several hours, then drain the liquid and scrub.  Wash with hot, soapy water and dry well.  Before putting fresh litter into the box, pour a thin layer of baking soda into the bottom.

Skunked dog:  Mix one quart of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide with a quarter of baking soda and a teaspoon of mild dishwashing liquid.  Rub the solution through your dog's fur (avoiding his/her eyes and ears) and rinse well.

!!! Mulch Warning !!!

Cocoa Mulch: This warning was posted in the Southern Animal Rescue Association (SARA) newsletter. Since many of us garden and mulch is highly recommended for our hot climate, this piece should be of interest to all pet owners who garden and are contemplating using cocoa mulch.

Cocoa mulch, which is sold by Home Depot, Foremen's Garden and Supply and other garden supply stores, contains a lethal ingredient called "Theobromine". It is lethal to dogs and cats. It smells like chocolate and it really attracts dogs. They will ingest this stuff and die. Several deaths already occurred recently. Just a word of caution -- check what you are using in your gardens and be aware of what your gardeners are using in your gardens. Theobromine is the ingredient that is used to make all chocolate -- especially dark or baker's chocolate -- which is toxic to dogs. Cacao bean shells contain potentially toxic quantities of Theobromine, a Xanthine compound similar in effect to caffeine and Theophylline. A dog that ingested a lethal quantity of garden mulch made from cacao bean shells develops severe convulsions and died 17 hours later. Analysis of the stomach contents and the ingested cacao bean shells revealed the presence of lethal amounts of Theobromine. So please be cautious in what type of mulch you are using.