My Friendly Pets

According to Heidi Jeter, Pet Health Article Author for www.pet-health.org, canine cancer is very common an there there are over 100 varieties of canine cancer. Unfortunately, according to the Canine Cancer Campaign, a non-profit organization which is focused on curing canine cancer, one in four dogs will die from the effects of cancer.

As with humans, some breeds of dog may be predisposed to cancer due to hereditary risk factors. Just as some women in families possess the gene which can subject them and their decendants to breast cancer, dogs can pass on similary genetic material. For example, according to the author, Golden retrievers are at a high risk for Lymphoma and cancers of the blood vessels and spleen.

Also, as with humans, certain environmental conditions can contribute to a dog acquiring some type of cancer. Exposure to things like smoke, too much sunlight, radiation, hormones, chemicals and viruses could be contributing factors to a dog’s cancer illness.

My German shepard died of cancer. He had a tumor on his hip and it was malignant. The tumor metasisized and had spread throughout his body. We chose not to subject the dog to treatment, but rather to keep him comfortable until he passed away.

Our second dog, who we had for 8 years began having seizures and according to the vet, it was probably related to a brain tumor. The dog, Geo, did not suffer and lasted only a short time after the diagnosis.

Becasue of the high incidence rate of this disease, I will offer some suggestions on how to perhaps minimize the causes of cancer in your dog!!! Stay tuned to tomorrow’s entry.

Shortly after the “Queen of Mean”, Leona Helmsley passed away, it was found that she had left Trouble, her dog $12,000,000 of her estate that was to go to the care and maintenance of Trouble and support in the way to which he had become accostomed. Well, in addition to that, trustees have determined that an additional $1,000,000 will go to various animal charities. These charities include organizations such as, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and several groups that train guide dogs for the blind. Originally, the fortunes of the Helmsley’s were to go entirely to dog related charities. This bequest made people in the animal rights and protection world thrilled. However, after trustees were given the power to redistribute the wealth of the Helmsley estate, announcements were made yesterday that only $1,000,000 would be going to the dog charities, while $136,000,000 would be going to hospitals, foundations and organizations that serve the homeless.

There has been some controversy regarding the redistribution of Helmsley’s wealth. Wayne Pacelle, chief executive of the Humane Society of the United States, said Tuesday the amount of donations to animal charities _ ranging from the animal cruelty prevention society to groups such as Canine Partners for Life _ doesn’t reflect Helmsley’s wishes.

Many of us cannot imagine $1,000,000, let alone trying to figure out where it should be distributed. However, if you think of all of the causes that truly require and run on donations, animal rescue and shelter organizations are at the top of the list. I applaud Helmsley’s wishes. She probably figured out early on that the ones you can count on are the ones you give you the sweet nuzzle and cold wet nose at the end of a long day!!!

There is a growing trend today to get “back to nature”. This trend has extended itself to to dog owners who are believing that BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food) is better for their dogs than cooked or prepared foods. While this is a trend for some in terms of human consumption (sushi), many veterinarians are not so sure that this is the way to go for your dog. Feeding dogs raw meat has the potential of bringing dangerous bacteria into the digestive system of these canines. Bacterias such as salmonella or E. coli may be present in the uncooked foods. Passing this on to your dog, could make your dog sick as well as the potential to pass those bacterias onto other family members.

The additional concern is that home made meals, cooked or uncooked may not be bringing a balanced meals to your dog. You may be depriving the dog of needed nutrition. Some people are just so intent on making their dog happy that they will feed the dog simply what the dog enjoys, as they state that the dog “won’t eat anything else”. Well, if you don’t make or feed the dog anything else, they won’t eat anything else, will they?

Those that feed their dogs raw foods (meat included), say that their dogs have shinier coats, stronger teeth, fewer ear infections and improved weight control. No studies thus far have proven this to be true. However, more and more people are choosing this route.

While it might be healthy for you to cook or prepare uncooked food for your dog, it is recommended that you talk to your vet and let the vet know what you are doing. They should, at the very least be able to tell you if the meals you are serving your dog are balanced. Keeping your dog healthy AND happy is most important!!!

We all know that having a dog makes us feel better. Scientifically, dogs are proven to improve the quality of life mentally for people. Let’s examine some of the reasons why.

For people who experience a loss in their life, such as the death of a loved one, those who had a dog experienced less depression than those who did not. This is especially true for grieving adults who did not have a strong human support network.

Dogs give people a sense of security. Most people feel less frightened,more secure and less prone to be a victim of a crime when they walk with a dog or have a dog in their home.

Dogs can help us relax and reduce everyday stress. Having a dog helps you focus on something other than your worries and troubles. It has been proven scientifically that when petting a dog, a person’s blood pressure and heart rate will actually decrease. The petting is relaxing for the dog as well. Physical touch is very important to a person’s emotional well-being. Consider a hug when you are distressed and how much better you feel. Hugging and petting your dog can give that same sense of peace.

Dogs help us to feel less lonely and isolated. This is why animals or “therapy dogs” are often brought to nursing home facilities because it truly brings the feeling of companionship to all that are exposed to the dog.

We as human beings need to be needed. Having a dog means it has to be fed and cared for. This helps to give an individual with limited human contacts a reason for existing.

If you just have a dog because you enjoy a cool wet nose nuzzle or the happiness of a wagging tail, you are not alone. But in addition dogs provide so much more, so enjoy!!!

Tom Bruckner from Point Lookout, New York, on Long Island lost his beagle-pug mix named Bailey last fall. The dog died at the vets a day after he was rushed there from the groomers. The dog’s death, according to the vet, was due to heatstroke the dog experienced inside a drying cage.

A drying cage is a groomer’s tool that allows them to put a dog into a crate structure with intense heat to assist the drying process. However, as with Bailey, many dogs should not be placed in these devices. It is recommended that short haired dogs or dogs with short snouts who have a tougher time breathing should not be put in these cages.

Basically hot dry air is blown into these small cages and dogs should never be left unmonitored in the cage. Many dogs nationwide have succumbed to death as a result of heat stroke or other convulsive disorders brought about by the drying cages.

Tom Bruckner vowed that Bailey would not die in vain and has begun a campaign to ban the drying cages and feels that groomers should have formal training and be licensed to groom dogs. Dogs are living creatures and if the process and procedures that are being used are not safe, then why are people using them? Bruckner wants to insure that no other family suffer the way he and his girlfriend have over the loss of Bailey. He started a website called badgroomer.com to publicize his mission and supports a bill introduced by state Senator Carl Kruger who wants to ban drying cages, require groomers to take exams and license grooming parlors.

The safety of all dogs is at stake here and it is essential that something is done to prevent more disasters. Be careful, as questions and pay attention when you bring your dog to the groomer and if you don’t like any of their practices, take your pooch and leave!!!

The University of Florida, beginning in January 2010 will begin a program that will be a first in the nation. It will be one of the country’s first veterinary forensics sciences program at a major university. What does this mean? That crimes against animals, will now be able to be investigated and hopefully solved in a way that has never existed before.

Dogs rarely have a voice when they are victims of a crime. According to Melinda Merck, senior director of veterinary forensics for the ASPCA, “These crimes are evidence-based. We have a victim who cannot testify, so I have to be their voice,” Currently Merck lives in Atlanta, but she will be moving to Gainsville to teach classes and investigate animal abuse in the new program.

The courses offered will not just be for undergraduate and graduate students. There will be continuing education courses for people in law enforcement, animal control as well as for current veterinarians.

Many of the things that are currently part of human crime scene investigations will now be part of this curriculum. For example, the study of insects in decaying bodies — remains excavation, blood spatter pattern analysis, bite-mark analysis and animal crime scene processing will be studied. I didn’t realize that blood splatter in animals is different than it is in humans. There are few animal cruelty investigators and this program will help to increase the number of these types of officers.

The ASPCA and the University of Florida began working together over a year ago when they offered a conference on animal cruelty. Only a couple dozen people were expected, but over 200 attended. It was definitely time to put the program in place.

Maybe now, the dogs and other animals that suffer at the hands of criminals will finally have justice.

You know I couldn’t go a long period of time withou updating you on the status of the First Dog. Yes, Bo was officially introduced to America in front of many cameras and reporters. Later in the day, The Obama family including Bo took a walk on the grounds around the White House. However, it does appear that Bo needs a bit more leash training as he could be seen wanting to pull Michelle Obama a bit quicker than she was walking.

In Bo’s short six months of life, he has lived in 4 different places. According to Ceasar Millan, “the Dog Whisperer”, moving the dog so often in their early life could lead to confusion and disorientation. When a dog becomes disoriented, they can get nervous and anxious which could lead to some bad behavior. However, Millan says that in order to insure that the dog becomes comfortable and acclimated to his new environment, the dog should be walked a lot and also fed only when he is very hungry, becasue the dog comes to realize that he is dependent on humans for his food and water.

Bo is the Obama’s name for the dog, but the dog has had another name, prior to his White House arrival. In his first home, where he things didn’t go well with the the owner’s other dog, Bo was known as Charlie. Dog trainers are concerned that Bo’s name sounds too close to the word “no” and warn that hand signals or another word for “no”, such as “stop” should be used. However, the most important point is that all of the Obama’s should spend as much time together with Bo as possible, in play and training, so that the dog truly learns the pack order and leadership roles!!! Time will tell who wears the collar in the first family!!

With Spring here, many of natures creatures will come out to greet the world after months of hibernation. One of the most animals most likely to show themselves early in the spring season is the skunk. If anyone has been near or around a skunk that has sprayed, you know how pungent the smell is.

Many dogs, curious or predatory may come upon a skunk and then be unpleasantly surprised by being sprayed. While the spray is not toxic, it is extremely odorous. Why does it smell? Because the spray comes from the contents of the anal glands of the skunk. Yes, I know. Gross, but true!!

The scent of the skunk is unpleasant to the nose, but also irritate the eyes and mucus membranes. Many dogs will roll around on the ground to try and rid themselves of the skunk smell. The dog’s eyes might water and the dog may become nauseaus and vomit.

There are specially made products which you can buy that can de-skunk your dog, like Skunk Kleen or Skunk Off. Many people will take their dog to the vet who will bathe the dog continuously to minimize or eliminate the smell and also the eyes may be flushed with a sterile or saline solution. The vet should definitely be contacted if the dog continues to vomit.

This spraying by a skunk to your dog is by no means deadly. However, it will not be a pleasant task for you or your dog to have to deal with a skunk that has sprayed. If your dog goes out in the early evening or at night, when skunks are out, keep the dog on a leash so to minimize the chances of the dog running to investigate what may turn out to be an extremely stinky confrontation with a skunk!!!

I know it is Easter Sunday and I should be writing about all of the chocolate that your dog shouldn’t have and other seasonal trivialities, but when this story hit the press early this morning, I couldn’t ignore it. You deserve the “hot off the press” news.

Even though the official announcement is not supposed to be released until this Tuesday, the new addition to the White House will be the Portugese Water Dog that was discussed a couple of entries ago. The Obamas have already spent time getting aquainted with the new canine. However, that top secret meeting was a surprise for the Obama girls. Word is that the girls were thrilled with the six month old puppy and have chosen to name the dog “Bo”. Malia and Sasha were responsible for the name and it is said that they chose that name because their cousin has a cat by that name and their grandfather (Michelle Obama’s dad) was nicknamed Diddley — get it, Bo Diddley!!!

So where did this adorable ball of fur come from? Well, according to reliable sources the puppy was a gift from Senator Ted Kennedy, as he too is the proud owner of 3 Portuguese Water Dogs. This type of dog requires a lot of exercise, both mentally and physically, both of which I’m sure can be accomplished in the White House and the lawns surrounding Bo’s new home. The dog is currently being trained by the trainers of Kennedy’s dogs and according to sources, the dog is doing very well. We don’t need a Washington political scandal revolving around the bad behavior of Bo, or worse yet, an accident on the White House carpet when when foreign officials are visiting our nation’s capital.

So remember, you heard it here and I’m sure you will hear more about Bo in the coming days, weeks and months. Do you think he has his own Secret Service personnel?

The state of Missouri touts that is the birth place of literary genius, Mark Twain as well as the home of two great Civil War battles. However, a more recent reputation of Missouri is probably one that they wish would go away…and it may soon. Many in the fine state of Missouri are trying to eliminate over 4000 puppy mills that exist in the state. Missouri is known as the “puppy mill” capital of America where dogs exist in some of the most deplorable conditions possible. The stories of how these animals exist are too extreme and drastic to write about hear, and honestly, it makes me sick to read about them, let alone write about them.

So how does this happen in a particular state? For Missouri, the conditions are perfect for this type of activity. There is uneven enforcement of the rules, and remote, rural landscapes that allow poor or illegal practices to escape detection. There are also too few inspectors which allows the many puppy mills hidden in the Ozarks and throughout Missouri to continue their practices without ever being inspected.

There are things being done and the Humane Society of the United States has clearly voiced their opinion. While there will continue to be many unlicensed breeders, the HSUS says that the state of Missouri should stop licensing breeders until it has enough inspectors. As a result of audits that have taken place in the past several years, it was determined that there was a severe lack of action from state authorities to really do anything significant to shut down these operations.

However, there is a new state agriculture director who is promising changes. Time will tell if his changes truly change the lives of these poor animals.

People in Missouri would definitely like their reputation to be changed as stated by a Missouri Humane Society representative when describing the reputation of this state, “”It’s embarrassing,” said Julie Leicht, executive director of the Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation. “We’re the meth capital. And we’re the leader in puppy mills. Welcome to Missouri.”

I have spoken long and loud regarding the benefits of the micro chip that can be implanted into your dog. These micro chips have all of the owner information implanted within the chip. If a dog is taken to a vet, the vet has the scanner which can read the micro chip and return any lost dog to their rightful owners. I would think that everyone would want to do this. It is a relatively inexpensive procedure and could insure the safe and healthy return of your dog to you in the event the dog was lost or stolen. Let me tell you of a recent story that documented this fact.

About three years ago, Barbara Apostolo’s Jack Russell terrier went missing. Apostolo believed that ToBoi was stolen from their Mirimar home. The dog had been micro chipped so that if he ever did wander a bit or get lost, he could be returned to his owner promptly and safely.

Well, here it is three years later and a Jack Russell terrier shows up in an animal clinic in Lake Charles, Louisiana. That’s right, Louisiana, which is about 1031 miles from where ToBoi was originally from. After the dog was scanned for the micro chip and it was found, Barbara Apostolo was contacted. She was thrilled that the dog was found and still believes that the dog was probably stolen. However, although this story might lead you to believe that ToBoi and Apostolo will be reunited, it hasn’t happened as of yet. Apostolo doesn’t have the money needed to transport the dog and the shelter is low on funds as well. Lets hope by this reading that there are some people out there who are willing to get this pup back to Florida where he belongs!!!

Since the Obama campaign, we have been hearing about the dog or dogs the Obamas would welcome into the White House. But as of yet, there has been no official or unofficial adoption of a dog for the Obama girls. However, it appears a decision has been made, so if and when the first family gets a dog, it appears it will be a Portuguese Water Dog.

So how about a little information about this little known breed. I don’t know about you, but I had never heard of this breed until the Obamas began their canine search.

The Portuguese Water Dog is known as a great family dog because it is sensible, loyal and affectionate. These traits make the dog a great one to have around kids and they are known to get along well with other dogs and household pets as well. They are known for their gentle temperament and because of their high intelligence, they are easily trained dogs.

Physically, they are an extremely manageable dog with a maximum weight for a male to be about 55 pounds and about 49 pounds for a female. Because they are a highly intelligent dog and an active one as well, they should be in an environment where they can be physically and mentally challenged. The dogs need consistent exercise and activities that will prevent them from becoming bored. As their name infers, they love the water and a great game of fetch, whether it be with a ball or a stick would be perfect fun for this dog.

The Portuguese Water Dog has a fairly good life expectancy at 10-14 years, meaning if the Obamas got a young dog now…two years old or so, the dog could outlive possibly 2 terms in the White House!!!

An amazing story was represented on the TODAY Show and I wanted to share it with my readers.

Sophie Tucker, an Austrailan cattle dog was on a boat excursion with her owners off the Australian coast when the waters became rough. Sophie fell off the side and even with hours of searching, Sophie was no where to be found. This tragedy happened back in November and the owners, Jan and Dave Griffiths were heartbroken.

However, Sophie is a survivor and she swam 5 miles to what is known as St. Bee’s in the Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. The island is remote and not inhabited by people. However, there are many koala bears and wild goats. It appears that Sophie survived by eating baby goats. When rangers first spotted the dog, she was thin and mangy, but she started slowly looking better. When the rangers found the carcasses of the dead baby goats, they knew the dog was not going hungry.

Sophie had changed from her ordeal. She had to become a predator to survive and she did so alone. She wouldn’t come to the rangers when called and finally, they had to trap her in order get her off the island. When brought to the mainland, the Griffiths heard about the event and went to see if it was Sophie. The rangers claimed that Sophie was ferocious and a wild dog, but upon seeing the Griffiths, the dog began to whimper and cry. At that point, so did everyone else!!! According to the Griffiths, Sophie has transitioned seamlessly back into domestication and is now enjoying all of the comforts of home. I bet she won’t be eating any goat for a long time to come!!! This is an amazing story of survival and it is a tribute to Sophie that she had the ability to survive such an ordeal.

It has been a wild winter in terms of weather…with floods and blizzards raging across the country, evacuations have become almost the norm. However, when people are evacuated to shelters or to the homes of friends or relatives, they rarely are allowed to bring their dogs with them. What happens to these dogs? Well in North Dakota, volunteers have turned out to shelter and care for these dogs, while their owners can’t. Valuable lessons have been learned from Hurricane Katrina when animals were left behind, by owners, many of them died or were separated from their families forever.

In Fargo, North Dakota, the Red River threatened horrible floods and many were forced to leave their homes and their dogs behind. However, there was help on the way. About 200 animals including a large number of dogs were brought to the Red River Valley Fairgrounds Animal Shelter. This is a make-shift shelter created by the Fargo-Moorhead Humane Society and Adopt-A-Pet. They turned a horse pavilion into an animal shelter by lining one of the walls in the pavilion with dog crates. The dogs that were bothered by the barking and other dog activities were housed in a quieter area housing the cats. Over 100 volunteers from 30 states have come to help out at the shelter. Blankets, animal toys, food have been donated to help the dogs during this tough time. Many just come to walk the dogs, spend some time or clean up after them.

This animal rescue plan was in the works back in 2005 after the lessons from Katrina were learned. Thomas Colville, director of North Dakota State University’s veterinary technology program, said local veterinarians and area humane society officials began crafting an emergency plan for animals following the Louisiana disaster.

Let’s hope that the animals will soon be returned to their families. In the meantime, they have been kept warm, dry and fed!! I’d say these dogs were very lucky to be in North Dakota, despite the prevailing weather conditions!!

That might sound like a ridiculous title, but there are children who have peanut allergies so bad that any type of exposure to peanuts, peanut products or peanut protiens can be life threatening.

So is the case with Riley Mers of Monument, Colorado. She was diagnosed with her peanut allergy when she was merely 5 months old. Riley’s allergic reaction to peanuts is about as severe as they get. The severity of the allergy, identified as anaphylactic allergy, often comes with another allergic condition known as eczema. According to Riley’s Mom, “… her skin cracks, and then whenever she touches something, it gets straight into her bloodstream, and that’s what causes her to go into anaphylaxis. If there’s a heavy peanut protein in the air, and she breathes it in and it gets in her lungs … it can be very serious very quickly, and there’s no way for you to be able to tell all the places where a peanut might be.”

However, Riley is beginning to live more normally as an eight year old, since Rock’O has come into her life. After contacting Angel Service Dogs, Rock’O came into the lives of the Mers to keep Riley safe from anything peanut. Rock’O is specially trained to sniff out any peanut associated products or peanut protiens in the air. The training for Rock’O cost about $10,000, which was raised by family and friends of the Mers. Rock’O goes through continuous training to insure that he is correct 100% of the time. A small error could be life threatening for Riley.

Rock’O has already protected Riley, from peanut threats, even as close to home as her own back yard. Some squirrels were chowing on peanuts and shedding the shells in the yard. Rock’O made sure that Riley didn’t get anywhere near those shells. Riley is looking forward to the many safe adventures she can now have with Rock’O by her side!!

For more information on Angel Service Dogs, click here!!