My Final Trip to the Pond???

 Tuesday was a beautiful day on Cape Cod, so we went for a walk down to my favorite pond. Because it might be my last trip until we move to the desert, my person took some pictures, to help us remember how beautiful it is. Not that the desert won't be beautiful, but it will be beautiful in a different way.

Snake Bites

As promised, I found an excellent, up-to-date article about snake bites. It comes from one of my favorite web sites on veterinary issues: www.veterinarypartner.com.

Click on the following link: Snake Bites: Prevention and Treatment
(If link does not work, copy & paste the following URL into your browser: http://www.VeterinaryPartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=2111).

Blanche Dubois was bitten on the face by a poisonous snake. Photo is from above article, where it was used courtesy of Maribeth Johnson. (link to original image on veterinarypartner.com:  http://www.vin.com/ImageDBPub/VP05000/IMG02077.JPG )

It's Been a Long Time......

It's Been a Long Time......But I am Back in the Writing Mode Again. I suppose I got lazy. You know, I turned 6 on June 1st. That means I am now middle-aged. Nevertheless, it's time for a new beginning. I have heard my two masters talking about going to the desert, so I finally started paying attention. Apparently, we are going to be moving to Arizona, near Tucson, where it is hot and dry and much better for Don's asthma. He has been coughing a lot this summer and has been been talking a lot about "bad breathing days." Supposedly, there is not much pollen or mold in the desert. I'll bet that means that the scratching I do sometimes will improve there, also. Right now, I take an antihistamine called Zyrtec twice a day. It does not stop all the scratching, but makes it less. The other thing Lucy does (she says it helps--who knows) is that she wipes my face and ears with a damp towel when we come inside after my morning walk. 


Oh, and did I mention---There are SNAKES in Arizona??!!!! I don't know much about them, but Lucy has been studying busily about how to treat snake bites. I will have to post something about them soon. It sounds important, so I owe it to myself and my dog-friends to find out more...........


Here is a couple of new photos of myself, taken on my 6th birthday. I do not know WHY my people seem to think that a birthday hat is cute, but here it is!

 
I will be back soon........... Woof!
Love, Ginny

The Veterinary Emergency Funding Mission is preparing to hold a National SpokesPET Contest

The Veterinary Emergency Funding Mission (VEFM.org) is preparing to hold a National SpokesPET Contest. Since I am VEFM's official mascot, I am obviously very excited about this. Please go to VEFM's blog to participate in the discussion. They are looking for lots of ideas on how to run this important competition.
(http://vefm.blogspot.com/2010/04/we-are-taking-ideas-and-suggestions-for.html)

Could it be that fleas are getting resistant to our products? Read the article and decide for yourself.

Make Your Diagnosis

Resistance to a Flea Product?

By Michael W. Dryden, DVM, PhD, Kansas State University

March 11, 2010 (Article found in Clinician's Brief, March 2010 issue)

A mixed-breed dog and 2 domestic shorthair cats were presented for severe flea infestation.

History. The owner reported that fleas were first seen 4 weeks ago on all 3 pets. He purchased several flea products from hardware stores, pet supply stores, and a local veterinarian but concluded the fleas were resistant to the products because none seemed to be effective. The owner reported that the dog sleeps indoors and is restricted to a fenced-in backyard while outdoors; the cats are kept indoors exclusively.....

[The full article can be found at this link:
http://www.cliniciansbrief.com/column/make-your-diagnosis/resistance-flea-product]

Check out this article on the wonders of a dog's nose

... "Dogs live in a world of smell, not sight, writes Alexandra Horowitz, a professor of animal behavior, in her new book "Inside a Dog's Mind: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know."...
=> For the complete article, follow this link: http://www.adn.com/opinion/story/1127842.html



Photo credit:
http://faithfool.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/dognose.jpg

Training Your Dog to Settle or Relax | Cat and Dog Behavior and Veterinarian Care

Training Your Dog to Settle or Relax | Cat and Dog Behavior and Veterinarian Care

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A Doberman Helps Owner By Going For Help

This wonderful article illustrates (once again) how perceptive dogs can be about things that are amiss with their owners.


http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/231047

Some Behavior Techniques are Not Good for my Psyche

My humans say that I have some "behavior challenges." I think that means that they think I am a little messed up, mentally. Supposedly, I am a " reactive dog." I have heard them say that I was not well-socialized as a puppy. I did not go to live with them until I was 10 months old, and I suppose that I had lived a rather sheltered existence before that. I had always been with my brother (from the same litter), so he was always my shield against danger. When I went out on my own, with my new family, there were times when I was nervous, especially around dogs or people I didn't know. I found that it made me feel more powerful if I bounced and barked at them, but this did not seem to make my people happy. They have been teaching me to relax, using something called a clicker, followed by a treat.

My human partner has been reading a lot of information, lately, about how "aversive training techniques" are not helpful or humane for a nervous dog like me, who is basically insecure. She read an interesting press release on the subject, so she wants me to share it on my blog. Here it is: http://www.dogwelfarecampaign.org/

Cat food recall originated in same plant that sickened dogs, firm says

This is a disturbing news article about Diamond Foods.

Cat food recall originated in same plant that sickened dogs, firm says

Cat food recall originated in same plant that sickened dogs, firm says

Cat food recall originated in same plant that sickened dogs, firm says

An Important Update on The Veterinary Emergency Funding Mission

As my friends know, I am the official mascot of The Veterinary Emergency Funding Mission. My person writes a blog for them, just like mine. Her blog is vefm.blogspot.com. She wanted everyone to know that VEFM did receive official, tax-exempt status from the IRS several weeks ago. However, the IRS is very slow at updating their web site, so, if anyone is disturbed by the fact they cannot find VEFM listed on the IRS list of charities, they can confirm their 501(C)3 status by calling the IRS (toll-free) at 1-877-829-5500. The corporate name is: The Veterinary Emergency Funding Mission LTD (EIN: 26-3396722)For more information, visit this page on the IRS web site:
http://www.irs.gov/charities/article/0,,id=96136,00.html

Diabetes Mellitus Part 1: Diagnosis

My veterinarian/human thought has seen several cases of diabetes recently, so when this article came out in the latest issue of Clinician's Brief, she thought it would be helpful to share it. I was happy to hear that German shepherds are one of the breeds listed that are at decreased risk of diabetes.

Diabetes Mellitus Part 1: Diagnosis

http://www.cliniciansbrief.com/column/consultant-call/diabetes-mellitus-part-1-diagnosis

Important Cat Food Recall

I know I'm not a cat, but my person has many cat friends, so I am passing this on.....
Certain lots of Premium Edge Cat Food have been recalled, due to a thiamine deficiency. Thiamine deficiency is treatable and reversible in cats, but can cause some alarming neurological signs, such as staggering and a strange flexing (downward) of the head and neck. Here is the recall notice from Diamond Pet Foods--http://www.premiumedgepetfood.com/promotions/66/

A New Witch Hunt In Massachusetts???

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This disturbing story appeared in the newsletter of Best Friends.org

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"A New Witch Hunt in Massachusetts:

"The City of Mashpee will hear an alarming breed discriminatory bylaw at its Annual Town Meeting on October 19, 2009. This disturbing bylaw includes claims that certain breeds have “a strong instinct for dominance” and a prey drive that results in “aggressive pursuit of . . . human children”. These statements made in Section 1 of the proposed bylaw are reckless and entirely unfounded. Even more appalling is subparagraph (i) under Section 4 of the proposed bylaw. It reads: 'In the event [a pit bull type dog has] a litter, the owner or keeper (i) must deliver the puppies to the Town Kennel for destruction. . . . Any pit bull puppies kept contrary to the provisions of this subsection are subject to immediate impoundment and disposal. . . .'."

For the complete article, go to the following web address:

http://network.bestfriends.org/News.aspx?pID=12799

~

Recall of 2 lot #'s of 85 lb plus size of Iverhart Plus Chewables

The following is an excerpt from an article that was posted in The VIN News Service:

Virbac recalls Iverhart Plus

August 20, 2009
By: Jennifer Fiala
For The VIN News Service

Virbac Animal Health has recalled Iverhart Plus flavored chewable tablets for dogs after routine stability tests showed that samples from two lots did not contain sufficient amounts of ivermectin to give dogs weighing 85 pounds or more six months of parasite protection.

The company, which sent out a letter to distributors last Friday, reports that lots 090093 and 090095 of the heartworm preventative, sold between March 20 and April 5, are affected.

A third lot, 090073, initially was named in the recall, but subsequent tests revealed the related product was not subpotent....

The rest of the article can be found at the following link: http://news.vin.com/VINNews.aspx?articleId=13680

An Open Letter to Veterinarians, By a Veterinarian

"The Growing Problem of Clients Who Cannot Afford Emergency Care"

After about 10 years working in emergency hospitals, it became painfully clear that, the more advanced our ability to provide adequate care became, the less the average person was able to afford it. In our recent economic downturn, it has become a real crisis. With the widespread use of specialized emergency and critical care hospitals for overnight, weekend, and holiday coverage for general practitioners, clients and their sick and injured pets are frequently caught in a desperate situation. They find themselves in the midst of a medical emergency, in a hospital where there is no ongoing relationship with the doctor providing the care, and faced with charges that are likely to be much higher than they are accustomed to, not to mention the requirement of immediate paymentFew would disagree that state-of-the art veterinary care should be available and easily accessible. It also goes without saying that facilities that provide this level of care must charge more for their services than practices with lower overhead. However, often we are dealing with owners who have chosen a particular emergency facility simply because their own vet is using it to cover emergency calls. Suddenly, they are faced with charges that could easily be three or four times when their normal vet would charge. There are some ethical questions, here. Should an emergency hospital that offers round-the-clock care, sophisticated critical care monitoring, and advanced surgical and medical treatment, be willing to offer care that is less than state-of-the-art, simply because an owner cannot afford it? Is it right to turn someone away and risk the animal's death, because they do not have enough to pay for treatment? As veterinarians, where do our allegiances lie?--to the owner and their emotional and financial needs; or to the animal and its comfort and general welfare? What about our own financial needs? It helps no one if veterinarians give so much of their services away that they go out of business. Nor does it help if we give away so much of our time and energy that we burn ourselves out and either lose our compassion or leave the profession.I would really like to get a dialog started about this important issue. My husband and I are trying to build up an organization that will help find funding for people who cannot afford emergency care. It is called The Veterinary Emergency Funding Mission. Other similar organizations have fallen short because they have depended only on the generosity of individuals. I think that this issue is far too important not to get the backing of veterinarians and local communities around the country. Perhaps an internet dialog will get the word out and start people thinking about how to make change happen.

Lucy L. (Pinkston) Schroth DVM - President & Co-Founder of The Veterinary Emergency Funding Missionhttp://www.vefm.org/ (blog - http://vefm.blogspot.com/ )(vefmmail@gmail.com)

"Help me to help financially strapped owners pay for emergency vet care."

"Together, the veterinary community can make a BIG difference."

~~~

A Tribute to K-9's

This is a great You-Tube Slide Show.

"Finding the Right Diet for Your Dog," an article by Darlene Arden

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"Finding the Right Diet for Your Dog"

(Article © 2000 Darlene Arden. First published in AKC Gazette, March 2000)

Click on the above link to read this informative article, written by behaviorist, author, and long-time dog and cat owner Darlene Ardene. It is an excellent summary of the issues involved in feeding your dog. When one talks to people in the "commercial diet" camp and the "raw diet" camp, it sounds as if they are arguing about religion.....Darlene's article discusses the pros and cons of both types of feeding and suggests that rigid adherence to any one method, especially without the nutritional education to back it up, can be quite dangerous to your dog's health.

For more information about Darlene Arden, go to her web site, www.darlenearden.com or visit her on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/petxpert

Darlene's latest book is "Rover, Get Off Her Leg!" - "Pet Etiquette for the Dog Who Pees on Your Rug, Steals the Roast, and Poops in Improper Places." - (available at www.amazon.com) For more information about this informative, irreverent book, go to Darlene's "room" in The Red Room, an online writer's community (www.redroom.com) - http://www.redroom.com/author/darlene-arden/bio.

As an aside (and this is strictly from a dog's perspective, since it's MY journal and I AM a dog!), she's a really nice person. Shhhh......Don't tell anyone that I was the one who said this, since German shepherds are supposed to be aloof with people outside their family. I wouldn't want to tarnish my image.

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Flu Vaccine?? Don't Jump on This One Right Away

The New York Times published this article about a newly FDA approved vaccine against canine Influenza (Flu).
New York Times Article (June 30, 2009)
Of course, they make it sound as if every dog with a "pushed-in" (brachycephalic) facial conformation should have this vaccine. However, a recent article in Veterinary Practice News (June 23, 2009) stated that "Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health’s Canine Influenza Vaccine, H3N8, has been granted a conditional product license." A conditional product license is just that--"conditional." The Veterinary Practice News article goes on to say that, "During the conditional license period, Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health will continue to submit data obtained in support of the product’s performance, which will be evaluated by government regulators to determine whether a regular product license may be issued. The vaccine, made from inactivated virus, has been demonstrated to reduce the incidence and severity of lung lesions, as well as the duration of coughing and viral shedding." This last statement is significant. It means that it does not prevent canine Influenza, nor does it cure the disease. "It is intended as an aid in the control of disease associated with canine influenza virus infection, a type A, subtype H3N8." So far, although it may play an important role in controlling existing outbreaks in group-housing situations (like shelters), veterinary infectious disease specialists are NOT yet recommending it for the average "dog on the street." The reasoning behind this position is explained in the Vet. Practice News article. "Because the virus is a novel pathogen, most dogs have no immunity to canine influenza. Therefore, the infection can spread quickly through animal shelters, adoption groups, pet stores, boarding kennels, veterinary clinics and any location where dogs congregate." However, in spite of the fact that it is highly contagious, it is not the "killer virus" that the media has implied. For more information on the disease itself, visit this page on Veterinary Partner, a client education site. (article)