Animal Care Clinic San Luis Obispo Veterinary Hospital
Written by Stephanie Ruggerone, Practice Administrator
After months of anticipation our family finally received the fantastic news that Recco, the beautiful Golden Retriever we raised from the age of seven weeks, was preparing to formally graduate as a guide dog with a new life partner. Many puppies that begin this journey vary from the path for a variety of reasons and become what is known as “career change” dogs. We have raised many puppies for Guide Dogs of America, have had a number of career changes and, were hoping for another graduate so we were thrilled with the news!
As much as we wanted Recco to learn this important work and be a successful guide dog the news is exciting, scary and sad at the same time. You are so excited to finally hear the good news and can’t wait to see your puppy again and met the new team at the graduation ceremony. At the same time you are nervous that your puppy won’t remember you or perhaps his new owner won’t like you. Then comes the final realization that Recco would not be coming home to us as a career change and this new step in his and our lives is permanent.
We were told that Recco had been matched with a “seasoned” guide dog user named Karen. The term seasoned simply means his new partner had previous experience using a dog for mobility and Recco would not be her first guide dog. The school also notified us that Karen was a “Golden Person” and had been waiting for a Golden Retriever to replace her prior dog, for a year! Of course we were thrilled to learn she really wanted a Golden and were doubly excited to hear Recco and Karen were a “match” from the first time they met.
Guide Dogs Of America takes every consideration into matching up the guide dog with the needs of the visually impaired handler. They consider size, speed of walk, living style, home and work locations as well as the type of daily routine the guide dog will be expected to become accustomed too. Even when every possible alternative is taken into account, the first match of dog and owner may not ultimately be the best. It is not unusual for trainers to have several dogs in mind for the same applicant. A trainer took Recco to Karen’s home for a “test drive” and the match was sealed as soon as Karen and Recco went for their first walk together.
Inexperienced guide dog applicants must spend 28 days living at the dormitory at Guide Dogs Of America learning the skills of navigating with a dog and developing the bond necessary for successful guide work. Because Karen is so experienced she qualified for what is called “in home training”. She and Recco were still considered part of the class of eight students residing at the school, however she and Recco had a trainer come to Karen’s home to practice mobility skills together in her own environment. This can be very beneficial for that student who finds it difficult to spend 28 days away from family and work responsibilities.
Fast forward to graduation day! While we were told a little about Karen when Recco was matched and we were advised there would be a graduation to attend, we really had no idea who we would be meeting. The anticipation was almost too much as we waited to meet Karen and be reunited briefly with Recco. Puppy raisers are given a mini orientation on what to expect during the graduation ceremony and how to respond to seeing their puppy after six months of training. It is so important to focus on the team and not just the dog – after all; a successful team is the ultimate goal of the entire GDA program. We are all aware these wonderful animals are not ours and want so much for their new owners to know how much we loved them and how much we want their new life with this dog to be perfect. At the same time, imagine how the graduates feel knowing their new partner will be seeing the ones they grew up with, not knowing the raisers and somewhat apprehensive of how their dog might respond during this reunion. The same concerns the puppy raiser has, the graduate also may have…will they like me? Will my dog still understand he is my partner? So we all met each other with a whole lot of excitement coupled with a little trepidation.
For us the reunion could not have been better. Karen is simply the perfect partner for Recco! She was open and friendly from the beginning and after only a short period of time I felt like I had known her for years. Karen is a beautiful lady, easy going and so fun to continue to get to know. We are blessed that she is open to having us as part of her friendship circle. I was so proud to sit beside Karen and Recco on the graduation stage. Proud of Recco that he proved to have the willing attitude to learn to guide and proud of Karen that she could transition to another dog and make a new bond with Recco. As I sat there beside them, Recco placed his head on Karen’s lap while speeches were being made. The tears welled up but I kept them at bay. These were not tears of sorrow but tears of joy for the life Karen and Recco were staring together and the bond between them that was evident for the world to see.
There will be bumps in the road. This holds true for all of us so I know Karen and Recco will have their share of trying times. I firmly believe that trying times are what make us better people and I know they are always better when someone stands beside you. Karen has her husband, Mike on one side and Recco on the other. There is mutual love and I hope and believe this partnership will last for many years. Go Karen & Recco!
(Karen’s husband, Mike, is scheduled to receive a new guide dog himself in late April. We plan to be there to see him proudly graduate with his own new guide. After all, this is extended family.)
Payton as a 7-week puppy
Written by Jennifer Evans, DVM
One month ago, I returned my Guide Dog puppy, Payton, to Guide Dogs of America to start her formal guide dog training. I drove her down to Los Angeles where we had an emotional send-off with 35 other puppy raising families. After meeting together, we each got to take our pups to the kennel and introduce them to their new roommate. It was really somewhat funny in a sad way- the humans were all crying and the dogs were all having a blast wrestling with their new buddies! I have to admit; I took it much harder than I thought I would. I wasn’t bawling like the kids were, but let’s just say I had to sit in the car for a while before it was safe for me to drive home. I figured as a vet I would be able to stay more objective but when she was about 9 months old I remember looking at her and realizing it was too late, I loved her.
Payton as a young adult
As difficult as this was, I’m still glad I did it. I received Payton when she was a tiny 7-week-old puppy and gave her up as a wonderful, sweet, well-rounded 17-month-old. It has been a crazy year and a half! She now begins 6 months of formal guide dog training, learning how to recognize and safely guide her person around any obstacle. When she is
done she will be matched with a blind person who fits her personality, pace, energy level etc.; and they will go through a month of training together. Then comes the second bout of tears, yet the reason I did all this- I get to go to their graduation and see her one last time before she starts her career of being someone’s eyes and independence. This was one of the most difficult, yet rewarding things I have done and I would highly recommend it to anyone who is up for the tears and the joy!
Update: I received a postcard from Payton after she has been in training for several weeks now. She reported that training is going well and she is enjoying learning her new tasks! We will let you know when we find out more how her formal training is going!
There are so many interesting news stories out there about pets and other animals, veterinary medicine or other animal related topics! Each week we’ll be gathering some stories that might be interesting to you, so keep posted each week for new stories! Hopefully you’ll find the information is some of these articles useful and interesting!
•”Veterinary Q&A:Knee Problems in Dogs” – Understanding and treating knee problems in dogs
This is a great article explaining luxating patellas in dogs, symptoms, treatment options and much more!
•”Vet Report Gives Tips on How to Provide Salmonella Infections”
A report in the Journal of the American Veterinary Association gives tips on how pet owners can keep themselves and their pets safe from salmonella infections. Several pet products have been recalled in recent months due to salmonella issues and with many owners also feeding raw diets, possible salmonella infections is something any pet owner can be at risk for.
More people are bringing their dogs on road trips. Safe and proper restraints are being increasingly recommended by some animal advocates and law enforcement agencies which can reduced distracted driving that may lead to injury of both owners and pets.
Veterinarian John Beck describes tips on how to check a dog’s or cat’s vital statistics.
Here’s a story of a dog that ate some abandoned marijuana while on a hike. Luckily this story ended well for Lily, but it does not always end well for all.
• Pet owners push back against rule banning joint human-pet burial
A recent ruling by New York state’s Division of Cemeteries has some residents up in arms who want to be able to share a final resting place with their pets.
It’s becoming more common for pets to play an important role in their owner’s wedding day, so much so that some wedding planners are incorporating this into their business.
It is International Assistance Dog Week! No better time to give an update on Recco and officially introduce Fayme.Our last guide dog puppy, “Recco” is over half way through his formal harness training and we are proud to announce he is doing great!! We have received two postcards from Recco telling us he is enjoying his new responsibilities and is proud to be wearing his guide dog harness.After passing the tough physical and temperament exams at Guide Dogs of America he began some serious obedience practice and was introduced to his new trainer. He has learned left and right commands, stopping at curbs and intersections and how to pull out to lead. Next step is working in increasing difficult traffic with many distractions. We are so proud of Recco, but miss him dearly. Everyone keep your fingers crossed that he will continue to learn and enjoy his new roll, so in a few more months we will receive the long awaited invitation to attend his graduation with a permanent life partner.
Stephanie with new guide dog puppy, Fayme
Now lets meet “Fayme”. What a little pistol is this sable German Shepherd! Her pedigree is very strong in German lines with the hope that she will mature into a very intelligent and level headed adult, worthy of a place in the Guide Dogs of America breeding program.
All puppies are raised with the goal of being a working guide, however those showing exceptional qualities may be reassigned to the breeding program to produce more exceptional dogs. Guide Dogs of America originally began with all German Shepherd Dogs, a wonderful working breed. Over the years other breeds, such as the Golden Retriever and the Labrador retriever, were introduced to guide work and somewhat replaced the extremely high energy German Shepherd. A big part of the success of a guide dog is the matching of personalities and making sure each dog will thrive in the lifestyle of their blind partner. Using several different breeds makes this matching task much easier. Lifestyles have changed as society has become more technical with mass transit, computers, distance learning and telecommuting. Guide dogs, in many placements, no longer require the higher energy levels to walk miles each day taking their partners to work and social engagements. The German Shepherd breed likes activity, needs more exercise and requires a partner with strong leadership qualities to make a well-rounded team. Guide Dogs of America would like to increase the number of German Shepherd guides available to their students who want this high energy, loyal, and often-serious working partner.
Fayme is doing extremely well for a five month old GSD puppy. Shepherds are famous for being a bit on the vocal side, however with the assistance of all Animal Care Clinic employees, Fayme learned in the first week that whining was not acceptable. She is quiet and calm when crated and was easy to house train. While she is not fond of wearing the “mini guide dog jacket,” better known as the “bib,” she is adjusting as we take her out more in public places. She is finally completing her vaccination schedule so she is ready for more socialization and new experiences. Her ears are “up” for those who know how precarious this can be for a shepherd puppy, and while a bit “leggy” right now she is developing a nice sturdy body with no early signs of hip or elbow problems.
We have a long way to go with Fayme but it was less than two short years ago that we said the same thing about Recco, so on with the training!!
There are so many interesting news stories out there about pets and other animals, veterinary medicine or other animal related topics! Each week we’ll be gathering some stories that might be interesting to you, so keep posted each week for new stories! Hopefully you’ll find the information is some of these articles useful and interesting! Since this week is International Assistance Dog Week, all of these recent stories about dogs that have been an assistance dog in one way or another.
The "Owney" Forever Stamp
•”These are Dog Days at the Post Office” – Legendary postal service dog gets his own stamp
Learn about why “Owney” the dog is getting his own Forever Stamp with the U.S. Postal Service. He was one of several dogs that carried letters and packages in the days of the Old American West.
•”Canines Trained to Help People with Diabetes” – Canines get new lease on life as diabetic-alert dogs
The nonprofit CARES, or Canine Assisted Rehabilitation and Education Services, is a relatively new organization that trains dogs to act as alert systems for people with diabetes. These dogs are able to smell when their human partner has low blood-sugar levels, before those humans know.
•”The Human-Canine Bond: Can Play Cure PTSD in Dogs
Just as people can get PTSD from traumatic situations dogs put through situations like war zones, violent crime scenes and abusive homes can suffer from a similar condition. Just as pets have been shown to help people get through, so have humans been shown to help dogs get through.
•”Dogs Get Chance at New Life” – 2 rescued dogs win spots in police-dog training program
Two lucky dogs have been chosen from the Franklin County Humane Society to be dogs in training candidates for a Virginia Police Dog program.
•”Honey, Stop the Car: Monuments that Move” – Smokey the Terrier
Smokey was a Yorkshire Terrier that was a hero of World War II. His help kept American soldiers from being put in danger.
Rocky has a new lease on life after his military service and losing the use of his hind legs.
•”Military Dogs Enjoy Brighter Future After Service” – There’s New Life After War For Military Dogs
Military working dogs were once euthanized after their service was over, but now their handlers are putting pressure on the military to adopt them when their duties are over.
There are so many interesting news stories out there about pets and other animals, veterinary medicine or other animal related topics! Each week we’ll be gathering some stories that might be interesting to you, so keep posted each week for new stories! Hopefully you’ll find the information in some of these articles useful and interesting! This week we have some articles specifically related to cats!
•”Does Your Cat Eat Strange Things?” – Unusual eating habits in cats warrant a veterinary visit
Ever heard of the disorder called pica? This is when animals eat unusual nonfood items. It has even been tied to a few clinical illnesses like feline immunodeficiency virus and feline leukemia. If your cat eats unusual items, this may warrant a trip to the vet for several different reasons.
•”Can Classical Music Calm Cats” – Does music soothe the savage feline?
At Colorado State University a veterinarian and psychologist are pairing up to study if classical music will calm cats. They will be looking to see if they are less stressed, which can be beneficial since calm cats are much easier for vets to examine both on the person and the cat.
•”Pet Talk: Fat Cats Indeed are Developing Diabetes” – Report: Feline diabetes is on the rise as cats get fatter
According to a report from Banfield Hospitals, there has been a 16% rise of diabetes diagnosed in cats since 2006. It is on the rise in dogs as well. Gaining weight through eating more and exercise less is the most likely contribution to the reason why. There may be others factors involved, but regardless it is important to feed both dogs and cats a little less and get them moving more.
•”Veterinary Q&A: Vaccinations for Indoor Cats” – What vaccines do indoor cats need?
Dr. Matt Mickas from Washington State University explains the vaccines the cats need even if they are indoor only and the reasons why they are important.
•”Kitten Survives 50-min Wash Cycle”
Cats like small dark hiding spaces, so be sure to check that your kitty doesn’t jump through the door while your back is turned. It could lead to an unfortunate experience. Fortunately this kitten turned out okay after a night of hospitalization at the vet.
•”Once 35 lbs., ‘Biggest Loser’ of cats now weighs 29″ – Obese cat loses the equivalent of 100 human pounds
Otto, short for Ottoman, is so obese that his little heart and lungs have been working overtime to keep Otto going. He has also developed arthritis from bearing the extra weight. Otto has a new lease on life since his owners surrendered him to his vet and they have started him on his weight loss journey.
There are so many interesting news stories out there about pets and other animals, veterinary medicine or other animal related topics! Each week we’ll be gathering some stories that might be interesting to you, so keep posted each week for new stories! This week’s articles are all related to animal behavior. Training tips, techniques and behavior problems are some of our most common questions. Hopefully you’ll find the information is some of these articles useful and interesting!
•”Petless People: A Breed Apart?” – Studies ID differences between pet owners, non-owners
Statistics from the American Veterinary Medical Association is showing that there are fewer people that do no own pets and the number of pet-owning household has increased. Medical sociologist Joan Liebmann-Smith has revealed through recent studies that the two groups of people differ in other ways including quality of health, social and nurturing abilities.
•”Conference raises awareness about specialized pet care” – Colo. forum highlights the role of veterinary specialists
A recent conference, held last week in Colorado, held a forum to promote public knowledge about the role of veterinary specialists in their pet’s healthcare. Small-animal internist Sandy Willis encouraged pet owners to talk to their own family veterinarians about seeking referrals to specialists saying, “In the Long run, their quality of life is going to be amazing, and it actually costs less if we figure out what’s really going on.”
•”Mammals Smelled Their Way To Bigger Brains” – A scents-able explanation for bigger mammal brains
Humans are not alone in the relatively large brain size compared to body size. Most mammals are the same way. A researcher at the University of Texas has now shown that through evolution, as brain size grew the biggest increases were the area of the brain that controls smell.
Many families with autistic children are finding that having a dog in the house makes a big difference in life. Benefits help with language abilities, calming tantrums and just in general interpersonal communications and family relationships.
Veterinarians are generously donating their time to helping in veterinary care for dogs in a program at State Correctional Institution Muncy to do basic obedience training for service dogs with the non-profit organization, Canine Partners for Life.
This article explains the treatments of a couple pet owners that turned to holistic medicine as an alternative.
Animal therapy is gaining in popularity within hospitals and hospice care as it has been shown to provide physiological benefits, including lower blood pressure and reduced feelings of anxiety, depression and isolation.
•”Living with pets may protect infants from allergies”
It’s looking like timing could be the key to preventing allergies in children. ”"Dirt is good,” says lead researcher Ganesa Wegienka, Ph.D., summing up the theory. “Your immune system, if it’s busy with exposures early on, stays away from the allergic immune profile.”"
In a New Jersey hospital, researchers have found that patients suffering from heart failure are having better outcomes after interaction with dogs. A dog vs. a nurse is much more likely to get people out of bed and doing therapy walks.
There are so many interesting news stories out there about pets and other animals, veterinary medicine or other animal related topics! Each week we’ll be gathering some stories that might be interesting to you, so keep posted each week for new stories! This week’s articles are all related to animal behavior. Training tips, techniques and behavior problems are some of our most common questions. Hopefully you’ll find the information is some of these articles useful and interesting!
This week we have a bunch of articles relating to summertime! Here are some articles on summertime tips, traveling with your pet, mosquito season and pet-friendly hotels.
“What to Know When Traveling With Your Pet” – Tips for ensuring pet safety during summer travel
Travel has increased in recent years as more U.S. owners opt to take their animal companions along for family trips, and so has incidents involving pets. This article from the New York Times offers tips for keeping pets safe during travel such as providing the right carrier, booking flights early and keeping pets in comfortable kennels.
“Buttoned Up: Pet care requires planning” – Tips to keep pets safe and cool all summer long From a blog aimed at taking the stress out of busy women’s lives,this article lists5 items to check off your list to make sure everything is in order for your pet this summer.
“How to keep Fido clear of summer hazards” - Keeping dogs safe in the summer heat Summertime means outdoor fun for both pets and their people, but it also can present hazards for dogs in the form of such things as overheating and sunburn. This article offers tips for protecting pooches from summertime perils by providing them with easy access to water and shade, taking them out for walks in the late afternoon or early morning and keeping them clear of outdoor grills while they are in use.
“The New Science of Understanding Dog Behavior” - Expert offers advice on keeping dogs happy From National Public Radio, here’s an interesting article extracted from a Fresh Air segment. Keeping dogs psychologically healthy requires a great deal of responsibility from canine owners, says animal behaviorist John Bradshaw and author of a book titled “Dog Sense: How the New Science of Dog Behavior Can Make You a Better Friend to Your Pet.”
“Keep your four-legged friends safe this summer driving season” – Safety should be a priority for owners traveling with pets Many pet owners will be among those who hit the road this summer for a holiday with their families and furry companions, alike. Car travel with an animal can be distracting for humans and uncomfortable for the pet. This article offers a series of tips, attributed to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), for making vehicular travel easier and safer for all.
“Pet Talk: Heartworm prevention needed now more than ever” – Columnist: Heartworm is now found in all 50 states Heartworm is a parasite that was once thought to be found primarily in the Southern United States, but not any more. It has now been found in all 50 states, making it important for pet owners to know about it and protect their pets as protection is much easier than treating this horrible parasite especially during the height of mosquito season.
“Why It Pays for Hotels to be Pet Friendly” – More hotels find pet-friendly policies pay off Being pet-friendly is good for business in hotels as more people are traveling with their pets. Hotels that opt to accept pets along with their people often see higher occupancy rates and are providing extras like treats and directions to nearby parks for owners.
There are so many interesting news stories out there about pets and other animals, veterinary medicine or other animal related topics! Each week we’ll be gathering some stories that might be interesting to you, so keep posted each week for new stories! This week’s articles are all related to animal behavior. Training tips, techniques and behavior problems are some of our most common questions. Hopefully you’ll find the information is some of these articles useful and interesting!
“This Business Grows Every Time Fido Does His” – Growing pet populations feed the need for scooping services
The U.S. pet dog population has tripled since 1960, bringing three times the animal waste along with it. About 500 small local companies and three national pooper-scooper franchises are capitalizing on consumers’ desire to have someone else clean up after their dogs. Many of the companies highlight the public health benefits of having the waste properly removed, to keep it from spreading parasites to humans and other animals and prevent it from washing into water bodies and feeding algae blooms that kill fish.
“Spring allergies” – Pets are prone to seasonal allergies
Allergies are a problem right now for people and pets. Allergies can be exhibited in problems with skin, ear infections, and respiratory issues. Owners should see their vet if your pet is exhibiting excessive scratching, hair loss, chewing, and inflamed or raw skin.
“When a Pet’s Love is all You Have Left” – Caring for the pets of newly homeless people
A growing number of people in Portland, Ore., are finding themselves newly homeless and living on the streets with their dogs. Shelters in the city and many others across the country don’t allow people to bring their pets, so owners opt to keep the bond with their animals and brave the great outdoors. Volunteers including Amy Sacks, founder of The Pixie Project, have increased their outreach efforts to help homeless pet owners find free clinics for spaying and neutering, vaccines and other basic veterinary care.
“Just a dog, yes, but he taught our dog the perils of skipping doctor’s visits” – Dog’s dental damage highlights dangers of skipping veterinary visits
This family put off veterinary care for their dog, knowing what needed to be done, but other seemingly more pressing matter kept popping up. This family learned the hard way that sometimes it is cheaper to take care of the issue before it blows up into a bigger problem.
“Help your pet deal with aging issues” – Tips to make life easier for aging pets Learn way to make life a little easier for aging pets as arthritis and hearing loss begin to kick in. Make the transition through life stages easier on you both.
“Mama Moose and Jack” - Human-animal bond is applicable to more than just domestic pet This is a great story about a college girl befriending a moose! Not a likely pairing!
“Running with Fido: Looking for a reliable training partner? Here’s some tips for jogging with your pet” – Tips for safely starting a running regimen with your dog Running together can give you and your dog a good workout, provided the animal is of an age, size and breed that’s well-suited to the exercise. Start with a visit to the vet who knows your dog and have the animal thoroughly checked out before beginning, advises AVMA President-elect Rene A. Carlson.
There are so many interesting news stories out there about pets and other animals, veterinary medicine or other animal related topics! Each week we’ll be gathering some stories that might be interesting to you, so keep posted each week for new stories! This week’s articles are all related to animal behavior. Training tips, techniques and behavior problems are some of our most common questions. Hopefully you’ll find the information is some of these articles useful and interesting!
Behavior:
•”Dog pee – it’s kind of their Facebook profile“ – A study recently published in Animal Behaviour found that female dogs are just as likely to mark with urine as males. Much of this has to do with pecking order.
•”Canine Corner: Human intellect is key to avoiding incidents with stray dogs“ – Read more here about dog bit prevention. Broad estimates show that 10-12% of dog bites are from strays, so learn how to avoid dangerous encounters.
•”Hope for dogs with storm or noise phobias“ – A common phobia dogs have is being scared of the noise from storms. This article has some helpful information on how to help your four-legged friend cope with and get over their storm phobia.
•”Female Dogs Aren’t Easily Fooled“ – In a research project aimed at studying physical understanding of objects dog’s see showed results researchers weren’t expecting. Male dogs tend to use scent more and female dogs paid closer attention to what they could see.
•”Declawing cats should be a last resort“ – This article explains the surgery of declawing and some things about it many people may not know. The veterinarian also explains some other options to try before using declawing as a last resort option.
•”Pet Talk: Curb your cat’s conniptions at the vet“ – It is very common for cats to throw tantrums when they visit the vet, especially if they are not exposed to other people frequently. Learn some tips to make your cat’s vet visits less interesting, which will make the entire experience easier on you, your vet, and less stressful for your cat.
•”MRI Anxiety Eased by Therapy Dog” – One 16-year old girl found that when she needed an MRI because of frequent headaches it helped to calm her by petting her dog for 15 minutes prior, allowing doctors to get better quality images because this is such a motion sensitive test. Since then many other patients have benefitted from the same therapy.
•”Cats rub to say ‘Hi’ not ‘I’m Hungry‘” - With pet obesity on the rise, it is important that we read cues from our pet’s well. Don’t mistake your cat rubbing against your leg to mean that they want food.
•”Start socializing puppy before completing vaccination schedule“ – Don’t wait for the final round of vaccines to begin socializing your puppy, as this period is the most important and influential time for socialization. Instead find a puppy kindergarten class and start around 7-8 weeks old if possible.
•”When owners stay, the cat’s can play“ – Regular interactive playtime with your cat can reduce boredom, misbehavior and even keep your cat healthier!
•”Kittens learn to be class acts at kindergarten“ – Trainers and veterinarians are beginning to offer Kitten Kindergarten classes across the U.S. Classes are designed to help with behavior and social skills that will make for a happier adult cat.
•”So long litter-box: These cats are potty-trained!“ – Learn how to train your cat to use the toilet instead of a litter-box. IT can be done, but takes planning and patience!
There are so many interesting news stories out there about pets and other animals, veterinary medicine or other animal related topics! Each week we’ll be gathering some stories that might be interesting to you, so keep posted each week for new stories!
Healthcare and Prevention:
•”Parasites can spread from pets to humans” - Pets can spread parasites to people, but regular checkups and preventive care can prevent these zoonotic diseases. This article mentions the most concerning parasites, who is most at risk and how to prevent disease transmission.
•”MU researchers pioneer animal diabetes treatment” - University of Missouri veterinarians are designing a device that can track glucose concentrations over a 3-day time period, allowing vets to make better decisions on care and diabetic management.
•”13 Foods Never to Feed Your dog“ – We all like to indulge our pets, but it’s important to make sure those foods are safe as there are some human foods that can be harmful to dogs!
•”What to do when you suspect your pet is in pain but is hiding it“ – The difficulty veterinarians have is our patients cannot tell us exactly how they feel and what is wrong. Learn some signs to look for that you may not realize can be a clue that your furry friend is in pain or uncomfortable.
•”Exercise and the couch-potato pooch” - Similar to their human owners, about 65% of dogs are overweight!
•”Exercise you pooch and both of you will lose your paunch“ – Consider your dog’s breed to determine the best exercise regimen for your pooch so that you can both get healthy and keep from pushing your pet beyond it’s limits.
Pampering Pets and Fun Stuff:
•”Dog Massage? Isn’t Petting Enough?” - Though there is little scientific evidence and research that supports massage therapy, many pet owners believe it can offer the same benefits that people enjoy.
•”Spoiled Pets: 6 Ways to Pamper Pets” - Most U.S. families consider their pets as another family member and extend certain luxuries to their canine/feline family members.
•”When the Fur Doesn’t Fly“ – Pet-stay facilities convenient for air travelers.
•”Japanese couples enlist pet dogs as canine ‘witnesses’ in marriage ceremonies” - As the pet industry grows in Japan, one hotel is offering couples a “dog wedding” package.
•”Pick a Pet: How to choose the right dog for your children“ – The American Veterinary Medical Association estimates that 37% of families have pets. Children with pets tend to get more exercise, but there are some things to consider before jumping in!
•“How to grow a beautiful, yet dog-safe garden“ – If your dogs roams your backyard with access to your garden and other plants, make sure there are not any plants that could be poisonous and choose pesticides that are safe to your pets.
There are so many interesting news stories out there about pets and other animals, veterinary medicine or other animal related topics! Each week we’ll be gathering some stories that might be interesting to you, so keep posted each week for new stories!
•“Pets show signs when they aren’t well, doctors say” - How do you know when your pet is sick?
•“Cummings School students train to respond to animals in danger during disasters” – Course gives veterinary students a taste of doctoring in a disaster
•” ‘Dr. Google’ not always best when pets are ill” – Internet info doesn’t replace reliable veterinary care
•“Veterinary Q&A: Why does it cost so much to clean a dog’s teeth?” – A veterinarian explains why teeth-cleaning costs vary
•“Dr. Elizabeth Bradt: Dangers of pet dentistry without anesthesia” – Dentistry without anesthesia may do more harm than good
Written by Stephanie Ruggerone, Practice Administrator
Like the saying goes, “all good things must come to an end,” or so that is how my family feels as we process the letter we received from Guide Dogs of America last week. Yes, the long dreaded recall letter came advising us it is time to give up our beautiful boy so he can finally learn to wear a harness and guide a sight-impaired individual.
Recco still has the most difficult part of his training to accomplish. He will be assigned to a California State Licensed Guide Dog Instructor and spend the next five to six months learning how to navigate a blind person through the dangers of everyday life. Two of the most difficult transitions he will need to master are “intelligent disobedience” and becoming responsible for his new partner’s safety.
Only about 50% of the dogs that begin their journey to become guide dogs will successfully complete their final harness training. Once Recco passes his physical and temperament testing the stressful part of his training is just beginning. We have done a tremendous amount of groundwork so that Recco will hopefully not encounter frightening situations he has never seen. What is difficult to prepare him for is making the change from following the direction of us, his puppy raisers, to taking charge when necessary and NOT following the direction of a blind partner if safety is at risk.
Recco seems unconcerned with the harness!
He will be required to learn the “straight line” concept and only vary from a given direction to avoid an obstacle, coming back to the straight line again after the danger has been passed. He will learn to stop at all curbs as well as the “bumpy” wheelchair ramps you now see at most intersections. He will learn to look up and identify possible dangerous situations from tree branches, overhangs and building fixtures that he could easily go under but not a blind partner. He will learn to back his partner up when danger crosses the path and will learn to stand his ground when asked to go forward in a dangerous situation. In essence, he will learn to be responsible for the “transport” of the team from one location to another and he will need to take this job seriously.
I hope in six months we will be invited to see Recco graduate with his new partner and give you another update on how all this training went. We would love to have a photo of Recco proudly wearing the harness and finally becoming the true gift of sight.
Recco has been an easy dog to raise; fun, loving, intelligent (most of the time) and a breeze to train in basic obedience and general manners. We could not have asked for a better dog. Our job is done and we will send Recco off with an ocean of tears and the hope he will be successful and make a world of difference for someone who needs him. Goodbye our little “Reckster”, we love you and will miss you! Hello Fayme, an eight-week-old German Shepherd to start the cycle over again…Oh Boy, what have I gotten us into now?
There are so many interesting news stories out there about pets and other animals, veterinary medicine or other animal related topics! Each week we’ll be gathering some stories that might be interesting to you, so keep posted each week for new stories!
Impacts of Veterinary Medicine with Human Medicine:
• “Human Studies Might Benefit Zoo Animals” - Zookeepers can incorporate information learned from human research to better care for nocturnal animals that spend time in displays that recreate night and vice versa.
• “Simple Injection Could Cure Cat Allergies” - Researchers are formulating a vaccine that may help lessen cat allergy symptoms in people. This injection could equal the effect of a year’s worth of allergy shots!
• “MU Dog Study May Hold Parkinson’s Clue” - A finding of researchers from the University of Missouri, could provide insight to human hereditary Parkinson’s.
• “Big Blue’s Tiny Bug Zapper” – Researchers develop a nanoparticle that shows promise to work against superbugs that have become resistant to antibiotics.
• “Man’s Best Friend: A Joint Tumor Marker in Man and Dog” – Austrian researchers found a common tumor marker in both species in studying breast cancer with hopes to develop therapeutic procedures.
Advances in Veterinary Medicine:
• “Pet Vet: Cancer in Pets” – The life expectancy of pet’s with cancer has increased from available treatments in surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation.
• “Surgeon Says Paw Implant Goes Well for Husky Zeus” – Read about this Husky that underwent a four-hour surgery for a new prosthetic front paw.
• “Algae for Pet Health: An Integrative Approach” – Read about a veterinarian’s experience with using algae as a supplement to help with some veterinary medical conditions in pets.
• “A Look at the Alternative” - Alternative and complementary medicine is becoming all the rage with many veterinarians expanding their knowledge and pet owners asking for more care options. The AVMA has guidelines for these therapies including acupuncture, botanical medicine and massage therapy.
• “English Springer Spaniel Stray Beats Cleft Palate” – An English Springer Spaniel stray beats the odds with a rare birth defect and the help of U.C. Davis.
Miscellaneous:
• “Mexican School Joins an Elite Group” - The National Autonomous University of Mexico School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Husbandry was granted full accreditation by the AVMA Council on Education in early March!
• “When Pets Outlive Owners, ‘Retirement Homes’ Offer Refuge” - As pets are living longer, some facilities and vet schools are offering care or new homes for animals left behind.
• “Why Some are Devoted to Grandpuppies” – As the human-animal bond has increased in the modern age, many people consider dogs as members of the family, especially in childless households.
There are so many interesting news stories out there about pets and other animals, veterinary medicine or other animal related topics! Each week we’ll be gathering some stories that might be interesting to you, so keep posted each week for new stories!
This week:
Service Dogs
There are several articles here about different types of service dogs. Anything from helping retired service men detect seizures, detecting low blood sugar in diabetics to helping students cope while at school! There sure are some amazing things that dogs do to help us!
•Police dogs provide cops with additional capabilities
•Therapy dogs gain in popularity at U.S. campuses
“Checking Out Monty: Yale Law Students can Reduce Stress with Therapy Dog”
“For Law Students with Everything, Dog Therapy for Stress”
•Service dogs provide valuable help for returning veterans
“Service Dogs Warns Veteran of Coming Seizures”
“Service Dogs Provide Comfort for Veterans Back from War”
•Some diabetes sufferers look to dogs for assistance
Veterinary Care During Economic Downturn
The economic downturn has hit people across the U.S. in many different ways. There’s unlikely a single person who could say it hasn’t impacted them in one way or another. Here are a couple interesting articles on how it has affected people with their pets.
•Pets continue to suffer in economic downturn
•Americans are spending more on their pets, despite tough economy
Spring is Here!
From allergies, springtime flowers to spending more time outside there are many ways are pets can accidentally get themselves into trouble! Here are some great articles on coping with allergies, discouraging digging, and preventing poisoning by some popular spring time flowers and plants.
•Helping pets cope with allergy season
•AKC expert offers tips to keep dogs from digging
•Spring flowers can prove a potent poison when ingested by pets
“Pet Owners Beware Some Trees and Flowers”
“Veterinarians Caution Pet Owners: Dangers At Easter Time”
“Unleashed: Celebrate Easter, but be wary of dangers to your pets”
There are so many interesting news stories out there about pets and other animals, veterinary medicine or other animal related topics! Each week we’ll be gathering some stories that might be interesting to you, so keep posted each week for new stories!
This week:
Human and Animal Health
Health of humans and our fellow mammals can be very closely related. No matter whether it’s how our lives interact and impact that of wild species (or vice versa) or discoveries that have been made through scientific studies, there are many important ties. Today we have some recent stories that showcase our relationship.
“Under-the-radar tick diseases spreading across the U.S.”
“Uncontrolled disease in dogs threatens wildlife, humans in remote B.C. areas”
“Shar-Pei Dogs Shed Light on Human Fever Syndromes”
“Supermoon Lunacy: Does the Moon Make Us Crazy?”
Exotic Animals & Livestock
Here are some fun stories about veterinarians and animals that we do not regularly interact with at Animal Care Clinic. How many vets does it take to examine a gorilla? How does body language relate to communication 101 with livestock? How do you fix a hawk’s broken wing or treat glaucoma in an elephant? These are some stories you’ll learn about below!
“Veterinarian helps put red-tailed hawk back in the air”
“Dancing with sheep or cattle takes practice for producers”
“Paignton Zoo’s elephant Duchess has glaucoma”
“Gorilla checkup provides international insight”
Human-Animal Bond in History
There have been several stories recently about archeological findings of the relationship between man and dog that goes way back! This is a bond that goes further in history than many originally thought!
“Indians, dogs were companions in life and death centuries ago”
“Clues dug up: France and lap dogs go way back”
“Millions of Mummy Puppies Revealed at Egyptian Catacombs”
There are so many interesting news stories out there about pets and other animals, veterinary medicine or other animal related topics! Each week we’ll be gathering some stories that might be interesting to you, so keep posted each week for new stories!
This week:
Human-Animal Bond
• Losing a pet is always difficult. No matter what kind of pets you have cared for, we can all relate to how the loss of a beloved friend affects us. The following articles are each from a different perspective. The first from the person who lost their pet. The second from a veterinarian on what to consider when you are trying to decide when to say goodbye.
-”Losing a Pet – Is the Joy Worth the Pain?”
-”Pet Talk: Is your pet suffering?”
Nutrition/Health
• A recent hot topic has been pet obesity, and it’s on the rise! Pet obesity seems to have followed along with the epidemic in human obesity. Just as it is easier to eat fast-food that is dense with empty calories, then same goes for many pet foods and treats on the market. Think about this, one premium pig’s ear for your dog to chew on is the equivalent to 6 12-ounce Coke Classics!! No wonder our pets are following us and adding pounds to the scale. On the other end of the spectrum pet owners also tend to get more exercise than those people without pets. There have been several articles in the news recently that looks further into this epidemic.
-“When Man’s Best Friend is Obese“
-”Just like people, our pets are putting on weight“
-”Fat cats and plump pooches, a growing concern“
• Your veterinarian is always the best person to consult about the best diet for your pet. Dietary needs can change based on your pet’s life-stage, and requirements will vary individually based on your pet’s breed, size, activity, or disease processes. Here’s a couple interesting articles seen lately just on diet.
-”Raw Diet or Commercial Pet Food?”
-”Little Oversight on Ingredients in ‘Senior’ Dog Food, Experts Say“
• If your pet is having digestive problems, the cause can vary between many different causes. One possibility could be pancreatitis. Pancreatitis is one of those problems that we don’t know exactly everything about and can be very tricky to treat. Causes can be anything from diet to trauma!
There are so many interesting news stories out there about pets and other animals, veterinary medicine or other animal related topics! Each week we’ll be gathering some stories that might be interesting to you, so keep posted each week for new stories!
This week: With the tragedy following the earthquakes and tsunami in Japan there have been many stories recently focusing on search and rescue, radiation, and ways to donate. Well below you can find it all in one place!
Check out this podcast by the AVMA with an update on the Japan disaster!
Disaster Preparedness
In light of the Japan tragedy that is ongoing many are thinking more about how they can prepare for any possible disasters. Here in California on the central coast, earthquakes are probably on the top of the list. Natural disasters come when we least expect them and the best way to come through safely is to be prepared ahead of time and to have an outline of a plan on what to do. There are several resources you can look for information:
•American Veterinary Medical Association – Their website page on the Japan disaster under the news section has links for everything from disaster preparedness and emergency response guides, podcasts, videos, travel warnings, and radiation safety coming from various government sources.
•FEMA Information for Pet Owners – This web page has information on how to plan for pet disaster needs, how to prepare to shelter your pet, what to do during a disaster, and what to do after a disaster.
•AAHA HealthyPet.com – This pet owner resource has a couple of great articles with information on what questions you should be asking ahead of time and links to other resources as well as how to care for your pets during emergencies.
Places to Donate for Relief
•American Veterinary Medical Foundation – The AVMF has a Animal Disaster Relief and Response Fund. According to the AVMF this fund is “designated to support state and national disaster relief efforts. Grants are provided for immediate disaster needs, but more importantly, to help provide training, disaster preparedness and response planning to ensure those organizations, states and or communities are disaster ready.”
•Entrepreneur.com – This site had an article on “How to be Entrepreneurial with Giving.” We cannot vouch for all of the organizations listed in this article, however it mentions many different organizations that are either directly donating or collecting donations for Japan. As always be cautious before donating to an organization you are not familiar with.
Notable News Stories
•“In a battered Japan, dogs search for human survivors” – This article talks about how many search and rescue teams traveled to Japan using dogs to find human survivors. Many of these teams came from the United States and quite a few originally from California.
•There have been many stories on groups working to rescue animals ranging from pets to livestock to wildlife amidst the Japan disaster. Below are some touching stories, with heart-wrenching photos and video, about working to rescue animals and the reunions that follow.
-”Rescue Operations in Japan Target the Country’s Furry Friends“
-”From Porpoise to Pets, Animal Rescue Efforts Intensify“
-”Japan’s pet survivors face post-tsunami struggle”
-”Helping pets in post-disaster Japan”
-”Video of Loyal Dog in Japan Reveals Canines’ Social Roots”
•With the impending danger and ups and downs at the nuclear power plant in Japan, the concern over radiation exposure has been a popular news story. Most of what we have heard is regarding radiation found in food and the worry of a radiation cloud traveling towards the United States. In the article “Pet Owners Worried about Radiation Cloud,” a UC Davis veterinarian discusses the risks to giving your pet potassium iodide tablets.
• “Joy as Dog, Owner Greet after Tsunami” – This most recent story is heart wrenching about the dog that survived for 3 weeks at sea floating on a roof! Everyone should watch the video on this amazing story!
There are so many interesting news stories out there about pets and other animals, veterinary medicine or other animal related topics! Each week we’ll be gathering some stories that might be interesting to you, so keep posted each week for new stories!
This week:
•“World’s loudest cat: Hear Smokey purr as loud as a Boeing 737″ – This is a fun, short and sweet article with an audio clip.
•“Protect Your Pet from Alzheimer’s” - Where people can get alzheimer’s our dogs can get a similar syndrome called cognitive dysfunction. As UC Irvine has found out, exercise is not only good for our dog’s hearts and waistline, but for their brains!
•“Dog Head Size Predicts Strength, Speed” – Several recent studies have found correlation between head size and shape with strength and speed of dogs. This likely applies to humans and apes as well!
•“A Teen’s Best Friend? Kids with Dogs Exercise More” – A study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine shows that children and teens in dog-owning families tend to exercise more.
•“Dog-Friendly Travel: iPhone Apps for Pets, and more” – This article gives information on some iPhone Apps that can make traveling with pets easier or at least ease the anxiety of separation.
•“Popular Exotic Pets in Focus” – Exotic pets are on the rise in homes across America and this article shows some of the more popular exotic pets.
Written by Melissa Reuter-Wagoner, RVT
Many of our canine companions would agree that a tennis ball is one of the most exciting toys they own. The sight of a tennis ball usually leads to joyful tail wagging and a game of fetch. Unfortunately, this toy can also lead to excessive wearing of a dog’s teeth. The fibers that cover a tennis ball are surprisingly abrasive and meant to withstand the hard surface of a tennis court. This abrasiveness can actually wear through the enamel and dentin of teeth, shortening the crown and sometimes exposing the internal root canal system. However, playing fetch with your dog is a fantastic way to give them exercise and keep them fit.
A tip to keep your dog’s teeth from being damaged is to use a ball other than a tennis ball. There are medium weight rubber balls sold at pet supply stores that can serve just as well for a game of fetch, but do not have a fibrous covering. Rubber balls do not sand down tooth enamel because their surface is much more slippery. You should also keep in mind that smaller balls and pieces of chewed up balls (including tennis balls) are commonly removed from dogs surgically. Be sure that the balls you use are too large to be swallowed by your largest dog, and too tough to be chewed into pieces by your strongest dog.
For dogs that just love their tennis ball, a good compromise is to only use the ball for fetching and not allow free access to it. This means put the ball away in between games and don’t allow your dog to gnaw on it. This will help to minimize damage to their teeth. In between games, offer your dog a safe rubber chew toy to keep them entertained!
There are so many interesting news stories out there about pets and other animals, veterinary medicine or other animal related topics! Each week we’ll be gathering some stories that might be interesting to you, so keep posted each week for new stories!
This week: Veterinarians in public service
•“Canine handler aids Japan rescue effort” - Firefighter/paramedic Gary Durian of Yorba Linda is one of six canine handlers who arrived Saturday in Japan. Durian and his dog, Baxter, will spend time in northern Japan working on search and rescue efforts.
• U.S. Team bound for Japan in animal-rescue effort – A New England crew from the International Fund for Animal Welfare in Yarmouth Port is on their way to Tokyo today. They will be meeting with animal rescuers, veterinarians, and government agencies to assess the problem of displaces pets and livestock and the need for supplies, clean water, and shelters.
•“Lompoc man a military vet and local veterinarian” - Dr. Raghavan Sampathkumaran has recently returned from returned from Kuwait and Kyrgyzstan where he was caring for army dogs that worked sniffing bombs and as guard dogs. His role has also involved inspecting the army food supply.
•“Vet Emergency Response Team Mobilised” - The New Zealand University sent the new Veterinary Emergency Response Team to Christchurch to care for animals after the earthquake.
•“Veterinarian shares skills with Haitians” – Joe Snyder of Myrtle Point, Oregon recently spent some time in Haiti giving the people there a crash course in animal care. This could be life saving to prevent disease in a country where there are virtually no veterinarians and animals are a life-hold to the people that own them.
•“Animal rescuers on stand-by” – No significant reports have been made by an animal search and rescue team after the earthquake in New Zealand.
Written by Bonnie Markoff, DVM, ABVP
I love going for drives with my dogs. I have three of them. Zeke and Teague tend to sit together in the front seat. They are really too big for this, but manage to intertwine their legs enough to get comfortable. They trade off putting a head in my lap and both keep an eye on me to be sure I am driving safely. Pete is the older dog and he must trust me more. He likes to take the entire backseat to himself. He particularly likes to stick his nose out the window while he watches the scenery go by. On long trips they take turns stretching out on the dog beds that are set up in the back of the SUV, and they are very well behaved in hotels.
Not every pet travels like that. Some are nervous or anxious. They may whine, meow, yowl or even bark. They may pace or continually get up and down. Some just sit still and shake. Others get car sick and either drool or vomit on your beautiful car interior. This can put a serious strain on the relationship between a human and a pet – so what do you do.
Carsickness is treatable! I believe that nausea can be the root of much of the anxiousness and vocalizing that we see in some pets. It is virtually always the cause of vomiting and drooling. For years we have used diphenhydramine (Benadryl) to try to treat carsickness. It works a lot like Dramamine. There is now a drug approved specifically for treating carsickness in dogs. It is called Cerenia and is very successful. One pill a day is all they need!
Stress and anxiety in the car is much harder to manage. If Cerenia does not work, we recommend you start by confining your pet with familiar bedding. Set up a crate in the car, preferably the crate your dog sleeps in when indoors. Put his favorite blankets or toys in the crate. Be sure that the crate will not rattle or make any noises as you drive. Dogs are den-loving creatures, and the comfort of a solid sided “room of her own” can be enough comfort for many pets.
If this does not help, you may need to convince your dog or cat that car rides are wonderful. Start by feeding your pet in the car – but don’t turn it on. Once they readily accept that meals are associated with the car, try turning on the engine while they are eating. After a week of two of that, drive very slowly to the end of the block & back while they are eating. Be sure there are no sudden stops or turns. After a few weeks of that, it is time to try being in the car at times other than mealtime. Ask you dog to jump into the car and then give him a treat and immediately let him jump out. Next step is to get into the car with your pet and turn on the engine. Let it idle for 5 minutes or so and then give your pet a treat and let her out. The next step is to drive a short distance and return home, followed by a treat. Keep slowly increasing the intensity of the experience, making sure it is always positive and always associated with something good, like a treat.
If you cannot convince your pet that car rides are fun using the above techniques, then you need some veterinary behavioral consultation. Dr. Jennifer Evans at Animal Care Clinic has a special interest in behavior and can work with you to help your pet ride better in the car. She may use some anti-anxiety medications or other behavior modification techniques to help Fido or Fluffy ride with you more happily.
Call us at Animal Care Clinic for more information.
There are so many interesting news stories out there about pets and other animals, veterinary medicine or other animal related topics! Each week we’ll be gathering some stories that might be interesting to you, so keep posted each week for new stories!
I’ve seen so many news stories recently that focus on animal behavior and the human-animal bond. I just didn’t want to wait to long to share them with everyone, so enjoy!
• I Sniff, Therefore I Am. Are Dogs Self-Conscious? This article explores self-awareness in the animal kingdom and how it varies between human, apes and down the line to dogs. We all have our own thoughts on this idea. Well it has been tested various ways and among them the mirror test. See what scientists have found out so far.
• Wall-E on ‘GMA’: How You Can Adopt a Dog A particular story of a puppy spurs thousands of people to write and try to adopt it. This story highlights how many great dogs (and cats) are in need of homes waiting patiently in shelters across the U.S.
• Prehistoric Dog Lived, Died Among Humans Researchers found evidence of human-dog interaction in prehistoric times based on the remains of a male dog in Siberia.
• Special-Needs Pets Will Enrich Your Lives With Love This article enforces our own Stephanie Ruggerones article from a couple weeks ago. No different than with people, just because a pet’s body doesn’t function “normally” has nothing to do with the amount of love they give back to us!
• UC Davis vets’ online survey asks about cats and kids Previous research has shown that cats have a calming influence on people. UC Davis veterinarians are currently conducting a survey about the relationship between cats and children. For more information and to take part in the survey, check out this story.
• Man and a goose form unlikely friendship Maria the Tolouse goose waits every day for her human friend Dominic Ehrler at Echo Park, California. She is very protective of her friends. She even seems to have affinity for rock stars as she wouldn’t leave the members of the band Ok, Go alone during a filming of a music video. Instead of fruitlessly attempting to remove her from the scenes she became one of the stars of the video.
• Cats Adore, Manipulate Women Regardless of the sex of the cat, a study has shown that the dynamics of cat-human relationships are almost identical to human only bonds. This is especially true when the human involved is a woman.
There are so many interesting news stories out there about pets and other animals, veterinary medicine or other animal related topics! Each week we’ll be gathering some stories that might be interesting to you, so keep posted each week for new stories!
This week:
•“Dogs Love of Poop Turned to Scientific Good” – Scientists at the University of California at Berkeley are now using dog’s ability to sniff out poop of certain animals to study wildlife! They use this method as a non-invasive method to study wildlife!
•“Which Breed is America’s Top Dog?” - According to the number of dogs registered each year with the American Kennel Club (AKC) the bulldog has bumped the boxer down a notch, but the lab still remains America’s number 1! Check out this article to see where your favorite dog breed ranked!
•“Young Pets Require More Than Hugs” – As spring is beginning to edge in on winter we are seeing lots of puppies and kittens. Don’t forget that these youngsters require around the clock attention. Puppies and kittens also needs more frequent trips to the vet for vaccines and other preventive care along with training to shape wanted behaviors.
•“Nearly Mailed Puppy Paired with New Owner in Minnesota” – A puppy made the headlines when a postal worker heard noises coming from a box and saved a puppy from what likely would have been a deadly ride through the U.S. postal system!
•“Earth Gets Spoils of Animal Composting” – The idea of animal composting hasn’t made it’s way to companion pets at this time, but is gaining momentum as a green alternative to disposing of road kill and other animal carcasses!
PetsMatter Newsletter is written by the American Animal Hospital Association with a dose of pet health, behavior and lifestyle articles from veterinary professionals. Articles featured in this issue include:
•Expert Explores Unexplained Animal Behavior
•Bringing a New Kitten Home
•Cats Get Arthritis Too
•I Want to Be a Veterinarian When I Grow Up
•Does the Carpet Match My Dog? Pet-Friendly Amenities Attract Home Buyers
Check out the full newsletter and links to this issue’s articles on HealthyPet.com!
Dr. Michael Cavanaugh, AAHA Executive Director, responds to a recent article that highlights the risks of letting your pets sleep in your bed. Original article from MSNBC can be found at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41235440/ns/health-pet_health/.
We think this video sums up our opinion on this story pretty well. There are some risks of pet ownership as far as zoonotic diseases (diseases transmissible between people and animals) go, and this is our job as veterinarians to educate pet owners about. Several team members of Animal Care Clinic share their bed with their pets and this recent article will not change this. As long as pets are current on their preventive care there is a very low risk for anything to be passed. Common sense of doing things like washing hands will go a long ways in keeping everyone healthy! So keep enjoying the comfort and companionship of your pets and let us know if you have any questions about your pet’s preventive care!
Written by Nicole Gunkel, RVT
You may already know that two of our own staff members are currently raising puppies for Guide Dogs of America, but did you know that dogs can be used to help autistic kids, U.S. soldiers/veterans, and even sniff out cancer?! As a part of my job in the veterinary industry, as well as my interests in pets and medicine, I’m always trying to keep up with the latest news. I’ve been seeing quite a few articles recently that talk about pets and their many different ways they are used to service both people individually as well as our community as a whole, and wanted to share some of these really cool stories! Please click the links below to read the original articles and comment or let me know if you have heard about any other really cool stories!
In recent years there have been several stories documenting how dogs have helped autistic children to connect with others around them. They learn about feelings and needs and help to reduce stress. Meet Wyatt, the Rhodesian ridgeback and his owner Janice Wolfe who is taking the steps forward to help many more children in this USA TODAY article, “Rhodesian ridgeback stands tall as service dog for autism.”
Dogs are also helping those people currently serving in the military across seas and back home. Just as dogs have a calming effect with autistic children, they can help alleviate stress of soldiers deployed across seas. The News Tribune in Tacoma, Washington had an article about two dogs that prepared for a mission to Iraq.
Just as the healing effect’s of dogs in the armed forces have been shown, they are now being advocated for veterans after they have served in the military. The Veterans Dog Training Therapy Act has currently been referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. You can follow the progress on GovTrack.us. Check out this article on USA TODAY “Man’s best friend could soon be veteran’s best medicine.”
Auburn University researchers have developed a custom harness that will allow dogs to be guided remotely. This could be used for dogs to take on dangerous tasks in military and security operations and provide benefits for helping disabled people. I found this article really fascinating on Discovery News called, “Dogs Guided Remotely by Stealth System.”
We all know that one of dog’s best senses is their sense of smell. Dogs are used in search and rescue in events like avalanches and fallen buildings to sniffing bombs and drugs. But you probably have never heard of a dog that could sniff out cancer! Well, think again! Several dogs in Turkey are being trained and their sense honed to do just that. Check out this really cool article, “Canine Cancer Detectors Introduced in Turkey.”
I know that there are so many other avenues that dogs, and even cats, are being used to help others. As I find other current news stories I’ll try to share them with you as well. If you would like to learn more about dogs in service or think your dog would make a great service pet, let us know! Guide Dogs of America is always looking for more great puppy raisers. The Delta Society trains and screens volunteers and their pets to share their healing powers in places like, hospitals, schools, rehabilitation centers and many more. Of course nothing takes away from the amazing benefits of owning a pet and the human-animal bond!
Stephanie and Red Fred
Written by Stephanie Ruggerone
In the movie “Seabiscuit”, trainer Tom Smith states, “You don’t throw a whole life away just because it’s banged up a little”. Oh how I wish more people would view the world this way! While I have loved many animals in my life, it is the ones who had “special needs” that have taught me the most valuable lessons.
Our animal companions do not feel sorry for themselves nor do they expect special treatment. Regardless of the origin of their “defects”, by birth, illness or injury; they forge ahead with life and find ways to overcome disability. They possess the same devotion and love as normal animals but we often discard them because they don’t look right or require a little extra care on our part. While some of these wonderful creatures may require additional financial means, most simply need someone to accept them as they are and allow them to burrow into a human heart.
Blind animals can quickly learn to navigate a home and yard and enjoy leashed excursions once they know you will be their “guide human”. They compensate for their lack of sight tactility and with sound. Keeping a radio playing in a specific part of the home or hearing a water fountain gives them points of reference.
Deaf pets can learn hand signals and feel vibrations. Oh, but how do you get their attention to teach the signals? Use the nose! Food will keep their attention for quite some time. They often learn to “check in” with their human friends by frequently turning to look for signals. Yes, it takes some additional time to ensure these animals are safe in their environment but well worth the effort!
Missing body parts often seem to be a big factor for us but rarely a problem for the animal. We often fail to look beyond the appearance and can’t imagine these animals being happy. With proper exercise they can frequently run like the wind, keeping up with their full-bodied friends. Some even excel in agility!
Napoleon is one of my current special needs “kids”. He was born with a syndrome called “swimmer puppy” and his future was questionable. He learned to walk (and run) through he isn’t exactly graceful and he is absolutely wonderful with my two year old grand daughter. He has given my family seven years of snuggles, smiles and lots of laughs. He may not be “normal” but has endless value to me via unconditional love.
Never thought of adopting a special needs pet? Try it! I think you may find you not only like it but it may become habit forming.
By Bonnie Markoff, DVM, ABVP
We have had several questions related to pet behavior on our KSBY Local Experts page. Pet owners have concerns about barking, biting, scratching, jumping, destructive behavior, animals getting into things, basic training and boundary training. Most of these problems stem from trying to bring an animal into our civilized homes. Our expectations may seem unreasonable to our canine & feline friends. Expecting your dog to stay away from yummy items in a trashcan is similar to asking Aunt Norma to not partake in the dinner you set before her.
When we bring animals into our homes, we must remember that barking, digging, searching out good food and being an intimate part of a group are all natural behaviors. Luckily, dogs and cats are very trainable and can learn to be civilized members of the team. If we start when they are young, training is usually quite easy. We set boundaries, remain consistent in enforcing these boundaries and gently provide alternatives. If you do not want adult animals on your couch or bed, you must not let them on the furniture when they are young. In fact, you must make it impossible for them to access the furniture until they learn the rules. This may mean confinement to a crate or other area of the house. Puppies who jump up need to learn that they will NEVER earn physical contact or praise when they are jumping up. They should be taught to sit and stay so that when they jump up we can tell them to sit and then give loads of praise for this alternative behavior.
Some behaviors that we find extremely disruptive are important survival instincts and can be very hard to eliminate from certain pets. Dogs who get into the trash or eat things off the counter, often never learn otherwise. These can be situations where we need to put things away immediately and keep our trashcans in places the dogs cannot access. Cats who urine mark territory, can be equally frustrating. Early spay and neuter may prevent this. Sometimes we can use medications or pheromones to prevent the behavior. Barking is sometimes extinguished by keeping dogs where they cannot see or hear any outside stimulus (i.e. indoors with the TV on.) Some dogs will require a bark collar. I do not like the use of shock collars, but find the citronella collars to be effective in many situations. Cats that scratch furniture can often be trained to stop if given acceptable alternatives.
Good training and behavior modification can be complicated. Programs should be individualized to each family and pet. Some dog trainers are very good with these types of interventions. In some cases, a veterinarian with a special interest in behavior will be required. At Animal Care Clinic, our Dr. Jennifer Evans can help with most behavior concerns. We can also provide referrals to good local dog trainers.
Written by Jennifer Evans, DVM
We’ve all heard the saying ‘fighting like cats and dogs’ but sometimes cats and dogs can be the best of friends!! If raised together, dogs and cats are often great buddies; playing, sleeping and even eating together. There is something quite profound about seeing a large pit bull snuggled up with a cat, they should be enemies yet they aren’t. Kind of makes you wonder what we should be capable of as a ‘more intelligent’ species!
Baldwin (cat) and Bean (dog)
While it’s true that some dogs just simply can’t safely be around cats, many can be taught appropriate ‘cat manners.’ The easiest way to start integrating the two species is either with a youngster of each or with an adult dog or cat that is used to the other species and a youngster who doesn’t know they should be afraid. An adult cat that runs unfortunately becomes a really fun game for a puppy and can actually become ‘prey’ for adult dogs that don’t know better. Whenever introducing the two, always have the dog under control with a leash and have the cat’s nails trimmed. See how they do and progress from there. Keeping the cat in a crate for short training periods and rewarding the dog when he ignores the cat or possibly squirting him with water if he’s too fixated will sometimes help an adult dog learn how to peacefully co-exist with a cat. Always be cautious when introducing new critters to each other and never leave them alone unsupervised until they have proven they can get along safely. Sometimes it takes a while for them to become friends.
Rocky (cat) and Petey (dog)
Our office manager Lavella adopted her “chiweenie” from the shelter months ago and it took a while for her cat ‘Rocky’ to accept the new addition, but in time he realized the benefits of having another four-legged buddy in the house. The rewards of having a dog and cat that love each other are quite numerous, not the least of which includes really awesome photo ops!
Slink playing in the snow.
Written by Marissa Greenberg, DVM
Though it hasn’t felt like it lately, winter is here! As you plan any trips this winter, consider including your dog if you are going to the snow! Most dogs seem to take to the snow naturally, and just love playing in it! When I moved to Washington with my dog Slink, she had never experienced the snow. But she instantly loved it and enjoyed running through it, looking for things to chase underneath it, and trying to catch snowballs! There seems to be something about it that just energizes some dogs. The first time Mico went, he instantly loved it as much as Slink!
River wearing her winter jacket.
There are several activities you can do with your dog at the snow. The first is just playing in it! Letting them run, play, try to catch or find snowballs, and digging through it can be very entertaining for all involved. There are many places you can take dogs with you on trails where you can snowshoe or cross country ski. It is important to make sure that your dog is comfortable in the cold weather-some may need sweaters or jackets if they are short haired breeds. If running around a lot in the snow, your dog may need booties to protect their pads. Also, make sure they have a water source that isn’t frozen over and that they have a warm place to sleep.
River loves jumping to catch snowballs!
Skijoring
For the real snowy condition enthusiasts, you may want to try your hand at skijoring. Skijoring is where a dog or pair of dogs are harnessed and connected to a skier, thus pulling the skier along the trails. Any medium to large sized dog could enjoy this sport! The other dog snow sport is of course, dog sledding. If you are interested in more information about either of these sports, please check out this website http://www.psdsa.org/Default.aspx.
We would love to see pictures of you and your pets out enjoying the snow! Have fun out there enjoying winter wonderlands of snow with your pets!
By Bonnie Markoff, DVM, ABVP
It’s Christmas time. A time I often reflect on how God has blessed us so richly. One of his greatest blessings is the animals. This morning our pastor used a wonderful animal analogy in explaining God’s mercy on us. I wanted to share it with you and expand upon it a bit in hopes that this analogy will help you better appreciate and thus enjoy this often-stressful holiday season.
Christmas is all about God’s tender mercy on us, and His plan to save us from ourselves. As my pastor tried to explain mercy this morning, he recalled the feeling he had as he walked through local shelters and saw the dogs & cats that needed homes. He was not an animal person (but I think he is now!), yet the plight of these little ones tugged at his heart. He wanted to save them all. God has this same desire to save us all. His love for us tugs at His heart. Some of us gladly jump into His arms, lick His face and enter His family with tails wagging. Others pull back, bare our teeth and bite or scratch when He tries to feed us. It is so comforting to know that God will keep working with the reticent, hoping they will someday come around. I just love that God has given us animals to help demonstrate His love for us.
When I come home each evening I find my dog running towards my car, wiggling and squirming with joy. My first reaction is to feel loved and to share in the joy that my dog is experiencing. I am often reminded that I wish I could approach God like that – with reckless abandon and pure joy. How lovely would my life be if I could just develop that one skill? I am so thankful to God that He has given me this daily reminder of how much He loves me. I hope you feel that same joy, peace and love this Christmas.
(If you want to hear the entire sermon with the dog adoption story, go to Gracevine.com and under the resources tab, go to sermons. It is the 12/12/10 sermon and will likely be available just after Christmas.)
Written by Stephanie Ruggerone
November brought two exciting “events” to ACC employees. Dr. Evans received her long awaited guide dog puppy, “Payton”, and Practice Administrator Stephanie Ruggerone’s guide dog puppy, “Recco”, represented Guide Dogs of America at a four day Las Vegas fundraiser!
Jennifer Evans and new Guide Dog puppy, Payton (currently 11 weeks old).
“Payton” is an adorable female yellow Labrador retriever proving to be extremely full of energy and running poor Dr. Evans ragged. She is a real love bug and staff is sometimes finding it difficult to follow the guide dog rules, as they would like to hold and play with her all day. Come on by and meet little Miss Payton or maybe you saw her in the San Luis Obispo Holiday Parade on December 3rd.
“Recco” was one of approximately thirty guide dogs, and the only Golden Retriever, to saunter down the strip, spend a day lounging on the 18th tee of the Angel Park Country Club and smooze with over six hundred donors at the Paris Banquet Hall in Las Vegas. The Guide Dogs of America annual golf tournament and awards banquet is a major fundraising opportunity for the school and brings donors from all over America and Canada. It was indeed an honor to be asked to represent puppy raisers and the dedicated work involved in bringing a well-trained dog to assist someone sight impaired.
At eleven months of age, “Recco” is showing many qualities needed to become successful in harness. His Vegas adventure began with a long bus ride from Sylmar, CA. to Las Vegas. Imagine a charter bus filled with twenty-five people and fifteen dogs! Legroom was at a premium but the dogs were all on their best behavior. The Paris Hotel & Casino was our home base and graciously even created a special “relieving” area for our dogs near a side exit. A 7:30 AM potty call isn’t exactly easy when going from the 5th floor (for some the 33rd floor!) to the lobby, across the casino and out to the relief area. In the early AM many visitors wondered why all the dogs appeared to be walking like they were “dogs on a mission”! After arrival we had some free time and decided to walk the strip. Easy enough you might think, except when you are walking dogs wearing bright yellow jackets and weaving in and out of huge crowds of people, many of us being just slightly intoxicated. It took us approximately two hours to walk from the Bellagio past the Mirage and to Treasure Island! We must have been stopped at least fifty times to explain the dogs and allow for some petting and answer questions. But that is exactly what it was all about, educating the public on these precious gifts to the blind.
The noise and heat from the Mirage Volcano were apparent to us, but Recco hardly twitched an ear. He actually took initiative to weave through the crowds without my direction and remained focused even when bombarded with people touching him while he was heeling. We just don’t have this type of activity and distractions in San Luis Obispo so it is amazing that Recco took so much in stride.
Gary Ruggerone (Stephanie's husband) with Recco and Watson in Las Vegas.
The golf tournament also presented a few new experiences for Recco. Each tee is assigned a dog or two and we were stationed at the 18th hole. Recco can officially claim to have been fully trained with regards to loose rabbits! Now these were not your normal run and hide rabbits, these guys are used to people and bold as brass. I am sure a few of them had a great time just taunting the dogs all day long. Add to the rabbits, several covey of quail, flocks of pigeons and flying golf balls and they had their share of visual distractions. We also found out golf carts were not made to hold two people AND two guide dogs. Somehow we made it back to the clubhouse without falling or jumping, out of the golf cart, leaving all the wildlife on the tee, and making friends with 100 or more golfers.
Saturday evening brought the banquet, the highlight for most donors. Recco and other dogs were asked to sit still for what seemed like hundreds of photos and again were asked to remain calm and collected while being pet and talked to for hours by total strangers. Even for dogs who love people, this can prove stressful but Recco again proved he has great guide dog potential.
Traffic noise, casino bells and buzzers, bright disco type lights, loud music, “unstable” people, not to mention having very few places to potty can really stress a dog out! Now multiply that by four for a puppy raised on six acres in San Luis Obispo and it is understandable that Recco, and all the other dogs, came home a bit tired. We all had a wonderful time and hope that we were able to spread information about Guide Dogs to others to ensure these programs, supported entirely by donations, continue in the future.
Recco will be with us for approximately six more months and due for his one year of age evaluation at Guide Dogs of America in January. We will keep you posted on his progress and his upcoming evaluation score!
Your veterinary hospital will display this image if they are AAHA accredited
Written by Nicole Gunkel, RVT
Some of you may have seen our post a few months back that we sent in our application for American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) Practice of the Year. Well, I have some exciting news that we recently found out that Animal Care Clinic is a finalist for Practice of the Year!!! We are all elated that we have made it as a finalist this year! It all started last spring, when in one of our regular veterinary periodicals there was an article about the first annual AAHA Practice of the Year awards. I read it and thought, why didn’t we hear about this? In my mind, Animal Care Clinic should be a shoe-in for this award! So I decided that when it was time to send in applications for the following year, we would be among them! AAHA will announce awards for first, second, third and two honorable mentions. We will find out where we stand in March at the AAHA conference in Toronto. So, keep your fingers crossed that we did as well as I know we can, first!
For those that are unfamiliar, let me tell you a little more about the American Animal Hospital Association, AAHA accreditation, and what it means to you as pet owners. AAHA was established in 1933 as an international association. They accredit animal hospitals throughout the U.S. and Canada. AAHA accredited hospitals undergo voluntary evaluations to be assessed on 900 standards in the areas of quality of care, diagnostic and pharmacy, management, medical records, and facilities. AAHA is known among veterinarians and pet owners for their standards. AAHA standards require hospitals to provide diagnostic services (x-ray and laboratory) to quickly diagnose pets, focus on quality of care in anesthesia, contagious diseases, dentistry, pain management, patient care, surgery and emergency care. Accredited hospitals have an onsite pharmacy and must also have medical records that are thorough and complete. You might be surprised how many places do NOT have thorough and complete records! For these reasons, it should be important to you that your pet is seen by an accredited hospital. There are many hospitals that do meet these standards, but have not gone through the evaluation. However, you do not have that guarantee unless your hospital can prove they are AAHA accredited. You can be confident that if you pet is taken to an AAHA accredited hospital they are more likely to be given top-quality care. The AAHA standards are also periodically reviewed and updated, so consistently accredited hospitals can stay on the leading edge of veterinary medicine and give the care your pet’s deserve.
If you would like to learn more about the American Animal Hospital Association, you can visit their websites at: http://www.aahanet.org/ or http://www.healthypet.com/. Their Healthy Pet website is built specifically for pet owners with helpful information on pet care, travel, fun stuff and even interactive pet stuff just for kids! They have an AAHA hospital finder, so you can locate the AAHA accredited hospitals nearest to your location. You can also connect with AAHA through Facebook!
Everyone at Animal Care Clinic is very proud of our AAHA accreditation. We have been accredited with AAHA since 1993 and have maintained our certification since that time. If you would ever like to talk to us about our AAHA accreditation, get a tour or have any questions at all, please contact us! We look forward to announcing how we fared as a finalist in the coming year!
Animal shelters are full of dogs and cats that desperately need homes. Most people focus on puppies, kittens and young adults when adopting. However, a senior pet may be less rambunctious and better behaved than a younger dog or cat and can still add years of love and joy to your home. Animal Care Clinic is celebrating Adopt-A-Senior-Pet Month by providing free physical exams and discounts on our wellness laboratory profiles for all senior pets adopted from local shelters before the end of 2010. Join us in celebrating life. Adopt a senior pet for the holidays.
Animal Care Clinic’s lodge manager, Julie Wilson, interview one of our great clients, Patti Holanda, about her experiences adopting “senior” pets from the local shelters. Patti tells us how they have enriched her and her husband’s lives and what a joy it is to bring some loving years to their lives for whatever years they have to share left. Senior pets are often the first to be euthanized at shelters as they become overpopulated. These pets can be wonderful as many already have a fair amount of training in them and are already potty-trained as opposed to puppies. If you adopt a senior pet from a local shelter, Animal Care Clinic is offering a free doctor exam and a discount on wellness lab work through the end of the December 2010.
Written by Jennifer Evans, DVM
Kittens sure are fun! I have two, twelve week old kittens at home right now and I had forgotten how entertaining they could be! I had also forgotten how much work they can be! These two hooligans came to me as orphans at 3 weeks old, and I have put a lot of energy into socializing and raising them to be good feline citizens. Sometimes people think that kittens are easy to raise and puppies are the hard ones. While it’s true that puppies do tend to require more socialization and training than kittens, kittens definitely benefit from deliberate training and socialization. This can help prevent many behavior problems when they are adults.
One of the most important things to teach a kitten is how to play appropriately with people. Do not ever use your hands or feet to play with kittens, always use a toy. It can be cute (if a bit painful) when a tiny kitten is grabbing your hand and doing the ‘bunny kick’ with their hind legs, but it isn’t so cute when a 1 year old, 12 pound, grown cat does the same thing! Kittens have an abundance of energy and need safe ways to expend it. Having several 10-20 minute play sessions each day where they chase a laser pointer or other cat toy, will help wear them out 
and keep them happy. Providing self-entertaining toys as well will help keep them out of trouble when you are busy elsewhere. Kittens should be kept in a safe area when left alone; otherwise they can chew on electrical cords, destroy curtains and generally wreak havoc. A bathroom is a good place that is fairly easy to kitten-proof. It is not cruel for a kitten to spend the day in the bathroom while the people are at work, as long as the kitten gets plenty of attention and exercise the rest of the time. Kittens tend to make toys out of everything in the house, especially the more fragile things! Squirt bottles usually work pretty well to teach them what is acceptable to climb and play with, and what is not. They also work well to teach them when they are playing too rough or pouncing on walking feet!
Teaching kittens to accept nail trims by handling their feet and rewarding gradual step-by-step trimming will make life much easier when they are grown. Handling them and touching them all over in a calming way will also make it easier to handle them when they are adults. Taking kittens for car rides, and teaching them to enjoy it can help lessen the trauma later in life when they have to travel to the vet or elsewhere. Just be sure to put them in a carrier or other safely confining method when traveling. Visiting friends’ houses where they can interact with different people and surroundings can also help create a calm, mellow cat that can handle whatever life dishes out. While raising a kitten may not be as simple as just feeding and vaccinating them, the extra effort is well worth it when your feline friend is calm and unafraid as an adult!!
Dawson was one of our very special cancer patients that was diagnosed with a painful tumor in his left humerus (left front leg). After a consultation with a veterinary oncology (cancer) specialist, it was decided Dawson would benefit from a leg amputation to eliminate the source of pain. Dawson did fabulous with only 3 legs as he continued to play in the water, play with his family, fetch ball, and play tug-of-war. Dawson started swimming only 3 weeks after getting his leg amputated! Dawson’s cancer eventually spread to his lungs and he was euthanized, but amputating his leg gave him a few months more to live a high-quality, pain-free existence. Dawson reminds us of the simple things in life and those of us at Animal Care Clinic and his family will always remember him!
Did you know that interacting with a well-behaved pet changes your chemical physiology and lowers your blood pressure, decreases stress, and leads to an increased sense of energy and elation. It’s true! People who own pets makes fewer visits to the doctor. Dogs and cats are good for us and we are good for them.
Written by Marissa Greenberg, DVM
Marissa and Cramer
Many of you read Dr. Evans’ article about fostering pets until they find their “forever home.” Dr. Evans’ foster kittens came from one of the local shelters, but there is also something called breed rescues and they are often in need of foster homes. Let’s face it, though many of us like mixed breeds, there are those of us out there who have a particular breed they are fond of or prefer. Or we may like a certain breed but don’t want to purchase one from a breeder. Breed rescues focus on rescuing a certain breed of dog or cat out of shelters. They then place these animals in foster homes until they find permanent homes. Breed rescues also receive pets from homes where that particular breed may not have worked out very well for the owners. They often advertise the pets they have up for adoption on petfinder.com, where you can search for a particular breed, or through their own websites. This allows people who are searching for a particular breed of dog, but aren’t interested in going out and purchasing a puppy, to find dogs in need of forever homes.
As many of you know, I have an Australian Cattle Dog (ACD) named Mico. But what you might not know is that he is my third cattle dog! My first was named Tallou, and my family adopted him when I was in high school from a friend who couldn’t keep him anymore. I fell in love with the breed! I then adopted Slink from our local animal shelter while I attended Cal Poly. When I went to vet school at Washington State, I met a fellow vet student who was also an ACD fan. In fact, he and his wife had started their own ACD Breed Rescue organization called Heeling Hearts. They worked very hard to find ACDs that had ended up in shelters and got them out and into foster care. These dogs came from all over WA and adjoining states, as well as from across the country. I was fortunate to provide foster care for several wonderful ACD’s, and was even more fortunate to be able to watch them go to their new owners. By getting these dogs out of the shelters and into foster homes, we were able to learn more about each dog’s personality in a home environment, which helped to place them in the right permanent home. I thought it would be difficult to say goodbye to these dogs after opening my heart and my home to them. But, I was always so excited to meet their new owners, and knew that they would bring someone else as much joy as they had brought me in the short time they lived with me. And whenever one went to a permanent home, it meant that I had the opportunity to foster another.
Tango
Like most breed rescues, Heeling Hearts has a selective process to be sure that these dogs are placed in homes appropriate for the breed. If you are interested in a particular breed, contacting a breed rescue would be a good way to gain more information about it and see if it might be the right one for you. Or if you already share your home with a pet, but think that you might provide a good foster home, consider looking into breed rescues.
Tryg - foster cat turned adopted pet by Dr. Evans
Written by Jennifer Evans, DVM
I recently fostered a litter of orphan kittens from the county shelter and I loved it!! I got them at about 3 weeks of age and raised them until they were old enough to be adopted out. I actually ended up keeping two of them because I had an “opening” in my household! Fostering pets that need homes can be a very rewarding experience. It provides “special needs” animals a place to thrive until they find their permanent homes. It also gives the foster family the joy of having a new friend along with the satisfaction of placing that friend in a wonderful permanent home.
Fostering is a serious decision to make. Potential foster families need to make sure they have adequate time and training to take on the pet and equally important is the need for adequate facilities. If there are other pets in the household, there needs to be a place to quarantine the newcomers for a sufficient time to make sure they don’t bring home an infectious disease. Relationships between current pets and incoming fosters also needs to be considered and closely monitored initially.
My foster kittens were a lot of work but it was wonderful to know that I helped raise well-adjusted, friendly kittens for some lucky families!
Recco and Stephanie
Written by Stephanie Ruggerone, Practice Administrator
Many of you are already aware of Animal Care Clinic’s association with Guide Dogs of America, as a portion of the donations received at our annual Wine Gala Open House benefited this wonderful organization. What you may not know, is just as it “takes a community to raise a child” so it also takes the help of many people to properly socialize and raise a puppy to be the eyes for a blind individual. While I may be the official “puppy raiser” for “Recco”, my sixteenth guide dog puppy, the entire clinic as well as our clients are instrumental in his education. Successfully learning to remain calm and quiet, following commands given by a variety of people and exposure to life’s sights and sounds would never be accomplished without all of you!
Stephanie and Recco at work
Recco recently returned from a week of evaluations at Guide Dogs of America in Sylmar, California; and I am happy to report he passed with flying colors. All puppies must be returned to the school several times during the “raising” period to insure they are developing into the type of dog that can handle the stressors of guide work. At 6-months of age he was evaluated to determine if he should be considered for the school’s breeding program. This recent evaluation was performed at 9-months of age and he was observed for his reactions at a busy indoor mall as well as for his response to obedience commands. His hips and elbows were x-rayed to rule out dysplasia and he had exposure to unfamiliar dogs in the community runs and kennel. His next evaluation is scheduled for his 1-year birthday in late December. We are also honored that Recco has been chosen as one of several “puppies in training” to attend the Guide Dogs of America annual gold tournament and awards banquet being held in Las Vegas next month!
Our Dr. Evans is scheduled to raise a female yellow lab for GDA. Her puppy was born recently and can be seen on the “puppy cam” at the Guide Dogs Of America website. I will let you know how Recco does in Las Vegas; perhaps he will bring home a jackpot!
Written by Jennifer Evans, DVM
Kitten with Upper Respiratory Infection (URI)
Getting a new dog or cat is always exciting, and getting one from a shelter is a wonderful way to help an animal in need. Getting a new pet when you already have a dog or cat has its own set of complications. Many dogs and cats appreciate a new friend but it is our responsibility to make sure our new friend doesn’t make our old friend sick. Any animal from any shelter or pet store has the potential to have some sort of infectious disease they could pass on to your current pets. Whenever many animals are housed together, or even just have contact with each other like at a dog park, there is a chance they could catch an upper respiratory infection or possibly something more serious. Just like kids get colds at pre-school, dogs and cats get upper respiratory infections anywhere they have contact with multiple others. The environments of shelters are just such a place. Many dogs and cats that have been adopted from a shelter either come home with an infection, or develop one within the first two weeks of being home. Cats typically have upper respiratory viral infections with sneezing, runny eyes and runny noses. Sometimes they are very sick and other times they seem to feel fine.
Dog with Kennel Cough
Dogs most typically have some form of ‘kennel cough’- a broad term for many different infectious causes of coughing or upper respiratory infections. There is also the possibility that your new friend could have something even more dangerous such as parvo, feline leukemia (FeLV) or feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). Because of this possibility, a veterinarian should see all newly adopted pets as soon as possible. New cats should be screened for FeLV and FIV, all pets should be checked for giardia and any new pet should be kept separate from other pets in the household, ideally for 2 weeks. I realize this is difficult to do and may seem unnecessary, but it really is in the best interest of your whole four-legged family. Elderly pets are especially susceptible to infectious diseases and if they catch something it can become much more serious. Just like a cold in a 10-year-old kid is much less dangerous than one in a 90-year-old person, a case of kennel cough is just an annoyance for a 3-year-old dog but can become life-threatening pneumonia in a 13-year-old. Shelters are excellent places to find a new companion, but just be aware that they shouldn’t instantly be integrated into the family. If you have any questions about bringing a new pet into the family or you have a new family addition that needs a check-over, we would be happy to help!!
Check out Wood’s Humane Society or San Luis Obispo County Department of Animal Services to find a new furry friend. There are also several other local humane groups who can help you find a good match!
written by Marissa Greenberg, DVM
For those of you who read last week’s blog, you know that Mico and I were showing in obedience this weekend at the SLODOG United Kennel Club Show in Santa Maria. Good news to report- Mico and I did well and received the last qualifying score we needed for him to earn his United Companion Dog Title! We received the highest score we’ve gotten since we started showing a year ago. Because his title was finished, I showed him once more this weekend just for the practice. In this picture you’ll see him showing off his ribbons! The small blue ones are the most important-they mean that we received a qualifying score.
Now that Mico is done with his United Kennel Club Novice title, we’ll be working on finishing the equivalent in the American Kennel Club. We will show at the San Luis Obispo Kennel Club Show at the Paso Robles Event Center the 3rd weekend in November. We need one qualifying score there to finish his Companion Dog Title (CD). Then we’ll spend the winter perfecting the skills we need to show in 2011 in the Open classes.
We hope everyone enjoyed the weekend and did something fun with their dogs, like Mico and I did! And hopefully managed to stay cool, too!
Dogs and trainers preparing for sit-stays.
written by Marissa Greenberg, DVM
It’s show time! This weekend is the SLODOG annual United Kennel Club (UKC) obedience and rally obedience show at the Santa Maria Elks Lodge! If you are interested in learning more about SLODOG, UKC, or rally and obedience trials, please come out on Saturday or Sunday morning to see what it’s all about. We ask that you leave your four-legged friends at home to limit the distractions to the dogs that are showing. The UKC registers all breeds of dogs, even mixed breeds, so anyone can get involved.
Mico watching for cue from Marissa.
Some of you may recognize Mico from my last article about going back to school. He is an Australian Cattle Dog (also called a Queensland Heeler or Blue Heeler) and is almost 3 years old. I’ve had him since he was 7 weeks old. This will be the second year that Mico and I have competed in obedience. We will be showing in the entry-level obedience classes, called Novice Obedience. In this class, we will demonstrate the skills that Mico and I have been working on since he was a puppy. We will perform a heeling pattern both on and off leash, including walking in a figure eight around two strangers. He will also have to stand and stay while I walk away from him and the judge comes up to him and does an examination. Mico will have to sit and stay as I walk to the far end of the show ring, with a jump placed in between us. There will be strangers on either side of the jump. When I call him, he will have to come to me, going over the jump and ignoring the strangers. He will have to stay in a down position with me across the ring for 3 minutes, and will have to stay in a sitting position, lined up next to other dogs, for 1 minute. When entering the ring, everyone starts with a score of 200, and points are deducted as the dog and handler go through the different exercises. A qualifying score is considered anything greater than 170 points. Mico and I currently have 2 qualifying scores from last year’s show. If we get one more qualifying score, he will earn the title of United Companion Dog (UCD), and we will move up to the next level of obedience where the exercises get more challenging. Mico is already starting to learn some of those exercises-for example, he has learned to hold a dumbbell in his mouth-which is how we got him to pose for his picture holding the lunch bag for the back-to-school article! If we continue to move up in the different levels, he’ll even learn how to pick out a dumbbell that I have touched from a pile of different dumbbells. And we’ll have to transition from verbal cues to non-verbal signals for different commands.
Mico jumping during recall towards Marissa
Training Mico to show in obedience has been a great way to form a very special bond with him. In addition, since he is a herding dog, it’s a great way to keep his very active mind busy and challenged. We’ve also met a lot of great friends of the two- and four- legged variety. Wish us luck this weekend as we hope to add that UCD title to the end of his official name-Amico’s Firecracker.
written by Marissa Greenberg, DVM
It’s back-to-school time, and you may not think so, but this can affect your dog too! You and your family may have spent more time at home with your critters throughout the summer. But with school starting, your dogs might be missing their playmates! There are a few things you can do to ensure that your dogs handle this transition well.
1) Start leaving your dog at home a little more often to get them used to more alone time. Make sure that you don’t make a big commotion about your leaving or your coming home, and wait to greet your dog until he is over the excitement of your presence. This can help decrease his anxiety about your coming and going.
2) Consider leaving music on for background noise if you will be gone all day.
3) Leave your dog with something to keep him occupied- interactive toys that you can stuff with some food can help keep him busy for a while. An example would be a Kong Toy. Try stuffing with some treats and some peanut butter and then freezing it, this will help it to take just a little longer to get all the good stuff out of it!
4) If you are going to be gone long periods of time, consider using a crate. Leaving piddle pads out isn’t a good idea-these teach your dog that it is ok to go to the bathroom in the house!
5) Make sure your dog still gets as much exercise as possible. Start a routine that includes exercise before and after school/work, and schedule in extra time to play ball, go to the beach, or go on a hike. If your dog won’t be able to get as much exercise as he did during the summer, then it’s a good idea to cut back on his food a bit so that he doesn’t gain weight.
6) Quality time with your dog will help them to handle your absence better. Consider taking your dog back to school-enroll in obedience classes, agility classes, or other fun dog sports! Visit http://www.canineacademy.org/ or http://gentlepets.com/ to learn more about different classes in our area that are fun for you and your dog! Also consider doing therapy work with your dog-visit http://www.deltasociety.org/ for more information. SLODOG is a local group that can be a good way to get out and involved with dog activities. Check out their website http://slodog.com/slodog.com/about_SLODOG.html.
If you have any other ideas for ways to help your dog transition back-to-school, we’d love to hear them! And if you have any problems during this time, we are here to help you.
I hope you had a wonderful day yesterday and are looking forward to an exciting 2010. This year has been difficult for many people and I know many of you are discouraged. We have seen many pet owners struggling to be able to properly care for their beloved pets. I hope that you can reflect on the true meaning of this Christmas season and find hope in the celebration of the birth of Christ. One of my favorite Bible verses is found in the book of Job. Job had lost everything and was miserable, yet he said to his friends “Ask the animals and they will teach you, or the birds of the air and they will show you….in His hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.” I urge you to look at your pets today and this week. That loving, forgiving, accepting animal that dances with joy every time you come home is a reflection of our loving, forgiving, accepting God who wants to be with us so much that He came to earth and then died for us.
Whether the holidays make you happy or sad, I hope you have some furry friends to snuggle with. Give them all an extra hug for me and then see if you don’t find God reflected in their love for you. Merry Christmas.
As I write this, I am watching my staff finish up a grooming job on a little dog. He is getting his toenails trimmed and receiving little kisses on his head at the same time. The interesting thing about this, is that this dog used to require sedation for a grooming. He would bite his owners and required a muzzle for us to handle him. Today he is not muzzled, not drugged and is happily allowing us to make him look beautiful! We were able to train this little guy to enjoy grooming. We can do the same with toenail trims, doctor exams and any other non-painful procedure an animal needs to endure. It takes a great deal of time and patience to teach an animal that the procedure can actually be enjoyable. To teach a dog to allow a toenail trim, we would start by just bringing her into the clinic and rewarding her for being calm in the waiting area. After a week of that, we might walk the dog a little deeper into the hospital and reward calm behavior. Eventually we would show the dog the toenail trimmer – and reward her. The next step might involve touching a foot with our hand while she sniffs the toenail trimmer – and gets a reward. Eventually we will work our way into a complete toenail trim. The reward process is an important part of this and your timing in giving the reward is essential.
If you have a dog with a bad attitude about certain activities, do not assume it cannot be fixed. Call a good trainer or set up an appointment with our Dr. Jennifer Evans who has a special interest in behavior modification.
by Bonnie Markoff, DVM, ABVP
Many people will want to give pets as gifts this Christmas – others will want to give gifts to pets! If you are considering a live animal as a present, please be 100% sure that the recipient will want this gift and will be willing and able to care for it for up to 20 years! Dogs and cats can be costly things to own. While veterinary fees seem to be rising quickly, pet owners in the US spend far more money on food and accessories than they do on veterinary care! Giving pets to young children means that an adult must be happily willing to feed, potty and pay for the animal. I believe that some of the best lessons children learn come from caring for animals, but we must remember that not all children learn these lessons well and we cannot let the animals pay the price.
If you are choosing a gift for your pet, consider a gift certificate for veterinary care or food. Most pets would be far better off with cleaner teeth or some parasite control, than with yet another toy. This type of gift would be ideal if you purchase presents for other people’s pets. If you prefer toys, be sure they cannot be swallowed whole or in pieces. Toys that engage animals brains, clean teeth or cause animals to run are best. If you have questions about animal Christmas gifts, give us a call.
by Bonnie Markoff, DVM, ABVP
A few years after I became a veterinarian, I hospitalized a young tabby cat for a urinary blockage. That cat’s name was Cody, and due to unfortunate circumstances with his owner, he became our hospital cat. That was 15 years ago. Most of you who have visited Animal Care Clinic have met Cody, either wandering along the front desk or sleeping near our coffee bar. Cody was the quintessential cat. The clinic was clearly his domain and we were there simply to meet his needs. If there was an emergency in the morning and Cody wasn’t fed on time, we would hear about it – loudly and incessantly until the faux pas was corrected. When we moved from our original 2000 sq. ft. facility into our current 10,000 sq. ft. mansion, Cody walked around and seemed to say, “It’s about time you built me the kind of home I deserve.” There is a saying that “dogs have people and cats have servants.” We think Cody originated that thought. Cody was a wonderful servant himself. He saved countless lives by donating blood – and he never even got a cup of orange juice for it. Working in a veterinary hospital is one of the most emotionally taxing jobs there is. Cody has acted as our therapist for the last 15 years. After euthanizing a beloved pet, he would come and sit in our laps or rub up against our legs. His presence was so comforting. We euthanized Cody on February 17. He had been battling a brain disease with honor and courage for many months. We miss him greatly and know that our loyal clients will miss him too. Thank you, Cody, for showing us how to live life with your head held high, no matter the circumstance.
by Bonnie Markoff, DVM, ABVP
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