pet connection

Here’s a sentence I never thought I’d write: The Scottish Deerhound won Westminster tonight.

Okay, I know that there are ten million things wrong with dog shows, purebred dogs, and the whole genetic mess that is the world of the closed stud book.

I also know that popularity is a deadly curse for dog breeds.

But can we set that all aside for ten seconds, just long enough for me to scream: OMG! A Scottish Deerhound won Westminster!

I was once at a pet fair with a friend who was a hearing dog trainer, who was there to do a demonstration. I brought my beautiful Lillie with me — a conformation champion and my beloved companion who slept on the bed with me every night until she died at the age of 12.

And a woman with two children walked up to me and said, “That’s a face only a mother could love.”

It’s not the only time something like that’s happened to me, that some jerk felt the need to tell me that my sleek running machine was “bony” or that face with its melting eyes was “ugly.”

So like I said, I know all that other stuff is true. I really do. But would you just dance around the room yelling with me and Rawley tonight, because someone saw the beauty in this breed that I see every night when I go to sleep, and every morning when I open my eyes?

And please join me in sending congratulations to my friends Ceil and Scott Dove, who bred the lovely GCH Foxcliffe Hickory Wind and share their lives and 50-acre Virginia farm with her, and to her other owner, Sally Sweatt.

And hey, Gina… this, too:

Photo of Hickory courtesy of the Westminster Kennel Club.

Share & Enjoy

Facebook	Twitter	Google Buzz	Digg
Technorati	StumbleUpon	Delicious	Email

As they have for centuries, stray dogs roam the ruins of Pompeii. What’s different today is that someone is trying to find homes for them.

The (C)Ave Canem Project is dedicated to taking care of the dogs and adopting out as many as possible. Who knows where all these strays come from – maybe they mate, maybe people dump dogs there, maybe dogs just find their way there because it’s a city-sized park without cars where lots of people roam around. The dogs all look different, and while there aren’t any especially small or large ones, they do not look related.

Pompeii, which was buried under volcanic ash in 79 AD, boasts the famous floor mosaic of the cave canem sign. Cave canem is Latin for “beware of the dog.” This sign is in my bathroom, and not just because my dog drinks out of toilet. It’s there because it matches the black and white tile décor.

I think “ave” means “hail” as in the salutation “hail to the chief,” not what spits out in inclement weather. Think of the song “Ave Maria.” I suspect that (C)Ave Canem boils down to “Hail to the dogs of Pompeii” because cave canem is associated with Pompeii.

Then again, in Italy I made enough linguistic mistakes – some of them more than a tad embarrassing – that it’s sort of possible it means something else.

Whatever the name means, the Project was developed by cooperating national organizations in Italy.  They provide any necessary veterinary care, and vaccinate and alter them before adoption. As stated in their brochure,

“These are the main actions of (C)Ave Canem in order to create the conditions for a positive relationship between dogs and people….According to Pompeii ancient tradition, (C)Ave Canem works for educating visitors to respect animals while waiting for their adoption.”

A main reason for this Project is the safety of the 10,000 tourists who visit Pompeii almost every day. Healthy, appropriately-fed strays are less likely to bite tourists than starving, ill, frightened dogs. But nonetheless it’s a true love of dogs that created this effort.

Strays were running loose all over the ruins. They played, they slept, they barked. Some begged for tasty tourist food (I “accidentally” dropped some of my picnic lunch; my sisters both said “I saw that!”) and some just wanted to be petted. Some had identification tags for the project, but not all of them.

Forget Spot and Blackie. The dogs are given Latin names based on the archaeological areas of Pompeii and home owners. Europa, Diomede, and Vesonius need homes, whereas Quartia, Mamia, and Iuppiter have been adopted.

One of the dogs looked sick. I saw him soon after we arrived, and I checked on this German shepherd when we were leaving and he hadn’t moved. There was no representative from the project, no one to talk to about him, not even a donation box (the lack of which is unimaginable in the United States). Our Internet connection at the villa was down, and there were no Internet cafes where we were staying, so I couldn’t even email them about him.

If I could have adopted one, I would have wanted this black boy, seen here being petted by my niece Meg. I thought about it, of course, but common sense rapidly came over me and my wallet, and there are plenty of dogs in the Midwest that need homes. We were renting a villa, I had no equipment, and I didn’t know if a dog could be flown back on my airline during the holidays. Besides which, you had to make an appointment, meet with the group, and go through several steps – and that’s an excellent way to avoid impulse adoptions of well-intended tourists and Italians. Their website says that “The dogs will be provided with a tag, a microchip and European Passport in order to simplify their adoption” so I don’t know if they can be adopted to anyone living outside Europe.

Many of the dogs have been adopted, and are now stretched out in their new homes instead of the ruined city filled with tourists nattering in multiple languages. The universal language of love for dogs is clearly spoken here, and the yet-to-be-adopted dogs are cared for.

In Italian, adopted is adottato, which sounds wonderfully close to adored; to a dog, being adopted is being adored.

Share & Enjoy

Facebook	Twitter	Google Buzz	Digg
Technorati	StumbleUpon	Delicious	Email

I have worked as a volunteer in shelters for more than 10 years. Watching my local shelter grow and then go through a major remodel has has been a great joy. The cat area has seen the greatest change, but it wasn’t t until I heard Dr. Kate Hurley (right) speak at the North American Veterinary Conference earlier this month in Orlando that I fully appreciated the work and thought that went into remodeling my local shelters’ cat housing.

When I first started volunteering, the cats at the Naples Humane Society were housed in stainless-steel cages lined against a wall. About five years ago the cages were removed and the cats had one 6-foot-by-20-foot open cat room with a glass wall so the staff and adopters could watch them. Potential adopters were allowed into the room one at a time to visit an animal. The cats had beds and shelves lining against one wall, so there  was only about three feet of room left to meet the cats.

After hurricane damage forced the issue and a successful fund-raiser found the funds, the cats now enjoy the best housing yet. The shelter staff went to great lengths to put into action the “Five Freedoms”  promoted by Dr. Hurley, head of the UC Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Program.  Freedom from: Hunger/thirst, discomfort, pain/injury/disease, stifled normal range behaviors, and fear and distress.

Now in our shelter, there are six 12-foot-by-14-foot rooms with additional 10-foot-by-10-foot covered outdoor patios for the cats. The cats have beds, multiple litter boxes and feeding stations, shelves and climbing units. They are segregated according to age. You can see how much room they have now in the picture from when our Dr. Becker visited: That’s him with Michale Simonik, in the kitten room.

Dr. Hurley said a shelter’s housing should try and meet the needs of felines as much as possible. Cats enjoy stretching, eating in peace, looking out windows, hiding, laying in the sun, and playing.

The first few days a cat is in a shelter are very important, she said, noting that this is when the cat is the most stressed, and can be most prone to getting or sharing disease or getting sicker. Cats at this stage need a place to hide, to let them settle in for a week or two before placing them into long-term housing. This helps them cope with stress and also give vaccinations time to work.

Dr. Hurley stressed that the real goal is getting cats placed quickly: Getting them adopted promptly not only places more cats in homes, but also decreases the cat’s chances for contracting disease.

What can a shelter do if a major remodeling isn’t an option? Hurley said that shelters need to move the chances up in their priorities, because better housing saves money in the long run. On the program’s website are resources to show the financial benefits — these can help shelter managers in their planning and fund-raising.

In the short-term, using the stainless-steel small animal cages which many shelters have now, she suggests:

• Add shelving in the cage (ex: Kuranda), or inserts that fit into cage to give height. Add a hammock.
• Cover half the cage front with a towel or handmade curtain.

Dr. Hurley says that each cat having  a carrier of his or her own. The carrier can be used for hiding (if the cage space allows), is good to move cat into while cleaning, transporting for clinical procedures, and then go with the cat when adopted. Using a carrier also allows caregivers in shelters to practice better hygienic care (she showed slides of a caretaker holding cat against her scrubs to move cat — this leads to disease transfer opportunities). Moving a cat in her or his own carrier is better. Once the  cat is in separate long-term housing with more space the carrier should be left in the open. This is a good idea even when cat is adopted and at new home. Goal=carrier is good, not evil.

What else do cats need? Large litter boxes, relief from the sound of dogs, and visual stimulation.

I found her take on cages as a visual challenge interesting. She spoke of how a shelter should tackle the layout of cages. She did not like it when cats had to look at other cats’ cages, which she termed ‘”enforced staring.” Cats have nowhere to hide and just look at each other all day. Again, the cloth covering half the cage opening is easy to do.

Then Dr. Hurley spoke about long-term housing, which is what I witnessed at our local shelter. It may take years to raise the funds for multiple open rooms, or even space for a large open room. Dr. Hurley recommended that if cats are in cages, placing the cages eye level to caregiver and adoption prospects is ideal. Rotate the cats. Put toys in the cage whether the cats use them or not. She said cats may use toys when no one notices and she also noted that adopters look at cats more if there is a toy in the cage. Give the cats room to stretch. Placing a vertical cat stretch in a small cage may not work. A cat needs to be able to stretch to use it.

What really struck me was that cats need more room between each other when in group housing, which made sense, because when cats are vying for territory in group housing, they have to “watch their backs” when eating, and also adjust to new people and cats coming and going on a day-to-day basic.

Dr. Hurley’s  talk  was informative, humorous and compassionate.  Visit the website to check out the resources to provide better care for shelter pets.

******
What does a huge Hershey bar have to do with a shelter? Dr. Becker and his wife, Teresa, brought the bar from Times Square, after Dr. B recorded his recent segment for “The Dr. Oz Show.” The Naples Humane Society has a Valentine’s Hearts and Chocolate fund-raiser coming up, and they needed Hershey props. I once saw a photo of Teresa pretending to eat a huge Hershey bar on Dr. Becker’s Facebook page. So, I asked for his help in finding the candy bar. He insisted on bringing one to us when he came down for a lecture for a separate organization here in Naples. Wow! The fact that America’s Veterinarian hand-delivered this candy bar will go over wildly at the fund-raising event. Big shout out *thank you* to the Beckers. They pretty much will do anything in their power to help animals!

Share & Enjoy

Facebook	Twitter	Google Buzz	Digg
Technorati	StumbleUpon	Delicious	Email

Shelter pets want nothing more than to move from a cage to a couch. One of the ways to help them do that is to cut down on the number of pets who find themselves in the shelter in the first place. And I’d like your help to make that happen.

As a practicing veterinarian, I’m all too familiar with the hard choices pet owners are having to make in these tough economic times. Facing a veterinary bill you can’t pay is painful, and your pet’s veterinarian feels that pain, too.

Fortunately, the American Animal Hospital Association created the AAHA Helping Pets Fund to assist veterinarians with the expenses of pets whose owners can’t afford them, as well as for pets who are abandoned at their clinics.

At the recent North American Veterinary Conference, I stopped by the AAHA booth to record this video about how I’m planning on help the Fund help pets:
.

.

That’s all you have to do: Visit my Facebook page, and if you haven’t already done it, click “Like,” and I’ll donate $1, up to $1,000 $2,000 total, for everyone who clicks.

If you’ve already “liked” my page, be sure to ask your animal-loving friends and family to do the same!

I’ll be continuing to raise funds and awareness for animals in need, particularly those in shelters, all year. I’ll also be helping pet owners find new, better and more cost-effective ways to keep their pets healthy and happy.

To follow the campaign, be sure to sign up for my free newsletter!

Let’s all join together, pet owners and veterinarians alike, and help the AAHA Helping Pets Fund keep pets out of shelters!

Photo: My beloved mixed breed shelter dog, Gracie.

Share & Enjoy

Facebook	Twitter	Google Buzz	Digg
Technorati	StumbleUpon	Delicious	Email

I think one of the reasons I still get two morning newspapers is because of the comic section. Even though the newspapers have grown smaller and smaller — and I grumble about it — reading the comics every morning is enjoyable. I know I can read them online and I do that, too. But I like my morning newspaper comics, in the newspaper.

Many of the comics strike close to home. As Greg Evans’ “Luann” and Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman’s “Zits” show their characters going through adolescence, I compare them to certain teenagers in my life. And of course, some of the strips portraying dogs often drive me crazy –  “If you trained your dog that wouldn’t happen!”

But one strip has really hit close to home the past few months. “Funky Winkerbean” by Tom Batiuk is showing one of its characters, Wally, a war veteran, getting a service dog to help him deal with his Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).  His new dog was trained by one of the groups that places puppies with prisoners for socialization and training, and then places the dogs with veterans.

My dog training group, Kindred Spirits, also trains service dogs and since we’re so close to U.S. Marine Corps’ Camp Pendleton, we have worked with several veterans to help train and certify their dogs. A few of the veterans have had physical injuries with lasting effects and we’re helping with mobility assistance skills,but almost all of the guys have PTSD and need some canine assistance with that, too.

As a Navy and Marine Corps veteran myself I can speak first-hand about the trauma of PTSD. In simplistic terms, PTSD is a survival mechanism; it kicks in that “fight or flight” instinct. Once the sailor, soldier or Marine is back in civilization, though, that instinct is often in overdrive and out of place. And the dangers seem real: Acar backfires and the soldier or Marine drops to the floor in the grocery store. Or the service member goes to the local county fair or a concert and the crowd hems him in.

PTSD doesn’t always show up right away. The mind can close those wounds away and it may come back full force later. Many Vietnam veterans didn’t show signs of PTSD until after 9-11. Then the veterans mental health clinics were swamped. Unfortunately, also, that PTSD can last a lifetime. The veteran can sometimes learn to control himself or herself, can learn to recognise triggers, but rarely does the PTSD go away.

Dogs are a huge help for many with PTSD. For me, Bashir reads my moods and when I begin to get angry — my usual response –  he leans close, pushes against me, and basically distracts me. When I pay attention to him, I can then see that he’s responding to me and I take a deep breath and calm myself. The important part of this is that I take that breath and calm myself before I react in a way I’ll regret later. Or before it escalates. Because crowds are a problem for me, Bashir will also keep people back from me a little, simply by creating a barrier. He places himself between me and the people pushing too close.

Depending on the veteran’s needs, we can also have the dogs do other things to catch the owner’s attention. Some dogs put their head on their owners leg (when the owner is sitting) and push until they get a response. When a veteran is not able to cue himself to pay attention to subtle cues, we teach the dog to bark, whine, or paw. Because the dogs have to pay attention all the time, learn to read emotions and respond to those emotions, and then sometimes disobey the owner to provide help, it’s often difficult to find and train a dog to assist someone with PTSD.

I have recognized several of the behaviors that Buddy, Wally’s dog in “Funky Winkerbean,” is doing. In Sunday’s strip, Wally is having a nightmare — a flashback — about his wartime service and wakes in a panic. Buddy wakes up, climbs on to the bed with Wally, and snuggles close. The last frame in the strip shows dog and owner sound asleep. Good dog, Buddy!

It brought tears to my eyes reading it and again now, writing about it.

I have to put out a public thank-you to Tom Batiuk, too. I don’t know the man but if I ever get a chance to meet him I’d be happy to shake his hand. No, come to think of it, he’d get a huge hug.

Share & Enjoy

Facebook	Twitter	Google Buzz	Digg
Technorati	StumbleUpon	Delicious	Email