Please Don't Pet The Service Dog

When you are out and about running your errands, you may see people in the stores walking with their dogs. When you do, please don’t pet these dogs. Chances are they are guide or service dogs. Most of the time the dog’s harness will have a warning on it to not pet, but if you are walking up from behind or from the side, you may not see the warning sign right away. Guide dogs are dogs that are owned by people who are partially or fully blind and need these dogs to be their eyes in the world. They are trained to ignore distractions, but must also be vigilant to steer their owners away from anything perceived as a danger. By petting or talking to the dog, you are putting the owner and the dog in possible danger. I have seen lots of times where people have talked to, petted, tried to feed, and tried to play with guide dogs. Not only does that irritate the dog’s owner, but it also takes the dog’s concentration away from his job.

Service dogs accompany their owners at all times, and they perform specific tasks for them. Some tasks may not be obvious. For example, a service dog whose job is to provide stability for their person may look like a dog that is just hanging out, waiting to be petted. Or, a service dog whose job it is to open and close doors, pick up items, or listen for sounds may look like a dog that is a pet until their specific service is needed. Know that they are “on duty” every second the harness is on and they should not be distracted. Although it is the polite and safe thing to do for every dog, you should always ask the owner of a guide or service dog if it is OK to pet their dog. Do not be offended if they say no. And know that these dogs do get “off duty” time where they are given affection and play just like any other dog.

Service dogs come in all shapes and sizes. Typically you will see Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, or German Shepherd dogs, used as service dogs, but there are increasingly many more breeds becoming service dogs. My favorite service dog is a Pit Bull mix named Captain Mikey (pictured above). He is officially my friend Amanda’s service dog, but his hip health may require him to retire before too many years. Because of his temperament and training, he will become a service dog for her son who has autism. You can see from the picture that these two already share a special bond. Captain Mikey is a calendar boy, too. He is Mr. March on the “Please Don’t Pet Me” 2012 calendar. This site has much more information on service dogs.

So if you are walking down the aisle at your local grocery store and see one of these magnificent animals, just smile and calmly walk by them. Compliment the owner on the beauty or actions of the dog, but please, don’t pet the dog.

Terry Meeks is a dog trainer, APDT Member an CGC Evaluator in Pinellas County, Florida.  Find Four on the Floor Dog Training at FourontheFloor-Dogtraining.com and on Facebook. 

PYOMETRA

. We cannot stress how important spaying is..., A rescue that we know may have very well saved a dog's life from her spay surgery, as she had Pyometra (infection of the uterus). Had the infection ruptured in her body, she may have very well died. There are just SO many benefits to spaying and the most benefits are reaped if done BEFORE their first heat (which is typically 6 months for female dogs). If you would like to read about Pyometra, see link for more information...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyometra

Why we should spay and neuter early

Well... we sadly a rescue  got much more than they bargained for with the neuter of this 4-5 year old Redbone. He had testicular cancer, which has now aggressively spread into his abdomen. We thought that this dog who was found as a stray, was going to be neutered and off to a furever home. Now,  they are hoping for a home that will take him in for his remaining, shortened life. Please help us spread the message of how very important it is to spay and neuter young.... this could have been avoided.

Testicular cancer is considered one of the most common tumors in older intact (unneutered) male dogs. The overall incidence in dogs is not very high because of the large number of dogs that are castrated. However, in intact male dogs these tumors are considered fairly common. The tumors are usually fairly easy to recognize and diagnose. Treatment consists of castration and is usually curative. Which dogs are at risk to develop testicular cancer? Testicular cancer is most common in intact (unneutered) older male dogs. However, it can occur in intact males of any age. There does not appear to be any breed predilection for this tumor. The current cause of testicular tumors is unknown. Dogs that have one or both testicles that are not descended (cryptorchid) are 13 times more likely to develop cancer in the undescended testicle than dogs with normal testicles. Except for the increased risk of these tumors in cryptorchid dogs, no other risk factors are readily apparent. Are there different types of testicular cancers? There are three common types of testicular tumors: Sertoli cell tumors, seminomas, and interstitial cell tumors. While there are differences in the types of tumors, they are often treated similarly and are therefore commonly lumped together as testicular tumors. What are the symptoms of testicular cancer in dogs? Sertoli cell tumors show symptoms of swelling of the testicular and scrotal area. If the dog is cryptorchid, the swelling will occur in the inguinal or abdominal area depending on the location of the testicle. Up to 50% of the Sertoli cell tumors will produce estrogen and the dog will have symptoms of hyperestrogenism. These include an enlarged prostate gland, enlarged mammary glands and nipples, symmetrical hair loss, anemia, and the tendency to attract other male dogs. Sertoli cell tumors may metastasize to the abdomen, lungs, thymus, and brain, however, this occurs in less than 15% of the cases. Seminomas will also appear as swellings of the testicle, scrotum, and inguinal or abdominal area. Seminomas produce estrogen or metastasize in less than 5% of the reported cases. Interstitial cell tumors show very few symptoms and do not produce estrogen or metastasize. They are usually incidental findings and not considered to be much of a problem. How is testicular cancer in dogs diagnosed? Diagnosis is based on history, physical examination, and pathological identification through abiopsy or microscopic examination of the removed tumor. Dogs suspected of a testicular tumor should also have abdominal and chest x-rays to check for metastasis as well as a chemistry panel and a blood count (CBC). What is the treatment for testicular tumors in dogs? Treatment usually consists of surgical castration. Because of the success of testicular removal and the low rate of metastasis, castration is often the only treatment needed. Some dogs have been treated successfully with chemotherapy and in dogs that have metastasis, chemotherapy is sometimes recommended. What is the prognosis for dogs that develop testicular tumors? The prognosis for dogs with treated testicular cancer is usually very good. The low rate of metastasis makes surgical castration very successful and curative in most dogs. Dogs that develop hyperestrogenism from Sertoli cell tumors will often have a regression of symptoms, once the tumor has been removed. In severe hyperestrogenism that results in anemia, some animals may require transfusions and more aggressive treatment. The prognosis for testicular tumors that have metastasized is more guarded and the outcome varies widely depending on location, type, and treatment. How can testicular cancer be prevented? Testicular cancer is easily prevented, and with good castration policies could be virtually eliminated from the canine population. Testicular tumors are easily prevented through routine castration of male dogs. Castration in young dogs prevents aggression, roaming, urine marking, and a variety of other unwanted male behaviors. The surgery is safe and relatively inexpensive and in the long run saves the owner money. Dogs that are used for breeding can be castrated when they are no longer used for breeding. Dogs that are cryptorchid should always be castrated and the owner should insist that both testicles be removed. Since cryptorchidism is considered to be an inherited trait, cryptorchid dogs should never be used for breeding. Because the retained testicle is 13 times more likely to develop a tumor, it should always be removed.

Happy Tails Updates!

It is always wonderful to hear from previous adopters with updates on their dogs! Here are three we got last week!

BEAU


Kristie writes:
Beau is such an amazing dog we love him so much. Last week he made it all the way to Lake Ontario, and up to the top of Chimney Bluffs, he sure is a great climber! Thank you for bringing him in our lives!

Kerry/Luna

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WeTY1VKCs8&feature=youtu.be

Karen writes:

Hi Hope,

You may remember Kerry, the dog we adopted from you back in December. We renamed her Luna. Luna just got her Therapy Dog certification and this weekend she just competed in her first agility trial! Here is a link to a YouTube page where you can see her first qualifying run with my husband, Eric.

We are so proud of her- she is an amazing dog and we are thrilled in every way with her! Thanks for rescuing her and allowing us to adopt her!

And finally

Benry/Grover


Teri writes:Hi Hope,



In May , my family and I adopted "Benry", now known as Grover. I just want you to know that he is a fantastic puppy. He and my daughter are in love :) He has made friends with some of the other dogs in the neighborhood. His trainer tells us that not only is he a good boy, but very bright as well. We are really enjoying him, and he is one happy little boy. Thank you so much for allowing us to adopt Grover, who has enriched our lives greatly.

Parvo? Whats that?

The first time I fostered a puppy the rescue told me not to put it on the ground until I got her home, not expose her to any other dogs, and not put her on the floor when I took her to the vets. I was like "whats up with that?". The rescue explained that Parvo was going around and I needed to be very, very careful. Huh. I had previously adoped thru Griffin Pond, and brought home an 8 week old male puppy and I didn't get any kind of warning like that. Maybe because he was born there and fully utd on his shots and had already got a parvo shot at that point.

Anyway, after receiving my first rescue from a high kill shelter down south, I came home and looked up parvo on the internet. And WOW. Scary stuff this parvo. I would like to highlight the important points so everyone is aware of exactly what it is, who is at risk, and what you can do to prevent the spread of this deadly canine disease.


1. Parvo is NOT transmitted thru the air. It is only transmitted thru the feces of an infected dog.
2. Parvo is a hardy little bugger. The ONLY thing that kills it is CLOROX BLEACH.
3. The clorox has to be left on the infected area for TEN MINUTES to fully kill the virus.
4. You must disenfect not only the crate and any surfaces the infected pet has come in contact with, but also disenfect bowls, toys, clothing you wore while handling the pet AND YOUR YARD if the pet has defacated in it.
5. The signs of parvo include not eating or drinking, extreme lathargy, diahrrea that stinks to high heaven, and vomiting.
6. Puppies and unvaccinated dogs are at risk.
7. Death occurs from massive dehydration
8. A dog that successfully recovers from parvo generally remains contagious for up to three weeks, but it is possible they may remain contagious for up to six.
9. Untreated cases of parvo have a mortality rate approaching 91%. With aggressive therapy, survival rates may approach 80-95%.
10. It can take 7-14 days for an exposed dog to show symptoms of parvo.

So what can you do to help stop spread this deadly disease that is killing so many puppies?

VACCINATE!!!!!!!!!!!!
Vets reccomend vaccinating every 3-4 weeks until 16 weeks old, and then getting a booster every year.

Great Tool for finding the right dog for your family

Do you want a puppy, but don't know how to choose the right dog breed? Well, fear not. Our custom built dog breed selector quiz will help you find the best dog breed to fit your family. We have compiled eight different dog breed characteristics that help choose the best breed of dog for you. Simply choose the most desired attribute for each category. Then choose the importance level for that breed characteristic. We automatically calculate the best dog breeds for you. Enjoy!




http://www.doggiedealer.com/dog_breed_selector.php

Facts and Myths of Heartworm Infection

Myth:
Heartworms live for 5 years, at least that is what you read in online information
Fact:
Heartworms live for TWO years
A veterinarians's information, read all the way to the last section:
http://www.2ndchance.info/heartworm.htm : The normal life span of a heartworm is about 2 years - possibly shorter when the dog receives monthly or twice-a-month ivermectin.

Myth:
Dogs who carry heartworms and are on heartworm prevention such as Ivermectin can transmit the heartworm larvae to other animals through moscito bites, so they-are infectious
Fact: Heartguard (Ivermectin) and other forms of hw larva killing drugs kill the larvae (baby heartworms) who cause the disease once they mature to adult worms in the infected dog. An animal who is treated with monthly Heartguard cannot transmit the larvae because there are no living larvae, they have been killed by the Ivermectin (Heartguard etc)

Myth:
Dogs who test positive for heartworms MUST be treated immediately or they will not survive for long.
Fact:
Older dogs who have been infested by heartworms for many years and carry a huge load of worms in their heart are at risk, but that risk is just as high or higher if they are aggressively treated at that late stage. The sudden death of those masses of worms can clog their bloodvessels and cause pulmonary embolism and death within days or weeks after the injections. "Slow kill" with monthy Heartguard is the gentle choice of treatment for them. The adult heartworms die off slowly by attrition, but no new larvae survive.
Unfortunately there is not a lot of "public" literature about this on the Internet, but it is widely available and known to veterinarians.
Here is the link to an exceptional vet's website, read especially the LAST paragraph: http://www.2ndchance.info/heartworm.htm

Please use your best judgement, question what you read and hear, and act in the dog's (and your or a potential adopter's) best interest.

TRUST BUT VERIFY