Archive for the ‘Animal Welfare’ Category »
Back in July, I wrote a post about the new mobile volunteering iPhone app “The Extraordinaries”. In the post, I mentioned that GoodDogz.org had signed up to be part of the pilot program and we were awaiting word of our acceptance.
Well, I’m super excited to announce that we were accepted as part of the pilot program and are now included in the The Extraordinaries iPhone app. The app enables “micro-volunteers” to support nonprofit organizations by doing micro-tasks like tagging photos, uploading images, tagging GPS locations, etc. through their iPhone. The thought is that you can do good while waiting on a bus, standing in line for coffee or sitting in the doctor’s office – philanthropy in a few minutes.
You may have heard that the Canine Influenza Virus has recently spread in the Washington DC metro area. The health and well-being of our four-legged friends is always at the top of our top concern. Here are some information provided by Dogtopia which will be useful for you and your pooch:
What is it?
Canine Influenza Virus (CIV) is a highly contagious respiratory infection in dogs caused by the influenza A subtype H3N8 virus. For all practical purposes, Canine Influenza is a viral variation of kennel cough for which your dog’s Bordetella vaccination offers no defense. Current canine approved antibiotics are also ineffective in treating Canine Influenza; however, this influenza is often accompanied by a secondary bacterial infection for which antibiotics are effective.
Note: CIV is not a human influenza virus. CIV is an adaptation of the Equine Influenza Virus (EIV) which has been in existence for over 40 years. Over time, EIV adapted to canine tissue (first discovered in 2004 in Greyhound populations in FL) and is now passed from dog-to-dog.
Where/How can my dog get it?
Now that CIV is in the DC metro area, your dog is at risk anywhere there are other dogs and/or people who have handled other dogs: pet stores, dog shows, veterinary clinics, daycare and boarding facilities, dog parks, meet-and-greets on your neighborhood walk, etc. The virus is transmitted via oronasal contact with infected dogs, surfaces contaminated with the virus, and inhalation of aerosols generated by canine coughing and sneezing.
CIV can live on a hard surface for up to 48 hours.
CIV can be carried on human skin, clothing, and hair for up to 24 hours, and, as a result, be transmitted to your dog via human contact should that human have been in contact with an infected dog without proper sanitization of themselves.
What are the symptoms?
Research and findings offered by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) reveal that all dogs exposed to the virus are infected; however, only 80% of the exposed population will have clinical symptoms: the remaining 20% of the population will show no clinical symptoms. Research has also identified that the originating infectious dogs in a population usually get a more severe case of the influenza, whereas the secondary dogs exhibit symptoms of a much milder form of the virus.
For the 80% of the population exhibiting symptoms, those symptoms are: cough, runny nose, and sometimes a fever — almost identical symptoms to many other canine infections. Many dogs also develop a more severe case of the influenza that can advance to pneumonia rapidly. To date, there is an average 5% mortality rate.
Dogs can exhibit symptoms for up to 30 days post exposure.
How is it diagnosed?
Proper diagnosis is tricky because of the short incubation and contagious periods for this virus. Once exposed, the incubation period is 2 to 4 days. Your dog will be contagious to other dogs from the point of exposure through 7 to 10 days post exposure. By the time your dog exhibits vet-worthy symptoms, your dog is nearing the end of the virus’s life-cycle/contagious stage and, as a result, your vet’s exam/tests will not detect the presence of Canine Influenza. The best time to perform a nasal swab is during the incubation period and, thus, pre-symptom. There are only 3 veterinary labs in the US that are currently able to identify and verify CIV: (1) Cornell University, (2) Oklahoma State University, and (3) University of Florida. You should validate that your vet has sent your dog’s sample to one of them. Should testing during the contagious period be missed, your vet can take a blood sample from your dog 2 to 3 weeks from probable exposure and send that sample to one of the 3 labs noted above. These labs will be able to validate that your dog has developed antibodies against CIV and, as a result, you and your vet will then know that your dog had CIV.
How is it treated?
For most dogs, CIV just needs to run its course: usually 7 to 10 days. Some dogs will continue to be symptomatic, though not contagious, for up to 30 days. Should your dog develop a high fever, nasal discharge, and/or optical discharge, there may be a secondary bacterial infection that your dog is also fighting. Your vet will be able to diagnose the infection and prescribe the appropriate treatment.
The CDC recommends that your dog be isolated from contact with other dogs for up to 14 days post exposure.
Should you be exposed to a dog with suspected CIV, keep yourself clean. Soap and water will kill the virus as well as any disinfectant cleaner. Change/wash your exposed clothing if possible, or spray yourself down with a disinfectant.
How can it be prevented?
The best way to prevent your dog from getting this virus is to live in a bubble. Outside of that, if your dog engages in social activities with other dogs, s/he is at risk.
When at the dog park and/or out on a neighborhood walk, you should keep your distance from any dogs that are coughing/excessively-sneezing.
There is new CIV vaccination that hit the market in July 2009. There is no data to date as to the effectiveness of the vaccine. This vaccine just became available to local veterinary offices in mass quantity yesterday, Tuesday, August 18th. The initial vaccine is given via injection in 2 doses, each 3 weeks apart, and then requires an annual booster.
Can my dog get it again?
To date, CIV has not mutated. As a result, once your dog is exposed to CIV and his/her body develops antibodies against it, your dog is not at risk to get CIV again. The only way to determine if your dog has developed antibodies against CIV is to have your vet perform a titer test 2 to 3 weeks after probable exposure. Should your dog have developed antibodies against CIV, your dog is protected and the CIV vaccine will not provide your dog with any additional protection.
Where can I learn more information about CIV?
http://www.cdc.gov/healthypets
http://www.avma.org
http://www.sheltervet.org
Sources have said it is a Portuguese water dog, but to clarify, Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin said on Chicago radio this morning that the Obamas would be getting their dog this week, but did not specify what kind of dog it is.
According to Katie McCormick Lelyveld, First lady Michelle Obama’s press secretary, the first family’s new dog is definitely not coming this week, CBS News reports. It is said that the family has apparently already selected the dog and met him a few weeks ago, but there is no clear statement on when the dog will come to live in the White House. Obama have made a comment that they would get the dog after the G20 summit.
Most of us know that the big Easter Egg Roll at the White House is this Monday, and I believe the president is set to fly to Mexico at the end of next week. The Obamas are particularly busy, but I think they would be able to manage squeezing in a few minutes to get the dog. We’ll see what happens! 
The answer is — Yes! Perhaps this is the reason why my dog, Stinkie, is in a sneezing and scratching fit lately. I searched the internet for more information and this is what I found:
“Allergens that cause spring allergies in many of us–trees, grasses, weeds, dust mites, molds and insects–can cause skin infections, itching, sneezing and other reactions in our canine friends as well.
Constant paw licking, body rubbing and excessive scratching are all signs your dog may have an allergy. Hair loss, odor, rashes, a “flaky” or “greasy” feeling coat are other symptoms. Itching can also be caused by contagious mites, fungal infections, autoimmune skin diseases or hormonal abnormalities, so it’s important for your vet to distinguish the source.
Symptoms of airborne allergies are most often observed when dogs are between six months and four years old, but tend to become more severe with age. Dogs often show symptoms at the same time every year, usually when the seasons change.
Treatment can begin once an allergy is diagnosed. Simply washing the offending allergens off of your dog is often a great first line of defense. Washing your dog’s paws after spending time outdoors or frequent bathing of the entire body may also provide temporary relief. Oral supplements and medications may also provide relief, although something like fatty acid supplementation may take months to be effective. Over-the-counter antihistamines for humans provide relief in some cases, but never give these to your dog without asking your veterinarian first, as many also contain other ingredients that can be deadly for dogs, such as pseudo-ephedrine, ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Allergy vaccines, oral or topical steroids or oral cyclosporine can treat very severe seasonal allergies”— Dr. Heather Peikes
So pet parents, make sure you do careful observations and plan a trip to your veterinarian soon! These are the first steps in helping your pooch survive allergy season. Enjoy your springtime!
Dr. Heather Peikes is Manhattan’s only board-certified Veterinary Dermatologist. She practices at Animal Allergy and Dermatology, located at 32 West 25th Street; 212-206-0969; www.animalallergyanderm.com.
OK, it’s my turn to promote my cause. On the first Saturday of May each year, GoodDogz.org teams up with Myers PR, the Reston Town Center and RestonDogs to host the annual Reston Pet Fiesta. The event annually draws about 8000 metro DC residents to the Reston Town Center for a day of pet adoption, family fun and a kick ass dog walk. The Pet Fiesta is GoodDogz.org’s primary fundraiser of the year and this year we need your help more than ever. With giving down and pet surrender up, everyone in the animal welfare sector is struggling and GoodDogz.org wants to help bridge the gap where we can.
We’ve spent a lot of time lately helping place dogs left homeless by the economy. We are also working diligently to help families that want to keep their dogs make arrangements. We need your help to continue doing what we do.
By making a $10 (or more) donation to our dog walk, your money goes directly to this mission. It’s tax deductible and can easily, securely be made by Visa, MC, Amex or Discover through Firstgiving.com. Our organizational goal for the event is $10,000. My personal goal is $1,500 – aggressive but attainable with your help.
It’s easy…
- Go to http://www.firstgiving.com/bethbates and make an online donation OR
- Go to http://www.firstgiving.com/GoodDogz, set-up your own pledge page and start collecting pledges.
You can also attend and participate in the ‘Tails on Trails” dog walk if you are in the DC area. We welcome you!!
And last, but certainly not least, if you own a business, you can be a dog walk sponsor by making a donation and receiving promotional considerations. Sponsors need to be signed up by March 21.
A gazillion thanks to everyone who supports GoodDogz.org everyday and a hearty WOOF to our new supporters!
THANK YOU!
Be a part of the 2009 Reston Pet Fiesta!
It’s finally here and you wouldn’t want to miss it!!! Pet Fiesta is one of the biggest events of the year for animal owners and animal lovers alike. It is an outdoor festival attracting an average of 8,000 targeted visitors. Pet Fiesta brings together local businesses, rescue groups and pet owners for an exciting day of interactive activities, demonstrations, exhibitions and animals galore!
We are inviting everyone to be a part of this event. You and your business can even be an exhibitor and/or sponsor at the 9th Annual Pet Fiesta & Exhibition at Reston Town Center on Saturday, May 2, 2009.
Each year this thrilling event continues to grow bigger, and 2009 will present another amazing festival! Admission is free to the public, and the event benefits GoodDogz.org and RestonDogs. For more information, visit www.petfiesta.org
Hope to see you there!!
Great Dog Needs Home
Gooddogz have decided to foster a great dog until he finds a great home. His name is Rocky.
Rocky is a beautiful male Greyhound Great Dane Mix with lots of energy. He is two years old and weighs about 80 lbs, and is altered. Rocky has been an outdoor dog all his life but is adapting to indoor life with little effort. He loves to curl up on dog beds and is very affectionate. It is unknown whether he does well with cats, but he adores playing with other dogs, but can be a little rough. Rocky came to us due to his owner falling victim to the economy. He grew up in a home with two kids, 5 and 7, and did great with them. It is unknown whether he is house-trained, but we have not experienced any “accidents” since we’ve fostered him. We are working on basic obedience, but he will need continued training to become a well-mannered gentleman. He is UTD on his vaccinations. His previous owner advised that if he gets loose he is difficult to get back, so a fenced yard is required.
Gooddogz is fostering Rocky until we can find him a great home. Could you please pass on the word to all of the dog lovers that you know? He’s a wonderful dog and we want to ensure that he goes to a home that will give him the love and attention he deserves. If you would like more information on Rocky, please email Beth Bates at beth@gooddogz.org
Let’s give this great pooch a home. Thanks!
Ants in Dog Food?
Okay, this has never happened to me before until a few days ago. I am a dog owner myself, and after almost 4 long years of feeding my dog, ants suddenly showed up and invaded her food bowl.
Pesticides is a no-no! After some research, I found two different and 100% natural techniques to keep ants from raiding your pet’s food.
First, you can try to sprinkle ground cinnamon around your pet’s dish. The cinnamon should repel the ants. Another way is to dab a small amount of petroleum jelly around the base of the food bowl. Ants will not cross the petroleum jelly. Hopefully these simple tips will do the trick!
I have yet to try them myself. I’m not quite sure what made this happen just now, because she’s had the same dog food ever since. If any case ants do invade your pet’s food, these are two simple tips that one should try without have to worry about your pet ingesting any chemicals from pesticides!
We Can Learn a Lot from Dogs
Harvey McKay is an incredibly motivational writer and speaker and all-around business genius. If you haven’t, but a book of his and prepare to be educated. Today, Harvey writes about how much we can learn from our dogs – enjoy!
Obamas Now Planning to Adopt!
After a 50,000 signature petition by Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, the family of the new president elect are planning to adopt their new puppy. Keep up on the progress at http://obamafamilydog.com!