Guiding Eyes for
the Blind
Erie Region Newsletter
Winter 2008
Love is in the Air
Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. We’re all about loving and teaching our
puppies, taking excellent care of them and
spending quality time with them every day. Let’s say “Happy Valentine’s Day” to our
fury friends by giving them extra hugs.
We can never
love them too much!
Winter Precautions
A puppy’s worst enemies during
wintry weather are frigid temperatures and nasty winds. Attention to a few details can help prevent
an unexpected winter health crisis for your best friend.
Prolonged time in subzero
water can result in hypothermia for your dog.
Most dogs encounter this situation when they break through the ice and are
not able to get back up. But, wind
chill and constant exposure can also lead to hypothermic conditions. The causes
of hypothermia are a function of several factors, including the amount of time
spent in the cold, body fat, coat condition, ratio of body mass to surface
area, ambient humidity and wind speed.
For example, a young puppy will lose heat much faster than an adult dog
with a larger body mass.
Symptoms of hypothermia follow
a predictable pattern. The first
symptom will be shivering as the body tries to warm itself. This will progress to weakness, stiffness
and stupor. In a critical state of
hypothermia, the circulation system
fails, oxygen transfer to cells diminishes and unconsciousness will inevitably
lead to death from heart failure. If
you believe that your puppy is hypothermic, take immediate action to warm up
the puppy. Take the puppy into a warm
location. Vigorously rub the puppy all over with a dry towel. You are rubbing the puppy, not only to dry
him off but to create friction and produce heat and stimulation. This process
is much more effective than just wrapping the puppy in a blanket. You will know that you are making progress
by watching the symptoms reverse themselves until eventually the puppy begins
to shiver. This means the body
temperature has risen to the point where the brain once again recognizes that
he is cold and needs to warm up. At
this point, continue to rub, but begin to focus on the extremities, which are
the most vulnerable to frostbite and damage from poor circulation. Frostbite can occur to the ear tips,
eyelids, toes and tails.
The lesson regarding
hypothermia is to be ever vigilant for decreases in temperature and heightened
wind speed. Use common sense and
adjust your outdoor activities accordingly. Avoid walks on unfamiliar
snow-covered land and never walk across a seemingly frozen pond. If you suspect that your puppy has
hypothermia, contact your Area Coordinator immediately.
Attention to grooming is
always important. Damp or matted fur is
a poor insulator compared to a clean, healthy coat. Matted, damp coats do not dry out because air cannot get through
the matted fur. The skin underneath the
mat stays wet so it’s like wearing a wet wool coat all winter. Fur between the toes gathers “ice balls”
which allow unwanted moisture to promote the growth of yeast and bacteria,
resulting in inflammation, itchiness and lameness. If your puppy has an ice ball, thaw the ice by holding the paw
with your hand, allowing the warmth from your hand to melt the ice. Keeping the fur between the toes trimmed
will help prevent ice build-up. Drying
your puppy’s paws with a towel when you go indoors will eliminate unwanted
moisture between the toes.
Here are three final tips.
Slippery ice should be removed or avoided to prevent sudden slips or
falls. Spilled or leaking antifreeze
containing ethylene glycol must be cleaned up immediately. Ensure that your puppy has a fresh supply of
water at all times. Eating snow is not
a substitute.
.
Happy 1st Birthday
The
following puppies and raisers are celebrating!
Janelle, born on
3/20/07 will celebrate her birthday with lot of hugs from her raisers Audrey
and Russ
Lambert, born on 3/27/07, will celebrate his big day
with his raiser Len
Veterinarians estimate that
nearly half of all dogs in this country are overweight or obese. These conditions can have serious medical
consequences, including heart disease, arthritis and breathing problems, just to
mention a few. This February,
veterinarians across the country have teamed up for the first-ever National
Canine Weight Check. This month-long
program is supported by the American Kennel Club Humane Fund in partnership
with Pfizer Animal Health.
Remember to take your puppy to
the vet for periodic weigh-ins. Knowing
your puppy’s weight is essential for weight control and for providing the
proper dose of medication. For
additional information regarding the ideal weight for your puppy, go to All
Puppy Bulletins on our web site. Any
questions should be directed to your Area Coordinator.
Local Heroes - Comings
& Goings of our Puppies
Best
Wishes to the
following dogs and their proud raisers.
Congratulations for a job well done!
§
Tonya
said good-bye to her 2nd puppy Finley
§
Goldie gave lots of hugs and kisses to her
raisers Kathy, Sarah & Mike. Goldie
is her 1st puppy.
§
Patience, Dianne’s 4th puppy, said good-bye to
her raiser
Welcome to the newest members of our region:
§
Calista joined the Fox Family. Calista is their 1st puppy
§
Diane
welcomed Bliss, her 6th puppy, with lots of hugs
Pet Food Safety Standards
New federal regulations are in
place to strengthen the government’s oversight of pet food safety. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Amendments Act of 2007, signed into law last September, requires Health and
Human Services, in conjunction with other veterinary and animal health
organizations, to establish new ingredient, labeling and processing standards
for the pet food industry within two years.
Other regulations include:
·
An early warning system
must be in place by September 2008 to identify adulterated pet food and
associated outbreaks of illnesses.
·
Recalled pet food
information must be posted on the FDA’s website and must include a searchable
database that is easy for the public to access and understand.
·
Manufacturers must report
adulterated food to the FDA within 4 hours.
Failure to do so may result in civil or criminal penalties.
These pet food safety
provisions were added to the amendment after last spring’s recall of more than
100 brands of contaminated food.
Upcoming Events
Please stop by to lend your support at Public
Relations events. However, unless you and your puppy are
scheduled to work at an event, please refrain from
bringing your puppy with you.
Check our web site for the list of regularly
scheduled classes.
1/27/08 Puppy Pre-Placement Class - St. Catherine
of Sienna, West Seneca, 1-4 PM
2/03/08 Puppy Pre-Placement Class - St. Catherine
of Sienna, West Seneca, 1-4 PM
2/10/08 Clarence Pancake Breakfast - Russ &
Audrey
2/10/08 Puppy Pre-Placement Class - Lake Shore
Fire Hall, Hamburg 1-4 PM
2/17/08 Puppy Pre-Placement Class - Lake Shore
Fire Hall, Hamburg 1-4 PM
Contact Russ or Mary Ellen with any Public Relations Events or Speaker’s
Bureau requests.
Different
Strokes for Different Coats
The right tool for the job makes all the
difference. Medium, long and curly
coats need a pin brush and a comb with teeth long enough to reach through the
coat to the skin. Long, double and
heavily shedding coats can benefit from a slicker brush, which helps de-mat and
remove dead fur. A shedding tool or
undercoat rake works well for double coats and wire coats while wiry breeds
benefit from a stripping knife. Short
coats look sleek and shiny with a rubdown from a furminator glove or rubber
curry comb. An all-purpose tool good for
all coat types is a natural bristle brush.
What’s Good for the Goose
Dogs are our sentinels in ways beyond
alerting us to a suspected intruder.
Because their life spans are shortened versions of ours, they may
experience the effects of environmental toxins and stressors that could later
impact our own health. So, it makes
sense not to expose our puppies to the toxins and impurities that we avoid for
ourselves and our human family. For
example, if you don’t allow your kids to run barefoot on the lawn because it’s
pesticide-treated, don’t let your puppy run on the lawn either. If your family exclusively drinks bottled
water because you have concerns about the purity of your local water supply,
don’t fill your puppy’s water bowl from the tap.