MVP Blog

Honoring Military Dogs

05/18/2012 08:38:00

May 19th is Armed Forces Day and Memorial Day is coming up soon. It is the perfect time to honor our military dogs.

In order to better recognize the contributions of America's military dogs, the ASPCA has introduced Bill S2134, the "Canine Members of the Armed Forces Act." This Act will reclassify Military Working Dogs as "canine members of the armed forces" instead of "equipment" and will institute programs to assure their health and well-being after retirement from service- all without using federal funds.

Please help us honor these wonderful dogs by contacting your Senators and urging them to cosponsor this Act.

For more information please visit www.aspca.org.

Pet Cancer Awareness Month

05/14/2012 08:47:00

The month of May is Pet Cancer Awareness Month and I want to ensure all dog and cat owners are making themselves knowledgeable about the scope of this disease. Sadly, I lost one of my kitties to lymphoma a couple of months ago. It is hard to talk to a pet owner these days without them having experienced cancer in their pets lives at one time or another.

Cancer is particularly prevalent in canines. One out of three dogs will get some form of cancer in their lifetime and one out of two dogs over the age of 10, will die from it. Know the early warning signs of canine cancer and if you see them in your dog, go to the veterinarian to have them examined.

Lumps
Lesions
Lameness
Appetite Loss
Lethargy
Weight Loss
Loud Odor
Loss of Bodily Functions
Bloody Discharge
Labored Breathing

There are a few wonderful organizations working very hard at research to end this terrible disease. Please consider making a donation to help them move faster and farther in reaching this goal. One is the Morris Animal Foundation at www.morrisanimalfoundation.org another is The National Canine Cancer Foundation at www.wearethecure.org.

Please be aware and generous.

Puppy Breeders

05/12/2012 06:58:00

As you all know by now, I am a huge animal advocate and a proponent of adopt, adopt, adopt. Even if you want a purebred dog; even if you want a puppy; please go to the shelters and rescue groups first. It is a fact that 25% of the dogs that end up in shelters are purebreds. However, if you still insist on getting your puppy from a breeder, then for goodness sake go to a reputable one. How will you know? Look for the following:

The breeder will supply references
They will breed only one breed of dogs, ie Yorkies
You will get to see the facility where the dogs are bred and raised
The breeders will not release the puppy to you until they are at least 8 weeks of age.
The puppies are being socialized by the breeder.
The puppies have been examined by a veterinarian
You will be able to meet the dame and sire ( Puppy parents)
The contract that you sign with the breeder will insist that you spay or neuter the puppy at the appropriate time.
The contract will ask you to give the puppy/dog back to them if for any reason you are unable to continue to care for it.

Good breeders do not sell their puppies to pet stores or on the Internet. Puppies purchased online or in pet stores are puppy mill puppies or backyard breeders. DO NOT SUPPORT THESE PEOPLE. !!!!!

P2V - Pets to Veterans

05/09/2012 10:26:00

While volunteering at the San Diego Humane Society's "Walk for the Animals" last Saturday I came across the booth for P2V. I had no idea what they were about and stopped to find out. What I learned blew me away. P2V.org is an organization providing animals to assist military in coping with the emotional stress of deployments, post traumatic stress disorder and other problems many of our veterans and active military encounter.Their mission is "to alleviate the psychological suffering of our nation's heroes and to reduce the number of shelter animals in the U.S. by:

Aiding our Active Duty Military, Reserve, National Guard, Military Veterans, First Responders, Next of Kin, etc. with rehabilitation through animal companionship.
Saving shelter animals from euthanasia by providing them with a loving home.
Increasing public awareness of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, traumatic brain injury and other challenges facing today's heroes
Rallying support for animal welfare and the adoption of shelter animals.

P2V is a non-profit organization providing 2 programs; an adoption program and a buddy program. For more information on this wonderful organization please visit: www.P2V.org.

National Pet Week

05/06/2012 07:48:00

Today is the beginning of National Pet Week which runs from May 6 - May 12th so I invite you to celebrate your companion animals. If you have a dog, why not take him on some extra walks, maybe a trip to Doggie Beach, or a very special tasty treat? Spend some extra time with him and let him know how much he means to you. If you have a kitty, how about some extra brushing or a new catnip toy, maybe some delicious grass and extra lap time. If you have a bunny, guinea pig, hamster, birds, turtle, fish, snake etc., you know what they like so give them a bit more of it this week and tell them how much they add to your life.

If you have been thinking about getting a companion animal, this is the perfect week to go to your local shelter, humane society, or rescue group and adopt a dog or cat who needs a forever home. Or, how about volunteering as a foster parent if you don't want to make a long term commitment?

Pets add such a wonderful dimension to our lives that we would never be able to experience without them. So celebrate your "furry kids" and "feathered kids" or whatever and let them know how much you love them.

Something to Think About

05/03/2012 07:50:00

Today I want to share a profound quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson.

" For every animal that dies in a shelter, there is someone, somewhere, responsible for its death."

Whether it is the woman who chose to buy a puppy from a pet store instead of adopting one from the shelter; or the man who relinquished his dog because he barked too much; or the person who didn't get his pit bull spayed and instead ended up with a litter of pups he couldn't give away; each of these people is responsible for the 4-5 million animals euthanized in shelters in the U.S.

The only way we can make that horrific number go way down, is by stepping up to the plate and acting responsibly.

Do not get a pet if you aren't prepared to take care of it for its lifetime.
Have all of your pets spayed and neutered as soon as they are old enough.
If your animal has a behavior problem, seek out a trainer to help with it.
Adopt, adopt, adopt - do not buy puppies and kittens.

Emerson's quote goes on to say:

" You cannot do a kindness too soon, because you never know how soon it will be too late"

10 Warning Signs of Canine Cancer

04/28/2012 12:06:00

Cancer is so prevalent among canines that 30% will be affected by it at some point in their life. Here are the warning signs listed by Dr. Jon of Petplace.com. Watch for them.

Early detection is vital to the successful treatment of canine cancer.

Here are the Top 10 Signs of Cancer in Small Animals from the American Veterinary Medical Association:

Abnormal swellings that persist or continue to grow
Sores that do not heal
Weight loss
Loss of appetite
Bleeding or discharge from any body opening
Offensive odor
Difficulty eating or swallowing
Hesitation to exercise or loss of stamina
Persistent lameness or stiffness
Difficulty breathing, urinating or defecating

Remember, if you notice any of these problems it is best to take your dog to the vet so they can assess the situation.

Your Pet's Nose

04/23/2012 07:06:00

This morning I received a very interesting article from Dr. Karen Becker about our pet's noses. This applies to both dogs and cats and I want to share it with you.

Here is the short form.

Contrary to the popular myth about cold, wet noses, a warm, dry nose isn’t a sign your pet is ill unless other symptoms are present, for example, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, or lethargy.
The time to take notice is if your dog’s or cat’s nose changes texture or color. If the skin seems flaky or crusty or is cracking, or if the nose seems to be losing pigmentation, you’ll want to have your vet take a look at it.
Your pet’s nose can change color either temporarily or permanently, for benign reasons or more serious ones. There are a wide variety of causes for nose pigmentation changes.
Signs of a potential problem with the nose are an unusual nasal discharge, swelling, an unpleasant smell, or if your pet seems to be having trouble breathing.
There are several diseases that can affect the nose, so you should learn what your pet’s nose looks like when it’s healthy. That way, you’ll be able to tell right away if a problem might be developing.

For more information and the full article visit: www.healthypets.mercola.com

Fighting to End Puppy Mills

04/18/2012 07:25:00

Today I want to tell you about a wonderful organization that is doing great things to end Puppy Mills and the sale of puppies in pet stores. They are called CAPS - Companion Animal Protection Society. It was founded by Deborah Howard in 1992 and is the only national non-profit "dedicated exclusively to protecting companion animals from cruelty in pet shops and puppy mills". They have already achieved remarkable results and are making a huge difference through investigative work, education, public relations, legislative involvement etc.

In order to continue their work they rely on donations from caring pet people. Please visit their website at: www.caps-web.org and consider making a donation.

Thanks

Flea and Tick Season is Here

04/12/2012 09:33:00

Due to the unusually warm winter this year, flea and tick season is starting early and may be one of the worst ever. Be sure your dogs and cats are treated to protect them. If you are using a topical application it is very important that you apply it appropriately. Here is a tip from Dr. Jon of PetPlace.com on how to do it properly.

How to Apply Topical Medication

Administration of topical medication is quite simple but it requires your dog/cat to remain still for a brief time. The medication needs to be placed in an area that the dog/cat cannot lick. (Between the shoulder blades at the base of the neck is generally a good spot.)

Hold the applicator upright and snap off the tip to allow the medication to flow out of the applicator.

Hold your pet still. Your pet can be standing, lying down or even sitting. Just make sure you have access to the necessary area.

For flea and tick products, read the instructions on the medication to determine if the manufacturers recommend applying in one area or multiple areas. Be sure you are using the right product for the weight of your pet and NEVER use dog treatment on a cat or vise versa.

Place the tip of the applicator through the hair and place directly against the skin. Squeeze the applicator until all of the medication has flowed out of the applicator. Try to avoid application of the medication on the hair. Once the treatment has been applied do not touch or pet the animal in this area for the next 24 hours and do not bathe.

Be sure to make a note of the date the treatment was applied and repeat every 30 days to keep the pet protected. Even if your cats do not go outside they should have treatment as you can inadvertenly bring a flea or tick in the house on your clothes.