Minggu, 29 September 2013

Has Big Pharma Taken Over Veterinary Medicine?

Here's a great article that I thought I would pass on...hope you find it interesting! –Kim

The 'Drugification' of Veterinary Medicine

Here's what Dr. Andrew Jones has to say about it...

Source: http://www.theinternetpetvet.com/video-big-pharma-has-it-taken-over-veterinary-medicine/

Also, see:

Rabu, 25 September 2013

367 Dogs Rescued from Fighting Rings

News

Busted Dogfighters Earn Spot in 'Lowest Places in Hell'

By Devon Sayers and Joe Sterling
August 26, 2013

(CNN) – The "lowest places in hell" are reserved for people who force animals to fight, an Alabama district attorney said Monday after announcing that more than 350 pitbulls have been rescued from a massive illegal dogfighting ring.

They rescued 367 pit bull terriers in Alabama and Georgia. Authorities arrested 11 people on Friday for violations of the federal dogfighting and gambling statutes.

Warrants were executed and arrests were made in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi and Texas. The dogs were taken to temporary shelters in undisclosed locations.

"It's really a sad day to me and a sad day of affairs in the state of Alabama to have to even indulge in this type of criminal activity and prosecution," said U.S. Attorney George L. Beck Jr.

"I believe if Dante were alive today and were rewriting 'The Inferno,' that the lowest places in hell would be reserved for those who commit cruelty to our animals and to our children." He was referring to "The Divine Comedy," the epic poem by Dante Alighieri.

The U.S. Attorney's Office in Montgomery, Alabama; the Auburn, Alabama, police; and the FBI teamed up with the Humane Society of the United States and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to investigate the dogfighting and free the canines from captivity. The result, the ASPCA said, was believed to be the second-largest dogfighting raid in U.S. history.

"Today, we ended the torture of hundreds of abused and neglected dogs," said Matt Bershadker, president and chief executive officer of the ASPCA.

Many of the dogs appeared emaciated, the ASPCA said.

"In one yard, 114 dogs, the majority tethered to heavy chains, sat in 90 degree heat, scratching at fleas, with no fresh water or food visible anywhere on the property. Some appeared to have no access to water at all, and many exhibited wounds, scars and other conditions consistent with dogfighting," the ASPCA said in a statement.

"Makeshift, filthy doghouses – many improvised from plastic and metal barrels and others made of chipboard with rotting wood floors and rusted metal roofing – provided the only shelter in the sweltering heat and humidity.

Some dogs pulled at chains and cables that were tethered to cinder blocks and car tires. A female dog did her best to tend to six puppies, just weeks old, with no food or water, in a pen littered with trash and feces."

A 30-count federal indictment charges that from 2009 to 2013, the 11 suspects conspired to promote and sponsor dogfighting and to possess, buy, sell, transport and deliver dogs for fighting.

Agents seized $500,000 from dogfighters.

"These defendants were betting between $5,000 and $200,000 on one dogfight," Beck said. "These dogfighters abuse, starve and kill their dogs for the supposed 'fun' of watching and gambling on a dogfight. Their behavior is deplorable, will not be tolerated, and will be punished to the full extent of the law."

Beck said the suspects, if convicted, could face "lengthy" prison terms.

Source: http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/26/justice/alabama-dog-fight-ring/index.html

Also, see:

Sabtu, 21 September 2013

Where Should the Puppy Sleep?

Here's a great article that I thought I would pass on...hope you find it helpful! –Kim

Brand New Puppy? Let Them Sleep Near You

by Sarah Wilson, Dog Expert
September 17, 2013

A trainer friend came in the door looking haggard. Her new client puppy cried off and on all night crated in her kitchen. "I'm exhausted" she said, stating the obvious.

She got a hug then this advice, "Put the puppy's crate next to your bed."

She looked surprised. "I've always heard I should let them cry it out." she stated.

That is common advice and I used to say it, too. I was wrong.

Allowing your new puppy to sleep near you for a week or so makes things epically easier for everyone. Here are the benefits:

You sleep which is critical to you being the sort of puppy person you planned on being.
You can hear when your pup gets restless so can take them to their potty area before the crate is wet or the pup is upset.
Your pup gets to bond more to you.
Your family and spouse isn't stressed by the constant crying.
Ditto your neighbors, if you have some close by.
Your puppy gets critical rest after the stress of changing homes, leaving the litter, etc.

The pup in this story had been spayed the week before at 8 weeks, been vaccinated, flown across the country, landed in a new home for two days, been given a heartworm preventative, flea and tick treated and wormed for parasites all before coming to my friend. All that totals up to an assault on her tiny system and I advised quiet and lots of sleep for the next few days, at least, to give her little body a chance to recover.

Once your new friend is sleeping through the night and is calmly crating during the day, then the crate can move to the kitchen. This is my standard routine now and it works great.

My most recent student, Button, was screaming her adorable lungs out when left alone day one, then crating quietly by day five. Having her next to my bed those first five days made life easier for both of us.

Now you know.

Enjoy!

PS - If you like my blogs, you'll love my e-mails.

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Jumat, 20 September 2013

Clicker-training: The Highly Effective Method Used by Many Professional Dog Trainers

Valuable Resource...

The 4 Secrets of Becoming a Supertrainer...

The following information may change the way you look at dog training forever.

From Morten Egtvedt & Cecilie Koeste

Dear Fellow Dog Trainer,
Did you know that there are FOUR important secrets about training dogs (or any other animals), that can make YOU capable of solving every behavior problem you will ever meet – and teach any new behavior or trick you can imagine?

Did you know that regardless of whether you have just gotten your first puppy or whether you are already an experienced dog owner or trainer – learning these secrets could change your life?

Did you know that everything you have heard about clicker training until now may be just the tip of the iceberg?

Did you know that most people using clicker training today never really unleash the full potential of this powerful technology?

Well, that is going to change for you, my friend...

...as soon as you learn the 4 Secrets of Becoming a Supertrainer.

Meet Emma. She is the kind of dog trainer who is able to solve ANY kind of dog problem. No matter what kind of dog, no matter what kind of behavior problem. Emma knows exactly how to analyze the problem, design a training plan and fix it. And dogs just love her!

Emma used to be just like most other dog owners. She believed that advanced dog training was only for experts with special talents (you know, like the "dog whisperers" on TV).

But then Emma learned about Clicker Training and the 4 Secrets of Becoming a Supertrainer. And when you know these secrets your life changes. Because now you always know where to look for solutions when you want to fix a problem, teach a new behavior or improve your training.

When YOU learn these 4 secrets you too will be ready to face ANY training challenge. And just like Emma you will be laughing at "dog whisperers" with all their superstitious explanations.

Because you will know that dog training is not magic – it's SCIENCE. And everyone can learn these scientific principles and use them effectively in their training.

So, where do I learn more about these secrets?

Click here for more information!

Senin, 16 September 2013

Small Dogs Came from the Middle East

Here's a great article that I thought I would pass on...hope you find it interesting! –Kim

Origins of Small Dogs

by Brian Thomas, M.S.
March 9, 2010

Although dogs come in many sizes, scientists have found some specific genetic markers for small dogs. A recent survey of these markers across many wild and domesticated dogs seems to have provided some answers for when and where the smaller breeds developed. And what the researchers discovered comes as no surprise in light of biblical history.

In their study, published in the online journal BMC Biology, four researchers led by UCLA's Melissa Gray found that the same genetic markers for small dogs are found both in domesticated dogs and "in Middle Eastern gray wolves." Since there are so many modern varieties among small domestic dogs, it is apparent that a wolf with small stature, containing a remarkable inherent potential for variety, was first removed from a larger wolf population thousands of years ago. Afterward, other traits – like snout size and coat texture – were expressed in different descendant breeds. Thus, it appears that early on in the history of domesticated dogs, small dogs were separated out.

"All small dogs possess these diagnostic mutations," according to the researchers. They found that a mobile DNA sequence, called a SINE, had been inserted into a particular place in the genome of small dogs. They also found a characteristic single DNA base change nearby, amidst a growth factor gene. But insisting that either the SINE insert or the base change came about through "mutation" is not scientific, since its origin was not observed. Some single base changes are known to be the result of pre-designed genetic variation, not mutations. Likewise, mobile DNA elements like SINEs probably do not incorporate randomly. If they did, they would insert into vital genes and disrupt them, and this occurs only rarely. Instead, they appear to be parts of a pre-engineered system that generates certain varieties within an animal kind.

The biological mechanisms that generate variation within the dog kind are not all mutational, but appear well-designed. For example, using only three different small but strategic genes, 80 different varieties of dog fur texture have been specified among various breeds. That appears to be the result of engineering, not undirected genetic change. It makes sense that the Creator would have outfitted creatures with these inherent capacities for variation so that they could fulfill His purpose for them to branch out, multiply, and fill various environments across the earth.

The researchers wrote that "domestic dogs have rapidly diversified in body size." This conclusion is consistent with the shorter time spans given in the creation-Flood model, which holds that all of today's dog breeds have diversified in only the few thousands of years since the Genesis Flood, not over the 10,000 or so years of random selection proposed by evolutionists.

It is now agreed that "wolves were the ancestors of dogs." It seems there has been too much migration and interbreeding between dogs and wolves to genetically resolve the accurate location of the first large dog's origins. However, there is no data from genetics or archaeology that precludes a Middle East origin for large dogs, too.

This study, like a recent analysis of apples, confirms the geography and the timing of the creation-Flood model, whereby all of today's dog breeds began a relatively short time ago in the Middle East – the resting place of Noah's Ark, according to Genesis 8:4.

Source: http://www.icr.org/article/small-dogs-came-from-middle-east/

Rabu, 11 September 2013

Vet Clients Don’t Understand the Value of Preventive Healthcare

Here's a great article that I thought I would pass on...it pays to be well informed! –Kim

Don't be Duped by the True Intent of this Media Blitz

By Dr. Becker

According to dvm360, "It's no secret that veterinary clients don't understand the value of preventive healthcare."
This may be the case for clients of conventional vet practices, but the majority of pet owners in my proactive, integrative practice certainly understand the importance of regular wellness visits. In fact, my preference is to see younger, healthy animals twice a year, and older pets and those with chronic health conditions even more often.

'Partners for Healthy Pets' Campaigns to Promote More Frequent Vet Visits

To encourage more vet visits, a group called Partners for Healthy Pets (PHP) is waging a $5.5 million campaign to convince pet owners that visiting the vet regularly "is essential to responsible pet ownership" – and is "as important as food and love."
If you're wondering who is behind the campaign, this is from the PHP Web site:
"Partners for Healthy Pets is the face of the Partnership for Preventive Pet Healthcare™, a committee of the non-profit American Veterinary Medical Foundation that was created to ensure that pets receive the preventive healthcare they deserve through regular visits to a veterinarian. This alliance of more than 20 leading veterinary associations and animal health companies is committed to a vision of improved overall health for pets."
The list of members/sponsors reads like a who's who of the veterinary drug industry and assorted pet healthcare companies.
The campaign was rolled out to veterinarians at the AVMA annual meeting in July. According to dvm360, the pet owners being targeted are "urban and suburban women ages 32 to 49 who already have a relationship with a veterinarian but who are not regularly seeking preventive care." This demographic is being solicited for their $75,000+ household income and a willingness to spend 20-25% more than average on their pets.

The campaign kicks off this month and will run through 2014, so I imagine many of you will begin to see PHP advertisements encouraging preventive vet visits. You might also hear directly from your DVM, since veterinary practices can enroll in the program and receive information from PHP on how to promote the campaign at their clinics and on websites.
According to Dr. Ron DeHaven, CEO of the AVMA and chairman of PHP…
"This is an unprecedented opportunity for the veterinary care community. It's a platform for all of us to communicate the importance of preventive care to pet owners, to enhance the relationships we share with them, and ultimately to deliver even higher quality preventive care."
As a proactive, holistically oriented veterinarian, I'm certainly a huge advocate of preventive care for animals. However, preventive care in a holistic context is very different from what the vast majority of traditional vets consider it to be.
It's clear from the Partners for Healthy Pets members/sponsors list where the conventional vet community focuses when it comes to preventive care for pets. It's primarily about vaccines and chemical pest preventives, in a one-size-fits-all approach.

Why Yearly Vaccinations Should Never Be a Reason for Regular Vet Visits

Yearly re-vaccinations are unnecessary and dangerous and should never be used to promote annual veterinary visits. Even the latest canine vaccination guidelines, now two years old, no longer call for annual re-vaccinations. Unfortunately, veterinary compliance with the guidelines is not what it should be. It seems the majority of vets are still promoting annual re-vaccinations.

It saddens me that so many pet owners have been led to believe their dog's or cat's health revolves around yearly re-vaccinations.
In my practice, I tailor vaccine protocols to minimize risk and maximize protection, taking into account the breed, background, nutritional status and overall vitality of the pet. With healthy puppies, for example, I generally follow the protocol set by Dr. Ron Schultz. I give a single parvo and distemper vaccine at 12 weeks of age, and a second set after 14 weeks. I run a titer test two weeks after the last set and if the dog has been successfully immunized, she's protected for life.
If titer tests on any pet no matter the age indicate vaccine levels are low, I recommend a booster for only the specific virus or viruses that titered low, and only for those to which the animal has a real risk of exposure.
I do not use or recommend combination vaccines (six to eight viruses in one shot), which is the traditional yearly booster.

Veterinary Wellness Exams Should Be a Review of the Status of Your Pet's Health

In my opinion, more veterinarians could help pet owners understand the value of regular vet visits by rejecting the traditional notion of preventive healthcare (vaccines and other drugs) in favor of adopting a proactive approach to keeping their pet patients healthy. Being proactive means being focused on initiating change rather than simply reacting to events as they occur.
In my practice I use what I call the Three Pillars of Health as a proactive approach to wellness. These pillars form the foundation for your pet's health, quality of life, and longevity.

Pillar #1 is species-appropriate nutrition. The diet you feed your cat or dog should be balanced and biologically appropriate for a carnivore.
Pillar #2 is a sound, resilient frame. This aspect of your pet's health involves maintenance of the musculoskeletal system and organs.
Pillar #3 is a balanced, functional immune system. The goal here is to keep your pet's immune system in balance. It should protect against pathogens, but not be over-reactive to the point of creating allergies and other autoimmune conditions.

What Effective Preventive Healthcare Looks Like

One of the primary ways proactive vets like me keep on top of a patient's health is by tracking blood work changes over time. Let's say your cat's kidney enzymes (BUN and creatinine) are climbing, but are still within normal reference ranges. A reactive vet will wait to see those enzyme levels climb above what's considered normal before taking action. My approach is to pay attention to any change in those enzyme levels, and long before your kitty is diagnosed with chronic kidney failure, I will suggest lifestyle changes that can prevent the disease from developing.
Another way proactive vets manage their patients' health is by regularly reviewing diet, supplement protocol, and exercise habits with pet parents. A dog's or cat's wellness and nutritional goals change yearly, and over the age of eight can require fine-tuning every four to six months. Cats, in particular, are very good at hiding illness and pain, so it's not a good idea to wait until there seems to be a problem.
Your vet's preventive healthcare goal should be to help your pet avoid preventable disease. Unnecessary vaccinations and other traditional chemical "preventions" will not ultimately achieve that goal, and can actually help create disease where none existed.
In addition, your vet shouldn't wait around until your pet is sick or debilitated and then attempt to fix the problem. He or she should use your regularly scheduled wellness visits as an opportunity to check the status of your pet's health and take proactive steps to prevent serious disease from taking hold.
This is the true essence of preventive healthcare, and I hope you'll advocate for it with your own veterinarian.

Source: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2013/09/13/preventive-healthcare-campaign.aspx
© Copyright 1997-2013 Dr. Joseph Mercola

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Jumat, 06 September 2013

And God Made a Dog...

Here's another sweet video that I thought I would pass on. –Kim

And God Made a Dog...

Source: http://www.youtube.com/embed/lJ7AfSO2fKs

Also, see:
GoD and DoG

Rabu, 04 September 2013

Veterinary Secrets Revealed

Valuable Resource...

You CAN Heal Your Sick Pet at Home,
Without Going to the Vet...

In Less than 24 Hours, I Can Show You How to Examine, Diagnose and Treat Your Pet at Home.
Dr. Andrew Jones, DVM

Dear fellow pet lover,

If you're not ready to make some simple changes to the way you provide veterinary care to your pet, beginning today....

...your dog or cat could be seriously ill and live a "shortened" life!

Here is How I know:

My dog died young, only 8 years old. He was a mixed breed dog, a specimen of health. He was given a ton of attention, exercised three times a day, fed only Veterinary Approved food, and given all his vaccines. He had the "ideal" life. Hoochie passed away in my arms from a massive tumor bleed at 12:02pm on April 12, 2003 – the saddest day of my life.

I asked myself... why?

I thought that he was incredibly healthy. I was sure I was doing all of the right things for him.

But I later discovered I may have contributed to his death, because I believed ONLY in conventional veterinary medicine. You see, I am a Veterinarian.

I'm Dr. Andrew Jones, and I have practiced Veterinary Medicine for over a decade. Over the past 17 years I have treated literally thousands of pets for a whole variety of problems, and I currently own the Nelson Animal Hospital in Nelson BC, Canada (http://www.nelsonvet.com). But, my beloved dog Hoochie is gone.

You are fortunate... it's not too late for you and your pet. Just read on and find out exactly what you must do now.

Pay Close Attention

Conventional veterinary medicine may be harming your pet – and I can show you step-by-step what you must do to prevent it. "Regular" veterinary care has lost its effectiveness over the years, and in some cases is actually causing illness in our pets.

Alternative pet health care has grown over the past few years, but the truth is that Veterinarians have STRONGLY discouraged pet owners from treating their pets outside of the Vet Clinic.

The entire Pet Health Industry has a vested interest in discrediting alternative medicines which can safely, naturally and effectively allow pet owners to care for their pets at home.

STOP AND READ THIS

Lock the door, Unplug the phone, and do whatever you can to have 10 undivided minutes... Get ready to read about how you could be saving the life of your pet starting now!

"I began to notice something unusual..."

Slowly, I began to notice something unusual about Hoochie. He really just wasn't the same. He was reluctant to go for his morning dog walk, which was always the highlight of his day.

I dismissed it as him feeling a bit off, some mild stomach issue or maybe a touch of arthritis... but it didn't pass. In fact, it got worse.

I eventually did a blood test on Hoochie, thinking at that point that he had a tooth infection. However, much to my horror, I quickly found out that he had a spleen tumor.

Immediately, I performed surgery on Hoochie and removed the spleen tumor. But I was too late - the cancer had already spread to his liver, and I knew that very soon, he would die.

How did an apparently healthy mixed breed dog die so young?

I did all the "right" things – or so I thought. After grieving, I came to realize that I had played a role in his dying at too young of an age.

I came to question exactly what I did to my own pet – and what was I doing to other people's pets.

Through my questioning, I came to realize that most Veterinarians (including me as well, at the time) are not "getting it" – that in the process of trying to heal pets through technological advances, we are actually making them sicker!

There are 3 mistakes that I made that contributed to Hoochie's early death...

...are you making these same mistakes with your own dog?

Click here to continue for more information!

Senin, 02 September 2013

Inner City Rescue

N.J. Couple Rescues Abused, Special Needs Dogs

Nyier Abdou
May 10, 2011

New Jersey couple offers second chance for sick and abused dogs. The inner city animal shelters Michael Pravec and his wife, Stacey, frequent have locked doors and no sign. These aren't places animals come to get adopted. It's where they go to die. They can't save them all, so the North Haledon couple looks for the worst cases – the ill or abused dogs that are hopelessly hard to find homes for. With the help of donations and a word-of-mouth network of foster homes, animal shelters, veterinarians and trainers, the dogs are nursed back to health, trained and placed in permanent homes. The emotionally wrenching work has consumed their lives and led to the founding of their own non-profit, Special Needs K9.

A chorus of excited barking greets Michael Pravec as he enters the dog pound. The concrete hallway is lined with cages for large dogs, nearly all of them pit bulls, their noses pressed desperately against the bars.
"This is the hardest part," Michael, 45, of North Haledon, says. "You want to leave here in a bus loaded with every single one of them, but you can't."
It's early on a weekday afternoon and Michael, a retired Paramus police officer, is supposed to be at a physical therapy appointment for a neck problem that requires surgery. But instead, he and his wife, Stacey, are at the Associated Humane Societies animal shelter in Newark. They're looking for a certain kind of dog – not the adorable young ones, but the worst cases: the abused, the discarded, the disabled.
"Everybody wants a puppy, not a dog that's scarred up," said Michael, who runs the animal rescue Special Needs K9. "Instead of the most adoptable, we take the least adoptable."
Michael is a man on a mission he sometimes wishes he never found. "It's taken years off my life," he said, adding that nearly 20 years on the police force was "a breeze" compared to the emotionally wrenching work of dog rescue.

While volunteering at a local animal shelter, Michael found himself drawn to the special needs cases – so much so that by the end of 2009, he and his wife made it official, incorporating as Special Needs K9.
With the help of donations, social networking, and relentless effort, the couple has saved more than 50 dogs, most of them abused, many of them in urgent need of medical attention, and placed them in homes. Michael and Stacey are the only employees – they earn no salary – and the work has quickly taken over their lives.
"Mike feels he's obligated to give back to the animals that have been abused. I take my hat off to him," said Denton Infield, who manages Associated Humane Societies-Newark. Many inner city shelters are far less scrupulous, however. Those are the ones the couple frequent but never name – shelters behind locked gates, where abandoned animals are sent to die.
Stacey, an attractive blonde who gave up her interior design business for the rescue, admits she's used her feminine wiles more than once to gain access to these shelters. Sometimes, a sympathetic worker will let her know the shelter is going to euthanize a large number of animals, and Stacey will race over and spend time with each dog slated to die.
"I give them treats, I try to take them out," Stacey said. Almost always, she says, "I leave in tears."
What keeps her going, Stacey says, is the one or two dogs they are able to save – dogs like Pennie, a deaf lab-pit mix pulled from a shelter earlier this year. Pennie was housed at Kamp Kanine, an upscale doggie daycare in Little Falls that works with Special Needs K9. She was nursed back to health and trained in sign commands before being adopted a few weeks ago.
But the work is taking its toll, Michael concedes. The couple do everything themselves, ferrying dogs to doctors and conducting home checks. "We bite off more than we can chew," he said. "When we run out of funds, I just use my own credit card for food or vet bills."

Still, on a Friday morning last month, the couple found themselves driving out to Oakland to see a dog referred by a local shelter. Isabella, a half-lab, half shar pei mix, suffered from entropion, a condition where the edges of a dog's eyelids roll inward, causing a painful scratching of the cornea that can lead to infection. Isabella's case had been left untreated for so long that the repeated scarring had forced her eyes shut.
"This dog is blind," Michael said, as he tried to pull Isabella's eyes open enough to put some drops in. "This is the worst I've ever seen."
Gail Lino, who took in Isabella when the dog's previous owners lost their home to foreclosure, said she could foster Isabella, but couldn't afford the necessary surgery, which can cost upwards of $2,000. The problem was, Special Needs K9 couldn't afford it either.
So, Michael got on the phone to his brothers. In his family, they don't give gifts, they give charity, and the brothers agreed to pull together the money for Isabella's surgery as a birthday gift to their dad. "She's lucky that my dad turns 80 today," Michael sighed.
That night, at a birthday dinner, his dad was "near tears" when presented with a picture of Isabella. The surgery, performed less than two weeks later at Pompton Lakes Animal Hospital, was successful, restoring the dog's sight.
Michael is long overdue for his own surgery. He walks with a stiff gait, unable to turn his neck freely. For months he's been waiting for things to "slow down" so he can set aside some time to recuperate, but there's always one more dog.
"When you start something like this, there's no going back," Michael says. "It's like an addiction. I'd like to stop, but I can't."

Also, see:

N.J. couple volunteers to rescue special needs dogs gallery (27 photos).
For more information on Special Needs K9, visit the organization's Web page.
CLICK HERE to see the detailed list of No-kill shelters at the bottom of this blog!

Blind Kellar Plays Fetch

Here are 2 great videos that I thought I would pass on... Blind dogs make GREAT pets! –Kim

Blind Dogs Make Great Pets!

Kellar was originally trained to play ball with the commands "hot" and "cold". The owner later added "warmer," "passed it," "left" and "right." The process took about a week for the basic commands.

Check out the heartwarming video below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ha92yzmVv2s

And, here's the sequel!...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slDtJxcLPDg

Also, see: