October...Adopt a Shelter Dog Month......Make a Difference

For every dog freed from a shelter kennel, it opens up the chance to rescue two more. Rescue groups are continuously shifting dogs from overcrowded shelters to avoid the need for euthanasia. For each dog adopted our of a kennel, that kennel is open for another, which leaves another kennel room to accept one more surrendered dog or one brought in by Animal Control officers. 

Shelters everywhere try to gain public awareness in bringing attention to the countless little souls hidden behind cage doors, possibly for the remainder of their lives.
High-kill shelters have no choice but to weed out the "undesirables" to make room for the "more adoptable hopefuls". No-kill shelters have no choice but to turn away newcomers if they don't have the room. The fate for those turned away is not always a happy ending. Those lucky enough to have a space in the shelter often languish behind a cage for months, putting them at risk for neurotic behavior due to being cooped up without stimulation.

Social media has been a godsend for countless faces hidden behind bars and doors, previously only noticed by the outside world if someone actually came looking. It is amazing how as soon as a photo of an animal of any kind, along with its story, pops up on Facebook or Instagram, people's hearts are touched and they want to save them.

But...

Choosing the right type of dog is so very important. "Somebody love me" faces melt most hearts and it is so easy to choose on looks alone without doing the necessary homework to increase the probability of that pet staying in a forever home.

Do you live in the city, suburbs or open country? Do you plan on walking your dog whenever it needs to go out or do you have a fenced in yard? Most shelters won't adopt out a dog if the potential owner admits the dog will be outside tied to a box. Is anyone home during the day or will the pet be alone or confined to a crate for long, lonely hours? Is the breed known to be of a gentle nature with children? Is it a working dog requiring lots of exercise and stimulation to keep from getting into trouble out of boredom? Is it the bird dog or hound type that will take off at the first door left open?

Dogs are very loyal to their people family and are devastated when separated or taken from their familiar surroundings and comfort zone.  So please take the decision to bring a pet into your home very seriously. The average lifespan of a dog is 10 - 15 years. Though dogs do adjust to a new home, they may spend the rest of their lives mourning the loss of their original family.

Click here for a good article on what to expect before adopting a pet.

  

This little book  by September B. Morn is a gem for understanding dog behavior. 

Some of the lucky ones!

                                         

Submissive Urination in Dogs

Dogs are some of the most sensitive creatures on this earth and it is just infuriating and heartbreaking how easily their spirits can be crushed by the ignorance, indifference and thoughtlessness of humans.

Once the damage is done it's done and even with the utmost love and care given in a totally safe and nurturing environment, some dogs may always be a bit insecure and have setbacks.

Many or even most animal behavior issues can be attributed to not a problem with the dog but with the behavior of it's human. If people would just take time to understand natural dog behavior and forms of communication, and stop thinking the dog should think as people do, so many problems could be avoided. To punish a creature who just wants to please and is loyal even in the face of total confusion as to what he is doing so wrong, is disturbing on so many levels. 

Here we have Miner, a young lab mix who not only ended up at the shelter but no less in the "watch" section as a potential aggressive dog, a label which too often results in a much less chance for adoption. To see him now, we cannot imagine the anxiety he must have gone through as he got shuffled from his mom and litter mates to a new home, to a shelter, to another new home and again back to the noise and fear of being trapped in a cage. His "crimes" included his first owners having the lack of time to understand puppy behavior, and the next time around an unsupervised toddler stuck his hand in the food bowl. Dogs usually don't start out as actual biters. They communicate first with body language, then perhaps a warning growl, then if that is ignored there may be a snap, but rarely is that snap intended to harm. How his previous owners handled matters will never be known, but the end result is now a young dog who is known as a Submissive Pee-er. Frustrating behavior that could easily have cost him yet another home. But this time Miner was not only lucky, but very blessed. He was adopted by a young couple who were determined to understand their dog rather than just try to dominate him into "proper" behavior through further submission. 

Excitement Urination and Submissive Urination are both involuntary reactions to conditions in the dog's environment. Involuntary means the behavior is not under his control, he is not trying to deliberately soil the house or "get back at you" as people often think. Once a veterinarian has ruled out any medical or physical causes, then the behavior modification can begin.

Excitement Urination is seen as immaturity and common in young dogs who have not yet developed complete neuromuscular control. The best solution is time and patience. Try to greet your pup outside, get him out frequently, don't made a big deal out of it, and reinforce calm rather than getting him more excited upon greeting or in meeting new people. 

Do Not Punish him or you just may create a Submissive Pee-er.

Submissive urination is more common in certain breeds, including Cocker Spaniels, Golden Retrievers, and Dachshunds, but can occur in any dog. Some dogs are just natured to be more submissive and show other behaviors such as lowered body posture, rolling over, licking and avoiding eye contact. Actually, submissive urination is a natural behavior which starts with the mother dog's practice of stimulating reflexive urination by licking the urogenital area. In the canine world, it keeps a lower-ranking member of a group safe from a higher-ranking member. If you observe dog behavior upon greeting other dogs, there are usually signs that send a clear message of "I am not challenging you". When a dog pees at the feet of his owner he may just be acknowledging that he knows that human is his master.

By the age of eight weeks, puppies usually outgrow natural submissive urination. They gain more confidence as they mature and don't perceive so many things as a threat to their safety. But if a puppy is punished for normal housetraining accidents or other normal puppy behavior such as chewing and excited barking, peeing may become associated with expected punishment every time he sees the approach of his owner. This can also happen if there is another dog in the house who is a bully.

Ok, so we know all that, yet here we are now, trying to deal with what we're left with from someone else's mistakes.

I'll let Miner's story be told by his now forever Mom and Dad:

"Submissive Peeing. It's a term my husband and I had never heard until we adopted Miner, our Lab/Shepherd adopted from the Greenbrier Humane Society in Lewisburg, WV, in August 2014.

When he first met us, he peed all over the lobby entryway; the staff said it was because he was excited. He did the same thing when we picked him up to take him home the next day. Then he peed the next day, and the next, and so on. It got worse when my husband would call him over or lean over to pet him. Over time, we realized something was going on, especially when he would hang his head as if he was in trouble. He would also try and lick up his pee before our trusty Seventh Generation wipes could clean it up. Our poor boy could not seem to control his pee, no matter how wonderful we treated him.

Enter a dog trainer and a helpful site called www.pets.webmd.com and we had a diagnosis. Submissive peeing, by definition, is done to show social appeasement. When a dog submissively urinates, he or she is trying to convey that they are not a threat. Not all dogs submissively urinate. However, some will urinate when they're exceptionally excited or feeling submissive or intimidated. In Miner's case, his history of being abused led him to think all men would hurt him. When my husband would lean over to pet him, Miner was expecting to be hit on the head. When he would be called over, Miner was expecting punishment. By then licking up the pee, he was getting rid of all evidence that he was scared of his master. It was a vicious cycle, and just when we thought things were going better, my husband would be away for a few days and it would start back up again as soon as he came home.

It has been almost two years since we brought this handsome fella into our lives, and he truly has changed our lives for the better. He does submissively pee on occasions, but it's nowhere near as often as a year ago. My husband can play with him now rather than Miner peeing as soon as my husband would act excited over a game they play together. Patience was the key to where we are today. It may never go away completely, and I certainly wish I could take away any type of mistreatment in his past. 

To others in this situation: Stay strong and hang in there. It can be extremely frustrating to have pee happen anytime, anywhere in the house. Have wipes on hand and remember: Your dog is trying to tell you something. Have patience and don't give up on him, just continue to love. These guys need that more than anything, since you, their master, are their entire world. 

Love them with all you have and I promise you, they'll return the gesture."

Here is Miner today, a much more confident pup

An excellent article on the subject of Excitement vs. Submissive Urination by Pat Miller

Her advice:

Whenever possible, greet the dog outdoors

Keep the greeting calm. Rapid body movements and loud voices can easily be a trigger. 

Have a calm, soft mannerism when speaking to your dog.

Be sure to take him out frequently so he isn't always holding in a full bladder.

Don't be overbearing when bending down to your dog. Turn your body sideways and kneel down with the upper body straight rather than bending over.

Avoid direct eye contact, let him approach you.

 Rather than him seeing you reach for the top of his head to pet him, scratch him under the chin.

Give visitors treats to give your dog rather than the usual petting of the top of the head. This encourages the dog to increase body height and move forward rather than feel the need to cower.

When accidents do happen, do not react verbally or physically. Calmly clean it up.

Remember that your dog can't help it.

Patience, Patience, Patience...it will get better.

A Stray Dog Found You, Now What...

Contributing Post by: Aleka Smith

Sandstone Falls, the largest waterfall on the New River Gorge, spans 1500 feet wide and is a huge attraction among local West Virginians and tourists alike. The falls are stunning, the boardwalk walkway suitable for those who want an easy tread, and the atmosphere perfect for a day out. The location, however, is ideal for animal abandonment due to its middle-of-nowhere location.

On Saturday, May 14^th, I took one of my best friends there to walk my own dogs and show her some of the beauty in this state I now call home. Upon our arrival, we noticed two female dogs, obviously pregnant or at least recently had given birth, lying in the parking lot chewing on sticks. My first thought was, “those dogs better not have been abandoned.” Well, we soon realized they were.

 

One, a stunning older black mix, was injured and struggling to walk. The other, a tan possibly Shar Pei, had a severe case of mange, a serious skin condition caused by parasitic mites. Mange is highly contagious to other dogs. It was evident both dogs hadn’t been well cared for in a long time. I had taken my own dogs out of the car and proceeded on our walk, only to realize these two stray dogs were tagging along behind us.  We turned back and put my dogs back into the car, upon which the black dog jumped right along in with them. Not knowing how any of the dogs would react to each other and concerned about exposing my dogs to the mange, we got her back out of the car and began what would become a three hour ordeal to get some help.

Between phone calls to a non-emergency line, the local humane society, park rangers, and an on-call Animal Control Officer (hereby referred to as ACO), both pups were finally rescued on that chilly Saturday and taken to the local no-kill shelter for medical evaluation. Later that day I contacted the humane society and although the dogs required a great deal of medical treatment, they were thankfully safe.

I am grateful for not only an iPhone where I could use the 4G Internet, but also an area where I had service. Not many places in the back woods of West Virginia have cell phone service. I am also fortunate enough to have friends who provided me with important numbers to try and get these dogs saved and a best friend who sat beside me in my car for three hours to keep me calm.

Here a few tips to keep in mind if you come upon a stray animal wandering in an area:

Consider your options to either get involved yourself in handling the animal(s) or to call for assistance.

1) You do not know the temperament or health of the animal you have stumbled upon. If you have pets, have them keep their distance and try to not let them near the stray animal. I was fortunate the two I came across were friendly, but if they weren’t, it could have escalated into a dogfight situation I may not have been able to control. Also, if the dog with mange got in contact with my dogs, I may have ended up with a serious case of mange in my house, costing me my wallet at the vet and constant worry over their health.

2) Keep treats, a leash and gloves in your car AT ALL TIMES. It would be a good idea to keep a cat carrier in the car as well. Not all lost or abandoned animals are dogs.

Thanks to those goodies, I was able to help the ACO lure the dogs into his vehicle for safe traveling. Those two dogs were obviously very wary of men, and without the use of treats to gain their trust it could have taken even longer to get them to safety.

3) Use your resources:

Make a note of contact numbers and non-emergency numbers for the areas you frequently visit, and keep them stored on your phone as well as written on an actual piece of paper and kept in the glove box. Without cell service your phone’s contact list won’t be of much use.

4) Know your county’s rules and regulations:

 I could not have taken those dogs to the local humane society because I was not a resident of that county. I could only take them to my county’s humane society, which I would have done if I didn’t have my dogs in the backseat. Many counties restrict who can drop off animals and time frames to do so.

Rabies regulations have to be enforced and every county has its rules. So unless you are willing to transport the stray back to your own local shelter, you’ll need to find someone who can help. Hopefully, someone from that area can transport the animal to the closest shelter or perhaps even keep them for the night just to get them out of weather.

5) Report a stray animal.

Although the animal may not appear dangerous, don’t assume you can predict how a scared, injured animal will react. You don’t want to put yourself or any pets you may have with you at risk. Should the situation call for a hands off approach, call for assistance and wait for help to come. Don’t just call and leave, try to keep an eye on the animal and use treats to keep it nearby.

6) Know if an ACO (Animal Control Officer) is on duty 24/7 or if only 5 days a week. An on-call ACO came that afternoon due to the dogs being in a public place and possibly being a threat to others. If no one would have deemed the situation an emergency, those dogs would have waited until Monday, where there is the hope a friendly citizen would have sought help.

7) DO NOT ASSUME ANOTHER PERSON IS GOING TO HELP. My friend and I witnessed at least 12 people walk by those dogs without a care in the world. The dogs were following people to their cars and getting doors shut in their faces. It was heartbreaking to witness. If you won’t help, who will?

Please, please don’t let your fears or unwillingness to take the time and get involved, result in your doing nothing in these situations. Animals cannot speak for themselves and to just assume someone else will come upon the animal and help is an assumption that may cost the stray dearly. It’s a very real possibility that a sick, injured or neglected animal that requires immediate medical attention would die if left alone without food or shelter.

A REMINDER FOR ALL 

8) Please spay and neuter your pets. Local humane societies often have voucher programs where pets can be fixed at a discounted rate. Help keep the population down by decreasing the puppies that are bred every day. Did you know that one female dog can produce up to 100 puppies in her lifetime and a male dog can father thousands? Do you know thousands of individuals who want puppies at any given time due to one male dog? I don’t, but I do know that the 2-4 million dogs who are euthanized in shelters every year will never get the forever homes they deserve.

9) Lastly, adopt, don’t shop. Do your research into puppy mills and the horror of the industry. Realize that puppy auctions do exist and females are bred over and over again just to produce the cute puppies sold in pet stores at a price that could rescue multiple animals at a humane society. An animal is a forever friend, not a possession that can be discarded when it’s no longer wanted.

This article was not meant as a lecture, but rather an informative piece for those who don’t know the animal welfare system. I hope you learned something, and I encourage you to ask questions, get involved in your community (whether that’s a humane society, rescue group, or by adopting your next pet), and stand up for those who need us to be their voice. Thank you.

Feline Pheromones for Fear

Fear of the unknown and the insecurity of one's welfare can be terrifying for anyone, be it animal or human. By the time a cat or dog helplessly watches the cage door close within the confines of a shelter, the fight or flight impulse combined with no means for escape must be paralyzing. Only after any of us can feel safe do we then seek to satisfy other basic needs such as rest and hunger. Only after those needs are met can we rise to the next level and come out of our protective shell in search of trust and desire for love.

Depending on the nature of the animal and the physical or psychological trauma he or she went through, this process may be deep seated and take a lot of patience on the part of the caretakers. When people go to a shelter in search of a new pet up for adoption, they usually notice the ones that put themselves in the "notice me" category. The fearful ones hiding in the back of the cage are often summed up as feral or not the lap cat so desired.

Little Bella was such a case.

Her background was unknown to us and all we knew was that she was pregnant when she was picked up, estimated to be around 4 years of age, and needed to be spayed before she was put up for adoption.

She wasn't feral, rather she was very quiet and timid. She was so quiet during the car ride home that we kept checking on her to make sure she was alright. Some cats go ballistic inside the confines of the cat carrier, cry and even mess themselves. Little Bella just crouched silently.

The use of Rescue Remedy, a blend of five different Bach's Flower Remedies, for shock, stress and fear, did wonders to help with her adjustment to her new home and other pets. But fast forward six months and she still wanted nothing to do with my husband. We'll never know what experiences she had with men, but it was obvious she had some negative association with their size, deep voice and approach.

I discovered Feliway during a veterinarian visit for one of our other cats. The office had just hired a new veterinarian who turned out to be a dream of an animal doctor. Her approach to her new patient was calm and slow, a soft, soothing voice, surrounded by calm music and a hand offering little cat treats. Her methods worked like a charm and my cat melted to her touch. My admiration turned to amazement when she showed me her secret, a bottle of feline pheromone spray called Feliway. 

Feliway

Pheromones are a type of chemical communication between members of a species. They are produced from glands located around the mouth, nose, forehead and cheeks. Cats mark familiar objects, people and other pets by rubbing their face against these surfaces. It is a way of sending messages. So when your cat rubs against you, take it as a sign that he trusts and adores you and is telling you he feels safe and secure.

Feliway mimics a cat's F3 facial pheromones. These synthetic pheromone products are ideal alternatives for pet owners and veterinarians who would rather not use drugs to treat a stressed animal. The stress of traveling in a car, trips to the veterinarian and meeting new faces, can all be relieved with a spritz of a pheromones spray. Pheromones are also recommended to help with marking or spraying and aggression problems between cats in the same home. Even behavior problems like scratching on furniture can be helped. Anxiety is often the root cause of behavior issues with our pets and a help to relieve that is the place to start. But we also have to understand that when there is more involved with underlying problems, those issues need to be addressed. Behavior modification may still be needed.

Feliway can be used as a periodic spritz onto your hands or clothes when handling a cat or the cat carrier when traveling. Don't spray right onto the animal itself. However, for situations such as tension between the pets in the household or adjusting to a new environment, the diffusor method is best. This is a device that gets plugged into the wall and uses cartridges that stay in 24/7 and get changed monthly. There are no reports of any side effects and is safe to use however long it is needed. The pheromones are species specific, so they don't affect people or other types of pets in the home. If anything, the other cats will benefit as well. The Feliway site has more information and a video on how to use the diffuser.

There is also a pheromone product made for dogs called D.A.P (Dog Appeasing Pheromone). This mimics the pheromone nursing dogs release to comfort their puppies.



Amazing that we have gone from this timid, skittish little cat.....

.......to this.....with a little help from Feliway

Living with a Toddler Dog

"I'm Sorry"

"All I want for Christmas is for my Daddy to forgive me one more time. This'll be the last time I promise. I'm sorry for getting to your favorite Grateful Dead hat, your keyboard, your camera, the phone, your wallet, your shoes........ And Mommy did rescue some of that stuff....."

Now in defense of this toddler dog.

Who is the toddler, the dog who hopefully will eventually think a bit before grabbing anything that smells like my husband? Or my husband who hopefully will eventually think to put his stuff away?

My kids had been well trained years ago when we had another set of young dogs that you can't just blame the dog's existence for the demise of their belongings. Things have a place and should be put back in that place. Or at least leave them lay in the areas where the dog isn't allowed.

Yes there are many times when even I am tired of this dog. But we adopted him and made a promise to love him through thick and thin. My kids were annoying at times too, but I certainly wouldn't send them packing. This dog is still under two years old and every dog I've ever had took about five years to really settle down and be able to harness their own high energy.

As Christmas approaches and so many people may be planning on adopting a puppy, please please please understand that your cute little arrival is a baby!! Remember that a dog's mouth is as a child's hands. As kids learn by touching everything, dogs learn by mouthing everything. As he grows he'll be learning with everything he sees, smells, touches, tastes and destroys. Please childproof your home and make necessary changes and adjustments not only to your home but with your own habits.

Don't dangle the carrot and then punish the dog for getting into what he shouldn't!

Don't expect the dog to think like a person!

Don't expect him to know what is expensive or treasured!

If something is off limits don't leave it within reach. If it is something that belongs in a room the dog has access to, then realize you'll have to supervise until the dog learns what is 'no touch'. And don't teach him that by scaring the bejeebies out of him through yelling. The dog will back off for sure but it is doubtful he'll connect your anger with the object. And never never never hit your dog!
The best way is to teach him the command for 'drop' in a calm, authoritative voice and distract him with an object they are allowed to chew on.

Remember, dogs want nothing more than to please you!

So, my dear husband, remember as we did with every developmental stage when the kids were small.."This too shall pass".

Cats and Halloween, Debunk the Stigma

The stigma surrounding cats, especially black cats, has long been associated with evil, black magic, witchcraft and superstition. Believers in the metaphysical often use caution around a number of things that are said to bring bad luck, and a black cat crossing their path is one of them.

These negative associations go back centuries, all the way back to Greek mythology.
In Ovid's tale, Galinthias was one of the servants of the mother of Hercules, Alcmene, and her attempts to help got her into quite the predicament.
Alcmene was the wife of Amphitryon. Zeus disguised himself as Amphitryon in order to have relations with Alcmene and she became pregnant. Zeus's wife, Hera, became furious and tried to prevent the birth. Galinthias got involved by playing a trick on Hera which enabled Alcmene to successfully give birth to Hercules. Hera took her revenge on Galinthias by turning her into a cat and sending her to the underworld. She was to act as a priestess of Hecate, the goddess of death and the queen of witches. Because of the connection with Hecate, black cats were then thought to be an omen of death and associated with witchcraft.

The word for 'the fear of cats' is ailurophobia. This came from the name Ailuros, which was the Greek name for the ancient Egyptian goddess Bast. The Greeks saw Bast as a version of their lunar goddess Artemis. It was said that Artemis turned herself into a cat in order to escape the god of wind, Typhon,

During the Middle Ages, superstitions around black magic were abundant, and black cats were targeted. Pope Gregory XI had published the "Vox in Rama" document in 1233 to deal with the subject of devil worship. He claimed that black cats were the incarnation of Satan, therefore, throughout the next century black cats were slaughtered.
Interesting is that with the killing of cats, the rodent population escalated which helped spread the bubonic plague during the 14th century killing millions of people. Pope Gregory may have been long dead by then but superstitions stick and even to this day people associate cats with scorcery.
During the witch hunt era, 1450 to 1750, black cats were seen as being such evil companions to their "witches" that they were burned in baskets alongside their owners.

The trend of labeling black cats as evil came to the United States with the Pilgrims in the Plymouth colony. The Puritan Pilgrims distrusted anything associated with sorcery and actively persecuted black cats just for being the color black. It became a practice to burn black cats on Shrove Tuesday to protect the home from fire. 

As time passed and this practice died down, black cats had become part of all the legends behind witches. As the celebration of Halloween became more commercial, black cats became part of the usual Halloween decorations. The bristled fur, claws and green eyes just added to the desired spooky effect.

Animal shelters are very aware of the concern with people wanting to adopt cats around Halloween just to use them in satanic rituals or sadistic pranks. Back in the 1980's and 90's there were restrictions on adoptions in the weeks leading up to Halloween. Today those concerns are still present, however, due to the need for homes with the abundance of cats in shelters, those bans are no longer in place. Adopting black animals in October has even become a promotional tactic to increase awareness of the need for homes for these pets.

The kitty pictured above may look terrifying, but in reality she is just our Bella letting me know she is hungry!

Mystery of Homeopathy...Coincidence..or Not

Our black cat, Taylor, is a prime example of an animal's fighting spirit and the will to live. He is pictured with his brother, Fender, who both came as a package deal.
It was only days before Halloween, five years ago, and we believe Taylor was clipped by a car. My husband just happened to return home probably soon after it happened because he discovered the cat flipping around in our driveway.
Fearing the worst what could he do but bring him inside so at least he wouldn't die alone out in the cold of the night. I've always been intrigued with the alternative therapy known as homeopathy. Its one of those things that if you hit it right with the correct remedy you are amazed, and wonder if it was just coincidence since it is so hard to really understand why this method of healing works.

It was obvious this cat was probably going to die of shock so I aimed to take care of the most acute problem first. Rescue Remedy is a combination of five Bach flower remedies: Impatience, Clematis, Rock Rose, Cherry Plum and Star of Bethlehem. These remedies are for traumatic stress and terror.
Taylor had classic signs of shock such as glazed eyes, pupils different in dilation, irregular breathing, and bodily shaking. I spent that entire night keeping him swaddled and warm. Four drops of Rescue Remedy was given every fifteen minutes for about two hours until he seemed to calm down and his breathing slowed to a more normal rate. (A bottle of Rescue Remedy should be kept on hand for many an emergency be it people or pets. Giving a dose every 15 minutes en route to either the vet or a doctor can make all the difference when there is fear, panic or possibility of shock.)

By morning he was still with us and much more alert. The main concern now was that his body just sank to the ground. When he tried to walk he dragged himself with the right side of his body. Front and back legs worked but only on that one side. We figured if his back was broken both back legs would have been useless. If he was hit in the head he most likely wouldn't have survived at all.
It was concluded he was probably thrown and suffered a concussion and nerve trauma. So we were advised to give our Taylor the gift of time and see how his body responds as the inflammation decreases. As we often do with our pets, once we know what we are dealing with we take care of our own by utilizing what we know from both conventional medicine and alternative methods.

Another wonderful homeopathic remedy is St. Johnswort or Hypericum. This treatment is recommended for nerve injuries and trauma. We gave him the potency we had which was 30x, four times a day and just watched for change. What we were looking for was the hope that once there was a decrease in inflammation there would be signs of improvement.
Sure enough, within two days he could hold up his head. He tried in earnest to get himself to the litter box where one of us would then hold him up to do his business.
What a relief when he started to show an interest in food. He didn't seem to be in any pain so we made him comfortable and waited.

Within a month he tried to stand on wobbly legs but couldn't hold his weight. Another month and he could walk but stumbled and fell easily. By six months he mastered the coordination to once again be able to jump. That show of perseverance was a great lesson for all of us.

Now a few years later the only residual signs of damage are a slight cock to his head and a watery eye. A bit clumsy he has made himself more endearing than ever.
A creature of habit, every evening he follows us to our bedroom and settles in.
Interesting that it is usually those with special needs who hold such special places in our lives.

Did someone intentionally hit him because he is a black cat and it was Halloween?
We will always wonder.  

Infectious Diseases in Cats, Importance of Vaccination

What do you do when a kitten on the brink of death is brought to your door by a neighbor child who found him alongside the road in the gutter and whose parents instructed her to get rid of it?

Feeling terrible not only for the poor cat but for the distraught little girl who didn't know what to do, we said he could stay .

Let's go back years ago to 1997 and so we began a real education on the importance of vaccination as well as the limitations.

Oliver came to us in pretty poor shape. He was an emaciated weight of barely four pounds, thinning fur, pasty eyes, drippy, sneezing, sore nose, and infection in both ears. Where do we begin?

Not wanting to introduce anything contagious to our other cats we separated Oliver from the household until we could get him to a vet. Not even sure if he would make it till morning, we kept him comfortable in our barn for that first night. It was summertime so nighttime temperatures weren't a problem.

I was actually surprised to find him still alive in the morning. Unknowingly, that veterinarian visit was the start of an eight year fight to keep little Oliver going. His age was estimated from six months to a year. Oliver was kept a few days for observation, given fluids and IV medication, and then we were sent home on antibiotics and told to make him comfortable and see what happens. 

Being our other cats were vaccinated I brought Oliver into the house, assuming they would be fine. Turns out that may have been a mistake. Though my cats were vaccinated against the F3 which are the core vaccinations as well as Feline Leukemia, some of them developed symptoms of upper respiratory distress. The vet said there is no way to predict how cat immune systems will respond to vaccination. The symptoms disappeared for some, others had no problems at all, and a few developed chronic respiratory problems for the remainder of their lives. All the vet could say was that is the risk in a multi-cat household. 

Even so, to criticize vaccination in general would have been an attitude of ignorance. As a child growing up on a farm where cats were considered our pets, but proper vet care for vaccination schedules and neutering just wasn't financially feasible, we witnessed time and again the heartache of losing them to distemper or respiratory illness. The strong survived but once the population reached a certain point the cycle started all over again.

The antibiotics used with Oliver varied as we were always trying something new. Viruses in a cat's respiratory tract are incredibly difficult to treat. Secondary bacterial infections develop which results in the yellow discharge from the nose and ear infections. Antibiotics cleared up those symptoms and brought relief for a while but the cycle always returned. The types used for Oliver included Amoxacillian, Clavamox, Baytril, Orbax, Chloramphenical, the anti-inflammatory Dexamethasone and the steroid Prednisone when necessary. We thought we finally found a balance with a combination of Baytril and Prednisone but then something burst in his right ear and so began a life of constantly treating the black discharge from that ear. Ultimately he lost his hearing in that right ear.

We used saline washes to help clear his nose, almond or olive oil infused in garlic to clean his ears and his sore little nose, administered vitamin C and cod liver oil daily. added a supplement blend to his diet which was nutritional yeast, kelp, lecithin granules, wheat germ, oat bran and bone meal. 

We suspect the main issue with Oliver was the Feline herpes virus. We could never really get it out of his system and his entire life was plagued with its relapses. 

Our tough little boy had cycles of wasting away but always bounced back. Aside from the medical treatments and extra nutritional boosts, to this day I believe what kept him going was the love all around him. He was fussed over continuously by my children and when at his worst always could be found sleeping with one of them. Adored by our dogs, they helped keep his face clean with their gentle licking. Never underestimate the power of love and touch. During his good days Oliver played as rough as the best of them. 

Excuse the quality of these photos. They were taken long before digital camera and I could only do so much with editing. But they are precious memories and I attribute those times with helping to develop my children into the empathetic and loving young adults they are today. Both continue to love animals dearly and involve themselves in animal rescue.

Don't ever underestimate the power of love. The will to live and the boost to the immune system can sometimes be almost miraculous.

Vaccinations have greatly reduced the incidence of a number of infectious diseases in our pets. They work by introducing either a modified live vaccine which contains viruses that have been altered so that they are no longer able to cause disease or a killed vaccine of the disease causing organism (virus or bacteria) to the body. This stimulates the immune system, making it better able to defend itself against the disease if the animal gets exposed.

The following information was taken from Cat World.

Core vaccinations are vaccinations that should be given to cats no matter where they live.
 They are called F3 vaccines.

Feline panleukopenia which is feline enteritis or feline distemper
Feline herpes virus which is the cat flu
Feline calicivirus which is also the cat flu

Non-core vaccinations are vaccinations which may not be necessary for all cats. It depends on location and the level of risk such as if the cat is strictly an indoor cat, allowed to occasionally go outside or is an outdoor cat all the time.

Feline leukaemia virus
Chlamydophila psitaci
Bordetella bronchiseptica
Feline immunodeficiency virus which is FIV or Cat Aids
Rabies

While there are chance of side effects with vaccines, the prevention offered from disease far outweighs the risks. There are rare cases of allergic or anaphylactic reactions but usually the pet just gets sleepy or has a day of some sniffling or sneezing. Pregnant cats should never be vaccinated due to risking harm to the kittens.

Vaccination schedules are generally:
F3 (first shot) be given at 8 weeks
F3 (second shot) be given at 12 weeks
F3 (third shot) be given at 16 weeks
F3 (booster shot) be given at 1 year
Rabies be given at 12 weeks
Rabies (booster shot) be given at 1 year

Veterinarians differ in their opinions as to how often a pet needs to be vaccinated after those initial vaccines are given. Indoor cats still need to be vaccinated but if they are a low risk to exposure they may not need to be re-vaccinated on a yearly basis. Every three years may be sufficient. If your cat lives outdoors and is always at risk of exposure to other cats that may not be vaccinated then yearly shots may be recommended.

Hound from the Pound, a Marley update

Then

4 months later

It has been four months since Marley came into our lives from The Greenbrier Humane Society in West Virginia. I can now say we've made the adjustment and thank goodness it is behind us. That is said with a tired laugh because getting Marley (previously Henry) acclimated to become a well-mannered house dog has been quite the challenge.

We know as parents it does our kids a disservice to compare them to one another. It is the same with our dogs. To compare Marley to our other dogs wasn't at all fair and we sought out information on his breed several times to try to understand just why certain behaviors were so frustrating.

Hounds are scent dogs which means they get easily distracted. Getting them to stay focused when outside to go potty and not get sidetracked can make a five minute pee time stretch into fifteen. Also, because he had been confined to a cement floor for weeks, I believe he thought that using the basement floor as the spot for elimination was the right thing to do. Once a certain spot is used, the habit of returning to that same spot can be hard to break. I've relied on enzyme sprays and vinegar to eliminate any odor that he may detect even if unnoticed by anyone else.

We brought Marley home during the month of November which was not an ideal time of the year. First of all, it was hunting season and the sound of gunfire sent this dog between my legs several times, totally thwarting any further attempts to get him to go potty. Who knows what he went through with his previous owner and "puppy hunting dog training", but loud noises seriously unnerve him.


Second, winter weather can be quite the deterrent to getting outside enough for adequate exercise if dependent solely on the leash. We already had the underground, invisible fencing system for our other dogs. We just had to wait till the weather broke so we could have the fencing company come back with more flags and give Marley a bit of training. I also wanted to have some time till we had walked our property perimeter enough so that Marley would have a sense of his limitations and the line would be well marked with the dogs' urine spots.

We had our doubts that underground invisible fencing would work with a hound. Usually, the advice is that an actual physical fence (at least six feet high) is necessary to keep this type of dog home when off leash. They are scent dogs which means once on a mission they may go right through the warning beep and zap of the underground line. They are excellent jumpers and have even been known to try to climb trees (they were bred to tree a coon so if excited will try in earnest to climb after something they want). But with Marley, so far our system is working. It could be that he is just a sensitive soul, or perhaps he just wants to stay home with the other dogs.

Again, being a scent dog as well as a tall dog, it is still difficult to keep Marley from jumping up to reach things on the counter, stove top, stay out of the trash, recycling and compost bucket under the sink. Two things that do deter him are either the squirt of the water bottle or a shake from a can filled with coins or screws. The cabinets are child-proofed to keep his prying nose out of there.

It is very accurate that these dogs are described as chow hounds. I have to really pay attention at feeding time or be sure Marley eats in his crate. Since he had a history of hunger and eats so fast compared to the other two dogs, he needed to learn he couldn't just stick his head into their dishes and help himself.

Initially, when the three dogs first met, Marley was the submissive one and seemed to be fine with that status. But as a young adolescent male, as he grew more secure with his new environment we did have a few incidences where he challenged one of the other dogs. Thankfully they worked out their issues, but the experience of fighting dogs almost cost Marley his happy home. Thanks to some good advice, more time, and plenty of opportunity for exercise, there is peace and play again.

Interesting with this dog is that whereas with the other dogs, a loud voice was usually enough to grab their attention and nip in the bud any path of destruction. Not with Marley. Yelling was futile and didn't phase him one bit. What works is a loud "eh eh" followed by distraction and positive reinforcement. I think he just does things since he knows I'll come running and get involved in his antics.


We have a gate across the hallway leading to the upstairs. Marley knows that is where the cats hang out along with all their crinkly, jingly toys. So any chance he can get, he'll sneak up there. There is a 10 x 7 inch cat door as part of the gate and this sausage bodied dog, though now a good 55 pounds, can still amazingly slide right through that hole with hardly a sound. Hopefully, he'll eventually be able to have free run of the house but for now he is too unpredictably destructive. One of his favorite games is to get under the blankets and have a good old time.

Now that life has settled down we are really starting to enjoy this dog. He is just such a happy to be alive free spirit who bumbles his way through the day. Anyone who needs a good laugh should spend time with a hound dog. Given room to run and stretch those long legs, it is so satisfying to just watch this dog and reflect back on how far he has come. The way he leaps and prances, it reminds me of a young frisky foal, chasing the wind.

Anyone thinking of getting a hound dog needs to fully understand their need for enough play, enough time to sniff to the hearts content and just run around. Pent up energy leads to long, frustrating days of pacing and whining and anxiety ridden trouble. If there is the need to be cooped up in a crate during the day, there has to be a release when set free to get all the boredom out of the system.
A tired dog makes a good house dog.

Updated May 2015
Six months in his new home, 25 pounds heavier and what a transformation

Our Pets and Winter Cold

Social media has been a blessing for raising awareness and changing attitudes in the care of cats and dogs. Depending on the region, cats, dogs and horses are either considered part of the family, part of a working farm or ranch, or considered simply a watch or guard dog. Naturally the quality of their care goes hand in hand with the value of their worth to the owner.

If at all possible, please don't leave your pets outside during horrid weather. They are creatures of comfort just like we are. If we opted to take on their care then it is our responsibility to do it with their best interests in mind. An outdoor shed or garage is better than being left to fend for themselves. 

During the bitter cold of winter, people have to understand that just because animals have fur doesn't mean they can always acclimate to harsh winter conditions. With dogs it depends on the breed and what type of fur they have. Dogs that have only a single layer of coat can withstand some cold but basically, if it's uncomfortable for you to be outside without a coat then your dog is probably going to get cold too.

Breeds with an undercoat (such as Eskimos, Huskies, Samoyans, Chows, Elkhounds, Akitas, Iceland Sheepdogs, Chinooks, and Wolf-hybrids) have a thick, downy layer that will help them keep warm.
The bodies of dogs who live outside will adjust to the change of seasons. They will instinctively eat more in early fall so as to add layers of fat for winter warmth, and then shed in the spring to ready themselves for the heat of summer.

Dogs that must live outdoors need to have proper shelter from the elements, good quality food and fresh, not frozen, water. Heavily fill the dog house with straw, filling it over half-full. Dogs love to circle around and stomp down the bedding in order to make a nest to curl up in. Also place plenty of straw at the entrance to the dog house so the pads of their feet won't be directly on the snow or ice.  Blankets may seem nice and soft, but they tend to just feel cold to the pet.
Have a wind block over the opening to protect the dog from wind blowing in and creating a draft.

Be prepared to break ice two or three times a day in the water bowls. Don't expect your dog to lick ice or eat snow to stay hydrated. Dogs will eat the snow but don't have them rely on that for their need for water. Eating snow will lower core temp very quickly, faster than the body can compensate.  Because it gets the body cold from the inside out, dogs can easily get hypothermia and freeze to death in frigid temperatures.

Provide extra food to the diet to help compensate for the energy necessary in keeping warm.

Keep an eye on their feet. Ice and snow balls can develop under the nails of dogs, especially on those who have fur between the toe pads. These harden and can make walking painful.

Even the most skittish stray dog is usually noticed before too long and help is gotten for its capture. Cats on the other hand are a different matter. Cats wandering around are rarely given a second thought at first because it is usually assumed they belong to somebody. People have the attitude that there will always be cats and as predators they are fine fending for themselves. That is a misconception. It may sound counter-productive, but in reality, a well-fed cat hunts better. A cat is only successful 2-3 times per 10 times it hunts. Cats need food on a daily basis so they can be strong enough to hunt. Also, being domesticated animals, not all cats have the desire to hunt. Just like us, they all have different personalities. Some will kill anything that moves, others would rather watch and be entertained.

Outdoor cats need care just like our dogs. They need fresh water, regular feeding and proper shelter. Just because cats will crawl under a bush somewhere, don't have the mentality that they know how to survive and will be fine. We have taken in a few cats over the years who arrived with frostbitten ear tips and toes.

Unless you know the food gets eaten immediately, don't bother with canned or wet food. It is easier to feed dry food being it won't freeze if left out for hours.

Keep fresh water available. Dry food may be more practical but if that is what the cat is eating, it isn't getting the needed water content. Cats (and dogs) that don't drink enough are prone to kidney problems. Dehydration is a real danger if available water is frozen. Don't expect a cat to eat the snow. Eating snow only lowers the body temperature, increasing the risk for hypothermia.

Here is an excellent video on how to build a feral or stray cat shelter. Whatever shelter you arrange for outside cats, remember four things:
Elevation...you don't want water or snow creeping inside.
Two holes, one for an entrance, one for an escape.
Access to the inside for cleaning purposes and getting to an injured cat.
Use straw for bedding rather than hay or cloth. Hay and cloth hold moisture.

Cats will crawl into the oddest places of seek warmth. Try to remember to check under your car's wheel wells and under the hood before starting it up.

Taking care of stray cats is wonderful but if these animals are not to be your pets or are feral please use the TNR (trap, neuter, release) method. If you are feeding stray cats, you have to realize that if you are feeding them they are not going anywhere. Your intentions may be in the right place by helping stray cats survive, but you must take responsibility and have them neutered so they don't reproduce. Besides adding to the number of mouths to feed, an increase in number is only inviting the risk of premature death due to disease, fighting and overpopulation.

As public awareness increases, so is empathy for the plight of animals who are so defenseless and dependent on people for their care. Domesticated animals may survive on their own but too often they needlessly suffer. State by state it is becoming illegal to leave a pet outdoors in unfit weather. In doing so, the owner risks his pet be picked up by animal control and being served a fine. If that is what it takes to get people to pay attention than hallelujah.

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"Ain't Nothin' But a Hound Dog", Say it's not so

November 14, 2014 on his way to a new home, he just doesn't know it yet.

Better than a concrete floor

Five days later, what a transformation

I have to admit when it came to hounds the only types I even thought of were the beagle and the basset hound. And then along came Henry, a Treeing Walker Coonhound, whom we renamed Marley.

Our daughter relocated to West Virginia and became involved with the animal shelter in her area, The Greenbrier Humane Society. 

She soon found out that hounds in that area are like pit bulls in our area, no one wants them due to reputation. Here is an interesting history to the Coonhound breed.

Languishing in overcrowded kennels are a breed that people tend to think serve only one purpose, that of hunting dog, a man's dog. If the owner thinks the dog isn't cut out to track down rabbits, fox or coons, than they aren't worth the cost of their upkeep. So out they go. The countless dogs that are picked up by animal control are labeled as strays, with no background to go on to help them get into a forever home. Were they strays because someone dumped them alongside the road? Were they strays because they had their nose to the ground, wandered far and wide, and couldn't find their way back home? A dog that doesn't make a good hunting dog, service dog, retrieving dog, or whatever their particular breed is supposed to excel at, isn't necessarily "stupid". 

These dogs need a break. They need a voice to break the misconceptions about their success as family pets. Elvis didn’t help their image any by singing, “You ain’t nothin’ but a hound dog, cryin’ all the time”. Yes, hounds do have a distinct voice, but in one regard they are not any more annoyingly vocal than any other dog if trapped in a crate, kennel, outdoor dog box for hours on end. Any bored, frustrated, lonely dog is going to bark. However, should a Coonhound do what they were bred to do, which is to tree a racoon (or a cat in the usual neighborhood setting), they will let you know so you can come and see what a good job they've done. Marley can be relentless in his tirade but as soon as he sees me he stops and comes running right to me. Left to their own devices, they'll keep barking till they get bored. In other words, don't just let them outside and forget about them, they do need supervision if you have close neighbors.

I have found our Marley "quick as a whip". Dogs only want to please, and with a consistent routine, they soon learn what is expected of them. Most behavior problems stem from a dog's confusion as to what he is supposed to do. Rescue dogs are all the more of a challenge, because you are most likely going to have to help him regain human trust, undo bad habits and deal with past traumatic experiences or neglect. Patience is the key to success with a rescue.

I took this dog in with the full understanding of the challenge I had with a dog who suffered neglect and most likely had no clue how to live in a house. Supervision is paramount, just like with a young child. Think of a two year old. A dog's mouth is our hands. Everything a child sees, he has to touch. Everything a puppy sees, he has to touch, and that can mean destruction. Many times, these dogs may first appear calm and meek. It only took a consistent full belly, a warm bed, health issues addressed, and increased confidence that this new family was his very own, and an amazing transformation took place. This supposedly low energy, depressed dog turned into an energy dynamo with the potential to get into a lot of trouble.  My thoughts were, oh great, I just adopted a 45 pound puppy. One thing I found out pretty quick was that this breed needs exercise and lots of it. At least with Marley, if he is wound up with no outlet he will pace and whine and pace some more. But this lanky, impulsive adolescent can just melt your heart when it comes time to settle down. He just can't get enough snuggle time, and it is adorable with his long, deer-like legs sprawled every which way.

My two stipulations were that he be good with my cats and my other dogs. Hounds are bred to hunt in packs of two to four dogs, therefore are by nature very social animals. It took only days for my little pack of three to establish its status order. Hounds are not aggressive dogs, and will avoid a fight if at all possible. A few squabbles, which do sound worse than they really are, and within days Marley was accepted and included in their play, as well as sleeping area.

As far as getting along with cats, some are and some aren't. It didn't take long before Marley knew which cats to leave alone. After careful observation, I now know he only wants to play, but being such a strong dog, he could end up hurting them. Therefore, once again, supervision at all times he is out of the crate, is necessary for a while.

We're only a few months into this new chapter in my crazy household, so I intend to update this post as Marley matures. The whole point is to do your research before you let big, sad eyes make your decision for you. Be prepared to have the time and energy for taking on the unknown. 

But, rest assured, the rewards in rescue, fostering and/or adoption far outweigh the extra work. 

You are saving a life.

A heartfelt thank you to the hard-working staff at Greenbrier Humane Society and all rescue groups who give it their all to take care of  homeless animals until foster groups or forever families can be found. 

Click here for a good article on what to expect before adopting a pet.

 

This little book  by September B. Morn is a gem for understanding dog behavior.

Here we have a great advice video on housebreaking a dog of any age.

In this first of a two-part series, Dr. Karen Becker discusses the four key principles for housebreaking a dog of any age.

"Up to 25 percent of dogs relinquished to animal shelters by their owners end up there due to housebreaking problems. The same statistic applies to dogs seen by veterinarians -- 25 percent of behavior-related visits to vets concern toileting."

Two months later

Though Marley doesn't get to see her much, he still has a special bond with his rescuer

 

Three months later

 Marley received his collar from Astro Invisible Fencing so now he can run free and play!!!
 So many problems solved with enough exercise
Be aware that the underground invisible fence system may not work for all hound dogs.
If possible, an actual, physical fence at least six feet high is ideal.


Here is the six month later update