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While we pet owners love the 4th of July and relish in the celebrations, our pets feel differently. A lot of dogs and cats are afraid of the fireworks and/or just even the loud sounds that they might hear outside. And if you decide to take your dog with you to an outdoor event, you need to keep an eye on your dogs at all times.

Below are some safety reminders for you and your pets.

• Make sure all pets, even indoor cats, are wearing a collar with an identification tag that includes your name and telephone number. A microchip is also a good idea. Terrified animals may end up miles from home or deep under a neighbor’s porch. This simple precaution will save a lot of anguish, time, and energy.
• Walk your dogs in the early evening, before the evening falls, to prevent stress from noises and to tire them out so they can sleep the night away (hopefully).
• During neighborhood firework displays, keep all cats and dogs safely inside. Dogs and cats who are scared of noises should be put into a bathroom or other room with a secure door no windows. A screen door will not keep in a fearful dog. It is better not take a dog to watch a large commercial firework display as it only increases the chances of him or her becoming lost in an unfamiliar area.
• Be sure to talk with all family members, including children, about the importance of keeping dogs and cats indoors this time of year. Get them accustomed to opening doors carefully to prevent animals from bolting.
• It is safer to keep your pets at home during Fourth of July celebrations instead of bringing him to your neighbor’s party. Keep your pets in the house, rather than in your yard. He will be a lot happier indoors, and not tempted to leap over a fence to find you.
• Dogs can be startled by the loud noise of fireworks. Once the festivities begin, keep your pet in a safe room where he can feel comfortable. If he is crate trained put your dog in his crate covered with a blanket to make him feel secure.
• Remember to ensure that any room you place your pet to feel safe should be clean, have a light, be well ventilated and is a safe room temperature, and that there is access to fresh water and food.
• Block outside sights and sounds by lowering the blinds and turning on the television. Play soothing music in the background to counteract the noise of the fireworks.  You don’t need to turn up the volume – louder noises, even common ones, can add to anxiety.
• If your pet is very sensitive to noise, or has anxieties even on low-stress days, talk to your veterinarian now. Pets that are very fearful of noises might need a prescription of anti-anxiety medication from their veterinarian.
• If your dog or cat seems overly anxious, spend some time with your beloved, speaking soothingly to help your dog or cat to relax.
• Avoid spraying your dog with insect repellent and only use special sunscreen that is intended for your pets. Keep your pets away from matches and lighter fluid. They can be extremely irritating to the stomach, lungs and central nervous system, if ingested. When striking up the barbecue, make sure your dog or even outdoor cat is far away.
• Never leave alcoholic drinks unattended where cats or dogs can reach them. Alcoholic beverages have the potential to poison pets. If ingested, your dog or cat could become very intoxicated and weak, severely depressed or could go into a coma.
• Keep sparklers, candles, insect coils and oil products out of reach. If inhaled, the oils could cause aspiration pneumonia in pets.
• Never use fireworks around pets! While exposure to lit fireworks can potentially result in severe burns and/or trauma to the face and paws of curious pets, even unused fireworks can pose a danger. Many types contain potentially toxic substances, including potassium nitrate, arsenic and other heavy metals.

Just remember that loud, crowded fireworks displays are no fun for cats or dogs, so it’s best not to take them along to your 4th of July festivities. Keep them safe at home in a quiet, sheltered area where your cat or dog can’t escape. They will be fine if you just make sure they have a safe place to reside during the short-lived firework celebration.

Is there something else you do to help your pet survive a July 4th comfortably?  Let us know, so we can let everyone know!

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Did you know that leaving your outside faucets dripping just a little, can save a bird’s life?  THAT maybe the only source of water around.

1. Leave baby birds alone.

If you find a baby bird out of its nest, don’t pick it up or bring it indoors. In almost all cases, the parents are nearby and know best how to care for their young. An exception are injured birds, which can be taken to a local wildlife rehabilitator for treatment.

2. Ensure dogs and cats stay away from young birds.

If you have an outdoor cat, make sure he has a collar with ID (for your cat’s safety) and a bell to warn birds of his presence. Loose dogs also have an impact on nesting birds; for example, roaming dogs are suspected of recently wiping out a colony of threatened Least Terns in Florida. Keep your pets contained, and be especially cautious near beach-nesting birds.

3. Keep things fresh.

Your birdbath or other water feature should be cleaned regularly and kept filled with fresh water. Hummingbird feeders also need special attention, as hummingbirds will be switching back from an insect-rich diet to nectar in preparation for flights south in the fall. Be sure to thoroughly clean hummingbird feeders and replace the sugar water before it ferments—usually within three to seven days depending on the heat and sun.

4. Maintain your land in a bird-friendly fashion.

Consider letting some of your yard or other property go “wild,” or garden with native plants. Even small wild areas act as sources of food and shelter for birds through the summer. Avoid or minimize tree trimming to prevent disturbance to nesting birds. Where possible, avoid mowing grass in large fields and roadsides until after July to enable ground-nesting grassland birds to safely fledge.

5. Be a good landlord.

If you’re lucky enough to have swallows or phoebes nesting on your porch or carport, keep the nest intact. The birds will be gone soon enough, and in the meantime, they will help you out by eating hundreds of insects each day. If you have active nest boxes, clean them out after the young have fledged. Old nesting material attracts parasites and can be a source of disease.

6. Stay away from pesticides.

Many home and garden products include neonicotinoids, or “neonics,” which have been found to be deadly to both bees and birds in even minute amounts. See this list of products to avoid.

7. Ban balloons.

Birds can become entangled in the long ribbons, and may ingest the deflated balloon, which blocks the digestive tract and causes the bird to starve.

8. Turn the outdoor lights out.

Bright artificial lights can disorient migrating birds and make collisions with windows, buildings and other structures more likely.  Consider putting steady burning lights on motion sensors. You can consider blue and green LED lights as they are less distracting to night-migrating birds.

9. Be a bird-friendly boater.

If you’re boating, avoid disrupting birds. Boats operated in proximity to nesting birds can cause behavioral changes, even leading to nest abandonment and failure in some cases. If you notice congregations of birds, steer clear to enable them to spend their energy on gathering food and raising their young.

10. Gone fishing?

Discard fishing line properly in trash receptacles, since entanglement in line is a common and preventable source of bird mortality. If you accidentally hook a bird, don’t cut the fishing line. Instead, net the bird, cut the barb off the hook, and push it backward to remove. Just as important, be sure to use only non-lead fishing gear. Scores of birds suffer mortal poisoning from ingesting lead weights in fishing gear.

Have other tips?  Let us know, and we’ll add them!

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Panda Paws Rescue is devoted to helping animals that were once homeless, abused or neglected.

Thanks to this organization, a boxer puppy named Duncan Lou Who has a new outlook on life.

After being born with severely deformed rear legs and pelvis, doctors claimed that corrective surgery wasn’t an option for Duncan Lou Who. Instead of losing hope, the team at Panda Paws Rescue chose to have the puppy’s hind legs amputated. This decision proved to be lifesaving, and thanks to their love and continued support, Duncan Lou Who has relearned to walk and run!

This is a fantastic example of the good work being done by Panda Paws Rescue.  Check them out!

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I’m a Social Thanatolgist. If you’re asking yourself – “A WHAT??” – believe me, you are not alone.

A Thanatolgist is someone who studies death, dying and bereavement. A Social Thanatolgist looks at how people and cultures deal with the same issues. In other words, I am interested in how the interconnected web of our culture and society deals with death, dying and bereavement.

The company I started 4 years ago, New England Pet Hospice & Home Care, helps people care for ill, elderly and special needs animals at home following the human hospice model of interdisciplinary care. Like human hospice, we support the entire family unit in all areas of suffering through aging, illness, death and bereavement.

Our team of more than 25 professionals includes veterinary nurses, counselors, home health aides, groomers, a chaplain, grief companions, energy workers, massage therapists, and many more – all working as one cohesive team to bring comfort to the ailing and peace to the suffering during a time that all of us consider sacred and important.

When I say this I generally get one of two reactions – people think I’m NUTS. Or people think I’m an angel.

Honestly, I don’t think I am either. I’m just a devoted animal lover who believes death is a sacred and important time that reveals much about how we live our lives and teaches volumes about heart-centered living.

Think about this – in the last 100 years, our society as a whole has lost touch with the dying process, death and healthy grief. In the early 1900’s, 80% of people died at home and half of all children died before their first birthday. People of all ages cared for their ill and dying with their own hands, prepared bodies after death, sat vigil in their homes and buried their dead.

Today, most children will live to adulthood and 75% of adults will die in an institutional setting. We send our elderly to nursing homes, our dying to hospitals and our dead to funeral homes. Children – and often adults also – are kept from the ”ugliness” of death, away from the sight of their own loved ones as they age and especially as they die.

We no longer know how to care for our own and we are extremely uncomfortable doing so.

At the same time, unrealistic, accelerated, sensationalized depictions of death, dying and bereavement flood our homes daily in the news, television, movies and other media. We see death as it rarely is – quick, violent, and without consequences.

We expect instant death or steady decline. We are wholly unprepared for the more common progression of age and disease leading to death – its unpredictable, unstable, slow and confusing pace.

So how does hospice for pets fit into this??

Consider this – we accept animals into our homes now more than ever before.

39% of homes in the United States have at least one dog and 33% of homes have at least one cat. With an average lifespan of 12-15 years, it is clear that most of us animal lovers will see our animals age and die in their time with us.

Furthermore, 64% of homes with children under age 6 and 75% of homes with children over age 6, have companion animals. This means most children in this country will experience the death of a beloved animal before they reach maturity. What we teach our children about caring for animals in illness and infirmity informs their worldview of how to treat all living beings in similar situations.

When we care for our animals well, we learn skills that benefit not only the animal, but all for whom we will care in the future – whether they have skin, hair, fur, fins or scales. When we accept the unpredictability and sacredness of aging and dying, we learn to live much more fully, in the moment and with a stronger appreciation for what truly matters.

In my time working in both human and animal hospice I have seen much and learned more:

• That as we have lived, so shall we die. Lovingly. Loudly. Quietly. Angrily. Peacefully.

• That something comes next, even if we don’t know what.

• That loss is loss – whether it is loss of a person, animal, job, marriage, hope or dream.

• That the skills needed to cope with loss in a healthy way can be learned and are transferable.

• That when we open our hearts to the difficulty and uncertainty of loss, we live more fully.

• And, that our lives, our losses, our joys are all interconnected.

–  Heather Merrill

New England Pet Hospice & Home Care supports those caring for ill, elderly and special needs animals at home following the human hospice and palliative care models of interdisciplinary care. Learn more and get your FREE subscription to Wag & Purr: Your Guide to Comfort Care for Pets at www.NEPetHospice.com.

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The Story Behind WiggleLess® Dog Back Brace

My name is Lisa Luckenbach and I am the owner/founder of WiggleLess® Dog Back Brace.

June, our beloved mini long haired dachshund, passed away in 2011. She, along with her older brother, Henry, who has also passed on, inspired me to create WiggleLess® Dog Back Braces. You see, June, while in her prime, was diagnosed with IVDD (intervertebral disc disease), a string of fancy words that translate into lots of back problems for dachshunds.

June’s life with IVDD began when she was only two years old and weighed about eight pounds. While playing in the backyard she injured her back to such a degree she could barely walk. I rushed her to the ER where the oncall vet administered Rimadyl for inflammation, Tramadol for back pain, and Roboxin to relax muscles. But the worst was yet to come. My smart, feisty little girl was to be “confined to rest” for a month! Whaaaat?

With a lot of diligence on my part, June recovered, only to re-injure her back when she was three years old! After a series of x-rays and veterinary examinations, I learned that June was a “chondrodystrophic” breed, which means a dog with short legs and long backs (but not always), prone to IVDD. When the vet told me that June’s back was like a “ticking time bomb” and suggested spinal surgery or possibly euthanasia, I panicked. Was my sweet angel destined to a life of pain and other maladies than can accompany IVDD such as shaking, and loss of appetite and bladder control? I felt an immense sadness and frustration. Why did June have to suffer so? I took a little time to worry and commiserate, but then…I got busy.

I realized that if June remained still, she wouldn’t injure her back. But what kind of life is that for a dog? Dogs need to be active. I had to find a way to keep June from twisting her spine and wiggling so much, while she went about her daily business. That’s when the solution came to me. June needed a back brace for dogs, something like what the chiropractor gave me when I had injured my back.

I immediately combed through the pet shops and searched online. I even asked my vet for a dog back brace, but there was nothing out there that would work for June. Unwilling to give up, I hired a seamstress and together we designed a cheery, yellow vest with side boning to keep June from wiggling. And guess what? It worked! And that was the very first WiggleLess® dog back brace. It afforded June the comfort and stability she needed to live a full, comfortable and happy life!

My vet was so impressed he encouraged me to make them available for all dogs who require back support—there are a lot of them!

Fast forward to today and there are now eight sizes of WiggleLess® dog back braces available. When used as directed the vet recommended and patented WiggleLess Dog Back Brace curtails twisting, relieves stress and provides comfortable, firm, back support for dogs.

June continues to inspire me and to watch over her four legged friends who desperately need the same support she did. It is she, who keeps me motivated ensuring WiggleLess® dog back brace is available to most dog sizes and shapes with back problems. June is and always will be our WiggleLess® Guardian Angel. We love you, June!

For more information on WiggleLess Dog Back Brace go to:
www.wiggleless.com 

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More and more groups are saving shelter dogs in a new way: by identifying dogs who have the potential to be working canines. This saves their lives and makes the world an easier place to navigate for the people with whom they are paired.

Best Friends Animal Society’s Canines with Careers program, run by animal behavior expert Sherry Woodard, teaches dog trainers and rescue groups—as well sheriff’s department personnel, prison staff, people who work with at-risk youth, and health care professionals—how to identify, screen, select, train, and place appropriate shelter and rescue dogs for career work.

Last year, Best Friends Animal Society and a team of committed people successfully placed more than 380 rescued canines in jobs that saved the dogs’ lives and benefited people. “There are millions of reasons for this program,” Woodard says. “Every day thousands of dogs are dying in shelters across the country, simply because they are homeless. At the same time, millions of people with psychiatric or physical disabilities don’t have the service dog they need. The Institute of Medicine estimates of the more than 40 million people with disabilities, only about one percent of those who could benefit from a service dog actually have one.”

Search and Rescue

Many search and rescue teams are without qualified dogs. Somewhere between 400,000 and 600,000 military veterans suffering post-traumatic stress disorder could benefit from having a service dog. And every year, about 25,000 U.S. children are diagnosed with autism and must endure a long wait for a trained dog to help them communicate and keep them safe.

Traditionally, the assumption has been that career dogs must be “purpose-bred,” utilizing purebred puppies placed in training between 18 and 24 months of age. Drawbacks include a high cost (between $10,000 and $40,000 per dog), a 50 percent failure rate of dogs who aren’t suited to be career dogs, and long waiting lists.

In Missouri, Heddie Leger, a certified dog trainer and owner of The Paw Zone, was one of the first dog trainers to work with the State of Missouri Department of Corrections in Puppies for Parole, a highly successful program through which selected offenders have the opportunity to become trainers for dogs from local shelters. Dogs that are in danger of being killed are often participants in these programs.

The program has spread to almost every prison in the state, making Missouri the national leader in this type of program. More than 2,000 dogs have been adopted. Leger works with offender handlers in three different Missouri facilities, and collaborates with shelters in several different communities in rural Northwest Missouri, where dogs are often considered a disposable commodity.

One woman who received a dog through Puppies for Parole and Canines with Careers has been very pleased with the positive improvements the dog, “Gabby,” has brought to her life. Sandra Jones, who lives in Cheyenne, WY, submitted an application through Best Friends’ Canines with Careers program and contacted Woodard about needing a dog to help her with balance issues (Jones has multiple sclerosis). Leger identified a boxer mix from the Cameron Animal Shelter, admitted to the Missouri Puppies for Parole Program for training, who she believed could potentially provide the necessary help that Sandra needed.

Woodard says, “Sandra’s description of what she needed in a service dog points out that it is the dog’s individual traits rather than breed that determines its suitability for the job. Among the traits she needed in her dog were: ‘rock-solid nerves, obeying even in the midst of chaos, intelligence, abundance of good common sense, and a strong desire to please.’”

Another person who has benefited from Canines with Careers is disabled veteran Ted Martello. Martello was wounded during a tour of duty in Iraq and suffers from post-traumatic stress syndrome and traumatic brain injury. He lives in Flagstaff, AZ, and works as a local veteran’s employment representative to help other disabled veterans find work.

“I called Sherry and told her what my situation was,” he says. “I would not go out in public except for work and it was too overwhelming being around crowds. She sent me photos and descriptions of three dogs and I knew Buster was the right one.”

Buster was a Chow mix who lived at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, where Woodard had identified his potential and started working with him. Martello drove to Best Friends’ sanctuary in Kanab, Utah, where Woodard introduced him to his new service dog.

Today, Martello is experiencing a big difference in how he feels. “Now Buster is my little buddy, and if I get upset, he calms me down by nudging my hand, which distracts me enough to stop the bad feelings. And because I have to walk him, it helps me to interact with people. Everybody in town knows Buster. If I’m having nightmares he wakes me up. To put it bluntly, if I didn’t have Buster, I wouldn’t be here.”

Woodard has a clear vision of the future: “Best Friends and other organizations with similar programs hope to fundamentally change the career dog field by providing a compassionate, less time-consuming and more cost-effective alternative to the traditional model. People’s lives will be enriched, and dogs previously without any future are now saved.”

Michele C. Hollow writes the animal advocacy blog Pet News and Views. She also writes investigative animal stories for Who What Why. She is the author of The Everything Guide to Working with Animals. You can follow her at Twitter. 

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I am Sadie and I want you to know my story.

I was found in the mountains of Kentucky in April of 2012.  After having a litter of puppies, I was led up a mountain by my owner and was shot between the eyes and in the back and paralyzed.  Why did he have to do that? 

Please read on because my story is about an amazing journey! 

Kind people found me and took me to a doctor.  After a quick observation, somehow I was deemed still viable and was transported to a no-kill shelter in Wisconsin to live out my life.  I was urinary and fecally incontinent and I couldn’t walk. 

Not twenty four hours after I arrived, I was with a volunteer outside of the basement where I was being kept and this woman walked past me and asked what my story was.  This woman was not looking for another dog because she was only there to donate pillows and blankets.  When this woman found out what my story was, I was suddenly whisked up and put into an SUV where I was driven to doctors and given a grim prognosis.  The doctors urged this woman to do the kind thing……but she didn’t listen and instead took me home and put me into her garage with a nice bed with food and water for the night.  The next day, this woman took me to a holistic doctor, Dr. Jodie from the Animal Doctor who said that I should given a chance. THANK GOODNESS FOR DR. JODIE!  

So, my new life began in earnest. 

Fast forward to today:  I receive intensive rehabilitation every day including some form of acupuncture, aqua puncture, cranial sacral, chiropractic, e stim, Russian e stim, Far Infared Therapy, Power Plate, air splints, braces, swimming and a high protein diet with LOTS of supplements!  My mom (formerly called THAT WOMAN) has adopted me and the only way that my life could be any better would be if my legs were strong enough for me to stand and support myself.

That is only half of the story. 

I have been on the FRONT COVER of six major publications, multiple TV shows including the Lifetime Network, radio and international radio, I had a presence at the Oscars and the Academy Awards, I am scheduled to be on Animal Magnetism with Carolyn Henessy from General Hospital and I make personal appearances all over the area.  I am also the spokespuppy for GooFurr, which is a natural product that my mom mixes my pills in to make them taste delicious!

The message that I am sending is one of acceptance of people and animals who are disabled.  Children in wheelchairs especially love me because they can relate to one’s legs not being strong.

I also work on getting the laws against animal cruelty strengthened because with my signature photo (the one with the bullet hole between my eyes) my mom calls me the Ambassadog against animal cruelty.

My quality of life now?  I am no longer urinary or fecally incontinent, and I am the happiest and healthiest dog that you would ever see and I just taught my mom how to howl!  What fun we have! 

If you would like to read more about my story, just go to www.savingsadie.com and please pass it on to others! 

I was saved for a reason and I would like my story to be an inspiration to others!  

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Wedding season is upon us!

Including a four-legged groomsman, ring bearer, maid of honor, or furry flower girl as part of your wedding? Many couples consider their dog part of the family, so it’s not surprising that Fido is often part of the wedding celebrations too. And having a dog in a wedding will surely make for some great photos!

As a bride and groom you want to look your best on this important day and you want your dog to look stylish too. The Classy Dog has beautiful handmade wedding apparel for your dog. Have your own design ideas? Our designers can custom make a one-of-a-kind dress or vest.

Here are some helpful tips on including your dog in your wedding celebration:

•  Check that your venue is dog friendly.

• Bring your dog to the rehearsal to do a practice run (including dress rehearsal).

• Make sure you decide on a particular role for your dog.

• Your dog should get plenty of exercise before the ceremony so that he is calm.

• Entrust someone to handle your dog throughout the event. Consider having a pet sitter who will act as your dog’s guide and watch him during the reception. That way you won’t need to worry about who might be feeding him human food (or keeping him away from the wedding cake).

• Have handler take him out for periodic breaks as it might become a bit overwhelming for him. If he is a little skittish consider having someone carry him or letting him ride in a wagon. If he is easily distracted, be sure to use a leash.

• Have treats handy to keep your pooch entertained as well as water to keep him hydrated.

• Make sure any flowers or plants being used at your wedding are not toxic to pets.

• The photographer you hire should be comfortable working with dogs.

• Arrange for a quiet room where your dog can rest in his crate if he needs a nap.

– The Classy Dog

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BITE LIKE A RATTLER, STING LIKE A BEE…

First Aide for your Dog

By Denise Fleck, www.sunnydogink.com

One Summer morning, two Dachshund pups were playfully exploring their fenced yard when Rudy caught Abigail off guard and bounded at her from behind the rose bushes. As Abby took a tumble landing dazed and confused, a bumble bee buzzed passed her. The twosome, quickly distracted by this new found fun, attempted to play a game of pounce with the tiny buzzing creature. Fun did ensue for a few moments, but it then turned nasty as the bee planted his stinger right onto the tip of Rudy’s nose! The pup pawed furiously at his face, and as it began to swell, Rudy started looking more like a Bulldog than a Doxie.

BEES

Generally dogs paw at and remove the insect’s stinger, but should you see one through your pet’s fur coat (or on his nose, lip, paw or elsewhere), scrape it away with a credit card, popsicle stick or similar stiff object. Pulling the stinger with fingers or tweezers could rupture the poison sac allowing the toxin to enter your pet’s body. Administer 1 mg Benadryl per pound of your dog’s body weight, and apply a cold pack (a bag of frozen peas works well) to any swelling. Should severe swelling or any breathing difficulties develop, get to your Veterinarian at once.

SPIDERS

Black Widow Spiders terrify us all with their distinctive red hour-glass marking, but rarely are they fatal. Small dogs sometimes have bigger issues with the venom due to their size. Treat bites with ice and Benadryl as you would for a bee sting, and should your dog develop unusual redness, pain, difficulty breathing or paralysis…get to the Vet ASAP.

Brown Recluse Spiders tend to hide in dark, secluded areas and their venom is known to destroy tissue surrounding the bite. Approximately 1/2 inch to 2 inches long, the Brown Recluse can be identified by a distinctive fiddle-shaped mark on its back. When bitten, most dogs do not realize it, but after a while redness occurs. Clean the wound with hydrogen peroxide, chlorhexidine or povidone iodine. If your dog appears lethargic, develops a rash, fever, chills, vomiting or diarrhea or if the wound becomes larger or persistent drainage occurs, seek Veterinary assistance.

SNAKES

Another danger to our dogs comes in the form of venomous snakes. In California the eight species of Rattlesnakes are active year round. Their physical appearance varies, but all can be identified by a broad, triangular head, vertical pupils as opposed to round ones (though hopefully you won’t be close enough to evaluate this), and heat-sensing “pits” between the eyes and nostrils which help them locate prey.

Prevention is the best medicine! While out walking, your best safety device is keeping control of your dog on a leash. Stay on open paths, and don’t allow your dog to explore holes or dig under logs or rocks where snakes hide (yeah, right — but doing so can prevent much pain, suffering and even death).

Keep pets away from areas covered in ivy and wood piles where snake food (mice) hide.

If your pet gets bitten, assume it is a poisonous bite. Even if it isn’t, non-venomous snakes transmit bacteria (remember…they eat rodents and don’t brush their teeth) making Veterinary Care vital!

Baby snakes can be just as dangerous as their full-grown counterparts. They are born with fangs and venom and generally give all they’ve got with each and every bite!

Snake Bite Vaccine can buy you time, but you’ll still need to get to your Veterinarian quickly if your dog is bitten. Vaccinated dogs typically develop protection comparable to a couple vials of anti-venin.

FIRST-AIDE

• Keep the wound at or below the level of the heart.
• Keep your dog or cat calm and carry him if possible. Increasing your pet’s pulse and respiration also increases the absorption of the venom.
• Immediately call your Animal Emergency Center to make sure they have anti-venin and let them know you’re on the way so that they will start mixing it – it takes 30 minutes to prepare. Ask if you should administer Benadryl® (usual dose for snake bites is 2 mg per pound of pet’s body weight).
• If possible, identify the type of snake or be able to describe it, but do not get near it.
• DO NOT cut over the fang marks or try to suck out the poison.
• DO NOT move the animal any more than needed.
• DO NOT place an ice pack over the bite which could result in the limb having to be amputated. Venom is caustic and immediately breaks down tissue and blood cells, so as much as don’t want it traveling to the vital organs, you also do not want the concentration of toxin frozen in one place.

Do you know where your nearest Animal Emergency Hospital is? Don’t wait until it is too late to find out!

Denise founded Sunny-dog Ink in 1999 to help people help their pets. She has developed the curriculum for her Pet First-Aid & CPCR (yes, there’s now a second “C”) classes as well as for the high school Animal Care program she teaches in conjunction with the Burbank Unified School District and Animal Shelter. She recently won Children’s Book of the Year from the Dog Writers Association of America for “Don’t Judge a Book by its Cover,” and has a new book out entitled “Pet First Aid for Kids,” with three more books coming in 2014. Learn more at www.sunnydogink.com.

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Bringing a dog into your family is a huge decision, and here are some things about man’s best four-legged friend that are sure to be of interest to children (and some adults):

1. An adult dog has 42 teeth.

2. A dog’s sense of smell is more than 1 million times stronger than that of a person.

3. More than 1 in 3 families in the United States owns a dog.

4. Spaying or neutering your dog can help prevent certain types of cancer.

5. If never spayed or neutered, a pair of dogs can produce 66,000 puppies in 6 years.

6. A dog’s sense of hearing is more than 10 times more accurate than that of a person.

7. The average dog can run about 19 miles per hour at full speed.

8. Dogs are mentioned 14 times in the Bible.

9. A dog’s nose print is one of a kind, very similar to a person’s fingerprint.

10. The average body temperature for a dog is 101.2.

11. With an average lifespan of just over 11 years, the typical dog costs $13,500.

12. The only sweat glands a dog has are between its toes.

13. Dogs are omnivorous; they need to eat more than just meat.

14. Dogs have twice as many ear muscles as people.

15. Dogs will be submissive to anyone they feel is higher up in the pack.

16. People have been keeping dogs for pets for 12,000 years.

17. A female dog carries her puppies for about 60 days before they are born.

18. It is a myth dogs are color blind; they actually see color, just not as vividly as a person.

19. Obesity is the number-one health problem in dogs.

20. Seventy percent of people sign their pets name on greeting/holiday cards.

What else do YOU know about dogs?

– Dogtime