When it rains it pours – the aural hematoma

When it rains, it pours or so the saying goes.  Unfortunately its been one of those “pouring” weeks for us.  My poor black lab Zeus just can’t win for loosing it seems.  Last Tuesday I took him into the vet to have his stitches removed from his lipoma excision.  Stitches were removed, they said he looked great and was healing very nicely…  Well we were in the waiting room to have a prescription filled he apparently shook his head and gave himself a giant hematoma in his left ear.  I was rubbing his head and noticed his ear felt warm and as I moved my hand further down his ear and OMG it felt like a huge marshmallow as in it.  I went up to the receptionist and asked if someone could look at it.  I thought he had been bit by a spider or some other insect and he was having a reaction.  The vet tech came out and immediately knew it was a hematoma and said I would need to have him seen by the vet.

The vet saw us and and explained what an aural hematoma is – a collection of blood in the ear from a broken blood vessel.  Most likely caused by head shaking and usually associated with ear infections.  Labradors are apparently very prone to getting them, of course.  She explained the treatment options

Drain the fluid from the ear and inject with steroids.Surgically removed the hematoma, insert multiple drains and sutures throughout the ear to keep it from filling back up with blood.Do nothing and let it resolve itself.

While option three is of course the cheapest and least invasive, it is actually a non-option.  Aural hematomas are very painful for the dog and take months to resolve on their own.  Unfortunately a significant amount of tissue damage is done which in turn creates a significant amount of scar tissue.  The ear usually ends up quite disfigured.  Sometimes this is the only option for dogs that can not tolerate anesthesia due to other health issues or age.

Option one, draining it and injecting steroids would have the ideal choice however… why does it always seem like there is a however?  However Zeus is currently taking Novox (generic form Carprofin, the bio-equivalent of Rimadyl®) for arthritis and steroids are contraindicated (should not be used in conjunction) due to possible bleeding issues.  So of course that option is out.

We decided to go with option two.  Zeus stayed the night there and they performed the surgery that night.  I picked him up around 2:00 am and I have to tell you I was totally unprepared for what they had done to him.  I really thought they would just put a small incision in the ear flap, drain out the blood and stitch it up.  NOPE!  They made a 3 inch incision in his ear and drained out all of the blood, inserted drains on both sides of the ear and secured them with sutures.  The actual incision is not sutured and left open to drain and prevent another hematoma from forming.  It heals from the inside out.  The sutures stay in for 3 weeks and he will have to wear a cone of shame while the sutures are in.

He had a really hard time maneuvering around with the cone and was in a tremendous amount of pain the first two days.  I was not prepared for the amount of blood/drainage.  When I took off the bandages around his head of course he shook his head and blood went EVERYWHERE.  It looked like a crime scene in my bedroom.  It made me feel sick to my stomach.  I just had no idea that it was going to happen.  Its my sincerest wish that anyone who has to go through this in the future and reads this post will be prepared for the first few days post surgery.  I wish they had prepared me.  The first two or so days are the hardest.  Its bloody and messy and painful.  Its normal for there to be alot of drainage and for the incision to bleed and for it to be left open.  But don’t be disheartened, it does get better very quickly though.

He was not sent home with any oral antibiotics, just a topical one for inside the ear.  The next day while in my panic over the blood, I asked them to call in an oral antibiotic for me.  I had a feeling it would get infected and of course by the afternoon it started smelling manky so I’m really glad I did.  By the next morning the infection started clearing up and the smell went away.

Tomorrow will be the one week mark and there is almost no drainage coming out now.  It is healing up nicely.  Zeus is doing very well and seems very happy go lucky again.  He does wear the cone all the time except when I clean the incision once a day with warm water and will continue to wear it as long as he has sutures.  We will be going back on Tuesday for our first post-op check up.  Im hoping they will remove the drains at this visit.  The sutures will stay in for a total of 2-3 weeks.

Icanhavecheeseburger certainly had it right when they said “Its all fun and games til someone ends up in a cone,” the cone of shame is no fun!

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Lipomas Among Us

As Zeus has aged he has developed several bumps and lumps on his body.  It seems like every few months a new one crops up.  They are mushy and soft and move around under his skin.  Two years ago a particularly large, hard and unmoving one appeared basically over night.  At first I thought he’d been stung/bit by and insect and he was just having a reaction.  After three or so days it had not gotten any smaller even with Benedryl so I packed him up and headed in to the vet.

The vet told me she believed it was a lipoma or benign fatty tumor.  Labradors are particularly prone to developing them as they age.  To make sure the vet wanted to do a fine needle aspiration of the tumor and see what type of cells came out.  Luckily it was greasy fat and I was told it was nothing to worry about.  I should keep an eye on it and if it changes or it started bothering him to come back in.

The next year at his annual check up, I had it aspirated again and nothing insidious showed itself in the sample.  It hadn’t really changed much but it seemed to bother him to the touch somewhat.

About a month ago, I had an issue with his ear and I was unable to get in to see my regular vet so I took him to a vet that was close to my home.  The vet seem particularly concerned about the hardness and its unwillingness to move around.  I assured him I had it aspirated at his annual exams and it was just a lipoma. He then went into a spiel about how hard lipomas on the ribs (typically seen in Labs) can be more than just a lipoma and can infiltrate into the surrounding tissues, muscles and even into organ tissue.  I started to zone out as the “C” word was mentioned and chemo and radiation…. OMG I sat there shell shocked.  Basically, it was time for Zeus and his lump to part ways.

Pardon the sock next to the couch, you know you see it.  Talk about embarrassing!  :oops:

It’s been a week since I took Zeus in to have his lump removed.  He is a real trooper and is doing really well.   Poor guy, I added insult to injury and took the opportunity to have a couple of offending teeth pulled and a dental while he was under.  Double whammy! But he’s enjoying the soft canned food.  He goes back to see the vet for a check up and to have his stitches out Tuesday.  The fur has even begun to grow back.  We were lucky, it was not a “C”!  It was not an infiltrative lipoma, it was under the muscle which is not typical… go figure!  Watching them get old is just the pits!

Dr Dressler, DVM at The Dog Cancer Blog has a great article about lipomas and liposarcoma.  I highly recommend it.

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Happy Howl ‘o Ween – Rufio Style

I have some very trick-alicious photos to treat you with.

 

My good friend Kathryn Dunlap is owned by the most photogenic and patient dog of all time.  Her boy, Rufio, is a one year old Neopolitan Mastiff (think fang from Harry Potter if you are not familiar with the breed) who’s taking the internet and greeting card business by storm.  He has his own line of hilariously creative greeting cards.  Check out his website – Rufio’s Rumblings.  He has his very own fan club on Facebook and has been a media sensation (tv and newspaper) in and around the Chicago area.  He is currently featured in a Halloween Hallmark greeting card his Gladiator candy defender costume. You can defend my candy any day.

How can I even compete with these costumes?  And Brutus and Rufus would never stand for clothing like that.  Hats, sure… full on costumes, never.  I think I’ve been bitten by that little green-eyed monster, Jealousy. Keep up the good work Rufio.  I think we are witnessing a huge star being born.

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Duh dum… Duh dum… Duhdum duhdum…

Posted on 31. Oct, 2011 by Keri in Dog Bliss News, Dog Holiday

Happy Halloween! Don’t forget to watch out for landsharks posing as trick-or-treaters. They’re treacherous, those landsharks.

(Costume from Target.)

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Travesty of Justice? Dog to Die for Attacking Cat

C-Jay will soon die because he attacked a cat. (Photo: STV News)

A Scottish dog will soon be killed because he escaped from his family’s garden and attacked a neighbor’s cat. That’s the final word from an Edinburgh appeals court that upheld an earlier death sentence for the August attack, which left the cat with serious injuries.

The 3-year-old dog has no other history of violence. He went exploring after a visitor inadvertently left the gate open, and he came upon a cat, and unfortunately did what some dogs will do. He has been in a kennel, away from his family, since being found with the cat in his mouth.

Owner Tracy Jackson broke down crying when the judge refused to change the death sentence. She said she and her 15-year-old daughter had been trying to be optimistic, but were “totally gutted” at the decision.

Defense counsel Chris Snead had suggested alternatives, including being extra vigilant about keeping watch on C-Jay and the garden gate. Snead tried to underscore the fact that the dog is not a public danger, and to get the judge to see how harsh the sentence is.

“There is not the slightest suggestion this dog had a propensity to violence,” Snead said. “In the present case the victim of the attack was a cat. … All this dog did was follow its nature and attack a cat. It does not pose any threat to public safety. If the test if whether the dog poses a threat to public safety the answer must be an emphatic ‘no’ to that.

“We are talking about the destruction of the animal. It is as fundamental a step as can be taken. What we are dealing with is an irrevocable, fundamental, and draconian order that should only be taken when necessary.”

The judge believed that because the dog may have previously escaped from the garden another time (that is questionable, says Snead), it could lead to a dangerous situation if he gets out again.

What do you think, Dogsters? It’s a shame the cat is badly injured, but does C-Jay deserve to die for this? I wonder if the dog being a mixed breed with some Staffordshire may have played a role? Poor dog. And poor family. Keep your doors and gates shut, Dogsters.

Update 11/11/11 – A comment below, from Scott McInearney, who says he is the cat’s owner, raises issues that none of the news stories I had read for background brought up. He says C-Jay’s owner admitted in an earlier court appearance that the dog was out of control after a couple of other incidents. I recommend reading his comment to see what he says about the situation. I have no way of knowing over the internet if this really is the cat’s owner but I have a feeling he is. (Scott: If you have websites or old articles that refer to what you do, could you please supply us with the URLs?)

Update: 11/12/11 - An story at TAY-AM radio says there still may be some hope for C-Jay. Lawyers for Jackson are looking into a rule called Nobile Officium, which gives the high court in Scotland the ability to overturn rulings that are “manifestly unfair.” In addition, reader Lisa Spector has started a petition at The Petition Site/Care2 to save C-Jay from the death sentence. She set the goal signature number at 1,000, and as of this writing on Saturday night, the petition already has 1,800. Sign on if you’d like to see C-Jay given another chance. (I still have not found evidence of what Scott McInearney wrote regarding CJ being out of control in previous incidents. I have left the door open to him supplying URLs to earlier articles I haven’t run across yet.)

Sources: STV News, BBC News

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Saint Bernard Cupcakes

So, I was chatting with a friend the other night and the topic of Saint Bernard cupcakes came up.  Im trying to be crafty these days so  I thought I’d try my hand at them.  I searched the intenet looking for directions but couldn’t find any.  Mind you Im not a baker and certainly not a cake decorator… I’ve made Bakerella’s cupcake bites and those were tasty!  But heck, you cant go wrong with those little gems.

After watching some youtube videos on how to pipe frosting I headed over to Michaels to see if I could find the implements so I could give it a go.  Armed with multiple tips, disposable icing bags/couplers and candy eyes/redhots I headed to the grocery for the ingredients to make my icing, yes I made it from scratch.  Turns out I only needed #12 and #233 tips (but a #10 and #234 would have worked too).

Here’s the breakdown on what I used:

Vanilla Buttercream frosting for the cupcake face and Nose (#12 tip) – will frost about 12 cupcakes with liberal use for the muzzle.Duncan Hines Amazing Glazes (Chocolate) for the mask and noseRed Hots for the tongueWilton Candy EyesButtercream frosting (above) – added cocoa powder to make brown for the ears (#233 tip)

First I put a coating of frosting on the cupcakes face.  Next (following package directions) put globs of the glaze where the mask goes and placed the eyeballs in it while still warm.  Next I used a pipping bag with a #12 tip to put on the muzzle and added a dolop of the glaze for the nose and a redhot for the tongue.  Finally I used the chocolate frosting for the ears using a pipping bag and #233 tip to make the ears look fuzzy.  The whole endeavor wasnt too time consuming, but make sure .  One tip I can give you is to make sure you freeze the cupcakes for 30 minutes to an hour to make frosting easier and to keep crumbs out of it.

I think this one looks like Rufus – my baby boy is immortalized in cake and buttercream.

The finished product

Using the #12 tip I created the 3 dimensional muzzle

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Cujo – Rabies Vax Would Have Prevented That

Its that time of year again.  Fall, Halloween, scary movie marathons and hot apple cider.  Fall is always my favorite time of year.  Although I suffer from raging fall seasonal allergies, its so pleasant to be outside, the air is usually dry and the sky is usually blue.  This year, not so much. Its been wet and gloomy, but luckily my allergies have been kept to a dull roar.

Since the weather has been so cruddy and we have been relegated to staying inside I’ve been watching horror movie marathons on tv non-stop.  I have already seen my most/least favorite twice this year.  Yep you guessed it, Steven King’s epic psychological horror Cujo.  Its my favorite for the obvious, it’s about a beautiful Saint Bernard, but is my least favorite because this whole sordid tale could have been easily avoidable had the idiot farmer not been such an irresponsible pet owner and made sure Cujo was inoculated against rabies.  I know you must be thinking that’s a very over generalized statement, but it’s completely, 100% true.

Cujo, the story of the idiot who didnt rabies vaccinate his dog

I think most people were busy at the concession stand buying snacks during the previews or still flipping through commercials and managed to miss the first 3:45 of the movie where the beautiful, sweet Saint Bernard is frolicking through the sunny fields, playfully giving chase after a bunny. (I mean seriously, what Saint Bernard worth their keg wouldn’t take the opportunity) And of course the most crucial 5 seconds of the whole movie where the dog’s nose is bitten by a rabid bat.  They only remember the subsequent melee that happens next, resulting in the deaths of a multitude of people.

The movie is scary has hell and has resonated with people for decades (yes decades, the movie came out in 1983).  It has instilled fear of Saint Bernards in many people.  I see this fear quite freqently when I take my boys out.  People shriek ”oooh Cujo”.  Gee, ha ha!  Very original, like I’ve never heard that one before.  They are still missing the point.  The dog was rabid.  Something like this should NEVER happen.  The US requires, by law, that all dogs and cats be vaccinated for the Rabies Virus.

From Wikipedia Rabies (From Latin: rabies, “madness”) is a viral disease that causes acute encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) in warm-blooded

animals. It is Zoonotic (i.e., transmitted by animals), most commonly by a bite from an infected animal. For a human, rabies is almost invariably fatal if post-exposure prophylaxis is not administered prior to the onset of severe symptoms. The rabies virus infects the central nervous system, ultimately causing disease in the brain and death.

The rabies virus travels to the brain by following the peripheral nerves. The incubation period of the disease is usually a few months in humans, depending on the distance the virus must travel to reach the central nervous system.Once the rabies virus reaches the central nervous system and symptoms begin to show, the infection is effectively untreatable and usually fatal within days.

Fortunately, the U.S. has been successful in eliminating a particular kind of rabies – known as canine rabies – that is responsible for rabies spreading from dog-to-dog.  However, canine rabies has not been controlled in many regions of the world, further threatening the health of humans and animals in these areas. Some areas of the world have problems with large numbers of stray dogs, which can often come in contact with wild animals that have rabies. This often causes an increased number of rabid animals that have the potential to transmit the virus to humans.
The good news is that people can easily take steps to help prevent and control rabies.

More than 90% of all animal rabies cases reported to CDC each year occur in wild animals. The main animals that get rabies include raccoons, bats, skunks and foxes.

One of the best ways to protect yourself and your pet is to avoid contact with wild animals. Do not feed or handle them, even if they seem friendly.  Unfamiliar animals that are often thought of as pets, such as dogs and cats, should also be avoided. These animals are often in contact with wildlife and can also transmit rabies to humans.

If you see an animal acting strangely, report it to animal control. Some things to look for are:

General sicknessProblems swallowingLots of drool or saliva (exception, Saint Bernard Drool lol)An animal that appears more tame than you would expectAn animal that bites at everythingAn animal that’s having trouble moving or may even be paralyzed

Sometimes, people may come across a dead animal. Never pick up or touch dead animals. The rabies virus may still be present in the saliva or nervous tissue, especially if they have only been dead for a short time. If you see a dead animal, call animal control to take care of the animal’s body.

Make sure to take your pets, such as dogs and cats, to the veterinarian each year. A veterinarian can make sure your pets are up to date on their rabies shot, which can protect them from getting rabies.  Talk to your veterinarian about spaying or neutering your pet. This helps cut down on the number of unwanted and stray animals. These animals often do not have their rabies shot and are in close contact with wild animals.

Rabies vaccinations are required by law in all 50 states. The first vaccination is good for one year. In most states subsequent vaccinations are good for three years.  However there are some states (such as Alabama and Arkansas) they are only valid for one year. Please check with your vet to determine the legal requirements in your county and state. Vaccinating your pet for rabies may literally save its life. Aside from it being a horrible and painful disease, an unvaccinated pet who bites a human being, even by accident, is subject to long quarantine periods or even death for the purpose of testing for rabies infection. Are you willing to take that risk?

Most county Health departments/animal control offer low cost rabies vaccination clinics.  Check with your local county auditor for availability of these clinics.  In addition, Petco and other large chain pet suppliers offer clinics through out the year.  Contact your local store for availability.

No matter where you live, rabies can threaten your family’s health. Fortunately, there are things you can do around the home to help reduce the risk of getting rabies.

Keep your pets indoors. When a dog goes outside, make sure an adult is there to watch it and keep it safe.Do not feed or put water for your pets outside and keep garbage securely covered. These items may attract wild animals or stray animals to your yard.Teach children never to handle wild animals or unfamiliar domestic animals.

 Feel like being scared? Buy CUJO on Amazon

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It’s Patrick — Looking Like the Miracle He Is!

Patrick now - wow!

Remember this guy? Look familiar? We hope not! It’s Patrick, the Miracle Dog. He looks nothing like he used to in the days after he was found almost dead of starvation in the garbage dumpster of his New Jersey apartment building. He had been tossed down the garbage chute from 19 floors above, perhaps given up for dead. This is what he looked like in March after his rescue.

Patrick when he was first brought in for care; he received the best of care, and fought death for weeks

And then, after a few days of care, like this:

You’ve come a long way, sweet Patrick. Here’s to a great, long, happy life with your loving family at Garden State Veterinary Specialists. (I’m looking for an update on the case of his former owner, Kisha Curtis. A grand jury verdict is due any day now.) We’ll end with a happy Halloween shot to take the bad taste out of our mouths from these last photos.

:)

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Loudest, Slowest Guide “Dog” Ever

One day you may look back at this robot guide dog and chuckle at its loudness, its clunkiness, and its slowness. Actually, you can do that today, because it’s all of the above.

But by 2020, Japanese manufacturer NSK hopes that a commercial version of today’s prototype will be way cuter, quieter, and more sure-footed. (Already, since the development of the first prototype in 2005, the robodog is way faster with stairs. So in truth, that was the slowest guide dog ever. In the amount of time it takes the latest incarnation to traverse the whole mini stairway, the old dog barely put one paw on the first step. The 2011 version is one big step for robodog …)

The robodog uses Microsoft Kinect technology to create 3-D images of obstacles ahead and avoid them. Its “paws” also contain bumper sensors that keep it from crashing into objects. The dog’s person controls it by putting pressure on a hand grip, and the dog “speaks up” to let the person know what’s going on. Right now the voice is that of a Japanese woman. But this big fella would be better off with the voice of Sly Stallone or Vin Diesel.

Why a robotic guide dog anyway? Besides the obvious — they don’t eat food or go to the bathroom — they’re designed to help an aging worldwide population. That might be handy in places where there are few parks, and for people for whom a real dog would be too difficult to maintain. But I dare say most people would choose a real dog — shedding and all — over this machine. Even with all the high-tech gadgetry, dogs have one thing machines don’t: heart.

?

But here’s a pretty amazing humanoid robot: Honda’s Asimo. I saw Asimo in a show at Disneyland earlier this year, and he was an adorable high-tech wonder. He’s really good at stairs, too. Too bad the robo guide dog can’t go for a few walks with Asimo …

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Happy Howl ‘o Ween

Sorry, I could not read the content fromt this page.

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Evolution of the St Bernard Rescue Dog (cartoon)

Hahaha!  Gotta love it!  Found this one at My Dogface dot com by the great cartoonist Raeside Make sure you check out his other works, he’s great!

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Rescue of the Week

I’ve done a lot of thinking about my “dog roots” lately.  Where I’ve been and where I’m going.  I’be seen my journey transform from that of rescue to someplace I never thought I’d go, preparing for showing and AKC events.  This is not necessarily a bad thing, but I feel I have betrayed my passion for helping dogs, Saint Bernards specifically, down on their luck and in need.

With the down turn in the economy and housing crisis firmly entrenched in our country there is no shortage of Saint Bernards and Labradors in need of a helping hand.  While I am not able to provide a temporary “physical” foster home for a dog in need at this time (as I have done countless times in the past), I can provide a “virtual” home for one looking for its forever home.  This Sunday I will be launching the first ever Sunday Saint Showcase section on my blog.  Each Sunday I will feature a different Saint Bernard or Labrador currently in a rescue waiting for the start of a it’s new, forever life.

If you are considering adding a Saint Bernard or Labrador to your family, please consider adoption.  Petfinder.com has many listings for available dogs in your geographical area.

If you are a Saint Bernard or Labrador Rescue and would like to participate, please feel free to contact me for details.

*Its the Dogs Life is not a rescue, nor it is it affiliated with any of the rescues that are featured on this blog.  I do not have any influence in who is considered for adoption.  Each rescues guidelines are different and all inquiries should be made directly to the rescue group that is hosting the dog you are considering.  We are not responsible for any actions of the groups or the dogs being featured on this site.

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Frenchie Makes Friends with Police Horse at Occupy Wall Street

This little French Bulldog is so excited about meeting a mellow police horse at Occupy Wall Street that she inhales the horse’s breath and spins in quick circles. She’s positively beaming, too. Meanwhile, the horse looks like a most patient friend. She is nearly as curious about the dog as he is about her, but fortunately she does not spin. (At least, I think they’re both shes. I did not inspect their belly sides for the length of the video, so unless I hear otherwise, they’re girls.) (Update: Reader Amy patiently waited and saw the horse’s gender clearly when he turned around at 2:01. Yes, very clearly, a “he.” Sorry for not realizing this earlier, big fella!)

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Free one year digital subscription to Animal Wellness Magazine!

Sorry, I could not read the content fromt this page.Sorry, I could not read the content fromt this page.

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Dogster’s Picks of the Week: Technology Edition

In today’s tech-savvy world, I’m finding that not only do I have to be up-to-date with the latest gadgets, my dog does too! We recently visited a Silicon Valley dog park, and I swear he kept giving me the “Why don’t I have one of those?” look.

If you and your dog are looking to get geek-chic together, check out some of our favorite and fashion-forward tech gadgets.

1. Pet’s Eye View Digital Camera — Clip this cool camera to your dog’s collar and let him document his day. Who knows — maybe your pooch will be the next Ansel Adams!

2. PetHub Link Scruff Tag Collar — This is one of the smartest collars I have ever come across. As well as having an inscription with your personal website, this tag can be scanned by any smartphone to send your dog’s rescuer all of his most crucial information, including a list of numbers to reach you at.

3. Aikiou Interactive Dog Feeder — Your little tech-savvy pooch needs constant stimulation when you’re not home. Keep him away from your devices by leaving him entertained with this food-hunting activity feeder.

4. iPood Dog Tank — Who knew the expression “I Poo’d” could be so cute? I have no doubt this simple and well-designed dog tank would make Steve Jobs smile.

5. Go Dog Go G3 Fetch Machine — Busy obsessing over your new iPad? Let technology take over your game of fetch (just until you’re done downloading all of your favorite apps).

6. iPawd Dog Toy — Include your dog in your family’s social network with his very own iPawd toy. Just make sure you monitor his Facebark usage.

7. Dog-Shaped Ear Buds — These adorable ear buds are a must have for any dog-loving techster. At $12, I think I’ll be stocking up on these for the holiday season.

8. Glad for Plaid Laptop Bag — Looking for a chic and stylish way to transport your laptop? This cute bag from ModCloth will earn you nonstop compliments while keeping your computer safe.

9. Sunny Is Power Solar Travel Charger — My off-the-charts usage of my tech devices often leaves me with a dead battery before the day is through. From now on, I’ll be carrying one of these solar power chargers for a few extra hours of much-needed battery life.

10. La Sardina Lomography Camera — Yes, your phone probably has a pretty awesome camera, but real photogs will want a cool camera to snap pictures of their pups. This cool camera from Lomography combines your flair for fashion with your love for photography.

Follow Dogster’s Picks of the Week on Pinterest!

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Dogster’s Pre-Black-Friday Blowout Giveaway

Hey Dogsters! Want to get a head start on your holiday “shopping”? We know times are tough, so here at Dogster we want to help you by offering some items in a fun pre-Black-Friday giveaway. Usually we give away just one item at a time, but this today we’re offering four different items!

A John Bartlett Print bed and matching throw. The beds are 36?x27?, so are better for dogs who aren’t terribly huge. If you have a big dog, you can keep the throw and give a smaller pooch pal the bed.

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A “pawtographed” copy of the 7th edition of my book, The Dog Lover’s Companion to California. The book features more than 1,000 pages of the best of California’s dog-friendly locales, including parks, beaches, hotels, restaurants, and wineries. Parks are rated on a scale from one to four paws. Jake, my research assistant, will sign the book for the lucky winner. The only people we’ll put into the running for the book are ones who tell us they live in California or have doggy friends here, since the only purpose it would serve people in other states would be as a door stop.

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A “combo pack” (8oz spray bottle and a 32 oz refill) of NOse Offense fragrance-free odor eliminator for pets. If you want your dog-loving house to smell fresh for holiday guests, this stuff works wonders. I spritz it around whenever I’m not sure if the house smells doggy or not. After a while, the old olfactory system grows used to these things, don’t you think? (The NOse Offense folks are giving away two combo packs.) This may not be the best gift to give others unless they will take no offense at getting NOse Offense. But it’s a great gift to yourself.

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A copy of the book, Animals Behaving Badly. We all know our furry friends (and their not-so-furry cousins in the animal kingdom) aren’t always perfect, but this entertaining book by Linda Lombardi shows us just how naughty they can be sometimes. And wow are there a lot of examples of all kinds of animals doing all kinds of shenanigans. (She is giving away two books to Dogsters.)

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All you have to do to be entered to win one item is to get into the true spirit of Thanksgiving and write a comment about what you are grateful for in your life. It’s too easy to lose sight of all the things that are right in our lives, and to focus on what is not going so well.

As I mentioned above, the only other stipulation is that if you live in California or have a dog-loving friend who does, let us know. That way we’ll put your name in the proverbial hat for my book, which only a California dog would appreciate.

Enter by this Friday at 5 pm Pacific time. The winners will be drawn randomly using Random.org, and announced Monday, November 21. Sadly for our friends not in the U.S., the contest is open only to U.S. residents. (It’s a shipping issue…) Only one entry per household, please. Good luck!

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The Future Is Here: Your Dog’s Poop, Vaporized

I know we all absolutely adore our dogs, but while they’re relaxing in their crates with their Kongs, let’s take a moment to speak candidly among ourselves: We all hate cleaning up their poop. Even well-formed, healthy dog poops are unpleasant. I admit that for myself, one of the bonuses of feeding a raw diet is the reduced volume and frequency of poop, not to mention the fact that the poop usually turns white and crumbles into dust without requiring much cleanup. (It’s a miracle!)

I am a slave to biodegradable poop bags. At least once a week I find one in an unexpected place and marvel at the number of them in my life. They’re in every purse, bag, treat bag, half my pant pockets, all of my coat pockets, the glove compartment in the van, in the back of the van, on my bookshelf, in my office, in my classroom, and in my dogs’ backpacks — everywhere!

While I don’t like cleaning up poop, it’s my job as a responsible dog owner. I always clean up after my own dogs, and I always clean up stray piles that were left behind by irresponsible dog owners. The cleaner we keep the areas where we like to take our dogs, the more places we’ll be allowed to take our dogs! Plus, cleaner environments are safer and healthier for our pets.

Poop bags are a necessary evil, are they not? I know you can get claw scoopers, which are fine for backyard poop duty, but they’re too cumbersome to carry on a walk, particularly if you (like me) are never or rarely just walking a single dog at a time.

I don’t know how many of you would call it “art,” exactly, but I love the movie Envy featuring Jack Black and Ben Stiller. It’s corny and it received poor reviews, but I love it. A quick plot synopsis:

Ben Stiller and Jack Black are best friends and coworkers at a sand paper manufacturer. Jack Black’s character invents a product called “VaPOOrize,” an aerosol spray which makes dog waste disappear. He becomes a (very flamboyant) millionaire, Stiller becomes jealous, Christopher Walken [who I also love] makes a cameo, and hilarity ensues.

While Envy is just a silly comedy, it is true that anyone who can successfully market a reasonably priced gadget to save us the none-too-pleasurable experience of encasing a hand in a plastic bag to grab a warm pile of poo would stand to make quite a bit of money.

Imagine my surprise when I recently discovered that someone is attempting to do just that!

Manufacturer Paulee CleanTech has developed the environmentally friendly AshPoopie. Here is a one-minute video about the product:

The device scoops dog waste into a chamber where it is then converted to sterile, unsmelly ash. It comes with a built-in flashlight, so it’s easier to find and clean up messes on your evening walks.

Amazing. A magic, poop-dispersing wand sounds too good to be true, like something out of Harry Potter. While I couldn’t find pricing information (the site indicates the product will hit U.S. pet stores next year, but the company has not yet disclosed the suggested retail price), this article from Mother Nature News indicates that the operating cost might run to approximately $20 a month for a large dog.

What do you think, Dogsters? Will you be adding “Never pick up another pile of dog poo” to your 2012 New Year’s resolution list and asking for an AshPoopie as a belated Christmas gift? What value would such a product have for you, in terms of price and a monthly, per-dog disposal fee estimate?

Maybe I can persuade Jim to buy me one for Valentine’s Day. To this dog mom and trainer, nothing says love like lifetime liberation from poop-scooping duties!

About the Author: Casey Lomonaco graduated with distinction from the Karen Pryor Academy for Animal Training and Behavior, and is a member of the following professional organizations: APDT (Association of Pet Dog Trainers), CGC evaluator — AKC (American Kennel Club), TDF (Truly Dog Friendly), and the No-Shock Collar Coalition.

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Sunday Saint Showcase #1 – LOLA

Tonight I am launching my new series Sunday Saint Showcase.  Its my sincerest hopes that Its The Dogs Life will help give rescues and additional platform to reach out to the public on behalf of the wonderful Saints waiting to find their forever family.  If you have room in your heart and home to help a Saint in need and would consider Lola, contact Sunny Saints rescue.

http://www.sunnysaints.org/lola.html

Lola is a 3 year old wet mouth, rough coat Saint Bernard that has been used as a breeder and then was dumped at a local shelter, along with her mate Roscoe. When she was spayed, it was discovered that she was in the early stages of yet another pregnancy. Lola is a friendly and outgoing girl that craves love and attention and weighs 120 pounds. Her foster family has taught her some basic obedience and leash manners. She now walks very nicely on a loose leash. She sits nicely if she wants to be petted. She has been socialized with the dogs in her foster home and is showing no aggressive behavior toward them. She needs a forever family to take her to obedience training, and help her to transition into the indoor Saint that she was meant to be and not the backyard puppy factory she has been. Can you offer Lola the good life?

Sunny Saints, Southern California St. Bernard Rescue is a 501(c)3 Non-Profit Corporation (#45-0922994) formed by a group of friends with several years of combined experience in Saint Bernard rescue who share a common philosophy to treat the dogs that we save and the people who foster and adopt them with kindness and dignity.

• Sunny Saints P.O. Box 870 Bellflower, CA 90707
• General Questions & Information 562.422.2385 (Sheila) — Sheila@sunnysaints.org
• Intake Coordinator 562.619.2059 (Pam) — Pam@sunnysaints.org
• Adoptions Coordinator 858.222.4101 (Kim) — Kim@sunnysaints.org
• FAX # 562.435.6361

We are not a shelter facility, so please don’t call and ask if you can come today to see our dogs. All of our Adoptable Saints are in temporary private Foster homes. The first step in our adoption process is to fill out an Adoption Application. After the application has been reviewed and approved, our Adoptions Coordinator will contact you to set up a phone interview. A home visit may be required, and if you live outside of our coverage area, photographs of your home and property may be used as a substitution for the home visit. When your home has been approved, we then set up the meet and greet with the dog that you are interested in. The dog typically can be adopted directly from the meet and greet and you can take your new best friend home with you. Upon adopting, you will be required to sign an adoption contract. An adoption donation is necessary to adopt a dog. Some dogs cost us less to ready for adoption than do others, so the money collected goes toward paying the bills for all our rescued dogs, not just the dog you are adopting.

 Sunny Saints was not established to place our rescued dogs in just “any home,” but rather to place them in the “right home.” We are dedicated to sending all of our Sunny Saints to loving, “forever homes” and it is important to us that you know everything that we know about each dog so that you can make an educated decision when adopting a dog from us. It is also equally important for us to know as much as we can about you so that we can help you to find the perfect dog for your situation. If we tell you that a certain dog isn’t right for you, trust us. We want what’s best for both of you.

 We will do our very best to give you our honest opinion on the dog you are considering, however, we cannot guarantee the future health, heritage, or temperament of any of our rescue dogs.

 All pets in our program will be spayed/neutered prior to adoption unless deemed medically inappropriate. Puppies too young to be spayed/neutered will be placed into their adoptive homes on a foster-to-adopt basis where the adoption will not become official until after they have had their surgery. All dogs will have basic vaccinations, have been wormed and microchipped. Copies of all medical records in our possession will be forwarded to the adopting party. Their foster family will let the adopting family know the type of food they are used to eating so they can have it for them upon bringing the dog home. An adoption donation is required.

Sunny Saints will consider adopting to those who live outside Southern California on a case-by-case basis.

As of July 1, 2011, adoption fees are as follows: Puppies under 1 year of age are $500.00.
Dogs 1 to 4 years are $375.00 and dogs 5 years and older are $300.00.

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Veterans Day Special: Assistance Dog Gives Vet Back His Life

Navy Master at Arms 1st Class Orlando Rivera and Sweet Pea, who has helped him regain his life

Navy Master at Arms 1st Class Orlando Rivera came back from his second deployment in Iraq in 2009, and thought he was okay. But he had seen too much and experienced terrible losses. There were the deaths of military friends with whom he shared a deep bond. And then the IED that exploded on his convoy of Humvees, killing several more comrades and resulting in his own traumatic brain injury (TBI), hearing loss, and blown-out left leg.

In the months after his deployment, Rivera started experiencing nightmares in the rare times he was able to sleep. He was unable to function as he used to, and had uncharacteristic mood swings. Others described him as a zombie. He was sent for evaluations and diagnosed with chronic PTSD.

But even with helpful treatments, life was getting away from Rivera. His PTSD was getting worse. It got to the point where he couldn’t bear to be in crowds or even large stores. “I couldn’t even go out with my kids and wife,” he recalls. “We’d go to Wal-Mart and in five minutes I’d be in a cold sweat and teary and panicky. I’d have to go back to the car and sit with my 7-year-old son and listen to music.”

During intensive treatment with other veterans at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, MD, a woman came by every day with a Golden Retriever therapy dog. Rivera loves dogs, and had even been a military working dog handler for a while. He gravitated toward the animal. He and others noticed that his best days were the ones where he got to interact with the dog. He realized that an assistance dog could be the answer to his problems, so he set out to find one.

Shawn Mello and his dog, Harpo, were also brought together by Paws for Patriots

It was a long road, but when he learned of Southeastern Guide Dogs’ Paws for Patriots™ program, he knew he’d struck gold. “They just reached out and wanted to work with me to do whatever they could to help me,” says Rivera, who will retire in March after 20 years in the Navy.

Last month, Rivera traveled from Bethesda to Florida to get matched with a Paws for Patriots dog. As soon as he met Sweet Pea, a butterscotch-colored Golden Retriever/Lab mix (a “Goldador”), he knew they’d found the perfect dog for him. “It was like we’d been friends for years,” he says. “We bonded immediately.”

Sweet Pea is tuned in to Rivera. When he’s having a nightmare or thrashing around during a night terror, she nudges and paws at him to wake him up. And she is a tremendous help during what he calls “daydreams,” when he disappears from this world and is back in Iraq:

“She jumps up from sleeping and hits my hand with her nose for me to pet her and she will keep going until I pet her,” Rivera says. “Or if I’m sitting in a position that I can’t pet her she will jump up and hug me and lick my face. There have been times where she has done this and rested her head on my shoulder and gives a hug.

“It’s a wonderful feeling when she does this because it diverts my focus to her, and you can’t help but smile at her Golden Retriever sad face. I can’t help but smile every time I look at Sweet Pea, whether she’s awake or asleep. I’m just so thankful that she has come into my life and is helping not just myself but my family as well.”

Because of Sweet Pea, Rivera is able to face the world again and be at his family’s side for outings. Now, when he goes to Wal-Mart, “I have to be dragged out,” he says. Crowds and stores are not a problem with Sweet Pea around. Instead of worrying someone might ambush him or startle him, he just looks to Sweet Pea. If she is calm, he knows he can be at ease. If someone is walking toward him and he feels uncomfortable, he tells Sweet Pea “block” and she’ll go between him and the person. He can tell her “watch” and she’ll look in the direction of any nearby activity. He can read her face about what’s going on, even if the activity is around the a corner or an aisle and he can’t see it.

A Paws for Patriots dog helping out at a military hospital

And yes, Sweet Pea is a champion hugger. Sometimes Rivera needs a hug and asks for one, but Sweet Pea can usually tell first, and offers a hug on her own, standing on her hind legs and reaching out and snuggling into him. Or if he’s sitting down and a little anxious, she’ll try to climb on his lap. “A 74-pound lap dog is a lot of dog,” he laughs.

Rivera spoke openly with me because he wants to get the word out about Paws for Patriots so other veterans can find out about the program. “I’m just paying it forward,” he says. “It has been a life-changing experience for me, and I want to do my part to help other vets.”

Southeastern Guide Dogs is a national organization established in 1982. Its main program, Paws for Independence, partners professionally trained guide dogs with people with visual impairments. Paws for Patriots has three missions: It provides guide dogs to veterans with visual impairments; Veteran Assistance Dogs (VAD) to veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (dogs receive specialized training along with training with their new handler when matched and lifetime follow-up care); and facility therapy dogs to military hospitals.

About a dozen Veteran Assistance Dogs have been placed since the program began in late 2010. The dogs for VAD and other non-guide-dog programs run by Southeastern Guide Dog were ones who didn’t pass guide dog school. “They’re working dogs and want to have a job,” explains spokeswoman Jennifer Bement. ”Just because these dogs weren’t cut out to be guide dogs doesn’t mean they can’t make a meaningful difference in someone’s life. We just have to find the right job for them to succeed.”

It’s a win-win. And there’s nothing like that on Veterans Day.

Looking for something dog-related to do to commemorate Veterans Day? Here are a few ideas:

• Find an organization that helps military working dogs and their handlers on deployment, and see how you can help. One of my favorites is the United States War Dog Association. (Turn down your speakers before clicking the link if you don’t want to be startled by the music.) Among its many activities, the group sends really good care packages to deployed dogs and handlers via its Operation Military Care (K9) program.

• Like the Facebook page of Dog Bless You, explore.org’s philanthropic dog-loving community. Starting today, and for the next 11 days, the organization will donate one service dog per day to a war veteran suffering from PTSD.

• Check out Jane Miller’s book, Healing Companions: Ordinary Dogs and Their Extraordinary Power to Transform Lives. The book focuses on several amazing dogs who have helped people profoundly improve their lives. Miller is a tremendous advocate for veterans, and volunteers her time training psychiatric service dogs for them. She suggests the following activity for Veterans Day:

• Write to your senators and ask them to pass the Veterans Dog Training Therapy Act (VDTTA), but in a form that provides equal resources for those with PTSD and other invisible disabilities, and not just for those with physical limitations. “We still live in a culture that stigmatizes mental illness. Adequate financial support must be provided to all wounded warriors, whether physical or mental,” Miller says.

(Some background: The House of Representatives unanimously passed legislation last month that included the VDTTA. The Senate is next. The bill establishes a program that allows veterans with PTSD to train dogs for veterans with physical disabilities. These dogs could be shelter rescues, which would be pretty amazing. The trained dogs are then given to physically disabled veterans to help them with their daily activities. There are no provisions for the veterans with PTSD or TBI to have these dogs themselves.)

• Read Daniela Caride’s excellent post on assistance dogs from a couple of days ago at her blog, the Daily Tail.

• Watch the Hero Dog Awards on the Hallmark Channel tonight at 8 p.m. (7 Central). It’s the first major awards ceremony for hero dogs from every walk of life. The finalists in several categories, including military working dogs, gathered at a gala red-carpet event in Los Angeles last month for a very magical evening. I was there, and am looking forward to watching again from the comfort of my living room. Here’s the short video about a retired military working dog named Bino, and the work he’s still doing to save lives.

• Add to this list! If you have organizations you’d like to suggest or activities not included above, include them in the comments below.

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Bamboo: A sustainable material used to make dog products healthier, greener and safer for dogs!

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Law Firm Sued for Barring Client’s Service Dog

A German Shepherd, like Reicha the service dog, who was barred from entering a law firm his owner was doing business with

It’s bad enough when restaurants or businesses prevent people with service dogs from bringing their dogs in. But when a law firm does it, it’s almost unfathomable — especially when the client needs the dog because of injuries that are the reason she’s seeking legal counsel in the first place.

Er, sorry, but shouldn’t the lawyers know better? Here’s the story in a nutshell, according to the suit against the law firm:

In January 2009, Lauren Klejmont arrived with her service dog at the law offices of Larkin, Axelrod, Ingrassia & Tetenbaum in Orange County, NY, to discuss a case stemming from a 2007 car crash. The crash left her with spinal and head injuries that cause seizures, and problems with balancing and memory. Lauren got a service dog to help her deal with these problems. Her German Shepherd, Reicha, warns her before seizures occur, helps her up if she takes a tumble, and picks up objects and carries them when she needs a helping paw.

But ironically, Reicha was not welcome at the meeting, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, which has filed a civil rights suit against the firm:

“Ingrassia and another attorney refused to meet her because she was accompanied by her service animal … Ingrassia and the associate asked [her] to leave the animal outside while they had their meeting in Ingrassia’s office. Despite [her] request that the meeting be held elsewhere on the firm’s premises so she could bring her dog inside, Ingrassia and the associate would not relent and Klejmont eventually left.”

A year later a firm associate sent her a letter asking her to come to the office to sign documents, but told her not to bring her dog. As a concession the associate said he could meet with her in the parking lot if she left the dog in her car.

The firm says the associate was not acting on the firm’s protocol.

A statement from the firm says Ingrassia “expressly communicated to Ms. Klejmont the firm’s policy that the firm would accommodate her and her service dog. The subsequent refusal by an employee of the firm to meet with Ms. Klejmont and her dog in our office was in contravention of the firm’s stated policy, was motivated by the employee’s personal dog phobia, and is not properly attributable to the firm.”

The suit seeks a civil damages against the firm, compensatory damages for Klejmont, and assurance that the firm will take action to stop future discrimination, particularly against people with service animals.

What do you think, Dogsters? Are you surprised a law firm or firm associate would so blatantly disregard the ADA, if the suit is accurate? If the associate had a dog phobia, weren’t there other steps that could have been taken?

Sources: Times Herald Record, Thomas Reuters News & Insight

Photo: From the Flickr photostream of Rigwelter

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