Don't worry Bruno, I'll take care of you!

Last night a dear friend of my Mother’s passed away and she left three dogs behind!  Since the day I heard she would not recover from her illness, I had been asking what would become of her pets, and wanted to know if she had made arrangements for their care and welfare.  I had given her caretakers suggestions on getting plans in place before she passed so that they would not be taken to county as orphaned or abandoned animals.  I even recommended that they be taken to a foster home before she died.

Sadly, none of this was done!  She went into Hospice a week before she died and the three dogs now only had the neighbors to go in a couple of times a day to feed them and let than into the yard.  So, this woman, who had no children and considered her three dogs to be her children, died with no plans for their care or future.  This morning I heard that her vet had taken them and would find them homes.  She is lucky!

You may not be as fortunate, so don’t wait until the eleventh hour to plan the fate of your animals after you leave this earth.

Of course, we all know that our day will come, but you don’t have to be old or sick to leave your animals behind without a plan. You could leave for work, as you do every weekday morning, get into an accident, and die at the scene.  Your beloved animals could be in your house for days before anyone knew they were there and needed help!  OK, so this is a morbid subject and frankly, if you live your life as if you won’t get home tonight, it won’t be much fun for the rest of it.  But, I don’t believe having a plan is negative; in fact, it could save the life of your animals.

I have a laminated bright yellow strip in my wallet that reads: Emergency-Animals At Home.  This will at least alert authorities that my furry kids are home alone.  I also have In Case of Emergency (ICE) contacts in my cell phone, so they can be contacted and my family and friends can step in to implement my plans for my animals.

None of this was ever a consideration until the day I took my Dad to the hospital and found out I had NO authority to chose any options for him without him previously having been given me legal medical and financial power of attorney.  I downloaded the Arizona legal forms and had everything notarized and witnessed and they were always handy from then on, but it took an emergency for me to be prepared.

At that same time I created wills for both he and I, and in my will I made provisions for my furry kids.

Are you prepared?  If not, here are a few things you can do:

1. Chose a new owner.  Make it legal by creating a Revokable Living Trust.  This is similar to a will, but it will avoid probate. Be sure to name two people in case one can not fulfill the obligation.
2. Leave money to the designated owner for food and vet care.
3. If you don’t have anyone to take your animals, contact local rescue groups and make legal arrangements for their re-homing.
4. Talk to them.  Just because they don’t use words like we humans, they understand more than you think.  It will help them understand what is happening should you die before they do.

For more information on how to provide for your pets, check out

http://www.petfinder.com/after-pet-adoption/providing-pets-future.html?printer_friendly=1

or

http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/providing-for-pet-will-29534.html

Innocent looking teddy bear

Recently, I received an email about a dog who ate a child’s teddy bear and became very sick. The dog had to have surgery, thinking that removing the obstruction that showed up on the X-ray would put an end to the dogs suffering. Much to the veterinarian’s surprise, a huge gelatinous mass filled the dogs intestines. The mass had caused the intestines to become black and there was no living tissue from the stomach to the colon. The vet had to sew the dog back up as there was nothing he could do. Sadly, the dog died.

After calling the manufacturer of the teddy bear, the vet was told that the gel that killed the dog began as a fire retardant and mite control stuffing material. It is highly toxic and is designed to become a gel if set afire.

Be alert at all times and never allow your pets to play with your children’s toys. It could be the last time they play with anything.

Innocent looking fabric softener being poured into the washer

Looking for that fresh “April” scent found in fabric softeners when washing your clothes and your pets blankets, beds, and toys? Hang them outside to get the real spring scent, but steer clear of most commercial fabric softeners and dryer sheets. Why?

Here is a list of some of the ingredients used in dryer sheets and fabric softeners; do ANY of them sound aromatic?

• Benzyl Acetate: Linked to pancreatic cancer

• Benzyl Alcohol: Upper respiratory tract irritant

• Ethanol: On the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Hazardous Waste list and can cause central nervous system disorders

• A-Terpineol: Can cause respiratory problems, including fatal edema, and central nervous system damage

• Ethyl Acetate: A narcotic on the EPA’s Hazardous Waste list

• Camphor: Causes central nervous system disorders

• Chloroform: Neurotoxic, anesthetic and carcinogenic

• Linalool: A narcotic that causes central nervous system disorders

• Pentane: A chemical known to be harmful if inhaled

Cleaning products are pretty much unregulated because there is an assumption by the manufacturers that these chemicals do not get absorbed into the body. In reality, everything that touches the skin finds its way into the body and into the bloodstream. This is true for both humans and animals.

Many years ago my cat Katie, healthy until the installation of new carpet, died directly as a result of breathing in and walking on the new carpet, and inhaling and absorbing the gasses put off by the carpet fiber, chemical treatment on the carpet, and the carpet glue.

And did you know that dryer sheets create toxic fumes when released with heat? Isn’t it hot in your dryer? Or that their inert ingredients can cause cancer, liver disease, Alzheimer’s, and lots of other chronic disorders? Probably not what you had in mind when you poured in the liquid softener or tossed that sheet into the dryer, is it?

So if you or your pet is scratching, has a rash, is acting unusual, or there is a health issue that appears to have no cause, look into eliminating mainstream dryer sheets and fabric softeners from your laundry practice. Or simply eliminate them as a preventative measure.

Keep you and your pets safe – check out these sites, and others like them, to find safe alternatives to safe, fresh smelling, and static-free laundry.

http://mountaingreen.biz/

http://www.ecover.com/us/en/

http://www.mrsmeyers.com/

For a list of animal poison control hotlines, go to the PACC911 site at http://www.pacc911.org/Poison_Control.html

His adopted Mom, Barb, thought Rocket would be the perfect one to teach kids be good pet parents, so she created Rockets Rangers.  Rocket has already visited several schools.  Learn how to have Rocket visit your school and discover how to become a Rockets Ranger.  Then click here to read more about Rocket Rangers and for Rockets holiday safety message. 

How NOT to get a pet

The retail push is ON, and ads everywhere are enticing people to spend, spend, spend. Though buying gifts for people because we feel we must appears to be the norm at this time of year, one gift that should NOT ever be given to anyone is an animal.

Kids are especially influenced by friends or movies to ask Santa for a pet. In fact, a recent trailer for the movie Santa Buddies features a puppy in a Santa hat, inside of a gift box saying “who doesn’t want a puppy for Christmas?” The answer is “NO ONE.”

DO NOT GIVE AN ANIMAL AS A GIFT!

Choosing a furry companion is as personal as buying underwear or shoes, so if you do decide this is the right time to get a family pet, make sure to take along the entire family. Once a choice is made, this includes introducing existing animals to meet the prospective addition. All humans might adore the selection, but should current pets not agree, another choice should be made. (click to continue)

Does your dog exhibit signs of hip dysplasia? Some symptoms include:

• Rear leg lameness
• Swaying or wobbly gait
• Discomfort while walking or running
• Reluctance to walk up stairs or jump in the car
• Difficulty standing up
• Crying with outright pain

Healthy, normal xray of a dogs hips

Can something be done to prevent it?

Genetics gets blamed, but holistic veterinarians are using natural remedies with pregnant mothers and newborn puppies, with great success. Diet is key! (see “Do you know what’s in Fluffy’s food?”), and large doses of vitamin C are proving to change the statistics when administered during pregnancy or once puppies begin eating solid food.

Why vitamin C? Though all animals produce vitamin C naturally in their liver (humans do not), dogs and cats don’t usually produce enough, and vitamin C is necessary to produce collagen, which is the main constituent in tendons, bone, cartilage, muscle, and connective tissue. Since vitamin C is water soluble, it is not stored in the body and is easily depleted by any form of stress. Sodium ascorbate in powdered form has been used with startling results.

What can you do? First, find a holistic veterinarian in your area by going to the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association’s website at www.ahvma.org or to www.holisticvetlist.com

Second, ease in to some natural remedies that have worked for others:

• Ark Naturals SEA MOBILITY chews with sea cucumber, MSM, glucosamine, and spirulina
• Crystal Star AR EASE FOR ANIMALS
• Vibrant Health JOINT VIBRANCE powder with glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM, collagen, Hylaluronic acid
• Winston’s JOINT FORMULA
• Green-lipped mussel extract
• Shark Cartilage
• Homeopathic remedy, Rhus tox
• Anti-inflammatory herbs boswellia, tumeric, licorice, devil’s claw, alfalfa
• Chiropractic, acupuncture, and acupressure treatments

For more information read:

Healthy Healing by Linda Page

The Nature of Animal Healing by Martin Goldstein, DVM

Natural Remedies for Dogs by Martin Zucker

Complete Healthy Dog Handbook by Betsy Brevitz, DVM

Sweet dog left behind, waiting for new home

Triple digit temperatures come with the territory if you live in Phoenix and we all know how to keep ourselves cool, but many don’t consider their furry family members. Some of these tips are probably reminders and others may surprise you. Make sure we all survive the L O N G and HOT Phoenix summer by following these suggestions:

Keep them cool. Dogs are not as efficient at cooing their bodies as humans – if you are outside with your dog and thinking, “Wow, it’s hot today,” your dog is saying “I’m dangerously overheating today!”

Provide fresh water. Pets dehydrate quickly – early signs of heat stroke are enlarged tongue, excessive panting, uncoordinated, weakness, collapse, seizures – get to a vet immediately. If overheated direct a fan on the animal and pour cool water over its body for 15 – 30 minutes. If not responding quickly, get to a vet immediately.

NEVER, EVER leave pets in parked cars. Even with windows cracked temperatures climb to 120 and above very quickly – an animal’s brain will literally cook.

Keep pets indoors. Even in the shade temperatures rise into the teen-100’s. If you must keep your animals outside, install misters set on timers to deliver a cool mist every 5 to 10 minutes for two or three minutes to the shady areas of your yard. Water should be available for drinking at all times. Wading pools in the shade should be provided as well and should be cleaned and refilled with fresh water every day.

Be alert. Foreclosures are at an all-time high and unfortunately many people are taking their refrigerator and beds but are leaving their animals behind. If you hear barking or meowing from an empty yard or home, contact Lost Our Home Pet Foundation. Lost Our Home was created by a group of real estate professionals who rescue pets who have been abandoned due to foreclosures and other financial hardships. You can also contact the Arizona Humane Society or the Maricopa County Animal Care and Control immediately. If you have personal information regarding the former residents, share that with the agency you contact as prosecution will be possible. Abandoning animals is against the law!

Keep the pests at bay. During the summer, dogs and cats are at an increased risk of contracting heartworms transmitted by infected mosquitoes. If untreated, it can be fatal. Flea and tick outbreaks also increase in the warm weather. Consult your veterinarian about which treatment is right for your animal.

Keep pesticides away from animals. Lawn and garden insecticides, rodent baits, citronella candles, insect coils and oil products can be fatal.

Water safety is for pets too. Do not leave pets unsupervised around a pool—not all dogs are good swimmers. Introduce your pets to water gradually and make sure they wear flotation devices while on boats. Also, pool water is not good drinking water. It contains chlorine and other chemicals that cause stomach upset.

Exercise. Check sidewalks and streets before walking your dog – the surface may burn their feet. Take advantage of the cooler mornings and later evenings to walk or play games of fetch with your pets. Be sure to adjust down the intensity and duration too. And carry water for both you and your animal companion.

All year long. Know where your pets are at all times. Keep gates closed. Let your neighbors know about your pets in case of fire or other emergencies. Keep small animals inside at all times. Cats and small dogs are dinner for hungry coyotes and birds of prey. If your cat wants to go out, retrain them to be inside for their safety.

SPAY AND NEUTER. Over 60,000 animals are killed each year in Maricopa County (that’s 165 every single day). Animal shelters are filled to capacity and overflowing with litters of unwanted puppies and kitten, especially in the spring and summer.

Make it a fun, SAFE, and cool summer for your entire family, including the furry ones!

For help in the Phoenix area check these sites:

http://www.lostourhome.org

http://www.azhumane.org

http://www.maricopa.gov/PETS/

AMSC boarding and indoor park

Nestled quietly on the corner of 82nd Street and Princess Drive in Scottsdale sits a state-of-the-art Mayo Clinic-type hospital for animals called the Animal Medical & Surgical Center (AMSC). The long-time dream child of its creator, veterinarian Dr. Charles Pullen, the center has been serving the animals of the Phoenix area, in a myriad of ways, since December of 2006.

The soul of the center radiates from the treatment rooms where everything from ear cleaning to lab tests are performed with expert care, and if your pet is under the weather, there is an ill-animal entrance and self-contained isolation area, which ensures the health and safety of well animals.

Meticulously designed with System One lighting and Digicare monitoring systems, the major and minor surgical suites feature overhead cameras, allowing unobstructed views of live surgical procedures, should you wish to watch your animal during their repair. Dr. Pullen is known for performing narrated surgeries and has used DVD’s to train other veterinarians with his advanced surgery techniques. Dr. Pullen performs the Tibial Tuberosity Advancement (TTA) procedure, and now offers the new Tight Rope, both surgical procedures for ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), an all too common issue with many dogs today.

After surgery, your animal will be monitored 24/7 in a temperature, humidity, and oxygen controlled environment, by a veterinary nurse, for optimum healing.

“The emphasis in our practice is to provide advanced orthopedic, abdominal, thoracic, spinal, cardiovascular, soft tissue, and re-constructive surgery, along with in-depth internal medicine and general health care,” declares Dr. Pullen.

Dr. Pullen is proud to announce that AMSC is among the 14% of veterinary hospitals who are members of the American Animal Hospital Association, an elite group who adhere to the highest quality standards for veterinary medicine in the United States and Canada.

Taking a vacation? Worrying about leaving your animals behind will not be an issue, since they’ll be enjoying a Disneyland-like atmosphere. The entire second floor of the building features an indoor exercise park, complete with sunroof, live trees, and green area for supervised play. Each pet condo includes raised beds, windows, Animal Planet, on their own TV, and a web-cam to monitor each guest, and through which you can view your pets remotely. Cats get the same VIP treatment with their own special condos, separated from the canines, to ensure a calm and pleasant stay. Hospital staff is on duty 24 hours every day, seven days each week.

Last, but certainly not least, professional groomers are on staff, rounding out the full service experience at the Animal Medical & Surgical Center (AMSC).

Compassionate care flourishes with cutting edge technology, providing an extraordinary experience for your beloved fur kids.

For more information and for patient testimonials, take a virtual tour at www.animalmedicalandsurgical.com or visit the facility at 17477 North 82nd Street in Scottsdale.

Author’s note: Dr. Pullen does not provide veterinarian care for Rosie, Ben, or Buddy, and no compensation has been exchanged for this review.

If this is your life a good deal of the time, then please do consider what fear from fireworks can do to change the personality of your pets. Formerly content dogs have been known to dig under fences and break through glass windows or screen doors to escape the scary sounds. If your kitty has never peed outside of the box, or clawed your brand new furniture, being scared by fireworks can change all that, immediately.

Animals can feel and hear fireworks from miles away, and they may run as far to get free.

Start preparing your pets now!

• Walk dogs early in the evening. Once fireworks begin some pets may be too scared to void, leading to later accidents.

• Keep your pets indoors. Even if they normally live outside, contained animals are safest. Gates can become unlatched, and dogs have been known to dig their way away from the noise, getting lost, or worse, hit by a car or injured in another way. If your cat is normally an indoor-outdoor cat, keep them indoors for a few days. Unfortunately, there are still sadistic people around who think it’s great fun to tie a string of firecrackers to a cat’s tail. Don’t let your cat become a statistic! Close the curtains and blinds and turn on the TV or radio. Your pet may find a sense of security by being in a comfortable carrier or crate placed in a quiet area of your home.

• Use a leash or carrier. If you must be outside with your pet, keep them on a leash or in their carrier at all times.

• Secure gates, doors, and windows. Be sure there is no way your animals can escape from your home. If you are having a party, crating your animals in a quiet place is safest.

• Practice safety. Keep pets away from matches, open fires, and fireworks – especially ones that are lighted on the ground. Pets are curious and may try to sniff or eat and pet hair can easily catch on fire.

• Make sure pet ID is current. Make sure that your pet has proper identification tags, with current information, in case they get away. Though collars with tags are a great way to reunite you and your pet, they can come off, so micro-chipping all of your animals is the best way to get them back.

• Don’t feed table scraps. Though it is tempting, an already nervous stomach can turn ugly when greasy, and out of the ordinary food is given as a treat. Stick to their routine and feed only their fare and treats.

• Bach Flower Essences. Rescue Remedy, a combination of five essences, is a good all-purpose way to calm your pets from trauma or fear. Mimulus, another Bach Flower Essence, is a single remedy to treat fear of known things. Working for both humans and animals, it acts simply and effectively to quiet fears and regain confidence and composure.

Even if you have followed all of the safety tips, your animal may still experience severe fear from fireworks. Some general and common signs that your pet is terrified are:

• Shaking and trembling

• Excessive drooling

• Barking and howling

• Trying to hide, digging to get out of the house, under the fence, or our of their enclosure

• Refusal to eat

• Loss of bladder or bowel control or diarrhea

Note:  If any of these symptoms persist, see your veterinarian as some of these are also signs of illnesses or poisoning.

Last but not least, do not leave pets in cars at any time! Even if you are in the shade and the windows are open! At a balmy 75 degrees, cars still heat up amazingly fast. Add to that an animal that is excited or anxious and heat stroke is a definite possibility.

With vigilance, plenty of distraction, and a caring owner, your animals will make it through this harrowing day, and return to their previously stable condition.

Have a happy and safe Independence Day!

If you have questions about Bach Flower Essences, feel free to contact me at petwelfareexaminer@yahoo.com.   You can find Rescue Remedy and the other 38 Bach Flower Essences at Whole Foods, Sprouts, and Sunflower Markets in the Phoenix area.  Otherwise, find your local health food store to purchase any Bach product.

The Alzheimer’s Hospice Care house is in foreclosure. The last human resident was moved into their new care center, but Junior, a small 6 year-old, 15 pound therapy dog has not been so lucky. None of the residents had the resources to take him and now Junior needs a new home. Can you help?

Junior gave comfort, love, and kisses to the gravely ill. He slept in their beds over their last days on earth. When the last resident left last week, he ran after the car carrying the last resident. Can you help him?

Please contact Susan Hopkins from Circle L Ranch at susanhopkins@cox.net

The Circle L (Circle of Life) Ranch is devoted to rescuing, fostering and adopting animals who are sentenced to slaughter or euthanasia. http://www.circlel.org/