As temperatures grow warmer, the American Heartworm Society (AHS) wants every pet owner to be prepared for mosquito season and the heartworm disease risk it carries for pets. Although the risk of heartworm disease is heightened in warmer months when the mosquito population increases, the AHS recommends year-round prevention for both dogs and cats. By giving heartworm prevention every month, forgetful pet owners will have their pets protected when they need it most. “Surveys show only about 75 percent of pets are given the full dosage recommended by a veterinarian,” Sheldon Rubin, DVM, AHS president and Chicago practitioner, said. “With year-round prevention, if doses are accidentally skipped, the drug is still effective.” Recently, researchers discovered that respiratory signs in cats, which are often diagnosed as feline asthma or allergic bronchitis, may actually be caused by the presence of heartworms in either larval or adult stages. Heartworm preventive medications are the only option for cats, as there is no approved treatment for feline heartworm disease. Heartworm disease treatments are available for dogs, but treating for heartworms is much more costly and dangerous to the animal than simply preventing it. Medications interrupt heartworm development before larvae and adult worms reach the lungs and cause disease. Only when administered properly and on a timely schedule can heartworm infection be prevented. According to Diana Beam, DVM of ThePetCenter.com, “the key to understanding the importance of heartworm prevention to your pet’s health is to understand the life cycle of the worm and the damage that results due to its presence in your pet. The heartworm goes through a total of four molts to mature into an adult worm. The first two occur inside the mosquito and the next two occur inside the final host. Once inside an animal where it continues development, the worm takes at least 6 to 7 months to go through the last two molts and to become sexually mature before the infection can be detected by a heartworm test. A juvenile adult works its way through the host’s tissues all the way to the heart as early as 70 days after first entering the host where they stay here and grow rapidly in length and size. The worm is home and will live here until it dies in 5-7 years. Adult female worms have been known to grow up to 14 inches long and while males are generally shorter. Some pets will be infected with numerous worms and this twisted and intertwined mass can serve as a significant mechanical blockage to the normal flow of blood. The smaller the host the fewer worms it takes to cause a problem. Once the worm becomes an adult it will continue to produce young for many years in the dog, and a shorter time in cats and other animals that are not the usual host for the worm. Adult worms have been documented to live around 7 years in the dog and 2-3 years in the cat.” As you can now imagine, a heartworm infection would be a horrific infliction to live through and ultimately succumb to. If you decide heartworm preventative is not in your budget this month, keep the mental image of 14” long worms growing and thriving in the heart of your love monkey, then take another look at your budget. We can’t lose sight of the really important things in life, and having a faithful companion by your side to comfort you through the difficult times and celebrate the good times is a special gift from God and deserves to be treated accordingly. And never forget, it is only through you that the Randolph County Humane Society continues to save lives, one by one.
Heartworm prevention means choosing life.
March 26, 2009
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Second hand smoke affects ALL family members
March 22, 2009As a former smoker I knew of many compelling reasons to stop, but there was one I hadn’t thought of and that is what does second hand smoke do to your pets. Since my husband is still a smoker I decided to investigate and found an article from 3/7/04 edition of the New York Post by Julia Szabo and thought I’d share it with you. Perhaps after learning the following you may think twice about continuing the habit, just as my husband is doing right now. And with the latest tax increase on cigarettes now is the ideal time to make the move to a healthier lifestyle that will benefit your family and pets every bit as much as it will help you:
There’s ample scientific evidence to suggest that secondhand cigarette smoke can cause cancer in companion animals. And your furry friends don’t just inhale smoke; the smoke particles are also trapped in their fur and ingested when they groom themselves with their tongues. A study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that dogs in smoking households had a 60 percent greater risk of lung cancer; a different study published in the same journal showed that long-nosed dogs, such as collies or greyhounds, were twice as likely to develop nasal cancer if they lived with smokers.
And in yet another study, vets from Tufts University found that cats whose owners smoked were three times as likely to develop lymphoma, the most common feline cancer.
Making your home smoke free is perhaps one of the most important things you can do for your family, friends and pets. Pets can develop serious health problems related to second-hand smoke. In the U.S. alone, second-hand smoke is responsible each year for:
*Pets living with heavy smokers suffer from similar respiratory and cardiac symptoms
as the smokers themselves.
*Cats exposed to any second-hand smoke have more than double the risk of malignant
lymphoma, a common cancer in domestic cats. If cats are exposed for five years or
more, the risk increases even further.
*Dogs in smoking households have a greater risk of suffering from lung cancer.
Non-smokers (both our furry and non-furry loved ones) receive the following equivalents of cigarette smoking, according to Katherine Hammond, Ph.D., University of California at Berkeley’s School of Public Health:
*Sitting in the non-smoking section of a restaurant = 1.5 cigarettes
*Living in a pack-a-day smoker’s home = 3 cigarettes
* Riding in a car one hour with a smoker = 4 cigarettes
The next time you light up take a look at your pet and think about what you’re doing to them in the process. Then make the next leap of faith and quit. They have such a short time with us anything you can do to make the quality of their lives better will be repaid with love and affection that will make any suffering you experience in the process worthwhile. And on the up side after you quit you’ll have extra money in the budget, maybe even enough to send a donation to the Randolph County Humane Society. And never forget, it is only through you that they are able to save lives, one by one.
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St. Patty’s for Pets
March 12, 2009This Saturday (3/14/09) is the annual St. Patty’s For Pets at the VFW in Sparta. The doors open at 6:00 pm and offers a dinner, silent auction and dancing to “Backwoods.” This is an important evening for fundraising for the animals that make their way through the doors of the Randolph County Humane Society and due to the generosity of the local businesses that donate to the silent auction it is the largest fundraiser of the year. This year you’ll have an opportunity to bid on a variety of items that range from a 1-1/2 ct diamond 14k white gold bracelet that’s valued in the thousands to fast food certificates. No matter what you’re looking for you’ll find it for a bargain at the silent auction, so please call everyone in your phone book and make arrangements to attend. The cost for an entire evening of food and entertainment is $10 per person and tickets will be available at the door. The evening will be a lot of fun and the ultimate benefit to the animals is the shelter stays open for business for a couple of months and saves more lives in the process.
If you wonder why I am always asking people to dig deep and donate to the cause, think for a moment what it costs you to take care of your animals every month. Chances are your animals are in good health and don’t come to you needing heart worm treatment ($350) or hundreds in surgery for a gun shot wound but get by on a once per year vet visit, vaccinations, monthly heart worm preventative and food. Now think of it in terms of the number of animals that grace their doors every month of the year and you can see it doesn’t take long to add up. Fortunately our shelter is operated 100% by volunteers but the everyday expenses keep going up just like they do in our homes. No one is exempt from the difficulties of making it through the month, especially a no-kill shelter that depends on the kindness of the community it supports. So please, call your friends and make a point to attend the St. Patty’s for Pets and have fun while doing a good deed.
I read a story called “No Charge for Love” that is by an unknown author, and I’d like to share it with you today. A farmer had some puppies he needed to sell. He painted a sign advertising the 4 pups and set about nailing it to a post on the edge of his yard. As he was driving the last nail into the post, he felt a tug on his overalls. He looked down into the eyes of a little boy. “Mister,” he said, “I want to buy one of your puppies.” “Well,” said the farmer, as he rubbed the sweat of the back of his neck, “These puppies come from fine parents and cost a good deal of money.” The boy dropped his head for a moment. Then reaching deep into his pocket, he pulled out a handful of change and held it up to the farmer. “I’ve got thirty-nine cents. Is that enough to take a look?” “Sure,” said the farmer, and with that he let out a whistle. Here, Dolly!” he called. Out from the doghouse and down the ramp ran Dolly followed by four little balls of fur. The little boy pressed his face against the chain link fence. His eyes danced with delight. As the dogs made their way to the fence, the little boy noticed something else stirring inside the doghouse. Slowly another little ball appeared, this one noticeably smaller. Down the ramp it slid. Then in a somewhat awkward manner, the little pup began hobbling toward the others, doing its best to catch up…. “I want that one,” the little boy said, pointing to the runt. The farmer knelt down at the boy’s side and said, “Son, you don’t want that puppy. He will never be able to run and play with you like these other dogs would. “With that the little boy stepped back from the fence, reached down, and began rolling up one leg of his trousers. In doing so he revealed a steel brace running down both sides of his leg attaching itself to a specially made shoe. Looking back up at the farmer, he said, “You see sir, I don’t run too well myself, and he will need someone who understands.” With tears in his eyes, the farmer reached down and picked up the little pup. Holding it carefully he handed it to the little boy. “How much?” asked the little boy. “No charge,” answered the farmer, “There’s no charge for love.”
Please make a point of supporting the RCHS this weekend and keep them in the business of saving lives, one by one.
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Prevent animal abuse and save families from abuse
March 5, 2009This week while working on getting the word out on the St. Patty’s for Pets fundraiser that’s coming up on 3/14/09 at the Sparta VFW (more on this next week) I had the opportunity to hear the story of three animals that are currently in the care of the Randolph County Humane Society. As you all know, I am partial to shepherd/husky mixes (my very best friend Budward is one) and the shelter has one named Vinson. Vinson came to them with a gun shot wound to his hind leg and is currently undergoing very expensive medical care (the reason RCHS really needs you to support their fundraising events) until he is well enough to be considered for adoption into his forever home. His story broke my heart. It is well known that people that abuse animals also abuse their families, whether it is their wife or children, someone in their family is suffering right now. The ASPCA works diligently to prevent animal cruelty and I found information regarding the connection between animal cruelty and family abuse on their website and I want to share it with you here. If you recognize anyone from this please stand up and get involved. They need you to be strong enough to say we won’t tolerate this behavior. We all need you to be strong enough to say you won’t tolerate this behavior in your world, because your world is our world and we’re all in this together.
The Connection Between Domestic Violence and Animal Cruelty
How is Animal Abuse Related to Domestic Violence?
In recent years, a strong connection has been documented linking animal abuse and domestic violence. A New Jersey study found that in 88 percent of families where there had been physical abuse of children, there were also records of animal abuse. In Wisconsin, battered women revealed that in four out of five cases, abusive partners had also been violent toward pets or livestock. The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence conducted its own study in which 85.4 percent of women and 63.0 percent of children reported incidents of pet abuse after arriving at domestic violence shelters. The Chicago Police Department’s Domestic Violence Program took a look at the criminal histories of animal fighting/animal abuse arrestees for 2000-2001 and found that approximately 30 percent had domestic violence charges on their records. There is legitimate evidence that the individuals involved in violent acts against animals present a danger to the public that must be addressed. Intentional animal abuse is often seen in association with other serious crimes including drug offenses, gang activity, weapons violations, sexual assault and domestic violence—and can be one of the most visible parts of an entire history of aggressive or antisocial behavior.
Why do Abusers Batter Animals?
· To demonstrate power and control over the family
· To isolate the victim and children
· To enforce submission
· To perpetuate an environment of fear
· To prevent the victim from leaving or coerce her to return
· To punish for leaving or showing independence
What Can Law Enforcement Do?
It is imperative that first responders understand the connection between animal abuse and family violence. When responding to domestic calls it is imperative to be alert for signs that children and/or pets might be victimized. Children may be more willing to discuss what has happened to a pet than their own victimization.
Victims and their children should be asked:
· Do you have any pets?
· Has the batterer or any else threatened to harm your pet?
· Will you need assistance in finding a safe place for the pet if you leave?
Be sure to document any signs of animal abuse and report it to the appropriate agency empowered to investigate animal cruelty. Many victims will not go forward with the prosecution of their abuser. However, prosecution on animal cruelty charges can result in incarceration or treatment equivalent to what might result from a domestic violence prosecution.
What Can Victim Advocates and Domestic Violence Shelters Do?
· Work with victims to be sure they include pets in their safety planning
· Include questions about any threats or injuries to pets on your intake questionnaires
· Work with legislators to insure that pets can be included in orders of protection and educate judges about the necessity to do so
· Work with your local humane organizations or animal control to establish programs for the emergency housing of pets coming from homes experiencing violence
What Can Animal Shelters and Humane Organizations Do?
· Reach out to local domestic violence shelters and establish programs for emergency housing of pets from homes with domestic violence
· If no space is available, work with animal foster care agencies to establish a network of homes that might provide emergency care for these pets
· Incorporate information on these connections in school programs, particularly those that might reach children at risk of family violence
Conclusion and Additional Resources
Animal cruelty is increasingly viewed as a serious issue by professionals in law enforcement and mental health—as well as by the general public. The effective prosecution of animal abuse has many benefits. It can provide an early and timely response to those who are, or who are risk of becoming, a threat to the safety of others. It can provide an added tool for the protection of those who are victims of family violence. Finally, it can bring personal satisfaction in developing new skills and new understanding, and helping build a truly compassionate society.
ASPCA Legislative Services Department
E-mail contact: lobby@aspca.org
National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence
http://www.ncdsv.org/
National Network to End Domestic Violence
http://www.nnedv.org/
Office on Violence Against Women
www.usdoj.gov/ovw/
Pet-Abuse.com
E-mail contact: info@pet-abuse.com
http://www.pet-abuse.com/
And never forget, it is only through you that the Randolph County Humane Society continues to save lives, one by one.
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Posted by tailtalk
