Tail Talk

spay and neuter

It’s springtime, and love is in the air.  At least for the animals like cats and dogs because it’s puppy and kitty time at the shelter.  So I’m asking, again, for your help to spay and neuter.  Ask your friends, again, to spay and neuter.  The reason why I’m asking is because of the following anecdotal evidence:

When I moved to my new house I sent about 20 kittens to the SPCA from one mother cat in a year. The last litter I sent the mother with them. Cat’s can get pregnant more than 2 times per year. About every 3 months thy go into heat. One cat I found gave birth to 2 cats and before I could get her fixed 3 months later she was pregnant again. When I brough her into get fixed I was told she was pregnant.

They can give birth up to 4 times a year. There is no such thing as mating season. I’ve had cats since I was 4 and they have given birth 2-7 kittens per litter. It’s possible for each kitten from the same litter to have a different father. They can get pregnant again right after giving birth.

http://www.cat-pregnancy-report.com/…-pregnant.html

A male cat can father as many as 2500 kittens in a single year.

From the http://www.secondchanceforanimals.or…_or_neuter.htm says

An unspayed female cat, her mate and all of their offspring, producing two litters per year, with 2.8 surviving kittens per litter can total:

An unspayed female dog, her mate and all of their puppies, if none are every neutered or spayed, can add up to:

One Year: 12

Two Years: 67

Three Years: 376

Four Years: 2,107

Five Years: 11,801

Six Years: 66,088

Seven Years: 370,092

Eight Years: 2,072,514

Nine Years: 11,606,077

Those numbers are why we continue to fight, year after year, when you continue not to spay and neuter.  Now, the reasons from AmericanHumane.org why everyone should have your dogs and cats altered and why not take care of it is the wrong reason:

Spaying is a general term used to describe the ovariohysterectomy of a female animal. Neutering is a general term used to describe the castration of a male animal. However, neutering is often used in reference to both genders. The surgical procedure, performed by a veterinarian, renders the animal incapable of reproducing. Here are answers to some questions you may have about this beneficial procedure.

When can I have this procedure done?

Both procedures can safely be performed at as early as 8 weeks of age. American Humane Association is a strong proponent of juvenile or pediatric spay/neuter since it is both healthy for pets and effectively reduces pet overpopulation.

Why should I have my pet neutered?

Animal shelters, both public and private, are faced with an incredible burden: What to do with the overpopulation of dogs and cats that they cannot find homes for? Approximately 3.7 million animals are euthanized at shelters each year, due to the sheer fact that there are not enough willing adopters. Having your pet spayed or neutered ensures that you will not be adding to this tremendous burden.

What are some of the health and behavioral benefits?

Through neutering, you can help your dog or cat live a happier, healthier, longer life. Spaying eliminates the constant crying and nervous pacing of a female cat in heat. Spaying a female dog also eliminates the messiness associated with the heat cycle.

Neutering of male dogs and cats can prevent certain undesirable sexual behaviors, such as urine marking, humping, male aggression and the urge to roam. If you have more than one pet in your household, all the pets will generally get along better if they are neutered.

A long-term benefit of spaying and neutering is improved health for both cats and dogs. Spaying females prior to their first heat cycle nearly eliminates the risk of breast cancer and totally prevents uterine infections and uterine cancer. Neutering males prevents testicular cancer and enlargement of the prostate gland, and greatly reduces their risk for perianal tumors.

Neutering just costs too much!

The cost of caring for a pet, including providing veterinary care, should be considered before acquiring an animal. Many animal shelters offer low-cost spay/neuter services, and there are also many low-cost spay/neuter clinics across the country. To find low-cost options in your area, call your local animal shelter. The reality is that the cost associated with providing adequate care for just one litter of puppies or kittens is often more than the cost of spaying or neutering. The cost of feeding, worming and first vaccinations for a litter can be upwards of $200 to $300. You must also consider that there could be complications with the birth that require hospitalization or surgery. You will also be faced with finding good homes for the offspring yourself or placing more animals into your local shelter. The cost of the well-being of not just your companion animal, but of future generations, should be considered.

Can’t I allow my purebred dog to have just one litter?

Mixed breed or purebred — there just aren’t enough homes. Purebred animals also often end up in shelters. In fact, 25 percent of shelter dogs are purebreds. Responsible purebred breeders have homes for their potential litters before they breed.

I don’t even own a pet! Why is this my problem?

All of us are affected by animal overpopulation. Millions of tax dollars are spent annually to shelter and care for stray, abandoned and unwanted pets. Much of that money is spent to euthanize these animals when homes cannot be found. Human health is threatened by the danger of transmittable diseases (including rabies), animal bites and attacks. Property may be damaged and livestock killed when pets roam in search of food. Animal waste is proving to be a serious environment hazard, fouling yards and parks. It is only when all of us assume the responsibility for pet overpopulation that we will see any decrease in the problem.

Isn’t it wrong to deprive an animal of the natural right to reproduce?

No, it’s wrong to allow these animals to reproduce millions of unwanted offspring that are eventually killed because there aren’t enough responsible homes.

If I find homes for my pet’s litters, then I won’t contribute to the problem, right?

Wrong. Only a finite number of people want pets. So every home you find for your pet’s offspring takes away a home from a loving animal already at a shelter.

Shouldn’t every female pet have at least one litter before being spayed?

No. In fact, your pet will be healthier if she never sexually matures.

Shouldn’t children experience the miracle of birth?

No. A more important lesson to teach your children would be responsible pet ownership and concern for life by explaining why their pet should not have babies.

Doesn’t neutering alter an animal’s personality?

No. Personality changes that may result from neutering are for the better. Not being distracted by the instinctual need to find a mate helps your pet stop roaming and decreases aggressive tendencies.

Won’t animal shelters take care of the surplus animals?

No. Shelters do their best to place animals in loving homes, but the number of homeless animals far exceeds the number of willing adopters. This leaves many loving and healthy animals in our community that must be euthanized as the only humane solution to this tragic dilemma. Only spaying and neutering can end the overpopulation problem.

Over this past weekend I had an opportunity to see how our personal lives have a direct and immediate impact on our furbabies when they don’t understand what is happening around them.  This was Easter weekend, and Tim was going to transport a dog for the Humane Society to Northern Indiana.  It worked out perfectly because the day of the transport was also his birthday and his mother’s house is about 20 miles north of the transport point so he’d get to spend his birthday with her and his brothers, not something he gets to do since his move to Southern Illinois.  The plan was I was going with him, but from the beginning everything that could go wrong did, right up until I realized that the medication I picked up from the pharmacy had been written incorrectly at the doctor’s office, and although I could make a workaround with it the workaround caused a great deal of nausea, not something you want or need on a 7 hour car trip.  So at the last minute the decision was made that the bubs and I would stay home.  Now, at our house the bubs run around with no collars because we live in the country and they go into the fenced dog’s yard and back into the house, so when we get their collars out they know a car trip is in their future.  If we get their neck scarves out a big trip is upcoming and the excitement in the air is palpable.   So when they found that there was a strange dog in their midst that got to go on the trip with their daddy and they didn’t get to go without any explanations there were some hurt feelings.  Except I didn’t realize there were hurt feelings because I was going about my business trying to get through the day, feeling too puny to notice how very bad my furbabies were feeling.  Right up until Tim got home last night and Jack went crazy (in a good way).  Jack went running out into the dog’s yard, thinking Tim was coming in through the side door when Tim fooled him and came in through the front door and no matter how I tried I couldn’t convince him to come into the house because he knew his daddy was out there, someplace, and he wasn’t coming back in the house until he saw him and gave him kisses and body hugs to let him know how much he loved him and missed him.  Finally I told Tim to start hollering for Jack and when he heard him on the inside he relented and came flying in like a rocket, much like the puppy that originated the name Action Jackson.  He hopped and jumped, skipped and rubbed, for what seemed like hours but was only about 15 minutes.  He needed to let his daddy know he missed him and he loved him, and there was never a moment of the days he was gone that he wasn’t missed.  He was licked from head to toe with puppy kisses that are so very sweet that you can’t miss the love, and it’s real love, a real emotion powered by real feeling.  I normally explain what’s going on to our animals because they understand what is being told to them.  Remember, animals understand at the level of a 3 year old.  That’s an average animal.  If you have an exceptionally smart animal they understand well beyond that, so start having a conversation with your bubs.  Then they won’t go through what our poor Jack just went through, thinking he’d been abandoned by his daddy for another bubby.  If you don’t believe me, just give it a try the next couple of times you’re getting ready to do something and see if your relationship with your bub doesn’t develop into a deeper, stronger relationship than you ever had before, and the rewards, well, there aren’t words to adequately describe the rewards of the love you’ll feel from your best friend.  But along with that comes responsibility, and I fell down on my responsibility of telling Jack what was going on in our lives and he suffered because of it.  I’m sorry Jack.  I promise to do better in the future and remember you have feelings too.

And never forget, it’s only through you the Randolph County Humane Society continues to save lives, one by one.

I often wonder what our Action Jackson’s life was like before he became our Action Jackson.

Action Jackson

For those of you that have raised your animals since they were puppies, you have the luxury of knowing their entire life history.  But for those of us that have adopted our shelter dogs they had a life before us and we have no way of knowing what that life entailed.

I have a sneaking suspicion about Jack’s life, though.  I believe he was cared for by a very affectionate Hispanic woman that was abused by a man.  The reason why I think this is because every time my friend Renee comes to visit Jack absolutely goes crazy over her, like he’s crazy for her and he’s wondering where she’s been and why she hasn’t been here to see him.  He even ripped her shirt he got so overexcited on seeing her.   That’s so unlike him and he only does it with her.  And every time Tim and I raise our voices he comes over and sits in front of me to protect me.  Not just on occasion, but every time.  It make me feel good to know that I have my very own personal protection, but I wonder what happened in Jack’s life that brought him to this place that he feels the need to sit in front of and protect the women he loves.

When we first brought Jack home from the high kill shelter he was within hours of being euthanized.  We weren’t in the market for a new dog, not until I read the email that stated there was a white German Shepherd that would die unless I intervened.  So we drove to Nashville, IL and walked in, asked for the white German Shepherd, took one look at Jack and said we’ll take him anyway.  He was loose skin hanging on a rack of bones with a head.  He weighed 40 lbs. at the time.  Today he weighs around 106 lbs.  But he was the happiest dog in the world, so his first name was Happy Jack.  There was never a moment when you didn’t have a feeling of absolute joy emanate from his soul the entire time you were in his presence.  We took him straight to a groomer to have him washed because he had urine stained paws and the smell of impending death was upon him, and I’ll never forget the entire time he was being bathed he watched us from the back room.  I don’t know if he was afraid we were going to leave him or what, but there was no way we were leaving Happy Jack behind because he’d already found his way into our hearts and found a home with us.

Budward

Budward, our husky that was my best friend, was starting his decline, and Jack watched Budward intently and learned everything he could from Budward, learning how to be his twin if that is possible.  I love Jack every bit as much as I loved Budward, just differently because they are two different animals with completely different personalities, but there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t miss Budward and the thought of living without Jack frightens me down to my very core.

Just like Budward, I know Jack will always have my back.  I know I will never have to worry so long as he is around.  But I also have to worry about Jack because he is my baby with cluster seizures and I live in fear that the next time we go through those horrific times will be the last time because he won’t survive because of what his body has to go through.  So I live in fear of losing my best friend to a horrible illness.  I know he won’t make it 16 years with us like Girlie Sue did, and every day with Jack is a blessing from God.

He is my best friend.  I don’t know what I did to deserve him, but I must have done something really good that God smiled on me so brightly to bring Jack into my life.  And there is never a moment of any day that I don’t remember that kindness and say thank You right back for giving me this special gift of four legs of personality unlike any I’ve ever known before.

You too can have this in your life.  Just visit the shelter today and tell them you need a companion animal to complete your life.  And never forget, it’s only through you that the Randolph County Humane Society continues to save lives, one by one.

April is Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month

April is Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month.  That can mean a lot of things to a lot of different people.  But being who I am you know that I’m going to give you all different kinds of ideas to think about and act on, with the emphasis on the acting on part of that sentence.

What do you do when you see a child that isn’t your own mistreating a dog or a cat?  Do you say something to the child or do you say something to the parent in the hopes they will correct the child?  Well, this might not be proper etiquette when you see a child misbehaving in any other manner, but when they’re mistreating an animal intervene immediately, gently but forcefully, telling the child what they are doing wrong while removing the animal from their grasp.  You can’t wait for a parent to have a moment with their child because by then the child could be in danger if the animal is large enough, and if it’s not that large, well, you just can’t depend on parents doing the right thing.  Someone has to be accountable to the animals and we can’t pass up a teachable moment with any child.  I used to be the meanest, most obnoxious child that ever walked the planet.  I don’t know where the change came or who made it, but both my parents worked all the time and they gave back and in doing so I was left with a babysitter most evenings while they attended meetings.  Someone took the time to teach me and I wish I knew who it was because my mom was one of those people that believed “it’s only a dog” when the cocker that saved my life died and I fell apart, so I’m pretty confident I didn’t learn it from her.  But I got this love and this gift from someone, and I’m grateful beyond words that they took the time to show me the way because they brought me here.

There are people in our community that are harming animals, some more than others.  And our County Animal Control officer is vigilant about seeing to it that tickets are written appropriately.  But once the tickets are written his hands are tied from that moment forward.  It is then up to the County Prosecutor to see to it that the perpetrator is taken to trial and the judge to give him/her an appropriate sentence if he/she is found guilty.  There is a pending case that I anxiously await word on a court date because of the horror of what happened.  A husky type dog was shot with an arrow and allowed to bleed to death,  and what a slow, languishing, painful, tortuous death it was.  We’re watching what is happening with this case and we will be calling on you to join us in supporting the prosecutor in court when that day arrives.  We need to send a message to the judges around here that this behavior will not be tolerated, and we’re watching to see what happens with these cases.  The animal community has become a large group that works together to insure that animals have the support of the courts, no matter where you live, because the next step for an animal abuser is women and children and they aren’t there already.   So when I post the date and time for the trial I hope to see as many faces in that crowd supporting the poor dead dog as possible.

People don’t abuse animals because they hate dogs or cats.  They abuse animals because they have anger in their heart and they take it out on the only ones that can’t fight back.  That means it’s up to us to be their voice.  That’s not just a slogan, it’s a mantra to live by.  Together we can make a difference.  Together we can change the world.

And never forget, it’s only through you that the Randolph County Humane Society continues to save lives, one by one.

We’re making progress in bringing the numbers down at the shelters from the huge numbers in the past that were being euthanized to the numbers of today, but we still have a lot of work to do with cats.  It is almost impossible to adopt a cat when people gravitate towards a cute kitten if they’re moving in that direction at all.  And today I am hoping to motivate someone, just one person, to go out and add a kitten or a cat to their dog pack, or two, because I promise you it is a move you won’t be sorry for and will in fact thank me for the remainder of your lives for bringing the additional joy into your midst.

Cats and kittens are the comics of the companion animal world.  They get to doing things that you just have to laugh, and these are moves that are natural to them, like cleaning their toes or cleaning that back leg.  They get their bodies in some contortions that you have to wonder, how the heck can they do that, and I know the answer (sometimes I’m so smart).  Cats have no shoulder blades so that’s why they’re able to contort into all those hysterical shapes to clean.  It’s something you have to see to experience, and watching them perform these maneuvers never gets old.

I picked up some information from the Bayer.com site that was clear and concise about bringing dogs and cats together, and I thought it was good information to share so you can see right off not only is it possible but it’s easy:

In general, housing cats and dogs together is not a problem provided that they get to know their different languages. For example, wagging the tail is a sign of cheerfulness for a dog, but it means anger or fury for a cat. To conclude from this that they are natural enemies is wrong.

If they come into the household as very young animals and grow up together, cats and dogs usually become good friends. A grown-up dog tends to accept a very young cat as a member of his pack. On the other hand you should be careful bringing together an adult, self-confident cat and a young dog.

When another animal is introduced to your companion’s territory, the animals need time to accept and get used to each other. Do not force them together in the same room or area in the first few days. Give them time to scent the presence of the other animal before their first meeting. And always leave an opportunity for escape, especially for younger cats.

Now that doesn’t sound too difficult, does it?  We’re able to take our dogs off leash across our property during the day but we wouldn’t be caught doing that at night because there is every sort of critter that will catch their attention and once their attention is caught, well, there’s no getting them back, so when we go for walks at dusk or later we take the cats.  There is nothing more interesting than going for a cat walk, unless you go with a group of cats, because they see the world differently than we do.  They see a micro-world we miss.  They jump at the bugs in the air, and that frog that’s hiding is no longer hidden.  They run ahead and climb the tree, looking back at you like, come join me in the tree, it’s fun up here, like I could scramble up the tree and out on the limb, but it’s nice to be issued an invitation.

And you think of cats as being so lithe and slinky, graceful in every move.  Well, most cats are but there are exceptions like our Sissy that just isn’t anything you’d expect.

Sissy and Bubby the infamous kitten cats of Tail Talk

You know when she’s coming to see you because you hear thump-thump-thump-thump-thump getting louder as the approach gets closer, because she sounds like she has a flat tire but it’s just her.  She has those big round eyes and she looks just like the Puss n Boots character from the Disney movie, and she’s a little piggy.  The minute you walk into the kitchen she runs and jumps onto the table (our bad for encouraging this behavior by feeding them here) and puts her front paws on the back of the chair, standing and watching me, then her head is going up and down, back and forth, as she looks to see what I’m doing and if she’s going to get a treat.  She’s a beggin’ strip if there ever was one.  The rest of the cats have learned that Sissy does all the work and they get the rewards.  That whole scenario I just told you about is so funny you can’t help but bring out the treats and it never gets old, never stops being funny, because that’s just the way she is.

I could go on from here and tell you about Donald, our original cat, and Bubby (Sissy’s best friend and brother, an adoption scheme I highly recommend when you get your cats getting two from the same family because they bring you twice the joy plus they entertain themselves the rest of the time),  and last but not least Pearlie Girl, but I have to keep my musings within a certain limit or you’ll tire and go away while I’m still rambling.

All I can say is please, give kitten cats a try.  People are still so cruel to these sweet animals.  One of our most loving cats

Purts first day

was used as a target by some uncaring person that shot him and left him in the field for us to find.  Purt was our friend and our comforter, he brought joy in ways there was none and comfort on days when I thought I might not make it.  That person took something from me that can never be replaced.  I have other kitten cats to love, but none of them are Purt, and there will always be a painful place in my heart when I think of what was done to him.  And it happens all the time by uncaring people.  So join me by adopting a couple of kitten cats and let’s start educating people today about how wonderful these animals are, and how together with your dogs your pack, along with your life, can be complete!

And never forget, it’s only through you that the Randolph County Humane Society continues to save lives, one by one.

There are two gifts that I’ve been given in my lifetime that have stood out above all others in my mind.  Two gifts that I will never forget because their kindness went above and beyond any I have received before.  And they’re not the kind of gifts I would imagine you’re going to imagine I would pick, or maybe you will because maybe after these years of me sharing information about animals while telling my life story you know me better than a lot of acquaintances I have.  I know I feel a kinship with you that is palpable, even though we never meet except through my thoughts that radiate down my arms and through my fingers, onto the keys and onto an electronic format or newspaper for you to read.  I can’t see you but I feel your presence, and I’m always aware of your feelings even though I may be hard on you sometimes and expect a lot of you, because without you we can’t change the world.  But back to the reason for this particular reflection; this week through TailTalk.org I got a really nice little email from someone that has been reading my musings forever, sending me condolences on Girlie Sue passing from this life onto the other side.

ZoeyBean and Girlie Sue sharing the couch for a nap.

They said they felt like they knew her, and had me in their prayers and wanted to say RIP Girlie Sue.  It was incredible knowing that someone that I don’t know wanted to offer me that kindness during my time of pain because they understood my love for her and felt a kinship with me.  As a writer I think that is the ultimate compliment.  That was probably the best gift I’ve ever been given.  The other gift that I was given that was up there with this one was in 1985.  I was hospitalized over at Barnes for my back, the first time of many to come.  At that time they did things differently and I was put in the room with a woman that had cancer and was in the hospital, soon to be starting another round of difficult treatments that would require a “clean room” environment.  She and I had a lot of heart to heart talks during those days, and after I went home she and I continued our conversations by phone.  One day I received a card in the mail, addressed to me from her.  When I opened it up, it was a “You’ll Never Know How Special You Are” card, and when I opened it up it was from her family.  She had crossed over to the other side the week before, and the night she died she sent her daughter out to the store to purchase that card to send to me.  I still have the card.  The thought that this woman that was within hours of the end of her time with those she loved thought to make sure I knew how she felt about me was a defining moment in my life.  This email comes as close to that moment as it’s possible to be.  That’s how important you all are to me that take the time to read Tail Talk, to get to know me, my animals, and my passion for saving as many lives as we can.  I have been so fortunate to have been blessed with the illness that brought me to this place, and I mean that.  If it hadn’t been for the all the problems with my back, the 2 surgeries that didn’t cure what ailed me, the loss of my job because of it, I would never have found the Randolph County Humane Society.  And the gifts that I have been given from being part of them are undeniably the best thing that could have happened because through them I fulfilled a lifelong dream that I never dreamed would come to fruition.  After working with the folks from RCHS for a while Heidi asked me if I could write an article called Tail Talk for the paper because she didn’t have time, and it brought me here.  And here is filled with such joy and satisfaction along with a feeling of achievement, something I never thought I’d have again after I had to give up my career in sales in the manufacturing industry.  You never know where life is going to lead you.  And all those old adages are true.  Birds of a feather do flock together.  I’ve seen how sad they become when you have only two like chickens and one is killed; the other is lost.  You need to let go of real and imagined hurts because having something stuck in your craw can kill you.  I know.  I’ve seen it happen with our chickens.  And all your childhood dreams can come true.  I’m living proof.  When I was in high school I wanted to be a Writer but I didn’t have any talent to do it, so I went into Business Administration and I had a great time.  After college I worked right up until I couldn’t anymore, and then I thought what am I going to do because the best part of my day was interacting with people.  For a long time I got very depressed because I missed it, but then we moved to the most beautiful place on earth, Randolph County, and the people we purchased our property from had just adopted a puppy from the shelter (and what a beautiful puppy it was), and I thought HMMMMMM……  And the rest is history.  And I am grateful beyond words that I got sick and it brought me here, because this is the best that it’s ever been, and I appreciate you all so very much.  And for the person that thought to send me condolences over Girlie Sue, thank you for your kindness in thinking of me during this difficult time.  Your thoughtfulness will not be forgotten.  Ever.

And never forget, it’s only through you that the Randolph County Humane Society continues to save lives, one by one.

This week is a public service. It is all about worms and the various types of worms that dogs and cats get, how they get them, how they’re treated, and if they’re a danger to people. So read carefully. And when you read about heartworms I want you to take a special look at the photo that I have of the dog’s heart ventricle that has an advanced case of heartworms, and think about what it must have been like for that poor animal to take a step, much less run and play, the lifeblood of a happy animal’s life. So tell me, if you don’t have your animals on preventative, are you going to leave them to suffer though this or are you going to go out and get preventative every month and do something about it? If you can’t see the photo please go to http://TailTalk.org to view. It is important that you educate yourself. Your animals need you to know so you can take care of them properly.

There are four main types of canine worms including dog roundworms, tapeworms, whipworms and hookworms. Each type of parasite (another name for worms) has its own characteristics which can be helpful in worm identification. Worms vary in size and how they effect your dog:

Most Common Types of Intestinal Dog Worms

These are the four most common intestinal dog worms types::

DOG WORMS

Dog Roundworms (also called Nematodes)

Dog roundworms are the most common type of worms in dogs. The worms are named after their appearance, which in an adult is like a piece of spaghetti. The worm is spread from dog to dog through the ingestion of contaminated feces, or from a pregnant mother through the placenta to the puppy.

Roundworms can be transmitted from dogs to humans, which is especially a concern for children.
Dog Hookworms

Dog hookworms are also one of the more common dog worms types. The worm is transmitted via ingested contaminated dog feces are through contact with an open wound or skin crack. Hookworms in dogs infect adults more often, and are less common in puppies, the reverse of what is true for roundworms.

Dog Hookworms Life Cycle

Dog Hookworms Life Cycle Source: Washington State University
Many dog worms types such as hookworms are ingested via contaminated feces or enter the body
through an open wound.

Dog Whipworms

Dog Whipworms are less common than hookworms or roundworms. They are also transmitted by ingesting contaminated feces and affects both puppies and adult dogs. The parasite can cause severe health problems. The worms attach to a dog’s intestinal lining and feed on the host’s blood. As the worms multiply in the intestine, they can deplete the blood supply, causing a condition called canine anemia. In puppies in particular, advanced cases can be life threatening.
Dog Tapeworms

Dog tapeworms (cestodes, Dipylidium) are common. It is not transmitted through feces like other worms in dogs, but instead is passed through the ingestion of a flea, which carries the immature tapeworm. These dog worms take their name from an appearance, with the worms measuring from 4 to 28 inches in length. As the worm grows in the intestines, segments (proglottids) break off. The infection causes no dog worm symptoms and often goes undetected until the owner notices the small, dried up segments migrating out of the rectum. In advanced cases, there could be some weight loss. These worm segments become caught in the fur surrounding the anus or on the outside of fresh feces and can even be seen crawling on the surface. When the worm segments dry out, it leaves behind small hard yellow eggs that can also be stuck to the dog’s fur around the anus.

Tapeworm is diagnosed during a fecal exam performed in your veterinarian’s office. There is minimal risk of the worm being transmitted to humans, although it is possible if a person, particularly a child swallows a flea.

Other Dog Worms Types

Dog Flatworms

Dog Flatworms (also called Trematodes or Flukes): These worms often hook themselves to your dog in their intestines, lungs and liver. They are also passed when a dog ingests infected feces ,and in infected snails and frogs.

Dog Heartworm

heartworm disease in heart ventricle

Dog Heart worm: Heartworm disease in dogs (Dirofilaira immitis) occurs when worms grow in and around the heart muscle. The disease is spread when an infected mosquito bites a dog. This is one of the most alarming dog worms types since in advanced stages it is life threatening.

Most infected dogs are asymptomatic for months or years, with heart damage slowing increasing over time. Symptoms of dog heartworm includes moderate to severe coughing, particularly after exercise or when excited. In later stages of the disease the abdomen and legs will swell from fluid accumulation as the right side of the heart suffers from developing congestive failure. Other symptoms when a severe case of the disease is present include difficulty breathing (dyspnea). It is rare for a dog to suddenly die from the disorder. Dog heartworm infection is diagnosed with a blood test. The test can also indicate the severity of the disease which would point to a specific course of treatment. x-rays can also help to confirm the severity of the disease.
dog heart worm
Advanced dog heartworm disease in ventricle of heart
Source: Dr. Richard Wescott/Washington State University

It is difficult to treat heartworm in dogs. Treatment can be risky since killing worms that are already in the arteries and heart can be dangerous. Cases are usually classified from high risk to low risk based on the chance of complications that result from treatment. Low risk or class 1 and 2 dog heartworm cases are characterized by having no symptoms and normal heart x-rays. High risk or class 3, 4, 5 canine heartworm patients are already showing symptoms such as coughing and abdominal swelling.

Dog heart worm treatment involves symptomatic therapy to improve heart function and circulation. It is also used to prepare dogs that are treated with an adulticide that kills the heartworm or for surgical removal. Most vets will recommend restricted exercise and cage rest as a way of improving blood circulation. Anti-inflammatory drugs such as glucocorticosterids (prednisolone) can also help to control pulmonary inflammation and thromboembolism. The most commonly used dog heartworm treatment is the medication Immiticide (melarsomine hydrochloride) which is injected into the back muscles of dogs suffering from class 1 – 3 heartworm. A heartworm preventative is only used after the heart has been cleared of all worms. You can read more by downloading this FDA brochure on dog heartworm (PDF download).

Luckily, humans cannot be infected by heartworm.

Dog Ringworm (not a worm, a fungal infection)

Note that ringworm is not due to worms, but a skin fungus. It’s name is based on an appearance on the skin that looks like a worm.
Dog Worms Types Symptoms and Diagnosis

Many dog owners believe that dogs with normal feces do not have worms. This is not the case. It is also rare for owners to see worms in the dog stool. Most of the time, a dog with worms is diagnosed by a veterinarian after studying feces under a microscope.
Most veterinarians will check dogs on a regular basis for the different dog worms types by looking for worms in the stool.

Dog Worms Treatment

Treatment for intestinal parasites generally consists of a broad-spectrum dewormer such as fenbendazole (Panacur®), with the addition of praziquantel (Droncit® or Drontal®) if tapeworms are also present. Treatment for dog heartworm is indicated above.

If you dog frequently has a problem with parasites such as worms, a natural dietary supplement is worth a try. PetAlive makes a supplement designed to naturally expel internal parasites like Heartworm, Roundworm and Tape Worm. Check with your veterinarian.
Dog Worms and Humans

Most dog worms are species specific. However, tt is possible for humans to get intestinal worms from your dog. The problem is more common in children. For example, children that crawl on the ground or play in sandboxes can ingest the eggs that result in worms.

Hookworms can burrow through human skin and are often found in gulf coast states. In a human a hookworm leaves red spots on the skin that are in a trail (caused by the larvae).

Other dog worms types such as whipworms do not live in humans. The most common type of worms in humans, pinworms, are not found in dogs and cats.

This information was taken from http://www.dog-health-guide.org/dogwormstypes.html. If you have any questions please refer back to their website for additional information.

There’s an article in the February 1, 2012 Popular Science Magazine titled “Do Animals Dream” and guess what?  Scientists say there is evidence to support the notion that dogs, cats, and in fact, every mammal that’s been studied, does experience dreams.  You know, the only response I have to that is, “no @#&!”?  Do scientists live in the real world with the rest of us?  Do they use their common sense in observing animals, most especially mammals?  Here we are in 2012 and they come out in with the big news that they’ve hooked up animals using an electroencephalogram (EEG) have tested canine brain wave activity during sleep. They’ve found that dogs are similar to humans when it comes to sleep patterns and brain wave activity.  Like humans, dogs enter a deep sleep stage during which their breathing becomes more irregular and they have rapid eye movements (REM). It is during REM sleep that actual dreaming and, often, involuntary movements take place.  Dogs may move their legs as if they are running, whine or whimper as if excited, and breathe rapidly or hold their breath for short periods.   As do cats and every other mammal.    So if Scientists are finally figuring out what we’ve known forever, when do you think they’re going to understand that animals have worth and they’re not disposable?  That although they can’t speak and don’t have opposable thumbs, they still have an important place in this world.  They have an uncanny ability to bring comfort where there was no hope.  They bring hope where there was only despair through the simple being of their presence.  And yet every day throughout this country animals are euthanized at a rate of 1,157 per hour.  That means on any given day in the United States 27,778 companion animals are put down while 6,815 people die.  That means four animals die for each person that passes in a typical day.  Yet the more scientists study dogs (all mammals) the more they find they are just like us, but no one is making the connection.  They dream like us to put what happens to them during the day into perspective.  That would make me infer they have conscious thought about what is happening to them, causing them a need to dream just as their human (mammal) counterparts.
I believe when we get to the other side we’re going to find that we have a lot of answering to do for the harm we’ve caused to animals by allowing them to be treated inhumanely.  I’m not a vegetarian, but our farm animals are treated with respect.  I talk to all the animals that come to live on our farm and tell them exactly what is going to happen, explaining to them that we all have a purpose in this life and their purpose is to provide the sustenance that allows us to live and grow.  I also promise them that they will have the very best life while they live and grow until they fulfill their life purpose, and there will never be a time that they won’t be appreciated for the life they give that we may live.  I explained this to my first set of newly weaned cattle that came to live at the farm, much to my husband’s chagrin (he asks me to talk to them silently so no one else hears me), when they got out of our fence and made their way to the neighbor’s field, finding a way into his  herd.  He stopped by to let us know that he had extra cattle in his herd and after church he would help Tim round them up and bring them back because they wouldn’t have any idea where they were or how to get back since they weren’t bred from a farm around here originally.  So imagine everyones’ surprise when they turned around to see them meandering back from the neighbor’s farm, walking down our lane, when Tim ran and opened our gate and they proceeded to walk back into our pasture, put their heads down, and started grazing and never stopped from that day forward.  The neighbor was never able to figure out how they got into his pasture because his fence is secure, or for that matter how they got back out, or how they found their way back home since cattle don’t have a built in GPS system.  But I know.  They were upset at being removed from their mother’s udder and taken to a strange farm, and once they made the rounds they remembered the conversation I’d had with them and decided this was the place they wanted to live out their days.  Don’t ever underestimate the intelligence of your animals.

Don’t tolerate the abuse of an animal and above all else don’t be an abuser, although if you’re an animal abuser I’m confident you won’t be reading this now.  If you don’t believe me, one day you’ll know but that day will be the day you’ll be held accountable for your actions and by then it will be too late.  You don’t want to be found wanton on judgment day.

And never forget, it’s only through you that the Randolph County Humane Society continues to save lives, one by one.

I had read this and posted it a few years back, but every once in a while things deserve a repeat.  And receiving it on the day I go to pick up Girlie Sue’s ashes, I thought it would be an appropriate lesson to share with everyone so we all remember the true value of having our animals with us and what we learn from them.  And lest we forget, we can see through the eyes of a child and be reminded.  I hope you will enjoy the (true) story of a family that went through what we just experienced, and what someday you may also experience:

A Dog’s Purpose?
(from a 6-year-old).

Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish Wolfhound named Belker. The dog’s owners, Ron, his wife Lisa , and their little boy Shane, were all very attached to Belker, and they were hoping for a miracle.

I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn’t do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home.

As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience.

The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker ‘s family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away.

The little boy seemed to accept Belker’s transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker’s Death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives.  Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, ”I know why.”

Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me. I’d never heard a more comforting explanation. It has changed the way I try and live.

He said,”People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life — like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?” The Six-year-old continued,

”Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don’t have to stay as long.”

Live simply.

Love generously.

Care deeply.

Speak kindly.

Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:

When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.

Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.

Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure Ecstasy.

Take naps.

Stretch before rising.

Run, romp, and play daily.

Thrive on attention and let people touch you.

Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.

On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.

On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.

When you’re happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.

Be loyal.

Never pretend to be something you’re not.

If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.

When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.

There comes a time in life, when you walk away from all the drama and people who create it. You surround yourself with people who make you laugh, forget the bad, and focus on the good. So, love the people who treat you right. Think good thoughts for the ones who don’t. Life is too short to be anything but happy. Falling down is part of LIFE…Getting back up is LIVING…  And never forget, it’s only through you that the Randolph County Humane Society continues to save lives, one by one.