Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Save Spork!

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February 19th, 2010
The city of Lafayette currently has a 10-year-old weiner dog named Spork targeted for either death or kenneling after he bit a veterinarian technician.

Spork, a 10-year-old weiner dog, during a stressful visit to the Jasper Animal Hospital in Lafayette, bit the vet technician on the face when she tried to cut away something around his neck.
Lafayette is now ignoring state law – invoking “home law”- which states that professionals who work with animals take the risk of getting bitten, and is attempting to have Spork either put down or kenneled for life.

Here’s the full story from the Save Spork! facebook page.
Last August the beloved 10-year-old miniature dachshund, Spork, snapped at and bit a veterinarian technician at Jasper Animal Hospital as he was being held by his owner. He has been at the vet on numerous occasions over the years and had been there just the week before, without ever having any issues except that he is usually very scared and shaking, sometimes defecating (which some dogs do if they are scared at the vet). In fact, he had been there just the week before when he got his shots and examination for oral surgery.
Spork’s owner was doing exactly what she was told and was holding the 17-pound dachshund firmly in her arms when the vet tech suddenly, and without warning, put her face in his, which resulted in the bite. He was shaking badly before this happened which was noticed by the entire staff, and had pooped on his owner just before the accident. Clearly the little guy was just scared to be at the vet and that was obvious.
Spork’s owner was utterly unaware that it had happened until the vet tech stood up. This is a sad accident, but YOU must realize that it is a very common risk at the vet where it is imperative for everyone involved to follow procedures and best practices, including training to avoid being bitten.
Spork, unfortunately, didn’t have the benefit of any of these at Jasper Animal Hospital.
WHY THIS IS VITALLY IMPORTANT TO YOU:
About a month after the bite, Lafayette Animal Control charged Spork’s owners with having a vicious dog in the City of Lafayette. Please look into this for yourself and understand that this is an extremely serious charge and it is a guaranteed risk you face if you do veterinary business in Lafayette.
The owners have spent more than $6,000 dollars already defending their 10-year-old little buddy!
Despite specific and unambiguous Colorado state laws specifically excluding veterinary health care workers, the City of Lafayette will declare ‘home rule’ and can kill your dog, make you relocate or, maybe worst of all, kennel your best friend for long and cruel periods of time, even making you pay for the kenneling and even if you are found innocent!
The staff at Jasper Animal Hospital endorses this action which could very, very easily happen to you today. Dog bites are very, very common in the industry and you have no way to know what provocation could trigger a reaction from your pet.
IF YOU OWN AN ANIMAL YOU HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT IT!
While HOWLColorado is focused on education about, and the advocacy for, wolves – such stories are particularly interesting to us as it shows, even in the field of animal medicine, there is still a remarkable lack of understanding about “man’s best friend.”
We find this story to be shocking and are hard pressed to see any reasonable explanation for it.
If you wish to join the facebook group, join the Save Spork! group.
If you wish to sign the petition calling for Lafayette to reverse their decision, do so here.
Resources
Motion to dismiss filed on behalf of the defendent – the owner of Spork
City of Lafayette denial to dismiss statement
Colorado State Statute
note: HOWLColorado makes no judgements of the vet involved. We have not spoken with the vet, or the vet tech, and are unaware of any policies which were in place at the time of the incident and whether the vet tech followed any of those policies. We are concerned that a trained vet tech would not have received the appropriate training necessary for dealing with animals of this disposition. It is for this very reason that professionals should be exempt – as they are in state law – from the laws covering animal bites. They should know how to avoid such things, and they should assume the risks of working with animals.

____________________________________________________________________________________

This is a post from a blog, Howl Colorado about a dachshund in trouble.  Please read the comments at this site as well as the original posting and join the fanpage on Facebook if you want to.
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Thursday, February 18, 2010

Here's a follow-up on the status of Austen's haircut

clippers 2Image by muhammad.u via Flickr
I went and bought a clipper that is small and made for faces and feet.  I really only want his face clipped and for his feet to be clipped so he doesn't get soggy when we go out in the rain.  I did get his feet clipped with quite a bit of argument from Austen.  However, when I started on his face, he went crazy and flipped his body every which way until I turned him loose.  So, he has small sections on his face that are clipped, but that's all.

What I need is for someone to give me some pointers on how to go about doing this.  I don't think it should take very long and I hate to have to take him to a groomer and leave him for several hours just to clip his face.  So, can anyone out there give me some pointers?  I'm desperate.


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Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Cody Brody had his surgery and is doing better!

Back on December 4th I posted an article about a little rat-man that was in dire straits.  He had been thrown out of a moving vehicle and both front legs were broken.  He was to have surgery to repair these breaks and Ratbone Rescues was collecting money to help pay the $2000.00 costs.  Below is his story and if you follow the link to watch his progress, you will get to see pictures of him without his casts and walking!

Well, here is an update from Ratbone Rescues blog:

Cody Brody Ratbone
Cody's Ouchie
Cody Brody is a
10 pound, blue
tri-colored Rat
Terrier, estimated
to be 2 years old.

Little Cody was taken
to an animal shelter
in east-central Florida
after being tossed from a moving car.

When Cody Brody
hit the ground he
fractured the radius
and the ulna in both
of his front legs.
His right leg had a
"compound fracture", which means the broken ends of the
bones came through
the skin.

The shelter took little Cody to a vet for treatment, and then started looking for a rescue to take him and get him on the road to recovery. A local rescue offered but backed out, so Ratbone Rescues was contacted - and we picked him up the next day; this was 9 days after the local vet had cast his legs.
 

Little Cody was very fearful in the shelter. He was also in a lot of pain, so he showed his teeth and growled at everyone. He also tried to bite if anyone made a move to touch him. We were sure that Cody was just in pain, and that once he was out of the shelter he could learn to trust again. This was proved after his arrival at his temporary foster home, where he slowly showed his care-givers that he was open to their attempts to "connect" with him.
After 3 days in his temporary foster home Cody made the drive north to Daytona to meet his permanent fostermom - and his orthopedic surgeons. But the enclosed cars soon made it clear that there was something very wrong with Cody - something really stinky! Instead of waiting for his appointment the next day, Cody's fostermom took him straight to the vet's office, where we found that the fiberglass cast had not been padded - and had cut into his right leg and foot. These wounds and the open wound under the cast on his right leg had become septic (infected) - which was what caused him to smell so bad. Cody was not especially happy to see the staff at our vet's office,
but that would soon change.

Cody's X-Rays
X-rays revealed that Cody's legs had never been set, and the bones were overlapped by 1/2 inch on the right leg and 1 inch on the left. Once our vets removed the painful casts and got his wounds cleaned - and gave him medications for infection and pain - Cody was a new dog! He is friendly, trusting, and sweet.
 
Cody's surgeons - Dr. Robert Goring and Dr. Steve Neihaus, of Affiliated Veterinary Specialists (Orange Park, FL) - have a plan for our boy. First, they will give him time for his open wounds to begin to heal. Next, they will operate on Cody's legs, removing a small section of each bone to allow proper alignment; stainless steel plates and pins will be used to hold the bones in place while they heal. Before surgery and during the healing process Cody will be given antibiotics and medications to manage his pain. Cody's surgery is scheduled for December 8, 2009. After surgery he will spend several days in the hospital, so a close eye can be kept on his progress. Then Cody will return to his foster home for 8 to 12 weeks of recovery and rehabilitation. At 4 and 8 weeks post-surgery Cody will probably need x-rays, to make sure his bones are mending as they should.
To watch Cody's progress please use this link.
WARNING: graphic photos of open wounds - not for the squeamish!

The estimated cost of Cody Brody's surgical and medical care is $4,000 - if there are no unexpected complications. Our wonderful "Dr. G" gives us a 50% discount, so we need to raise at least $2,000 to pay for Cody's care. Please help us to reach our goal.


Cody Brody has had surgery on both legs, and so far things look very good. The first surgery was done on December 7th, on his left leg. His right leg was repaired on December 9th. Cody had to donate a bit of his shoulder bone to help repair his right leg, so he was a little bit more uncomfortable after that surgery.
Cody's Feeling Better
Cody spent the weekend (December 11-13) at his foster home, getting extra attention and lap time, and returned to the hospital on December 14th for bandage changes and a check-up. He will need daily bandage changes for the rest of the week, and possibly physical therapy. We hope Cody can go back
home on Thursday or Friday.

Cody Brody will need x-rays in about 4 weeks, to make sure the bones are healing as they should; he will need additional x-rays 3 to 4 weeks after that. All in all his doctors expect Cody to be ready to play in about 12 weeks, after strict crate rest and leashed walks only (with lots of lap time).
 
Christmas Day Update:
Cody Brody is feeling fine! He's had all the sutures removed from both legs, and will be getting follow-up x-rays on January 4th - to make sure his legs are healing as they should. Cody is having to spend his days lounging around in his crate (with very short, leashed walks for potty breaks), but he's taking it all in stride. What a Champ!!
Cody's Ready for Santa


We accept Paypal:  

 
You may also send a check or money order to:
Ratbone Rescues
P.O. Box 3237
Seminole, FL 33775-3237


All donations made to Ratbone Rescues are tax deductible
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Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Here's some ratties that need new forever homes

DogTime launches 'Save a Dog' Facebook app

http://apps.facebook.com/save-a-dog/


Chances are, your Facebook time is devoted to some pretty serious stuff: trying to determine whether your high school boyfriend is now bald, learning which Golden Girl you most resemble, that sort of thing. But imagine if you could use this precious time for even worthier endeavors, like helping dogs in shelters around the country.
Dog lovers, now you can.

Save a Dog

Save a Dog is DogTime's brand-new Facebook application--and the only one leveraging social media to help real dogs in need of homes. The way it works is simple. Once you install the Save a Dog application, you earn points by simply selecting one of the actions presented (for example, "foster a dog" or "walk your dog"). For every 2500 points you earn, Dogtime donates the financial equivalent of a cup of food to RescueGroups.org. Here's the great part: It's free to use. The only thing you spend is a moment of your time. And yep, you're helping to save real dogs.

Rescue is in DogTime's bones

DogTime's mission has always been about helping dogs, specifically keeping them happy, well-behaved, and in good homes by providing straightforward information to the humans who love them. With Save a Dog, we're taking the effort a step further by actually supplying needed resources to shelters and the volunteers who run them.

Find out more about how easy is it is to sign up for Facebook--and help save dogs--with just a click of the mouse...

Maggie


(254) 717-2417
Eddy, TX 76524
 

Description

Please contact Shirlene (Lovetospare@peoplepc.com) for more information about this pet.Maggie was found running along Lasalle in a rainstorm on a Sunday afternoon. My friend saw her in her rearview mirror, and had to go back and pick her up. Maggie had heartworms and was undernourished. She has been treated and fattened up. She just wants to be a lap dog. She would be great for older folks who want a quiet companion. 
 
And here's another:
Photo of Sissy

Sissy


(936) 444-2080
206-A South Loop 336W 332
Conroe, TX 77304
 

Description

See Sissy's Homepage

Meet Sissy.  She is a female Rat Terrier adult that weighs about 17 lbs.  She is very well behaved and has great house manners.  She is crate, leash and house trained.  She gets along well with other pets and does not seem to mind cats.  She has had her shots and been spayed.  She did test positive for heart worms and has been started on her monthly heartworm prevention which she will need to stay on and then be retested in 6 months to re-evaluate her heartworm status.  We are not going to put her thru heartworm treatment at this time.  If you are interested in meeting  Sissy  in person please go to our home page at www.spcaofmc.com and fill out an on line adoption application so we can set up a time for you to come and meet this pet in person to see if it is the right new pet for you and your family.  Thank you for considering a rescue pet.  Please spay or neuter your pets.
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Austen needs a haircut

Here are some pictures of the foster-dog/newly adopted dog, Austen.  I don't want to take him back to the groomer because he had very little hair and it is about to get really cold here again.  So, I got the clippers out and tried to groom his feet.  Got the front two done, sort of, but will have to catch him to get those back feet clipped.  After her recovers, I'll try to catch him and clip his face--he has a hairy chin and can't see where he is going very well.  If I am successful, I will post pics here of his new look. 

You may be able to see his clipped front feet here, but maybe not.  He does not want me touching them!
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Friday, February 5, 2010

This is about cats...not Satchmo

Little Black KittenImage by shannonpatrick17 via Flickr
I know this blog is about my dog, Satchmo, but I just have to talk a minute about cats.  I live in an apartment complex in Austin, TX.  As you may know, apartments are a veritable source of feral cats from people moving away and leaving pet cats, the industrial dumpsters filled with trash attract strays, etc.  So, there used to be a black female cat that "sort of" lived down the row from my house--(I say sort of because the elderly lady living there did not own the cat, she just felt sorry for her and fed her fairly often).  Anyway, this cat has had several litters of kittens in the two years I have been here.  The problem is that they are feral and yet they live up close to people.  What usually happens is the kittens either get run over in the parking lot, get eaten by wild animals (I've seen foxes, skunks, and snakes), or they go all wild and run off. 

Anyway, before this lady moved, there was a litter of 4 little black kittens living inside her car (which was never used because she was house-bound).  One was run over, another was killed because he was up inside a motor well when the owner started the car--but two remained.  My Satchmo has always loved cats and so he wants to go check on the kittens whenever we go outside, so I guess I was sort of familiar to these little babies.  So, when she moved, I began feeding them on my porch. 

It did not take even a day for them to find my food and start sleeping on the chairs outside.  So, recently, they have become quite curious about where Satchmo and I go when we go inside.  I frequently find them sitting just outside the door when I open it.  So, last night I put the dogs up in my bedroom and left the front door open for a long time.  These two little black fuzz balls cautiously came up to the door and then-----they came inside.  They were very frightened and bolted if you moved, but they stayed in the front area sniffing and looking for quite some time.

My goal with these two is to be able to capture them and take them to be sterilized and get shots before returning them to their current life as outside cats (unless they want to come inside again).  We'll see.  I don't know if this is possible, but I will keep trying.
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Thursday, February 4, 2010

Rattie Idol Contest!!!



Go to this link to get all the details.  This sounds like fun and the proceeds go to help rescued rat terriers. 
If you have a rattie, send your fee and try to win!  This year there are 3 categories and 3 prizes!
 

RATTIE CUTIE PIE Winner will recieve:
For our two-legged Rattie Cutie Pie winner, a Rat Terrier Ball cap, a Tote Bag from SitStay.com, a "Dog is my Co-Pilot" T-Shirt, a $50 e-gift certificate to restaurants. com and for our four-legged Rattie Cutie Pie winner a $25 Petsmart Gift Card and a Pet-A-Roo Pet Carrier by Outward Hound - size Medium, black

RATTIE PERFORMER Winner will recieve:
For our two-legged Rattie Performer winner, a Rat Terrier Ball cap, a Tote Bag from SitStay.com, a "Dog is my Co-Pilot" T-Shirt, a $50 e-gift certificate to restaurants. com and for our four-legged Rattie Performer winner a $25 Petsmart Gift Card and a Roadie Canine Vehicle Restraint System Multi-Use Safety Harness, for dogs 15-20 lbs.

RATTIE STYLE Winner will recieve:
For our two-legged Rattie Style winner, a Rat Terrier Ball cap, a Tote Bag from SitStay.com, a "Dog is my Co-Pilot" T-Shirt, a $50 e-gift certificate to restaurants. com and for our four-legged Rattie Style winner a $25 Petsmart Gift Card and a Quick Release Dog Backpack by Outward Hound, size small (dogs up to 18 lbs).
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Losing a Pet: What to do to deal with the grief

Losing a pet is an experience that cuts deep. These furry, feathered, or even scaled companions become part of our families, our daily routi...