My mom is quite familiar with this in that she was working at a rescue shelter when one of the young dogs came down with Parvo.  So as usual, she went about her research that I will share with you.

A young, light tan colored, pitbull mix was brought to the shelter and was just not as perky as a puppy should be.  There were no other immediate signs.  Within a short period of time, the puppy became more lethargic and less responsive.  She, as we can usually tell you with our eyes, told my mom something was wrong.  My mom took her from her crate and looked her over and rubbed and hugged her and asked her where it hurt.  There were no visible signs of pain anywhere.  Shortly, the puppy began throwing up and would not eat nor drink water.  She was taken to the vet and diagnosed as having the Parvovirus.  She had to spend the night at the Vet’s so that they could administer IV’s and antibiotics but was able to make a full recovery and is now a happy and healthy puppy.

Parvo, is a viral disease that attacks the lining of the intestinal tract and immune system of dogs, especially puppies.  The best prevention is Parvo vaccinations started at an early age.  Symptoms of Parvo are vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, lethargy and high temperature.  In many cases, dehydration, shock, congestive heart failure, and death may follow.    Emergency treatment is imperative.  The sooner you get us to the vet the better our chances of survival.  There is an 80% rate of survival provided medical attention is immediately given.  There is likewise an 80% chance of non-survival if no treatment is given.

Black and tan breeds, Rottweilers, and Dobermans are especially prone to this disease.  However, as I told you above this was a young, light tan colored, pitbull mix that was diagnosed with Parvo.  This disease is life threatening and all us various breeds should be vaccinated early in our lives.

Parvo is highly contagious to unprotected dogs, but it is not an airborne disease.  It is transferred from dog to dog through our poop.  The Parvovirus can live in the soil for nine months or longer.

However, you can also infect us with the disease by bringing it home on your shoes, hands and even car tires.  So do not let us sniff the car tires and be sure to clean any suspect areas with chlorine bleach diluted 1 ounce per quart of water.  Parvo is not contagious to humans nor cats.

If you suspect your little friend may have Parvo, seek immediate medical attention.  Time is of the essence.  Your Vet will give you more info and care instructions.

Love,
Kramer

Sunday, October 26th, 2008
11:30-1:00 PM
Weir Manuel parking lot: 298 S. Old Woodward, Birmingham
FREE admission!

 

Letters:

Be prepared. Have a few letters ready and alternate between them when sending. I have attached a few examples below.

• Be polite in your letter. If you come off aggressive and impolite your opinion will not be considered and the information in the letter will be seen as an uneducated response. Make sure you have a friend or family member read your letter before sending so you can verify the tone, sentencing, spelling and structure. Kramer and Maize always review mine. Remember, you will not be taken seriously if the letter is impolite, has spelling errors, or is incorrectly structured.

• Remember that you are an advocate for all breeds. Therefore, do not bad mouth any breed in your letter. Do state facts and the source for your facts in your letter. The more documented information you can give, the more likely that jurisdiction is to consider your input.

• State your point and get out. Do not write on and on about how BSL is wrong. No one will ever read the whole thing. I would recommend using 2 pages as a maximum. Make sure you state examples and facts that support our position.

• Do not compare a dog to a baby. The individual receiving your letter will think you are crazy that you would even consider a baby human and a dog to be the same thing. Although my mom and many others do love us as if we were their baby, do not make the dog human in your letters.

• Facts for use. Below I have listed a few points you could enter in your letter:
  • List celebrities that own(ed) the breed you are fighting for. Example, Helen Keller owned an American Pit Bull Terrier.
  • Dogs can be rehabilitated. For example, many of Michael Vick’s dogs have been rehabilitated.
  • Many breeds have served as mascots. For example, the Bull Dog is the mascot of the Marine Corps.

Responses:

With my experience, about 9 out of 10 individuals will respond. Therefore, we want to make sure we do the following:

• Respond! If the individual took the time to read what you had to say, you do the same. Make sure that everyone receives a response.

• Again, always be polite. Thank those that support your position and send more facts to those who do not support your position.

• Take your time. Sometimes you will get a response that will get you fired up. DO NOT respond in anger. Our point is to educate in peace. Take a step back and keep in mind that the individual that responds in favor of BSL does not have the full story of the breeds they are trying to ban. Unfortunately, you have individuals that assume certain breeds are prone to certain behaviors. Remember that we have to change an idea that is based upon media and hearsay. Therefore, gather as many facts as possible and submit those in your response.

For examples of letters check out this site:
http://www.rott-n-chatter.com/rottweilers/laws/breedspecific.html

Happy Trails!!

National Geographic’s Green Guide referenced a 2007 study that found potentially hazardous levels of lead chromium and cadmium in cloth and latex animal toys imported from China.  Bottom line: do not buy toys made in China.  When at all possible, try to stick with those made in the USA.  Upon visiting your local pet store, you will find this is much easier said then done as the majority of dog toys are imported from China.

As you can see, Kong’s are a personal favorite of mine.  West Paw, Orbee, Zogoflex and Jolly Pet are a few other brands made in the USA.  If you’re not able to find these brands in your local pet store, you can purchase them online.

http://www.dogtoys.com/madeinusa.html
http://www.westpawdesign.com/

Looking for tennis balls?  I believe Penn is the only company that manufactures their balls in the USA so you may want to consider purchasing those the next time you’re in need of a replacement.

Toy Tips

• Always make sure you supervise us when using a new toy to make sure it is durable enough for us.

• Never leave us alone with a ripped plush toy or a punctured rubber toy as it may only take another bite or two until we get a piece off and could possibly choke.

• Know when it is time to retire it.  Just like that old flannel shirt you still occasionally wear, there comes a time when we must part with some of our prized possessions.   While it may be my favorite toy, it is probably best for both of us if we recycle it or throw it out (assuming you buy me a new one of course!).

• Only purchase treat dispensing toys with two holes.  You may have heard Chai’s unfortunate story with the Four Paws Pimple Ball.  Since it only had one hole, when he chewed on it, it created a vacuum and sucked his tongue in, requiring surgery to remove it.  These toys are in the process of being recalled, but if you happen to already have one please recycle it.

http://petcare.mars.com/

Hi, it’s me, Kramer, taking a little boat ride.  You can probably tell by now with the many posts which one of us is the biggest talker.

I just wanted to remind you that while on a boat it is best to wear your life jacket.  I had mine off for the picture, but I usually do wear it on the boat when it is moving.

I like to walk around on the boat and climb up on the back and let the wind blow in my face.  You know, do all the things our parents don’t want us to do in a moving vehicle.  So, my mom said that I cannot take a ride on the boat if I do not wear my jacket.  I know it is for my safety, so I do not fuss too much when she puts it on me.  They also work well when you are first learning to swim.

Remember please that not all of us like to swim.  No worries if we do not swim, we don’t care.  If we do not like it, don’t force us.  You probably can’t dance and we love you anyway.  However, here are a few tips to entice us into it.

Step 1:         Put our life jacket on and allow us to walk along the edge and get our feet wet with you standing near us.

Step 2:         Walk out a little and encourage us to follow by offering treats.

Step 3:         Throw a floaty toy (USA made) out a little for us to retrieve.

Step 4:         Repeat the above steps a little more each time.

Please keep in mind that not all of us like the water nor will we all be swimmers and NEVER push us into deep water and force us to swim.  All that will do is ensure that we will become afraid of the water.

Happy Swimming!

Love,
Kramer

The information on this blog is not intended to replace the advice of your veterinarian or other pet care professionals.  It is a summary of the research we have done and a means in which to direct you to more info on a particular subject.

So, please bookmark our site and check back often as we will continue to update our information.

Love,

Maize, Kramer & Prada

Copyright©2008 by Three Bitches And A Blog

These laws range from the breed having to be muzzled in public, or requiring the owner to install a 10 foot privacy fence to the breed being euthanized within the city limits whether or not the dog has a record.  There have been several cases where city officials have entered a home in order to seize and destroy the family dog just because of what the dog looked like. 

Some individuals believe that by eliminating or putting specific restrictions on breeds that are “viewed as having inherent tendencies to aggressive behavior” will eliminate dog reported violence.  However, several studies have proven that aggression is not breed specific.  A study conducted by the American Temperament Test Society Inc., in December 2007, revealed the temperament of American Pit Bull Terriers to be comparable to Golden Retrievers.  In reviewing the chart you will find that “aggressive” or “violent behavior” is really just a stereotype and discrimination that some breeds face.

Breed                                                   Tested        Passed       Failed    Percent

What many jurisdictions are not seeing is that pretty soon every breed will be listed within the law.  Our duty is to open their eyes to what is taking place and prove to them that BSL is not the answer.  One of my favorite phrases is, ‘Punish the Deed not the Breed!’  A dog is what its guardian makes it.  A dog that has consistent exercise, training, attention and love will act differently than a dog that has not received proper training, been neglected, beaten or left to starve.

If you are an animal lover please do what you can to help by writing a letter to your local council stating why the BSL should not pass.  When city councils review a bill they also count the number of letters they receive in favor and opposition of the bill.  These letters we write help the council in making a final decision.

For more information on the BSL in your area or for sample letters visit:
http://www.rott-n-chatter.com/rottweilers/laws/breedspecific.html or http://www.understand-a-bull.com

Just like people, we can exhibit grieving symptoms similar to depression (loss of appetite or interest in walks, quieter/less barking, sluggish/tired).  Here are a few things that you can do to help us during this time:

• As you know, we like routine.  There is always comfort in knowing what comes next so during the grieving process, while often you don’t feel like it, it is important to stick to the old routine as this gives us a sense of security.

• When we are grieving the loss of another dog, it is important to evaluate our role within the house.  Did I lose a leader or a follower? The experience is often more traumatic for the “non-alpha” dog so it is important to ensure a strong bond with me and let me know that you are there to guide and help me through this.

• Further bonding with me by taking a longer walk, allowing me to go for an extra car ride, doing an additional session of obedience or brushing or massaging me will give me something to look forward to each day.

• While an immediate reaction may be to put away reminders of my lost friend, I would prefer that you leave out their old blanket or favorite toy so that I can smell their scent when I miss them most.  You do not have to leave it long, because I know that it hurts you too.  Maybe just a week or so until I adjust.

While this of course is never an easy process, just know that we will get through it together.

Most parents do not know that we can die from heat stroke. We will run with you, swim and play hard in the heat as long as you will play with us. We just do not know when to quit. Even playing in the water will not keep us from over heating and possible heat stroke. When temperatures reach the mid to high 80′s with high humidity, we should not be too active and our sun exposure should be limited. Lots of fresh water is always nice, but does not prevent heat stroke.

If we begin severely panting, it is probably best we are only allowed a few laps of water. Water in our stomachs does not cool us. Water just keeps our mouth wet enough to allow the panting to be more effective. Allowing us too much water while we are panting heavily puts us at risk of bloat, which is a whole other problem. The idea is for us to get our temperature down as quickly as possible then we can worry about hydration. If you feel our gums and they feel a little sticky we may be close to dehydration.

We cannot cool ourselves like people do. We may have a few sweat glands in our feet, but mostly we pant in an attempt to cool ourselves. We just cannot dissipate heat as fast as people can, which can lead to heat stroke and possible death. You won’t always see it coming. We can be playing hard one moment and the next just collapse.

Sometimes, we may begin to throw up, stagger or appear confused. It may be several hours later, like bed-time, that we become lethargic and show any signs. It may then require a trip to the vet for some injections of fluids under the skin and even IV’s. That does not feel so good and it looks like you are carrying water balloons. However, that is better than no treatment and possibly death.

It is very important that you monitor our sun exposed play time when it is warm and more importantly keep us calm when it is hot and humidity is high. For some of us, the heat will affect much more rapidly, i.e small dogs, short nosed dogs, black dogs, light colored and/or light eyed dogs, large heavy dogs, long haired dogs.

Another mistake that Mom’s and Dad’s sometimes make, is that they shave off all our hair thinking that will keep us cooler. That is a VERY BIG MISTAKE. Our hair/fur helps us a bit from getting too heated in the first place and it also keeps us from getting sunburned.

If you see we are panting too hard, you can help us cool. Grab a clean rag and some cool water, not cold, and wet our bellies. We begin to cool from our bellies up, so putting the cool water on our backs won’t work as well.

Leaving us in a car and taking us to the Art Fair’s in high humidity weather is not a good idea either. It does not matter how much water you give us, it is just too hot. Not to mention, the hot pavement burns my feet. If it is too hot for you to walk on, it is even hotter for me.

And remember, we really would rather stay at home than jog with you, go to the store and wait in the car, walk around the Art Fair, or go swimming when it is too warm and humid outside. If you want me around for awhile please remember to watch the thermometer and if any inkling of heat exhaustion or heat stroke rush us to the Vet.

Love,
Kramer