Urban Paws Magazine

Page 1



Get More Photos + Video in Our Digital Magazine! Take Urban Paws with you wherever you and Fido roam. Our digital edition includes everything from our print magazine, but with bonus features! You’ll soon find easy links to the products and services in each issue, plus bonus photos and videos. Visit urbanpawsmagazine.com/aboutus/currentissue today!


Publisher Jennifer Kitchens-Street (281) 384.5431

jennifer@urbanpawsmagazine.com

Advertising (281) 384.5431

sales@urbanpawsmagazine.com

Contributing Writers Katie Finlay ASPCA Monica Gomez Crime Stoppers of Houston Bark Busters Staff Photographer Jamie Fincher Urban Paws Magazine PO Box 1556 Spring, TX 77383

www.urbanpawsmagazine.com

© Copyright 2016. No part of this publication may be reprinted or otherwise reproduced without the publisher’s written permission. Urban Paws magazine assumes no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, feature and idea submissions, or photographs, and such material will not be returned. Urban Paws magazine assumes no liability for the contents herein and has the right to refuse advertising for any reason. Urban Paws magazine does not endorse any specific product or service contained herein; we do encourage you to support our advertisers whenever possible. Find us online! Website: www.urbanpawsmagazine.com Printed in the U.S.A.

4 www.urbanpawsmagazine.com

Contents

APRIL 2016

Issue 3: Volume 10 www.urbanpawsmagazine.com

THE SCOOP 7

Canine News and Happenings

HEALTH 12

10 Dog Breed Names You’re Probably Mispronouncing

HEALTH 16

Ticks: Treatment and Removal

BODY & SOUL 18

Go Orange for Animals

RESCUE & ADOPTION 22 Houston Sheltie Sanctuary

TRAINING & BEHAVIOR 24

Don’t Worm Your Way Into a Dog’s Heart

On the cover

Photo by Paw Prints Photography by Jamie Fincher



The Scoop April 2016

For the most up-to-date information, news and events, visit: www.urbanpawsmagazine.com

APRIL 11

National Pet Day A special day to

celebrate the joy pets bring to our

lives and to create public awareness

about the plight of many different kinds of

animals awaiting a forever home in shelters and rescues all around the globe. www.nationalpetday.com APRIL 15-17

HBHR Annual Garage Sale

Benefiting Houston Beagle and Hound

Rescue. The perfect opportunity for you to clean out the closets for a great cause.

Donations are currently being accepted.

Contact Elizabeth for more information at bevyofbeagles@yahoo.com. APRIL 16

Sienna Plantation’s Canine Carnival

The tail-wagging fun happens at Sienna

Village of Sawmill Lake. See page 7 for full details.

APRIL 16

3rd Annual Doggone Fun Run 6 www.urbanpawsmagazine.com

A 5K Run & 1 Mile Run/Walk will take place at Sugar Land Memorial Park. The 5k run

with dogs starts at 8:15 am and the 1 mile

run/walk with dogs starts at 8:30 am. To register, visit

www.fortbendcares.org/FunRun.html APRIL 24

Healthy Pet Festival

Cadette Girl Scout Troop #14525 is hosting this event from 2-4 pm at the Gleannloch Farms Dog Park. Proceeds benefit

Abandoned Animal Rescue (AAR). Visitors are encouraged to bring an item for donation. Raffle for great prizes, a “smooch your

pooch” photo booth, a pet and owner “strut your mutt” contest, local vendors and face

painting for the kids. For more information, please contact Marielle Spin at marielle6503@hotmail.com. APRIL 30

Fort Bend Shelter Pet Expo

Hosted by Fort Bend Pets Alive! Sugar Land Town Square, 2711 Plaza Dr. 11 am - 2 pm.

Adoptable pets, pet-friendly vendors, raffles and great prizes.

www.fortbendpetsalive.org


Sienna Canine Carnival Lets the Dogs Out

Pepperoni’s, Synfully Delicious Tamales, The Bark BBQ, Snowball Spot and Kona Ice will

tame hunger growls. Sunny 99.1 will be live onsite.

“People will want to get there early as we will

also have special giveaways for the first 500 families,” said Christen Johnson, marketing director for Sienna Plantation. “And in between per-

formances, event-goers can tour the 12 beautiful model homes surrounding the carnival site.”

Those who don’t yet own a dog or who want

to add to the family can take advantage of onsite pet adoptions by the Fort Bend Animal Families and their Fidos are in for a “paws-itively” good time during Sienna Plantation’s Canine Carnival, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 16.

The tail-wagging fun happens at Sienna’s

Village of Sawmill Lake, 9815 Cameron Way. Admission is free and people are encouraged to bring their well-behaved pets.

The event will include scheduled entertain-

ment and an array of family fun activities. The

Shelter and Hunting for Love Pet Project, Inc.

Learn more about the Canine Carnival at

www.siennaplantation.com/caninecarnival.

Third Annual “Heart of Texas” Continuing Education Primary Care Veterinarian Continuing Education Day North Houston Veterinary Specialists (NHVS),

a BluePearl veterinary partner, is a

high-flying Houston Disc Dogs will perform

proud sponsor of

“Canine in the Clouds” at 11:30 a.m., 12:45 p.m.

this event, which

and 2:15 p.m. showcasing the animals’ amazing

provides veterinar-

feats of agility and precision. At 12:15 p.m.,

ians with seven

four-legged attendees are invited to walk the runway in their best attire during a pet parade.

Throughout the day, the young and young-at-

heart can enjoy free face painting, carnival rides

its.

hours of CE cred-

The event will take place at The Woodlands

and interactive inflatables. Those wanting to

Conference Center, located at 2301 N. Millbend

masks and visors. Food trucks including

NHVS’ goal is to give back to the community

express themselves will be able to decorate

Dr. and will run from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm.

Urban Paws Magazine 7


The Scoop by offering an incredible day full of learning and

Natural Dog Food, we set out to make meals

specialists, door prizes, breakfast, lunch and a

the incredible nutrition that nature provides.

fun for free. Attendees will enjoy talks by NHVS happy hour.

If you are interested in registering for this

event, visit www.bluepearlvet.com/event/heartof-texas-2016-ce.

Zuke’s Enters Dog Food Category with New Ascent Line Zuke’s, a provider of natural pet treats, is

that not only came from nature, but preserved The innovative Nature-Loc process, purposeful ingredients, and a passion for our pets, made that possible and then some.”

Zuke’s Ascent is available in two forms,

Grain-Free Crunchy Blend and Adventure

Tender Blend. Both are free of grains, wheat,

corn, soy, artificial preservatives, colors and flavors.

The Grain-Free Crunchy Blend is a combina-

tion of protein-packed kibble and peas, cran-

berries, sweet potatoes, and blueberries. Flavors available include Chicken & Lentil, Lamb & Pea, and Pollock & Chickpea.

The Adventure Tender Blend contains high-

protein meat, fish or poultry and carrots, peas, entering the dog food class with the introduction of Zuke’s Ascent Natural Dog Food.

The new line of nutrient-dense recipes are

made in the U.S.A. with high-quality meat, fish or poultry and quick-dried vegetables and

fruits. Using the Nature-Loc process, Zuke’s

preserves the nutritional value and digestibility

of whole foods like sweet potatoes, peas, cranberries and blueberries.

“At Zuke’s, we’re all about getting outside

and exploring with our dogs. That’s why pro-

ducing products that offer wholesome nutrition to fuel those adventures has always been a pri-

ority for us,” said Zuke’s director of innovation Chris Meiering. “When creating Zuke’s Ascent 8 www.urbanpawsmagazine.com

cranberries, blueberries, cherries and mangoes. It is available in Duck & Chickpea, Wild Boar & Pea, and Trout & Sweet Potato flavors.

Zuke’s Ascent Natural Dog Food will be

launching summer 2016 in independent pet stores across the country.


50,000 Digital Dogs Need New Forever Homes - Abacus Plumbing, Air Conditioning, & Electrical Comes To The Rescue

Houston and promote the need for more foster

understands the need to find forever homes for

Abacus, has been a foster for Lucky Dog Rescue

Houston charity Lucky Dog Rescue (LDR) local four-legged friends. In fact between 50,000

– 70,000 dogs and cats were destroyed in the greater Houston area last year alone, so it’s

important that dogs needing forever homes are easily found by potential adopters.

“Incredibly, Houston has ZERO no-kill shel-

ters, but groups like Lucky Dog Rescue are working to get better exposure for rescue dogs

homes.

The support of Abacus Plumbing, Air

Conditioning & Electrical goes well beyond the website, Molly McGuirk, general manager at

for several years. Her enthusiastic support for the dogs in the rescue program has translated to

increased awareness and support throughout the

organization. In fact, Abacus promotes Lucky

Dogs via their social media sites and among internal employees which extended to the support in building the new website.

Lucky Dog receives many requests each day

in foster-based groups, says Jodie Eisenhardt,

for help with particular dogs, but can only take

reach those potential parents for dogs in our

Dog Rescue focuses their rescue efforts on

marketing chair. “Our website is the best way to program and beyond, via Petfinder”.

LDR reached out to the community and

Abacus Plumbing, Air Conditioning & Electrical stepped up and donated the funds to rebuild and

relaunch LDR’s new website. “We heard about the need and knew it could help not only the

pets but also the people in our community”, said

them into the program with more fosters. Lucky BARC (the City of Houston Animal Shelter) and dogs who are found at increasingly alarming rates, living on the streets of Houston.

The Power of Puppies Purina Campaign

Alan O’Neill, CEO of Abacus Plumbing, Air Conditioning & Electrical.

“The new site has increased functionality,

including the ability for easy use on smart phones as well as the ability for a designated vol-

unteer to easily update the site,” says Jodie. It is

the hope of Abacus and of Lucky Dog Rescue that better functionality will lead to more aware-

With your participation, Houston’s Rescue Bank

stray and abandoned dogs in the city of

their new Puppy Chow Natural.

ness and adoptions by focusing on the crisis of

will be able to secure a generous donation of

Urban Paws Magazine 9


The Scoop Purina will donate a pound of their new

Puppy Chow Natural food - up to a half million pounds - every time you view a really, really cute

them. Sometimes it is as simple as buying a bag of food or paying a pet deposit!

Help Me Keep My Pet was spearheaded by

puppy video on YouTube.

Texas Litter Control in partnership with

every day until April 23rd. You can also forward

Montgomery County Spay Neuter Project and

You can watch as many times as you like,

this link, post it on your Facebook page, tweet

#PowerofPuppies, or call your family (they

Montgomery County Animal Shelter, The the Bruce Kapp Animal Fund.

The help desk has been created to help pet

could always use a smile).

owners in Harris, Montgomery and surround-

of times the video was watched and send Rescue

preventing them from keeping a pet.

After April 23, Purina will total up the number

Bank a pound of Puppy Chow Natural for each view.

Visit this link to watch and share:

http://bit.ly/1viewfeeds4

New Program's Mission To Reduce the Number of Animals Entering Shelters

ing counties in Texas deal with the obstacles Your local animal shelter is a place of last

resort. For more information, visit www.helpmekeepmypet.com.

Houston’s Conference

Animal

Welfare

Houston Pets Alive! has partnered with the

University of Houston- Downtown Animal Rescue Club to create the first Houston Animal Welfare Conference.

This is a day of interactive lectures all about

how to create no kill in Houston, led by

experts in their field. Whether you’re a shelter director or employee, a volunteer, foster or

community advocate, you’ll go home with the Thinking about getting rid of your pet? You may want to check out this website first: www.HelpMeKeepMyPet.com.

The site’s mission is to reduce the number of

animals entering into our shelters by providing education and resources to those who need 10 www.urbanpawsmagazine.com

tools and knowledge to make immediate change.

The conference will take place on May 7 at

the Willow Street Pump Station, 811 N. San Jacinto.

For tickets or more information, contact

info@houstonpetsalive.org.



10 Dog Breed Names You Are Probably Mispronouncing ith so many breeds coming from all over the world, it can be difficult to figure out how to pronounce their names properly. We’ve compiled a list below of some breeds we think you might be mispronouncing, but if you’ve got them all right – you’re on the right track to becoming an expert!

W

#1 Beauceron Pronounced BO-ser-on, this French herding dog has a unique set of double dewclaws on both it’s front and hind legs. The Beauceron was used to create the Doberman Pinscher breed, although it’s now not as popular as the German dogs. #2 –Belgian Malinois The Belgian Malinois is perhaps the most versatile working dog in existence today, but his name tends to confuse those not familiar with French. Malinois is pronounced Mal-in-WA, and not surprisingly comes from the French-speaking regions of Belgium where he originated as a herding dog. 12 www.urbanpawsmagazine.com

#3 –Bouvier des Flandres Another Belgian dog, pronounced BU-VYE de Flandr, was originally bred as a herding dog. Recently, however, the breed has been used in a variety of sporting events, such as Schutzhund, agility, obedience, and tracking. #4 –Canaan Dog his unique breed has roamed the Middle East for centuries, but it wasn’t until the 1930’s that people developed interest in maintaining these dogs as a breed. It was named after the location many of these feral dogs lived in ancient Canaan; therefore, the Canaan Dog is pronounced KAY-nuhn. #5 –Cane Corso This Italian Mastiff is growing in popularity and it’s no surprise as to why; they are a loyal, devoted, and loving breed. Keeping in mind their Italian origin, make sure to pronounce the name CAH-né Corso. #6 –Coton de Tulear This beautiful dog originates in Madagascar in


the city of Tuléar. It’s name is French, and is therefore pronounced Cah-ton de Tu-lay-ahr. Cotons are very social dogs that are intelligent and eager to please, making them wonderful family companions. #7 –Dogue de Bordeaux Another French breed, this mastiff is one of the heaviest dogs around. Pronounced Dog de Bordoh, this breed was made popular by the classic movie Turner & Hooch. #8 –Entlebucher Sennenhund The Entlebucher Sennenhund, or Entlebucher Mountain Dog, is the smallest of the Swiss herding dogs. Because of the Swiss-German language, this breed’s name is pronounced Entell-bu-cur Szen-en-hund. #9 –Schipperke The Schipperke, pronounced Skip-per-keh, is a small Belgian breed that dates back to the 16th century. In it’s native Belgium it’s used as a herding dog, though some have argued that it’s actually a spitz breed. #10 –Xoloitzcuintli The Xoloitzcuintli is probably one of the hardest dog breed names to pronounce, so many choose the easier Mexican Hairless Dog. Once you learn, however, you’ll feel more comfortable using the original name as preferred by enthusiasts. The Xoloitzcuintli, or Sho-lo-eetz-queentlee, was originally used as a hunting companion of the indigenous peoples of Mexico. It is said that it’s hairless skin is a result of a genetic mutation that took precedence over coated dogs in the warm, tropic regions they come from. Katie Finlay has over 5 years of professional dog training experience with both pet dogs and competition dogs, specializing in managing aggression. www.katiesk9training.com

COMING IN APRIL: Pet Safety

COMING IN JUNE: Training & Behavior

Contact us for special advertising opportunities at 281.384.5431


Mutt Mugs

“When an eighty-five pound mammal licks your tears away, then tries to sit on your lap, it’s hard to feel sad.” - Kristan Higgins 14 www.urbanpawsmagazine.com



Health TICKS: Treatment and Removal ith eight legs instead of six, the tick

you miss one as it crawls, you'll likely find it

insect. Its claim to fame is its penchant for

body is hard to miss in a hands-on inspection.

W

is a cousin to the spider, not the

spreading disease as it feasts on mammal blood.

when it latches on to feed as the engorged

There are several species that feed on dogs,

Daily grooming can find ticks that have not

the deer tick, and they all thrive in tall grass,

be picked up on the comb and flicked into a

including the wood tick, the brown dog tick, and shrubby areas, and woods.

yet become embedded in the skin. Ticks can container of alcohol.

Ticks can carry Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever,

Embedded ticks should be removed immedi-

disease, so it is important to prevent tick infes-

coating ticks with petroleum jelly, burning

encephalitis, tularemia, tick paralysis, and Lyme tations in domestic dogs.

Lyme disease, a frightening collection of symptoms that can mimic fatigue, heart problems, and arthritis and cause birth defects, affects

dogs and horses as well as people and has been found in every state but Montana and New

Mexico. Lyme Disease is tough to diagnose but can be treated with antibiotics.

Unlike the flea, the tick is a sluggish mover and can easily be picked off the dog with tweezers as

it crawls about looking for a feeding spot. So, after a walk in the woods, check Bowser (and

ately. First, forget all you ever heard about their rear ends with a match or lighted ciga-

rette, dousing them with lighter fluid or gaso-

line, etc. Just protect fingers from the tick's

body fluids with surgical gloves or a plastic

bag, grasp the tick firmly, rock it back and forth a few times, and pull it out. If a patch

of skin comes along, it's unlikely that any of the tick's head has been left.

A dab of antiseptic cream on the spot where

the tick was removed will help prevent local infection, especially on tender ears, a favorite feeding place for ticks.

yourself) for ticks from stem to stern. Look for

To control ticks in the environment, keep

in his armpits and the inside of his thighs. If

shrubbery and tall weeds.

feeding ticks around the dog's head and ears and

16 www.urbanpawsmagazine.com

grass trimmed and control the spread of


PRINTABLE GUIDE

HOW TO CHECK FOR AND REMOVE TICKS FROM YOUR PETS Keep this reference handy.

Copyright 2014 by Canis Major Publications. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Infographic courtesy of Monica Gomez.


Special Feature go

ORANGE

for animals!

April is Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month

18 www.urbanpawsmagazine.com


ven though they work to prevent cruelty

Horse Day on Sunday, April 26. You can join us

the ASPCA because it is officially Prevention of

the ASPCA and your local horse rescue in the

E

to animals all year long, April is special at

Cruelty to Animals Month! Every year, supporters celebrate this month by helping to raise

awareness about important issues facing animals. Here are some exciting ways you can get involved and make a difference all month long:

in honoring our nation’s horses by supporting fight to end equine cruelty and neglect, or by

attending a Help a Horse Day event in your community.

Make Adoption Your First Option

Bringing a four-legged friend into your family? Shelters have lovable dogs and

Start a Fundraising Campaign

Create a personal ASPCA fundraising

cats of all shapes, sizes and ages who

page for an important event in your life

are looking for a good home, so please make

Whether you donate your birthday, honor the

nationwide database of dogs and cats who are

and share it with your friends and family. memory of a beloved pet or decide to run a 5k with Team ASPCA, the money you raise can

make a big difference for animals in need nationwide.

adoption your first choice. Check out our looking for good homes.

Show Your Support Online

During April, use Your Facebook page, Twitter account or blog to

Commemorate Dog Fighting Awareness

spread the word about Prevention of

Tuesday, April 8, marked the second

Cruelty to Animals month—and be sure to tag

Awareness Day. The ASPCA designat-

already, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and

annual

National

Dog

Fighting

ed this day to advance the conversation about

dog fighting and to encourage animal-lovers across the country to take action against this

brutal form of cruelty. This year, you can add

us at @ASPCA in your posts! If you don’t Instagram.

Go Orange

Bring attention to animal cruelty by

your voice to the cause by joining our Get Tough campaign. Help a Horse

If you love horses, please say “neigh!” We’re gearing up for ASPCA Help a

“going orange!” Decorate yourself, your pet, or your car with orange cloth-

ing, ribbons, or paint! You can also your social media profile picture to reflect the orange ribbon.

Urban Paws Magazine 19


Special Feature

ANIMAL CRUELTY PREVENTION TIPS

W

hether you are an animal lover or not, the reality is that animals are a

big part of our community.

Crime Stoppers takes the safety of our four-

DID YOU KNOW?

• It is illegal to sell live animals on the roadside, parking lots, swap meets, flea markets and similar events.

legged community members very serious.

• Dog fighting and animal cruelty are felony

of their Safe Community Program. In their con-

• In Texas, animal abandonment is a Class A

dog fighting, raise awareness about what is con-

in prison and a fine of up to $4,000 (Texas

Animal cruelty prevention is an important part stant efforts to educate about animal cruelty and sidered “animal cruelty” and prevent the suffer-

ing of animals Crime Stoppers has partnered

with several groups including Houston PetSet, Barrio Dogs, Unity for a Solution and others.

Working together to keep Houston and our animals safe!

Help prevent animal abuse and neglect: Keep your eyes and ears open report abuse and neglect. Call Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS if you have any information on ongoing criminal activity. 20 www.urbanpawsmagazine.com

offenses.

misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year Penal Code, Sec 42.09 Animal Cruelty).

• In Texas, you cannot chain your dog on a

short leash in extreme weather or from 10 pm to 6 am.

• Children 10 years of age and older can be charged with animal cruelty for brutality against animals.

• There is supporting evidence that links childhood animal cruelty with aggression toward humans as adults.

• 43% of the perpetrators commit animal cruelty before schoolyard massacres.

• 71% to 83% of women entering domestic

violence shelters reported that their partners also abused or killed the family pet.

• Pet abuse was found concurrent in 88% of

the families under supervision for the physical

abuse of their children.


SIGNS OF ABUSE: • Pets with open sores, healed wounds or an injury or illness that is not being treated.

How to Report a Tip Call 713.222.TIPS (8477)

• Pets that are extremely thin or emaciated. Are the bones visible?

Text TIP610 plus your tip to CRIMES (274637)

• Pets with heavy discharge from their eyes or nose.

Use the Mobile App

• Pets that are covered in fleas, ticks or other parasites.

• Pets whose collar or chain is so tight that it has become embedded in their neck.

Download app name: Crime Stoppers Houston

• Pets kept outside in inclement weather without adequate shelter.

Go to crime-stoppers.org

• Pets kept in kennels or cages that are too small to stand,

Tipsters will remain anonymous and could be eligible for a cash reward of up to $5,000.

• Pets left in unsanitary environments without food or water.

turn around or make normal movements. They are sometimes crowded in with other animals.

ANIMAL CRUELTY

is either deliberate abuse or simply the failure to take care of an animal. In Texas, laws apply to domesticated animals, such as house pets and livestock defined as “domesticated living creature(s) or any wild living creature previously captured”, and are subject to a person’s care and control. Even if not charged criminally, perpetrators can be charged civilly for the following: • Torturing or seriously overworking an animal. • Unreasonably abandoning an animal in their custody. • Transporting or confining an animal in a cruel manner. • Causing one animal to fight with another. • Killing, seriously injuring, or poisoning an animal belonging to another owner. • Using a live animal as a lure in dog racing training or dog coursing on a racetrack. • Failure to unreasonably provide necessary food, care, or shelter for an animal in their custody. Urban Paws Magazine 21


Rescue & Adoption Houston Sheltie Sanctuary www.houstonsheltiesanctuary.com

Houston Sheltie Sanctuary is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, serving the Greater Houston and Southeast Texas areas. Now into our sixteenth year, we are the oldest Sheltie Rescue Program in Houston, the 2nd oldest in the State after DFW, and one of the largest and most successful breed rescue programs in the nation. We do not have a shelter location but are a rescue network of over fifty Sheltie lovers and volunteers who have pooled our resources, energies, time, and homes to rescue Shelties. We offer a safety net to Shelties who need our services, including providing rescue to Shelties in shelters, assistance to finders of lost dogs, and support to owners who find they can no longer keep their dogs. We provide the dogs in our program with appropriate veterinary care and behavioral rehabilitation before eventually rehoming them into loving forever homes, or, for those too old or too ill to be rehomed, caring for them in foster homes for the remainder of their lifetimes.

!

ger

rin Bar

22 www.urbanpawsmagazine.com

Barringer is three years old, 14� and a couple of pounds overweight at 19 lbs. He is neutered, heartworm negative, and up to date on vaccinations. He is house and crate trained. Barrington gets along with the other dogs in his foster home. Initially shy, he warms up quickly to be a lovable companion. Barringer is a very sweet boy!


Bronson is two years old, neutered, heartworm negative, and up-to-date on vaccinations. He is a stunning big boy at 17" and currently on a weight loss program in his foster home. Bronson is house and crate trained. He loves to play fetch with toys which should make losing weight a breeze. He gets along well with other dogs. He’s a really sweet boy!

Bronson

Ladybug is 10 years old, 17”, and a little overweight at 44 pounds. She is spayed, heartworm negative, and up-to-date on vaccinations. Ladybug is house and crate trained and gets along well with other dogs. Ladybug’s name should be Love Bug, as she is very affectionate. She loves to be with people, whether sitting at your feet, getting petted, or following you from room to room. But she’s not just a lounging kind of girl, she enjoys playing tug and fetching toys. These activities will assist in her weight loss program. Ladybug would be happy in a loving forever home where she is sure to return that love tenfold!

Kyle

Ladybug

Kyle is five years old and weighs 22 lbs. He is neutered, heartworm negative, and up-to-date on vaccinations. Kyle is sweet, but very shy. He is learning to adjust to his foster home and the new, but unfamiliar, environment that is different from the situation in which he grew up. He is gaining confidence and trust in his foster family and is responding to their love and patience. He has begun to play and bark with the resident Shelties and follows their lead when going outside or coming back in the house. He is house and crate trained and ignores the cats. Kyle can be skittish when walking on leash but is making daily progress. Because Kyle is so people shy, he will need another dog to have as a leader and playmate. He feels safe in a herd.

Urban Paws Magazine 23


Training Don’t Worm Your Way Into a Dog’s Heart ow do you prevent the Spring blues

all 50 states. Unfortunately, heartworm disease

issues, prevention is the best strategy so you

as wolves, coyotes, stray dogs, stray cats and

H

for your dog? As with many medical

don't have to worry about treatment later. Spring not only brings fresh flowers, but some dangers outside that could affect the health of

spreads to new regions of the country each year foxes migrate.

your dog. Here we'll address heartworm.

What are the symptoms for heartworm?

There is a lot of misinformation about heart-

exhibit:

worm , but know this: it is much easier to prevent than to cure. Here are some answers every responsible dog owner should know.

In its earliest stages, few dogs show symptoms. However, as time progresses, your dog may - A cough

- Lack of energy

- Reduced appetite - Weight loss

What is Heartworm?

According to the American Heartworm Society,

heartworm is a very serious and in some cases,

How do you know if your dog has heartworm?

of an infected mosquito and is not contagious

you get your dog tested every 12 months at his

fatal disease. It is transmitted through the bite

from one dog to another or from dog to human.

Essentially a heartworm is a foot long worm

(you can see by the picture it looks like spaghet-

ti) that invades the heart, lungs and blood ves-

sels of dogs and other animals. Once a dog is bitten, it will take about 6 -7 months for the larvae to become adult heartworms.

Is heartworm isolated to certain regions? No. Cases of heartworm have been reported in 24 www.urbanpawsmagazine.com

The American Heartworm Society suggests that

annual exam. Because of its sixth month incubation period, puppies do not need to be tested

until they are 7 months. Heartworm is detected

through a blood test that identifies specific pro-

teins, called antigens, which are released by adult female heartworms into the dog's bloodstream. Even if your dog is on heartworm prevention medication, he should be tested once/year to make sure the medication is working.


By Bark Busters Home Dog Training

How do you prevent/treat heartworm?

With a few exceptions, dogs should be kept on

12 months a year (not just when it is warm out-

untreated, heartworm disease can become seri-

You should give your dog preventive medication

side). However, before you start him on heart-

worm preventive medication, your vet will need

to conduct a test. If your dog has heartworm, your veterinarian will talk to you about a treat-

ment plan that is a multi-step process depending

on the severity of the disease. The goal will be to kill all adult and immature worms while keeping the side effects of treatment to a minimum.

Six months after the treatment ends, your vet will conduct another heartworm test to make sure your dog is worm-free.

heartworm medication all year-long. Left ous and even result in death as worms eventually block blood flow to your dog's heart and

lungs. That's why heartworm prevention and early detection are so important!


Tail End Results show how often pet owners are posting about their pets on social media and even how pets are getting more attention on social media than their human “parents”

A

ccording to a market research study

conducted on behalf of Mars Petcare,

pet owners spend quite a bit of time posting about their pets on social media. And, get this, the pets are receiving more attention than their human parents. Check out these statistics:

• 65% of pet owners post about their pet on social media; those who post about their pet do so an average of 2 times per week

• 50% of pet owners who run a social media

profile for their pet say the animal gets more attention than they do

• One third of pet owners (34%) post

about

their

pets

as

much/often as they post about their human family

• (More than half (55%) care more about the number of “likes/comments”

their

pet

posts garner than they do for

posts on most other topics, including changes to their own profile pictures

• 30% of pet owners follow “pet celebs” on social media and

Grumpy Cat is the undeniable leader of the pack (followed by 80% of pet-lebrity fans)

26 www.urbanpawsmagazine.com




Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.