Tag Archive for: spring 2018

CELEBRITY PAW PROFILE: Rover: Wagmore Edition

By MANETTE KOHLER, DVM

William Shakespeare once said, “The eyes are a window to your soul.” Photographer Andrew Grant allows us a glimpse into the beautiful eyes and souls of hundreds of dogs, many of which are shelter and rescue dogs awaiting their forever homes, through his stunning photography in “Rover: Wagmore Edition.” This beautiful coffee table book, published by Firefly Books, Ltd., is the sixth edition in a series of Rover books and is a collection of some of his most heartwarming and soulful dog portraits. Now in their ninth year, the Rover project’s (RoverWorks.org) mission is to raise awareness of the millions of pets (dogs and cats) that enter shelters and rescues and to promote the adoption of these deserving animals. “After visiting a few shelters, I quickly learned that their greatest challenge is raising money for spay and neuter programs, health care for the animals they take in, facility operations, overhead and the list goes on,” explains Grant. “Our biggest goal is to raise more money for the best and most effective rescues in the country,” he adds.

This project came from humble beginnings. Andrew is a commercial photographer and was on a shoot in a friend’s large kitchen showroom. “My friend’s two French Bulldogs repeatedly strolled through the set,” shares Grant. “We began to include both dogs in a few of the shots. They sat right where we wanted them and peered straight into the lens,” he adds. He later mentioned that perhaps he should do a book of dogs–someday. “I soon learned that every year, millions of cats and dogs enter shelters in America and are in need of new homes, so ‘someday’ became ‘next week’ and I began photographing dogs for Rover,” says Grant.

During the first nine months, Grant had much serendipity in his life. He conceived the project, photographed all the dogs, edited and designed the entire book, and contracted an overseas printer and saw his book featured on the “Ellen Degeneres Show” as her favorite new book. “Watching everything fall into place so easily assured me that I was on the right path,” says Grant. The first book “Rover” was followed by four more limited edition books and were all self-published.

Early on, Grant launched a program that enabled pet lovers to have their dog photographed and included in the next Rover book when they made a donation of $5,000 to a pet rescue. “That program has now generated donations of over $2 million for over thirty rescues across the country,” shares Grant. “Most of the dogs in “Rover” once lived in a rescue or shelter,” he adds. Both purebreds and mixed breeds are depicted, and Grant wishes to highlight the fact that purebreds account for over 30 percent of the dogs awaiting new homes.

They also feature dogs currently living in rescue or shelter through a “sponsor a homeless animal” donation. “These images are also given to the rescue to share on their website and social media platforms to help increase their changes for adoption,” explains Grant. Photographing these homeless dogs is very rewarding for Grant, seeing them enjoying themselves out of their cage and on the receiving end of a constant flow of treats as Grant tries to capture compelling shots of their true personality, knowing this may help them find their forever homes.

Grant has definitely grown as a photographer since embarking on the Rover project. This project remains his focus today but he still continues to pursue some commercial photography as he travels around the country. The fifth book, “Rover: Haute Dog Edition,” came out in November 2017 and retails for $125. Grant partnered with Firefly to produce a smaller, more affordable version of the book, “Rover: Wagmore Edition,” for $40. “Firefly is able to share our combined message and efforts on a much larger scale,” says Grant. This book is truly stunning and would be a welcome addition to any dog lover’s coffee table.

“When you adopt a cat or dog, you are not just saving the life of one animal but also are clearing the space for so many others to be taken off death row to be adopted,” Grant adds. To find out more and see Andrew Grant’s work, go to RoverWorks.org.

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Puppy Proofing 101

By KERRI WIEDMEYER, DVM, WVRC

Getting a new puppy is a very exciting time in anyone’s life!

It can be such a fun time with much to consider and learn: when to vaccinate, how to train them, what to feed them, etc. But before you even bring that bundle of joy into his or her new forever home, you may have to do some puppy proofing.

Environment

It is very important to make the puppy’s environment safe, and it is similar to baby proofing your home. Use baby gates to keep the pup in or out of rooms. Hide electrical cords, and keep them out of reach. Consider crate training your puppy to keep them both safe and as a potty training tool. Puppies should never be left unsupervised with toys or bones as they may choke or swallow them. Puppies may also try to chew or eat non-edible items in the house, such as clothing items, furniture, carpet, etc. Proper training is very important to avoid such problems.

Toxins

Foods. This is not an all inclusive list, but these are some of the more common foods that are either toxic or cause problems in our pets

  • Chocolate and coffee can cause GI upset, arrhythmia, seizures, potential death
  • Grapes/raisins can causes kidney failure
  • Xylitol products (sugar-free gum and other sugar-free products) can cause hypoglycemia, liver failure
  • Macadamia nuts can cause lethargy, lameness, CNS depression
  • High fat foods can cause GI upset and pancreatitis
  • Fruits with pits can cause GI obstruction
  • Chicken/turkey bones can cause possible GI perforation and upset
  • Moldy garbage can cause GI upset, tremors, seizures
  • Onion/garlic can cause anemia

Medications/Drugs. Alcohol, marijuana, over-the-counter human medications and prescription medications should never be given to dogs or cats without consulting a veterinarian. Also, animal medications should never be given to an animal that they are not prescribed for as this could result in unforeseen complications or illness.

Household products. Once again, this is not an all-inclusive list, and these are items that commonly are ingested, as they may taste good.

  • Rat poison. There are several different kinds: Anticoagulants can cause bleeding, Bromethalin can cause severe neurologic problems
  • Cholecalciferol can cause Vitamin D toxicosis
  • Antifreeze can cause kidney failure
  • Household cleaners (effects vary depending on the product)

House plants: All plants should be investigated if your pup is going to be around them. This is just a short list of common plants.

  • Sago Palm can cause GI upset and liver failure
  • Oleander, Foxglove, Lily of the Valley, Milkweed (can be toxic to the heart)
  • Rhododenrons can cause GI, cardiovascular and neurologic signs
  • Araceae family can cause oral irritation, GI upset, rare respiratory disease

As stated above, these lists are the most common items that we see causing problems. If there is any concern about something a new puppy gets into, please contact your veterinarian to be certain. Now that you have a better idea of how to maximize the safety of your new addition to the family, do not forget to have fun and enjoy every minute with your new puppy!

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Making Your Dog Feel At Home In The Hospital

By MEGAN TREMELLING, DVM, LVS

To some people, leaving your dog at the veterinary hospital for any reason sounds harsh, like leaving a child at one of those ghastly orphanages in Dickens books. There’s no doubt that most dogs would rather be in their own homes, but we do our best to make them feel at home with us. So what are the accommodations really like at the hospital?

A comfortable bed is step one, and we have bedding in a variety of thickness and layering options. Some dogs want to have enough blankets to burrow under. Orthopedic mattresses are a great thing for older dogs whose joints get creaky. There are a few dogs that simply cannot tolerate being in a kennel at all, and though I strongly recommend teaching all dogs to accept a kennel for this reason, we have worked out ways to confine the kennel-phobic without them feeling trapped.

Many owners bring a blanket or article of clothing that smells like home. I think this is a great idea for a pet that is wary of novelty. Once a pet has settled in, of course, their own smell is on their bedding. Most dogs are quite willing to go back into their kennels after they’ve been out for tests or treatment; they recognize it as their own safe space.

Nobody wants to sit in bed all day, even if they’re sick, so all dogs are walked several times per day if their condition allows. There are a few small dogs that are trained to use pee pads, but even those are given the opportunity to take a little exercise. (Exception: When I had a 5lb puppy hospitalized overnight and it was -5°F, I did not take the little mite outside; she would have frozen solid.)

Boredom can be a problem even with pets that are ill enough to be hospitalized. Visits from the owner help to pass the time. We keep a supply of stuffed animals around, carefully chosen for safe construction, and provide them to any patient who looks like they might want something to snuggle. If snuggling turns to chewing, unfortunately, the dog loses stuffy privileges, but we can resort to treat-stuffed Kongs if the patient’s condition permits.

Speaking of food, the phrase “hospital food” takes on a very different meaning when you’re talking about the animal hospital. It isn’t bland, boring, cafeteria-style stuff like you might see in an old-fashioned human hospital. Since many of our patients are feeling too sick to eat properly, we stock a variety of delicacies to tempt feeble appetites, along with several therapeutic diets for those that are ready to take more substantial meals.

Some of the dogs that visit us are really excited to see that there are other dogs on the premises. They would love to make friends with everyone. Unfortunately, for safety reasons, we can’t allow playtime among the patients, but if they want human friends, they’re in luck. Everyone who works at our clinic loves dogs madly. No matter how tired or grumpy we might be at the beginning of our shifts, the sweet faces of our patients help us to focus on the positive. It’s all we can do to get our work done when there are so many ears to be scratched and tummies to be rubbed. When things are slow at the office… well, there may or may not have been a few patients who spent part of their hospitalization sleeping on my lap in the office. I’m not saying.

Some people go a little bit overboard with the comforts they provide their pets at home. I’m pretty sure no dog ever suffered for lack of a $30,000 wedding chapel doghouse (for, of course, dog weddings), a Marie-Antoinette style brocade dog bed (complete with ostrich plumes), or a microvelvet Chesterfield dog sofa (with nailhead trim, naturally). The accommodations at the veterinary hospital will be a bit more spartan than that. (For one thing, everything we use is 100 percent machine washable). But, for all that, I think we do all right at helping our patients to feel at home.

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ALL SPRIRIT HEELING: Animals: Our Healing Partners

BY STACY KRAFCZYK

We’ve already established that animals are sentient beings. They see and know everything that’s going on in our lives, from our emotional instability to the energetic chaos from the home or work environment to disruptions in our schedules. Everything that affects us affects them.

More and more people are consciously becoming aware of this and these patterns, which is wonderful. The gap between our awareness and the animal’s perspective is connecting us closer together. We sense how our animal is feeling or even thinking. And this is often based on how the animal is acting.

So how do we deepen that bond and enhance the communication? We must be very clear and specific on our daily happenings, who is coming over to our house and any health changes/concerns we are having for the sake of both parties.

Animals age much quicker than us humans, so we tend to go to the caretaker role rather fast in a health crisis. Animal communication can help with identifying the details of a new health regimen. Are you giving them shots every day now? Is there medication to be given once or twice daily? Was there a sudden change in their food? Will there be more frequent visits to the vet? Or maybe meeting a new vet for a new treatment is needed.

It may sound silly but specific communication and visualizations work wonders. Try visualizing in your mind giving them this new pill or powder in their food and showing your animal friend that it will make them feel better. Try telling them how much you love them and that even if they don’t like something, it’s only temporary.

This gives you the ability to compromise as well. With animal communication you can help your furry companion understand why you have to do certain things for their care and then offer them something they want in return. Like a special treat, a trip to the dog park, a nice ride in the car, a visit to grandma or grandpa’s house, or an extra walk may help make this new transition easier. Most animals will compromise where others might need more coaxing. Keep in mind that animals have free will and choices just as we do. They may not be able to pay bills but they deserve to be respected for their wants and needs too.

Some animals will communicate with their humans that they’re ok with this new routine, treatment, pill or person that is helping them on their current journey. A lot of animals want to stay with their humans and aren’t ready to give up, so they become willing participants in the healing regimen. Most animals will do their part and then ask for something else instead of the stinky stuff or the nasty tasting pill etc.

And some may say “no” to the treatment, for instance having a leg amputated. Why? Because an animal’s physical body is tired and won’t make it through the additional surgery. There are some elderly animals that don’t have the energy for any invasive treatments. Sometimes we realize this but need the validation or confirmation of our animal’s wishes.

So instead of trying to hide the pills or be sneaky, you will see your animal give you a sign or feeling of surrender, ease and even peacefulness when you share the important details of each scenario with them. It will help ease our worries and give them a clear understanding of the appropriate next steps.

Animals should be our partners in the healing process so that there aren’t any doubts, questions or concerns. If fears and worries arise for either party, communication will help ease them. Communication is the key to a happy, healthy and connected household.

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Home is Where the Heart is…

Dear FETCH Friends:

Feeling helpless and in a constant panic is how I would describe being “homeless.” And not just in the tangible sense of the word but rather the notion of not having a family. As I sit here writing this, both my kids are sick and my dad is in the ICU dying from cancer. I’ve never watched someone close to me die this way. My dog Tess and my other dog Gracie were both so unbelievably dear to me that watching them be euthanized will forever be trapped inside my heart and head. The pain I felt in those circumstances is now once again surfacing as I watch my father struggle to breathe. I feel like my heart is dying.

And then just like that, I snap back and remember to breathe. My daughter takes my hand and says, “Come on mommy, let’s go read a book.” I sigh in relief because for a moment I am present again and the joy in her voice takes precedence over the horrible stuff going on in and outside my home. The constant internal struggle between wanting to be by my dad’s side and wanting to be with my sick kids is very real and present. No matter where I am right now, I feel guilty and sad that I’m not with the other. But what I keep forgetting is that even though I am not physically present with everyone, my heart is.

When I’m with my kids, my heart and head are still with my father and vice versa. My home doesn’t only include everyone and every pet that is in close proximity to me.

It includes my dad in the ICU, it includes my sisters who live an hour drive away, it includes my dogs who have died and so on. A “home” encompasses a whole lot more than four walls and a door. It’s the individuals and animals that bring love and joy into our lives. And bring so much pain and sadness when they leave us. This conglomerate of emotions and experiences is what makes life worth living. Every being deserves a home.

To having a sense of “home” no matter where life takes you or your loved ones,

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Q & A with Lynn Mitchell, Co-Founder & President of BRATS

I started in rescue in 2000 when I adopted my first rescue dog. At the time, rescue organizations were far and few between! I spent the next 8 years helping to re-home Golden Retrievers. The later part of that was spent doing transports. That is when we realized that the rural shelters were having a hard time adopting out anything other than a purebred dog. The connections made during the years in rescue helped get BRATS off the ground. We had connections with almost all of the shelters in Wisconsin, many of the rescues and with local breeders. My husband and I have 2 dogs that we transported but ended up staying with us. One is a Boxer Mix and the other is a Pitbull.

What is BRATS?
BRATS is a Wisconsin-based animal rescue transport service. We started this in 2008 to help rural Wisconsin shelters get their animals to areas of the state where they had a better chance at adoption.

At the time their kill rates were high. The big thing holding them back was a reliable transportation system to move animals around. Fast forward 10 years and most of these same shelters are now finding themselves in a position to bring IN animals.

Do you help more than just dogs?
We learned early on that it wasn’t just dogs that needed to be transferred. There were cats, birds, small animals, rabbits, reptiles and occasional farm animals. Wisconsin has a rescues for all of these so we adjusted our business model to include all of them.

What programs do you have?
1. We have our ambulance service to pick up sick and wounded animals at the shelters to get them to Spay Me in Madison. That led to our work with UW Vet School in Madison. We also run a chuck wagon service that moves food and supplies between shelters. So nice to see everyone sharing!

2. During the busy times of the year we help MADACC get their animals to Wisconsin Humane Society’s Spay/Neuter Clinic.

3. BRATS has worked with breeders in Wisconsin since the beginning. We move their retired breeder dogs to rescues and shelters that know how to work with them. Some are seniors, but most of them are in the 2-8 year range. We would prefer to see them living out their lives as pampered pets vs never knowing a loving family. Most find homes in a few weeks. Some take longer to adjust. Occasionally breeders will call with puppies that have gotten too old to sell. We work with breeders of big dogs like Golden Retrievers and Golden Doodles to the cute little fluffy dogs. They all deserve a home, and we do our best to make sure they get that.

4. Two years ago we started our Wisconsin Junior Heroes For Animals to recognize kids making a difference in the lives of animals. That is what BRATS does right now. It will be interesting to see what we look like in 5 years as we are always adjusting to what our partners need. Junior Heroes are nominated by shelters, rescue groups, family members or friends. Some of these kids have overcome some pretty substantial hardships in their lives but find a way to help animals. One young lady raised funds for vests for police service dogs. Some of them help bottle feed kitties and puppies. Some spend a lot of time at their local shelter reading to animals and helping in ways only kids can. There is a BRATS youth volunteer this year that reads to the animals on the transports to help them de-stress. We want to recognize these wonderful kids and their good deeds. It really helps to keep them motivated. Kids who are kind to animals are generally kind to humans!

How can the public help?
The public can help by spaying/neutering and microchipping their animals and keeping them safe so they don’t end up in shelters.

BRATS does not charge for our services. There are no paid positions. Everyone pays for their own vehicles and their own expenses. Many of the people that drive during the week are retired or on some type of fixed income. A gas card helps them tremendously.

BRATS is pretty complex for an all- volunteer organization nobody outside of rescue knows about. We prefer to have the spotlight on our shelter/rescue partners who are doing the heavy lifting.

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Top 5 Dog Subscriptions

By CHERESE COBB

Don’t hog all the mail wealth: treat your pooch to one of these five subscription boxes. Stuffed with mouth-watering treats, cuddly plush toys and adjustable accessories, they’re gifts that keep on giving—in licks, cuddles and tail wags.

1. BarkBox
Cost: $29 per month
Shipping: Free to the United States and Canada
Coupon: Use the code RWPCH0LSSR for a free month of products

What’s inside:
The leader of the monthly dog box pack in both sales and name recognition, BarkBox is one of the least expensive services that you’ll find. Offering a multi-dog discount, the company even donates 10 percent of its proceeds to roughly 3,000 different rescues. Featuring monthly themes like Bento Blossoms, Sniffin’ Safari, and Chewrassic Bark, BarkBox includes at least two innovative toys, two all-natural bags of treats, and a heavy-duty chew toy. “The monthly toy selection…is always a plush item. It makes your pooch’s toy chest start to remind you of ‘The Claw’ game at the local arcade,” says Aasit Thakkar, a current BarkBox subscriber. “I’d prefer my pooch to enjoy toys of different natures, i.e., balls, puzzles, ropes, tossers etc. If BarkBox offered either more challenging or fun toys…then I’d say the service is truly worth barking about.” However, if a toy or treat doesn’t get your dog’s tail wagging, BarkBox will send a replacement for free. “No muss. No fuss. No disappointed pups.”

2. Pet Gift Box
Cost: $24.99 per month with
free shipping in the United States,
excluding Hawaii and Alaska
Coupon: Use the code FETCH
for $5 off

What’s Inside:
Pretested on pets for “paw prints of satisfaction,” Pet Gift Box offers six toys and treats themed around the relevant holidays. Whether you have a small, medium or large pet, you can choose a one-time, 3-month or 12-month subscription. Cats will receive balls, catnip-filled toys, catnip and feathery chasers, while dogs get balls and plush, stuffingless or waterproof toys. “My dogs [Christopher and Danny], being both greedy and toy-obsessed, soon worked out that they could open the box with their nose by flipping the lid…so it had to be kept out of reach,” says Kim O’Meara, a Pet Gift Box customer. Every box looks like a gift with a bow and supports Pets for Patriots, Family Reach, and Music Drives Us.

3. RescueBox
Cost: $29.95 per month
Shipping: A $5.95 flat-rate fee is
applied to orders outside of the
contiguous 48 states

What’s Inside: “My dog, Diamond, gets extremely excited each month when her RescueBox comes in the mail,” says Ashley Jacobs, the founder of Sitting for a Cause. “She loves to rip it open, tear the paper wrapping to shreds, and play with her new toys.” Depending on whether you have a cat or a small, medium, or large-sized dog, every month the RescueBox team will handpick five toys and treats. Every delivery also features a rescue story that’s only possible because of the generous donations of subscribers. “What I love most about the box…they will tell you the impact your subscription has had. Since subscribing to RescueBox in October of 2016, they have donated 80 bowls of food and 32 vaccines to shelter animals.”

4. PupJoy
Cost: $26 per month
Shipping: Free shipping to the
lower 48 states

What’s Inside:
“A finalist for the 2018 Purina Pet Care Innovation Prize, PupJoy has a very transparent charitable donation model to help support animal rescue, in partnership with the BISSELL Pet Foundation,” says Dustin McAdams, the founder and CEO. “We donate $2 on every order and 100 percent of the donated money goes directly to help over 3000 rescue organizations that they work with.” PupJoy also has the most personalized model available for dog parents. After choosing an Uno or Grande (small or large) box, you can specify the type of items that you want: accessories, toys and treats, including all-natural and organic options. Depending on what stage of life your dog is going through, you’ll get five to seven products valued at over $40. For example, if your dog is a chew-inator, you’ll get virtually indestructible chew toys, or if your dog is in potty-training mode, you may get extra pee spray. “PupJoy’s toys are the kind of stuff I would expect to see in an expensive dog boutique in New York City,” says Amanda, the owner of Shiloh Shepherd’s Luna Rae and Nova Mae. “The treats…have straight-forward ingredients and a small business vibe. They all have ingredients that would be edible for us humans too!”

5. Bullymake
Cost: $39 per month
Shipping: Free to the US and $8
to Canada

What’s Inside:
A monthly subscription box for power chewers, Bullymake never sends plush toys or rawhide, which can cause choking, blockage and diarrhea. Instead, the team sends two to three extremely durable toys and three to four treats, chews and healthy edibles. While the treats are hand-selected based on your dog’s allergies and size, you can opt for a “toys-only” box. “While I wish that it [the default subscription box] was more heavily weighted on the toy-side rather than the treat, I also appreciate that Bullymake always sends one long-term chew treat—it’s a good way to occupy one of my dogs for a few hours,” says Christine Massey, a long-time Bullymake customer. Even if your ruff and tuff pup continues to turn his or her adorable toys into ripped-up rags, under the Bullymake 100 Percent Guarantee, they’ll ship you a replacement that’s rougher and tougher for free.

Did your favorite dog subscription box make the list? Let us know at [email protected]

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