The Virginia Dog - Winter 2010

PET

9-1-1

Valley Veterinary

Holiday Pet Safety Dogs in the Eyes of the Law Holiday Gift Guide

Emergency & Referral Center

ONe Extra

Ordinary Day

JANET HITCHEN

pHoToGrApHy

Uniquely Capturing Moments that Last a Lifetime www.janethitchenphotography.com 540-837-9846 路 janeth@crosslink.net PORTRAITURE

| WEDDINGS

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CHILDREN

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PETS

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HORSES

Table

Contents Winter 2010

Volume 1

Issue 2

11 Cover Story Pet 9-1-1

12 Crime & Punishment 14

Pet Acupuncture

16 Veterinary Rehabilitation Medicine We all need a bit of support sometimes

18

e Prepared for these B Wintertime Threats

20 Weekend Getaway Ashwood Hill Cottage

22 Weekend Getaway Page House Inn

24

One Extra Ordinary Day

29

Upcoming Events Calendar

A Tribute to Search, Rescue & Drug Dogs

30 Safety

Holiday Pet Safety

33 Featured Business

A Shop for Dogs, Cats & Their People

34

Dogs in the Eyes of the Law Family Members or Mere Property?

36 Nutrition

40

Dog Training

42

Health

44

A Life with Animals & Cameras

46

Holiday Shopping Guide

I Want a Puppy

Gentle Transitions

Naturally Treating Epilepsy & Seizure Disorders

38

Dog Training Dog – Man’s Best Friend (and Woman’s too)

{

On the Cover Valley Veterinary Emergency & Referral Center Winchester, VA 22602 From left to right: Dr. Sarah Dukti; Dr. Catherine Reiss; Dr. Jean Loonam; Dr. Roo Makosky; Dr. Jen Lauer; Missing Dr. Chip Taylor Cover Photo By Janet Hitchen

}

The Virginia Dog c www.thevirginiadog.com 3

[Contributer’s] Randy Barbour, DVM

Darleen Rudnick, Nutritionist

Randy Barbour is a native of Vinton, Virginia. He graduated from the Medical College of Virginia School of Pharmacy in 1981, and The Virginia-Maryland School of Veterinary Medicine in 1986. After working in emergency and small animal private practice for four years, he founded the Yellow Springs Veterinary Clinic in 1990. Today, Dr. Barbour serves as medical director and enjoys the challenges and rewards of helping our cherished patients live the healthiest life possible.

Darleen Rudnick has been studying nutrition since 1987.

As a degreed professional in Social Work, she has continued her education at Colorado State University majoring in Nutrition and Care of Companion Animals and Basic Nutrition for Pets. She supports animals with a complete holistic approach. In 1994, Darleen began offering her services to those in need. She has done extensive work with A.A.R.F. (Animal Adoptionand Rescue Foundation) in Richmond, VA, conducted workshops on nutrition, contributed information to the book, “Canine Epilepsy, An Owner’s Guide to Living With and Without Seizures.”

Hillary Collyer, Attorney

Pat Lacy, Dog Trainer

Hillary Collyer is a Virginia lawyer whose practice focuses on civil and commercial litigation. Ms. Collyer has worked in civil, commercial, contract, employment and business law. She has practiced before state and federal trial and appellate courts and arbitration panels. She is licensed to practice before the Virginia Supreme Court, the D.C. Court of Appeals, the U.S. District Court for Virginia’s Eastern District. Ms. Collyer co-wrote “Employment Law in Virginia: The Age Discrimination in Employment Act” and she is a contributing author of “Virginia Employment Law Letter.” She received her law degree from the George Washington University Law School.

Pat is the owner of Dog Lovers Obedience School located in Richmond, Virginia. As an expert and well-respected trainer, Pat trained her first dog 54 years ago, founding her obedience school in 1976. Pat’s specialty is family pet training. Pat’s noted accomplishments include instruction of a Dog Obedience Instructors Course in 1980 that included dog psychology, dog behavior, as well as training techniques. This was the first two year college level course in the United States. In 1984, Pat founded Therapy Dogs and Associates with volunteers taking trained dogs into nursing homes and hospitals.

Krisi Erwin, DVM

Anne Stoneham, DVM

A life-long resident of Loudoun County, VA, Dr. Erwin graduated from Longwood College in 2000, and the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine in 2003. Dr. Erwin is a practicing veterinarian with the Leesburg Veterinary Hospital. Dr. Erwin is launching her own business, Wholistic Paws, in September 2010.

Wholistic Paws will help to augment services offered by other veterinary hospitals in the area by providing in home acupuncture, rehabilitation, hospice, and euthanasia.

Dr. Erwin is a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Therapist and a Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist.

Dr. Stoneham is an emergency and critical care specialist at VCA Veterinary Referral Associates in Gaithersburg, MD where she is the director of the emergency department. She completed her veterinary training at three different institutions: veterinary school at Cornell University in NY, internship at the Dove Lewis Emergency Animal Hospital (Oregon) and residency at Tufts University (Massachusetts). Her interests include emergency surgery, acute kidney failure, sepsis and hypoadrenocorticism (among others). In her free time, she enjoys cycling, gardening, and spending time with her husband, two cats and two birds.

Tom Lacy, Dog Trainer

Fred Wolfson L.Ac

Tom along with his wife Pat are the owners of Dog Lovers Obedience School located in Richmond, Virginia.

Tom joined efforts with his wife Pat Lacy in 1983. Under Pat’s supervision, Tom trained his first dog 25 years ago.

He is an instructor, as well as a writer and counselor.

Tom established the New Hope Counseling Service for premarital, marriage and family crisis counseling. As a writer, Tom has published several books, articles and assisted others in doing the same. In his spare time Tom enjoys researching genealogy, and as such has published a book on a simple system for listing family members in any printed edition.

Fred is a licensed Acupuncturist and Certified Animal Acupuncturist. Fred received his Bachelors of Arts in Psychology from Loyola College of Baltimore, Maryland, his Master’s in Rehabilitation Counseling from Towson State University, and training in Acupuncture Therapy from Midwest College of Oriental Medicine in Wisconsin. Fred received Animal Acupuncture training at the Tai Sophia Acupuncture College. In addition, Fred possesses over 15 years of experience as a massage therapist specializing in trigger point therapies, sports injuries, and deep tissue massage for humans.

Christina Selter, Pet Safety Expert

Have something to share?

Christina Selter is the founder of Bark Buckle UP®.

Known as the “Pet Safety Lady,” Christina works with first responders nationwide teaching pet safety and has buckled UP more then 10,000 pets. Education is the first step to show that pet safety is connected to human safety, which helps to save lives. Christina has been featured in more then 372 news segments, directed and produced several pet safety PSA’s and created Be Smart Ride Safe-take the pledge Buckle UP the whole family.

If you have an interesting story or article that you would like to provide for consideration for publication in The Virginia Dog, forward your information to: bark@thevirginiadog.com

4 Winter 2010 c The Virginia Dog

Pet

9-1-1 Valley Veterinary

Holiday Pet Safety dogS in tHe eyeS of tHe law Holiday gift guide

emergency & referral center

One extra

Ordinary Day

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We offer all natural products, consultations, personalized diets, supplement plans, free recipes, health alerts, articles and more. For more information visit purelypets.com or call (804) 748-7626

PurelyPets.com The Place Where Your Pet Is #1

Copyright © 1997~2010 Purely Pets. All rights reserved

The Virginia Dog c www.thevirginiadog.com 5

[Publisher’s Not e]

Ahh, the crisp, clear autumn weather has finally arrived, with refreshing cool breezes providing a welcome relief from the record-breaking, blistering heat and humidity that plagued Virginia and surrounding areas this past long hot summer! But if humans thought it was uncomfortable and sticky trudging through a string of 90-plus-degree days, what about our beloved furry friends, who in most cases had to weather the heat with a fur coat on? Well, I can already see a change in my best friends—they’re much happier these days, and they’re more willing to venture outside and enjoy the refreshingly cool air that blows across their adorable faces.

But of course autumn changes into winter, and with the change of seasons, the holidays arrive—with attendant challenges that dog-owners must face and be aware about. Among the myriad holiday-season challenges are issues as wildly divergent as the antifreeze necessary to operate our cars to the tempting, yummy chocolate candies and desserts that we humans simply can’t wait to get our hands on. Unfortunately, these items do not benefit our canine companions in the manner in which they benefit us. And who is there to help us when our dogs accidentally slurp up some antifreeze or gobble up a bowl full of life-threatening chocolates? Your friendly neighborhood emergency-room vets, that’s who. Additionally, we humans tend to socialize and congregate and party together at a stepped-up rate during the holiday season, sometimes in a manner in which we may forget those human and canine friends who cannot socialize and congregate and party together with us—such as those unsung canine warriors who work daily on the front lines of defense, intelligence, law enforcement and public safety, assisting in life-saving efforts, protecting the country from terrorists, and searching mountains, lakes and surrounding areas for missing persons.

Amid this crazy rush of parties and receptions and services and shopping and congregating, we may tend to forget about those who can’t be there with us in such festive circumstances.

Therefore, this season’s issue of The Virginia Dog strives to recognize the extraordinary unsung heroes in our midst whose work goes on, no matter what the holiday, on both ends of the leash: Those hard-working emergency-room veterinarians who work under incredible stress to assist in the care and well-being of our furry friends, often under life-or-death circumstances, and our furry friends who work under similar stress to help humans—those canine working dogs who assist in the aforementioned life-saving efforts, who also often work under life-or-death circumstances. These unsung heroes deserve our attention and our tributes during this holiday season.

Thus, our cover story focuses on five extremely devoted veterinarians who have made it their life’s work to graciously operate on a daily basis in an emergency environment full of challenges both heart-wrenching and miraculous. Also in this issue, a moving longer feature story focuses on those dedicated working dogs who put their furry lives on the line to help us out of incredibly challenging situations!

So let’s remember our unsung heroes on both ends of the leash during this holiday season!

Seasons Greetings!

Pamela Wahl

Publisher/Editor in Chief Pamela Wahl Director of Operations Gene Wahl Art Director Kelly Mayer Senior Editor Kimberly Holmes Photographer Janet Hitchen Photo Editor Kelly Mayer Copy Editor Matt Neufeld Advertising Director Pamela Wahl Production Coordinator Diane Weller Distribution Manager Alex Steinlen Web Site Design/Manager Jen Griggs-Sebastian Business Manager Cathy Wahl Contributing Writers Randy Barbour, DVM Hillary Collyer, Esquire Krisi Erwin, DVM Lauren Hagan Amber Haldis Pat Lacy Tom Lacy Darleen Rudnick Anne Stoneham, DVM, Diplomate, ACVECC Christina Selter Fred Wolfson, L.Ac. The Virginia Dog Magazine 1 College Avenue Frederick, MD 21701 (301) 514-2804 www.thevirginiadog.com info@thevirginiadog.com Copyright 2010

Publisher/ Editor-in-Chief

6 Winter 2010 c The Virginia Dog

No part of this publication may be reproduced without expressed written permission of the publisher. No part may be transmitted in any form by any means, including electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission from the publisher.

Publisher accepts no liability for solicited or unsolicited materials that are damaged or lost.

Views expressed by editorial contributors do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher.

Take the Pledge

leaders provide protection and “Pack direction, and when it comes to pet safety, protection is about prevention ~Cesar Millan

”

Wearing your seat belt costs you nothing

but not wearing one certainly will. World-renowned dog

behaviorist Cesar Millan has teamed up with pet safety experts, Bark owners to take the pledge to “Be Smart, Ride Safe” with his second-

Take the Pledge and enter for a chance to win a pet safety travel teather. Visit

in-command, Blue Pit bull Junior as co-host. “Pack leaders provide

www.BeSmartRideSafe.com and enter

protection and direction,” said Millan. “And when it comes to pet

promotional code (TVDBSRS).

Buckle UP to host the new public service announcement, asking pet

safety, protection is about prevention – that’s what this campaign is all about!”

Take the Pledge today Be Smart Ride Safe

© Copyright 2010 • Be Smart Ride Safe®

www.BeSmartRideSafe.com

8 Winter 2010 c The Virginia Dog

Thank you for your support.

Mathews Narcotics K9 Fund provides a canine program to the Middle Peninsula area to deter crime within the Middle Peninsula and surrounding areas. We have ZERO TOLERANCE for criminal activity and narcotics within our communities.

Mathews Narcotics Canine Fund is a non-profit/tax exempt organization that supports the training of police canines within the County of Mathews, Virginia. The canine program is composed of two canines. The canines are provided, trained, and cared for by Deputy C.W. Rhodes.

Any donations are greatly appreciated. All donations received are tax deductible. All donations will be used to purchase equipment to support the training needs of the canines.

The Mathews Narcotics K9 Fund depends on donations to support the training and maintenance cost of the canines. If you are interested in making a monetary donation, please send a check made payable to Mathews Narcotics K9 Fund at the following address:

Mathews Narcotics K9 Fund 460 Holly Point Road Mathews, VA 23109

If you would like additional information about the Mathews Narcotics K9 Fund please contact us at mathewsnarcoticsk9fund@verizon.net or visit www.mathewsnarcoticsk9fund.org

The Virginia Dog c www.thevirginiadog.com 9

Shelter animals make great pets. There are a wide variety of both pure breed and mixed breed dogs available. Many shelters and rescue groups provide adoption counseling to help match you up to a pet best suited for your lifestyle. By adopting a loving pet you are saving a life. And, gaining a wonderful companion. Find your new best friend at a shelter or rescue in your area.

Brought to you by The Virginia Dog Magazine

Adopt a Shelter Pet Today!

10 Winter 2010 c The Virginia Dog

[Cover story]

Pet 9-1-1

by Amber Haldis

The scene: a hallway filled with sterile rooms. Men and women in lab coats, accessorized with stethoscopes, walk in and out, with hurried intent. The rooms are stocked with containers of fluid, some marked as blood, others a variety of drugs. An X-Ray machine, an ultrasound machine, a complete laboratory. Such are the tools necessary to combat critical and intense traumas.

Surgeries are performed daily. Many are successful, but of course not all can be. The patients seen here are “less than ideal” candidates for invasive procedures, Dr. Catherine Reiss admits, “but when surgery is required to fix the problem, we have to proceed.”

One last detail: those patients? They are cats and dogs, and other critters that we adopt as pets. Dr. Reiss? A Doctor of Veterinary Medicine since 2006. The facility is Valley Veterinary Emergency and Referral Center in Winchester, Virginia.

Emergency vet clinics differ from standard veterinary offices in the same way that hospital emergency rooms contrast a general medicine practice. Valley Vet Center only caters to ailing animals that walk into the waiting room. It does not accept appointments, offer boarding or perform routine procedures like spaying or neutering, vaccinations, and checkups.

It functions on a triage basis, which means the less severe cases must wait to be seen. Every pet entering the practice is triaged immediately by veterinary technicians or assistants, and they are prioritized based on each animal’s condition.

About 20 to 30 percent of the cases that walk through Valley Vet’s door are genuinely life threatening, Reiss estimates,

citing motor vehicle accidents, trouble breathing cases, and evidences of shock as examples of what might take precedence in an animal ER. It should be noted, though, that a large percentage may not present themselves as life-threatening upon arrival, but easily could have developed into more serious situations had immediate treatment not been sought. Reiss encourages pet-owners not to hesitate to call a local animal emergency clinic when a life-threatening situation is suspected; Valley Vet would never discourage anyone from coming in, especially when the owner is concerned.

The best way to keep your pet out of an emergency situation is to create a pet-friendly home. Similar to child proofing from a toddler, it is wise to gate off dangerous areas, like basements and computer rooms.

Also, mind human medications; never give anything meant for humans to a pet, and along that line, don’t give medications, like flea medicines, meant only for a dog to a cat. Chocolate, grapes and all other products, rat poison, anti-freeze, and lilies are other examples of common and avoidable sources of toxicity.

Dr. Reiss serves as the Medical Director of Valley Veterinary Emergency and Referral Center. The practice moved into a new state of the art facility in October 2010 in Winchester, Virginia and is the sole 24-hour emergency care facility in the Shenandoah Valley.

Interested pet owners are encouraged to seek out local or online pet first aid courses for additional education and resources.

Valley Veterinary Emergency & Referral Center 210 Costello Drive Winchester, VA 22602 Tel: (540) 662-7811 www.valleyemergencyvet.com • info@vverc.com

The Virginia Dog c www.thevirginiadog.com 11

[Crime and Punishment]

T

he holidays are coming! What does that mean for the emergency veterinarian? Well, to put it bluntly, lots of vomiting and lots of diarrhea. I don’t mean on the part of the doctors or staff. No, I mean on the part of your dogs!

The holidays are a time when we eat—and we’re not enjoying fruit and low fat cottage cheese. We’re eating rich food—foods that are high in fat and covered with rich sauces or packed with sugary sweetness. That’s fine for us (isn’t it?), but it’s really hard to look into the eyes of our beloved canine children as they gaze lovingly up at us and not share our bounty. Of course, sometimes, it’s not even our fault.

When I saw Jezebel at VCA Veterinary Referral Associates, it was the day after Thanksgiving and she was in distress.

She was a 5-year-old Cocker Spaniel with the silkiest black fur, and those normally limpid, deep brown eyes that only Cockers seem to possess were marred by anxiety. “We were outside playing a game of touch football yesterday. When we came back inside, she had eaten half of the apple pie!!,” her mom told me. Poor Jezebel. She was paying for her crime.

Since early that morning, she had vomited at least six times and she would not even look at food, let alone taste it. She just lay on the exam table, moaning gently and barely able to lift her head. She came to life when I pressed on her belly, though!

12 Winter 2010 c The Virginia Dog

Her head whipped around and her teeth closed on the now empty space where my hands had just been. Fortunately, I have developed some skill in rapid hand/body/feet motion when teeth are coming at me. “Her belly is horribly painful,” I told her mom. “I think she might have pancreatitis, but I’ll need to run some tests.” So I did. After running blood work and an abdominal ultrasound, I was able to pronounce definitively that Jezebel had severe pancreatitis.

Pancreatitis is a frustrating disease—for the patient, for the owner and for the doctor. We know that it is caused when digestive enzymes are activated inside the pancreas (that is never supposed to happen) and they start digesting the very organ that made them. What we don’t know in all cases is what causes the enzymes to do that. We know that it can be caused by a meal that is too rich, that there are several medications that can cause it and that certain breeds (Miniature Schnauzers, Yorkshire Terriers, or any terrier breed) are predisposed, but in most cases, we never learn the reason. We definitely see more during the holidays. Each case is different because the severity is variable in each case. There are some dogs that need only minor treatment and can go home, but that rarely happens. The majority of dogs are moderately affected and this is the category in which I’d put Jezebel. She needed to be hospitalized and treated. Her initial treatment included

[Crime and Punishment]

By Anne Stoneham, DVM, Diplomate ACVECC

intravenous fluids, medicine to control vomiting, pain medications and gastroprotectants.

The recurrent vomiting had resulted in acid reflux which had irritated Jezebel’s esophagus enough that she started regurgitating the day after she presented. Vomiting and regurgitation are not the same thing! Vomiting is from the stomach and you always see the dog heaving before vomiting. Regurgitation is from any problem involving the esophagus. There is no heaving, the fluid or food just comes out with no warning. (Note: It really helps your veterinarian to know if your dog is doing one versus the other.) We needed to soothe the esophagus so we started treating with antacids and medication that coats ulcerations.

By the third day of hospitalization, Jezebel was still not interested in food. We know that these dogs improve faster if they get nutrition. By far, the best way is if we get food into the stomach.

For dogs that won’t eat on their own, we can place a temporary feeding tube through the nose and down into the esophagus.

Surprisingly, it does not bother many of our patients and it would have been our first choice for Jezebel. But she was still regurgitating (regurgitation does not resolve quickly). So we chose our second best option. We started treating her with intravenous food (also called total parenteral nutrition), which is a solution custom-made for each individual patient, and is made up of amino acids, lipids and sugar. By the fifth day,

Jezebel had stopped regurgitating and didn’t look nauseous when food was placed in front of her. By the sixth day, she had started eating and she continued to improve until she was finally able to go home on day eight.

Jezebel was a lucky dog. Eight days in the hospital and I’m telling you she was lucky? Absolutely!

Earlier, I mentioned that pancreatitis can vary in severity. What I did not mention is that pancreatitis can be extremely severe.

It can be life-threatening, and it can kill. Pancreatitis can be so severe that it can cause problems in parts of the body that are nowhere near it, and that can lead to multiorgan dysfunction or failure (kidney failure, lung failure, cardiac arrhythmias).

It can cause hemorrhage because the blood loses its ability to form clots or it can cause exactly the opposite: increases in blood clotting so that blood clots end up blocking vital organs.

Pancreatitis can result in a drop in protein levels to the extent that vital systems can no longer function properly. These patients might require blood, plasma or albumin transfusions.

If their kidneys fail, they might need to undergo intensive treatment up to and possibly including hemodialysis. If the lungs fail, they’ll need oxygen supplementation at the very least or to be mechanically ventilated at the most.

Jezebel is a now happy little Cocker at home. She never gets table scraps any more—but she doesn’t seem to mind.

The Virginia Dog c www.thevirginiadog.com 13

[Pet Acupuncture]

by Fred Wolfson, L.Ac.

I

n the article about pet acupuncture in the last edition of The Virginia Dog, we focused on the kinds of conditions that acupuncture can help with, and what treatments are like for pets and owners. In this second installment, the focus is on what acupuncture is, how it works, and why it works. Patients (people not pets) often ask if you have to believe in acupuncture to receive the benefits. The answer is definitely no. You only have to believe enough to commit to a few sessions so you or your pet can experience the effects. Many champion race horses receive and benefit from acupuncture and they do not believe in it, as far as I know.

Acupuncture is a powerful, safe, and gentle medical therapy used worldwide to effectively treat many health conditions.

The benefits of acupuncture are now well documented by medical researchers and acknowledged by the World Health Organization and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The individual acu-points that make-up the acupuncture pathways cover the entire body, similar to the circulatory system and the nervous system. Each of these points, when activated by a thin needle, has a distinct effect on the systems and organs of the body. Some points are used to reduce pain and speed healing, while others strengthen the immune system, digestive or respiratory system.

According to the theories of Asian medicine, acupuncture works by altering the natural energy in the body. If we compare the body to your automobile, this energy is like the power generated by the action of the engine together with the fuel (our diet, the air we breathe, and other factors). With proper maintenance and moderation in the way we treat the body, we can minimize the chances of a breakdown and ensure that

14 Winter 2010 c The Virginia Dog

we will have energy for all the functions of the body. Like cars, our bodies also can have parts that wear down, wear out, grow weak, or stop working altogether. Sometimes, we are born with a tendency towards weakness in a particular system of the body, like the digestive system, or in a part like a knee or shoulder. This is not unlike a car with ‘design or manufacturing flaws.’ When placed under stress or overused, these weaknesses will be the first to alert us of an imbalance.

There is no single scientific explanation that explains all the effects that patients experience with acupuncture. Modern research has focused and measured a variety of the body’s responses to acupuncture including:

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hanges in hormone levels, white blood counts, and C antibody levels which are involved in our immune response and resistance to disease. elease of a type of endorphin called encephalins which R help in both pain and addiction conditions. timulation of neurotransmitters in the brain which S effect pain conditions as well as issues like depression and anxiety. timulation of histamines which affect the dilation of S blood vessels. These circulation changes can reduce joint inflammation and speed healing.

Clearly, nobody has the single definitive answer to how and why acupuncture works so powerfully with so many different conditions. Regardless, any system of healing that thrives for several thousand years with many satisfied human and animal patients is worth examining closely.

‘‘

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The Virginia Dog c www.thevirginiadog.com 15

[We all need a bit of

support sometimes!]

The use of Orthotics, Prosthetics, and Support Wraps to help improve mobility and quality of life.

I

by Krisi Erwin, DVM

n the summer of 2009, a zoo veterinarian placed an urgent phone call to DogLeggs Therapeutic and Rehabilitative Products in Reston, Va. One of the zoo residents, a moose named Baby Bella, had injured her hind leg and she required a special bandage called an Ehmer sling. This type of bandage is difficult to apply and manage in a dog, let alone a young moose!

Thankfully, DogLeggs came to the rescue for this girl, as they have for many other patients in the past, and they were able to develop an Ehmer sling out of neoprene that could be easily removed to examine the leg as it healed, and would not pull out Baby Bella’s sensitive hair. Thanks to DogLegg’s innovative approach to problem-solving, Baby Bella has subsequently recovered well. As a bonus, many dogs will also benefit from this new and improved way of applying an Ehmer sling to help injuries such as hip dislocations heal without surgery.

This innovative thinking is one way that companies are reaching out to help animals in need, including our friends, the moose Baby Bella or Winter the dolphin, who was featured in our last article. Many pets suffer from sports injuries, trauma, cancer, or neurologic problems that interfere with their ability to walk and move around comfortably. Orthotics, prosthetics, and support wraps are relatively new on the veterinary rehabilitation horizon and all of these devices help in different ways to promote healing and preserve our pet’s quality of life when they need it most.

16 Winter 2010 c The Virginia Dog

Orthotics and Prosthetics The field of veterinary orthotics and prosthetics is not limited to national cases such as Winter the dolphin. Pet owners in Virginia are fortunate to have Animal Orthocare, LLC in Vienna, Va. Derrick Campana and Natalie Kuntz have worked with many patients in the area to help improve their quality of life. Animal Orthocare provides orthoses (external devices such as wraps and splints that help to stabilize, support, and improve the function of existing limbs or body parts) and protheses (artificial substitutes for missing body parts that help to improve function) based on a pet’s needs.

These products help to manage common problems such as joint instability, fractures, and congenital deformities. There are many testimonials listed on their website (www.animalorthocare.com) that show how their work has positively affected the lives of pets.

One particularly inspiring testimonial is about a 12-year-old Sheltie named Argyle. Argyle suffered from an injury to his left front leg that caused him to break several bones and tear multiple ligaments. After many attempts at different bandages and failed surgeries, the family turned to Mr. Campana for help. He devised an orthotic device that the owners refer to as Argyle’s “boot.” In their testimonial, they write: “Argyle loves his boot! In the morning I tell him it’s time to put on his boot and he lies down and holds up his front leg for me. As soon as I put it on, he jumps up and runs to the door to go outside. It has made an amazing difference in his quality of life!”

Photos courtesy of: DogLeggs Therapeutic Rehabilitative Products, Animal Orthocare, LLC and Thera-paw

Custom Support Wraps and Splints Occupational therapists have been helping humans with special needs for years to adapt and cope with injuries or health issues that have affected their ability to accomplish basic activities of daily living. Thankfully, some of these talented people have started to share their expertise with the veterinary world.

One company in the field is Thera-paw (www.therapaw.com), a New Jersey-based company started by Ilaria Borghese. One of Thera-paw’s most popular products is their boots. These boots play a huge role in helping animals recover from toe fractures, minor paw injuries, and corns by providing padding and protection. Other Thera-Paw products help with functional problems, such as nerve paralysis. In one testimonial, a client discusses her dog, Tango. Tango suffers from degenerative myelopathy, a nerve degeneration problem, that caused his left foot to knuckle and drag. This caused sores on his toes.

Thankfully, Tango’s mom discovered Thera-Paw’s Dorsi-Flex Assist! This product helps to protect the toes from developing sores and is actually made to help the pet place his or her foot properly to prevent knuckling. This little bit of help can greatly improve a pet’s comfort and mobility. In fact, the Dorsi-Flex Assist had such a huge impact on Tango, that his owners report that: “Thera-Paw gave our Tango a new lease on life!”

Therapeutic and Support Wraps: Schon Gross, founder of DogLeggs, often thinks about Greif, her 10-year-old Rottweiler, who was her inspiration for developing this very helpful product. Greif suffered from large elbow calluses and severe arthritis in both elbows. Eventually, he also developed a hygroma in one elbow. A hygroma is a swelling that develops at pressure points, such as the elbows. These are very difficult to treat and cannot really be helped by draining or with surgery. Schon rose to the challenge to help Greif, and the first pair of DogLeggs was born.

DogLeggs are padded “leggings” that help to cushion the elbows and front legs to help decrease pressure and reduce the risk of hygromas. In her testimonial on the DogLeggs website (www.dogleggs.com), Schon remembers that “the morning of the second day of wearing his new ‘leggings,’ the swelling in Greif’s leg was reduced by half, by the end of five days, the swelling was gone!” Even better, Schon also noticed that Greif’s mobility had improved and his pain had lessened. Greif’s response to a therapeutic wrap such as

DogLeggs was so profound that Schon reports that: “Greif regained his interest in playing with the tennis ball and playing with our other dog, actually running and playing for the first time in two years!”

These testimonials and products are just the start of what is available to help our animal companions. Often, something as simple as a protective boot or the extra padding provided

by DogLeggs, can have a profound impact on our pet’s comfort and mobility. The experts that are helping to bring these products to our pets are ready to help pet parents choose the right products for their pets and can also customize their products to fit a pet’s specific needs. Remember, accidents and injuries happen, and age isn’t a disease. Whether two-legged or four-legged, we all need a bit of support sometimes in these situations, and it’s great to know that we have such great people and companies to help us when we do!

The Virginia Dog c www.thevirginiadog.com 17

[ Be Prepared For These Wintertime Threats]

by Randy Barbour, DVM

T

he fall and winter months bring thoughts of walking with our dogs among the falling leaves, frolicking with them in the snow, and then relaxing in front of a cozy fire.

Cooler weather delivers wonderful opportunities to enjoy our pets, but also a distinct set of hazards for which we need to be prepared.

Many of the chemicals we use to maintain our mobility in the snow and ice can be very dangerous and even lethal for dogs and cats. It’s widely known that antifreeze is poisonous for dogs and cats and because of its sweet taste, they can quickly ingest a lethal dose. The toxic ingredient, ethylene glycol, causes neurologic symptoms such as staggering and stumbling and is often followed rapidly by lethal kidney damage. Antifreeze made with propylene glycol is a non-toxic alternative which pet owners can use with peace of mind. Another hazardous winter product is ice melt. Even if your dog wouldn’t eat ice melt from the sidewalk, he or she could ingest a significant amount when cleaning paws after a walk. While usually not lethal, these products can cause significant gastrointestinal damage. Washing your pet’s paws after a walk will prevent problems.

Prolonged exposure to cold weather, especially with penetrating winds, can lead to hypothermia and frostbite.

Small dogs are at greater risk for hypothermia than large dogs because they have relatively greater surface area exposed. If your dog is shivering or seems mentally dull or confused, get him inside quickly.

It’s urgent to dry him and warm him with a blanket. If he doesn’t respond quickly, get him to a veterinary hospital right away.

Another wintertime concern are ice balls on paws. When your dog first goes outside, her warm paws melt the snow and the fur between her pads gets wet.

As her paws cool, the water refreezes, forming painful ice balls between her toes. To thaw these ice balls, use a hair dryer on a low setting or submerge the paw in warm (not hot) water. Keeping the fur on the paws trimmed even with the pads will help to prevent this problem.

Many holiday plants are toxic to pets. Many varieties of lilies such as Tiger, Easter, Asian, Japanese

18 Winter 2010 c The Virginia Dog

Show, Star Gazer, and the Casa Blanca can cause oral and gastrointestinal irritation in dogs and acute kidney failure in cats. Mistletoe ingestion usually causes gastrointestinal upset, but can have cardiovascular (heart) toxicity. Holly can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and lethargy. Poinsettias are actually only mildly toxic, causing irritation to the tissues of the mouth and stomach.

Chocolate and alcoholic beverages are common causes of holiday poisonings for dogs. Even a small amount of baker’s or dark chocolate can be poisonous for a small dog.

Macadamia nuts cause poorly understood nervous system toxicity in dogs, causing severe weakness and inability to stand.

Be sure to keep these ingredients and baked goods away from pets.

Another winter hazard is weight gain. If your dog’s activity level is decreased in the winter months, you should decrease the caloric intake to avoid the effects of obesity on the joints, heart, and metabolism. Reduce the amount of dog food and treats by 10 to 20 percent. You can replace it with low calorie vegetables, like green beans, carrots, and apples.

With a little care and precaution, we can all enjoy another wonderful winter with our pets.

The Virginia Dog encourages you to spay and neuter your pets. It is a humane and responsible choice that will help to slow the overpopulation and as a result decrease the euthanasia of homeless animals in shelters. Spaying and neutering improves pet health, behavior, and increases the quality of life while lessening the burden on overcrowded animal shelters.

Brought to you by:

The Virginia Dog c www.thevirginiadog.com 19

Weekend Getaway Ashwood Hill Cottage Photos by Jeremy Robinson

A Dog-Friendly Retreat

by Lauren Hagan

The only bad thing about vacation is leaving your pets behind. But you don’t have to worry about that at Ashwood Hill Cottage in Rockbridge Baths, Va., which is located only 15 minutes from Lexington! Leave the stress of kennels and dog-walkers in the past, while you and your dog are hiking, swimming, and lounging on the wraparound porch on 31 completely secluded acres.

While Ashwood Hill has all the charm of an antique cottage, it has many contemporary comforts as well. The house is fully equipped with wireless internet, and has a fully outfitted kitchen for family meals, satellite television, DVD, and VCR. There’s no reason to leave anything behind, whether it’s your dog or your computer, because Ashwood Hill is designed for all imaginable needs.

Ashwood Hill is not your typical cottage rental—it is fully furnished for luxurious living, with modern and antique finishes. The house is made from 150-year-old chestnut logs, and the cottage includes a modern addition that was built to imitate the original unit. Take a break on the stunning wraparound front porch and watch as the deer and wild turkeys pass you by. After a long day of kayaking, spend the night in the four-person hot tub and grill some burgers outside. Afterward, gather together your family or friends around the fire pit to roast s’mores. If it’s a chilly winter night, why not light up the wood-burning fireplace and enjoy a mug of hot chocolate. Ashwood Hill is designed to be relaxing and comfortable—a perfect escape from the chaos of everyday life.

Diana and Jeremy Robinson, the owners of the facility, know all about keeping it dog friendly! “We love dogs and we have the perfect facility to [host them]!” Jeremy says.

Since 2003, dog owners and their four-footed friends have been hiking outdoors on trails like those at Goshen Pass, a rocky gorge with plenty of trails and adventure around every twist and turn. Also, vacationers enjoy swimming in the refreshing lakes and rivers in the area. There are plenty of grassy areas for your dog to bask in the sunlight or play a game of Frisbee. Enjoy the convenience of complimentary dog toys, child gates to keep your pup fenced in if need be, and plastic bags.

20 Winter 2010 c The Virginia Dog

From the moment guests arrive, the two hosts are there to greet them and give a tour of the property, suggesting activities and answering questions or concerns. The hosts were bed-and-breakfast innkeepers for 10 years, so they are happy to help enhance vacation to its full potential, however long the duration. Stay for a day, a weekend, or a week!

One thing is for sure: guests will not want to leave once they get there!

Online, the cottage is all the rage. Reviews are posted on the website from happy vacationers. One couple from Tennessee stayed for Thanksgiving so their whole family could be present, including their beagle, Lily!

For more information about planning a comfortable and private retreat at Ashwood Hill Cottage, contact stay@ashwoodhill.com, visit the website at www.ashwoodhill.com, or book a reservation by calling (866) 263-4188. Ashwood Hill is a heavenly natural retreat for people and their dogs!

Planning a Canine Event?

The Virginia Dog proudly sponsors non-profit organizations in their effort to assist in the adoption and/or care of canine’s in need through charitable events by providing a supply of free magazines to be placed within gift/goodie bags, as well as free publicity via our extensive website, and print magazine.

For more information: info@thevirginiadog.com

The Virginia Dog c www.thevirginiadog.com 21

Weekend Getaway Norfolk’s Hidden Treasure

The Historic Page House Inn Bed & Breakfast

by Lauren Hagan

The Historic Page House Inn is a home-away-from-home for dog-owners and their pets. The bed and breakfast is located in Norfolk, Va., and has been in business since 1991. A visit to Page House is an extravagant vacation, and the inn is “friendly, friendly, friendly!” says Innkeeper Debbie. Page House is referred to as “Norfolk’s Hidden Treasure,” “and we have the four diamonds to prove it!” Debbie boasts. The facility is the only one in the Norfolk and Virginia Beach area that has AAA’s four-diamonds rating.

The inn is actually a 112-year-old mansion that was built in 1897, with construction finished in 1899. The Page family lived there until the 1920s and the inn became apartments in the 1940s during World War II. The house was restored, returned to its former glory and turned it into a B&B in 1991, after previously being condemned. Today, the mansion is a luxurious vacation retreat, owned and operated by Debbie and her brother Charles.

From breakfast until bedtime, the mansion offers the comforts of Southern living. Guests are given two decadent menus for breakfast. Some of the most popular selections include cheesy scrambled eggs and a mouth-watering croissant stuffed with fresh blueberries. Each option includes a choice of breakfast meat and an array of drinks. The continental breakfast includes several pastries, fruit, chocolate candies, tea, brandy, or sherry!

After guests have been well-fed, they are prepared to take on all kinds of local activities. Norfolk has history, the arts,

22 Winter 2010 c The Virginia Dog

Photos by Charles Mount, Jr.

outdoor activities, sporting events, and any guest can find something suited exclusively to their taste. Enjoy the Virginia Opera. Take a tour of the Battleship USS Wisconsin. For dog owners, why not walk down to the dog park and have a romp with other pups. Norfolk is incredibly dog friendly, and as Debbie puts it, “You usually know a neighbor’s dog before you know the neighbor’s name!” Virginia Beach is 15 minutes away, and during the off-season, dogs are permitted on the sandy shores. Norfolk hosts many festivals, including the Wine Tasting Festival and the Seafood Festival, both of which occur in the fall.

None of this would be as enjoyable without the comfort of your pet beside you, and Debbie agrees that when she goes on vacation, “If my dogs aren’t welcome, then I don’t need to go there!” And so she and her Maltipoo, Frankie, welcome guests to their home for vacation. At check-in, there are all the necessities to make your pup feel at home, including doggie treats and doggie bags. Some downtown restaurants also allow dogs to be tethered beside tables for outdoor dining.

Overall, the Norfolk area and the Bed and Breakfast at Page House Inn will treat guests and their pets like royalty!

“It’s true what the motto says,” Debbie states. “We strive very hard to keep our diamonds, and we do spoil you!”

Debra Wilborn, Innkeeper 323 Fairfax Avenue, Norfolk, VA 23507 Tel: (800) 599-7659 Email: innkeeper@pagehouseinn.com

Mutt Love Rescue - Mutts

Mutts StandsMutt ready Love to help Rescue you find a- new companion Stands ready to help you find a new companion

VOLUNTEER – FOSTER –

ADOPT – –DONATE VOLUNTEER FOSTER – ADOPT – DONATE

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Mutt Love Rescue •P.O. Box 1005 •Fairfax, Virginia 22038 • adopt@muttloverescue.org • DC\1336976.1 muttloverescue.org

EXPECT THE VERY BEST

In Your Pet’s Veterinary Care:

• • • • •

Y •S •V•C Yellow Springs Veterinary Clinic is a full-service animal hospital, providing the highest quality healthcare for your pets.

We are dedicated to improving the quality of life for our patients and their owners.

25 Thomas Johnson Drive

Frederick, MD 21702

Preventive Healthcare Anesthesia and Surgery Radiology Dentistry Laboratory Services

• • • • •

Pharmacy Geriatric Screenings Feline Boarding Ultrasound Pet Portal website

As an accredited member of the American Animal Hospital Association, we are dedicated to providing excellence in small animal care.

Our hospital is evaluated regularly by AAHA to ensure that we meet or exceed the association's standards of excellence. AAHA standards are recognized around the globe for quality care in veterinary medicine.

Doctors’ hours are by appointment during the following times: Monday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 am to 6 pm Tuesday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 am to 8 pm Wednesday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 am to 8 pm Thursday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 am to 8 pm Friday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 am to 8 pm Saturday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 am to 12 pm

Dr. Randy Barbour & Dr. Geof Ruppert own and operate the hospital as a team. Dr. Michelle Kluchurosky also joined the practice in 2007!

Phone: (301) 663.8353

Web: www.yellowspringsvet.com

The Virginia Dog c www.thevirginiadog.com 23

[One Extra Ordinary Day] A Tribute to Search, Rescue & Drug Dogs

by Amber Haldis

Photos by Dogs East Search & Rescue

You are halfway through your working career. To get to this spot, you trained hard from a very early age. The trainers taught techniques, first aid and commands, and you learned and practiced obligingly.

You’ve passed field test after field test, and you know the rewards of a successful mission. Along the way, your team has grown close, learning each other’s interests, indulgences, lifestyles, even your favorite food. Together you work to complete the tasks in front of you, while maintaining safety in the face of injury and health risks.

You laugh in the face of danger. Ha ha ha…

It’s a casual Saturday. You enjoyed sleeping in, lazed around in the morning, and got in a quick jog after lunch. It turns into a peaceful walk, and you relax in the scents of autumn, good company, and an awakening 60-degree afternoon. The sun is out.

The phone rings. It’s one of your colleagues. An 8-year-old girl has gotten separated from her Girl Scout Troop while hiking. Troop Leaders have been looking for Nicole for more than 30 minutes already.

Day is quickly progressing to evening and evening to night.

Each second is more imperative than the previous. Every degree cooler, every hour without food, every minute without first aid frightens the imagination. This is why they need your help.

trips can go that long and longer.

Quite often, victims are found in as little as a halfmile radius of the location where they were last seen.

Unfortunately, this means you’ll be traversing through a rough, wooded area.

At the scene, each handler receives a map and a designated search area. You and your partner team up with a third party to keep things safe. Reaching your area, you receive the command: “Go Find.”

All humans emit scent in the form of microscopic particles.

These particles travel in the wind, fall on the ground, stick around after a quick break on a tree stump. Search and Rescue Dogs are trained to discern this scent over the other smells in the air.

Air will carry this scent further, so your nose pokes towards the sky. Similar to a response after noticing smoke, you sniff here and there for the source. As the air currents bring the scent, you know to continue upwind, but it ebbs and flows with each gust and you blindly search your area.

Once you get close enough, the natural emission of scent will lead you with its strength. The stronger the scent, the closer the source. You just have to get there.

You are a Search and Rescue Dog.

Search and Rescue Dogs are also trained to respond to sounds and clues.

Your partner grabs his survival kit: clothing, boots, food, water, radio, batteries, compass, first aid, and anything else you might need on a three-day stint in the wilderness because these

None of the dogs have picked up a steady trail, but your ears jump. Splashing? Your partner recognizes your reaction and encourages you to investigate.

24 Winter 2010 c The Virginia Dog

[One Extra Ordinary Day] A team nearby radios in the same realization. The dogs have picked up an audible clue.

A breeze comes through and the scent is picked up again. Every small gust leads you closer to the splashing.

You stop now at a patch of earth. It rained last night and mud remains where a puddle evaporated in the sunlight. The sun is setting now. You have been searching for more than two hours.

Your team catches up to you and notices the same thing: footprints. Radios crackle as word spreads. Teams are directed to come north and join you, as statistics conclude probability.

A short while later, a nearby dog barks. You see him run back to his handler. He tugs a white towel attached to her belt. The indicator sign. The body has been found. The final step is to refind the victim, and he leads the team to Nicole.

Timmy and Betsy, the kids, are still in their pajamas. Betsy’s hair is breaking at her temples from sleeping in a ponytail. Their mom is toasting up waffles for them, and afterwards they return to their bedrooms to dress.

Their father is your partner and he comes down moments later. He’s wearing a blue uniform, complete with a hat labeled SECURITY. The two of you work at the airport.

Traffic is always congested. You hate stop-and-go traffic. It makes you slightly nauseous, especially when you can’t roll down the windows and feel the wind on your face.

It’s almost 7 a.m. by the time you arrive; you go on duty in fifteen minutes. Sammy and Tony worked the night shift. They give you a nod as you relieve them. No news.

There’s a small crick running through the rocks. Nicole has been tossing pebbles into the water out of boredom. Tears have stained her skin.

You start with a walk past the metal detectors. You partner thinks it’s best to put a little fear in the passengers. It cuts down on the sarcastic comments the slick ones make. Every threat has to be investigated. Unnecessary ones prevent us from going after the real crimes.

The Troop Leaders run and comfort her while a rescue worker begins to administer any necessary first aid. Luckily, Nicole, scared and anxious, is suffering no sustaining injuries.

It’s early still. The passengers are too tired to cause trouble.

The heroic dog is playing tug-o-war with his handler with the white towel she’s untied from her belt. The rewards of a successful mission.

Nicole is taken to be reunited with her friends. Everyone begins to pack up to go, and the first aid begins. You have about 40 ticks in your coat.

It’s Wednesday. It’d be halfway through your week, except you work shifts. You’ll be working this weekend because you were off last Saturday and Sunday.

You wake up around 6 a.m. It’s raining. Awesome. You aren’t too fond of wet dog smell, and seriously, who is?

Another guard meets up with you. The conversation is casual: the rain is depressing; he had to cover the Sunday night shift for Carl; the in-laws are coming tomorrow.

You find yourself at luggage drop-off.

A couple is arguing about whether to check a bag or carry it on.

He wants it keep it in the cabin where he can keep an eye on it; she wants to check it. They quiet as you come near. He mistakes you for the Bomb Squad, and acts “casual.”

He knows that Police Dogs are trained only in one scent. If a find is indicated, handlers need to know whether to search a bag or call the S.W.A.T. team to safely remove it. Or maybe there’s a severed arm inside.

If a trained canine enters your life, it will undoubtedly leave a strong affect.

Photo by John Grubbs

The Virginia Dog c www.thevirginiadog.com 25

[One Extra Ordinary Day] Bomb Dogs can detect almost 20,000 different combinations of explosives, but you wouldn’t know a single one.

You sit. The indicator sign. All the casual acting in the world won’t fool you.

You are a Drug Dog. The couple is detained. Her face is flushed. The guy won’t look at anyone.

Your partner opens the luggage for you to search. It is doused in perfume. The fabric tickles your nose. A book. Hers. Danielle Steele. He actually brought his Xbox and two games.

This pocket is holding toiletries. There’s a make-up bag. You sit again.

The bag is opened and the contents are dumped. It’s an ounce of marijuana.

She begins to cry. They are taken to the airport’s holding cell.

Your partner unveils your Kong. The rewards of a successful mission. It’s a red, rubber, hollow chew toy in the shape of a pyramid. You mouth it, drop it, and fetch. It bounces around.

Unpredictable, like your day.

Rescue Dogs conjure the image of a German Shepherd, poised and alert. They are used by private and government agencies, police and military forces, and in disaster situations.

Photo by Dogs East Search & Rescue

They are sometimes viewed in a negative light, due to the aggression they are trained to take against culprits and public demonstrations and the efficiency they bring to rescue missions.

Law enforcement officials are slowly showing them off in a more positive manner.

While German Shepherds, Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, and Belgium Malinois are more suited for the job, any dog with the stamina and talent can step up to the challenge.

John Grubbs, the founder of the now-dismantled U.S. Bomb Dog organization, prefers to hand-pick his dogs, choosing one out of about 25 candidates. Sharon Jones, of Dogs-East Search and Rescue, invites any breed and handler to participate and train.

Volunteer dogs and their handlers might train nearly two years with Jones, but Grubbs will usually turn his dogs around in 8 to 12 weeks. Both will end their training with certified Rescue Dogs.

The costs of this life can be high. The nearly-guaranteed tick disease that dogs can capture in the wilderness, the muscle strains and cuts from being active for long periods, the danger of an unstable accident scene—these factors all add up to expensive recoveries.

The emotional rewards are great, though. If a trained canine enters your life, it will undoubtedly leave a strong affect. The bond between a handler and his dog, the appreciation of a child found, the relief of a criminal detained, and much more, will leave a lasting imprint upon your heart.

Such are the rewards of a successful mission.

26 Winter 2010 c The Virginia Dog

Photo by John Grubbs

Photo by John Grubbs

The Virginia Dog c www.thevirginiadog.com 27

Get Ready for Loudoun’s 3rd Annual Pet Remembrance Candle Lighting Ceremony!

“In remembrance of our pets - that their warm, soft light may glow forever in our hearts.”

The Pet Remembrance Candle Lighting Ceremony was started by the Nikki Hospice Foundation for Pets in partnership with the Benicia Vallejo Humane Society in California. The first ceremony was held on March 5, 2005.

It is the hope of these two organizations that pet lovers all over the world will participate in this special ceremony honoring all beloved pets who have passed on, are lost, or have been separated from their families. They encourage pet lovers to attend similar local events or simply join them by lighting a candle at home for one hour at 7:00 p.m. local time on March 5.

The ceremony was brought to Loudoun County in 2009 by Dr. Krisi Erwin, Carmen Velasco, and Robin Norris working in conjunction with Leesburg Veterinary Hospital. Dr. Erwin helped to continue the tradition in 2010 with the help of several members of the community and St. James’ Episcopal Church in Leesburg.

Approximately 65 pet lovers attended this year’s service in March. There ceremony included several inspirational readings read by local artist, Penny Hauffe; a slide show presentation of the 2010 Roll of Honor with original music composed by local pianist, Gary Breads; and an insightful sermon given by the Reverend Bonnie J. Berger. Rev. Berger is an Interfaith Minister that is also certified as a Pet Loss Counselor through the Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement. She is located in Takoma Park, MD and is available to help families that are preparing for the loss of a pet and to help create memorial ceremonies for pets as well as design healing rituals for their families.

Both the 2009 and 2010 services have been very emotional, beautiful, and moving. We hope that the tradition will continue each year so that pet lovers will have a safe place to come together in celebration of the pet angels that have shared their lives. We hope to make this service an act of love for our community and a tribute to our wonderful companion animals.

Please mark your calendars for the next ceremony! It will be held on March 5, 2011 and you can e-mail all inquiries to: petcandlelightceremony@gmail.com. Your pets are welcome to be included in the 2011 Roll of Honor, even if you and your family cannot attend. If you do not live in the Loudoun area, we challenge you to start a Pet Remembrance Candle Lighting Ceremony for families in your area!

28 Winter 2010 c The Virginia Dog

Animal Lovers Event Sunday, November 14, 2010

s] [ upcoming event

11.14

Free to the Public Fairfax City Library, Meeting Rooms A&B, 10360 North Street, Fairfax, VA. Public parking is available on University Drive. An informative event to include brochures, books, pamphlets, handouts, and additional information pertaining to animals, pets and wildlife. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Registration opens for Pet Photos with Santa Friday, November 15, 2010

11.15

Rummage Book Sale Saturday, December 4, 2010

Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA For more info: www.caspca.org

Jingle Paws 5K Run/Walk Saturday, December 4, 2010

11.20

Holiday Crafts for Critters Show Saturday, November 20, 2010

Registration is $15 and includes a longsleeved t-shirt, jingle bells and bandanas for the pets.

Jingle Paws 5K Run/Walk to benefit the homeless animals in the community. Food and entertainment at course end. Registration at day of the event is $20 and shirts are $5. For more information, call Wes Spece at (276) 638-7297 or Chase Inman at (276) 638-7297. www.spcamhc.org

12.05

10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA Holiday Inn

Black Friday Friday, November 26, 2010

12.04

Pre-regisration available through November 15th.

Proceeds to benefit the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria, VA; For more info: (703) 836-7643

For more info: www.caspca.org

12.04

11.26

Reduced animal adoption fees for all animals with any black markings at the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria, VA; For more info: (703) 746-477

12.03

Annual Holiday Extravaganza Friday, December 3, 2010

Santa Paws at Regency Square Sunday, December 5, 2010

Annual Holiday Extravaganza featuring gift shop specials, wine tasting, volunteer bake sale, craft and other vendors & more! For more information: www.richmondspca.org, or (804) 521-1318

12.04

Pet Photos with Santa Paws!!!

Saturday, December 4, 2010

2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Admission: $15.00 per each 4” x 6” Photo National Canine Cancer Foundation Sponsored by the DC Chapter of the NCCF & Dogtopia of Woodbridge, VA. All proceeds go to the NCCF. For more info: pperry@wearethecure.org Contact: Patti Perry (703) 919-5338

Program Event, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Suffolk Humane Society and St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.

For more information: www.suffolkhumanesociety.com

Annual Holly Days Parade Saturday, December 11, 2010

12.11

The Peninsula SPCA will be participating in the Holly Days Parade. If you are interested in participating in this year’s parade, please contact Ellen Leckar at (757) 595-1399. www.peninsulaspca.com

James River Greyhounds Saturday, December 11, 2010

12.11

5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Stony Point Fashion Park Come walk around the mall with the James River Greyhounds! Meet outside of the Three Dog Bakery then enjoy a walk around the mall with the hounds.

For more information: www.shopstonypoint.com

12.12

7:30 p.m.

Regency Square 1420 Parham Road Richmond, VA

Santa Paws at Regency Square Sunday, December 12, 2010

Pet Photos with Santa! Join Regency Square, the Richmond SPCA and Santa for very special pet photo sessions starting at 7:30 p.m. For more information: www.richmondspca.org

Regency Square 1420 Parham Road Richmond, VA

Holiday Photo Session Houndstooth Photography Sunday, December 5, 2010

12.05

Pet Photos with Santa! Join Regency Square, the Richmond SPCA and Santa for very special pet photo sessions starting at 7:30 p.m. For more information: www.richmondspca.org

Holiday Adoptathon Saturday, December 18, 2010

12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m.

Wylie Wagg, Faills Church Location

Richmond SPCA 2519 Hermitage Road Richmond, VA.

12.11

BARKS (Books & Reading for Kids in Suffolk) Saturday, December 11, 2010

12.18

Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA

For more info/appointment contact: Gracy – (703) 973-5070 houndstoothphotography@gmail.com

For more info: www.caspca.org

12.10

Dog Days of Winter Saturday, January 22, 2011

01.22

Shockoe Slip Holiday Open House Friday, December 10, 2010

Virginia Museum of Natural History

3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Dransfield Jewelers

Virginia Museum of Natural History dedicates this day to the dog. Stop by the Museum for all kinds of fund Dog Day adventures. For more information: www.spamhc.org

For more information: Richmond SPCA: www.richmondspca.org or Dransfield Jewelers – (804) 643-0171.

If you have an event that you would like to share, please email your information to bark@thevirginiadog.com

The Virginia Dog c www.thevirginiadog.com 29

Safety

Holiday Pet Safety Festivities can be Frightening for our Furry Friends

by Christina Selter

• Aluminum foil, wax paper and other food wrappings, if ingested, can cause intestinal obstruction. Make sure to place these items securely in the garbage.

• Provide your pet with a quiet retreat should the holiday festivities become too much for him or her. Watch his or her behavior to make sure he or she is not stressed. Keep outside doors closed, and remind your guests that there is a pet in the house.

Fatty, rich, or new types of foods can give your pet pancreatitis or gastroenteritis, two medical conditions that can be extremely painful and even life-threatening.

• Keep garbage cans securely closed. If your pet gets into it, he may think he’s hit the jackpot, but all he’ll be winning are health problems that include gastric disturbance, vomiting, diarrhea, and the worst-case scenario—death.

• Many plants can be poisonous to pets, including holly, mistletoe, poinsettia, lilies, and Christmas rose.

• Pine needles can create problems if ingested.

Holidays can create special dangers for pets.

Each year during holiday seasons, thousands of pets are seriously injured, or they become ill from dangers associated with holiday events. Holidays, of course, are busy times, with event planning, shopping for gifts and decorations and other items, cooking, baking, and rushing to parties and various social events with friends, relatives and business associates.

Amid the flurry of activities, pet-owners sadly forget about their four-legged family members.

Pets are as curious and anxious as their human owners—but there are hazards lurking amid the fun and excitement.

Thus, here are some simple tips to keep your pets safe during the holidays: Poultry bones can easily splinter, and they can lacerate your pet’s mouth or throat, or they can obstruct your pets’ interior organs.

• Onions and onion powder, widely found in stuffing, can damage your dog’s or cat’s red blood cells, which can lead to anemia.

• Chocolate, plentiful during the holidays, has the potential to be fatal to your dog or cat—so place those sweets well out of reach.

30 Winter 2010 c The Virginia Dog

• The ingestion of other items--inappropriate foods, tinsel, ribbons or garlands--can cause sickness or organ obstruction.

• Unsecured Christmas trees pose hazards to climbing critters, as they can topple or be knocked over.

• Don’t forget to prevent the ingestion of Christmas tree water, since stagnant water or preservatives can be toxic.

Menorahs, candles and liquid potpourri pots can be hazards.

• Fire and burns are not the only threats to pets and the household. Scented items can also be harmful— especially to birds.

• Breakable items such as glass and other ornaments pose a threat. Additionally, electrical cords, heated decorative bulbs, hooks, and other decorative items create temptations. Use topical pet deterrents and barriers for protection.

• Nicotine poses a threat. Keep it out of reach.

• Chewed aluminum foil and e-coili are risks to pets.

• Store food in secure containers, out of reach, to prevent ingestion or poisoning.

Hopefully these pointers can allow you and your pets to have a safe, fun, stress-free and enjoyable holiday season!

Party Animals?

The Virginia Dog c www.thevirginiadog.com 31

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32 Winter 2010 c The Virginia Dog

[Featured Business]

Wylie Wagg

A Shop for Dogs, Cats & their People

by Amber Haldis

Being in the right place at the right time—that’s a chance bit of fate that many of us wish we could experience. For Laura and Larry Clark, they happened to find themselves in the right place at the right time—and they took advantage of their good fortune.

Laura and Larry Clark are the owners of Wylie Wagg, a pet supply chain with four stores in Virginia and an online site for orders and resources. The first Wylie Wagg store opened in Middleburg, Va., in 2003. There was a need for a pet supply store in the area, and at the time, the natural pet food market was just gaining momentum.

With multiple pet food recalls in recent years (information can be obtained at the American Veterinary Medical Association website, www.avma.org), pet owners are putting more focus on what they are feeding their dogs and cats, and Wylie Wagg has been there to fill the demand.

products as well as toys have to meet strict guidelines. Wylie Wagg’s toys are free of chemicals and toxic plastic. After all, if you wouldn’t let a toddler play with a toy, why would you allow a dog to chew on the toy? Wylie Wagg looks for merchandise made in the United States, as international products are not always held to the same standards as those in the U.S. The toys carried by Wylie Wagg are also all natural.

A positive service that Wylie Wagg provides is its Give Program.

Each store has a box in which anyone can donate new or used products. The boxes fill quickly and need to be emptied almost weekly. The donations are subsequently taken to local shelters.

Additionally, every weekend one or more Wylie Wagg stores holds pet adoption events, where rescued animals are paired with families hoping to adopt a new pet.

The store offers a variety of all-natural dry, canned and raw dog and cat foods, something you probably won’t find in the pet department at your local box store. Even if you should decide not to make a purchase—unlikely since their prices rival foods sold in PetSmart—the employees and the store’s site offer up information about what to look for on labels. For example, avoid products with wheat, as it is a common allergen.

In some cases, owning a pet supply store might not prove financially successful. Narrow profit margins in the pet industry make owning a small pet supply business very challenging.

For the Clarks, however, though, they are life-long animal lovers, a life-long love of animals was reason enough to take a chance.

That chance has turned out to be very rewarding on many levels, and the Clarks are grateful to have been able to expand their business to four stores and a commerce website.

The employees are well educated about their products, and they are not shy about sharing information. They’ll gladly spend as much time as necessary to help customers with questions and concerns.

Those stores are located in Middleburg, Fairfax, Tyson’s Corner and Arlington. Addresses and store hours are located on the store’s website, www.WylieWagg.com.

One thing to consider, in addition to giving your loved one a healthy diet, is to select treats and toys that compliment the pet.

At Wylie Wagg, the focus is on a comprehensive approach to better nutrition. For instance, it’s important to feed healthy treats along with a healthy diet. Eating well is pointless if the treats aren’t just as healthy as the entree. Wylie Wagg offers more than seventy kinds of all natural dog and cat treats.

Also available on the website are monthly editorials from the Middleburg Eccentric, written by Albert, a scruffy terrier and Chairman of the Board of Wylie Wagg.

In fact, Wylie Wagg keeps an eye towards natural ingredients and materials far beyond food and treats. Bath and hygiene

The Virginia Dog c Winter 2010 33

[Dogs In the Eyes of the Law]

Family Members or Mere Property?

by Hillary Collyer, Esquire

This question, to me, is a no brainer. My 13-year-old Shih Tzu mix, Lady, is a well-established and beloved member of my family. Not only does Lady accompany me to work at my law firm each day, she is generally welcome and often specifically invited to the homes of a number of my friends and family members. However, the recent shooting of Parrot, a Shar-Pei and Pit Bull Terrier mix, by a D.C. police officer got me thinking about how the law views our furry companions for what remedies are available when your pet is harmed by another’s negligent or even intentional actions.

When a family member is killed as a result of someone else’s negligence, the decedent’s family is entitled to bring a wrongful death lawsuit seeking damages not only for the economic loss resulting from the family member’s death (e.g., the deceased’s lost wages), but also for the sorrow and mental anguish resulting from the loss of the decedent. Does the law permit pet owners to be similarly compensated for the emotional harm and anguish resulting from the loss of a beloved pet?

To my dismay, I found that the law in Virginia is not compassionate to pet lovers. In Virginia, like most jurisdictions, there is no recovery of damages for emotional distress arising from the injury or death of an animal. This issue was considered by the Virginia Supreme Court a few years ago in the case Kondaurov v. Kerdasha (2006). The plaintiff in that case, Eve Kerdasha, was driving her Jeep Grand Cherokee on Route 110 in Arlington County when her car was struck by a bus. Riding in the car with Kerdasha was her dog, Sushi, whom she had acquired about 18 months earlier.

Kerdasha had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis some years before the accident, and she suffered from depression and a generalized anxiety disorder. Kerdasha’s conditions sometimes resulted in stress attacks that caused her to fall and to lose temporary control of her arms and legs. She had

34 Winter 2010 c The Virginia Dog

acquired Sushi to help her maintain emotional stability and moderate her stress attacks. Kerdasha had developed a very strong emotional attachment to Sushi.

As Kerdasha was driving, traffic began to slow, as sirens could be heard coming from emergency vehicles about to travel onto Route 110. Kerdasha slowed her vehicle. However, a bus behind Kerdasha failed to do so and struck the rear of her Jeep, causing it to strike the rear of the car in front of her, which was being driven by her boyfriend. The second impact caused Kerdasha’s vehicle to fall over onto its side and skid into the path of an oncoming ambulance. The ambulance struck Kerdasha’s Jeep with enough force to flip it over onto its roof.

The paramedics in the ambulance ran to assist Kerdasha and found her hanging upside-down by the seat belt. She was conscious, but very upset. Sushi was not in the Jeep when the paramedics approached it after the impact, and had apparently been ejected through the open sunroof or a broken window.

Kerdasha kept asking where Sushi was.

After the accident, Kerdasha’s boyfriend had seen Sushi running south on Route 110 but had been unable to catch her. He noticed that Sushi’s tail appeared to have been cut.

Kerdasha was admitted to the hospital, and she continued to be distraught about Sushi’s disappearance. She instructed her boyfriend to “just go find Sushi.” Sushi was eventually found at a veterinary hospital. Sushi’s tail had been injured and had to be partially amputated.

While Kerdasha sustained relatively few apparent physical injuries (bruises, contusions, and cervical stiffness and soreness), her symptoms of multiple sclerosis worsened considerably in the months after the accident. Her neurologist attributed those symptoms to the emotional trauma she sustained as a result of the accident.

[Dogs In the Eyes of the Law]

Kerdasha brought a personal injury law suit against Kondaurov and the Embassy. The defendants conceded liability and the case was tried by a jury solely on the issue of damages.

The jury returned a verdict for Kerdasha and awarded her $300,000. The defendants appealed, arguing that the trial court improperly permitted the jury to award damages to compensate Kerdasha for her emotional distress arising from her concern for Sushi while she was missing, as well as anguish over Sushi’s injuries and condition after the accident.

On appeal, the Virginia Supreme Court noted that “[i]t is beyond debate that animals, particularly dogs and cats, when kept as pets and companions, occupy a position in human affections far removed from livestock. Especially in the case of owners who are disabled, aged or lonely, an emotional bond may exist with a pet resembling that between parent and child, and the loss of such an animal may give rise to grief approaching that attending the loss of a family member.”

Nevertheless, the court determined that the law in Virginia, as in most states that have considered the question, regards animals, however beloved, as personal property.

The General Assembly expressly declared. “All dogs and cats shall be deemed personal property.” That particular code

section also provides the remedy for the injury of such an animal by permitting the owner “to recover the value thereof or the damage done thereto in an appropriate action at law.”

The court further found that Virginia law does not provide for an award of damages for emotional distress resulting from negligently inflicted injury to personal property, and when the General Assembly had the opportunity to provide for such an award when considering that code, it declined to do so.

The court concluded that allowing such an award would amount to a dramatic change in the law of damages, which it considered a subject properly left to the legislature to decide. Thus, the Virginia Supreme Court reversed the trial court’s decision.

Although the rule remains in Virginia, and most jurisdictions. that dogs are personal property under the law and their owners are not entitled to emotional distress damages for a pet’s death or injury, courts in a handful of jurisdictions, including Alaska, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, and Kentucky, have acknowledged an animal owner’s right to emotional distress damages. The law in these jurisdictions may lead the way for legislative changes in Virginia and other states to recognize that pets are more than the mere personal property of their owners, but are true family members and should be treated by the law as such.

The Virginia Dog c www.thevirginiadog.com 35

Nutrition Naturally Treating Epilepsy and Seizure Disorders

by Darleen E. Rudnick, Pet Nutritionist

Epilepsy is a growing concern with pet owners and is becoming a common problem in veterinary medicine.

Epilepsy, sometimes called a seizure disorder, is a sudden, involuntary change in behavior, muscle control, consciousness, and/or sensation.

Common Symptoms Your Pet May Suffer During a Seizure • Stiffness • Loss of consciousness • Urinating • Salivating • Sudden, violent shaking • Muscle twitching or slight shaking of a limb • Staring, altered vision Types of Treatments Types of traditional treatments such as Phenobarbital, Primidone, Diazepam and Potassium Bromide are typically prescribed by veterinarians for seizure disorders. Although medications can be very effective, some may cause side effects that can eventually lead to other symptoms. Many pet owners are now looking into other methods of treating seizure disorders. A more natural approach is outlined below.

Rule Out Other Health Problems Rule out health problems such as thyroid, diabetes, cancer, liver or kidney disease.

Feed a Homemade Diet or High Quality Commercial Food Research has shown that a low quality diet — meaning a diet loaded with chemicals, fillers, stabilizers, coloring agents, sodium nitrate and by-products — can lead to allergies, nervousness, hypertension, diabetes, weight problems, dry skin problems, and many other common ailments. Therefore, the best you can do is to feed your pet a diet using “real” foods that you prepare. If you would like some recipes and snack suggestions, please email me at darleen@purelypets.com.

Along with a high quality diet, feed small meals throughout the day.

7:00 AM Breakfast — high quality dry food or home cooked meal 11:00 AM Snack

3:00 PM Snack

7:00 PM D inner — high quality dry food or home cooked meal

nack — this should be a high protein, high 11:00 PM S carbohydrate snack.

The goal is not to put weight on your pet, but to balance out the body, stabilize the blood sugar level and ultimately control the seizures.

36 Winter 2010 c The Virginia Dog

Nutrition Factors That May Trigger a Seizure Rule Out Hypoglycemia Hypoglycemia is a condition that is becoming more common in pets. It is recommended that pets suffering from seizures follow the diet and feeding suggestions to rule out hypoglycemia.

Eliminate Toxins in the House, Yard and on your Pet Many household cleaners contain formaldehyde and many other harmful chemicals, which can lead to health problems.

Exercise!

A well-conditioned body will work and perform better and increase the ability to carry blood and oxygen to muscles.

Do NOT over-exercise older pets, or pets suffering from hypoglycemia, epilepsy, heart problems, or other ailments.

Supplement Purely Pets does not recommend discontinuing traditional medications cold turkey, or discontinuing them at all. This is YOUR decision, based on how the following program works.

We highly recommend you work closely with your veterinarian.

Super C 2000 www.purelypets.com Vitamin C is known as the king of vitamins and absolutely essential to the living process. Dogs do produce Vitamin C, but stress, relocation to a new home, neutering, immunizations, sickness, skin problems, de-worming, heartworm pills, weather changes, seizures and other ailments quickly deplete the little amount they produce Mega Pet or YEAST FREE Nupro www.purelypets.com Vitamins and minerals are necessary to build the immune system and strengthen your pet. Supplements make a tremendous difference in improving the quality of a pet’s life.

EpiPlus www.purelypets.com This supplement is an alternative to the traditional medicines being used to control seizures. It has long been known that a deficiency in the B-complex vitamins can cause seizures in any species. EpiPlus contains high dosages of B complex vitamins and herbs. It is an all-natural product and should be given on a daily basis.

Keep a Positive Attitude Positive thinking reaps positive results!! Talk positive to your pet, and be a positive person in your own life.

What to do When a Seizure Occurs If there is forewarning, administer honey. Give about 1 tablespoon to a large pet and 1 teaspoon to a smaller pet. In many cases, this will lessen the severity of the seizure. Turn off all lights, TV and music, get to a quiet, dark room and hold your pet in a comforting reassuring way. Say only positive things and remain calm.

Conclusion An epileptic seizure is something no one likes to watch and even more disturbing for the pet. Therefore, it is up to you to find the answers and learn what is causing the seizures and how to prevent them.

The above program does not apply to every pet and therefore it is important to have your pet thoroughly examined by a veterinarian. If you decide to seek natural methods, please feel free to contact Purely Pets.

Below is a list of factors that most commonly trigger seizures. This does not mean your pet will have a seizure each time it comes in contact with one, so this list does not apply to every pet.

• • • • •

• • • • • • • •

• •

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Hair spray Wool Heartworm pills Cigarette smoke.

Environmental pollution from chemical plants.

BHA BHT Sodium nitrate Carpet powders.

Air fresheners.

Fabric softeners Dryer sheets Salt, ferrous sulfate, copper sulfate, calcium iodate, monosodium glutamate Sugar Low quality commercial dog biscuits and treats.

Low quality dry food.

Low quality canned food.

Plastic bowls Cheap ceramic bowls Fumes from all bathroom cleaners.

Fumes from bleach.

Fumes from dusting products.

Many household cleaners All toxic flea products Toxic shampoos.

Toxic flea collars.

Crabgrass.

Mold.

Eating cat or dog feces.

Stress.

ALL vaccinations.

Head trauma.

Worm infestation.

Lead Paint fumes.

Paint chips from lead based paint.

Excessive exercise.

Overheating.

Abuse or neglect.

Rawhides Cheap painted pet toys Loud noises Scented candles.

Vitamins with high sodium level.

Inconsistent routine.

Blinking lights Pine cleaners.

Red food dye.

Ethoxyquin.

Fungi, bacteria and germs.

Foam mattress Sodium laureth sulfate.

Hereditary factors.

The Virginia Dog c www.thevirginiadog.com 37

Training Dog - Man’s Best Friend (and Woman’s Too)

by Tom Lacy, Dog Obedience Instructor

Certainly you’ve heard this saying. But do you know it is a half-truth? Fact: Dogs are pack animals, and unless you do something to establish pack leadership over the dog, they will establish pack leadership over you. Not may or could— they will.

Television’s “dog whisperer” says, “You can’t love a dog into obedient behavior.” The opposite is true; you can’t manhandle a dog and earn respect as a pack leader. However, dogs willingly submit to handlers who earn their trust. Accomplishing this draws from the puppies’ instinct and mother’s training.

In the litter, mothers teach puppies submission to pack leadership. Puppy training must build upon the foundation she laid. Puppies stop nursing at five weeks. Pack leadership training starts after nursing stops. Mother’s training continues until the puppy can legally leave the mother and litter at seven weeks.

Making the family pet a good canine citizen is our goal. And the 30-minute down is the key exercise to accomplish this. Proper training requires proper-fitting training equipment.

We recommend a flat nylon buckle-collar with a quick-snap release. It must be tight enough so the puppy can’t slip out of it when backing up. We recommend a six-inch cotton web, nylon or leather leash. If the dog is pulling while walking, use the Premier Gentle Leader Head Halter. The dog won’t like it, but with proper handling, it becomes an effective tool. We train and adapt 3-year-old children and older. With the Gentle Leader, they handle dogs out-weighing them. Use Premier’s TopNotch Walking/Training/Seat Belt Harness for breeds with short noses, such as Bostons, Boxers, and Pugs.

38 Winter 2010 c The Virginia Dog

Positioning is important in obedience training. For uniformity, dogs work on your left facing the same direction you are facing, unless hindered from doing so. When sitting, the dog’s front feet are even with your left heel placing the dog’s head close to your left knee. Heeling the dog in this position prevents them from crowding or tripping you.

A daily 30-minute down is practiced, during the first three to four weeks of training, by everyone in the family 3 years and older who is able to handle the dog. Young children will need adult (hands-on) help until the dog submits to them.

Small children kneel in front of a kneeling adult, with their back to the adult, after adults have the dog laying on their left facing in the same direction with them. The child places their hands on the dog and gives appropriate voice command (down or stay) as the adult actually positions the dog. Down, a position command, is said only once even if positioning involves more than one attempt. Stay, a reinforcing command, can be repeated if the puppy is down but struggling to get up.

There is no short cut to establishing pack leadership. If this exercise is neglected, only limited pack leadership from the puppy can be expected.

Dog training is not always fun.

Dog training is not always easy.

Dog training is always worth it.

Muscle and joint conditions Spine and hip conditions Arthritis and chronic pain Speeding recovery from injury and surgery Digestive and urinary issues Allergy, breathing and skin issues Behavioral issues, aggressiveness and shyness

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www.anewbreedofkids.com The Virginia Dog c www.thevirginiadog.com 39

Training I Want a Puppy

by Pat Lacy, Obedience Instructor

Here it is, that time of year again! Everyone is making their Christmas list and checking it twice. And it’s really no surprise to find what’s on little Johnny or Susie’s list – yep, a puppy.

Well now, that’s a big decision. Is this the right time for the family to get a pet? What’s the work schedule? Is this a busy household? Is there really enough time to care for a baby puppy?

They need regular mealtimes—for the first eight to 16 weeks, three times a day, and after that, twice per day. Can someone be home in the middle of the day?

They need housebreaking. This means taking them out after they wake up, eat, drink, play, or get excited—lots of times per day, regardless of the weather, and sometimes in the middle of the night, too! Puppies are not expected to be reliably housebroken until they are about seven to eight months old. This also means constant supervision!

Puppies will put everything in their mouths, just like babies.

So you have to watch them every minute they are out of their crates. (A crate is a substitute den—like a playpen for a baby.

A safe place, when you can’t watch them and help with the housebreaking and teething stages in a puppy’s life).

Now, if you think your family schedule can handle a new puppy, there are a few more things to think about. Are Johnny and Susie old enough to get a puppy? If they are less than five years old, they will not remember the cute puppy times.

What do you remember at 3 or even 4 years old? Not much, probably! By the time they can remember, the puppy will be an adult dog, out of the cute, wiggly, puppy stage.

So if you want a dog and you have preschool children, then choose a breed that is going to be good with children. However, if you want to get your child a dog, wait until they are about 5 years old, so they can remember the fun times of having a baby puppy. And, remember, at five, they can help with the puppy’s care. However, even a child of 10 or 12 should not be given the total responsibility

40 Winter 2010 c The Virginia Dog

for the puppy’s care. And remember, if you’re getting a puppy for a teenager, they will be away from home with school activities, dating, going to college, and moving into dorm rooms that don’t allow pets. This is an adult’s responsibility, and before getting a puppy, an adult should have a commitment to the dog’s full lifespan of about 11 to 15 years.

Now, if you’ve committed to the time, expense and care of a new puppy, do your research and find the breed best for your family. Some breeds are not suitable for children or the elderly.

Plan the right time to bring a new puppy into your family so it will get off to the best start possible. Don’t get a puppy and leave on vacation within a few weeks and have to put it in a kennel or find a pet sitter. The puppy needs time in his new home to become secure before having to experience being separated from his new family. It would be good if you can take vacation time to stay with the puppy the first few days to help establish a good routine and time for bonding.

Christmas is not a good time to get a puppy. If you’re thinking of a Christmas puppy, remember that Christmas is usually a busy, hectic, and noisy time in most families. This can be very scary for a puppy just leaving the security of his mother and litter. Puppies should not be given on Christmas day.

Remember, they are alive and they have needs for safety, and a calm and secure introduction into their new home.

Children usually open one gift and move quickly on to the next, leaving wrapping paper and ribbons scattered about the floor.

Puppies are not toys! This is not a time when proper adult supervision can be given—and housebreaking gets off to a bad start. Puppies can become sick from overhandling and being overfed. They are often traumatized by the “normal chaos” in most households on Christmas day.

Plan to give a series of boxes, with a book about the breed and supplies for the puppy, to be opened on Christmas morning. Attach a note explaining that a new puppy will be picked up a few days after the holidays. This planning will result in great dividends, in having a well-adjusted and properly cared-for pet to love and enjoy for many years to come.

Blue Ridge Greyhound

Tall, sleek, and sweet as lambs, Greyhounds are man’s best friend kicked up a notch. Bred mainly for speed, these dogs are surprisingly docile and come in all colors of the doggy rainbow. Despite their history as fine hunters, their speed and competitiveness, retired racers are commonly called “45mph couch potatoes”. They are a very special breed supported by a nation-wide network of dedicated and hard working volunteers.

Blue Ridge Greyhound Adoption (BRGA) was founded in Leesburg as a 501(c)3 public charity, in June of 2004. Starting with a core group of ten people, it has grown to over two hundred members. It placed its first dog in November 2004 and currently finds homes for about sixty dogs each year. The annual member’s meeting is held of March and the annual picnic is held in September.

While still striving to find homes for as many dogs as possible, BRGA also participates in local pet therapy programs and children’s reading programs. BRGA participates in the Mid-Atlantic transportation network, hauling dogs from racing kennels to adoption agencies before being placed in homes. BRGA sets aside a yearly allocation to pay for emergency surgery at the tracks for up to four dogs with broken limbs, regardless of which adoption agency finally places them. BRGA does everything possible to get all the dogs into homes.

People interested in adopting through BRGA generally make their first contact at a “meet and greet” to see and pet the dogs.

Check the BRGA event calendar at www.brga.org/events/ to see when the next local event is scheduled. The next step is to fill out the online application which can also be found on the BRGA website. The applicant can expect a phone call within two days to schedule a home visit. BRGA volunteers who make the home visit will bring a dog or two of their own to educate about caring for a greyhound and how it would fit into your life. If approved for adoption, BRGA’s Adoption Coordinator will select a dog based on the requirements of the family (cat-friendly, good with children, active or very quiet), taking into consideration your preferences if possible. The process generally takes from two to five weeks.

The process doesn’t stop once a dog is placed in a home. Every new adoptive family is assigned a greyhound-experienced “buddy”.

The buddy keeps in contact with the family for the first few months to help them with any issues getting the dog settled into his new home. But the best of all, BRGA members share an active social life with each other and their dogs. Throughout the year there are pet fairs to attend, meet and greets, Fourth of July and Christmas parades where we show off our dogs, the annual picnic, the Virginia Grapehounds Wine Tour, the Long Branch Balloon Festival, and several wineries on the Loudoun County Spring and Fall Farm tours that invite us to showcase our greyhounds at their vineyards and tasting rooms.

Blue Ridge Greyhound Adoption 20781 Evergreen Mills Road Leesburg, VA 20175 800-610-2026

The Virginia Dog c www.thevirginiadog.com 41

Health Gentle Transitions

by Krisi Erwin, DVM

“ I’m sorry Mrs. Smith, we found a tumor in ‘Bandit’s’ abdomen and there is nothing we can do to treat it.” “ I’m sorry Mr. Ruiz, ‘Callie’s’ heart disease is too far advanced and there is little we can do to correct the problem.” “‘ Kobe’s’ arthritis is very advanced and there are no surgical options to help improve his quality of life. We will just have to try and keep him comfortable.”

How many pet parents have heard words like these regarding their beloved pet’s health? These words are devastating and can rob a pet parent of the ability to meet their pet’s needs during his or her final weeks or months of life. Thankfully, there is a new movement in veterinary medicine that can empower pet parents to meet these needs and to improve their pet’s comfort and contentment during his or her end-of-life experience.

42 Winter 2010 c The Virginia Dog

Hospice and palliative care are relatively new concepts in the world of veterinary medicine. While both practices tend to go together, they are different. They can be defined as follows:

Hospice: Hospice care for animals is closely modeled after human hospice and entails all aspects of supportive care, such as pain management, nutritional support, and emotional support for a terminally ill patient and his or her family. In general, hospice patients are expected to live weeks to months, and all treatments are aimed at improving quality of life and easing the transition to end of life versus trying to cure the patient.

Palliative Care: Palliative care aims to alleviate pain and discomfort to improve the quality of life for all patients with any end-stage

Health illness. While these patients suffer from illnesses such as severe arthritis, they may not be terminally ill. These patients may live for months to years with their conditions and require an integrative approach to their care to help provide the best possible quality-of-life for as long as possible.

While these terminologies are new to veterinary medicine, many veterinarians and pet owners have been implementing hospice and palliative care techniques for a long time. Even something as simple as massaging your arthritic dog or administering subcutaneous fluids under the skin of your cat with chronic kidney failure are ways of offering hospice and palliative care.

In some cases, pets can be treated through hospice until they are able to pass naturally on their own. Unfortunately, this is not always the case and it is important to remember that pursuing hospice and palliative care for your pet does not preclude the necessity or availability of euthanasia if your pet is suffering.

Regardless of what end of life options are chosen for your pet, hospice and palliative care can make your beloved companion’s death a kinder, more intimate experience and the time shared together will further help to develop your unique bond with each other. It also gives families time to adjust to their pet’s progressive disease and allows both you and your pet to say good-bye to each other in your own way.

The decision to pursue hospice or palliative care for your pet is deeply personal and not one to make lightly. You should discuss your pet’s condition with your veterinarian to help determine if he or she is a candidate for hospice and palliative care. There are several organizations you can consult with as well. The International Association for Animal Hospice and Palliative Care (www.iaahpc.org) and the Nikki Hospice Foundation for Pets (www.pethospice.org) can help guide you and your veterinarian regarding your pet’s care. These organizations can also help you find a hospice veterinarian in your area.

As you begin to investigate this as a viable option for your pet and your family, there are some very important things to consider: Do I understand and accept that hospice and palliative care may help to improve my pet’s quality of life, but will not cure my pet’s condition?

Pets undergoing hospice and palliative care require more care and time than the average pet. Do I have the necessary time to care for my pet?

Do I have enough resources to cover the costs of care for my pet, such as pet sitters, medication, and complementary therapies such as massage and acupuncture?

Can my veterinarian help provide the care my pet requires?

Does my veterinarian do house calls?

How do I want my pet’s final moments to be? Do I want euthanasia or natural passing for my pet? What arrangements can be made to help make my pet’s transition less stressful and more comfortable?

If you decide that you would like to pursue hospice or palliative care for your pet, talk to your veterinarian right away. A basic hospice plan should include home visits to assess quality of life and comfort; clearly-written instructions for the primary care

taker; effective pain management; nutritional support; proper hygiene; and assistance with mobility. Hospice care can be taxing on the family, and proper care needs to be taken to alleviate stress and worry for the humans and the pets.

Remember, endings and transitions are always difficult.

However, hospice and palliative care can be viable options for many families and pets, and can help to make the final transition a peaceful, gentle, and invaluable experience that strengthens your bond with your pet more than you can imagine.

Important Tips for You as You Embark on Your Journey

1.Every day is a gift!

You and your pet share an incredible bond and the time shared with each other is priceless. Live in the moment and cherish the time spent with your pet- sit next to them, lay down with them, pet them, read to them, be with them in mind and body.

2.Stay cool!

Your pet is very in tune to your emotions, and may become stressed if you are upset. Try to maintain as normal a routine as possible and enjoy your time together. It is okay to cry and be sad, but try to focus on what is in front of you now. Try not to dwell on your pet’s impending death, but instead fully experience this stage of your pet’s life.

3.Let your pet lead the way.

Remember, this journey is all about what your pet needs as they prepare for their final transition, and their needs may change from day to day. Your pet will cherish the extra tender-loving-care that you are giving to him or her. However, they may not always feel hungry or want to be social with you. Respect their desires. These behaviors are not meant to be hurtful, your pet may just need this time to prepare for what lies ahead.

4.You know your pet best.

Trust yourself to recognize what he or she needs. Be present with your pet so that you can meet these needs, whether it is pain relief, hydration, comfort, or company. Be willing to make small adjustments to your environment or schedule to help maintain the highest amount of comfort for your pet. Your pet will greatly appreciate your ability to adapt.

5.Know when to let go.

Some pets will not pass on their own because they are holding on for their beloved human companion. Let your pet know it is okay to transition, and give them permission to leave. Remember that euthanasia is a final gift of love, compassion, and bravery. While it is one of the most difficult gifts to give, find comfort knowing that a quality death is just as important as quality of life. Many pet parents agonize over whether or not they will know when it is time.

By careful observation and trusting the bond you share with your pet, you will most undoubtedly know when it is time to intervene.

6.Celebrate the bond!

Our life is so much better having shared it with your animal companion. Take comfort in your memories and share them with your friends and family. The bond you shared will live on in your heart forever and your special friend will never be truly gone. Find ways to commemorate your relationship and give thanks for the gifts your pet gave to you. The best tribute you can give to your pet angel is to share the love you experienced with others.

The Virginia Dog c www.thevirginiadog.com 43

Photo by Joanne Maisano

[ Reflections on

M

ost of my earliest memories involve the family dogs.

Looking back through all our family photo albums, every other picture has at least one dog in it. There was Brucie the English Spaniel, Shamrock the Irish Setter, Buffy and Bozo the blond cocker spaniels, Mr. Chips, a little black spaniel, Meghan, my dad’s Irish Wolf Hound, Jolly the English Sheep Dog and a whole host of others through the years.

We never had less than three at a time, and most were rescues.

There were also rabbits, turtles, horses and ponies. My mom, then a young Englishwoman, met my Dad while she was studying at Saint Andrews University in Scotland. He was an American at medical school at Edinburgh. She sailed to America to be married just before World War II broke out in Europe. She made the journey on one of the last ships to leave Britain before sea travel became impossible because of German submarines.

She had wonderful dog stories that I remember from a very early age. The one that stayed with me always was about how she found Brucie, the first dog I can remember as being part of my family. The pieces of the story that I remember were that my Dad was stationed at the Veteran’s Hospital in Bath, New York. One day while walking in town, my Mom saw a mean looking farmer with a very scared brown colored Spaniel in tow. The dog was obviously terrified of the man who treated him very badly. One day my mother saw him kick the dog and the dog ran off. My Mom confronted the man and told him she was going to go to the police. The dog was long gone but the police gave him a warning that he would be arrested if he were reported again. He told them that for all he cared they could take the “mutt.” As you might guess, my mom and Dad found and adopted Brucie, and later brought him to Washington D.C. where my sister and I were born a few years later.

Brucie was our constant companion and guardian.

As the years went on and we became young teenagers my mom wanted us to move to the country so we could have more room for our animals. We had several dogs and couple of ponies by then. Much to my Dad’s dismay (being a consummate city boy) she convinced him that Potomac was a much better place to raise two girls and off to the country we went. Early on,

44 Winter 2010 c The Virginia Dog

by Janet Hitchen

my mom became involved with other people that loved animals, and soon a group was formed called Friends of Montgomery County Animals.

It was then that we met the Bogley family, later to become the founders of the Middleburg Humane Foundation. Mom became the “go to” person for any injured or lost animal. She actually was a rehabber without a title. She learned to mend broken wings on birds and nurse all sorts of little critters back to health. This all happened in the 1950s and 60s. Many years later, after my mom died. I found folders full of neatly printed lists of the hundreds of dogs that she had placed in homes. She had kept track of them all and kept up with the families. My dad kept her somewhat in check. But she used to go regularly to the “dog pound” to bring home dogs, wash them, groom them and find homes for them.

At my mother’s funeral there were so many people that she had either found dogs for or that were involved one way or the other in her humane activities, that it was literally standing-room-only.

Everyone had a wonderful story about her and her kindness to animals as well as people.

This is all to say that I come by my rescue activities quite naturally. I guess I have never known anything else but to look out for the welfare of as many animals as I possibly can. I actually do think about my mom, smiling down at me from heaven where she surely keeps company with a host of critters that have passed on. When I think about taking on a new animal I always think, “What would my mom want me to do?”

Sometimes the answer is that I’m not the only person that can help, but if an animal is in need, the answer is always that I have to do something! Fortunately, I have a lot of friends that are in the Humane World in one-way or another. Middleburg Humane has been a great resource for me in terms of help and advice. In return, I have taken several wonderful dogs and horses from them.

Recently, there was the most magnificent German Shepherd named King. He was a huge dog, a gentle giant. He had degenerative mylopathy, which essentially meant that he was gradually losing the feeling in his hind end and the use of his hind legs. I had two wonderful years with him. Middleburg

a Life with Animals & Cameras] Humane generously paid for him to have acupuncture on a very regular basis for those two years and it really helped him. Sadly, however, in the end, nothing could stop the progression of the disease, and although many wonderful people offered to help get King fitted for a cart, I finally decided that he was ready to let go. It simply became too difficult for him. A smaller dog might have been able to handle things differently, but King weighed about 110 pounds. Dr. Janet McKim from Middleburg Animal Hospital and I sat with King in the shade of an old tree, and he went peacefully to sleep. It was one of the hardest things I ever had to do because his spirit was so strong. But it was very peaceful and I knew I had done the right thing.

There have been countless others.

I took in two wonderful older Draft Horses. One was named Gretchen, and Hileary Bogley had taken her from a horribly abusive situation. Gretchen was skin and bones. She came to live with me when I first moved from Maryland to Middleburg.

Hileary had been called by someone who had seen her tied to a fence in the woods near Marshall, Va. She had a wire around her neck that was so tight you couldn’t get your hand under it.

No food and no water. She was almost dead. Hileary couldn’t take the time to go through normal legal channels, so she gave the creep that had done this to her some money and took her.

Not long afterwards, she came to live at my farm and began to thrive. She had almost no teeth, so we made her equine senior “soup” three times a day.

I loved to sit with her while she slurped it. She would drink all the warm water first and then look at me to let me know that she wanted me to add another bucket of water to the mush. She’d usually get it all over herself and me but it was so satisfying to see how well she did. When we finally had to put her down about five years later, she was in her 30’s and looked like a million dollars. Unfortunately, her old joints just couldn’t support her weight anymore. She had terrible problems getting up and down and I was so afraid she would go down in the field when I wasn’t around and be unable to get back up.

Shortly after Gretchen arrived at my barn, I got another call from Hileary Bogley. This time she said she was at the Marshall Livestock sale and there was the most beautiful Belgium Gelding, about 19 hands and actually in good condition, but about to go to the “Killers.” Would I come and help her? (Which was code for come and get him.) Of course I did. We bought him, and brought him home.

Titan whose ears are longer than your arm), and my retired Hanoverian mare named Marlena. We also have a great group of farm animals, mostly rescued and supported by a very good friend of mine, Betsee Parker, who has a huge heart. Her group includes a Jersey cow, two pigs, two miniature horses, goats, a wonderful three-legged sheep (also a Middleburg Humane rescue) and a couple of very sweet burros.

One of my favorite moments of each day is when I do my night barn check. Especially in the winter, all the critters are lying in a big circle in their shed, peacefully munching hay and loving life.

Then there are my best friends, my dogs! Six at the moment!

I keep saying that I’m cutting back. Three or four would be a great number, but every time I get close to that, another one comes along that needs a home. Usually I sigh and mentally say that there is always room for one more. Oh, I forgot to mention the kitties. There are several of them. There is a huge feral cat problem where I live. One by one, they seem to make it to my barn—we feed them, trap them, neuter them, and of course end up keeping them.

If you’ve ever tried to find homes for cats, you know how hard it is. I’m hoping to get some help with a spay and neuter program out here to try to cut down on the cat population. I saw a slogan somewhere the other day that said something like “adopt a pet and save a life/Spay a pet and save a thousand.” Couldn’t have been better said.

I also forgot to say that I’m a photographer and am lucky enough to have a great little business in Millwood, VA. I say great because it quite often involves photographing families with their animals. I truly feel that you capture the best of people with their pets. The other great thing about what I do is that it allows me most of the time to work from my office and studio right on my farm, or at least not too far away, so my critters are not often alone. Either Dave Thomas, or myself who single-handedly takes care of the animals in the barn, there is always someone here.

My office is a little “undoing” to anyone who is not an animal lover, because they have to find their way around a lot of doggies and doggie beds. I keep apologizing, but luckily most of my clients don’t seem to mind! If they think my office is crowded, I shutter to think what they would think if they saw my bedroom. I have to race my Standard Poodle Justin for my place on the bed each night! Then all five of the others crowd in around us. It must look like a cartoon, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on your point of view, just as I was pulling out of the parking lot, I saw two patheticlooking white burros being herded into a pen. I found Hileary and asked her to see what their story was. She found out that a local breeder didn’t need them anymore because they were too old to have foals so she just threw them out! They, too, were slated for slaughter, so Hil took them back to the Middleburg Humane Foundation and I picked them up a week later. We named the big draft horse Hannibal. He became one of the loves of my life. The term “gentle giant” was truly created for him. He died a few years ago at a ripe old age, and I miss him every time I go to the barn.

There is a whole new mix of animals out there now. Besides the three horses (a new Draft horse named Rex who is just as sweet as Hannibal and his new best friend, a Draft Mule named

Photo by Janet Hitchen

The Virginia Dog c www.thevirginiadog.com 45

[2010 Holiday Gift Guide] Zoe Jewelry and gifts Zoe Jewelry and Gifts has perfect gifts for everyone who loves animals and nature.

We have thousands of great gift ideas including jewelry, mugs, key rings, picture holders, ornaments, keepsake boxes, wall art, bird houses, totes, t-shirts, journals, picnic baskets and much more. Each exquisite item is hand chosen to reflect the magnificence of our planet and to celebrate life. Our gift concierge will help you choose the perfect gift. We donate to animal and environmental organizations. www.zoejewelry.com (800) 378-5510 info@zoejewelry.com

Portraits by simon bland Artist Simon Bland paints portraits of dogs, horses and their owners in oil. His works are heirlooms that will be passed down through families for generations to come and are proudly displayed in homes across the country. His prices start at $750.

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www.ihelppets.com ihelppets.com - Great toys and treats for pets and the people who love them. 100% of the profits goes to help homeless pets and to shut down puppy mills. Proudly serving dog and cat lovers for 16 years!

Doodie Pack When necessity calls, Doodie Pack is the canine utility back pack solution for dogs 8 to 180 pounds. Doodie Pack’s easy to use multi-pocketed design is roomy enough to carry water, waste bags, and more- supporting the philosophy that dogs need a job! Each of 3 sizes, in 8 vibrant colors, features reflective tape and adjustable straps to keep load stable. With safety in mind and dignity back in your dog walk, you’ll go further. www.doodiepack.com

46 Winter 2010 c The Virginia Dog

[2010 Holiday Gift Guide] ScoutDog Studios Custom Paintings and Illustrations Artist Jen Griggs Sebastian of ScoutDog Studios creates whimsical custom paintings and illustrations of your pets. Working from photos to capture the unique characteristics of your pet in an illustration, paintings are available in various canvas sizes. With the custom illustration you will receive a 8X10 Print and a digital hi resolution file.

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TopNotch Harness For Dogs: NEW TopNotch Harness with Car Control Strap Walking, Obedience Training & Car Safety Control Gentle Control for dogs that pull Recommended by Vets and Trainers for Toy Breeds to protect delicate tracheas like Chihuahuas, Yorkies, Maltese Comfortably fits Short Nose Breeds like Pugs, Bostons, English Bulldogs Also great for medium & large breeds. Fits all sizes.

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The Virginia Dog c www.thevirginiadog.com 47

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