Pets Save Lives

You've all heard those miraculous stories of pets saving their owners and even whole families. Some may be skeptical, but I have experienced a real-life pet miracle of my own. A chain of events that some may call coincidences, but I think otherwise. Pets seem to have a sixth sense that we just don't have... Here are some wonderful stories about these miraculous animals:)


The Miracle We Named Diesle

I live in a house with my grandparent, parents and brother so sometimes I just want something that could only be mine (I was 8 at the time). My dad brought me a kitten off the street and as he said we had to "put it out of its misery." We had tried to help it for a year but she just got worse and worse it was the only fair thing to do. At the vet's office I cried and cried.

My mom was worried that i wouldn't be able to deal with the pain so right after the cat was put down, my mom brought me to the humane society. She told me I could pick any cat I wanted.

I looked in the cages and saw a kitten just lying there so I asked if I could hold her. It was love at first sight. I decided I wanted her and her name was going to be Tiger. She was just adorable, the only problem was that me and my brother fought for everything.

Worried that we might harm her, my mom went back to the humane society and adopted another kitten. This one was supposed to be for my brother. As my mom recently told me, the people told her not to get him - he was horrible with people and very grumpy. My mom picked him up anyways, and he started purring. The lady was surprised and shocked. I guess it was just destiny!

My dad named him DIESLE because he purred really loud and sounded like a diesle engine.

We'd only had him for a little while when one morning he started licking my dad's face and purring in his ear. He woke up and heard a crackling sound outside, what he thought was just rain turned out to be a roaring fire. That soon led to fear and panic. Without this miracle we still call Diesle, we might not have woken up in time to get out of the house! And even though I'm only 11, I think destiny has strange ways of talking to us, and we should never underestimate our best friends.
Kindly Contributed By: Daniela



Dog makes cell phone call to save owner's life
Associated Press

ORLANDO, Fla. — A 17-pound beagle named Belle is more than man’s best friend. She’s a lifesaver.
Belle was in Washington, D.C., on Monday to receive an award for biting onto owner Kevin Weaver’s cell phone to call 911 after the diabetic man had a seizure and collapsed.
“There is no doubt in my mind that I’d be dead if I didn’t have Belle,” said Weaver, 34, whose blood sugar had dropped dangerously low. Belle had been trained to summon help in just those circumstances. She had been taught to bite down on the number 9 on his cell phone contacting 911.
Belle was the first canine recipient to win the VITA Wireless Samaritan Award, given to someone who used a cell phone to save a life, prevent a crime or help in an emergency.
Using their keen sense of smell, animals like Belle can detect abnormalities in a person’s blood-sugar levels. The dog periodically licks Weaver’s nose to take her own reading of his blood-sugar level. If something seems off to her, she will paw and whine at him.
“Every time she paws at me like that I grab my meter and test myself,” Weaver said. “She’s never been wrong.”

http://www.pawsperouspets.com/stories/diesle.shtml
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13439261/ns/health-pet_health/

Pet-safe Gardening

Spring is here and soon we will be out gardening. Here are some tips to keep our pets safe:)

ASCPA's Guide to Pet-safe Gardening:

Poisonous Plants:
When designing and planting your green space, it's a good idea to keep in mind that many popular outdoor plants—including sago palm, rhododendron and azalea—are toxic to cats and dogs. Sago palm and other members of the Cycad family as well as mushrooms can cause liver failure, while rhododendron, azalea, lily of the valley, oleander, rosebay, foxglove and kalanchoe all affect the heart. Please visit our full list—and pics!—of toxic and non-toxic plants for your garden.

Fertilizer:
Just like you, plants need food. But pet parents, take care—the fertilizer that keeps our plants healthy and green can wreak havoc on the digestive tracts of our furry friends. Ingesting large amounts of fertilizer can give your pet a good case of stomach upset and may result in life-threatening gastrointestinal obstruction. Be sure to follow instructions carefully and observe the appropriate waiting period before letting your pet run wild outside.

Cocoa Mulch:
Many gardeners use cocoa bean shells—a by-product of chocolate production—in landscaping. Popular for its attractive odor and color, cocoa mulch also attracts dogs with its sweet smell, and like chocolate, it can pose problems for our canine companions. Depending on the amount involved, ingestion of cocoa mulch can cause a range of clinical signs, from vomiting, diarrhea and muscle tremors to elevated heart rate, hyperactivity and even seizures. Consider using a less-toxic alternative, such as shredded pine, cedar or hemlock bark, but always supervise curious canines in yards where mulch is spread.

Insecticides:
Like fertilizer, herbicides, insecticide baits, sprays and granules are often necessary to keep our gardens healthy, but their ingredients aren't meant for four-legged consumption. The most dangerous forms of pesticides include snail bait with metaldehyde, fly bait with methomyl, systemic insecticides with the ingredients disyston or disulfoton, mole or gopher bait with zinc phosphide and most forms of rat poisons. Always store pesticides in inaccessible areas—and read the manufacturer's label carefully for proper usage and storage.

Compost:
You're doing the right thing for your garden and Mother Earth—you're composting! Food and garden waste make excellent additions to garden soil, but depending on what you're tossing in the compost bin, they can also pose problems for our pets. Coffee, moldy food and certain types of fruit and vegetables are toxic to dogs and cats, so read up on people foods to avoid feeding your pet.

Fleas and Ticks:
Since fleas and ticks lurk in tall brush and grasses, it's important to keep those lawns mowed and trim. Fleas can cause excessive scratching, hair loss, scabs, hot spots and tapeworms as well as anemia from blood loss in both cats and dogs. Ticks can cause similar effects and lead to a variety of complications from tick-borne diseases such as Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Babesia.

Garden Tools:
Unattended garden tools may seem like no big deal, but rakes, tillers, hoes and trowels can be hazardous to pets and cause trauma to paws, noses or other parts of a curious pet's body. Rusty, sharp tools caked in dirt may also pose a risk for tetanus if they puncture skin. While cats don't appear to be as susceptible as dogs to tetanus, care should be taken by storing all unused tools in a safe area, not haphazardly strewn on the ground.

Allergy-Causing Flora:
Ah-choo! Like their sneezy human counterparts, pets have allergies to foods, dust and even plants. Allergic reactions in dogs and cats can even cause life-threatening anaphylactic shock if the reaction is severe. If you do suspect your pet has an allergy, please don't give him any medication that isn't prescribed by a veterinarian. It's also smart to keep your pet out of other people's yards, especially if you're unsure of what kinds of plants or flowers lurk there. Keeping your pet off the lawn of others will make for healthy pets and happy neighbors.

http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/pet-care-tips/pet-safe-gardening.aspx

Photo Of The Week

Kahlua

Sent in by Patti Cloud

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Some adorable pets showing their "Irishness" today:)

One Man, One Mission: Rescuing Mutts By Katie Robbins O, The Oprah Magazine March 01, 2011

I love O Magazine and when I read this story, I just had to share it with you here!

Zach Skow spends most mornings on a skateboard, zigzagging through hilly Tehachapi, California, with a German shepherd or Great Dane running happily beside him. Seeing him now, it's hard to believe that two and a half years ago, at age 28, Skow was facing end-stage liver disease after battling alcoholism since his teens. When his doctors recommended exercise, he started taking short, slow walks with his father's skittish rescue dogs, including a Rottweiler–pit bull mix named Marley. Each day the group covered a little more ground, as the animals grew more trusting and Skow grew stronger. "I'd thought I was destined to die," Skow says. "The dogs gave me motivation to stick around. I found purpose because of them; I got better because of them."

Today, healthy and sober, Skow is the founder of Marley's Mutts, a nonprofit shelter that specializes in large rescue dogs, located on 16 acres of craggy, mountainous land surrounding his and his father's houses. With frequent road trips, park and playground runs, and those high-speed skateboard adventures, Skow helps abused or neglected dogs feel comfortable with humans again. "With cars and people zipping around, the dog stays by your side—he learns to feel an allegiance to you," says pack leader Skow. His second-in-command is Marley himself, who has a knack for stopping fights and keeping newbies in line.

Large dogs are notoriously hard to place, but since March 2009, Marley's has found homes for some 250 mutts. "They were throwaway dogs, and there was a time when I felt like a throwaway human being," Skow says. "They've experienced a metamorphosis, and so have I."

Rondo


Sugar


Website: http://www.oprah.com/relationships/Zach-Skow-of-Marleys-Mutts-Rescues-Large-Dogs

Photo Of The Week

Frida, a year old Icelandic Sheepdog
By Tobin Eckian

Please send me your pet photo:
Juli Cady Ryan, sryan727@cinci.rr.com

Your Pet and Distemper Vaccinations

This last Friday night our ferret, Pauley, had a severe allergic reaction to his distemper shot he had that evening. He was vomiting, running around, breathing heavy, having diarrhea. Then he went limp in my arms and I thought he was dead! Please read this article below, because all pets, not just ferrets, can have this reaction, which is called Anaphylaxis. Our vet neglected to tell us to wait 15 minutes at the office in case of this reaction. We were the last appointment. Luckily a 24 hour place was open to give him a steroid shot. We than gave him 2 doses of Benedryl (children's). He is doing very well now,running around like nothing happened:)

What if My Pet Has A Reaction To The Distemper Vaccine?

Anaphylaxis refers to a sudden and severe allergic reaction that causes a crisis in many body systems. It occurs in all species of mammals as well as in human beings. Some signs of vaccine reaction that ferrets experience are rapid breathing, redness or blushing of its ears, restlessness, vomiting and mucus diarrhea - both of which can contain blood, collapse, seizures and even death. I would refuse to revacinate a ferret that ever experienced any of these signs, no matter how mild. Each time the reaction is likely to be more severe. Anaphylaxis is an immunologic event in that portions of the immune system are responsible for all the events that occur. The immune system of ferrets and other animals contain memory cells that recognize things foreign to the body. To gain immunologic memory the body must be exposed to the agent once, to know it, and then a second time to remember it. Because of this the ferret’s first distemper shot never causes a problem.

When the ferret is exposed to the vaccine a second or third or fourth time the foreign protein (antigen or allergen) causes the release of dangerous mediator chemicals called histamines, leukotrienes, prostaglandins and tryptase. The ferret’s blood cells that are responsible for the release of these chemicals are called basophils and mast cells. These four chemicals cause the smooth muscle within the respiratory and digestive tract to contract and smooth muscle surrounding the blood vessels to relax. Blood vessels also begin to leak. This causes the respiratory distress and shock-like drop in blood pressure characteristic of anaphylaxis in ferrets. Histamine released into the skin causes the hives we see frequently in dogs and humans undergoing an anaphylactic reaction. In people, the most common cause of anaphylaxis are antibiotics, peanuts and bee stings.

It is safest if your pet does not receive more than one vaccination in a given week. After it receives it shot, stay in the waiting room for at least a twenty minutes and observe your pet to be sure it is OK. While you are waiting, do not let the ferret roam around the waiting room or introduce itself to other pets.

When I was using the old Fervac-D vaccine to vaccinate ferrets, I became all too familiar with anaphylaxis in ferrets. Within two minutes or less following vaccination, some ferrets would salivate and begin to hyperventilate. They would often void their urine and bowels. Some turned blue. I saw so many reactions that I began giving all ferrets a small (0.2ml) dose of chlorpheniramine maleate or benedryl antihistamine about twenty minutes before giving the vaccine. I never let ferrets leave the office until thirty minutes after receiving a vaccination. The company that produced this vaccine never admitted to problems.

Ferrets that show any signs of an impending vaccine reaction immediately receive an injection of epinephrine and oxygen via a face mask.

These acute allergies or anaphylactic reactions are due to the ferret’s body becoming sensitized to ingredients in the vaccine. It is not the actual virus protein, needed to immunize the ferret, that causes the reaction but other ingredients used in the propagation of the distemper virus or used to preserve and fortify the vaccine.

If your ferret ever experiences a vaccine reaction and you feel that you must go through this again, insist that it receives an antihistamine injection 20 minutes before its next vaccination or, if your lifestyle does not bring the animal in contact with dogs and distemper, consider forgoing the vaccinations entirely or modify the pet's lifestyle so vaccination becomes unnecessary.

My suggestions are for owners of pet ferrets in typical household situations. They are not for ferret breeders or people who keep large numbers of ferrets , nor for pet shops, ranchers, shelter or pet show conditions. In those situations, the likelyhood of exposure is much greater, the likelihood of a weakened immune system is greater and distemper virus exposure can be massive enough to override the animal's immunity.

Read full article, by Ron Hines DVM PhD
http://www.2ndchance.info/distemperferret.htm