Chocoholics beware!

Thanksgiving is always a wonderful time to sit back and realize all the blessings we have in our lives. Personally, I am extremely thankful for all my family members, especially the furry ones. However, I am most thankful for my dog's iron stomach.

I received a pound and a half bag of Fannie May dark chocolate truffles from a friend as a gift last week. Of course I immediately scarfed down a couple. I had an engagement and had to leave quickly after receiving them. So I set them on my desk, where I always keep my Ande's mints, assuming they would be safe from curious noses. But when I returned, the bag was on the ground, scattered into tiny chocolate covered pieces. Rozalyn had eaten the entire bag. That's over a pound of dark chocolate ingested by a forty pound mutt.

I have never been so worried for one of my own animals' life. She vomited and such for over a day but I knew calling the vet would most likely not wield any help since she was already vomiting. She gradually improved and finally stopped regurgitating. She had made it through a near fatal chocolate overdose. This dog has a steel stomach...she once swallowed a sewing needle, but that's another story.

The point of this story is to remind everyone that the holidays are filled with delicious goodies that are poisonous for our furry friends. My dog was lucky, others may not have such indestructible digestive systems. Watch out for your pets and always store possible sickness causing food well out of harm's way. The holidays should be a happy time, not time for a vet visit or worse.

Puppies Behind Bars

Solutions to inmate redirection and contributions after release have always been a concern of communities all over America. It is an extremely serious issue that many towns currently face. How can we help prepare our current inmates for purposeful and successful lives outside of prison? I discovered a foundation that's doing just that while also helping to provide people with the companions or coworkers they need.

Puppies Behind Bars trains inmates to raise puppies to become service dogs for the disabled and explosive detection canines for law enforcement. Some are also given to returning soldiers from Iraq or Afghanistan through the Dog Tags program. The puppies arrive in prison when they are eight weeks old and live there until they are anywhere from twelve to twenty months of age. Those being trained to be explosive detection canines tend to leave when they turn one year old; those in training to become service dogs for the disabled, stay until they are almost two years old.

The dogs are first assigned to an inmate who will be their primary caregiver and trainer; some of these inmates have even committed murder. They are trusted with the dog's life. For many, it is the first time they have succeeded in a career like position. The dog and trainer develop a bond that could never be created by another prison program. Many of the inmates involved in this program say that they dogs have helped train them as well. They have become more compassionate, caring and responsible. Puppies Behind Bars is a program that actually rehabilitates prisoners.

I think this may be one of the greatest solutions to inmate rehabilitation ever. Not only does it provide the inmates with a job, it also gives them a sense of compassion, responsibility and worth. However, it doesn't only improve the inmates lives. the dogs are properly trained and are either sent to work detecting explosives for the police force or are given to a veteran in need. The cost of training these dogs in this environment is significantly less than it would be to have them trained in other facilities.

I'm sure some would argue that dogs trained by prisoners would not be as reliable as dogs trained by professional trainers. However, I disagree. I believe that the relationship the dogs develop with their inmate-trainers is just as strong, if not more intense than the traditional trainer and his dogs. Also, the trainers and animals are constantly supervised by trained professionals.

So how can I help this organization? They have several opportunities available to volunteers such as puppy socializers, Paws and Reflect volunteers and advocates of the organization's work. Puppy socializers are needed to aid in the socialization of the puppies. You are required to take a puppy on at least two socialization trips per month, or for one weekend each month. Examples of socialization include: going into stores and restaurants, walking on different streets, and attending events like softball or soccer games. The dogs need the self-confidence to handle varied environments and stress levels. In order to develop this confidence, they must be exposed to as many positive experiences as possible. Paws and Reflect volunteers take puppies to visit home bound elderly citizens in New York City to provide additional socialization for the puppies and extra love and company for seniors who rarely leave their apartments. For those who are unable to do either of these, there are always chances to advocate the work of PBB. Providing more information to people interested in the program is a great way to help the success of PBB.

For more information,visit http://www.puppiesbehindbars.com/index.asp.

What's with the wrinkles

An interesting report that appeared in the journal of Veterinary Dermatology and Journal of Heredity has discovered the source of the Shar-pei's characteristic wrinkles. It states that a genetic alteration multiplies the activity of a certain enzyme responsible for excessive production of hyaluronic acid, a substance which gathers under the skin and produces wrinkles. This genetic alteration came to be because of breeders in the United States. The breed was originated in South China and was primary used as guard dogs and shepards by the Han dynasty. However, after the communist revolution of Mao Tse-Tung the breed almost disappeared. Then, in the early 1970s a breeder from Hong Kong sent a number of Shar Peis to the United States which began the process of recovering the breed. Today, Shar-pei's are considered to be the rarest breed in the world.

During the recovery process, the characteristic wrinkles of the Shar Pei were enhanced and the offspring of the original dogs appeared with thicker skin and more wrinkles. The increase in thickness and the formation of excessive wrinkles are the cause of the inherited skin disorder cutaneous mucinosis, defined by a build-up of mucin in the layers of the skin. The source of the build-up of mucin was unknown until this research was complete.

The results of this research have many practical applications such as that the knowledge of the genetic and hereditary bases of mucinosis will be used to design reproduction programs aimed at improving the health of Shar-pei's, which suffer from many hereditary disorders due to massive inbreeding. The dogs have been a valuable model for the study of human disorders such as FMF or hereditary mucinosis and results could lead to cures for these disorders.

Who knew those cute wrinkles could be so informative?

Best friends...again?

Most dedicated pet owners have had their share of animals and will agree with me that the hardest part about having pets, is grieving over them when they pass on. It would be amazing if our best friend could stay with us throughout our entire lifetime; unfortunately their life spans are just too short to be able to offer us unconditional companionship.

But what if there was a way to keep your best friend with you your entire life? BioArts International has developed techniques to clone and produce replicas of beloved past pets. The project started in 1998 and was intended to reproduce a beloved family dog, Missy. (Its title the "Missyplicity Project" in her honor). After millions of dollars were spent and years of research were conducted, the company was able to produce three Missy clones. However, coming to this point was not easy; no attempts were successful until 2006, when Dr. Woo Suk Hwang and his team of scientists created the first cloned dog, which they named Snuppy. Dr. Hwang was then successful at producing three Missy clones, named Mira (after a Korean myth of an all-powerful benevolent dragon), Chingu ("friend" in Korean) and Sarang ("love" in Korean). These puppies are now living happily at home with Missy's owners.

Not only was this scientific miracle possible for one lucky family, but also for five other online bidders. Currently four of the spots have been filled, but one remains. If you're contemplating this as an option, consider the price tag: $180,000. Yes, you read correctly, one hundred eighty-thousand dollars. That's a pretty big fee for a puppy. However, there are those dedicated (and wealthy) enough to shell out that amount of cash for the chance of a lifetime.

How does this work? The cloning process is divided into stages or steps, which result in the birth of a cloned puppy. The sequence is as follows: The first step is to take cells from the animal to be cloned in a process called gene banking. These are normal body cells which contains the animal's full set of genes. Then an egg is obtained from a female of the same species and is enucleated (its nucleus is removed and thrown away). Then the genes obtained during the banking process are inserted into the egg, a process called recombination. Then electricity is used to fuse the donor cell nucleus and egg together and chemicals are used to activate the embryo which will then begin to divide like a normal single-cell embryo(zygote). Finally, the embryo is transferred into the oviduct of a surrogate female and develops as a traditionally conceived embryo would. The surrogate then gives birth to her genetically unrelated cloned puppy.

Honestly, I'm a little torn on this issue. I, like all pet owners, have had animals that I wish I had been able to spend more time with. It would be amazing to have your best friend recreated to his exact personality and be able to share your entire life with the 'same' dog. However, this opens up the possibility for disaster among shelter dogs. Not only would they have to compete with pure bred dogs for adoption and loving homes, but now owners would be able to literally create their pets. I also feel that dog's lives are shorter than ours for a reason. That reason is its our job to touch (and be touched) by multiple dogs. I find the uniqueness of each dog to be its greatest attribute.

Personally I would never buy a dog from a breeder. Not only do I prefer the uniqueness of shelter dogs, but I also feel like I, as only a dog lover and owner, have no need (or the financial ability) to buy a dog with a perfect past. I have nothing against those who value the pureness of a dog, and I completely understand the desire. A relative of mine has a Mach 3 agility Papillion at home. She also trains puppies from breeders to be sold to a prospective owner interested in performing in dog competitions. The desire for breeder-sourced dogs is apparent and understandable. Yes, I know that was a little off-topic. But I just wanted to stress how important it is to be a shelter adopter.

The number of dogs euthanized in shelters each year is astronomical. A dog is euthanized every 9 seconds in America. Every nine seconds. I don't need to do the math for you. Just think about how many could be saved if more people adopted from there and didn't spend the time or money worrying about their pets papers. I'm a mutt and I'm proud of it. I'm also proud of my mutts and would never change anything about them. I worry that if this dog cloning somehow goes mainstream within my lifetime, there will be no hope for the shelter dogs. Perhaps it might eliminate the number of dogs abandoned or abused, but I highly doubt that. Designer dogs, breeders and now the possibility of clones are ruining it for the original mutts that I love so much.

I think the advance in science is amazing. However, I think instead of creating more dogs and spending millions of dollars in the process. We should be concentrating on the millions of dogs and millions of dollars we don't have paying for their care.

What do you think about it??

Itchy and Scratchy

Many dogs suffer from extremely dry skin during the colder, drier winter months. My adopted baby, Athena, has an issue with this to a horrible degree. Her skin becomes so dry and uncomfortable for her, she licks and chews certain areas to the point of drawing blood. I feel absolutely horrible for her- I remember how bad it was to have chicken pox or poison ivy and how much of a relief it was when my conditions could be soothed.

I've been investigating the best ways to help dry skinned pups deal with and overcome their itchy conditions and this is what I found:

First, do not bathe your pet too often. Their coats should be clean, but over washing will only irritate their sensitive skin more. Water and winter don't mix very well for dogs, as is the same for humans. However, when your dog does need a bath, only use shampoos formulated for dogs. Humans and dogs have different pH levels and so human shampoos can be harsh on their skin, only worsening the issue. Look for formulas that offer extra moisturizing elements to help add moisture to their dry skin. Also shampoos with flea killing ingredients may also help fight itching due to fleas.

Brushing daily will also help to remove dead skin and hair, soothing your pet. Daily brushing can help control itchy dry skin immensely.

Finally, healthy skin reflects an overall healthy lifestyle. To help give your pet itch relief and a shiny, healthy coat, use high quality food and add fatty supplements such as oil to their food.

If these steps don't help soothe your pet, the dry skin may be a byproduct of a larger condition. Allergies, infections and parasites maybe why your pet is scratching constantly. If their condition doesn't improve with dry skin treatment, contact your vet and schedule an appointment to look for an overlying issue. My cat, Purdue had had issues with biting and scratching. We treated her for dry skin as stated above but her symptoms didn't improve. We took her to the vet and found that she had an allergy to fleas. Not only did she need to be treated for fleas, but also required special medicine to help fight the allergy when she was bitten by fleas.

All of us want our pets to be happy and healthy. Little steps like using a moisturizing shampoo or adding oil to food can help us insure that our furry friends will be comfortable and happy all winter long.

Proposition Yes!

It has officially been proven that Americans, specifically Californians, have fully functionally and compassionate hearts. Proposition 2 has been passed and will be in effect in January 2015. For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, Proposition 2 is a new development in the legal system protecting the rights of animals raised for slaughter in California. The law "requires that factory farms provide enough space for animals to stand up, turn around and extend their limbs. It applies to breeding pigs, egg laying hens and veal calves."

Not only was Proposition 2 passed, but it also won the majority vote, demonstrating the true humanity of our California voters. Personally, I am absolutely enthralled by voters enthusiasm and turnout. Proposition 2 is a huge leap in the fight for the proper treatment of animals. I personally would be willing to pay more for eggs, meat and/or dairy products if I was certain that the animals contributing to my diet were well raised and able to live a normal, healthy life. All animals should be treated with dignity and respect, even those raised for human consumption.

The opposition to the law felt that it would be costly to farmers to change their factories to suit the newly required housing of animals. However, I found that it would only cost a penny extra per egg to change these living conditions. One cent. I am willing to pay one, two, even five cents more to help provide innocent animals with the respect they deserve. Another benefit to the new law is the decrease in the likelihood of diseases spreading amongst animals and then passing on to humans during consumption. Diseases such as salmonella are less likely to spread when animals have space and are not forced to be crammed together in their own excrement.

It is truly refreshing to see a law passed benefiting animals. I believe that the worth of people isn't defined by how they treat their equals, but how they treat those under their care. It is easy to treat humans equally, but it is more difficult to treat animals as though they are undeserving of rights or humane treatment. This law signifies what I hope is a change in America. Perhaps Mr. Obama will bring about more animal rights laws with the adoption of his shelter dog. The time of change really is now; it is up to us to enforce and and continue the changes.