Dog Blog

Dog days at the office?

Hello - I have a question,

People are allowed to bring their dogs to the office, mostly because the owner of the company loves animals and likes to bring his. Aside from the owner, two people bring their dogs in to work regularly and I find it annoying and distracting. The dogs don’t bark that much but it’s an open office space. They’re big, they nuzzle me when I don’t want them to, and are always underfoot. Should I complain?

- Cat Lover

Dear Cat,

An office is a menagerie of sorts but most workplaces should be limited to homo sapiens, and here’s why.

Some employees may be allergic to dogs and can’t function effectively while taking antihistamines, hardly a boon to productivity. Others may be afraid of dogs and ashamed to admit it. Animals can even be dangerous in some settings.

But perhaps most important is the fact that not all dogs are docile or obedient enough to stay silent and immobile for at least eight hours a day; nor is this necessarily in their best interests. It’s hard enough for their masters to do without exercise and fresh air all day. Must they impose this on their pets as well?

There are exceptions to my no-pets rule, especially in schools and therapeutic environments where the presence of animals relaxes people, fosters conversation and even lowers heart rates, according to several good studies.

Clearly, being around animals can be good for your health and some of the evidence is intriguing. People who have been asked to gaze at a tropical fish tank for a few moments are less anxious while having a tooth extracted and are more comfortable afterwards, especially if they are prompted to imagine the aquarium during their dental procedure, according to a study by Purdue University animal ecologist Alan Beck and his colleagues.

Dr. Beck’s book, Between Pets and People, co-written with psychiatrist Aaron Katcher, outlines other physiological evidence of the benefits of having animals around. Pet owners have lower blood pressure than non-pet owners, lower cholesterol levels, and survive longer after heart attacks, although we don’t know why. It could be the exercise that comes along with regular dog walking, the salutary effect of having to take care of another creature, or the fact that pets are social lubricants - people meet other people through their dogs, so they feel less isolated.

While we can’t pinpoint the exact reason for all this animal-based good health, we do know that animals also foster language skills and well-being in children (along with liberally dousing them with dander and fur). Dr Beck also told me that animals are now common in 65 per cent of nursing homes, where they have been found to relax residents and staff alike. In fact, just patting an animal releases serotonin, a neurotransmitter that attenuates stress and depression.

Still, just because an activity is good for you doesn’t mean it should take place in the office. Drinking red wine is good for you, as is eating sardines, having sex, and doing the cardio workout on a treadmill. Should these activities be included in the standard office smorgasbord? Of course not.

The limits between work and home, as well as between humans and other animals, are blurring, to be sure, but it’s important to maintain some boundaries. This will become obvious to everyone if, rather than complaining, you suggest that, to be really fair, the office should be open to all pets.

When cats, gerbils and ferrets start to appear, the absurdity of the situation will become clear to the boss. He’s still the boss, after all, so he may bring his dog no matter what you say. But perhaps he’ll consider barring other dogs, or subsidizing doggie daycare if he wants his employees to be happy and on site at all hours. That way they won’t have to leave work to walk their dogs. And you won’t have to leave work to get your work done.

Source - Report on Business

Owner wonders ‘what goes on through someone’s mind’ after young mastiff, Jada, dies after chewing stick

She was playful, well behaved, great with children - and she loved to chase sticks.

But that last attribute may have been Jada’s undoing. The three-year-old mastiff died Friday night shortly after chewing on a stick, and authorities fear she was poisoned. A veterinarian who treated the dog suspects methamphetamines may have killed her.

“What goes on through someone’s mind in this day and age, God knows,” said owner Jamie Walton, who raised Jada from an eight-week-old and hoped to breed her with his other dog, five-month-old Euro.

It was only by chance Mr. Walton, his three-year-old daughter and the two dogs were in Burnaby’s Kensington Park at all, he said. He usually took the water-loving mastiffs to the beach.

“It was Friday night, it was sunny, it was hot, it was just one of those things: ‘Let’s take them up the street up by the pitch-and-putt.’ ”

Jada’s breathing became laboured and she started vomiting just minutes after chewing the stick, Mr. Walton said. By the time he rushed her to the vet, her temperature had soared to 42.8 (109 F). Shortly afterward, she was dead.

Veterinarian Hakam Bhullar said it is impossible to tell for sure whether Jada was poisoned until her autopsy is complete, and that could take a couple of weeks. But there are few other explanations for why a healthy young dog could die so suddenly.

Dr. Bhullar said her symptoms - convulsions, heavy breathing, a fever and blue-tinged mucous membranes - are consistent with methamphetamine poisoning. “If it’s poison, then it’s most likely this is the stuff.”

He said he treats as many as 10 dogs a month accidentally poisoned with marijuana, but those cases are rarely fatal.

Vancouver Humane Society communications director Peter Fricker said dog walkers often clash with other people in parks such as Kensington, which is an on-leash park.

“There’s always been a bitter friction between people who have dogs and use parks and those that think animals should be kept out of parks or have a problem with dogs,” Mr. Fricker said.

“There are people who do get upset about dogs, who don’t like dogs, who are fearful of dogs, who resent having dogs in the park … but it would be pretty frightening to think that someone was going to take that in their hands and poison an animal.”

Mr. Walton said his dogs were always leashed, and he does not want Jada portrayed as an out-of-control dog whose owner’s flouting of municipal leash laws annoyed people.

“She’s not one of these dogs that I’ve seen that’s running around and a big nuisance and so on and so forth,” he said. “I have a three-year-old daughter and kids are around the house all the time. … It’s almost like a petting zoo.”

Mr. Walton said he fears other dogs have been poisoned. He said a woman who lives in the neighbourhood went to his house Sunday evening after seeing the news to say her collie had become ill after a walk in Kensington Park.

“She said her dog never gets sick, and her dog was throwing up foam. She came right to the house and said, ‘My dog has the same symptoms.’ ”

Burnaby RCMP removed some sticks from the park on Sunday. Corporal Alexandra Mulvihill said forensic analysis could take a while.

“We can’t speculate as to what may or may not have been on [the sticks],” she said, adding that police have no suspects.

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Man’s best Buddy? Maricopa County seems to think so. Buddy continues to be the most popular name among licensed pets in the county. The Labrador retriever still reigned supreme as the most popular breed.

As of April, more than 250,000 dogs were licensed by Maricopa County Animal Care and Control . The top 10 breeds accounted for nearly half of all dogs in Maricopa County, but their names were more varied.

Some unique ones include the names of fictional characters, (Chewbacca, Frodo, Tinkerbell) celebrities (Ginger Spice, Fergie, Jackie Chan) and historical figures (Mozart, Napoleon, Picasso).

Glendale’s 85308 ZIP code had the largest number of registered dogs in the county, with almost 6,500. The most common dog there was a Labrador named Buddy.

Visit datacentral.azcentral.com to see how popular your dog’s name or breed is.

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A dog fell ill and died shortly after being at the Kensington Sports Complex on Saturday, and Burnaby RCMP believe a poisoned stick may have been the cause.

The animal’s owner reported the death at about 12:30 a.m. after taking two dogs to the park. One became very sick after arriving back home and the owner immediately took the animal to the vet but the dog passed away, police said.

Following the incident police seized several sticks at the park, and the animal is being tested to determine cause of death.

Police have advised dog owners to be aware and cautious of any suspicious activity in the area and report if their dog becomes sick or dies after being at the park.

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Hello all and happy summer!

We are taking a vacation so check back on the Dog Blog August 16th!

Cheers from team Muttnik.

Kennel club event open to the public

This weekend, close to 1,500 dogs will descend upon Shouldice Park in northwest Calgary for Canada’s largest outdoor dog show.

More than 136 different breeds will compete in the Alberta Kennel Club show which draws competitors from as far away as California, Toronto, Ottawa and Puerto Rico.

“We have conformation classes, obedience, agility, rally-o classes and 19 breed specialties scheduled throughout the weekend,” says show chairperson Alleyene Wyler.

“It’s a great opportunity to check out different breeds of dogs, especially if you are intending to purchase a purebred.”

And even if you’re not looking to buy a dog, the show provides excellent entertainment. The agility and obedience classes are always a crowd favourite.

Rally-o or rally-obedience is becoming increasingly popular with competitors and is fun to watch.

“Rally is very interactive,” explains Charlene Maine, agility coordinator for the show.

“Where competitive obedience involves precision exercises, rally is more functional. You are still judged on how you interact with the dog without touching or giving extra commands.” In rally, the judge has a choice of exercises, ensuring that no class will ever be the same.

While the rally, obedience and agility classes will be run in the hockey arena, the majority of the show is held outdoors.

The Alberta Kennel Club rents Shouldice Park from the city, utilizing about 15 acres of the 85-acre park. “We’ve been doing this for about 20 years now,” says Wyler, whose volunteer team began planning the show in February.

International judges, who are booked two years in advance, will be arriving from Argentina, Mexico, the U.S. and Canada.

About 100 volunteers will help run the show on the weekend, working as the clean-up crew, 24-hour security and parking monitors. “It takes our volunteers two days just to set up before the show,” says Wyler.

The outdoor venue makes the set up more extensive than the February show, which has traditionally been held in the Big Four building at Stampede Park. Festival tents are erected to provide shelter from the sun or rain — but these are for the competitors, specifically the dogs, stresses Wyler.

“We expect all kinds of weather during this show. We’ve woken up to three inches of snow the day of the show,” she recalls.

“The spray gets a little gucky and it certainly gives an idea of what the dog really looks like when it’s soaking wet.”

Back combing and meticulous grooming can hide a myriad of conformation flaws, but it all evens out in the rain.

The show continues, rain or shine, though lightning will cause a delay.

The public is encouraged to attend the show, which begins at 8 a.m. and ends with the Best in Show in late afternoon.

Adult admission is $5 and is less for students and seniors. Wyler recommends using bug spray as the show takes place on the grass, and spectators may wish to bring their own lawn chairs and umbrellas for shade.

A concession and large marketplace with dog-related merchandise will be available at the park.

One important word of caution: don’t bring your dog to the show. Dogs that aren’t registered in the show are not allowed on the grounds, nor should they be left in cars in warm weather.

For more information on the show or to check the schedule for when your favourite breed will be in the ring, visit www.albertakennelclub.org.

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Poised breathlessly, a half a dozen news cameramen from practically every newspaper and television station from Denver to Wyoming trained their lenses toward the door, eyeballs jammed tight against the viewfinders, each hoping to get the first footage of the eagerly awaited guest of honor.

It wasn’t a red-carpet, Hollywood affair.

“Come on, Sally,” a voice coaxed from the hallway. Sally the Saluki, a lithe white-haired dog who was the star of the show, shyly hobbled into the room. Cameras clicked and flashed. Unsure about the brouhaha unfolding, Sally followed her owner to the front of the room and jumped up on her designated chair.

This is not an ordinary pup. Sally is missing a back foot, and in its place is a high-tech metal rod with a cushy nub at the end, a space-age prosthetic leg that, while allowing Sally the sort of four-legged mobility enjoyed by other dogs, could eventually have applications for humans.

Sally cuddled up on a blanket in between her new owners, Dr. Erik Egger and his wife Sue, a long way from the side of a dusty highway in the Middle East where she began her journey a year ago.

No one knows what happened to Sally’s back foot. It was gone when she was found by PAWS International, an animal welfare agency.

The Saluki breed is known as the official royal dog breed of Kuwait, and the American Kennel Club claims it may be the oldest known breed of domesticated dogs.

Sally was found by a volunteer who happened to be a Colorado State University alum. The volunteer contacted Egger, a well-known small animal orthopedic expert at the James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital at CSU. Because of her injury, Sally provided Egger the chance to experiment with advances in animal-prosthetic technology.

Dogs can ably adapt to having only three legs, and dealing with an injury like Sally’s often meant amputation. If a prosthetic limb were used, it would be one that was strapped on. Those have their drawbacks; they can irritate the skin and cause sores. Dogs tend to chew at them and they don’t always stay in place very easily.

What Egger had in mind was something different entirely: a permanent implant.

Sally underwent a series of surgeries. About an inch of the bone in her leg was removed and the implant was designed in such a way that it was surgically attached directly to the bone with a screw. The permanent implant was designed and manufactured by Kyon, a company in Switzerland.

Slobodan Tepic, the company’s owner who was on-hand for Sally’s debut, said the titanium implant was modeled after modern hip replacement surgery for humans. During those types of procedures, metal joints are surgically attached to bone, with the idea that bone tissue will grow over the implant, creating strength and permanence for the replace parts.

Egger said Sally was a challenging candidate, particularly because Salukis have thin skin. Because dogs come in all different shapes and sizes, the device is custom-made for the specific animal.

After the implant was installed, the next step was to develop a foot device to attach to the metal rod that sticks out of the skin. For this, Egger turned to Martin Kaufmann, CEO and Founder of OrthoPets in Denver. A rubber ball cut in half was used as the original foot. Kaufmann made the current foot out of a child’s Croc because he wanted to use a soft and cushy material.

A few others have attempted similar implant procedures, Tepic said, and although Sally’s procedure seems to have gone very well, there are still plenty of advancements to be made.

Egger and Kaufmann will continue to observe Sally to ensure the operation site doesn’t succumb to infection. They are interested in finding the optimal length for the prosthetic leg, and will continue to improve the foot design.

“We’re not going to solve it all in one day,” Egger said. “But I am delighted with how it is doing. … Ultimately, often when helping dogs, you end up helping people.”

As for Sally, she’s busy socializing with her new family members, both of the two-legged variety as well as the four-legged kind, the Eggers’ other five dogs. The prosthesis allows her to be as rambunctious as any other 2-year-old pup.

“She’s quite mellow in the right situation,” Egger said. “She comes to work with me and sleeps in the corner. But don’t let her fool you. She’s quite the terror at times.”

But of course there’s more to Sally’s procedure than simply giving one dog an unusually rare second chance to overcome a dramatic injury–there’s the potential that the research to be done on this lucky dog could very well benefit some lucky humans in the future.

“I don’t want to overstate what were doing,” Egger said. “But personally, I believe there are a lot of applications. Animals may benefit more from this than humans. On the other hand, there are a number of humans missing limbs.

“If this works out, it could be a tremendous benefit.”

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A homeless man wants his dog back after it bit a man during a confrontation and was seized by the Surrey SPCA.

The dog may be put down and Ed Chase is being told that according to Surrey bylaws he needs to pay a $5,000 fine to get the dog released.

Since his father’s death two months ago, Chase said there is little comfort in his life. There are his friends who drop by the grassy area he calls home and his numbered possessions, stored on a small wagon. And there are his two dogs, Darryl and Ray.

“This isn’t about the dog,” Chase said. “It’s about the City of Surrey wanting me off this grass.”

On June 28, Chase got into a yelling match over the anti-government protest sign he was holding, with John Barichello, 60, at a gas station near 97th Avenue and 160th Street. Chase said when he was punched in the back of the head and had his hair grabbed, Ray defended him by clamping down on Barichello’s leg.

Barichello’s version is that Chase and a friend approached him, began assaulting him, and then Ray chomped down on his leg.

Either way, Ray is now locked up.

“My dogs mean everything to me,” said Chase. “I’ve been a loser for most of my life, but I tried not to commit crimes.”

Corry Anderson-Fennell, with the B.C. SPCA, said that Surrey’s dog responsibility bylaw states that dogs must be muzzled. Chase has refused to muzzle Ray, calling it cruel.
He appears in court Thursday.

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Approximately 4.7 million people are bitten by dogs every year and about 800,000 of these individuals - half of which are children - are bitten severely enough that they receive medical attention. At this year’s annual convention of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) in New Orleans, July 18-22, there have been several presentations and an announcement of the release in this country of a new AVMA-sponsored dog-bite prevention program.

Dr. Ilana Reisner, University of Pennsylvania, conducted the first program dealing with the complex issue of dog bites during Canine Aggression to Children at 10 a.m. on July 20.

Dr. Reisner says that dog bites persist in part because dog behavior is poorly understood by the general public. Some simple precautions and knowledge can often prevent these bites.

“Children are more likely to get bitten by dogs because of the way they interact with dogs. For example, they move faster, are often unpredictable, and are more likely to try to interact with the dog in a way that unexpectedly provokes aggression. Children are more likely to approach a sleeping dog - or one that is eating - and decide to kiss it on the head,” Dr. Reisner explains.

“But it’s adults that may not understand and address the safety issues. Many children are bitten while adults are present, even in the same room,” she adds. “Some dog owners feel that their dog should accept petting by any stranger or child, a practice that can be threatening to many dogs.”

Dr. Reisner’s program offers information about the causes and prevention of dog bites to children.

Many municipalities have moved to outlaw pit bulls in an effort to curb dog bites, but Dr. Reisner says that people shouldn’t include a dog’s breed as a variable when determining whether or not it’s likely to bite. While some studies have shown that certain breeds seem to have a higher incidence of dog bites, these results are often skewed by the surveyed population and even by the popularity of some breeds. “Any breed - or mix - is capable of biting,” she says. “It’s important to resist thinking of risk in terms of stereotypes; even a perfectly nice, trustworthy, family pet can bite.”

The risk of biting cannot be completely stopped or “cured,” Dr. Reisner notes. With an understanding of dogs, their social behavior, body language and simple safety rules, she feels it is possible to prevent dog bites or reduce their risk, and potentially avert a disaster.

“We know what the risks are,” Dr. Reisner said. “Parents should never leave a newborn infant alone with a dog - any dog, any breed, any size, even if it’s a “good dog” and the baby is asleep. Separation is the only reliable way to prevent fatal attacks on infants. And that means any dog, even very small dogs.”

The AVMA also hosted a program during the convention from 2 to 5 p.m. July 21 on the Blue Dog Trust, a European dog bite prevention program. This coincided with the AVMA’s announced release of the Blue Dog Parent Guide and CD for American audiences.

The Blue Dog bite-prevention project is an educational program that targets the group most at risk for dog bites, children 3 to 6 years old. Educational studies and scientific evaluations of the program support the fact that children in this age group learn from the Blue Dog project and retain behaviors they have learned.

“We are very optimistic that American veterinarians and the AVMA will welcome Blue Dog as a useful educational tool that complements their own efforts in the field of dog bite prevention,” says Dr. Tiny De Keuster, chairman of the Blue Dog Trust. “I have been overwhelmed by the enthusiastic support of professional colleagues from around the world in the development phases of this project - there is clearly a need for this unique tool within the overall strategy of dog bite prevention.”

The Blue Dog program is aimed at children between 3 and 6 years old because they are twice as likely as adults to be the victim of a bite from a dog, and are far more likely to be severely injured. Most of these attacks are by dogs familiar to the child; fifty-five percent (55%) of children suffer post traumatic stress disorder following a substantial bite.

The program’s goal is to train young children, as well as their parents, to behave appropriately around dogs, particularly their own pets, in order to discourage dog bites. It accomplishes this through an interactive computer game that presents children with scenarios that may likely result in a dog bite and asks what they would do in that situation.

If they give the right answer, the game shows them a positive result, but if they guess wrong, they are shown the negative result, as well as given a chance to try again.

Based on the proven success of the Blue Dog Trust and the European version of the program, the AVMA has partnered with the Trust to introduce an American version of the program.

For more information about the AVMA annual convention in New Orleans July 18-22, visit http://www.avmaconventionmedia.org.

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Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release.
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The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and its more than 76,000 member veterinarians are engaged in a wide variety of activities dedicated to advancing the science and art of animal, human and public health. Visit the AVMA Web site at www.avma.org for more information.

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A Surrey family says it will never get over the loss of its pet dog Mason, who was shot to death by police investigating a 911 call.

Rajan Basra said Mason was just being friendly when he bounded towards police on Sunday afternoon in the family’s backyard.

“Our dog was murdered by the cops. He died a violent death,” said a sobbing Basra on Monday. “We can’t get the sound of his howling out of our minds.”

Surrey RCMP say they were responding to an unrelated 911 call from a tenant in the Basra house.

Sgt. Roger Morrow said two officers did not know what they would be dealing with when they opened a gate which led to the backyard.

“The dog was coming at the police officers. He was within a foot when the firearm was discharged,” said Morrow. “An investigation will likely be held.”

Basra said the dog has never bitten anyone, although there has been a complaint about him barking.

Mason, a full-grown cross between a pit bull and a bull mastiff, was loved by the eight family members in the household.

“He was the most lovable dog. He was like our baby,” said Basra, 29.

She said Mason was a social dog who ran over to see who was coming when it heard the gate opening.

“Mom was in the backyard and could also have been shot. She was hysterical. We were all crying,” said Basra. “My dad was in the police officer’s face. They threatened to arrest us.”

The SPCA said officers may use reasonable force if they believe they are being threatened by an animal.

“If police are investigating an incident, they are allowed to use reasonable force if they feel their safety is in jeopardy,” said Marcie Moriarty, general manager of SPCA cruelty investigations.

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