A bi-monthly newsletter for the friends
of the
Humane Society of the White
Mountains.
July 2008
Edition
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~ From our Directors Desk ~ In this our 2nd bi-monthly newsletter of the Humane Society of the White Mountains I would like to send out enormous thank you's to all who so generously support us and the animals at the Shelter. Our volunteers are our most precious
resource. They come and serve asking nothing in return.
I work hard to make sure each volunteer has the most positive
experience possible. During our busy season this is sometimes
hard to do on a minute, by minute basis but I am doing
my best |
 Get plenty of rest. |
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 Visit the dentist regularly. |
Brush twice a day !
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~ A letter from the President of the Board of Directors ~
Please make a note on your calendar for the 3rd Annual Happy Tails Auction & BBQ is on Saturday, August 23rd. Read the enclosed article for more details. We can always use additional people to help us with this and other events. Everyone has a wonderful, rewarding time, so give us a call and volunteer! If it wasn`t for our fundraising events, the generous donations from companies and individuals, and income from the Dog House Thrift Shop, we would never be able to do what we do for the animals. Our vision is to place all animals in loving homes, never euthanize because of the lack of space, and alleviate the suffering of the homeless companion animals that come through our doors, as well as promoting the spaying and neutering of all cats and dogs. In particular we would like to offer a big "thank you" to AMR Custom Builders in Vernon, Mountain Mutts in Lakeside, and Sierra Springs Development in Pinetop for sponsoring the Pet of the Week radio program every Tuesday from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Majik 101.7. Thank you, Chris Stevens of Majik for hosting the program. By listening to this program every Tuesday you can easily and confidently find out what is happening at HSWM. Every staff member and Board member of the HSWM appreciates and thanks you for your continued support. We hope to see you at one of our upcoming events or as a volunteer in one of our many activities. Warm Regards Kathy Tucker President, Board of Directors |
Employees, Volunteers, & Board
Members
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Board of Directors
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Shelter Employees
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Free Admission !
Start thinking now what you want to donate to the silent
and live auction.
Then come and play and bid !
Call the shelter for
more information 928 368-5295
See you all there !!
Help Wanted !!!
We
are in need of caring foster families for dogs & cats of all
ages. Be the one that gives these animals the socialization
and loving care they deserve before they are adopted out. The
foster families set the time they have available from a weekend to 4
weeks. For more information please call our director at: (928)
205-7323
Recent
fostered dogs Curly Sue &
Bart
A Happy Tail from Far
Away !
 Dear Humane Society, We lived in
Linden, Showlow from 1998 till May 2001. We adopted Lucky in
1999/2000. She followed our daugther Yara while she was biking in
our neighbourhood where Lucky saw her and stayed with us that day
and did not want to leave. She was hungry, thursty and looked very
thin. It was winter (December) and very cold that night and it took
us some time to get her inside to protect her from freezing to
death. Not knowing the exact laws of Arizona, because we are Dutch,
we called the sherif for advise and he called you and Lucky was
picked up and stayed with humane society for two weeks. We decided
to adopt Lucky because she was a good and wonderful
dog.
Unfortunately in 2001 we had to move back to The Netherlands and as we promised Humane Society to keep our dog and move her with us we took Lucky to The Netherlands by plane. She had some adventures with lots of green grass, lots of water (ponds and rivers and small canals) and she liked chasing the ducks, rabits and cats. Now she is used to life in Holland and she is still looking good as you can see at the picture. Now she is a good old lady of more than 9 years old. She is still very healthy, only suffering of an allergie and some skin problems we cannot solve but she adores the sun and still takes a walk with us every day and Sunday is her favorite day. We walk about 6- 7 miles in the woods, near the river close to our home or somerwhere else. I think Lucky got a good life with us and we thought you might be interested in this story. Not so many dogs adopted by Humane Society are living so far away from where she was born. It is funny to discover that still when a pickup truck passes here, and here are not so many pick up trucks driving because of the gas prices (about $7,00 a gallon), Lucky thinks a dog will be on the truck an she starts barking by then. Lucky is living in Venlo now which is a town close to the German border on the south east of Holland and a town situated at the river the Maas. Still thankful for our Lucky and the good care of you, we remain, With kind regards, Mrs. Helmie van Dijk Thanks for your reply on my mail. With this
some more pics from Lucky. Some are made a year ago, some are recent
pictures.
I hope this will stimulate people there to
adopt dogs and cats because we have lots of fun with Lucky although
we did not plan to have a dog. Lucky picked us and made a good
choice. Now she is the queen of our house and likes it here with us
as you can see.
Kind regards,
Mrs. Helmie van
Dijk |
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Reasons to
Adopt a Pet
A lot of people prefer to adopt pets than buy one. You are free to look around shelters and even leave without taking a pet. Of course you can get several animals right there and then. Just make sure you can handle them all. Adopting pets is a good way of helping animals. There are a lot of good cats and dogs in shelters. It is just a matter of finding them. In shelters, you'll realize that many animals are in need of homes. And if you can do your share to help them, why not do so? Adopting pets is a big
responsibility as buying pets. Sometimes, it is even harder. Some
pets are already trained and some have developed The pets in the shelter are waiting patiently everyday for somebody to take care of them. There certainly is a shelter somewhere in your neighborhood. If pets in the shelter are not adopted in a certain period of time, they are put to sleep. And that's the fate every animal lover doesn't want his or her pets to experience. The animals found in shelters are animals that were lost and found wandering in the streets. Some owners surrender their pets because they can no longer take care of them. These pets have sad backgrounds and it is up for you, as its new owners to rear them with the care and love it really deserves. So if you are planning to get a pet, try adopting one. It could be the best decision you ever made.
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If
you own several animals at home, you will surely feel as if you're
inside a zoo from time to time. And if you got several kids and a
family to attend to, the fun can really begin anytime. Surely, with
a house like that, there won't be any dull moments at all. If you
want to take care of several pets at the same time, you've got two
major options. You can purchase them from pet stores or you can
adopt one instead. Buying pets can cost you a fortune, especially if
you want purebreds. If you adopt a pet, you'll get something like it
at a lower price, usually for free. To adopt a pet, all you have to
do is to call a local animal shelter or humane league. They have
several animals inside, so you can decide which one to get while
there.
behaviors you have to
castigate. But if you only think about the need of the pets in
shelters, you'll never get a pet anywhere else.
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Spay/Neuter General Information
Spaying (ovario-hysterectomy) is the surgical removal of the reproductive organs (ovaries, uterus, fallopian tubes) of the female animal. Neutering (orchectomy or castration) is the surgical removal of the reproductive glands (testes) of the male animal. The outer is left, only the testes are removed. Appearance depends upon the dog's age at the time of the surgery.
Females and males should be spayed or neutered by 6 months of age. Currently some clinics are performing surgeries on animals as young as 8 weeks of age. Older animals can be done as long as they are in good health. All sterilization surgery is performed under general anesthesia by a licensed veterinarian.
Female dogs and cats can be spayed when in heat or pregnant. This can usually be done up until a few days before delivery. These surgeries can take longer, and can therefore cost more. Spaying before having a first litter or heat cycle is usually a simpler procedure.
The heat cycle for dogs is once or twice a year starting as early as 6 months of age. Duration is 3 weeks. Heat cycles in cats start as early as 6 months and occur every 3-4 weeks during spring through early fall. The gestation period for both dogs and cats is 63 days. Female cats can become pregnant again as soon as 10 days after giving birth (while still nursing the first litter).
Health Benefits of Spaying and Neutering
Spayed animals no longer feel the need to roam to look for a mate. The result is that they stay home and have less chance of being involved in traumatic accidents such as being hit by a car. They also have a much lower incidence of contracting contagious diseases, and get into fewer fights.
In males, neutering decreases the chances of developing prostatic disease and hernias, and eliminates the chances of developing testicular cancer. It also reduces problems with territorial and sexual aggression, inappropriate urination (spraying) and other undesirable male behaviors.
In Females, spaying decreases the incidence of breast cancer (the rate goes down to almost zero if the spaying is done before the first heat cycle!). It eliminates the chance of developing a serious and potentially fatal infection of the uterus experienced by many mature unspayed animals (pyometra). Spay surgery also eliminates the heat cycle and associated mood swings and undesirable behaviors, messy spotting (in dogs) and the attraction of all available males to your yard.
The simple fact is that spaying and neutering greatly increases the lifespan of your pet and increases quality of life as well!
Housebreaking Your Puppy
You're the proud owner
of a new puppy. Unfortunately, you are also the not so proud owner
of a soggy living room carpet.
It doesn't take long to
realize this can't keep happening. So what do you do? It
might just be time to housebreak your new pet.
Housebreaking may sound painful but relax. It really isn't
all that difficult. It is your dog's natural tendency to
want to keep its living area clean so once the home is firmly
established in your pets mind the problem will be resolved.
There are several ways you can assist the process to move
faster.
The first thing you want to do is be sure your pet is healthy to start with. If your pet has not been to the vet already, make an appointment. Your dog should be checked for overall healthiness and for conditions that would make house training difficult, such as cystitis and kidney or bladder dysfunction. While your pet is visiting the veterinarian, ask to have them checked for worms and parasites also by way of a fecal exam. Also bear in mind the truthfulness behind mothers' wisdom when she said "You are what you eat." A poor quality dog food, in addition to contributing to a poor nutritional state, can cause digestive problems resulting in loose stools, thus contributing to your pup's inability to control itself.
The most important part of housebreaking your pet is close supervision. This is necessary because your puppy learns by repetition. If you see your dog showing signs of needing to relieve itself, then immediate action must be taken to get the animal outside to its designated area. Consistency in training is critical. Do not think being lax because it's cold or dark outside is acceptable or your pet will adopt these same attitudes. Close supervision during housebreaking is also necessary because it gives you time to learn your dogs special quirks such as needing to urinate right after eating or a certain action they take prior to soiling the floor so you can watch for these actions and respond in the future. Also it allows you to correct a situation while it is still fresh in the dogs mind. While being very intelligent creatures, short term memory is not the strong point for most animals of this species and correcting them after more than a few minutes have passed serves no real purpose.
Another key to Housebreaking is giving your dog a limited amount of space. Baby gates across doorways or a pet crate help to make a more confined area and help your pet to recognize this as his living space. Their natural tendency is to go outside of their own living space to urinate so making this association for your pet will make your job easier. Lining this space with old news papers is a good idea at first as it facilitates a much easier cleanup of any accidents your pet might have. Also be aware that some surfaces are more pet-friendly than others. Try to confine your new pet to areas of the home with tile or vinyl floors which are much easier to clean. Avoid letting them have access to carpet or hardwood floors which retain odors and can be extensively damaged by an errant pup.
Remember to limit the amount of water your dog has access to at the end of the day as you will otherwise be making a walk with your pet in the middle of the night. A quick walk outside at regularly timed intervals is advisable to training as this helps your pet to set an internal schedule. Be certain to use a consistent keyword to tell your pet why you are out in the yard such as "potty" or "toilet" or anything you choose and do not return indoors until they have relieved themselves. Also remember to give praise when your dog relieves itself in appropriate places such as on newspapers or outdoors. Again consistent training is the key.
If your pet does have an accident indoors, correct the animal immediately and then clean the area using non-ammonia based products. Instead use an Enzyme based deodorizer to clean the area and be sure to remove all odor of the accident or the animal will repeat the behavior again.
If
you follow these simple rules, your carpets and your new pet should
be able to coexist peacefully and relatively free from
stress.
Kennel Cough -
Tracheobronchitis
Canine infectious
tracheobronchitis (kennel cough) is one of the most prevalent
infectious diseases in dogs. Fortunately, the majority of cases are
not serious resolving on their own in 1 to 2 weeks . But because
some dogs develop life- threatening complications, you should take
precautions to prevent your pooch from becoming infected with this
highly contagious disease.
Kennel cough can be caused by a number of different airborne bacteria (such as Bordetella bronchiseptica) and viruses (such as canine parainfluenza) or a mycoplasma (an organism somewhere between a virus and a bacteria). Typically, more than one of these pathogens (disease-causing agents) must bombard the dog at once to trigger illness. Such a multifaceted attack is most likely to occur when a dog spends time in close quarters with many other dogs. Dogs that attend dog shows, travel frequently, or stay at kennels have a higher risk of developing kennel cough than do dogs that stay at home most of the time.
The primary sign of kennel cough is a dry- sounding, spasmodic cough caused by pathogens that induce inflammation of the trachea (windpipe) and bronchi (air passages into the lungs). At the end of a coughing spell, a dog will often retch and cough up a white foamy discharge. Some dogs also develop conjunctivitis (inflammation of the membrane lining the eyelids), rhinitis (inflammation of the nasal mucous membrane), and a nasal discharge. Affected dogs usually remain active and alert and continue to eat well. But if you suspect your dog has kennel cough, isolate it from other dogs and call your veterinarian.
Your veterinarian can typically diagnose kennel cough from a physical exam and history. The cough is very characteristic and can be easily elicited by massaging the dog's larynx or trachea But if the dog is depressed; feverish; expelling a thick yellow or green discharge from its nose; or making abnormal lung sounds, your veterinarian may want to perform diagnostic tests such as a complete blood count (CBC) chest x-ray, and laboratory analysis of the microorganisms inhabiting your dog's airways. These tests can help determine whether the dog has developed pneumonia or another infectious illness such as canine distemper.
Immunization can be an important part of a kennel- cough prevention program and is recommended . But since the illness is caused by multiple organisms - making effective immunization difficult - you should focus on minimizing your dog's exposure to the disease-causing organisms themselves. Don't share your dog's toys or food and water bowls with unfamiliar dogs. And if your dog is in an indoor kennel or show, make sure the indoor area is adequately ventilated so airborne organisms are transferred outside.
If your dog is diagnosed with kennel cough, your veterinarian will likely prescribe an antibiotic to help prevent any secondary bacterial infection and a cough suppressant. We have found in those persistent cases of kennel cough, the use of a relatively new antibiotic, azithromycin, to be effective. This medication is very effective in the treatment of the mycoplasmal forms of tracheobronchitis. Again, before any treatment regimen administered, is it is imperative that a proper veterinary examination and appropriate diagnostics be performed.
2008 Run4Shelter Motorcycle Run
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Cat Treat Recipes
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Newsletter Archive May 2008
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Mailing
Address: |
E-mail Address: Director.hswm@frontiernet.net webmaster@hswm.org |
Phone Number: |
Physical Address:
3212 N. Porter Mountains Rd.
Lakeside, Az. 85929
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Copyright 2008. Humane Society of the White Mountains. All rights reserved.