It has been a very rough year for us with dealing with parvo puppies. Five litters so far have come in having picked up the virus from on the streets or at their animal control shelters. We don’t usually see so many litters with parvo cases in just a few short months. But this morning, we lost our fourth pup of the year to the virus. Davidson had been at the ER vet overnight along with his littermate, Phoebe. We sent them and Marley to our regular vet for continued treatment, hoping for the best, knowing the worst may come. No matter how many littermates suvive the virus with each treatment, it still tears me up each time I lose one.

Why does this keep happening? Why do we keep getting sick puppies? Well, let’s start off with the number one reason: people are not spaying and neutering their animals. It’s not a difficult concept to grasp, and low-cost spay options are available, espcially through our local SNAC clinic. But why aren’t people doing this? Profits from puppy sales, long-held beliefs that spaying is cruel, and men who are insecure about their manhood refusing to allow their male pets to be neutered.

Past the obvious reason, what else is there? Moms that are not properly vaccinated have no immunities to pass on to their babies. We saw a case just a week ago of a purebred puppy bought from a CKC registered breeder that died from parvovirus. If mom was properly immunized and the puppies properly vaccinated as the family had been promised, then there should have been no issue. Even after having been notified about the parvo puppy, the breeder sold the remaining eight puppies (an independent third party called over the weekend to check).

So we have the problems with reproduction and negligent care. What’s left? The external environment in which the pups are raised. All our puppies come from local animal control shelters. These shelters are several decades old in most cases and completely run down. Only routine maintenance is done, and most cleaning methods are ineffective as the buildings harbour viruses so well. Add to that a climate that never experiences a hard freeze to kill parasites.

Our job as rescuers is to save as many lives as possible. We know the risks with accepting puppies, but our choice is to either accept that risk or stop taking them at all. At this point, we have over $1,000 in vet bills for the three puppies that started aggressive treatments last night. So while we are diligently trying to give them a second chance at life, the costs to do so mean we can’t accept other pets that will also need care.

So we push on, praying for the survival of our pups and hoping people will stop purchasing pets that fuel these profit-seeking breeders and instead look.

*Donations are very much in need right now. Every little bit makes a difference. Please consider making a donation towards our puppies today.*

One of the great things about the Internet is the ability to spread information quickly, what becomes called “viral.” As an animal rescuer, I subscribe to many email digests to get the latest information on animals needing help but also rescuers sharing their experiences that may help us. Below is an email I received from a rescuer in Florida regarding her use of the new flea preventative ProMeris. As with any new medicine, you should consult with your veterinarian before making a switch.

This is a very important message to my family & friends who have
dogs-cats–and to alert you to the hazard of using a new Flea & Tick
Preventative called ProMeris .

This is a new product designed to be a more effective product than
other flea/tick treatments that was just released this year. It is available
thru a vet and not currently on-line. I got ProMeris this week for my 7
dogs (6 Huskies & 1 Golden-Airedale) , and the results were
debilitating for nearly all of them-including me. Since my incident this week, my
vet has pulled it from distribution and alerted the manufacturer, Fort
Dodge .

Here are my results: Within less than 2 hours after applying, 4 of
my dogs had vomited from 2-4 times, 3 were disoriented and stumbling, 1 was
dragging his back leg, 1 was salivating. I had very similar symptoms
like an allergic reaction-my lips were swollen, eyes very red, mucous
membranes such as eyes, nose, and mouth were stinging. I was very disoriented-
dizzy equilibrium and not able to drive. To make this a short story-all 7
of my dogs were admitted to the hospital for veterinarian care, and 3 of them
remained for care, IV fluids and observation for 24 hours. I was in the
emergency room. I’m home now and so are the dogs. We’re all feeling
much better. Vet bills were over $2,500 and Fort Dodge is paying for
these. Not only can the product cause this reaction, it has a highly noxious odor
that permeated the house and is just starting to dissipate after 3
days.

Your dogs/cats might not have the same reaction, but given my
experience-I wanted to help you all become well-educated about the product.

Kathryn

I still advocate for the use of Comfortis as we use it on all our canines over 14 weeks. In looking through Google, I found another site listing reactions to ProMeris.

Today is a day for celebrating love, but your pets celebrate their love for you all year long. They show you with their wagging tails, sloppy and wet kisses, and little surprises they leave for you when you least expect. But your pets actually do quite a bit to keep you happy and healthy.

According to the American Animal Hospital Association, animals actually improve the human condition:

The Harvard Health Letter explained that companion animals offer unconditional affection and pet owners’ benefit through lower blood pressure, heart rate, and anxiety levels.

The University of California at Los Angeles found that Medicare patients who owned pets had fewer medical care visits than those who did not.

Australia’s Baker Medical Research Institute evaluated men and women for heart disease risk factors. Researchers found that pet owners had lower blood pressure and lower levels of blood cholesterol and triglycerides in comparison to non-pet owners.

Cambridge University (England) studied how human health could be improved by pet ownership. When investigators concluded their timed study, those with pets reported improvement in general health over those without.

The State University of New York in Buffalo found that people confined to wheelchairs, and who had service dogs, were less depressed, less dependent on caregivers, and more active outside their homes than those without.

So this Valentine’s Day, be sure to take a moment to give your pet some love in return. Pick up a special treat or chew toy on the way home and spend some time thanking them for helping to keep you healthy. And while you celebrate with your loved ones, be sure to be aware of some Valentine’s hazards for your pets:

Chocolate - As delicious as it is to humans, chocolate can be toxic to dogs because it contains theobromine and caffeine, stimulants which can be hazardous — and even fatal — to pets. According to the ASPCA, chocolate toxicity is one of the most common poisonings seen by vets.

Jewelry - Sparkling gems are appealing to our four legged friends, too. Fido or Kitty’s instincts may tempt them to taste the jewelry, causing stomach ailments and possible breathing difficulties. Don your new jewelry immediately, or place it safely away.

Flowers - Some flowers and plants are dangerous if ingested by pets, including buttercups, calla lilies and tulips. The packaged plant food that accompanies some floral arrangements can lead to stomach problems as well.

Other dangers - A romantic candlelit dinner can turn into a fiery disaster by a pounce on the table from a curious cat. And scented cards and love letters spell danger if ingested.

If you don’t have a pet, then give yourself a great Valentine and adopt a pet - just so happens, we have a few of those available!

Pet insurance is not a new idea, but there seems to be great debate recently about purchasing such policies. As pets become more and more a part of families, it has become harder to say “no” in their time of need. But a recent article on Salon.com asked its readers to think about if there was a point at which they would have to let their pet go due to the inability to pay for care. The article sparked great discussion on CPR’s volunteer message board, and our president took the issue over to her blog. Local TV station WSAV will even have a segment about pet insurance on their news tonight at 6. We invite you to take a few moments and consider what you would do if your pet faced a veterinary emergency. Making a plan now could make the difference in saving their life later.

A couple weeks ago, one of our volunteers emailed me about someone wanting to start a petition for putting another dog park in Savannah, particularly on the Southside. I emailed the person back some questions (such as location, who was sponsoring the petition, etc.), and suggested they get it going online. I’m happy to announce that they have.

PETITION TO THE CITY OF SAVANNAH MAYOR AND ALDERMEN:
The undersigned citizens of Savannah/Chatham County would like an area allocated in Joseph J.Tribble Park for the establishment of a fenced-in dog park. The Joseph J. Tribble Park entrance is at the base of the water tower on Largo Drive near the intersection of Windsor Road. The park has a paved jogging/walking trail around a small lake and a large open area surrounded by woods. It is a perfect location for a dog park!

We know we need more fenced-in dog parks, so take a moment and sign the petition here.