Adopt-A-Senior-Pet Month Roots for the Underdogs

(CNN) -- It's been said time and again that you can't teach an old dog new tricks, but what about giving one a new lease on life?

Animal rights organizations like the ASPCA and shelters nationwide have taken to observing November as Adopt-A-Senior-Pet Month. To mark that occasion, some of the top senior pooches on social media are taking the cause into their own hands ... er, paws.
Marnie, a 12-year-old Shih Tzu, is one of them.

To read more on this story, click here: Adopt-A-Senior-Pet Month Roots for the Underdogs FOLLOW US!

Heroic Homeless People Rescue Dog Hit by a Car

A one-year-old Shih Tzu’s life has been saved thanks to a pair of kindly people who have no place to go to even help themselves.  The Michigan pup was badly injured when he was struck by a car, but now he is on the road to recovery.

Earlier this month, Blitz was found in downtown Grand Rapids and was taken by the anonymous good Samaritans to a nearby fire department.  He was bleeding and had road rash and broken bones.  Firefighters brought him to the Kent County Animal Shelter, who sent him to Kelley’s Animal Shelter to treat his injuries.

To read more on this story, click here: Heroic Homeless People Rescue Dog Hit by a Car

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Get Your FREE! Pumpkin Carving Stencils of Your Favorite Dog Breed

Let your friends and neighbors know which dog breed is best by carving a Halloween pumpkin that looks like your favorite canine.

To view and get stencils, click here, to download: Pumpkin-Carving Stencils of Favorite Dog Breeds

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 at: www.whispersoftheworld.com

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Dog Breeds Who Are Most at Risk in the Summer Sun

While cats have enough sense to nap their way through summer afternoons, dogs need a little more guidance in warm weather. If you let them, dogs will follow their masters into the inferno. That loyalty comes at a price. Dogs are not good at keeping themselves cool, so they rely on us to keep them out of trouble.

Dogs can become dehydrated quickly, so give them plenty of water when it's hot outdoors. If they are panting heavily, bring them to a cooled-off area and give them water.

Dogs will not limit their own activity, so pay close attention to how your dog is acting as they play.

Provide your dog with a shady place to escape if they're out in the sun or keeping them completely indoors when it's very hot

Limit exercise to the coolest part of the day, no matter how happy your dog seems when it's warm. Even in the coolest part of the day, watch for signs of trouble: Glassy eyes and frantic panting indicate a dog who needs help. Get to a veterinarian immediately if you see these symptoms!

Remember that older, obese or short-nosed dogs (Pugs, Bulldogs, Boston Terriers, Pekingese, Boxers, Shih Tzus and French Bulldogs) are less tolerant of heat. However, all dogs need constant access to shade and an endless supply of cool, clean water.

Although many of the breeds on this list are brachycephalic, or have short noses and wide, flat heads-it's important to take proper precautions for keeping any dog cool in warm weather and never (ever!) leaving them in a hot car for any period of time.

#1 - Pug
Playful, confident and friendly, Pugs are well loved for their charisma and charm. With a wrinkled face, short legs and compact body, the Pug's unique expression and physique is well known among dog fanciers and pet parents alike. Because of its small size, Pugs can happily adapt to both city and country living.

Brachycephalic breeds-or dogs with short noses, compact skulls and compressed upper respiratory systems-like the Pug are inefficient panters, which means that they're unable to cool themselves as effectively as other dog breeds. Because of this, brachycephalic breeds are more prone to overheating and require extra care in warm weather, particularly access to shade and plenty of water.
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#2 - Pekinese
An ancient toy breed that originated in China over 1,000 years ago, the Pekinese is a happy, loveable lapdog. Loyal and devoted to it's family, the Pekinese can also be wary of strangers. With a thick undercoat and long, dense overcoat, Pekinese require regular grooming, in addition to special care in warm weather.

If you anticipate spending a lot of time outdoors with you dog, it's important to check with your veterinarian to make sure they're healthy enough to participate in the plans you make. Every dog is different, so there's no set of guidelines that can apply to every one.

#3 - Bulldog
Originally used for bull baiting, the Bulldog is now one of the most popular companion animals in America and is one of the most popular AKC breeds. A short yet powerful dog with a heavy build, trademark under bite and lots of loose skin, the Bulldog makes an adorable couch companion, albeit one that may be prone to snorting and drooling.

While the Bulldog may require some prodding to go out for a walk, they might have some trouble breathing as they run or play because they are brachycephalic, so take care not to over-exercise them.

#4 - Shih Tzu
Another ancient dog breed that was kept as a companion and lap dog by Chinese royalty, Shih Tzus remain popular family pets and companions. A playful breed that loves learning new things, Shih Tzus are generally good with children and other dogs. With a dense undercoat and long, straight outer coat, the Shih Tzu requires regular grooming and may snort and sneeze (in addition to overheat in warm weather) frequently because of its short muzzle.

You'll want to avoid spending too much time on the pavement with your dog in warm weather, as the ground can heat up quickly and can create blisters or burns on the pads of your dog's paws.

#5 - Boston Terrier
One of the first breeds established in the United States, the Boston Terrier is a lively, intelligent breed with a gentle and easy going disposition. A compact breed with large ears and a wide smile, Boston Terriers generally require a minimal amount of exercise and grooming and, aside from their propensity to overheat in warm weather, tend to be easy keepers.

#6 - French Bulldog

This little lap-warmer was bread as a companion for French royalty beginning in the 19th century. With a small, compact body and large, rounded ears, French Bulldogs also have short muzzles and broad, flat faces. Sweet, affectionate and friendly, French Bulldogs get along well with everyone but tend to become attached to one person in particular. In addition to their high risk of over heating in warm weather, French Bulldogs also need to have the spaces between the wrinkles on their face and neck kept clean and dry to prevent skin infections.

#7 - Boxer
Used for fighting and bull baiting in the 18th century, Boxers have become popular family pets, police dogs and military dogs. Large and muscular with a square head, short nose and high-tucked abdomen, Boxers love to play and spend time with their people. Particularly affectionate with children, the Boxers can be protective of their families in the presence of other dogs and require lots of attention.

If dogs are allowed to be active during the hottest parts of the day, they are at risk for heatstroke, which can be fatal if not corrected quickly. If at all possible. It is  recommended limiting extended outdoor time to early afternoon or evening on hot days. If your dog must be out and about during the hottest hours of the day, provide them with plenty of water, access to shade and time to take breaks and catch their breath.

#8 - Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Considered a fashionable lap dog for women in the 17th century, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel remains a popular and friendly companion. An easygoing breed that falls in love with everyone it meets, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is small bodied with a round head, short nose and fluffy drop eats. A breed that loves attention, its medium-length coat requires regular grooming. Although the breed can fare well in either the city or the country, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels-like the other breeds on this list-will need to have access to air conditioning or plenty of cool places when the temperature heats up.

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Wausau City, Wisconsin - Leaders Consider Changing Animal Ordinance

Wausau City, Wisconsin leaders are taking a look at the city's animal laws after finding out many people aren't following the rules. The discussion was sparked when a Wausau family found out they have two more dogs than the city allows.

Public Health and Safety Committee Chair, Lisa Rasmussen said according to some estimates, there could be a lot of other households in the same boat. "There may be as many as 3,000 households that are currently in excess of the ordained limit."

That includes Melissa and James Lecker. In February, a public service officer noticed the couple has four dogs. That's two more than the city allows. The Leckers told Newsline 9 they'd rather move than lose any of their pets.

"I didn't want to be breaking any laws or hiding anything," Melissa Lecker said during an interview earlier this year.

Since that story came out, city officials decided to take another look. Now, they're moving forward with plans to try and change the rules. Under a proposal, people could apply for a permit to house more than two dogs as long as the pets are already living there.

"If it goes to the permit where we have to let our dogs die and then we can't replace them, no we will not stay in the city," Lecker said over the phone Monday night. She was out of state on vacation, but spoke to us over the phone.

Other people weren't afraid to speak out in front of the Public Health and Safety Committee and ask them to change the law.

"You want me to take two of my dogs that have a good home and put them in a shelter until they...they can sit there for months until they find a good home when they're taken out of one," one animal owner said.

But some people said the limit is in place for a reason. "I'm not naive to think that there aren't good pet owners out there, we've definitely heard some here tonight, but there are also those that aren't."

Even if city leaders change the law and adopt a permit process, they'll need to figure out how to enforce it. Right now, the police department handles animal complaints, but officials propose working with the Marathon County Humane Society http://www.catsndogs.org/ to handle animal issues. "If folks who are currently out of compliance adopt this compromise solution, come forward and get those things done it will help us at least partially fund an animal control program without doing it purely off tax levy dollars," Rasmussen said.

But this is just the beginning. City leaders said coming up with a solid proposal could take months. Police said they know people are violating the law, but they say they'll only respond to animal complaints as they're called in, at least while city leaders work on developing a new process.


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Love of Dogs May Cause Wisconsin Couple to Lose Their House

Melissa Lecker is walking outside her three-bedroom home in downtown Wausau, Wisconsin, and talking about her dogs.

“These dogs are our family,” she says as she looks down at two 13-year-old Golden Retrievers, Abbie and Jesse.


Right behind her are her 1-year-old Yorkie, Archie, and Chester, her 3-year-old Shih Tzu.
“They are just like our children,” she says.

In fact, she says emphatically her four dogs are more important to her than her money or even her home.

“This house doesn't mean as much to us as they do.”
Ironic because it’s the house she and her husband are set to lose because of their love for their pups.

James and Melissa moved to Wausau in early January, buying a new home and what they thought was the beginning of a great life in Wausau.

What they didn’t know is Wausau has an ordinance limiting the number of pets.
In Wausau, for instance, you can’t have more than three cats, three gerbils or three rabbits. And, unfortunately for the Leckers, you can’t have more than two dogs.

“I couldn’t believe it,” she said when a police officer told her she was over the dog limit and subject to a fine of more than $100 per day. “I had never heard of anything like that.”
She says town officials have given her an unbearable choice.

“They told us that the ordinance clearly states they cannot work with us… that it's either two dogs or that you have to move, as you can't have four dogs here.”

No one from Wausau would return repeated calls from Fox News for comment. Not Mayor James Tipple. No one from the Wausau City Council. Not even Lisa Rasmussen, chair of the Public Health and Safety Committee, which oversees the pet ordinance.
But in local articles town officials have said their hands are tied.

"Our current ordinance doesn't allow for a variance," Wausau city attorney Anne Jacobson told WAOW.com.

Other city officials say the ordinance was passed in 1989 to curb animal “nuisance” complaints like dog bites.

And one municipal attorney from New Jersey says he understands the purpose of the ordinance, particularly when it comes to dogs.

“They smell. They bark. They have excrement,” explained attorney Jeff Gold, who fully supports laws limiting pets.

“You’re not punishing [the Leckers], he explains. “You're regulating society.” He says animal regulations are some of the oldest regulations on the books. “Animals used to be in houses,” he explains. “They used to be in front yards. Society gets to regulate it.”

“Well," counters Melissa while holding Chester in her arms, “I believe there are other ways to handle the nuisance complaints.”

“They should punish the nuisances, not responsible pet owners.” Melissa says she has put her house on the market and is willing to take a $15,000 loss in order to keep her dogs.

“I hope we can work something out,” she said. “But they are just being so mean. My dogs didn’t bother anyone.”

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Never Allow A Veterinarian To Euthanize Your Pet Without A Second Opinion

I wrote this story back in January 2011. It tells what happened to me when my little shih-tzu, Domino became sick.

Today is January 23, 2011, and it is my Birthday. I am writing this story to hopefully help someone who may be going through what I experience with my dog, Domino a 12 year old shih-tzu.

Domino no longer goes to the groomers. He get’s so upset that he has a seizure, and I always received a call to come and pick him up. He is groomed at home. I have the equipment, and my son usually cuts him with me standing close by supervising.

On January 18th I decided that I could give him a haircut without my son. Why I started shaving him in the middle of his back, I don’t know…clearly I had no idea what I was doing! After shaving what looks like a large belt area around him, I realized that I should have waited for my son. I did notice that he started lying down on the table and would not stay standing. When my son saw it we laughed, and decided not to finish because he seemed to want to just lay down.

Later that day, I noticed that Domino was lethargic and he already hadn’t eaten in a few days. Since his Veterinarian was out of town, I made an appointment with a local animal clinic for the next day. I was given an 11:00 a.m. appointment and arrived promptly the next day.

We met with the Vet who asked us a few questions, and quickly took Domino off to a back room. I stopped him and showed him where I had tried to groom him. I did not want him to mistake it for hair loss. When the Vet returned we were told that x-rays were needed, of course, I agreed.

When the Vet returned he showed us the x-rays. He showed us a round item on the ex-ray that he explained was a “tumor on his spleen”. He kept pushing surgery, but also saying at the same time. “he probably won’t make it though the anesthesia, most don’t”.

When he saw my hesitation, he began to tell me that Domino will not make it through the night without the surgery…ah, didn’t you just say…“he probably won’t make it though the anesthesia”. Finally, realizing that I was not going to let him do the $2-$3 thousand dollar surgery, he said…"look just put him to sleep, get yourself $500 and go buy a puppy!” As his words registered in my mind…I asked God to numb my tongue! Fearing my response, my son, the Minister decided that we should leave. We paid our bill and left without so much as looking back.

I cried all the way home hugging my little Domino, who was looking at me as if to say, “Mommy what’s wrong?” After I arrived home, I got on the internet and looked for an animal hospital to get a second opinion. I found one, made an appointment for the next day.

I then called another animal hospital where my little Sugar had passed in 2008. To make arrangements for his cremation, believing that he was not going to make it through the night, I wanted to be prepared. I asked what I should do if he passes after they close at 6:00 p.m. I was then asked if I had a home freezer. I immediately asked, “do you mean a food freezer”, thinking …I know she is not suggesting that I put him in the freezer! She immediately corrected herself and said, “I am sorry, I did not mean to ask you that”.

I got off of the phone thinking why am I making cremation arrangements for a pet that is still walking around like normal? I was getting sick to the stomach from listening to her describe the different urns and the prices. I finally agreed to come in and pick up a brochure, which I never did.

Later that same evening, while sitting and wondering what to do next, I started thinking of what the Vet had said earlier. I was so upset, I was thinking what if he does die tonight? I called my son and decided to take him through emergency at the animal hospital.

We met with a Vet and made the mistake of giving him the release form from the first Vet. I also told him about the haircut and that it was not hair loss. You could clearly see that he had been shaved. Hair loss falls out in patches. He smiled and took Domino with him. Later another Vet came in, he was so young he looked like he was in training. He introduces himself and says “Domino has several tumors (now its several tumors not just one like the first Vet said) and he has blood in his belly”. I almost jumped out of the chair! I asked him to repeat himself and he did. I asked how he knew they were tumors without taking an x-ray…he told me he could feel them! He actually said, “I can feel the blood slushing around in his belly”. He then said that he stuck a needle in his belly and drew blood! He also told me that his heart, lungs and liver where fine. They never offered to draw blood! He immediately hands me this sheet with the surgery already totaled up. He then says, 80% is due now by credit card only, and you can pay the balance when the dog leaves the hospital.

I am sitting there about to hyperventilate, when the first Vet comes back in. The first thing he does is apologize for the Vet at the clinic where I took him earlier that morning. He called him by name and said, “while his bedside manner is not the best…he is a good doctor.” That’s when I realized that he knew the Vet that I had went to earlier in the morning. I am sure that it is not unusual for Doctors to know each other.

Without taking any x-rays or blood work, he began to tell me a similar story that I had heard earlier only he was a little kinder. He pushed the surgery and told me that he may live a day, weeks or a month after surgery…but definitely not 6 months. He then said “we can put him to sleep now or you can have your Vet do it.

I told him that if Domino was going to die, he was going to do it at home with me. He then said, “it might not be a pretty picture, he could start thrashing around and having a seizure”. He then said, if money is the problem, we can open him up to see what is going on, that would cost between $700 - $900. What! I am thinking…are you saying that for $700 - $900 you will open him up…then what? Does the $700 - $900 include closing him up!

My head was about to burst! I told my son to put Domino’s coat on him. As I was standing at the front desk ready to pay my second Vet bill for the day. I noticed in the little business card tray the same business cards that I had seen earlier in the animal clinic. I asked the nurse if they were associated with that clinic. She said yes. I had actually ended up in the hospital that was associated with the clinic that I had gone to earlier in the day. I had no way of knowing since they were listed under two different names.

Here’s what his release paper said:

Advised that animal should be pts (put to sleep) immediately.
Suggested surgery
Massive hair loss (What!…didn’t I tell you that I was trying to groom him!)
One thing both Vets’ noticed was that Domino was not in any pain or discomfort.

I arrived home and held Domino close to me. I said a prayer and I told God if you must take Domino, I will understand.

I was so traumatized…I had not eaten since breakfast, and had no plans on eating or sleeping. I slept on the sofa with my little Domino in his bed next to me watching him all night. I finally dozed off, and woke up frightened. I touched his little body and could feel him breathing.

I am still afraid to go to sleep at night, fearing that I may wake up in the morning and he has passed. I have left little Domino’s fate in God. He has the last say…not man. He is doing so much better. He is acting normal, but I am still having a little problem with him eating.

Some wonderful friends on my facebook page, “All Animals Welcomed”, suggested a appetite stimulant called Nutri-Cal. He has started eating a little.

I am still a little shaken not knowing what his regular Vet is going to find when I take him back. Please know that I can not reveal the names of the Clinic or Hospital. I will say that I will never enter either one of them again with any pet that I may have.

My happiest Birthday gift was when I woke up this morning and saw my little baby standing, waiting to go out and do his business! I still think what if I had made the wrong decision? I would have missed at least 5 days of life without him. I guess I would have never known.

By no means am I suggesting that all Veterinarians are bad. I have had my Vet for 14 years and there is some reason that I keep him. When I first met him I was bringing in my little Sugar, who crossed over the Rainbow Bridge in 2008. She was only about 6-8 weeks old. One of the things he let me know, was that he was not about money, but more about caring for your pet. He said, “Please bring her in for all of her shots, or if she is sick. Do not avoid it because you don’t have the money”, “I will always work something out with you”.

My little Domino crossed over the Rainbow Bridge on February 25, 2011. I had 5 more weeks from the time that the Vet suggested that I put him to sleep to spend with him. I was with him we he quietly passed. I chose to allow him to die at home.

I hope this story will help someone in making a decision on their pet’s life. Never allow a Vet to euthanize (to put to death ) your pet without a second opinion.

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