Rush University Medical Center in Chicago - Allowing Dogs and Cats to Visit Patients

All pet owners can attest to the health benefits of petting a dog or a cat. For long-term hospital patients with serious illnesses, cuddle time with Fido or Fluffy can provide that extra boost they need to get through each difficult day of treatment. But for the vast majority of patients, policies prohibiting pets ban four-legged family members from hospital rooms.

Rush University Medical Center in Chicago was one of those facilities hesitant to allow pet visitors...that is, until now.

As of December 2012, Rush became the first Chicagoland hospital to adopt an official visitation policy for canine or feline visitors. Rush joins only a dozen other hospitals across the country in allowing dogs and cats in patient rooms.

After a three-year study and consultations with other hospitals that formally permit pet visitors, including the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and the University of Maryland Medical Center, Rush officials decided the benefits of a pet policy outweighed any risks or costs. They have created a 21-point checklist for pet visitors; some of the items stipulate that only dogs or cats are allowed, the attending physician must sign off on the visit and the pet must be freshly groomed.

Reverend Susan Carole Roy of the University of Maryland Medical Center, who provided consultation to the Rush task force, is pleased that Rush University Medical Center has implemented what she’s found to be such a beneficial program at her hospital.

“Our pets are an integral part of our everyday lives, and they share in our greatest joys and darkest hours,” Roy explains. “For patients to be able to reconnect with their pets — even for a short period of time — can really be very meaningful. It allows them to get in touch with a part of their lives that is often lost when they become patients.”

The decision in favor of dog and cat visitors was a long time coming for Rush Associate Vice President of Nursing Operations, Diane Gallagher, one of the biggest advocates for establishing a pet visitors policy at the Chicago hospital.

“For those of you who are dog lovers, this will be a piece of cake,” Gallagher told her colleagues. “The rest of you will just have to trust me.”

Bernadette Slesinski-Evans of nearby Oak Lawn, Ill., became the first Rush patient to take advantage of the new policy when her beloved Dachshund, Sadie, stopped by for a long-awaited visit.

Slesinski-Evans was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2010. The Oak Lawn resident has been hospitalized at Rush several times over the past few years, and is currently there receiving pain management treatments. One of the first things Slesinski-Evans did after checking into her hospital room was put out photos of Sadie and her two other dogs, a Collie and an Australian Shepherd.

A nurse noticed the photos and told Slesinski-Evans about Rush’s policy for dog and cat visitors. Less than 48 hours later, Sadie walked through the door and greeted her mom for the first time in weeks.

“It just gives me a little piece of home,” Slesinski-Evans told the Chicago Tribune. “It’s just wonderful to have someone to hug...and help me deal with things.”

Rush University Medical Center Bunny

Coco the rabbit visits child patients every day at Rush University Medical Center, which recently began allowing visitors’ pets to visit them. (Credit: Bernie Tafoya/WBBM)

Rush University Medical Center Animal Therapy - Sadie, a dachshund, visits with Bernadette Slesinski-Evans, a cancer patient at Rush University Medical Center. (Credit: Rush University Medical Center)
Patient Bernadette Selenski-Evans’ dog, Sadie, lies at the foot of her recliner. Selenski-Evans’ three-year-old dotson paid a visit to Bernadette as a part of the therapeutic animal visit program.

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Huge Goldfish Invade Lake Tahoe

Goldfish the size of canned hams are turning up in Lake Tahoe on the California-Nevada border.

A group of researchers from the University of Nevada at Reno discovered and documented the oversized fish, including one 18-inches long. Others had apparently spotted the fish in the waters of Lake Tahoe, but Christine Ngai and fellow researchers were the first to document their existence.

Ngai told KCRA.com, "You just see this bright golden orange thing starting to float up, and you’re like, what is that? And then you take a net and you scoop it up, and you’re like, it’s a goldfish."

Experts believe that people dumping the contents of their aquariums into the lake is to blame for the problem. And it is a real problem. Researchers believe the large fish, which aren't native to the lake, could have a significant ecological impact, including creating a food shortage for native trout. Also a worry, according to Dr. Sudeep Chandra of the University of Nevada, is the goldfish's tendency to spur algae growth in a lake known for being crystal clear.

When Ngai and her colleagues examined the fish, they found that some were pregnant, meaning the problem is likely to get worse.

This isn't the first case of abnormally large goldfish showing up in a strange spot. In 2010, a fisherman in France reeled in a goldfish the size of a large dog.

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Pit Bulls Not 'Inherently Dangerous' - Maryland House of Delegates Approved Bill that Would Reverse a 2012 Court Ruling

The Maryland House of Delegates today unanimously approved a bill that would reverse a 2012 court ruling that found that pit bulls are "inherently dangerous" and that their owners faced higher liability standards than any other dog owners, reports NBC4.

Under the provisions of the bill, all dog owners are held to the same standards of liability in case their dogs bite someone else, and they'd all have a chance to prove in court that their dog isn't dangerous.

Last year's ruling not only targeted pit bull owners, but also any landlords that rent houses to them. Last September, a Baltimore man was told that he would have to choose between his public housing or his pit bull.

Animal advocates argued that the breed of dog itself isn't the problem, but rather how they are raised and treated. Regardless, Prince George's County still maintains a ban on pit bull ownership.

The bill now goes to the Senate.

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Sea Otter Plays Basketball to Help Alleviate Arthritis Pain

Eddie is a bit late for the NBA Slam Dunk Contest, since it was just contested this last weekend, but he can dunk with the best of them. Nothing fancy like jumping over a car or ball boy, though. After all, Eddie is a sea otter. And the great thing about Eddie's dunking is that he doesn't do it for show. No, he dunks off stage at the Oregon Zoo to improve his health.

Eddie is 15 years old, geriatric for the species, and suffers from arthritis in the elbows. Veterinarians prescribed regular exercise, and the zookeepers came up with dunking a basketball as the perfect elixir. Eddie caught on quickly.

"He's definitely got game," the zoo's Jenny DeGroot told KPTV. "Sea otters have incredible dexterity, so it makes sense Eddie would have this hidden talent. They're famous for using rocks as tools to crack open clams."

Unfortunately, Eddie's dunking takes place behind the scenes at the zoo, so visitors can't see the Blake Griffin or Terrence Ross of the otter world. But perhaps the zoo will allow Portland Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts a visit to see Eddie dunk; surely he'd be interested.

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Does Your Pet Have Ringworms?

Ringworm is caused by a fungus. The disease with the misleading name has nothing to do with a worm. It is a common infection that often causes itchy red patches on the skin. Dogs, cats, and humans can be affected by the disease, which causes hair to fall out in affected areas. It’s easily transmitted between people and pets, and if someone, or some pet in a household has it, all should be tested and treated, if needed. Treatment ranges from oral medications to topical products and can take weeks or months to resolve.

Overview

Ringworm in pets is most often caused by the fungus Microsporum canis. Although two other species of fungus can also cause ringworm infections, they tend to do so less frequently.

These fungi, also known as dermatophytes invade the superficial layers of the skin, hair, and/or nails. Because fungi thrive in moist environments, dermatophytes are especially persistent in humid climates and damp surroundings.

The ringworm infection caused by dermatophytes is also known as dermatophytosis. It’s not only contagious to other animals, it’s considered a zoonotic disease, meaning it can be transmitted from animals to humans, and vice versa. Children and those with compromised immune systems are most at risk.

Signs and Identification

In pets, the fungal infection causes the hair to become brittle and break off, resulting in bald spots. These occur most commonly on the face, ears, and legs. Within these hairless patches, the skin may be crusty or mildly inflamed, especially around the edges (hence, the ring-like appearance). If claws are affected, they may become deformed as they grow, just as in a human with a fungal infection of the nails.

Typically, the infection itself is not itchy, though secondary bacterial infections (pyoderma) may elicit significant pruritus (itchiness). Some animals may show no signs but may be sources of infection nonetheless, shedding fungal spores into the environment and serving as a reservoir for infection.

Ringworm is typically spread by contact with an infected animal. Because animals can shed fungal spores and infected hairs into the environment, touching objects the infected animal has been in contact with, including bedding and brushes, can also lead to infection. Organisms that are shed into the environment can remain infectious for months.

The best way to diagnose ringworm infection in an animal is by fungal culture. The veterinarian will pluck a few hairs from several lesions and place them on a culture medium where the organism can grow. Because it takes time for fungal growth, results may not be available for two weeks or more. Preliminary results, however, may sometimes be obtained within five days.

Veterinarians might also examine skin lesions under an ultraviolet lamp. In some cases, but not all the organism may glow yellow-green. Because this test is not always accurate, a fungal culture is still the preferred method of diagnosis.

In households in which people are diagnosed with ringworm, all the family pets should be tested. The same goes for multi-pet households in which one pet has been diagnosed with ringworm. Other pets should be tested and treated if positive in order to eliminate sources of ongoing infection.

Affected Breeds

All breeds of dogs and cats are equally susceptible. Dogs and cats with compromised immune systems may be predisposed to ringworm infections.

Treatment

In healthy animals, the infection may be self-limiting, meaning that it will eventually resolve without treatment. However, treatment can hasten resolution of the problem and limit the spread of infection to other animals and people in the household.

Pets may be treated with topical products, oral medications, or both. Before applying a topical treatment, veterinarians may recommend shaving or clipping the infected area. Topical treatments include lime sulfur dip, anti-fungal sprays/creams or antifungal shampoos.

There are a number of oral medications for ringworm, such as griseofulvin and itraconazole. Griseofulvin should never be given to a pregnant animal because it may cause birth defects in developing puppies or kittens. It may also cause bone marrow suppression in cats, especially those with feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) or feline leukemia virus (FeLV). Administration of griseofulvin may require periodic blood monitoring tests. Itraconazole is rapidly becoming the preferred oral treatment for cats because it has fewer side effects.

Thorough cleaning and treatment of the home environment is important to prevent recurrence and spread of the infection to pets and people. To eliminate fungal organisms in the environment:

• Clip affected areas on the pet and dispose of all hairs.
• Confine infected pets to one area of the house.
• Thoroughly vacuum areas that were highly trafficked by the pet and dispose of the vacuum bag outside. Wash all bedding and toys in hot water.
• Dispose of any carpets or rugs, if possible.
• Clean exposed areas and kennels with chlorine bleach that has been diluted 1:10 or with an antifungal spray recommended by your veterinarian.
• Repeat vacuuming and surface treatment at least monthly until infection is resolved.
• Treatment may be required for six weeks or longer. Once skin lesions have resolved, fungal cultures should be performed again. Treatment should not be stopped until fungal cultures are negative. Discontinuing treatment based only on resolution of lesions may result in recurrence of the infection.

Prevention

It’s difficult to prevent ringworm infection 100% in pets that enjoy outdoor life. These organisms are in the soil and might be on other dogs in the dog park, for example. Keeping cats indoors is an obvious solution, but even they can be infected by humans or dogs in the household.

Once characteristic lesions are seen, however, owners should take care not to touch the lesions and take their pets quickly to the veterinarian to prevent the spread of this skin infection.



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New Craze for Dogs - Hearts and Paw Print Tattoos Shaved into Fur!

Meet the pooches with patches:

One could say that the owners are surely getting more fun out of this than their pets.
Dogs are having ‘temporary tattoos’ such as paws, snowflakes and love hearts cut into their fur, with the designs taking about an hour to shave using clippers and lasting around 14 weeks.

Groomers Jessica Allegri, 26, and Amanda Marshall, 29, of Hatfield, Hertfordshire, came up with the idea for 'pooch patches' after trying it on their own boxer Ky, and have since been inundated with customers.

‘It was a quiet day and we thought it would be fun to shave a paw print on my dog, who comes to work with me,’ Ms Allegri said.

‘Our customers were really impressed and asked where he had had it done. Since then we have had lots of people asking for pooch patches and we've done snowflakes, flowers and hearts.

• Temporary tattoos take an hour to shave into dog's fur and last 14 weeks
• Dog groomers Jessica Allegri and Amanda Marshall came up with the idea
• Pair run Groomers on the Green in Hatfield and are trademarking treatment

New look: Dogs are having 'temporary tattoos' such as paws, snowflakes and love hearts cut into their fur

Close shave: Jessica Allegri said that it was 'just like having a hair-cut' for the animals and 'doesn't hurt'

Paws for thought: The pair, who run Groomers on the Green in Hatfield, are now trademarking the treatment

Business: Dog groomers Jessica Allegri (right), 26, and Amanda Marshall (left), 29, of Hatfield, Hertfordshire, came up with the idea after trying it on their own boxer Ky, and have since been inundated with customers.

Personal mark: The designs normally take an hour to shave using clippers and last for around 14 weeks

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Chinese Breeder Demands Facelift for Dog - Dog Dies in Surgery

A Chinese man has sued a Beijing animal hospital over the death of his dog during plastic surgery. Chinese animal welfare advocates have been appalled at the surgery, a facelift that was performed specifically to meet “the aesthetic desire” of the man, as Qin Xiaona, director of the Capital Animal Association, says to the Global Times.

Mr. Yu (as the media are referring to him) owns a Beijing dog farm. He wanted the dog to have a “facelift” to improve his appearance and thereby increase profits, as he says in the Global Times: ”The skin of my dog’s head was very flabby, so I wanted to cut part of his forehead and straighten the skin….. If my dog looks better, female dog owners will pay a higher price when they want to mate their dog with mine.”

Yu is demanding 880,000 yuan ($141,240) in compensation for the dog’s death; he claims that he bought the dog, a Tibetan Mastiff, from another owner for that price in March of 2012. He had previously had other dogs undergo surgery to make their ears more erect. The Global Times says that Yu owns 30 dogs and has been breeding them with dogs from other farms for fifteen years, for a price of 30,000 to 300,000 yuan. He also keeps female dogs whose puppies can sell from several thousand yuan to several million yuan.

The Tibetan Mastiff has become a canine status symbol for China’s nouveaux riche. One sold for 20 million yuan last year; a coal magnate in northern China bought a mastiff, Hong Dong for 10 million yuan in 2011. “If you are rich, you can easily buy a big house or a Lamborghini. But owning a pure-bred mastiff is quite another thing. It’s solid evidence of your wealth, power and taste,” millionaire dog breeder Li Yongfu is quoted as saying in the Telegraph.

Not only have Chinese animal welfare advocates expressed outrage at the use of plastic surgery to make the deceased mastiff look “better” according to the eyes of Yu. It is presumptuous for us to think that what humans consider “attractive” is the same as what animals do.

Advocates also point out that it is abusive for Tibetan mastiffs, which are native to the grassland plateaus of Central Asia and were originally bred as guard dogs, to be raised in lowland cities including Beijing and in urban areas, period.

In the Global Times, Zhang Mingming, who owns two cats, shuddered at the use of plastic surgery on a pet as such treats him or her “like a toy instead of a living being.” As Care2 blogger Judy Molland writes about the current rage for dog tattoos in the U.K.

Isn’t tattooing, or any other kind of adorning, taking away your pet’s dignity? How would humans like it if they had to submit to such embellishments against their will?

In the case of the deceased mastiff, the facelift was intended for the profit of the dog’s owner, in blatant disregard for the “rights and interests of the dog,” says Qin of the Capital Animal Association. It is horrendous that Yu is still seeking to make money from the now deceased dog who more than deserves to be left in peace.

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Meet, Chesty the Marine Corps' Latest and Most Adorable Mascot - Semper Fido!

The 9-week-old English bulldog set to become the new mascot for the U.S. Marine Corps has arrived at the Marine Barracks in Washington.

Chesty arrived in the nation’s capital Thursday, at which point the young pup was unveiled to the world.

Chesty is set to become Pfc. Chesty XIV on March 29, replacing Sgt. Chesty XIII. Until then, young Chesty will undergo obedience training.

After his arrival in Washington, Chesty met Bonnie Amos, wife of Gen. James F. Amos, commandant of the Marine Corps, according to the U.S. Marines. The pup is in the care of Staff Sgt. Jason Mosser, a member of the U.S. Marine Drum & Bugle Corps, and his wife Christine.

As the Marines’ official mascot, Chesty’s responsibilities will include marching in the Friday Evening Parades, as well as supporting events around the nation’s capital.

Chesty comes from five generations of championship bulldogs, which are bred by mother-daughter team Sara Gomez and Abigail Callahan of Stephens City, Va., according to the Marines.

Marine mascots are named for the late Lt. Gen. Lewis “Chesty” Puller, one of the most decorated officers in the history of the Marine Corps.

Chesty, future Marine Corps mascot, sits on the red carpet in front of the Home of the Commandants waiting to meet Bonnie Amos, wife of Gen. James F. Amos, commandant of the Marine Corps during a visit to Marine Barracks Washington, D.C., Feb. 14, 2013. (Sgt. Dengrier M. Baez/U.S. Marine Corps)

Chesty takes a nap before his departure to his future home Marine Barracks Washington, D.C., Feb. 13, 2013. (U.S. Marine Corps)

Lt. Gen. William M. Faulkner, deputy commandant for Installations and Logistics, plays with Chesty, the future Marine Corps mascot, during the puppy's visit to the Home of the Commandants, Marine Barracks Washington, D.C., Feb. 14 2013. (U.S. Marine Corps )

Bonnie Amos, wife of Gen. James F. Amos, commandant of the Marine Corps, holds Chesty, the future Marine Corps mascot, during the puppy's visit to the Home of the Commandants, Marine Barracks Washington, D.C., Feb. 14, 2013. Chesty, a 9-week-old pedigree English bulldog is soon to become the future Marine Corps mascot after the completion of an obedience training and ceremony set for March 29. (U.S. Marine Corps )

Old Dominion, left, and Chesty, his son, right, look at each other one last time before the future Marine Corps mascot heads to his new home Marine Barracks Washington, D.C., Feb. 13 2013. Chesty, a 9-week-old pedigree English bulldog is soon to become the future Marine Corps mascot after the completion of an obedience and recruit training with a ceremony scheduled for March 29. (U.S. Marine Corps)

Chesty, the future Marine Corps mascot, stands on the door step Home of the Commandants during the puppy's visit to Marine Barracks Washington, D.C., Feb. 14, 2013. (U.S. Marine Corps)

Take a look at the videos below:

                                                         Chesty Puller -- Marine Legend -- His Life In Pictures

     

                                                            Lewis Chesty Puller statue dedicated in Virginia

                                         

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