A Few Quick Items

 

 

Good News/Disappointing News

I never know which should come first, so I'll start with the disappointment. Charli and I went to the vet clinic on Thursday, and the result was as I expected. Charli is not going to have puppies. I was so disappointed! I kept hoping that there was one little baby tucked up high inside. Nope.

Maggie, however, is pregnant. Her puppies are due around May 5th. Her vet visit is next Monday.

New Canine Influenza

You may have heard about the canine influenza outbreak in the midwest. If not, here's a link to an article from Cornell University. http://mediarelations.cornell.edu/2015/04/12/midwest-canine-influenza-outbreak-caused-by-new-strain-of-virus/   The virus also affects cats. At present there is no vaccination for the new strain, and it is unknown whether the current canine influenza vaccine offers any protection against this influenza.

So where has this new strain come from and why now? One supposition is that the outbreak may be the result of dogs being shipped from South Korea to shelters in the US. One blogger cited that 23 Korean dogs were sent to shelters in mid-Atlantic states, 57 Korean dogs were sent to San Francisco, and 21 Samoyed from South Korea were placed with a Chicagoland rescue group.

It seems that dire predictions regarding rescue groups bringing un-vaccinated dogs from foreign countries into the US are coming true. It's long been speculated that the practice will have negative health impacts on US pets. Obviously, some regulations need to be in place to protect our pets from the influx of foreign canines who may not have had health checks or vaccinations.

For other updates, google "new strain of canine influenza."

A quick excerpt from Humane or Insane, an article of interest: "The current scale of importation also poses significant public health risks. These animals, destined to be domestic pets, are from countries where the standards of veterinary medicine are not as high as they are in the US. Diseases and parasites that are not found here may be endemic in poor or tropical countries. If the fundraising materials accurately describe the rescued dogs, they are not pets from private homes but strays from the streets and therefore are among the most likely reservoirs for parasites and diseases. In addition, they are bringing them into communal shelters where they are most likely to pass on whatever diseases or parasites they have to other companion animals or to their caregivers."  - See more at: http://www.naiaonline.org/naia-library/articles/humane-or-insane/#sthash.KkRcpWDr.dpuf

Another article on the new flu says this about treatment of affected dogs: "Treatment of influenza ideally involves supportive and symptomatic care until the dog’s immune system wins the battle against the virus (requires approximately two weeks for most dogs). Therapy may include supplemental fluids, special diets to entice appetite, anti-inflammatory medications, and cough suppressants. Antibiotics may be prescribed to prevent secondary bacterial infection.
If evidence of pneumonia is present, much more intensive therapy is indicated and may include hospitalization for intravenous fluids and antibiotics, supplemental oxygen, and 24-hour monitoring by a veterinarian." and cautions readers not to panic because, although there have been five pneumonia-related deaths, the vast majority of dogs with the influenza recover.

Something for Urban Dwellers and Their Dogs

New AKC Canine Good Citizen Program  http://www.akc.org/news/akc-urban-canine-good-citizen/

"Giving responsible owners a whole new level of achievement for their dogs, the American Kennel Club (AKC) announced today the launch of “AKC Urban CGC” to the Canine Good Citizen (CGC) training program. The new title focuses on city-dwelling dogs and the special skills they require.
Since 1989, more than 700,000 dogs and their owners have been recognized by the CGC program, which rewards the dogs’ good manners at home and in the community. As with CGC, AKC Urban CGC requires a 10-step test of skills that dogs must pass to earn the official AKC Urban CGC title. AKC Urban CGC skills dogs must possess include:
    •    Exits/enters doorways (of dog friendly buildings) with no pulling
    •    Walks through a crowd on a busy urban sidewalk
    •    Reacts appropriately to city distractions (horns, sirens, etc.)
    •    Waits on leash, crosses street under control
    •    Ignores food and food containers on sidewalk
    •    Person approaches on sidewalk and pets dog
    •    3-minute down-stay in lobby of dog friendly building
    •    Safely negotiates stairs and elevators
    •    Housetrained
    •    Enters, exits, rides dog-friendly transportation (car, subway in a carry bag, cab)"

 

Barn Hunts and Lhasas? Yes!

What is a barn hunt and, seriously, can a Lhasa do that? Yes, a Lhasa can! My friend Marsha, who is a Register of Merit Lhasa Apso breeder, has Champions, Grand Champions, and Lhasas with agility titles. To that she has recently added Lhasas with Barn Hunt titles. This past weekend, her GCH CH MLS Desiderata Lindy received a Barn Hunt title at trials in Fargo. She is now GCH CH MLS Desiderata Lindy RATI RATN!

RATI = Barn Hunt Instinct (not a title recognized by AKC as it only needs one qualifying leg)
RATN = Barn Hunt Novice (AKC recognized)

I'm especially proud of Lindy since she is the mother of my Ch. MLS Dakota Dancing in the Wind at Joyslyn (Windy) and the grandmother of Ch. Joyslyn MLS Dakota Wind Breaker (Josh). Congrats Marsha and Lindy!

Here is Marsha with Lindy and her qualifying ribbons. Congratulations!!!

What is a Barn Hunt? "In a Barn Hunt, there is a simple maze of straw bales, with plastic tubes hidden in the maze containing live rats. The dog must climb on a bale with all four feet, go through a tunnel, and alert the owner to the rat — all in a specified amount of time. It is mostly a game of instinct, but the best dogs bring an element of basic training, smarts, and self-control to succeed." ~ from  Barn Hunt: Doggy fun, even without a barn


Click this link if you want to know more about Barn Hunts.  Here's another link to a video of a dog in action. http://www.thecanineranch.com/index.cfm/dog-sports/barn-hunt/  You can also find a bunch of videos on YouTube.

Life is Better When You Have A Lhasa to Love You!

Joyce