TOKYO - Japanese police have arrested a former pet shop worker for allegedly abandoning 80 dogs, dead and alive, in the countryside, officials and reports said Wednesday. Masaki Kimura, 39, admitted that he had been paid 1 million yen ($8,500) by a breeder to dispose of the miniature dachshunds, toy poodles, and corgies. He gave them no food or water, Jiji Press reported, and all but eight of the animals died in the wooden crates he was using to transport them, initially with the intention of selling them. When he discovered so many had perished, he decided to dump them in isolated parts of Tochigi, north of Tokyo. "I took the dogs from an acquaintance who said they would quit breeding, receiving 1 million yen from the person," Kimura told police, according to the Mainichi Shimbun newspaper. "The dogs died when I was transporting them by truck after putting them inside wooden boxes," he was quoted as saying. Police began investigating after the rotting bodies of dozens of dogs were found at two different spots — a riverbed and a forest — earlier this month. Kimura handed himself in at a police station last week, telling officers, "I regret what I've done," media reports said. A spokesman for Tochigi police told AFP he was being questioned on suspicion of violating laws on animal rights, river management and waste disposal. Small dogs are popular pets in Japan, but the issue of animals abandoned by their owners frequently makes the news. A Peaceful Farewell provides compassionate in-home pet euthanasia to fellow pet owners in Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Tempe, Ahwatukee, Scottsdale, and most of the Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area.
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TEHRAN, Nov 2014 (AFP) - Dog lovers in Iran could face up to 74 lashes under plans by hardline lawmakers that would ban keeping the pets at home or walking them in public.
A draft bill, signed by 32 members of the country's conservative-dominated parliament, would also authorise heavy fines for offenders, the reformist Shargh newspaper reported. Dogs are regarded as unclean under Islamic custom and they are not common in Iran, although some families do keep them behind closed doors and, especially in more affluent areas, walk them outside. Iran's morality police, who deploy in public places, have previously stopped dog walkers and either cautioned them or confiscated the animals. But if the new bill is passed by parliament then those guilty of dog-related offences could face lashes or fines ranging from 10 million rials to 100 million rials ($370 to $3,700 at official rates). Patting dogs or coming into contact with their saliva is seen as "najis" — direct contact and behaviour that leaves the body unclean — in the Islamic republic. "Anyone who walks or plays with animals such as dogs or monkeys in public places will damage Islamic culture, as well as the hygiene and peace of others, especially women and children," the draft law states. Confiscated animals would be sent to zoos, forests or the wilderness, it said. Hardliners in Iran's parliament are worried about an "invasion" of Western culture, including satellite television and the Internet, with dog ownership also being seen as un-Islamic. The law, however, would exempt police, farmers, and hunters from the penalties, which are mostly aimed at dog owners living in apartment buildings in big cities such as Tehran, according to the Shargh's report on Thursday. Senior officials have warned against dog ownership, including Iran's police chief General Esmail Ahmadi Moghaddam who two years ago said his officers would "deal with those who carry dogs in public." A similar law was proposed three years ago but after studying the bill lawmakers in the 290-member parliament dismissed it, citing more important legislation on the draft agenda. Humankind has been searching for a “fountain of youth” for thousands of years. For dog owners, the perfect find wouldn’t just extend our lives but also those of our beloved canine companions. For years veterinarians have advocated a few strategies to potentially extend the lifespan of dogs including a 25% reduction in caloric intake and perhaps giving older dogs L-deprenyl. However, research supporting the use of L-deprenyl for this purpose is hardly definitive. Two scientists from the University of Washington are looking to expand our understanding of how dogs age and whether or not a different drug, rapamycin, might help them age better and live longer. The first part of the Dog Aging Project consists of a “Longitudinal Study of Aging in Pet Dogs,” the goal of which is to “perform the first nationwide, large-scale longitudinal study of aging in pet dogs, where individual animals will be followed throughout life to understand the biological and environmental factors that determine why some dogs die early or succumb to diseases such as cancer, kidney failure, and dementia, while others live to a relatively old age free from these problems.” The project’s second goal is “an intervention trial to treat middle-aged dogs with the FDA approved drug rapamycin. At high doses, rapamycin is used successfully in human patients to prevent organ transplant rejection and to fight cancer. At low doses, rapamycin slows aging and extends lifespan in several organisms, including mice, with few or no side effects.” The first phase of this study will enroll middle-aged dogs (6-9 years depending on breed) in a short-term (3-6 month), low-dose rapamycin regimen and follow age-related parameters such as heart function, immune function, activity, body weight, and cognitive measures. These animals will then be followed throughout life to determine whether there are significant improvements in healthy aging and lifespan. The next phase of the study will enroll a second cohort of middle-aged dogs into a longer-term, low-dose rapamycin regimen designed to optimize lifespan extension. As with phase one, several age-related parameters will be assessed before, during, and after the treatment period. Based on the mouse studies performed at the University of Washington and elsewhere, we anticipate that rapamycin could increase healthy lifespan of middle-aged dogs by 2-5 years or more. Rapamycin is off patent, which means drug companies aren’t interested in funding additional research into its potential use as an “anti-aging” treatment. This is why your help is needed. The Dog Aging Project is looking for donations to help with funding as well as canine “citizen scientists” to participate in the longitudinal study and the first phase of the interventional trial. Take a look at the project’s website for more information. A Peaceful Farewell provides compassionate in-home pet euthanasia to fellow pet owners in Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Tempe, Ahwatukee, Scottsdale, and most of the Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area.
With the holiday season approaching, many of us think about our waistlines and dieting. Some will start dieting before the holidays to fit into those party clothes. Others will contemplate strategies for eating during the holidays to minimize gain with the goal to lose those extra pounds after the holidays. You know, the proverbial “New Year’s Resolution.” All-in-all concerns about our weight create much angst during this joyous time of year. Here are the highlights from two presentations at the 2014 Academy of Veterinary Internal Medicine Symposium in Nashville, Tennessee, about weight loss strategies for cats: Chronic Calorie Reduction Chronic calorie reduction is a weight loss strategy based on restricting calories at a calculated level and maintaining or reducing that level of calories until a cat achieves its ideal weight. In this particular study, 32 client owned, obese cats were evaluated by a sophisticated X-ray technology (Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry or DEXA) to determine their ideal body weights (IBW). The cats were then put on a diet that delivered 80% of the calories necessary for their resting energy requirement, or RER. RER is the absolute minimum number of calories necessary for body function at complete rest; not the amount of calories needed for maintenance energy requirement (MER) that includes normal, regular daily activities. The cats were fed this way until they reached their IBW, or until 104 weeks (2 years), whichever came first. Twenty-six percent of the cats left the study early due to owner non-compliance. Owner relocation, cat aggression to researchers, and other medical reasons caused another nine cats to drop from the study. Of the seventeen cats that finished the study, thirteen (76%) achieved their IBW within the first year. Three other cats achieved IBW in the second year, and one cat did not achieve IBW in the time period. Calorie adjustments during the testing period varied from as low as 40% of RER calories to as high as 100% of RER calories based on periodic weight monitoring. Periodic blood testing ensured the safety of the diet for the cats. Intermittent Calorie Restriction Intermittent calorie restriction is a weight loss strategy where animals are calorie restricted part of the time and fed normally the other times. In this study, 28 laboratory cats were divided into two equal groups. Fourteen cats were fed 75% of their estimated MER for six months. The other fourteen cats were fed 75% of their MER for the first two weeks of the month and then 100% of their MER for the second two weeks for twelve months. These cats were fed longer so that their calorie restricted period matched the period for the group that was chronically restricted for six months. Weekly body weights and monthly body scans for body fat were performed on all cats throughout the study period. The researchers found that the intermittent group lost more body fat than the chronically restricted group. They also found that 82% of the intermittent group achieved IBW in the time period versus only 36% of the chronic restriction group. A Peaceful Farewell provides compassionate in-home pet euthanasia to fellow pet owners in Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Tempe, Ahwatukee, Scottsdale, and most of the Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area.
A mild manner and a fondness for fatty treats like fish or meat scraps may have helped cats evolve into the tame yet independent-minded pets they are today, researchers said Monday. After that, it was people's preference for cats with certain appearances, like white paws, that played a key role in winnowing down the 38 species known today, said a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. "Using advanced genome sequencing technology, we were able to shed light on the genetic signatures of cats' unique biology and survival skills," said Wes Warren, associate professor of genetics at the Washington University School of Medicine. Domestic cats "only recently split off from wild cats, and some even still breed with their wild relatives. So we were surprised to find DNA evidence of their domestication," he added. By comparing domestic cat genes to other cat breeds, as well as wildcats and other mammals, certain differences stood out. For instance, tigers and domestic cats each have the uncanny physical ability to eat lots of fatty acids without the resulting heart disease and cholesterol that such a diet would have on humans. In fact, cats need meat in order to thrive, whereas most other carnivores can and do survive on a diet of plants, grains, and legumes. "The team found particular fat-metabolizing genes in carnivores such as cats and tigers that changed faster than can be explained by chance," the university said in a statement. "The researchers did not find such changes in the same genes of the cow and human, who eat more varied diets and would not need such enhancements." Senses and Genetic Selection Keys to Domestic Cats' Evolution Cats rely less on smell than dogs do when it comes to hunting, but they have better nighttime vision and hearing, the study found. Cats also have more genes related to the ability to sense pheromones than dogs, a trait that helps them to find mates even at a considerable distance. Pet cats showed clear signs of genetic selection in traits related to memory, fear conditioning, and stimulus-reward learning, suggesting that more docile cats were likely preferred as pets. Genetic selection for appearance was also evident, particularly in recent generations. "Unlike many other domesticated mammals bred for food, herding, hunting, or security, most of the 30-40 cat breeds originated recently, within the past 150 years, largely due to selection for aesthetic rather than functional traits," said the study. For instance, the Birman cat breed likely developed its characteristic white paws because humans chose to breed cats that looked the same. In the random population of cats, the genes that lead to the gloving pattern are only seen in about 10 percent of felines. Cats As Beneficial Rodent Killers About 600 million cats exist on Earth. The earliest archaeological evidence of cats living with people dates back 9,500 years to the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. Archeological evidence of cats as pets has also been found in China from as far back as 5,000 years ago. Cats are believed to have worked their way into humans' everyday lives during agricultural periods in history, when their work as killers of rodents and vermin would have been prized. "Most cats were likely bred for rodent control, and only later for pigmentation," said study co-author Michael Montague, in an email to AFP. "In a sense, tameness would need to be one of the initial behavioral differences between wildcats and domestic cats, and perhaps the ultimate driver of domestication." A Peaceful Farewell provides compassionate in-home pet euthanasia to fellow pet owners in Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Tempe, Ahwatukee, Scottsdale, and most of the Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area.
We’re familiar with the more common side effects associated with chemotherapy treatments: nausea, vomiting, lethargy, and hair loss. We all too easily relate to such signs, whether a result of our own personal experience, or those of friends/loved ones, or even through different media outlets. In veterinary oncology, every precaution is taken to limit such side effects. We accept a much lower rate of toxicity in dogs and cats, so our initial drug doses tend to be lower than our human counterparts. If side effects do occur, we are quick to reduce future dosages or delay treatments, keeping our patient’s safety at the forefront of concern. We want our patients to remain happy and healthy while enduring their protocols and to remain oblivious to the potentially negative repercussions of such serious remedies. There’s one side effect from chemotherapy that both veterinary and human oncologists remain persistently unable to adequately control. No matter how much effort we put in to preventing it, we are at the mercy of this most disturbing of adverse treatment-related injury. The concern we are speaking of is called financial toxicity. Financial toxicity, a term first coined by researchers in a study published in The Oncologist in 2013, describes how the “out-of-pocket expenses” of cancer treatment further drain the already stretched emotional and personal reserves of cancer patients, ultimately causing a significant decline in their overall quality of life and, in its most severe form, becoming an actual, palpable adverse side-event of treatment, leading to cessation of treatment. In the aforementioned study, researchers compared the results of surveys evaluating the impact of health care costs on well-being and treatment of cancer patients who contacted a national copayment assistance foundation with those from patients treated at an academic medical center. The results are staggering. Among 254 participants, 75% applied for drug copayment assistance. Forty-two percent of participants reported a significant or catastrophic subjective financial burden; 68% cut back on leisure activities, 46% reduced spending on food and clothing, and 46% used savings to defray out-of-pocket expenses. To save money, 20% took less than the prescribed amount of medication, 19% partially filled prescriptions, and 24% avoided filling prescriptions altogether. Copayment assistance applicants were more likely than non-applicants to employ at least one of these strategies to defray costs (98% vs. 78%). One conclusion from the study is that financial toxicity has both an objective side (a true enumeration of the burden the treatment places on the affected individual) as well as a subjective side (the less tangible distress the burden of treatment places on the patient). Another conclusion was that the consequences of financial toxicity reach far beyond the checkbook and extend into influencing important demographic information including response rates and survival statistics. Patients may actually stop taking medications, or even stop treatment entirely, because of the rising costs of their own healthcare and the burden this places on their lives. Not surprisingly, though financial toxicity isn’t typically discussed as an “actual” side effect in veterinary medicine, money plays a huge role in the oncological care for companion animals. Having worked directly in the trenches for so long, I would even venture that veterinarians deal with financial toxicity far more frequently than our human doctor counterparts. When cancer strikes a beloved pet, in addition to the emotional toll, the majority of owners must, at some point, consider the monetary impact of the diagnosis. Unlike humans diagnosed with cancer, our pets typically lack comprehensive healthcare to cover even routine costs, let along oncological care. A long-standing joke in veterinary medicine is to be wary of the owner who states “money isn’t an issue,” as most often it’s not an issue because they don’t have any. Cancer generally always imparts a sense of urgency, and I’ve witnessed many times where owners will make decisions regarding their pet’s care without full consideration of finances. In all seriousness, I have no way of knowing whether an owner who is giving me free reign to move forward with diagnostics and/or treatments is really able to afford things, or if they are making decisions based on emotions. I’ve seen many reactions to the cost of chemotherapy for pets. Most owners are well prepared by their primary care veterinarians for estimates of what different treatment plans could cost. There are definitely cases of complete “sticker shock,” where the numbers I discuss are not at all on par with what the owners were anticipating. Other times the reaction is the polar opposite, where there’s great surprise and the treatment is considered inexpensive. There’s not much I can do to control the cost of veterinary oncology care. Unfortunately, pricing schemes are complex; dictated by factors well beyond my professional “jurisdiction.” But it’s not enough for me to discuss only the physical signs associated with treatment when talking about side effects with owners. I’m equally responsible for attempting to prevent financial toxicity when I can. As is true for so many aspects of veterinary medicine (and life in general), clear communication is essential to ensuring everyone is on the same page. Your veterinarian should never judge you for deciding to put finances first when considering how to proceed with your pet’s care. And you should never judge your doctor for talking candidly about prices, estimates, costs, and expectations. I’ve been placed in that situation more times than I’d care to admit, and it’s unpleasant for all parties. We may not be able to eliminate financial toxicity from our treatment regimen, but veterinarians and owners both have a responsibility for making sure we pay close attention to even the subtlest signs of this important side effect. If we treat it as urgently and effectively as we do the more obvious signs, we’re guaranteed to reduce its impact and to further ensure that we maintain our patient’s quality of life, both in and out of the veterinary clinic. By Dr. Intile A Peaceful Farewell provides compassionate in-home pet euthanasia to fellow pet owners in Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Tempe, Ahwatukee, Scottsdale, and most of the Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
The American Bulldog has a very sturdy and muscular build, weighing anywhere from 60 to 120 pounds at a height of 20 to 28 inches. This breed has a large head with strong jaws with ears that may be cropped, semi-prick, rose or drop. The coat is short and soft coming in any variation of colors, although solid black, blue, merle or tricolor is undesirable. PERSONALITY AND TEMPERAMENT Although a larger breed, the American Bulldog is a very gentle and loving breed that loves children. The American Bulldog is brave and protective and is best when trained at a young age. CARE The short fine coat requires little grooming and the American Bulldog will do okay as an apartment pet as long as it gets sufficient outdoors exercise. HEALTH The American Bulldog generally lives about 10 to 16 years and is considered a healthy breed. Some genetic issues common to the breed include neuronal ceroidlipofuscinosis, lchthyosis, disorders of the kidney and thyroid, ACL tears, hip dysplasia and elbow dysplasia, cherry eye, entropoin, ectropion and bone cancer. HISTORY AND BACKGROUND An older version of the Bulldog originated in England and was used as a work dog catching cattle and guarding property until it became the breed of choice in a brutal sport known as bull baiting. By the end of World War II, the breed was almost extinct, however, a few devote breeders decided to revive the American Bulldog. Two different lines of Bulldogs appeared during this growth period; however, most of today’s American Bulldogs are a cross between the two. The American Bulldog was recognized by the United Kennel Club in 1999. One of the most common complaints veterinarian's get is how difficult it is for many cat owners to get their cat to the veterinarian (or anywhere else outside of the home, for that matter.) The chief reason these owners have difficulty is because their cat does not like the carrier and is often hard to actually get into the carrier. Being able to get your cat into and out of the carrier when needed is a necessity though. Cats need regular veterinary care and, in order to get to the veterinarian, a cat carrier is essential. There’s also the fact that, should an emergency occur that requires leaving your home quickly with your cat, being able to get your cat into the carrier quickly and easily without a struggle could mean the difference between life and death. Fortunately, there are some good ways to help your cat become acclimated to the carrier and to essentially make your cat’s carrier a retreat for him while he’s at home as well as making it a “home away from home”, a place where your cat feels safe and secure when out of your home. In other words, your cat’s carrier doesn’t have to be (and shouldn’t be) a scary thing for him. The American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) have kindly provided the above infographic that contains some great tips for helping your cat become acclimated to the carrier. Definitely worth a look! Here are 6 TIPS:
It may take some time and patience but your cat can learn to love and enjoy his carrier. Once that happens, your life and your cat’s life will become much less complicated and stressful, especially when it comes time for that veterinary visit. A Peaceful Farewell provides compassionate in-home pet euthanasia to fellow pet owners in Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Tempe, Ahwatukee, Scottsdale, and most of the Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area.
Let’s clear up a common misunderstanding about horses: they do not sleep standing up. They snooze standing up. There’s a big difference.
Horses, like humans and, in fact, all land mammals, require deep sleep for proper mental and physical functioning. But for a prey species like the horse, whose existence in the wild depends on its ability to outrun predators, deep sleep can be a serious threat to personal safety. So how do horses get enough sleep? For starters, horses doze a lot. On any given day, drive past a pasture of horses and count how many are grazing and how many are just standing there, heads down, lower lips drooping. Those are your snoozers, standing up. Horses are able to get some light shut-eye without lying down by way of a really cool aspect specific to equine anatomy called the stay apparatus. When a horse is standing at rest, he is able to lock his kneecap with ligaments and tendons keeping the joints in alignment. With these soft tissues locking the bones together, no extra exertion from muscle use is required. This allows the horse to actually rest while standing. But what about that deep sleep mentioned earlier? Horses can’t attain deep REM sleep by standing; this is only accomplished when the animal lies down. Therefore, horses do lie down to get proper sleep. They just don’t do it for very long. It turns out that horses do not require a lot of REM sleep — roughly two to three hours a night, typically in short bursts of ten to twenty minutes at a time. A typical night as a horse will involve grazing, snoozing standing up, and short periods of lying flat out to get some serious shut eye. The important thing to note is that horses will only lie down to sleep if they feel safe in their environment, because obviously this action is very risky if you’re a prey animal in a potentially threatening situation. This issue of environmental stress also affects domesticated horses. While usually not threatened by mountain lions or wolves or other predators when in a farm pasture or in a stall for the night, if the horse is stressed, he will not lay down to sleep. Very busy, loud barns, or an area that is too small for the horse to feel comfortable lying down are some common problems for the modern horse. And the result? Horses that go without REM sleep over the course of weeks will have a negative effect on physical performance, and may even factor into irritability or behavioral problems. That’s right — everyone needs beauty sleep, not just us humans. It is amazing how little time is required for petting to make a big difference in their stress levels. At the 2014 American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Symposium researchers presented an abstract synopsis of a yet to be published study of 15-minute petting sessions with shelter dogs. The results are illuminating and really reinforce the impact of companionship in helping shelter dogs adjust to potential adoption. The Dog Stress Study Fifty-five shelter dogs were subjected to one 15-minute petting session with an unfamiliar volunteer at a county animal shelter. The sessions were videotaped and the volunteers were given specific instructions on how to interact and pet the subject dogs. Saliva was collected from the dogs to analyze their body cortisol, or stress hormone, levels before and after petting. The heart rate of the dogs was also monitored for the entire 15-minute session. As expected there was a great deal of variation of response depending on the age, temperament, coping styles, and time spent in the shelter among the animals. In fact, cortisol levels before and after petting were not different. This suggests that stress was still a constant despite the petting session. Another explanation is that 15 minutes is a relatively short period of time to detect significant changes in body cortisol levels in saliva and would not reflect potential real changes in cortisol secretion. What was observed was a statistically significant decrease in heart rate and behavior changes consistent with a positive state of relaxation. The observation of the researchers is that “yes, 15 minutes does make a difference” for many shelter dogs. The Implications of the Dog Stress Study If only 15 minutes can make a difference, what difference could multiple 15-minute sessions make in the re-socialization of abandoned or lost pets? A Peaceful Farewell...Providing compassionate in home pet euthanasia to fellow pet owners in Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Tempe, Ahwatukee, Scottsdale, and most of the Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area.
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