Rich people have been ruining dogs for over 100 years and no one is stopping them

Source: http://twentytwowords.com/rich-people-have-been-ruining-dogs-for-100-years-and-no-one-is-stopping-them/

Study: Office Dogs Reduce Work-Related Stress

A study found that employees who bring their dogs to work accumulate less stress throughout the work day.

A recent study from the Virginia Commonwealth University found that employees who brought their dogs to work experienced lower stress levels throughout the work day, reported higher levels of job satisfaction, and had a more positive perception of their employer.

"There might be a benefit here," Randolph Barker, business professor at VCU and lead author on the study, said. "It's a low cost wellness benefit, and it could be a recruiting opportunity (for businesses)."

The study was conducted over the span of a week at Replacements, Ltd., a dinnerware manufacturing company in Greensboro, North Carolina. Seventy-six of the company's employees participated in the study and were broken down into three groups: 18 dog owners who brought their dogs to the office each day, 38 employees that owned dogs but did not bring them to the office, and 19 employees that didn't own pets.
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Two surgeries later, I learned a lesson the hard way.

Meet Slade. He is a sweet and wonderful dog, who was rescued by RDR a couple years ago. This boy is truly a breed ambassador and I've never had an ounce of trouble with him whatsoever. That is, until I was rudely awakened by a second foreign object removal surgery.

In my 10+ years of pit bull experience, I've seen all kinds of destructive behavior, but it's always been taken out, so to speak, on another object. But in Slade's case, the damage he does is internal, and there is no way for me to make him understand. Often times, I catch him with a little piece of something off of the carpet, and typically take it out. I shudder to think of the times I don't see him snarfing down who-knows-what else!

So what's the bottom line here? I got comfortable and wasn't paying enough attention to his treat-eating and chewing habits. Since I realize he'll have this tendency the rest of his life, the only thing I can do is prevent another situation. As much as I wish he could "get it", I am entirely responsible for keeping him safe and must do better. His life depends on it!

Heartworms!!

Heartworms in dog are very easy to prevent, however they are very difficult, and costly, to treat once a dog already has them. Sadly, it is quite common for a rescued dog to have heartworms, as they have not had access to the same preventative treatment an owned pet would. If left undetected and untreated, a dog with heartworms will almost certainly die from them eventually. Thankfully for a lucky few of those dogs in our area with heartworms, Ring Dog Rescue is committed to treating heartworms and giving the dog the time it needs to heal during this treatment. Currently six dogs (Gatsby, Pauletta, Stella, Nilla, Layla, and Fatso) need to be treated through Ring Dog for heatworms, with a total cost of about $1,800, that is quite a hefty bill for a rescue to foot. Each dog will need a minimum of eight weeks to heal before it is able to be adopted out to its' new family. Any donations towards the treatment of these deserving bullies would be greatly appreciated!

Medical Challenges

Sometimes with all the sadness of the heartbreaking stories behind many of the rescued bullies that Ring Dog saves, it's easy to forget just how remarkable Ring Dog Rescue really is. Many other rescue groups, while of course still doing a very noble deed, have difficulty rescuing pit bulls. Many do not accept bully breeds at all, much less ones with special needs, due to the cost and time invested in taking on less than perfectly healthy animals. Ring Dog does not turn down an animal for any medical condition it may have, treating dogs with heartworms, puppies with parvo, even Georgia, who required an amputation. Dogs such as Indy who uses a wheelchair, or Sailor who required two leg surgeries would certainly not still be alive without Ring Dog's commitment to doing what is right for the animal and not just what is cost effective.Ring Dog gives these animals time to heal until they are ready to go home and be a wonderful friend to some lucky person.These animals will be eternally grateful for the multiple 2nd chances they were given, and that gratitude alone is worth all the debt incurred from their treatment.

Stop That Scratching by Nancy Kay, DVM ©

If the sounds of a canine or feline “scratchfest” is interrupting your slumber, or you’re snarling, “Stop scratching!” several times a day, chances are you have an allergic pet on your hands. Just as with human hay fever, most dog and cat allergies are the result of an exaggerated immune system response to allergens in the environment such as plant pollens, tree pollens, and mold spores. The scientific name for this inherited allergic condition is atopy or atopic dermatitis. Terriers of any type are notorious atopy sufferers along with Dalmatians, Lhasa Apsos, Shar-peis, Bulldogs, and Labrador Retrievers.

Whereas people are prone to runny nose and eyes, dogs and cats with atopy develop itchy skin, often accompanied by skin and ear infections. Symptoms are initially mild and seasonal, but tend to progress year by year in terms of severity and duration. Fortunately, there are many options for treating atopy including medicated shampoos, antihistamines, fatty acid supplements, and drugs that alter the immune system’s overzealous behavior (cyclosporine, cortisone). Just as for people, desensitization injections can be administered after specific testing is done to determine which allergens are provoking the immune response. Elimination of exposure to the allergens may also be an option (a good excuse to move to Hawaii!).

Some dogs and cats develop allergies to their food. This can result in year round itchy skin, ear infections, and/or gastrointestinal symptoms (vomiting, diarrhea, gassiness). If a food allergy is suspected, your veterinarian will recommend an “elimination food trial.” This requires strict adherence (including elimination of your pet’s favorite treats) to feeding a novel protein diet for six to eight weeks. There are many such diets to choose from these days that contain duck, rabbit, venison, salmon, and even kangaroo! If the chronic symptoms disappear in response to the diet change, voila, the diagnosis of food allergy has been made. One must then hope that, over time, the animal doesn’t develop an allergy to the new diet!

Lastly, some dogs and cats develop an allergy to fleas, more specifically, to the flea’s saliva. Whereas many fleas are required to cause most animals to scratch like crazy, for those with a flea allergy, just one bite is all it takes to set off an intensely itchy reaction that can last for days. The best treatment for this allergy is stringent flea control, or relocation to Colorado; fleas don’t survive in high altitude locations!

‘Tis the season for fleas and seasonal atopy. Do you have an itchy dog or cat on your hands? If so, what will your strategy be to soothe your pet’s itch and preserve your sanity?

If you would like to respond publicly, please visit http://speakingforspot.com/blog/?p=886.

Best wishes to you and your four-legged family members for abundant good health, Nancy Kay, DVM

Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
Recipient, American Animal Hospital Association 2009 Animal Welfare and Humane Ethics Award
Recipient, 2009 Dog Writers Association of America Award for Best Blog
Recipient, 2009 Eukanuba Canine Health Award

Author of Speaking for Spot: Be the Advocate Your Dog Needs to Live a Happy, Healthy, Longer LifeWebsite: http://www.speakingforspot.com

Become a Fan of Speaking for Spot on Facebook Please visit http://www.speakingforspot.com to read excerpts from Speaking for Spot. There you will also find "Advocacy Aids"- helpful health forms you can download and use for your own dog, and a collection of published articles on advocating for your pet's health.