Over the last several months many members of the Dog Association have come across interesting or helpful articles relating to dog and dog owners. Many of them are too long to post on the Dog Run Bulletin Board, so we have them here for you to view. Most are links to websites we hope you enjoy.
If you come across an interesting article or dog-related website that you think others would enjoy, feel free to e-mail us and we'll add it here.
Dog Talk With Uncle Matty: The Big Pick Matthew "Uncle Matty" Margolis
President-elect Obama has made some big picks lately: Sen. Hillary Clinton for Secretary of State, retired Gen. James Jones Jr. for National Security Adviser, Tim Geithner for Treasury Secretary, Bob Gates for Defense Secretary, Gov. Bill Richardson for Commerce Secretary But the pick that continues to elude the next commander in chief? The dog.
Get out of Iraq? Yes, we can.
Reform Washington? Yes, we can.
Hypoallergenic dog for Malia? Um, sorry, can't help you there.
According to allergists, there is no such thing as a dog free of allergens. Even if the Obamas decided on an American hairless, it's not the hair that's the problem. It's the skin.
The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI) reports: "Contrary to popular belief, people are not allergic to an animal's hair, but rather, to a protein found in the saliva, dander (dead skin flakes) or urine of an animal with fur. These proteins are carried in the air on very small, invisible particles, which can land on the lining of the eyes or nose, or be inhaled directly into the lungs. A cat or dog produces a certain amount of allergen per week, and this amount can vary from animal to animal. All breeds are capable of triggering symptoms -- there are no 'hypoallergenic' breeds of cats or dogs."
Chair of the Indoor Allergen Committee for AAAAI Dr. Wanda Phipatanakul reiterated that point in an interview with USA Today: "If you've got 50 dogs in the home, the dog allergens are going to be higher than if you've got one, and if you have a huge dog, there will be more allergens than with a small dog, but all dogs produce allergens."
The Obamas can find hope in such a statement -- and they are not alone. A 1994 study in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology estimated that 10 million Americans are at least somewhat allergic to dogs. While the only way to completely avoid allergens from a pet is not to have one, there are things that can be done to minimize exposure:
While myriad vets, experts, allergists and immunologists have hammered the point that there is no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog, it is accepted that the allergic may fare better in the company of certain canines. The American Kennel Club lists the following as dogs that "generally do well with people with allergies":
And designer dogs like Goldendoodles and Labradoodles are also touted as being "hypoallergenic" -- to the extent that such a designation is possible.
If you're allergic to dogs, the only real way to avoid a reaction is to avoid dogs. For some, that's easy enough. For many, a little sneezing, wheezing and itching is worth it. For Obama, it looks like he needs more time to make this particular pick.
Woof!
Dog trainer Matthew "Uncle Matty" Margolis is co-author of 18 books about dogs, a behaviorist, a popular radio and television guest, and host of the PBS series "WOOF! It's a Dog's Life!" Read all of Uncle Matty's columns at the Creators Syndicate website at http://www.creators.com, and visit him at http://www.unclematty.com. Send your questions to dearuncle.gazette@unclematty.co or by mail to Uncle Matty at P.O. Box 3300, Diamond Springs, CA 95619.
Customer preferences for ever-thicker mattresses is creating a hazard for a tall bed's shortest occupant: the dog.
Veterinarians across the country report among house dogs; a rise in such disorders as elbow and shoulder arthritis, hip dysplasia and degenerative disk disease. As the lifespan of pets rises, thanks to better food and medicine, the old dog that once leapt with abandon now hesitates on the edge of bed - or jumps and hurts itself.
Pet stairs are one of the fastest-growing categories of national pet retailers
See the entire article at http://www.azcentral.com
About three years ago, the mayor of Petah Tikva, a city near Tel Aviv, called the veterinarian Tika Bar-On and said, "I can fix almost everything in this city, but I don't know how to fight dog poop." He asked Bar-On, the city's director of veterinary services, if it was possible to use DNA fingerprinting to identify which dogs pooped on his city streets and - most important - which owners didn't pick up after them. As a result, this year, Bar-On introduced the first-ever forensic dog-poop DNA unit.
Naturally, the project faced several hurdles. For one thing, it requires a searchable database of DNA fingerprints from local dogs. But why would owners voluntarily donate the DNA samples that could be used to penalize them for not scooping? Bar-On's answer: Positive reinforcement. Instead of penalizing those who don't scoop, she plans to reward those who do. As a pilot project, the city has placed special trash cans and bag dispensers throughout one particularly poop-filled neighborhood. Officials will regularly test samples from those cans; when a specimen matches a dog in the city's DNA bank, the dog's owner gets a reward - a colorful poop-bag carrier, perhaps, or a bag of dog food.
Bar-On also recruited a small army of 12-year-olds from a local grade school and taught them about the project. The students then went door to door, persuading dog owners to donate samples and explaining the drawbacks of poop (worms, bacteria, general grossness). Bar-On began collecting samples as part of annual pet exams and organized a DNA-donating festival featuring music, performing dogs and a booth for saliva collection.
To date, the Israeli dog DNA bank contains more than 100 samples. According to Bar-On, about 90 percent of owners agree to donate samples when asked. But if the pilot proves successful, Bar-On says she hopes to make DNA banking mandatory for all dog owners (something the Freakonomics guys called for three years ago). At that point, instead of a practice of positive reinforcement, she imagines a system involving sidewalk poop patrols and penalties for nonscoopers.
For Bar-On, this is about more than waste elimination: "We can use this DNA database for important things like genetic research on dog diseases," she says. "We could also use DNA to identify strays and return them to their parents." But until then, she's focusing on feces because, as she says, "when you go to the park with your kids and they meet dog poop, it's not very pleasant."
Reported in The New York Times by Rebecca Skloot
Exercising with your dog at a dog park can be an excellent way for your pet to socialize with other animals and run free in a natural environment. For city dwellers, dog parks are sometimes the only conveniently located expanses of grass and dirt. If you only have one dog, it can be tough for him to get the healthy animal socialization he needs. Dogs that have been socialized properly are less likely to act aggressively and bite out of fear; they also adapt better to new people and animals.
But there is a darker side to the dog park, one that's often glossed over in veterinarian's offices. There is a chance that taking your dog to the dog park can actually hurt him or worse. Check out this list of risks and be sure to have a safe time.
The newest animal adoption center in Philadelphia resembles a pet boutique more than a traditional shelter, and animal advocates believe the only downtown center will save thousands of rescued pets' lives this year alone.
Located in the heart of Old City, Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) opened its doors on Thursday morning [1/17/2008], beginning a new era in the city's effort to save its homeless, abandoned and unwanted animals.
The shelter, located at Second and Arch streets, will house rescued dogs and cats in need of permanent homes, giving them a second lease on life.
Read the full article
Congratulations to PhillyFido members Deirdre and Zeth Weissman and their dog Ginger! Their pet sitting company, PhilaPets.com, has been getting some great press (and some cute pictures of Ginger). There is even a great plug for PhillyFido.net!
The KYW 1060 article and audio podcast
The Philadelphia Inquirer article
The Philadelphia Business Journal article
There have been numerous cases of canine influenza diagnosed and confirmed in the Monroe County area. Most of the affected canines had a recent history of participating in training classes or visited boarding kennels. Historically, this disease does have a high morbidity rate and low mortality rate with the most common clinical sign of cough which can progress to pneumonia. Facilities with clinical cases have imposed self restrictions to prevent spread of the disease.
Learn more about canine influenza
Private Health Alert: The Federal government is expanding its original July 18 warning to consumers.
This expansion is for consumers and pet owners regarding canned food products and dog food produced by Castleberry Food Company of Augusta, Ga., due to the risk of botulinum toxin. Castleberry is expanding the recall to include all of the following canned products with all "best by" and code dates, and Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers not to purchase or eat any of the canned products listed in the table below.
See the full article
I am absolutely numb as I write this letter, as witnessing the senseless death of a gentleman's "best friend" this afternoon at Paw Park in Sanford. The culprit was not a dog fight, as may be ones first thought, but a dog being choked to death by a choke collar.
Minutes before, this playful dog was having a wonderful time with another canine companion when the other dog's lower jaw became entangled in the choke collar. The more they tried to separate, the more entangled they became. By the time their human counterparts discovered the problem, the choker was so tight there was little anyone could do to separate them but frantically search for a bolt cutters...
Read the full article and safety information
Greater Philly Tails, a new free publication for pet lovers, is coming to Philadelphia in November. The publication will be available in locations where you find the City Paper, Philadelphia Weekly etc.
For more information, go to www.tailsinc.com.
Here is a copy of a pamphlet put out by the Philadelphia Department of Public Health: Division of Disease Control.
Download pamphlet (3.06 megs)
