Spay Day offers savings on surgeries for pets
The Wichita Eagle
Animal clinics around the area will celebrate Spay Day 2010 by offering reduced prices for spaying and neutering services for the pets of people who normally couldn't afford them.
Not every participating clinic will offer the same services on the same days, said Ashley Slieff, who is monitoring the efforts of participating Wichita clinics.
But Slieff, client care director at Bel Aire's Heartland Animal Hospital, said all clinics are working toward the goal of reducing the number of unwanted cats and dogs.
"It's basically a day that's dedicated to offering a discounted price for spay and neutering services," she said.
The Humane Society of the United States holds Spay Day on the last Tuesday of every February as a way of encouraging pet owners to spay or neuter their cats and dogs.
More than 500 events are being held this year in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Because animal shelters nationwide take in more animals than they are able to find homes for, 4 million cats, dogs and other animals are euthanized every year.
The official 16th annual Spay Day is Feb. 23, but Slieff said participating area clinics will be operating on different schedules.
The Kansas Humane Society shelter at 3313 N. Hillside will offer low-cost services starting Feb. 24 to those who are unemployed, receive Medicaid benefits or meet any of the shelter's other criteria.
The shelter will charge $30 for cats, $40 for male dogs and $50 for female dogs.
The Cowley County Humane Society this year is using a grant from the Power of the Purse and the Legacy Foundation to offer 90 Cowley County residents $50 vouchers that will go toward the cost of spaying or neutering animals.
Spay-Neuter Kansas at 319 S. Hydraulic offers low-cost spay or neuter surgeries year round, for the pets of people who can show proof of income of $40,000 a year or less. Prices are $30 for cats, $40 for dogs and $50 for female dogs over 50 pounds.
The clinic is open Wednesdays, Thursdays and some Saturdays. Since its opening in July 2008, more than 3,500 surgeries have been performed.
Slieff said anyone who wants to take advantage of the opportunity should contact a participating clinic.
Local Spay Day participants include:
Bluestem Animal Clinic, 830 W. Sixth Ave., El Dorado, 316-321-0811.
Cat Hospital of Wichita, 6130 E. Central, Suite 100, Wichita, 316-686-2287.
Cimarron Animal Hospital, 6011 E. 21st St., Wichita, 316-686-4713.
El Dorado Animal Clinic, 111 E. Locust, El Dorado, 316- 321-1050.
El Paso Animal Clinic, 233 S. Georgie Ave., Derby, 316- 788-1561.
Heartland Animal Hospital, 4100 N. Woodlawn, Bel Aire, 316-744-2043.
Herndon Veterinary Clinic, 8820 W. Maple, 316-722-6240.
Hutton Veterinary Clinic, 3116 E. 31st St. South, Wichita, 316-681-0261.
Nielsen Animal Medical Group, 2922 E. U.S. Highway 54, Andover, 316-733-2449.
Oakcrest Pet Hospital, 11832 W. Central, Wichita, 316-722-4828.
Pet Haven Veterinary Clinic, 2518 W. 13th St., Wichita, 316-942-2531.
Spay-Neuter Kansas Inc., 319 S. Hydraulic, Wichita, 316-263-4200.
Read more: http://www.kansas.com/news/story/1183150.html#ixzz0fi4J63yt
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SAVED BY AN 'ANGEL'
BOSTON BAR, B.C. - Austin Forman figures he owes his life to his aptly-named dog Angel. The Golden Retriever saved his eleven-year-old owner Saturday when he stepped between the boy and an advancing cougar.
"I'm pretty sure that if my dog wasn't there I wouldn't be here right now," Austin said Sunday. "Thank goodness we are both alive and she protected me."
The drama began at about 5:30 p.m. Saturday when Austin was hauling firewood using a wheelbarrow between his family's woodpile and their Boston Bar home when the predatory cat approached.
While trudging through the snow, Austin noticed Angel running around the yard and barking wildly.
"I was about five feet away from the basement door and she had run toward me and that's when the cougar had attacked her and brought her under the stairs," Austin said. "It was coming after me and Angel intercepted. The cougar grabbed Angel."
The animals became entangled in a battle just a meter away from the boy.
Uncertain if it was a cougar or another dog, Austin said he stayed long enough to determine it was a big cat before running screaming inside the house.
"That's when I was in shock and I was frantic," he said.
Boston Bar RCMP Const. Chad Gravelle was finishing paperwork at the station just half a kilometre down the highway when his dispatcher told him about a cougar attack at the Forman home.
Gravelle thought, "I know that family," jumped in his car and "flew right over," he said Sunday.
Austin's mom, Sherri Forman, had phoned 911 while Angel was being mauled in the yard. Before she knew it, Gravelle was through the front door and on the back steps peering down at the fight.
"I could see the cougar had the dog in its mouth, around the dog's neck. It was chewing on its neck," Gravelle said.
He fired the first shot from his semi-automatic pistol into the cougar's hind end - then fired another shot into its head.
"I had my flashlight in one hand and I had my gun in the other hand and I just aimed.
"It's not too often we get an aimed shot. They were all wrapped up in each other but I could see the cougar's head."
By then, neighbor Travis Conkin had arrived and pulled the cougar off the dog.
"The cougar is lifeless, the dog is lifeless. They are in one ball," said Conkin.
Then, like a miracle, Angel took a deep and noisy breath.
"The dog hasn't been moving or making sounds for minutes now and it comes back," said Conkin.
Angel spent Sunday nursing her injuries, but was scheduled to see a vet Monday.
She had numerous puncture wounds, a ripped eyelid and injured sinus cavities, but the family expects her to make a full recovery.
"It could have turned out a lot different if it wasn't for Angel," said Sherri. "She's our guardian angel."
Vancouver Province
© Copyright (c) Canwest News Service
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Bringing Dogs to Life
Doctor finds perfect hunting help at animal shelters
December 30, 2009 1:10:45 pm | by Michael Pearce/Wichita Eagle | Wichita Paws |
Sam Wiest has turned four rescue dogs into a team of accomplished hunters. He shot limits of pheasants with the dogs three straight days in Kansas. From left is Hawberry - a Brittany, Belle - a wire-haired pointer, Liner - an English setter, and Dozer - a German shorthair.
Many wingshooters go all season without getting a limit of birds. Sam Wiest did it on pheasants each of his three days in Kansas earlier this month.
Most of the roosters were shot over points from Wiest's four bird dogs from four different breeds.
And all four canines are rescued dogs.
Three were adopted a few hours before they were to be euthanized at North Carolina animal shelters.
"I appreciate those who breed great bird dogs. You probably have a higher probability of getting a great dog when you buy from a breeder," said Wiest, Asheville, N.C. "But you don't have to do that, especially with lots of other dogs literally on death row at the pound. A lot of them could be good bird dogs."
An unplanned pack
Years ago Wiest, an emergency room physician with a passion for bird hunting, went the route of the high-priced, super-pedigreed dog with a fine English setter.
His wife, Teenya, has long been an avid rescuer of shelter dogs.
They were in North Dakota, watching the blue-blooded setter streak up a fence row when Maxie, a rescued miniature dachshund, entered nearby weeds and began rooting around.
"It actually got birdy and (Hungarian partridge) started busting out one right after the other," Wiest said. "That's when it hit my mind that rescue dogs could work for hunting, too."
Nine dogs currently share the Wiest home in downtown Asheville. Special city licensing allows them to keep so many. None were planned.
"All of our dogs just kind of find us one way or the other," Wiest said. "We've found them on the side of the road and some have just shown up at our place like it was supposed to be that way."
The four bird dogs came by word of mouth.
Hawberry, a Brittany, was the runt of a litter with very poor markings for the breed.
"I figured if nobody else wanted her, I'd take her," Wiest said.
Belle, a wire-haired pointer, was on her way to the pound to be euthanized when her unemployed owner with substance problems mentioned her to Wiest.
"I didn't even know for sure what it was. It had hair falling out. I thought maybe I'd seen a picture of something like it in a hunting magazine," Wiest said. "But there was something about the dog. We figured we'd take it and see what we could do."
Liner, an English setter, was adopted sight unseen. Wiest heard about the dog from a friend who worked at a shelter and tried to find someone who'd take the dog as its three-day grace period before being euthanized ticked down.
"It was down to only a few hours so I figured I'd take it," Wiest said. "It was just so sad that we have so many dogs of sporting extraction ending up in body bags and going to landfills. It's just made me sick."
Dozer, a German shorthair, also began with a call from the pound. The people that left the dog said it frightened children.
"We took a look at it and it seemed like a very gentle dog, which it is," Wiest said. "We decided to try to find it a home. Nobody wanted it so he moved in with us, too."
Love, the best training
Wiest makes no claims to be a great trainer of bird dogs. There are few upland birds in the countryside around Asheville, let alone where they live deep in the city.
He and his wife do, however, understand what it takes to get the most from dogs.
"If you teach them to mind, let them know they're loved and let them feel part of a pack, whatever potential God gave them will come out," Wiest said. "Taking good care of a dog isn't just feeding and vetting them. They need exercise and they need time. You see all these dogs locked up in the backyard, looking at the house, wanting to be part of the pack and they're just getting more depressed by the day. It's so sad and doesn't have to be."
The dogs are exercised regularly. Because they're happy with their places in a pack, Wiest said walking several big dogs at a time on leash isn't chaotic.
Every fall, all are a loaded up and taken bird hunting to the midwest.
"In one or two hours in Kansas or North Dakota our dogs can get more experience on wild birds than they could in four months in North Carolina," Wiest said. "The trips are as much about training the dogs as shooting birds. I want to get them a lot of experience."
Prime grounds
On his first trip to Kansas, Wiest booked three days with Great Bend hunting guide Rick Tomlinson.
Having had bad experiences with hunters bringing dogs of questionable backgrounds or breeds, the guide was wary.
"When he said he was bringing four rescue dogs I was afraid we'd be chasing dogs all over a bunch of counties," Tomlinson said. "But that wasn't a problem. They were pretty good dogs. They busted a few birds out of range but they had a lot of nice points."
Tomlinson left his gun and dogs at home and took Wiest to leased lands he knew held good numbers of pheasants.
No more than two dogs were used at once so Wiest could better watch and control the action.
"I tried to only shoot birds that were over points," he said. "But I think I got excited a few times and shot birds that just flushed. Most were being worked by the dogs, though."
The trip was perfectly timed to coordinate with cold temperatures that had the pheasants holding well.
Wiest had his limit of four roosters by about noon the first two days.
The trip's most memorable bird came at about 2 p.m. on the third day.
Wiest had already shot three roosters when Dozer, the German shorthair, started working scent in some milo.
What followed was the classic kind of creep and point, creep and point scenario of a well-educated dog working a skulking rooster pheasant.
"It must have went on for a couple of hundred yards," Tomlinson said. "Finally the dog held and (Wiest) started kicking around. The rooster finally got up at his feet and he shot it. That was some pretty impressive dog work. We were both pretty pumped after that."
More to come?
Wiest's first trip to central Kansas probably won't be his last.
"You guys are so lucky to live in a place with all that hunting and so many birds so close by," he said. "I'm pretty sure in some place like Kansas you could take about any dog from the pound and turn them into a decent hunting dog, though they'd be flushing dogs."
He's not sure what dogs he'll have when he returns next fall. Some of the four that excelled this year might not be along.
"I really would give some of those dogs away if I thought they could have a good home and be kept at their potential," he said. "But unfortunately most people don't have a clue."
He's also not ruling out that more dogs from more hunting breeds will be joining his four bird dogs and the five assorted pets his wife brought along this month.
While talking about dogs not reaching their potential, Wiest spoke of a Labrador retriever he sees from time to time in Asheville.
The dog is confined to a backyard, seldom let in the house and gets little attention. Wiest sees a sadness and frustration in the big dog's brown eyes.
"Who knows," he said, "that may end up being our dog No. 10."
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World's oldest dog dies in NY at 21 — or 147
By VIRGINIA BYRNE, Associated Press Writer Virginia Byrne, Associated Press Writer – Mon Aug 31, 10:54 pm ET
 NEW YORK – A wire-haired dachshund that held the record as the world's oldest dog and celebrated its last birthday with a party at a dog hotel and spa has died at age 21 — or 147 in dog years.
The dog, named Chanel, died Friday of natural causes at her owners' home in suburban Port Jefferson Station, on Long Island.
Chanel, as stylish as her legendary namesake, wore tinted goggles for her cataracts in her later years and favored sweaters because she was sensitive to the cold, owners Denice and Karl Shaughnessy said Monday.
The playful dachshund was only 6 weeks old when Denice Shaughnessy, then serving with the U.S. Army, adopted her from a shelter in Newport News, Va.
Along with her owner, Chanel spent nine years on assignment in Germany, where she became adept at stealing sticks of butter from kitchen countertops and hiding them in sofa cushions in the living room, Shaughnessy said. She also liked chocolate, usually considered toxic to dogs, Shaughnessy said.
"She once ate an entire bag of Reese's peanut butter cups, and, you see, she lived to be 21, so go figure," Shaughnessy added.
Karl Shaughnessy nominated Chanel for the title of world's oldest dog after noticing the Guinness World Records book had no record.
Guinness World Records officials presented Chanel with a certificate as the world's oldest dog at a Manhattan birthday bash hosted by a private pet food company in May.
Chanel loved the party, especially the cake, which had a peanut butter flavor and had been made for dogs, Denice Shaughnessy said.
Chanel exercised daily and ate home-cooked chicken with her dog food, but good care wasn't entirely responsible for her long life, said her owners, who attributed God.
"Dogs are God's angels sent here to look out for us," Denice Shaughnessy said.
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Top 10 Animal Threats to Your Pet
Pet Health Insurer Lists the Wildlife That Could Threaten Your Pet
By LAUREN COX and DEAN PRAETORIUS
July 23, 2009—
In the human-pet world, humans tend get off easy when it comes to bites.
While we usually have to fend off only the seasonal mosquito or spider, our furry and not-so furry friends can face serious danger in parks or in their own back yards.
This week, one of the largest pet health insurers in the country -- Veterinary Pet Insurance Co. -- released the most common wildlife attack claims of 2008.
From the dreaded porcupine to Arizona's rare javelina, pets from coast to coast face different threats. Although not on the list, VPI received claims for injuries caused by goats, beavers, woodchucks, black bears, mountain lions, hawks, rabbits, sea urchins and a jellyfish.
The following is a list of the most common animals to attack pets, as well as advice from veterinarians about how to protect your beloved dog or cat.
Pet Biter No. 1: Snakes
Although the whole country has snakes, veterinarians say snakes only pose a big problem for pets in certain states – Colorado and Arizona – and most of those are often dogs going unleashed in areas where snakes are located.
That means most pet owners can rest easy about a rattlesnake on their front porch every morning. But it doesn't mean an owner should ignore a limping dog after a snake bite.
The bite could be from a nonpoisonous snake, or it could be from a coral snake or a pit viper -- the two main types of poisonous snakes in the United States.
Coral snakes tend to bite only when provoked but, pit vipers can be quite aggressive if they perceive a threat.
Pit vipers include rattlesnakes, copperheads and the cottonmouth moccasin, according to the Columbia Encyclopedia.
VPI reported paying for antivenom, which can counteract the toxins in most types of snake venom, so there must be a good ending for some of the claims.
Pet Biter No. 2: the Coyote
Of all the animals on VPI's list, veterinarians say the coyote is most likely to attack out of aggression, not self-defense. In fact, coyotes might be hunting your favorite pet.
The adult coyote weighs about 30 pounds and can run 30 miles per hour on a hunt, according to the Columbia Encyclopedia. That may be a large match for a small dog or cat.
Once much more prevalent in deserts and prairies, coyotes have expended their range as humans eradicated their top predators and deforested more areas. Now, pet owners in New England may come across a coyote.
Luckily, the animals give plenty of warning that they're in the area. Just listen for the howls and yelps in the evening, or look for two little reflective eyes. While they do attack pets, coyotes usually hunt rodents and eat carrion or small birds.
But if you see two or more coyotes together, chances are they are on the hunt. So keep your favorite furry friend close.
Pet Biter No. 3: Raccoons
A raccoon may not be as aggressive as a coyote toward your family pet, but veterinarians say it's important to be extra vigilant around a raccoon bite.
The raccoon is found in most parts of North America, according to the Columbia Encyclopedia. Even city dwellers may come across the animal.
But despite the rabies risk, it's rare that a raccoon will attack. It’s more likely that the raccoon will be attacked and then retaliate.
Pet Biter No. 4: Squirrel
Many a suburban child has been wowed by the grace and beauty of a common squirrel scaling the bark of a maple tree, at least until Sparky gets maimed by the little rodent.
Squirrels cover most of the world, except Australia and Antarctica, and range in size from five inches, the African pygmy squirrel, to 3 feet long, the Indian giant squirrel, according to National Geographic.
But it doesn't take a giant squirrel to cause some damage. Their small size makes them a tasty treat for carnivorous house pets, but their agility and small but sharp claws make them a tricky meal to catch.
VPI reported that squirrels were the fourth-most common wildlife to attack pets.
Pet Attacker No. 5: Scorpion
Every single scorpion attack claim on VPI's database was in Arizona, so that may leaves the other 49 states (perhaps except Hawaii) to breathe easier.
Thirty to 40 species of scorpion can kill a human being with their poison, according to National Geographic. However, scorpion venom generally is tailored to its environment and can inflict serious damage on a range of curious domesticated animals.
These arachnids typically eat insects, but their strong survival tactics allow them live in a variety of conditions and environments.
National Geographic even claims that researchers have kept frozen scorpions overnight, thawed them in the sun and watched them go on like nothing ever happened. Scorpions possess the ability to tremendously slow their metabolism, allowing some species to survive on as little as one insect per year.
Pet Attacker No. 6: Javelina
The name javelina comes from the Spanish term for sword and accurately represents the sharp tusks this pig-like mammal can use to pierce the skin of other animals.
Also known as a collared peccary, the javelina uses its downward-curved tusks to furiously fight off predators, but generally not to hunt, according to Encyclopedia.com.
This small wild animal eats roots, insects and reptiles alike, though some peccaries have more vicious teeth, allowing them to hunt small animals. The peccary typically is found in the Southwest, as well as Central and South America.
As with the scorpion, there have only been reported attacks in Arizona.
Pet Attacker No. 7: Porcupine
The barbed, loosely embedded hairs that that coat the skin of the porcupine are the first things that come to mind when most people think about this prickly rodent. The quills are so loosely embedded in the North American porcupine that they may fly out and lodge in an attacker even if contact has not been made, according to the Columbia Encyclopedia.
Veterinarians spend a lot of time in rural areas pulling porcupine quills out of animals, and generally from the head and front of the pet as if they were hunting them, never in the hind legs.
Pet Attacker No. 8: Groundhog
These furry meteorologists are actually a member of the squirrel family, and will bite and claw their way out of a predator's grasp, such as an overzealous beagle, despite being herbivores. The sharp claws they use to tunnel beneath suburban lawns can cause some serious damage.
Because these ground dwellers typically like areas where forest meets field, according to National Geographic, newer housing developments that have cleared previously untouched land have pitted them against a variety of outdoor pets.
Pet Attacker No. 9: Skunk
Pepe Le Pew may have been a harmless womanizer, but in reality the average skunk can really ruin your pet's day. They are actually sometimes kept as pets but only after their scent glands, which produce a putrid-smelling, oily, yellowish liquid, have been removed.
Their nauseating defense mechanism often proves foul enough to teach other animals a lesson they won't forget. But the potential for defense doesn't stop there, as skunks possess sizable claws that are intended for digging but can cause some serious damage. Skunks are much more likely to spray than to get into a physical encounter, but it is possible.
The skunk's aggressive nature comes from its surprising carnivorousness. Though they are technically omnivorous and will eat vegetables, the skunk typically takes down small rodents and insects, according the Columbia Encyclopedia.
While the skunk weighs only 6 to 14 pounds and likely would not kill a larger dog, veterinarians pointed out that skunks are a frequent carrier of rabies.
Pet Attacker No 10: Rat
Aggressive, intelligent and gluttonous, rats will do what it takes to protect themselves when threatened.
The genus Rattus actually contains hundreds of different species, and the common house rat is most likely to put the hurt on your beloved pooch. Because of their scavenger nature and desire for warm shelter, rats are likely to come into contact not only with pets but with people as well.
According to the Columbia Encyclopedia, the largest rats grow to about 10 inches and weigh no more than a pound. Rats may not be such a threat to pets, but their aggressive nature and ability to carry diseases such as typhus and tularemia have made them one dreaded animal.
For the full story go to ABC.com
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Story?id=8150218&page=1
 
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