Have you ever considered fostering pets from your local animal shelter, but something held you back? Maybe it was the fear of becoming too attached. Perhaps you felt worried you might not have enough experience, especially when taking care of a very young kitten or puppy. But for many people, one of the biggest things holding them back from fostering is the uncertainty about how to keep their own pets safe when bringing a temporary shelter pet into their home.

It’s a valid concern. Bringing home a foster pet can not only potentially expose your own pets to  communicable diseases, it can also cause varying degrees of stress for them. But with a little preparation, fostering pets can not only be safe, it can also be one of the most impactful and fulfilling experiences of your life!

Why Fostering Pets Is Such A Wonderful Thing To Do

According to Best Friends Animal Society, more than 4,100 cats and dogs are killed in America’s shelters every day. By fostering just one shelter pet, you’re making a huge impact in the world of animal rescue! You’re not just saving the life of that one animal, you’re also freeing up space in the shelter for another pet who needs a home. Foster homes are vital to the success of the movement to make shelter systems worldwide completely no-kill over the next several years.

Fostering pets also has many other important benefits for these animals:

• Taking in a foster pet gets them out of the shelter environment, which greatly decreases their stress and limits their exposure to infectious diseases.
• For many animals, foster homes provide a safe environment for them to learn how to comfortably live in a home and trust humans.
• Foster parents can help socialize and provide basic training for the foster pet, making them much more likely to get adopted quickly. If the foster parent has other pets, those pets can help teach the foster pet how to get along and interact with other dogs and cats.
• Pets in foster homes generally get more exercise on a daily basis than those in shelters, as well as more individualized attention and affection.
• Foster homes are especially ideal for pets with special needs, such as seniors, pets who are sick, and those who are recovering from surgery, have some type of disability, or are pregnant or nursing.

Safeguarding Your Pets While Fostering

At least several weeks before bringing home a foster pet, first schedule your own pets for a check up to make sure everyone is healthy and up-to-date on their vaccinations. Since the American Veterinary Medical Association has revised its guidelines to state that vaccines do not need to be given every year, instead of automatically vaccinating, consider having your vet run a blood test on your pets called a “titer” test that ensures your pets have enough circulating antibodies against the most common dangerous infectious viruses.

Dogs should have sufficient antibodies against parvovirus and distemper. They should also be on some type of regular parasite control that protects them against intestinal parasites like roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms. Most monthly heartworm preventatives also provide protection against the most common intestinal parasites.

Cats should also be vaccinated against, or have test results indicating they have immunity against, feline panleukopenia, calici, and feline viral rhinotracheitis viruses. If your cat has never been tested for feline leukemia virus (FeLV) or feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), you’ll want to test them now. Cats who are positive for FeLV should never share space with cats who haven’t been vaccinated for the FeLV virus, as the virus is contagious and transmitted through shared food and water bowls, litter boxes, and mutual grooming.

Once your own pets are given the all clear, make sure the foster pet is examined by a veterinarian before they come to stay with you. Once the foster pet arrives, keep them completely separated from your own pets for at least 2 weeks. Since most infectious diseases have an incubation period of 3 to 14 days, the foster pet may look and act completely healthy, but still be contagious while they’re incubating a disease.

Cats are, by nature, territorial creatures, so if you have a cat at home and will be fostering another cat or kitten, you may want to consider keeping them separated for the entire length of time you’re fostering to reduce the risk of fighting and increased stress in your own cat. For dogs and puppies, the opposite is true; once the 2-week quarantine has passed, a foster puppy can actually benefit quite a bit from spending time with an older dog, provided the family dog does not stress about it and has the opportunity to get away from the puppy when he or she needs to.

If you have any other pets at home like fish, hamsters, guinea pigs, reptiles, etc., be sure to secure their aquariums and cages to keep them safe from curious, prying paws.

If your pets at home are younger (under the age of 2), they could be at greater risk of contracting an infectious disease from a foster pet than if they are older. If you have a puppy or kitten at home, you may wish to wait until they are at least 2 years of age or older before you decide to foster.

Reducing The Risk Of Infection

It’s just a fact that foster animals come with an increased risk of carrying and transmitting infectious viruses, intestinal bacteria, parasites, and fungal infections like ringworm. So even if your own pets are healthy and up to date on their vaccinations, you’ll want to further reduce any risks of disease transmission by 1) being very diligent about the 2-week quarantine period, which means NO contact between the foster pet and your own pets during that time, and 2) being extremely conscientious about disinfection.

You’ll want to clean and disinfect your home BEFORE the foster pet arrives to protect them too.  Then once the foster pet is home with you, follow the disinfection schedule recommended by the shelter.

You can keep both your own pets and the foster pet safer by following these tips to reduce the risk of infection:

• During the quarantine period, keep the foster pet in a room with surfaces that are easy to disinfect, like a large bathroom. The room should have as little furniture as possible, since everything in the quarantine room will need to be disinfected. Avoid rooms with carpeting or hardwood floors; rooms with tile, vinyl, or linoleum flooring are best.
• Clean first with soap and water to remove dirt and debris, then disinfect the area, which kills infectious viruses, bacteria, and fungus.
• Diluted bleach is the safest disinfectant. It destroys even the hardiest viruses on surfaces, and it also kills fungus like ringworm. Clorox bleach is usually recommended by shelters since it has the strongest concentration of the chemical sodium hypochlorite. The recommended dilution to kill viruses is 1:32, which means use ½ cup bleach diluted in 1 gallon of water. Keep the diluted bleach solution on surfaces for a full 10 minutes to kill the strongest viruses (now you can see why you don’t want furniture or carpeting in your quarantine room!) Remember to mix the solution in a well-ventilated area to avoid fumes, for the safety of both you and your pets.

After the 2-week quarantine period is over and your pets are sharing space together, continue to be diligent about disinfection! This means:

• All surfaces must be cleaned regularly – floors, walls, bedding, crates, toys, food and water bowls, and litter boxes.
• Choose toys and supplies for the foster pet that are easy to disinfect. Stainless steel and ceramic food and water bowls are better for disinfection than plastic, which can harbor bacteria and viruses.
• For cats and kittens, consider using disposable litter boxes that can be thrown away.
• If you have carpeting, vacuum often.
• Wash fabric items in the hottest water possible, and use bleach.
• Whenever possible, have separate toys for your foster pet and your family pets, and don’t let them play with each others’ toys.
• Be very diligent about washing your hands.

When fostering puppies, don’t let them potty in your yard if the yard is grass, dirt, or rocks. Parvovirus can live in soil, rocks and grass for years. Instead, use a concrete area that you can scrub down, or use disposable puppy pads.

If fostering cats or kittens, make sure the foster kitties have their own litter boxes, water, and food bowls. If the foster kitties are positive for either the FeLV or FIV viruses, always keep them separated from your family cats to be safe.

Safely Introducing Your Pets To A Foster Pet

Lastly, you’ll want to make the fostering experience positive by keeping your family pets from experiencing stress as much as possible.

If you have a cat and will be fostering a dog, always ask the shelter to cat-test the foster dog at the shelter before bringing them home. If the dog is aggressive toward cats, it’s best to not bring that particular dog into your home; there are other shelter dogs who may be better candidates. Once the foster dog arrives, let them settle in and get comfortable for a few days in a separate area before introducing your cat. Always have the dog on a leash when you bring in the cat, and at the first sign of stress (in either animal), separate them and try again at a later time. Whenever they’re together, supervise them closely until you’re sure there will be no issues.

If you have a dog and will be fostering another dog, take your own dog to the shelter and introduce the dogs there. Since the shelter is neutral territory, it will make it much easier for them to connect and establish a relationship. Once you bring the foster dog home (and the quarantine period is over), keep both dogs on-leash whenever they’re together until you see how they interact. Always take things slowly and supervise them until they are completely comfortable with each other.

If you have a cat and will be fostering another cat or kitten, consider keeping them separated during the entire time the foster kitty is in your home. Cats are very territorial, get stressed easily, and typically don’t welcome changes to their routine. However, if your cat is very relaxed and mellow, and the foster pet is a kitten, it may be possible to successfully introduce them if it’s done slowly. Keep them separated by a door, letting them smell each other under the door first. After a few days, try cracking the door so they can see each other, while offering them treats so they associate each other with good things. You can also feed them on either side of the door. If they can eat on either side of the door while it’s ajar, you can try letting them interact directly with each other – but if either kitty becomes fearful or aggressive, separate them and go back one step. If they continue to not do well while in direct contact, for their own comfort and happiness, consider just keeping them separated for the duration of the foster experience.

Fostering Pets: A Life-Changing Experience

Fostering pets doesn’t just save and improve the lives of the shelter pets you’re taking into your home; it directly saves additional lives by making more room in crowded shelters for other animals to be rescued.

There are great foster programs available that have excellent resources to help teach you not only how to care for foster pets who may need a little more time and attention, but also how to best care for your own pets during the foster experience. Although there’s no guarantee that your family pets won’t be exposed to a potential infection during a fostering situation, by taking the steps outlined above, you can greatly reduce the risks to your own pets.

That being said, in rare cases, there are just some circumstances that don’t safely lend themselves to fostering. If you have a pet with a chronic illness that stresses their immune system (such as diabetes), is being treated with high doses of steroids, or has cancer, rather than fostering, you may wish to help your local shelter in other ways. Read about additional ways you can help save animals on the Best Friends Animal Society website here.

And remember…fostering pets plays a crucial role in helping every shelter around the world to one day reach the goal of no-kill status. And THAT is a beautiful thing.

Have you ever fostered a shelter pet? Please share your story with us in the comments below!

The post How To Keep Your Pets Safe While Fostering appeared first on The Good Pet Parent Blog.

Choosing the right veterinarian for our pets isn’t simply a matter of searching for the best reviews on Yelp, or limiting our choices to whichever vet is closest and most convenient. Finding the right veterinarian involves research, a little perseverance, and knowing exactly what to look for so we can find a vet who not only has the best qualifications, but also knows how to communicate well with both us and our furry kids.

So where do we start?

Ask For Recommendations

When choosing a veterinarian, the best place to start is also the easiest: ask for recommendations. Talk with family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors (especially those whose pet-care philosophies are most in line with yours) and ask which vet they use and recommend, and why.

Other good sources of recommendations include local rescue organizations and animal shelters, which often work directly with vets who generously provide discounted rates and donated services.

Look For A Veterinarian Who Has AAHA Accreditation

My cardinal rule for choosing a veterinarian who is most likely to  provide the highest quality of patient care is this: find a veterinarian who works in a clinic or hospital that has been accredited by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA). Being accredited by AAHA is voluntary, which means that hospitals who choose to commit to participating in this program must adhere to very strict requirements for patient care, client service, and medical protocol.

AAHA-accredited veterinary facilities are inspected and evaluated on approximately 900 (!) standards in a variety of different areas, including emergency services, nursing care, pain management, surgery and anesthesia, dentistry, medical record-keeping, cleanliness, maintenance, and overall facilities.

Only about 15 percent of small animal practices in the U.S. are AAHA- accredited, so don’t worry too much if there isn’t one near you. But if you have the choice, it’s best to choose a veterinarian with this affiliation, as these facilities consistently go above and beyond when it comes to patient care. You can use the AAHA-Accredited Hospital Locator to find the ones nearest you.

Find A Vet Who Specializes

All good veterinarians seem to have one thing in common: they don’t stop learning after graduating from vet school. Many of these vets do internships and residencies, or take additional specialized classes. When searching for a veterinarian, look for the abbreviation “ABVP” after their name, which means they completed additional work to become certified by the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners.

Many veterinarians go on to specialize in specific areas, like neurology, ophthalmology, or orthopedics. Some become experts in the area of geriatric medicine, which means they specialize in treating the unique needs of senior pets. If possible, try to find a vet who specializes in the species your pet belongs to. If you have a bird, look for an avian clinic; if you have a ferret, reptile, or fish, search for a veterinarian who specializes in exotic animals. There are even cats-only clinics who offer a dog-free environment to help reduce stress in their feline patients.

If the clinic or veterinary hospital you’re considering has a website, you can go online to review the biographies and additional qualifications of the veterinarians on staff.

Ask To Tour The Practice

Choosing the right veterinarian also means choosing the hospital or clinic where they practice.  Once you’ve found a veterinarian you think you might like, contact the facility where they practice and ask for a tour. Most veterinary hospitals are very willing, and proud, to show you their facilities.

During the tour, take notice of the following:

• Does the hospital look (and smell) clean?
• Do the patients seem safe and comfortable?
• Are the dogs and cats kept in separate areas so as not to cause additional stress?
• Are the treatment rooms clean and organized?
• Does the equipment and surgical area look up to date?
• Does the hospital have the capability of monitoring hospitalized patients overnight?
• Does the hospital accept pet insurance? Do they offer Care Credit or payment plans, if needed?
• Are diagnostic tests (like blood work, x-rays, ultrasounds, fecal tests, etc.) done onsite?
• Is the hospital busy? (A busy practice usually means a popular one.)

While on tour, make sure to evaluate the staff too! This includes receptionists, veterinary assistants, groomers, and kennel workers. These vital people are just as important as the doctor. Are they friendly and helpful? Do they talk to, and show affection towards, their patients?

The last question to ask is one of the most important. ALWAYS ask if the hospital has registered veterinary technicians on staff. Registered Veterinary Technicians are formally educated, highly trained, licensed professionals who are the equivalent of Registered Nurses in human medicine and provide the highest level of patient care. Not all states require veterinary technicians to be registered and licensed, so be sure to ask if the hospital you’re considering employs them.

Meet The Veterinarian BEFORE You Need Them

If the veterinary hospital meets your standards of care, the next step is scheduling a “meet and greet” with the veterinarian to meet with both you AND your pet. This brief, get-to-know-you session can provide a great deal of information to help you determine if this veterinarian is the right one for you and your pet.

Just like a human doctor, a veterinarian can have all the qualifications in the world, but if they are lacking in bedside manner, it can greatly impact your, and your pet’s, experience and relationship with them. When they enter the room, is their demeanor calm and friendly? Do they greet not just you, but your pet too? Do they refer to your pet by name? When they interact with your pet, are they gentle, and do they talk calmly to your pet while handling them? How does your pet react to them?

You can also use this opportunity to ask specific questions to get a better idea of the veterinarian’s philosophy of care. For instance, what is their policy on topics like annual vaccines, spaying and neutering, euthanasia, nutrition, or cancer treatment? When they talk with you, do they take the time to explain things in detail and answer all your questions, or do they just tell you what to do? Do they listen to your input?

Choosing the right veterinarian means creating a partnership with someone who will work WITH you on providing the best care for your pet. Having like-minded philosophies with your veterinarian can make a huge difference when it comes to doing the right thing for your pet for the remainder of their life, especially when facing potentially difficult decisions.

Choosing The Perfect Veterinarian For Your Pet

Although it may seem like a lot of work up front, here’s my advice in a nutshell: choose a veterinarian like you would choose a pediatrician. The vet who is geographically closest and most convenient may not necessarily be the one you want to partner with into your pet’s senior  years.

A good veterinarian is worth their weight in gold. They will collaborate with you on all aspects of your pet’s health and quality of life, which is not just your priority, but your veterinarian’s too!

Do you have any additional tips for choosing the right veterinarian for your pet? Please share them with us in the comments below!

The post Choosing A Veterinarian: Finding The Perfect Vet For Your Pet appeared first on The Good Pet Parent Blog.

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We all seem to have that one friend who can eat anything. But what if that “anything” included things that didn’t actually qualify as food?

Pica is a surprisingly common type of eating disorder that causes pets to compulsively crave and eat non-food items, and it can affect both dogs and cats. Pets with pica develop an appetite for some pretty bizarre things, including rocks, dirt, clothing, cat litter, plastic bags, rubber bands, hair ties, even electrical cords and drywall!

Some develop a fondness for one particular item, while others will swallow a wide variety of objects. Items that carry their human’s scent, like socks, underwear, and hosiery, tend to be particular favorites.

Two items that don’t fall into the pica category? Trash and poop. These delicacies, which are mostly popular with dogs, are attractive to them because they often simply just enjoy the taste. Poop-eating even has its own medical term, “coprophagia” – and it can be a very hard habit to break.

Anything else deemed “non-edible” that is sought out and eaten more than once by a pet is considered to fall into the pica category.

What Causes Pica?

Pica can be caused by many different things, but there are usually 2 main categories: medical and behavioral.

Medical causes of pica can include:

• Dietary and nutritional deficiencies
• Diabetes
• Parasitic infection
• Anemia
• Hyperthyroidism
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease and other gastrointestinal disorders
• Dental Disease
• Neurological Disease
• Teething in puppies
• Endocrine disorders, such as Cushing’s Disease
• Brain tumors
• FELV or FIV viruses in cats
• Side effects of corticosteroids or anti-seizure medication

Psychological causes of pica can include:

• Stress
• Anxiety, especially separation anxiety
• Boredom
• Lack of exercise
• Depression
• Lack of mental or physical stimulation
• Lack of socialization
• Frustration

There may even be a genetic predisposition for pica in some breeds of dogs and cats. Labrador Retrievers and Siamese and Birman cats seem to experience pica more frequently than other breeds.

Why Pica Is So Dangerous

Pica can be extremely dangerous for pets. Swallowed objects not only pose a choking hazard, they can become lodged in the esophagus, stomach, or intestine, causing life-threatening blockages that require surgery to remove. If items are toxic, they can cause poisoning. Some objects, like plastic bags, can also cause blockages in the respiratory tract, leading to suffocation and death.

Less tragic, but still serious, consequences of pica include:

• Stomach ulcers
• Vomiting and diarrhea
• Abdominal pain
• Gas
• Black, tarry stools
• Drooling
• Dental problems, such as broken teeth
• Sneezing or coughing
• Straining, or being unable to defecate
• Infections from contaminated objects

Diagnosing Pica

Fortunately, pica is one medical condition that is fairly easy to diagnose by pet parents! However, it’s not always easy to tell if the cause is medical or behavioral. To rule out medical causes, a thorough exam and testing should be done by a veterinarian.

Testing can include a fecal exam to check for parasites, blood work to rule out diabetes, anemia, liver disease, or disease of the pancreas, and a urinalysis. If the veterinarian suspects a nutritional deficiency or problems with the pet’s gastrointestinal tract not properly absorbing nutrients, more specific blood tests can be done that check folate and Vitamin B-12 levels.

And if the pet has a history of pica, it’s always a good idea to grab a quick x-ray to make sure there’s nothing in the GI tract that shouldn’t be there!

Treating Pica

Immediate treatment of pica depends on the cause. If the pica is caused by a nutritional deficiency, switching to a different food, adding probiotics to the pet’s diet, or using a digestive enzyme supplement may help. If parasites are found, they are easily treated with medication.

If the suspected cause is behavioral, reducing stress and anxiety and providing a more enriching environment is key. Herbal remedies like Rescue Remedy can be helpful for dogs, while cats may benefit from plug-in feline pheromone diffusers.

Preventing Future Occurrences of Pica

Once a pet has been diagnosed and treated for pica and is out of danger, there are many options pet parents have to prevent future problems.

If your dog or cat suffers from pica, first make sure they are on a nutritious, high-quality diet. Next, limit their access at all times to the items they love to swallow! This may involve using a crate for your dog whenever you’re away from home. If your dog eats rocks, monitor him at all times while on walks or at the park. In some cases, dogs are just too quick in scooping things up off the ground while they’re walking, so in extreme cases, you may want to invest in a basket muzzle while outside so that your dog physically cannot eat anything while wearing the muzzle (just be sure the muzzle doesn’t restrict his ability to breathe). For cats, do a walk-through of your home and remove access to items like yarn, shoelaces, plastic bags, hair ties, or anything else your cat could swallow. Cover exposed electrical cords with plastic tubing, and make sure that any cat toys you have aren’t small enough to be swallowed.

Next, examine both your pet’s environment and their daily routine for psychological stressors. Is there anything causing stress that can be eliminated? Is your pet bored or lonely? Are they getting enough exercise, attention, and mental stimulation, including daily play time?

Other tips include:

Provide a regular schedule for your pet. Animals feel safest with a predictable routine. Regular feeding times, bedtime, walks, and play sessions can help decrease anxiety.

Increase environmental enrichment to keep pets from getting bored. For dogs, focus their attention with durable chew toys or treat dispensing toys to keep them from chewing on inappropriate items. For cats, make sure they have scratching posts, safe toys, puzzle feeders, and a cat tree near a window to give them a view of the outdoors. You can also provide cat grass to give them something more appropriate to chew on.

Never punish or yell at your pet for eating inappropriate things. This will only increase their anxiety, stress, and frustration, which can backfire and actually lead to an increase in pica behavior.

If your pet’s pica is associated with severe anxiety, there are some medications prescribed by your veterinarian that may help. However, these medications are not a magic bullet. They should be used in conjunction with behavioral training, regular exercise, and a familiar routine to reduce stress. In very severe cases, a professional veterinary behaviorist may be able to help when conventional treatments don’t seem to be working.

Most of all, be patient! Changing behavior doesn’t happen overnight.

Pica – An Appetite For Destruction

Not every pet who eats something odd from time to time has pica. However, if your pet has been diagnosed with pica, don’t despair! In most cases, although pica can be a lifelong condition, it can also be managed.

If you are aren’t able to pinpoint what might be triggering pica in your pet, or have been unable to redirect them away from the behavior, be sure to ask your veterinarian for a referral to a certified veterinary behavior professional.

Have you ever had a pet with pica? Please share your story with us in the comments below!

The post Pica: The Bizarre Eating Disorder In Dogs And Cats appeared first on The Good Pet Parent Blog.

What Is Breed-Specific Legislation?

According to the website StopBSL.org, breed-specific legislation (BSL) is “A law that bans or restricts certain types of dogs based on their appearance, usually because they are perceived as ‘dangerous’ breeds or types of dogs.”

Breed-specific legislation doesn’t just refer to an outright ban on certain types of dogs (bans make it illegal under the law to own or harbor one of these dogs in your home, making them subject to seizure by animal control with the possibility of being destroyed). BSL can also include certain restrictions, such as requiring owners to keep their dog muzzled in public at all times, making their dog wear a visible “vicious dog” tag or other identifying marker, forcing them to prominently display “vicious dog” signs outside their home or apartment, or requiring them to purchase and maintain additional liability insurance.

Breed-specific legislation applies only to dogs of a certain appearance. It does not require the dog to take a DNA test to confirm its actual genetic makeup, or take into account how the owner has raised, trained, or managed the dog. And most importantly, it doesn’t take into account the dog’s actual behavior.

Bentley’s Story

Bentley, an adorable Pit Bull/Boxer mix, was adopted by my sister’s family when he was around 8 weeks old. Saying that he grew up to love his family (even the cats!) with his whole heart wouldn’t even begin to characterize how loving and gentle he is. Bentley was a smart, playful, emotionally intuitive and sensitive puppy who loved to climb onto my nieces’ and nephew’s laps, wrapping his front legs around them and laying his huge head on their chests.

At the time, my sister and her family resided in a moderately-sized township in Ohio that did not have any formal breed-specific legislation on the books. This should have meant that Bentley was free from any type of formal discrimination due to his appearance. Sadly, that was not the case.

My sister recalls, “I used to take Bentley running with me, on leash, every morning before work. One day I noticed a township police car following us. The officer waved us over and asked us to stop. He got out of the car, approached, and asked if I had the appropriate “papers” for my dog.

“Of course anyone who is going running at 5am doesn’t carry vaccination records or dog licenses with them, so I said no, the paperwork was at home. The officer proceeded to make thinly veiled threats about how I needed to have these records with me at all times when out with Bentley, before finally allowing me to go home. The very next day, I went running again – with Bentley’s paperwork. The same officer stopped me again, I showed him the papers, and he again detained us for a few more minutes before letting us go. During this entire interaction, Bentley sat quietly and obediently by my side.

“After that, we started taking different routes whenever we ran. And invariably, almost every time, before we finished our route (which we ran at the exact same time every morning), that same officer tracked us down, stopped us, and asked to see Bentley’s papers. I couldn’t believe it. It was such obvious harassment, but the officer was intimidating. I never reported it because I was afraid of what he would do to Bentley, or to me, if I retaliated against him by reporting him.”

A few years later, my sister was forced to rehome Bentley to her mother-in-law after a neighbor in her apartment complex complained about her having a Pit Bull. The neighbor complained that she was “terrified” of living next to a “vicious dog”, and contacted both the police and the manager of the apartment complex so many times that eventually the manager gave in and regretfully told my sister that Bentley could no longer remain on the premises. Bentley now lives with my sister’s elderly mother-in-law in a neighboring township with no issues.

Having to give Bentley up is still difficult for my sister to talk about to this day.

Ronin’s Story

Years later, my sister’s son rescued Ronin, a 1-yr old mixed breed listed as Pit Bull/Greyhound, from a local animal shelter. Ronin had been taken during a raid on a dog-fighting operation, where he had been a “bait dog” – a smaller, more submissive dog used to test and stoke the aggressive instincts of larger, more powerful fighting dogs.

Ronin was covered in scars and what appeared to be old cigarette burns. Someone had slashed the backs of his rear legs with a razor blade, which the rescuers suspected was done to prevent him from running away while in the fighting ring. Ronin was terrified, unable to walk up or down stairs due to his leg injuries, and trembled constantly.

My nephew nursed him back to health and showered him with love. Slowly, Ronin came out of his shell and began to blossom. He is a whip-smart, loving, sensitive, and empathetic dog. Although he still carries the physical and emotional scars of his abuse (he prefers women, and is terrified of any man wearing a baseball cap), he has adjusted into being the perfect family dog.

My nephew and his family (which now includes his wife and 2 sons) also live in a city in Ohio that does not currently have breed-specific legislation. One day last year, Ronin slipped out of the house through an open door and, before anyone could stop him, ran to the park directly across the street where another woman was walking her dog.

Ronin, who loves to play and despite his previous trauma gets along very well with other dogs, playfully ran up to the dog. My nephew’s wife, who was 6 months pregnant at the time, went after Ronin, but before she could get there she saw the other dog panic and lash out at him, causing the two dogs to briefly scuffle. In the next instant she saw a police officer, who had been walking through the park, run towards the dogs. Horrified, she watched as the officer pulled out a taser and tased Ronin on the flank.

Ronin immediately went down to the ground. The woman walking her dog stood for a moment, said nothing, then quickly walked away. My nephew’s wife ran up to Ronin and checked him; he was stunned, but breathing. The officer actually seemed somewhat concerned, and even apologized, saying that he was just trying to “break up the fight.” Ronin was on the ground for approximately 2 minutes before he was finally able to get back on his feet. My nephew’s wife was able to get him home without incident. No reports were filed.

My nephew and his wife have never gotten a satisfactory answer as to why a taser was used in this manner on their dog. To this day, Ronin has been afraid to go into the driveway or into the park on leash. He walks only on the sidewalk, and shows visible anxiety while walking in the vicinity of the park.

Breed-Specific Legislation’s Dirty Little Secret

There is an even darker side to breed-specific legislation, one that isn’t so readily apparent.

Breed-specific legislation not only legally sanctions harassment against certain dogs just because of their looks, it makes this harassment appear morally acceptable – making it more likely that this type of discrimination will permeate other communities where BSL is NOT legal.

The mere existence of breed-specific legislation propagates fear, ignorance, hatred and discrimination even in communities without BSL laws. The damage it does extends far beyond the confines of the communities that have been fearful and shortsighted enough to have legalized and implemented it.

To illustrate the point, ask yourself this question: would Ronin have been tased by a police officer in a public park if he had been a Golden Retriever? A Greyhound? A Maltese? It’s almost impossible to imagine this happening to a dog identified with any of these breeds. Yet BSL has helped perpetuate a negative attitude towards Pit Bull-type dogs that enabled this scenario to have ever happened in the first place.

Why Breed-Specific Legislation Doesn’t Work

Tragically, as if breed-specific legislation being discriminatory and morally wrong weren’t bad enough, it also simply doesn’t work. BSL is costly, ineffective, hurts good dogs (and good people), and ultimately accomplishes nothing to keep people safe. The American Veterinary Medical Association, the Centers for Disease Control, and every single US public canine welfare association all strongly oppose BSL.

Here’s why:

• BSL does not prevent dog bites or improve public safety. According to statistics from a report published by the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee in the UK, BSL does not make communities safer. That report (one of many done both abroad and in the United States) shows that despite the presence of breed-specific legislation, hospital admissions for dog bites were up 76% from those recorded 10 years previously, and of the 30 people killed by dogs between 1991 and 2016, 70% had been attacked by dogs that were not banned breeds.
• BSL requires every dog to be identified as a breed. This has proven impossible to do accurately by simply looking at them, especially with mixed breed dogs.
• BSL is costly. Municipal resources needed to enforce the laws and train animal control employees to attempt to identify banned breeds are considerable.
• BSL does nothing to make irresponsible dog owners accountable. Any dog is more likely to become aggressive when they are unsupervised, not neutered, and not socialized properly with people or other dogs.

• BSL is discriminatory against responsible owners and their dogs. It forces responsible pet owners to either have to move or give up their dogs who have never bitten or even threatened to bite. Also, dogs that are considered members of a dangerous breed may be serving the community in military operations, police work, search and rescue, or as service animals and therapy dogs.

• No one can agree on what makes one breed “safe” and another “dangerous.” According to Best Friends Animal Society, the non-profit group Responsible Dog Owners of the Western States compiled a list of 75 dog breeds that have either been restricted through legislation or banned outright in communities throughout the United States over the years. Among those breeds were Boston Terriers, French Bulldogs, Airedale Terriers, Blue Heelers, Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, and (are you ready for this one?) Pugs.

Any dog can bite.

Exposing The Secret

Breed-specific legislation not only fails to enhance public safety, it’s expensive to enforce and violates the rights of dog parents. The best public safety laws focus on the behavior of individual dogs and their individual people, not on how a dog looks.

The good news is, the public is speaking out against breed-specific bans – especially those involving Pit Bulls – more than ever before, and lawmakers have been forced to take notice. Recently, in Springfield Missouri, voters overwhelmingly rejected by a margin of 2-1 a Pit Bull ban that had been enacted by the city council in 2017. And in Yakima Washington, the Yakima Humane Society (who contracts with the city for animal control services) went head-to-head with a Pit Bull ban that had been in place since the late 1980’s by notifying the city that the SPCA would not renew its contract if the city maintained the ban. This forced the city of Yakima to repeal all breed-specific discrimination by a vote of 5-2.

Even when elected officials are adamantly opposed to repealing a ban, the public can organize and make their opinions crystal clear. It’s these unfair and completely ineffective laws that lead to breed-specific legislation’s “dirty little secret” – and more unfounded fear, hatred and harassment of the dogs who are irreplaceable members of their human families.

After all, every dog is an individual – just like the humans who love them.

Have you or your dog ever been victims of breed-specific legislation? Please share your story with us in the comments below!

The post Breed-Specific Legislation’s Dirty Little Secret appeared first on The Good Pet Parent Blog.

I have to confess, I absolutely adore the holidays. I don’t even mind the parts that most people don’t enjoy all that much, like the inevitable last-minute dash on Christmas eve for that one present you forgot, huge crowds in every retail store within a 10-mile radius…I even have a soft spot for ugly Christmas sweaters.

But as much as we enjoy them, the holidays can present certain situations that may be stressful or even potentially dangerous for our furry family members. However, being aware of these possible scenarios in advance can help ensure that our pets have the opportunity to enjoy the holidays as much as we do.

Here are a few tips to help make this the happiest of holidays with your pets.

Avoid Holiday Ingestible Hazards

Dogs and cats love to explore the world with their mouths, which can sometimes cause them to swallow things that were never meant to be eaten – including some human foods that can be harmful to them.

Here are a few items we may have around our homes during the holidays that can be hazardous to pets if ingested:

• Toxic holiday plants such as holly, mistletoe, amaryllis, and Christmas lilies.
• Christmas tree water (which can cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea).
• Potpourri, both liquid and dried (swallowing liquid potpourri can cause ulcers in a pet’s mouth and stomach).
• Edible ornaments made of dough or gingerbread.
• Holiday leftovers (cooked turkey bones, corncobs, and plastic utensils can also cause serious harm if swallowed).
• Alcohol, which is toxic to both dogs and cats.
• Bread dough containing yeast (since yeast continues to expand and ferment in the stomach after it’s swallowed, it can cause potentially life-threatening bloat).
• Fatty foods (these increase the risk of pancreatitis in pets).
• Chocolate (it contains theobromine, which affects the central nervous system. Baking chocolate is particularly dangerous; it can be fatal in quantities as small as 1/10 of an ounce per pound of body weight if ingested).
• Nuts – particularly macadamia nuts, which are toxic to dogs.

If you suspect your pet has swallowed something poisonous, DO NOT HESITATE to call your veterinarian or a pet poison helpline immediately. Time is critical! The ASPCA Poison Control Center (888-426-4435) and the Pet Poison Helpline (800-213-6680) are available 24/7, even on holidays (consultation fees may apply).

Manage Holiday Stress

Chances are, plenty of family and friends may be stopping by to visit this holiday season. Some of your guests may not be comfortable around dogs or cats, or won’t know the proper ways to pet them – especially children. This is a great time to teach kids how to approach and interact with your pet calmly and safely. Supervise each interaction, and watch your cat or dog for any signs of stress, such as growling, avoiding eye contact, tail-tucking, or trying to escape.

Not every pet is outgoing and sociable. Strangers and/or family dropping by can overwhelm your dog or cat. You can help relieve your pet’s anxiety by teaching him to be comfortable in his crate or securing him in a separate room with his own blankets and toys until the festivities are over. Plug-in pheromone diffusers and sprays are also very helpful in alleviating stress for cats.

Animals are creatures of habit. Although the holidays can be hectic, try your best to stick to a normal routine that can provide structure for your pets and help make them feel calmer. And never underestimate the benefits of daily exercise in reducing stress – this goes not only for dogs and cats, but for humans too!

Be Aware Of Other Potential Holiday Perils

Open Flames

Be sure to keep your pets in mind when you light candles, menorahs, and luminaries. Although it’s tradition to leave candles on a menorah lit for at least 30 minutes, leaving your pet alone with burning candles while your family opens presents could end up being disastrous!

Place candles or menorahs on a stable surface out of reach, and consider securing your pet in a crate whenever there are open flames around. You can also use tea lights with flameless candles in place of traditional candles.

Christmas Tree Trimmings

Glass ornaments, ribbon and tinsel are beautiful, but they can pose a threat to our pets – especially to cats, who are particularly attracted to tinsel and ribbon. If swallowed, these items can cause gastric upset, vomiting, or a dangerous GI obstruction.

If you have a playful pet who likes to entertain himself with ornaments, replace glass or fragile ornaments with plastic or nonbreakable ones. Better yet, place them totally out of reach where they can’t be chewed or swallowed.

Loose electrical cords can also cause safety issues. Secure loose or dangling cords, and cover them with cord covers so your pet isn’t able to reach them.

Your Cat Climbs the Christmas Tree

Does your kitty turn the Christmas tree into her own personal playground? If so, try to set up the tree in a room that can be closed off with doors. Some veterinarians also suggest creating a blanket of aluminum foil or double-sided sticky tape around the base of the tree, since most cats dislike walking on these surfaces.

You can also secure your tree to the ceiling with fishing line to keep it from falling over if your cat does decide to try to scale Mount Tannenbaum!

Potentially Dangerous Holiday Toys

It’s so much fun to go holiday shopping for our pets – they deserve something special! But some toys, even ones created especially for cats and dogs, can be dangerous. For dogs, avoid toys that are small enough to be swallowed, those with loose strings or ribbons, and ones stuffed with beads or beans. For cats, steer clear of toys that have ribbons, string, or yarn, and remove any plastic eyes or noses from toy mice to keep them from being swallowed.

If your dog or cat receives a questionable toy as a gift, to be on the safe side follow your instincts and keep it away from them.

Which leads us to….

Include Pets In Holiday Festivities, Including Gifts

Having the happiest of holidays with your pets definitely includes celebrating with them! Pets love being involved in our activities. No matter how busy we are, making an effort to set aside some extra time with them each day for play, love and attention will make a big difference in how our pets view the holidays.

And now for the fun stuff…presents from Santa! We all know how much our pets love getting presents, so if you haven’t yet found that perfect gift for your dog or cat, here are a few suggestions. (FYI, some links in this article are affiliate links, which means if you click on them and make a purchase, I’ll receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. This helps keep Good Pet Parent up and running, so thank you for your support!)

Gift Ideas For Dogs

• Kong interactive treat dispenser, a high-quality, non toxic chew toy and treat dispenser that also keeps dogs mentally stimulated and engaged.
• Festive dog sweater to keep your dog warm and stylish!
• Dog booties to protect their feet against extreme heat and cold, and while hiking.
• Smart collar with GPS and activity monitor, which can track your dog’s exact location, monitor his daily activity, and make custom recommendations based on his age, breed and gender.
• Dog selfie stick, which snaps onto the top of any smartphone and uses a squeaking tennis ball to get your dog’s attention, for those perfect Instagram moments!
• DNA Test by Embark, which provides an accurate breed mix, genetic disease risk, and heritable traits profile so you can better provide personalized care for your dog.

Gift Ideas For Cats

• Refined Feline Kitty Ball Cat Bed, sophisticated and modern wicker cat furniture that blends seamlessly with human decor.
• Interactive laser toy that automatically beams laser light in random patterns to keep your cat entertained while you’re busy or away.
• Water fountain. Cats are fascinated by running water, and this beautiful and functional fountain not only entertains them, but encourages them to drink more to stay hydrated.
• Heated cat bed, which is especially great for senior or arthritic cats.
• Cat stroller, allowing your cat to join you on walks or runs outside.
• Laptop cat scratcher, your cat’s very own laptop – complete with plug-in fluffy toy mouse!

Gift Ideas For Both Dogs And Cats

• New Christmas stockings, because what fireplace mantel is complete without stockings for our furry kids too?
• Reversible dog/cat blanket to keep them warm on long, cold winter nights.
• PetCube Pet Monitoring System, an interactive camera that connects to your smartphone and allows you to monitor, talk to, and play with your pets remotely in real time.

Although the holidays can be somewhat stressful for both pets and people, with a little advance planning we can make sure they are enjoyable, magical, and safe for our pets. Wishing you and your furry kids much joy and peace this holiday season!

Do you have any additional tips for getting through the holidays smoothly with your pets? Please share them in the comments below!

The post Tips For The Happiest Of Holidays With Your Pets appeared first on The Good Pet Parent Blog.

Adopting a special needs pet can change your life in ways you may never have thought possible. Although it’s true that adopting a pet with special needs can come with its own set of unique challenges and considerations, people who take on that challenge often find it also comes with its own special rewards.

A recent poll conducted by PetFinder found that special needs pets are the third most difficult animals to place, behind senior pets and bully breed dogs. Many of these pets can spend up to 2 years (or longer) waiting for their forever homes, which is more than 4 times longer than the average time it usually takes for companion animals to get adopted. It’s often difficult enough for the average “adoptable” animal to stand out in an overcrowded shelter, let alone a pet with special needs.

What Is A “Special Needs” Pet?

The term “special needs” can refer to any pet who has a physical disability, chronic disease or medical condition, behavioral disorder, or is simply older in age (a senior pet). This can include animals with:

• Birth defects or deformities, including blindness, deafness, missing limbs, or  conditions like cerebellar hypoplasia.
• Deformities or injuries due to trauma, such as spinal cord injuries causing paralysis, or injuries resulting in amputation.
• Chronic medical conditions or diseases requiring lifelong medication or at-home or inpatient hospital treatment, such as diabetes, epilepsy, kidney disease, chronic allergies, heart disease, cancer, or FELV/FIV.
• Behavioral issues, anxiety disorders, lack of socialization, or PTSD.

Sadly, senior pets are often classified in the special needs category too, even if they are currently healthy with no apparent medical conditions.

Some potential adopters may see these conditions as shortcomings or defects, causing them to overlook special needs pets in favor of more “ideal” candidates. However, nothing could be further from the truth. Although it’s true that some special needs pets may require things that other pets might not (such as wheelchairs, ramps, medications, home management, or additional veterinary care), many other special needs pets do not – they simply look different.

Other special needs pets simply require additional time, patience, and a few modifications to their environment. Blind dogs and cats can often do everything a seeing pet can do, including running, playing, and climbing furniture. Deaf dogs can be trained to learn sign language, and some pets with 3 legs can often run almost as fast as their 4-legged buddies.

Pets who have a past history of trauma or abuse can make great strides with socialization, a calm and stable environment, additional training, and lots of patience and understanding.

Questions To Ask Before Adopting A Special Needs Pet

Although adopting a special needs pet is similar to adopting any other pet, there are additional considerations that should be completely thought through before welcoming a special needs pet into your family. The last thing you want to have happen is to discover that the pet is not a good fit for you, your lifestyle, or your household – forcing you to have to surrender the furbaby you’ve just adopted.

Some important questions to ask yourself before you commit to adopting a pet with special needs are:

Am I able to afford the additional financial costs? This includes veterinary care, medications, special food or diet plans, physical therapy, future surgeries, mobility equipment like wheelchairs, or professional training. Also, some pets may not be eligible for pet insurance coverage due to pre-existing conditions.

Am I able to accommodate the pet’s disability? Can I give medications at consistent times each day? Depending on what the pet needs, do I have any problems with administering injections, changing diapers, or monitoring a feeding tube? Do I have a backup person who can step in to help in the event of an emergency? Am I willing to physically modify my home if necessary to accommodate the disability? Do I have the time, energy, and resources to devote to making sure this pet receives the best life possible?

Is the rest of my family a good fit with this adoption? Will this pet be able to thrive in a home with children or other pets, or would it be better as the only pet in the home? Are my and the rest of my family’s expectations realistic? Are we flexible and truly prepared for a pet who may be a little different?

If the answers to these questions are “yes”, here are some additional tips that may be helpful in making a final decision:

• Seek the help and advice of other professionals before you adopt. This can include your veterinarian, rescue group experts, dog trainers, and behaviorists who can provide insight and advice into the pet’s condition.
• Research the pet’s specific issue thoroughly. Knowing as much as possible in advance will make things much easier on both you and the pet.
• Be honest with yourself. Adopting a special needs pet is a big responsibility, and you owe it to yourself as well as the pet to make sure you have no reservations about everything that decision entails.

Fortunately, many rescue organizations offer “Foster to Adopt” programs, which allow potential adopters to take a pet home for a few days to a few weeks to make sure everything is a good fit and that the potential new pet parents definitely want to follow through on the adoption.

Where To Search For A Special Needs Pet

There are thousands of senior and special needs pets currently waiting for their forever homes, so it’s not difficult to find one to welcome into your family! To start, consider these:

• Your local shelter or humane society. Although it’s true these facilities are often full to capacity with “more adoptable” animals, the great news is that within the last few years many shelters have begun giving more second chances to special needs pets instead of automatically putting them on the euthanize list.
• Rescue groups who specialize in special needs pets. These organizations are experts in placing animals with special needs. This list is but one of many resources you can find online.
• Breed-specific rescue groups. These groups help place dogs of specific breeds, such as retired racing greyhounds, rescues from puppy mills, or pit bulls who had to be surrendered due to breed-specific legislation in their cities.
• Online rescue database networks. These groups (PetFinder is one of the most well-known) manage a database of rescue groups from all over the world that allows people to search by category, including species, age, size, and specific special needs.

Rewards Of Adopting A Special Needs Pet

Despite the challenges in their lives, special needs animals are incredibly adaptable. One of the things that makes them so unique is that they don’t seem to know (or acknowledge) that they are any different from anyone else! Despite their disabilities, injuries, or medical conditions, they can still be highly functional, joyful, playful, and fun-loving.

Like most rescued pets, they also seem to have an innate, deep sense of gratitude to their rescuers, especially those who have waited many months or even years for their forever homes. Ask any parent of a special needs pet, and you will likely hear stories about how brave and  incredibly inspiring these animals are to the humans who love and care for them every day.

If adopting a special needs pet is just not the right thing right now for you or your family, there are other ways you can help support these incredible animals. Many rescue groups and animal welfare organizations happily accept donations to help defray the costs of extra medical care or equipment that their special needs pets require. Supporting these organizations can help ensure that a pet who may have been overlooked because they weren’t “perfect” has a second chance at a forever home and a lifetime of love and happiness.

Have you ever adopted a pet with special needs? Please share your story with us in the comments below!

The post Adopting A Special Needs Pet: What You Need To Know appeared first on The Good Pet Parent Blog.

When most people think of introducing pets to a new human family member, the first thing they usually think of is bringing home a new baby. Although it’s true this is a very common scenario for millions of families around the world, it’s not the only one when it comes to adding another human to the household.

It goes without saying that pets are an integral part of our families. Since most pets can live an average of 10 to 20 years (or up to 60 years for parrots!), it’s not at all surprising that they will experience many changes with us over the course of their lifetimes. Often these changes will include new humans who join our families, including babies, older adopted or foster children, elderly parents, roommates, or adult friends or relatives who may simply need a temporary place to stay for awhile.

Like us, pets can experience varying degrees of stress when faced with changes in their environment. If you’ll be adding a new human family member to your household in the near future, preparing your pet in advance will help them acclimate much more quickly to sharing their life with a new person.

Pets And New Human Family Members 101

There are plenty of ways to help set up both your pets and your new human family member for success, sometimes even before they meet each other. The more preparation you do beforehand, the better the chances for a smooth transition.

• For dogs, now is the time to work on basic training, if you haven’t already. Teach your dog the fundamentals: “sit”, “stay”, “down”, and “off” (which is different than “down”). If your dog is already trained, up the ante by reinforcing these commands until your dog is a pro! A well-trained dog is not only more polite around humans, they are also more confident and better able to focus around people they may not know very well. You can find a comprehensive list of easy-to-understand dog training videos from Victoria Stilwell’s Teacher’s Pet Series.
• If possible, allow your pets to meet the new human family member as many times as possible before they become a permanent resident in your home. Have the person give your pets treats whenever they interact with them, and allow them to play with your pets or join you on walks or quick trips in the car.
• Remember to fully explain the rules to new human family members ahead of time when it comes to interacting with your pets (for example, the cat stays indoors only, no treats between meals, the dog isn’t allowed on the bed). Also give your new family member helpful tips when it comes to interacting with your pets so they can begin forging a bond with them. If your dog loves belly rubs, or your cat gets stressed out whenever people try to pick her up, be sure to give the new member of your household a heads up. Any tips you can provide in advance will be much appreciated by both the pets and humans alike!
• Know your individual pets and their body language. This will telegraph to you ahead of time whenever your dog or cat is getting nervous, confused, unsure, or afraid.
• Keep your pets’ routines as normal as possible. Animals do best with a predictable routine, so try to keep walks, mealtimes, playtime, etc. as consistent as possible each day.
• While your pets are adjusting, try to avoid any additional stressful events, such as trips to the vet or groomer (unless you think they are ill, in which case don’t wait to schedule an appointment with your veterinarian).
• Don’t force your pet to do anything they don’t want to do, and let them adjust at their own pace. Try to make all interactions with the new human family member positive ones, and don’t force your pets (or your new person, for that matter) to interact if they don’t want to. All animals, like people, have their own pace when it comes to accepting newcomers.
• Be sure to always provide a safe zone for your pets where they can get away from stressful situations at any time. For dogs, this could be a crate or a separate room; for cats, it might be a cat tree in the corner of a room where they can retreat to the top level, or even a simple cardboard box with a hole cut out where they can hide.
• Remember to set aside plenty of one-on-one time with your pets, and give them lots of praise, love, and attention while they are adjusting. Most importantly, play with them daily! This goes for both dogs and cats.

Bringing Home Baby

Although it’s a common occurrence in many households, bringing home a new baby can be quite stressful for your pets, especially if they’ve never encountered a newborn baby before. Pets can also be very intuitive even when it comes to pregnancy – they know something different is happening, but they aren’t sure what.

Before the baby arrives, there are many things you can do to help lessen your pets’ anxiety. These can include getting your pet used to baby-related noises, like the sound of a newborn crying or the noise made by a mechanical infant swing. Playing recordings or using the baby equipment periodically while offering your pets treats can help make the experience positive for them.

Other tips include:

• Encouraging friends or co-workers with babies to visit your home (making sure to supervise all pet/infant interactions).
• Using a life-sized baby doll to help your pet get used to the real thing. Even though it may feel silly, try to carry the baby in your arms, pretend to change its diaper, and take the doll in a stroller with you when you walk your dog as often as possible.
• Installing a sturdy barrier, such as a pet gate, at the entrance to the baby’s room. This will allow your pets to see and hear everything that’s happening inside, while helping them maintain a safe distance until everyone feels more comfortable.
• Using double-sided sticky tape in the baby’s crib and on the changing table to discourage cats from jumping up onto these areas.

After the baby is born, but before you bring baby home, have another person take something with the baby’s scent on it (like a blanket) to your home for your pets to investigate ahead of time. When you arrive home with the baby, have someone else take the baby into another room while you calmly greet your pets and give them treats. Then once things settle down a bit, let your pets come into the room to sit near you and the baby, all the while talking calmly to them and offering treats. To keep their anxiety level low, and to make sure the experience is a positive one, always let them approach the new baby at their own pace and try not to force any interactions.

Elderly Family Members

When it comes to elderly family members joining your household, it’s important to make sure your pets are trained and are getting sufficient exercise so they aren’t tempted to jump on, or play roughly with, their new human family members. A pet who jumps up or gets underfoot can cause an older person who is already weak or unsteady on their feet to trip and fall, especially down stairs.

Also, as people age their skin becomes thinner, so even a small scratch for an elderly person can cause bleeding or an infection. Keeping your dog’s or cat’s nails trimmed regularly will help.

Older Children

For the safety of both pets and new children family members, do your best to keep the children off the floor in the vicinity of your pets until everyone has time to adjust. Don’t allow children to approach your pets when they’re eating or sleeping. Since children can be loud and make sudden movements that can be very alarming to pets, be sure to watch your pets’ body language closely to make sure they’re not feeling threatened. Even the most gentle dog or cat may bite if they feel afraid.

Humans Confined To Wheelchairs Or With Medical Equipment

If possible, let pets smell and investigate wheelchairs and medical equipment as much as they like. Some medical equipment, such as oxygen tanks, can make noises that are scary to dogs and cats. Place treats and toys around the equipment to help lessen their anxiety.

A Little Preparation Goes A Long Way

Introducing pets to a new human family member can be stressful. But with a little preparation, sensitivity to your pet’s body language and point of view, and being proactive and reassuring with your reactions and demeanor, you can help smooth the transition and make sure that everyone adjusts and feels happy and secure in your “home sweet home.”

Do you have any other tips to share for introducing pets to a new human family member? Please share your stories with us in the comments below!

The post Introducing Pets To A New Human Family Member appeared first on The Good Pet Parent Blog.

Sarcomas are malignant tumors that begin within the body’s connective tissue, which is a specialized type of tissue whose job it is to support, bind, or separate other tissue and organs. Examples of connective tissue include fascia, bone, cartilage, tendons, and fat. Most injection-site sarcomas in cats are fibrosarcomas, a highly aggressive form of feline cancer. These tumors can spread rapidly through surrounding  tissue and throughout the rest of the body.

Fortunately, injection-site sarcomas are rare. Depending on the source, statistics show that they are reported anywhere from one in 1000 to one in 10,000 cats. Although most veterinarians will only see a small number of these tumors during their career, they do occur, and for cat parents, it’s important to be aware of them and know how to recognize them quickly.

What Are Injection-site Sarcomas?

Injection-site sarcomas in cats were first diagnosed around 1991, when the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania discovered a link between an increase in sarcomas and certain types of feline vaccinations. Although these types of reactions can occur in other animals, cats seem to have a more extreme reaction, so it’s far more common to see these tumors in cats.

An injection-site sarcoma (also referred to as “ISS”) is a specific type of tumor that appears at the site of a previous injection – that is, a substance that was injected directly under the skin or into muscle tissue through a needle. Reported causes of ISS have included long-acting antibiotics, certain types of steroids, injectable Lufenuron (the active ingredient in some flea and tick medications), and microchips. However, the most common culprit when it comes to injection-site sarcomas seems to be vaccines.

Why Cats Need Vaccines

Before we talk about vaccines and how they relate to injection-site sarcomas, first please understand that cats (especially kittens, whose fragile immune systems are not yet developed, making them very susceptible to illness), absolutely need initial vaccines. Vaccines are critical in helping a cat’s immune system learn how to fight infections from microorganisms that can cause deadly diseases.

Vaccines contain either weakened or killed microorganisms that stimulate a cat’s immune system to produce special proteins called antibodies. Afterwards, if the cat encounters that microorganism in the real world, the antibodies will help defend against an infection. Vaccines help the cat’s immune system to recognize these microorganisms quickly and fight them much more efficiently, which can lessen the severity of the infection or prevent it altogether.

The Link Between Vaccines And Injection-site Sarcomas

Although for the vast majority of patients vaccines pose an extremely low risk, it is true that no vaccine is completely risk-free. And research indicates that unfortunately, sarcomas that form as a result of vaccines seem to be more aggressive than non-vaccine sarcomas.

It’s believed that the reason vaccines are most implicated in the development of injection-site sarcomas is because vaccines are purposely designed to cause temporary inflammation when they’re injected. This inflammation helps “kick-start” the body’s immune system to form antibodies.

However, many vaccines contain additional substances called adjuvants. These are ingredients that are added to vaccines to help hold the vaccine in the tissue around the injection site for a certain period of time in order to allow more time for the immune system to be properly stimulated. However, in some cats this inflammatory response goes into overdrive, triggering the formation of an injection-site sarcoma.

The most common vaccines linked to ISS are the ones for Rabies and Feline Leukemia (FeLV). These sarcomas have most often occurred on the upper back between the shoulder blades, or on the hip, since this is where both vaccinations and medications have typically been given. ISS tumors usually appear as round, hard lumps underneath the skin. They can develop weeks, months, or even years after a vaccination.

Lowering The Risk Of Injection-site Sarcomas

In 1996, the Vaccine Associated Feline Sarcoma Task Force (VAFSTF) was formed to help formally research the link between vaccination and sarcoma in cats. One of their observations was that the risk of ISS increased whenever multiple vaccinations were given at the same site, which in 1999 led them to recommend making a sweeping change in how veterinarians vaccinate cats.

Until then, veterinarians vaccinated cats with the rabies vaccine in the upper thigh muscle of a back leg, and all other feline vaccines were given between the shoulder blades. However, because an ISS tumor on a cat’s upper back is extremely difficult to completely remove (there often isn’t enough skin left to close the large incision that’s needed), the logic was that if a tumor developed in response to a vaccine on a rear limb instead, if necessary the entire limb could be safely amputated.

Therefore, VAFSTF called for vets to immediately stop vaccinating all cats between the shoulder blades, and instead to vaccinate as follows:

• Rabies vaccine: Administered on the right rear leg, as far down as possible.
• Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) vaccine: Administered on the left rear leg, below the stifle (knee joint).
• Other vaccinations: Administered on the right front leg, below the elbow.

This protocol also makes it easier to identify exactly which vaccine caused the tumor if one should form.

Oncologists and many other mainstream veterinarians now also recommend giving vaccines into the cat’s tail. Personally, I am a big proponent of this, and it’s how I prefer to have my own cats vaccinated. If a sarcoma develops, it’s much easier to amputate a tail than an entire leg!

Other Ways To Lower The Risk Of ISS

There are other ways you can work with your veterinarian to help lower the risk of injection-site sarcoma in your cat.

Don’t Over-Vaccinate

It’s now universally understood that vaccines do not need to be given every year. After the initial first series of vaccines, most can be given every 3-5 years thereafter. And not all cats need all vaccines. For instance, if your cat doesn’t go outside and isn’t exposed to unknown cats, in most cases he or she does not need the Feline Leukemia vaccine at all (which carries a higher risk for injection-site sarcoma). Work with your veterinarian to develop a customized protocol for your cat based on his or her level of risk.

Use The Safest Vaccines Possible

Ask your veterinarian about using only non-adjuvanted vaccines, such as the PUREVAX® 3-year rabies vaccine. For kittens, ask your veterinarian to administer the rabies vaccine as close as possible to 6 months of age to lower the potential for a reaction.

Monitor Your Cat Regularly For Lumps And Bumps

Make it a habit to routinely check your cat for lumps and bumps, especially in areas that have been vaccinated. Keep in mind that a small, firm swelling may occur under the skin after a recent vaccination, but this should disappear after 2-3 weeks. If it doesn’t, or if it appears to be getting larger, follow up with your veterinarian.

Treatment and Prognosis For Injection-site Sarcomas In Cats

Injection-site sarcomas are aggressive tumors that can spread very rapidly. They grow deeply into surrounding tissue, making them difficult to remove, and in as many as 60% of cases they tend to recur even after being surgically removed. Up to 25% can also metastasize to other parts of the body, such as the lymph nodes and lungs.

Because of this, treatment is usually done quickly and aggressively. It includes surgical removal of the tumor (with wide margins taken), and radiation and/or chemotherapy to lower the risk of the tumor coming back.

The prognosis for injection-site sarcoma in cats varies from patient to patient. As with most cancers, early detection and quick treatment is key. Tumors that are found when they are still very small are often much easier to remove and treat.

Weighing The Risks

The diagnosis of an injection-site sarcoma can be devastating, both for the veterinarian and for the cat parent – who despite giving their cat high-quality care by vaccinating them properly, may feel tremendous guilt for inadvertently “causing” their cat’s cancer.

However, deadly diseases occur far more frequently than injection-site sarcomas do, so the risk of ISS is very small when compared to the overall risk of disease. You can lower the risks associated with vaccines by working closely with your veterinarian to develop an appropriate vaccination protocol for your cat. Insist on using only non-adjuvanted vaccines, and don’t over-vaccinate. And if your veterinarian is still vaccinating between the shoulder blades, ask him or her to follow the VAFSTF vaccination protocol or administer vaccines into your cat’s tail instead.

By working together with your veterinarian to decide upon the best vaccination options for your cat, you can rest assured that you’ve done everything possible to minimize the risk of vaccination and to maximize your cat’s chances for a long and happy life with you.

Have you ever had a cat who developed an injection-site sarcoma? Please share your story with us in the comments below!

The post Injection-Site Sarcomas In Cats appeared first on The Good Pet Parent Blog.

Fortunately, the way people relate to animals has changed dramatically for the better over the last 30 years, and more animal rescue organizations are devoting their time and energy to figuring out how to lower the number of homeless animals being destroyed in shelters.

But are “no-kill” shelters really possible? To help answer that question, first we need to understand the difference between a traditional, open admission shelter and a no-kill shelter.

What Constitutes A “No-Kill” Shelter?

By definition, a traditional, or open admission, animal shelter is an agency that must accept (or chooses to accept) any and all companion animals regardless of health, injuries, temperament, reason for surrender, or space available, with no limitation. These include municipal animal control facilities that are funded by the local government (commonly referred to as “the pound”).

In contrast, a no-kill shelter does not kill healthy or treatable animals even when the shelter is full, reserving euthanasia for terminally ill animals or those considered dangerous to public safety.

Also included in the animal welfare picture are rescue organizations, who typically get their animals by rescuing them from either private shelters or municipal animal control facilities. Rescue organizations often don’t have a physical building in which to house animals. Instead, they rely on volunteer foster homes to provide care and socialization for the animals until they are adopted.

The generally accepted criteria for a shelter to be considered “no-kill” is that it maintains a 90% or more “live release rate” – which means 90% or more of the animals leaving the shelter leave alive. The ultimate goal for no-kill shelters is to get more adoptable pets out of shelters and into forever homes, while also actively working to reduce the number of animals coming in.

“Euthanasia” vs. “Killing”

So why is it becoming more common to hear animal advocates using the word “killing” instead of the less offensive word “euthanasia”?

The fact of the matter is, the word euthanasia is derived from the greek words “eu”, meaning good or well, and “thanatos”, meaning death. So euthanasia is a “good death”, or an act of mercy. From a veterinary standpoint, it’s reserved for situations when a pet is terminally ill, suffering, or has sustained injuries that just can’t be fixed with veterinary intervention. It would also apply to some animals who, usually due to a history of abuse, have such severe anxiety or behavioral problems that it doesn’t allow them to be candidates for rehabilitation or makes them a threat to public safety.

Conversely, if an animal is considered healthy, or can be treated or saved with medical intervention, has special needs, or is considered a “senior” pet and has its life ended simply to free up space in a shelter to make room for more animals, that animal is considered to have been killed.

Here are the tragic statistics: According to Best Friends Animal Society, more than 4,100 cats and dogs are killed in America’s shelters every day. These are healthy and adoptable animals who could have made beloved family pets. This number does not include the approximately 2,000 cats and dogs who are euthanized each day for either incurable illness or insurmountable behavior problems.

That’s the bad news… now for the good!

Are No-Kill Shelters Really Possible?

The cold hard fact remains that there always seems to be more homeless animals than there are homes. Every city in the country has the unfortunate task of taking in surrendered animals or picking them up off the streets every day. Since no-kill shelters have to limit their intake, by default the remaining animals must go to another agency (usually municipal shelters) to accommodate them.

But here’s where it gets interesting. The beauty of the No-Kill Movement is that it isn’t based purely on what individual shelters do or don’t do. Instead, no-kill status is achieved when an entire community, and the group of shelters within that community, works together instead of separately to achieve an overall 90% save rate.

Just a few short years ago, the estimated number of pets killed in shelters annually was around 17 million. Today, that number has dropped to 1.5 million. According to Best Friends, more than 1,500 communities in the United States are now no-kill. These include Los Angeles, California; Atlanta, Georgia; Kansas City, Missouri; Austin, Texas; Portland, Oregon; Lynchburg, Virginia; and Duluth, Minnesota, with hundreds more on the way.

So what does this look like in the real world?

Numbers Don’t Lie

In 2008 in Lynchburg, Virginia, a city of 80,000 people, the Lynchburg Humane Society (LHS) had a save rate of only 49%. In 2009, one of the shelter’s board members started researching the no-kill movement (interestingly, with the original intention of discrediting it). After much research, the board member realized that no-kill status might actually be possible, and reached out to a former colleague at a local SPCA for help. This colleague came on board with LHS as Executive Director in 2009, and she immediately began implementing strategies to get more adoptable pets out of the shelter and into forever homes. By 2010, the LHS live release rate was 84%, and by 2011 it had officially reached no-kill status. In 2016, the LHS reached a live release rate of 96%!

In Duluth, Minnesota, prior to 2009 at the non-profit Animal Allies Humane Society (AAHS), the save rates were around 50%. After making some changes in their policies (including identifying and correcting an issue with the adoption process that was making it unnecessarily difficult for people to adopt), the projected save rate for 2017 is estimated to be at 97%.

These are but 2 examples of many communities around the country who are achieving no-kill status. Best Friends says, “It used to be that the no-kill mindset was found mainly in private non-profit shelters run by people who wanted to save as many animals as possible. The idea that a municipal shelter (more commonly known as ‘the pound’) would embrace progressive ideas aimed at saving animals while also protecting the public and accepting all animals brought to them was just that – an idea. A fantasy. Thankfully, ‘no-kill’ and ‘municipal’ are no longer mutually exclusive.”

How No-Kill Shelters Are Achieving Success

One of the primary ways no-kill shelters are achieving higher save rates is by increasing the number of animals being adopted. This is being accomplished by:

• Holding adoption promotion events several times throughout the year.
• Aggressively marketing the shelter, including rebranding it if necessary.
• Eliminating unnecessary barriers to adoption (i.e. requiring fenced-in yards for all dogs, requiring adopters to be at home during the day, focusing on looking for ‘perfect’ adopters instead of for loving homes).
• Expanding the pool of potential adopters by opening satellite adoption centers (smaller facilities in shopping malls or big-box pet supply stores like Petco and PetSmart).
• Remaining open almost every day of the year, including weekends and most holidays (to allow people to come in when they’re not working).
• Stopping the practice of having animal control officers pick up healthy community cats and bringing them into the shelter (feral cats are not always socialized and can be extremely hard to adopt out since they are not used to being around, or trusting, people).
• Expanding low-cost or free spay and neuter programs to reduce the number of unwanted pets being born.
• Requiring people who surrender pets to make appointments for scheduled intake (which allows a counselor to meet with them to find out why the pet is being surrendered and if there are any options available that would allow the person to keep their pet.)
• Offering free microchipping and low-cost vaccines.

Another way no-kill shelters are achieving success is by working closely with other shelters and rescue groups to pool resources so the population of homeless dogs and cats can be redistributed. One example is a Los Angeles shelter who reached out to a shelter in Colorado in the month of March during kitten season (which in warmer climates like California can run almost year round). The LA shelter was overrun with kittens and faced the prospect of having to kill many of them due to lack of space.

It was still cold in Colorado in March, and the Colorado shelter was actually experiencing a high demand for kittens, but they had a very short supply. The LA shelter used a van to transport over 20 kittens to the Colorado shelter, and all the kittens were adopted within a week!

Creating No-Kill Communities – What Can You Do To Help?

Every day more than 4,100 cats and dogs are killed in America’s shelters simply because they didn’t get adopted. This tragedy doesn’t just affect the animals; it also affects the thousands of compassionate people who work in these shelters who suffer the incomprehensible pain of having to destroy healthy, adoptable animals on a daily basis who, had their circumstances been different, would have made wonderful family pets.

So what can you do to help?

• Talk to the people who run your local shelter and ask them what they want to do but can’t, whether due to lack of funding, lack of resources, or laws and/or regulations currently in place that prevent them from doing it.
• Ask your local shelter if they are publicly reporting their shelter statistics on the national database Shelter Animals Count. This website collects data in every state and uses it to identify which animals are most at risk, where they are located, and how best to increase adoptions for these animals. If your shelter already reports their numbers, let them know how much you appreciate their help! If not, request they consider sharing their data so that more lives can be saved.
• Find out when your shelter’s governing policies and rules were put into place. Are they outdated? Can they be re-examined? Give them the website information for the Best Friends Network, a group of over 2,200 animal welfare groups in every state in the U.S. who can provide valuable resources and work directly with them to help implement more effective policies to increase adoptions.
• Email your elected officials, or attend city council meetings and let your elected representatives know your feelings on animal homelessness and your desire for establishing a no-kill movement in your community.
• Be an advocate for proposing legislation to better protect animals in your community. This can include overturning breed-specific legislation that discriminates against certain breeds of dogs, passing laws to protect community cats who have been spayed or neutered and released back into their environment as part of a TNR (trap-neuter-return) program, or passing a law to prohibit pet stores in your community from selling dogs and cats from puppy and kitten mills.

No-Kill: The Future Of Animal Rescue

The No-Kill Movement isn’t just a pipe dream. With the help of animal lovers in our communities, rescuers, volunteers, and lawmakers, it can become reality. Over the last several years, grassroots movements have been making great strides towards achieving this goal.

Success looks different for every community, and there’s no one size fits all solution. The secret to success is figuring out the biggest challenges in each individual community and finding out how to solve them, one at a time. As more and more cities and communities become no-kill, other shelters and communities realize that not only is it possible, it’s possible for THEM. And when this happens, everyone wins!

For more information on the No-Kill Initiative and how you can help, go to https://www.bestfriends.org/ .

Best Friends website also has a national map containing shelter data so people can pull up information on their own state to see what’s happening and how they can help. Identifying which areas are struggling is the first step towards identifying how the community can help.

Thank you to Best Friends Animal Society for statistics and information from their articles: “No-Kill Communities: One Size Does Not Fit All”, Best Friends Magazine, March/April 2018 Issue; and “What A Difference Data Makes”, Best Friends Magazine, May/June 2018 Issue.

Has your local animal shelter achieved no-kill status? If not, would you be willing to reach out to them to see how you can help? Please share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

The post Are “No-Kill” Shelters Really Possible? appeared first on The Good Pet Parent Blog.

What Is Lymphoma?

Lymphoma, also called lymphosarcoma, is a cancer that affects specialized white blood cells called lymphocytes, which are part of the body’s immune system. The lymphocytes’ responsibility is to recognize foreign invaders in the body like viruses, fungi, and bacteria. Once a threat is identified, the lymphocytes immediately go to work making specific proteins called antibodies that attack these invaders and destroy them as quickly as possible before they can cause serious damage.

Sometimes, the DNA inside the lymphocytes can become damaged, which causes the cells to mutate. These mutated cells can then “go rogue” and start replicating themselves, invading other areas of the immune system such as the lymph nodes, spleen, and bone marrow. This results in the cancer commonly known as lymphoma.

Canine lymphoma is more commonly seen in middle-aged to older dogs between 6 and 9 years old, but it can occur at any age. Certain breeds such as Boxers, Basset Hounds, Bulldogs, Saint Bernards, Bull Mastiffs, Airedales, Golden Retrievers, Rottweilers, and Scottish Terriers seem to have higher rates of lymphoma; however, any dog can be affected. It’s believed that spayed female dogs who are diagnosed with lymphoma seem to have a better prognosis than males.

Forms Of Lymphoma In Dogs

There are several different forms of lymphoma in dogs, and each is named for the area it affects. The 5 most common are:

Multicentric lymphoma – affects the lymph nodes

Cutaneous lymphoma – affects the skin

Gastrointestinal lymphoma – affects the gastrointestinal tract

Mediastinal lymphoma – affects the lymph tissues surrounding the heart and lungs

Central Nervous System (CNS) lymphoma – affects the brain and spinal cord. CNS lymphoma usually results when multicentric lymphoma spreads.

Multicentric lymphoma is the most common type of lymphoma in dogs. It may spread to other organs and cause healthy tissue to become diseased, eventually resulting in organ failure.

Stages of Canine Lymphoma

Cancer in both dogs and people is usually “staged” at the time it’s diagnosed. That is, it’s put into specific categories, with Stage 1 being the mildest form of the disease and Stage 5 the most severe. Here’s how lymphoma in dogs is staged:

Stage 1: The cancer is confined to one single lymph node.

Stage 2: The cancer is confined to one certain group of lymph nodes in a specific area of the body.

Stage 3: There are multiple areas of enlarged lymph nodes throughout the body.

Stage 4: The cancer has spread to the liver and/or spleen, causing them to become enlarged.

Stage 5: The cancer is present in the bone marrow, central nervous system, and/or other sites in the body besides the liver/spleen.

Symptoms Of Lymphoma

Most of the time, lymphoma in dogs appears as swollen lumps (which are actually enlarged lymph nodes) in and around the dog’s neck, behind the knees, or in the shoulder area. Other signs vary based on the type of lymphoma present and the stage of the disease.

Other signs can include:

• Loss of appetite
• Weight loss
• Depression
• Weakness
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Difficulty breathing
• Increased thirst
• Increased urination
• Redness, flakiness, or ulcers on the skin, usually around the lips and footpads (cutaneous form)

Diagnosing Lymphoma In Dogs

Oftentimes dog parents aren’t aware there’s a problem until they happen to come across a swollen lymph node under their dog’s skin. Any lumps that you find on your dog should be checked by a veterinarian as soon as possible. Since weight loss is also one of the most common symptoms of cancer in dogs, any dog who is not eating well or losing weight for no apparent reason should also be seen by a veterinarian.

To help diagnose lymphoma, a veterinarian will first examine the dog, checking his or her gum color (to make sure it isn’t pale, indicating the dog may be anemic), checking the dog’s temperature, and manually feeling all areas where groups of lymph nodes are present for any sign of enlarged lymph nodes. Next, the veterinarian will usually collect both blood and urine samples to run laboratory tests. Blood work will show whether the number of lymphocytes present in the bloodstream is too high or too low, and whether the cells themselves look abnormal under the microscope. The vet can also use a needle to collect cells directly from a lymph node to examine them microscopically.

An ultrasound can also be done to see if the liver, spleen, or certain lymph nodes in the abdomen appear to be enlarged.

Treatment for Lymphoma

Treatment for dogs with lymphoma depends on many factors, including the form of lymphoma present, the stage of the cancer, and the age and health status of the dog. However, the most effective overall treatment seems to be chemotherapy. Most dogs diagnosed with lymphoma are treated with a combination of chemotherapy drugs that are administered through an IV over a series of several scheduled visits, along with the steroid prednisone. Unlike humans, dogs seem to tolerate chemotherapy quite well, without many of the side effects that people often experience.

There are also other treatment options now being used in addition to chemotherapy that include antibody therapy, bone marrow and stem cell transplant therapy, and immunotherapy, which helps boost the dog’s immune system so it can better fight the cancer. Radiation therapy can also be given to patients after chemotherapy is completed, if needed.

If chemotherapy treatment is cost-prohibitive, or if a dog parent decides not to pursue treatment due to the dog’s age or health status, the steroid prednisone can be used alone to make the dog more comfortable until the disease has progressed to its final stage.

Prognosis For Dogs With Lymphoma

As mentioned earlier, out of all types of canine cancer, lymphoma has one of the best responses to treatment. Standard chemotherapy treatment results in remission (where dogs are no longer experiencing symptoms and the cancer no longer shows up on medical tests) in approximately 60-90% of cases, with a median survival time of 6-12 months. In approximately 20-25% of cases, some dogs can live 2-3 years (or longer) after treatment. However, without treatment, prognosis is very poor – most dogs will succumb to the disease within 4 to 12 weeks.

Although lymphoma in dogs responds very well to chemotherapy, it’s important to understand that entering into remission does not mean the lymphoma is cured. Most dogs who undergo successful chemotherapy treatment will eventually come out of remission. Once that happens, the lymphoma seems to be more resistant to chemotherapy, and the drugs used to fight the cancer become less effective.

What To Do If Your Dog Is Diagnosed With Lymphoma

If your dog is diagnosed with lymphoma, first keep in mind that every case of canine cancer is different, and there is no one decision that is best for every dog and every dog parent. Whether you decide to pursue treatment will depend on your dog’s age, overall health, whether you feel your dog will tolerate the treatment, and as much as we humans hate the idea, your present financial situation. It helps to ask yourself, “What is best for my dog?” Ask as many questions of your vet that it takes until you are sure you have all the information necessary to make an informed decision. You must make the best decision you can based on the knowledge that you have, not only of treatment options, but of every unique and individual factor that makes up your dog. Whatever you decide, examine your heart and do what you know is right for your dog.

If you decide to pursue treatment, the first thing to do is to ask your veterinarian for a referral to a board-certified veterinary oncologist who specializes in treating cancer in pets. The oncologist will work closely with you to develop the best treatment plan for your dog. Don’t be afraid to ask as many questions as it takes in your first meeting so you understand exactly what the treatment will look like and what to expect afterwards. And before the first meeting, although it might be tempting to want to try to do everything you can to help, avoid starting your dog on any new vitamins or supplements, since some of these can potentially interfere with chemotherapy drugs.

If you decide not to pursue chemotherapy, there are still many ways to give your dog the best quality of life possible during this time. Talk with your veterinarian about developing an end-of-life care plan especially customized for your dog. This article on palliative care for dogs also has helpful tips for how to best help dogs who are approaching end-stage cancer and make them as comfortable as possible.

Can Lymphoma In Dogs Be Prevented?

When it comes to lymphoma, there is still much we don’t understand. We know how it starts and spreads, but we still don’t understand exactly what causes it. Interestingly, there seems to be growing evidence that environmental factors such as exposure to lawn care products (especially those containing the herbicide 2,4-D) and pesticides is heavily linked to an increased risk of lymphoma in dogs. According to the Canine Cancer Website, a study published in 2012 showed that dogs with canine lymphoma were 70 percent more likely to live in a home whose owners used a chemical lawn service. Even more disturbing, these dogs were 170 percent more likely to live in homes where chemical pesticides were used inside the house to help control pests.

Since dogs are much more sensitive to environmental toxins than we are, it makes sense to do everything we can to limit their exposure not only to pesticides and lawn care products, but also to other environmental factors such as chemical cleaning supplies, new carpeting (which contains the known cancer-causing chemicals formaldehyde, benzene, and toluene) and second-hand cigarette smoke.

It’s now estimated that a staggering 50 percent of dogs will develop cancer during their lifetime. Anything within our control that we can change to help lower their risk is well worth the effort!

Have you ever had a dog who was diagnosed with Lymphoma? Please share your story with us in the comments below!

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