The new metro animal control shelter opened this February and is already
full. Approximately 60 new pets arrive every day. Last month, 1300
animals were taken to the shelter, a new record. This month, 1500 are
expected. Officials expect new records in July and August also. The new
shelter is cleaner and much easier to find than the old building.
The major problem of animal over population is caused by the refusal of
many people to spay and neuter their pets; consequently the vast majority
of pets brought to the shelter are put to sleep. Half of these adorable
pets are puppies and kittens.
Pet "dumping" has also become a big problem in Tennessee...this is the
practice of abandoning pets when the owners move away or just tire of
caring for them. The Percy Priest Lake area, especially around the boat
ramps, and the Smith Springs road walking trail are popular dumping
grounds. We have had many good hearted friends who have rescued abandoned
pets from these areas.
If you are interested in adopting a new pet or just want to visit the new
shelter, then give them a call at 862-7930 or 862-7931 - they are located
just off Harding place only 10 minutes from our hospital.
6 MONTH HEARTWORM SHOT AVAILABLE THIS SUMMER
PROHEART, a new heartworm preventive will be available soon. Proheart is
an injection that prevents heartworms for 6 months. Studies at the
University of Georgia demonstrated 100% efficacy against heartworm
infection and 99% efficacy against hookworms for 6 months. Unlike
Heartgard, Proheart does not prevent roundworm infection.
Proheart may be especially beneficial for owners with pets who do not like
the Heartgard tablet or who occasionally miss monthly doses. Dogs must be
at least 6 months old before they can receive a Proheart injection. The
cost of the injection will be comparable to a pack of Heartgard.
RESICORT CONDITIONER IN STOCK
Dr. Foughts favorite conditioner, Resicort, is now in stock. No, she does
not use it personally, although she does have beautiful hair! This product
is great for dogs with itchy skin. It contains 1% hydrocortisone and is
should be left on, not rinsed off after application. Dr. Fought has used
this extensively in the past with great results. Also.........
CONGRATS to Dr. Fought!...she recently was engaged to be married to Alex, a
charming young man employed at Fox channel 17. The wedding will take place
in their home state of Indiana next May.
SPECIAL REQUEST
Diane Ronchi, our awesome webmaster, and mother of outstanding employee
Laura Barnes, asked me recently to talk about feeding bones to
dogs. Don't do it!!!...unless you want to experience the world of pet
exploratory surgery. Many people mention that they have done this all
their lives and never had a problem with it...that's just pure luck; luck
that eventually runs out about every time...kind of like speeding through
Tennessee construction zones all your life, then finally getting walloped
with that $500 court invitation
PET CPR.......a life saving skill every pet owner should know.
Hopefully you won't need this - but if you do, here is the correct
technique...(Now is the point where I recommend you hit your print key :)
Artificial respiration: When to use: cessation of breathing, drowning,
electrical shock. Technique: Clear the mouth of foreign
material/vomitus. Clamp the pets muzzle closed with your hands. Exhale
into the pets nose at a rate of 12-15 breaths per minute. Artificial
respiration should usually be combined with pet CPR.
One person CPR: Lay the pet on its side on a flat surface. Hold the
muzzle closed with one hand and begin artificial respiration. Place the
heel of the other hand on the chest wall behind the shoulder to apply
cardiac massage. Compress the chest wall rhythmically at 60-80 times a
minute. In small dogs and cats, place the fingers under the chest
wall. Place thumb over the chest and compress chest from both sides.
Two person CPR: Lay the pet on its side on a flat surface. One person
should give mouth to nose respiration. The other person should kneel along
the spinal column at the level of the shoulder. Place the heel of the
hands just above and below the elbow. In large dogs: compress the chest
wall 1-2 inches at a rate of 60-80 per minute (5 times per breath). In
small dogs and cats: use fingertips and compress chest wall 1/2 - 3/4 inch
at 60-80 per minute.
Will add years to your pets life and prevent costly dental procedures down
the road. We always recommend tooth brushing (you can skip the flossing
:) twice a week. We find that in reality only a few dogs will let you
brush their teeth (and even fewer cats) - but only if you start at a very
young age.
Then there is the time and hassle factor to consider. Many people just
don't have extra time to brush their pets teeth on a regular basis. Alot
of pets object to the brush, toothpaste, or both and it just gets to be an
unwelcome chore for everyone involved.
Hills Science Diet has a winner with T/D, a large chunk kibble food that
can be given as treats or as the regular diet. These kibbles clean the
teeth through abrasive action during chewing; in addition, they contain the
same active ingredient as pet toothpaste.
T/D comes in a canine as well as a feline formula. In addition to the
regular T/D , they have a new kibble especially for smaller dogs. This is a
great product that almost ALL pets will eat (translation = high in
fat).....this one is definitely not included in the Jenny Craig doggy
diet. If your pet if overweight, limit to 3-4 kibbles a day.
If your pet runs when you bring out the toothbrush, then just call Sherri
and she will order a bag of T/D for you.
A great site that walks you through a number of questions to help you
select the best dog, cat, or other pet for you. From the home page, click
on Pets selectors (on the left side of the page).
I like this site alot. You can even type in your pets age and it will
calculate it in human years... Very Cool!
Best Regards,
Dr. Pennington
http://www.priestlakevet.com
priestlake@mindspring.com
615-361-4646
