Some Puppy To Love

Fund seeks to raise money to ensure service dogs receive life-saving medical care Judge and his handler, Corporal Michael Franks In recognition of K9 Veterans Day, the Angels for Animals Foundation recently launched the  Guardian Angels K9 Fund , which will raise money to ensure that service animals such as police and military dogs receive life-saving medical care while on active duty and in retirement.   “Our K9 officers and veterans serve our communities and risk their lives in the same way that our bravest service men and women do,” said Mark F. Magazu, II, Founder and Chairman of the Angels for Animals Foundation. “Like our human protectors, K9 officers are subjected to gunshot wounds, shrapnel from explosive devices, bone fractures and life‑threatening internal trauma resulting from perpetrator physical assaults. The costs for this type of care can reach into the tens of thousands of dollars range, often exceeding the funding capabilities of handlers and departments

I once had a Rottweiler/Doberman mix who was accident prone. She broke her toe within the first week we brought her home while running in the yard after a squirrel . She stepped on glass and needed stitches within the first year. She chewed on a battery in her puppyhood but we caught her in the act in time. After a trip to the vet and some very harrowing hours, she was fine. She had an iron stomach. Her name was Schatzie which means sweetheart in German, and despite her big and bulky presence, she was a real mush and lived up to her name. It got me wondering if most dogs do actually live up to their names. Our Django is a sweet, lively yet chill Lab mix. She's also a girl and hopefully not worried about being named after a male character in a Western! But the name fits her and when my husband had his heart set on a male dog, but I fell in love with this cute female pup, we compromised. We brought her home and named her Django. I can't imagine her with any other name now.

With National Puppy Day on the horizon on March 23 rd , it is the perfect time to review a few keys points when it comes to adding a new addition to your home. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has provided some special care- giving tips for puppies. Like human newborns, puppies need special care.  AVMA Veterinarian, Mitsie Vargas, always says, “Treat your pets like three year olds— they are energetic and will try to get into everything.” There is no denying puppies are adorable, but parenting a new puppy is no walk in the park. The AVMA offers some advice for taking the best possible care of your furry best friend:

Our little Hayley has had a rough couple of months. She was diagnosed with canine diabetes and then just a few weeks later, Cushing’s Disease . It has been a long and continued battle to get her blood sugar levels down to an acceptable number due to the fact that her Cushing’s Disease (stemming from a pituitary tumor) has her endocrine system going haywire. After months (and several weekly vet visits), I took her in to have yet another two-hour blood test performed to see if her cortisol levels and endocrine system were working any better since increasing her Vetoryl (Trilostane) from once daily to twice daily. I always feel bad before she gets bloodwork done because she usually has to stop eating and drinking at midnight, and for Hayley this is an immense task. Due to her diabetes, she is constantly hungry and thirsty and not just, I could use a treat hungry, but ravenous to the point of eating anything from the floor, and almost crawling on our lap if we are ea