Just in case anyone failed to watch this when it came out a couple of months ago. Be warned, there are some upsetting scenes.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00tcfmp
Tuesday, 23 November 2010
No such thing as a dangerous dog
Today saw the happy return of one of my favourite little clients, a small Yorkshire terrier called D. D was a fairly regular client of 4Paws along with his 'sister' B until earlier this year. Tragedy struck when D and B were being walked on Hampstead Heath, near the South End Green fair ground site. Out of the blue the dogs were attacked by a staffie/mastiff cross and poor B was mauled to death. The killer dog was being walked by a couple of youths who fled with their dogs after the attack. That's right, once their dog had savaged another in an unprovoked attack they turned around and left it to die. Despicable.
Despite D & B's owners' best efforts the owners and dogs responsible for this attack have not been brought to justice. After all they don't care, nor apparently do the police. Today was D's first day of daycare since the attack and he brought with him his new baby sister 'G' a beautiful 5 month old Yorkie.
But this sad tale isn't over . A few weeks ago G and D were once again attacked by a pair of staffie/mastiff crosses on Hampstead Heath. This time on the tree lined avenue leading from East Heath Road, just near the water fountain. At the time of the attack G weighed just 1.5 kilos, she was set upon by a much larger dog who made a beeline for her. Despite the dog wearing a muzzle G suffered serious injuries, her eye was prolapsed and it was feared she might lose the sight in it. However, after several weeks of hospital treatment G is doing really well and we were happy to meet her properly today.
When B was attacked I offered my sympathies to the owners and tried to reassure them by saying it was an unlucky, one in a million event. Yet less than 6 months later the very same thing happened in the same place. Despite living only five minutes from some of the most beautiful outdoor space London has to offer D's owners will no longer walk him and G on Hampstead Heath, and who can blame them?
Such attacks are clearly not random or isolated, if you ask dog walkers on the Heath all know of someone who has had a dog recently attacked. Almost without exception these dogs have been attacked by staffie/mastiff mixes and Rottweilers.
It is outrageous that such a large dog walking community should live in fear of these animals. Just the other day I met a man with a young staffie that was being walked off the lead and without a collar. I asked myself how he expected to control the dog should a dangerous situation present itself. Similarly there is an owner who is now being avoided as he has an out of control young staffie and an older rescue Rottie. Too many people who have seen the animals 'at play' have mentioned that this pair are an accident waiting to happen.
We in the UK are known to be animal lovers yet it appears to be a twisted combination of naivete and political correctness that allows dangerous dogs to walk the street leaving death and destruction in their wake. Far too many people hold staffies up as loyal and friendly dogs yet they are the number one animal killer on our streets and their presence has left many dog owners terrified.
Staffordshire Bull Terriers were bred to fight and kill, they have a strong prey drive and tend to be very dog aggressive. Anybody who tells you otherwise is lying. Yes, there are some that are lovely but I would never trust one not to turn, it is in their nature. I don't judge the staffies for being like this anymore than I judge a lion for killing its prey. I lay the blame at the feet of a society that is burying its head in the sand and is unwilling to accept that we really have created a monster.
Mainly, however, I feel sad, sad that so many of these dogs are being bred, sad that they are being used as a status symbol and encouraged to fight, sad for the hundreds of pet owners (myself included) who have suffered the heartache of having their pet savaged by someone else's, sad for every dog who is killed unnecessarily, sad for the scarred and traumatised survivors like Dulce and Gigi, and sad that so many of these killer dogs end up being euthanised.
This problem is already out of hand. I, like many other small dog owners, no longer walk my dog in the local parks of Islington, nor on the streets near my home. Why? because I can guarantee that I will see staffie after staffie, many of them without leads or even collars and I don't want to have my dog dicing with death.
Did I mention that there's apparently no such thing as a dangerous dog?
Despite D & B's owners' best efforts the owners and dogs responsible for this attack have not been brought to justice. After all they don't care, nor apparently do the police. Today was D's first day of daycare since the attack and he brought with him his new baby sister 'G' a beautiful 5 month old Yorkie.
But this sad tale isn't over . A few weeks ago G and D were once again attacked by a pair of staffie/mastiff crosses on Hampstead Heath. This time on the tree lined avenue leading from East Heath Road, just near the water fountain. At the time of the attack G weighed just 1.5 kilos, she was set upon by a much larger dog who made a beeline for her. Despite the dog wearing a muzzle G suffered serious injuries, her eye was prolapsed and it was feared she might lose the sight in it. However, after several weeks of hospital treatment G is doing really well and we were happy to meet her properly today.
When B was attacked I offered my sympathies to the owners and tried to reassure them by saying it was an unlucky, one in a million event. Yet less than 6 months later the very same thing happened in the same place. Despite living only five minutes from some of the most beautiful outdoor space London has to offer D's owners will no longer walk him and G on Hampstead Heath, and who can blame them?
Such attacks are clearly not random or isolated, if you ask dog walkers on the Heath all know of someone who has had a dog recently attacked. Almost without exception these dogs have been attacked by staffie/mastiff mixes and Rottweilers.
It is outrageous that such a large dog walking community should live in fear of these animals. Just the other day I met a man with a young staffie that was being walked off the lead and without a collar. I asked myself how he expected to control the dog should a dangerous situation present itself. Similarly there is an owner who is now being avoided as he has an out of control young staffie and an older rescue Rottie. Too many people who have seen the animals 'at play' have mentioned that this pair are an accident waiting to happen.
We in the UK are known to be animal lovers yet it appears to be a twisted combination of naivete and political correctness that allows dangerous dogs to walk the street leaving death and destruction in their wake. Far too many people hold staffies up as loyal and friendly dogs yet they are the number one animal killer on our streets and their presence has left many dog owners terrified.
Staffordshire Bull Terriers were bred to fight and kill, they have a strong prey drive and tend to be very dog aggressive. Anybody who tells you otherwise is lying. Yes, there are some that are lovely but I would never trust one not to turn, it is in their nature. I don't judge the staffies for being like this anymore than I judge a lion for killing its prey. I lay the blame at the feet of a society that is burying its head in the sand and is unwilling to accept that we really have created a monster.
Mainly, however, I feel sad, sad that so many of these dogs are being bred, sad that they are being used as a status symbol and encouraged to fight, sad for the hundreds of pet owners (myself included) who have suffered the heartache of having their pet savaged by someone else's, sad for every dog who is killed unnecessarily, sad for the scarred and traumatised survivors like Dulce and Gigi, and sad that so many of these killer dogs end up being euthanised.
This problem is already out of hand. I, like many other small dog owners, no longer walk my dog in the local parks of Islington, nor on the streets near my home. Why? because I can guarantee that I will see staffie after staffie, many of them without leads or even collars and I don't want to have my dog dicing with death.
Did I mention that there's apparently no such thing as a dangerous dog?
Saturday, 2 October 2010
It's that time of year...kennel cough is doing the rounds again
Once more kennel cough is doing the rounds of North London parks causing suffering to both dogs and their owners. But how serious is it and how best to treat it?
Well the good news is that kennel cough is rarely serious and never fatal. Usually it is what vets call 'self limiting' - this means that it goes away all by itself without the need for any veterinary treatment. In this way kennel cough (KC) is much like a human cold, and like human colds no two strains are the same. KC tends to be caused by a combination of a virus and bacteria and while there are strains which are more common these change all the time.
For most owners the first sign that their dog is unwell is the classic cough. Typically this sounds like your dog has something stuck in his throat and is often accompanied by retching and the dog bringing up a little phlegm. Depending upon the severity of the strain your dog may appear completely well except for the cough or he may seem a little listless. Unless your dog is very young, old or suffering from other health problems a trip to the vet is probably not necessary. Instead if you want to ease the symptoms you can offer your dog a small amount of cough linctus with glycerol/honey a few times a day. This will help soothe his throat and hopefully minimise coughing. Beyond this you should keep your dog warm and quiet at home until the symptoms disappear.
Kennel cough is very contagious so it is a good idea not to exercise your dog in public until his symptoms have gone. Bear in mind however that by the time your dog exhibits symptoms he will have been carrying the bug for a few days and so could have inadvertently infected his friends.
While this may sound worrying there is little that can be done after the fact except warning your friends to keep an eye on their dog's health. Again, much like the human cold KC can spread rapidly and, while irritating, it is not usually a cause for concern.
Some vets offer a nasal spray which helps protect against KC. Much like the flu jab in humans this can be beneficial for the young, old and infirm but will not protect against every bout of KC doing the rounds. Instead it aims to reduce your dog's susceptibility to picking up KC when your dog is exposed to it and ultimately limit the severity of the episode should your dog still catch kennel cough.
Usually your dog should shake off KC within about 10 days. However if it lasts much longer a trip to the vets is recommended.
Well the good news is that kennel cough is rarely serious and never fatal. Usually it is what vets call 'self limiting' - this means that it goes away all by itself without the need for any veterinary treatment. In this way kennel cough (KC) is much like a human cold, and like human colds no two strains are the same. KC tends to be caused by a combination of a virus and bacteria and while there are strains which are more common these change all the time.
For most owners the first sign that their dog is unwell is the classic cough. Typically this sounds like your dog has something stuck in his throat and is often accompanied by retching and the dog bringing up a little phlegm. Depending upon the severity of the strain your dog may appear completely well except for the cough or he may seem a little listless. Unless your dog is very young, old or suffering from other health problems a trip to the vet is probably not necessary. Instead if you want to ease the symptoms you can offer your dog a small amount of cough linctus with glycerol/honey a few times a day. This will help soothe his throat and hopefully minimise coughing. Beyond this you should keep your dog warm and quiet at home until the symptoms disappear.
Kennel cough is very contagious so it is a good idea not to exercise your dog in public until his symptoms have gone. Bear in mind however that by the time your dog exhibits symptoms he will have been carrying the bug for a few days and so could have inadvertently infected his friends.
While this may sound worrying there is little that can be done after the fact except warning your friends to keep an eye on their dog's health. Again, much like the human cold KC can spread rapidly and, while irritating, it is not usually a cause for concern.
Some vets offer a nasal spray which helps protect against KC. Much like the flu jab in humans this can be beneficial for the young, old and infirm but will not protect against every bout of KC doing the rounds. Instead it aims to reduce your dog's susceptibility to picking up KC when your dog is exposed to it and ultimately limit the severity of the episode should your dog still catch kennel cough.
Usually your dog should shake off KC within about 10 days. However if it lasts much longer a trip to the vets is recommended.
Friday, 27 August 2010
Panorama - UK chain of vets exposed
It Shouldn't Happen at a Vets
Back in July Panorama aired a programme exposing the rather dubious practices carried out by one of the UK's largest veterinary chains. Panorama showed secret footage of rough, inconsiderate handling of pets, procedures being carried out by untrained staff, inflated prices and overcharging amongst other things. This programme is well worth watching and raises questions about who we allow to care for our pets in their hour of need.
Click HERE to watch this documentary
Back in July Panorama aired a programme exposing the rather dubious practices carried out by one of the UK's largest veterinary chains. Panorama showed secret footage of rough, inconsiderate handling of pets, procedures being carried out by untrained staff, inflated prices and overcharging amongst other things. This programme is well worth watching and raises questions about who we allow to care for our pets in their hour of need.
Click HERE to watch this documentary
Thursday, 26 August 2010
Hampstead Heath toy and small dog play group
We have recently set up a playgroup for toy and small dogs in North London. The meetup group is called Hampstead Heath toy and small dog play group. The idea is to hold regular meetings on Hampstead Heath for toy dogs and their owners. Hampstead Heath provides the ideal location for dogs to run around and have lots of fun, something even small dogs like to do!
Our first meeting is scheduled for Saturday September 11th, time and exact location tbc.
Cross country running with your dog!
Canine Cross Country Running in London (CaniX Event)
More familiar with the sound of traps springing open and greyhounds pounding the tracks, this September East London is hosting a whole new kind of dog race. Hackney Marshes sees the London debut of CaniX, canine cross-country racing, on Sept 11th as part of the Two2Go Family sport festival.
CaniX is one of the fastest growing sports in the UK and sees owners and their four legged friends taking part in distance races together. Whether it is simply with a collar and lead or with the more dedicated running harness, dogs run alongside their owners (or occasionally pulling them along!) creating a unique and exciting experience for the runners, the dogs and the spectators! A wonderful way to get fit whist exercising your dog, CaniX is a unique discipline with competitive races taking place all over the UK and Europe.
Up until now, CaniX races have been mostly restricted to the countryside and large open spaces, but for the first time the dogs are going urban and are coming to London. Two2Go expect to see well over a hundred participants with dogs of all sizes and breeds race 5k around the famous Hackney Marshes. Anyone can take part and everyone is welcome with no special equipment, fitness level or training required – just a dog, a lead and a sturdy pair of trainers.
So come and join in with this brand new sport for London: CaniX – where your dog takes YOU for a walk!
Due to it’s original and innovative nature, Two2Go have been granted Olympic Inspire status for this event.
Two2Go family sport festival is taking place on Hackney Marshes, Homerton Road, E9 5PF on Saturday 11th Sept from 10am – 6pm. Other events include a trail marathon, 10k, 5k, guided historical walk, free drop in sport & exercise workshops, face painting, live music, art workshops and food & drink. Come and join in the count down to London 2012.
For information about entering the CaniX 5k race and registration, go to:https://www.canix.co.uk/shop/index.php?_a=viewProd&productId=479
Cushings in dogs
Cushings Syndrome V Cushings Disease
Cushings is something that you only really find out about once you look after a dog who suffers from it. But what exactly is Cushings?
A common misconception is that cushings disease in dogs is the same as cushings syndrome in dogs. The reality is, they're not one and the same.
Cushings syndrome and cushings disease are similar, but they're actually two different things. They both involve high amounts of cortisol in the dog's body. The difference is, though, that cushings disease is the name for the problem when it originates in the dog's pituitary gland. Cushings syndrome, on the other hand, is the name that is given to any increased cortisol problem in a dog, no matter how it occurs.
Cushings disease as well as other forms of cushings can occur in a dog of any age. It's much better to catch it early or take measures to prevent it, though, since it can be harder to treat any form of cushings when it's complicated by other medical conditions.
Common Causes of Cushings Syndrome in Dogs:
Some of the common causes of cushings syndrome are adrenal hyperplasia and adrenal tumors, as well as pituitary tumors. Since the pituitary gland controls the dog's adrenal glands, both gland types can be affected, not to mention other systems in your dog's body. For example, cushings can cause heart and liver problems for your dog, if it is left untreated.
Another common cause is drugs (iatrogenic causes). Essentially, if your dog is taking any steroid medications for unrelated medical problems, it can cause the hormonal balance in their body to be thrown off, creating a case of cushings. So, if your dog is showing signs of cushings, you may want to examine any medications that they are on, such as prednisone.
Homeopathic Treatment:
You may want to consider homeopathic treatment for cushings disease in dogs as an option for your pet. After all, a lot of traditional medications for cushings have harsh side-effects. Herbal remedies and supplements do not.
The practice of homeopathy is over two-hundred years old. One of the interesting things about it is that it often uses a diluted version of a substance to create a cure for that substance. Also, homeopathic remedies are always all natural. That means they're made of things that are commonly found in nature, like herbs, minerals and plants.
The thing that you need to remember about your dog is that, originally, dogs roamed wild and free. They fended for themselves and they ate whatever they found out in the wild. Now that they've been domesticated, though, they are often exposed to environmental toxins, processed foods and other things that are just not good for them at all.
As an owner, it's your responsibility to pick up the slack and compensate for the domestication of your dog. He or she can't fend for themselves like their wild ancestors. So, talk to your dog's vet about the best all natural ways to prevent or cure cushings disease in dogs, as well as other diseases and disorders that your dog may be prone to.
Article courtesy of Janet Markowitz.
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