ohmidog!

From hungry ticks to shish kabob sticks, from sweltering heat to booming fireworks, the trappings of  the 4th of July hold more than a few perils for dogs.

So, before enjoying Independence Day, it’s a good idea to take a minute to remember that dogs — however independent they may be — are dependent on us, and can use a little help in avoiding the hazards that we, mostly, create.

Cookouts, hot weather and fireworks all pose a danger to dogs, says LizRozanski, associate professor of clinical sciences at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University.

Here’s a list of tip offered by the school. 

• Shish kabobs and other foods-on-a-stick pose a special danger to dogs, who can ingest them and wind up with fragments that can cause blockages or gastrointestinal perforations, says Dr. Rozanski, who is section head of emergency care at Tufts’ Foster Hospital for Small Animals
• Bones, especially cooked ones, can splinter inside a dog’s digestive tract. Keep pets clear of chicken wings and don’t give them bones from the meat you grill.
• Other foods can be toxic to dogs. The garlic in your favorite marinade, the grapes and raisins in your fruit salad, or the chocolate in your brownies can all cause harm. Keep them out of your dog’s reach.
• A little food at the cookout is fun for dogs, but “people” food adds up quickly, so have your guests, especially kids, check in with you before feeding Fido their scraps. Letting dogs overeat can cause vomiting or more serious problems.
• During the hot, humid months, heat stroke and exhaustion are a special concern for canines. Make sure they have plenty of water.  Put some ice cubes in it for a special treat, and provide a shady spot to lie down. If your dog is panting excessively, shows signs of lethargy or has dry gums, call your veterinarian right away.
• Never leave pets in the car, particularly during warm weather.
• Dogs afraid of thunder are most certainly going to be fearful of fireworks. If you head out with your family to watch the fireworks, make sure your dog has a safe, quiet place to rest.

(Video: Comedian Louis CK posted this video on YouTube of his dog trying to drink from a park sprinkler)

“Nature’s Fireworks”

Fall’s grand finale

Nature’s fireworks — ooooh! ahhhhh! – 

Quietly explode

(Highway Haiku is a semi-regular feature of “Travels with Ace,” the continuing account of one man and one dog spending six months criss-crossing America.)

There ‘s an incredible tale in the Quad City Times today about an owl that swooped down on a Pomeranian, grasped the tiny dog in its talons and took her on a two-mile flight.

Sadie’s flight last weekend covered between 24 to 30 city blocks before she either freed herself or was dropped, falling through the Iowa night sky and landing next to a street in Davenport.

The fall broke her tail and bruised her, but she survived and is recovering.

Sadie’s owner, Michelle McCarten, was watching fireworks with friends when the dog, frightened by the noise, jumped off the porch and ran to a nearby wooded area. Despite McCarten’s calls, and a search by friends, she couldn’t be found.

Two miles away, Jamie Padden of Davenport had brought her car to a halt at a stop sign when she was a small dog falling through the air. “It dropped out of nowhere,” she said. The dog landed right in front of her Jeep.

The owl glided down and again set upon the dog, which scrambled to get away. Padden open her car door and started screaming at the large owl.

When the owl departed, Padden scooped up the whimpering dog, took it home, gave it a bath and called police to report the incident. Then she took the dog to bed with her.

The next morning, Sadie’s owner and a friend, Kris Overstreet, resumed their search, calling police in Davenport about the missing dog. The police gave them Padden’s number.

Padden delivered the dog to her owner, who was in tears, the newspaper reported. Though no one really knows how long the dog was airborne, the distance from the woods where the owl was known to hang out and the spot where Sadie landed is about two miles.

Sadie is reportedly still shaky, and suffered bruises on her hind end and a broken tail. “She’s nervous. I’m giving her an aspirin a day,” McCarten said. “Getting her back is my best early Christmas present.”

(Photo:  Michelle McCarten and Sadie, by Jeff Cook/Quad-City Times)

Gabrielle, the 8-month-old cat a witness says was set on fire twice by two boys in northwest Baltimore, was the sixth animal torture case to surface in Baltimore this summer, according to Caroline Griffin, chairwoman of a task force set up last month to fight animal abuse.

The abuse was reported by a witness last week, but the cat, who appears to be recovering despite serious burns, wasn’t located until this week, said Baltimore Animal Rescue & Care Shelter director Jennifer Mead-Brause.

Two boys were seeing throwing rocks and bricks at the cat, then pouring liquid on her and setting her on fire. When the cat managed to roll around and put the fire out, the youths set her on fire again, BARCS says.

In addition to Gabrielle, at least five other cases of animal torture have been reported in the city this summer, starting in May when a pit bull was set on fire. A police officer put the fire out, but the dog, dubbed Phoenix, had to be euthanized several days later when the burns — over 98 percent of the dog’s body — led to other complications.

After that a dead cat was found with a blue cord tied around its neck, and another was found secured to a fence. It had apparently been killed with fireworks. Last month, two cats were found in an outdoor cellar in Elkwood Park, where they had apparently been stoned to death.

Jack Domm, who owned one of the cats, named Squeaks, said the cat had been missing two weeks when it another were found dead in the hole.

“These cats were put in the hole and stoned to death,” Domm told WBAL-TV. He said he thinks neighborhood kids threw the cats in the hole and battered them with broken concrete.

With the Fourth of July approaching, it’s time once again for a few reminders, most of which we all already know, but, as they say, better safe than sorry.

First off, make sure your dog is wearing identification tags — even if you’re both planning a quiet evening at home.

Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter (BARCS) has issued a reminder that even animals not inclined to roam may uncharacteristically do so amid the bangs and booms. Animal shelters across the country are accustomed to receiving a surge of “Independence Day” dogs — so make sure your’s is carrying the information needed to get him or her back to you.

Read more »

The Baltimore Animal Rescue & Care Shelter is seeking the public’s help in an investigation into the death of a tortured and executed cat whose remains were brought to BARCS this morning by Baltimore City Animal Control.

The cat’s body was found tied to a fence in the 3700 block of Lewiston Avenue in Baltimore. According to Debra Rahl of BARCS, it was wrapped with a blue cord and had a heavy chain around its neck that was attached to a utility pole.

The cat’s head was placed on a “96 shot Phantom Fireball Display.”

The hair on the cat’s head was completely singed off, and it had multiple contusions and bruises to its body. Its right front leg was broken above the elbow and it had a 6 centimeter wound in its left shoulder area. There was an odor of a gunpowder type substance on the body.

This is the second cat  found tortured and killed in the area  in the past two weeks , BARCS said. The first cat was also found with a blue cord around its neck.

Champ, the 4-year-old German shepherd mix who ran off from the Lehigh Valley IronPigs’ stadium during a fireworks display, is back with the home team.

Owned by IronPigs director of merchandising Janine Kurpiel, who regularly brings him with her to work at the clubhouse store, Champ went missing from Coca-Cola Park. He was discovered, five days later, not far from the park and in good condition.

Kurpiel said that the publicity about his disappearance prompted calls from as far away as North Carolina and Baltimore with people offering their prayers and tips for searching for lost dogs.

Since Champ’s return, Kurpiel has heard from a pet communicator in New York who told her that Champ had been out in the wild and met a girlfriend on his travels. She also recieved letters from group of first-graders, congratulating her on Champ’s return.

Champ, a mutt who is a familiar face to fans of the IronPigs, a minor league baseball team, is still missing after bolting during Friday’s fireworks display at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown.

Champ belongs to Janine Kurpiel, the merchandise director of the team’s Majestic Clubhouse store, and he accompanies her to work each day. The IronPigs are a Phillies AAA affiliate.

The search has inspired many people to help, including Kurpiel’s mother, Barb, who drove all Friday night from Detroit, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

Ironically, the paper reports, the Phillies World Series trophy played a role in Champ’s getaway.

The gates opened several hours before Friday’s 7 p.m. game, so fans could pose for pictures with the trophy — an event that required Kurpiel’s presence. Grounds crew members offered to look after Champ in their office. But someone opened the door as the post-game fireworks began and a frightened Champ ran off.

Champ is a 4 1/2-year-old German shepherd mix, between 40 and 55 pounds. He’s brown with some black on his back, and he was wearing a purple collar. Anyone who has seen a stray dog resembling Champ in the Allentown area is asked to call Janine Kurpiel at 610-554-0474.

Whether you plan to revel or spend a quiet (yeah, right) evening at home, don’t forget that there are some steps you can take to help your dog get through tonight’s fireworks.

New Year’s Eve and the Fourth of July always see a surge in lost animals, many of whom run off because they are so stressed by the noise. (Some say the smell of fireworks — their noses, like their ears, being far more sensitve than ours – bothers dogs as well.)

Some last-minute tips:

• Unless your dog has been gradually desensitized to the point that he can handle fireworks — and maybe even if he has — it’s best to leave him at home. Don’t take him to fireworks displays, or even outside during periods of peak boomage.
• Make sure — right now — that your dog is wearing his collar, and that his ID tags are on it.
• Find a quiet, secure place for him to hang out indoors. If your dog has a crate, make sure he has access to it, and to some toys that can occupy his attention. Close the curtains, turn up the radio or TV.
• Don’t leave your dog outside – even in a fenced yard. Fireworks could stress him out to the point that he might leap over or tunnel under what he normally wouldn’t. Remember that, even inside, the noise may lead to uncharacteristic behavior.
• Don’t leave your dog alone in a car, especially tonight.
• If you’re going out, make sure there’s nothing he can get into, tear up, or hurt himself on. 
• If you’re staying home, fight the temptation to cuddle your frightened dog for the duration, as it only reinforces wimpy behavior. It’s OK to pet him, but it’s better to distract him with a physical activity than to spend hours cooing poor baby to him on your lap.
• Don’t scold him for his nervous reaction, as that will only confuse him. It helps if you act unbothered by the noise.

OK, now you can revel.

(Image courtesy of North Shore Animal League)