finding homes for goldens in need

This is the last Saturday of the month so the goldies will be gathering in Calvert County at the Gray’s Road Dog Park near Prince Frederick at 10am. Jamie Cockrell will host. Hope you can make it. Don’t forget that we change times starting next month to 9am.

Sam’s owners dropped him off at a high kill shelter and didn’t bother to tell the staff his name, so he’s “Sam” which seems like a gentle dog name.

He’s pretty frightened right now, but he’s safe with Lisa’s family and will come to MD once transport is back up and running.

I thought he was just dirty, but he had a bath and has a dark undercoat/skin.

We’ll see what happens when he gets good food and love and vet care.

We’re going to the beach at Stephanies (call 301.994.0061 for directions) even if it is POURING rain NEXT Saturday, June 1 at 1.

C U then.

We were contacted and asked to take Misty, a golden/lab mix. Misty was scheduled to be euthanized and at only 6 months old she was a shelter favorite. She liked to sit on staff members’ laps and give them kisses.

She apparently is a soccer fan too!

She spent a night in a hotel last night as Rob Minnich was in SC and agreed to bring her to us. He learned she is a counter surfer when she got her food bowl down from the counter this morning.

She is being fostered by Adam and Mariel and their dog Cara and is available for adoption.

Because overheating can be life-threatening if not treated immediately, noticing the early signs of heat exhaustion will surely reduce the chances of canine heatstroke and death.

1. Watch your pooch for signs of overheating during the hot weather. Dogs having difficulty with hot temperatures exhibit a combination of the symptoms mentioned above (hyperventilation, excessive panting, dry gums that become pale, increased salivation, erratic or rapid pulse, confusion, weakness, diarrhea, vomiting, and possibly rectal bleeding). Once you notice these signs, move your pet to a cooler area immediately, preferably with a fan. Dogs with heavy fur coats and short muzzles tend to manifest signs sooner than other breeds.

2. Using a rectal thermometer, take your pet’s temperature. A dog’s normal body temperature is 101.5 degrees Fahrenheit. Moderate heating usually happens at around 103 to 106 degrees, while severe heating typically occurs beyond 106 degrees. Contact your vet or the nearest emergency center and then report your dog’s temperature along with the symptoms he is exhibiting.

3. Reduce your pooch’s temperature by putting cool wet towels over his neck, under his armpits, and between his hind legs. Wetting his ear flaps and paw pads using cool water is also advisable. If you are outdoors, a stream or pond can be used to help him cool down.

4. Give your dog fresh cool drinking water. Never force water into his mouth as he may likely suck it out into his lungs. If your pooch refuses to drink, try wetting his tongue with the water instead. Hunting and retrieving dogs need to be provided with rest and water breaks to keep them from overheating.

5. Finally, transport your overheated pooch to your vet. Call ahead so he can be alerted to prepare for your dog’s treatment. Your pet may have to receive oxygen, some fluids, and other treatments. With severe overheating, seizure and or cardiac arrest may occur.

Great weekend to snap some photos of your golden for the rescue’s 2014 calendar.

We put a new lens on our camera and will be playing around this weekend.

Send photos to johnsonpat@verizon.net

Benefits of Fish Oil

Dr. Michael Fox, DVM, who writes a weekly column in the Washington Post shared a reader’s experience in today’s column. Read spent $1000 to have a wart removed on his dog. When another wart appeared he applied Polysporin and the wart was gone in two days.

Polysporin is a line of antibiotic ointments produced by Johnson & Johnson used in the prevention of infection and speeding the healing of wounds. The original formulation contains bacitracin and polymyxin B.

In the United States Polysporin competes with Neosporin, which contains a third antibiotic, neomycin. In Canada, the “complete” version of Polysporin, which is known generically as “triple antibioitic ointment”, contains gramicidin as the third antibiotic, and does not contain neomycin.

We use Neosporin for all kinds of “owies” – both human and canine. Inexpensive and often helps.

Charlie is doing great! We all absolutely love him! He’s still holding on to a stubborn extra 10 lbs or so, but otherwise, he’s happy and healthy. His coat looks really good, too. His tail fur has come back in, though it still has a few more inches to go before the “flag” is fully back. We plan to do lots of traveling with him this summer, so hopefully he likes long car rides!

Charlie was adopted last year by Jody and Don and fostered by Billie.