I know many people have heard of  WebMD, or even stopped by their site,  it’s a great place to get your health care questions answered.  What you may not know, they now have a section devoted to pets. The WebMD Healthy Pets section covers everything from behavior to preventative care.

They also feature top stories, today’s is about the controversy over pet vaccines.

WebMD Pet Health Feature by Bill Hendrick

Reviewed by Katherine Snyder, DVM, Dip ACVIM

Many pet owners and some animal scientists believe that we are over vaccinating our pets. They also think that some shots may be doing more harm than good. One type of cancer in cats, for example, is known to be caused by injections. In addition, vaccines can cause allergic reactions.

Because reports and rumors of side effects have become so widespread, pet owners increasingly are asking their vets about shots. Andy Smith, DVM, a long-time Atlanta veterinarian, says he has “this conversation with a client twice a week. It’s clear there’s a lot of confusion and concern.” So WebMD went to some top veterinary experts to find answers you can use in sorting out your own concerns.

Go visit WebMD to read the full article and find out why dogs need vaccines, if you should vaccinate, and can they cause cancer.

*Thanks Bella for barking this to me.

Share this entry with your pawple anywhere:

The cold weather is approaching and Sunbear Squad offers up a great tip of the week to keep in mind.

Watch Tip Week of Oct. 18:

Watch for protruding backbones, ribs, and hips before winter coats hide these signs of neglect. Look at every pet you pass.

If you’re not sure what a starving dog looks like or what you need to look out for, read this story sent over from Anna Nirva, the founder of  Sunbear Squad.

What does a starving dog look like?

THIS DOG WAS SAVED; HE RECOVERED AND WAS ADOPTED. Read the rest of this entry »

Share this entry with your pawple anywhere:

The Pratt Humane Society in Pratt, KS needs to raise $18,000 by October 18th in order to stay open.  They took out a loan in 2008 to pay for their building and now only have 8 days to pay it back. On top of that, their boiler broke leaving them with no heat. To fix it would cost $6,300 which they don’t have.

The shelter is a lifeline for animals that need a home,  many dogs there have been abused or abandoned. Here are the details from KAKE 10.

“If we close down, absolutely it would be terrible because there would be nowhere for someone to take an unwanted animal,” said the Pratt Area Humane Society Board President Pam Howell.

“We’re pretty desperate. It’s a crisis situation,” said Howell. Read the rest of this entry »

Share this entry with your pawple anywhere:

If you’re looking for something fun to do with your best bud this weekend check out some of  the great events happening all around the country.

1. October 10th & 11th SPCA Adoption Extravaganza of Westchester, NY:  Featuring over 200 Puppies & Family Dogs rescued from high-kill shelters. Many adorable Kittens & Cats are looking for new homes too! This special event will be held at the SPCA of Westchester, located at 590 North State Road in Briarcliff Manor, NY 10510.

2. October 11th Bark In The Park in NJ: The Liberty Humane Society will host its sixth annual Bark in the Park Dog Walk and Event Fair on Sunday, Oct. 11 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Liberty State Park in Jersey City. The event organizers anticipate more than 500 attendees this year and hope to raise $100,000 for Hudson County animals in need. The event will feature a two-mile dog walk with views of the Statue of Liberty, the New York skyline, and Ellis Island; the Pit Bull Parade for Pets and People Too; all-day entertainment; and many more canine contests and games. Cost for the walk is $15 per dog and $20 for two dogs. For more information, visit LibertyHumane.org.

3.  October 11th Surf City Surf Dog in Huntington Beach, CA: On Sunday, Oct. 11, the inaugural Surf City Surf Dog is bound to attract attention as “man’s best friend” takes on the challenge of surfing! So grab your surfboard and pup and join us! Or, if surfing isn’t your pup’s thing, enter one of our MANY contests! Benefiting various Southern California dog charities. Huntington Beach, CA 8 am – 2 pm www.SurfCitySurfDog.com

4. October 10th  S.T.A.R.S. 4th Annual Dog Walk & Festival in Stratford, CT: Stroll 1 mile to benefit homeless animals then join in on fun for the whole family where Stratford’s 4th celebration of the “Family Pet” will offer music, food, games, vendors, crafters, face painting, microchip clinic, pet psychic,Touch A Truck and much more. Visit WhoLetTheDogsOutFestival.com for more info.

5. October 10th Animal Rescue Fund Walk-A-Thon in Three Rivers, MI:  The Animal Rescue Fund (ARF) of St. Joseph County, Michigan will hold its 12th annual Walk-A-Thon to raise funds to assist in animal welfare throughout the county. This year’s event will be held at Meyer-Broadway Park in Three Rivers on Sat., Oct. 10, 2009. Walkers may participate with or without a dog.

Check out more fun events at one of Bo’s favorite magazines, Modern Dog.

Share this entry with your pawple anywhere:

In Riverside, CA 14 Lhasa Apsos died of smoke inhalation when a fire broke out in the house of a hoarder. The firefighters couldn’t get to the fire in the kitchen and porch because clutter blocked their way. The house was filled from floor to ceiling with junk making it hard to get to the dogs who were all caged in a room.

This is such a sad story because it was so unnecessary, those dogs should not have died.  Obviously this person was a hoarder so there were other issues going on, but it’s so important to know about fire safety.

A few days ago I  posted about the dogs that set fire to their mobile home, in the article I included a link to some fire safety tips. After reading this story I’ve decided to repost them for everyone to see.  Here are some great tips from VPI Insurance.

Read the rest of this entry »

Share this entry with your pawple anywhere:

One of our favorite artists, Kathryn Beals, is back and offering up another of her gorgeous portraits for a Dogster contest. We had a contest with Kathryn back in April and had over 126 entries!

Along with painting, Kathryn has been very busy working on her website and blog since the last contest. You can go to her How I Paint blog and watch her while she painted Dogster member Jolanda, a very talented service dog. She even has an entire section just of the Dogster dogs she painted, they’re great, go check them out.

The amazing thing about Kathryn is that she’s self taught. Her portraits are a great gift to give yourself or one of your dog loving friends. It’s also a wonderful way to memorialize your dog, something special you’ll have long after your best friend is gone.

One of the best things about Kathryn’s work is that she guarantees it. If for any reason you are not happy you can get your money back. How many artists offer that deal? I can tell you, not many.

We’re offering up a free 16″ x 20″ head-shot portrait. Read the rest of this entry »

Share this entry with your pawple anywhere:

Have you ever wondered what the animal welfare laws are in your state?  The Michigan State University College of Law: Animal Legal & Historical Web Center has a great site where you can access this information.

On the left side of the page, find the “Select by State” menus, and choose your state in the “US Law” submenu. A new page will display. Read the “Statute Name” and to find “Consolidated Cruelty Statutes” and click on the “Citation” link, where you will find actual texts.

Watch Tip Week of Sept. 27

Watch for spring’s puppies and kittens now banished to the back yard—do they have shelter, food and water? Talk with the owners or the authorities.

This website is truly an invaluable source of information, it covers everything from assistance animal laws to veterinary practice laws. Thanks to our friends at Sunbear Squad for letting us know about the Animal Legal & Historical Web Center.

Share this entry with your pawple anywhere:

Dogster member Mozart is entered in the Cutest Dog Competition and he needs our votes. MoMo, as his friends call him, is a 19-pound Cavalier King Charles spaniel named after Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. He was adopted as a puppy by Cara McCool who thinks he is the cutest dog in the world.

McCool lives in New Orleans, she originally moved there after getting her master’s degree from LSU.  After Katrina she moved back to Baton Rouge but in 2005 realizing how much she missed The Big Easy moved back. She is hoping MoMo will get enough votes to win the $1 million prize so she’ll be able to donate large portions to a variety of  local causes.

She was president of the Louisiana Music Teachers Association at the time and helped established the Save Our Students fund to provide scholarships for children of families who had lost everything in the storm.

Read the rest of this entry »

Share this entry with your pawple anywhere:

I confess, I go crazy over all things dog. I’m a huge fan of dog art which is probably why we have a dog jar with Bo on it, three portraits of the pups, a serving platter with their picture that says “Chef not responsible for dog hair in the food.” The last one may explain why we don’t have many dinner guests, or why those that come don’t come back.

Anyway, when I came across Amelia Makes Art I just had to share it with my fellow dog lovers. There is an artist who creates sculptures of dogs made out of wool. Never in a million years would I have imagined a piece of wool could become a replica of someone’s best friend.  Amelia Santiago is the very talented person behind these creations.

I love making sculptures of dogs and I would love to sculpt a wool portrait of your beloved pet for you. They also make very unique gifts. Each piece is created out of 100% wool. Using the technique of needle felting, I sculpt the fibers as one would sculpt clay. Read the rest of this entry »

Share this entry with your pawple anywhere:

Purina Pro Plan is in the middle of their Rally To Rescue campaign, taking their message of pet adoption from coast to coast in a customized motor home.

They’re also asking ambassadors to participate by hosting their own events.

Part of the campaign is the “Doing More™ for Pets” Rescue Stories Contest. America has the chance to vote for the most remarkable pet rescue story, now narrowed down to the 10 finalists.

What We Do:

Rally to Rescue® recognizes the importance of the work pet rescuers do to help protect homeless pets, and we are committed to doing our part to help in this mission. Rally to Rescue® helps rescue organizations across the country give rescued pets the nutrition and care they need and the loving homes they deserve.

How It Works:

The Rescue Ambassadors selected to be part of this program have access to exclusive resources and benefits, including marketing tools, event kits and fundraising tools. The program’s central fundraising tool is the Rally to Rescue® T-Shirt collection. These fundraising T-Shirts, featuring 4 Brand New Custom Designs, were created exclusively for Rally to Rescue®. Purchases help us benefit pet rescue organizations across the country. Learn more about the Rescue Ambassador Program.

Read the rest of this entry »

Share this entry with your pawple anywhere: