The Associated Press and Petside took a poll, they found out most dog owners are willing to go snouth-to-mouth but aren’t really prepared for an emergency.

Here are some of the poll results from the AP, go to their site to read more.

* 63% of dog owners and 53% of cat owners would be at least somewhat likely to perform CPR on their pet.

* 65% of women vs. 50% of men say they’d be more likely to perform CPR.

* 54% don’t have a fire evacuation plan.

*41% have had at least one incident requiring an emergency trip to the vet.

* 30% of dog owners and 22% of cat owners at least sometimes give them bones from table scraps.

* 20% have a pet first aid kit at home.

* 16% have pets who’ve had allergic reactions.

* 7% have pets that have eaten something poisonous.

What about you, would you perform snout-to-mouth?  Give me a bark.

*Photo courtesy Robin Loznak, AP

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We already know dogs have been known to eat homework, or so kids say, but what else do they get into.

In the UK  PDSA Petaid Hospitals released a list of the ten strangest items that have been removed from dogs that have visited their clinics.

The top ten list in full is:
1. Ten-inch tent peg

2. Christmas decoration (star shaped)

3. Kitchen knife

4. Alphabet fridge magnets

5. Man’s wig

6. Ann Summers underwear

7. Bell

8. Fishing hook

9. Socks

10. Rubber duck

PDSA senior veterinary surgeon, Sean Wensley, said: ‘There is a medical term for pets eating strange objects – pica.

Since dogs, especially young dogs, use their mouth to investigate sometimes items get swallowed accidentally. It’s always a good idea to keep an eye on puppies and young dogs so they don’t get into something they shouldn’t. Having plenty of dog toys around is a good way to keep them busy, and safe.

PDSA Petaid Hospitals provide free veterinary care to sick and injured pets of those unable to afford veterinary fees. What a wonderful thing to do, kudos to PDSA.

* The mischievous boy above is Gunner, luckily he spit out the cushions after chewing.

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Orphan Annie is a beautiful Golden Retriever who was found on the side of a road in Northern Minnesota, shot and dying.

She was brought to the vet by a good Samaritan who stopped to help her when he saw her lying in the snow, thinking she had been hit by a car.

Annie is currently being cared for at the University of Minnesota Veterinarian Hospital where she’s gone through surgery to recover from her wounds.

“They found multiple bullet wounds in her diaphragm and that went through her stomach,” explained Tart. “Basically through both sides of her stomach.”

Surgeons operated on Annie this weekend, having to remove part of her stomach and close the wounds. But they say given all she’s been through, she’s doing very well.

Right now she needs to get sleep so she can start healing. Even though her condition is tenuous, the U of M vets are optimistic. Tart said they’re pulling for her like everyone else.

Jeanette Trompeter from wcco.com, who wrote the original story, has been following Annie’s story closely. She has followed up with Annie’s medical team and found out that she is doing amazingly well considering all she’s been through. Trompeter’s co-worker issued a little challenge, which I want to share with Dogsters, to help raise money for Annie’s care.

So I received a little challenge today from co-worker PJ Fiske, who read the blog and has taken calls from heart-sick viewers all day. He ponied up $100 and challenging me to do the same.

I did so and now I will now challenge some other co-workers and friends who I think have the means to help out. And if you do too, click this link and donate, put “WCCO fundraiser” in the notes section. Then put a note on the blog publicly calling out a friend to step up to the plate and send them the link to see it.

Times are tough, $100 is a lot of money, but even $5 or $10 could make a big difference in helping Annie. Hopefully bringing a happy ending to this heart-breaking story.

There is now a blog for Annie on Retrieve a Golden of Minnesota, you can read up-to-date reports on her progress.  While Annie isn’t totally out of the woods yet, she is doing amazingly well, getting stronger everyday.

It’s not known who committed this heinous crime against Annie, and I don’t know if they’ll ever be caught, but one can only hope what they say about karma is true.  It comes around.

* Photo of Annie thanks to Retrieve A Golden of Minnesota.

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In Atlanta, GA a dog beaten with a hammer and left for dead was found in a park on Wednesday.  Robert Kennedy was walking his dog when he saw “Murphy”, wrapped in a blanket on the ground.  Nearby was a hammer with blood.

I will never understand how anyone could ever hurt an innocent animal, it’s sickening.  The good news is that an arrest was made,  hopefully this despicable human will be held accountable for this sickening and cowardly act.

ATLANTA — As Murphy the dog continues to recover in a DeKalb County animal hospital, authorities arrested a man they said beat the dog with a hammer and left him for dead in Murphy Candler Park.

DeKalb police spokeswoman Kiesha Williams said Joseph Waters, 48, was taken into custody Wednesday shortly after questioning and charged with one count of felony cruelty to animals.

The dog did not have a name when brought to the Dekalb Animal Hospital so the staff called him “Murphy.”  Dr. Stephen Pope is hopeful Murphy will make a full recovery after being brought in with a skull fracture.  Although, he will most likely lose his left eye.

We hope Murphy has a speedy recovery and gets adopted by a  wonderful loving family. We hope that Joseph Waters sits in jail and gets what’s coming to him.

* Photo courtesy WSBK.com, click on pic to see slideshow.

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Here’s a story you don’t see often, junk mail that’s not only a nuisance but dangerous.

Colchester, UK: A HUNGRY hound lost both his bark and his bite when a bizarre accident left his jaws glued together.

Cymbeline, a Scottish terrier, is trained to pick up the post from the doormat and hand it over to his owner Kimberly Fisher, 41.

But the faithful pet came unstuck when a high gloss finish on a fast food menu stuck his jaws closed for more than half an hour.

Cymbeline was taught to pick up the post without damaging it, however this time was different.  Ms Fisher, his owner, said  “It was a big, high gloss paper menu which had turned into a paste – the gum stuck it between his teeth.”

“He was trying very hard to open his mouth. It was funny as well as sad.”

The Roosters fast-food menu, which ironically promises “mouth-watering results” for anyone who tries their chicken, was stuck fast and eventually Ms Fisher was forced to take Cymbeline to the vet.

Luckily after about 40 minutes the vet was able to get the stuff out.

Ben Bennett, the vet who treated Cymbeline, said: “It was really unusual, I’ve never seen anything like it before in 20 years so the chances of it happening again are pretty rare.”

Glad to hear Cymbeline is back to normal, hopefully he’ll be relieved of his post duty.

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While technology is great, according to a new survey in Britain it can be dangerous to our pets health. The survey was done by Petplan using 3,000 animal owners.

It found that a number of pet owners are unwilling to take responsibility for an accident, saying the animal was the cause. Over a third blamed the pet for eating something it shouldn’t have, another third blamed their animals for getting hurt while jumping off furniture.

A number of strange incidents were revealed through the survey. There was a cat who singed her whiskers when sniffing a candle and a dog who swallowed a pair of knickers.

The survey also included owners of guinea pigs, rabbits, reptiles, birds and cats.  All of whom are potentially at risk from 21st century toys.

Top 10 Gadgets Most Likely To Injure Pets

1. iPod (15 per cent)

2. Laptop (10.8 per cent)

3. Remote Control (10.8 per cent)

4. Plasma TV (10.8 per cent)

5. Wii (10 per cent)

6. DVD Player (10 per cent)

7. Playstation (8.3 per cent)

8. Nintendo DS (5.8 per cent)

9. Mobile Phone (5.8 per cent)

10. Karaoke Machine (5.8 per cent)

Interesting, but the article doesn’t say exactly how these items caused injury.  It does make one wonder how a pet is injured by a karaoke machine, maybe the owner’s singing was the cause.

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On September 30th I posted Heart Of Glass, a case where two dogs ate glass laced meatballs left in their yard.

I’m happy to report a man has been arrested for this cruel and cowardly act.

Pittsburgh, PA (AHN) — A Pittsburgh man is charged with cruelty to animals for feeding two of his neighbor’s dogs meatballs laced with glass and nails.

Brett Kolarik, 41, turned himself into police Friday after the dog’s owner, Debra Rogers, realized that the meatballs were filled with harmful materials after her dogs seemed unwell.

Police told reporters that Kolarik fed the dogs the hazardous materials because he was tired of their incessant barking.

The dogs, a beagle and a husky, required emergency surgery at a cost of $4,000. Both are home recovering.

If convicted, Kolarik faces up to two years in jail per count of animal cruelty. He would also have to pay restitution to Rogers.

I’m glad to hear the dogs are home and doing well. Let’s hope Kolarik has to pay the $4,000 medical bill,  along with jail time so he can think about what he did.

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The person(s) responsible for this senseless act must have a heart of glass.  A woman in Pittsburgh (PA) is claiming that someone left meat, containing ground up glass and nails, in her yard for her dogs.

Owner, Deborah Rogers,  took the dogs to the veterinarian to be examined.  Dr. Kenton Rexford  was able to get the beagle to bring up some of the material, but the husky might need surgery.

The dogs, Shadow and Pepper, are now being treated by Dr. Kenton Rexford after x-rays showed nails and glass in the abdomens of both dogs. Officials say the material was hidden within balls of meat patties left in Rogers yard.

She had one question on the way to the vet once she realized the meat was put there on purpose.

“What kind of sick unit would destroy and torture and kill an animal for no reason,” said Rogers. “They are very loving dogs.”

If  Deborah Rogers husky needs surgery it could be a very costly procedure, she’s very worried about how she’ll pay for it.  She doesn’t have the money and is afraid her dog could die without the proper treatment.

Rexford says the options for treatment are tricky because inducing the material through the throat could cause different problems.

“As that glass or that nail comes through the esophagus, if there was no damage when it went down, are you then creating damage when you bring it back out?” said Dr. Rexford. “Yes, definitely that is a risk.”

Endoscopy or surgery may be needed for the husky, a decision that will need to be made shortly.  Dr. Rexford informed Deborah Rogers about a new organization to help people in need with emergency expenses, the Animal Care and Assistance Fund.

If you would like to help:
Animal Care and Assistance Fund
c/o Robert A Meeder, 4514 Plummer St., Pittsburgh, PA 15201-3032.
Phone: 412-348-2588

We wish Shadow and Pepper, pictured above, a speedy recovery.

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Carol Crocker lives in rural Alabama with 101 dogs that she rescued from certain death.  Where she lives there is no animal control or any shelters.

If it wasn’t for her these dogs would be destroyed.  Although the mayor knew what was going on it was ignored until recently.

The mayor has been recorded in court papers saying, “We knew what was going on but we had no where else to take the animals.” Now, he wants her shelter abolished. There is no animals control. So now Carol Crocker has 101 dogs.

Carol isn’t a young woman, in fact she’s retired and lives on a meager pension from the airlines and social security.

Last year her house was burned to the ground and now she lives in the garage, she had no homeowners insurance and can’t afford to rebuild.

Carol has loved and cared for each one of these dogs.  She is not looking for money or donations. All she wants is to find homes for her beloved dogs before the county steps in.

This is NOT a hoarder situation. It is an older woman who kept having county dogs dropped off and now, on top of losing pretty much everything she had, the county wants to make her life more difficult.

She is devastated at what has happened and is terrified of the county taking them and putting them down. All she wants is for good rescues to help her out.

If you can help, or know anyone that can help, please contact Carrol Crocker directly or Shari dogpackrescue@hughes.net.

Wow, what an amazing woman.  She has lost everything but her primary concern is still for her dogs.  Our best wishes go out to Carol, we’re rooting for you.

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Here’s another story proving dogs really are man’s best friend.  Thanks to Michelle for barking this to me.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – A dog specially trained to call 911 when his owner suffers seizures grabbed the phone Wednesday morning and whimpered for help when the dispatcher answered, police said.

The 911 operator, Chris Trott, heard a cry when she picked up the phone.  Besides saying “woof” Buddy obviously can’t talk, he’s been trained to whimper when he hears the operators voice.  The 911 system is able to match where the phone call is coming from and send the needed help.

Buddy’s owner, Joe Stalnaker, was suffering one of his more severe seizures, said Sgt. Mark Clark of the Scottsdale Police Department.

Ten years ago, Stalnaker said he was in a military accident that severely injured part of his brain, leaving him prone to potentially fatal seizures.

Buddy was specially trained, by Paws With a Cause, to recognize when his owner is having a seizure and then to bring the phone to him.

“He doesn’t actually sit there and dial 911, but whenever he picks up the phone, one of his teeth inevitably hits the number, and if it’s held down for more than three seconds, it dials the police department,” Stalnaker said.

When the ambulance arrived both Stalnaker and his Buddy were taken to the hospital.  Luckily, everything is fine and they were back home within two days.

Do you think when his owner isn’t looking Buddy’s making phone calls to Fluffy across the street?

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