A Cause for the Paws
Check out this fun event coming up Dec. 3!
Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll
Help for Howie
Check out more about this special dog, Howie, and find out how you can help by clicking here.
Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll
OSU helps save 80 dogs
Check out this heart-warming story out of Stillwater from folks at OSU:
When the Payne County Sheriff’s office called the Oklahoma State University Center for Veterinary Health Sciences on Thursday, Sept. 17, and asked if they could help with approximately 80 dogs and cats rescued from a rural home, faculty, staff and students stepped up to help.
“The Sheriff’s Department alerted us that the animals were coming,” stated Dr. Michael Lorenz, professor and dean of the veterinary center. “We called in veterinary technicians, students and eight veterinarians who were not on call. The animals arrived in the late evening.”
“I was on the phone with one of the ICU technicians and when I heard what was going on, I came in to help,” said Dianne Hudson, RVT, VTS (Anesthesia).
Because the animals are the subject of legal action and serve as evidence, the intake process included identifying and photographing each animal. Detailed records were maintained for medical and legal purposes.
“We had eight teams each comprised of students/veterinary technicians and one faculty veterinarian,” added Hudson.
“The animals were abused, neglected and poorly nourished,” said Dr. Mark Neer, director of the veterinary center’s Boren Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. “While they can’t be adopted until legally released, the plan was to put them in foster care.”
All animals were treated for internal and external parasites including sarcoptic mange, which is a type of mange caused by mites burrowing in the skin especially of the head and face. All adult dogs received Rabies vaccinations and puppies were vaccinated for distemper, adenovirus, parvovirus and parainfluenza.
“It was absolutely amazing to see everyone swing into action,” stated Dr. Jill Brunker, Small Animal Internal Medicine. “People were assigned to a station and we rotated the animals through receiving, triage and treatment. Interns, residents, technicians and fourth year veterinary students worked with one common goal—help these mistreated animals.”
“We were able to do something on a large scale to help the animals and the community,” said Dr. Todd Yeagley, Small Animal Internal Medicine and Surgery Intern. “It was sad to see so many dogs that had suffered such horrible abuse.”
According to Hudson within two hours 80 animals had been examined.“We were careful to do everything right so that the Sheriff’s Department would have what they needed. Even after all the dogs had been processed, the students recognized that the dogs needed to be bathed to help make them more comfortable and then we still needed to clean up to get ready for the next day, so they stayed,” continued Hudson.
“The students and staff worked until the wee hours of the morning,” added Lorenz. “Oklahomans can be extremely proud of the veterinary team. Despite the horrific scene, the group performed at a high professional level. I am very proud of their dedication and competence.”
“Dr. Neer and everyone at the veterinary hospital could not have been any kinder to the animals or been more hospitable to the people who came to foster them,” stated Garry McKinnis, Payne County Undersheriff. “I have 18 of them at my house. My wife and I took four female Dachshunds and their puppies. We wanted to be sure they received the right care until they are able to be adopted.”
Some of the dogs had to be soaked to loosen the debris matted in their hair and eventually were clipped. According to Brunker, a single dose of medicine usually cures the sarcoptic mange. The parasites should be gone in a few weeks followed by treatments at regular intervals.
“I have seen dogs like that before but one at a time,” said Brandy Kastl, fourth year veterinary student from Sapulpa, Okla. “Never so many at once—it was overwhelming.”
“It was pretty sad, especially the high number of dogs involved,” continued Matt Stone of Springfield, Ill., also a fourth year veterinary student. “We were happy to help the animals.”
“That’s what we do,” added Kastl.
Authorities at the veterinary center report that all dogs and cats involved in the rescue have been placed in foster care as of Tuesday evening, Sept. 22, 2009.
Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll
Pets in the paper – Monarchs making a pit stop
Check out these animal stories in The Oklahoman today -
- Norman zoo examines safety after boy’s attack. (Norman)
- A butterfly haven: Monarchs winging to Mexico may appear for area event. (Cole)
- Whale death investigated. (Virginia)
- Crash leads to bee stings. (Turkey)
Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll
Pets in the paper – Zoe gets ready
Check out these animal stories in The Oklahoman today
- Baby chimpanzee Zoe to get first look at public. (Oklahoma City, video below)
- Chains take wag out of dog’s tail. (Oklahoma City)
- Pet Tales: Dog found after family prays. (Oklahoma City)
- Dove release honors victims. (Chickasha)
- Purina products joining the battle to defeat breast cancer. (nationwide)
Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll
Learn about horses at Oklahoma County Extension
The Oklahoma County Extension office is putting on a cool program for folks interested in horse care:
Anyone who is interested in horses and wants to find out more about their training and care are invited to take part in the Oklahoma City area Horse Short Course beginning Thursday, September 10, at the Oklahoma County OSU Cooperative Extension auditorium.
Classes will get underway at 6:30 and continue until 8:30 p.m. every Thursday evening through October 22.
Instructors for the course include Dr. David Freeman, a State Extension Equine Specialist, Veterinarian Dr. Gene Parker, John Letham, a successful horse breeder, and Dr. Justin Talley, a State Extension Entomologist.
Training, nutrition, feeding management, pasture and hay needs, and breeding management are also courses that will be addressed in the seminar.
“This should be the single-most informative class horse lovers could take to find out what they need to know about the care and management of horses,” said Ray Ridlen, Agriculture and Horticulture Educator for the Oklahoma County OSU Cooperative Extension Service and an instructor for the course.
The seminar will be limited to the first 30 people and a pre-registration fee of $30 is required. For more information about the seminar, contact the Oklahoma County OSU Cooperative Extension Center at 713-1125.
Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll
Pets in the paper – a great day for okapis
Check out these animal stories in The Oklahoman today -
- Okapi calf may opt to hide out for a bit. (Oklahoma City)
- Pet Tales: Three dogs steal their way into family members’ hearts. (Norman)
- For 70 seized horses, a chance at new life. (Pauls Valley)
- Abused corgi mix needs a new home. (Broken Arrow)
- Group launches spay, neuter effort. (Tulsa)
- Group examines hunting, fishing license changes. (state capitol)
Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll
Best cars to park your dog in
As we all know, getting your pet from the house to any other location can be a hassle.
For cat owners, the trouble is getting the cat from the house to the cat carrier. After that, it’s the hassle of listening to your cat scream about what an awful owner you are all the way to the vet.
For large dog owners, the trouble is making sure your dog doesn’t try to hang his head out the driver’s side window while you’re on the interstate. Or at least that’s the problem in my car with my dogs, even when my window is closed.
Well apparently some cars are safer for pups than others. Bark Buckle Up and Edmunds released their list of Top 10 Safest Cars. Here they are, listed alphabetically:
- Dodge Journey
- Ford Flex
- GMC Acadia
- Hyundai Tucson
- Jeep Liberty
- Kia Borrego
- Mazda 5 Grand Touring Minivan
- Mitsubishi Outlander
- Subaru Tribeca
- Volvo XC70
The safest vehicle of all: the one carrying a well trained dog that stays in her seat.
Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll
Pets in the paper – an attack rescue
Check out these stories in The Oklahoman since Saturday -
- Neighbor saves boy from dogs. (Noble)
- Getting a glimpse of nature. (Norman)
- Zebra mussel gains ground in Oklahoma. (Lake Texoma)
- Couple start family with injured pooch. (Tulsa)
- Work begins on vets’ clinic. (Colorado)
- Debate focuses on value of autism service dogs. (Illinois)
- A dog’s holiday. (Monday, page 1c, nationwide)
Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll
Are wild animals good pets?
Here’s the latest installment of the “Veterinarian on Call” column put out by Oklahoma State University.
Is it okay to keep wildlife as pets?
So you found a baby bird, bunny, squirrel, turtle, opossum, raccoon or deer. The nest blew out of the tree, the bunny or turtle was in the garden, the squirrel, opossum or raccoon was in your yard, the deer was laying down alongside a fence….what do you do? The tendency of most good Samaritans is to pick the animal up and take it home with them or into the house. Now what?
First you should know that essentially all wild animals are protected by State and Federal laws that prohibit possessing them as pets. There are fines for having live wild animals in your possession illegally, good Samaritan or not. The penalties for possessing live wild animals can be very stiff especially for birds of prey and rare or endangered wildlife species. Wildlife belongs to the people (plural and collectively) not to any individual …even individual land owners.
Wildlife is held in trust for the people by the State and Federal agencies that are empowered to manage them. To legally have or work with wildlife requires special State and Federal permits and these permits are not handed out to just anyone who wants one.
Permits generally specify 1) the activity allowed such as education, rehabilitation, etc., 2) the types of animals or species that are permitted such as song birds, mammals, etc., and 3) the length of time that the wild animals can be held. These “special purpose” permits generally require individuals to demonstrate a level of knowledge of training with the species they are going to posses. This often includes prior supervised experience in handling them.
It also may require inspection and approval of the facility where the wild animals are to be kept by State and Federal wildlife agencies before a special purpose permit is granted, or renewed. Yes, renewed. Renewal of these special purpose permits may be yearly (Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation) or every three years (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service). Maintaining records of activities and filling annual reports for the animals covered under these permits are generally required.
Still not dissuaded from picking up that baby animal you just found? Well then, read on. You must appreciate or learn the hard way that wild animals do NOT become tamed through social contact with human, and we as humans do NOT make good surrogate mothers for wild animals.
You say “why not”? First, wildlife have specific diets to meet their nutritional requirements and special behaviors for survival that have been developed over many thousands of years in nature. These diets cannot be easily replicated by humans nor can their natural behaviors be maintained or often permitted in captivity.
Second, once a wild animal has been socialized by human contact, they lose much, if not all, of their fear of humans. It is this fear of humans that is paramount for survival in populated areas. More urban wildlife are killed by humans and human activities than everything else. Keeping a sufficient distance from humans (both well meaning and otherwise) just as with other predators is essential for their long-term survival.
Third, although wild animals, especially babies, appeal to our human emotions to save them because they are so “cute” or pretty, as adults they can be very destructive and even dangerous to have around and they are no longer “cute.” Some of the wild animals become even more dangerous to humans, once they have lost their fear of humans.
So now that you have the adult animal, what are your options? Well you can try to release the animal back into the wild …where they never learned to survive and likely can no longer successfully compete in. You may try to place the animal in a “zoo” or other captive facility where they live out their lives as something quite different from what they were created to be ….free and a part of nature. However, all too often given the shrinking habitat available for wildlife and limited places available for wildlife in captivity, the animal often must be destroyed.
Lastly, wildlife or their external parasites (fleas and ticks) can carry and may transmit diseases that affect humans …especially the children that will want to “play” with them. A wild animal may not be sick when you pick it up, but may become sick along with you, your child and your house hold pets.
For a wild animal that was born in the wild, captivity can be very stressful. A wild animal that is under a lot of stress from handling, inadequate housing, temperature and diet, will have a compromised immune system and become more susceptible to any diseases. This will allow diseases that the animal was successfully fighting before to break out under human care. Our household pets may be carrier of “simple diseases” that they have learned to live with or are vaccinated against, but a wild animal may be naïve to this disease and it may become sick while in contact with our house pets.
So what should you do when you come across wildlife? If it is a baby bird, put it back in the nest or put the nest back in a tree. The parents are around and will take care of it even if you have touched it.
If it is a baby bunny, squirrel, possum, raccoon or deer, just leave it where it is. The mother is most likely watching you steal her baby and she will return when it is safe (you are gone and it is dark out).If it is a turtle, help it across the road or take it out of your garden and put it in the adjacent ground cover. Don’t put it in a box or take it home to put in your sand box for the kids. If you know that the animal’s mother is actually dead, call the State wildlife agent in your district and get names of people that have the necessary permits to raise or rehabilitate the animal. Contact them and let them take the animal into human custody.
If the animal is injured, either notify the State or Federal wildlife agent to assist or else to provide you with names of people that have permits that can assist. This way, you will have done your best for the animal.
However, if you feel that you must put the animal in a box, or wrap it in a blanket, etc., then, do so very carefully so as not to injure the animal further or get injured yourself. Then, take the animal directly to a veterinarian, ideally one that is experienced with wildlife and has the permits to work with them, where they can examine the nature and extent of its injuries and determine what must be done.
In the case you or someone else has been scratched or bitten during the attempt to pick up a wild animal, you should notify the State wildlife agent, veterinarian, but also your personal physician, since you may have gotten in contact with a transmissible disease (such as rabies, tularemia, etc).
At times, we all feel compelled to help wild animals that we encounter; after all, it was likely humans that caused or contributed to the animal’s peril. Unfortunately less human help is most often more beneficial as far more times than not, humans do more harm than good when they intervene in nature.
Bottom line, wild animals really do NOT make good pets! Appreciate and enjoy wild animals as a part of nature (urban, rural, or wilderness) at a respectful distance whenever and wherever you have the good fortune to encounter them. Rejoice in the fact that these creatures are able to be and live free, and realize that it is because they are free they are able do and be many things that we humans cannot.
Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll
