Tackling The Veterinary Terminology: Prefixes (endo-)

Remember the Spelling Bee? Big words are easier to tackle when you understand how they're put together. Veterinary terms are composed in the same way. Just like with other words, the main parts of a veterinary term are a prefix, a root, and a suffix. The difference is that they typically come more directly from Greek or Latin.

A prefix is placed at the beginning of a word to modify its meaning by providing additional information. It usually indicates number, location, time, or status.

endo- [ˈɛndəʊ] - from Greek - within, inside, internal

Endo- is the opposite to exo-, which means out of, outside, external. Compare endoskeleton and exoskeleton. Endoskeleton is an internal skeleton, like our dogs or ourselves have. Exoskeleton is a rigid external covering of the body of some invertebrates.

Image Berkeley: Understanding Evolution

Endoskeleton of a dog. Image Wikimedia Commons

An endoscope, then, is an instrument that can be introduced into the body to view its internal parts.

Today these instruments can be used not only to view things, but also to take samples of tissues, remove foreign objects and even perform repairs, such as with arthroscopy.

Endoparasites are parasites that live inside your dog's body, such as worms.

The endocrine system is a network of hormone producing glands and tissues with internal secretion, directly into bloodstream. 

Endocrine system. Image Merck Manual for Pet Health

The organs of the endocrine system include hypothalamus, pituitary gland, thyroid gland, parathyroid glands, adrenal glands, pancreas, ovaries or testes  ... and fat tissue.

Endothelium are the tissues lining various organs and cavities in the body, such as the blood vessels, heart and cornea.

Endothelial dystrophy is a inherited disorder of the inner lining of the cornea, leading to corneal swelling and degeneration.

An endocardium is a membrane that lines the inside of the heart chambers. 

Endocarditis is an inflammation of the inner lining of the heart in response to an infection. The infection can originate elsewhere such as in you dog's mouth. Yes, your vet nags you about your dog's oral care for a reason. Periodontal disease was associated with cardiovascular-related conditions, such as endocarditis and cardiomyopathy.

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Related articles:

Veterinary Suffixes (-itis)
Veterinary Suffixes (-oma) 
Veterinary Suffixes (-pathy)  
Veterinary Suffixes (-osis) 
Veterinary Suffixes (-iasis) 
Veterinary Suffixes (-tomy) 
Veterinary Suffixes (-ectomy)  
Veterinary Suffixes (-scopy) 
Veterinary Suffixes (-emia)
Veterinary Suffixes (-penia)
Veterinary Suffixes (-rrhea) 
Veterinary Suffixes (-cyte) 
Veterinary Suffixes (-blast) 
Veterinary Suffixes (-opsy)
Veterinary Suffixes (-ac/-al)

Veterinary Prefixes (hyper-) 
Veterinary Prefixes (hypo-)
Veterinary Prefixes (pyo-) 
Veterinary Prefixes (myo-) 
Veterinary Prefixes (myelo-)
Veterinary Prefixes (spondylo-)
Veterinary Prefixes (cardio-) 
Veterinary Prefixes (cervic-) 
Veterinary Prefixes (osteo-) 
Veterinary Prefixes (fibro-) 
Veterinary Prefixes (broncho-) 
Veterinary Prefixes (hemo-) 
Veterinary Prefixes (brady-) 
Veterinary Prefixes (tachy-)
Veterinary Prefixes (hepat-)
Veterinary Prefixes (gastr-) 
Veterinary Prefixes (laryng-) 
Veterinary Prefixes (anti-)

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Cody's Eyelid Tumor

by  Krista Magnifico, DVM

One of the most common eye problems that we see are eyelid tumors. 

Cody after surgery

I see a lot of these. Most commonly they are seen in older dogs.

Luckily, in most cases the masses (I prefer the term 'mass' to 'tumor' although in veterinary medicine they are used synonymously), are benign cosmetic eyelid defects. In almost all cases we choose to monitor these masses very closely after they first are noticed.

There are a few exceptions to this;

• Any pet that is having problems blinking.
• Having discharge from the eye. Of greatest concern is any yellow or green discharge, excessive blinking, or squinting.
• Any mass that is growing rapidly or taking up more than 1/4 of the eyelid margin.
• Having multiple masses on the eye.

All eyelid tumors should be seen by the veterinarian as soon as they are noticed.

This is Cody's story of his eyelid mass.

His dad noticed a small mass on his lower eyelid many months ago. At that time we just decided to monitor it. That was until a few weeks ago when his dad thought that it began to cause Cody some discomfort.

Pre-operatively, Cody had a very thorough physical examination, pre-operative blood work, and we discussed post-operative concerns and recovery needs.

Cody is a very active but anxious boy. 

He is young, healthy, and the joy of his fathers' life.

In the exam room he is a flash of brown and white. He shakes, jumps, shivers, quivers and is completely unable to relax even a teensy-weensy bit. When you can finally grab him and try to hold him still his constant erratic motion transfers to his vocal chords where a squealing high pitched ear shattering bellow makes the ability to hold him impossible. Cody is a quark of an English Springer Spaniel flavor. (For an interesting read see any veterinary neurology text book and all of the, (shall I say) "unique" neurologic disorders Springers have).

I have seen him four times in the last 4 weeks to examine the mass on his lower right eyelid. 

Each trip has been met with the same unfortunate outcome. He cannot sit still, and I cannot adequately examine him. It is a fate that befalls some. We work around it, and we provide drugs to coerce compliance. Sometimes it is necessary, but always it is the last option. We scheduled surgery for this week.

The eyelid mass was visible grossly, but truth be told I was not able to identify how invasive it was while he was awake.

When Cody was placed under general anesthesia I saw for the first time how large the mass was.

The preliminary surgery plan was to safely and easily visualize the eyelid mass, resect it completely, and then rebuild the eyelid so that it remained functional and was as cosmetically pleasing (fancy-pants way of saying "looked good after").

I elected to remove the mass with our laser. 

The laser allows for a very precise cut with little to no bleeding. This causes less tissue trauma a very precise incision and a quicker procedure.

The mass was removed in its entirety. 

Cody went home with an e-collar so that he will not rub his eye, and an antibiotic ointment to keep the eye comfortable lubricated and free from infection.

For full description of the procedure and photos see How Do You Blink With Cauliflower In Your Eye? Eyelid Tumors .

***

Krista Magnifico, DVM owns a small animal hospital in northern Maryland, where she practices everyday. She wants to make quality veterinary care available to everyone, everywhere at any time; trying to save the world 1 wet nose @ a time.  Her blog is a diary of he day-to-day life & the animals and people she meets. 

Dr. Krista is also the founder of pawbly.com, free pet advice and assistance.

To contact her, you may leave a comment on her blog, email her or catch her on Twitter or Facebook.

Articles by Dr. Magnifico:
Don't Make This Mistake: Ruby's Death To Heat Stroke 
Parvo: Cora's Story 
Jake's Laryngeal Paralysis
The Tip Of The Iceberg: The Unexpected Dental Dilemma
The Ear Ache That Wasn't Going Away: Tottsie's Story 

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Adoption Monday: Korie, Black Labrador Retriever Mix: Deerfield, NH

Check out this awesome baby at Mary's Dogs Rescue & Adoption!

Korie will be 14 weeks when she arrives here in New England. 

This little bundle of love is very playful and well socialized. 

Korie is cute and sweet and ready to meet her new family. She can't wait to learn about being the ultimate family dog. Have you been looking for your new best friend?

Want more info on Korie? Call Mary's Dogs: 603.370.7750 or send along an email: marysdogsrescue@gmail.com

Ready to bring Korie home? Tell us about yourself and your interest in Korie in the adoption questionnaire. Check out all the wonderful dogs on Mary's Dogs Facebook Fan Page.

***

Mary’s Dogs rescues and re-homes dogs and puppies from Aiken County Animal Shelter, a high-kill shelter in South Carolina, USA. They also serve as a resource to communities in Southern New Hampshire and pet owners nationwide by providing education and information on responsible pet ownership, including the importance of spay/neuter, positive behavior training, and good nutrition.

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Benefits of Turmeric

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Dr. Becker is the resident proactive and integrative wellness veterinarian of HealthyPets.Mercola.com. 

You can learn holistic ways of preventing illness in your pets by subscribing to MercolaHealthyPets.com, an online resource for animal lovers. For more pet care tips, subscribe for FREE to Mercola Healthy Pet Newsletter. 

Further reading:
Turmeric for Dogs

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Human-Dog Problem Tree - PART TWELVE

by Dino Dogan

Dogs: Our Connection with the Future

Sony's interactive robot dog, Aibo

In keeping with the promise from the previous article, I will present this portion with a concrete example of the problem, and then then present a way in which dogs can help us get past it.

In this article, the focus is on evolving-forward. 

We will point to the factors holding us back in this effort.

While there are numerous internal factors related to this, the focus of the NoME branch is on external factors. The internal factors will be covered in the NoUM (Nature of Unbegginer's Mind) branch of the Human-Dog Problem Tree.

A quick rundown of external factors goes like this.

•     School/Education
•     Corporate Culture
•     Media
•     Social unrest, and much much more.

As always, I promise to take a very pragmatic approach to these issues. While there are thousands of examples, we will focus on principles of the matter and use concrete examples as case studies. Please dont think that the problem ends with the example. These issues are systemic.

Strap in, lets get started.

There is a difference between knowledge and intelligence. If you have copious amounts of knowledge you may make for a great contestant on Jeopardy. However, this doesn't make you inteligent. To become intelligent a person would have to willfully apply their knowledge towards a concrete and practical outcome. Donald Trump is intelligent, his lawyer is knowledgeable.

Furthermore, the IQ test is insufficient AND ineffective at measuring one's intelligence, especially if we make a distinction between knowledge and intelligence.

Dr. Howard Gardner of Harvard University (impressed yet?) talks about mutiple intelligences. For example, a rocket scientist -who would no doubt do well on a standardized IQ test- would be considered (by some) more intelligent than an auto mechanic. However, if we leave the scientist stranded in a middle of nowhere with his car refusing to start how do you think he will fare? The auto-mechanic would be more "intelligent" in this situation.

So we can conclude that one part of "intelligence" is contextual. Car-engine trouble, call a rocket scientist? I dont think so.
Stupid is as stupid does the saying goes.

Back to school.

Our entire (Western) school system (which is based on the ancient Prussian system by way of Germany) was fundamentally designed NOT to produce intelligent or knowlegable people, rather, it was designed to produce good soldiers and obedient citizens. In the last few decades this system has been modified to churn-out "knowledge workers" without loosing its original function.

Think back. How much knowledge have you actually carried out of your school years that you use in everyday life?

If you are anything like me, the answer is very little. Some basic math, basic reading and writing, and we may be hard-pressed to come up with anything else.

The skills that we DID learn and DID carry into our adult-life are skills that were inherent in the nature of the system and were acquired quite unintentionally. For example...

The most useful skill we get to learn that IS relevant in adult life is the social-interaction skill set. The other one is PE. Those who become jocks are sometimes lucky enough to have a paid scholarship to a college and acquire skills that they might take into their professional careers of football and basketball players and such. The third useful skill we recieved and never got to use was shop class. Try and find a shop class at your local highschool these days.

Unfortunately, there is a long list of undesired and useless (to us that is) "skills" that are also acquired during our school years. Here are few examples.

• Reverence for authority. Not to be confused with respect which should be given to every thing and every one. I'm talking about unquestioning deference to those in position of authority. In school, they are called teachers; in adulthood, they are called cops, government officials, managers, CEOs, etc. The real denger here is the acceptance of the status-quo at your own detriment.


• Respect of the System. As adults, we engage in many big systems (banking, insurance, corporations, health care, religion, etc). In order for those systems to exist, they need the members of the system to remain subservient to the system itself. This skill is learned in school. We could even call it Pavlovian conditioning of sorts.


• Ability to Endure Torture. For some, school is torture. For most, by the time they graduate college, they never want to hear the word "school", learning, education, or see anything that even remotely resembles classroom. This is a perfect situation for the system since once you graduate you are no longer in school therefore the training cant reach you. The hope here is that you have been sufficiently processed that you will NOT seek out additional education. This is why the school system doesn't teach us how to learn.

The trail has been left for those who decide to follow it.

College graduation ceremony is called a "Commencement Ceremony". The word "commencement" means "beginning". Beginning of what? The beginning of your real education. Unfortunately, sufficient number of people has been sufficiently beaten-down and turned-off by education that they will gladly stay away from any kind of learning for the rest of their life. In come dogs.

Most people dont have the ability to relate to dogs in a way that meets the dog's needs due to nature of modern lifestyle. They dont have the disposition necessary to train them and are averse to learning due to no fault of their own. They are unable to adjust for attenuation problems inherent in Nature of Knowledge Exchange (NoKE, first branch of Human-Dog Problem Tree) since they were never tought to do this in school. Net result of this is that dogs wind up in shelters all across US only to be euthanized. Why? Because we are averse to learning.

Learning about dogs, their needs, human-dog relationship, training methods, etc. and then trying them out, implementing what you've learned, etc. can be used as spring board to all other kinds of learning. This is because dog training is ideal in structure for learning any and every other tangible skill. Not to mention fun, which is what learning should be.


It is clear that I cant cover all facets of modern life and the way in which it affects our relationship with dogs in a single post. I will do one more example in a future post, but will let you guys choose which one.

• Corporate culture
• Media
• Social Unrest

Conclusion.

Things are bad right now. As a global society we are suffering both physically and psychically. The only way out of it (that I see) is willful, purposeful and self directed edification process (I call it "edification" to mentally distinguish it from processed learning which happens in our educational system).


The opposite of "knowledge" is not ignorance, the opposite of knowledge is fear.

***

Dino Dogan is a blogger, writer, biker, dog trainer, singer/songwriter, Martial Artist. Dino is now busy with his DIY Blogger Net blog. He is also behind the great social media tool, Triberr. Hopefully one day he'll return to dog blogging. Meanwhile, you can connect with Dino on Twitter or Facebook.

Related articles:
Human-Dog Problem Tree - PART ONE
Human-Dog Problem Tree - PART TWO
Human-Dog Problem Tree - PART THREE
Human-Dog Problem Tree - PART FOUR 
Human-Dog Problem Tree - PART FIVE 
Human-Dog Problem Tree - PART SIX 
Human-Dog Problem Tree - PART SEVEN
Human Dog Problem Tree - PART EIGHT
Human Dog Problem Tree - PART NINE
Human Dog Problem Tree - PART TEN 
Human Dog Problem Tree - PART ELEVEN 

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Veterinary Highlights: Canine Heart Disease Study Seeks Healthy Dogs

The Comparative Pain Research Laboratory at North Carolina State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine is offering owners of healthy terriers, spaniels, or poodles free veterinary services valued at $300 if their dogs qualify for a study investigating how heart disease affects a dog’s quality of life.

Study participants will receive a free health screening involving a thorough physical examination; complete blood work including chemistry panel, thyroid test, and urinalysis; and chest x-rays. The dogs will then be fitted with an accelerometer, small collar device that will accurately measure at-home activity for two weeks. Owners also will be asked to complete a short questionnaire.

Source article:
Comparative Pain Research Lab at NC State Seeks Healthy Dogs for Canine Heart Disease Study

Further reading:
Impact of spontaneous heart disease on activity in dogs

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What Do Those Nutrients Do? Zinc

Zinc is a trace mineral. That means that your dog’s body needs relatively small amount of zinc. But just because not a lot is needed, doesn’t make this nutrient any less important. It is an essential mineral, which means it needs to be supplied in the diet.

Animal tissues are rich source of zinc. Veal liver has the most zinc.

Small quantities of zinc are found in most tissues.

Does your dog have a dry, harsh coat with fading color? Skin lesions?  A poorly functioning immune system? Poor wound healing? Poor appetite or digestive disturbances? Could zinc have something to do with it?

In dogs, a zinc deficiency will show in the skin and coat first.

Zinc has a number of critical functions. It is used by more than 300 enzymes to assist growth, healing, reproduction, protein and carbohydrate metabolism.

What does that mean?

Simply put, enzymes are functional proteins that are responsible for speeding up biochemical reactions. If that doesn’t really sound important, consider this: digesting a chunk of beef, without enzymes, would take about 40 years! It would happen without enzymes, eventually, but none of us would live that long. Practically there would not be life without enzymes.

Some enzymes take things apart, such as digesting food, other enzymes put new things together. Enzymes are like worker bees. They do everything.

What does zinc have to do with it?

In order to function, many enzymes need what is called a cofactor. If an enzyme was a power drill, the cofactor would be the drill bit. In other words, without zinc, over 300 enzymes cannot do their jobs. Zinc deficiency is like having a big factory, with all the materials and workers in place, but without their tools..

A cofactor can be a metal ion (iron, copper, magnesium, manganese, zinc, calcium, or cobalt)
or a complex organic molecule known as a coenzyme.Image Midlands Tech

Without zinc, carbohydrates and proteins cannot be metabolized, new proteins cannot be made. 

Cells cannot replicate, wounds cannot heal, and the immune system is compromised. Many types of immune cells seem to depend on zinc to function optimally. Zinc also has antimicrobial actions because it competes with other ions essential  the metabolism of the germs.

Beside all that, zinc also has a structural role. 

It is crucial in the structure and function of cell membranes. For example, with insufficient zinc, cell membranes become more vulnerable to oxidative stress.

Yes, zinc is also an antioxidant. It protects proteins and enzymes from free radicals.

Zinc is also important in the regulation of genetic activities, cell signaling, hormone release and nerve impulse transmission.

For example, zinc plays a key role in the synthesis and action of insulin. It may also affect the release of insulin, glucose tolerance and insulin resistance. Furthermore, diabetes leads to important losses of zinc from the body.

Zinc is also necessary for adrenal gland and liver function and is even involved with the sense of taste and smell.

Zinc is synergistic with copper; zinc deficiency contributes to excessive accumulation of copper in tissues. Conversely, too much zinc affects copper absorption.

Zinc interacts with iron and calcium. Diets too high in these minerals can impair the absorption of zinc. Zinc is also essential for vitamin A mobilization and transportation from the liver.

The mineral is also a mercury antagonist and prevents cadmium toxicity. Pretty cool, isn’t it?

Animal proteins are high in zinc and low in copper, while the reverse is true for plant-based proteins.

A reversed ratio of zinc and copper contributes to inflammation and thyroid and adrenal issues. Further, phytates, present in plants, particularly grains, interfere with zinc uptake. Stress also contributes to zinc losses from tissues.

As important as zinc is, too much zinc (often caused by the ingestion of pennies or galvanized metal) causes hemolytic anemia. Zinc is absorbed into the bloodstream where it is bound to proteins and damages red blood cells (the exact mechanism of action is still unclear). When severe enough, hemolytic anemia can lead to multiple organ failure and death.

Further reading:
Zinc

Related articles:

What Do Those Nutrients Do? Calcium
What Do Those Nutrients Do? Phosphorus  
What Do Those Nutrients Do? Magnesium 

Minerals In Dog Nutrition

Dog Nutrition And Proteins: The Building Blocks of Life 
Proteins In The Dog's Body 
Dog Nutrition and Carbohydrates: The Essential Non-Essentials 
I Want Some Bacon! Fat In Dog Nutrition
Nothing Fishy About Omega-3 Fatty Acids 
Do I Have To Eat My Vegetables? Vitamins In Dog Nutrition 
Nutrition and Dog Arthritis

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Wordless Wednesday: I Think It Is My Turn Now

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The Ear Ache That Wasn't Going Away: Tottsie's Story

by  Krista Magnifico, DVM

We see endless cases of skin and ear problems. It is our bread and butter, but goodness it can get frustrating.

Yes, it is frustrating for us, and I know that it is frustrating to my clients but, most importantly, it is painful for our patients.

Here is my hope that I can educate my clients with all of the tricks of the trade to avoid these frequent recurrent problems.

I know that most people don't look for more reasons to visit my office nor do they want their pet to be ill or in pain and not know how to relieve this.

So here is my first piece of advice; if your dog has had one ear infection, bout of allergies, or other skin problem, it is very likely to have it again. 

Talk to your vet about how to identify the problem in its fledgling stages, how to prevent it, and what you can do to minimize any future episodes.

Today's story is about Tootsie.

A cuddle-bug kissing rotund little Yorkie. Her charm is instant and lasting. But, alas, she is a dog with allergies.

Tootsie, like many of my patients with allergies, starts to show her first signs of impending irritation via her ears flaring up.

Truth is that in many cases what my clients perceive as an "ear infection" is in some cases just ear 'inflammation." Whether that ear is infected or inflamed, the long term consequences of both are the same.

Chronic irritation creates chronic inflammation. 

Think of it like a wound that never heals. That wound will become raised and the tissue that makes up that wound will get larger as a scar starts to form. Scar tissue has an irregular, raised, almost cauliflower look to it.

If scar tissue forms around the tunnel of the ear canal then the only place it has to grow is into the tube. 

The ear canal tube thus gets narrower and narrower. A narrowed ear canal is called stenotic. Unfortunately, over time and repeated inflammation the canal closes off from the outside world.

Ears benefit from a few key things.

• Ideally, the ear should be open to air flow. Dogs with erect open ears have fewer ear problems than those dogs with big floppy pendulous ear flaps. Like for instance the difference between shepherd and a spaniel. The erect ears get to breathe because an floppy ear flap shuts out sunlight, keeps in moisture and keeps in dirt and debris. I call this the "fire triangle." Remember when we were in elementary school and we were taught that a fire needs fuel (debris, wax, and dirt), oxygen (darkness), and a source of the heat (inflammation or allergies). With some dogs their ears remind me of the fire triangle.
• The size of the ear canal should be large and open. The brachycephalic dogs have short narrow tortuous tubes..much harder to let air flow through.
• Excessive ear hair is commonly seen in smaller breed dogs, like poodles. The hair keeps humidity, dirt, debris, and wax in the ear and precludes it from leaving the ear.
• A dirty, waxy, or parasite filled ear is an invitation to a problem.

Many pets with allergies have ear problems. 

You will have a difficult time keeping the ears under control if you cannot keep the allergies under control.

In an effort to keep ears happy and healthy basic ear maintenance and intervention is key. 

For any dog with excessive hair around and in the ears I advise it to be removed, (remember never use scissors, either pluck or clip), ask your groomer or veterinarian for tips to keep the ears clean and hair-free. Any ear that is red and itchy should be kept impeccably clean with a good veterinary recommended ear cleaner, (read the directions for use, NEVER stick q-tips or swabs in the ear!). Also see your vet about how to distinguish inflammation from infection. If you do have an infection use the appropriate bug specific medication.

Tootsie has had allergies and ear problems for most of her 4 years.

She finally has her allergies (mostly) under control. But that right ear, well, it shut its doors to company (medical or otherwise) a long time ago. We have tried every possible concoction to get medicine to the inside of her ear. All with no luck. That right ear was a closed brewing vat of inflammation and infection that was unable to let any kind of medication penetrate into the closed canal of chronic disease.

When Tootsie came to see me I tried once again to treat her proliferative stenotic ear. 

For weeks we tried to get her infection back under control. With reluctance, and bit of optimism for resolve, we decided it was finally time to surgically open up Tootsies' ear canal.

We hoped that this surgery would provide her the ability to still hear but no longer suffer from infection.

For any real chance of keeping a functioning hearing ear we had to re-open her ear canal.

There is much that you can do, but of paramount importance is keeping your pet disease, pain and discomfort free.


For more information on how to clean ears please see Ears, Everyone has 'em, no one treats 'em right.

Ears are a common ailment for our pets but, in almost all cases, having a correct diagnosis, specific treatment plan, and diligent effort to prevent any of the predisposing factors is the key.

***

Krista Magnifico, DVM owns a small animal hospital in northern Maryland, where she practices everyday. She wants to make quality veterinary care available to everyone, everywhere at any time; trying to save the world 1 wet nose @ a time.  Her blog is a diary of he day-to-day life & the animals and people she meets.

To contact her, you may leave a comment on her blog, email her or catch her on Twitter or Facebook.

Articles by Dr. Magnifico:
Don't Make This Mistake: Ruby's Death To Heat Stroke 
Parvo: Cora's Story 
Jake's Laryngeal Paralysis
The Tip Of The Iceberg: The Unexpected Dental Dilemma

Read More

Adoption Monday: Jerry, Labrador Retriever Mix: Deerfield, NH

Check out this awesome boy at Mary's Dogs Rescue & Adoption!

Jerry is 6months old. He is almost 29lbs and he loves to run and play. 

Jerry is really friendly and I likes everyone he meets.

His favorite are the small humans that take him for walks and throw toys for him to chase. Jerry is coming to New England so he can get humans all for his own!!!

Do you like to play and want to teach Jerry all about being a family dog? 

Here he comes! Have you been waiting for him?

Want more info on Jerry? Call Mary's Dogs: 603.370.7750 or send along an email: marysdogsrescue@gmail.com

Ready to bring Jerry home? Tell us about yourself and your interest in Jerry in the adoption questionnaire. Check out all the wonderful dogs on Mary's Dogs Facebook Fan Page.

***

Mary’s Dogs rescues and re-homes dogs and puppies from Aiken County Animal Shelter, a high-kill shelter in South Carolina, USA. They also serve as a resource to communities in Southern New Hampshire and pet owners nationwide by providing education and information on responsible pet ownership, including the importance of spay/neuter, positive behavior training, and good nutrition.

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Guide To Pet Dental Care Infographic

Toothy Topics: Your Guide to Pet Dental Care infographic

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The Bond That Cannot Be Severed

My eyes look for you but cannot find you
My hands seek to touch you but your fur is nowhere to be reached
Then I stop searching the world and look into my heart
And there you are, my love

"The Force is strong with this one," hubby would say about Jasmine. And it's true. She was a charmer and could make her way into anybody's heart. She particularly did a number on me.

The bond between us grew strong and deep, to the core of my being.

Can such a bond be severed by death?

I love Jasmine as much as I always have.

And even though my heart is bleeding from her not being physically here, perhaps love still connects us.

I have Jasmine's photos everywhere and I keep going through all the movies we took. I have some or her living fur in a pendant around my neck and some of it in my pillow.

The day after her passing, I got an email from our animal communicator. She was writing condolences and she said that Jasmine came through while she was emailing me.

"I can tell you that she has made her transition and there was a male spirit that came forward to take her across. He comes forward and carries her across the bridge. Once on the other side he put her down, she just layed there for a few minutes as if getting her bearings and then I see her jump up to her feet, she gives a big shake, as if she is getting rid of all the pain and shedding the physical body, and she just ran in circles, free of the pain.

"She does understand all you have done for her and why. She tells me she knows how much you love her as she could feel it and she shows me and image of you kissing her head. Please know that she is at peace and she sends her love to you."

Jasmine came through to leave a message for me.

It would be just like her, too, she was always very loving and caring.

But my heart kept aching and from my dark place I contacted the communicator again, trying to reach to Jasmine. The response I got sustained me through the hardest time.

"She is able to pick up on your thoughts so she is aware of how you are feeling. I have shared with her what you have asked me to and she is showing me an image of her sitting in front of you with her head on your lap.

"She wants you to know that she is with you when you think of her, she says that she is free from pain and she says she is doing good. She even shows me being able to jump over things and with this comes such a sense of freedom.

"She wants me to tell you that she loves you very much and she is actually showing me 3 o’clock (although I cannot tell if this is am or pm) but she is giving me this time and I get the sense of her showing up at that time of day or something happens that makes you think of her at that time of day. 

"She is telling me that you still go to do things that were a “habit” with her and you mentally have to tell yourself that you no longer need to do this. She shows me an image of you feeling a bit detached from life at the present because she has left such a void for you as she was such a big part of your life but she is ask that you please get excited about life again because she tells me that you still have things to do and she will be right there inspiring you everyday.

"Then her energy started to fade away which puzzled me and she said “look at the time”, it is 2:57 p.m. and she was on her way to be with you and she will continue to do this for as long as you want/need her to be there."

I would swear that I could feel that our hearts are still connected through love. While my eyes and my hands search for Jasmine in vain, perhaps my heart can find hers and our bond can last forever more.

When I reach out for her with my love, I can feel that we are still connected.

Jasmine, my dearest, you are the puppy of my life. I love you. I always have, and I always will. I miss you so much. But I do feel that our bond cannot be severed.

When I don't look for Jasmine in the world, but look for he in my heart instead, I can find here there.

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Veterinary Highlights: Stereotactic RadioSurgery For Dogs With Osteosarcoma

RadioSurgery is used instead of surgery, when traditional surgery with a scalpel blade is impossible or would cause unacceptable side effects to the patient (for example, in brain or nasal tumors), or when surgery is refused (for example, an amputation for bone osteosarcoma).



Stereotactic RadioSurgery (SRS), can be used as a limb-sparing technique.

While palliative radiation is mostly focused on pain relief, this technique delivers high doses of radiation directly to the bone tumor cells with extreme precision.

It follows the contours of the tumor with millimeter to sub-millimeter accuracy.

Higher dose of radiation can be delivered to the tumor, while sparing surrounding tissue. It also allows for fever treatments. For bone tumors, dogs receive 3 treatments total.

Dogs treated with SRS and chemotherapy to control metastatis had survival time of about one year, similar to dogs treated with amputation and chemotherapy.

Dogs with a bone close to fracturing, particularly with a lot of bone already destroyed, are not good candidates for this procedure.

Source article:
Osteosarcoma: When Amputation Is Not an option, part 2

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Primer On Bone Tumors In Dogs

Written and reviewed by John A. Bukowski, DVM, MPH, PhD
and Susan E. Aiello, DVM, ELS

Bone tumors in dogs are not uncommon, with osteosarcoma being by far the most common type.

Bone tumors are most common in large and giant breed male dogs, and are usually seen on the front legs. Unfortunately, most bone tumors are malignant and spread, or metastasize, to other areas of the body, often the lungs. Metastatic bone cancers are ones that have spread to the bone from another primary tumor site, and they are common as well.

Signs of a bone tumor usually include a hard swelling on the leg, lameness, and pain.  

The leg may become more painful and feel hot as the disease progresses.  Sometimes, a bone tumor will cause the leg to fracture.

Diagnostic procedures include x-rays, examination of a small sample of cells from the area under a microscope, and taking a biopsy.  

A biopsy can be very valuable in determining the degree of malignancy of the tumor and predicting how it may behave in the body, which are both important in determining a prognosis.  Your veterinarian may refer you to a specialist or veterinary teaching hospital for more specialized tests or treatment.

Surgery is the most common treatment of bone tumors in dogs.  

If the tumor is benign, simply removing the lump is usually all that is needed. 

If the tumor is malignant, more extensive surgery is usually needed, often including amputation of the leg.  Unfortunately, in most dogs with a malignant bone tumor, the prognosis is usually poor because metastatic cancer develops even after the primary tumor has been removed.  Radiation and chemotherapy can be used in some cases to prolong survival time but cannot cure the disease.  Pain control is extremely important to keep your pet as comfortable as possible.

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Wordless Wednesday: How Many Of These Do I Need To Fly?

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Holly And Her Illness

by Julia Davis

This is my journey with my beloved Rottie, Holly.

In October 2011 I took Holly to the vet as she kept sitting down when we went for a walk. 

This went on for a week, and I decided that she just was not right.

One of her cruciate ligaments had completely ruptured. 

She was booked in for a surgery the following week and low and behold......her other one went! So two surgeries, two weeks apart it was! She recovered from the surgeries well, she was the perfect patient.

They had shaved her back (for a morphine patch) and, obviously, her legs. Her fur grew back on legs but nothing on her back! On the vets advice she started hydrotherapy, and Holly was getting cartrophen jabs for her cartilages.

We were in and out of the vets at least three times a week for the first 6 weeks, and then fortnightly until April. 

In July, she went back for her cartrophen injection and vaccination. The bald patch on her back had still not grown back, which even her vet considered strange.

We have accepted that this was how she was going to be as she had been investigated for hair loss two years earlier and all testing came back negative.

She still didn't seem keen on walking very far.

They suggested putting her on Metacam but we declined because she didn't appear to be in pain or discomfort.

At the very end of September she had a bout of sickness so I rushed her up the vet (she had destroyed a toy and I suspected that was the culprit). She also had a slight fever so we agreed to treat it as a bug. However, if no improvement within 48 hours, other investigations would need to be done.

The next day she was back to her normal self! 

We dutifully finished the antibiotics and all seemed well until the end of the week when she just didn't seem right. I rang the vet and they said to observe or, if I was concerned, to bring her in. She was quiet for the rest of the day but did eat her dinner.

When I woke up the next day (Sunday), Holly was in a lot of pain. 

I rang the emergency vet and took her in that afternoon. We saw a wonderful vet who was very straight and to the point. Holly had a temp of 40, and they put her on Metacam. The vet insisted that we bring her back in the morning for a scan. She was concerned as Holly's "lady's bits " we're swollen and so were her teats.

Holly had been like that for at least a year and our other vet had said it was nothing to worry about! 

Hubby took her in the next day and the vet said he would call.

We got a call to go back in the after noon and that was when our night mare began. 

The vet had found a lump which he suspected to be on her ovary, and he was going to remove it the next day. He had given her pain relief, put her on a drip, and was trying to get her temp down .

We gave her a kiss and cuddle and told her to be good. 

I will never forget that heavy feeling in my heart as we walked away, we drove home in complete silence, both of us too choked up to talk. Had my poor dog not been through enough?! She had just had her 6th birthday, was she going to see another?

We got a phone call the next afternoon to say that the op had gone well and large lump had been removed and sent away to be tested. She was comfortable, snoring her head off and on a drip for fluids and pain relief. We agreed to not see her as she was so sleepy and sleeping was going to aid her recovery.

At work the next day I was counting down the hours until I could go as see Holly.

I got a call from hubby to say" I don't want to alarm you but the vets have rung and need us over as soon as possible.

They had got her out to scan her abdomen and as they put her back in she had fitted on them. Off we both went again in silence, neither of us knowing what to say.

The vet had also mentioned Holly was knuckling. 

I had never heard of that! When we arrived we were told that her leg was knuckling under her, she had had a fit, and blood results said she needed a transfusion. Could it get any worse?!

They told us that knuckling is usually neurological and that there was  a possibility that the tumor had spread to her spine or brain and that we should seriously consider putting her to sleep. 

They also added that there was a possibility that her bone marrow had been suppressed from excess estrogen and may never kick back in.

They brought her on a trolley and gave us time with her to make our minds. A decision had to be made soon as the only pet blood bank in the UK was in Loughborough and would take about 3 hours to be couriered down.

As she saw us, the vets agreed that as ill and weak as she was her reaction to us was amazing. We spent about 15 minutes with her, she was getting lots of kisses and her little stump did not stop.

I looked into her eyes and could see that there was more life in this dog! 

Decision made! We were going to fight despite all the odds. She wasn't ready to give up so neither could we. However we did stipulate that should something go wrong during the transfusion, which can sometimes happen, I requested they did not resuscitate. Those words were the hardest I had said.

Then we went home. They called when the blood arrived and went through it all again including our wishes and said they would call the next day if all went well or if the worse possible happened they would call no matter what time of night .

I got a call at 7 in the morning to say that the transfusion had gone well and that they would call in the afternoon with another update. 

I got home from work at 2pm to be told by hubby that we have got to go back. When we got there everything was fine but Holly wasn't eating. They wanted to see whether she would eat for us. And she did eat from my hand!

We were talking to the vet just outside her kennel about when she could come home and out she came and then bang down on the floor.....her bloody leg!

Still did not know what was going on with it but their main concern was getting her blood levels up and then maybe investigating on a neurological level.

I went back that night to feed her again. She had a body stocking on as her wound was seeping. She did at this point look very sorry for herself and I wondered whether or not I had made the right decision.

She seemed in pain and her breathing was heavy.

The vet agreed she was in pain and gave her a pain jab there and then.

For the next four days that was our routine, endless phone calls and visits. 

She was getting stronger on her leg, eating and drinking so they decided that she would be far happier at home. Holly came home about 8 days after her op, with a pain relief patch on that was going to wear off the next morning!

The next two weeks were spent at the vets nearly every day, having her wound re-dressed, as it was seeping and not healing properly. 

She struggled with pain as well and was put on Tramadol. She wasn't eating much either and on a few occasions I came home from work to find her shaking in her crate due to high temperature.

Her leg at this time still knuckled but was getting better slowly.

I remember taking her for a check up and other pet owners whispering "oh look that dog must have been hit by a car." Some days I just wanted to scream, I hadn't slept in my bed, I was on the settee supervising my fur baby.

Eventually, they put Holly on a really strong antibiotic and told me off when I said that she was going to the park for "toilets" which may I add is about 5 houses away from me. Typical stubborn Rottie wouldn't go in the garden so do you drag her out laying on her belly (where her stitches were) or walk her 10 seconds to the park? We chose the park!

I'm sure it's her stubbornness that got her through it all! 

Holly does what she wants to do, not what the vet says she should! Eventually, her wound started to slowly heal and blood and lump results were in. Holly's lump was suspected cancerous, however, no surrounding areas at this stage were affected so was a sit and wait situation.The next few weeks would tell whether her bone marrow was going to work on its own.

They also did a thyroid test at the same time and yep she tested hypothyroid! Holly got started on soloxine the next day and were at the vets every week with check ups and blood tests.

At this stage her leg was back to normal, no more knuckling!

Just as we started to relax, Holly collapsed.

And the knuckling returned. They kept Holly in over night and they ran blood tests on her. Her RBC has dropped from 33 to 28, we were told that there was a possibility the bone marrow was not going to work. However, it could just be where transfusion has dropped off and now maybe her body was going to kick in.

Next morning we could collect her she looked fine. Alert, eating, and dragging the vet around outside for a toilet. His words were she was as strong as an ox.

From that day we have not looked back!

Her leg was working fine, her fur has all grown back, even her second coat that she lost 3 years ago, she lost a lot of weight after the op going from a hefty 46kg to 36 kg and has now settled at between 38-40kg.

She was like a pup again!

I have my dog back. For how long? No one knows but my vet did say by rights she on paper should never have made it this far . Maybe, just maybe she will go the distance! Her knuckling ......no known reason, they have put it down to being in such a bad shape overall. Who knows?

We have now registered Holly with the emergency vet as they were spot on with her and gave her the best care ever! For now everything is going well lets hope it stays this way.

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Adoption Monday: Spice, Rottweiler: Amherst, NY

If you ever wanted to adopt a loving, playful, and cuddly dog, then Spice is the dog for you!

Spice loves to play fetch and tug, and could play for hours if you wanted.  

Spice is also a huge cuddler. When it's time to relax, she will plop herself down on top of you and start snoring (quietly, of course) in a matter of minutes.

She is a very loyal dog that will follow you around the house. She wants to be in the same room with you, and will lay by your side. Although Spice is considered a senior dog, she still acts like she is young; it is evident in her playful ways.

Spice is great with other dogs, as well as with children. 

She is currently in foster care with another Rottie mix, and a two-year old girl. Spice allows her human sister to play dress up with her, giving her sweet kisses the entire time. Spice just wants to hang out with you and will put up with just about anything just for the love and attention.  Her behavior with cats is unknown; a home visit could be arranged to safely assess her reaction to cats.

If you're looking for an easygoing snuggle buddy, can Spice be your girl?

Spice is spayed, vaccinated, heartworm negative, wormed, flea treated, microchipped, and comes with a free first vet visit to keep her on the road to good health.

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Black Dog, Second Chance is a no-kill (adoption guarantee), 501(c)3 rescue and any/all dogs that come in to the rescue, will eventually find their forever home. 

Black Dog, Second Chance work endlessly to save abused, neglected (physically and emotionally), homeless dogs that are on death row in shelters.

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