July Aug 2013

PLUS:Second ChanceThe Nature of AggressionThe Truth About Internet Pharmacies& Much More!

Your Guide To All Things PetsJuly/August 2013

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FREEto good homes

Mamas, don’t let your babies BE BORN in the

shelter....

Pet Me! Magazine™2

Pet Me! Magazine™ JULY/AUGUST 2013

Awesome Adoptables

ZOEY

Zoey is such a good girl. She was dumped at the shelter after being hit by a car when her owner wouldn’t pay the bill. She was taken for treatment by volunteers, had a little surgery on her leg, and she is good as new! Zoey is such a love, would make the perfect companion and truly deserves a second chance at finding her forever human.

HOBO

Hobo has been in foster care way too long and would love to find a home of his own. Hobo is an Alpha male, will pay rough with other cats but will leave Beta cats alone. He loves attention and is very playful. He is a large boy, can be a little feisty, but has been very gentle with little kids. He is up to date on shots, neutered and has tested negative for FELV/FIV. He is 3 years old.

LUCKY

LUCKY LOOKING FOR HOME! Lucky is a very affectionate, social boy who LOVES attention. Lucky is FIV+ but that’s not a big concern as long as he’s not with an Alpha aggressive cat. Lucky gets along with all the other cats in his foster home. He is up to date on shots, neutered and has tested negative for FELV/FIV. He is 5 years old. BEAR

No, that’s not Groucho Marx! That’s Cuddly Bear! Bear is a little timid until he gets to know you but once he warms up to you, he LOVES attention. Bear is a mellow boy who has gotten along with the other cats in his foster home. He’s not too sure about barky dogs or little kids. He is up to date on shots, neautered and has tested negative for FELV/FIV. He is 3 years old.

Callie is not only stunning to look at, but she is an absolute LOVEBUG! Callie was dumped at the shelter pregnant. This poor sweet girl sat in a cage for six days before we were finally able to pull her out. The shelter insisted to first spay her (destroying the precious babies she was carrying). We were warned she could be cranky from hormones and no babies, but not this girl. She has been nothing but sweet and loving from the day she was

rescued. She loves to roll around on the floor. She truly deserves a fabulous home! Callie is approx. 1 year old.

AMELIAWe were asked to take lovely Amelia, who was in labor when we arrived at the shelter to pick up another rescue. Amelia had given birth to one kitten and she now has four beautiful babies! Amelia is a gorgeous Snowshoe who is friendly and playful. She is just a baby herself. We think she is less than a year. Amelia and her babies will be available for adoption sometime around the first week in August. Her babies are stunning!

CALLIE

To meet any of these adorable adoptables call (661) 255-9979 or email [email protected]

Pet Me! Magazine™ 3

Advertising InformationDirect: 661.255.9979

Fax: 866.259.920129743 Seco Cyn. Rd. #518,

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JULY/AUGUST 2013

Contents

Please Contact Us For A Subscription – Annual Subscription By Mail: $12

PUBLISHER AND EDITORBridget Alves

ART DIRECTOR Doug Conboy

COVER PHOTOBy Sarah Zing Cameron, [email protected],

www.szcphotography.com

PUBLISHED BYPet Me! Publications

Find Us On Facebook and TwitterPet Me! Magazine

4 Mamas, Don’t Let Your Babies Be Born In The Shelter...

8 Second Chance

12 The Nature of Aggression

14 TheTruth About Internet Pharmacies

18 Canine Rehabilitation Therapy

20 That Wonderful, But Dangerous, California Sun…

22 Directory for All Things Pets

Summer time is here! It’s the perfect season to enjoy the

great outdoors with your pet. But as the temperatures heat

up, remember to NEVER leave your pets in the car, even with

the windows cracked. Within minutes your pet can suffer heat

stroke and even die. And remember, if the pavement is too hot

for your bare feet, it’s too hot for their paws too. The summer

heat also brings out rattlesnakes. Be very cautious, and take

steps to protect you and your pets.

In this issue, Danielle Caouette discusses the problems faced

by the many unaltered and pregnant animals in our shelter

systems. I recently visited Castaic Shelter to rescue two loving

cats whose time was up. While there, I was asked by the staff if

I could also take a pregnant cat. She had just started having her

kittens, and was in distress; a shelter is no place for a pregnant

mama or babies! We loaded everyone up in the car and hurried

to Happy Pets, where Dr. Vega rushed her in and watched over

her until she had given birth to four kittens. We are now trying

to find homes for everyone, and it’s a constant reminder for

people to please spay and neuter your pets, and let’s try to

keep all of these precious babies out of the shelters. Shelters

are not adequately staffed or equipped to deal with newborns

or pregnant mama’s and cannot guarantee their safety. If you

find yourself with a pregnant pet you cannot keep please reach

out to a rescue or networking group for help.

Thank you for the wonderful emails and kind support. We

appreciate the privilege of bringing you Pet Me! Magazine

and look forward to your suggestions and fantastic ideas for

future issues.

Bridget AlvesPublisher & EditorPet Me! Magazine

Tiny Homeless Kittens Get Another Chance at Best Friends Los Angeles Neonatal Nursery


By Danielle Caouette

Mamas, don’t let your babies BE BORN in the

shelter....

Photo by Sarah Zing Cameron.




There are overwhelming numbers of homeless ani-mals in our shelters… more pets than people in the world to care for them, as we’ve discussed in past is-

sues of Pet Me! Magazine. We’re just getting through kitten and puppy season, only to be faced soon with more pets that will be dumped at our shelters. After failure to spay, neuter or properly train, they grow from being a cute baby into an unmanaged nuisance. Anyone can fall in love with an ador-able face, but thinking about the realities and responsibilities you have as a pet owner will help you make better choices and keep your pet happy throughout their entire life.

Of course my first recommendation when considering a new pet is to adopt. Like I tell everyone, you can find any size, shape, color, age and breed in our shelters and rescues. There are the adorable pups and kittens of course, the “de-signer” breeds, pure breeds and also the loving adults and seniors already house trained just waiting for your love! We need to get these wonderful animals out of the shelters and into permanent forever homes. Pets do not fare well in the shelter environment. They are terrified, which lowers their im-mune system, and subjects them to illnesses that become life and death very quickly, especially the pregnant mothers and babies. You would think kittens and puppies would be “safe” until adopted, but instead they are mostly considered an issue or liability, and are euthanized along with the rest.

I recently spoke with Veronica Ferrantelli, founder of the non-profit organization, “The Dog Rescuers” about some of the issues we have in our shelters. She described to me in de-tail, explaining, “It is haunting to know that people will dump their pregnant dogs at our overcrowded shelters, and worse is when they take the puppies from the over-bred mamas too soon just to sell them for profit while dumping the mothers at our High Kill shelters. Even worse yet, every day I see people walking up with a box full of day old puppies and kittens. If the shelter does not find a foster to bottle feed these puppies or kittens, they are forced to euthanize them that same day because they do not have the staff to feed them every hour around the clock.”

Not to mention the deadly diseases these vulnerable ba-bies can easily catch at the shelter, like parvo or distemper. This whole scenario could be resolved by simply spaying and neutering all of our pets. We do not need puppies and kit-tens being born at home or through puppy mills or “back-yard breeders” when our shelters are overcrowded and have no choice but to euthanize to make room for the animals coming in each day. You may think the shelters only euthanize sick, old and aggressive animals. That is a naive thought. When people line up every day to dump off their unwanted pets, the shelter can only hold so many animals and they have to make room for all the animals coming in the next day and so on and so on.

Did you realize how much cheaper it is to spay and neuter a dog, rather than sending staff out to catch that dog, house that dog for a few days - clean up after and feed it, and even-tually kill the dog, if they’re not adopted? There are many low cost and even free clinics available. People need to un-derstand it’s better for the pet and better for the community. We will always have plenty of puppies and kittens to choose from to adopt.

Veronica wants everyone to recognize, “We as a commu-nity need to change the idea that killing is the only solution to our pet overpopulation. Awareness and Spay & Neuter is the answer. It’s cheaper and kinder. I believe in our great community. I believe in our people. I know once they are aware we will rally together and fight for the innocent to help end the senseless suffering of the innocent. If we can make laws that say, ‘No more throwing your unwanted plastic bags at the side of the road,’ we can make laws that say, ‘No more throwing your unwanted innocent pets at the side of the road.’ ”

Training is the other necessity you need to give your new pet; it’s just as important as providing food and shelter. You should realize a well trained pet will live a happy productive life with you. I appreciate Black Belt Dog Training founder, Robert Cabral, whose passion for training, along with spay and neuter has helped many people and pets lost in the shelter system.

Robert is a dog trainer extraordinaire, who rescues and rehabilitates animals with difficult behavioral problems from municipal animal shelters; skillfully and compassionately transforming them into loving companions. Robert notes, “Countless people make the mistake in thinking a dog’s be-havior, or misbehaving is cute at first only to become an-noyed by it later on. A trained dog is a happy dog and enjoys a happy, social life. Many, if not all of the dogs that I work with are ‘problem children,’ Sharpei, Pit Bulls, Chows, Shep-herds, Dobermans and more. They are the breeds that when they slip out of control, they become dangerous. I’ve rescued countless of these dogs from death row and rehabbed them and eventually placed them into loving homes.”

“It makes me sad when I see people ‘love’ their dogs and not give them the structure they need. Inevitably these dogs end up as cast outs and spend much of their time ostracized to a remote corner of the house or yard. Trained, well-behaved dogs enjoy a great social life and are part of the family their entire lives. Giving your dog the structure he needs from the very beginning solves a problem before it begins. There is no reason that you cannot give your dog all the love you wish to once you’ve established yourself as the dog’s clear leader. My dog is loved and hugged and kissed every day.... But, he un-derstands pack structure. He knows that I am his leader and that makes him feel safe.”



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Robert goes on to say, “Statistics show that 30% of the dogs in the shelter are purebreds. If this is true, then we can thereby assume that 70% are mixed breeds and since no breeder is (in theory) breeding mixed breed dogs, most of the problem lies in irresponsible pet ownership (including improper contain-ment, poor spay neuter policies as well as giving up on pets). To extrapolate a little further, we can also assume that a por-tion of this stated 30% (of purebreds in shelters) is as the result of backyard breeders and puppy mills. So, the smallest amount of the dogs in the shelter can now be linked to responsible breeders. Those that say people will get a mixed breed dog if we eliminate breeders are preaching a communistic approach. It’s as ridiculous as saying if we illegalize drugs no one will get drugs. Instead I think by keeping things legal and educat-ing people (on breeders that is) we can flush out the backyard breeders and puppy mills and begin the relationship that can lend a hand in solving the problems that shelter pets need.”

So whether you adopt or go through a reputable breeder, please remember to spay and neuter and train your pet, so they don’t end up in a shelter or worse. My hope is that as more people educate themselves on the issues we have facing our most innocent victims at these shelters, together we can all do the right things and eventually, we will see a change.



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Second ChanceLike many newborns, Oliver can be a bit fussy. The tiny

two week old kitten lets out a faint meow and squirms in a bright red blanket until he gets the first drop of milk,

then settles in for a feeding. Instead of a mother cat, Oliver’s


milk is being delivered from a bottle bigger than he is by a volunteer at Best Friends Animal Society Adoption Center in Mission Hills.

Oliver is one of the lucky ones. Of the 13,000 healthy, treatable pets killed at Los Angeles City animal shelters in 2012, more than 6,000 were neonatal kittens. The tiny creatures, often abandoned at birth or turned into shelters from accidental litters, had very little hope of growing up and getting adopted until the Best Friends center opened a neonatal kitten nursery in February 2013.

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shifts 24 hours a day, the neonatal nursery, a program of the Best Friends’ No-Kill Los Angeles initiative, has a goal of saving 1,800 lives in 2013. More than 700 precious lives have been saved to date.

“With the help of the NKLA (No Kill Los Angeles) coalition, working closely with Los Angeles Animal Services, we have made significant inroads into saving the lives of these helpless kittens,” says Marc Peralta, executive director of Best Friends Animal Society Los Angeles. “There just wasn’t a safety net in place for these cats or enough resources to provide round-the-clock care before.”

Similar to a real nursery, the neonatal cat area features stuffed animals, festive décor, and rocking chairs amongst its many cages and incubator crates. Volunteer Cheryl Garcia of Granada Hills started bottle feeding the kittens in late May and now comes to the center three days a week for late morning or afternoon shifts.

“You’re a good baby,” Garcia says softly to Wimbley, a scrappy brown male tabby, before kissing him gently on the head and placing Wimbley on a small scale.

The kitten weighs in at 315 grams, up from 250 grams just a week before, and Garcia is pleased. “It’s very gratifying knowing the time I spend here is saving a life,” she says.

continued on page 10



Volunteers are a key component to the nursery’s success. “There aren’t enough hours in the day for our cat team to feed everyone. Without the volunteers, we couldn’t save the numbers we have. They make the place run,” she says with a smile.

There are many reasons for the exploding cat population in Los Angeles, as Swartzlander outlined. “Cat pregnancies last just two months and it only takes a month after birth for cats to become pregnant again,” she says. “Plus, cats can get pregnant at just four months of age.”

That’s why spaying and neutering is so crucial. Studies show that two unaltered cats and their offspring can result in the birth of up to 420,000 cats in a seven year period. As such, the Best Friends Adoption Center offers free spay or neuter surgeries for owned cats of Los Angeles City residents at its state-of-the-art medical facility.

“If our communities would make spay/neuter a priority, we wouldn’t have all these kittens,” Swartzlander says, looking over the dozens of tiny faces peeking out from cages across the nursery, which houses about 100 mewling residents on any given day.

Once weaned from bottle feeding at about five to six weeks, the kittens are still in critical need, as Destiny Haney, NKLA coalition coordinator, explained. That’s when foster homes become part of the solution.

continued from page 9



“As kittens get older, they need play and socialization time. Foster homes are incredibly important, because that’s where kittens learn how to be around people and get used to things like vacuum cleaners and dishwashers,” Haney says. “It’s great if there are cat-friendly dogs and kids in the home, too, as it helps these kittens become sweet, confident, and highly adoptable.”

The foster period typically lasts a short two to three weeks, as the kittens are returned at two months old to be showcased for adoption at the center. All potential fosters need is a room (even a bathroom will do) and the ability to feed and interact with the cats several times a day. Best Friends supplies the food and any necessary medical care.For more information on fostering, contact [email protected].


The Nature of AggressionAggression is a reaction

to a stimulus; most-often, one that you can’t

see, such as pain. The onset of pain can be gradual or sudden, of course, and not every animal will react by lashing out; some will hide, etc. In any event, your reaction should be to schedule a trip to your veterinarian to find

out the cause of the pain. Be sure to be very careful when han-dling your animal companions to get them there. They don’t understand why they are hurting and if you happen to make it worse, suddenly you become the cause and might be attacked (albeit unintentionally).

Fear can also trigger aggression. Fear of pain previously felt at a place; or from a person is an obvious possibility. Here we can appreciate ‘intent’ from the opposite perspective, in that the hospital or clinic could be remembered as a place-of-pain even though easing that pain was all anyone there sought to do. Once the association of a place (or thing) with pain has imprinted, it can be very difficult to reverse. The most effective therapy in these instances would be energy work (flower es-sences, Reiki, etc) which address emotional conditions.

The fear-trigger is not limited to fear of pain. Any percep-tion of threat can prompt aggressiveness. Fear is a learned re-sponse (puppies and kittens have none). If born into a situation where food was in short supply, learned aggression meant you ate. Certainly some personality types are more prone to it but, if you’ve ever observed aggression in a companion animal it was probably a real eye-opener! The raw-wildness of it can inspire awe. Please be sure it also inspires extreme caution. When trig-gered by pain and/or fear you are dealing with a kill-or-be-


By Sylvia Hathaway, Acupressurist & Reiki [email protected]


The Nature of Aggressionkilled intensity of purpose. You are not going to de-fuse the power behind this primal in-stinct by cooing “it’s OK honey ... it’s OK..” Recognize this and back off. Don’t rush toward them. You may need to call your vet-erinarian, veterinary technician, dog trainer, or animal control for guidance.

At some level you already know that over-crowding is also a root cause of aggres-sion. Having too many, too close together creates major stress; for people and animals alike. It has been observed that this is even the case when resources are plentiful. Truly, when you think about it, the feeling is no different than if you were in a cage. The appeal of food and drink, even the welcome of a cushy bed, is dulled by the suffocation of confinement. The inability to move about unhampered can be as frustrating as actually being locked away. With body and mind thus ‘trapped’ you will view your neighbor with narrowed focus; judging that they must have a bigger bone; a tastier bowl. It just might make you want to growl... or smack... huh? This is an unnatural con-dition but one that we must nevertheless learn to cope with in our present state of civilization. To do this we must find ways to un-stress.

Aggression does not relieve stress. It creates more. Play, on the other hand de-fuses it. I think it is important to differenti-ate between the types of play. There are kinds of games that it is not your place to ‘play.’ These are the pseudo-aggressive tussles most often seen among young animals. Yes, they are practicing for ‘the real thing’; but they know the protocol. You, on the other hand, have a serious disadvantage in the equipment de-partment and most likely lack awareness of all the subtle cues;

a misunderstanding which very commonly results in injury (to you). In nature, animals will go to great lengths to avoid actual engagement (at which point the aim is to maim or kill) .. it’s too hard on the body systems. All the posturing, the elaborate rituals, the intimidating snarling, etc; are aimed at avoiding the physical, if possible. If you teach your companion to be aggres-sive with you, it will backfire.

Play, then, should be about ‘the hunt.’ The excitement of the chase. The beauty of stealth and acrobatics. The skill of the catch. Here you can feel the mental engagement; a certain freedom of breath and movement. Challenge your companion to out-smart you. Toss that toy a little farther than last time. Reward them with a rub or a treat. Tell them how fabulous they are. (Compare this to the knot-in-your-stomach feel of facing an opponent of equal or greater might and it becomes clear how one relieves stress and the other does not.) Most importantly, aggression must be de-fused. All that powerful energy cannot just cease. It must be channeled elsewhere, if not outward, it will go inward and do damage to internal organs; which is the nature of aggression.




The Truth

About Internet

Pharmacies

By Dr. Evelyn Vega, Happy Pets Veterinary Center

By Dr. Vega, Happy Pets Veterinary Center



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Last month I attended a veterinary seminar that discussed Veterinary online pharmacies. I was shocked to see a packed room of veterinarians on a Sunday morning in

Buena Park, especially since Sundays are regarded as sacred time off for most veterinary practitioners.

At our table of twelve, many stories were shared on the mishaps that had occurred with many of the larger, well-known veterinary online pharmacies. Many reported receiving medications with foreign labels, expired medications or substitutions. The story that stayed with me was one where an owner bought yearly heartworm prevention from an online store, but when she went in for her pet’s yearly heartworm test she was shocked to find that her dog tested positive.

Why? He was on preventative. When she brought in the box for the veterinarian to examine, he right away noticed it had foreign packaging. The owner had also noticed this but did not believe it to be of any importance until it was pointed out that the weights were in kilograms and not pounds, meaning her dog was getting half the heartworm preventative that he actually needed.

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a few dollars here and there. The veterinary field was affected as well, as we responded to our client’s needs of making veterinary care affordable in these tough times while still providing quality veterinary care and covering our expenses. During this time veterinary online pharmacies started to advertise that veterinarians overcharge for prescription medications that are now available online at a much lower rate.

Unfortunately, they failed to mention why their medications are more affordable and our pets are paying the price.

Our first concern as veterinarians is to always provide the highest quality veterinary care and products for our patients. The medications veterinarians purchase come straight from the drug distributers. Each item purchased can be traced via documentation called a pedigree. A pedigree details where and when that product was produced and whose hands it has passed through on its journey to our shelves. Using a trusted distributor helps to ensure quality and authenticity of a product.

The pedigree is sometimes lost when purchasing through online pharmacies. Some online pharmacies purchase their product from an unknown third party who has diverted the merchandise to be sold, so that pedigree is no more. This

means that some unauthorized entities are handling your pet’s medication somewhere in the supply chain.

There are well documented instances of expired, counterfeit or foreign products being sold via internet pharmacies. This has become such a problem that the FDA has started a national campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of buying prescription medicines from online pharmacies. Consumers can go to www.fda.gov for online resources on the risks of buying prescription medications over the internet.

Drug manufacturers stand behind their products. If a pet has a bad reaction to a specific product they make, the manufacturer will investigate and often times pay for the pet’s medical treatment, except if that product came from an online store. The drug manufacturers will not back up their product when sold through unauthorized distributors. Therefore, if your pet has any complications with the medications obtained via the internet you must cover the resulting costs on your own and hopefully it does not cost your pet its life.

Now you may wonder what the difference is between these online pharmacies and the ones found on your veterinarian’s website. Are they the same? The answer is no.

Most online pharmacies associated with your veterinary clinic are pharmacies supported by the same drug distributors that sell to veterinary hospitals. Our distributors recognized

continued from page 15



the need for the convenience of home delivery, the ability to shop at your leisure as well as to be able to save some money. They have teamed up with veterinary practices nationwide to provide the consumer medication that is safe, backed up by the manufacturer and prices that are comparable to the nationally advertised online pharmacies.

Now that you know the truth of online pharmacies, you are equipped with the knowledge to make an informed decision, save a few bucks but gamble with your pet’s health, or pay a little more and know your pet is getting safe, reliable, guaranteed medication.



Dr. Evelyn Vega of Happy Pets Veterinary Center was recently certified as a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Therapist (CCRT), making her one of the first

veterinarians in the Santa Clarita Valley that is certified to perform Canine Rehabilitation services.

What is Canine Rehabilitation Therapy? It is a modality similar to Physical Therapy for humans but for use on dogs. It uses similar concepts and techniques that have been modified for our canine friends.

Canine Rehabilitation has been around since the 1980’s, however there were only a limited number of veterinarians trained in this field. There is now a client-driven demand for canine rehabilitation now that it has become more mainstream. We expect it for ourselves, why not our pets?

What types of patients seek rehabilitation services, one may wonder. In actuality, more pets would benefit from rehabilitation than one may think.

Some examples include: • Agility dogs to better their performance during agility

trials; • Hunting dogs to improve their field trials or work on their

endurance and strength; • Dogs that undergo orthopedic surgical procedures such

at patella surgery, hip surgery, back surgery or anterior cruciate repair procedures;

• Senior pets with arthritis and stiffness can benefit from rehabilitation services;

Let’s face it, when it comes to your canine children, you want the best for them. A place where the love and attention they need and want is guaranteed.Castaic Canine Camp sits on 17 pristine acres of land adjacent Castaic Lake. Castaic Canine Camp offers boarding, daycare, training facilities, and services for all ages, breeds and sizes of canines.Castaic Canine Camp accepts furry guests for a day visit or extended stay, and offers inter-action with other dogs or separate accommodations according to your pet’s special needs...and your needs for them.

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• Dogs with spinal disease that show symptoms ranging from pain to incoordination in the back legs to complete paralysis;

• Canine rehabilitation can improve muscle strengthening for normal daily activities or for a specific canine sport;

The goal of canine rehabilitation varies from case to case, but overall it is to increase muscle strength, endurance, joint range of motion, prevent atrophy of muscle groups and to stimulate the nervous system. This can be achieved by the therapist incorporating different techniques such as:

• joint mobilizations and stretches which helps to stretch tight joint ligaments and improve the flow of joint fluid;

• muscle stretches to release tension in tight muscles;

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• therapeutic exercises which can be done at home once the pet owner feels comfortable performing them on their own;

• modalities such as acupuncture, laser, therapeutic ultrasound and neuromuscular electrical stimulation can be done at the same time to increase the benefits of rehabilitation treatments;

• hydrotherapy, such as swimming or using the underwater treadmill are very popular rehabilitative techniques, but canine rehabilitation can involve much more than that;

Even though our space is limited, we have slowly started incorporating canine rehabilitation services at Happy Pets Veterinary Center along with acupuncture and laser therapies. Happy Pets intends to expand these services through the addition of additional tools that will offer further treatments and therapies.

Persons interested in learning more about Canine Rehabilitation Therapy are welcome to speak with Dr. Vega by contacting her at Happy Pets.Happy Pets Veterinary Center is located at 27550 Newhall Ranch Rd. in Valencia on the corner of Newhall Ranch Road and Dickason Drive. Open seven days a week, including extended evening hours on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, the hospital can be reached at (661) 295-9972 and on the internet at www.happypetsveterinary.com or via Facebook at www.facebook.com/happypetsvet.



Best Friends Pet Adoption CenterConveniently located off the 5, 405, 118 freeways15321 Brand Blvd., Mission Hills 91345 818.643.3989

We’ve got them. Adopt one kitten, adopt the second for free. Twice the fun!

Kittens!

bestfriends.org/kittens

As we approach the heat of the summer, it is important for pet owners to be aware of the dangers of the sun. Just like us, dogs and cats can experience damage to

the skin from the intense rays of the sun, and living in such a wonderfully sunny environment can put our pets at risk. Although dogs and cats do have some protection from the sun from their fur coats, short-coated animals, especially those with white hair, and non-haired areas such as the abdomen, are at more risk for developing solar dermatitis.

Solar dermatitis, or actinic keratosis, is a fairly common disorder in sunny climates. It can often mimic other diseases such as allergies or pyoderma (skin infections) and, so, can go undiagnosed for a long time, possibly resulting in irreversible skin damage or skin cancer. It is most common in short-coated breeds such as boxers, bull terriers, pit bulls, and Dalmatians; however, any dog with white or lightly colored coats are more at risk. The areas that tend to be most affected are the bridge of the nose and other sparsely haired areas such as the abdomen and axillary (armpit) areas, but can also affect the legs and sides of the trunk. For those dogs who sunbathe on one particular side of the body, the side that is exposed tends to be the only affected side. As with people, the intensity and duration of the

sun exposure drastically influences the amount of damage to the skin. Additionally, you may not be aware of the degree of the solar damage for several years.

Initial clinical signs include red, scaling lesions. With chronicity, the lesions can develop into actinic folliculitis/furunculosis, cyst formation, fibrotic, or scarring, changes to the skin, comedones (plugged hair follicles), erosions, ulcers, crusts and draining tracts. Dogs with black spots or patches often have a demarcation between affected, non-pigmented skin and unaffected, pigmented (spots) skin as the pigmented skin has protection from the pigmentation. Often there is secondary bacterial infection associated with solar dermatitis lesions, but unlike a pyoderma, the lesions persist even after the infection has been successfully treated. Sun induced tumors are also a possible sequela to chronic sun exposure, and include squamous cell carcinomas, hemangiomas or hemangiosarcomas.

As mentioned, the clinical signs mimic those often seen in other diseases, thus, a diagnosis is made by ruling out other possible diseases. Often a skin biopsy is needed to evaluate the skin for sun damage and helps to rule out other possibilities, including squamous cell carcinoma. Skin biopsies are generally minimally invasive procedures and in most cases can be done with just a local anesthetic to numb the skin. Although

That Wonderful , But Dangerous, California Sun …By Amy Shumaker, DVM, DACVD, Dermatology for Animals



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microscopic changes on biopsy are pathognomonic for solar dermatitis, the use of a good veterinary dermatologist can be important in confirming an accurate diagnosis.

The best treatment for solar dermatitis is sun avoidance, especially between the hours of 10 am to 4 pm. This does mean keeping your pet from sunbathing. Sunscreens, just as in people, can be very protective against the damaging rays of the sun. When using sunscreen, it is important to use a product with an SPF of 30 or higher but does not contain zinc. Spray ons such as Neutrogena® are nice as they feel “light” on the skin and are easy to apply. A nice newer product is Bullfrog Quik Gel®, which can also be easily applied and dries very quickly on the skin. Other methods of protection include use of protective clothing such as sunsuits (www.designerdogwear.com). In more affected cases, medications, including oral retinoids (acitretin) or vitamin A, may be needed. Topical immunomodulators such as imiquimod or topical nonsteroidals such as diclofenac may be helpful, but application needs to be monitored if using these medications. If skin cancers are present, surgical excision is the best therapy.

So, what about cats? Yes, cats are subject to damage from the sun, but it is very rare to see the above changes in cats. Instead, concern for cats lies in the development of squamous cell carcinoma affecting the sparsely haired areas of the pinnae, or ears, and the nose. As in dogs, the cats most at risk are white-haired cats.

In addition to actinic keratosis and skin cancers, the sun can also trigger certain auto-immune skin diseases. These include discoid lupus erythematosus, a variant of lupus which usually just affects the nose, and occasionally the skin around the eyes, lips and ears, and pemphigus foliaceus, a crusting skin disorder. If these diseases occur, it is very important that sun exposure is controlled. Otherwise, it can be difficult to get these diseases into remission even with immunsuppressive medications.

Ultimately, the best treatment for solar dermatitis and other sun-induced diseases is by taking preventative measures; that is, controlling sun exposure from an early age.


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DirectoryPetsfor all things

Animal Aftercare

Cal Pet Crematory(310) 278-0633(818) 983-2313(323) 875-0633www.calpet.com

Guardian Animal Aftercare(818) 768-6465www.guardianaftercare.com

Great Groomers

Kitty’s SpaIn-home Grooming (661) 505-0397 www.kittysSpa.com

Precious Pets27737 Bouquet Cyn. Rd. Saugus, CA 91350(661) 296-2020

Purrfect Paw PrintsMobile Pet Grooming (661) 313-2803

So Cal Grooming28011 Seco Cyn. Rd. Santa Clarita, 91390 (661) 513-0778 www.socalgrooming.com

PawpularPet Suppliers

Bird Bungalow21021 Soledad Canyon RdCanyon Country, CA 91351(661) 284-6200www.birdbungalow.com

Canyon Pet Center19154 Soledad Cynd. Rd.Canyon Country, CA(661) 250-7356

Fox Feed17028 Sierra HighwayCanyon Country, 91387(661) 252-9790www.foxfeed.com

Pet Stop26870 Sierra Highway Santa Clarita, CA (661) 251-3867www.petstopsantaclarita.com

Pet Supply Santa Clarita26831 Bouquet Canyon RoadSanta Clarita, 91350-2372(661) 296-2654www.petsupplysantaclarita.com

Valencia Veterinary Center24036 Summerhill Ln.Santa Clarita, 91354(661) 263-9000www.bestvalenciavet.com

VIP Veterinary Services26111 Bouquet Cyn. Rd.Suite D-5, Saugus, CA 91350 (661) 222-PETS www.VIPVeterinaryServices.com

Best Boarding Facilities

Canine Country Club20341 Blue Cloud RoadSanta Clarita, 91390-1259(661) 296-0566www.cccofscv.com

Castaic Canine Camp36975 Ridge Route RoadCastaic, 91384(661) 257-0957www.castaiccaninecamp.com

Santa Clarita’s Premier Dog LodgeTrish Cohen(661) [email protected]

Pampering Pet Sitters

Debbie’s Best Pet Sitting(818) 803-1842

Dogone-itMarlee(661) [email protected]

Kyle’s Custom Critter [email protected](661) 305-4981www.kylescustomcrittercare.com

Laurie’s Pet Sitting(661) 257-1237www.thepetmom.net

Dog Trainers

Dog Gone HappyTami Cox (661) 310-4133

K9 Manners MatterColleen Lange B.S., ABCDT(661) [email protected]

Alternative Medicines & Healing

Sylvia Nahale HathawayAcupressurist & Reiki Master(661) 378-8612 [email protected]

PetSave FoundationBunny Rescue(661) 478-7360www.petsave.org

St. Bonnie’s Sanctuary/ Lange Foundation27567 Oak Spring Canyon Rd.Canyon Country, CA 91387(661) 251.5590http://langefoundation.com

www.PetConnect.us

Trusted Vets In and Around SCV

Advanced Care Animal Hospital19406 Soledad Canyon RoadSanta Clarita, CA 91351(661) 263-4334 www.advancedcareanimalhospital.com

All Creatures Emergency Center22722 Lyons Ave # 5Newhall, 91321-2876(661) 291-1121www.wecarevets.com

Animal Medical Center25848 McBean ParkwayValencia, 91355(661) 255-5555www.AMCValencia.com

Canyon Country Veterinary Hospital18840 Soledad Canyon RoadCanyon Country, 91351-3772(661) 424-9900www.wecarevets.com

Cinema Veterinary Centre23460 Cinema Drive, Unit LValencia, 91355(661) 253-9300www.cinemavet.com

Happy Pets Veterinary27550 Newhall Ranch RoadValencia, 91355(661) 295-9972www.happypetsveterinary.com

Peaceful PetsIn-Home Euthanasia Services(661) [email protected]

Seco Canyon Animal Clinic27935 Seco Canyon RoadSanta Clarita, 91350(661) 296-8848www.secocanyonanimalclinic.biz

Dermatology for Pets

Amy Shumaker, DVM, DACVDValencia Veterinary Center23928 Summerhill Lane Valencia, CA 91354 (661) 855-4870www.dermatologyforanimals.com

Animal Control Centers

Castaic Animal Shelter31044 N. Charlie Canyon Rd.Castaic(661) 257-3191www.animalcare.lacounty.gov

Lancaster Animal Shelter 5210 W. Ave. ILancaster, CA 93536(661) 940-4191www.animalcare.lacounty.gov

Rescue Organizations

Best Friends Pet Adoption Center15321 Brand Blvd., Mission Hills, CA 91354 (818) 643-3989 Bestfriends.org

Brittany FoundationAgua Dulce(661) 713-5240www.brittanyfoundationonline.org

Citizens for Sheltered Animals, Inc.26893 Bouquet Canyon Rd. C-318(661) 513-9288www.citizensforshelteredanimals.com

Forgotten Angels Cat Rescue(661) 273-9822www.forgottenangelsrescue.org

New Leash On Life Animal [email protected] (661) 255-0097

Ratz Nest Rescue (661) 303-7872www.ratznest.weebly.com

Saffyre Sanctuary(Horse Rescue) Sylmar, CA www.saffyresanctuary.org

Save A Kitty, Inc.(818) 825-3096www.SaveaKittyCA.org



CHARLOTTE

Like many women of a certain age, Charlotte, an eight year old Chihuahua, has her preferences… napping in the sun, snuggling in your lap, and getting treats are among them. She plays well with other dogs her size, if they mind their manners, but prefers human company most of all. Give this gal a warm, cozy place to enjoy her golden years and you’ll be repaid with years of unconditional love. WINSLOW

Fun, fun, fun… that’s what Winslow is all about! Just under a year old, this striking Boxer/Lab mix loves to play and go for walks. Winslow would really blossom with training and gets along well with most other dogs. If you’re an active person looking for a forever friend, come meet Winslow today!

PATCHES

Why is pretty Patches still at our shelter? That’s probably because Patches, a two year old miniature poodle, can’t hold her bladder. It’s not her fault, Patches’ kidneys were malformed at birth. This doesn’t stop Patches from being a sunny sweetheart who adores people and other dogs. What Patches needs now is a special person who doesn’t mind dealing with doggy diapers and a little extra grooming. In return, Patches will shower her adopter with love for many years to come. LILY

Looking for a lively pal? Lily, a two year old gray and white bull terrier mix, is your girl! She enjoys long walks, jogs and playing ball in the yard. Once her energy is spent, however, Lily is happy to be your lounge buddy, chilling by your side as you enjoy a nap or watching the big game on TV. Lily is very affectionate with people, but not great with other pets, so she’ll need to be your one and only.

!Awesome Adoptables

This Amos is famous at our center for being a volunteer and staff favorite. Don’t let his tough guy looks fool you, Amos is a lover, not a fighter! This eight year old Boxer mix adores people but can be selective about other canines, so he might be best as the only dog in the home. Amos is a low-to-medium energy boy who likes going for walks, but enjoys a good nap just as much… this mellow fellow will make a great best friend!AMOS CHLOE

Chloe is one cool girl! This gorgeous two year old pit bull terrier is medium energy, so she’s playful, but also likes to take time to snuggle with her favorite person… you! Chloe enjoys dips in the kiddy pool, walks, and playing with most other dogs, once she’s been properly introduced. With her always-wagging tail and sweet kisses, Chloe is bound to put a smile on your face every day.

Meet some of the awesome pets awaiting adoption at Best Friends Animal Society Adoption Center. Every pet is spayed or neutered, microchipped, vaccinated and ready to go to their forever home immediately. Best Friends also provides a collar, leash, tag, one month of veterinary insurance and a bag

of food with every dog adoption. (Adopt Amos, Lily or Patches and you’ll also receive a full-size poster of their picture from photographer Jennifer MaHarry, whose Homeward Bound exhibit is currently on display at G2 Gallery in Venice).

Best Friends Animal Society Adoption Center is located at 15321 Brand Boulevard, Mission Hills. The center is open from noon to 8 p.m. Friday and Sunday, and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday. For more information, visit http://bfla.bestfriends.org or call (818) 643-3989.


Pet Me! Magazine™ JULY/AUGUST 2013Valencia Veterinary Center

B. Grewal, DVMKimberly Caruso, DVM, DACVP

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