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1/18/12 2/3/12

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Kennel Name Call Name DOBShoGun's Stella D'oro Stella 1/31/2011ShoGun's Facinating Rhythm Henry 2/23/2001Shogun's Dawn's Early Light Libby 3/15/2002Shogun's Proudly We Hail Noel 3/15/2002Shogun's Gloria Hallelujah Maggie T 3/25/2004Shogun's No Guts No Gloria Oliver 3/25/2004Shogun's Blaze of Glory Quigley Quigley 3/25/2004

Birthday Greetings

Remy is looking for a home

Remy is ShoGun’s Sure Shot. She was returned tous with a problem with her stridewhich a vet thought was causedby an inoperable luxating hock.Our vet diagnosed her withluxating patellas, no hockproblem. He could pop herpatellas out by forcing them, butthey pop back in by themselves.

He graded them as between grade 1 and 2. He saidthat she is not a candidate for surgery, or even fortherapy, as it is not needed. She has been here sinceNov 26 and her patellas have not popped out evenonce. Our vet has recommended keeping her weight

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down, giving her a joint supplement, and providingher with exercise. Since she has been back, hermuscles in the rear have strengthened and it is hardto tell there is any problem there. Remy is a sweetgirl, 19 months old, very needy so probably shouldbe with someone who is at home most of the time.We haven't made a concerted effort to find a homefor her , hopefully one of our “family” will know ofsomeone willing to adopt this lovely girl. For infoon luxating patellas visit:http://tinyurl.com/LuxatingPatellas .

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While Strolling Down the Beach One DayOn last December 22, this is the scene John and Elizabeth Morancame upon during their morning walk.

A World War II-era Chinese Trainer single-engine airplane made anemergency landing on the beach. The pilot and his passenger werenot hurt during the landing, but declined to comment about theincident. The plane’s pilot took off from Myrtle Beach InternationalAirport’s general aviation facility about 11 a.m. later declared anemergency with engine failure. A helicopter pilot flying nearby atthe time of the incident kept watch on the plane until it landed. Asnews spread about a World War II-era type plane on the beach, peoplecame to the location and posed for photos next to the plane on thebeach. Mechanics tried to restart the plane, but were not successful,so with a police escort the plane was towed from the beach throughthe campground to the general aviation facility. The plane appearsto be the CJ-6 which is a Chinese version of the Soviet madeYakovlev Yak-18A.

A total production run estimated at more than 3,000 CJ-6 planes since1960 were supplied for Chinese military training, as well as forexport to countries including Albania, Bangladesh, Cambodia, NorthKorea, Tanzania, and Sri Lanka, according to Wikipedia.

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In December Pip left us for his new home with Lorri and BillOliver of Montello, WI. Pip joins a household consisting ofLabrador Retrievers, a bulldog, and various other animals on80 acres of farmland. Pip will be active in conformation andseveral performance events.

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Thanks for this cute card Wilson. We’re glad you had a greatbirthday. Looks like your mom and dad are taking lovingcare of you.

Here is Gracie trying out the newramp Chic bought for Gracie andLucy so they can get into the Jeepeasier. I think Gracie would like tokeep it on the chair.

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Here we see Bishop baby sitting Craig and Jenifer’s grand-daughter, Piper. I understand his fee is reasonable.

Ana Claire, Nonsuch VivacissimoThis is a photo of Rob Copeland,Ana Claire’s dad ,during a visitto Susan Ipsen, a formerClumber owner. The dogs are aCocker Spaniel and a CavalierSpaniel.

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Our best wishes to all who will be attending the National inKerrville, Texas next month. Helen will be there without anydogs as her heel is still on the mend. Here is an Ad you won’tsee in the catalog.

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We couldn’t let an issue go by without a mention of Emmet.

In the last issue we spotlighted Emmet’s daughter MeMe,Moonrysn’s Its All About MeMe. This issue we are proud tointroduce MeMe’s littermate Marlo, Moonrysn’s That Girl. Bothgirls had their majors by 7 months of age and are well on theirways to earning their Ch titles.

On 12/20/11 Little Helen gave birth to 3 puppies; 2 boysand 1 girl. Photo of Little Helen’s litter may be seen on hergallery at http://www.pbase.com/owahl/little_helen

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Message from the EditorsWe hope you like our little publication. We love putting ittogether for you and we’d like to hear what you like/dislikeabout it, so don’t be afraid to let us know. Just call (262-965-4963) or email us ( hmarshall@wi.rr.com ). One thing is forsure, we depend on you for items to publish, so lets hear fromyou about what you and your dogs are doing.

Thank you,

Helen and Otto

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Video on cutting nails:http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2011/11/01/stress-free-dog-nail-trimming.aspx

What Happens When Dogs Get Car-Sick?:

http://tinyurl.com/7pv6u9w

Top Puppy Problems and How To Solve Them!

http://tinyurl.com/PuppyProblems

Stem Cell Therapy in Dogs: What You Need to Know:

http://tinyurl.com/7up5kxl

Understanding Dogs and Seizures:

http://tinyurl.com/DogsSeizures

Is Your Dog Paranoid?

http://tinyurl.com/DogsParanoid

Anal Gland Video:

http://tinyurl.com/AnalGlandVideo

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Ear infections-What You Should Know:

http://tinyurl.com/6qaghr6

Home Alone Again? Try This Secret Calming Tool for Dogs:

http://tinyurl.com/CalmingTool

This Dog Disease Affects Thousands - What Is It?

http://tinyurl.com/7hpa5gs

What Can Your Puppy See?:

http://tinyurl.com/DogsSee

How to Treat a Torn Nail:

http://tinyurl.com/TornNail

5 Easy Steps to Housebreaking Your Puppy

http://tinyurl.com/74n2exq

Why is Lyme Disease Not JUST a Tick-Borne Disease AnyMore?

http://tinyurl.com/Lymes

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Why Veterinarians Love ListsBY DR. PATTY KHULY | DECEMBER 15, 2011

In case you haven’t already noticed from my frequentapplication of the top-ten format in my posts, I love lists — allkinds of lists. I wouldn’t think of going to the market withouta checklist nor would I plan my day sans bullet-pointeditinerary, so why wouldn’t I take a list along when I go to thedoctor?

Yes, I always take a list when I go see my GP to make suremy memory doesn’t fail me. And you should take a list whenit’s time to hit the vet’s. Veterinarians love lists. Well visits,sick visits, whatever. We love 'em. Why? For a few reasons I’lloutline below — in a list, of course.

1. A List Helps Us Cover All The Bases

Having a list allows us to proceed stepwise and logicallythrough a process that might otherwise happen in a moredisorderly fashion (as you haphazardly recall the items youreally should have included on a list).

Not only does it simply make more sense to do it this wayfrom your vet’s POV (Do her teeth need cleaning? Are thosecataracts I’m noticing? Am I cleaning her ears right? Is thattoo much shedding?), but it also means you’ll be less likelyto forget items — and more likely to remember the answers,too.

2. A List Helps The Vet Prioritize

What’s on your list allows us to home in on issues that areimportant to you as a pet owner. Not only does that help us

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treat your pet exactly as you expect us to, it gives us tons ofinformation about you so that we can make better decisionsfor all your pets in the future.

3. A List Helps Us Manage Our Time

The reality is that veterinarians have only so much undividedtime to offer you. Having a list means it can all get coveredefficiently.

4. A List Helps Your Vet Help You

During the course of any office visit there are plenty of waysin which a veterinarian can fail to focus on items you might’vewanted her to cover. We’re only human, you know. Having alist means your vet is much less likely to disappoint you —and your pets.

5. A List Makes Your Appointment Cost Effective

What’s worse than getting home from the vet andremembering that you needed to mention the occasional headshaking thing your cat does? Having to return a couple ofweeks later because the head shaking has become persistent.Not only is an extra visit more expensive, but think of the twoweeks of discomfort your cat has suffered.

6. A List Helps Keep Your Pets Healthy

Lists help keep potentially important issues from slippingthrough the cracks during a routine — or any — vetappointment. Healthier pets are invariably the outcome.

By the way, lists are extremely useful for medical providersfor this very reason. Interested in hearing more about howlists can help your veterinarian become a better practitioner?

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Reference Dr. Atul Gawande’s excellent book on this subject,The Checklist Manifesto.

7. A List Will Earn You the Vet's Respect

And then there’s the issue of all that respect you’ll get fromyour vet for caring enough to make a list. This strategy trulyspeaks volumes about how much you care for your pets. Sure,it might also say lots of nasty things about your memory, butwho cares? As long as your pets get great care, what does itmatter?

Q: Ever since I got a new puppy, my house has been a disasterzone! How do I keep him from chewing everything in sight?

A: Although puppies epitomize cuteness, they can alsosymbolize destruction, particularly when they are teething.

In the same way that teething is painful for babies, it's alsouncomfortable for puppies, who respond by doing anythingthey can to alleviate the discomfort with chewing. The goodnews is that there are plenty of ways to curb inappropriatechewing while still providing your puppy with some relief.

Provide Appropriate Chews

Puppy toys are designed to be a little softer than adult dogtoys, but they are tough enough to withstand the needle-liketeeth of puppies. Toys that can be stuffed with food work wellto encourage them to chew on appropriate toys instead of

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items in the home. To further soothe gums, many toys canbe filled with water and then frozen.

My favorites are puppy Kong toys (they can be stuffed andfrozen), Orbee-Tuff toys for puppies, Premier's puppy toys(Biscuit block, Puppy Waggle, Squirrel Dude), the freezablePet Stages Puppy Cool Teether, Nylabone puppy toysdesigned for teething and the Multipet Chilly bone dog toy,which can be filled with water and frozen to relieve achingteeth and gums. You can also use dog-friendly frozen foods,like apples, carrots, green beans and blueberries. Ideally,you should keep an eye on your puppy when he's chewingtoys or food items, especially if large pieces can be brokenoff or swallowed and cause choking.

Be Vigilant About Supervision

Whenever your puppy is free in the home, direct him to playwith approved chew toys. If you catch your puppy chewingon the furniture, avoid harsh verbal or physical punishment,which can cause a puppy to hide from you and make thehabit even harder to break. Instead, interrupt your dog withan “oops” and immediately show him an appropriate toy.And be sure to reward your puppy with praise and treatswhen he chews on the correct toys.

Dog-Proof the Premises

When your puppy can't be supervised, he should be in adog-proofed area. Crates, baby or dog fencing and baby gatesare all essential tools to protect your house from destruction.When you leave your puppy, be sure to give him a stuffed

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Kong and a variety of food puzzles for him to work on whileyou’re away.

Teething doesn’t last forever — the process should be overwhen your puppy is 7 to 8 months old — although it can lasta couple of months longer for some dogs. By using enticingdog chews, supervision and dog proofing, you can survivethe teething time frame.

When it is time to say goodbye…

Nobody likes to talk about it. Once we realize that our petsare, after all, not immortal, we may hope that they will just“go” in their sleep. Well, that almost never happens. Mostof the time, we have to help them. Euthanasia is a verypersonal, heart-breaking, grueling decision. Let’s go over 15common concerns.

1. What is euthanasia?

According to the American Heritage Science Dictionary,euthanasia is “the act of painlessly ending the life of ananimal who has a terminal illness or incurable condition,as by giving a lethal drug”.

I would say that euthanasia, or “putting a pet to sleep”, isthe humane way to end a pet’s life when their quality of life

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is no longer acceptable. Euthanasia should never be aconvenience when a pet becomes, well, an inconvenience.

2. When is euthanasia appropriate?

It’s all about quality of life. We have discussed this topicbefore. For our new readers, the “Quality of life scale”(found on my web site under “Links”) helps you assessvarious criteria such as pain level, appetite, hygiene,happiness, mobility etc in an OBJECTIVE manner.

Basically, are there more good days or bad days? Thechallenge is that you need to try to look at the situationfrom your pet’s standpoint, - not yours.

This is often difficult, because it is a very emotionalsituation that tends to make you lose your objectivity. Inother words, if the same situation happened to your bestfriend’s pet, you probably would know exactly what to do.But because you are dealing with your own pet and yourown emotions, you cannot see the situation as objectively.Sometimes, denial makes things even worse…

3. When will I know it’s time?

Some people say “You’ll know in your heart when it’s time.”I’m not so sure it that’s easy. Sometimes, you just don’tknow. Again, you are so emotionally close to the situation,that you often can’t reason with a clear mind. Therefore,some clients just don’t know when it’s time.

It is a vet’s job and ethical responsibility to make the owneraware of the situation. It is however not a vet’s job to makethe decision for a pet’s owner. So asking “What would you

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do if it were your pet” is usually not a fair question: it’s apersonal decision.

The vet’s job is to explain the facts, describe the medicalsituation, and present options. Only you can (and should)make the final decision.

Again, you can use the “Quality of life scale” to guide yourdecision. If the numbers keep decreasing, you need torealize that your pet’s quality of life is also diminishing.

4. How is euthanasia performed?

Each vet has his or her own protocol, so the descriptionbelow is only one way to do things. Let’s try to forgetemotions for a minute, and let’s try to focus on thescientific or medical aspect of euthanasia, so that you knowwhat to expect.

An IV catheter is placed. Most veterinarians will give asedative or tranquilizer IV first, to relax the patient, or evenmake them sleepy. Then, the euthanasia drug, -an overdoseof barbiturates-, is given IV. This is a pain free, almostinstant procedure. The heart and lungs stop. And it’s over. Ithink most pets owners are surprised how quicklyeuthanasia happens. It’s over in less than a second…

You may then want to spend some time alone with your petto say goodbye.

Although not exactly glamorous, it is important to mentiona few things that may or may not happen duringeuthanasia. For example, your pet may or may not have onelast deep breath (called an agonal breath). Eyes typicallydon’t close. This is not Hollywood.

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There may be noises or vocalizations, or muscle spasms, orurination and defecation as the body relaxes. These are justpossible, physiological, medical things that can happen andmay be traumatizing if you are not prepared or warned.Regardless, euthanasia is overall a very quick and smoothprocess.

5. What do I do at the animal hospital?

An experienced team will guide you through the differentsteps. Here are two important suggestions:

* Ask if you can take care of all the paperwork andfinancial stuff BEFORE proceeding with the euthanasia. Thelast thing you want to do is stand at the front desk after theeuthanasia, in tears, in the middle of a full waiting room. Agood receptionist should spontaneously suggest this option.

* Have a friend or family member drive for you since youwill probably have difficulty driving safely after it’s all over.Now is not the time to get teary-eyed and get into anaccident!

6. Should I be present?

This is one of the most difficult questions to answer. Thereis no right or wrong answer. There are several options.

You can say goodbye, leave the room, and let the doctorproceed. You may or may not want to visit afterwards. Oryou can be present, start to finish.

Here is a testimonial from a friend and former client inbeautiful Cincinnati, OH:

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“My daughter and son-in-law had to euthanize Banshee,their Bernese mountain dog. They had had his legamputated, but the cancer progressed. In the end, they hadto put him to sleep. It is always sad to lose a pet. Eventhough it wasn't our dog, he was one of the sweetest dogsI've ever known, and even in his illness, he kept his sweetdisposition. My son-in-law and daughter were both with himat the end. That is something I would encourage pet ownersto do. It is a comfort to see how peacefully your pet can go,and for me their loyalty demands your presence. I recognizethat some people may not be able to do it.”

7. A very special situation:

In my surgical practice, there is another situation. We areoccasionally faced with an incurable condition during asurgery. I will then call the owner on the phone during thesurgery, discuss the situation, and if we both agree,humanely euthanize the patient “on the table.” In thissituation, the patient goes from anesthesia to euthanasiawith no awareness and no pain whatsoever.

8. What happens with the remains?

There are several options. Some people elect to bury theirpet. This may be illegal where you live, so it is important tocheck. It you can’t, there are memorial gardens andcemeteries for pets throughout the country.

Most owners elect cremation. I suspect most readers arefamiliar with the concept.

However, I just learned about a new option soon to beavailable in the Lehigh Valley (in PA), and it may be

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available in your area. It is not called cremation, but “waterresolution” or “alkaline hydrolysis.” This “green alternative”only uses water, potassium hydroxide and heat. No need togo over all the details, let’s just say that we end up withremains just the same.

In either case, you then have 2 options: you may getremains back, or not.

Here is what a pet owner wrote after receiving her pet’sashes. Cookie, a 1 year old female Boston terrier, hadabdominal surgery that revealed a terrible condition calledintestinal volvulus: 90% of her small intestine had twistedonto itself, which is a deadly finding. The owners, VL andML, were called during the surgery, and reluctantly electedthe only reasonable choice: euthanasia. Later, they wrote:

“(…) Cookies’ ashes now sit on our mantle in the beautifulbox with her name on it. (…) Cookie has come home instyle.”

Some people save the remains. Some bury them. Otherssprinkle the ashes somewhere, such as the pet’s favoriteplace in the back yard. Again, this is a very personaldecision.

9. What can I do to get through this?

Here are a few things you can do to help you heal.

* Allow yourself to cry. It’s okay, - really.

* Put your pet’s belongings (water bowl, food bowl, bed,leash and collar or harness, toys etc.) in a big box and storeit away for the time being.

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* Talk about it – to other sensitive pet owners, probably notto non-pet owners.

* Write in a journal.

* Depending on your artistic talents, you could draw orpaint a picture of your pet, write a poem, create ascrapbook with memorabilia and pictures…

* Create a memorial in your garden or your balcony.

* Join a pet loss support group. More on this below.

11. How else can I get closure?

Another vastly personal topic. Although it is difficult tobelieve it at the time of euthanasia, time heals all wounds.Eventually, you will get over your sorrow.

Getting closure requires going through the flow of thevarious stages of grieving, which we discussed last week.

Getting your pet’s ashes may also help with closure, as thistypically happens after a week or so.

12. When should I get a new pet?

Most people recommend waiting until you achieve completeclosure before getting a new pet. Adopting a new pet toosoon may lead to bad decisions that you might regret,which is not fair to the new pet (or you and your family).

13. What do I tell my kids?

This is another very complicated topic. I would rather directyou to web sites (mentioned below) that explain things verywell depending on the age of the child. You just don’t

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explain things to a 3 year old the same way as you would a13 year old. There are many things to be aware of. Forexample, it may be inappropriate to say that your pet “wentto sleep” or was “put to sleep” and will never come back,as this may traumatize a child at bed time for years. Afterall, their buddy is never going to wake up…

14. How can I help my grieving elderly parents?

Again, a touchy topic… Please refer to the web sitereferenced below. Sometimes, a pet is the last link anelderly person has to the world. If grandma cannot walkFluffy in the neighborhood, a whole part of her socialinteractions may vanish all of a sudden.

A pet acts as “social lubricant” which is going to he hard toreplace…

15. Where can I get help?

Support is crucial to get over a pet’s loss. It can requirefinding a friendly ear: a friend, a family member, areceptionist or a nurse you developed a good relationshipwith, or your vet.

If you have other pets, they can also provide a supportsystem, as you will need to redirect your attention to theirneeds. Actually, your other pet(s) will “feel” that theirbuddy is missing, and they will feel your sorrow. Now is thetime to provide some extra TLC. They may becomelethargic or have a poor appetite.

Your other pets may actually help you grieve, so you canactually help each other.

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There are also some web sites where you can share yourfeelings (at http://www.drphilzeltzman.com/ under“Pawspice and pet loss”).

I hope that this newsletter helps you understand theprocess of euthanasia. In a sense, euthanasia is an act oflove. You will rarely see it that way the day you lose yourpet. But after your grieving period, I hope you willunderstand that you made the right decision.

If you are completely overwhelmed, or you feel that you aregrieving for an unusually long time, you may needcounseling. This is now available through several vetschools (again on my web site).

©2012 SgoGunDogs