From: Jeanne L
Sent: Wednesday, January 10, 2018 11:22 AM
To: 'Mijoy'
Subject: RE: Pups info.

Hi Joyce

We & Max are enjoying Annie every minute. Such a cute little one – but, on the other hand, all your dogs are!! So no surprise!

Kind regards from a happy mom!

Jeanne

ABOVE :  Be cautious of feeding a raw diet, check with your vet prior to feeding RAW.

Tiny sizes pups and tiny sized adult dogs are NOT SUITED to eating a raw diet.

Irrespective of what you have been told - 

CHECK WITH YOUR VET - rather safe than sorry!!!!!!!!

A cruel, unnecessary – and illegal – practice

Banned in South Africa - June 2008

We humans don’t have the copyright on body language: dogs use their tails for communication. A tail that is wagging quickly indicates a happy, friendly dog, whilst a tail that is being aged stiffly slowly and deliberately indicates a warning that a dog is feeling threatened or unhappy, and that he may bite or attack. 

All of which calls into question the archaic, barbaric and illegal but continuing practice of tail docking. Further research suggests that when dogs feel stress, they tend to wag their tails to the left as a reflection of what’s happening in the brain. Activation of the left-brain causes the tail to wag to the right, activation of the right brain produced a way to the left.

The research shows that dogs wag to the right side when they encounter something pleasant.  When they see something threatening, for example, a strange dog exhibiting dominant behaviours, they wag more to the left side.  These results suggest that dogs notice another dogs tail wagging and use the information to decide whether the dog with the wagging tail is friend or foe. The researchers concluded that dogs aren’t intentionally sending signals with their tails, but rather the tail wagging is a consequence of the inner working of the canine brain. Tail wagging behaviour results from the way in which different emotional signals activate different parts of a dog’s brain. WIthout a tail, a dog cannot communicate his emotions or intentions, making it more difficult for people and other dogs to know how a dog is likely to react in in a certain situation and may even lead to an increase in dog fights. Tails also assist with agility and balance.

Tail docking is the amputation of a dog’s tail at varying lengths to suit the recommendations of a breed standard. Coking involved the amputation of the puppy’s tail with a scalpel. Sometimes, rubber bands are used, although this method has never been used by veterinarians.  The cut goes through the skin, cartilage and bone. This procedure is usually performed without any anaesthetic or with a local anaesthetic at three to five days of age.  A small number of dogs are born naturally without a tail.

Tail docking, even if performed with local anaesthesia, causes pain and stress to young puppies. Recent research in pain management indicates clearly that puppies, even at a few day s of age have a full developed nervous system and a well-developed sense of pain. Sometimes, tail docking, results in serious complications such as bleeding. Infection and even the death of the puppy.

Tail docking does not provide any benefit to puppies. Traditionally, some breeders considered a docked tail necessary to fulfil the working functions of the dog. Today many working breeds are kept as house pets and only a small percentage are used for field work, which is a recreational activity for people and not an essential function. If dogs of breeds that are customarily docked are left with intact tails, they are not more likely to get tail injuries than dogs of other breeds. If a procedure that causes pain has no immediate or future benefit for the animal and may lead to complications, surely it is unnecessary and should not be performed?

Tail docking is a procedure that is carried out because people believe that that is how that dog should “look” so it merely satisfies a breed standard or a human notion of what that type of dog should look like.

Some owners say that a dog with a long tail causes problems by knocking down ornaments in the house – well try rearranging your décor.   OR don’t keep such a big dog.

The SA Veterinary Council does not condone the routine of tail docking of puppies for cosmetic purposed by veterinarians. Any veterinarian who docks a tail “unless for justifiable medical reasons”, will be liable for prosecution under the Animal Protections Aca (APA) NO 71 of 1962.

Veterinarians found guilty under this act will automatically be investigated for unprofessional conduct by the SAVC under the Veterinary and Para-Veterinary  Professions Act 1982.

Lay people are also liable to prosecution under the APA if maiming can be proved. This falls under the ambit of welfare organisations.

The NSPCA is opposed to the unnecessary mutilation of animals for cosmetic, sporting, entertainment or convenience purposes – including but not limited to tail-docking, ear-cropping, de-barking, de-clawing, and myotomy (cutting of muscle).

The NSPCA takes the identical standpoint relating to the various surgical mutilations of other species. It has long been the opinion of the NSPCA that tail docking (as well as any other form of mutilation) is a contravention of the Animal Protection Act Clause 2(1)a which states:

“Any person who overloads, overdrives, overrides, ill-treats, neglects, infuriates, tortures or maims or cruelly beats, kicks goads or terrifies any animal…… shall subject to the provisions of this Act and any other law, be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to  a fine …..  “Since the removal of the tail or a dog or puppy results in permanent loss of (i.e. damage to) a body part, the procedure of removing a healthy tails is considered a form of maiming.

According to the Kennel Union of South Africa (KUSA) none of their breed standards say that a dog’s tail must be cropped, but they rather say “tail customarily docked” or “tail traditionally docked”.

Dog owners may show their dogs with or without cropped tails.

Smallholders are encouraged not to buy puppies without tails and to insist that the breeder from whom they buy their dogs does not dock tails.

Above article copied from the SMALLHOLDER.  www.sasmallholder.co.za   June 2017 edition page 37

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Rabies

Wednesday 28th September is World Rabies Day. It is estimated that worldwide at least 55 000 people die of rabies every year. Rabies cases in humans occur more commonly amongst children, the reasons being that approximately 40% of bite victims worldwide are children and children are commonly bitten in the face which means a much shorter incubation time for this deadly disease. The whole of South Africa is considered a Rabies endemic area and is unusual in the fact that we have both canine and sylvatic (wildlife) reservoirs for the disease.

What is Rabies?

Rabies is a preventable disease caused by a virus that is transmitted from animals to humans primarily via bite wounds and scratches. The rabies virus, present in the saliva of affected animals, infects the central nervous system and affects the brain causing paralysis and death. A human cannot contract rabies by touching or being bitten by healthy dogs and cats; and the virus cannot be transmitted through intact skin, so touching, petting or being close to animals is not a risk.

Animals in South Africa that are mostly responsible for human infection are dogs, black-backed jackals, yellow mongeese and bat-eared foxes; but cats, cattle, sheep and goats can also be affected.

What are the Symptoms of Rabies?

A rabies infected animal, sometimes also referred to as a rabid animal, most commonly will show behavioural and temperamental changes, e.g. tame animals becoming aggressive or wild animals losing their fear of humans, appearing to be tame. Other signs may include drooling, inability to swallow, muscle weakness, incoordination, seizures and biting at inanimate objects, disorientation and paralysis.

Symptoms in humans appear within two to twelve weeks after infection. These are initially flu-like, including fever, headache and fatigue, progressing to confusion, agitation, hallucination, anxiety, fear of water, delirium, paralysis, coma and death. Once an infected human starts showing signs of rabies, no treatment is possible and death will occur in two to ten days.

International organisations, such as the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), recommend that domestic animals should be vaccinated against rabies to prevent them from becoming infected with the rabies virus and transmitting rabies to humans. Vaccination of dogs and cats is the only effective way in which rabies can be controlled in these domestic species.

Puppies and kittens begin their rabies vaccines at 3 months of age, they need a booster at 7 months of age to be fully protected. To ensure they remain protected against this deadly disease they need regular booster vaccinations. Regulations state that it is compulsory to have dogs and cats vaccinated every three years against rabies. The vaccine used does not contain live rabies virus so is very safe but effective.

How can Rabies be Prevented?

As rabies causes death in humans following the onset of symptoms, the question should be how one can protect yourself, your family and your pets against rabies. The three most important steps are:

1. Have your dogs and cats vaccinated against rabies at least every three years.

2. Teach your children how to react around dogs in order to prevent dog bites:

• Do not touch or pick up stray dogs, as their rabies vaccination status is unknown;
• Always ask the owner before you pet a dog;
• Keep their faces away from a dog's face;
• Never bother a dog when it is eating, sleeping or with puppies;
• Never bother a dog when it is in a car, behind a fence, or tied-up - even if it is a dog you know.

3. In the event of being bitten by a dog in a rabies outbreak area or suspected of having rabies:

• Immediately wash the wound with soap and water or disinfectant for 10 minutes;
• Immediately after washing the wound, go to your nearest clinic where rabies antiserum will be given and a course of vaccinations will be started. Being bitten by an animal with rabies will result in death unless preventative treatment is started immediately;
• Report the bite to your nearest state veterinarian, animal health technician or private veterinarian.

Home Dental Care for Your Pet

When did you last look at your pet’s teeth? Are they stained and brown, are there lumps of tartar on the teeth, or are the gums looking red? Just imagine if you had not brushed your teeth for 8 years what a state your mouth would be in.

A scary 85% of pets over the age of three will have some degree of periodontal disease. Although dogs and cats do not suffer like us with cavities, they can get tartar build up, inflamed gums, gum recession, infection and tooth root abscesses. All good reasons to take better care of your pet's teeth.

It’s not just your pet’s mouth that can be affected by bad teeth; bacteria from the mouth can end up in the blood stream and affect the heart and other organs. A sore mouth can prevent your pet from eating, leading to anorexia, loss of weight and body condition.

If your pet’s mouth looks or smells scary, go to see your vet. A professional dental check-up is advisable before beginning home care. It may be necessary to book your pet in to the hospital for a full dental procedure; scale and polish and extraction of any damaged or diseased teeth. Allow at least seven days after a dental before starting any home dental care.

Home oral care can make a big difference to your pet’s comfort and health. There are several options, some more effective than others, but every little bit helps. No home dental care will remove tartar that has already built up on the teeth.

Toys and Treats

Simple things such as regular play with toys that have ropes, knobbles and ridges will have an abrasive action on the teeth while chewed, acting like a brush removing plaque. To entice chewing you can coat the toy with something tasty like a little marmite or peanut butter but even better would be pet tooth paste which is usually tasty. It is important that play time is supervised.

We all like to treat our pets and if you use the right treats it could be good for them too. Treats such as Greenies and Denta Deli will help with home dental care. These have to be of adequate size so they have to be chewed and not swallowed whole, and ideally they need to get one per day. Remember treats do contain calories so if you are treating daily you may need to reduce the amount of food being fed. It is important to remember that bones and ox hooves are not suitable treats; they are hard and can break the teeth.

Foods

Dry pet foods, especially the premium brands are formulated to keep the teeth as clean as they can, either by the way that they break when crunched or by a special digest sprayed, containing an anti-tartar poly-phosphate on the outside. Bigger kibbles are better as they must be chewed rather than swallowed whole. There are even specific dental care foods. For those that feed a cheaper brand or mix wet or human foods in their pet’s diet, they are likely to see quicker build- up of tartar.

Sprays, Gels, Rinses and Water Additives

There is a huge range of sprays, gels, rinses and water additives on the market for pet oral health care. Many of these are chlorhexidine based, which is safe for pets. The chlorhexidine binds with the surface of the teeth and gums and is gently released in to the mouth as an anti-plaque treatment. It can taste bitter and some pets will not accept it. Sprays and rinses are squirted in to the mouth daily. The gels are smeared on the teeth daily, allowing the tongue to spread it throughout the mouth. Water additives are added to drinking water every day. These can help prevent the build-up of tartar by reducing the amount of plaque formed.

Brushing

For those serious about their pet’s oral health, daily brushing is the best option. Whatever age your pet is, it is important to start slowly. Most dogs and some cats can be trained to accept teeth brushing.

You will need:

• A relaxed pet (after a walk or play time when they are a little sleepy!)
• Pet tooth paste, these are flavoured to make them more acceptable. Never use human tooth paste it contains foaming agents that pets should not swallow.
• Pet toothbrush, a specific pet tooth brush with an angled head is the best option.

Allow your pet to taste the tooth paste, smear on a favourite chew toy or for cats, put a little on their foot so they can lick it off.

Get your pet used to having their mouth handled. Take this stage slowly; you don’t want to traumatise them or get yourself bitten. Gently hold their mouth closed and slide your finger up inside the side of their lip. If you can, gently rub your finger along the teeth and gums. You can add some of the tooth paste to your finger after a day or two.

It is only necessary to clean the outside (cheek side) of the teeth; the inside (tongue side) is cleaned with saliva. If you look at a dog with tartar on the teeth, it is almost 100% on the cheek side of the teeth.

To get them comfortable with this stage could take a week or two. Be gently persistent and give lots of praise and rewards.

When your pet is comfortable with your finger “cleaning” their cheek teeth, you can start with the brush. Don’t wave the brush around near their face; you can offer them a little tooth paste on it for them to lick off, just to introduce the brush. Do as you have been doing but this time gently introduce the brush where your finger was. Be careful to have control of the brush so you don’t jab it in. If you sense that brushing is painful for your pet, take them to their vet for a check-up before continuing as they may need professional dental care.

The angle of the brush allows you to get to the teeth you need to without putting excess pressure on the gums or teeth.