Plants That Poison Your Dog

Mark your calendars, people! Sunday, March 15 kicks off National Poison Prevention Week—a perfect time to learn what’s poisonous to your pet. In 2008, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center handled more than 140,000 cases of pets exposed to toxins, many of which were everyday household items. Some of the worst offenders were those living things that keep your home fresh and green—household plants!In honor of National Poison Prevention Week, as the ASPCA, we put together a video of our top toxicologist, Dr. Steven Hansen, Senior Vice President, ASPCA Animal Health Services, discussing the dangers of 17 common plants that you may have in your homes right now, including lilies, chrysanthemum and sago palm. Dr. Hansen shows you examples of each plant, so you’ll know exactly what to look out for. To watch the video, go to www.aspca.org/news/national/03-13-09.html#1. Remember, if you suspect your pet has ingested something poisonous, please contact your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.P.S. Keep an eye on our website during National Poison Prevention Week, when you can ask ASPCA experts about potentially toxic plants and substances directly. Join our live “Ask the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center” chat from noon to 2:00 P.M. on Friday, March 20, in the ASPCA Online Community, and stay tuned for the relaunch of our popular Ask the APCC online column.



Check out these dog links!

The Doggie Den Homepage

Little Shepherd, Big Puggle

Meet Lenny and Tucker, otherwise known as Mutt and Jeff. They're constant companions because Lenny the shepherd thinks he's a little dog, and Tucker the puggle has the mind of a bull mastiff. They play for hours with Lenny usually on the floor and Tucker all over him. But sometimes Lenny gets scared and runs away, like in this picture. Tucker is looking at me like, "What is wrong with this guy?"


Check out these dog links!

The Doggie Den Homepage

Welcome Carolyn!

Carolyn came to The Doggie Den from Dirty Hairy's in Hudson, MA. The daycare dogs can't wait for her to finish her daily grooming work so they can play with her! She's a long-time dog lover - here she's died and gone to heaven!

Check out these dog links!

The Doggie Den Homepage

Happy Birthday Luke!

Luke was born on Valentine's Day so we had a special party for him and his puppy pals. Homemade dog cookies and Frosty Paws treats for everyone! Luke was a great host!

Check out these dog links!

The Doggie Den Homepage

Snow and ice getting your pup down??

Doggie Den pals are just what he or she needs! Safe from the soiled snow and ice that plague your yard, s/he can play all day long in our clean, cheerful environment with like-minded pals. Here, take a look!

Ringo the Australian Shep, Lily the Standard Poodle, Cody the lab mix, Fenway the beagle and Gunner the adorable bulldog hardly take breaks:















Check out these dog links!

The Doggie Den Homepage

Happy Valentine's Day!

Zack is our Valentine Boy - he's February Dog of the Month because he's the sweetest, most lovey guy we have. His favorite words are "cuddle" and "eat".
Isn't he a hunk??



Check out these dog links!

The Doggie Den Homepage

Puppy Mill Raid to the Rescue

February 2009

American Humane Provides Emergency Sheltering for Dogs Seized From a Tennessee Puppy Mill Today

Puppy mills are large-scale breeding operations where animals often live in filthy conditions that foster disease and frequently suffer from the absence of even basic veterinary care. That certainly describes the conditions in which more than 250 dogs were found this morning, when the White County, Tenn., sheriff’s department initiated a raid on a puppy mill.
Right now, a dozen of our Red Star Animal Emergency Services™ responders are in Tennessee, providing emergency sheltering for the seized animals. Several of our responders were on-site during the raid, while others prepared and staffed the emergency shelter to accommodate the dogs being transported to safety. The overall effort is being led by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), which is managing operations in the puppy mill investigation by the sheriff’s department. ASPCA disclosed that the dogs suffered from “...little to no food or water, lack of proper ventilation in enclosed areas, and feces encrusted pens. Conditions such as matting, sores, mange, poor teeth, abscesses, and a host of other medical conditions are prevalent.”
You Can Help!
Our highly trained staff and Red Star volunteer responders are working tirelessly to ensure that these poor animals are properly cared for in preparation for eventual adoption into safe, loving homes. Your donation today will help us continue these vital operations and prepare for our next animal emergency deployment. Please give what you can to stop the suffering of innocent animals!
Because this operation is a legal case, additional details are pending. However, a local newspaper, The Expositor, reported this afternoon: “The animals being rescued were housed in the residence and multiple buildings on the property. The dogs are small breed under 20 pounds, including Boston and Jack Russell terriers, Pomeranians, Shih Tzus, Chihuahuas, poodles, miniature Pinschers, and Schnauzers. The animals were examined immediately on the scene, with those needing emergency care transferred to White County veterinarians, who lent their services. The rest of the animals were transported to a temporary emergency shelter staffed by the American Humane Association.”
We’ll keep you updated as more details can be released!


Donate now to make a difference for helpless animal victims of disasters -- from puppy mills to hurricanes to wildfires.


All images courtesy of http://www.spartaexpositor.com/
Forward this message to a friend
Our mission is to prevent cruelty, abuse, neglect and exploitation of children and animals and to assure that their interests and well-being are fully, effectively and humanely guaranteed by an aware and caring society.
American Humane is committed to the responsible stewardship of donated funds and to meeting the highest standards of public accountability, program effectiveness and cost effectiveness.
American Humane meets the strong, comprehensive standards of the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance, has been awarded the Independent Charities of America "Best In America" Seal of Approval and has met the stringent standards for financial efficiency and accountability required by the American Institute of Philanthropy to qualify as a Top-Rated Charity.


Click here to unsubscribe Click here to update your profileClick here to view this message as HTML in your browser.


Check out these dog links!

The Doggie Den Homepage

Play time for Gunner: Before and After

Gunner is our newest English bulldog. He's a terrific puppy - plays flat out yet doesn't get on the other pups' nerves. Gunner was made for doggie daycare! Check out these dog links!

The Doggie Den Homepage

Help, it's a puppy invasion!

Here, some of our small dogs welcome Maria to their play area. The "danger" signs on the wall are to prevent humans from reaching over the plexiglass partition to touch the big dogs in their adjacent play area. The little ones have a couch, soft beds on top of crates and inside them, lots of toys and dishes of fresh, cool water on the floor. Best of all they have their very own cushioned windowseat! The crates stay open for optional breaks, but some of the pups play from dawn to dusk!

Check out these dog links!

The Doggie Den Homepage

In love with cold weather

Now, here's a dog who loves winter! Even the frigid temps in New England (rarely gets into high 20's and is often below 0!) don't discourage her. She's Bounce, a Bernese Mountain dog and January is her favorite month. Of course, she lives indoors so even she can't endure these temps for long periods of time, but for 10 or 15 minutes she runs around like a delirious puppy!

Check out these dog links!

The Doggie Den Homepage

Cleo the Great (Dane)

Cleo is one sweet Dane! She's taller than most kids, and has a deep, serious bark.. but she's a wuss. She loves leaning up against you and gazing into your eyes as you give her a good rub. Cody (the yellow lab behind her) is one of her pals because, like her, he prefers people and easy-going canines. Both are terrified of the little ones, especially if they yap. Cleo does think it's strange that Cody likes to retrieve toys, though. If you throw a toy for her, she just looks at you as if you'd taken leave of your senses.

Check out these dog links!

The Doggie Den Homepage

Gabe enjoys the sun and the view and Murphy and Sam Become New Friends

Check out these dog links!

The Doggie Den Homepage

New Doggie Den puppies

Check out these dog links!

The Doggie Den Homepage

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

It's a time for new beginnings!

It's the dawn of a New Year!

HAPPY 2009!

Congratulations to all you new puppy owners out there! May your days with your adorable new family member be long and happy!

Susan, Jennifer, Maria and Angie send warm good wishes to dog lovers everywhere for a healthy, successful 2009. Special thanks to our loyal customers who send their wonderful pups to us for baths and makeovers and for play-filled days in our daycare center. We appreciate you entrusting your beloved companions to us time after time.

Check out these dog links!

The Doggie Den Homepage

Watch out for frostbite!

See these puppies all cuddled up on the sofa? This is most likely how you're dog has lived all of his/her life. Even if you adopted a stray who has lived on the street, he or she has adapted to life in warm temperatures. So be careful when your dog is outside in below freezing weather. PUP IS NOT PROTECTED FROM COLD AIR, COLD SURFACES OR WIND! Even if he or she might have been in a different life. A huskey who has worked as a sled dog in Alaska since puppyhood is protected and can endure extreme cold. A huskey who has lived in a centrally heated environment is NOT!



If, while outdoors, pup lifts or licks a paw, stops walking, whines, limps or look imploringly at you, he or she is probably in danger of frostbite. Don't assume it's just the sting of salt on the roads. And DON'T RUB THE PAD SURFACE as this can damage frostbitten skin. Get the dog to a heated area as quickly as possible. If s/he's small enough, carry him/her. If not coax pup to walk with you even if s/he limps. Sometimes overly cold dogs will lie down on a frozen road or snow path and refuse to move. In this case, if the dog's too large to carry, whip out your cell phone and call for help in the form of a heated automobile.



Sometimes putting the most painful pad next to your skin helps. Like slipping a paw into your glove or mitten, but don't rub! Your warm breath on the pads can also help. But main, get the dog's feet out of contact with the cold as quickly as possible.



Once your dog is back in a warm space, keep an eye out to see if licking, lifting or limping continues. If it does, consult a vet immediately.


Check out these dog links!

The Doggie Den Homepage

Dog Ownership is a HANDS-ON Job!!

It never ceases to amaze me the problems dogs can have without their owners noticing. I know people who aren't doggie fanatics don't fuss over their pups the way we do at The Doggie Den, but what comes into our grooming shop boggles the mind. It's now the busy holiday season, and many people who come in only get their dog groomed once or twice a year. In those cases, skin and coat problems tend to be well entrenched.

Day before yesterday, an owner brought us his bichon complaining that the dog scratched constantly. Maria (our groomer) turned him over and his belly was literally ALIVE! It was moving in a truly creepy way. Hundreds of thousands of fleas infested his belly, chest and bum. And who knows how many elsewhere? We soaped him up 3 times with our strongest flea shampoo, then disinfected the entire shop, especially the tub where we bathed him. I simply could not believe that anyone touching him would not have noticed the zillions of creatures moving around in his coat! We sent him home with Frontline and did our best to convince the owner to flea-bomb his home.

Shortly before that, a lab owner came in complaining that his dog stank. We also smelled the "dead things" odor. The owner thought pup must have rolled on a dead animal in the woods. When Maria went to take off his collar there was a wide band of horribly diseased skin and surface tissue underneath with no coat covering it at all. LOTS of dead tissue, which is what was causing the odor. Furious, Maria did manage not to turn to the owner and smack him upside the head. Imagine the suffering that poor lab endured while his family saw him as "fine!" Maria bathed and debrided the area with a medicinal shampoo. The odor went away and the dog looked as though he'd died and gone to heaven. Now you tell me, how the hell did no one in his family ever look under his collar in all those weeks?? Because it took weeks (if not longer) for the problem to reach this point. Was no one giving him an occasional scratch behind the ears??

Well, we rinsed and dried the dog and exacted a promise from the owner that he would take him to a vet immediately. Who knows if he did.

So, please, GET YOUR HANDS INTO YOUR DOG'S COAT! Often and everywhere. Scratch the area under his collar (it itches even if there are no skin problems; it ALWAYS itches). Give his ears a good, gentle rub. Put her on her belly and rub her chest and abdomen. Scratch the area on the inside of her back legs/haunches. Examine his bum for fecal staining or deposits and cut them out carefully with scissors if necessary. Give his underarms (front legs) a good scratch. And if you only have a second, well, scratch her back!!

Dogs need contact! They do it for each other in the wild. They often reciprocate by licking (grooming) your face. You think it's kisses, but for her, it's simply returning a favor. When I give my sheltie, Shuki, a good head and shoulders scratch she gets up on the back of the couch and cleans behind my ears! I have to remember to take my earrings off or she'll chew them!

Check out these dog links!

The Doggie Den Homepage

Halloween Watch-outs!!

It's a spooky, kooky, loupy time of the year! A time for dress-up and parties. Of course we'd like to have our dogs participate too. After all, they're family.

But there are hazards!

• Skip the sweets. Candy that contains the artificial sweetener xylitol can cause a sudden drop in blood sugar in dogs, which leads to depression, lack of coordination and seizures.
• Confiscate candy wrappers. Pets love to play with candy wrappers, but wrappers made of aluminum foil or cellophane can cause intestinal blockage and induce vomiting.
• Forego trick-or-treating. During trick-or-treating hours, keep dogs in a room away from the front door to keep them from stealing candy or escaping the safety of home. Make sure your pets are wearing a collar with identification tags in case they accidentally get loose.
• Beware of costumes. Halloween costumes should not limit a dog's movement, hearing, sight, or ability to breathe or bark. They should not pose a choking hazard. Consider festive Halloween bandanas as an alternative to costumes.
• Ditch the decorations. Pets can easily knock over jack-o'-lanterns and start a fire or simply get burned by candles when sniffing the openings. Chewed cords and wires from decorations can damage a pet's mouth or deliver a potentially lethal electric shock.

As always, if you suspect that your dog has been poisoned, call the ASPCA's 24-hour poison control hotline: 888-426-4435.

Reprinted from Pet Age magazine, October 2008

Check out these dog links!

The Doggie Den Homepage
http://www.lazydogcookies.com/
http://www.g4ventures.com/
http://www.pawsitivelygourmet.com/
http://www.appma.org/ (American Pet Products Assocition)
http://www.akc.org/ (American Kennel Club)
http://www.aspca.org/ (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals)

Save A Dog Adoption Day at The Doggie Den

Save A Dog is an all-breed rescue

organization out of Framingham, MA.

On Sat. Oct. 4th they held a Meet and Greet at The Doggie Den.

Every dog had more than one someone who wanted to adopt him or her.

'Cause they were all unbelievably cute - and so adoptable!

CHECK OUT SAVE A DOG AT http://www.saveadog.org/

Check out these dog links!
The Doggie Den Homepage

Persistent Puppy Pushes the Envelope

WOULD SOMEONE GET THIS PUPPY OFF ME!!!

Check out these dog links!

The Doggie Den Homepage

Fall fleas and ticks

Ah, the cool, bright days of October! The kids are settled in school, moms and dads are adjusting to new schedules, and the leaves are turning. Best season of the year!

Fleas and ticks??? But it's COLD outside, especially at night. Right! So fleas and ticks are looking for a warm winter home. The ones that live in your lawn or garden, or on your porch are redoubling their efforts to hop onto any warm body that passes by, especially furry bodies. So pick through pup's and kitty's coats for ticks and signs of fleas (like black specks on the skin, red skin rashes or signs of excessive scratching).

The best idea is to continue using a spot-on product like Frontline Plus, Advantix, or Program right up until you've had several hard frosts in your area. In Massachusetts, at The Doggie Den, we keep our pups on Frontline Plus until Christmas, then we start up again in March.


The Doggie Den Homepage