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Covering Southeastern, Mass and Cape Cod Published by Clipper Press E-MAIL: editor@petgazette.net ADVERTISING: 781-934-2811 x23 or ads@petgazette.net
VOLUME 12 NO. 6 “You want a friend in Washington? Get a dog.” ~ Harry S. Truman JUNE 2009

MEET BO,
THE FIRST
DOG
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 Coloring Contest Winner!

516 Washington Street

Hanover, MA 02339
Sunday Appointment
Hours Available!
Full surgical and
diagnostic services,
including ultrasound
and specialty services
by our Board Certified
Cardiologist and Internist
.. . . . . . . . . . . .
“A Lifetime of Veterinary
Winner of the Pet Gazette’s first coloring contest, Casey Kelliher, poses for
Care” a picture with her dog Katie. Kelliher, 10, lives in Quincy and received a gift
basket with pet related toys and books. Congratulations Casey!

The Pet Gazette

The Pet Gazette is published by Clipper Press, a family-owned company based
on the South Shore since 1950.The Pet Gazette covers all of Southeastern,
Massachusetts and Cape Cod. The Pet Gazette is a registered trademark.
Pet Gazette Staff
HOURS OF Production: Lindsey Gardner Layout: Sandra Guidetti; Advertising: Robin Nudd
OPERATION Publisher: Josh Cutler; Contributors: Becca Manning, Justin Graeber, George Sommers,
URGENT CARE/EMERGENCY Nicole Birkholzer, Gerald F. Williamson.
Monday thru Sunday 8AM-10PM DELIVERY ADDRESS: 11 So. Station Street, Duxbury
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WALK-INS WELCOME
Call 781/826-2306
or 781/749-4551
Fax 781/829-9270
24 HOUR NURSING CARE
............

STAFF
VETERINARIANS
Charlie Patterson, DVM
Brad Moses, DVM, DACVIM
(Cardiology)
Mary Reynolds-Callahan, DVM
Pamela Martin, DVM
Laura Fong, DVM
Joseph Martinez, DVM
Alice Hadden, DVM, DACVIM
(Internal Medicine)
Megan Hwang, DVM
Amina Johnson, DVM
Mary Clark, VMD ————
Klaus Earl Loft, DVM Hours by
(Residency trained in Dermatology) appointment:
Maria Tehrany, DVM Mon 11 AM to 7 PM
............ Tues 11 AM to 7 PM
www.VCARoberts.com Weds Closed
Thurs 9 AM to 8 PM
VCA ROBERTS IS LOCATED
Fri 9 AM to 5 PM
Sat 9 AM to 1 PM
2.5 MILES SOUTH OF THE
HANOVER MALL ON RTE. 53
TAKE EXIT 13 OFF RTE. 3 ————
2
Pet Gazette June 2009
 Canine cataracts
SAVING YOUR DOG’S SIGHT
DR. PATRICK WELCH,

J
DVM, DACVO
asmine, a two-year-
old American Cocker
Spaniel, was generat-
ing some concern for her own-
Cassandra Kelley, D.V.M.
ers. Recently, they had noticed Full Service Feline Only Veterinary Hospital
that Jasmine was bumping into
the door when it was closed; • Preventive Care Programs
was afraid to go down the
stairs; and was tripping over • Senior Wellness
books left on the floor. Over
the course of several months,
• Dental Health
they noted that her eyes were • Complete Medical &
looking different, almost frosty
or white. Her behavior chang- There is no medical therapy for cataracts. Veterinary ophthal- Surgical Care
es continued until they had no mologists treat animal cataracts with the same elective surgery
doubt -- Jasmine couldn't see.
used on humans -- phacoemulsification.
tion during development, sys- lens fibers become denser and
“Special Care For Your Cat”
When the family brought
temic disease (e.g. diabetes), the lens can appear slightly
Jasmine to their local vet-
erinarian, they found out that or a multitude of other causes gray or hazy. This condition 508-746-8580
Jasmine had cataracts in both may cause cataracts. is called nuclear sclerosis and 80 Sandwich St., (Rte. 3A) Plymouth
eyes. They were overwhelmed Heredity is probably the is a perfectly normal aging
by the news! Why would such most common cause of cata- change that doesn't affect vi- www.catclinicplymouth.com
a young dog have cataracts? racts, however. Many breeds sion or require treatment.
Could medication help or (including the American Jasmine's owners were
would Jasmine need surgery?
Their veterinarian referred
them to a veterinary ophthal-
Cocker Spaniel) develop cata- thrilled to learn that their pup-
racts at a relatively early age py's vision could be restored.
due to a genetic problem that Jasmine remained in the hos-
Loving Arms
mologist.
When I met Jasmine's
owners, they were frightened
is passed on from their par- pital for 48 hours after her sur-
ents. Based on her age and gery so we could monitor her
breed, Jasmine probably in- progress closely and adminis-
Pet Care
and confused. As a board-cer- herited her cataracts. ter antibiotic and anti-inflam-
matory medications. She was
discharged to the care of her Sherilyn Biagini
“It is a common misconception that all dogs get doting guardians. Veterinary Technician
cataracts as they get older. In fact, most dogs never After the surgery, Jas- 12 years in Animal Care
develop cataracts.” mine's owners had to adminis-
ter several topical medications Member of PSI
tified veterinary ophthalmolo- up to four times per day as well
gist, I was able to answer their There is no medical ther- as oral medications. Although I offer boarding in my home while you are away.
questions and allay most of apy for cataracts. Veterinary the post-operative home care • Daily walks • Playtime
their fears. With the help of a ophthalmologists treat animal was very demanding, Jas- • Medication administration
variety of special equipment, cataracts with the same elec- mine's owners were happy to • Post surgery recovery care
I confirmed that little Jasmine tive surgery used on humans play any part in ensuring the • Litter Box cleaning • Some grooming
did have cataracts in both -- phacoemulsification. The success of surgery! In a few • Nail trims
eyes. I examined the animal's surgeon makes a small (3mm) short weeks, Jasmine was back Whatever your pet needs are, I will take care of it.
eyes thoroughly to ensure that incision in the eye, uses an ul- to normal; the only things she
I also do pick up and drop off
all other eye structures were trasonic handpiece to shatter occasionally tripped over were
functioning normally. the cataract, and aspirates the her long, floppy ears! depending on distance.
A cataract is a non-pain- debris from the eye. Once the Dr. Patrick Welch is a Dip- I check mail, water plants etc.
ful condition of the lens. The cataract is removed, the doctor lomate of the American College
inserts a prosthetic intraocu- 617-529-8325
crystalline lens is a living tis- of Veterinary Ophthalmolo-
lar lens implant (IOL), which biaginis3@yahoo.com
sue within the eye that is nor- gists and staff ophthalmologist
mally transparent. Any opac- helps to restore normal vision. at VCA South Shore Animal
ity within the lens is called a The procedure requires gener- Hospital. He is available for
cataract. The opacity may be a al anesthesia and takes about consultations regarding eye
small white dot or plaque that 45 minutes per eye. problems in all animal spe-
doesn't interfere with vision or It is a common miscon- cies. To speak with Dr. Welch
it may involve the whole lens ception that all dogs get cata- about your pet's condition or
and cause blindness. Ocular racts as they get older. In fact, to set up an appointment, call
trauma, inflammation within most dogs never develop cata- 781-337-6622.
the eye (uveitis), poor nutri- racts. As your dog ages, her

June 2009
PET GAZETTE 3
 Pe t p o u r r i
Send items for the
Petpourri page to
editor@petgazette.net

The Deadline is
the 12th of each month.

Capture the moment in style

F
or many, a pet is part of the family, way to showcase
so photos of them deserve a proper the furrier mem-
place on the mantle along with the bers of the fam-
rest of your mugs. A new line of photo frames ily. Frames come
by AB Designs is geared specially toward cap- in a range of siz-
turing those precious moments with pets. The es, from 4-by-4
Animal House collection is made of solid wood to 10-by-20 and
in a variety of shades and is decorated with can be made both
high-quality silk ribbons and crystal embel- horizontal and
lishments in pet themes (like a faux-diamond vertical. Prices range from $45-$160. Check
encrusted dog bone) — creating a truly classy them out online at abdesigns.com.

ANGEL VIEW PET CEMETERY & CREMATORY

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KINGSTON ANIMAL HOSPITAL, INC.
Boston is one of the Top 10 Cat Cities
C
ats are king in Boston, according
to a recent survey by the CATalyst
Council, an organization that aims
to “raise the stature of America’s number one
tals, number of cat shows held and number of
Cat Fancy magazine subscribers — with ex-
tra points given for having favorable licensing
ordinances, Society of Animal Welfare Ad-
-AIN3TREETs+INGSTON-! companion.” This spring, Boston was named ministrators shelters and a mayor who owns a
as one of the top 10 cat-friendly cities in the cat. Most of the top contenders were clustered
781-585-6525 country in the council’s 2009 listing based on on the western coast — Phoenix, Seattle and
a list of criteria applied to the nation’s 25 larg- San Francisco among them — but Ithaca, N.Y.
est metro areas. The number of cats per capita received an honorable mention. For more on
figured in the decision, as did the number of CATalyst’s survey or to find out about the or-
feline practitioners, veterinarians and hospi- ganization, visit catalystcouncil.org.

Hitting the road: Share your video tails

R
Extended Hospital Hours V owners who plan to hit the road
this summer and take their pets
Mon - Thurs 7 am - 9 pm along should also bring along a
Friday 7 am - 6 pm video camera, with the possibility of winning
Saturday 7 am - 5 pm $1,000 and a GPS system through a contest
on GoRVing.com. The RV aficionado Web
2AYMOND2USSO$6- site’s first-ever Internet video contest, hosted
-ARK%2USSO6-$!#6)- by Facebook, asks pet owners to create a posi-
0ATRICIA+(ESS6-$ tive, humorous video (1-5 minutes long) of
3HARON$AVIS$6- their animal traveling in an RV, with plenty of
%MILY3#LAIR$6-$!"60 room for creativity (it can even be shot from
!GATA$E-ARCO$6- Fido’s perspective, the site suggests). Entries
-ICHELLE2UDIN$6- can be submitted from June 1 through July 10
and should be uploaded to the Go RVing Face-
A half century of hospitality and caring for book page at facebook.com/GoRVing. Videos
will be judged be people through the Facebook
the pets of the South Shore
4
Pet Gazette
page, with the grand prize-winner receiving
$1,000 and a Motorola Motonav GPS. Second
place is $500. For contest rules, visit GoRVing.
com. Winners will be announced Aug. 5.
June 2009
 Marvel introduces
Pet Avengers miniseries
B
ehind every great companion to The Falcon), Hair-
man is a fantastic ball (Speedball’s cat) and Frog
pet, or so appears Thor (an amphibious version
the thinking behind a new of the Nordic God of Thunder).
series by Marvel Comics, Together, these furry, feathered
“Lockjaw and the Pet Aveng- and otherwise unusual superhe-
ers.” The four-part minise- roes team up to, of course, save
ries, which debuted May 13 the world from imminent threat.
with a full-color, 32-page Written by Chris Eliopoulos and
issue, gives center stage to drawn by Ig Guara, the book
the animal companions of sells for $2.99 and is available in
several Marvel superheroes, comic shops where other Marvel
including Lockjaw (an over- titles are sold. Visit comicshop-
sized bulldog with the abil- locater.com to find a store near
CAPE COD KENNEL CLUB, INC.
ity to teleport), Lockheed (an
alien dragon), Redwing (bird
you or visit marvel.com for de-
tails about the series.
DOG TRAINING CLASSES
Puppy Kindergarten • Beginner Obedience
Paperback explores healing Advanced Obedience • Show Handling

power of dogs
N
Agility Training: Beginner to Advanced
ew in paperback, Sha- continuing with a look at
For more information, please call:
ron Sakson’s “Paws & the role dogs have played
Effect” is a well-re- over time — including a   sWWWCAPECODKCORG
searched, interesting book that ex- fascinating story of the Cape Cod Kennel Club Inc. established 1947
plores the healing power of dogs. Xoloitzcuintli, a hairless
Sakson said she was inspired to
delve into the subject after receiv-
ing an overwhelming response
dog bred by the Aztecs
and used like a living heat-
ing pad to heal aches and
Canine Chiropractic
from her previous book “Paws pains — up to modern-
and Reflect,” which explores the day canines that are find- Improving the alignment and
bond between men and their dogs. ing cancer or working as performance of your dog will
Through her research for that book, therapy dogs. Originally
Sakson said she discovered an un- released in 2007 by Spie- improve their health........Naturally
anticipated theme: that dogs don’t gel & Grau, “Paws & Ef-
just bond with their humans; they fect” is due out in paper- INDEK CHIROPRACTIC
heal them. In “Paws & Effect,” back on June 9 and retails
Sakson expands on this idea, start- for $14. Find it online at
ing with her personal experience
as a child coping with her mother’s illness and
spiegelandgrau.com or at
local and online bookstores.
617-472-0661
New Breed of Detective Novel Chiropractic can be used for

L
chronic & acute problems & part
of a wellness program with your
ooking for a light beach read this summer? Veterinarian.
Come July, you can check out a new breed
of detective novel, “The Unscratchables” by
Cornelius Kane (a pseudonym for Australian author An-
thony O’Neill). Whether or not you’re a fan of myster- “Dr. Bruce has been in practice for 26 years and
ies, this funny little novel is worth a look, introducing
its readers to the world of San Bernardo, where dogs
has the utmost compassion and caring for your
run the show (except for on the nearby island of Katha- dog. Appointments at your home or
ttan) and where Detective Max “Crusher” McNash is Norwell Animal Hospital.”
on the trail of a killer. To solve the crime, he’ll have to
team up with Cassius Lap, an agent from the FBI (Fe-
line Bureau of Investigation), and let’s just say Crusher
wwww.Indekchiropractic.com
is a little prejudiced about his new partner. Full of wit
and attitude, “Unscratchables” is a serious story that 525 South Street
doesn’t take itself too seriously, blending hard-nosed Walpole, MA 02081
detective talk with clever dog-centered language that Phone (508) 668-5454
is both believable and hilarious. “The Unscratchables,”
Fax (508) 850-9809
a 272-page paperback, will be released by Scribner in
early July. Pre-order it now at simonandschuster.com or www.TuftsVets.org
at area or online bookstores. For more about the book, VETERINARY EMERGENCY
the author or to see sketches of the characters, check out TREATMENT & SPECIALTIES
theunscratchables.com.
We Now Proudly Offer the Following new Services:
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Rescue Groups s$ENTISTRY

- 24 hour Emergency Service
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New England • Emergency & Critical Care - April Paul, DVM, DACVECC
TOUGH Tara Hammond DVM, DACVECC, 6 ECC Residents
BEGINNINGS. • Internal Medicine - Johanna Cooper, DVM, DACVIM
• Ophthalmology - Federica Maggio, DVM, DACVO
HAPPY • Radiology - Ryan King, DVM, DACVR
ENDINGS. • Surgery - Nicole Amato, DVM, DACVS
We are a 501c3 all-breed rescue group • Dentistry - Jean Joo, DVM
with a network of foster homes in the • Dermatologist - Dr. Christine Prost, DVM, DECVD
south and in New England. Please
check out our available dogs at Our goal is to provide the best medical care combine with outstanding client service.
www.foreverhomerescue.org Our qualified and compassionate staff is dedicated to serving the veterinary
community.

June 2009
Pet Gazette 55
 Whisker Walk 2009
Benefit walk for
Vaccinations for Dogs
homeless animals How often is too often?
O I
By Tiffany J. Rule, DVM
n Sunday June 7 the Nation’s first and only multi-
organizational dog walk and benefit is being held n the past, the veteri-
at the Lancaster Fairground in Lancaster, Mass on nary community ad-
Rt.117. Thousands of people and their dogs from all over New vocated annual vac-
England are expected to descend on 50 acres of pet loving cinations for all pets. Most
paradise with almost 100 pet related groups, companies, ven- pet owners did due diligence
dors, sponsors and manufacturers and animal rescue groups in and took their pet dog or cat
attendance! to the vet for “yearly shots.”
The 2009 Whisker Walk will be an “event not to be missed” As veterinary science has be-
for pet lovers and their dogs with a unique twist…a blessing come more advanced, there is
of the animals kicks off the noon multi-organizational dog more information in the field
walk! Come see spectacular exhibits, demonstrations, hands- of immunology available to
on animal petting opportunities, educational programs, special veterinarians. There are two
attractions, pet adoptions, product giveaways, entertainment, major veterinary organizations
lots of food, fun and things for adults and kids to see, do and that have put forth an effort to
buy! study issues surrounding the
Doors opens to the public at 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. - Walk starts vaccination of our beloved
at noon. Centrally located — just minutes from Rt. 2, Rt. 190, pets. Many veterinarians wish-
495 and only 20 minutes from Worcester and 30 miles from ing to stay abreast of the most
Boston! 50+ acres of flat, shaded paths (handicapped acces- current veterinary science now
sible) the grounds are enormous and beautiful. recommend less frequent vac-
No admission fees. Bring your family and your dogs. Oth- cinations as well as vaccine
er pets must stay home. programs customized to each
individual’s disease risk.
While vaccinations are
recommended less frequently,
BECOME A PROFESSIONAL more attention is being paid
to preventative care including
DOG TRAINER! regular laboratory screening
of blood and urine samples.
Finally, some veterinarians are
recommending more frequent
physical examinations: Once
every six months rather than
once per year.
The investigation into vac-
cine frequency in the cat was
primarily precipitated by the
scourge of vaccine associated
cancer, namely, fibrosarcoma.
This phenomenon has not been
reported in the dog. Neverthe-
Hands-On Dog Training
Experience Included
“Could vaccinating a dog every year for disease result in
Great Job Placement chronic health problems?”
Assistance
less, the question remains, do
dogs really need to be vacci-
Easy Qualifying Low
nated once per year for every
Interest Student Loans disease?
(as low as $30.00 Could vaccinating a dog
per month) every year for every disease
result in chronic health prob-
Training Locations lems? Some immunologists
have speculated that only two
throughout the
vaccinations are needed for
Greater Boston Area life: An initial vaccine fol-
lowed by a booster to impart
Mention Code #PG2006 lifelong immunity against
and get $100 off! some diseases in the dog. This
may be true, but for now this is
only a speculation.
For veterinarians to safely
recommend a vaccine’s dura-
tion, it must first be studied.
This means challenge studies
must be performed. A chal-
lenge study involves vacci-
nating a dog against a specific
CALL TODAY disease, for instance, canine
parvovirus, and then exposing
AND BEGIN TRAINING that dog to live, virulent virus
at some point later in its life.
FOR THE CAREER If a vaccination could protect
a dog for life, then exposing a
YOU'VE ALWAYS WANTED 13-year-old dog to canine par-
vovirus after this dog only had
.....WORKING WITH ANIMALS! initial vaccinations as a puppy
would not harm the dog. One
1-800-795-3294 dog would not be enough to
study this question however,
www.AnimalBehaviorCollege.com
6
Pet Gazette
While vaccinations are recommended less frequently, more
attention is being paid to preventative care including regular
laboratory screening of blood and urine samples. Finally,
some veterinarians are recommending more frequent physical
examinations: Once every six months rather than once per
year.
as different individuals inherit
differences in their immune
systems. We would need to
challenge many dogs at many
points in life to truly deter-
mine the efficacy of a given
vaccination.
Recently, the American
Animal Hospital Association
has studied and published rec-
ommendations for canine vac-
cinations. These recommenda-
tions are similar to those made
by the AAFP, in that they
identify recommended and
not-recommended vaccina-
tions and stipulate vaccine fre-
quency. For adult dogs there is
good evidence that the protec-
tion conferred by canine par-
vovirus and canine distemper
exceeds five years. According
to the taskforce, three years
seemed a conservative, happy
medium. The current three-
year vaccination for dogs is la-
beled for use every three years
and has not yet been labeled
to use for a longer duration of
time. Puppies should still be
vaccinated at 6-8 weeks, 9-11
weeks, and 12-14 weeks with
three weeks in between each
vaccination for canine distem-
per, parvovirus, and adeno-
virus type-2. The decrease in
vaccination frequency pertains
only to adult dogs.
As is the case for feline
vaccination recommenda-
tions, not every dog needs to
be vaccinated every year with
every available vaccination.
Progressive veterinary care
includes vaccination of each
pet according to his or her in-
dividual disease risk and not
necessarily every year.
There is much discussion
about vaccination titer testing.
This is a procedure where a
blood sample is drawn, sub-
mitted to a laboratory, and
the sample then tested for an-
tibodies to canine distemper
and/or canine parvovirus. A
high titer tells us that there is
a high level of antibodies in
circulation. The conventional
wisdom states that a high titer
can give one an idea or some
confidence that protection ex-
ists. A low titer however is
not conclusive as a titer only
examines humoral immunity,
which is one of two main parts
of the immune system. Cell
mediated immunity is the oth-
er arm of the immune system
that a titer cannot measure.
For example, an animal with a
very low titer may have excel-
lent immunity against canine
parvovirus.
Many veterinarians feel
that titer testing is not helpful
at this time. Many of us hope
that this technology is perfect-
ed and appropriate challenge
studies are performed, as it
would be ideal to vaccinate
animals according to measur-
able need rather than on an
arbitrary basis. Additionally,
there may well be more results
on studies of duration of im-
munity that will further alter
how and when we vaccinate
our dogs.
Dr. Rule is a veterinarian
at Dedham Veterinary Associ-
ates and advocates vaccina-
tion for dogs and cats as rec-
ommended by AAHA and the
AAFP. Originally published
in the January 2006 edition of
the Pet Gazette.
June 2009
Look like your dog? Win $1Mil.
A
ll American Pet
Company, makers
of super premium
dog food brands Bow Wow
Breakfast Cereal and Grrr-nola
Natural Dog Food, announces
its first ever Bow Wow Million
Dollar Look-a-Like Contest.
Starting Monday, June 1
dog owners will have the op-
portunity to submit a picture
of themselves and their dog
to show the world how much
they look alike. The finalists
from these submissions will
be given the chance to win the
grand prize of $1 million dol-
lars. The deadline for submis-
sions is Sunday, July 2.
Dog owners who wish to
submit their photos for this
competition should visit www.
bowwowmillion.com and fol-
Top Dog of the Month
Penny
T
his is Penny – a 17
year old English
Setter. She’s been
our family dog since 1990 – at
the ripe old age of one.
She was spotted by mother
straight away – jumping and
carrying on in her crate – and,
we were asked if we would
like to take her outside – sort
of like a test drive. I suggested
that my mom make her deci-
sion while we were outside
as there were others looking
at the dogs and mother had a
habit of procrastinating and
later regretting unmade deci-
sions. The staff got her ready
to go. The ensuing racket
caused mother to glance at the
boy next to us with his dog sit-
ting calmly at his side. She
turned to me, “Do you think I
made a mistake?” I promptly
answered no, but sure did
wonder myself that day.
Penny gladly fell in line at
her new home and became a
steadfast companion to mother
June 2009
low the Contest entry form and
upload a digital photo which
includes both the owner and
Look-A-Like.
There will be eight weekly
competitions held during the
contest entry period in which
contestants can enter by re-
gion. Every audience member
can vote up to five times for
their favorite contestant every
week. At the end of each week,
the judges will determine the
top scoring entries that will
advance as Semi-Finalists.
Thereafter, all Semi-Finalists
entries will be judged by a
selection committee who will
determine the Finalist entries
so a nationwide audience can
vote for its favorite Finalist.
Each and every audience mem-
ber can vote up to five times
– and anyone else with food.
She fit in from the start and
grew on Mom, Dad, and her
sisters as well as the neigh-
bors. She loved squirrels and
jumping over six-foot fences.
But, time went on and mother
became ill. Penny never left
her side and went bravely on –
ever faithful and always ready
pet Drawing
for its favorite Finalist. At the
end of this round, the Finalists
with the highest votes from
audience voting participation
of the month
will become eligible for the
National Championship where
a panel of judges will deter-
mine the Grand Prize winner
and Runner-up winners.
After the judging is over,
one finalist will be declared the
national Look-a-Like Cham-
pion and will win the Grand
prize of $1 Million Dollars an
each Runner-up winner will
win $5,000 cash plus a one
year supply of dog food.
For more information, visit
the All American Pet web site
at www.aapbrands.com
“Ace” By Mary Hachey, 7
Our kids coloring contest last month was
so popular we’ve decided to continue it as a
monthly feature. Send us a drawing of your
family pet along with a brief write-up. We’ll
select one drawing per issue and feature
it here. Winners will also receive a free
subscription to the Pet Gazette.
Guidelines
Open to children 14 and under. Work should be on
a 8.5 x 11 sheet of white paper with no lines. Please
use colored pencils or crayons. Entries must include
the name and age of child, parent’s name and contact
information, including phone. Please include a brief
description including your pet’s name.
for her nightly bowl of Far-
rar’s ice cream. The secret to Mail entries to:
longevity – but, don’t tell the
vet!! PET GAZETTE, PO BOX 1656,
She sits quietly at my side
awaiting her supper tonight.
DUXBURY, MA 02331
So, no mom, for the second
and final time, you did not
make a mistake.
Pet Gazette 7
 Who gets the puppy
Underwater Treadmill
For Treatment of:
Spa Pool in the divorce?
s/RTHOPEDIC.EUROLOGIC3URGERY By Gerald F. Williamson Esq. can go awry, even after many Does it matter who bought
Pet Gazette Columnist years of commitment by the which dog or whose relative

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two grown kids (on their
Q
: My husband parties. So, what happens to
and I are getting the furry “property” here?
a divorce after 26 In order to establish mean-
years of marriage. We have ingful rules as to alimony and
property settlement, we have interim support, and visitation
own). We each have a car been given Chap. 208, Sect. 34
and the home is paid for. We of the Not-So-General Laws of
will split the sale of the pro- the Commonwealth. In pass-
made a gift to you? The pro-
bate courts say no. Your four-
footed “kids” are not subject to
the rules pertaining to custody,
as with children. Instead, they
are unceremoniously labeled
as “personal property of the

s si o n ceeds. There will be alimony ing, please note that alimony marital estate” and are legally

I m p re ti on for six months only. Here's is not a one-way money sluice disposed of under a different
genre of divorce laws.

te r li n g abi lita the problem: Our two-

year old female cocka- If you and Mr. Spouse
S a l Reh poo is worth $10,000 cannot agree on the rela-

Ani m
to me. Our one-year tive value of these pets,
old AKC certified male and if their relative value
Siberian husky (com- of these pets, and if their
plete with one brown respective values are truly
"Improved Function, and one blue eye), we important to you, they can
Improved Quality agree is worth at least be appraised, just like a
of Life" $3,500, especially as a stamp collection or a set
breeder. Can the pro- of antique trains. If one
Marjorie C. McMillan, DVM, DACVR, CCRP • Cathy Symons, CVT, CCRP bate judge decide who opinion of value is not
gets which dog? I want sufficient, you can sub-
At Sterling
COMPREHENSIVE PHYSICAL THERAPY PROGRAMS FOR
the cockapoo (I bought mit the matter to binding
Impression Rehab
means:
Arthritis - Obesity - Amputation - Weight loss
Post-Surgical - Post-Trauma - Cancer
INCLUDES
her). The Siberian was
a gift from a relative. Paws & the law arbitration, or simply use
more than one appraiser.
Recvory Spa Pool - Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation How do you settle the Writing the pups into
Expertience Custom Orthotics - Home Therapy Plans valuation question? a divorce agreement need
Healing Underwater Treadmill from hubby's checkbook to not be difficult at all. A sim-
Ambulation A: A probate judge wryly yours. (Ask Liz Taylor, who ple written, signed stipulation
ASK ABOUT OUT PRODUCTS FOR YOUR
commented in open court: “If has been on the paying end of should do the trick, which will
Better quality of life ELDERLY, DISABLED OR INJURED PET
you folks had worked half as
Boots - Harnesses - Slings - Hot/Cold Packs - Low Calorie Treats an alimony order more than become incorporated into the
hard at your marriage as you once!) Alimony is, essentially, divorce agreement, to be ap-
Sterling Impression Animal Rehabilitation Center of New England are working at your divorce, support monies paid to either proved by the judge. (An ID
I'd probably be out of a job!!” husband or wife, after the court chip is highly recommended.)
1008 East Street, Walpole In any case, many marriages, considers a veritable shopping A few years ago we had the
xän‡ÈÈn‡Ç™{ÈÊUÊÜÜÜ°ÃÌ>ÀVœ˜i°Vœ“ even those made in Heaven, list of entitlement factors. Is daunting task of assigning a
“puppy” settlement treated the black lab and a border collie to
same? Bonny and an adopted husky to
The short answer is yes, Steve. Visitation never reared
We are open and here for with some quasi-legal factors its furry head: Bonny moved
to consider. Is your darling to New Jersey and Steve re-
our patients cockapoo worth any more or
less because she cannot be cer-
mained in the Commonwealth.
Good Luck!
Please call tified by the AKC? (Our local
vet has opined that it could be Silly statute of the month
508-428-6393 to schedule or reschedule four or five generations of very You can be arrested in
Monday - Saturday 8-5 selective breeding before the New Hampshire for poaching
cockapoo could be tagged as a a deer or a bear, but only if you
Cape Cod Animal Hospital has been in “new” breed). Until then, your qualify as a natural person!!
continuous operation since 1930 and will be furry cutie must remain a very
Complete rebuilt. The hospital will continue to serve high priced “designer mon- Got a question about ani-
grel.” I would not advise you mal law? Send your questions
Medical Care this wonderful community.
to put a $10,000 FMV (fair
Scott E. Munson, VMD and feedback to Attorney Wil-
market value) on this puppy, liamson and you may see it
Melaine L. Bikis, DVM even if you love her that much. in a future column. He can be
Heidi A. McMorrow, DVM Ironically, the Siberian, a rec- reached at pawlaw@petga-
1411 Osterville Road West Barnstable ognized pure breed, sans sen- zette.net or by mail to Attorney
timental value, but carrying a
Gerald Williamson, 71 Legion
full complement of reproduc-
Parkway, Brockton, MA 02301
tive gear, can be worth big
bucks.

Foreclosure &
Debt Relief
chapter 7 chapter 13 trial work
Gerald F. Williamson, Esq.
71 Legion Parkway
Brockton, MA 02301
Serving South Shore Over 25 Years
LIZ CZAPLICKI, DVM
(508) 588-2284
8
Pet Gazette June 2009
 Goldfish/Koi Pond ‘Orientation’
By George Sommers
H
Pet Gazette Columnist
uge, gaudy koi
glide among wa-
terlilies under
miniature wooden bridges and
by waterfalls in Japanese style
garden ponds - an inspiration
for many an American fish-
pond. In fact, for the centu-
ries old origins of “artificial”
pond keeping and probably
the aquarium hobby itself; go
East, young
man (or
woman - or
older man or
woman).
This tra-
dition can be
honored in a
fun way by
adding some
Oriental em-
bellishments
to your local
garden-va-
riety pond.
If you can’t
Fish & fowl
swing a ticket for the Orien-
tal Express; catch the Orange
Line to Chinatown. (Parking
can be tough to find and/or
expensive.)
Local garden stores don’t
typically break out pond sup-
plies until mid-May, reason-
ing that ”pond season” lasts
about 4 months. (Those of us
who keep ponds year-round
beg to duffer, but that’s for fu-
ture stories!)
The first Oriental treasure
for the modern day Marco
Polo to seek is the lucky bam-
boo, sold in Oriental specialty
shops, and open air markets in
mild weather Lucky bamboos
thrive in an aquatic environ-
ment, but with their minimal
roots they need to be solidly
anchored by aquarium-appro-
priate gravel, or marbles. Tall
ones break the water surface,
like a reed marsh providing
fish with shade and a respite
area.
June 2009
You can get a Chinese
checker jumpstart on your
water gardening this way as
most commercial water gar-
den plants are tropical natives,
and not generally available
before mid-May. You can also
purchase bamboos in specialty
shops at many malls but they
tend to be a bit more pricy –
and the cultural experience
isn’t quite the same!
Gold is always a prized
commodity
among trad-
ers, and a
store in Chi-
natown has a
large selec-
tion of gold-
fish and koi.
Shubunkins,
calicoes and
comets are
the best pond
goldfish.
Fantail type
varieties are
not built for
speed and
aren’t as well equipped for a
semi-wild existence of preda-
Internal Medicine
Michael Bernstein, DVM, DACVIM,
Medical Director
Angelyn Cornetta, DVM, DACVIM,
Intern Director
Alice Hadden, DVM, DACVIM
Susan Morrison, DVM, DACVIM
Jerry Perry, DVM
Bruce Walker, DVM
Cardiology
Susan Morrison, DVM, DACVIM
Bradley L. Moses, DVM,
DACVIM (Cardiology)
Neurology
Stephanie Kube, DVM, DACVIM
(Neurology)
Emergency/Critical Care
Angelyn Cornetta, DVM, DACVIM
Angela Diaz, DVM
Alison R. Gaynor, DVM, DACVIM,
DACVECC
Cindy Lopes, DVM
Ophthalmology
Bill Greentree, DVM, DACVO
Surgery
David Diamond, VMD, DACVS
Radiology/
Diagnostic Imaging
Lori Hartzband, DVM, DACVR
Diana Rosenstein, DVM, DACVR
Avian and Exotic Animal Medicine
Stephen Dyer, DVM, DABVP (Avian)
Dentistry
Michelle Michienzie, DVM
Sheri Procious, DVM
into nishikikoi, or koi. A bi-
zarre goldfish from Korea
known as celestial eyes has
eyes that stick out to the side
and face directly up, bred by
monks so the fish would gaze
heavenward.
Goldfish and koi are cel-
ebrated in Chinese art and
culture, and depicted on icons
made of wood, metal and oth-
er materials usually adorned
with red tassles. A couple
of these hang in a place of
honor by the windchimes on
the “shores” of this writer’s
pond.
Budget permitting, you
can always add that wooden
footbridge or waterfall.
After a day’s trading along
the Silk Road, you can always
East meets West: Oriental icons decorate a Massachusetts fish opt for some General Gao ca-
pond. -Photo by George Sommers shew chicken, a mai tai and
fortune cookies before head-
ing home to add your Oriental
tor evasion and food competi- aquarists took drab green,
tion. ordinary-looking fish called
The original “wild gold- Crucian carp and turned
booty to your garden pond.
Check out more by this
writer on examiner.com bos-
fish” looked no more like to- them into the fantails, moors,
ton under PETS and also on
day’s fancy goldfish than a shubunkins, etc. of today.
E-How.com
poodle resembles its wolf-like Meanwhile, Japanese hobby-
ancestors. Master Chinese ists bred another carp species
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Pet Gazette 9
 The Portuguese Water Dog
a fun, friendly breed

I
By Becca Manning, Pet Gazette Staff
n April, President Barack Obama decided to make
good on his Election Night promise to daughters Ma-
lia and Sasha by adopting a Portuguese Water Dog.
That’s when Stu Freeman’s phone started ringing off the
hook.
As president of the Portuguese Water Dog Club of America,
Freeman said he has given about 80 interviews
since the Obamas announced their decision
to adopt Bo, a six-month-old black-and-
white Portuguese Water Dog given to
them by U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy.
“We have seen a lot of increase
in interest in our Web site. A few
days right before the president got
his dog, there were millions of hits.
We don’t get that much in the whole
year,” Freeman said recently.

Though interest in the because there’s more demand

breed has increased, Freeman
said the process for adopting a
Portuguese Water Dog has not
changed.
“Some of us who are breed-
ers have gotten more calls, but
the procedures we use to give
somebody a dog are no differ-
ent than they were before the
president got his dog,” Free-
man said, adding that he was
concerned that “puppy mills”
might get involved and attempt
to rapidly breed the dogs with-
out proper testing in order to
meet demand.
“It’s not like making more
Chevrolets —  you’ve got to
wait for the ladies to go into
season and the boys to make
puppies,” Freeman said.
When a breed becomes
“trendy” irresponsible breed-
ing can become a problem, said
Jeff Barrow, DVM, owner of
Marshfield Animal Hospital.
“[Some people] see it as
an opportunity to make money
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and they can get more mon-
ey for them,” Barrow said.
“These breeders may find a
male and female that are not
necessarily a good example
of the breed — they may have
genetic medical problems or a
bad temperament — and they
start breeding them.”
Prospective owners should
look for breeders who are
recognized by the American
Kennel Club and who have
been breeding Portuguese Wa-
ter Dogs ideally for at least
10 years, Barrow said. Find
AKC-approved breeders on-
line at akc.org/classified.
Here’s another “buyer be-
ware”: The Portuguese Wa-
ter Dog is not an inexpensive
breed. These dogs typically
cost upwards of $1,400.
Barrow said he doesn’t
see many “Porties” — as they
are sometimes called — at the
Marshfield Animal Hospital
but expects to see a few more
Rabies Vaccination
(with certificate)
Surgery
The identity of the Obamas’ First Puppy was revealed in mid April, when the President
announced his family had adopted a six-month-old Portuguese Water Dog, given to them by
U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy. Daughters Sasha and Malia reportedly chose the name “Bo” because
they have cousins with a cat of the same name and because Michelle Obama’s father was nick-
named Diddley after the late musician Bo Diddley. Photos of Bo by Pete Souza, whitehouse.gov
in the near future, particularly
if Obama wins a second term.
“Anytime a President
owns a dog they always be-
come more popular, and that’s
not so much a good thing. You
have a lot of people going out
and getting these trendy dogs
and they don’t realize they
have certain requirements,”
Barrow said.
Some of those require-
ments are a space to run and
time to be active with these
dogs, Barrow said.
“They’re a sporting breed
and they have a lot of energy.
They’re appropriately named,
because they do like to swim,”
he said.
As someone who has
raised Portuguese Water Dogs
for many years, Freeman said
he understands their appeal,
but he also knows that, like
any dog, they have their chal-
lenges.
“The puppies are adorable,
as you can see with Bo Obama.
You can see from the pictures
he’s a cute puppy, and Mrs. U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy, who gave the Obamas their six-
Obama has said how nutty he month-old Portuguese Water Dog, Bo, published this book in
is. That’s typical,” Freeman
2006 about his own pet, Splash. “My Senator and Me: A
said. “Having puppies is sort
Dog’s-Eye View of Washington, D.C.” follows Splash as he
of like having a toddler in the
house. They wander around tries to help the senator go about his daily life and pass an
looking to get into trouble.” education bill, explaining along the way how a bill becomes a
Male Portuguese Water law, the roles of Congress and the Senate and other details of
government.

10
Pet Gazette June 2009
 That Famous Face
A
lready since the Obamas introduced their furry new
addition to the family in April, products bearing Bo’s
name and image have been pouring into the market.
On April 16, two days after Bo’s first official White House
photo op, Ty Inc.
introduced a new
Beanie Baby version
of the presidential
pup that has report-
edly sold out at
select stores around
the country. The little
black-and-white
stuffed dog bearing
a red-white-and-
blue collar retails for
$4.99 but already
has been seen
going for upwards
of $100 on eBay.
Also in April, a
small publishing
company based in
The Portuguese Water Dog, called Cão de Água in Portugal (basically translating to “dog of Virginia, Mascot
water”), gets its name from its history of being a companion for Portuguese fishermen and Books, announced
sailors. it would be releas-
Dogs usually grow to be up to reputation for being hypoal- well-balanced working dog ing a children’s book featuring Bo. “Bo, America’s
65 pounds and around 20-23 lergenic, Freeman said they was prized by the fishermen as Commander in Leash” by Naren Aryal and illustrated by
inches tall, while females are not necessarily so. “The a companion and guard dog. Danny Moore,
can get up to a little over 50 dogs have hair as contrasted He lived on the working was released this
pounds and about 17-21 inch- to having fur. They don’t have boats where he was spring and takes
es tall, Freeman said. dander like a golden retriever. taught to herd fish Bo on “an exciting
The breed features a thick They do have hair and hair into nets, to re- adventure as he
coat of curly or wavy hair, of- sheds, sort of the way [human] trieve lost tackle learns all about the
ten black or black with white hair sheds. If you’re allergic to or broken nets White House and
blazes on the chest, though the dander in other dogs, you will and to act as a experiences the
dogs can come in a variety of not be allergic to a Portuguese courier from traditions that
colors, including white, brown Water Dog. If you’re allergic ship to ship make it such a
and spotted. They also have to the protein in a dog’s sali- or ship to special place,”
thick tails, typically clipped va, then you’re allergic to all shore.” according to a
so they have a tuft of hair on dogs,” he said. “They were blurb on the com-
the end like a lion’s tail. Those The Portuguese Water basically compan- pany’s Web site. The
tails contribute to the dogs’ ex- Dog, called Cão de Água in ions of the Portuguese book, a 32-page hardcover
cellent swimming skills. Portugal (basically translat- fishermen while they were out in full color aimed at ages 4-8,
The Obamas reportedly ing to “dog of water”), gets on their boats,” Freeman said. retails for $14.95. (Find it at mascotbooks.com or at other
picked a Portuguese Water its name from its history of Though they’re not nec- local and online bookstores.)
Dog in part because they are being a companion for Portu- essarily more inclined to en- Set for a fall release is a
low-shedding dogs — daugh- guese fishermen and sailors. joy water than other canine series of political-
ter Malia, 10, has allergies. According to the PWD Club breeds, Porties do like to themed comic books
Though Porties have a Web site, pwdca.org, “This splash around, Freeman said. about President Barack
Obama, Vice President
Joe Biden and First Dog
Bo. “Puppy Power: Bo
Obama,” Written by Paul J.
Salamoff and drawn by
Keith Tucker, is set to be
released by Bluewater
Productions in September and
“gives children an insider’s look at
the White House,” according to the compa-
ny’s Web site. It will retail for about $3.99.
Check it out at bluewaterprod.com.
And a quick Web search for “Bo Obama” will turn up a
number of other Bo-related products,
from mugs and T-shirts
bearing his name and
image (zazzle.com)
to a $1,700 presi-
dential dog bowl
made of bone
china and
accented with
24-karat gold
and Swarovski
crystals (firstdog-
bowl.com).
With the presi-
dential pup having
been “in office” for
under two months, it
is likely more Bo
products will follow in
Though they’re not necessarily more inclined to enjoy water than other canine breeds, the the near future.
Portuguese Water Dogs do like to splash around.

June 2009
PET GAZETTE 11

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On Rt 3 76 Liberty St Plymouth, MA 02360
Where Heartfelt Responsibility is Practiced.
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UPATYOURHOMEORVET Dogs enjoy swimming, that
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He said his wife, Jane, who
helps breed the dogs at their
home in Connecticut, practices
water exercises with the dogs
that mimic the work they did
on boats — picking up buoys
and other items while learning
to swim well.
“They love the water,” he
said. “We let them go into the
pool, and we can’t get them
out. They’re like kids in the
pool.”
Though Portuguese Water
doesn’t mean they should be
kept outdoors, Freeman said.
“They are not outside dogs;
they’re inside dogs,” he said.
A large part of that is the
fact that Porties like to be
around people. They’re family
dogs, Freeman said.
“When you have one in
your family —  we have four
s/VERYEARSOFCOMPASSIONDIGNITYANDSERVICE
Call for info 1-800-852-0014 or 508-746-5550
WE ARE HERE WHEN
—  you never go any place
alone. The last time you will
be able to go to the bathroom
by yourself is the day before
you get one of these dogs.
These guys really, really want
to be with their people,” Free-
man said.
The Obamas reportedly picked a Portuguese Water Dog in part
because they are low-shedding dogs —  daughter Malia, 10,
has allergies. Though Porties have a reputation for being
hypoallergenic, experts say they are not necessarily so.
Porties have hair instead of fur so they produce less dander,
but some people who are allergic to a protein in dogs’ saliva
still may be affected by this breed. Photo by Pete Souza,

YOU NEED US! The breed also is “very

bright,” he said. “They want to Meeting a Portie face-to-
whitehouse.gov

sues that may be common with

Veterinarians and technicians on site 24 hours a day.
Locally owned and operated since 1975.
IN AN EMERGENCY
508-580-2515
24 hour care for sick or injured pets. Chief of Staff
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508-587-2700
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be directed. They want a job to face also is a good way to tell the breed and should look for a
do.” for sure whether a person is reputable breeder who follows
As with any new dog, po- allergic to the dog, Freeman AKC guidelines. For example,
tential owners should not as- said. the PWD Club of America rec-
sume every member of the “You sit there for a few ommends that any dog used for
breed will act the same way, minutes and you’ll know pret- breeding be at least two years
and Freeman encourages peo- ty quickly whether you’re al- old and be examined for and
ple who are interested in get- lergic or not,” he said. evaluated free of certain health
ting a Portuguese Water Dog Families thinking of get- problems such as canine hip
to find a breeder in the area
ting a Portuguese Water Dog dysplasia (common in larger
and spend some time with the also should consider health is- breeds), metabolic storage dis-
dogs before taking one home. ease (a genetic disorder that
allows the buildup of toxic
substances in the nerve cells)
and eye problems. For more
information about potential
health problems and the PWD
Club of America’s guidelines,
visit pwdca.org/health.
“Overall, they’re pretty
healthy dogs,” Barrow said.
If you have the money
to spend, the room for them
to be active and the time and
patience to welcome a new
puppy into your home, the
Portuguese Water Dog could
be right for you.
Stu and Jane Freeman’s Portuguese Water Dog, Spencer, has “Porties tend to be really
had quite a winning show career, winning the PWDCA National friendly dogs, good-natured,
Specialty in fall 2008; being top in his breed at Westminster and it’s important that people
three years in a row; and being named the Number One know they need to be out and
they need to be active, running
earned an Apprentice Water Dog title from the PWDCA, among and swimming and playing,”
other accomplishments. Photo courtesy of Stu Freeman Barrow said.
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12
Pet Gazette June 2009
 Forever friends
A story of determination
By Carol Martin do! “I’m ill myself and can- did a new budget with al- ing me find Leo. Carol still

M
Special to the Pet Gazette
y name is Rusty
and this is my
story. I would
like to tell you of how I came
to live with my best friend,
Leo on August 30, 2007.
Before we met, Leo was
very ill with congestive heart
failure, damage to upper lungs
and diabetic. He is on oxygen
24 hours a day. His love for
DVD’s and TV cartoons kept
him going as his only enjoy-
ment.
Leo’s mom lived on the
fourth floor of their build-
ing and Leo lived on the fifth
floor. She came every hour to
take care of his needs, but Leo
needed and wanted more. He
wanted a dog. Mom felt it was
more than he could handle and
had great concerns as Moms
not help you with a dog”
she would say so the discus-
sion was over ... or so she
thought!!
Well one day Leo got a
new P.C.A. worker named
Carol who helped him with
his needs and in talking to her
learned she had two chihua-
huas. Leo went to visit the
dogs often letting them jump
on his belly giving him lots of
kisses at the same time!! He
didn’t get sick once and had
no allergies to them as his
mom once thought he had.
Leo went to pet stores and got
exercise by walking the mall.
Then the plan started! Carol
and Leo talked to his case
manager, Pat, about Leo’s de-
termination to get a dog. He
know it would be hard and
there would be many chal-
lenges to overcome.
First, he would have to
care for his A.D.L.’s for him-
self before he could care for a
dog. Leo walked every day.
Next he saved $500 to pay for
a dog when he got one. This
money would pay for shots,
beds, food, etc. then he even
lowances for dog food, heart
worm pills, and Frontline!
Carol and Leo had already
visited the Taunton Animal
Shelter two or three times.
The people at the shelter knew
he wanted a dog 40 pounds or
under. Well on this day when
Leo called, I was there! Rob,
the shelter manager, told Leo
that I would be perfect for
him! Carol and Leo came to
see me and we all fell in love
right away! Leo adopted me!
When Leo’s mom first saw
me she looked a little mad and
then she fell in love with me!
She was my Grandma! She
gave me treats everyday and
sometimes three times a day
(even when Leo would say
not to and we would all just
laugh!) Sadly, my Grandma
passed away on March 7,
comes every day! It’s hard to
tell who loves me more -- Leo
or Carol!
By the way, Leo lost 17
pounds and has only gone to
the hospital once since I came
to live with him! That’s great
news for his health!
As for me, I got a great
friend for life and a great for-
ever home! And speaking of
that there are 10 to 15 people
in this building that pat me ev-
ery day -- what a life! I know
they enjoy this as much as I
do.
I hope you like my story.
But this isn’t the end of my
story, it’s just the beginning!
Thanks for reading it!
Rusty Dougherty
P.s. I’d like to thank all
the caring and fantastic people

Prong Collars:
2008.
Leo and I miss her a lot,
but we have each other and
keep each other company
who made it possible for me to
write this story: my Dad, Leo
Dougherty, my late grandma,
and Carol Martin and Pat

Becoming ‘The Alpha’ along with Carol. I don’t see

Pat. She got transferred but I
thank Carol and her for help-
Nunes from Options for Inde-
pendent Living.

By Colleen Sayers dog. It becomes a stressful sit- dog except you control it with

T
Pet Gazette Columnist
he prong collar
seems to be an is-
sue of debate, espe-
cially among new dog owners.
Some people have no problem
using them, some people do.
Many people think that it’s
mean and that it’s painful to
the dog. It depends on how
you use it. It can be painful if
you are constantly pulling it
and if it’s not on properly or
too tight.
Unfortunately there are
some misconceptions when it
comes to deciding what works
best for your dog. I can hon-
estly say that from my experi-
ence of being a dog walker for
fifteen years, I believe it de-
pends on the dog. Some dogs
really need the prong collar to
understand what they can and
can’t do. Some never need it.
A good example is when
you have a dog that is pull-
ing you to the point that your
hands and arms are in pain
from walking your dog I’d say
that your dog is a pretty good
candidate for the prong collar.
What people don’t realize is
that when a dog has a regu-
lar collar on and is constantly
pulling they are actually doing
more damage to their trachea
by the constant pressure of the
collar on their neck than they
would by wearing a prong col-
lar. I’ve seen this happen in a
couple of dogs and as they get
older they start to have breath-
ing problems.
Never mind after awhile,
it becomes an unpleasant task
taking your dog for walks when
it is supposed to be a pleasant
experience for you and your
June 2009
uation when you feel like you
are constantly yelling at your
dog. You start to feel like you
have no control over your dog
and it becomes a safety issue.
I’ve had clients that wouldn’t
let me use a prong
collar on their dogs.
For me it is a big safety issue.
If I don’t have control over a
dog then I can’t walk it. It be-
comes a liability in the way
that I can risk getting hurt or
risk having the dog get away
from me and getting hurt.
Sometimes it takes “dog
language” for them to un-
derstand. In other words, all
the yelling, disciplining and
stopping while walking isn’t
going to solve the problem.
This isn’t always the case with
some dogs. Every dog is differ-
ent personality wise and some
dogs do understand commands
a lot quicker than others. Some
dogs need it communicated to
them in “dog language”. Basi-
cally this is where the prong
collar works.
What the prong collar
does is it simulates the sensa-
tion given by the alpha dog.
The alpha dog usually nips the
other dog in the throat area to
let them know that they are
“the boss” or the alpha. The
prong collar acts as the alpha
the leash. When you want your
dog to stop pulling you give it
a tug to let the dog know that
you are the boss and that they
aren’t allowed to pull you.
Most often than
not dogs usually will under-
stand this pretty quickly and
will become increasingly less
difficult to control. They begin
to understand that you are the
boss. It is also effective when
trying to curb bad behavior. It
lets the dog know that you are
the alpha and that they have to
listen to you. Before you know
it your dog will be behaving
better and walking your dog
will no longer be a painful ex-
perience.
Colleen Sayers has been
involved in the pet care indus-
try for fifteen years as a pro-
fessional pet sitter. She is the
owner of Paw-sibly The Pet
Sitting Service and a member
of Pet Sitters International.
MARSHFIELD
ANIMAL
HOSPITAL
(781) 837-5005
Pet Gazette
Dr. Rachel Francis Dr. Kelly Temple
Dr. Kimberly Suh
Hospital Hours:
Closed for lunch every day 12-1pm
Monday: 8am-5pm
Tuesday - Thursday: 8am-5pm & 6:30pm-8pm
Friday: 8am-5pm
Saturday: 8am-12pm
Sunday: Closed
303 Wareham Road, Marion
508-748-1203
www.marionanimalhospital.com
A full-service hospital caring for the needs
of your four-legged family members.
WELLNESS FOR ALL AGES
• Internal Medicine • General Surgery
• Dental Services • Oncology Services
Jeffrey M. Barrow, D.V.M.
Randolph M. Adams, D.V.M.
Jennifer A. Johnson, D.V.M.
Sarah E. Lafaver, D.V.M.
www.marshfieldvet.com
490 PLAIN STREET, ROUTE 139
(NEAR HIGH SCHOOL), MARSHFIELD, MA 02050
13

Specializing in Morgan Horses
• Boarding • Training
• Lessons-Adult & Children
• Leases- Show or Pleasure
• Breeding • Sales
2008 Riding Camp Dates
• June 23-27 • July 7-11
• Aug 4-8 • Aug 18-22
25 Center St.
Rte 14.
Pembroke, Ma.
781-294-7448
www.Azeedad.com
All around Training for the
Complete Equestrian
Boarding~Lessons~Sales~Leasing
Equine Massage Therapy
School Vacation Programs
April, July, and August!
www.peakequestrian.com
1089 Main Street • Marshfield
781-834-6166
Veterinary Owned & Operated
Boarding & Dressage
Training Facility
Lessons available for all ages
and levels of riding
Summer Camp
508-430-5393
With a new Indoor Arena,
Offering Lessons
beginner-advanced,
Training and Reschooling,
Horse showing, Ponies for
lease and for sale.
Geraldine Burnet
271 Main Street Plympton, Ma.
(781) 585-0295
59 Brook Street
Plympton, MA 02367
(781) 585-5288
• Riding Lessons
& Boarding
• Specializing in
Adult Beginners
14
A ‘Stormy’ road
CAT SHELTER NEEDS YOUR HELP
S
BY CONNIE GRAHAM
tormy was recent-
ly brought to Old
Briggs Stable Derby Animal Hos-
Tack Shop & Trailer Sales pital in Hingham. Her right
623 Hanover Street rear leg was dangling in a
Hanover, MA 02339 very unnatural way - she had
(781) 826-3191 a compound fracture. At first
fax (781) 829-0091 the vet thought she had a bite
Instruction • Training wound, but it was bone that
Boarding • Sales had pierced her skin. Her own-
Full Service Tack Shop ers were told that the cost of
Kingston Trailer Sales surgery, including spaying her
after she healed, could cost up Although most people un- that included terms stating
to $3,000. Their other option derstand the reason cats need- their kitten would be "indoors
Mare Willow Farm was to surrender her to All to be spayed or neutered, some only" and would be spayed in
Paws Rescue. Why All Paws don't understand our “indoor a timely fashion (she was too
Rescue? Stormy had been orig- only” policy. Our reasons are young to spay at that time).
inally adopted from this rescue always spelled out to the new Unfortunately, Stormy's
group. I'm a volunteer there owner: owners not only let her out,
168 Beaver Dam Road and I'm the one who rescued • Indoor cats are protected they did not bother to get her
Plymouth, MA 02360 her when she was found cry- from predators and neighbor- spayed. They thought she
Barn 508-224-9559 ing alone outside on a stormy hoods are less likely to have needed her freedom. In fact,
Instructor Pamela Ring night in November. Stormy coyotes or other predators en- they had no idea how her leg
508-250-3155 was indeed surrendered. croaching if there is no food was broken!
Stormy was a well loved source. All Paws Rescue is an all
kitten at the All Paws Rescue
• Indoor cats are cleaner volunteer, tax exempt orga-
Boarding & Lessons cat shelter. She loved playing nization with a no-kill phi-
and healthier. They are less
with the other cats and kittens. likely to have parasites that losophy. All funds and do-
Furnace Brook Farm Even more, she loved being can be transmitted to family nations are used to rescue
Erin Collins Van Steenburgh
held and cuddled by the volun- members. homeless animals.
Licensed Instructor teers and rewarded everyone • Indoor cats cannot climb There was no question that
with loud purrs, inside a warm engine of a Stormy had to be rescued yet
The All Paws Rescue car where they can be hurt or again, but we are all discour-
adoption policy states that all killed by an unsuspecting aged that this was a save that
cats and kittens adopted must owner. should never have happened.
Lessons: beginner to be “indoor only” family pets. • Indoor cats are not a nui- The funds that we expend on
advanced, dressage, If a kitten is too young to be sance to neighbors, using their this preventable situation will
horsemanship camps, spayed or neutered they must
ages 6 and up. yards as litter boxes or chasing severely impact our ability to
have this done as soon is the birds from their feeders. continue our rescue efforts. As
Marshfield, MA kitten is old enough. A $40 Before Stormy's adoption with many non profits, we are
deposit spay/neuter deposit is
(781) 837-2495 was complete, her owners living day to day. We are ask-
required, signed an adoption document ing for help to defray Stormy's
medical costs. She will be in
Benefit Walk for foster care for at least eight
weeks and then will require
Homeless Animals
C
surgery to remove the pin in
her leg. After all that Stormy
e-Ce & Friends Humane Society’s 10th annual will go through additional sur-
walk for animals is set for 12:30 p.m. to 3:00
gery to spay her. After that we
p.m. Sunday, June 07, at Wollaston Beach/ will be looking for that won-
Caddy Memorial Park. The 4-mile walk will take place derful home that will love her
along Wollaston Beach.Dogs are welcomed and encour- and keep her safe. Finally,
aged to walk their owners. please, keep your cats safe.
The event will include free animal samples, fun activi- Donations to pay for
ties for children, bake sale, and education & tips on help- Stormy's care can be sent to:
ing you care for your animals. The walk will take place All Paws Rescue, PO Box 569,
rain or shine. For more information, visit www.angelfire. Accord, MA 02018.
com/ma3/cecenfriends or call 781-331-6115.
MY TOP DOG
Zoe
I
really love dogs. My dad is aller-
gic to dogs, but we finally found
one that way hypoallergenic. We
named her Zoe. She is four months, and
she is a silky terrier. She is living in Carv-
er. She loves to run with me. She likes to
chew her chew toys at night, while she
sit with us. She gets excited when com-
pany comes to visit. She is very kind, and
cute. Her back is black and her tail, but
her paws are tan. I am very happy that I
got a dog but I got the perfect one, Zoe.
My nana has Zoe’s sister and her name is
Sophie. I love my dog Zoe!
Love,
Laicy
Carver
PET GAZETTE June 2009
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Josephs
Obedience Training School

veterinary 55 Jonathan Bourne Dr. U-4

Pocasset, MA 02559
508-563-1122
Josephsdogtraining.com
Classes Available
We also have office hours Puppy, Basic, Level 2, Level 3, Attention,
at 27 Robert J Way Adv. Attention, Open, Utility, Agility, Rally-O,
Dr. Ann Thompson Camelot Industrial Park Conformation, Canine Good Citizen
508.747.5444 Plymouth Behavior Consultation, Private Lessons & Ring Rentals
www.MayflowerVet.com

508-747-5444 mayflowervet.com

Sterling
Impression Animal
Rehabilitation Center
of New England
1008 East Street,Walpole, MA 02081
508.668.7946 (SWIM) • fax 508.668.7973
Marjorie C. McMillan, DVM, DACVR, CCRP
Cathy Symons, CVT, CCRP

What we do…
Pre-op conditioning – Post-op rehabilitation – Orthotics –
Therapy groups
Weight Management – Conditioning

VCA Roberts GRACE STRAKE, DVM

LORI HARVEY, DVM
Animal Hospital LIZ CZAPLICKI, DVM
516 Washington St., Hanover, MA
CARING + EXPERIENCED STAFF
Open 7 Days a Week FULL-SERVICE
VETERINARY HOSPITAL
“A Lifetime LASER SURGERY
of Veterinary DIGITAL X-RAY
781-340-0800
Care” 1597 Main Street ULTRASOUND
(Route 18 South)

781-826-2306 • www.VCARoberts.com
Weymouth, MA 02190
SOUTHCOASTALAH.COM

$80

$70

June 2009
Pet Gazette 15
 PET SITTING PET SITTING PETSitters
Pet SITTING
Bonded Buy one visit - get one free!!!
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Complete
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Dogassage
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stay and play
Michele Kelly
Vet Tech Carol Shapiro, Serving
CCMT Canton, Sharon,
Owner/Operator
Stoughton, and Milton
781-843-7925 Bone Phone: 508-280-6761
Serving Braintree and Surrounding Towns 781-828-0405 Bonded ema
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Member start at $12
Pet International Pet Taxi A pet’s first choice in pet care...
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of Professional Pet Sitters Daily Visits • Dog Walking • Overnight Stays
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Carol Spooner, Bonded & Insured
Sole Proprietor 781-254-7521 American Red Cross Certified
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Scituate & Surrounding Areas
781-331-8751 (cell)
Licensed & Insured - Est.617-771-6232
1994
(email) d.walker21@comcast.net

Lighthouse
Home & Pet
• in-home pet care
Serving Marshfield and
surrounding towns Go
~ Fully Insured ~
Services
• dog walking
• pet taxi service
with tender loving care W
Playgroups home visits • home watch
daily • weekly • monthly
Serving S. Plymouth & Sagamore Beach
Leash Walks year round service • much more
Transportation Professional, reliable, and loving pet care
Licensed Insured House Visits in your home, long or short term. �In Home Pet Sitting� Prem
Professional Serving Falmouth,Mashpee & Bourne
Martha Corcoran We’ll sit for your pets so they can stay at home 1-88
P.O. Box 1452, North Falmouth, MA 02555
5 Trudy's Lane, Scituate 508-274-5021 www
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Bonded & Insured 781-834-3441 Fax: 781-834-1022 Whe
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Linda Garrity 781-837-2553
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GROOMING
An Ad in The
Pet Gazette Dire
NAME ______________________________________________________________________

COMPANY __________________________________________________________________
ADDRESS ___________________________________________________________________
CITY ___________________________ STATE _______________ ZIP ___________________
PHONE __________________________________________ FAX ______________________

E-MAIL __________________________________________ WEB SITE _________________

Send ad copy, along with check or money order, to:The Pet Gazette, PO Box 2

PET run. We will insert/your

FENCING CONSTRUCTION
There is a six-month minimum for directory advertising. You may change
scheduled logo at no extra charge.
Are you suffering the MC/VISA#:_______________________________________Exp. Date:____
loss of an animal?
Auth. Signature:________________________________________________
Animal lovers who are grieving
• Small Post & Beam Shelters & Barns
come get together and talk about your grief Save time and fax copy: (781)•934-8158
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16
PET GAZETTE June 2009
 • Easy acce
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pet health

June 2009
Pet Gazette 17
 Milton Animal League German Shepherd Rescue of new england
617-698-0413 | www.miltonanimalleague.org 978-443-2202| www.gsrne.org

Anna is a one-two year old spayed female German Shepherd who Dixie is a beautiful
was an unclaimed stray. Initially we couldn't figure out why Anna black and red,
was so thin, but then we discovered that she has Exocrine spayed 11-month-
Pancreatic Insufficiency. EPI, common in German Shepherds, old female. Her
means that she does not produce digestive enzymes to digest food owner could not
normally. Treatment is the addition of powdered digestive enzymes keep her because
to her food but it is not inexpensive and requires a lifetime commit- his mother and her
ment. We think lovely Anna is more than worth the effort. dog, a Golden
Retriever, had diffi-
cultly with Dixie's high energy level.
Tazjah is a 3-year-old, spayed female pit bull terrier who was Dixie is a quiet, but energetic girl who,
surrendered by her owners who had to move. Tazjah has lived at times, demonstrates immature, but
with children, knows some commands and loves to play and dominate behaviors. In her foster
chase balls. Since Tazjah has lived with a family until recently, home, Dixie gets along very well with
she knows what she is missing. All she needs now is a new the 2 male dogs, but her desire to be
family to call her own. boss has not gone over well with the
resident female. Dixie's prey drive is
high so a home without cats is a must.
Suzy is a 14-year-old spayed female domestic shorthair who was With people, Dixie is very loving with a
surrendered by her owners because they had a baby. Suzy is now strong desire to please. She wants to
sad and confused in the shelter. She wants to go home and we be your shadow. Dixie will bond quick-
would like to find her a new permanent one. Won't someone ly with a family who establishes a
please give Suzy a quiet, loving place to live out her golden routine and boundaries for her.
years?
Tasha is a healthy mature female
with gorgeous black and tan color-
ing. Tasha was surrendered to a
shelter because her owners were los-
ing their home. She had been with
her family her whole life and at age
ten, this upheaval had the potential to
be a very difficult adjustment. Despite
this, she is resilient. Tasha is a very
sweet,confident dog eager to please
her person. She appears much
younger than her years when she
plays with her rope, or ball. Tasha's
manners are excellent. On-leash, she
pulls a little and
sometimes
walks too fast,
but she is learn-
ing to heel bet-
ter. Tasha is very
happy to greet
people when out
on a walk.

Standish HUmane society Maggie is a large white 9 months old female with a high energy
781-834-4663 | www.standishhumanesociety.com level. She gets along with other dogs. She gets along with cats,too,
but does like to chase them.
SUKI and Hi, I'm HENRY and I am a 2-year-old
SARAH are tabby and I had a home once. I was
8-year-old really sweet and gentle and never
loving sis- complained about anything. But when
ters who are my owners moved, they didn't love
gorgeous, Lance is a very large, handsome, classic black and tan male.
me enough to take me. They didn't
sweet, long- He came from a shelter where his owner surrendered him. He
even make sure I had food or water
haired grey lived outside most of his life and was not part of a household.
bor shelter. It was really hard to sur-
& white Until he came to GSRNE, he had not had the opportunity to be
vive. I'm so glad I was rescued and
beauties. They still have a long life to a cherished family pet, faithful companion, or play with toys.
can stay here until someone can give
continue to share together with new At eleven-years-old, he is very enthusiastic, active and has no
me a permanent home. Even though
owners. These would be a wonderful known medical problem, other than mild arthritis.
my last owners
adoption for potential adoptees who Lance is pleased to greet kids on bikes and other dogs he
didn't treat me
don't want to see these cats end up in encounters on walks. He is just the huggable and lovable big
good, I don't
a shelter. They are very healthy and bear you have always dreamed of! †Lance is a gentle giant
hold a grudge
have had regular vet check ups. This who loves living with a female GSD, and is cat friendly. Lance would be a great dog
because that's
would be a great adoption for an older for someone with an interest in GSDs, but who does not want to handle the
way too big for
couple who don't want the chaos of demands of a very active youngster. An ideal home for Lance is one that is active
my little paws to
kitten hood. and walks daily.
handle.

Pet Gazete Adoption
Center Guidelines
• Adoption
notices are
published
free of
charge for
all area ani-
mal shelters.
• The deadline for submitting
pets is the 15th of the month.
Space will be given out on a
first-come, first-serve basis.
• Please send a photo and brief
write-up for each pet seeking
adoption to adopt@petgazette.net
• You may send four pets per
month. All types of dogs, cats
and other domestic pets are
welcome.
•  We encourage shelters to send
news of successful adoptions.
Hi there, my name is MASON I know Taunton animal Shelter
all sorts of birds because I sit and 508-822-1463
watch every day out my window. I can
tell you the difference between the
My name is Sherman, and I am a male white
double-pecking french fry eater and
DLH. I was abandoned to the outside and when
your basic seed feeder glutton. Being
the nights became to cold to bear, I looked for a
a quiet and gentle 3 year old, I don't
place where I could get warm. I found it at a kind
require
woman's home, she brought me in on the frigid
much in
nights and made sure I had food to eat. I liked
the way of
her dog, but the resident cats I didn't like to
entertain-
share with. I am at the shelter hoping that my next home will be one forever and
ment. I
I will spend my days watching the snow fall through a window. I have a special
just like to
adoption fee.
observe.
BUDDY is a male Am Staff about 2-years-old. As you
can see from the photo, he is a Big Red Sox Fan! Buddy
was adopted as a pup from our shelter and then sur-
rendered by his family due to his allergies. Since he has
been at the shelter, his skin allergies seem to have dis-
appeared. Buddy is great in the tub. He will need some-
one dedicated to staying on top of this to insure his
allergies do not re-cur and someone who is willing to
invest a little extra time and TLC. A consistent good
quality diet will definitely help. Buddy would be happiest
as the only pet in the home. He loves Kongs with treats
and rawhide bones. He would be well suited for an
active person/family who would include him in lots of activities. He is a friendly
guy - who appears to like everyone. In addition to bringing luck to the Red Sox,
he is hoping his Red Sox hat will also bring him luck - that he will "hit a home
run" and find a new home and family soon!

18
Pet Gazette June 2009
 Brockton Blue Dog Shelter People for cats
508-436-6446| www.bluedogshelter.com 508-540-5654| www.peopleforcats.org

KITTENS! KITTENS! KITTENS! It's Kitten

Snoopy - is a sweet, 6 year old Cockapoo who recently came Season again. New kittens are coming in daily
to us due to a change in family circumstances. This curly and one is just cuter than the next! We have
haired pooch is a medium sized, friendly boy who likes to go close to 20 kittens of different colors and
for walks and cuddle with his people. If you can find room in ages, all waiting for a wonderful home. Some
your heart and home for this great dog, please come to meet of our little ones would like to be adopted
him during any regular shelter hours. together and there is a price break for doing
that. Come in for adoptions on Wednesday from 4-6p.m. or on Saturday from
10a.m. - 1p.m.
Tyson - is a handsome, energetic young Border Collie mix
who came to our shelter when his owners could no longer PANDA is a male black and white kitty PRECIOUS is a
care for him. He loves people and makes new friends who is about 9 months old. He is very three-year-old
quickly. Tyson had a cut on his foot that is still healing so affectionate and a real hugger. He was brown and tan
he hasn't been able to play with the other dogs yet. We adopted for a few days, but the adopter tabby. She
hope to be able to evaluate him with other dogs soon but worked a lot and didn't think he was came to us after
we don't anticipate any problems. Tyson has not been neu- giving Panda enough time. Panda her owner died
tered but we will arrange that once his foot is healed. Tyson would do well with a family that can and there was no other place for her
will need lots of exercise to keep him happy. If you lead an spend time playing with him. He is to go. She is a sweet girl who loves to
active life and need a great companion, please come to neutered, has all his shots and is lit- be petted and enjoys attention. She
meet Tyson during any regular shelter hours. tered trained. He is a real sweetheart has been spayed and has all her
who is looking for a forever home. shots. She is very friendly and gets
along with the other cats. Precious
Zoey - is a beautiful 1-year-old, purebred Boxer who has would love to be adopted to a home
had many transitions in her short life. Her first owner where she can get the attention and
gave her away shortly after buying her. She then lived love she craves. The adjustment has
with a loving family for several months but an injury to a been hard for her, but every time
family member led them not to be able to care for Zoey someone new comes into the shelter
any longer. Zoey was relinquished to our shelter so that she takes a peek to see if it is some-
we could find her a new "forever home". Zoey is a large one who will be her forever family.
dog weighing about 58 lbs. She has the typical energy
and personality of her breed and is very strong. Zoey has
had some obedience training but she will need a family who is committed to firm PIRA is a lovely, young muted Calico/Tortie girl. She is
leadership and exercise along with lots of love. The ideal family for Zoey will have approximately 2-years-old. Pira came from a home situ-
prior dog experience. She is not suited for a home with children under 10-year- ation that had too many cats so she did not get the atten-
olds due to her strength and energy. Zoey also does not do well with most other tion or care she needed. PFC is providing the health care
dogs. If you are a Boxer lover, please come to meet this beautiful girl during any she needs and Pira is making great progress on the road
regular shelter hours. to good health. She enjoys being an active part of the
shelter and loves to sit in the window and watch the
birds. Pira is very affectionate and adores being petted.
One of her special features is that all four of her feet have double toes! She is
Lily is a pretty 3-year-old Shepherd mix dog who came spayed and has all of her shots.
to our shelter when her family could no longer care for
her. Lily is a medium/large dog at 50 lbs and has a
lovely soft coat. Lily has plenty of energy for an active
family but we recommend that she not live with chil- A Helping paw inc.
dren under 10 due to her size and activity. She has had 508-743-8406 | www.ahelpingpaw.org
some obedience training but will need a family that will
continue her training so she can become a great family Martin and Stuart and sis, Lilly:
member. She will also need pletny of exercise. Lily may his friend I can't believe this
do better in a home without other dogs as she is somewhat picky about her dog Rowen (a pair of Cockers are
friends. Lily has not been around cats and we don't think she would do well with Maine Coon still with us. Voted
them. You can meet Lily during any regular shelter hours. Type) are a very the BEST dogs to
sweet pair. enter our shelter,
Young adults, they are easy-going,
they will warm great with kids and
Mass HumanE your heart and lap other dogs and sim-
781-335-1300 - www.masshumane.org ply amazing!

Hi my name is Lover Boy - aka LB, I am 13-months-old, Gizmo is xtra-large, and has xtra-love to give. He would do
neutered male, fawn and white, American Stafford Shire best in an adult home, other kitties are fine as long as you give
Terrier. I am up to date on rabies and distemper shots, HW him time to acclimate.
Lyme test negative, de worm, de flea and micro chipped. I
have lots of love to give you. I am a strong muscular guy that
needs someone to understand the breed I am. I love quality
time with a fenced in yard so I can be me and I love to ride in
the car. I do good in the house training department. I seem to Quincy animal shelter
do better with small dogs as long as I am introduced slowly and it takes a few 617-376-1349 www.quincyanimalshelter.org
times in meeting the dog. I do best as the only pet in the house and I tend to be
good with kids over 10 years of age, no cats or small toddlers. SUNNY: He has MIA: She has been at the shelter for
a gorgeous over a year patiently waiting for her
orange and forever home. She is a quiet girl who
Hi my name is Lucy I am a 7-month-old DSH black white coat, and is appreciative of any attention paid
spayed kitten, I am up to date on all my shots, FIV is about three- to her. Mia also likes having her
Leukemia negative, de flea, de worm and micro years-old.The beautiful long haired white coat
chipped. I am a sweet girl, with a sweet disposition. I volunteers love him! His name brushed. Originally a stray, Mia is
am gentle and love to be held and will purr forever. I describes his personality. He likes belly now about
love to play with all my cat toys and will roll on my rubs, toys, and carrying on a conver- nine-years-
belly. I get along well with other cats and I need a play sation. While FIV+, he can live a long old. Be the
mate. Older kids and dogs OK no small toddlers. I am and happy life. Feline siblings should one who
an indoor cat only. I ready for a loving, caring, warm, safe and responsible be FIV+, but he would do well as the gives her a
home. only spoiled feline in the family. good home.

June 2009
Pet Gazette 19
 &RONTLINE0LUS

3MALL$OG LB
-EDIUM$OG LB
,ARGE$OG LB
8,$OG LB
Coming in August #AT+ITTEN
J.M. K-9 will be moving to an 11,000 square foot
state of the art facility. We have the largest selection
!DVANTIX
of dog & cat food and soon it will be even larger. Our
new facility will also have a 2,500 square foot indoor
play area. All of our new space will enhance our
s$AYCARE  LB
s3TATEOFTHEARTTRAINING  LB
s,UXURYBOARDING
 LB
At J.M. K-9 your pet is part of our family. LBSANDUP
To donate to the shelter visit www.thebbds.org
,OWEST0RICES!ROUND

$/'')%$!9#!2%"/!2$).'
Whether your plan is to stay with us for the day or overnight
- It's Fun! We provide a safe enjoyable retreat for your canine
companion full of mental and physical stimulation. Known
for our experience and our fantastic way of accommodating
each pet to provide a great individual program for each of our
clients, we pride ourselves on delivering exactly what they
need whether it be a day of full exercise or frequent breaks in
between. Call us to talk about how we can make your life
easier and make your pet better exercised and more full-
filled.
DROP-OFF SERVICES AVAILABLE 42!).).'
s"OARDINGs$OGGIE$AYCARE(6am-9pm) We use motivational techniques for “Paws”itive results. We
take all breeds, all phases, all problems. An initial consultation
s0UPPY0RESCHOOLs'ROOMING is a prerequisite to all obedience classes.
-)#2/#()00).'
s!FTER3URGERY#ARE To benefit the Brockton Blue Dog Shelter. Low-Cost
Microchipping $25. No registration fee! and DNA testing. Call
s2ESIDENT4RAININGAND"OOT#AMP ahead for an appointment, $125.

,)34%.4/h!3+4(%$/',!$9v
7"%4!--ONDAYS AM
0RESIDENTOF*-+ 4RAINING&OUNDEROF"LUE$OG3HELTER*ENI-ATHERANSWERSQUESTIONSABOUTTRAININGANDNUTRITION

760 West Chestnut Street Brockton (Off Route 24, behind the VA hospital)
WWWJMKCOMsWWWTHEBBDSORG
20
Pet Gazette June 2009

Internal Medicine
Michael Bernstein, DVM,
DACVIM, Medical Director
Angelyn Cornetta, DVM,
DACVIM, Intern Director
Alice Hadden, DVM,
DACVIM
Susan Morrison, DVM,
DACVIM
Jerry Perry, DVM
Bruce Walker, DVM
Cardiology
Susan Morrison, DVM,
DACVIM
(Internal Medicine)
Bradley L. Moses, DVM,
DACVIM (Cardiology)
Neurology
Stephanie Kube, DVM,
DACVIM (Neurology)
Dermatology
Klaus Earl Loft, DVM
Emergency/Critical Care
Angelyn Cornetta, DVM,
DACVIM
Angela Diaz, DVM
Alison R. Gaynor, DVM,
DACVIM, DACVECC
Cindy Lopes, DVM
Ophthalmology
Bill Greentree, DVM, DACVO
Surgery
David Diamond, VMD,
DACVS
Radiology/Diagnostic Imaging
Lori Hartzband, DVM,
DACVR
Diana Rosenstein, DVM,
DACVR
Avian and Exotic Animal
Medicine
Stephen Dyer, DVM,
DABVP (Avian)
Dentistry
Michelle Michienzie, DVM
Sheri Procious, DVM
20
VCA South Shore
(Weymouth) Animal Hospital
595 Columbian St., South Weymouth, MA 02190
(781) 337-6622
www.vcasouthshore.com
Dermatology
Chronic Ear Disease In
Dogs & Cats
If your dog has had two or more ear infections in his or her life, you might have been told that
“all dogs gets ear infections,” or “it is normal for dogs with long, hanging ears to get ear infec-
tions,” or “all dogs that swim get ear infections,” or even that “it is because your dog is digging
in the dirt that he gets ear infections.” These are common misconceptions that Dr. Klaus Earl
Loft, who runs the Dermatology Service at VCA South Shore Animal Hospital in South
Weymouth, MA, has heard from owners who bring him their pets with chronic ear problems.
In reality, a dog that suffers from recurrent ear infections may actually have an underlying
allergic skin condition that, if diagnosed and treated properly, could eliminate or reduce the
incidence of future ear infections.
If your dog has had ear problems that began when he or she was younger than 3 to 4 years of
age, it is likely that the ear problem is secondary to allergies. Older animals that develop their
first ear infection later in life may have problems other than allergies that are the cause for the
ear infection.
In veterinary medicine, it is often the dermatologist who deals with chronic ear diseases in
dogs and cats. This is very understandable, since the ear and the skin are one and the same
organ, and clinical signs associated with the ears are often part of a generalized dermatologic
condition. Some dogs that present with an ear infection will have other clinical symptoms that
are suggestive of allergies, such as foot licking and chewing, itchy skin, reoccurring skin infec-
tions in the groin or elbow area, greasy and scaly hair coat, and/or patchy hair loss. These
symptoms can seriously affect the quality of life in these pets, and managing patients afflicted
with chronic allergic ear disease has become a passion for Dr. Loft. Using the videotoscope at
VCA South Shore for both the diagnosis and treatment of these frustrating chronic ear prob-
lems has increased Dr. Loft’s ability to determine the best therapeutic options for these
patients, and to help deal with the often severe discomfort associated with ear infections.
If Dr. Loft suspects that allergies are the underlying cause for a patient’s chronic skin or ear
issues, he can offer either intradermal or serologic testing for both cats and dogs. Once a spe-
cific allergic cause is identified, he will treat the patient with Allergen Specific Immunotherapy
(commonly known as “allergy shots”). This hypo-sensitization is very similar to what is offered
to humans with atopic dermatitis.
If your dog or cat suffers from reoccurring ear problems or other chronic skin conditions, ask
your regular veterinarian for a referral, or feel free to call VCA South Shore Animal Hospital,
to schedule a consultation with Dr. Loft. In Dr. Loft’s opinion, “Until proven otherwise, a
pet with chronic ear disease is an allergic pet.”
• Full Service Veterinary Hospital
• 24 Hour Emergency Service
• Appointments Available Seven Days a Week
Dedicated team of 28 doctors on staff – including Board
Certified specialists in Cardiology, Internal Medicine,
Neurology, Ophthalmology, Radiology, Surgery,
Avian Practice, and Emergency/Critical Care.
The Best of Quality Care for
Every Stage of Your Pet’s Life!
Pet Gazette June 2009