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Sammy just wasn’t having it.
After running free all of his life in his yard, the energetic Chow mix was not happy at all in his new temporary home e_SEmD a cage at the Galveston Island Humane Society — and was barking loud enough for the world to hear.
Sammy’s story is much like that of other victims of Hurricane Ike, albeit with a happy ending. With the help of his dog tags, someone brought him to the shelter at 53rd Street and Avenue S.
The Galveston Island Humane Society moved into the building after Hurricane Ike destroyed the main facility at 6814 Broadway. The new facility was formerly was a Galveston police substation, and before that a National Guard armory.
Plans are under way to build a new shelter at the original site on Broadway.
“He (Sammy) came in wearing his tags, so we’re very proud of that,” said Caroline Dorsett, executive director of the Galveston Island Humane Society. “We were able to track down his owner through the vet clinic because there’s no phone service.
“We drove by the house and it was in bad disrepair, so we left a note in the mailbox,” she said. “The next day the owner came in … but he was not in a situation to even take him back, so we’ve agreed to help the dog temporarily.”
Hurricane Ike, which thrashed Galveston on Sept. 13, left behind about 900 homeless pets, of which 400 have been ‘re-homed,’ or returned to their original owners, Dorsett said. The remaining homeless pets have been taken to other shelters across the state for adoption.
About a dozen of the animals were euthanized because they were severely injured, had health issues or were overly aggressive, she said.
At just about every turn at the makeshift shelter, there are sad eyes that stare out at visitors from cages. During a recent visit, a black poodle, shivering with fear, nudged his nose against a reporter’s hand.
“The husband passed away and his wife is ill,” Dorsett said of the 8-year-old dog’s owners.
“He’s a special case, and we often have a lot of success with animals like that — especially with the sad case of losing a family. He’s a poodle, and people are looking for the smaller dogs so they can keep them in apartments.”
Shelter volunteer Casey Miller, a veterinary tech, said she couldn’t wait to get back to helping animals after Ike left.
“This is not just a job, it’s a way of life for me,” said Miller, who has a bullmastiff at home, along with “three cats, a rabbit and a little boy.”
“It’s so rewarding,” Miller said. “You don’t have enough hours in the day. You see a lot of sad stuff, but it just takes that one animal getting reunited with their owner that makes it all better.”
To contribute to the organization, send a check or money order to Galveston Island Humane Society, 6814 Broadway, 77554, or visit www.galvestonhumane.org on the Web.
robert.stanton@chron.com
By ROBERT STANTON HOUSTON CHRONICLE
ScienceDaily (Nov. 6, 2008) — A gene mutation that causes high levels of uric acid in all Dalmatian dogs and bladder stones in some Dalmatians, has been identified by a team of researchers in the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of California, Davis.
The discovery equips dog breeders with the tools to eliminate that trait from the Dalmatian breed and yields clues to the cause of similar problems in humans. The findings will be published Nov. 7 in the scientific journal Public Library of Science.
"This defect, which in dogs is peculiar to the entire Dalmatian breed, has been reported for nearly a century and was probably unintentionally introduced as breeders worked to select more distinctive spotting patterns," said veterinary geneticist Danika Bannasch, lead author on the study.
"It is now possible that this trait can be removed from the breed by crossing Dalmatians with the normal offspring of the original Dalmatian-pointer breeding that occurred in the early 1970s," she said.
By Dec. 1, the Veterinary Genetics Laboratory in UC Davis' School of Veterinary Medicine will begin offering DNA testing for the mutation in dogs to allow breeders to eliminate the trait. Information on the testing program will be available online at http://www.vgl.ucdavis.edu/.
Background
All mammals excrete waste products in their urine, but only humans, great apes and Dalmatian dogs always produce elevated levels of uric acid in their urine and blood. Other dog breeds do not usually produce uric acid.
In humans, this can result in kidney stones, hypertension and gout, a painful inflammation of the joints. In Dalmatians, high uric acid levels result in the formation of bladder stones that often have to be removed surgically.
Scientists have known since the early 1900s that all Dalmatians have this trait; however, the gene responsible has remained elusive.
The new findings
The researchers collected DNA samples as well as urine samples from hundreds of dogs to identify the gene responsible for high levels of uric acid. Genetic analysis of dogs that are a cross between pointers and Dalmatians revealed that gene to be SLC2A9, a gene that recently has been reported to be important in regulating uric acid levels in humans. DNA analysis showed that mutations in the SLC2A9 gene were responsible for the elevated uric acid in the Dalmatians.
The same mutations also were present in some bulldogs and black Russian terriers, breeds that are not known to be closely related to Dalmatians. This suggests that the gene mutation must be quite old, even predating formation of the Dalmatian breed. Alternatively, the mutation could have been introduced to those breeds by crosses between breeds, the researchers noted.
Because the gene mutation does not always occur in bulldogs and black Russian terriers, breeders can simply use genetic selection to eliminate the unhealthy trait from those breeds. In Dalmatians, however, the mutation occurs in all dogs, forcing breeders to look outside of the breed to correct the problem.
"In recent years, dogs that are about 99 percent Dalmatian and one percent pointer have been bred, successfully eliminating the elevated uric acid trait," said Bannasch. "The result is a healthy dog that that looks like a Dalmatian, maintains the Dalmatian breed characteristics and is genetically almost identical."
She noted that those "backcrossed" dogs, which have been registered as Dalmatians with the United Kennel Club in the United States, offer a valuable resource for correcting the genetic defect that results in the elevated uric acid trait in the Dalmatian breed.
Although humans also carry the SLC2A9 gene, scientists have not yet identified the exact mechanism that causes humans and great apes to have elevated uric acid levels. The recent identification of the responsible gene mutation in dogs will help scientists better understand the related problem in humans.
Collaborating with Bannasch on this study were graduate students Noa Safra and Nili Karmi, staff researcher Amy Young and Professor Emeritus Gerald Ling, all from UC Davis, as well as Robert H. Schaible of Purdue University.
The study was supported, in part, by a fellowship from the Morris Animal Foundation and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases within the National Institutes of Health.
Several animal rescue groups will reach out to the community at the fifth annual Rescue Rally Saturday afternoon.
It's a major fundraising event for the rescue teams, which stress spaying and neutering. Organizer Cynthia Roth says it's even more important to let everyone know that these groups have great animals that need homes.
"We just want people to know that it's a viable way to get your next family companion,'' she said.
On-site adoption is not allowed during the Rescue Rally, but there will be dogs to meet and it's a good time to start the paperwork if you find a suitable match.
The homeless dogs often come from shelters after staffers alert rescue groups. Owners also give up their pets for adoption.
"People call and say, 'Oh, I have this dog, and I don't want it anymore.' '' said Roth, president of Houston Area Doberman Rescue. "I can't imagine. But they have no problem doing it.''
The Doberman group takes in about 10 dogs a month, and once one of the Rescue Rally groups accepts an unwanted animal, it is committed to finding the dog or cat a good home. The animals stay in foster homes to get socialized and undergo basic training. Dogs with health issues might remain in foster care for as long as a year while they're getting medical care.
Money raised at the food booths, silent auction and arts and crafts sales helps fund the animals' rehabilitation and boarding.
Recently, Houston Area Doberman Rescue took in a 3-month-old puppy from the SPCA. "A precious little boy,'' Roth said. "And he was turned in because he was, quote, `an unwanted gift.' That just blew me away. What a way to start your life."
By LANA BERKOWITZ Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle
ScienceDaily (Oct. 31, 2008) — Only six months after undergoing a unique and innovative surgery at Michigan State University, Jake – part dog and now part machine – spends his time working out on an underwater treadmill, traversing obstacle courses and prancing around pain free.
Jake, an 11-year-old yellow Labrador retriever, was the first dog in the Midwest and only the 11th in the world to undergo surgery for a new, cementless elbow prosthesis last April. The procedure, done at MSU’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital by veterinary orthopedic surgeon Loic Dejardin, has left Jake pain free from elbow arthritis.
Without the surgery, Jake would have dealt with severe pain for the rest of his life.
Dejardin has helped MSU’s hospital become one of the first four institutions in the country to offer this elbow prosthesis, which has potential applications for human joint replacements as well.
“Jake’s case has been an absolute success,” said Dejardin, who has performed three more elbow prosthetic surgeries and is preparing for another this week. “The work we are doing here is transforming veterinary care.”
Jake was referred to MSU by veterinarian Sarah Shull of Grand Rapids’ Family Friends Veterinary Hospital and Pet Care Center, where he now undergoes intensive physical rehabilitation under the guidance of Kim Selbee. Dan and Sue Falk of Grands Rapids are Jake’s owners.
“We were told originally there was nothing that could be done for the pain Jake was in,” Sue Falk said. “But after talking with Dr. Dejardin, we were so impressed and wanted to try the surgery. It is so exciting to be part of such amazing work.
“Jake is running around just like he did when he was younger.”
The technology for the prosthetic elbow came to MSU through the work of Randy Acker, a veterinarian from Idaho, and Greg Van Der Meulen, an engineer now working with BioMedtrix, a New Jersey company and leader in joint replacement design.
Cementless prostheses have many potential advantages over the currently used cemented model, including reduced risk of infection and reduced rate of implant wear, both of which are regarded as leading causes of post-surgery morbidity and implant failure. The surgery also is performed as a minimally invasive procedure, which drastically cuts the risk of catastrophic complications, fractures and dislocations.
“Clinical results have been very positive, and we believe there is potential for this system to mimic total hip replacement in aspects of operating time, post-op function and patient recovery,” Dejardin said.
Van Der Meulen said the design of the implant virtually guarantees proper alignment of the joint surfaces, as opposed to other designs which leave greater room for surgical error.
“With this surgical technique and instrumentation, we are able to prepare the bones of the elbow simultaneously, practically guaranteeing alignment,” he said. “Depending on the joint, this could have potential for use in human joint replacement as well.”
ScienceDaily (Oct. 28, 2008) — An Iowa State University researcher is exploring a new method of getting medicine to the eyes of infected dogs that is more effective and reliable than using eye drops.
Dr. Sinisa Grozdanic, an assistant professor of veterinary clinical sciences at Iowa State's College of Veterinary Medicine, is working with a drug manufacturer to develop a method of implanting biodegradable medicine into the tissue surrounding a dog's eyes. The medicine releases gradually and treats the infected eye for an entire year.
This is the first time the procedure has been tried to improve auto-immune corneal diseases that can cause pain, redness, inflammation and other eye problems for canines.
This type of drug application is designed to replace eye drops that may require an owner to put drops in a dog's eyes several times a day, sometimes without noticeable effect.
"With drops, immediately after putting them in the eye, there is a lot of medicine going where it needs to go," said Grozdanic. "Then the amount of medicine getting into the eye goes down quickly. Also, you have a specific time for how long that drug will be therapeutically active."
With drops, there are also other issues such as missing a dose and not getting all the medicine into a fidgety dog's eyes.
"It's a hassle for the owner to get the drops in. It is a hassle for the dog as well," he said.
By putting this small pellet inside the tissue surrounding the eye, medicine constantly gets to the needed area for an entire year, he said.
"With this new method, you don't miss a dose. And it works for 24 hours for an entire year."
The polymer is made by the company Nicast Ltd. in Israel, which is developing the technology for both animal and human use.
The technology the company uses is called electrospinning. In making the implant, the needed drug is mixed with a polymer and formed into ultra-fine fibers.
"From the fibers, a fabric is created, from which numerous medical devices, including drug release devices, can be fashioned," said Benjamin Eliason, CEO of Nicast. "Various drugs can be incorporated into or onto the polymer fibers, or encapsulated inside miniature electrospun polymer capsules, and released inside the body over time."
To insert the medicine, Grozdanic makes a small incision in the dog's conjunctiva, the white tissue surrounding the eye. He then closes the opening with one, tiny stitch. The entire process takes just a few minutes and is done with local anesthetic.
To date, Grozdanic has used the new drug delivery method on six dogs. None of the dogs had been improving with the use of eye drops. Grozdanic is getting results with the new treatment.
"In all the dogs we saw positive results," said Grozdanic. "In some dogs, the results were spectacular. In some, the results were decent. The results were always positive. That's very good considering that they were non-responsive to treatment using other eye medication before receiving the implants," he said.
One of the dogs Grozdanic is working with is Gora, a military dog working for the Department of the Navy in Washington, D.C.
Last year, Dr. Shara Chance of the U. S. Army Veterinary Corps and Gora's veterinarian, diagnosed Gora with Pannus, an inflammation of the corneal surface of the eye and the conjunctiva. Chance treated the problem with eye drops but the condition got worse, she said.
Gora is a highly trained dog that works around high-profile people and needs to be comfortable and focused on her job, according to Chance. After Chance found Grozdanic's name on the Internet, she decided that his treatment method may help Gora.
Chance brought Gora to ISU to have the procedure done. Chance is happy with the results and Gora is back at work.
"She has had improvement in the appearance of her eyes, but more importantly, she has had improvement in her working ability," said Chance. "She is able to jump in and out of the truck and walks more confidently in crowds."
ScienceDaily (Oct. 21, 2008) — For centuries man has had a uniquely close relationship with dogs - as a working animal, for security and, perhaps most importantly, for companionship. Now, dogs are taking on a new role - they are helping in the hunt for genetic mutations that lead to diseases in humans.
"Dogs get very similar diseases to humans," said Kerstin Lindblad-Toh of Uppsala University in Sweden and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts. "If you ask a dog owner what sort of conditions their pets get, they will say cancer, allergies, eye diseases."
Lindblad-Toh was speaking at the European Science Foundation's 3rd Functional Genomics Conference, held in Innsbruck, Austria, on 1-4 October. Functional genomics describes the way in which genes and their products, proteins, interact together in complex networks in living cells. If these interactions are abnormal, diseases can result. The Innsbruck meeting brought together more than 450 scientists from across Europe to discuss recent advances in the role of functional genomics in disease.
Many canine diseases could share the same genetic basis in humans and dogs, Lindblad-Toh told the conference, and because dogs have been bred into clear isolated populations - the different breeds - it is often easier to detect a genetic flaw that leads to a disease than it is in humans. Once the rogue gene has been found in the dog, it could make it easier look for mutations in the same gene in man.
"For example we have found a genetic mutation that results in a condition called day blindness that can affect dachshunds," Lindblad-Toh said. A similar condition can arise in humans, and analysis of the mutated protein in the dog is providing new information about the disease in man. The team is also looking at genes associated with cancer of the blood vessels to which golden retrievers are prone.
A new European consortium has been set up called LUPA, where twenty veterinary schools from 12 countries spread across Europe will work together to collect 10,000 DNA samples from purebred dogs, comparing healthy animals with those affected by similar diseases as human. The analysis of the genome of affected dogs compared to healthy ones of the same breed will lead to the identification of genes implied in the mechanisms of these diseases. The four-year project aims initially to pinpoint genetic markers for dog diseases and help to reduce the high level of inherited disease in purebred dogs. The identification of these genes implied in disease development will help to understand the mechanisms and pathways of the pathology.
For example in Sweden, more than one-third of English Springer Spaniels are diagnosed with mammary tumours, analogous to breast cancers in humans. An increased risk for malignant mammary tumours has been reported also in other breeds, including Cocker Spaniels, German Shepherds and Boxers, suggesting that these breeds may carry genetic risk factors for this type of cancer. If the genes implicated in the disease can be singled out this could provide a new opportunity to improve prevention, diagnosis and treatment of human breast cancer.
"We want to find a lot of risk factors and bring them back to human patients over the next few years," Lindblad-Toh said.
Houston City Council members have raised the idea of passing an ordinance that would require people to spay and neuter their pets. Chronicle reporter Bill Murphy talked about the idea with Bill Folger, a veterinarian who owns Memorial Cat Hospital and serves on the advisory board of the Spay-Neuter Assistance Program, a nonprofit that offers low-cost sterilizations.
Q: Houston is considering requiring cat and dog owners to spay and neuter pets. What do you think of this idea?
A: I think it's coming. I'm surprised it is happening here in Houston, because we tend to be behind other large metropolitan areas on animal issues. In its position statement on pet overpopulation, the American Veterinary Medical Association recommends that all dogs and cats be spayed and neutered unless they are specifically designated to be breeding animals.
Q: Do you agree with the association's position?
A: I do.
Q: Are there medical benefits to spaying and neutering pets? Let's start with male dogs.
A: Neutered dogs are likely to be less aggressive, start fewer fights. They are less likely to mark their territory.
Q: What about female dogs?
A: The spayed females are much less likely to get mammary cancer. If they're spayed, they'll have about one-half of 1 percent chance of getting mammary cancer. If they aren't spayed, they'll have an 8 percent (chance) of getting mammary cancer. And when dogs are not spayed, they continue to cycle. You can get blood all over the house twice a year.
Q: What are the benefits of neutering male cats?
A: It helps prevent them from marking their territory. Without neutering, they will pee all over the house, and cat urine has a strong odor. Second, they are much less likely to get into territory-associated fighting. Cats that fight are more likely to get leukemia or feline AIDS.
Q: Because the other cat's blood gets into them?
A: Right. Neutered cats are more laid-back and don't stray far from the house. They're generally better pets.
Q: Is spaying beneficial for female cats?
A: The most pragmatic reason to spay a cat is that they are extremely prolific. Cats go into heat every two weeks. There is a lot of screaming and crying. Behaviorally, they are a mess when they are cycling.
Q: Are there drawbacks to sterilizing dogs?
A: There are few drawbacks. In some large breeds, there are concerns about development of the urinary tract. As far as cats go, Lisa Howe at the Texas A&M vet school has demonstrated that there are no deleterious effects to spaying or neutering cats.
Q: I see a lot of fat cats and dogs, and I suspect that a fair number of them have been sterilized. Do a lot of animals get fat after being sterilized?
A: Absolutely.
Q: Why?
A: No hormones. The sex hormones keep them more active. The lack of sex hormones makes them less active.
Q: How can owners keep their pets from getting fat after they're sterilized?
A: You could feed them the same amount, but reduce the calories. There are lots of products out there with reduced calories.
Q: There are health risks to being fat?
A: The benefits of
neutering and
spaying far outweigh
the consequences of not spaying or neutering.
Q: If the city requires sterilizing pets, should local governments or shelters be required to provide low-cost spaying and neutering to disadvantaged owners?
A: These services are widely available here in Houston. That's what the Spay-Neuter Assistance Program is about.
Q: Could such an ordinance lead to a massive reduction in the number of animals euthanized here?
A: The problem with it is that it's not enforceable. No one is going to pay 100 people to go out and enforce it. But the benefit of the ordinance is to change the mindset of society and pet owners. It may take a generation for those benefits to be seen. ... About 85,000 to 90,000 cats and dogs are euthanized in this community a year. I don't think this ordinance would be enough to make Houston a no-kill city.
By BILL MURPHY
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle
ScienceDaily (June 20, 2008) — A common sports injury in human knees is even more common in dogs. Each year, more than one million dogs suffer from cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) deficiency, which is comparable to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in humans. The common method of treatment by many veterinary surgeons involves cutting the tibia bone to stabilize the CCL-deficient knee in these dogs.
Now, a new minimally invasive technique with less severe complications than previous methods has been developed by a University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine researcher.
Unlike humans, CCL injuries in dogs typically do not occur because of a single trauma to the knee but are the result of a degenerative process that leads to early and progressive arthritis. For this reason, and the unique biomechanics of the canine knee, techniques used to repair the injury in humans do not work well for dogs. The new technique, known as Tightrope CCL, is modified from a technique used in human ankles and allows placement of a device that stabilizes the CCL-deficient knee through bone tunnels drilled using very small incisions. MU veterinarian James Cook worked with Arthrex Inc. from Naples, Fla., to develop and test the Tightrope device for dogs.
“Other current techniques require major surgery that involve cutting the bone, which can potentially lead to severe complications, such as fracture, implant failure and damage to the joint,” said Cook, professor of veterinary medicine and surgery and the William C. Allen Endowed Professor for Orthopedic Research. “This new technique is minimally invasive, relatively easy to perform and cost effective compared to other techniques. The dogs in the preliminary trial study experienced fewer and less severe complications with outcomes that were equal to or better than those seen with the bone-cutting technique.”
Cruciate ligament tears are five times more common in dogs than humans and cost U.S. pet-owners more than $1.3 billion each year. The new technique is not for every dog. Because surgeons must be able to drill tunnels in the bone, dogs must weigh at least 40 pounds for the Tightrope CCL method to be feasible. In addition, dogs that cannot follow a physical rehabilitation protocol after surgery and dogs with limb deformities are not candidates for this technique. The 10- to 12-week rehabilitation period is very important for any surgical technique for CCL deficiency in order to optimize successful return to pain-free function and reduce complications, Cook said.
“The times the Tightrope CCL technique has failed are when owners did not give their dogs the full rehabilitation period and let their dogs run, play or traumatize the joint before the knees were ready,” Cook said. “A successful operation is dependent on postoperative care so that the dog can heal well and build muscle for long term function. The Tightrope CCL technique is designed to allow this to happen with less surgery and less risk of a major problem arising, and so far, it has been successful.”
Karen Ngo was a creative director doing fashion work in New York City while leading a secret life as a dog photographer for magazines and calendars when she realized the October parades were a great opportunity to celebrate dogs.
There are dog-costume parades almost every October weekend in New York, and Ngo said she went to most of them last year. She moved to Austin with her three dogs about a month ago, but near her former home in NYC's East Village there are hundreds of dogs and thousands of people marching in the annual parade.
"It's quite a spectacle," she said.
Ngo was pleased with the photos she shot guerrilla-style in an outdoor studio along the parade route and pitched the idea to a dog-book agent. When a publisher said yes, she spent most of January filling in the gaps.
"We wanted to represent as many breeds as possible, but we also wanted the best costumes represented,'' Ngo said. "It was like: We have too many dogs dressed like farm animals. We need more dogs dressed as historical characters.''
The later photographs took more time. "I would cast dogs in my neighborhood and then I would actually make the costumes.''
The goal was to get a good match of outfit and dog.
"It has a lot to do with the expression they have in their eyes and how it plays with their costume,'' Ngo said. "For me it's a challenge of finding an image that can make someone really laugh or think that it's really clever.
"It took more than a dog in a costume. I almost want to imbue the dog with whatever personality they should have,'' she said. "So Julius Caesar would be very noble. The matador would be very haughty.''
By LANA BERKOWITZ Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle
