All this hoopla about the Obama’s selection of a family dog.
Doesn’t it seem a little odd that we wait with bated breath to hear
their decision? Isn’t it a bit strange that whatever breed or type
of dog Barack and Michelle choose, it will almost instantly become
the most sought-after of all canines by thousands, maybe millions
of people?
All this hoopla about the Obama’s selection of a family dog. Doesn’t it seem a little odd that we wait with bated breath to hear their decision? Isn’t it a bit strange that whatever breed or type of dog Barack and Michelle choose, it will almost instantly become the most sought-after of all canines by thousands, maybe millions of people? It’s amazing to me that so much importance is placed on this decision. But I also realize that we really can’t ignore the hoopla.
The choices have been limited, we’re told, to either a Portuguese water dog, a labradoodle or a rescue dog from a shelter. It’s a no-brainer if you ask millions of us dog-loving Americans. Obama, himself, stated that the choice was between “a purebred and a mutt like me” (referring to his mixed racial background). You gotta love this guy’s way with words and humble self respect. He may be a “mutt,” and if so, he exemplifies why such mongrels make fabulous companions. I may not agree with his politics, but I like this man.
Still, it troubles me that one of his potential choices is a labradoodle. This is one of the most recognized of all the “designer breed” dogs. Labradoodles are popping up everywhere in the news, with Hollywood celebs getting them, and breeders telling exaggerated tales of their prowess as pets. But hey folks, listen up for a second. Labradoodles are no different than other mongrels … or mutts. They’re not purebred dogs by any definition. They can’t be. As harsh as it may sound, they’re nothing more than glorified mutts.
But there’s so much importance placed on this Obama dog decision, so let’s hope that he recognizes the effect he can have on our country’s orphan dog population in shelters. Let’s hope Barack and Michelle pick a rescue dog from a shelter and set an example for thousands, maybe millions of others who will follow their leader. May one “mutt” choose another for companionship and a life together. I know it would be my first choice.
Q:
I heard you mention to someone that a little dog fell down the shaft of a well and was rescued alive? How were they able to get him out of there?
A:
It all happened Dec. 29 in Plum Borough, Pa. Romeo, a Shih Tzu puppy who was a family’s Christmas present, fell down the shaft of an abandoned well. It took firefighters three hours to get him out, and it took some creative ingenuity. Tools couldn’t reach the little guy, so the rescue team hooked an industrial vacuum and literally sucked him out of the hole. He needed resuscitation, but with mouth-to-snout CPR, Romeo came to and returned home after a visit to the local veterinarian’s office. Good thing he’s so small, and even luckier that someone thought of a unique idea to retrieve him.
Q:
There’s been a recent recall of peanut butter that contains salmonella that can make people very ill. Does salmonella affect dogs and cats the same way? Could a pet fall ill if it ate some of this contaminated peanut butter?
A:
The answer to both your questions is emphatically yes. Many people believe that animals are more tolerant to tainted food. Heck, a lot of dogs and cats raid garbage cans every night, looking for food. Most of the time, they seem to stay relatively healthy despite this tawdry diet.
But salmonella is an organism that can make almost any animal sick. It affects small animals as well as large ones. (It showed its ugly head many years ago in the large animal treatment barn of the veterinary school at UC Davis. Part of the facility had to be closed for decontamination for almost a week.) The symptoms are much the same in animal as in humans; vomiting, diarrhea and dehydration are common.
Dogs can get salmonellosis from eating contaminated pig ears and rawhide chew toys. And it also becomes a problem with some dogs on a raw food diet, especially in the preparation of chicken in the food. Extreme care must be taken preparing this diet for dog food. Usually, kibbled foods are free of the organism, but not too long ago, there was a recall of some dog kibble because of contamination. This bug truly can show up almost anywhere.
Most people don’t realize that some pets can be healthy carriers of this organism. It’s estimated that as many as 1-2 percent of all dogs harbor salmonella in their intestinal tract without showing any symptoms. And reptiles and amphibians are notorious for spreading this infection. Non-domestic animals such as these can present a health risk to all young children and to persons with immune disorders.
Here’s the bottom line. Bacteria such as salmonella are infectious and can be lethal to animals. It’s an organism that is quietly living in our environment. And many foods and treats can carry it to a pet or to someone handling them. So it makes sense to feed good quality food and to wash dishes thoroughly between feedings. And if you feed a raw food diet to your pet, prepare it carefully to avoid what can become a nasty problem for your pet and your family.
