Thoughts from the Bark Side

Hi all,
While Shilo is out keeping the Easter bunny company, he wants me to remind you of the foods that are quite toxic and poisonous to dogs. Please keep your sweet doggie away from:

• Chocolate
• Onions
• Grapes
• Raisins
• Yeast dough
• Alcohol
• Tobacco
• Marijuana
• Moldy or spoiled food
• Wild mushrooms
• Large amounts of raw fish
• Potato, rhubarb or tomato leaves
• Large amounts of raw liver
• Large numbers of macadamia nuts
• Fruit pits
• Corn cobs

Also, you might have heard reports about dogs eating cocoa mulch. It is HIGHLY TOXIC to dogs AND cats. Here is what Snopes.com says about it:

Cocoa Mulch, which is sold by Home Depot, Foreman’s Garden Supply and other Garden supply stores, contains a lethal ingredient called ‘ Theobromine’. It is lethal to dogs and cats. It smells like chocolate and it really attracts dogs. They will ingest this stuff and die. Several deaths already occurred in the last 2-3 weeks. Theobromine is in all chocolate, especially dark or baker’s chocolate which is toxic to dogs. Cocoa bean shells contain potentially toxic quantities of theobromine, a xanthine compound similar in effects to caffeine and theophylline. A dog that ingested a lethal quantity of garden mulch made from cacao bean shells developed severe convulsions and died 17 hours later. Analysis of the stomach contents and the ingested cacao bean shells revealed the presence of lethal amounts of theobromine.

As far as maintaining a poison free yard, here is a list of poisonous plants:
Lilies
Sago Palm
Tulip/Narcissus bulbs
Azalea/Rhododendron
Oleander
Castor Bean
Cyclamen
Kalanchoe
Yew
Amaryllis
Autumn Crocus
Chrysanthemum
English Ivy
Peace Lily (AKA Mauna Loa Peace Lily)
Pothos
Schefflera
(to learn more go here: ASPCA 17 Common Poisonous Plants)

If you think that your pet may have ingested a potentially poisonous substance, immediately call the ASPCA’s Poison Control line at (888) 426-4435. A $60 consultation fee may be applied to your credit card.

To learn more about toxins and poisonous substances for pets, go to The ASPCA “Ask the Expert”

Hope you have a great holiday!
Cheers,
Susan

Hi all, Susan here,
I was watching the news when they did a segment on pyrethrin and pyrethroid pesticides in flea and tick shampoo. These substances are the same thing that is in Raid. They have had many seriously sick dogs and cats, and thousands of pet deaths due to owners using these products manufactured by Hartz, Bio Sphere, and Sergeants. And yes, they are EPA approved, how I have no idea. Obviously no one tried it out on their own beloved pet! They are going to now be reviewed. In the meantime, check all the substances you use on your pet, and when in doubt, ask your vet.

There are some very sad stories told on the website that is the written version of the on-air story presented by Joel Grover and Matt Goldberg. To learn more, click this NBC Los Angeles link: Pet Products Investigation You will also find links on that site to Hartzvictims.org, and statements from the manufacturers Hartz and Bio Spot.

Thanks to NBC Los Angeles, Joel Grover and Matt Goldberg for reporting on this important story for all pet owners. Pass the word on!
Cheers,
Susan

Hi all,

Went to a seminar given for the Los Angeles Fire Department for MCI-Mass Casualty Incident training yesterday.  We CERT’s (Community Emergency Response Team-see previous blog) were invited to attend (and be “victims” if needed). You no doubt heard of that horrific train crash that killed 25 people in Chatsworth.  Some of the firemen had been at that emergency. They had a lot of lessons learned from processing that disaster.

The fire chiefs repeated what everyone has been saying: it is not if the big emergency, earthquake, or terrorist event will happen, it is WHEN!  I’ve now taken over 24 hours of emergency training, and I have to tell you, I don’t think it is possible to feel totally prepared for the unknown.  However, to be as prepared as you can be, you are way ahead of the game.

I put together a website for our community.  Many of the pages are quite applicable to other communities and cities.  Please take a look at SunValleyHills.org (http://www.sunvalleyhills.org)  It has information and links to emergency supply places, PDF downloads of emergency preparation for the home and family, fire safety, etc.  There is also a page for dog rules and safety.  There is also a forum to ask questions and talk about different issues.  You do not have to live in our community to take advantage of the information available.

Hopefully, I can get Shilo back to the computer soon.  He is worse at blogging than I am. 

Cheers,
Susan

Hi all, Susan here,

It has been awhile since I wrote here. I had taken the first level CERT training last month (Community Emergency Response Team) and highly recommend it, even if you use it just for yourself, family and peace of mind. Go here to learn more. It is very valuable training and given by, in my case, the Los Angeles Fire Department. You learn fire safety (and how to use a fire extinguisher), turn off the gas, the electricity, disaster triage, disaster psychology, types of disasters, some first aid, search and rescue, and general good practice during a disaster. Think how great it would be if there were several qualified CERT folks in each neighborhood and on every street. You can learn more and find where there are classes in your community by going to https://www.citizencorps.gov/cert/. Please really consider taking this course, it is only 20 hours. I took mine over 3 sequential Saturdays.

Thursday they needed volunteers to assist at Oakridge Mobile Home Park in the last days that the former residents could look for any valuables that might be hidden in the ashes of that huge fire from last November. Though everyone in Southern California is affected at one time or the other by the fires they have here, actually standing in the ruins of so much devastation (and heartache) was very sobering and sad. We were just stationed around the property to see if the folks needed anything and were doing OK. Some had great, “we’ll rebuild” attitudes, some were still overwhelmed.

One woman in our course was in Miami during one of those huge hurricanes and were without services and help for two weeks. Would you have everything in place to survive for that long? In a horrible disaster it could be days, even weeks, before emergency personnel can get to you. Do you have home and car emergency kits, enough water and food for a week, first aid kits? The CERT course gives you valuable information in what to do and how to prepare for the worst. We cannot be prepared enough. Take the course!
Cheers,
Susan

Hello all, Shilo here,
My humans are sure of one thing and that is they are happy (well, for the time being) that it is now 2009. That’s what they keep saying, “Boy, am I glad we are finished with 2008″ However, I have some rather good things I keep in my brain about last year, like:

1. I am the author of a book, “E-Mails From Shilo” (shameless promotion noted). I have gotten some very nice pats on the head for my accomplishment. It was rather sneaky of my humans taking my private email to my buddy Max and putting it in a book for everyone to read, but they said it will give others a great insight into what goes on in a doggie’s head, so I guess it is OK. I am very happy that others will now know about the most wonderful Sammy the Basset. A better friend there has never been to any dog.
2. I accepted a dog into “my” house. That was huge for me. But I understand I need to keep trying to put others before my own needs. I learned it was quite easy really. I got more attention because my humans knew I was doing something quite extraordinary. The best part, Mickey now has a wonderful home of his own.
3. I have taken my problem of getting my butt up off the floor in stride. Sometimes it really hurts, but rather than mope about it like I use to, which did no good at all, I just go to my good memories of when I was running around the yard, and I feel better. However, I keep hinting, ALOT! that a swim makes me feel ever so much better. Sometimes hinting works, sometimes it doesn’t, so back to the happy thoughts when it doesn’t work.
4. I have also gotten over losing most of the sight in my right eye. Something called the third lens just won’t open, so it is pretty foggy on that side. I haven’t run into anything yet, but just don’t try sneaking up on me on the right, I hate that!

Now for what I shall do in this beautiful New Year!

1. To love my humans as much as I can.

I have a nice family, a great house, and a big yard to keep patrolling. I have plenty to eat and toys to play with. I will handle one day at a time. My wish, however, is that all dogs find a home this year and that no more dogs are born into a puppy mill or are abused or abandoned. That is my wish. What is yours?
Happy New Year!
Your Buddy,
Shilo

Hello all, Shilo here,
I got an email from Mickey from his new home. He is delighted beyond reason. They have a huge house and a gigantic backyard (gigantic to Mickey, however, is different than gigantic to me!)

He has two small humans to play with. They keep promising him “tea parties.” Not sure what that is, but hopefully it will involve treats. He has admitted to some “accidents” but he is trying to do better, he is just so overjoyed with his new home and his lovely humans.

He wants to thank Ken-Mar Rescue for finding him such a wonderful home with so many cuddles and scritches. He says life is good, and he knows he is a very, very lucky fellow.
Me too…
Your buddy,
Shilo

Hello, Shilo here,
Have you heard? There is a small, white dog in our house. But here is the strange thing… I have gotten even more attention than normal, and normally I get quite a bit. I think it is because they fear I will eat the other dog. Truthfully, he would not even make a good appetizer… BOL! I know I have shocked my humans with my tolerance, but holy heck, Sandy Claws is due to appear and I just cannot risk messing that up! This little white fur ball is actually rather cute and extremely well mannered. He never tries to take my food and only goes after my discarded toys, which is OK with me.

I understand he is waiting for his new forever home. He has another appointment tomorrow morning to interview another family. Not sure what happened with the first one, but I have to admit, he would make a great addition to the right humans. He doesn’t even talk much, just a few well thought out comments here and there. He is very grateful for anything that is done for him, which is more than some of the humans I see. Any dog that is a rescue, me included, knows how precious it is to be adopted into a new home and given food, vet care and that most important thing all creatures understand… love.

So keep your paws crossed that Mickey has a forever home for Christmas. And believe it or not, I’ll actually miss the little guy. Man, have I changed in my old age or what?
Your buddy,
Shilo