Bears Blog
Starting today, you can view Bears Blog here:
http://blog.bearshope.com/
May 3, 2008
Dealing with dogs that are ill with any sort of disease can be traumatic. We recently adopted a dog through BARC, the city of Houston pound. When we adopted him we knew something was not right. BARC failed to notify us that he had distemper. After 3 long months of watching Bear suffer, he finally expired in his favorite spot. The monkey grass in the back yard. During the 3 months Bear was with us, he brought much joy and happiness to our family. He just knew how lucky he was to be in a home that cared and loved for him. He had his good days, but he had plenty of bad ones as well. The distemper and its secondary infections were just too much for his immune system. It is my belief that he died of "red mange". In puppies in which this is hereditary, it can be a major and almost futile disease to treat if the puppy is already sick with another disease.
May 20, 2008
We lost Hondo, our other adopted dog to distemper this weekend. This all seems like a bad dream. But it is not. It is my reality. I can't post a picture of him due to the fact it is too painful. I will be adding one this weekend as well as a detailed time line of his last few days with us.
May, 22, 2008
Below is an email I sent out to local and statewide officials, rescue groups, and media. I hope something can be done.
Mayor White,
Our family recently decided to adopt two wonderful dogs from BARC (Bureau of Animal Regulation and Care). This was our first experience adopting or "rescuing" a dog. With so many abused and neglected dogs needing a home, this was the only option. In the short period of time they graced our home, Bear and Hondo were loved and cared for.
The City of Houston should be ashamed and embarrassed. In the November 22, 2005 report titled, Report of the Mayor's Animal Protection Task Force, there is an admission of "the problem of BARC's poor reputation." Since the report was published, positive steps have taken place at BARC. I understand the budget for BARC is limited and the allocation of funds are lacking, however something must be done to improve current standards. The policies in place are failing the city and many families like ours.
We will not let their deaths be in vain. Their deaths and our great sense of loss is a story that needs to told and heard by others. Words will never convey our pain and despair. They truly brought joy and happiness to our lives and we are going to miss them greatly.
May 26, 2008
As promised, I am doing to detail the last few days Hondo was with us. I guess it started with what looked like a scratch on his eye. He went to the vet who told us that was it. Just a scratch. However, he did have some greenish gunk that was under his eyelid. She gave us some more medicine to treat him with. That night we washed his eye with saline solution and then applied the medicine in the right corner of his eye. The next morning both are now swollen and his pupils are dilated. This is not a good sign. In reading about dogs eyes, when they are 100% swollen, there is a major concern for alarm. All we could do was to keep cleaning his eyes and treating them.
It was obvious he was in pain, but he still played with the other dogs and ran around the yard. He acted like a seemingly healthy puppy. A few night prior to the eye issues, I had noticed him gumming. Gumming is when a dog looks like he is chewing on gum. It can be either slow or rapid. I kept a close eye all night Thursday, it never progressed from what I could tell. It really only occurred when he was asleep or resting his head. Of all the things I had read about the most, it was the last thing I would check.
They talk about some dogs "pads" hardening. I never thought about this with Hondo. However, on Saturday morning I felt his pads and they had indeed hardened. The only reason I thought to check was because his nose was so very dry. It was cracking so bad. I would administer ointment to keep in from drying out, however, the runny nose of distemper would only make it worse again. It was a fight, a battle that he could not win. Once I noticed the pads, I knew it was over. I just did not know when.
Around 5:45 I got up to go to the kitchen for a glass of water. When I walked back to my bedroom I noticed him having a seizure. Nothing could have prepared me for this. I knew it was over. No options. This amazing dog would die. I think for a few seconds I was in shock. I just stood looking at him. He was sitting up shaking his head rapidly in all directions. He eyes fully open and bulging, as if to pop out of his head. His mouth was spewing out water from the hyperventilation. His eyes just asked me, "What is happening to me??". He was scared and did not know what was happening. All I could do was run and pick him up. I just held him in my arms and told him I loved him, that everything was going to be okay. The seizure lasted no more than a minute, but I see it all day long. I will complete the rest tomorrow.
June 3, 2008
The response thus far to the email has been fairly effective. US Senator John Cornyn, State Representative Dan Patrick and Diane Woolsey have all sent letters to my attention. Since this lies outside of their jurisdiction, they have had to send emails to my city council member. For the record, no response. The director of BARC and Friends of BARC both sent me emails. I am really starting to think Friends of BARC (FOB) started out with good intentions, however they are in the bed with BARC now. We have heard so many sad stories about families adopting at BARC only to die. Main cause: canine distemper. Why can't they do anything? Are the just totally inept? After spending this past weekend taking and making calls to various rescue organizations I learned BARC is just pathetic. I know I have said this over and over, but I just have to keep on stating how freaking pathetic they are. Pathetic. If you want to adopt a dog that has a chance, go to Harris County Rabies Control on Canino. I am constantly hearing great things. I paid a visit for myself this past weekend. So clean. So sad at the same time. I can't help but feel so sorry for the animals. I wanted to grab a few of them. So, needless to say, I visited Petco in The Woodlands later Saturday afternoon. Mistake. Got a dog. Shocker!
The name of the organization is Safe House Rescue (http://www.safehouserescue.org/). Needless to say, they are really great and wonderful people. For the most part, all of the pets have had dewormers, 2 to 3 rounds of shots, plenty of food, care and love. They foster all of their kids in homes and make sure the receive the proper attention. I think if you want to be safe that the pet you are adopting is disease free, this is the best way to go. I just could not take adopting another dog, only to loose to a virus a few months later. I needed to be confident that we would not endure that again.
This is Bella
June 6, 2008
So far Bella seems to be incorporating herself rather well. She enjoys playing with my sisters dog, Bentley. Bentley is a King Charles Spaniel that is a little over a year old. He is very smart, a little wild, and thinks he is a person. He loves to play and run around, which is just fine with Bella. They don't stop until it is time to go to bed. Which lately is 9.3o. I can't help it, I am old. Sue me. I still have not heard from Mayor White, my local city council person, or Kay Bailey. Oh, or our state comptroller. I told you, I emailed everyone. Oh, Oprah did email me. Or a random out response from oprah.com. I still have to email Nightline, Ken Hoffman, and a few others. My mom is a member of The Memorial Villages Republican Women, so hopefully she can get some names and contacts from them. June 8, 2008
I really think BARC needs to know the situation the put families in. I am sure they understand to some degree, however that is not an excuse. Distemper is just such a cruel disease that I hate to see anyone suffer. We had Hondo's blood levels run, but they came back close to the maximum of 200, which is good. His distemper was neurological and just hiding, waiting for the right time to strike. If your dog gets to this point, there is not much you can do. If he/she shakes, you can try a very strong and potent drug that might keep your dog from having seizures. However, it is something that is day to day. Once your dog has its first seizure, it is over.
This would not have to be a problem if people would just take care of their pets. So many people are just not smart or caring enough to have pets. If you can't afford to get shots for your pets, find and organization or city/county arm that will. If you just don't care, then you are pathetic and don't deserve a pet. Don't even get me started on puppy mills. People that run those should be sent to jail for life or forced to live in a cage.
To this, the young man replied, "The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them in, they'll die."
This story has appeared all over the web in various forms, usually with no credit given to Mr. Eiseley. Loren Eiseley was a anthropologist who wrote extensively. He was the 'wise man' in the story, and he was walking along a beach after a storm and encountered the fellow throwing the starfish back. Sometimes it is a little girl throwing the starfish into the ocean, sometimes a young man, once even an elder.
June 12, 2008
I keep hearing and reading about how canine distemper is a disease that is not seen much anymore. I wish that had not been my case. In dealing with 2 sick dogs, all I ever heard about was how common distemper was, and is. However, I have come to the conclusion that canine distemper is very much a problem at BARC. The reason I point fingers at BARC is simply because I always hear negative things about them. I have heard many good things about Harris County Rabies Control. I have to admit that even when I visited their facility I was impressed. It was day and night. It smelled and looked clean. It was not a depressing facility. BARC is a cold and sterile looking building that belongs in an Eastern Bloc country. It was built not for aesthetics, it was built for death.
It really is sad that neglected or abused animals will end up at BARC only to die or be adopted out sick. Since distemper is not a "common" illness seen in dogs, the city of Houston does not monitor it. However, the time has come to make a change. I believe the city needs to monitor the animals that are adopted out of BARC. If any animal is adopted from BARC, the city should be notified via the vet or clinic that cremated the animal of what the dog died of. This would only apply to pets adopted out 6 months or less. Just an idea.
While I am rambling, I did not know that most animals only get 1 shot while waiting to be adopted. The city and county facilities just don't have enough money to provide care. 1 shot is not going to protect any animal in a shelter that is young. 2 probably.
I think it is important for people that adopt puppies to really keep an eye on them for the first 6 months.
1. Look for SIGNS in their stool. It is loose? Lumpy?
Runny? Blood? Those are warning SIGNS.
something might be wrong. If it continues for more
than 3 days, go to your doctor.
2. Keep a close eye on their nose. Is it dry? Scaly?
Runny? If it is runny and green/yellowish "gunk" is
showing, you really need to see a vet that very
minute. Do not wait.This is a sign that something
could be very wrong. GREEN = NOT GOOD
3. Look at your dogs eyes. Do they appear dialated?
Is your puppy having a hard time keeping open?
Do they squint? Is their a yellowish "gunk" in
the corners?
4. I would also check the coat and skin. Does
the animal look mangy?
5. Check the pads? Do the pads look good? Are
they soft? If the dogs pads are hard, you could be
in a bad spot. Once the puppies pads become hard
when your dog has distemper, there is little time left.
June 13, 2008
Good News - The Memorial Examiner publishes our story!
The past 48 have seen a spike in this sites "hits". I really hope people start to visit this site more often and read up on our dealings with BARC and our other dogs.
Today we also noticed that the Memorial Examiner posted our story in the Dear Editor section. They published our letter to Mayor White and a picture of Bear. Even though circulation is only 15,000 homes, it still is a success. Next we hope The Houston Chronicle and The Houston Press will hear our story. The more we get word out, the more other people who went through our ordeal will know they are not alone. More people = more power.
June 23, 2008
There was a good article about noise phobias and how they affect your pet on msnbc.com today. I have posted below.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25267200/
The sound of fear: Noise phobias torment dogs
Up to 20 percent of pooches are sensitive enough to need professional help
By Kim Campbell Thornton
MSNBC contributor
updated 7:34 a.m. CT, Mon., June. 23, 2008
For years we’ve taken our dogs to our friend Gregg’s house for an Independence Day celebration that stretches late into the night. His hilltop home offers a view of fireworks displays from the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., all the way to Long Beach. But these days we leave before the fireworks begin. The rockets’ red glare and bombs bursting in air send our dog Twyla into a frenzy of fearful shaking. Fortunately, Twyla’s fear of fireworks is relatively mild. Dogs with noise phobias triggered by fireworks, storms and sounds can go into full-blown panic mode, jumping through windows and glass doors, digging through carpet at doorways or digging out of the yard and running away. Every year, shelters take in large numbers of pets spooked by Fourth of July fireworks.
Up to 20 percent of dogs of all ages and breeds suffer from noise phobias so severe that their people seek professional help for them, writes veterinary behaviorist Bonnie Beaver in her book "Canine Behavior: A Guide for Veterinarians." (Cats can also develop fears of certain noises, but they usually just run and hide rather than engaging in destructive behavior.) Thunder and fireworks are the most common causes of noise phobias, but dogs can develop a fear of any sound: the rustling of a garbage bag, the beep of a microwave oven or the whir of a ceiling fan.
“I actually had a client whose dog was afraid of the sound of the toilet paper roll,” says veterinary behaviorist Terry Curtis of the University of Florida’s College of Veterinary Medicine in Gainesville, Fla.
Crossed signals
Fears of loud or unexpected noises are triggered by what’s called the orienting response, the brain’s mechanism for being aware. When we or our dogs hear certain sounds, the brain instantly processes them to determine whether they might signal danger. “We have to be able to process sensory input to stay alive and function in our world,” says veterinary neurologist Susan Wagner, who teaches at Ohio State University Veterinary College and is the co-author of “Through a Dog’s Ear: Using Sound to Improve the Health & Behavior of Your Canine Companion.” Wagner says that sensitivity to sound is instinctive to all dogs, but dogs that tend to be anxious are more likely to develop noise phobias.
Sometimes fear of certain sounds can be linked to a specific event: a particularly bad storm, a smoke detector going off or a fireworks display. In other dogs, the fear progresses over time, so a dog who’s afraid of storms gets worse each storm season.
Thunderstorm phobia is a complex fear encompassing sound, changes in barometric pressure, ionization and light, and the presence of wind and rain — making it one of the most difficult noise phobias to manage. With thunderstorm season in full swing throughout the South and Midwest and Independence Day rapidly approaching, dog owners seeking answers to their pets’ fears can try a number of ways to desensitize and counter-condition dogs to sounds that frighten them: sound and music CDs, pheromones, aromatherapy and, in severe cases, medication.
Music to soothe the savage beast
Exposing a dog to the noise of rain, thunder or fireworks through sound CDs and gradually increasing the volume and duration of the sounds can go a long ways in reducing the dog’s overall level of fear, Curtis says. Medication can also help the dog remain calm during the storm, usually a temporary remedy that can be withdrawn once the dog’s fear is more manageable. Curtis says her patients have also responded well to Dog Appeasing Pheromone products, designed to emit comforting and familiar scents to canines, and the Storm Defender Cape, a close-fitting wrap with a metallic lining that reduces a dog’s sensitivity to the static charge buildup that occurs before a thunderstorm.
Wagner has studied the calming effects of music on dogs with noise phobias. In one study, she and her partner, psychoacoustic expert Joshua Leeds of San Francisco found that when classical music was simplified to have less instrumentation and tones were lowered and the tempo was dropped, dogs relaxed.
“All of that was done to get the brain waves and heart rate to drop,” Wagner says. “Dogs that listened to it became substantially calmer and even fell asleep.”
Music appears to affect behavior because sound is made of waves. When sound waves travel through the hearing nerve to the cerebral cortex, they influence brain waves.
“When brain waves, heart rate and breathing slow, we become calmer, and I believe that’s what’s happening with the dogs as well when they listen to the psychoacoustically produced calming music.”
Stopping a phobia before it starts
So is it possible to prevent noise phobias from developing in the first place? Early exposure before 14 weeks of age to loud or unexpected sounds can help inoculate a puppy against noise fears, says veterinary behaviorist Lore I. Haug, who practices in Sugar Land, Texas. So can cisco, teaching a dog early on that storms are fun.“I have clients throw ‘storm parties’ so the dog learns that really special things happen when there’s a storm,” Curtis says. “A special toy comes out, a really yummy treat appears, the Storm Defender Cape is put on. This uses the technique of classical conditioning so the dog learns, ideally at a very young age, that storms mean something great.”
Kim Campbell Thornton is an award-winning author who has written many articles and more than a dozen books about dogs and cats. She belongs to the Dog Writers Association of America and is past president of the Cat Writers Association. She shares her home in California with three Cavalier King Charles spaniels and one African ringneck parakeet.
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