Marion, IA – The patio at Culver’s Garden Center is going to the dogs Saturday, August 4^th with the help of the Cedar Valley Humane Society (CVHS).

The Dog Days of Summer adoption event is free and open to the public from noon to 3pm at Culver’s Garden Center and Greenhouse off Highway 151 E. Marion.

Ready-for-adoption dogs will be available, and adoption applications can be filled out on the spot. Families are invited to bring their dogs, enjoy hot dogs fresh off the grill, and purchase raffle tickets to win prizes, all proceeds benefit the CVHS.

 ”Events like this are a great way to meet our adoptable dogs,” says Bob Citrullo, executive director of the CVHS. “You can turn in an adoption application at the event, and then our adoption counselors will review your application to make sure the dog is a good fit.” The review generally happens the following day, so if applicants change their mind, they still have time to withdraw their application before making the commitment to bring the animal home.

“Our selection of adoptable animals is always changing, because as we adopt animals into loving homes, we move more from our holding area into adoption,” adds Citrullo. “Our animals are listed on www.cvhumane.org as soon as they become available for adoption, so that’s a great way to keep an eye on what breeds we might have at any given time.”

 Not ready for a pet? The Dog Days of Summer is a great way to support the CVHS through raffle ticket sales and purchasing hot dogs. This and other community adoption events give families the opportunity to interact with a variety of different dogs, and the dogs also benefit by socializing with people.

Posted under Pet Events

From the ASPCA:

Nearly everywhere in America, this summer is a scorcher, and we know that as a responsible pet parent, you want to do everything you can to keep your best four-legged friends cool. So when you look at your Pomeranian, Golden Retriever or long-haired cat wearing a thick, fluffy coat, you might feel tempted to break out your grooming tools and give him a serious hair cut.

But hold those clippers! While you or I would hate to sport a fur coat in 100-degree weather, your pets’ fur coats are actually providing them with heat relief.

“A dog’s coat is kind of like insulation for your house,” explains Dr. Louise Murray, Vice President of ASPCA Bergh Memorial Hospital. “Insulation stops your home from getting too cold in winter, but it also keeps it from overheating in summer—and your dog’s coat does the same thing.”

Dogs’ coats have several layers, and these layers are essential to your dog’s comfort in the heat. Robbing your dog of this natural cooling system can lead to discomfort and overheating. And keeping your dog cool isn’t the only reason to leave his coat intact, Dr. Murray warns. Your dog’s coat prevents your pup from getting sunburn and helps protect her from skin cancer.

So what can you do? “It’s OK to trim your long-haired dog’s long hair, such as any hair that hangs down on his legs,” Dr. Murray says. Just never attempt to clip mats off your pet’s coat with scissors, Dr. Murray adds. And if you’ve got a long-haired kitty, leave her coat intact. Instead, brush her a little more frequently during the hot summer months.

To protect your pet from sunburn and skin cancer, save longer walks for evenings, and consider applying pet-specific sun block to thinly covered areas like the bridge of your dog’s nose, the tips of his ears and his belly, Dr. Murray suggests, noting that pets with thin coats, as well as those with white or light-colored coats, are especially at risk for sun damage.

Posted under In the News

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (July 18, 2012)- The Cedar Valley Humane Society is holding its fourth annual Putts 4 Pets miniature golf outing at Airport National Golf Course, 3001 Wright Brothers Boulevard East, Cedar Rapids, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 4. The cost is $15 for an individual and $50 for a foursome, which includes 18 holes of miniature golf and choice of a small ice cream cone, 20-ounce fountain drink, or bottled water.

“The money raised at Putts 4 Pets will help the Cedar Valley Humane Society provide care and medical treatment to homeless animals in eastern Iowa,” says Bob Citrullo, executive director of the Cedar Valley Humane Society. “As a nonprofit animal welfare organization, we rely upon our fundraisers to help us fulfill our mission of helping animals in need. Without the generosity of the community, we would not be able to do all that we do for stray, abused, neglected, and abandoned animals.”

All proceeds will benefit the homeless animals at the Cedar Valley Humane Society. Reservations can be made at www.cvhumane.org. For more information, contact Jan Clarke at (319) 362-6288 or jan.clarke@cvhumane.org.

The Cedar Valley Humane Society is located at 7411 Mount Vernon Road SE in Cedar Rapids.

Posted under Pet Events

I’m at a point where I’m ready to talk about my struggles with Cubbie and all his allergies.

Cubbie has always had some allergies, but during the past two years, his allergic reactions have gotten worse and worse.

This year has been extremely frustrating for me, and I’m sure painful for Cubbie. He spent many nights scratching, which obviously kept him awake but also kept me awake.

Cubbie has always gone through periods where he’d have a little rash by his leg or on his belly. We started giving him generic Claritin and Bendaryl. Sometimes it seemed to work, but within the last month the rashes kept growing and showing up on more parts of his body.

One morning I woke up to find a horrible red rash near Cubbie’s backside. He’s had rashes before but nothing quite this bad. I called the vet and scheduled an emergency visit. The poor little guy got several shots and got several medications to help with his allergic reaction and an infection in his ear caused by his allergies.

At this visit, I explained to the vet that something needed to be done. First, I could tell Cubbie was uncomfortable and I wanted that to stop. Second, I couldn’t afford to keep having these emergency visits for his allergies. The vet gave me a couple of options.

I felt my first and best step was to find out once and for all exactly what Cubbie is allergic to. So, we got a bunch of blood drawn and sent it off to a lab. It wasn’t cheap, but I figured the test would probably save me money in the long run from repeated vet visits.

Last week, I got the test results back. The voicemail on my phone said, “We got Cubbie’s results back. I’d like you to come in and we can go over everything.” Just great. I was actually hoping maybe it wasn’t as bad as my gut was always telling me, but the results confirm my suspicions that Cubbie is one allergy-prone dog.

There are many things Cubbie is border-line allergic to, but then there are numerous things he’s more severely allergic to.

The top of his list: cotton. That’s right. My dog is allergic to “the fabric of our lives.” Of all the things I thought he could be allergic to, cotton never crossed my mind.

Some of his other big allergies: chicken and turkey. I thought all dogs could eat meat?! Not my dog. Since many dog foods contain chicken as an ingredient, the next step will be switching him to a special allergen-free food. But our first step is trying to control his allergies.

Another interesting part of his results, he’s badly allergic to the infections he gets that are caused by his initial allergic reaction. So, he’s essentially allergic to his allergies.

Because of side effects, I opted out of certain medication options for Cubbie. We’re  now trying a new medication that often causes vomitting, so I have to keep it frozen so it releases more slowly into his body and is less likely to upset his stomach. He’s on day three of the medicine, and so far he hasn’t thrown up. (Fingers crossed). I have to give it to him everyday at first, and then hopefully we can cut the dosage back to once or twice a week.

I also want to do my part to help him avoid his worst allergies as much as possible. It will be pretty difficult to keep him from ever being exposed to cotton (especially since many of my clothes are cotton), but I want to do what I can.

Cubbie spends a lot of his time in the bedroom. He sleeps there for at least eight hours every night with me and most of the bedding is cotton. Thankfully, I have an extremely supportive Mom who came down this week and went shopping with me.

We ended up buying news sheets, a new comforter and a new blanket. Most bedding is advertised “100 % cotton,” so it took a lot of label reading to find non-cotton products.

After a stressful week, it was nice to walk out of the story feeling very happy and accomplished. New sheets, and I was still able to find my favorite color of purple!

As soon as I washed the new bedding and got it on the bed, Cubbie gave it a try. I think he approves.

And the best part, when one of my friends visited the other night, Cubbie was extra playful. He said, “I think he feels better.” Those words just brightened my day, and I agree, I think after months of feeling awful, Cubbie is getting back to feeling “normal.” Let’s hope it just continues to get better from here.

Posted under Cubbie stories

More pets are lost on the Fourth of July than any other time of year. It’s a heartbreaking scenario for pet parents, but swift action and major networking can increase the odds that you will be reunited with your cat or dog.

We recently surveyed more than 1,000 households with pets across the country to find out if they had lost a dog or cat in the past five years—and if they did, did they find that pet and where did they look?

Of those pet guardians surveyed, 15 percent had lost a dog or a cat in the past five years, and 85 percent of those lost dogs and cats were recovered.

The study’s findings suggest the following are key when recovering a lost pet:

• Searching immediately when one knows the pet is lost;
• Searching within the neighborhood first through visual searches as well as posters and online; and
• Checking local shelters from the first day your pet is lost.

If your pet is lost, it’s important not to panic. Enlist the help of all of your friends and neighbors and hit the streets!

Posted under In the News

Never leave an animal alone in a vehicle

Even with the windows open, a parked car, truck or van can quickly become a furnace. Parking in shade offers little protection. When traveling, carry a gallon of fresh, cold water for your pet.

 Don’t force your pet to exercise

Always exercise your pet in the cool of the early morning or evening. Never leave your dog standing on the street, their paws can burn on the hot asphalt.

Provide shade for your pet

If your pet must stay outside during the day provide plenty of shade for your animal. A well constructed dog house serves best. If you are able to bring your cat or dog inside do so and let them rest in a cool part of your house.

 Be vigilant of older and overweight animals

If you have an older or overweight animal the heat can be harder on them, versus a younger more active animal.  Snub-nosed dogs (bulldogs, pugs, Boston terriers etc.) should be kept indoors and in air-conditioning as must as possible, as the heat can make it difficult for them to breathe.

Grooming

If you have a dog who has a thick coat shaving their hair to a 1-inch lenght will help prevent overheating. Do not shave your dog all the way down their fur is designed to protect them from the sun and other elements.

Sunscreen

Many veterinarians recommed apply sunscreen to your pet, especially on their nose and ears. Many retail stores have sunscreen approved for use on pets, but often times human sunscreen will work just as well. If you are applying a human sunscreen to your pet look for something that is for sensative skin.

Water, Water, Water

Finally, the most important thing you can do for your pet is to keep them hydrated. Make sure they have plenty of clean, fresh water at all times. Like us humans they can easily become dehydrated during the hot weather.

Posted under Uncategorized