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September 2009
Welcome to Paw Joggers Paw News!
Have a safe and happy Labor Day Weekend!
In This Issue:
ˇ Free Adoption or Rescue?
ˇ Top Pet Photography Tips
ˇ Dental Disease and Health Care
ˇ September Events
ˇ Words of Wisdom
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Free Adoption or Rescue?
If you're considering adopting a dog, shelters and rescue groups aren't the only places to look for one. Each year hundreds of canines being trained for jobs, such as leading the blind or sniffing out explosives, 'flunk out' of school and are offered for adoption.
One such place is the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), which breeds and trains explosive-detection dogs at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas.
Dogs with medical issues (like allergies or hip dysplasia) are cut from the program, and offered to the public for free. Yup, you heard right. Free. But don't get too excited. There's a long waiting list for the 7 to 12 month old Labrador Retrievers and Lab-Viszla mixes.
Maryann Mott is a pet journalist and author. Her books and articles can be found at Petwriter.com ___________________________________________
Top Pet Photography Tips
Other than baby photos, pictures of pets are among the most popular in any household. Unfortunately, they also tend to suffer the most from poor quality or, as we term it in the trade, snapshot-itis. You may have this problem if friends start walking away fast when you mention the latest photos of your cat or if your dog's loving brown eyes end up glowing green like some malevolent demon in every shot you take.
Well, here are 5 surefire tips to help avoid snapshot-itis
1) Change angles
Most pet photos are taken from the perspective of a human being looking down while the pet looks up. Bor-rinnnnnng! Try something different and get down at their level or, if they're moving, pan with them as you take the shot.
2) Stick with natural light. Turn off or cover the on-camera flash
On-camera flashes are evil. They flatten everything out, cast harsh shadows and are the source of the infamous glowing green pet eyes. If you have to use a flash go with an off-camera one and bounce the light off a ceiling or wall.
3) Stay out of direct sun and shoot in the morning or late afternoon
Contrary to popular belief, bright sunlight is not a photographers friend. It wreaks havoc with your exposure and you typically end up with lots of nasty shadows in places you don't want them. I avoid photographing subjects outside in direct light except first thing in the morning or in the late afternoon before sunset when the light is angled low.
4) Don't wait for the perfect moment and don't be afraid to take lots of shots.
Most of us are shooting digital these days so you can essentially take as many pictures as you want. With pets, unpredictability is the rule of law. You never know how a shoot is going to go. All you can do is be there and hope you catch the moment. This requires taking a lot of shots in quick sequence and culling through them later for the best one.
5) Make sure you edit yourself.
Some of the most important work happens after you shoot. It sounds cliche but less is more. It's easy to become enamored of the 100 pictures you took of Spot playing with his new ball but chances are your friends won't feel the same way. Limit what you show people to only the very best.
Mark Rogers is a San Francisco-based professional pet photographer.
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Dental Disease and Health Care
General Description
Dental disease is the most commonly diagnosed disease in dogs and cats. Periodontal disease is the most common culprit for causing dental disease. Periodontal disease describes the inflammation or infection of the gums around the teeth. Dogs and cats don't really get cavities like humans; they get a build-up of tartar that over time causes an infection of the area around the tooth, and leads to gingivitis and periodontal disease. Statistics show that 8 of 10 dogs over the age of three are affected with dental problems. The good news is that dental disease can be treated and there are several good preventive practices that can be done to decrease the risk of your dog or cat from suffering from dental disease. The bad news is that if dental disease goes undetected or untreated, the bacteria that is building up can be absorbed into the bloodstream and carried to other organs where it can cause an infection.
Source and Cause(s)
Tartar is formed from a build-up of bacterial on the tooth surface. Since dogs and cats don't brush their teeth every day, the bacteria multiply and eventually form a hard substance that is known as plaque and this leads to tartar formation. This tartar begins to infect the gums and they recede. As the gums recede, unprotected areas of the tooth are exposed and infection sets in causing pain. Although dental disease is not necessarily an heredity issue, some breeds are more susceptible than others.
Signs and Symptoms
- Foul breath
- Change in eating habits
- Painful mouth-may growl or snarl if mouth or head is touched
- Excessive drooling
- Not wanting to chew on toys
- Dropping food out of mouth when eating
- Rubbing face on ground or pawing at face
- Weight loss
Diagnosis and Tests
Diagnosis begins with a complete history and a physical exam. If your pet is suffering from a degree of dental disease, your veterinarian will be able make this determination from looking at your pet's teeth and gums. Based on the findings, a dental cleaning may or may not be recommended. Some blood work may be needed to evaluate the internal organ function in order to determine if it is sufficient to go under general anesthesia for the procedure.
Treatment and Management
The goal of dental cleaning is to remove the tartar and plaque from the tooth surface using ultrasonic scaling and polishing tools. This will require general anesthesia and can be done as an outpatient visit. If any teeth need to be extracted, this can also be done at the same time as the cleaning, and will usually require a course of oral antibiotics following the procedure.
Prevention and Helpful Tips
Dental disease itself is not 100% preventable, however, the degree of dental disease can be. Here are some ways pet owners can help reduce the effects of tartar:
- Provide special canine chew toys, designed to reduce tartar build up.
- Feed special dental diets
- Brush your pet's teeth at home on a regular basis. Ask your veterinarian to provide you with the proper instructions.
- Take your pet to the veterinarian for routine dental exams.
Source: Pets MD http://www.petsmd.com
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September Events
Doggie Doo-athlon
Saturday, September 12, 2009 9:30 AM
Blue Ash Recreation Center
4433 Cooper Rd. Blue Ash, OH 45242
Online Registration: https://secure.getmeregistered.com/get_information.php?event_id=2375
Bark Day Bash
Sunday, September 13, 2009 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Sharonville Humane Center, SPCA Cincinnati
11900 Conrey Rd. Sharonville, OH 45249
More Info: http://www.spcacincinnati.org/pages/default2.asp?active_page_id=175
Bark in the Park
Tuesday, September 15, 2009 7:10 PM
Great American Ball Park
Reds vs. Astros
More Info: http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/cin/ticketing/dog_day_form.jsp
Circle Tail 2nd Annual Golf Classic
Friday, September 18, 2009 11:30 AM - Registration, 12:30 PM - Tee Time
Sharon Woods Golf Course
11450 Lebanon Rd. Cincinnati, OH 45241
More Info: http://www.circletail.org/eventy/eventy.php?selyear=2009&selmonth=September
Steps for Pets Walk
Sunday, September 20, 2009 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Sawyer Point Cincinnati, OH
Registration and Info: http://www.stepsforpets.org/
River Downs Pet Palooza
Saturday, September 26, 2009 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
River Downs Race Track
6301 Kellogg Ave. Cincinnati, OH 45230
More Info: http://riverdownspetpalooza.com/
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Paw Wisdom
"If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went." -Will Rogers
No doubt there are doggies in Heaven. Enjoy this video!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H17edn_RZoY
Spread the word!
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PAW JOGGERS
Phone: 513-304-5031
Email: dogsjog@pawjoggers.com
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