A SOUR TURN

We had some friends come visit from out-of-town today, accompanied by their sweet, if not overly self-conscious and insecure Great Dane.

Although a bit colder and windier than what's comfortable, there was sunshine! We bundled up and headed out to the beach for some off-leash time.

As we neared Kew Beach Skating Rink, it was evident from the cacaphony of sounds there were families out on the ice, enjoying the day.

It was as we rounded the boards that my day took a sour turn.

There, tied to the fencing, sitting on the frozen snow was a chocolate lab, shivering and staring in at the rink. Behind the dog was what appeared to be a set of ice skates.

I believe most dogs-except perhaps the seniors and infirm, benefit from exercise in our winter climate...if the dog is moving. If on the other paw, the dog is tied up, can't move more than one foot in any direction and its body starts to shiver-that's not good....or acceptable.

I really tried to ignore the situation and move along with my company toward the beach but ended up doubling back. My dog and I approached the shivering dog and I knew before I gave it a pat on the head what my responsibility was.

I approached the entrance of the rink and questioned in a loud voice, "who does this dog belong to?"

A male came skating over, followed by a female and told me he owned the dog.

I told him the dog was shivering and perhaps it needed to get inside and warm up.

The owner got a bit prickly at this point and told me to 'take your self-righteous attitude elsewhere.'

I could feel my blood-pressure warming up my body and had to ask him why oh why would he not take the dog for a walk, take it home then go skating??

He and his female partner then became verbally abusive. The dog still sat shivering.

When I caught up to my company (and their dog patiently waiting to get to the off-leash area) I offered my apologies for what they had to wait through.

For the record---dog walking is a separate activity from....grocery-shopping, stopping into a restaurant for a beverage and brunch, going into the local bar for a few.

For the past 7 or 8 years, I've been walking the same route with my dogs. This isn't the first time I've come across similiar sights. In the cold of winter or the heat of the summer pavement.

Last year, I contacted Parks & Rec and requested they consider making a by-law disallowing tying up dogs while enjoying a vigorous, body-warming workout on the ice.

There's no signage on or around the rink, so I assume my suggestion/request fell on deaf ears.

Too bad for the dogs.

SO-- WHAT'S IT ALL MEAN?

Now that hip x-rays are done, I have a choice.

I can keep the information to myself and share with those I choose…

OR

I can send them (for a fee) to OFA-Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (America)…

OR

I can send them (for a fee) to OVC-Ontario Veterinary College. (Canada)

Keep in mind veterinarians are not radiologists. They can only offer their opinion as to whether or not the hips will pass or fail.

I had one of my girls, CH. Sandalwood What a Scandal TT x-rayed and the vet I used at the time told me he wouldn't suggest breeding her...her hips wouldn't pass, so not to bother sending in the x-rays. I sent them in anyway and they passed!

OFA is the most widely accepted data -bank for hip evaluation/certification, along with many other tests from thyroid testing to DNA.

Three radiologists, independent of each other, will evaluate and grade the dog's x-rays: Excellent, Good, Fair, Borderline, with the last rating subdivided to denote the severity of Dysplasia---Mild, Moderate or Severe.

I don't understand why there isn't a 'very good' rating in there, as I'm sure there could be a vast difference between 'excellent' and 'good'). When I refer to something as excellent, I mean it's fabulous-great, positively the top. Good on the other paw denotes acceptable.

Good in any survey I've ever seen is always two steps below the excellent rating. Are the dog's hips at the top-end of good--bordering excellent or at the bottom-end, bordering on a fair?

For years, there have been nasty rumours circulating-involving the time of month one sends the x-rays in....if one gets them in between the 1st and 6th of the month (days may vary depending on who you're talking to) they will get a pass-if sent later and OFA has reached their 'passing' quota for the month, you're out of luck.

But don't despair... apparently people have been known to re-submit previously failed x-rays only to get a pass the second time round.

There are also rumours of people downloading a hip clearance certificate ( the same way one can for vaccinations) from the internet, print it out, white-out the dog's personal data, insert their own dog's data, et voila-their dog has a hip clearance of 'excellent'! Of course in this case, there would be no such dog listed on the OFA site but one would, I assume, produce said fake certificate to show to prospective puppy owners.

Once you've submitted your x-rays to OFA, if they fall within the first three classifications-excellent, good or fair, you/your dog gets a number and the rating becomes public domain, which anyone can view on the OFA site.

If the dog on the other paw gets a borderline; mild, moderate or severe report, the owner of the dog can choose to keep the information from the public/open data base.

What???

Well, that's most considerate-but it really doesn't help the cause. I believe if you choose to send the x-rays in to be evaluated-let the public see the results.

Then there are the unethical persons ( and they are out there-probably on KIJIJII) who confidently and proudly state their dog has had its hips x-rayed and leave it at that...without mentioning the results of the tests!!

Another choice is OVC at the University of Guelph, in Ontario.

OVC terminated their hip evaluations a couple of years ago for a short while but now have fully re-instated the program. OVC offers a 'Pass' without any sub-grading or a rating of Grade I-IV. With no sub-grading-did the hips pass just by a hair or are they excellent?

So this shows the comparison between the two rating systems:

OVC.............................OFA

Normal/Pass................Excellent

Normal/Pass................Good

Normal/Pass................Fair

Grade I........................ Borderline

Grade II.......................Mild Dysplasia

Grade III......................Moderate Dysplasia

Grade IV......................Severe Dysplasia

There's an interesting 'By Breed Dysplasia Statistics' list from OFA here: http://www.offa.org/hipstatbreed.html

When all is said and done, the rating should be a firm guideline for any serious breeder…which dog/line to keep in your breeding program and which to steer away from.

Unfortunately, just because the sire and dam both test clear of dysplasia, does not guarantee a litter of pups free of the disease.

It does however stack the odds in your favour that it won't be present!

HIP HIP HOORAY!

I'm planning on breeding my almost 3-year old girl in the near future. In order to ensure I've done all I can to produce healthy puppies, I will do some health testing. I won't be getting every test that's available but will cover the basics--heart, thyroid, hip x-rays and brucellosis. I expect the male we settle on using to have documentation on passing the same tests.

Hip xrays are an emotional test for any ethical breeder to do. If the dog's hips don't get a 'pass' on evaluation---you shouldn't breed your dog--no matter how beautiful it is or how many 'Best In Breed/Group' the dog has won!

Two weeks ago, I started searching for a veterinarian to do the hip x-rays. I wanted to ensure the same tragedy didn't take place as did with my last dog I got hip x-rays done on.

I had taken her to a vet who does alot of hip clearances. The selling point for me, although quite a drive to this vet's place, was a foam cradle that's placed on the exam table to hold the dog still and in place while the x-rays are being done. That also means the dog is not resting its spine on the hard steel tabletop.

After she had a light tranquilizer they were ready to do the x-ray. I asked if I could be of help getting her onto the table but they declined my offer and asked me to 'stay back.' Three of them hoisted her up onto the table and into the cradle. Within seconds, my girl, whose care I had entrusted to two vet techs and a veterinarian, squirmed out of their grip and fell three feet to the floor...onto her back.

Needless to say their warning to 'stay back' was no longer my concern. I was there beside her, helping her up and trying to calm her.

I then told them I would help get her back up onto the table. I figured we were there, she had been sedated-we might as well finish this nightmare and be done with it. I was standing at her head, calming her and we got the x-rays.

Never to return to that clinic, thank you!

Enter Dr. John and the Caledon Mountain Veterinary Hospital http://www.caledonvet.com/ in the delightful town of Caledon; which by the way, has been awarded the 'safest town to live in' in Canada for two years running (Macleans Magazine).

The receptionist connected me with a vet tech who I shared my concerns and past experience with. She patiently assured me they too had a cradle to place the dog in and had never had a dog squirm out of their grasp while on the table (would she have divulged this info??!). I decided to make an appointment.

This time, I brought along two people who I knew to have an abundance of calm, positive energy and who my girl is very fond of...just in case (thank you Mishelle & Sean!).

Dr. John and everyone who works along with him were very personable and caring. They spent the time needed to get to know the patient (Journey) before 'the hoist'. I was able to help put her onto the table, into the foam, without too much ado. I watched Dr. John gently place her rear legs into the required position (full extension) for a good read, then stepped quickly out of the little room while he did the x-ray. He asked me to keep talking to her through the door to keep her calm.

Journey squirmed abit--it's such an unnatural position for any dog to be placed in at anytime by anyone--especially in a place that's foreign to them! That position is usually savoured by a very relaxed, sleepy dog in the comfort, privacy and security of its own den.

X-rays done, Journey was carefully guided off the table and placed back onto the floor.

It was done!!

We met in an examination room where Dr. John spent more time, discussing the results of the x-rays. He put them up on a monitor and patiently outlined the details...the depth of the ball in the socket, the tightness of the fit into the socket, the roundness of the ball, the lack of any arthritic changes--all very much desired in a hip evaluation!

Hip Hip Hooray!!

I will follow-up tomorrow--x-rays done...now what?

COMMENTS: 1

I relate to the nightmare with hip x-ray. Just been through that recently. I had to find a new vet clinic to my hips, since the one that has done mine for years is gone now. The new place I decided to try was a nightmare....so now I'm still looking!! At least you found a good one in the end. :o)

D.W.

IT'S IN THE BAG

I don't profess to have an understanding of human nature--what makes people behave the way they do and the why behind it. There's a bucket-full of behaviors I'll never comprehend, mostly because I'd much rather spend my time dealing with animal behavior-something far more enriching and rewarding...it balances me.

I take my dog out every day--three or four times. We head down to the off-leash on the beach once a day for some serious exercise; the other walks are on-leash around the neighbourhood.

Because I'm a responsible dog owner, my pockets always have bags and treats in them. Treats because I'm a sucker and all the dogs in the neighbourhood can see me coming (poor starving lot!) and bags to stoop & scoop. Which I do--everytime! Have done for years. I stoop, pick up, tie the bag and deposit it in the nearest receptacle available. I don't dump it in recycle bins along our way-I wait until I come to a public trash bin (preferably on the boardwalk).

There is in this city an ugly movement afoot. A secret club perhaps, with a whole lot of individuals who are displaying some strange behavior.

I'm speaking of the practice of stooping and scooping, tying a neat knot in the bag, then dropping the bag onto the ground. The base of a tree seems to be a favourite target for these goody bags.

It's in the bag----! The tough part is over. Your knees and back a little worse for wear but you'll live to see another walk. What kind of behavior is that??? And why???

What possesses you to just drop a full bag of poop? I have to have something to go on here...



Perhaps the bag gets too heavy and you suddenly get a cramp and the muscles in your hand release involuntarily?

Is there a touch of Alzheimers and you forget where the bag came from, worrying you may be carrying contraband?



Maybe you are a single person and you see a potential suitor approaching. You're concerned the scent now emanating from the bag is over-riding your carefully chosen cologne?

My money is on human laziness-you're just too damn lazy to carry it once you've picked it up. The bag colour doesn't go with your ensemble and besides--you picked it up and put it in a bag-why should you have to walk farther with it?

It would be better if you just left the poop on the ground unbagged...it will break-down eventually.



Your dog has done what you took it out to do-now you can drop the bag and leave it for someone else to pick up, take the dog home and get on with your life--

Guess I do understand human nature after all.

(all bags I took pictures of today I picked up and disposed of)

PRIORITIES...

Happy New Year! May happiness and health lead you through 2010!

No matter how much I choose to down-play the commercialization of the Christmas season, I get caught up in the energies madly swirling around me like an invisible snow blizzard. My priorities are tinged with echoes of marketing ditties dancing in my head mixed in with the infernal muzak being piped into my brain whenever I enter a store or mall.

I remember a time when all that was played in the stores at Christmastime were hymns that soothed the soul and reflected the meaning of the season. Now the frenzied tunes played reflect a different message--the marketers dream---buy, purchase, consume-!

There are cards to send, gifts to choose and wrap, parcels to mail, decorating to be completed, baking to be done, salon appointments, brunches with friends we don't see enough through the year, open houses to attend, relatives visiting from out-of-town--the list goes on. No wonder there's a spike in heart-attacks from Christmas Eve to New Year's Day!!

Our daily schedules are thrown so off-kilter. There is added stress in our households even if just due to time restraints. Our dogs pick up on the energies.

It's important to keep your dog's walking schedule. Let it get out and socialize too and run off all that energy it's been picking up on---you'll find you don't have to worry about it tearing up wrapping paper or acting out for some of your attention if it has an outlet too!

I haven't the luxury of a fenced backyard where I can just open a door at 7:00 a.m or 10:00 p.m when the wind is howling, embedding ice crystals into the window screens and I'm cozy-warm in my favourite bathrobe.

If she is crossing her legs at the door, it's my duty to don my clothing (all four layers!) and answer her call to nature.

Anyone who knows me, knows this for certain--when I plan any activity, it falls between my dog's walks.

'Let's go downtown tomorrow-get some shopping done'.

'Alright-we'd have to leave around 10:a.m. I have to be back by latest 3:00-".

'Kerry's having a Christmas party-we should get there by 8:p.m.'

'Sure-I can go for a couple of hours-I would want to get home by 10:00'.

Just my choice in keeping my dog on a schedule no matter what the season or reason, when it's within my power to do so.

It's my time with my home companion. A walk releases stress for both of us. It's good for the soul-

Not alot to sacrifice for the joy she brings into my life every day of the year!!

S H A M E ON THS

Humane: Main Entry: hu·mane
Pronunciation: \hyü-ˈmān, yü-\
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English humain
Date: circa 1500
1 : marked by compassion, sympathy, or consideration for humans or animals. (Merriam-Webster)

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/toronto-humane-society-officials-arrested-charged-with-cruelty-to-animals/article1378385/

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/toronto-humane-society-officials-arrested-charged-with-cruelty-to-animals/article1378385/

From Tim Trow, the 'combative man with a sharp temper' (should have known--he's a former provincial civil servant) to the head veterinarian Steve Sheridan, the shelter manager Gary McCracken, the manager Romeo Bernadino and the shelter supervisor Andy Bechtel--as well as the Society's board of directors...even Art Eggleton, an ex-Mayor, is not without his role in this horror.

I tell you-you'd certainly not have intimidated me the way you supposedly intimidated staff members. You see, I own a dog-I pick pieces of shit up like you every day and put it where it belongs--into the garbage.

Let me make myself very clear--Tim Trow and his lot don't deserve to get off with spending six months in jail and a fine of a couple of thousand dollars!

I've no doubt they've embezzelled enough funds to pay that kind of fine ten times over and they would look damn good behind bars, where, if there's any justice, they would be as ill-treated by their fellow inmates as they themselves treated those poor innocents! They certainly do not deserve court time paid for by the public!!?

Tim Trow deserves to simmer in a vat of feces and urine, along with his fellow scum. By the sound of things--it best be an extra-large sized vat.

From charges of “fiscal irresponsibility, improper conduct of society business,” and "implementing policies causing cruelty to animals", hurting the very animals they were supposed to heal and protect--to obstruction of justice charges through hiding animals from investigators during the investigation, this reads like a combination of a medieval horror b-movie and the political scandals exploding on front-pages of newspapers everyday, spinning our society out-of-control!

My heart is sick---I feel as if my faith has been undermined.

Let's just hope the investigation leads to prosecution of the scum involved in this whole THS scandal....or said individuals may have to deal with a roadside-type of justice when they next walk down a street...hmmm---a gal can dream!

THE VOTES ARE IN!!

For years dogs have been allowed to run loose on the Beach in Toronto. Until 2007, when the city adopted a new off-leash dog policy.


The city was prepping for the desired 'Blue Flag Beach' designation and felt dogs being on the sand/waterfront would affect Lake Ontario's water quality.

Due to the overwhelming response by Beach dog owners and the backing of dog owners all over the city, on October 15th, council agreed to allow dogs free-run on the beach, south of the snow fence, during the winter months (November 1st-March 31st).

Although City councillor Sandra Bussin (Beaches East-York) would like to take the praise for this compromise, I don't think it could have come about without backing from City Parks and Environment as well as every dog owner who attended meetings and gave deputations at council.

After all-Bussin was the one who pushed getting the dogs off the beach---only to do an about-face after her latest bad press due to her phone-in to a radio talk show--but I digress....that's a whole other story!

Dogs can now get more of the exercise they need. This is especially important in an urban setting. Dogs without proper exercise in a city can lead to alot of frustrated, leash-dominant dogs.

In the off-leash areas in the beach, people tend to stand around chatting while the dogs stick fairly close to their people.

On the waterfront, people tend to walk-usually a fair strip of the beachfront, enabling the dogs to get more exercise, still meeting other dogs along the way, so there's time for socialization too.

Who else is going to plod along, hip-high in snow on the beach in the worst storm, while our companions race around burrowing and rolling in snow up to their ears, chasing snowballs for whoever will toss them (I've never been too sure whether this performance is more for our benefit--after all, they take their talents very seriously-they rejoice in entertaining human beings).

Little dogs, big dogs, old dogs and puppies will all be having a happier, healthier winter thanks to the freedom the beach allows. If you're walking your dog with any regularity down on the beach during the winter months, you'll be healthier too! A little sore and stiff the first couple of times... but this too shall pass.

There's nothing like a walk along the beach with your companion...it's nourishment for the soul.