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Canine Flu Alert by Dr. Caitlin Bentley
You may have heard about recent cases of Canine Influenza Virus (CIV), H3N2, or “dog flu.” Here are a few facts to keep you and your pets safe:
  • Signs of CIV include coughing, nasal discharge, fever, and lethargy. Most dogs recover in a few weeks time.
  • CIV is very contagious, and dogs that don’t seem very ill can still spread the virus.
  • The most recent cases of CIV have been linked to dog shows and a boarding facility. If your dog is showing signs of CIV, please isolate them from other dogs and contact your veterinarian.
  • There is a vaccine for CIV available. It’s two doses, given a few weeks apart. If you occasionally board your dog, visit dog parks, or attend dog shows, it’s a good idea to get your dogs vaccinated.
  • Cats can be affected by CIV, and it can be transmitted from cat-to-cat. Cats show many of the same signs as dogs when infected, including a runny nose and sneezing. There is no evidence CIV can be transmitted to humans.
Here is a great resource for pet owners about CIV: https://www.avma.org/KB/Resources/FAQs/Pages/Control-of-Canine-Influenza-in-Dogs.aspx
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A Road Trip of Love to Delaware

Sharing the Love (Part 1)

 

This month we are sharing a great success story about how one committed and very energetic person, Laura Prechel, is saving the lives of so many TN shelter dogs.  Read her story below and lend financial assistance, if you can, by visiting her Go Fund Me page:  www.gofundme.com/save-a-shelter-dog.  And please share Laura’s story with family and friends so she can keep this mission alive.  Volunteer co-transporters/drivers are always welcomed.  Or perhaps you have an out-of-state connection that can meet up with Laura to share the transport effort and ensure the safe delivery of shelter dogs to DE, NJ and IA.  I know you will truly enjoy being a part of Laura’s mission and be able to write your own LOVE story in the near future.

 

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Laura’s Story (as found on her Go Fund Me page) (Part 2)

 

Have you ever wished you could help save a dog that is going to be put down simply because a shelter doesn’t have enough space or adopters?  Me too!  Have you thought “I’m just one person, what can I really do to help?”  Me too!  But here’s the great news; you can help!

I’m a volunteer at a shelter in Maury Co, TN that is over-crowded and has the need to publish “urgent” lists of dogs that will be euthanized if no adopters or rescues can be found for them by a certain date.  All dogs are young, healthy, behavior tested and highly adoptable.  I have fostered many of these dogs for a local rescue and can attest to that. The problem is that our local rescues are so overwhelmed with rescue requests that they’re not able to pull all of these urgent dogs.  I’ve been able to establish relationships with several out-of-state shelters that are willing and able to take these dogs in. These shelters have lower populations and higher adoption rates, so they’re able to successfully place these dogs in a short amount of time and give them a second chance at life.

So why do I need your help?  Because pulling dogs from one shelter and sending them to another requires money!  The fee to pull a dog is anywhere from $27-$75, depending on if the receiving shelter requires that the dog be spayed/neutered prior to transport. If I’m able to drive the dogs, the cost of a van rental and gas is somewhere in the ballpark of $600 per trip. If we have to use paid transport it’s anywhere from $130-$150 per dog. That adds up in a hurry!  This is an on-going campaign to continue to raise the funds to get these TN shelter dogs to safety!  I started the fund in December and have raised over $5,000 to date which has helped to cover some of the transport costs and all pull fees of the 122 dogs that have already been sent from this shelter to shelters in DE, NJ and IA. Within about three months, nearly all of those dogs that have languished in a TN shelter for months on end have found their homes in other states, many within a few days or a week of arriving. Those results are amazing and make this mission so worthwhile. The current need is to raise funds for another van load of shelter dogs to travel to DE and IA in April. Any contributions toward this trip are greatly appreciated.   NOTE:  Tails of the Trail has stepped up to fund the pull/transport fees for 10 of the 20 dogs that arrived in DE April 13th.  We can’t wait to post their smiling faces and the faces of their soon-to-be adoptive families.

It would mean the world to these dogs, and to me, if you would be willing to help.  No donation is too small. Together, we can make a difference and save some lives. Who’s with me?!?!? We certainly support all your hard work…100%!

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Interested in understanding what it takes to transport dogs from a local shelter to the Delaware receiving shelter?

 

 

Laura has provided the below journal on this week’s trip (April 12 – 13); now you can grasp the dedication and energy it takes to succeed with this mission…and this is just the driving part of her daily work efforts.   Read on…

 

The road to Delaware Journal (Part 3)

 

Wednesday April 12, 2017

 

5PM– Leave work and pick up full size rental van. Drive to friend’s house to get help removing the obnoxiously heavy and awkward van seats to make room for the pups. (What have I gotten myself into?!?)  Yes, Laura is starting her 28+ hour transport journey after working a full day!

 

6PM– Arrive at home and take care of my two foster dogs as well as my own two dogs.  Load up the van with crates and other supplies and head for the shelter.

7PM– Arrive at Maury Co shelter where a few shelter staffers have graciously come back after hours to help me load up the 20 dogs that are headed to a new life in DE.

8PM– All loaded up and ready to hit the road!

 

8:01PM– Are they really going to bark the whole trip??

 

8:10PM– Everyone has settled in and quieted down!

 

12AM Thursday, April 13– I’m really still in TN?!?  How long is this state???

 

1AM– Virginia! Finally! Is it really for lovers?  (On Eastern time zone now)

 

4AM– Just a few more hours until dawn.  I’ve got this!

 

6AM– Seriously, is it ever going to get light out?

 

7AM– Yay, daylight!  Just in time to screech to a halt around the Capital Beltway area.  Love rush hour traffic towards the end of a 12.5 hr drive!

8:30AM– Finally through traffic!  Just paid my toll and I’m headed across Bay Bridge.  My favorite part of the journey.  Only one hour left!

9AM– How is it possible that this last 30 mins feels longer than the entire 12 hours I’ve already driven?  Two lane roads, 45 mph and construction…Will I ever get there??  Hang on guys…just a little longer.

 

9:30AM– Pulling into the Delaware SPCA!  Let’s get these pups unloaded! I’m greeted by the smiling faces of staffers and volunteers who are here to help me unload and are so thrilled to fill their shelter up again with adoptable dogs.  From unwanted in TN to loved in DE!

10:30AM– Pups are settled in their new abode and will be adopted within days.  In the meantime they’ll get lots of love and attention from the wonderful volunteers at the DE shelter.  Mission Accomplished!!

 

10:31AM– Oh wait, now I still have another 12.5 hr drive in front of me… Laura can drive the hours as well as any professional trucker!

 

12AM Friday– After a few stops to sleep, I have finally made it back to TN. (back on Central time zone) Exhausted but feeling the satisfaction of moving 20 precious lives one step closer to their forever families.  Can’t wait for the adoption photos to start rolling in!

 

 

Laura, we are in awe of your ability to do this 28+ hour road trip as a solo driver and hope many readers will step up to help you out on future trips as well as provide funding to your mission…it is so well deserved!

 

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Tips for Tails: Avoiding Frosty Paws

Tips for Keeping Your Furry Friends Comfortable During the Winter

By Dr. Bentley

Hi there! I’m Dr. Caitlin Bentley, one of the newest board members of Tails of the Trail. From time to time, I’ll be popping in here to offer some vet tips, insight into how animal shelters work, and other tidbits to make your life with your furry friends easier. I’m one of the vets at Metro Nashville Animal Care and Control. I’ve got two dogs and two cats of my own, all from shelters, and I’m passionate about shelter medicine. I’m also passionate about dressing my dogs in matching bandannas, cat toys that are shaped like human food, and telling my dogs about a thousand times a day how cute they are. I can’t wait to get to know the Tails of the Trail family! Now, down to business. 

With the holidays over, we’ve still got a long winter ahead of us. It’s during these dreary days that I start longing for spring, or even humid summer! Our dogs and cats can be affected by cold weather just as much as we are. Here are a few tips to keep them warm and cozy during the long slog towards spring.

·    Help them on their potty breaks: Sometimes pups can be reluctant to potty outdoors on snow. I can’t say that I blame them, I bundle up with wool socks and boots to go in the snow, while they have only bare paws! To remedy this, try grabbing some straw from your local grange or feed store and scattering it outside the door or porch. This can help keep their paws insulated while doing their business.

·    Bring them inside: Many cities have ordinances that don’t allow pets to be kept outside in extreme weather. Here in Nashville, dogs cannot be tethered when it is below freezing, and owners can be cited and subject to legal consequences. It’s best to bring pets indoors when it’s freezing outside, so they can stay warm, well fed, and healthy.

·    Clean them off: Salt and de-icing compounds are often spread on icy winter roads, and these can be irritating to tender paws, and irritating to tender mouths when licked off. Keep a towel by your door to wipe down your pets when they get inside.

·    Beware the antifreeze: Antifreeze is poisonous and deadly for dogs, cats, and children. If you spill any, clean it up promptly. Its sweet taste is irresistible to animals and children, and even a small amount consumed can cause life-threatening illness.

·    Consider providing a feral cat shelter: Feral, or community, cats need to stay warm in the winter, too. Consider making them a shelter out of an inexpensive styrofoam cooler. Simply obtain a cooler, tape the lid on, cut a cat-sized hole in the side, and bed with straw. Some organizations even provide these shelters for free, like Pet Community Center in Nashville. Check with your local community cat group, and consider becoming a caretaker for community cats in your neighborhood.

·    Don’t stop prevention: As a vet, I am obligated to tell you: even though it’s wintertime, your pets still need their monthly flea/tick and heartworm prevention. It’s true, when you graduate veterinary school, you must solemnly swear that “I shall always chastise pet owners for forgetting their prevention.” As much as we would all love it if the danger of fleas, disease-carrying ticks, and heartworm larvae disappeared in the winter months, it’s not the case. Keep your pets safe from pests with prevention year-round.

·    If you see something, say something: If you see an animal that is struggling outside in the cold, please contact your local animal control. Animal control officers do their best to work with people to allow them to keep their pets. Sometimes people just don’t know what’s best or have financial constraints. I’ve known animal control officers who bring bags of pet food to people in need, buy new doghouses to replace leaky ones, and bring straw bedding to warm outdoor dogs. If you’re worried about a pet in your neighborhood, don’t be afraid to call your local animal control agency. They’ll be happy to have the chance to save a pet.

 

Keep your fuzzy bundles of love close and warm this winter! Together, I know we’ll make it to spring!

 

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