Shop Small with Us on November 29th

Please visit us for the following promotions on Small Business Saturday, November 29th, the day we all Shop Small and support small businesses around the country:

• Give your pet the gift of great health all year long with discounted enrollment into our Lifetime Wellness Program. Pediatric and Adult plans will be offered at 25% off enrollment from Monday November 24th through Saturday December 6th! As part of our continuing spotlight on our Senior Pets; senior plan enrollment remains discounted at 50% off through December 31st.
  • Read more about our Lifetime Wellness Program here: http://wrah.net
• For our loyal current Clients who support small business all year long we are offering 20% off their pet’s Annual Heartworm Screening with the purchase of year round protection on Saturday November 29th only. Pets must be current on their examinations.
  • Read more about the dangers of heartworms and intestinal parasites to your pet and your family here: http://westridgeanimalhospital.blogspot.com
• Use your American Express Card to make your purchases at Small Businesses in our community and American Express will gift you rewards!
  • For more information on the American Express promotion go to: https://shopsmallneighborhoods.americanexpress.com/
• Stop in with your pet and let us thank you personally for supporting small business on Saturday, November 30th!

As a reminder, we’re located at 8235 W. 20th Street, Greeley, CO 80634 and we’re open from 8am to 5pm on Saturdays, 9am to 1pm on Sundays, and 8am to 9pm Monday through Friday.

So stop by on November 29th, the Saturday after Thanksgiving, and do your part to help make this Small Business Saturday one of the biggest shopping days of the year for small businesses.

See you soon!
West Ridge Animal Hospital

Help your community by taking care of your senior pet!

From now until December 24th, West Ridge Animal Hospital will donate a turkey to the Weld County Food Bank's Thanksgiving  and Christmas Turkey Drives for every Senior Pet enrolled into a Lifetime Wellness Program. We created our Lifetime Wellness Program as a way to achieve the balance between real life financial concerns and providing the best possible care for your pet. For more information about how our plans can benefit both you and your pet please go to our website: http://wrah.net/services/lifetime-wellness.html.

The Food Bank stated in a Greeley Tribune article (http://www.greeleytribune.com/news/13779050-113/bank-shack-wing-drive) that it is in need of 4,000 turkeys by Thanksgiving, over 5,000 cans of cranberries and stuffing, and over 8,000 cans of green beans.

The food bank will host a turkey drive at both Walmart locations, 920 47th Ave. and 3103 23rd Ave., and both Safeway locations, 4548 Centerplace Drive and 3526 10th St., from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Nov. 22. Turkeys can also be dropped off from 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday and from 8 a.m.-noon on Wednesdays at the food bank, 1108 H St.

This year our team is also participating in an Employee Food Drive through the holidays also benefiting the Weld County Food Bank. If you would like to participate you can drop your cans and non-perishable items off when you come in for your appointment!

Best of Greeley 2014

Thank you to our amazing clients for once again voting us one of the best Veterinary Hospitals in Greeley!!

Battle of the Veterinary Hospital All Stars 2014

Once again we competed in the Battle of the Veterinary Hospital All Stars benefiting Pet Aid Emergency Services of Colorado! With your help we WON the fundraising challenge, and combined with the other 50 veterinary hospitals in attendance raised over $17,000 for Pet Aid Colorado!

Thank you to everyone who helped us by donating to this amazing organization. PetAid Colorado is a not for profit organization that assists at risk or in need animals across Colorado and in times of natural disasters. They helped over 2,000 pets during our 2013 flooding in Northern Colorado last year with boarding and medical expenses.

With September being Disaster Preparedness Month, be sure to visit PetAid Colorado's Animal Preparedness page and PetAid Disaster Services page.

Practice Updates - Holiday Hours and more

Holiday Hours

Christmas Eve open 'til 6PM

Christmas Day Closed

New Year's Eve Open 'til 6PM
New Year's Day Closed

For emergency services outside of our holiday hours, please find an emergency clinic here.

Holiday Boarding

There are few holiday boarding spaces remaining.  Make your reservations soon, before our beds are all booked up.  Call today for the best remaining selection!

    Purrs and Paws Lodge at (970) 330-7283 or Sirius Fun at West Ridge at (970) 330-5150

Senior Spotlight Continues

Our Senior Spotlight continues until December 31st.  We have had over a hundred senior pets come into the office over the last two months! If you haven't already stopped in, come see our Senior Spotlight wall and bring in your senior pet for a treat. Give your pet the gift of good health all year round as Senior Life Time Wellness Packages remain at 50% off enrollment through December.  Packages include all of the American Animal Hospital Association and American Veterinary Associations recommended basic preventive care for an entire year at an affordable monthly payment to you.

Dental Quarter Preview
Once again we will be focusing on dental health starting January 2014. We like to start off each year with a dental health quarter since it is such an important, and often overlooked, aspect of pet health. Stay tuned for details on an exciting promotion where your pet could win a free anesthetic dental procedure, as well as more information on new LifeTime Wellness Dental Packages encompassing your pet's dental assessment, cleaning, and treatment in an affordable monthly payment!

Community Involvement

Small Business Saturday
West Ridge Animal Hospital and Sirius Fun Doggie Day Care participated in Small Business Saturday on November 30th this year. It was an awesome day structured around supporting locally owned small businesses in our community. Thank you to our Clients who continue to support our local businesses year-round!

Festival of the Trees

Festival of the Tress is a local event that celebrates the arts within our community.  Local companies can sponsor Christmas trees; there are also silent auctions, holiday programs, choirs, and more! We sponsored three trees this year at the festival, entitled "I'll Be Home For Christmas". The trees were decorated with pictures of the stray animals from our Wandering Paws Foundation that we have provided medical care for and also helped to find homes; as well as several that are still looking for homes. Please contact West Ridge Animal Hospital or view our Facebook page for more information on the pets that we have for adoption.

Battle of the Vet Hospital Stars 2012

  West Ridge Animal Hospital participated in the first Annual Battle of the Vet Hospital Stars hosted by the Veterinary Referral Center of Colorado (VRCC) this past Sunday! WRAH had five team members compete against thirty-nine other Vet Hospitals from around the State. Participants competed in 20 laughter filled events including: Rock Em' Sock Em', Obstacle Courses, Motorized Toliet Bowl Racing, and Life Size Operation. Together the VRCC and Battle Participants (West Ridge included) were able to raise $4000.00 to donate to Pet Aid Disaster Services of Colorado. 

Pet Aid Disaster Services helps impacted communities; most recently assisting in the High Park and Waldo Canyon Fires. Additional information on Pet Aid Colorado can be found at their website, http://www.petaidcolorado.org/displaycommon.cfm.

Habicats at The Humane Society of Weld County

Our local shelter, The Humane Society of Weld County, has devoted their resources to improving their cat’s conditions by constructing free-roaming rooms for the shelter’s feline guests.  Many are not aware of these improvements so we wanted to spotlight them for our clients.

The Habicats are four themed rooms built and decorated for the comfort of the cats and appeal to their human friends. The cats climb, play and rest on custom built structures with natural lighting. The Sandbox rooms offer garden windows which are always occupied with sunbathers or birdwatchers.

The renovations have enabled the shelter to be able to provide quality long term care.  One cat, “Pops”, a handsome black male, returned himself to the shelter by following a human through the intake door. Unfortunately he had been adopted by an unreliable owner, somehow found his way back to the shelter, and his microchip confirmed to the staff that Pops had returned. This is high praise for the Humane Society and Pop’s resourcefulness.

Please think of a shelter pet when you are able to add a new pet to your family. They have proven personalities and can be matched easily to owners varying lifestyles. They will also be altered and microchipped offering good value for the adoption fee. West Ridge Animal Hospital partners by offering free initial exams for adopted pets.

Alternative Therapies at West Ridge

West Ridge Animal Hospital is now offering alternative therapies to complement your senior dog’s wellness program! Dr. Amanda Hensley, a rehabilitation veterinarian, joined our team last fall to help build this area of practice so that we can provide the most comprehensive plan for your pet’s needs. Physical rehabilitation is a very important part of the multi-modal approach to managing arthritis and improving quality of life in senior pets. Alternative therapies currently offered include:

• Underwater treadmill – this provides low-impact exercise to help improve mobility, range of motion and strength in pets who may not be able to get enough exercise on land
• Laser therapy – to help control pain and inflammation associated with arthritis.
• Massage – to relieve muscle tightness and soreness that is often present in animals with decreased mobility.
• Therapeutic exercises – these exercises are used to improve strength, flexibility, balance, and coordination. There are countless exercises which can be used to target a specific area of the body depending on your pet’s needs, and many of them can easily be done at home with no equipment.
• Acupuncture and veterinary orthopedic manipulation – these modalities are used as adjunct treatment for painful conditions such as arthritis and associated muscle spasm.

To provide our wonderful clients with more information on these topics, West Ridge is hosting an informational seminar at the Greeley Family FunPlex on Sunday, April 22nd at 1:00pm. Dr. Hensley will be speaking about the role of physical rehabilitation in the multi-modal approach to managing senior pets. Other West Ridge doctors and staff will also be speaking about acupuncture, veterinary orthopedic manipulation and massage. Come meet Dr. Hensley and learn about alternatives for your senior pet!

Holiday Food Drive

The holidays are now upon us and there are many people who will not have a nice meal to sit down to with their families this holiday season. There are also many pets at the shelter who would love a meal and a warm blanket. West Ridge Animal Hospital wants to help those in need both human and animal, so we will be having a food drive to help the Weld Food Bank and the Humane Society of Weld County. We hope to make this fun and rewarding for our community - and maybe even you! Please bring in your cans and non-perishable, food items for the food bank, as well as pet food and other pet supplies for the Humane Society. We have a list of items that are needed for the Food Bank at the front desk, the website and on our Facebook page, or visit the Weld Food Bank Top 10 requested items web page.

In an effort to add a little fun to the drive, we are running the following programs:

Starting the week of November 14th - 27th
• Clients who bring in 5 items or more will be entered into a drawing for a 1 hour animal Massage Session valued at $50.00.
• If we meet our goal of 100 items before Thanksgiving we will donate $100.00 to the Weld Food Bank.

Weeks Nov. 28th - Dec 11th
• For every Facebook "LIKE" during this time we will place the new fan's name into a drawing for a free Animal Massage, valued at $50.00. In addition, we will donate up to $50 to the Food Bank if we reach over 100 "likes".

Weeks Nov. 12th - Dec 25th
• For every 100 "LIKES" we receive we will donate up to $50.00 to the Weld Food Bank, for a maximum of $100.00 total.

Why are you sitting reading this post?!? Run to your cupboards, gather some food items and bring them in! :)



PS. Weld Food Bank's Most Needed HOLIDAY Food Items are:
TURKEYS!
Canned Sweet Potatoes/Yams
Cranberry Sauce
Boxed Stuffing
Instant Potatoes
Gravy
Pie Filling

Our Top 10 Most Needed food items are:
Canned Meat or Tuna
Canned Soup or Stews
Pasta or Mac & Cheese
Cereal
Rice
Canned Fruit
Canned Vegetables
Peanut Butter
Fruit Juice
Beans

And the Humane Society is requesting:
Food:
• High Quality Dog and Cat Food
• High Quality Kitten and Puppy Food
• Canned Cat and Kitten Food
• Canned Dog and Puppy Food
• Dog Treats
• Cat Treats
Animal Comfort:
• Towels
• Blankets
• Small Pet Beds
• Free-Standing Air-Conditioner
• Free-Standing Fans
• Space Heaters
Pet Supplies:
• Cat litter (Non-Clumping)
• Animal Clippers
• Water Pitchers
• Leashes and Harnesses (Slip Leads Preferred)
• Elizabethan Collars (All Sizes)
• Dog Toys: Ropes, “Kong” Toys, Stuffed Toys (No Bean Filling)
• Cat Toys: Mice, Scratching Pads, Bell Toys, Etc.
• Storage Tubs with Lids (18 Gallons)

CVMA District Representative in our midst

West Ridge Animal Hospital is proud to announce that our newest veterinarian, Dr. Amanda Hensley, has accepted the position of District Representative for the Colorado Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA). As members of the CVMA, our vets agree to uphold its mission of enhancing animal health and welfare, promoting the human/animal bond, protecting public health, advancing the well being of veterinarians, and fostering excellence in veterinary medicine through education, advocacy, and outreach.

Dr Hensley recently attended the Big Ideas Forum presented by the CVMA. The discussion focused on how best to foster positive relationships between veterinarians and shelter communities, an aspect of veterinary medicine definitely in need of attention right now.

Thank you Dr. Hensley for volunteering your time!

VET help at Bastrop Fires

When the distressing news coming from Texas about the Bastrop fire reports that nearly 1400 houses have burned and at least two people have died, it’s easy to get caught up in the disaster from a human standpoint. Unfortunately, wildfires also affect countless animals, including search and rescue dogs that are assisting rescue efforts. This is where the VET (Veterinary Emergency Team) of Texas comes in. Yesterday, they deployed several members- including DVMs, vet techs, and vet students- to care for the dogs helping emergency responders and to assess the needs of other affected animals.

Obviously, keeping structures from burning and people safe is priority #1. A close second, in our opinion, is the safety of the animals. Losing your home is devastating, losing your pet as well is absolutely catastrophic. After all, many people consider their pets family members. And we haven’t even touched on all the wild animals who lose their homes, get injured, and possibly perish.

To this end, Dr Colin Combs and West Ridge Animal Hospital have been very active participants in our local Weld County Animal Response Team (Weld CART) for several years now. Fortunately, there hasn’t been much need for it so far. They did, however, all respond during the Windsor tornado in 2008; rescuing countless pets and wild animals from certain ruin. The Weld CART team is a “group of law enforcement, fire, veterinary, shelter, and other agencies with a shared goal of increasing awareness of animal issues in disasters through public education and awareness”. They also assist in providing resources to local jurisdictions throughout the county in the event of a disaster.

Veterinarians, by default, are extremely compassionate people. This is just another way they are able to fulfill their passion of taking care of helpless animals.

-- Weld CART is accepting volunteers and donations of items needed in case of an emergency. If you are able to do so, it is greatly appreciated!--

West Ridge Animal Hospital Presents: Santa Claus is coming to town!

Save the date!

Pet Portraits & Santa pictures!

Portraits from 2:00pm – 6:00pm
Friday, December 17th
Santa from 4:00pm – 6:00pm

Have your Pets portrait taken and help a stray animal too!

$10.00 for 8x10
A percentage goes toward the West Ridge Stray Fund.

Annual Halloween Party!!

Senior Pet Seminar

Cats need our help!

The Humane Society of Weld County is in dire need of money, cat food, and/or cat litter donations! Perhaps you read about the sad case of cat hoarding recently discovered here in Greeley; at last count, 107 live cats have been rescued. Please, please click here for more information and to donate.

Those precious little cats, many of which are but tiny kittens, will be ever so grateful.

First Case of West Nile

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT
1555 N. 17th Avenue
Greeley, CO 80631
Web: http://www.co.weld.co.us/redesign/health/

Our vision: Together with the communities we serve, we are working to make Weld County a healthy place to live, learn, work and play.

News Release

Contact: Gaye Morrison, Public Information Officer
970-304-6470 ext. 2380
gmorrison@co.weld.co.us

For Immediate Release July 2, 2010

FIRST HUMAN CASE OF WEST NILE IN WELD COUNTY

Greeley – The Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment confirmed today the first human case of West Nile virus in Weld County in 2010. The fifty-three year old female was diagnosed with West Nile fever and is recovering at home. This is also the first confirmed human case of West Nile virus in Colorado in 2010. In 2009, there were 103 human cases of West Nile virus in Colorado with 3 deaths. In Weld County there were a total of 15 cases confirmed last year and no deaths.

Dr. Mark Wallace, Executive Director of the Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment (WCDPHE), said, “Conditions have been favorable for mosquitoes to breed. Many people have reported mosquitoes being more bothersome this season. It is not unexpected that northern Colorado is where the first case of West Nile virus infection has occurred. We are thankful the person in Weld County is recovering well. Everyone should take precautions – avoid being out at dusk and dawn, wear protective clothing, apply appropriate repellant when outside, repair holes in window screens, and reduce the amount of standing water around your home. West Nile infection can be prevented when precautions are taken.”

Mosquito counts have been rising rapidly in Weld County and have been particularly high in Greeley, Evans, Ft. Lupton and Milliken. The health department began adult mosquito surveillance on June 7, 2010 and conducts weekly mosquito trapping at 24 locations in the county. To date 24 pools of Culex mosquitoes have been submitted to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment for testing and none have tested positive for West Nile Virus.

There are several municipalities in Weld County that have mosquito control programs in place, including Dacono, Evans, Erie, Firestone, Fort Lupton, Frederick, Johnstown, Kersey, Keensburg, LaSalle, Lochbuie, Platteville and Windsor. Mosquito control programs differ depending on the municipality but may include trapping, larvacide treatment to prevent mosquito breeding and adulticide or spraying.

Dr. Wallace emphasizes that everyone must take personal precautions against mosquito bites even if there is a mosquito control program where they live. Additional recommendations for protecting yourself and family against mosquito bites include:

• Using approved mosquito repellents containing DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus or IR3535. DEET products generally provide the longest protection. The other repellents work but must be applied more frequently. Follow the product label for correct use. Products with 10 percent or less DEET are recommended for children.
• Spraying clothing with insecticides containing DEET or Permethrin if you are outside for long periods of time. This will last up to four washings or two weeks on clothing. It is important to follow product directions.
• Wearing light weight clothing with long pants and sleeves in addition to repellent when outdoors.
• Getting rid of any standing water that provides breeding places for the mosquitoes.
• Using a larvacide if you have standing water around your home that you cannot drain. Larvacide can be placed directly in water and it kills mosquito larvae before they have a chance to hatch. It comes in a variety of forms, from briquettes to sprays, and many types are nontoxic.

West Nile virus is carried by birds and transmitted by mosquitos that bite the infected birds. Infected mosquitoes transmit the virus to humans, horses, and birds. Everyone is at risk for mosquito born disease. West Nile season in Colorado begins in late June, peaks in July and August, and goes through September.

West Nile virus symptoms may appear in 3 – 14 days after infection. Initial symptoms include fever, headache, nausea and vomiting, muscle aches and weakness and rash. Some individuals may become seriously ill with encephalitis, swelling of the brain, or meningitis, a swelling of the brain’s lining or the spinal cord. Symptoms of severe illness include high fever, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, muscle weakness, vision loss, paralysis and even death. If a person or someone in their family develops symptoms, they should contact their health care provider.

For more information on West Nile virus call the CO Help hotline at 1-877-462-2911 or the Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment hotline at 970-304-6420, ext. 2234 for English or ext. 2235 for Spanish. Visit www.FighttheBiteColorado.com. or www.co.weld.co.us.

Weld County Zoonoses Newsletter

Learn the latest about animal-borne diseases in Weld County. This includes West Nile Virus, Rabies, Plauge and Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome.

Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment June 30, 2010 Zoonoses Newsletter (PDF file requires Adobe Acrobat)

Some Highlights:

WEST NILE VIRUS (WNV)
Our contractor, OtterTail Environmental Inc., began adult mosquito surveillance on June 7, 2010, conducting weekly mosquito trapping at 24 locations in the county. In the past week alone, the trapping yielded a total of 27,412 mosquitoes with 1,123 (4%) Culex mosquitoes. To date 24 pools of Culex mosquitoes have been submitted to CDPHE for testing. No mosquito pools have tested positive for WNV.

To avoid West Nile virus, please remember to:

• Use insect repellant for ALL outdoor activities. Use DEET, Picaridin or Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus, (Follow The Label Directions Carefully).
  
• At Dawn and Dusk dress in long sleeves and pants when outdoors and be sure to cover feet and ankles.
  
• DRAIN and EMPTY all containers (toys, kiddy pools, flowerpots, buckets) in your yards because mosquitoes carrying WNV can bite at anytime and anywhere, even in your own yards. Make sure your gutters and downspouts are clean and running freely.
  
• Check your home to make sure all windows and doors have screens and are in good condition. This will reduce the chance of mosquitoes and bats gaining entry into your home.
• For additional information on repellents and on how to protect you and your family around home go to the Colorado Fight the Bite web page.

RABIES
A total of twenty (20) animals from Weld County have been tested for rabies so far in 2010. This includes five (5) bats, nine (9) domestic animals (cat (3), dog (5), cow (1)), two equines and four (4) wild animals (skunks). To date, only one of these animals have tested positive for rabies, a bat.

Bats historically have been the most common carriers of rabies in Weld County. Do not approach or touch bats particularly if they are seen during the day and/or acting strange. If you awake to a bat in your bedroom or find your children or pets alone with a bat, please call WCDPHE at (970) 304-6415 immediately.

The best way to protect your pet animals is to keep them currently vaccinated for rabies. Keep bats out of your home by sealing all openings and keep screens (in good condition) on all doors and windows.

PLAGUE
A total of three (3) animals, (coyote (2), cat) from Weld County have been tested for plague in 2010. None of these animals have tested positive. In Weld County, plague activity is typically identified by citizens who notice a decrease in prairie dog or other rodent activity. WCDPHE personnel will investigate these rodent die-offs for plague activity and submit samples for testing when available.

Cats are particularly susceptible to plague. Infected cats generally have a history of roaming freely in rural or semi-rural settings and/ or may be known as a good hunter. Cats can be involved in transmission to humans either by bringing infected fleas home or by bites, scratches or respiratory droplets (sneezing). Adequate flea control/protection is advised for these cats.

HANTAVIRUS PULMONARY SYNDROME (HPS)
One case of Hantavirus has been reported in 2010 resulting in death. In Weld County, a total of five (5) cases of HPS have been documented since HPS was discovered, including two (2) deaths. An environmental assessment conducted in 1994 on the Pawnee National Grasslands revealed 10% of the rodents captured were infected with the Hantavirus.

Hantavirus is present in the saliva, urine, and feces of infected mice. People are infected by breathing in the virus during direct contact with rodents or from disturbing dust and feces from mice nests or surfaces contaminated with mice droppings or urine. Please remember to follow CLEAN-UP GUIDANCE for safe clean-up of mice nests or surfaces contaminated with mice droppings or urine.

Baby Wild Animals – Cute, Helpless, and WILD!

Once spring arrives, people and animals take advantage of the warmer weather. As baby animals grow up and begin to leave their nests and dens, we may witness their first experiences on their own. At this point in their development they may seem like helpless beings that we need to rescue and care for. Often times, it is better for the animal (and for the human) to let nature take its course.

Sometimes an adult or baby animal may need some assistance, a baby bird might need to be placed back into its nest, or an animal is injured and needs to be brought into the veterinarian; in these cases it is ok to try to help the wild animal. During the warm months, West Ridge Animal Hospital often will have baby animals brought in that are actually just learning to be on their own and will not benefit from our care. Fledgling birds, learning to fly and forage on their own, learn best from their parents and need to be left alone. Often times, small mammals (rabbits, squirrels, etc), may appear to be too young and possibly abandoned but are actually old enough to be on their own.

Please also keep in that many wild animals may carry disease that can transmit to you, your family, and your pets, so please take caution when handling wildlife. It may be tempting to keep a baby animal and try to nurse it back to health, or raise it to be used to humans. However, in the state of Colorado, it is considered harboring wildlife to do so and is illegal. Only facilities licensed by the state can house and care for wildlife.

Here are some tips on baby animals and wildlife:

• If a nestling is found outside of the nest (blown out of the nest, fell out, etc) – it is possible to touch the baby bird and put it back in its nest – it will not have an effect on its mother caring for it.
• If a fledgling is found (most adult feathers, unable to fly far distances, juvenile coloring, possible remaining baby down), please move it to a safe place nearby if there is any risk of injury from pets or cars. The parents are probably close by and watching from afar.
• If a baby bunny is found that has its eyes open, and is eating on its own – it is old enough to be on its own and does not need to be brought in.
• If a nest of baby bunnies is found and you are afraid it may be abandoned, you can sprinkle some flour at the entrance of the nest and leave them overnight. Check on them in the morning, if the flour is disturbed, their mother has visited and taken care of them, if the flour is not disturbed, you can bring them in for care.
• Ideally, if the wild animal can be taken directly to the wildlife rehabilitator they will have head start in their care. If the animal is obviously injured or very sick, please bring in for medical care, we will always treat sick or injured wildlife and transfer it to a wildlife rehabilitator once the animal is stable.

For more information on what to do if you find a baby bird or baby animal, please refer to these information sheets from the Greenwood Wildlife Rehabilitation Center:
http://www.greenwoodwildlife.org/documents/factsheets/FoundBabyBird.pdf
http://www.greenwoodwildlife.org/documents/factsheets/FoundBabyMammal.pdf

Golden Retriever Foundation Partners with Morris Animal Foundation to Help Dogs Live Longer Healthier Lives

June 2, 2010/Denver/Overland Park, Kan.
The Golden Retriever Foundation and Morris Animal Foundation have teamed up to announce a new major canine cancer study titled Discovery and Characterization of Heritable and Somatic Cancer Mutations in Golden Retrievers, or the MADGiC Project (Making Advanced Discoveries in Golden Cancers). This is a three-year, $1 million project slated to start in the summer of 2010. This jointly funded project is part of Morris Animal Foundation’s Canine Cancer Campaign, a worldwide effort to prevent, treat and, ultimately, cure this disease in dogs. Learn more at CureCanineCancer.org.

The study will be led by premier canine cancer researchers Jaime Modiano, VMD, PhD, at the University of Minnesota; Matthew Breen, PhD, at North Carolina State University; and Kerstin Lindblad-Toh, PhD, at the Broad Institute of MIT and Uppsala University, Sweden. They will work together to investigate mutations that are involved in risk and progression of the two most common cancers affecting Golden Retrievers, hemangiosarcoma and lymphoma. This research will be of interest to all dog owners because these cancers affect every breed and cause the deaths of tens of thousands of dogs each year.

It is expected that this research may directly benefit humans too, because the genes involved in cancer are sometimes the same in dogs as in people, although these mutations can be more difficult to discover in people. Therefore, identifying these genes may also advance scientists’ understanding of common human cancers such as lymphoma.

In addition, researchers will seek to identify genes that predispose some dogs to cancer so that breeders may someday be able to reduce cancer risk through breeding selection. DNA tests may also be used for diagnosis and possibly to guide treatment choices in the future. The scientists will also investigate mutations that occur in the tumors themselves and will profile the susceptibility of specific tumor types to various chemotherapy compounds, which may lead to improved therapy options.

Owners of Golden Retrievers diagnosed with lymphoma or hemangiosarcoma can support this research by donating a small tumor and/or blood sample; blood samples from healthy Goldens over 12 years of age are also needed. More information about sample donation can be found at www.breenlab.org, www.modianolab.org, www.dogdna.org or contact Rhonda Hovan at rhondahovan@aol.com or 330-668-0044.

About The Golden Retriever Foundation

About Morris Animal Foundation

Weld County Animal Response Team (CART) Meeting

NEXT MEETING:
Meeting and Training

When: June 12, 2010
Time: 9:00am – 12:00pm
Where: Weld County Training Center, Posse Arena
      1104 H Street, Greeley, CO

Topics to be covered:

Basic Horse Handling
Horse Herding & Capture
Trailer Loading
Horse Containment- Stalling & Emergency Sheltering
Basic Cattle Handling & Herding
Other Livestock

This training will be held outside so please dress and plan accordingly for the weather.

*** NO OPEN TOE SHOES WILL BE ALLOWED IN THE ARENA!!!! ***

If you have problems finding the arena or need directions, please call 970-590-5410 or 970-397-1321.

If you are interested in learning more about the Weld County Animal Response Team, vist there website at:
www.weldsheriff.com/PublicSafet/CountyAnimalResponseTeam(CART).html