Here's a sweet miraculous story of hope during an Oklahoma tornado... –Kim

Tornado Survivor Finds Dog During TV Interview

Miraculous stories of survival emerge after one of the strongest tornadoes in history tore through an Oklahoma suburb.

An elderly woman whose home was destroyed by the Oklahoma tornado found her pet dog among the rubble during a live TV interview.

The footage of Barbara Garcia came as fellow survivors began reliving the terror they felt while winds of up to 200mph obliterated their neighbourhoods.

Mrs. Garcia was standing among the twisted wreckage of her home as she was interviewed about her experiences by a reporter from CBS.

"I was sitting on the stool holding my dog," she said.

"This was the game plan all through the years, to go in that little bathroom (together in an emergency). I rolled around a little bit and when it stopped – I was right there (and) that stove cooker is what I saw.

"I never lost consciousness, and I hollered for my little dog and he didn't answer, he didn't come. So, I know he's in here somewhere."

But as she spoke, a member of the camera crew spotted a dog's head poking out of the twisted remains of her home.

Mrs. Garcia is seen crouching down before exclaiming with joy as she spots her pet.

"Well, I thought God just answered one prayer to let me be OK, but He answered both of them, because this was my second prayer," she said, before being led away from the ruins with her dog.

Meanwhile, one mother who survived the storm described how she and her children took refuge in their bath as the tornado tore their house apart.

"My husband told us to get in the bathtub immediately and put on a mattress," she said.

She said she had to hold her daughter's hair to stop her slipping away when the tornado struck.

Another family locked themselves inside their cellar – only to have its door ripped open by the twister.

Ricky Stover said: "We thought we'd die. We saw the latch coming undone and we couldn't reach for it ... glass and debris started slamming on us."

Source: http://news.sky.com/story/1093711/tornado-survivor-finds-dog-during-tv-interview
Copyright ©2013 BSkyB

How to Easily Train Your Dog...
Like a Pro

How To Bond With Your Dog
Building a bond with your dog is the first and the most crucial step involved in training him successfully. As soon as you bring your dog home, you must first try to develop a caring and loving relationship with him in order to win his trust and confidence.

• Spend quality time together;
• Take him out in the world and experience life together;
• Establish and promote a level of mutual respect; and
• Develop a way of communicating to understand each other's needs.

• Your dog succeeds!!! (Trumpets please!)
• In case your dog fails, re-examine the situation. Review and/or change your training. Then, try testing again.

• Never scold your dog if he fails. It's not his fault. You have failed as a trainer!
• You must be patient and persistent for your efforts to show rewards.
• Appreciate and praise your dog when he does it right! A little encouragement will work wonders for your dog.
• Dog Training is easy when you do it right.

Cute pictures, and they DO get the job done! –Kim

Free Screen Cleaners

Here's another important pet food recall article.  –Kim

Corn Products can be Deadly to Your Pets

• Why Upgrading Your Pet's Diet is More Important Now than Ever
• Hy-Vee Recall Press Release

There's GOT to be a better way! –Kim

PETA to Local Shelter: "Kill More Animals"

Normally, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) – the latest entrant to the drone market – takes every media hit it can performing stunts to oppose the killing of animals. Whether for clothing, eating or curing AIDS, you can be sure PETA "lettuce ladies" will be out in force trying to stop the use of animals.

However, when it comes to homeless pets, PETA doesn't mind the killing of animals; in fact, PETA itself kills dogs and cats wholesale. State regulatory filings show that PETA killed just shy of 30,000 pets since 1998.

And if you're an animal shelter trying to kill fewer pets, PETA will try to shame you into killing more. No, seriously – PETA sent activists to shoot undercover videos of shelters in New York State to make the case for more shelter pet killing. PETA is very efficient at shelter pet killing – those state records show that last year, PETA killed nearly 90% of the pets in its care. And PETA employees killed pets that court records in a North Carolina trial showed that they called "adorable" and "perfect."

PETA's stance isn't new: PETA wrote to a Florida newspaper that reducing shelter killing was foolish and only a "no-birth" pet community was acceptable. PETA argued feverishly against a proposed ordinance in its hometown of Norfolk, Virginia that would reduce euthanasia at the city pound.

So why might PETA be so vested in pet killing? The world's most ridiculous animal liberation organization claims mercy as its motive, but there's plenty of evidence that that's simply a cover story. In addition to the North Carolina evidence, a recent report from Britain suggests that there is dissent within PETA over the puppy-killing program's appropriateness. Also, other supposedly "death's door" pets picked up in PETA's backyard but sent to other shelters are living and thriving, no thanks to PETA's syringe.

But to PETA, animals living and thriving in human care might actually be a fate worse than death. An attorney representing PETA argued as much in open court about elephants being brought to zoos. PETA President Ingrid Newkirk has said that, in her vegan utopia, pets "would be phased out." Whether it is PETA's intent or not, PETA's animal shelter is keeping up its part of that desired phase-out.

• "Ethical" Defined
• "Ethical Treatment" of Animals
• PETA Kills Animals
• PETA's Defense of Abuse & Killing
• PETA: Putting Drones Before Homeless Pets
• PETA Sends a "Thank You" for Killing Shelter Pets...
• "I Was There" by Valerie Hayes
• Summing Up the No-Kill Equation
• "No Kill Revolution" Facebook page
• SIGN the Declaration of the No Kill Movement
• BOOK: Redemption
• Message to the Media 

Here's a great article that I thought I would pass on...hope you find it interesting! –Kim

Better blood circulation
Shinier and healthier coat
Better bonding
 

Brush against the growth of the hair first with a slicker brush and then with a medium or wide-toothed comb.
The slicker brush removes all the loose hair and the comb takes care of the tangles.
Brush your dog along the hair growth and make sure you reach the skin as you brush his way.
Then use a flea comb over the coat to get the fleas and remove any remaining tangles. Part the coat and start from the root and then comb through.
If your dog's paw pads are hairy, then clip them using electric clippers. Do not clip the hair in between the pads. Clip only the excess hair.
 

Here's a really cute video that I thought I would pass on... –Kim

Can't move! We're stuck!

It's tick season again... Take steps now to protect your pets! –Kim

Exposure to Ehrlichia Ticks Increased Fourfold in 2012

• According to a manufacturer of tests for tick-borne diseases, Ehrlichia exposures in 2012 were four times greater than in 2011. This means the tick that transmits the disease is gaining territory across the U.S.
• The recommendation of the Companion Animal Parasite Council is to load up every dog and cat across the country with monthly, year-round chemical pesticides. The problem is, more and more pets taking monthly, year-in/year-out preventives are showing up in veterinary clinics with tick-borne illness. Clearly, encouraging the overuse of these chemicals isn't the best solution to the problem, for a number of reasons.
• Chemical tick preventives may reduce – but not prevent – tick attachment. And any tick that attaches to your dog can carry disease. So theses pesticides are not foolproof, but they do add to your pet's toxic load.
• The safest and most effective tick prevention strategy is to check your pet's body daily for ticks, remove them immediately and safely when found, and have his blood checked regularly for signs of infection.

In order to keep that [the spreading Ehrlichia exposure] threat to a minimum, [Dr. Susan] Little suggests that veterinarians follow the Companion Animal Parasite Council's recommendations and urge clients to practice year-round tick control and prevention. "We need to be more adamant with clients about year-round tick control for dogs and cats," Little says. "Tick control protects dogs and cats from tick-borne diseases – the ones we know about and the ones we're still finding out about."

Why Tick-borne Diseases are on the Rise

As I discussed last July in an article about my own dogs and tick-borne illness, there are several reasons for the increase in tick-related diseases across the U.S.

As we are discovering, ticks are hardy little suckers able to expand their geography from one region of the country to others.

In addition, in my opinion we've overused progressively more toxic tick control agents for several decades, with the result that ticks have developed resistance to pesticides. I see dogs in my practice that have received monthly doses of pesticides for years, yet they still test positive for tick-borne illness.

This is because while chemical preventives may reduce the number of ticks that wind up on your dog, those that do attach can still carry disease. So the pesticides being given at ever-increasing rates to our pets are not completely effective at preventing ticks from attaching or preventing disease.

Another reason tick-borne diseases are on the rise is that insects other than ticks – specifically mosquitoes – have been found to transmit some of these potentially lethal infections.

Human management of wildlife populations, as well as a shift in wildlife population dynamics may also play into rising tick-borne diseases.

Diagnosing Ehrlichiosis

Canine ehrlichiosis is a tick-borne disease caused by two bacteria. Ehrlichia canis is transmitted by the brown dog tick and is commonly found in the southwest and Gulf Coast states. Ehrlichia ewingii is transmitted by the lone star tick and is found from the Midwest to New England.

Like other tick-borne diseases, Ehrlichia can wreak havoc on your dog's body if it's not identified and treated. Symptoms can be vague – loss of appetite, low-grade fever, lethargy, swollen lymph nodes. Sometimes there are more noticeable symptoms such as unexplained bruising, lameness or nosebleeds.

A diagnosis can be confirmed with a blood test called a PCR. If your dog tests positive on the SNAP 4Dx screening test for Ehrlichia, you can request a PCR test to confirm infection.

Keep in mind that just because a dog tests positive on the initial screening test doesn't mean she must immediately be treated. In fact, most dogs successfully clear their own infections without the need for medical intervention. For this reason, I don't recommend automatically giving antibiotics to positive dogs.

If your pet tests positive, ask your vet to do additional testing to find out whether she has just been exposed or is actually dealing with an infection.

Tips for Preventing a Tick-borne Infection

• When flea and tick season arrives, check for ticks daily, and don't overlook areas of your pet's body where ticks can hide, like between the toes, the underside of the toes, in the earflaps and around the tail base. If you're ever unsure whether you're looking at a tick or some other bump on your dog, get out a magnifying glass and look for the telltale sign of a tick – legs.
• Remember that ticks must be attached to your dog for at least 24 hours in order for the disease-causing bacteria to be transmitted from the tick to your pet. That's why daily tick checks and removing ticks immediately is a huge part of reducing your dog's risk of acquiring a tick-borne disease. This is hands-down the safest and entirely non-toxic method of tick prevention!
• If you find a tick on your dog, be sure to remove it correctly. Don't use your bare hands. People can become infected by handling or crushing an infected tick. Wear gloves, or even better, use a tick-removing tool.
• Grasp the tick very close to your pet's skin with our Tick Stick, a similar tick removal tool, or a pair of tweezers. Carefully pull the tick's body away from the skin. Once it's off, flush it down the toilet. Then disinfect your dog's skin with soapy water or diluted povidone iodine (Betadine). Disinfect the area really well and monitor it for the next few days. If you notice any irritation or inflammation of the skin, you should contact your veterinarian.
• Have your dog tested for tick-borne diseases about three to four weeks after removing a tick. The type of test to ask your vet for is the SNAP 4Dx test, which is a screening blood test. If you don't have the 4Dx test done, you'll want to watch your dog closely for several months for any signs of loss of appetite, lethargy, changes in gait, fever, intermittent limping – all the symptoms of potential tick-borne diseases.

• Is Your Flea & Tick-Killer Safe... Naturally?
• NATURAL Flea Control and Multi-Tick Remedy
• Remove Ticks from Your Pet

Having lost a dear companion to cancer from BPA toys, this topic is very important to me. –Kim

Chemicals Leak from Plastic Training Toys

Dogs that chew on plastic training devices and toys may be exposed to hormone-altering chemicals, according to research at Texas Tech University. Bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates – ingredients of hard plastics and vinyl – readily leach from bumper toys, which are used to train retrieving dogs. But Bisphenol S (BPS), the chemical now being used in place of BPA in many "BPA-free" products, may be just as harmful – if not more harmful – than BPA.

The new study is one of the first to examine dog products as a potential source of exposure for pets. No one knows, though, whether the traces of the chemicals pose any health risk to dogs. "Some of the dogs are exposed to plastic bumpers from the time they are born until the day they die. We all want our pets to be healthy," said toxicologist Philip Smith, co-author of the as-yet unpublished study.

Dogs that chew on plastic training devices and toys may be exposed to hormone-altering chemicals, according to research at Texas Tech University.

The researchers found that bisphenol A (BPA), Bisphenol S (BPS) and phthalates – ingredients of hard plastics and vinyl – readily leach from bumper toys, which are used to train retrieving dogs.

The new study is one of the first to examine dog products as a potential source of exposure for pets. No one knows, though, whether the traces of the chemicals pose any health risk to dogs. Previous research has focused on the risks to infants and toddlers from baby bottles, toys and other items that contained the chemicals.

"A lot of plastic products are used for dogs, so to understand the potential for some of the chemicals to leach out from toys is a new and important area of research," said veterinarian Safdar Khan, senior director of toxicology research at the ASPCA's Poison Control Center in Illinois. Dr. Khan was not involved in the current study.

Philip Smith, a toxicologist at The Institute of Environmental and Human Health at Texas Tech, became interested in chemical exposures from bumpers after using them to train his own Labrador retrievers.

Retrieving dogs often are trained with plastic bumpers, which when chewed can leach hormone-disrupting chemicals.

"Some of the dogs are exposed to plastic bumpers from the time they are born until the day they die. We all want our pets to be healthy," said Smith, co-author of the as-yet unpublished study, which was presented this month at the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry conference in California.

"A lot of plastic products are used for dogs, so to understand the potential for some of the chemicals to leach out from toys is a new and important area of research," stated Dr. Safdar Khan.

In humans and rodents, BPA, BPS and phthalates have been linked to a number of health issues, including impaired development of reproductive organs, decreased fertility and cancers. The United States and the European Union have banned some phthalates in children's toys, and in July, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned BPA in baby bottles and sippy cups.

The researchers, led by Kimberly Wooten, a graduate student in environmental toxicology at Texas Tech, studied factors that affected how much BPA, BPS and phthalates leached from plastic bumpers into dishes filled with artificial dog saliva.

They tested orange and white bumpers from two unidentified makers. The bumpers subjected to simulated chewing leached more BPA, BPS and phthalates than brand new bumpers and those left outside to weather for a month.

Researchers said they suspect that the levels of chemicals observed from the bumpers would be considered very high when compared with children's toys.

Since simulated saliva was used, it is difficult to say how much actual leaching would occur in a dog's mouth, the researchers said. "We don't have enough information at this time to begin to estimate actual exposure," Smith said.

Smith said they suspect that the levels of chemicals observed from the bumpers would be considered very high when compared with children's toys.

Using artificial saliva, researchers simulated a dog chewing a bumper.

The researchers also looked at phthalates, BPA and BPS from pet toys sold through major retailers. They found higher concentrations leaching from bumpers than from other toys but preliminary results suggest some store-bought toys might have leached other hormonally-active chemicals.
A previous study by the Environmental Working Group found that dogs' blood and urine contained the breakdown products of several phthalates at levels ranging from 1.1 to 4.5 times higher than the average found in people.

"Dogs are closer to the ground than humans, so house dust is another potential source of exposure to environmental chemicals," Dr. Khan said.

But little is known about any potential health risks for dogs exposed to hormone-mimicking chemicals.

Since little toxicity data exist for dogs, it is difficult to evaluate risks, Smith said. Nonetheless, "consumer education about potential risk seems to be warranted based on our data," he said.

• Canine Cancer
• Why is There So Much Cancer?
• How to Recognize the Plastics that are Hazardous
• Melamine-tainted Petfood Lawsuit Settlement Unfair

Here's a sad video about the plight of many good dogs under government "care & control." –Kim

A Tribute to Some of the Lost Dogs at the NYC Animal Care & Control

• Just HOW Hard Can We Make it to Save a Dog's Life? NYC's ACC Is Looking to Find Out!
• Dogs in Danger!
• No-kill Shelters List

Here's a great article that I thought I would pass on...hope you find it interesting! –Kim

To Save Animals, You Have to Like People

"Boy, I hate people."

I hear that all the time from people who work in animal welfare. I disagree.

I understand why they feel that way. When you do this work, you hear stories all the time that make you angry. Abuse and neglect. Domestic violence. Well-meaning stupidity. Even the simple failure to stick with commitments: "I'm moving out of town, so I need to surrender my 12-year-old dog."

These stories would make anyone mad, let alone someone who cares enough about animals to have chosen shelter work over other, almost certainly better-paying, options.

But here's the catch, and it's a big one. The only way you can save homeless animals is by liking people. By trusting people, welcoming people, inspiring people, and helping people keep their own animals and adopt more.

This insight is the core of a fundamental shift in animal welfare work in recent years. Like most powerful insights, it grabs you the minute you get it. Think about it: can you save the lives of more animals....

• By screening adopters strictly and allowing only the most qualified, or by believing that most people can give an animal a loving home?
• By creating obstacles to adopting an animal that only the most dedicated family can surmount (long waits, home inspections, special requirements), or by making it easy to bring a homeless animal into one's life?
• By assuming every animal is better off in the shelter than staying with someone who is thinking about giving them up, or by working with families to find ways they can keep their animals?

Our shelter helped develop this approach, and now we are among many who follow it. We still get criticism sometimes from those who think we should make it more difficult to adopt an animal – but our low return rates, the great stories we hear from our adopters, the follow-up we provide for them, and the number of times we do decline to adopt all make us confident that the approach works.

Liking people has saved hundreds of thousands of animals' lives across the country.

Shelby the Pomeranian

Here's one more thing that happens when an animal shelter decides to like people: we find compassion for some of the things that made us angry in the first place. Not all, but many. The family whose dog's behavior problems got worse after they used an electric shock collar; they had the wrong information, and they didn't know. The couple who doesn't think they're giving their dog enough attention now that they've had a baby; they're exhausted, and worried. The family who is moving; they've both lost their jobs, and don't know what lies ahead.

From this place of compassion, we find that we often can actually help them, and help their animals. When we're not judging people, we can find ways to open their minds to possibilities and ideas.

The only way to help animals is to like people.

(Our pro-people approach is especially helpful when we need to find a home for an animal with special challenges, like adorable Shelby, in the picture. She's unbelievably cute, but easily stressed, so we have her in a foster home, instead of in the shelter, and it will take longer for her to find an adoptive family there. Our pro-adoption philosophy is one of the key tools that allows us to give her, and every animal in our adoption program, as long as it takes.)

Here's another pet food recall alert. –Kim

P&G Natura Pet Voluntary Recall

Natura Pet has confirmed they are recalling at least 20 pet food products affecting dogs, cats, and ferrets. We heard a rumor that Natura was having a major recall due to possible salmonella contamination. After spending half an hour on hold with them, a friendly representative finally confirmed the recall and gave us the list. Why they don't have a readily available press release on their website or through the FDA, we don't know.

The products listed below may be contaminated with salmonella. These products appear to be distributed nationwide through Petco, various online retailers and local businesses. This is shaping up to be a large recall. Please spread the word. Like Healing Springs Animal Hospital on Facebook for the latest pet health & safety updates.

This is not the first negative news since Proctor & Gamble purchased Natura Pet in 2010. In 2011, Natura Pet settled a $2.15 million class action lawsuit for allegedly overstating the quality of their ingredients. The lawsuit was started in 2009, one year before Proctor & Gamble became involved with Natura Pet.

The recall affects the products named below that also have an expiration date between 12/17/13 and 1/2/14. If you have products possibly contaminated with salmonella, you should discontinue use. You can contact the company (800) 532-7261 between 8 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. (CST) Monday – Friday.

The company now has an official press release on their Web site.

Healthwise:

• Weight Control
• Puppy
• Lamb & Oatmeal

California Naturals:

• Kangaroo & Red Lentil

Innova:

• All three cat formulas
• Puppy
• Adult large bite
• Senior plus
• Prime beef & lamb
• Herring & Salmon
• Herring
• Large breed adult & puppy

Evo:

• Ferret
• Turkey & Chicken Cat & Kitten
• Herring & Salmon Cat food
• Red Meat Large Bites Dog
• Turkey & Chicken - Dog
• Senior
• Weight Management

Source: Food.com
© 2013 Scripps Networks, LLC

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Replacement Product Information

If your product is affected, and you would like a replacement, please download this form (PDF) and follow the instructions.

Updated Press Information
Download official Press Release (PDF)

More info:
EVO, Innova, California Natural and HealthWise Dog Food Recall

Valuable Resource...

Here's a great article that I thought I would pass on...hope you find it interesting! –Kim

Don't Neuter Your Dog YET –
Read this Life-Saving Information First!

A very legitimate concern, pet overpopulation, has been the primary driving force behind 30 years of national and local spay/neuter campaigns.
When it comes to deciding at what age a companion animal should be sterilized, the standard for most spay/neuter campaigns has been sooner rather than later. This is especially true in the case of adoptable abandoned and rescued pets that wind up in shelters and foster care.
Recently, however, some animal health care experts have begun to question whether early sterilization is a good idea for every pet.
Dr. Alice Villalobos, a well-known pioneer in the field of cancer care for companion animals, asks the question:

"But what if large-scale studies found that early neutering jeopardizes the health of our pets?"
"What if we found enough epidemiological evidence that early neutering of pet dogs may open them to orthopedic, behavioral, immunologic and oncologic issues?"

Back in 1977, Dr. Villalobos founded a rescue organization called the Peter Zippi Fund for Animals, which has to date rescued and re-homed nearly 12,000 pets. Her organization was one of thousands that looked at the tragic situation in U.S. shelters and determined early spay/neuter was the best way to lessen the suffering and ultimate euthanasia of so many feral and abandoned animals.
As a veterinary oncologist and founder of the pet hospice program Pawspice, Dr. Villalobos concedes, "It is earth shattering to consider that some of the cancers we have been battling may have been enhanced by early neutering instead of the reverse."
 
Dr. Becker's Comments:
It's unfortunately true that a growing body of research is pointing to early sterilization as the common denominator for development of several debilitating and life-threatening canine diseases.
On one hand, we certainly want to know what's causing our precious canine companions to develop disease. On the other hand, it's troubling to learn a procedure we've historically viewed as life-saving and of value to the pet community as a whole, has likely played a role in harming the health of some of the very animals we set out to protect.
The same amount of evidence has not been compiled for early spay/neuter of cats, but it's not clear how well the subject is being studied for kitties. Funding for research into feline health issues falls well below dollars allocated for their canine counterparts.

Cardiac Tumors

A Veterinary Medical Database search of the years 1982 to 1995 revealed that in dogs with tumors of the heart, the relative risk for spayed females was over four times that of intact females.
For the most common type of cardiac tumor, hemangiosarcoma (HAS), spayed females had a greater than five times risk vs. their intact counterparts. Neutered male dogs had a slightly higher risk than intact males.
The study concluded that, "…neutering appeared to increase the risk of cardiac tumor in both sexes. Intact females were least likely to develop a cardiac tumor, whereas spayed females were most likely to develop a tumor. Twelve breeds had greater than average risk of developing a cardiac tumor, whereas 17 had lower risk."

Other Early-Age Spay/Neuter Health Concerns

Early gonad removal is commonly associated with urinary incontinence in female dogs and has been linked to increased incidence of urethral sphincter incontinence in males.
Spayed and neutered Golden Retrievers are more likely to develop hypothyroidism.
A cohort study of shelter dogs conducted by the College of Veterinary Medicine at Texas A&M University concluded that infectious diseases were more common in dogs that were sterilized at less than 24 weeks of age.
The AKC's Canine Health Foundation issued a report pointing to a higher incidence of adverse reactions to vaccines in sterilized dogs.
Among the reports and studies pointing to health concerns associated with early spaying and neutering, you can also find mention of increased incidence of behavioral problems including:

• Noise phobias
• Fearful behavior
• Aggression
• Undesirable sexual behaviors

For Responsible Pet Owners, Decisions about When to Spay or Neuter Should be Part of a Holistic Approach to Your Pet's Health and Quality of Life

If you own an intact pet, I can offer a general guideline for timing a spay/neuter procedure. Your dog should be old enough to be a balanced individual both physically and mentally. This balance isn't achieved until a dog has reached at least one year of age. Although some breeds reach maturity faster than others, many giant breed dogs are still developing at two years of age.
Other considerations include your dog's diet, level of exercise, behavioral habits, previous physical or emotional trauma, existing health concerns, and overall lifestyle.

Here's a great article that I thought I would pass on...hope you find it interesting! –Kim

Do You Know the 10 Early Warning Signs?

Love your dog? Learn the 10 L's of canine cancer.

Lumps

Not all lumps and bumps are cancerous in dogs. There are sebaceous cysts, lipomas and warts, all of which are benign. But if you detect a growth on your dog, it's important to have it checked out by a veterinarian and, if warranted, aspirated and biopsied.

Lesions

Scratches and abscesses are not uncommon for the normal, active dog but the sores that don't heal can be of concern.

Lameness

Bone cancer is typically found in larger breed dogs like Great Danes, Bernese Mountain dogs, Rottweilers, Boxers, Newfoundlands, Saint Bernards and Great Pyrenees, and the primary early indication is prolonged limping or favoring a limb or side. Other types of cancers can also cause persistent lameness.

Loss of Appetite

If your dog shows no interest in eating or their daily consumption has declined for several days, take them to a vet.

Lethargy

Tiring out easily, unwillingness to exercise and loss of interest in normal daily activities can be an early sign of cancer.

Loss of Weight

Not to be confused with loss of appetite. Cachexia, or emaciation, is often associated with cancer and can occur even if your dog is still eating normally. So if your dog is inexplicably losing weight, consult a veterinarian.

Loud Odor

A very strong and offensive smell can sometimes be a byproduct of tumors in the mouth and nasal cavity.

Loss of Normal Body Functions

Dogs having difficulty voiding or defecation or unusual urine or feces should be looked at.

Loss of Blood, Bleeding or Bloody Discharge

Blood present in vomit, stool, and nasal discharge are cause for serious concern and although not always telltale signs of cancer, your dog should be examined as soon as possible.

Labored Breathing

Abnormal respiration or respiratory distress can be a symptom of cancers in dogs.

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Get involved! To find out more about the 2 Million Dogs Foundation, our nationwide Walks, our yearly calendar, our other fund-raising events, and the research our efforts support, please visit our Web page. And please come join us on Facebook, follow the adventures of Hudson and Indy, and follow us on Twitter.

Source: http://www.2milliondogs.org/page/16/blogs/2-million-dogs-blog
Copyright 2010 2milliondogs.org

Here's a really cute video that I thought I would pass on. –Kim

Bathtime Fun! Super Cute

Valuable Resource...