What's New @ Animal Designs October 2002
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1. What's New
2. Pet Journals
3. Featured Item
4. Ask the Vet
5. Drawing and Fun Stuff
6. Comments-Questions-Suggestions

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1) WHAT'S NEW
New selection of Polar Fleece Scarves! With the fall season here and
winter not far away, stop in and view the wide variety of animal
prints. Quantities are limited, so shop early. Visit us at:
http://www.animaldesigns.com/cgi-sz/webcwrap/szw/st_main.html

2) PET JOURNALS
I reach up and take a leash from the hook on the wall. As I turn to
face the row of eager faces watching me from the kennel runs, my eyes
search out the black and white face of Joe. He's in the first kennel,
feet dancing in excitement, hoping it's his turn to come out for a
walk. "Come on, Old Man, you're needed up front." I open the gate to
his area and snap the leash on his collar. We are in a hurry, and
every second counts. I walk quickly from the kennel and up the
hallway, Joe trotting along beside me. The only sound he makes is the
clicking of his nails on the tiled floor. Joe is a black and white
English Pointer. He has lived most of his life inside the veterinary
clinic. He's been here longer than most of the staff, and indeed, he
is recognized as part of our team. He plays a lifesaving role for
many patients. As we enter the treatment room, two of the staff
members seize Joe and lift him onto the treatment table. Things start
to move quickly, but the big pointer isn't easily flustered. He
stands still, head and tail lifted high, much as if he were out in a
field pointing at a covey of quail. I unbuckle his collar and slip it
off his neck. He doesn't move as the needle is inserted and his blood
is drawn. In the next room, a patient waits for a transfusion. Joe is
a universal blood donor. His blood is safe for most blood
transfusions to other dogs. It doesn't matter to him whether it's a
puppy anemic from parasites, a dog hit by a car, or one recovering
from a difficult surgery. Joe is ready at a moment's notice to step
in and do his part without a whimper or complaint. Once his part in
the drama is finished, the staff members lift Joe down from the
table. He stands while I fasten his collar back on. He looks up at me
with his soft chocolate eyes, and I can't resist. "Okay, Joe. You
deserve it." This is Joe's favorite part. We take turns feeding him
dog biscuits from a wicker basket kept there for just this purpose.
One by one, Joe gently takes them from our hands, but he doesn't chew
them. He pockets them like a chipmunk until his mouth can't hold any
more. "...six, seven, eight, nine. Wow, I think this is a record,
Joe! You can't possibly hold another doggy bone in there!" We all
laugh at the expression on his face. With his tail wagging and his
mouth full of biscuits, it looks like he's grinning, too. Back down
the hallway we walk together. Joe knows the routine well. He goes
into his kennel and turns around a couple of times before laying down
on his bed. There, he drops his mouthful of biscuits and begins to
munch on one. What he doesn't eat right now, I know he will cover
with the corner of his bedding and hide until later. In the kennel
next to him are two liver and white pointers, Missy and Sally. With
their eyes bright and heads cocked, they stand listening to Joe chew
his treats. They are young dogs and are being trained to take Joe's
place. I give each of them a biscuit, too. The kennel room is filled
with the sounds of crunching. Joe has been donating blood for eleven
years. Each time he donates, it is noted on his medical record. Page
after page is full of dates, the amount donated and the patient who
received it. He is kept current on his vaccinations and heartworm
preventive. Although he is not used for hunting birds, a trusted
family friend comes and takes Joe out for a run with Joe's sister
once a week. Our friend says there's not many things prettier than
watching a good bird dog work quail, although Joe much prefers to
chase butterflies and romp around the green fields. At the end of the
day, as I put away the fresh surgery towels, the veterinarian walks
into the kennel area and over to Joe's run. He opens the door and
steps inside, then kneels down and takes the big pointer's head in
his hands. "Well, Old Man, it looks like we pulled another one
through," he tells Joe. The dog's tail wags slowly back and forth. I
know it's a bittersweet moment. Due to his age, Joe's blood donations
are becoming fewer and farther between. Soon, it will only be our
two "girls" who are called upon to help in a crisis. Don't worry
about Joe, though. He'll be squirreling away those dog biscuits and
chasing butterflies until the end of his days. The Old Man has earned
his retirement.
www.petwarmers.com

3) FEATURED ITEM
Keep your feet warm this winter with our soft and cozy slippers.
Made of cotton/flannel outside with polar fleece inner lining, they
are generously padded and have a non-skid sole. They conform
naturally to your feet and best of all are washable. To custom make
a pair just for you, select your favorite print at:
http://www.animaldesigns.com/cgi-sz/webcwrap/szw/st_prod.html?
p_prodid=28&p_catid=21&sid=6Op7@...


4) ASK THE VET
Title: Treating (and Maybe Preventing) Alzheimer's in Dogs and Cats
Alzheimer's disease is a devastating progressive neurological
disorder of older men and women. A comparative disease occurs in dogs
and cats and is called canine and feline cognitive disorder (doggie
and kitty Alzheimer's)
respectively. As in people, it is most commonly seen in older pets.
It is estimated to affect 10 million to 15 million pets in the U.S.
alone. Microscopically, beta amyloid plaques within the brain and its
blood vessels are seen (as in people with Alzheimer's.) Recently, the
drug AniprylR has been approved for treating cognitive disorder in
dogs. While effective in some patients, the drug can have rare side
effects. If effective, AniprylR must be used for the life of thedog.
Since the medication is expensive, a less expensive option might be
preferred. One safer, less expensive alternative that I have been
using in my practice for many years is the B vitamin supplement
CholodinR. CholodinR contains the B vitamin choline,
phosphatidylcholine, methionine and inositol. Recently, in an attempt
to quantify response to CholodinR, the manufacturer asked me to
perform a study using the supplement in dogs and cats. The results of
these two studies are presented here. Twenty-one dogs of various
breeds were enrolled in the study. The age of the participants ranged
from 10 to 16 years of age. Nine neutered males and 12 spayed females
were enrolled in the study.
A blood profile including a T4 test was performed prior to the start
of the study. Each pet was supplied with a two-month supply of
CholodinR to be administered according to label instructions. At the
end of a 30-day
period of treatment, the dosage was doubled if improvement was not
seen. The results of the study indicated the following: 1 dog showed
no response, 5 dogs showed minimal response, 4 dogs showed moderate
response,
5 dogs showed significant response, 3 dogs was lost to follow-up, 1
dog was euthanized for acute liver failure not related to cognitive
disorder or the supplement.
The study in cats enrolled 21 cats 10 years of age and older. The
results of the study indicated the following:
5 cats showed no response, 4 cats showed minimal response, 5 cats
showed moderate response, 4 cats showed significant response, 1 cat
owner did not respond to our follow-up call, 2 cats died of unrelated
causes during the study. These studies showed that supplementation
with the B vitamin choline supplement CholodinR is safe and effective
for reversing signs of Alzheimer's disease in dogs and cats. My own
clinical experience indicates
that if given to older pets before clinical signs appear, many pets
taking choline supplementation will not develop signs of Alzheimer's
disease (cognitive disorder.) CholodinR is safe, inexpensive, and has
no significant side effects. As pet owners seek more natural therapy
for common diseases, the use of choline supplements such as CholodinR
can be recommended.
Dr. Shawn Messonnier is the author of the award-winning The
NaturalHealth
Bible for Dogs &Cats. Please address email questions to him at
naturalvet@....

5) DRAWING & FUN STUFF
Congratulations to Melissa C.....winner of our eyeglass case for
September. October's drawing is our popular mini-bag featuring our
logo. After entering your name, vote for your choice of this month's
fabric and answer the fun question. Thanks to Jeni W. for submitting
the photo of her adorable 5 yr. old Pomeranian named Little Dog. We
would like to honor your Pet next month, so send us a copy of their
photos either by email or snail mail. Quick jump to
http://www.animaldesigns.com/trivia.htm

6) COMMENTS-QUESTIONS-SUGGESTIONS
"I am purchasing placemats as a wedding gift. Can you enclose a
card with the gift?"
Yes, we will gladly design a personalized card for any special
occasion and include it with the shipment. Just let us know what
message to write in the card.


As always, we appreciate your comments, questions and suggestions and
we've provided this link for sharing this newsletter with your
friends. http://www.recommend-it.com/l.z.e?s=620320

All the best,
Jeanie