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CAAA Newsletter
May,2015
Vol. 15 — Number 03
Who Rescued Who?
A Social Pet Therapy
Program
THE COMPANION
ANIMAL
ASSOCIATION OF
ARIZONA, INC.
P.O. Box 5006
Scottsdale, AZ.
85261—5006
Phone (602) 258-3306
http://www.caaainc.org
OUR MISSION
To enhance the quality
of lives of people by
promoting the
Human/Companion
Animal Bond and to
provide support when
the bond is broken.
“If there are no dogs
in Heaven, then when I
die I want to go where
they went.”
Will Rogers
Ask Laura Blumberg that
question and without hesitation she
will tell you that she and Skeeter
rescued each other.
Skeeter was five years old
and living in the streets before
being picked up in December of
2013 and taken to the Friends For
Life animal shelter in Gilbert. As
with so many homeless animals,
Skeeter wasn’t in very good shape.
The little Yorkie mix was dirty,
malnourished and missing several
teeth most likely due to munching
on gravel and who knows what else.
With lots of care and some good
food Skeeter got better was
adopted and left the shelter only
to return not once, but twice. It
seemed like maybe Skeeter’s
“forever home” was going to take
forever to find.
During this
same time Laura
was going
through one of
those times in
life where she
felt a little lost
herself. And
yes, you
guessed it, the
stars were in perfect alignment one
day in April, 2014 when Laura’s Mom
was reading the local paper and saw a
picture of Skeeter. She knew immediately that little guy was meant to be
with her daughter. But Laura didn’t
know this…. yet. First her Dad went
down to the shelter and spent over an
hour getting to know Skeeter before
(Continued on pg 2)
What’s in a Name?
“Is she a killer dog”? That was a
questioned asked of Sisley Tiernan
by one of the gentleman at Brookdale Memory Care when she first
started visiting with her Doberman,
Kiyoko (aka - Oko). That resident
was a Veteran who had trained dogs
while in Vietnam. Although Oko may
have reminded him of those days in
the Army, it didn’t take long for him
and all of the residents to realize
that Oko was more like what her
Japanese name translates to, “Pure
Child”. As Jane Canrow noted while
certifying Oko and Sisley as one of
our newest teams, “Although a
breed that’s often used in security
work, Oko is really a big pussycat
and none of the residents appeared
to be frightened of her. It was
amusing
watching her
on her first
visit, because
she LOVES
to be petted.
She really
goes into
a “zone” and
assumes a
very blissful, far off expression.”
Sisley got Oko as a puppy
seven and a half years ago when she
first saw her in a picture that the
breeder had posted on line. Oko was
standing on her back legs with her
(Continued on pg 3)
May,2015
Page 2
(Continued from pg .1)
he agreed that yes, that little dog would be
perfect for Laura. He left the shelter and
went straight to Laura’s office to tell her
what Mom and Dad already knew; waiting for
her was a homeless dog who’s little 15 lb.
body held about a ton of unconditional love.
At first Laura wasn’t as sure. After all
she never had a shelter dog and wasn’t sure
what kind of care an abandoned and twice returned rescue dog would require. Fortunately
she decided to take Mom and Dad’s word for
it and got Skeeter that same day. Last month
they celebrated their one year anniversary of of the large labs trying to squeeze themselves
into it.
finding each other.
Laura feels they have both been so
Everyone in their apartment complex
blessed
to have found each other that they
and at their Bark Park knows and loves the
needed
to
give back by sharing some of that
little guy with that awkward tail that is
love with others. When her Mom read an
always happily wagging. During the past year
article in the local paper about CAAA and
Skeeter has become Laura’s certified
passed it on to Laura, she decided that would
companion dog going everywhere with her
including to work every day. They work in her be the perfect way to do just that. So Laura
and Skeeter became one of our new teams this
family owned real estate business and share
the small office with not only family members past January when they started visiting at
but also her Aunt’s two yellow labs, Buttercup Brookdale in Chandler.
and Daisy Mae who also come to work every
day.
The “canine cousins” are all best of
friends and share everything including
Skeeter’s small dog bed. It never fails to
bring a smile to everyone as they watch one
Right from the beginning they both loved
visiting the residents and in a short time
considered all of them friends. Most are seen
in their community greeting area but Skeeter
also happily goes to those who can’t leave their
rooms and request a personal visit. Prancing
from one to another or just quietly sitting on
the edge of a bed Skeeter always brings a smile
to everyone he sees. Laura says there’s nothing
so heartwarming as seeing one of their non
verbal friend’s face lighten up when Skeeter
walks in their room. Laura adds that she always
enjoys hearing their stories about past family
life and experiences with their own pets.
Whenever she is asked what kind of dog
Skeeter is, Laura always answers “He represents all dogs because he's got a little bit of
everything in him. With his cute under bite and
awkward hop, he is the most handsome little
guy I’ve ever seen. “
Laura & Skeeter
May,2015
(Continued from page 1)
front paws and beautiful
little face with floppy
ears peeking over the
top of the crate she was
in. Just one look…….
that’s all it took.
Sisley knew that her
little Oko would grow up
to be a large powerful
dog and realized it was
important to be able to
Oko
properly handle her. So
she and Oko spent the
time and effort required in training. Very early on
Sisley realized what a gentle and sensitive animal
she had and at only nine months old Oko received
the gold standard for dog behavior, AKC’s Canine
Good Citizen certification. Sisley always thought
that Oko would make a good therapy dog and
someday she would look into the possibility.
Page 3
They may not be able to sing to her, but
they can make a connection by just talking and petting her; often times bringing
back memories and stories of their own
dogs. One of the residents speaks to her
in French and calls her Molly. Sisley says
although Oko has many different names
depending on who’s petting her, she responds to them all. She adds “On Fridays
Oko now knows where she is going and gets
excited. I didn’t expect she would love it
so much”.
Sisley recently added another Doberman
to her home, Cooper. He came to her
through rescue as a foster but it didn’t
take long before she gave him his forever
home. She is an enthusiastic hiker and
trail runner and takes both dogs with her.
Sisley says “Even though Cooper’s not as
graceful as Oko he looks like he could be
her brother. He also has a sort of ‘I’m
a Doberman but I really don’t know it’
That “someday” became a reality with some
expression. I’m hoping to soon have
encouragement from our own Dr. Lowrance who
Cooper also certified with CAAA.“
treated both Oko and Sisley’s other dog at that
time, Teo (Italian for Teddy), a seven year old Rat
Terrier. It was during house calls that Dr.
Cooper
Lowrance observed how calm and intelligent Oko
was. When Teo became very ill, Oko was there for
him right along with Sisley and Dr. Lowrance.
There was no doubt that her silent but sensitive
and caring presence was always a comfort to her
friend Teo.
Sisley and Oko usually visit Brookdale on
Friday afternoons where they meet residents in
several different areas. Sisley says “One of the
residents, Mary, is Oko’s biggest fan. She is our
self appointed tour guide and escorts us around
during our visits. She and another lady, Lillian,
want to steal Oko. Another resident, Millie, was
at first a little nervous around Oko. Then one day
she reached out and petted her and then started
singing to her. Soon another resident started
singing to her too. That was one of the best visits
ever”.
Oko’s calm and caring presence is also very
comforting to those who are confined to a bed.
Oko
So no……..Kiyoko is not a “killer dog”
but a therapy dog with a German pedigree
and a Japanese name who lived with an
Italian named friend and visits a resident
who speaks to her in French.
May,2015
Page 4
Donations Made Easy With Just a “Smile”
Do you shop on Amazon? If so, you can now generate a donation to
CAAA with most purchases you make on line. It’s an easy automatic way
for you to support CAAA and it doesn’t cost you anything!
When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you’ll find the exact prices and
selection as Amazon.com and …… here’s the best part……. Amazon will
donate 0.5% of your total eligible products purchased (less taxes and
rebates) to CAAA. Those products marked “Eligible for AmazonSmile
donation” on their product detail pages are the ones that will generate
this contribution.
If you already have an account with Amazon you can use the same
account with AmazonSmile; all settings will remain the same. To shop at AmazonSmile simply go
to smile.amazon.com from the web browser on your computer or mobile device. Once there,
follow the directions and on the right side of the screen choose Companion Animal Association of
Arizona as the organization you would like to support. CAAA will remain your organization of
choice for all purchases from that point on.
Remember, always start at smile.amazon.com
(Thank You to our Treasurer Randy Aafedt for researching and getting CAAA included on the
approved charity list for AmazonSmile)
Just a short note about Blake my English
Springer Spaniel who visits the Westchester
Care Facility in Tempe. He finished his Beginner
Novice AKC title two weekends ago with a third
place and a score of 193 ½ out of a perfect 200.
He also went to California over the weekend to a
English Springer Spaniel AKC Specialty Show and
won a fourth place ribbon in the Open Class of
Conformation competing against eight other
Springer Spaniels. All this and he is only 18
months old!
~ Ray Ritchotte ~
May,2015
Page 5
Art and Joy Bliss’ Goden Retreiver,
Whitney, crossed the Rainbow Bridge
April 1st
They will not go quietly,
The dogs who’ve shared out lives.
In subtle ways they let us know
Their spirit still survives.
Old habits still make us think
We hear a barking at the door.
Or step back when we drop
A tasty morsel on the floor.
Our feet still go around the place
The food dish used to be,
And, sometimes, coming home at night,
We miss them terribly.
And although time may bring new fiends
And a new food dish to fill,
That one place in our hearts
Belongs to them. . . . . . . and always will.
-anonymous-
Volunteers are needed to perform a variety of jobs . The time required
ranges from an hour or less per month to a few hours once a year. There is
no on-going meeting attendance required. A little bit of your time will help
CAAA not just stay alive but expand to better support its members and the
community we serve.
Won’t you please consider volunteering?
May,2015
Page 6
CORNER
by Dr. Melanie Lowrance
THE VET’S
www.smallanimalhousecalls.com
Is My Dog
Overweight
or could
his Thyroid
Without this hormone dogs can show the
following signs:

weight gain

lethargy

inactivity or
exercise intolerance

intolerance to cold
and seeking out
sunny places to lay
down

hair loss on both sides
of their body or
thinning hair with
dandruff, hair loss on
the tail

skin and ear infections
that always recur

neurologic signs may occur as well such as
drooping of the face, seizures, change in
bark from paralysis of the laryngeal
muscles, head tilting or circling to one side
Level be
Low?
It is now estimated that 60% of our pet
dogs are overweight and mostly this is due to
overeating and/or lack of
exercise. But did you know
that dogs, just like people,
can develop low thyroid
disease and gain weight
regardless of what we
feed them? It’s true that
hypothyroidism is common
dogs and with treatment
they will lose weight and
feel great.
Cause and Symptoms
The most common way dogs become
hypothyroid is that the thyroid glands located
in their neck shrink
for undetermined
reasons and they
then stop making a
hormone called T4.
This usually occurs
between the ages of
2-9 years.
Breeds Commonly Infected:
Any dog can become hypothyroid, mixed
breed or pure bred, but we do recognize the
disease more commonly in the following
breeds:
-Boxers, Dachshunds, Doberman Pinschers,
Golden Retrievers, Great Danes, Irish
Setters, Miniature Schnauzers and Poodles.
Note: It is very rare for a cat to be
hypothyroid. Cats commonly get hyperthyroid
disease, too high thyroid hormone.
Testing and Treatment:
To determine if a dog is hypothyroid
the veterinarian examines the dog and takes a
CONTINUED
May,2015
good history from the owner about any signs
of the disease they may see at home. The
veterinarian then draws blood and tests the
dog’s thyroid levels including the T4 and
freeT4 hormones and sometimes the dog’s
thyroid stimulating hormone or TSH to help
make a diagnosis.
Treatment is lifelong supplements of
the thyroid hormone in the form of a tablet
Page 7
usually taken twice daily. The dog must have
its blood drawn and thyroid level checked
every 6 months when on supplements to make
sure his T4 hormone is high enough to keep
him comfortable.
Treatment is very rewarding. Once the
dog is started on the supplement, they are full
of energy again, their hair grows back and
they lose weight easily.
Water Water Everywhere – Be Sure There’s Enough to Drink!
We certainly have had some wonderful
weather lately but we all know that it’s only a
matter of time ..…. it’s summer, its Arizona, it’s
hot. Very hot! Remember that in the summer
your dog, or any pet is much more prone to
overheating. So whether inside or outside water needs to be available at all time.
access to fresh and if possible, cool water
both indoors and especially outdoors. It’s
always a good idea to have multiple water
bowls available at all times.
There’s lots of different water bowls to
pick from. Visit any pet store or check on line
sources for one that best meets your dog’s
The more time your dog spends outside (and needs. If it will be outside, remember that
the more prone he or she is to overheating),
metal bowls will get hot, especially if left in
the more water needs to be readily available.
the sun. So avoid metal outdoors and always
So be sure to provide them with unrestricted
place whatever kind of bowl you use in the
shade. Speaking of hot, allow water hoses to
run for several seconds or minutes until water
cools before spraying your dog or filling his
water bowl. Hot water from the hose is also a
reason to never use an automatic watering
system in our Arizona summer weather.
Whichever bowl you choose it should be tipproof or even spill proof. There are many varieties of both options available on line. You
might want to try a heavy duty plastic bucket
before making a purchase. It just might work
fine. A rigid plastic child’s wading pool placed
in the shade also helps many dogs stay cool.
May,2015
Page 8
Have you ever heard of ant free water
bowls? Most are designed to resemble a larger
saucer attached under the water bowl. The
bottom saucer is filled with water also and
acts as a barrier for any bugs trying to crawl
into the bowl.
There are bowls that claim to keep water
cool for up to six hours even while in the sun.
We all know that there is sun and then there
is Arizona Sun and most info doesn’t specify in
which sun they were tested. These have a
“freeze core” that fits into the bowl and
water is poured over it. It may not last for six
hours in our sun, but if placed in the shade it
just may work well for you.
For indoor dogs keeping water cool is far
less challenging. Changing it often will usually
solve the temp issue. A large, easy-to-clean
dog bowl can work well for most indoor dogs
who don’t tip or carry bowls around. For
those left alone for longer periods of time,
several full bowls or a free standing
automatic pet watering system will work well.
So have a safe summer and – Drink Up!
Need to reach the Pet Therapy Committee? Here’s How...........
Nancy Parker [email protected]
Pamela Peet [email protected]
Jane Conrow [email protected]
PHONE: (602) 258-3306
Please let us know if you have had a change of email or home address!
May,2015
Page 9
CAAA 2015
Officers & Board
Members
President
INTR
ODUC
Ollie,
ING…
a Chin
…..
o
o
k, who
sharin
gp
will be
with W et therapy
duties
arren
Levine
Chino
’s oth
ok, St
er
an, als
Belmo
o
at Th
nt of
e
Scott
sdale.
Pamela Peet
Vice President
Nancy Parker
Secretary
Mary Anne Reyman
Treasurer
Randy Aafedt
Board Members
Jane Conrow
RECOMMENDED GOOD
SUMMER READ…..
A heart-wrenching but
deeply funny and ultimately
uplifting story of family,
love, loyalty, and hope, The
Art of Racing in the Rain is a
beautifully crafted and
captivating look at the
wonders and absurdities of
human life . . . as only a dog
could tell it.
Deborah Hall
Melanie Lowrance
Lisa Pomraning
Any comments, pictures,
suggestions, or input for
future newsletters?
Send them to:
Jackie at
[email protected]