August 2
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The Many WHYs of Rescue
Why adopt or rescue your next companion? Why not buy one from an ad on the Internet or from a pet store? Why not buy one from a breeder? There are
many reasons -- all of them humane.
The growth of the Internet has spurred the growth of ads selling pets. But it also provides anonymity to a more insidious growth: that of puppy mills and so-called "backyard" breeders. It helps them avoid accountability when they sell unhealthy or mistreated pets to unsuspecting, over-eager buyers. And it only serves to confirm the axiom: "buyer beware."
Each time a dog is bought from an ad on the Internet,
a homeless dog is left without a home.
Many pet stores rely on both puppy mills and "backyard" breeders. Like the Internet, they rely on impulse buying. A child ogles a playful puppy through a pane of glass, and that old song, "How Much Is That Doggy in the Window?" begins. Few parents can refuse the insistent "Please! Please! Please!" of their children.
Each time a puppy is bought from a pet store,
a surrendered dog languishes in a shelter.
There may be thousands of legitimate breeders throughout the country but there are just as many unscrupulous ones. There are no laws regulating who can and cannot breed. There are no inspections of their facilities. Even a certificate from a recognized kennel club means only that the breeder has "agreed" to its code of ethics. A piece of paper is simply that: a piece of paper.
Each time a dog is bought from an unscrupulous breeder,
an abandoned dog moves closer to death in a pound.
Why, then, adopt a rescue dog?
There are tens of thousands of healthy, happy and balanced dogs available from thousands of rescue organizations across the country. Contrary to popular belief, they include purebreds as well as crossbreeds and mixed breeds. And for people intent on a specific breed, there are rescue groups devoted exclusively to a single breed of dog.
Adopting a rescue dog is saving that dog's life. Rescue organizations are usually the last refuge for abandoned and abused dogs, surrendered and senior dogs. They are often a dog's only escape from a puppy mill, shelter or pound. These rescued dogs are placed in loving and experienced volunteer foster homes, where they are socialized with people and other animals.
They are spayed or neutered, de-wormed, updated on all of their vaccinations and microchipped. They receive whatever veterinary care they need, and are either trained or re-trained before being put up for adoption. And everything is included in the rescue's modest adoption fees.
It is said that saving a dog makes that dog doubly grateful. By extension, then, anyone who saves a dog will be doubly blessed.
What better reasons could there be to adopt?
--Written by Nomi Berger
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Boston Bay Items
Boston Birthday Cards
Fun cards that show the many expressions of this GREAT breed. A set of 5 cards (one of each) per packet.
Accepting orders now; however, items will not be mailed out until August 15th.
Cost: $8 per set, plus $2.00 shipping
Click here to shop the Boston Bay!
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Adoptable Dog of the Month
My name is Butch. I am 8 years old and weigh 25 pounds. I could use a few more pounds. I am needing a new home because my owner surrendered when I was not getting along with the other male dog in the house. I am being fostered in Colorado Springs, CO.
I am a sweet and loving boy. I like attention and love to snuggle with my people. I am polite and smart. I will follow you around just to be near you.
I do not care much for the other dogs in the house. We co-exist but I prefer to be the only dog in the house. I live with a cat that I do not mind having around as she keeps to herself. I don't play with my foster sisters and do not like to share with them.
I am a very gentle soul. I spend my evenings dozing on the couch with my foster mom or my bed.
***Eligible for the Golden Paws Program***
Adopters
60 yrs and older adopting a dog 7 yrs and older get $50 off the adoption fee!
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Ask Jennifer
Q: Some of the dogs listed for adoption on your site say they have been released by a breeder, while others say they were released by puppy mills. What's the difference?
A:
MABTR receives dogs from puppy mills and some from small breeders. A small breeder is one that still breeds as often and in the same condition as a puppy mill however they only have one or two breeds of dogs and usually their numbers are less than 50 breeding dogs.
On the other hand we also get dogs from puppy mills. However, the breeder monitors our site, as they know we received their dog, and are adamant they are not a ' puppy mill'. They ask that we list them as just 'a breeder'. In order to remain good standing with them, we proceed with their request.
Learn more about adopting these dogs by reading this article.
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Alumni Feature - Tiqua
Jenny from Nebraska - now Tiqua
from Colorado - whom we adopted in November, has made great gains after being in a puppy mill for eight years. At first she was shy, afraid to be petted, snuggled, and required training in manners. As her sweet heart shined through she became potty trained along with learning general commands. She may be a senior but is a joy in her forever home.
Since being transported by PetEx from KC, MO to Hayes, KS onto C.A.R.E. from Hayes, KS to Colorado, Tiqua has been with us on several trips with us helping other Bostons and dogs travel back to Colorado to be adopted or fostered.
We are so grateful to our mom, Dana, and MABTR for pairing us with Tiqua. She has truly become an inspiration to us as well as to others who are seeking to save a dog's life. - Patricia L
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Allow a Boston to Hitch a Ride with You
Many of us travel for business or pleasure by car. We are looking for you to help us transport a dog from one state to the next to get him/her into foster care or towards their forever home.
Share with us your travel plans even those scheduled in the future. Email luckypawpals@aol.com your starting and ending location, date of travel, and your name and phone number. We file the travel schedule and if the need approaches we will contact you with details.
The doggies thank you for allowing them to hitch a ride!!!!!
Remember that you can write off at tax time your gas or mileage when transporting a MABTR Boston.
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| What You Need to Know About Dogs Who Have Seizures... part 2
In last month's newsletter, we talked about the basics of seizures - symptoms, potential causes, and what to do (and not to do) during a seizure. This month, we'll delve a little deeper into the subject and give you more information and tools to help you and your pet in the event you find yourselves coping with a seizure disorder.
There are 4 basic stages to a seizure: 1) the prodome, 2) the aura or pre-ictus, 3) the ictus or seizure stage, and 4) the post-ictus.
1) The prodome may precede the actual seizure by hours or days. It is characterized by a change in mood or behavior. Human epileptics experience mood changes, headaches, insomnia or feelings about the impending seizure. It is not known whether animals experience a prodome except for any behavioral changes observed by their owners.
2) The aura signals the start of the seizure. Signs can include restlessness, nervousness, whining, trembling, salivation, affection, wandering, hiding, hysterical running, and apprehension.
3) The ictus is the actual seizure, characterized by sudden increase in tone of all muscle groups. This period may last from between 45 seconds to three minutes and will include intense physical activity. Your dog may gnash her teeth, vocalize uncontrollably, drool, and/or lose control of her bladder and bowels during this stage.
4) The post-ictus occurs after the seizure. During this phase, your dog may seem restless, disoriented, and clumsy. Occasionally, temporary blindness, deafness, or other
neurological
abnormalities may occur.
Types of seizures
The types of seizures most commonly reported are listed below.
If you believe your dog is having a seizure, it is important to note all of the details so that you may accurately describe it to your veterinarian. Types of seizures include:
Generalized Seizure: Tonic-clonic (may be Grand Mal or Mild): In the grand mal seizure, the tonic phase occurs as the animal falls, loses consciousness, and extends its limbs rigidly. This phase usually lasts 10-30 seconds before the clonic phase begins. Clonic movements include paddling of the limbs and/or chewing. Other signs that appear during the tonic or clonic phase are dilation of the pupils, salivation, urination, and defecation. The mild seizure involves little or no paddling or extension of limbs, and usually no loss of consciousness.
Cluster Seizures: Multiple seizures within a short period of time with only brief periods of consciousness in between. Clusters may be confused with status epilepticus.
Status Epilepticus: Status can occur as one continuous seizure lasting 30 minutes or more, or a series of multiple seizures in a short time with no periods of normal consciousness. It can be difficult to tell status epilepticus from frequent cluster seizures; but both are considered life-threatening emergencies. Most status patients usually suffer from generalized tonic-clonic seizures. Though status epilepticus can occur in dogs who have had seizures before, it may also suddenly arise in dogs with no previous history of seizures (caused by traumatic brain injury, toxins, or disease).
Seizure medications and treatment
Once you've been to your veterinarian, chances are that your dog will be prescribed some sort of seizure medication, especially if the dog has had more than one seizure in recent history.
Phenobarbital is often the initial go-to drug when treating seizure dogs. Be advised, your dog may seem a little groggy or out-of-sorts the first couple of weeks of treatment.
Don't panic, and
don't stop administering the medication. This is a normal initial reaction as your pet's body gets used to the drug. This effect typically wears off in a couple of weeks. If unusual behavior persists beyond that time frame, contact your vet.
Another common medication to treat seizures in dogs is potassium bromide (KBr). KBr may be used in addition to phenobarbital or on its own. KBr is often used alone in dogs who have liver disease, as it (unlike phenobarbital) is not processed by the liver. However, where phenobarbital is effective almost immediately, Kbr can take up to
three or four months to reach its full effect.
Keppra (generic: levetiracetam) has been used to treat seizures in humans for some time, and has shown great effectiveness in dogs as well. Often Keppra, like KBr, is often an "add-on" drug to phenobarbital and/or KBr, though it can be prescribed as a solo treatment.
There are other medications available that your veterinarian may prescribe dependent upon your pet's individual needs and circumstances. Additionally, you may be prescribed supplements to help support the liver and brain. Expect to have bloodwork performed at
least once a year on your pet if prescribed phenobarbital and/or KBr in order to ensure the dosage is still appropriate and within normal range for your pet.
**Helpful Tip** Some meds we can give to dogs can also be taken by humans - such as phenobarbital and Keppra - and may therefore be filled at a normal pharmacy, such as your local grocery store, Walgreens, or Rite Aid. Additionally, warehouse stores (i.e. Costco, Sam's Club) have pharmacies that may offer even more savings. Don't have a membership? Don't worry - both allow you to use their pharmacy services without a membership. You just get an additional discount if you are a member.
What else should I know?
In short, the best way to find the best treatment for your dog's seizure is to basically
become a student of your dog. Keeping a "dog diary" is helpful to document behaviors and medications. Even if you don't want to or don't have time to do that, just knowing your dog's overall disposition and normal behaviors will let you know when something may be wrong, as many physical ailments in dogs are actually spoken in their behaviors.
Keeping up on medications and bloodwork appointments with your veterinarian is truly essential. If you have any questions or concerns, or notice consistent behavioral changes,
don't wait to let the vet know. A visit to a veterinary neurologist also may be necessary or even simply helpful. An assessment by a veterinary neurologist is
very different (and
insightful)
from the exams you're used to seeing when you take your dog in for normal checkups. Click
here
to read an article about when to consider consulting a veterinary neurologist. If your pet's seizure situation is not improving, then this visit may be more of a necessity.
Boston Terriers are one of the top dog breeds that are prone to brain tumors.
An assessment and testing by a neurologist can determine if your dog likely has a tumor, what type it is, and available treatment paths. As with any disease - and just like in people - the sooner a tumor is caught, the better the prognosis.
Additionally, you may also want to broaden your scope of treatment and seek alternative means of care in addition to regular medical and pharmaceutical regimens. Holistic veterinary medicine is becoming more mainstream. A holistic veterinarian may prescribe herbal supplements or use acupuncture or chiropractic treatments in order to reduce the frequency and/or severity of seizures.
In closing...
Seizures sound scary - no doubt about it. However, a dog with a seizure disorder does
not mean the dog (
or you!) is doomed to a horrible quality of life. Quite the contrary, the majority of the time, the dog is going to behave normally and feel perfectly fine.
***Keep plenty of tools in your toolkit: knowledge, behavior awareness, the support of others who have had pets with seizures, veterinary assessment(s), medications, websites, etc...***
And probably THE most important tool in your toolkit?
Your cell phone!! Taking a video of your pet during a seizure, and in the few minutes that follow, can speak
volumes to your veterinarian (especially a neurologist) in terms of what may be causing the seizures and how to treat them. Try to capture video to share with the vet whenever you can. Even if it's a short clip. Every little bit really does help.
This author lost all 3 of her Bostons in the last 13 months...Two of which suffered seizure disorders. All of the excerpts I pulled were externally fact based, although I experienced them personally in my seizure struggle. Especially regarding the brain tumor. DON'T wait to seek a neurologist. It could buy you months or years of life with your beloved pet.
Take your notes, do your homework, and be a good student of your dog. And get your cell phone video ready! You have no idea how much this helped.
I hope this series has offered some help... there are so many resources available, even within our own BT family - we just need to ASK and REACH OUT to one another.
-- written by Laurie Spear
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| Thank You for Your Donation!
$400 Donna H
$120 Raymond N
$120 Chuck and Don's
$50 Aaron S , Audrey C, Candace L,
$35 Diane N
$30 Leslie M, Lori L,, Karla P, Kelly B, Cynthia K
$25 Ann A, Charity C, Wilma N,
$22.50 Petfinder
$20 Susie M, Sara S, Matthew S, Pam M, Michael M, Ashley H, Susan G, Kandice W, Mandi G, Ashley H, Ginny M, AT&T,
$10 Angela C, Diana L, Veronica Z, Marsha H, Gerald P
All donations are tax deductible!
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All donations (monetary or items) are tax-deductible.
MABTR is
100% volunteer-driven, so your entire donation amount goes towards rescuing, rehabilitating, and re-homing Bostons in need.
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Coby
needs our help
Raising money for Coby's MRI to confirm the root cause of his back issues.
Goal is $1500 raised for the MRI at MIZZOU. Thank you in advance for any donation you can make towards the MRI so that doc knows what needs to be done to fix him.
Read more and make a donation at
Go Fund Me click here
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Employer Match Programs
Did you know that many employers will match your donation to a 501(c)3 organization? Some even pay a flat fee to the organization for volunteer hours!
Check with your human resource department for details!
A few companies we know of are:
- AT&T
- Wells Fargo
- MidAmerica Energy Holding Comp.
- Pfizer
- Allstate
- CenturyLink
- CNA Surety
- CSG
- 8z Real Estate
- Great Western
- Thrivent Financial
- Western Union
- SalesForce
- Microsoft
- United Way
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Adoption Corner...
~~Happy Tails~~
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32 Bostons rescued
in July!
202 Bostons rescued so far in 2015!
2,664 Bostons rescued to date!
We ask that you help us educate the public about their options when looking for a new pet. We appreciate the fact that you are not purchasing your pet from a pet store that sells lives animals, since 98% of all puppies in a pet store come from terrible situations such as puppy mills. For more information on puppy mills visit our site and read all you need to know about puppy mills.
If you are interested in a breed other than a Boston check out the links below.
-Petfinder
-Rescue list by breed
-Google search-"breed" rescue
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Raffle Results
Congrats to Kenneth W of IL who won the plush Boston Cowboy, which raised $131!
Thanks to everyone who participated!
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Monthly Raffle for August
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Two items in one raffle!
Beautiful picture of a Boston Terrier in a bed of yellow flowers. Raffle prize includes a floormat with rubber backing, measuring 27" x 18 ", AND a garden flag measuring 12" by 18".
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Other online shopping networks that give back to MABTR with each of your purchases are:
iGive.com
Cuddle Clones
It is free to you and MidAmerica Boston Terrier Rescue benefits from your shopping fun!
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Boston FB Groups to 'Like' by city.
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Did you know that there might be a Boston Terrier fan page on FB in your area? You should consider joining in!
Click below for the link in your area!
Minnesota
St Louis
Des Moines
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Saying Goodbye
"Keep their memories close to your heart and remember in another time, in a beautiful place you will see them again."
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Amy 3/04-6/15
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Golden Paws for Golden Years
Did you know
that MABTR has such a program where an adoptor 60 or older adopting a Boston 7 years and older receives $50 off the adoption fee?
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Volunteer Opportunities
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Our rescue organization has a very hard-working and dedicated crew of volunteers committed to improving the lives of Boston Terriers and Boston mixes across 13 states.
If you are interested in helping please email your interest and contact information to luckypawpals@aol.com.
Also make sure to add yourself to our email list by clicking here. Include your state so you get the proper notices.
You're in for a rewarding experience! Opportunities to help include:
- Newsletter articles
- Volunteer at local events
- Fundraising
- Fostering
- Babysitting
- Transporting
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Local MABTR Events
Join us!
-all breeds welcome-
Wyoming - NEW!
Saturday Aug 1 & Sunday Aug 2
Cheyenne
Laramie County Fair at Frontier Park - Exhibition Hall from 9am - 9pm
Click here for more details!
Colorado
Saturday Aug 8
Littleton
Adoption Event
1pm to 4pm
at Riley's Natural Pet Supply - 7580 S Pierce St, #5
Saturday Aug 15
Aurora
2nd annual Backyard Movie Night - start at 6pm, movie at dusk (Disney's MacFarland USA)
$5 per person - bring your own blanket/chair.
All friendly dogs welcome with off-leash play area. Concessions, games, raffles. 15852 E. Bates Pl, Aurora, CO (Private Residence)
Click
here for more details!
Saturday Aug 22
Denver
Denver Pet Expo - 10am-6pm;
Denver Merchandise Mart. Free Admission - $5 Parking
Click
here for more details!
Missouri
Saturday, Aug 8
St Louis
Dog Days of Summer Play Date
-- 1:30pm-3:30pm
at the AKC Museum of the Dog. 1721 South Mason Rd $5 per dog.
Dog run off leash. All Breeds are Welcome. All Pets must be up to date on Shots. Please bring no longer needed and gently used pet items for our trash to treasure program. All donations will be used to assist homeless foster dogs prepare for their new furever home!
Nebraska
Saturday, Aug 22
Omaha
Spring Terrier Games --noon to 2:30 pm at Chalco Hills Park: 154th & Giles
Click here for more details!
Saturday, Aug 29
Omaha
1st annual Bark-B-Que,
4-7pm
Join us for a BBQ dinner, off-leash play, raffles/auction, and fun with other Bostons! $20/person -- includes beer and wine ***Must RSVP by Aug 15*** Click here for more details and to RSVP!!
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No anesthesia
Dental Cleaning
Boulder, CO
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Well Animal Institute offers dental cleanings that are anesthesia-free.
So many dogs are in need of dentals however health concerns may deter them from getting what is needed.
Here is your solution for only $185
For every dog that dog comes in and gets their teeth cleaned,
$30 goes towards a rescue.
Win Win for MABTR and the dogs!
Learn more here
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Make a donation
in Memory of..
or
in Honor of...
of someone special
(human or pet)
MABTR has a program that will mail your special someone a card recognizing the individual pet or human that your donation was made in behalf of.
Donate here
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