FEBRUARY 2018 - KEEPING OUR BRITTS HEALTHY
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Monthly Update:
DOGS CAN GET THE FLU TOO!
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We know all about dealing with the flu when we get it— rest, warm drinks, and vitamin C. But what about our dogs? Dog flu
outbreaks have occurred across several states in recent years.
As illustrated below, some of the symptoms include coughing, sneezing, nose and eye discharge, fever, and lack of energy (lethargy).
Many of these symptoms are similar to kennel cough so it is important to check with your vet if your dog shows any signs of respiratory illness.
Dog flu is highly contagious between dogs but will not infect people. It is transmitted by direct contact, contaminated surfaces (such as food and water bowls, kennels, etc.), and people going between infected and healthy dogs. Check with your veterinarian to see if the canine influenza vaccine is right for your pet.
LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW TO KEEP YOUR PET SAFE:
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BAKER INSTITUTE FOR ANIMAL HEALTH
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"Rescuing one dog will not change the world... But for that dog the world will be forever changed."
These wonderful Brittanys are currently available for adoption. Click on their name or picture for more information, and if you think your family is a good fit, please
complete an adoption application here.
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Corazon (VA)
His name means ‘my heart’ in Spanish and that is what he is ready to give to you. He came from Spain to find his forever home – are you willing to show this two year old the ropes and give him the confidence to fly?
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Indy (AZ)
Indy is energetic and ready for love and attention. She loves birds, but does not have any formal hunting training. She is looking for someone to teach her – will you be the one?
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Blanca (NM)
is a love bug who enjoys cats, dogs, kids and humans. She enjoys playing and making you smile, but giving her love to that special someone is what she craves.
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Ari (NY)
came all the way from Serbia to find his forever home. A little attention goes a long way – with just a few belly rubs and ‘good boys,’ he will give you his unconditional love.
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Congratulations to these Brittanys who have found their forever home!
Bridger, UT
Britta, MO
Dash, IN
Faith, CO
Gracie, GA
Hailey, IA
Holly, now Cali, NC
Honey, MO
Jag, UT
Jojo, KS
Katie, MN
Madison, FL
Murphy, FL
Pau, FL
Piper, MN
Pluma, VA
Rosie, NC
Shadow, FL
Sola, NJ
Sunshine, aka Sunny, TX
Xavi, NC
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WEIGHT LOSS IN BRITTANYS
A Continuing Conversation from our January eNews
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Maintaining an ideal weight is one of the most important things we can do to help our Brittanys enjoy a long, energetic and healthy life. Studies have shown that an overweight dog is prone to many chronic disorders, including heart disease, arthritis, joint injuries, high blood pressure and diabetes.
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There are three ways to determine if your Brittany is at a healthy weight. First, feel the ribs. There should be a slight layer of padding over them, but you should be able to easily feel each individual rib. Second, look at your Brittany from above. You should be able to see an obvious waist, or an inward curve between the back of the rib cage and the hips. Finally, check the profile from the side. The stomach should be raised and slightly tucked. If your Brittany does not meet these standards, it’s time to start a weight loss program.
This can be as easy as measuring the food according to the package directions, rather than dumping an unknown amount in the bowl. Be sure to track the number of treats as well. Treats should never comprise more than 10% of your Britt’s diet. Most commercial treats are very high in calories, so try to replace those with healthier snacks, such as carrots, apples or broccoli.
Some folks elect to purchase specialized diet food. This type of food is lower in calories and higher in fiber. It’s generally more expensive and should be reserved for when simply cutting back on the amount of food is not working. A better idea would be to cut down on carbs and feed your Britt a low- or no-grain food with a protein source as the main ingredient.
Dr. Eric Palmer, a veterinarian in Maryland, recommends changing from dry dog food to canned food. “Anything crunchy adds weight because it contains simple carbs and starch,” he says. “Dog biscuits and kibble do not clean teeth as many people believe, so they have no added value.” He suggests combining the wet dog food with vegetables because it will satisfy them while allowing them to feel full. “Green beans are especially good because they are low in calories, carb-free and most dogs like them.”
Ingalls, a nine-year-old female Brittany, lost 13 pounds over the period of two years following Dr. Palmer’s method. Her diet consisted of approximately 3/4 wet dog food and 1/4 green beans for about a year. For variety, the green beans were occasionally substituted with broccoli or pumpkin. She has maintained her weight since that time, and now enjoys a sprinkling of dry food on top.
Pat Nickerson of New Jersey says her vet also suggested replacing a portion of dog food with green beans. Pat stated that “Our Brittany lost five pounds in three months and he loves the green beans.” Pat feeds seven-year-old Duke a ratio of 2/3 kibble and 1/3 no-salt-added green beans. When Pat eliminated them, his weight began to creep up again about six months later, so now green beans are always included. “Duke gets fed twice a day, so we follow this routine each feeding.”
Both Ingalls and Duke enjoy plenty of exercise to keep them trim. Ingalls recently welcomed a three-year-old Brittany brother to the family and they love indulging in the zoomies together. Duke chases squirrels and birds in his yard and looks forward to his weekly hour and a half off-leash run.
And of course, our sweet Britts also appreciate non-food rewards as well. So next time your Britt turns those soulful eyes on you, begging for a fatty treat, consider rubbing those long floppy years instead.
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Planning to binge while watching the Winter Olympics? Notorious for their begging skills, your Britts can easily over-indulge in foods their bodies don’t need and their digestive systems may not appreciate. Crafting your own unique doggy snack mix could save you and your dog some uncomfortable moments - just remember to label it for the humans in the crowd.
Inspired by the
Doggy Trail Mix in the
Dogster.com newsletter, this recipe focuses on healthier options. You may have ingredients already in your pantry. Include foods you want your dog to have and what your dog likes to eat! It’s a great way to use the broken dog biscuits, the two tablespoons of unsweetened cereal left in the box or that one lonely sweet potato lingering in the pantry. A wide selection of dried and freeze-dried fruits and vegetables without sugar is available at
smile.amazon.com. Budget-priced grocery store
Aldi has sugar-free dried fruit, sugar-free granola and several reasonably priced canine jerky treats without glycol and that are not imported from China. The bulk aisle at
Fresh Thyme is also a great source of ingredients in small portions.
Ingredients:
- Unsweetened cereal like Cheerios©, Chex©. Kibble — when it’s mixed in, no one notices that it’s what’s for dinner
- Dehydrated fruit, veggies and meat (our dogs are particularly fond of dried sweet potato, strawberries, blueberries and duck jerky)*
- Dry dog treats
- Unsalted pretzels
Because your dog may have specific needs, food allergies or other limitations, there are no specific amounts. A mix of kibble and dried veggies and/or meat the bulk of my mix, followed by items like the dog treats, cereal and pretzels keeps it healthy, but keeps your dog guessing at what’s coming next.
How to make Healthy Snack Mix:
- Break pretzels and dog biscuits into appropriately sized pieces for your dog.
- Toss together in a large mixing bowl with remaining ingredients. Transfer to closed container. Keep in cool, dry location. Best to use within two to five days.
*Dehydrated fruit, veggies and meat — I often buy this already done. But if you want to make your own, cut up your ingredients, place them on a baking tray in the oven at 200 degrees Fahrenheit. (It is helpful to partially cook vegetables like sweet potato or squash, then dice and dry in the oven or dehydrator,) Check and rotate every 30 minutes until ingredients are dry. This can take a while, so do it on a day you are home with no plans to leave. Let dehydrated items stabilize at room temperature and humidity before adding to mixture.
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How does iGive work? To raise money for your cause when you shop online, start by creating your free iGive.com membership at
www.iGive.com, the first internet online shopping mall where a portion of each purchase is donated to your favorite cause.
SHOPPING: It's all automatic! You don't need to enter any codes, notify the store, or iGive.
When iGive members shop via our special links (starting at the
iGive.com web site, the iGive
Newsletter, or having installed the iGive
Toolbar "Donation Enabled"), tracking enables us to identify the purchases of each individual iGive member with an ID number.
You shop the same way as you would without starting at iGive.
It is that easy and our 438 supporters have raised over $10,000 since we signed up.
WOW and thank you!
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Thank you to all who participated in FootballMania. We raised…
$2,124
Good luck and a
special shout out to our volunteer coordinator Julia Thomas! Thanks for making this fundraiser happen for the ninth year!
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ABOUT THE AMERICAN BRITTANY RESCUE
American Brittany Rescue, Inc. is an organization that was formed in 1991 as a cooperative effort of Brittany owners, breeders, trainers, and fanciers who ABR believes have a responsibility not only for their own dogs and the dogs they produce, but for the breed as a whole.
THE AMERICAN BRITTANY RESCUE MISSION
ABR's mission is to provide the leadership and expertise via a network of trained volunteers to take in stray, abandoned, surrendered and/or impounded purebred Brittanys, provide them with foster care, health and temperament screening, an opportunity for any necessary rehabilitation and to assure their health and placement into new homes. In order to fulfill this mission, ABR's volunteers remain flexible and adaptable to current and future business environments and they remain dedicated to the organization.
ABR BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Terry Mixdorf, President
Tina Leone, Vice-President/Co-Treasurer
Michelle Falkinburg, Secretary
Diana Doiron, Co-Treasurer
Robin Egan, Chair
Tiffany Dexter
Terrie Johnson
Nancy Hensley
Monica Rutt
Maria Smith
AMERICAN BRITTANY RESCUE E-NEWSLETTER TEAM
Lisa Bagwell
Brittany Boler
Jeannine Connors
Judie Cutting
Autumn Fenton
Lori Gartenhaus
Patricia Gillogly
Melissa Tapply
Rachel Schollaert
Maria Smith
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