Therapy Dog Saves Little Girl's Life

A young girl overcame a rare autoimmune disease thanks to the help of a therapy dog program at a Minnesota children’s hospital.

Ally Gillen was just like any normal 10-year old until one day in 2008 when she began to have trouble walking. Almost overnight, Ally’s condition deteriorated and got to the point where she had trouble making simple movements. Doctors ran tests and she was diagnosed with juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM), an extremely rare autoimmune connective tissue disease that affects one in a million children.

Upon receiving her diagnosis, Ally was checked into Children’s Hospitals & Clinics of Minnesota, where she spent the next seven weeks. Ally’s mother, Heather Gillen, says that her daughter was in so much pain that she could barely lift her head up from the hospital bed. “When the occupational therapists would come into her room to get her to move, she would cry because it hurt so much. I wanted to yell ‘don’t touch my daughter.’”

During the course of her treatment, an occupational therapist brought a therapy dog in to visit Ally. After spending Thanksgiving, Christmas, and her birthday in the hospital, Ally missed her own dog, Angel, and was excited to spend some time with the therapy dog. “The occupational therapist would place a dog on my shoulder so I could pet him. Then she would move the dog to my other shoulder or other part of my body. I would reach down and pet the dog,” explains Ally.

Over the course of the next few weeks, Ally engaged in a variety of rehabilitation exercises which involved therapy dogs. She moved her arms around to pet the dogs and redeveloped her fine motor skills by dressing them up costumes and taking them for walks in her wheelchair. A small dog bearing a tic-tac-toe board game on its back kept Ally challenged, as she had to get on the floor and move the pieces of the board game around in order to play.

Forty-nine days after the therapy dogs began visiting, Ally was able to move out of a hospital bed and into a wheelchair. She resumed her therapy with Children’s Hospitals & Clinics of Minnesota on an outpatient basis, where she continued to work with the dogs. Now at twelve years old, Ally has decided that she wants to become an occupational therapist and work with therapy dogs down the line. She enrolled her seven-year-old dog, Angel, in the Delta Therapy Dog Certification program, which she completed alongside her mother. Ally and Angel visit Children’s once a week and bring joy to many of the hospital’s patients.

Ally attributes working with the pet therapy program to saving her life. “Dogs are a big part of my life and always will be. Now that all of this has happened, I’m going to get a degree in OT when I’m older. And I will train a few dogs to be therapy dogs.”

source : Nicole Pajer

Miracle Dog: Daniel the Beagle Up for Adoption after Surviving Gas Chamber

It's a happy ending that wasn't supposed to happen for a big eared, doe-eyed beagle.

Now, the dog that was found as a stray in Alabama and defied death, is searching for a new home.

Three weeks ago, the beagle was euthanized along with 18 other dogs at an overcrowded animal shelter in Florence, Ala., on Oct. 3.

But to the shock of everyone he somehow survived.

When the animal control officer in charge of the operation returned to the locked chamber he found the dog waiting at the door, wagging its tail. The other dogs were dead.

His amazing survival has attracted several charitable groups to come to his aid to make sure he isn't sent back into the gas chamber. He found a temporary home in Tennessee with Karen Rudolph, who runs Schnauzer Savers Rescue of West Tennessee with her husband Michael.

Rudolph dubbed him Daniel, inspired by the biblical story of Daniel, who walked out of a lion's den unscathed. Eleventh Hour Rescue, which brought Daniel to New Jersey with the help of Pilots and Paws, gave the dog the last name "Milagro," meaning miracle in Spanish.

When Rudolph took Daniel Milagro to see her veterinarian, he received a clean bill of health.

"Amazingly, not only did he survive the gas chamber which is very rare … he was not sick," Rudolph said. "It was almost as though angels pulled him out of there and he didn't even breathe the gas."

At 20 pounds, Daniel is underweight and his immune system is slightly compromised, but otherwise he is in good health, Eleventh Hour Rescue president Linda Schiller said. Schiller's group is trying to find a home for Daniel.

The beagle is now staying with Eleventh Hour volunteer Jill Pavlik until the organization finds an appropriate home for him.

She's his new foster mom while they search for the perfect home.

"He's very fun loving , he's very sweet," said Pavlik.

Schiller isn't worried about finding a new home for Daniel, who is highly adoptable due to his celebrity status. In fact, just an hour after the Star Ledger newspaper first covered the story, Schiller had received over 200 emails from readers interested in Daniel, and the attention hasn't slowed down since.

But she hopes at least some of the applicants will be interested in adopting other dogs.

"We have dogs that are just as wonderful as him that were on death row, but didn't walk out of a gas chamber," Schiller said. "They're happy and they're wagging their tales and ready to be adopted."

Other Miracle Dogs

Daniel isn't the first pup to be called a miracle dog.

Back in March, a little puppy from Oklahoma came back to life after being put down not once, but twice.

After becoming a Facebook phenomenon, Wall-E made it to New York and "Good Morning America."

He has since been adopted by a family in Pennsylvania.

Adopt a pet today. Get him/her a good ID Tag. A good ID Tag with up to date info is a vital safety net for keeping you and your companion together. ... In the event if your pet is ever separated with you, an identification tag is his safe ticket home.

Are hypoallergenic dogs just a myth? Bad news for Bo Obama

Having pet dogs is a joy. They are cute, sweet and faithful companions. Unfortunately, not everyone can have this privilege. One of the biggest obstacles that prevent some people from having a pet dog is allergies.

But why dogs shed? During the cold season, the dog coat grows heavier and thicker for protection against the harsh weather. When warmer weather comes, the coat thins out, shedding excess hair to allow the dog to stay cooler. However, this does not work quite as well for indoor dogs as their coat acclimates to controlled indoor temperatures and then gets confused when the dog goes outdoors for potty breaks, playtime, and walks. For this reason, some indoor dogs seem to shed year round.

There is not actually such thing as a “totally” non-shedding dog. All dogs shed at least a little hair at one time or another, just like humans. These are dogs that do not shed hairs, or very minimally if they do. This makes them a perfect pet for those with pet allergies. There are however dogs that shed little to no hair. Here is a list of popular breeds that shed little to no hair.

Bichon Frise
Bichon is a cheerful, small dog with a love of mischief and a lot of love to give. With his black eyes and fluffy white coat, the Bichon looks almost like a child’s toy. Thus Bichon is a popular member of the Toy group. Bichons coat is hair not fur like human. They are very low shedding, they do need daily grooming to keep the hair from matting and monthly trimming for easy care.

Chinese Crested
The Chinese Crested is an exotic-looking small dog who does not actually hail from China. He’s found in two variants: the Hairless, with silky hair on the head (the crest), tail (plume), and feet (socks); and the genetically recessive Powderpuff, who has a full coat.
The Chinese Crested Dog doesn’t shed like other dogs. Regular grooming on a daily or alternative day basis will prevent this problem from occurring.

Maltese
Maltese is one of several long coated breeds but they are on the smaller side and the only breed with pure white coast. The coat is much more like human hair who may be allergic to other breeds of dogs or cats may find that they can get along just fine with a Maltese. They do not shed their coats seasonally like dogs with short coats with the few dead hairs failing out periodically when they are groomed. Because of the long hair they do require ore maintenance than a short Sheds very little (often a good choice for allergy sufferers).

Schnauzer
Schnauzers make great indoor dogs because they won’t leave hair around your house. Schnauzers do not shed. They need to be groomed regularly however – because they don’t lose their hair, they need to be trimmed to keep them looking neat & tidy! If their hair is not trimmed, it will simply continue to grow.

Poodle
The poodle breed is found officially in toy, miniature, and standard sizes, with many coat colors. The Poodle can accommodate nearly any size living quarters. The Poodles are often cited as a hypoallergenic dog breed. Their individual hair follicles have an active growth period that is longer than that of many other breeds of dogs; combined with the tightly curled coat which slows the loss of dander and dead hair by trapping it in the curls, an individual poodle may release less dander and hair into the environment. In addition, most poodles are frequently brushed and bathed to keep them looking their best; this not only removes hair and dander but also controls the other potent allergen, and saliva.

Although dog hair itself is not a cause of human allergies, dog hair attracts and spreads skin dander, saliva proteins, dust, and pollen which trigger the stuffy nose, sneezing, and itchy, watery eyes. Many mixed breeds can be low shedding and hypoallergenic as well. If you are interested in adopting from your local shelter, talk to shelter workers about which dogs shed less and when you pick out a dog, spend some time with it to see how you react. If you are interested in a certain breed, find a reputable breeder who can discuss that particular breed’s characteristics and grooming needs with you.

source:
ID4PET

What's the first thing that a responsible pet owner will get for their pet?

Welcoming a new dog into the family home can be an exciting time for everyone. When you adopt a pet, it becomes your responsibility to provide them with everything they need to be healthy, happy, safe, well adjusted and well behaved. It’s your responsibility to teach them how to be good feline and canine citizens. And lastly, it’s your responsibility to give them an abundance of love. When you meet their emotional needs – which just might be the most vital aspect of responsible pet ownership – your pet will repay you a thousand fold. Responsible pet ownership starts before you take your new dog home.

Let’s start with the very basic, a good pet ID tag. Understand that the tags your vet provides you with are not identification should your pet get lost. These tags only indicate that your dog has received appropriate shots and is properly registered. There is no information about you or your vet on the tag should your dog get lost.

Your four legged friends are more than just pets. They are more like family members, best friends, and therapists all rolled into one. In the event when your beloved pet ever has a chance getting lost, pet ID tags are the first line of defense. Pet ID tags have complete details of your pet are highly recommended. Each tag should include a picture, medication and reward information. This will give your pet an extra chance to survive and come home safely. No pet owner would want their best friend never have the need for pet ID tags, but if they ever need one, can you take a chance not to have the pet ID tags on the collar or harness?

Do you watch dog 101 on Animal Planet lately? Dogs 101 is a fun crash course about all things dog! It is a very educational TV show talking about dog breed. Every breed was created for a reason, and the companion dogs are no exception. Their job is to keep people company, perhaps the most important thing a dog can do. Human on the other hand need to be a responsible owner. Being responsible means to protect him/her and avoid leaving your dog alone in the yard for any period of time. Dogs crave companionship and become easily bored if left alone. They might jump out or dig out the fence or find a way out from unclosed window or gate. You can prepare for this frightening possibility by getting a proper pet ID tagwith your contact information on it. Many local laws or regulations require that dogs wear pet ID tags, so you will need one to be in compliance.

Let’s be a responsible pet owner! Let’s start with a good pet ID tag .

Get a good Pet ID Tag for your best 4-legged friend today.

You watch dog 101 on Animal Planet lately? It is a very educational TV show talking about dog breed. Every breed was created for a reason, and the companion dogs are no exception. Their job is to keep people company, perhaps the most important thing a dog can do. Human on the other hand need to be a responsible owner. Being responsible means to protect him/her and avoid leaving your dog alone in the yard for any period of time. Dogs crave companionship and become easily bored if left alone. They might jump out or dig out the fence or find a way out from unclosed window or gate. You can prepare for this frightening possibility by getting a proper pet ID tag with your contact information on it. Many local laws or regulations require that dogs wear ID tags, so you will need one to be in compliance.

Give your dog a better Dog ID tag. You know you should!

We love our pets(as do you) and are determined to make sure that we don’t let one single pup go unprotected. Each and every pet should have a good dog ID tag. Statistic shows that one in three pets will get lost in their lifetime and sadly, most of these dogs and cats do not find their way back home. How scary is that!!!You can reduce the chances of losing your dog by preparing for the worst today. The steps are simple, quick and will save you from unnecessary heartbreak should your dog ever go lost or missing in the future.



ID4PET.COM Our pet ID tag contains important information for your beloved pet. It contains everything your standard driver’s license might include. It is fun and functional. Photographically printed on high quality PVC card, your new keychain will be with you for a long time. Whether your pet is big or small, the new personalized pet tag is the perfect way to identify your pet while being talk of the town!

Dimensions: (2 different sizes available)
1.1” X 2.1”
3.4” X 2.1”

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