Molly - A Heartwarming Story

I received this email from a friend of mine. A great story.

 Meet Molly

A most heartwarming story---beats the heck out of murders, politics and terrorists!!! 
She's a gray speckled pony who
was abandoned by her owners when Hurricane
Katrina hit southern Louisiana . She spent weeks
on her own before finally being rescued and taken
to a farm where abandoned animals were stockpiled.
While there, she was attacked by a dog and almost died. Her gnawed right front leg became
infected, and her vet went to LSU for help, but
LSU was overwhelmed, and this pony was a welfare
case. You know how that goes.
  
But after surgeon Rustin Moore met Molly, he changed his mind.
He saw how the pony was careful to lie down on different sides
so she didn't seem to get sores,
and how she allowed people to handle her.
She protected her injured leg.
She constantly shifted her weight
and didn't overload her good leg.
She was a smart pony with a serious
survival ethic.

Moore agreed to remove her leg below the knee,
and a temporary artificial limb was built.
Molly walked out of the clinic and
her story really begins there.

'This was the right horse and the right owner,' Moore insists.
Molly happened to be a one-in-a-million patient.
She's tough as nails, but sweet, and she was willing to cope with pain.
She made it obvious she understood that she was
in trouble. The other important factor, according
to Moore , is having a truly committed and compliant
owner who is dedicated to providing the daily care
required over the lifetime of the horse.

Molly's story turns into a parable for life in Post-Katrina Louisiana .........
The little pony gained weight, and her mane finally felt a comb.
A human prosthesis designer built her a leg.

The prosthetic has given Molly a whole new life,
Allison Barca DVM, Molly's regular vet, reports.

And she asks for it. She will put her little limb out,
and come to you and let you know that she wants
you to put it on. Sometimes she wants you to take
it off too. And sometimes, Molly gets away from Barca.

'It can be pretty bad when you can't catch a three-legged horse,' she laughs.

Most important of all, Molly has a job now. Kay,
the rescue farm owner, started taking Molly to
shelters, hospitals, nursing homes, and rehabilitation
centers. Anywhere she thought that people needed
hope. Wherever Molly went, she showed people
her pluck. She inspired people, and she had a
good time doing it.

'It's obvious to me that Molly had a bigger role to
play in life, Moore said. She survived the hurricane,
she survived a horrible injury, and now she is giving
hope to others.' Barca concluded, 'She's not back to normal,
but she's going to be better. To me, she could be a
symbol for New Orleans itself.' 
 

This is Molly's most recent prosthesis. The bottom
photo shows the ground surface that she stands on,
which has a smiley face embossed in it. Wherever
Molly goes, she leaves a smiley hoof print behind.
  

Dogs May Mourn as Deeply as Humans Do

An interesting article from the AVMA Animal Health SmartBrief  about dogs showing clear signs of grief and that they do mourn a loss.

Dogs May Mourn as Deeply as Humans Do

Experts say many canines exhibit clear signs of grief when their owner or animal housemate dies

July 6, 2012 RSS Feed Print

By Maryann Mott
HealthDay Reporter
FRIDAY, July 6 (HealthDay News) -- Jon Tumilson's dog, Hawkeye, was an important part of his life.
And, as it turns out, Tumilson was an important part of Hawkeye's life.

After the Navy SEAL was killed in Afghanistan last summer, more than a thousand friends and family attended the funeral in Rockford, Iowa, including his "son" Hawkeye, a black Labrador retriever who, with a heavy sigh, lay down in front of Tumilson's flag-draped casket. There, the loyal dog stayed for the entire service.

Hawkeye's reaction to his owner's death generated a lot of buzz online and in the media. But it's not unusual, according to pet experts, for some dogs to mourn the loss of a favorite person or animal housemate.
Grief is one of the basic emotions dogs experience, just like people, said Dr. Sophia Yin, a San Francisco-based veterinarian and applied animal behaviorist. Dogs also feel fear, happiness, sadness, anger, as well as possessiveness.

Dogs who mourn may show similar signs to when they're separated for long periods of time from the individual they're bonded to, she said. Of those signs, depression is the most common, in which dogs usually sleep more than normal, move slower, eat less and don't play as much.

The beginnings of such a strong inter-species bond between humans and dogs dates back some 15,000 years, when early man and the ancestor of today's dog roamed the Earth together.

Today, after thousands of years of friendship, there's a great deal of attunement between humans and dogs, not only in terms of comprehension of each other's gestures and body language but also emotionally, said Barbara King, a professor of anthropology at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Va.
It's not just evolutionary logic, or reading peer-reviewed science literature that's convinced King that dogs (as well as cats) feel deep grief. Interviews with astute pet owners for her upcoming book, How Animals Grieve, and the power of observation, has also led her to this conclusion.

Case in point: a grainy video posted on YouTube that captured the image of a scruffy terrier running onto a busy highway in Chile to rescue another dog, hit moments earlier, by a car. As vehicles whiz by the terrier, he instinctively wraps his paws around the injured dog, dragging him off the road to safety.

"When you look at that sort of example, again, you see that these dogs are thinking and feeling creatures, and that sets the stage for grief," she said.

Through her research, King has found that in households with two dogs who've lived together for a number of years, some owners report that when one dog dies, the other gets depressed. Skeptics might point to a change in daily routine as the cause of depression or, perhaps, because the owner is upset and grieving. But King feels differently.

"The surviving dog is searching around the house for a lost companion -- looking in favorite places, going to places that they spent with their friend, very pointed actions that tell you the dog is missing his friend," she said.

In an effort to understand what dogs are thinking, researchers at Emory University in Atlanta are conducting brain scans of dogs using functional MRI (fMRI).

Gregory Berns, director of the Emory Center for Neuropolicy and lead researcher on the project, hopes their work will reveal secrets of the dog-human relationship, from the dog's perspective.

Even with high-tech tools, though, determining whether canines experience grief would be tough, he admitted, because he believes it's unknown how grief looks in the human brain. If it were known, however, Berns said researchers could then look for this emotion in the dog but it would require showing pictures, perhaps movies, of the deceased human or canine.

"It would be fascinating to figure out," said Berns, who normally uses fMRI technology to study how the human mind works. "If I were to speculate, I would guess that, like people, some dogs mourn and others don't."

King agrees. After all, she said, dogs possess unique personalities and react differently, even in the same situation. Whether a dog grieves hinges on a dynamic mix of life experiences, added King, including how they were raised and what their people or animal house

A recent article about the Mazuri food update. From the AVMA Animal Health SmartBrief.

Leading producer of exotic pet diets recalls several formulas of food

flickr photo by lipkee

After getting complaints about their pet's illnesses and deaths of their small birds, PMI Nutrition International LLC, a division of St. Paul, Minnesota-based Land O’Lakes Inc., has recalled four varieties of their LabDiet and Mazuri feed products for small birds, guinea pigs, maned wolves and primates.

 

The products that have been recalled are reported to have elevated vitamin D levels —something that can be harmful to animals if fed for extended periods, the company reported.

The exotic animal foods were produced at PMI’s Richmond, Indiana plant and distributed throughout the U.S. and to some international markets.

PMI reports it has contacted retailers and has asked them to notify consumers. The diets should not be given to pets, the company reported.

The lot and formula numbers are located on the back of each specific product bag.

• 5025 0001330 Guinea Pig Diet 50# APR17122
• 56A6 0001452 Mazuri Small Bird Maintenance 25# APR15123
• 5MA2 0040996 Mazuri Primate Maintenance Biscuit 25# APR22122
• 5MD9 0011482 Mazuri Maned Wolf Diet 33# APR21122

Customers who purchased the product can receive a full refund. For more information on the product recall, you may contact your retailer or the company's customer service department at 855-863-0421, extension 224) between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Click here to read the FDA press release.

What they are saying about the acoustic shows... | Dave Mason: The Official Site.

What they are saying about the acoustic shows... | Dave Mason: The Official Site.

I am flattered.....Dave Mason posted my review on his website......

Insurance Fraud Over Fictitious Cat

Some people will try anything........

 

Tacoma man accused of insurance fraud over fictitious dead cat

Posted by John de Leon

Image of the cat submitted to PEMCO by Yevgeniy M. Samsonov. (Photo from the state Office of the Insurance Commissioner)

A Tacoma man has been charged with first-degree attempted theft and felony insurance fraud after he tried to collect a $20,000 insurance payment for a dead cat.

Trouble is, the cat never existed, says the state Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

On March 27, 2009, Yevgeniy M. Samsonov, 29, was involved in a minor traffic accident when his car was rear-ended while he was stopped at a traffic light in Tacoma, according to a news release from the commissioner’s office. Damage to both vehicles was minor.

Samsonov filed a claim that included chiropractic treatment of soft tissue injuries. The other driver’s insurer, PEMCO, paid him $3,452, the news release says.

Two and a half years later, Samsonov sought additional payment from PEMCO, claiming that his beloved cat Tom had been killed in the same accident, the news release says.

PEMCO issued Samsonov a check for $50 to compensate him for the cat.

But Samsonov then told PEMCO that he’d paid $1,000 for the cat, who’d been like a son to him, the news release says. He wanted $20,000.

He sent the company two photos he said he’d taken of his cat.

A PEMCO claims representative did a Google Images search and discovered identical cat images appearing on web sites, blogs and Facebook pages. The two images Samsonov submitted are actually of two different cats. Neither belonged to Samsonov, the news release says.

PEMCO canceled the $50 check and forwarded the case to the insurance commissioner’s anti-fraud unit.
Samsonov is scheduled to be arraigned next Wednesday in Pierce County Superior Court.

“We’ve handled some pretty unusual fraud cases, but this is one of the stranger ones,” said Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler.

Canine Companions Can Improve Your Health

An article from the AVMA SmartHealth Brief......

Canine companions can help improve your health

Posted: Jul 05, 2012 3:33 PM CDT

We all know regular physical activity can help improve our overall health. The same is true for dogs.
"Dogs require a large amount of exercise probably more than what your average pet does get and so you exercising with your pet is definitely a good way to achieve that," said Penn-Ohio Veterinary Services' Dr. Nicole Pearsall.

Research from the University of Missouri found that people who walk dogs are more consistent about regular exercise and show more improvement in fitness than people who walk with a human companion.  But, before you leash up your pooch veterinarian Dr. Nicole Pearsall encourages you to check to make sure your dog is at a healthy weight, is current on its flea, tick and heart worm medication and is groomed.  Her suggestion, start off slow.

"Every breed is different.  Every dog is different based on the age and other health factors so that is just a general rule of thumb, but you want to listen to your pet. When they start to slow down, don't drag them and listen to them if they are tell you that they are too hot or too tired and you definitely probably need to stop at that point," said Dr. Pearsall.

On hot days, like today, it is easy to overwork yourself and your pet.  Dr. Pearsall says if your dog begins to pant heavily or drool excessively he or she could be at risk for heat stroke.  That's just one reason why she encourages dog owners to workout with their pets in the morning when it is cooler.

"Depending on how hot it is you definitely have to be careful with the pavement because it can get really really hot. It would be like you walking on the pavement in your bare feet, but if you walk your dog in the grass that tends to be about 10 degrees cooler than the pavement," said Dr. Pearsall.

Once you've wrapped up your workout, Dr. Pearsall suggests giving your dog a little water. Although, she discourages owners from feeding their dogs right away.  Her suggestion is to feed a dog no more than 1 to 2 hours before a workout and 1 to 2 hours after a workout. 

Dr. Pearsall also encourages owners to use harnesses rather than dog collars when walking or running.  She says they do less damage to a dog's windpipe. Also, avoid using retractable leashes. Dr. Pearsall says you have more control with non-retractable leashes.

Recall of Some Varieties of Pedigree Brand Wet Food

Received this notice of another food recall from a friend of mine. ....

 

Taken from:

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm310400.htm

Recall -- Firm Press Release

FDA posts press releases and other notices of recalls and market withdrawals from the firms involved as a service to consumers, the media, and other interested parties. FDA does not endorse either the product or the company.

Mars Petcare US Announces Voluntary Recall of Limited Range of Pedigree® Brand Wet Dog Food

Contact
Consumer:
877-720-3335

Media:
Julie Lawless
615-585-5861
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -June 30, 2012 - Today, Mars Petcare US announced a voluntary recall of a limited range of three varieties of PEDIGREE® weight management canned dog food products due to a potential choking risk.

Affected product may contain small pieces of blue plastic, which entered the food during the production process. The source of the plastic has been identified and the issue resolved. We encourage consumers who have purchased affected product to discard the food or return it to the retailer for a full refund or exchange. While a small number of consumers have reported finding the plastic pieces, we have not received any reports of injury or illness associated with the affected product. The lot codes indicated below should not be sold or consumed.

Affected product was distributed to retail customers throughout the United States. Mars Petcare US is working with all of our distributors and retail customers to ensure that the recalled products are no longer sold and are removed from inventory.
Recalled Pet Food
Only cans of PEDIGREE® weight management canned dog food varieties with the production codes shown below are included in this voluntary recall. Each product will have a lot code printed on the end of the can that begins with 209, 210, 211 or 212 and a Best Before date that falls between 2/24/2014 and 3/23/2014.

UPC	DESCRIPTION
2310034974	PEDIGREE +® Healthy Weight Premium Ground Entrée in Meaty Juices
2310001913	PEDIGREE® Weight Management Meaty Ground Dinner Beef & Liver Dinner in Meaty Juices
2310023045	PEDIGREE® Weight Management Meaty Ground Dinner Chicken & Rice Dinner in Meaty Juices

No other PEDIGREE® products are affected, including any other variety of wet food, dry dog food, or dog treats.

At Mars Petcare US, we take our responsibility to pets and their owners seriously. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused by this recall. Pet owners who have questions about the recall should call 1-877-720-3335 or visit www.pedigree.com/update^{1 2}.

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