Man Adopts Longest Resident At Animal Shelter After Losing His Mom

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a lot of loss and heartbreak to people around the world. In the spring of 2020, Wilfredo Vega from South Daytona, Florida faced his worst nightmare. His mom passed away amid the pandemic at 81 years old. Her oxygen level worsened after she was admitted to the hospital and she had a difficult time holding a conversation. When she passed away, Vega didn’t know how to handle his grief. Even months later, he still wasn’t in the holiday spirit. Celebrating anything seemed wrong without his mom there. But then he paused for a moment to think about what she would want for him, which led him toward one lucky rescue dog.

Image: @orangecountyanimalservices/Facebook

Meet Tonka!

Tonka the Pit Bull was almost the longest resident in history at the Orange County Animal Services. He spent a total of 216 days in their care, dreaming of a place to call home. During his stay, he had been adopted twice, but returned soon after for reasons out of his control. He just needed a family that was willing to give him time.

Poor Tonka first came to the shelter after being abandoned by his previous family. When they contacted the owner of the property, they explained that they had to relocate and couldn’t find somewhere for Tonka to stay. So, he was surrendered to the shelter. It took him a while to warm up to shelter life, but the staff hoped that he would find a more comfortable place to stay soon.

“Tonka is a handsome boy, who can definitely turn on the charm,” said Diane Summers, manager for Orange County Animal Services. “We’ve struggled to find that lasting match for him because he has shown that he needs to be the only dog in the home, a factor that drastically limits the pool of interested adopters, and he has heartworm disease, a treatable condition, but one that can come with a stigma due to lack of understanding.”

Image: @orangecountyanimalservices/Facebook

Tonka Finds His Way Home

It was the memories of Vega’s mom that brought him toward Tonka. He saw an article about Tonka’s story, and remembered how his mom had always raised him to do the right thing. He knew he could use another loving family member during these difficult times, so he drove 90 minutes to Orlando just to meet Tonka.

At first, things didn’t go as planned. It wasn’t love at first sight for Vega or Tonka. Sadly, Tonka even nipped at his potential adopter when they were playing. Vega felt a stronger connection to one of the other adoptable Pit Bulls, but he didn’t want another dog. He came there for Tonka, and he knew he just had to give the pup some time.

So, after careful consideration, Vega brought Tonka home. Sure enough, having tennis balls and a bed to call his own was enough to help Tonka feel happier and more loving. In a home environment, Vega feels a stronger connection toward Tonka and even enjoys taking him for walks. Vega also admits that Tonka is helping distract him from the sadness of his loss.

Image: @orangecountyanimalservices/Facebook

“Having him, it seems like I’m a little more energized,” Vega said. “I’m definitely going to be putting up my Christmas tree. I’m definitely going to spend time with the family for the holidays. So, he’s helping me just as much as I’m helping him.”

In addition to Tonka, Vega also has six parakeets and two cockatiels that he adopted from a shelter. The rescue birds aren’t quite as comforting as Tonka though, so Vega’s glad to have a furry friend around. Even though he and Tonka seemed at odds in the beginning, Vega took a chance and it paid off for the both of them.

H/T: mynews13.com
Featured Image: @orangecountyanimalservices/Facebook

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How to Take a Great Photo of Your Dog

For fab holiday pictures, focus on your dog’s natural behaviors.

Dogs are beautiful, charming, endearing—in fact, they ought to be in pictures. While this is true year-round, it’s especially appropriate this year, when many of us are doing our best to inject some fun into pandemic-beleaguered holidays. Focusing on our fabulous dogs is a good way to do that. Read on for ways to optimize the results.

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lifestyle

dog behavior

Photography

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Florida Dog Rescued from the Jaws of an Alligator

A Florida man wrestled his dog away from an alligator who had snatched the young pup as the two strolled along the pond the alligator calls home. Nearly as incredible as the dramatic rescue was the fact that it was recorded by surveillance cameras.

 

A harrowing rescue of young dog from the jaws of a Florida alligator was incredibly caught on video recently. The surveillance camera footage shows the dramatic encounter of Richard Wilbanks, 74, and a young alligator, tussling in the water as Wilbank’s 3-month-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is caught in the animal’s jaws. The video was shown on the local news, and thankfully, the sound was turned off to spare viewers the dog’s screams. And as dramatic as the footage is, not a drop of blood is shown and all survived.

“We were just out walking by the pond,” Wilbanks told CNN, “and it came out of the water like a missile. I never thought an alligator could be that fast. It was so quick.”

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dogpatch

news

videos

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Give Thanks for Your Senior Dog

November is adopt-a-senior-pet month, and also the month during which we celebrate Thanksgiving. So, it’s only natural to ponder the many reasons to be thankful for the precious older dogs who share our lives, homes and hearts.

Older dogs know us well, and that’s as wonderful as it is comforting. In many cases, these dogs have been in our lives for a long time, perhaps even since puppyhood, and have seen us through both happy and dark times. Sometimes, we’ve lived with these venerable dogs longer than we’ve lived with our spouse or our kids.

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life with dogs

Senior dogs

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Scientific Research Tells Us What Dogs Are Thinking

I bet you’ve looked at your dog’s innocent little eyes and wondered, “What’s he thinking?” Unlike my Yorkie, Leonard, who stands on my chest, cries in my face, and then leads me to the fridge like Lassie leading people to rescue Timmy from the well, maybe your four-legged friend hasn’t figured out how to let you know he wants a bedtime snack… or a little extra lovins’… or that she’s sorry for pooping on your flip flop.

It turns out that science isn’t all serious – although I do consider communicating with dogs no laughing matter. Dogs’ thoughts and ability to communicate are more popular topics among scholars than you might think.

Remember, speech is just one facet of communication. Parts of speech like inflection, body language, and dialect are all important parts of communication. Some humans are non-verbal but they’re able to adapt and communicate their wants and needs, so why can’t dogs?

Dogs Are Intellectual, Intelligent, and Deeply Connected To Humans

Science has taken a look at the way a dog’s brain works in regards to communication. It’s also examined popular beliefs about dogs and what they feel in certain situations.

Scientist Marc Bekoff wrote the book, Canine Confidential: Why Dogs Do What They Do. This book dove deeper into common beliefs about dogs like, “You should never hug a dog,” “Dogs don’t feel guilt,” and “Dogs only live in the present.” Here’s what he found:

They need our love just as much as we need theirs.

It’s a common idea and favorite phrase: A dog’s love is unconditional. This might be true for that special good boy in your life, but anyone who has known a dog with a history of abuse knows that this isn’t always the case. Much like humans who have experienced traumas, dogs who have been abused often need heaping amounts of patience, reassurance, and guidance to learn to trust and love again.

Dogs are not hardwired to love humans no matter what we do but instead, their love is reciprocated. Just like human children, dogs need more than the basic necessities from us in order to live fulfilling lives. They rely on us for emotional and intellectual stimulation as well as social support. Playing a game of fetch or stopping to sniff every mailbox on the street is more important than us humans realize.

There’s a good chance they feel guilty when they eat our favorite shoes.

Some people believe that dogs don’t feel guilt. Ask my Leonard, “Who poopied in the house?” and hanging head and puppy dog eyes would convince you otherwise. Guilty Leonard aside, there have been neuroimaging studies that show dogs feel a wide range of emotions, guilt included.

They remember their past and they look forward to their future.

It’s a common misconception that dogs live in the present, although this idea may be changing. Google “dog reunited with soldier” and you’ll have no doubt that dogs have an impressive memory.

Some pups really love to be hugged.

People say you shouldn’t hug a dog and in some cases that is absolutely correct. However, being hugged is a preference, and just like some humans love it, so do some pups. Some dogs like to be hugged in certain situations, by certain people, or under certain conditions. It’s probably best to hold off on the hugs for dogs you don’t know, but if your fur baby is into it, then hug away!

Gotta go! Leonard is crying in front of the fridge again. What do your pups have to say?

h/t: psychologtoday.com
Featured Photo: Belinda Fewings via Unsplash

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Syringes: A Thorough Breakdown

Let’s talk about a potentially life-saving device, especially if your pup needs insulin or any sort of injection at home… syringes!

We get so many questions regarding syringes, from; “Can I re-use syringes?” to “Can I use these U-40 syringes with U-100 insulin?” to “What is the difference between U-40 and U-100, 1 unit is 1 unit, right”? So, let’s do a thorough breakdown of syringes!

U-40 syringes are used for Vetsulin, Caninsulin, and ProZinc insulins. U-40 insulin has 40 parts of insulin per 1 mL of solution.

U-100 syringes are used for NPH, Glargine, and Detemir insulins. These are human insulins that are used for dogs.  U-100 insulin has 100 parts of insulin per 1 mL of solution.

This means that the barrels of U-40 and U-100 syringes hold different amounts, and this is why it is so crucially important to use the proper syringe for insulin. Using the wrong type of syringe will over-dose or under-dose your dog. There are countries that use U-100 syringes with U-40 insulin, and a conversion is necessary to get the appropriate dose.

Now let’s breakdown an actual syringe!

NEEDLE LENGTH

In order to deliver the insulin into the subcutaneous area, needles must be long enough to get to the appropriate space for proper absorption. AAHA recommends using a ½” (12.7 mm) length needle for most dogs.

We do know that smaller dogs can get away with using the 5/16” (8 mm) length needles without problem. Since a dog’s skin is typically thicker than a human’s skin, it is not recommended to use a 15/64” (6 mm).

GAUGE

Sometimes referred to as “G”, this is the diameter of the needle. The larger the number, the smaller the diameter, so a 31 gauge needle is thinner in diameter than a 29 gauge needle.

BARREL

The barrel is what holds the insulin. There are unit markings on each syringe for dosing. Depending on the amount of insulin a syringe holds, syringe barrels may have ½ unit markings and 1 unit markings, have 1 unit markings only, and there are syringes that have 2 unit markings.

 

PLUNGER

The plunger is the moveable part of the syringe that draws up and pushes insulin.

This is a lot of information, and syringes can be pretty confusing; especially for those that have never worked in the medical field. Hopefully, this blog helps to clear up any confusion, and if you have any questions or comments, we would love to hear from you! Email sales@shoppettest.com, and we’ll be happy to chat! For more great educational conversations, photos, and giveaways, be sure to check out PetTest on Facebook and Instagram.

If you are looking for an online community to join for support, Diabetic Dog Owners and Canine Diabetes Support and Information can be found on Facebook as well.

Be sure to check out ShopPetTest.com for syringes. Just click on the links below to take you directly to the product. Most products on the site offer exclusive iHeartDogs savings with promo code IHEARTSAVINGS at checkout for 30% off! You can take a look through the PetTest flipbook to see their whole line of quality products here: http://online.fliphtml5.com/frnl/satr/#p=1

U-100 SYRINGES

Advocate U-100 Insulin Syringes 30 G, 0.3 cc, 5/16” https://shoppettest.com/advocate-syringes-30g-3cc-5-16-100-box/

Advocate U-100 Insulin Syringes 30G, 0.5 cc 5/16″ https://shoppettest.com/syringes-30g-0-5cc/

Advocate U-100 Insulin Syringes 30G, 0.3cc, 1/2″ https://shoppettest.com/advocate-u-100-insulin-syringes-30g-3cc-1-2-100-box-1/

Advocate U-100 Insulin Syringes 31G, 0.3cc, 5/16″ https://shoppettest.com/syringes-31g-3cc/

Advocate U-100 Insulin Syringes 31G, 0.5cc, 5/16″ https://shoppettest.com/syringes-31g-5cc/

U-40 SYRINGES

PetTest U-40 Insulin Syringes 31G, 0.3CC, 5/16″ https://shoppettest.com/advocate-pettest-u-40-insulin-syringes-31g-3cc-5-16-100-box/

PetTest U-40 Insulin Syringes 31G, 0.5CC, 5/16″ https://shoppettest.com/advocate-pettest-u-40-insulin-syringes-31g-5cc-5-16-100-box/

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Prince William And Kate Middleton Mourn The Loss Of Family Dog

Everyone grieves pet loss differently, and for many, the loss of a dog is comparable to the loss of a human. Those who don’t have animals might not understand, but the pain of saying goodbye to your furry friend is unimaginable. So, when Prince William and Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, announced that their family dog Lupo had passed away, followers were quick to comfort them.

Lupo the black Cocker Spaniel was with the family for 9 years. The couple’s children grew up beside Lupo, so thinking about life without him was unbearable. Luckily, fans were very kind and supportive.

Image: Kensington Royal Facebook

An Emotional Goodbye

The royal family has always been a group of dog lovers. Queen Elizabeth was famous for her many Corgis over the years, and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle recently adopted a black Lab named Pula. The family has lost many royal dogs before, and every time is just as heartbreaking as Lupo’s death.

William and Kate turned to Instagram to announce their loss. They shared a simple, yet heartfelt message, along with an adorable photo of Lupo in the snow.

“Very sadly last weekend our dear dog, Lupo, passed away. He has been at the heart of our family for the past nine years and we miss him so much,” the couple shared on their Instagram page.

Image: @kensingtonroyal/Instagram

James Middleton’s Tribute

Kate’s brother, James Middleton, also turned to Instagram to honor Lupo. He posted three images of the dog and shared a lengthy post explaining why dogs are so important and so hard to say goodbye to. Dogs are especially important to James because he claims that his dog Ella saved his life. Ella also happens to be Lupo’s mom.

“Nothing can ever prepare you for the loss of a dog. For those who have never had a dog, it might be hard to understand the loss. However for those who have loved a dog know the truth: a dog is not just a pet; [they are] a member of the family, a best friend, a loyal companion, a teacher, and a therapist,” James wrote on Instagram.

In his post, James goes on to say that there’s no right way to grieve a dog. He said he still feels the pain from losing his first dog Tilly back in 2017. To honor Lupo, James lit a candle, said a prayer, and took Ella for a walk so they could spend time remembering him.

Image: @jmidy/Instagram

While the royal family often seems to keep their dogs away from the spotlight, it’s clear that their furry friends are just as much a part of the family as their human ones are. It’s difficult to imagine what William and Kate are going through, but at least they can feel comfort in believing that James’ late dog Tilly will be there to greet Lupo in the afterlife.

Rest in peace, Lupo. Your family and their many fans will miss you terribly.

H/T: nbcnews.com
Featured Image: Kensington Royal Facebook and @kensingtonroyal/Instagram

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