A HI^L l^k /I A SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 1973 WNhmDEVOTED TO PET CARE AND WELL-BEING NATIONAL DOG WEEK . - -*»«*> •% * 197 * - t i '£- y PATSY i AWARDS- fcS." I ! 8 • WITH HOWARD A, WEYKER DVM EDITOR'S NOTEBOOK THE AKC TODAY Guest Editorial by John Lafore, Jr. John Lafore, Jr., Philadelphia, is president of the American Kennel Club, regulating agency of the dog fancy in the United States. Following are excerpts from a speech he pre­ fflffifeiDE sented at a Dog Health Seminar spon­ sored by the Denver-based Morris Ani­ Official Journal of the Animal Health Foundation on animal care and health. mal Foundation February 4, 1973, in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER Volume 4 Number 5 We have recently made some changes in the American Kennel Club. A few have been executed, some are in ARTICLES the stages of execution, and others are still on the drawing board. Animals in Verse Cars ten Ahrens 6 One of the innovations, a new con­ Deserve To Be Your Dog's Best Friend 10 cept of enforcement and education in New AVMA President 11 the field, may solve some of the Bighorn Sheep in California Charles W. Jenner, D. V.M. 12 problems that worry dog breeders of An Emergency Hospital for Pets Jane H. Bailey 14 America. Canine Stamp Collection Olga Phillips 15 We have established a resident agent On African Safari with Howard A. Weyker, D.V.M. 16 in Iowa, the state which is the second Children's Page 20 largest breeder of commercial puppies Children's Picture Poem Mary B. Cooper 20 in the United States. He will, because Little Spunk of Halloween Hollow Arlene Cook 21 of his residency and wide acquaintance The 1973 Patsy Awards Norene Harris 22 in dogs and government agencies in the So You're Thinking of Buying a Kitten? Paul Brock 26 state, work with consumer fraud units, Make Your Pet This Easy to Clean Dish Jan S. Paul 29 the Iowa and federal veterinarians, local boards of health, and humane DEPARTMENTS societies to insure proper record keep­ ing and identification of dogs. Doctor's Advice 4 So far, the agent in Iowa is the only one who has been established, but the number will be increased as we find the right personnel. C M Baxter, D.V.M . Editorial Director Eventually, we should have four or Norene Harris Associate Editor five men from the largest puppy pro­ Pamela Bradley Associate Editor duction centers working as resident Millwood A. Custer, D.V.M Small Animals Editor agents before the year is over. At the Charles H. Reid, D.V.M Equine Editor same time, we are increasing the activ­ Robert J. Schroeder, D.V.M Ecology & Public Health Editor ity of the other investigation depart­ Oscar W. Schalm, D.V.M Research Editor ments - the registration and review Wesley A. Young, D.V.M Exotic Animals Editor sections. As we include more agents in more Bill Williams Art Director states, we will have a strong impact on Laura Tracy Advertising Director the thing that worries us dog fanciers so much - the mass production and Address all advertising and editorial communications to ANIMAL CAVALCADE, 11926 sale of low-quality puppies. Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, California 90025. Area Code 213, 826-3647. All AKC-sanctioned match shows have editorial correspondence and manuscripts must be accompanied by a stamped self-ad­ dressed envelope. grown by leaps and bounds. Because of this, they require some form of friendly scrutiny. We will continue to monitor them in increasing numbers. SUBSCRIPTIONS AND CHANGE OF ADDRESS But the spot coverage of the matches Send subscriptions and change of address to ANIMAL HEALTH FOUNDATION, 8338 is purely educational - the AKC repre­ Rosemead Boulevard, Pico Rivera, Calif. 90660. Be sure to notify us of your change of sentative will be there for observation address at least six weeks before the change is made, including an address label clipped and to give any help or advice that is from your latest copy. Give both your old and new address and include your ZIP CODE. needed. In the area of rule changes, during the last delegates meeting there was a COVER: Kenyan giraffes - Photo by Howard A. Weyker, D.V.M. set of changes which will allow the premium lists and judging schedules to ANIMAL CAVALCADE is published bi-monthly by Continental Publishing Corp. for the Animal Health houndation, 8338 Rosemead Blvd., Pico Rivera, Calif. 90660. Single copies be mailed earlier. This becomes effec­ .60?. 12-issue subscription, $6.00; additional gift subscriptions (if ordered at same time), tive July 3, 1973. $4.00 each. Copyright, 1972, Continental Publishing Corp. continued on page 8 dogs can have, it is necessary to Q. Is it true that pets may become I look for their eggs rather than the neurotic by association with certain worms themselves. This is done by people or owners? mixing some of the stool with the proper solution, centrifuging it to A. If by "neurotic" you mean the concentrate the worm eggs, if any generally accepted medical inter­ are present, and examining under a pretation of being excessively ner­ microscope. This enables the veter­ vous or overly anxious without inarian to identify the exact species showing signs of a specific nervous of worm and thus give the best disease, the answer is yes—even a treatment. A small plastic or card­ well-meaning person can unwitting­ board container such as those ice ly cause a pet to become neurotic. cream or cottage cheese is packed Like ourselves, however, some in­ in is handy for collecting the stool dividual animals are more adaptable and taking it for examination, but to tension-producing situations and Readers with health and other pet may be less affected than others to problems are invited to send in their the veterinarian will most likely want to examine the dog before a particular stress, and they may questions to ANIMAL CAVALCADE. respond differently to different Those with the greatest reader interest giving any treatment if that is needed. people. Cats seem to have fewer will be handled on this page by Dr. such problems than dogs, although J.F. Smithcors, D.V.M., Ph.D., who is Q. Does altering a male dog cause any this may be because of their more technical editor of American Veter­ residual effects in later life? What is independent nature and we simply inary Publications, Inc. the proper age for the surgery? don't recognize problems they may A. Unlike tomcats, it is usually not have. Perhaps most of the problems necessary to alter male dogs to with dogs relate to the frustrations Q. What is the best program for pro­ keep them from developing unde­ of confinement, and it is something tecting a pup from contacting the sirable behavior as they get older, of a cop-out to blame the dog for usual diseases of puppyhood? and a normally active dog does not being neurotic when he engages in excessive whining, barking, digging, A. The very best health program become "frustrated" merely be­ etc., when his owner may unknow­ would begin with selection of the cause he is not allowed to breed. ingly be causing this undesirable pup, a reputable breeder being the Others do develop habits that are behavior by failing to recognize the preferred source because you have embarrassing (to us) or become so dog's need for acceptable means of better assurance that the pup unruly they no longer make good relieving tension. If the person him­ comes from healthy stock free pets, and for these dogs, castration self is neurotic he may communi­ from inherited defects. Many may be helpful in reducing the cate this to the animal and com­ breeders will also allow you some amount and level of this undesir­ pound the problem. For example, a latitude in returning the pup if able activity. Altering an easy going fat, lazy self-indulgent owner there is reason for dissatisfaction. If adult dog ordinarily has no effect should not be surprised if his pet it is from a pet store or "backyard on his disposition or activity, and becomes fat, lazy and demanding. breeder" you should check to see one benefit is that this greatly that the animals are kept under reduces the likelihood of his ever Q. My veterinarian advises annual decent conditions. In any event, it developing prostate trouble, which booster shots for Distemper, Hepa­ would be desirable to purchase the affects some old dogs. If he is titis, and Leptospirosis. Are these pup subject to its passing an exami­ altered during puppyhood, how­ necessary? nation by your veterinarian. The ever, he will not become masculine so-called puppy shots offer only and problems may develop later if A. The only safe answer is, yes, these very temporary protection, and it he has any tendency to form urin­ annual boosters are necessary if would be wise to discuss a vac­ ary calculi. The best time would be you have real concern for your cination program with your veterin­ after he has attained most of his dog's welfare. There are two rea­ arian, who can also offer sugges­ growth and male characteristics, sons for saying this. First, although tions regarding general health care, probably between one and two the initial series of shots will be feeding and handling, details of years of age, depending on the protective in nearly all instances for which would be too much to dis­ breed. longer than a year (thus providing cuss here. There are numerous some safety margin) individual books that will be useful in this Q.