Welcome to the Olive Branch Animal Rescue & Refuge, Inc.

Quarterly Newsletter 

February - April  2010     Vol. 2  Issue 1

All of us at the Olive Branch would like to thank

 everyone who has helped us over the past couple of years. 

 It truly has been a great journey with your help.

First and foremost we want the Olive Branch Newsletter  to be informative and educational to help our pet owners and their families to better understand their pets and also help to promote the best welfare for all animals.

Second, we want to inform all animal lovers on what is happening on the legislative side of laws and updates so that you can help change area’s that might need to be changed to help all the animals that are abandoned, abused and neglected.

Third, we want everyone to know all about our pets up at the Olive Branch, so that if you know a family that might be interested in any of our pets you can send them to the Olive Branch and visit all of our critters.

 

   Hi I am Emma your roving pooch for the inside news at the Olive Branch.

We have to say goodbye to Copper and Clay as they found new forever homes somewhere in Massachusetts, they were a little concerned about the weather with all the snow but I told them, hey look what we have here in WV.   I wish them all the best.  Copper really looks funny as he has one blue eye and one brown eye (go figure) and Clay well he is JUST BIG, but a nice guy.  Now the one we need to worry about and go figure found a forever already is Oshka, but what a terror, I thought I could run fast this gal doesn't stop.  Don't know what they put in her breakfast but she could sure be in the Olympics.  Here are some pictures of the dogs that will be leaving soon.

   Clay            Copper       Oshka

Don't let Oshka fool you, she looks innocent but

    WATCH OUT.  We call her the roadrunner!     

I promise the next newsletter I will have a lot more scoop to dish out.  This is my first time as Rooving Reporter.                                          

Legislation in West Virginia

    

HB 4333 was introduced today and it is a great bill. Commercial dog breeding operations. We should support this bill. Please read and if you agree, send an email to the chair of the House Agriculture Comm. Sam Argento sargento@mail.wvnet.edu. Argento is on sick live so please send another email to the vice chair Greg Butcher gbutcher@mail.wvnet.edu  Ask them to please put this bill on the agriculture agenda.

Thanks,

Sylvia

 

SB 485 was introduced today. Any one in animal control who does seizures of abandoned or neglected animals needs to read this bill. It states that the officer must report animal seizure to magistrate court. This bill is in Senate Judiciary Committee.

 

The sub bill for SB 380  will be up for passage or failure tomorrow. If you have not sent your senators an email, you need to send it today or tonight. This makes gamecock fighting a felony.

HB 4406 was introduced today. This bill creates the Spay Neuter Assistance Fund. The bill has been sent to the House Agriculture Committee and then will go to Judiciary. This is a good bill and needs your support.

 

HB 4407 was introduced today. This bill changes the vaccine required to prevent rabies  to three years from two years, it also creates a waver for animals that cannot take the vaccine. Please read this bill. It also goes to Agriculture and then Judiciary.

 

SB 380(animal fighting) passed the Senate today with one vote against. Senator Fanning of McDowell county. This bill now moves to the House who cannot consider the bill until 3-3.

A new House bill was introduced today. HB 4429 which increases the financial penalties for causing injury to a horse or dog used by law enforcement. This bill goes first to the Aguriculture Comm. and then to Judiciary.

 

This is an important email and your help is needed to have this bill heard in the Agriculture Committee.This bill creates a Spay Neuter Assistance Fund. Please email the Vice Chair of this committee and ask him to place HB 4406 on the committee agenda. Greg Butcher gbutcher@mail.wvnet.edu

                                                                                                                                      

     Toxic Fragrances

      Dr. Charlotte Means, D.V.M.,
        ASPCA National Animal  Poison Control Center

    Scents and Sensibility

Lilac or lavender, gingerbread or cinnamon - favorite fragrances can ease the tensions of a tough day. In recent years, potpourri has become a popular way to fill our homes with special scents. During the holidays, many of us relish being met at the door by balsam and bayberry.

As pet owners, we also love being met at the door by our cherished companions. Recently, however, one Pennsylvania pet owner was met by the chilling sight of her cat standing in a puddle of his own drool, his feet the color purple, gurgling with each breath and sticking out his tongue. On a high shelf, the owner discovered an overturned container of liquid potpourri, with guilty paw prints leading away from the scene. The cat, a healthy 11-pound, 3-year-old neutered male, was rushed to the veterinarian, a victim of his own curiosity.

A MATTER OF FORM

Potpourri comes in several forms. Solid potpourri contains pieces of dried plants, fruits, pine cones and more. Toxicity varies with the kinds of plants that are used, but solid potpourri generally results in an upset stomach. Essential oils may be used to refresh the potpourri and renew the scent, and these oils can cause drooling and vomiting.

Simmering or liquid potpourri, however, often contains cationic detergents, which can cause serious injury. Cationic detergents, also referred to as quaternary ammonium compounds, are found in some household cleaners and fabric softeners, as well. Their effects can be both localized and systemic (affecting several body systems), depending on the quantity that the animal ingests.

Cats are typically exposed to potpourri while exploring. They knock the liquid over and walk through it, or it splashes on their coat or skin. They then groom themselves. Dogs and ferrets are usually willing to taste the scented liquid right out of the container or to lick up spills courtesy of the cat.

The cationic detergent causes severe burns and blisters on the tongue, the larynx and esophagus. Typical clinical signs include drooling; vomiting, sometimes with blood; muscle weakness; and fevers sometimes as high as 107°. Hair and skin loss, as well as lesions on the paws, can occur. A cat may have difficulty breathing due to swelling of the larynx, and its lungs may sound raspy, as in pulmonary edema. In high doses, seizures and coma can occur. Shock can also occur. Signs may resemble those of overexposure to organo-phosphorus or carbamate insecticides, which are used in sprays to kill ants, flies and garden pests, and well as fleas and ticks on pets. It is critical to obtain the correct diagnosis, since the treatment for each toxin is radically different.

TREATING EFFECTS

Small quantities of milk can be given to an asymptomatic animal to help reduce the effects of the burn. Vomiting is normally not induced with any substance that can cause esophageal or oral burns. The pet should be bathed to remove all potpourri from the coat.

A veterinarian will treat the clinical signs with antibiotics, medication to help the oral and esophageal ulcers heal and supportive care for breathing difficulties and seizures. Nutritional support is also very important, because many cats will not eat if their mouth is painful. Some cats require a feeding tube until the mouth is healed. An exam with an endoscope (a flexible tube with a camera) is generally recommended a day or two after an animal ingests a cationic detergent. If ulcers are in the esophagus, they can leave a stricture (scar) as they heal. Strictures, in turn, can cause subsequent problems with swallowing and eating. An endoscopic exam allows the veterinarian to be prepared for stricture formation.

As always, preventing problems is key. Candles, potpourri and other scented objects should be placed out of furry ones' reach. Liquids, in particular, should be placed in a cupboard or enclosed area to prevent cats or ferrets from knocking over pots while exploring. The labels of simmering potpourris need not list active ingredients, and some may state "nontoxic," even though cationic detergents are present. For these reasons, it is safest to assume that all simmering potpourris contain cationic detergents and to protect your pets accordingly. Returning to a sweet-smelling home is wonderful - but only if your pet is there to greet you in good health.

Dr. Means, a veterinary toxicologist, is a member of the staff at the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at the University of Illinois in Urbana.

General Horse Care Guidelines

Misty wants everyone to check out our video's you can see her running with her friends.

HSUS

Are you interested in experiencing the joys of horse ownership? While sharing your life with a horse can be a rewarding experience, it also means accepting the responsibility of caring for your equine companion for life. Here are some general guidelines for caring for your horse:

• Even routine horse care is a significant and ongoing expense. In fact, the cost of purchasing a horse is often much less than the cost of maintaining one for a year. Make sure you are realistic about your ability to afford quality care before you adopt an equine companion.

• Horses need a regular supply of food. In most cases, they need to have hay or pasture throughout the day, with additional grain feedings twice a day. An average-size horse will eat about 20 lbs. of food a day and drink at least eight gallons of water. Because their stomachs are relatively small and their digestive systems surprisingly delicate, horses need to nibble or graze throughout the day, rather than have one or two meals a day.

• Horses need regular hoof care. Plan to hire a farrier (blacksmith) every six to eight weeks for routine hoof trimming or shoeing.

• Horses need regular veterinary care. At least once a year, your horse will need to be vaccinated against tetanus and other diseases. The veterinarian will also provide routine dental care. Keep in mind that medical emergencies, which are always an unfortunate possibility, can cost several thousand dollars to treat.

• Since horses are constantly exposed to intestinal worms from the ground they graze on, they must be dewormed every six to eight weeks. Carrying a heavy burden of worms can cause serious illness or death in equines, so regular and timely treatment is crucial to your horse's health.

• Horses need constant access to a dry, safe, comfortable shelter to protect them from rain, wind, and snow. In warm and sunny weather, the shelter you supply will provide your companion with much needed shade. At a minimum, you should have a well-constructed, three-sided shed into which your horse can retreat at all times. You will need to remove manure from the stall or shelter every day.

• Horses need exercise. To supplement the exercise your horse will get when you ride him, he should have a paddock or pasture in which to relax and stroll. No horse should spend all day confined in a stall, except on a veterinarian's recommendation. The pasture should be bordered by safe, sturdy fencing that will keep the horse safe and secure. Barbed wire is not an acceptable fencing material—it has been the cause of many serious injuries.
  

Your horse depends on your love, care, and commitment. You'll show your love through grooming, petting, riding, and the occasional treat. You must also show your commitment by providing for her needs 365 days a year, in good weather and bad. With good care, your horse can live 35 years or more, so plan to enjoy a long and mutually rewarding relationship with your horse.

Courtesy of
HSUS

10 Reasons to Scoop Your Dog's Poop

Annie is looking for a forever home.

Bonnie Phillips, VA Department of Conservation

1. Stormwater carries pet waste and other pollutants directly into waterways.
2. Animal waste adds nitrogen to the water. Excess nitrogen depletes the oxygen in water necessary for beneficial underwater grasses, wildlife and fish.
3. Animal waste may contain harmful organisms such as Giardia, Salmonella and E. coli that can be transmitted to humans and other animals by ingesting contaminated water.
4. Roundworms and hookworms deposited by infected animals can live in the soil for long periods of time and be transmitted to other animals and humans.
5. It's the law! Many urban and suburban areas require you to pick up after your pet. Even if there is no restriction, cleaning up after your pet is always the right thing to do.
6. Joining the growing number of responsible pet owners may encourage hotel managers to accept pets when you are traveling and help keep fees to a minimum.
7. No one likes to step in pet waste and spread it into homes, cars and businesses.
8. Scooping on a daily basis and applying lime will help prevent odors.
9. It's easy to clean up by carrying plastic baggies and paper towels in your pocket. The baggies can be secured and thrown away in the garbage.
10. Your neighbors will appreciate your good manners.