LITTLE ROCK – If you have a dog chances are you give them heartworm prevention medicine every month.

Unfortunately new strains of heartworms are making some medicines less effective, putting your dog’s life at risk. Ashleigh and Josh Bishop know this story too well. Their four-year-old Weimaraner, Porter, is like a third family member.

“I proposed to Ashleigh with a t-shirt on him,” Josh Bishop said. “Our art in the house is a picture of him and me together.”

That closeness meant Porter received a heart worm preventative on the first day of every month since he was a puppy. It was a huge surprise when Porter tested positive for heartworms just a few weeks ago.

“It’s like finding out someone really close to you is sick from something that’s completely preventable and that’s what was hard for us both to accept, ” Josh Bishop said.

The Bishops aren’t alone. Dr. Laura Mehaffy said she’s seen more and more cases of heartworms at her Little Rock, Arkansas practice, Pinnacle Valley Animal Hospital.

According to Mehaffy new strains of heartworms are the problem.

“It’s not that the medications aren’t good,” Dr. Mehaffy said. “They’re still doing what they’re supposed to do for that particular strain, it’s the new strains that are a problem.”

There are some medicines successful at preventing all of the strains. Dr. Mehaffy highly recommends dog owners talk to their veterinarians about which preventatives are working against 100 percent of all heartworm strains.

Heartworms are just what they sound like. They are worms that grown up to 14 inches long and invade a dog’s heart. Mosquitoes can pass the disease on with one bite.

Dogs generally do not show symptoms of heartworms until the worms are fully mature, which takes about six months. At that point, the dog may develop a cough, lose weight or get tired easily. Porter did not show any symptoms before he was diagnosed.

“Knowing what I know now, I’d probably go in every six months if nothing else, just for that,” Josh Bishop said checking for heartworms.

For now, Porter is taking antibiotics, preparing for two months of serious and expensive treatment during which his heart rate must stay low.

“He knows code words like walk and squirrel and treat,” Josh Bishop said. “We’ll have to watch what we say to keep him from getting excited.”

DENVER – Starting Jan. 1, 2011, a special pass will be required at Chatfield State Park and Cherry Creek State Park to use the designated dog off-leash areas.  In the special use areas, dogs can run free and mingle with other canines.

The dog off-leash areas at Cherry Creek and Chatfield are the two largest designated dog off-leash areas in the Denver metropolitan area.

The passes may only be purchased at Chatfield and Cherry Creek State Parks. The daily off-leash pass is $2 and the annual pass is $20. A pass allows up to three dogs per handler. And, each handler can only have three dogs. The dog off-leash pass must be kept with the person handling the dog(s) and available for ranger inspection upon request.

Initially, the emphasis will be on educating dog owners about the new regulations and the fees. The public outreach, which included 14 public meetings in the last two years, educated many dog owners about the new regulations and the fees. Whenever Colorado State Parks changes a regulation, time is set aside for public education.
The two park managers will assess how the education process is going during the transition. After this transition period, the park staff will begin issuing tickets to people who do not comply with the posted regulations.

On Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 1 and Jan. 2, the annual off-leash passes will be available at the Chatfield and Cherry Creek State Park entrance stations. The daily passes will also be available at self-service stations at the off-leash areas.

The regulations, which will be posted at the two dog off-leash areas, include:

·       Handlers must have a valid daily or annual Dog Off-Leash Area Pass in their possession and available for inspection.  A pass allows each handler to have up to three dogs in the Dog Off-Leash Area.

·        All visitors must use designated access points to enter the area.

·       Dogs must remain leashed until inside the fenced enclosure, when the fencing is completed.

·       Each handler must have one leash and waste bag for each dog.

·       The handler of any dog shall immediately collect, remove, and properly dispose of all dog feces.

·       Dogs must be under control at all times. Dogs creating a nuisance or disturbance are not permitted.

·       If a public safety situation occurs, a park ranger will request that the dogs be leashed.

Work on fencing, entrance and exit points, and improvements to the trails, facilities, and creating water features will begin in the spring of 2011.For more information on the development of the Dog Off-Leash Area visit: http://parks.state.co.us/dogtraining

Here are a few holiday dog treat recipes.  If you are planning to do some baking, make a few batches of treats for your best friend. I’m thinking about the peanut butter biscuits for my dogs.  Enjoy!
Apple Cinnamon Doggie Biscuits
Source: DogCook.com
1 package apple, dried
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 Tablespoon parsley, freeze-dried
1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder
1 cup ice water
1/2 cup Corn Oil
5 cups flour
1/2 cup powdered milk
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon corn oil

Put the apples in a food processor so those pieces are small. Combine in a bowl all of the ingredients — can add oil or water if dough is too dry. Using a rolling pin roll out dough to about 3/16″ thick (can make thinner or thicker). Using a cookie cutter – cut into shapes — place on cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for approx. 20 -25 minutes (until golden).

DAISY’S PEANUT BUTTER BISCUITS
Source: DailyDrool.com
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup quick oats – uncooked
1 cups hot water
1/4 cup olive or vegetable oil
2 eggs- lightly beaten
3 to 4 tablespoons peanut butter- smooth
2 to 3 tablespoons of your favorite nutritional supplement

Combine peanut butter, hot water, oil, and eggs in a bowl. Mix until smooth. Set aside. Combine flour, cornmeal, and oats in a separate bowl. Mix well. Pour the bowl of the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients. Mix well with hand mixer until dough forms.

Knead dough on a floured board until no longer sticky. Add flour as needed. Roll out dough to inch thickness. Cut into shape with a floured bone shape cookie cutter. Place on a lightly greased or non-stick cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes, or until firm to the touch. Remove from oven and let cool until hard. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. (Dough can be frozen for later use.)

Cheese Biscuits
Source: AllNaturalDogTreat.com
1 1/2 c. Flour
1 1/4 c. Grated Cheddar
1/4 c. Veg. Oil
4 Tbl. Water

Preheat oven 350 degrees. Cream the ingredients together, adding the water one tablespoon at a time to help bind the dough. When it begins to form a ball, roll it out on a floured surface, using cookie cutters, cut the dough into fun shapes and place on cookie sheet. Bake approx. 10 min. until lightly browned. Makes about 30 med. size biscuits.