J. Peterman Returns
John O'Hurley, National Dog Show

You might remember him from Seinfeld. He was the first winner on Dancing With The Stars and People's Sexiest Man of the Year. John O'Hurley, host of the National Dog Show on NBC, is back for his ninth year to spread Thanksgiving cheer and Holiday warm-fuzzies all over Animal Radio® airwaves.

The National Dog Show on NBC is a Thanksgiving tradition for 25 million pet-lovers. The show is hosted by John O'Hurley and David Frei, with John stating that out of the two, he is the "style" and David is the "substance!"

The annual NBC Thanksgiving Day broadcast is set for November 27 on NBC, immediately following the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. A total audience of some 25 million viewers is expected to watch the broadcast, from noon-2 p.m. in all time zones. There will be 1,500 - 1,700 dogs from 180-plus breeds at America's second-oldest show.

The National Dog Show actually goes on for several days, with viewers only getting to see a small part of the final judging. However, there is an online version of the show where you can view all of the dogs in each category.

John tells us it's not always easy to say the names of the different dog breeds and that they pulled a fast one on him when they added the Mexican Hairless Dog, otherwise known as the "Xoloitzcuintli," several years ago. John said he spent a considerable amount of time looking in his mirror when he was shaving, repeating the name of the breed over and over again so he could get it right come show day, because he was only going to get one chance to say it right!

At home, John currently has a Cavalier King Charles named Sadie and a Havanese named Lucy, both approximately 6 years old. John says that everything he knows about dogs he learned at the National Dog Show from the breeders and from walking up and down the aisles full of dogs. So when he was looking for new family members, he knew what type of dogs he wanted. John states that dogs are not trials. You should learn about the dog you are interested in and shouldn't get a dog to try it out and see if it will work. The shelters are unfortunately full of too many dogs that were trials.

John's next project is his children's book, "The Perfect Dog," which has been turned into a musical and will premiere in 2015. The Perfect Dog is about Sam, a twelve-year-old perfectionist, who searches for a flawless dog to enter in the town's dog contest. Unable to find a canine that measures up, Sam must resort to training the family dog, Max, who is less than eager to obey commands. In the end, Sam and Max learn that there is no such thing as perfect, but there is such a thing as being perfect for each other.

http://www.nbc.com/national-dog-show

Non-Surgical Sterilization of Male Dogs
Dr. Amber Valinski, Zeuterin

Dr. Amber Valinski has performed over 1000 Zeuters. No spelling error. It's a non-surgical injection that safely, effectively and permanently sterilizes your dog. And there seems to be some significant advantages to this procedure.

Dr. Amber Valinski used to work at a spay and neuter clinic as a medical director. It was a mass clinic where they would go out into the community and provide animal services at a low cost.

After Valinski had her daughter, she felt it was time for a career change. The idea came to her to start the Shot Spot, a mobile veterinary clinic, which provides all sorts of wellness services from rabies shots to a new form of neutering, called Zeutering.

Zeutering involves an injection of a solution into a dog's testicles that renders them sterile with no surgery.

"It's quick. It's painless, and it's very effective, and it will permanently sterilize the male dogs," Dr. Valinski stated. "It's something that we can do easily out in the community."

So far, Dr. Valinski has "Zeutered" has over 1,000 dogs in South Texas. She states that Zeuterin has been very helpful to her because with Zeuterin, you don't have to have a whole surgical setup; you can sterilize male dogs safely and effectively, in a very quick and efficient manner. This allows you to do it in mobile clinics when you are out in the middle of nowhere, including parking lots and fields. Zeuterin allows her to help stop the huge overpopulation and helps out people where veterinary care is either non-existent or maybe the people don't have the money.

Zeutering is fast. From the time a dog walks up to the mobile clinic to the time they leave, is about 20 minutes. Most of that time is spent waiting for the sedation to make the dog tired before the procedure and then the time it takes them to fully wake up. All dogs are able to walk out after only 20 minutes.

Zeuterin leaves the testicles so your dog's appearance will remain the same and no one will know!

http://www.zeuterin.com

"HERO PEOPLE OF THE WEEK" - Laura Leland Montague

Laura Leland Montague of Chino Hills, California helps all animals that are in need whether injured or lost. She even has her own scanner to scan for chips when animals are lost and acts as transport when they need a vet or more help. She does all of this and more on her own time and own dollar and at all hours of the day or night. No matter what type of animal be it dog, cat, bird or any wild one, she is always around to help!

Laura tells us that a woman who belongs to her Facebook group call Chino Hills Connections started a GoFundMe Campaign because people were always going to Laura to help them with lost and found animals. They were able to raise the $450 in their community to purchase a scanner. Because of this, Laura has become the official microchip scanner for Chino Hills around the clock. It doesn't matter what time it is, if someone finds a dog and can't make it to a location to check for a scan, Laura will go to their location and scan the dog for them. She wants to make it as easy as possible to get dogs back to their owners.

Once an animal has been found, Laura tries to find their owners by hanging posters in her city (at her own expense), she also posts them on multiple Facebook pages like Nextdoor.com, Craigslist and even in newspapers (most people don't know that most local newspapers will run an ad for free if you find an animal). If this doesn't get a response, Laura will often times go door to door, knocking on upwards of 30 houses searching for an owner.

Laura has a pretty good success rate and usually gets these animals back to their owners. Over the years, she has also rescued many dogs and cats as well as rabbits, chickens and pigeons.

Thinking Globally. Acting Locally. Do you know someone that should be nominated for our Hero Person of the Week? Send us an email to: YourVoice@AnimalRadio.com.

Animal Radio's HERO PEOPLE is brought to you by Zeuterin a safe, permanent and virtually painless alternative to surgical castration.

The Dogfather's Grooming Tip with Joey Villani

Is Flea Control Safe For Kittens?
It's that time of year when kittens are in abundance - but when isn't it! So, it's no surprise that Joey received a call from a rescue group regarding newborn kittens with fleas. They asked him what was safe to use on these babies.

This is not an easy question to answer. There are a lot of things out there that claim to be safe for kittens. However, Joey's viewpoint is that if it's killing parasites on your pet, it cannot be all that safe, especially on young pets (or even the older ones!).

So what can you do? Joey states that you need to get a really good flea comb. Kittens do not have all that much fur, so you will be able to go through their fur and comb the fleas out. It takes time, but you will eventually get used to using a flea comb.

Before you comb them, have a small dish of rubbing alcohol. Make sure the dish is big enough for you to place the entire comb in. Once you run the comb over the kitten and a flea gets on the comb, place the comb in the alcohol. That way they will just fall off into the alcohol and die and not jump off and land on you or the kitten. You should do this on a regular basis, every day to begin with and then every other day and then eventually weekly just to make sure the fleas are gone.

If you have the adult cat that's nursing them, you can use a traditional flea treatment on them. Just don't use any chemicals on the kittens!

Lastly, you need to take care of the environment. This includes cleaning their bedding, treating your carpet, or any place where fleas can hide.

Dizzy Old Dogs - Diagnosing Idiopathic Vestibular Disease -Dr. Debbie

I came running when I heard the crashing paw steps of my 12 year old Labrador, Magnum as he flopped and tumbled in a nervous frenzy. With head crooked to the right, Magnum's dizzy, wobbly movements resembled a carnival lover's exit from the tilt-a-whirl ride. His eyes darted back in forth in an uncontrollable movement. Many might assume Magnum suffered a stroke, and figured it was time to put the old guy to sleep. But fortunately there was hope-Magnum developed a typical case of Idiopathic Vestibular Disease.

What is Idiopathic Vestibular Disease?
Idiopathic Vestibular Disease, also known as Old Dog Vestibular Disease, is a condition commonly diagnosed in senior dogs, but also seen in cats. The term idiopathic basically means the cause is unknown. This condition affects the vestibular system and the pet's sense of balance, typically with a rapid onset of symptoms. In Magnum's case he literally was fine at the start of a television program, and was wobbly just one hour later.

Symptoms of Old Dog Vestibular Syndrome include a wobbly gait, head tilt, anxiety, panting, and an abnormal eye movement called nystagmus, a condition in which the eyes dart rapidly back-and-forth or up-and-down. In addition to mobility problems, the topsy-turvy sensation leads to nausea, vomiting, and an inability to eat or drink. Thankfully my sturdy stomached Labrador barely missed a meal during his bout.

The cause of idiopathic vestibular vestibular syndrome isn't completely known, but fortunately most dogs recovery from symptoms within 2 to 4 weeks. In some cases dogs may suffer from future bouts months to years later. Some dogs may retain a slight head tilt or unsteadiness at times.

What Can Be Done?
A veterinary examination is important to identify suspected cases of vestibular disease. Other possible causes of these symptoms could include an infectious or inflammatory condition, inner ear infection, cancer, or a brain vascular episode - a stroke-like episode. In order to rule out these potential causes, more detailed testing is needed and may include tests like a CT, MRI, and CSF tap.

There isn't a cure for a vestibular episode, and some pets recover without any treatment. But other animals require supportive care including anti-nausea medications, intravenous fluid therapy, hand feeding, and physical assistance to walk and protect from household hazards.

Caring for a frightened, disoriented, wobbly, nauseated dog can be difficult. My 80 pound Labrador needed physical support to get up, walk outside and required hand feeding at times. He couldn't be left home alone without risk of injury. And because of all the hoisting, blocking collisions with furniture, and guiding away from the depths of the pool, I injured my back during his rehab time. The reality is that home care of a small or toy breed with vestibular disease is much easier than the physical demands of a assisting a large or giant breed dog.

Lessons Learned
I have seen many a patient come to my veterinary office for euthanasia after developing similar vestibular symptoms. Some pet owners assume that the severe symptoms and rapid onset mean that there is no hope and euthanasia is the only choice. I'll admit that vestibular symptoms are scary and affected pets are tough to care for at home, but if given the tincture of time, many senior dogs will eventually improve. Perhaps Magnum's story will help other pet owner's opt to pursue treatment or testing, and give time a chance to heal.

Four weeks later and Magnum is back to playing with toys and energetically bounding on walks. He still retains a slight head tilt to the right, his badge of courage as I see it. I'm thankful for his recovery and adore his charming, loveable tilted perspective of the world.

Featured veterinarian known as "Dr. Debbie" on national pet radio program, Animal Radio. Ebook author of "Yorkshire Terriers: How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend"; "Pugs: How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend"; "Mini Schnauzers: How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend"; and "Shih Tzu: How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend."

http://www.drdebbie

WHY I'M THANKFUL FOR MY FURRY FRIEND CONTEST!

Have you entered? We LOVE the entries we have received so far for our WHY I'M THANKFUL FOR MY FURRY FRIEND CONTEST! Tell us why YOU are thankful for your pet & you could win prize pack that includes EverPup Ultimate Daily Dog Supplement for dogs of all ages and SwiPets, LLC - THE WORLD'S BEST Pet Hair Removal glove that removes pet hair left behind by medium-to-long-haired dogs and all cats.

TO ENTER just email us at Contest@AnimalRadio.com (Put THANKS in the subject line) along w/pic of your best buddy too - entries accepted NOW through 11/23/14 and finalists featured the week of 11/24/14 for voting!) Winner must provide US shipping address for prizes.

During this week's WHY I'M THANKFUL FOR MY FURRY FRIEND CONTEST! you can win great prizes for your pets from:

EverPup is the ultimate daily dog supplement for dogs of all ages. It is a delicious all-in-one supplement powder that you sprinkle on your dog's food. EverPup is made in the USA with 100% human ingredients. Dogs love how it tastes—vets love what's in it. Get a free jar when you join EverPupClub.com.

SwiPets: The SwiPets gloves remove pet hair left behind by medium-to-long-haired dogs and all cats. It's patent-pending coating creates a tacky, electro-static charge while ‘grabbing' pet hair and clumping it so you can simply pull it off and throw it away. SwiPets effortlessly remove pet hair from furniture, fabric, and hard to reach places that other products cannot reach. The gloves are machine washable so they can be used over and over again. It works so well, you'll WOW! yourself with the ease it takes to remove it all.

Join Animal Radio® on Facebook this week for WHY I'M THANKFUL FOR MY FURRY FRIEND CONTEST! Visit us on Facebook now.

Animal Radio® News with Tammy Trujillo

Cancer In Our Pets
Cancer is now one of the most common causes of chronic disease and death in middle-aged dogs and cats. New studies show that an estimated 33-percent of cats and 50-percent of dogs over the age of 10 may die from cancer. Some of the most common pet cancers are feline leukemia, various types of skin cancers and the most common in dogs is lymphoma. One expert says that pets get cancer as often as people do, especially now that they are living longer lives. And the treatments for pets are now mirroring those for people with cancer, including removing tumors, radiation or chemotherapy and rehabilitation to help pets post-surgery.

Man To Be Eaten Alive By Snake For Experiment
Discovery Channel is planning to air a show called Eaten Alive next month. A promo for the show says that naturalist and filmmaker Paul Rosolie, wearing a special protective suit covered in pig's blood, will be swallowed whole by a giant anaconda. It's not clear how big the snake is, but green anacondas can grow to about 29 feet long and 12 inches in diameter. Rosolie says he would never hurt a living thing and says he can be safely removed once the 'experiment' is done. Still there's already an online petition calling the stunt animal abuse to the highest degree and blasting it for reinforcing the negative stereotype of snakes. Snake expert Frank Indiviglio says the whole thing isn't even possible.

Dog Survives Mudslide
A few weeks ago the city of Camarillo, California was hit with heavy rain, causing a massive mudslide to crash down on a neighborhood. One home was seriously damaged and the owner had to be rescued from waist high mud. The family's 5-year-old dachshund Tinkerbell couldn't be found and was feared dead. Two days later, Henry Needham's son was at what was left of the home when he heard barking and out came running a very muddy but otherwise okay Tinkerbell. The house is filled with three feet of mud, so the fact she survived is pretty much a miracle.

Flying Is Risky For Pets
The holidays are coming up fast and that means a lot of people will be flying. Many will be flying with their pets and that can be risky. The number of pets dying, getting hurt or lost during commercial air travel has gone up over the past several years. So far, the Department of Transportation says 61 have died or been hurt. Most were in cargo and not flying in the plane cabin. There are some types of dogs and cats that should avoid flying. Airline pressure can impact certain flat nose breeds more than others causing respiratory problems. They include: Boxers, Pugs, Pit Bulls, Chinese Pugs, Pekingese, and Bulldogs. Burmese, Himalayan and Persian cats are also on the list. Dogs and cats fly the most, but airlines also allow smaller pets like guinea pigs and rabbits. It's important to fly your pets in the cabin with you whenever possible and call the airlines at least 10 days ahead of your trip to find out if they need a health certificate or if there are any requirements regarding carriers.

Pet Ownership On The Rise
More than half of the people in the nation have at least one pet and they think of their pet as a joy, not a hassle. Those are the results from a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Nearly 58-percent of American adults have a pet, up just a bit from a year ago. Here's the breakdown: 49-percent have a dog; and 23-percent have a cat. 24-percent have more than one kind of pet. Only 3-percent have a fish, bird or some other sort of animal. An overwhelming majority of pet guardians, 92-percent say they talk to their pet.

Microchipped Dog Returned After Eight Years
Here's another story to prove you should never give up on a lost pet. A couple in Atlanta have their Shih Tzu, Jordan, back after eight years after last seeing him. The last time Mike Nuanes saw the dog, Jordan was just a puppy. He's sure someone snatched Jordan out of his backyard because suddenly, he was gone. They did everything to find him, but no luck until a few weeks ago, when the Fulton County Animal Services called to say Jordan had been turned in as a stray. Luckily, Jordan was microchipped, the key to his finally getting home.

NEWS UPDATE brought to you by Drs. Foster & Smith, affordable pet supplies. Low prices every day, so you save on every order.

Listen to the entire Podcast of this show (#781)