FIDO FEST

ABR was one of the four featured rescues at The Fido Festival Adoption and Fundraising Event at Grant Community High School on April 20, in Fox Lake, IL. The school's Canine Connections Club hosted the event to help raise funds and awareness for the rescues. There were a variety of fundraisers such as the sale of painted rocks, dog cookies and toys, and Beanie Baby dog adoptions, but it was the 67 raffle baskets that received the most attention and raised the most money! The Club had the goal of educating our guests about dogs, so they passed out folders of information and put on three different demonstrations. There were also vendors and organizations there to help attendees make connections with dog-related resources in the community and beyond. They raised $450 for each rescue and are hoping to have another Fido Fest next year!

COMING UP: CHEERS FOR CHARITY BRITTANY MEETUP

BARK SOCIAL, BETHESDA, MD – MAY 29

Click here for more information or contact Madeline and Ryan via email 

Your pups are welcomed but MUST BE REGISTERED ahead of time.

Maggie was 11 years old when she began to pant more often and for longer periods of time after walks or being outside on warmer days. At about the same time, her back left leg began to occasionally and momentarily give out while on walks. Maggie’s family took her to the vet three or four times as the symptoms continued to progress, seeing a different vet in the same practice each time. No one had an answer for what was going on or how to help her. The answer was essentially “she’s old.”

Unbeknownst to her family at the time, Maggie had Geriatric Onset Laryngeal Paralysis and Polyneuropathy (GOLPP). Maggie’s larynx was slowly being paralyzed (the “laryngeal paralysis” or “LP” part of the disease). She couldn't breathe and cool herself at the same time. Eventually she could barely breathe at all because her larynx had all but completely collapsed. Her last few weeks were a real struggle as her back-end weakness worsened, and she couldn't get up on her own sometimes (the “polyneuropathy” aspect of the disease). She panted nearly all day, she could barely sleep, and she eventually lost her appetite-- her family’s final indicator, as Maggie always LOVED food.

Her final vet visit was with a more experienced doctor in the practice. The vet recognized the condition and indicated it was more common in Labs, but she still didn't name the disease. However, she did provide enough information for the family to start getting some answers. 

They learned that there are two options to help the breathing and extend life along with increasing the quality of life. The common one is “tieback surgery” which ties back half of the larynx to open breathing passages. The other less expensive, less invasive, but far less common in the U.S. is a stent to reopen the airway. 

Sadly Maggie’s family had run out of time to pursue these options. It would take months to get in to see a specialist who could help. Maggie was 13 when they said goodbye.

Through this journey, Maggie’s family learned that others were experiencing the same lack of vet awareness of LP and GOLPP. There is also some indication that Brittanys may have an increased incidence of the disease. This reality compelled them to share their story with the ABR community. 

“Our biggest help was a website and several Facebook groups with thousands of members all of which are dealing with this also,” Maggie’s dad Garrett shares. “There is lots of very helpful collective info there, especially under the ‘files’ tab and community support. I've seen about half a dozen Brittanys in that group with laryngeal paralysis, excluding Maggie. It was so frustrating and a helpless feeling knowing something was wrong but not what or how to help. I only hope awareness can save lives as well as frustration.” 

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

Facebook Group: Laryngeal Paralysis (LP) GOLPP Support Group (Dogs)

All About GOLPP

American College of Veterinary Surgeons: Laryngeal Paralysis

Living with GOLPP

We're having so much fun celebrating those funny and quirky things our Brittanys do that make us love them extra. More coming next month! Keep us smiling and submit your Quirky Britt photos to: social.networks@americanbrittanyrescue.org

Lilo waiting on a playmate

Lincoln's life of leisure

PARKER

ROSCOE

SULLY

BENTLEY

Don't forget to include your dog's name!

EMAIL PHOTOS TO: social.networks@americanbrittanyrescue.org

Yes, dogs can contract Lyme Disease! It's is a tickborne illness caused by a bacteria. It is more common in the upper Midwest, through the mid-Atlantic, and into the Northeast (map).

How can I prevent Lyme Disease in my Britt?

• Give your Britt a tick and flea preventative. A MUST if you live in an area with ticks! 
• Check your Britt for ticks following activities in wooded areas during tick season.
•  If you live in an area where Lyme disease is prevalent or if you do a lot of hiking with your Britt, talk to your vet about the Lyme vaccine. It is a non-core vaccine that can further protect your Britt if you are in a high-risk location. Vaccines for Lyme can start as early as 12 weeks of age. Regardless of age started, all dogs should receive a booster 2 to 4 weeks later and then yearly thereafter.

What are the symptoms of Lyme disease in dogs?

Only about 10% of dogs that are infected show clinical symptoms and it can take several months or longer for the disease to progress to clinical symptoms.

Symptoms to watch for:

• Lameness
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Joint swelling
• Fatigue 
• Loss of appetite

Many of these symptoms can occur for other reasons, so it is important to tell your vet if you found a tick on your dog or if you visited an area where Lyme disease is present. Lyme disease can impact kidney health in dogs so your vet may do a series of tests to assess kidney function.

Can I test my dog for Lyme Disease?

• Your vet may conduct a snap test in the office to confirm infection, but that test cannot assess severity of disease nor can it pick up an early infection.

• To determine and monitor the treatment plan, your vet will send a blood sample to a specialty lab that can quantify the amount of antibodies your dog is producing.

• Your vet will determine the best treatment plan based on severity. Dogs with low levels may not need any immediate treatment, while dogs with moderate or high antibody levels may need to start antibiotics and begin monitoring kidney health.

• Typically bloodwork will be retested in 6 months to ensure treatment was successful.

It is important to remember that not all ticks carry the bacteria that causes illness, so don’t fret if you find a tick on your dog. Using a tick preventative properly is your first line of defense!

Learn more about Lyme Disease in Dogs:



Cornell University

PetMD

AKC

Mekos was rescued from his life on the streets of Thira, Greece in 2019. He flew with an ABR volunteer to Minnesota and then on to Santa Rosa, CA to be fostered. 

During that same time, I was diagnosed with breast cancer and was undergoing chemotherapy. We had put our last Brittany, Jake, to sleep two years prior. We began looking for another Brit, but we weren’t finding any near our home in Washington. On a trip to California for a family wedding, I happened to look at the ABR website to see if there were any foster dogs in California, and there was Mekos. When I talked with his coordinator, she asked how I found him so fast because he had just been put on the site 15 minutes prior.

Two days later while still in California we went to meet him at his foster home.  When we sat down, Mekos came and laid down on my sister’s, my husband’s and my feet and went to sleep. It seems that he picked us. So, we took him home with us to Olympia, WA where he snuggled and cuddled me through my chemo and radiation and recovery for my cancer.

He still snuggles all the time, and he is very smart. He loves his tennis ball time, and he brings his dad the ball every morning at 9 a.m. after the news. He also loves playing tug with his toys. 

I have had five Brittanys throughout my lifetime, but Mekos is the smartest and most expressive I have ever known. What a love bug he is, all 60 pounds of him.  

~ Nancy Pierce-Suddeth

I wanted to send you an update for Rebel on her 4th Gotcha Day. Rebel is one of the Illinois Ten Brittanys that were rescued after a back yard breeder passed away. When she came to us on 4/26/20 she was very wary of strangers and aggressive towards men. It took a couple years and a lot of patience for Rebel to find out what it is like to be loved and be a happy dog. Now she loves to play and share her bed with her brother George, who is also a rescue. She also loves to help with dishes but is not much help with yard work.  Best of all she loves everyone now including men. She has also taken a liking to our grandson and even runs to meet the pizza delivery guy.

Thank you to everyone at ABR for the work you do finding loving homes for these beautiful Britts.

~ Fred Sundstedt

Indy - April 9

Peetie - April 17

Bristol - April 18

Hooper - April 23

Tigger - April 25

Watch for our EPICURE fundraiser, June 2-15. 

All products are 100% gluten and nut free, low sodium, no fillers, no artificial colors or flavors, and sugar conscious and 85% non-GMO! Available in US and Canada.

20% of sales will come to ABR!

_____________

THANK YOU to everyone who donated to our 

Help Us Heal Happy’s Heart Giving Grid.

The sweet puppy got the expensive surgery

he needed and is recovering well!

Your donations totaled $11,998!

_____________

Our Spring Bulb Sale raised $1575.70!

Thank you for supporting Grayson's Fund with your purchases.

ABOUT AMERICAN BRITTANY RESCUE

American Brittany Rescue, Inc. is an organization that was formed in 1991 as a cooperative effort of Brittany owners, breeders, trainers, and fanciers who ABR believes have a responsibility not only for their own dogs and the dogs they produce, but for the breed as a whole.

THE AMERICAN BRITTANY RESCUE MISSION

ABR's mission is to provide the leadership and expertise via a network of trained volunteers to take in stray, abandoned, surrendered and/or impounded purebred Brittanys, provide them with foster care, health and temperament screening, an opportunity for any necessary rehabilitation and to assure their health and placement into new homes. In order to fulfill this mission, ABR's volunteers remain flexible and adaptable to current and future business environments and they remain dedicated to the organization.  

ABR BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Terry Mixdorf, President

Michelle Falkinburg, Vice President

Joe Herslip, Secretary

Terrie Johnson, Treasurer

Sandra Oelschlegel, Chair

Deb Grove

Wendy Boyce

Becca Whitley

AMERICAN BRITTANY RESCUE E-NEWSLETTER TEAM

Brittany Boler

Jeannine Connors

Melissa Tapply DiLello