AMERICAN BRITTANY NEWSLETTER - EARLY SUMMER 2019
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What To Know About Your Dog's Dental Health
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We all know that good oral hygiene is important for us - we routinely brush and floss (…or at least we tell our dentist we do...) to prevent cavities and freshen our breath. But what about our dogs' mouths?
Oral health is just as important for our dogs and like humans, oral health is linked to whole body health of dogs. With 80% of dogs showing signs of oral disease by age 3, monitoring oral health in our Britts is important.
There are a few major differences between our mouths and those of our furry companions. Dogs have 42 teeth versus our 32. Puppies have 28 baby teeth, which they will start to lose around 12-16 weeks of age, and by 4 months, most of their adult teeth will have erupted. Remember that next time your puppy wants to chew on EVERYTHING - they might just be teething.
Like us, dogs have bacteria that live throughout their mouths; however, dogs rarely get cavities (also known as dental caries). This is mostly due to diet and their oral anatomy. The low sugar diets our dogs typically eat creates environments suitable to different oral bacteria populations compared to humans. Dogs typically do not have the bacteria species commonly implicated in dental caries in humans, Streptococcus mutans.
Dogs can get gingivitis and periodontal disease, however. It is important to make sure that you are providing ways for dogs to clean their teeth and gums through food (kibble), dental treats and toys, or brushing. There are an array of options at any pet store for toothbrushes with dog-approved toothpaste flavors, like liver or peanut butter. If your Britt will not cooperate
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with you brushing their teeth, look for dental chews or bones. Products with the
VOHC seal
(Veterinary Oral Health Council) have gone through rigorous testing to prove that they reduce plaque and/or tartar build up when used according to directions. Most products available today still work through what is termed mechanical action - meaning they are scraping the teeth clean - just like we do with daily brushing.
Your veterinarian should check your dog’s teeth at their yearly physical. They will alert you to issues and will recommend a full dental cleaning when needed. Your vet can talk to you about other options that manage bacteria in the mouth or dental sealants if they are appropriate for your pet.
SIGNS OF ORAL DISEASE:
- Persistent Bad Breath
- Teeth covered in tartar
- Bleeding from the mouth
- Loss of appetite
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
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FOLLOW UP TO APRIL 2019 ARTICLE
WHAT'S IN A NAME - WOOFIN' IN THE WIND
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I adopted a female Britt from the local shelter out here in the Mojave Desert a few years ago. She didn’t come with a name so I got the opportunity to name her. My friend likes to call dogs “woofies” so I picked up on that and named my new friend “Woof”.
She was a scared, middle-aged critter that had visual and/or cognitive challenges; she always stuck right by my side and so didn’t need to be on a leash even out on our desert walks.
One fine, hot, windy day, we were out on a desert hike and Woof surreptitiously got out of my sight. So I’m standing in the wind on a sandy trail yelling “woof…, woof,…woof.” A couple of mountain bikers passed me, gave each other dumbfounded looks, and very quickly rode away.
Apparently, I was the crazy lady barking into the wind.
Submitted by Andrea Pelch
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Dodger was found wandering alone in a Southern California neighborhood with a raw, blistering rash across his back. An unknown person had decided to apply bleach to his orange patches. That person abandoned Dodger when it became obvious that he required veterinarian care. A Good Samaritan noticed the five-year-old’s painful open sores and contacted ABR. Meanwhile, Reba Lewis, who had adopted several times through ABR, was ready for a new friend and by a happy coincidence, happened to contact the volunteer who was fostering Dodger. Reba fell in love with “the little doll” and was willing to assume his stringent medication schedule.
Dodger healed quickly with Reba’s love and care. She says Dodger “won’t tell me what happened back then” and remains a happy dog who has forgotten his ordeal. These days, Reba and Dodger enjoy their walks together around his new neighborhood. Dodger wags his stubby tail and barks at folks he recognizes so they’ll pet him. He’s great on a leash and doesn’t pull as much as other Britts. Dodger also serves as a therapy dog for Reba’s husband. He plants himself by Dave’s lift chair for hours, curling up at his feet. And of course, Dodger’s eyes always plead “pet me, pet me”, which is exactly how Reba and Dave "treat" those beautiful orange patches.
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Congratulations to these Brittanys who recently joined their forever families!
Beau, GA
Bob, OR
Cash, MO
Curro, OR
Derrick, OR
Drake, WI
Duke, UT
Ives, FL
Kalli, PA
Lucky, MN
Nick, OK
Pepe, WA
Rookie, MN
Scout, BC
Thor, GA
Tina, AZ
HAPPY TAILS - Would not be possible without your support!
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Thank you for helping Elliott. It only took 3 days to reach our goal!!
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Elliott is an abandoned hunting dog from Spain. He was struck by a car and left for dead. A kind person brought him to a vet and contacted American Brittany Rescue. His broken leg was repaired but has not mended properly. Elliott needs additional surgery. It will cost over $2000 to get this two-year-old to a happy home in the US. Fees include vet care, boarding in Spain, a crate, plus airfare for both him and a volunteer. Please help.
We raised over $2100 in less than three days. THANK YOU!! You can still contribute to Elliott! The campaign will remain open until May 31st. Also, please watch for other Giving Grids to help our International dogs one by one!!
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ABOUT THE 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
Terrie Johnson, Vice President
Cheri Wilson - Chair
Michelle Falkinburg, Secretary
Diana Doiron, Co-Treasurer
Tiffany Dexter
Nancy Hensley
Sandra Oelschlegel
Monica Rutt
Ryan Waterbury
AMERICAN BRITTANY RESCUE E-NEWSLETTER TEAM
Lisa Bagwell
Brittany Boler
Jeannine Connors
Judie Cutting
Autumn Fenton
Lori Gartenhaus
Patricia Gillogly
Melissa Tapply
Rachel Schollaert
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