Today I learned of the passing of a friends mini-dachshund dog, Jessie, by group email. She asked that people not send anything but fond memories. As tears streamed down my face, I realized that replying to her email was not an option for me. I had to go get a card, something tangible that I could give to her – and I phoned before I drove over to hand-deliver it. Have you ever received an email or phone call about a friends pet passing? How did you respond? Have you ever lost a pet? Most of the books and on-line articles have great content, yet at the end of each pet’s story is a unique choice: do you share your grief with friends, or do you keep it private and bury the beloved pet in your own yard?

This morning I went to Rochelle’s home and as she opened the door, it took us both a moment to register that there would be no excited greeting, no barking or dog kisses now that Jessie was gone. We walked over to the kitchen, and I saw that she had yet to pick up the dog bowls or toys scattered around the floor. I offered to put them all in a bag and she nodded, dropping heavily into a chair. “I feel depressed, her death has completely upset my daily routine. I don’t want to get out of bed for a morning walk without Jessie. I don’t want to see my friends with dogs, it hurts too much!”

This is where she shared that her best friend was still not buried. “People kept telling me I should just have her cremated, but I couldn’t get into the car with her body, or part with it – I want her here where I can visit her – maybe even make a little memorial. “I understand.” “So will you help me bury her out in the back?” “Of course, I replied.” Jessie was simply wrapped in a plastic bag and swaddled by Rochelle’s favorite bedspread, resting in the garden shed where the temperature was 20 degrees!. We used a laundry basket to transport her little mummified body out to the waiting burial spot and had a quiet moment in her honor.

Afterward, I realized that what Rachel needed most was a friend to walk beside her through this tough emotional time, coaxing her along to complete the next steps in her grieving process. “…love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation” – Kabil Gibran. I also handed her a list of resources like the one below:

ASPCA Pet Loss Hotline: (877) GRIEF-10

Faithful Friends Pet Crematorium, Raleigh: (919) 874-0014.

Pet Rest Cemetery, Durham: (919) 596-3895.

Pet Bereavement Counseling, Judith Stutts, Ph.D.LPC, (336)625-1400 

SPCA of Wake County, 200 Petfinder Lane, Raleigh, 919-772-2326

http://www.spcawake.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Humane_Ed_Pet_Loss_Support_Group. Meets the

third Sunday of the month, 3:30-5:30 p.m.

University of Florida Pet Loss Hotline: (352) 392-4700, ext. 4080(this hotline will call you back

From anywhere and not charging you anything)

 Today I learned of the passing of a friends mini-dachshund dog, Jessie, by group email. She asked that people not send anything but fond memories. As tears streamed down my face, I realized that replying to her email was not an option for me. I had to go get a card, something tangible that I could give to her – and I phoned before I drove over to hand-deliver it. Have you ever received an email or phone call about a friends pet passing? How did you respond? Have you ever lost a pet? Most of the books and on-line articles have great content, yet at the end of each pet’s story is a unique choice: do you share your grief with friends, or do you keep it private and bury the beloved pet in your own yard?

This morning I went to Rochelle’s home and as she opened the door, it took us both a moment to register that there would be no excited greeting, no barking or dog kisses now that Jessie was gone. We walked over to the kitchen, and I saw that she had yet to pick up the dog bowls or toys scattered around the floor. I offered to put them all in a bag and she nodded, dropping heavily into a chair. “I feel depressed, her death has completely upset my daily routine. I don’t want to get out of bed for a morning walk without Jessie. I don’t want to see my friends with dogs, it hurts too much!”

This is where she shared that her best friend was still not buried. “People kept telling me I should just have her cremated, but I couldn’t get into the car with her body, or part with it – I want her here where I can visit her – maybe even make a little memorial. “I understand.” “So will you help me bury her out in the back?” “Of course, I replied.” Jessie was simply wrapped in a plastic bag and swaddled by Rochelle’s favorite bedspread, resting in the garden shed where the temperature was 20 degrees!. We used a laundry basket to transport her little mummified body out to the waiting burial spot and had a quiet moment in her honor.

Afterward, I realized that what Rachel needed most was a friend to walk beside her through this tough emotional time, coaxing her along to complete the next steps in her grieving process. “…love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation” – Kabil Gibran. I also handed her a list of resources like the one below:

ASPCA Pet Loss Hotline: (877) GRIEF-10

Faithful Friends Pet Crematorium, Raleigh: (919) 874-0014.

Pet Rest Cemetary, Durham: (919) 596-3895.

Pet BereavementCounseling, Judith Stutts, Ph.D.LPC, (336)625-1400 

SPCA of Wake County, 200 Petfinder Lane, Raleigh, 919-772-2326

http://www.spcawake.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Humane_Ed_Pet_Loss_Support_Group. Meets the

third Sunday of the month, 3:30-5:30 p.m.

University of Florida Pet Loss Hotline: (352) 392-4700, ext. 4080(this hotline will call you back

From anywhere and not chargeg you anything)

Does your dog whimper when he scratches his ears? Are the ear-scratches more frequent and for longer durations than normal? Does he shake his head or drag it along the ground? If so, your dog may have an infection, or otitis (inflammation) in one of the three ear parts.

The outer ear (otitis external) may be upright, folded, or flush with the head. The shape is not as important as whether your dog plays outside and gets debris/dirt inside the ear. The ear canal (otitis media) should be rinsed out with ear-cleaning fluid from the store. NEVER use a q-tip, instead use a cotton ball or towel, so that you don’t damage the ear. Finally, the inner ear (otitis internal) can get infected and cause severe pain for your dog, affecting his balance and energy level. This is why it is important to monitor your dogs ears using the 3 inspection tricks below:

1. SMELL the pups ear – if it stinks, frequently a yeasty smell, it’s probably infected
2. VISUALLY INSPECT the ear – check to see if the ear is pink or red, has sores, or oozes
3. TOUCH the ear area, try rubbing it, and if he whimpers this can be a sign of infection

What causes these ear infections? Once again, one of three things, or a combination of them:
1. Bacteria (signs include rubbing at ears, shaking head, red/swollen ear, a milky discharge)
2. Fungus (dogs with ear flaps that trap moisture inside tend to get this more often)
3. Ear Mites (a common sign is dried blood inside his ears, frequent head shaking)

Medication (insecticide) and/or antibiotics are the best treatment to kill the mites, bacteria or fungus.

**A note about cat ear-cleaning:
(Cats tend to be more resistant, so take time to swaddle them in a towel first to prevent scratching you during ear cleaning. Gently wipe the inside of the ear with a cotton ball with a small amount of hydrogen peroxide – squeezing out excess first and being careful not to insert the cotton too far down into the ear canal. Then, put the drops in one ear at a time, rubbing them to move the solution down the ear canal.)

It’s dark, cold and your dog is staring at you – again. Wondering what to do? Maybe it’s time the two of you got out of the house and did something FUN with a purpose! Well, grab your I-phone, tablet or a good-old-fashioned piece of paper and put a few of these events onto your calendar:

1. Friday, January 23, HappyMess Night for Hope, 7pm-9pm in Durham.
Join us for a great time painting and raising money for Hope Animal Rescue. Registration: $35 and HappyMess Art Studio is donating 50%. You must RSVP as there are only 12 spots available. Come on out for some fun and relaxation!

2. February 19 “Wine, Wags, & Whiskers” wine tasting event. 8am- 5pm Second Chance Pet Adoption. More details coming soon…..!! Check out their website below for updates.

3. February 21 Paws4Ever Shopping Event, 1-4pm, Hillsborough, The Big Barn located at The Shops at Daniel Boone. $5/entry tix. Come shop local vendors.

4. March 14, IRONDOG is a 5k Run/1.5M Dog Walk
10am-2pm. Admission: $15-30. Raises money for animals whose owners cannot afford their medical care. These funds will be used to support the medical and surgical management of dogs and cats hospitalized at NC State University Veterinary Health Complex. For more information, please email Irondog2015@lists.ncsu.edu.

5. March 30,31 – Feb. 1, Carolina Piedmont Dog Agility NC State Fairgrounds. Fri. Sat, Sun 8am – 4 pm. Dog agility competitions. Free spectator admissions. More than $1,500 in prize money up for grabs at the Carolina Piedmont Dog Agility trials in the Hunt Horse Arena. Watch as dogs of every skill level and size tackle obstacles such as the A-frame, weave poles, jumps and plank.

6. Saturday, April 18, SPCA K9-3K Dog Walk, 10am
Moore Square, 221 S Blount Street,Downtown Raleigh, NC. All the money raised at this event goes to support the work of the SPCA of Wake County. Registration fee: $35.

12:30pm DOG CONTESTS START* *Register your dog for contests at the Main Stage beginning at 10:00am

12noon-4:00pm: Visit the Family Fun Zone in Moore Square Park, food and beverage vendors in City Market, enjoy music and dog friendly vendor village.

7. Kennel Club events at State Fairgrounds

Sat 01/31/2015, Carolina Piedmont Agility Club

Wed 03/18/2015, Cary Kennel Club

Thu 03/19/2015, Alamance Kennel Club, Inc

Sat 03/21/2015, German Shepherd Dog Club Of Greater Raleigh

Sat 03/21/2015, Tar Heel Boxer Club Of Greater Raleigh

Sat 03/21/2015, Central Carolina Poodle Club

Sat 03/21/2015, Tarheel Golden Retriever Club

Sat 05/09/2015, Mid-atlantic Hound Association Of Central North Carolina

Sat 05/16/2015, Raleigh-durham Labrador Retriever Club

Sat 06/06/2015, Tarheel Golden Retriever Club Durham