Poop Confessions Are Back!Is Your Dog Next?
You may not be aware of it, but if you’re like many pet owners, when you go away, your dog goes, too on the carpet, in the closet, even on the bed! In fact, dogs across the nation have been confessing to such wrongdooings for quite a while now, and we’ve caught it all on tape.Check out the latest Poop Confessions we’ve filmed. And, while you’re at it, consider sharing your dog’s dirty little secrets with us. The new secondnature® brand dog litter Poop Confessions Contest* has just begun, and your pooch might have what it takes to come clean and win big!

Don't Throw the Pooch Out with the Bathwater

While we all enjoy a good snuggle with our dogs and might even share our beds, there's not many of us who are thrilled with the idea of sharing bath water. Who wants dog gunk on the rim of their tub? Well, MTI whirlpool has developed the world's first canine whirlpool spa. Not only will this help you keep your own tub free of fido's fuzz, but the swrirling waters of this private bath can be very theraputic to dogs, especially those with arthritis.

The whirlpool is shelf cleaning, comes with a handheld shower head, boasts 5 massage heads and can be installed in any garage, laundry room or bathroom. Click here to learn more.

Only in Cali

Only in California can one find a surfing competition for dogs. Using special dog sized surfboards, doggie dudes can hang 10 in front of a panel of judges.

Not a mother yet but...

I'm not a monther yet but I can't help but feel the urge to stock up on the dog embroidered onsies available at Sprout. They're just so adorable!

JOE RAEDLE / GETTY IMAGES

Too Far? or Too Fun?

8th generation Miami wigmaker Ruth Regina is now creating a line of small wigs and hair pieces for pocket sized pooches. Priced in the hundreds of dollars, Regina's pieces include the "Yappy Hour" which is a small mop of fun curls and the "Peek a Bow Wow" designed to fall down over one of the dog's eyes giving it a sexy 1940's screen siren look. The dog wigs can all be dyed and styled to meet each dog (and dog owner's) style needs. What will they think of next? Have we gone too far? Or is this just all in good fun?
ANGEL VALENTIN / MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS

What Ails Your Dog?

Veterinary Pet Insurance released its annual top 10 list of reasons why dog owners take their dogs to the veterinarian. The list was compiled from actual claims filed with America's largest pet insurer:
1. Skin allergies
2. Ear infections
3. Stomach upsets
4. Bladder infections
5. Benign tumors
6. Osteoarthritis
7. Sprains
8. Eye infections
9. Enteritis
10. Hypothyroidism

New Items at PawPurri

Raise your banner high for your breed of choice. Breed Flags are now available at PawPurri for Pets. $23.99 for the flag and the pole or $15.99 for the flag alone.

While you're there, check out PawPurri's line of spa products for your pooch. I loved this Terry Cloth robe complete with a rubber ducky on the back. I've yet to meet a dog that actually enjoys a bath, but this warm snuggly robe might make the torture worth it!

PawPurri for Pets
Boutique Daycare Salon
1120 Folly Road
James Island, SC 29412
843-795-5779

Take a look at these cheerful little fellows. Dogs do brighten up our lives but the Dachshund Lamps from Offi do it quite literally.

Veterinary Specialty Care in Mt. Pleasant Hires Veterinary Oncologist

Kathryn Taylor D.V.M., an Auburn U grad, recently joined Veterinary Specialty Care as the Charleston area's first veterinary oncologist. Instead of traveling to state vet programs, Charleston canines can stay right here for diagnosis and treatment. We are glad to welcome Dr. Kathryn Taylor to Charleston.

Veterinary Specialty Care
(843) 884-2441 930 Pine Hollow Rd, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

PUT YOUR PAW PRINT ON THE AKC RESPONSIBLE DOG OWNER PET PROMISE

Sometimes we all need a reminder of everything that is required of us as dog owners. Sure we give our pups lots of playtime, treats and affection, but what about training? Is your dog groomed as often as his breed requires? Is your pup wearing a collar with tags and permanently identified with a microchip to maximize his chances of being returned to you if he becomes lost?

Bringing the message of AKC ® Responsible Dog Ownership Day to life, the American Kennel Club ® today announced the launch of the AKC Responsible Dog Owner Pet Promise. This 10-step oath is a reminder to both novice and veteran dog owners that raising a healthy dog is about more than just playtime and pampering. Training, grooming, exercise and veterinary care are equally important in nurturing your best friend.

The AKC Responsible Dog Owner Pet Promise also advocates that owners must ensure that their canines do not infringe on the rights of others. This means adhering to local leash laws, properly disposing of your dog’s waste in all public areas, and training your dogs to sit, stay and come when called.

AKC petitions all dog owners to review the AKC Responsible Dog Owner Pet Promise and sign it electronically at http://www.gopetition.com/online/9290.html

SOOOOOO COMFY!

Don't these quilted beds from Cheengoo look so comfy that you could just curl up on them for a nice long nap? Forget the dog. I think I want one of these for myself! Do they make them in human sizes? And the textile choices for these beds are such cool retro patterns . We just love 'em!

SPEAK!: What folks are saying about LCD


I love Lowcountry Dog! I am a vet tech and of course a dog lover!! I love reading stories and hearing about upcoming events and seeing pictures of dogs in the lowcountry. Unlike other magazines, all the ads are located in Charleston! No matter how hard a day I am having I can always look at this magazine and it just puts a smile on my face!
Dana, Charleston


I LOVE it! I am enjoying seeing all of the pet specialty places I never knew about, and the articles are entertaining and informative.
Rhonda. Goose Creek


Wonderful, straight forward, animal loving print! THANK YOU!!! Please keep supporting local businesses so I know where to go!
Jeni, Mt. Pleasant


Its a very nice magazine and covers a lot of advertiers in you area. Very good short stories. I'll be purchasing a subscription.
Sharon, St. Simons Island GA


I love the coverage that they give to dog lovers in the area. We are a special breed and you cater to us. I love the ads especially, if you can believe that!! The articles are good too, but the ads are so creative! I get good ideas on where to shop and browse new stores.
Cindy, Mt. Pleasant

Pet Food Expert “Comparing Grocery Store Brand to All Natural” Seminar To Benefit Pet Helpers

Mark Hamilton, Regional Representative for Phillips Feed in Charlotte NC will give a seminar “What's In Your Pet's Bowl?” comparing different pet foods and how certain ingredients can harm or help your pet.

The cost for this seminar is $7 which will benefit Pet Helpers. The speaking engagement will be at PawPurri For Pets Boutique, Daycare and Salon, Thursday, August 10th 6p – 7p with a questiion/answer session. Bring a beach chair to sit and listen to how you can change your pet's diet and improve on his/her health.

Lemonade and treats will be provided.

Please call PawPurri For Pets to reserve a seat at the Pet Food Seminar – info@PawPurri4 Pets.com or call 843-795-5779

Sterilization Contraception for Dogs and Cats: a low cost alternative to spaying and neutering?

An estimated five million cats and dogs die each year in US shelters, many of them offspring of pets whose owners didn't get them sterilized. But what if there was a quick and easy way to sterilize cats and dogs, without surgery?

The Alliance for Contraception in Cats and Dogs (ACC&D), the ASPCA and Petfinder.com are fighting to make this idea a reality for all pets. Sign the petition to lend your support!

Surgical sterilization is logistically difficult and expensive for population control of un-owned animals. Having injection based sterilizations, rather than surgical spaying and neutering, would be an easy and affordable solution to the problem of overpopulation that leads to rampant colonies of feral cats and the overcrowding of local pounds.

Overpopulation is now the leading cause of death for dogs and cats around the world. The situation is even more desperate in countries where geographic, economic and cultural barriers prevent use of sterilization to control dog and cat populations.

Non-surgical sterilization methods do not currently exist, but they could with the right funding, research and public support! Use your voice to make this medical technology a top priority!Help The Alliance for Contraception in Cats and Dogs (ACC&D), the ASPCA and Petfinder.com pressure pharmaceutical companies, scientists, regulators and funders to develop tools for non-surgical sterilization of cats and dogs now!

Mixed Bred vs. Purebred
by Gale Fennell
Dog lover for 41 years and LCD reader

I have never owned a purebred dog. When I was a child in the seventies, people didn’t have their pets spayed or neutered. Our dog Sandy, who was a cross between a Pekinese and a Pug herself, only had one litter of puppies before my father came up with his own solution to the problem. My father was from the old school that used good ole ingenuity to solve any problem that would otherwise cost him hard earned cash. He decided to put Sandy on the roof every time she went into heat. I know, that’s the craziest thing you’ve ever heard of, but it worked. There were plenty of trees to provide shade for the roof of our single story ranch. The chimney made a perfect spot to prop her doghouse. We had a very large Mimosa tree right outside our kitchen window and every night at feeding time, my brothers and I would take turns climbing up to give her food and water. You cannot imagine the looks and comments we got from passers by whom happened to notice there was a dog on the roof.

It goes without saying if my father would not spring to have an animal “fixed”, he certainly would not spring for a purebred. But not a problem, I have never had trouble falling in love with any puppy. I got my first puppy when I was about ten years old. He was a cocker spaniel and poodle mix. His name was Smokey. (Since Smokey came from the SPCA, he was already neutered when we got him.) Smokey was a free spirit that ran the streets until I was a freshman in high school. He was my best friend. Smokey looked just like Benji. Remember Benji, that loveable mixed breed whom all of America fell in love with? Why would anyone want to pay for a purebred when they could have Benji?

When I was ready to get my first dog as an adult, I wanted the cute little white shih tzu for a mere three or four hundred dollars (this was during the eighties). My husband, not all that unlike my father, insisted I first look for a free dog to see if there would be one I liked. I think he knew what he was doing. Of course the first puppy I saw was love at first sight. He was a mix between cocker spaniel and terrier; a cute white, fluffy dog, not all that different from a shih tzu. Needless to say, I loved that dog as my own child, for sixteen wonderful years. His name was Mickey and we just lost him last summer.

When Mickey was just one year old, we adopted another mixed breed named Pepper. Pepper was our neighbor’s dog and she was the most beautiful and wonderful dog that could ever have been created. We were never able to determine exactly what breeds she came from. We are pretty sure she had some English sheep dog and terrier, maybe Yorkie, in her. Her disposition was that of the sweetest, gentlest kind. And her beautiful white flowing fur, precious paws and eyes that you could barely see for the long bangs, made her a sight to behold. If ever I were to clone a dog, it would be Pepper. There could not be a pure bred in this world more precious to me than Pepper was. Pepper only lived to be twelve years old. Losing her was like losing a dear friend.


Several years after Pepper’s death, we decided to get another puppy for our young son. Living in Miami, we visited several animal shelters before finding our dog. Yes, again we chose a mixed breed. This time we were looking for something in the beagle/labrador family. She is a beautiful white dog (we had to stick with white so the shedding would match that of Mickey) of about sixty pounds. Her name is Jackie and she is quite a bit bigger than Mickey and Pepper. The largest dog we have had yet. Jackie has the physique of a statue. Her posture and sleek body are absolutely stunning. Being of labrador descent, she can be quite hyper and has a very loud bark, but mind you, we love her every bit as much as if she were a purebred.

And finally there is Lilly. After Mickey’s passing, my daughter insisted on her own dog. Desiring to once again have a white dog (to match Jackie’s shedding) we visited the SPCA here in Mt. Pleasant, every day for two solid weeks before we found her. When I opened the door and saw her beautiful black eyes staring at us from that itty-bitty bundle of white fur, I knew she was our dog. She was so shy and timid, I couldn’t bare to leave her there another night. We hadn’t planned for another dog that soon, but she was the perfect fit. And she has been the perfect addition to our family. She and Jackie fell in love right away. They are like mother and daughter with a stunning resemblance to one another. We haven’t even had Lilly a whole year and yet I can’t believe we ever lived without her. She is truly a joy to have in our home.

Each one of these dogs represents a melting pot of breeds. Each one is unique in physical qualities as well as personality. They have brought an individualness to our lives that couldn’t be duplicated. I could have gotten a pure bred so that I knew exactly what the dog would look like when it grew up, and maybe have some guarantee to the personality it would have, but I can’t imagine that we would have loved it more than the dogs we have had. It couldn’t have been anymore accepted into our family than our beloved mixed breeds.

As an adult myself, I have decided its worth my hard earned cash not to put my dog on the roof. As a passionate citizen concerned for the plight of so many unwanted animals, I wholeheartedly believe in spaying and neutering, at whatever the expense. I understand this practice will eventually eliminate mixed breeds. However, there are so many unwanted animals, something has to be done to reduce the population. I say consider an alternative to purebred dogs; adopt a mixed breed and spay or neuter them. Give generously to your local shelters and sponsor spay or neuter procedures for dogs whose owners wouldn't be able to afford it otherwise.

Hurricane Guide:

IN PREPARATION
Make sure that your pets are current on their vaccinations.
Pet friendly shelters require proof of vaccines.
Have a current photograph.
Keep a collar with identification on your pet and have a leash on hand to control your pet.
Have a properly-sized pet carrier for each animal. Pet friendly shelters require them. Practice putting it together quickly.
Plan your evacuation strategy and don't forget your pet!
Contact hotels and motels outside your immediate area to check policies on accepting pets. Ask about any restrictions on number, size, and species. Ask if "no pet" policies would be waived in an emergency.
Make a list of animal-friendly places and keep it handy.
Call ahead for a reservation as soon as you think you might have to leave your home.
Check with friends, relatives, or others outside your immediate area to see if they would shelter you and your animals or just your animals, if necessary.
Make a list of boarding facilities and veterinary offices that might be able to shelter animals in emergencies; include 24-hour telephone numbers.
Ask your local animal shelter if it provides foster care or shelter for pets in an emergency. This should be your last resort, as shelters have limited resources and are likely to be stretched to their limits during an emergency.

DURING THE DISASTER
If you are able, leave early. Don't wait for a mandatory evacuation order. An unnecessary trip is far better than waiting too long to leave safely with your pets. If you wait to be evacuated by emergency officials, you may be told to leave your pets behind.
Animals brought to a pet shelter are required to have:
proper identification collar and rabies tagproper identification on all belongings
a carrier or cage
a leash
a muzzle for dog aggressivee dogs
an ample supply of food, water (1 gallon for every 10lbs.) food bowls, any medications
specific care instructions and news papers or trash bags for clean-up

Bring pets indoor well in advance of a storm - reassure them and remain calm.
Pet shelters will be filled on first come, first served basis.
Call ahead and determine availability.

AFTER THE DISASTER
Walk pets on a leash until they become re-oriented to their home - often familiar scents and landmarks may be altered and pets could easily be confused and become lost.
Also, downed power lines, reptiles brought in with high water and debris can all pose a threat for animals after a disaster.
If pets cannot be found after a disaster, contact the local animal control office to find out where lost animals can be recovered.
Bring along a picture of your pet if possible.After a disaster animals can become aggressive or defensive - monitor their behavior.

SHELTER AND HOTEL INFO:
The North Charleston Coliseum will provide shelter only for those people who can not otherwise evacuate with their pets. Entry is limited to one person per pet.

The following hotel chains are pet friendly and there are several just a few hours away from Charleston that would serve as a refuge from the storm.
Best Western: 800-528-1234
Clarion: 800-252-7466
Comfort Inn: 800-228-5150
Days Inn: 800-329-7466
Econo Lodge: 800-553-2666
Holiday Inn: 800-465-4329
Quality Inn: 800-228-5151
Ramada Inn: 800-228-2828
Residence Inn: 800-331-3131

Also check out www.vrbo.com, a search engine for vacation and short term rentals across the US. You can search specifically for pet friendly homes, townhouses and villas to rent.

Pure Whimsy

I'm a major designsponge ( a a daily website dedicated to home and product design) addict and I'm always pleased to see man's best friend incorporated into forward thinking design. Just this week designsponge introduced me to Swedish painter Camilla Engman. Engman's work is very whimsical, yet simple. I'm no art critic, but I enjoy her folk art-esque style. According to designsponge founder Grace Bonney, Engman's prints are affordable too!

Health and Wellness: Common Household Hazards
by Brian King DVM The Pet Vet in Mt. Pleasant

There are many potential toxins in the average household. Most dog owners are aware of some of these household products that could cause their pets to become sick. Chocolate, antifreeze, and pesticides are three possible poisons that many owners are attentive to. However, there are a number of common items that could be dangerous to dogs that you may not know about. If your dog consumes one of these substances, there is the possibility of some level of toxicity, but not all dogs will react adversely.

Toilet Water (Tank Drop-Ins)--Typically toilet tank drop-ins contain corrosive agents, yet concentration is very low when mixed with the water in the bowl.
Ingestion can cause nausea and mild vomiting with occasional ulceration of the mouth and tongue.

Cigarettes and Cigars--These harbor between 15-40 milligrams of nicotine with the filters carrying 25% of the total nicotine content. If the dog experiences adverse effects, the symptoms usually come on quickly, typically within 45 minutes. Watch for neurological signs such as muscle tremor, weakness, collapse, or even a coma. The lethal dose is approximately nine milligrams per kilogram; translating to between five to eight cigarettes for a 50 pound dog.

Pennies--Ingestion of coins is very common in dogs. Pennies minted since 1983 contain 99.2% zinc and 0.8% copper making them a rich source of zinc. Zinc can cause the rupturing of red blood cells, which can result in anemia. Hardware supplies such as nuts, bolts, and screws are another source of zinc so should be kept in a dog-proof container.

Bread Dough--Raw Bread dough made with yeast poses threats if consumed by your dog. The warm, moist environment of the stomach stimulates yeast growth which can cause gastric distention that can be quite severe. Perhaps even more significant is the release of alcohol from the yeast fermentation (beer). This can result in a drunken state and metabolic acidosis.

Moth Balls-- Moth balls are usually either 100% Naphthalene or 99% Para dichlorobenzene. The Naphthalene moth balls are twice as toxic. Like zinc, Naphthalene can cause rupturing of red blood cells.Para dichlorobenzene affects the liver and nervous system. It can take up to three days for your dog to show symptoms if it becomes poisoned by moth balls.

Mold--Many dogs will eat almost anything, including moldy food. The mold can be made up of tremorgenic myco(fungal)toxins and are a common, yet under diagnosed cause of tremors and seizures in dogs.

Ant and Roach Baits--Baits can include safe ingredients such as peanut butter or sugar, making them an attractive treat for dogs. The insecticides used in these baits usually poses little threat to dogs and rarely do they require treatment if ingested.

Silica Gel Packets--These are common in medication and food packaging and if consumed, can result in mild stomach upset.

Birth Control Pills--Each packet of oral contraceptives contains 21 pills of estrogen or progesterone. If too much or either hormone is eaten by your dog, bone marrow suppression can occur. If levels of ingestion are greater than one milligram per kilogram (about 22 milligram per 50 pound dog) than medical treatment is needed. Today’s birth control pills contain very small amounts of estrogen or progesterone and a 50 pound dog would have to eat at least a whole packet to need treatment.

Liquid Potpourri--The ingredients in these products often include essential oils and detergents. Essential oils can mildly irritate the mouth and stomach, whereas detergents can cause sever ulceration and pain in the same areas.

Ingestion of household toxins is a very common occurrence with dogs. Some dogs are more likely than others to eat things they are not supposed to. It is important to know what potential poisons are in your residence and effects they can have. Of course, anything that could be dangerous to your dog should not be available to him. However, accidents happen, so call your veterinarian if you have any questions or problems.

ASPCA Animal Control Center: www.apcc.aspca.com

Brian King can be reached at www.petvetdogdaze.com