COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL June 29, 2016
7A
Greenhill offers
advice on keeping
pets safe July 4
A Caregiver’s
Paw-sistant!
P
hillip and Ava are as in-
separable as super and
glue! It is incredible that they
are family because they were
born on different continents:
Ava in Eastern Europe and Phil-
lip in South Korea.
When Philip’s daughter was
given Ava, she was not home
enough to give the dog the care
she deserved. So like many
pets, the parent inherits it. It all
worked out for the best because
Ava and Phillip belong to the
mutual appreciation club. Ava
loves and is dedicated to Phillip,
and so is Phillip to Ava.
“Ava is a Pit Bull/Whip-
pet combination,” said Phillip,
“making her uniquely beautiful,
highly-intelligent, and an amaz-
ing runner.”
Phillip and Ava are exceptional
athletes. You may see their team
of two jogging three miles a day
or tossing and chasing balls in
the park. Both love swim-
ming. Phillip was raised by the
ocean and is a good swimmer,
which evolved into his becom-
ing a frogman for the South Ko-
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rean military, a stunt diver who
could dive from 10 meters into a
swimming pool, and a skydiver!
Ava loves the water too, but she
prefers chasing balls or riding
in one of the cars that Philip re-
designed for her comfort rather
than jumping from a purr-fectly
good airplane.
“Ava has a rock fetish. When
I throw a tennis ball or rock off
one off one of the boat ramps,”
said Phillip, “she always choos-
es the rock and dives off and
swims down to retrieve it. We
begin our days at 5 a.m. with
meditation; then at day break
we head to both parks in town
for our jogging and ball-chas-
ing exercise. When you have a
highly active dog, it is important
to honor it, and this way we are
exercise partners who keep each
other healthy.”
Phillip has altered his two ve-
hicles to fi t Ava’s needs. He took
the back seat out of his Cadillac
and van and put in Diva seats for
Ava. Being a retired contractor,
it was easy. He placed a huge
piece of plywood down, then
a large foam cushion for her
to sleep on. Her “car beds” are
the paw-fect height so she can
see out the windows and large
enough to snooze on. Phillip
also included a separate area for
Ava’s water and food. His little
Princess also paw-furs riding in
their Cadillac over the van.
“I am grateful to be a U.S.
citizen and I don’t like being
bored,” admits Phillip. “I am 73
and wanted a line of work that
was less stressful than construc-
tion, jumping out of planes,
teaching karate, etc. I wanted to
give back to others, so I become
a certifi ed caregiver. Only two
out of 10 in our class passed,
and I scored 92 percent!
Ava did not attend school
with me, but she helps give to
the most vulnerable among us. I
love that I can take her to work.
Some clients have dogs that are
as happy to have her company
as the clients are. Ava is gentle
with the nursing patients. She
was born for this work. I have
always talked a lot to her, just
like you would a best friend,
and she lets me know what she
U
photo by Mary Ellen "Angel Scribe"
Phillip, 73 years old, and Ava, six years old, are superb
athletes who make a great work team caring for others.
is thinking with her expressions
of understanding. Having her
help with home care adds to the
healing and therapeutic work
for my clients.
Ava is a very special friend
who keeps my confi dence and
listens patiently. She makes
me happy, her companionship
is a joy and like having a child
she keeps me busy taking care
of her. Her “presents” never
allows depression to set in be-
cause I have to get up for her,
feed her, walk her and care for
her. Her happy spirit is my re-
ward and motivation.
I am grateful every day to be
an American, have my freedom,
be healthy and helping others...
with my dog at my side.”
TIPS
“Having a dog is a respon-
sibility,” said Phillip, “and it is
cheaper to invest in their health.
You must exercise them for their
energy level. I check Ava’s nose
to monitor how she is feeling.
I detect her body temperature
from the area of her nose. If her
nose is cold then her circulation
is down, a warm nose is good,
but not hot. A moist nose is
healthy, and a dry one shows a
dehydrated system.
I check her poop too. It is a
tell-tail sign of her digestive
system and level of health. If
you or your dog is not digesting
the result is a loss of energy and
health. What we, and they, put
in our bodies is important. All
food creates our blood systems,
good or bad. Invest in yourself
and your pet wisely.”
“Animal studies have repeat-
edly shown that food-grade
carrageenan causes gastrointes-
tinal infl ammation and cancer
at lower doses than the aver-
age daily intake. Given the high
rates of colon cancer in both
dogs and cats, I highly recom-
mend removing carrageenan
from your pet’s diet.“ Michael
Dym, DVM
http://www.dogsnatural-
lymagazine.com/cancer-caus-
ing-carrageenan/
“I read the above and stopped
eating yogurt that has carra-
geenan,” admits Angelscribe.
Disclaimer: This article,
based on personal experience, is
for informational purposes only
and is not intended to prescribe,
treat, diagnose or cure. Always
consult your Veterinarian.
How amazing is your pet?
Tell us! angelscribe@msn.
com
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"I am still determined to be cheerful and happy, in whatever
situation I may be; for I have also learned from experience that
the greater part of our happiness or misery depends upon our
dispositions, and not upon our circumstances."
— Martha Washington
nfortunately, as Fourth
of July festivities in-
crease, so does stress in dogs
and cats, according to Greenhill
Humane Society, which pointed
out that the loud noises can be
very scary and confusing for
animals. While some pets don’t
seem to mind, others may hide
or run.
“It’s usually one of the busi-
est weekends of the year for us,”
says Lauren Merge, Communi-
cations and Events Manager for
Greenhill. Greenhill runs First
Avenue Shelter, which takes in
stray dogs and cats for most of
Lane County.
“We see many lost pets com-
ing in because they dug out,
jumped over a fence or bolted
out an open door while the fi re-
works go off.”
In an effort to keep pets safe
at home, Greenhill is offering
these tips for pet owners:
Fireworks are not your dog’s
or cat’s best friend. Do not bring
your pet to fi reworks displays.
When fi reworks are being used,
keep pets safe inside. Scared pets
may dig under fences or break
through gates when spooked by
the sound of fi reworks.
Even indoors, pets can still
be stressed by the sound of fi re-
work displays. Keep your pet in
a quiet room and play calming
music or background noise to
help drown out the commotion.
For pets who are extremely
stressed by fi reworks, make
an appointment with your vet-
erinarian to discuss medica-
tions and other alternatives to
help your pet. Make your ap-
pointment early – many clinics
have reduced or closed hours for
holiday weekends.
Make sure your pet is wearing
current and accurate identifi ca-
tion, even if they are kept inside.
A tag with a working phone
number can get your pet home
much faster. Be sure to micro-
chip your pet as well in case
their collar comes off. If your
pet is microchipped, ensure your
information is up to date.
Please note: Both of Green-
hill Humane Society’s shelter
locations (88530 Green Hill
Road and 3970 W 1st Avenue)
will be closed to the public on
Monday, July 4 (staff and vol-
unteers will be onsite to care for
the animals). Both shelters will
reopen to the public on Tuesday,
July 5.
Those who have lost or found
a pet are asked to immediately
contact First Avenue Shelter at
541-844-1777 and their local
animal control offi ce. Cottage
Grove - Humane Society of Cot-
tage Grove: (541-942-3130)
Pet owners beware
— fl ea season is
heating up
S
ummer has offi cially ar-
rived, and the Oregon
Department of Agriculture is
offering advice to pet own-
ers who can take several steps
themselves in providing relief
from fl eas. An array of pesticide
products on the market is among
the tools that can be used to ef-
fectively control fl eas, but they
come with the usual caution of
needing to be handled properly.
If occasional high tempera-
tures this spring are any indica-
tion, summer might be blazing
hot, which often exacerbates
the skin irritation of pets that
comes with fl ea bites. If that
happens, pet owners will need
to be ready for action. The fi rst
order of business is to verify the
issue.
“Make sure your pet has
a fl ea problem,” says Rose
Kachadoorian,
entomologist
with the Oregon Department of
Agriculture’s Pesticides Pro-
gram. “They may be scratching
themselves, but it could be a
food allergy or pollen. Work
with your veterinarian to es-
tablish whether the problem is
caused by fl eas.”
If the answer is yes, pet own-
ers can improve the conditions
that lead to fl ea infestations.
Prevention tactics are usually
best started in the spring. How-
ever, there is still plenty that
pet owners can do now. A thor-
ough cleaning and vacuuming
of the house– especially where
pets sleep– is a good start.
Please see FLEAS, Page 8A
CCB#64090
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