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6A Daily News – Saturday, September 22, 2012 healthPetsactivities & Cause for celebration Shelters are often hard for people to visit. The thought, whether imag- ined or real, of seeing ani- mals in need and possibly suffering, is more than many can bear. Advertise- ments shown on TV pleading for donations often do nothing but rein- force that our shelters are dismal, sad places where one would fear to venture. It is true that the ani- mals that come in often have had exceedingly hard lives, and the stories they would tell could they speak would bring tears to many an eye. Yet there is cause for celebration. The place at which they have arrived, the Tehama County Animal Care Cen- ter, is doing its best to make life better for all those that enter its doors. This past week is quite representative of that. While the steady stream of pets coming in did not diminish, a staff of commit- ted workers, devoted volun- teers, and dedicated rescue organizations worked dili- gently to find homes for those already housed. In addition, they con- tinue to insure that those remaining are well pro- tected and cared for. Medical needs are met, a clean environment is scrupulously maintained, healthy food given on a consistent basis, and per- haps most of all, the ani- mals are not only shown affection but also respect. With diligence, the ani- mals are walked and played with; everyone involved hoping to pro- vide a measure of what a nurturing family might do. Pet Vet: Puddles needs her nose examined and Dan. They say their dog makes a lot of noise and seems to Puddles's excessively loud breathing is bothering Olivia have trouble moving air in and out. But the 16-week-old dog doesn't have any trouble going full blast when she's awake. Puddles is a pug. The breed's characteristic flattened face can lead to labored breathing. All domesticated dog breeds have been created by humans through selective breeding practices over many, many generations. We started with wolves and ended up with Chihuahuas and every breed in between. When you realize that all the same structures exist in each type of dog, we can start to understand why a pug might make a bit more, or in Puddles's case, a lot more noise when it breathes. but their faces are compressed front to back. This can make the palate too long within the oral cavity and cause it to hang down over the opening to the trachea. This then leads to excess noise while breathing. In severe cases, there is obstruction to normal breathing, with a risk of respiratory collapse or even death. First, their palates are a normal length for their body size, Dogs with this condition need to have surgery to shorten their palate and allow for a more normal flow of air into the lungs. We celebrate this past week because 41 animals were either adopted or rescued. For this to hap- pen at the Tehama County Animal Care Center is a fantastic event. It is not a large organization, nor is it in a community of mil- lions of people with abun- dant resources at hand. As a community we need to be proud of what all the people involved have accomplished. I would like you to meet some of the former residents of your animal shelter. A few of the ani- mals that now have a sec- ond chance at a rewarding life. In addition, perhaps in celebrating with us, you may change your mind and realize that not all shelters are alike. Perhaps, with that realization, step- ping through this one's doors will not be as hard as you once thought it was. They would like you to visit. Ronnie Casey is a volunteer with Providing Essentials for Tehama Shelter.You can read her blog, Mutts & Moggies, at redbluffdailynews.com. I suspect Puddles is dealing with another facial confor- mation issue that occurs fairly commonly in pugs. That would involve the nares (nostrils), the openings into the nasal passages. In pugs and other flatter-faced dogs, there is a higher incidence of a condition known as stenotic nares. The openings into the nasal passages are partially occluded by an epithelial-lined cartilage structure called the parietal cartilage. If this structure is large enough, it can par- tially and in some cases almost completely block air from entering the nasal passages. This not only can cause increased noise when breathing, especially on inspiration, but can also cause compromised respiration. A simple examination can determine if this is the case. In dogs of Puddles's age — she's just 4 months old — and without severe respiratory compromise, we can usually wait for further growth of the body to determine whether stenotic nares become a permanent condition. Sometimes, these dogs will grow out of it. If the degree of occlusion is compromising, surgery can she is very active. remove part of the cartilage structure causing the occlusion. This procedure should result in a total cure. There could be other possible respiratory issues going on. Without question, Puddles's veterinarian needs to deter- mine what is causing this symptom. Whatever the cause, there is likely a cure available. Jeff Kahler is a veterinarian in Modesto, Calif. Questions can be submitted to Your Pet in care of LifeStyles, The Modesto Bee, P.O. Box 5256, Modesto CA 95352. Animal Island: Ateacher's pet is educational When I was in kinder- garten, the teacher had a small tank full of guppies. It kept us kids fascinated, especially when the fish would have babies. Then, in first grade, I was transferred to another school where classroom pets were not allowed. That was a horrible year for me. In second grade, I was switched to yet another school, and the first thing I saw when I walked into the classroom was a little wire cage with a white mouse in it. I knew this school was the place to be. al world. much larger, teachers have a lot more work to do, and there are so many more rules about pets, so having them at school may not be feasi- ble. But if the teacher does not mind caring for the pet and is prepared to shoulder the responsibility, then I can- not think of a better way to expose children to the natur- al world and get them to remember that there is something besides the virtu- These days, classes are Domesticated desert rodents, such as hamsters and gerbils, make the best class pets as they are odor- less and can tolerate a wide range of temperatures. Plus, they have an interesting back story about their domestication and their nat- ural habitats. A clever teacher can create many lessons out of such a pet. There is a good website to learn more about keeping classroom pets called petsintheclassroom.org. Q: My children found a small toad two months ago. We have kept it in a vivari- um and have been feeding it crickets. It has doubled in size. However, with winter coming, I do not know what to do. I know that in nature toads hibernate. Can we keep this toad in the house and keep it active all winter? A: Habitat destruction in our area has severely reduced the number of native amphibians, so you would be doing your toad ___ and the environment a ser- vice by turning it loose back in the spot where you found it. That way, it may accli- mate back to the wild before winter and find a spot on its own to hibernate. It is possible to artificial- ly hibernate amphibians native to temperate areas, but it is hard to do, and you certainly cannot consider the toad a pet for the months it is sleeping. If your children are upset about putting the toad back in its native environ- ment, then a good compro- mise would be to get them a frog or toad that is born and bred in captivity just for the purpose of being kept as a pet. Pac-Man frogs are a good substitute for your toad. ___ bull and a lop-eared bunny. You may find this hard to believe, but they are best of friends. The bunny actually chases the dog around as they are playing tag. When the dog is sleeping, the bunny will put his head on her and snuggle right into the dog. We keep the bunny in a puppy playpen that has a litter box and a bed when he is not loose in the house. Our issue is that the dog loves to eat the bunny's poop and will jump in the playpen to get at it. And if the bunny lets out a few droppings while he is out, the dog eats them right up. Can this hurt the dog, and is there any way to solve the problem? We scold the dog when we catch her doing it, but it does not have the slightest effect. enced everything with my own menagerie: I have had dogs that ate cat poop from our cat's litter box but never from one of our house rab- bits. A: I thought I'd experi- Q: We have a female pit I do not believe Puddles has an elongated palate because This is more of a man- agement issue then a train- ing one. Pitbulls are so food- oriented that they are aware of little else when they are eating. You could try keep- ing the bunny in a large wire dog crate that has a cover on it and is more secure than the playpen, but this does not solve the issue of her eat- ing the bunny's poop when they are out playing. bunny to your vet and have them tested for any parasites the bunny may have passed on to the dog. Bring both the dog and