The Emporia Gazette

May 28, 2012

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Encico’s Barshoe Cassie is this year’s winner of the Outdoor Adventures “Dog of the Year” contest. Three hundred pounds of premium dog food has been donated to the Emporia Animal Shelter in Cassie’s name. Many thanks to the Emporia veterinarians and Bluestem Farm and Ranch Supply for making this donation possible.

Cassie’s life was short, but I won’t soon forget the impression she left on me. Cass was one in a litter of eight, all orange and white English pointers, that came into my life in June of 2006. What a precarious start she had.

Wifeus has always played the role of mid-wife to the dam of our litters. Her job is to also spoil the pups, or so she tells me! During the birthing process, when Sassy (the dam) just couldn’t push anymore, Myrna knew something was wrong, and Sassy’s life and that of her pups were in jeopardy. The veterinarian was called, and off to his office we went. Sassy was given an injection to induce labor and when this procedure failed, delivering the pups by Caesarian was the only answer. It’s hard for me to describe the process, but praise the Lord for veterinarians and the services they provide. “Rub harder, rub harder” was chanted as the vet handed us eight cold, wet, lifeless little forms, one at a time. That night, in my own hands, the miracle of their being came about. I never dreamed that in less than 18 months, Cassie would die in the same hands that rubbed life into her that night in the vet’s office.

I decided to keep three pups from the litter to hunt with and to participate in field trials. I also like to take a pointing dog to special activities such as youth hunts and Becoming an Outdoor Woman (BOW) events just to share my appreciation of a hunting dog’s “God given talent.” Some people have never experienced the joy of seeing such a dog perform, and some never will. Psycho Sue and Brewster, the first male I ever kept and who had a fetish for Bud Light cans, are still works in progress, but Cassie was special — a natural if there ever was one.

Cassie would staunchly point and was steady on birds at eleven weeks. And she would back other pointing dogs with just as much enthusiasm and style as if she had found the bird herself. Being a natural retriever and having no fear of water, she loved going after the toy football I threw into the lake to provide the pups an outing and much-needed exercise during the summer months.

Cassie almost placed in her first field trial and what a joy she was! Point, hold and retrieve with little or no training, and a loving nature to boot. What more could I ask for?

Cassie seemed lethargic and not quite her bouncy, inquisitive self during one of our play sessions just a day or two after that first trial. We went to the vet and, despite all efforts, she died in my arms early the next morning. Cassie, I miss you. Life can be short. Live, love and cherish every minute of it.

Heartworm awareness

Dogs can’t talk, but their behavior can tell their owners something is bothering them. In the case of heartworms, prevention is the best cure. According to a recent study conducted by The American Heartworm Society (AHS), heartworm disease in dogs and cats continues to be a major health concern throughout the United States. Heartworm incidents in dogs continue to be on the rise and are found in all 50 states. All dogs, regardless of breed, size, general health and whether they are indoor or outdoor pets, are susceptible to it. Once a dog tests positive for heartworms, treatment for the disease is complicated. It’s lengthy, traumatic to the pet and its owner, expensive and can be risky. Cats can also get the disease, and while it is easy to prevent them from getting heartworms, there is no approved treatment for them if they get infected.

Heartworms are transmitted by an infected mosquito biting your pet and depositing tiny larvae in their system, which migrate through their tissues and mature until they reach the heart and lungs. There, the damage they cause can rob your pet of energy and its quality of life, and can become fatal if not diagnosed and cured.

Pet owners are urged to consult their veterinarians about heartworm disease, and to follow their recommendations carefully in order to protect pets. “The American Heartworm Society (AHS) hopes to raise pet-owner awareness of heartworm disease and has designated April as Heartworm Awareness Month, said Dr. Sheldon Rubin, president of AHS.

For more information concerning heartworm prevention, please see your local vet and get your pet checked or contact Nancy Seely at (904) 798-3155 or nseely@trsg.net.