Category: General

Dogster is teaming with Traineo to improve pet and owner fitness by starting a new group promoting fitness with dogs.

Dogster is the social network for dogs and their human companions and Traineo is the social network for human health and fitness. You’ll be able to get a training buddy and work with others to find fun and creative ways to get you and your dog fit. Good for you and good for your dog!

osseointegration

Scout lost his leg after getting hit by a car, but now he’ll be getting an implanted prothetic leg. The implant is a revolutionary approach to a prosthetic that uses bio-integration where bone and soft tissue grows into a honeycomb of metal over time. Check out the video of Scout. The surgeries are being preformed by Dr. Robert Taylor from the Alameda East Veterinary Hospital in Denver and who has been featured on Animals Planets Emergency Vets and E-Vets. Dr. Taylor partnered with BioMedtrix to create this prosthesis utilizing osseointegration.

Scout isn’t the first dog to benefit from an implanted prosthetic from Dr. Taylor. Triumph, a Husky, was found in Turkey with both back legs cut off, but international efforts brought her to the U.S. and eventually to Colorado for the groundbreaking surgery. Triumph had numerous surgeries, but you can see from this video she is now up and running.

Soldier also got an implanted prosthetic leg. Soldier was found after three days of being tied to a tree on a shooting range. Don’t miss his story and the people at Best Friends Animal Society who cared for him. Especially Kristi , who cared for, trained, and rehabilitated Soldier for five months and then drove him to his new adopted home in another state. Be sure to see the video of Soldier.

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Konrad Feldmann got Bingo, his canine companion from Canine Companions For Independence, six months ago. But due to his limited mobility, Konrad can’t throw a ball for Bingo and return the favor for all the work Bingo does for him like turning on lights and opening drawers.

Students from the East Robotics Team 1038 from East Lakota High School and students from West Lakota High School solved the problem and at the same time helped empower Konrad. The students modified a “fetch machine”—GoDogGo—so Konrad can use the robot to throw a ball by applying just a little pressure to a new, sensitive switch.

The Dayton Journal-News has a great video of Konrad playing with Bingo, and of the kids who worked on the machine.

Morris Animal Foundation (previously mentioned here as one of my favorite charities) has launched the Canine Cancer Campaign. They are raising $30 million in the next five years to fund a global effort to find a cure for canine cancer in the next ten to twenty years. The research will also look at genetic, nutritional, and environmental risk in order to prevent canine cancer from occurring in the first place.

Why should you care about canine cancer? Because it is the most common cause of death in dogs over the age of two years. One in four dogs will die of cancer. Advances in treating canine cancer means advances in treating human cancer, especially pediatric cancer, and vice versa. And while all dogs are at risk, these dogs are at even higher risk of having cancer. (see chart below)

Check out this video on what this canine cancer campaign will mean for dogs and people.

You can find information on the clinical signs of canine cancer here. (pdf)