"Heaven goes by favour. If it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in. --Mark Twain

NY Pet-I-Care Adoption Program is based in Manhattan. We welcome all potential adopters or contributors to email NYPeticare@aol.com Perhaps, you cannot adopt a dog or cat but want to help?well, there are plenty of ways to do that! We could always use dog walkers, cat socializers and foster homes. Simply email NYPeticare@aol.com to find out when you can come and start helping.

And if you do adopt...Jenn Garan offers excellent and personal obedience training for newly adopted pets. She will guide owners through the transition of a new dog in the family and train both the dog and owner! Also visit her at www.BigCityDogs.net

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NY PET-I-CARE PRINT:

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WHO WE ARE

"PET-I-CARE is a grassroot non-profit program of professional and volunteer "Friends of the Program" who give willingly of their time and collective talents to provide shelter, medical care, training and socialization to as many abused and abandoned strays that can be accommodated. Our ultimate goal is to find that exceptional home, where they can feel safe, loved, and become a member of their new family."These two dogs, along with our list of fostered dogs and let's not forget the cats, are ready and waiting to go home with the right person. Please email Marilyn at NYPeticare@aol.com for more information or to schedule an appointment.

FROM OUR DVM

Q- When I took my dog to the dog run I saw several posted warnings about an epidemic of a new disease that is killing dogs in the city called Leptospirosis. What?s this all about? ?MJT First of all, there is no epidemic of Leptospirosis occurring in the city. The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene issued an alert dated August 14, 2002 to all veterinarians practicing in Manhattan stating: ?Since January 2002 a Manhattan veterinary practice has reported four possible cases of Leptospirosis (serovar canicola) in dogs living between West 79th and 150th streets on the west side of Manhattan. All dogs showed signs of acute kidney failure and three had signs of concurrent liver disease. Two of the four dogs were euthanized due to the severity of their illnesses. One dog was previously vaccinated with the 4-way Leptospirosis vaccine six months prior to illness. Exposure history was limited with one dog being strictly confined to the owners back yard, two frequented Riverside Park, and none used any of the dog runs?. All denied any history that their pets chased, hunted, or killed wildlife or chewed the remains of any infected dead animals. No other veterinary practice on the upper West Side has confirmed any additional cases as of this writing. Leptospirosis is a spirochete bacterial organism similar to the one that causes Lymes disease. Leptospirosis infects susceptible hosts by invading the body through the mucous membranes, open sores, or skin abrasions after exposure to contaminated water, urine, or mouth parts in contact with live or dead infected animals. Raccoons, squirrels, skunks, opossums, and rats are the most frequently incriminated carriers of Leptospirosis. Leptospirosis is not a new disease. It has been recognized for many years as a worldwide zoonotic problem, meaning it can infect both humans and animals. There are over 200 various strains of Leptospirosis, but the most common strains that cause disease in canines are grippotyphosa, pomona, icterohaemorrhagiae, and canicola. Tale Docs-2 The most common symptoms are high fever, loss of appetite, excessive thirst, severe lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, dark urinations, and on occasion jaundice, a yellowish hue to the skin, ears, and whites of the eyes. The initial workup reveals severe kidney damage and frequently liver involvement. Diagnosis is confirmed by demonstrating the actual Leptospirosis organism by special laboratory techniques or by the detection of antibodies against the organism in the blood. The former is more useful in that it diagnoses the disease in its earliest phase of infection, while antibodies may take several weeks before they develop. The treatment of choice in the early phase of the infection is penicillin antibiotics and fluid therapy; followed by doxycycline antibiotics in the recovery phase to eliminate chronic shedding of the Leptospirosis organisms. The prognosis for recovery is guarded at best with the likelihood of some permanent kidney damage. Prevention is using common sense and keeping your dog away from potential carriers of Leptospirosis. Discourage them from chasing squirrels and rats and from retrieving and chewing on carcasses of dead animals that may potentially harbor the disease. The NYC Department of Health currently recommends but does not mandate, as it has with rabies vaccinations, the vaccination of dogs that spend time outdoors in the greater New York City area. With that being said, they have left the decision to vaccinate against Leptospirosis to the discretion of the veterinarian. Veterinarians must resist the temptation of an anticipated windfall of new economic benefit by fueling any hysteria that this is a new epidemic or misrepresent the recommendations by the NYC Department of Health as meaning mandatory. Leptospirosis is an old adversary that flares up from time-to-time as a sporadic occurrence and certainly does not pose the same threat, as the parvovirus epidemic did in the 1970?s, which was responsible for the death of thousands of dogs. To recommend vaccinations of dogs at risk for Leptospirosis can never be questioned, however the mandatory vaccination of all dogs, at this time, can be argued as being overkill, and perhaps bordering on being a bit unethical. Instead, each veterinarian must carefully weigh and balance the anticipated benefit derived from receiving such a vaccine while assessing, realistically and practically, whether or not the pet is truly at risk for the disease and the potential side effects associated with the vaccination. Tale Docs-3 If the vaccination is given, it should include all four Leptospirosis serovars (canicola, pomona, grippotyphosa, and icterohaemorrhagiae) known to cause the majority of infections in dogs. The vaccine is administered as two (2) injections separated by an interval of 3-4 weeks, and annual inoculations thereafter. If there are any changes in the status of this potentially serious disease the NYC Department of Health will issue a widespread media alert and a mandatory vaccination program will be implemented.

ADOPTING A FRIEND

If you are interested in adopting a dog or cat from PET-I-CARE, please call@ (212)614-7194, or Email us to set up an initial meeting with the animal. All adoptions proceed from there.

COME VISIT PET-I-CARE!!!

NY PET-I-CARE Adoption Program is located in Manhattan, based in Gramercy Park. Please call and ask for Marilyn Teres, Founder & Director of N.Y. PET-I-CARE, Inc. (212)614-7194, or E-Mail us at NYPetiCare@aol.com to schedule a time.

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Marilyn Teres; Founder & Director

(212)614-7194 NYPeticare@aol.com
Click here for a list of pets at this shelter

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