In This Issue: Clinical Trial Enrollment; Plan Ahead– Upcoming Events in September; Household Toxins; 2017 Calendar Contest Winners; Pup of the Month — Apple Stukey; Please follow us on Facebook to keep up with all the current news.
CLINICAL TRIAL ENROLLMENT
Clinical Trial Enrollment at University of Wisconsin Veterinary Care (UWVC)
(Neil I. Christensen) Osteosarcoma (OSA) is the most common bone cancer of children and dogs. Around 10,000 dogs per year are diagnosed. OSA is both locally aggressive and has a high chance of spread. When treated with amputation and chemotherapy survival times are approximately 10 months.
PuppyUp provides funding to support research into this deadly cancer. At University of Wisconsin Veterinary Care (UWVC), researchers are currently enrolling dogs with osteosarcoma into a clinical trial of a new, more accurate form of radiation therapy (called stereotactic radiation). The hope is that this type of radiation therapy will allow preservation of limb function give pain relief and avoid the need for amputation. Dogs undergo tests to determine the extent of the tumor, confirm the diagnosis and determine eligibility for the trial. Radiation therapy is given once daily over 3 days. Chemotherapy then starts two weeks after radiation therapy. Thanks to the funds raised by PuppyUp the cost of this therapy is significantly reduced.
Follow-up visits at the UWVC to gather data are required to determine the benefits of this new treatment.
Please feel free to contact UWVC at 608 263 7600 for more information or visit their website.
Neil Christensen BVSc, MANZCVSc, FANZCVSc (medical oncology), DACVR (radiation oncology), Clinical Instructor – Radiation Oncology, University of Wisconsin – Madison Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital; 2015 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706
PLAN AHEAD — UPCOMING EVENTS
Plan Ahead — Upcoming Events in September
For a complete list of dates, times, and locations, please follow this link.
September 10 — PuppyUp at Stapleton Dog Days – Denver, Colorado
September 10 – Paint with a Purpose – Coral Springs, Florida
September 11 – PuppyUp New Paltz, New York
September 11 – PuppyUp At Papio Aquatic Center – Papillion, Nebraska
September 12 – PuppyUp Omaha – Laurizen Gardens – Omaha, Nebraska
September 13 – PuppyUp Denver Pints for a Purpose – Denver, Colorado
September 17 – PuppyUp Wheaton — Wheaton, Illinois
September 17 – PuppyUp Strike Out Cancer Bowl-A-Thon – San Antonio, Texas
September 23 – PuppyUp Anchorage – Anchorage, AK
September 25 – PuppyUp Des Moines – Des Moines, Iowa
HOUSEHOLD TOXINS
Household Toxins That Make Your Dog Sick
(Leigh Marcos) Most people, when they are cleaning their homes, are mindful of their own safety and how a lack of cleanliness may affect them. Parents consider not only themselves, but their children too ― making sure there’s nothing they can interact with and harm themselves with. However, most of us forget about our pets.
Our pets operate at a lower level than we do physically. They, especially dogs, also interact more with what is on the ground ― sniffing it, licking it, and possibly ingesting it. This means all kinds of household products and substances may be toxic to them, such as garbage, fertilizers, and cleaning agents. Their smaller size also means they are more likely to suffer badly from interactions with toxic substances, developing both long term and short term illnesses and effects.
It is important therefore to remain aware of this when cleaning the home. Luckily, there is a guide available which covers the major risks dog owners should be aware of and crucially, how to mitigate these risks for a safer household. Many owners have since found out that their lives are also made healthier by making some simple, pet‒friendly changes to their home.
CALENDAR CONTEST WINNERS
2017 PuppyUp Calendar Contest Winners
(Pictured is Ch.Shenandoah’s Seventh Son “Shaman” CD, RE, BN, HSAs, HTAD1, CL1, JV0. This handsome fellow is this year’s Cover Dog.)
The PuppyUp Foundation would like to thank all our contest participants and donors for their enthusiasm and generosity. Thanks to your contributions through the canine cancer calendar contest, we will again be able to help fund the vital research the Foundation supports.
Below are the 13 winners of the Ninth Annual 2017 PuppyUp Calendar Contest.
1. Potter Stevenson $1500.00
2. Shaman Handte $910.00
3. Orvis Burnett $501.00
4. Cosmo Gulley $310.00
5. Thisbe Sue Moore $300.00
6. Sturmie Trapp $300.00
7. Brady Powers $250.00
8. Finn Cota $240.00
9. Butler Prescott $ 230.00
10. Busta Miller $215.00
11. Hank Kabel $200.72
12. Lola Crawford $200.00
13. Echo DeVogelaere $200.00
We had many more contestants, and all their dogs’ photos will be published in the Gallery section of the 2017 calendar. There is a place for everyone in our calendars.
We’ll let you know when the calendars go on sale.
Congratulations! Thank you. And PuppyUp!
PUP OF THE MONTH
Apple Stukey
Pup of the Month — Apple Stukey
(Julie Stukey) Apple’s origins are unknown. What we do know is that she was returned to her rescue in late 2014 after a small swelling on her right front paw turned out to be a mast cell tumor. By the time the diagnosis was made, the cancer had spread to many of her lymph nodes; amputation and chemotherapy would give her the best chance of beating cancer, and so her front leg was amputated in March 2015.
Fortunately for me, Apple’s rescue group chose to pursue chemo at the veterinary oncology practice where I used to work. I met Apple in April 2015, and I adopted her less than a month later. She finished her eight dose protocol in July 2015 and has since been cancer free.
Apple adjusted quickly to life on three legs. She wrestles with her Siberian husky brother, keeps up with the family on multi-mile hikes in the Adirondacks and Massachusetts (pictured), and frequently channels her inner terrier to chase squirrels out of the yard! She is just starting her newest adventure as a therapy dog for a local hospice program, providing companionship, love, and support for individuals facing terminal illnesses.
I am endlessly grateful for the opportunity to make this amazing little dog part of my life for years to come. She may be small, but she has a huge heart and cancer definitely can’t keep her down!
(Apple was a contestant in our 2017 Calendar Contest)
Other Ways to Help
Please stop by and shop at our PuppyUp Store. You can also help by designating us as your non-profit charity of choice when you shop on Amazon, using Amazon Smile. If you follow this link every time you shop on Amazon, they will donate a percentage of your order to the PuppyUp Foundation. Thank you.
Disclaimer:
The PuppyUp Foundation does not endorse nor recommend any particular product, service, or treatment. We offer information strictly for educational and/or informational purposes. We believe it is the pet owner’s responsibility to do the research and draw his or her own conclusions.
We can always use your help. If you’re interested, send an mail to: ginger@puppyup.org.
Sincerely,
Ginger Morgan
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