“It’s just the most amazing thing to love a dog, isn’t it? It makes our relationships with people seem as boring as a bowl of oatmeal.” ― John Grogan
In This Issue: World Cancer Day is February 4th; Do Dogs Really Make Us Happier?; Love Is Dog Collection; NC State Clinical Trial Testing Promising Canine Osteosarcoma Treatment; How To Switch Dog Food; Pup of the Month.
Today Is World Cancer Day
World Cancer Day is an international day marked on February 4 to raise awareness of cancer and to encourage its prevention, detection, and treatment. World Cancer Day is led by the Union for International Cancer Control to support the goals of the World Cancer Declaration, written in 2008. The primary goal of World Cancer Day is to significantly reduce illness and death caused by cancer, and is an opportunity to rally the international community to end the injustice of preventable suffering from cancer.
Today we remember and honor those fallen from this disease, encourage those currently fighting, and celebrate those who have won their battle. We are Puppy Up STRONG!
With YOUR help we will continue to fight for those who mean so much to us!
If you would like to donate, please follow this link.
Do Dogs Really Make Us Happier?
(Photo: WhitneyLewisPhotography)
New research shows that the psychological benefits of dog ownership are real —and especially valuable during the pandemic.
Psychologist Susan Pinker explores new discoveries in the science of human nature.
Last summer my life was upended when I was given an oversize 4-month-old puppy for my birthday. Otis’s arrival created joy and anxiety in equal measure. Already well into the pandemic, my husband and I wondered what effect this shaggy, disoriented creature would have on us. Would he provide comfort? Or would his chewing, nipping, soiling, lunging and barking only multiply our stresses?
By April 2020, the adoption rate for dogs in the U.S. had increased by more than 30%, according to Sara Kent, CEO of the nonprofit database Shelter Animals Count. By year’s end, spending on pet care and supplies had reached a record $99 billion. Lots of Americans expect dogs to lift their spirits, it seems.
We’re not alone: A new study of the human-dog relationship during the early days of the pandemic, by Liat Morgan and her research team at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the University of British Columbia, found that in Israel, too, dog adoptions ramped up as social and economic restrictions increased. Disasters like earthquakes and floods usually prompt people to give up their pets, but the study found that during the pandemic, far fewer people relinquished their pets to shelters—a trend echoed in the U.S., said Ms. Kent.
I soon became besotted with Otis, who is now an 80-pound adolescent. Still, I wanted some proof: Do pets really reduce our loneliness and make us feel happier?
In 2019, a study led by Lauren Powell, now a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Pennsylvania, looked at whether getting a dog improved the owner’s activity level, cardiovascular health and psychological state. The researchers used advertising and social media to recruit 71 people living in Sydney, Australia, and separated them by inclination: People who planned to get a dog within a month, people who wanted a dog but agreed to wait until after the study was complete, and people who had no interest in ever acquiring a dog.
For the rest of the article, please follow this link.
Dog Is Love
Last year had a definite impact on our ability to engage in our standard fundraising events. This past year spotlighted the profound impact our dogs have on our lives so, with the new year underway, we have collaborated with the lifestyle brand Dog is Good to introduce a program that will bring you great products while giving directly back to our non-profit, The Puppy Up Foundation. We strive to continue to expand our mission and raise the necessary funds to further our impact.
To honor you and your love for dogs, we are excited to share our new online store with our kick-off Dog is Love collection. Take a moment to check it out http://puppyup.digdirect.com.
These Limited Edition Products will be shown on this site, starting tomorrow, Friday, Feb. 5th until gone! Be sure to bookmark the site, and check back in the morning!
Prefer to get your products for FREE? Become a SuperFan, helping us let others know about our mission. When your friends and family purchase through your link, you will earn redeemable reward points and our organization will receive funds. Click here to get started. Follow the JOIN NOW link.
We want to thank you in advance for your support! http://puppyup.digdirect.com.
If you have any questions, or want more information, email us: dig@puppyup.org.
NC State Clinical Trial Testing Promising Canine Osteosarcoma Treatment
January 12, 2021
Canine osteosarcoma is a particularly pernicious cancer. Not only do tumors destroy bone and unleash crippling pain, but cancer cells then typically leave the bone, spread to the bloodstream and create more tumors in the lung.
Even with surgery and aggressive chemotherapy, the average survival time is 10 months. About 15% to 20% of dogs make it to the two-year mark.
Now, a recently launched clinical trial at the NC State College of Veterinary Medicine is exploring a new approach.
Led by Mike Nolan, associate professor of radiation oncology, the trial is testing a new drug, XRD-0610, which has shown promise in enhancing the power of radiation therapy to treat a range of cancers in both companion animals and humans. An estimated 8,000 dogs in the United States are diagnosed with osteosarcoma each year.
Nolan is collaborating with a team from the company XRAD Therapeutics who developed the drug. XRAD Therapeutics. The first animal patient enrolled in the trial, named XRADIOS, in November, and more participants are needed for the first phase of the trial, which runs through June.
“By the end of this initial canine clinical trial, we’ll have made a ton of headway in determining whether this drug has a future in improving cancer care for children and dogs with osteosarcoma,” says Nolan. The canine version of osteosarcoma behaves similarly to the human pediatric form of the disease.
Find the rest of the article here.
How To Switch Dog Food
By Lauren Corona
From The Chicago Tribune
Changing dog food
Your dog’s diet contributes to longevity and good health, which is why you want to feed them quality food. Unhealthy dog food with excessive fillers is like the canine equivalent of junk food and won’t be doing your dog any favors. Whatever your reason for a change, when you switch dog food, it’s important to do so properly and to think carefully about the food you’re switching to.
Why to switch dog food
There are several reasons why you might want to switch dog food. Perhaps you’ve recently realized that the brand you’re using isn’t of the best quality and want to feed your dog something better. If your dog seems to have lost their appetite and you’re wondering, Why won’t my dog eat their food?, it might be time for a change, assuming you’ve ruled out potential health concerns. You should also switch dog food as soon as possible if you think the food is making your dog sick or you’ve learned your canine companion is allergic to one of the ingredients.
You’ll need to decide whether you’d rather feed your pet kibble, wet food, or a mixture of the two. Picky dogs might find wet food more palatable, but wet food alone can be expensive. Although less common, you can also find alternative types of dog food, such as freeze-dried dog food and raw dog food.
To read the rest of the article, please follow this link.
Pup of the Month
Cody Worthy
(Tammy Worthy) The sign read, “CUTE PUPPIES $35”- and with that, my life changed forever! We got Cody as a Christmas present for my other dog Maui and for almost 12 years, until the day Cody died, they were literally inseparable. Cody was the epitome of a big, goofy, slobbery, lovable dog who everyone fell in love with the second they met him. His eyes seemed to be able to look into your soul and know what it was you needed from him – whether it be a snuggle or some dopey antic that would make you double-over with laughter. He loved people, and life!
Even throughout his ordeal of battling Oral Malignant Melanoma, he never lost his zest to live. He endured surgeries and experimental vaccine trials, but as all too often, the cancer ultimately won. On August 15th the heartbreaking decision was made – it was time to let him go. His legacy to the world is that he was part of the ongoing study to help develop a vaccine for this horrible disease, but to me, he will always be the best $35 I ever spent!
(Cody was a contestant in the 2018 “Cancer Can’t Keep A Good Dog Down” Calendar Contest.)
Happy Valentine’s Day from The Puppy Up Foundation!
Where to get Valentine’s Day goodies for your 2 and 4 footed loved ones and help us as well? Amazon Smile! Be sure to use smile.amazon.com and make The Puppy Up Foundation your Charity of Choice.
Puppy Up gets a small portion of each sale, so every purchase counts.
If you have not registered for Smile yet, go to https://smile.amazon.com. You’ll be directed to select a charity.
You can help when you shop at Kroger, too.
Just login to your Kroger account online – click on community rewards. Search for The Puppy Up Foundation either by name or IQ193 and click enroll. Every time you shop at Kroger and use your rewards plus card, you can help us earn money.
Thank you!
Other Ways To Help Us
Just like there are many different breeds of dogs, The Puppy Up Foundation needs many different volunteers to help the organization. No matter where you live or how much time you have to offer, there is a role for you.
Are you detailed-oriented, creative and artistic, great at internet research or making phone calls? Would you like to volunteer at fun, educational events? Share your interests and talents and help raise awareness and funding for canine cancer and comparative oncology.
Donate to the Cause
It’s estimated that between 4 and 6 million dogs die from cancer each year and recently it was announced that 36 children a day are diagnosed with cancer. Our pets and our children are being attacked by this deadly disease. Your donation to The Puppy Up Foundation will help further our mission of discovering the causes of cancers and their common link in both pets and people.
Your gift is very much appreciated and fully deductible as a charitable contribution. The Puppy Up Foundation is a 501 C(3) organization and our tax ID number is 47-2319212. All transactions conducted on our Web site are encrypted using a secure server to protect your privacy. All donations are final. All transactions are happening in the United States.
We can always use your help. If you’re interested, send me an mail at ginger@puppyup.org.
Sincerely,
Ginger Morgan, Executive Director
The Puppy Up Foundation
