Thank you everyone who has helped by sending good thoughts, spreading the word, and donating for this important cause.

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More Bones for the Cure Beads

Cindy at the finish in 2009!

Why I Run

No question that breast cancer is a horrible disease. Until recently, it was a disease that Other People got. But you know… cancer can strike anyone. And it did. My best friend Cindy (aka Peach) is a veterinarian, a specialist in internal medicine, and currently a surgical resident, too. Pretty impressive. She is also a cancer survivor.

I interviewed her on About.com and despite the gravity of the subject, she writes about her cancer with the same wit and humor she always has.

It’s hard being on the sidelines. I want to DO something. Fix something. Help my friend kick this $%&# thing called cancer. That is how I got involved in the Race for the Cure. We made a video, formed a race team, and created a team web site. Although not in that order. We did everything at once!

What Does a Donation Really Do?

Cindy recently sent this out to our team:

“Ever wonder where the money goes?  I sure do.  The majority of the money raised in Oregon stays to help patients in Oregon – 75% of it to be exact.  The other 25% goes to the national Komen organization.  This year four major research grants from that national fund came back to Oregon  – 3 of the 4 grants went to OHSU and 1 went to Providence.  So the majority of the money we raise here stays here to help the people we know.

I was diagnosed with “Triple Negative” breast cancer 3 years ago now.  This form of breast cancer carries one of the worst prognoses with the highest incidence of resistant, aggressive recurrence, usually within the first 5 years after diagnosis.  Luckily only 15% of breast cancers are of this type.  Part of the problem is that up to this point there have been no real effective treatments identified for triple negative disease.  However, in the last year PARP inhibitors have surfaced as a potential treatment to slow metastatic triple negative cancer.  Research funding, largely from Komen, allowed for this discovery. Let’s help the researchers find something to prevent metastatic spread next….:

Saying Thank You

There are so many causes now, it is easy to become overwhelmed by the many valid and necessary pleas to help animals and humans. But this is my annual “Blog The Change” for humans. In this case, a human that does a LOT to help animals.

Bones and Beads!

Each year, I do something new as a thank you for donations to our Race for the Cure team. This year, it is exclusive black and pink dog bones, pictured below. I am not using this color combo anywhere else. The color combo was requested inspired by my best friend Heather and her Tail Wagging Muse. These bones are available, wired up with sterling and Swarovski crystals, for donations of $50 or more on my behalf to our Race for the Cure team. I also have other Race for the Cure handmade beads available.

Note: The donations go directly to Komen. I do not handle the money at all, and I contribute the shipping costs. All bones will be wired up with sterling silver, Swarovski crystals, and made as a pendant for humans or with a larger clip for your favorite anipal’s collar.

It took me a few times to get the colors “just right” – pink can be a fickle color when working with glass. What it looks like pre-melting isn’t necessarily what comes out of the kiln. Pictured below are some of the other candidates. The first attempts are more purple-y blue than pink. Very nice, but not the pink pop! I was going for. If you would like those colors, though, just let me know. And… if you have a super special color request, maybe we can work something out. 

I also have other Race for the Cure handmade beads available.

August 25, 2010 update: new bone and bead photos

Learn more: Team Web site | Facebook | Flickr

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Bones and Breast Cancer

I am not alone. Witness Barnie.

Is it really all that bad, Barnie? He looks peaceful enough.

Now, through the magic of the Internet, let’s take a closer look at those sweet kitty dreams.

And so it goes…

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When (Wild) Cats Dream

From the Blog the Change web site:

“Blog the Change takes place on the 15th of January, April, July and October annually.  Have a blog?  Write about a cause near and dear to your heart. Inspire your audience to get involved!”

My cause: help pets in hot cars
Pets die every day after being left in the car “for just a few minutes” or in some cases, accidentally forgotten in the car. It is a rare dog that can honk the horn to save himself. Even days that are not that hot out can heat up a car in minutes. Add to that your dog’s excitement, barking and activity, and heatstroke and death aren’t far away.

Heatstroke is not pretty. In this video, ABC News was at a Philadelphia veterinary hospital as the veterinary team worked hard to save a dog suffering from heatstroke. If you can get the pet through the initial crisis, that is step one. Next, it is important to monitor closely for organ failure over the next several days.

This is from my About.com site and illustrates how horrible it is to watch a pet die in a hot car.

(This took place in the Detroit, MI area…not a particularly hot day, maybe 70 degrees. The black Mercedes sedan was parked in full-sun, with one window cracked about an inch.) About 15 years ago, I saw a German Shepherd locked in a car…he was in obvious distress, he was vomiting, frothy drool from his mouth, visibly wet from sweating. I went into the store where the vehicle was parked, asked them to page whomever owned the vehicle; no response. The store owner called the police, who came…smashed the car window but, sadly, it was too late…the dog had passed away in the few moments it took for me to get help. To this day, I regret my decision to try and find the owner…wishing I’d smashed the window myself! When the owner returned from an adjacent shopping center, she was furious at the police for breaking her window…! I will never forget this…

—Reenthequeen | Read more entries

It’s not always easy
I have taken some flak for urging people to be an advocate for pets in hot cars. People say “mind your own business” and that it was only “for a few minutes” anyway. There have been many, many studies proving that it only takes a few minutes to heat up a car to 120F and higher. I would love to see these people in their car on a warm day (I would crack the windows open a little) while I left “for a few minutes.”

Help is here
One of my favorite sites of all time is My Dog Is Cool and they provide free flyers that you can print out and leave on cars. BUT if it is a hot day with animals inside the car, I would recommend calling your local animal authorities or police first. I was pleased to see that in my community this year, the animal control organizations posted notices in the paper saying that they are on patrol for animals left in cars, and to please call them. I have programmed their number in my cell phone. It is important to also note the type of car and license plate, too.

Please share: What do YOU do to help pets in cars?

Related:
Be The Change … it isn’t just one day
new post on about.com:
Danger Zone: Pets Left in Hot Cars

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Blog The Change: Help Pets in Cars

Photo: Sophie catches up on her beauty rest after the 4th of July by Janet Tobiassen Crosby DVM

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Made it through the fireworks

We even had a day of nice weather.

Then I came home. I somehow walked out of the airport leaving a bag on the baggage carousel. la-la-la didn’t even think about it until several hours later. Yes, feeling a bit distracted lately. :-/ Thank goodness, my bag was waiting for me in the baggage claim. My dear husband drove out to the airport to retrieve it. How nice. (I think he was eager for a little break too, since it was dinnertime. I cooked instead of going to the airport.)

I came home to an eager family and pets, all of them glad that life is now “normal” again, and me realizing oooh how far behind I am on work. Quality time with the parental units meant less work time, but it was totally worth it. Now, however, I am feeling a bit buried.

Reality hits.

Awaiting my return was a package from a long-time dear friend who is genius, pure genius, at packaging and gift-wrapping. And finding cool stuff. Her talent takes my breath away, seriously. (Also filled with a bit of envy… you would know why if you have ever received a package from me, taped wildly together and including a few cat hairs for good measure.) Look:

Everything handmade, wrapped to perfection.

Yummy goodies, musical goodies, books, fun stuff and a big juicy letter! WOW. Perfect goodness on a cold rainy day. Barnie went crazy playing in the packaging. He is so easy to please.

Friends, Family, Pets - what life is all about

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Transitions – switching gears before summer

Abandoned Farmstead

In the small stand of trees to the right is the abandoned house, and the white rectangle is the old barn; trying to hold it together against the elements.

Abandoned farmsteads are common around here, most settled during the “160-acre free land to homesteaders” in the west. Sometimes only the foundations remain or a windmill, but many do have a visible house and barn. The stories that they must have…

Typical spring day here – crazy big white clouds, blue sky, and green-green-green as far as the eye can see. My favorite time of year. Mid to late June is when the wheat and barley start getting streaks of gold, then the greeness is all over. Golden waves of grain is pretty and all, but I love the green.

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Sunday Drive

Lucky me – Michael’s had Lion Brand “Thick and Quick” wool blend on sale. It is 20% wool, 80% acrylic – great for easy washing – in an olive color called Cilantro. Normally $6.49, marked down (clearance, actually) to $1.99. This was the only color on sale – hmmmm!? – maybe it doesn’t sell well or people don’t like it, but I would have selected it above all of the other colors. So… not sure what that says about me, but I was happy about that.

Here is the finished mat and the Cat Mat recipients. I have written down the “pattern” below for any knitters out there.

The Cat Mat on the back of the couch, Greta's perch

Greta on her Cat Mat (that IS her happy look)

Window version of the Cat Mat, modeled by Barnie

Barnie figures this is a good deal

Make your own Cat Mat
I used just a few yards over 1 skein (to make the last 5 rows, ~10 yards) of Lion Brand Wool Ease “Thick and Quick” using size 15 (29″) circular needles. I would recommend casting on fewer stitches and it should be a one-skein project. I plan to make more of these and will try that out. For now, here is what I did to make this Cat Mat.

I am not a pattern-writer, but here goes.

1. Cast on 54 stitches. I used a Long Tail cast on.
2. Garter stitch (knit each row) for 5 rows.
3. Garter stitch first 5 stitches, then stockinette stitch (knit one row, purl the next row), then garter stitch last 5 stitches.
   *Note: garter stitch = always knit the first and last 5 stitches to give you the garter stitch side borders
4. Continue step #3 until the Cat Mat is as ‘tall’ as you want it, then finish off with 5 purl rows.

Finished size: 22″ x 14″ (unblocked) and 2.5 stitches per inch

That’s it!

For my next Cat Mat
I purchased some 14″ size 15 straight needles for the next go-round. That will make the ‘short’ edge of the Cat Mat, and the stockinette stitch will go length-wise. Just to try a different way (and an excuse to buy another pair of needles).

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The Cat Mat

But what if the senior pet is cranky, gets “lost” in the house, or doesn’t seem to respond to you? It may be a condition called Canine Cognitive Dysfunction (CCD) or in simpler terms, senior dementia. I recently did an interview with Edie Jarolim of Will My Dog Hate Me? on this topic: Canine Cognitive Dysfunction: A Vet Explains

Learn more: about senior dementia, also known as Canine Cognitive Dysfunction (CCD).

Share your story about living with a pet who has senior dementia.

Related Reading:

• Anipryl – Help for Senior Pets?
• Caring for Senior Dogs
• Celebrate Senior Pets! Show us your senior dog or cat
• Readers Respond – Viewer-submitted stories on a variety of topics

Photo: In Memoriam by normanack on Flickr

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Canine Cognitive Dysfunction

Most people are aware that antifreeze is toxic to animals and humans. While cars and garage or parking lot spills are the most common source of antifreeze, boats, “winterized” cabins, and similar situations must also be remembered with pets are around.

This forum post sadly illustrates this point.

ForRiley writes: “Last week we lost our beloved puppy, Riley, to antifreeze poisoning. The source of the antifreeze was a portable basketball hoop  in our driveway.

Continue reading…

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Sad lesson about antifreeze toxicity