by admin on June 27, 2011
New NAFC, FC-AFC Cody Cut a Lean Grade, “Grady,” owned and handled by Chad Baker, won the 2011 National Amateur Retriever Championship which concluded June 25 in Ronan, Montana. Grady has had multiple incidents of grass awn infection, with treatment requiring major surgery. Not even grass awn infection can keep a great dog down.
Congratulations as well to another grass awn survivor, Finalist FC-AFC Trumarc’s L’il Ms Pogo, owned by Martha and John Russell and handled by Martha. Pogo lost two lung lobes to a grass awn infection two years ago, and recovered to contend strongly for the NARC title thanks to Martha’s nursing skills and dedication to her recovery.
For great detail on the event, check out the Retriever Report and Retriever Blog courtesy of Retriever News, http://2011narcreport.theretrievernews.com/ and http://2011narcblog.theretrievernews.com/ .
by admin on June 15, 2011
We’ve had a cold “spring”in southern WI, so plants may be behind schedule here. The foxtail barley is emerging and it’s easy to spot in the roadside medians right now as the feathery tops are a very pale gold against all the green. Given that for years we were told that we don’t have the “bad” foxtail in Wisconsin, it’s rather frightening to see just how much is growing along the road in our immediate area. Proving once again that it’s good to fact-check, the USDA plant database distribution map shows foxtail barley in all but five very southern of the U.S. lower 48 states plus Alaska http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=HOJU. Given the hazard this stuff poses to our dogs, be sure that you are able to recognize and avoid it. There are more photos in the Gallery, which I hope to organize better in the near future!
Meet Dodger, who lives in Alaska and competes in tracking. Do
dger more than likely picked up a foxtail in 2008 that entered through his mouth and migrated up behind his eye. Dodger’s actually very fortunate. Once his abscess was drained and he took a course of antibiotics, he’s had no further ill effects and has gone on to earn more titles, including the VCD1 (Versatile Companion Dog). Wishing you continued good health, Dodger!
