T H E C A N I N E T I M E S N E W S L E T T E R
Issue No.36, Vol.2, Oct 10, 1998
*NOW REACHING 1809 SUBSCRIBERS*
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Contents
>Surfer Dog:
-- American Hairless Terrier
-- Furry Friend Is A Comfort At Computer
-- Trick Training
>Health:
-- Gene Therapy Showing Promise In Fighting Melanoma
>News Brief
-- Curbing the Dog Bite Epidemic
-- Town Puts Bite On Unleashed Dogs in Park
>People and Pets
-- Search Dogs Locate People in Disasters
>Web Site News
-- The Pet Pageant
-- Live, Love and Laugh with Golden Retrievers
>Book Corner
-- Pack of Two
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S U R F E R D O G
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Good Reading Sniffed Out on the Web by Surfer Dog:
THE AMERICAN HAIRLESS TERRIER
In the autumn of 1972, a small hairless female puppy was
born into a litter of midsized Rat Terriers. She had
silky, pink skin with large black spots. Not knowing exactly
what to do with this different puppy, the owners decided to
give her to their friends. Little did they know at the time
that this unusual little pup would be the beginning of a
new and unique breed. (Today there are *only* about
100-200 American Hairless Terriers in the world.
THE STORY:
http://members.xoom.com/AHTClub/breedinf.html
PHOTOS:
http://members.aol.com/AHTerrier/home.html
FURRY FRIEND IS A COMFORT AT COMPUTER
by Reg Henry, Post Gazette
Depression or loneliness is not uncommon among internet
denizens. But the lonely computer user need only take a
simple step to stay happy: Get a dog. Dogs are modem
man's best friend.
THE STORY:
http://www.post-gazette.com/columnists/19980908reg3.asp
TRICK TRAINING
by Pat Saito, Dog Patch
Most of the actions you see dogs doing in movies are simply
an assembly of simple tricks. By teaching your dog to do
each trick, you can have him/her capable of being a movie
dog (or just a fun pet).
THE STORY:
http://www.dogpatch.org/agility/FAQs/faqmis13.html
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H E A L T H
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GENE THERAPY SHOWING PROMISE IN FIGHTING MELANOMA
MADISON - In treating dogs for a highly aggressive
form of melanoma, a University of Wisconsin-Madison research team
is having success with a new cancer vaccine that could benefit
human cancer-fighting efforts.
Professor Gregory MacEwen and research scientist Gary
Hogge, of the UW-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine, have
developed a method of gene therapy that helps the animal's
immune system recognize and attack cancer cells. In the September
issue of the journal Human Gene Therapy, the researchers
reported the vaccine helped some animals live longer and
shrunk the tumor in about 20 percent of animals treated.
"This is important work with melanoma, because
there currently are no other treatment alternatives," said
MacEwen. "Melanoma is resistant to chemotherapy drugs, and surgery
doesn't always help because melanoma's spread is so
aggressive. We're trying to establish this as a standard of care."
The study details the treatment of 16 dogs that had
advanced stages of melanoma that could not be successfully
treated through surgery or drugs. The cases were referred to
the UW-Madison school by veterinarians from around the country.
To develop the vaccine, the researchers began by
surgically removing as much of the tumor as possible. They
extracted and purified individual cells from the tumor and
injected DNA into those cells that accelerated production of
chemicals called cytokines. Cytokine molecules stimulate
production of certain white blood cells in the body. The
altered cells are then injected back into patients in the
form of a vaccine.
The vaccine is administered with a "gene gun," a
unique tool that helps scientists insert genetic material into
cells. With air pressure, the gun can shoot millions of
microscopic gold beads coated with DNA into cells, which are
then injected back into the patient. In cells that are
penetrated by the beads, the new genetic material becomes
integrated into the cell and the cytokine is produced.
With this therapy, the animal's immune response is
improved by the increase in cytokine production. The
cytokines "train" the immune system to recognize and kill
tumor cells, Hogge said.
Cancer vaccines and gene therapy, which have become
widely studied in the past decade, could provide a new
approach to fighting cancer with fewer side effects than
chemotherapy or radiation therapy. This study is
unique, Hogge said, because the gene therapy can produce a
broad range of immune responses against surviving tumor
cells in the patient.
"This is a way to trick the immune system and get
the body to fight the tumor," Hogge said.
MacEwen said this study closely parallels work in
human gene therapy to treat cancer, and provides additional
information that benefits those projects. "We try to target
a lot of the research we do so it will benefit the
development and design of human clinical trials," he said.
Dogs provide a good model for understanding cancer
in humans, MacEwen said, because of their large size and
biological similarity. The causes and behaviors of cancers
in humans and dogs are also very similar.
Melanoma is a common type of oral cancer in dogs. While
oral melanoma is rare in humans, there are roughly 35,000 cases
of melanoma skin cancer reported in America each year, and it
remains one of the deadliest forms of cancer because of its
ability to spread rapidly, MacEwen said.
FOR MORE INFO:
Gregory MacEwen, (608) 263-9815, maceweng@svm.vetmed.wisc.edu
N E W S B R I E F
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***** Curbing the Dog Bite Epidemic
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Calling dog attacks "the unattended
swimming pool of the '90s," Gini Barrett, director of the American
Humane Association (AHA), Western Regional office, has joined
forces with State Farm Insurance Companies in a public
education campaign aimed at preventing man's best friend
from becoming a child's worst nightmare.
"No one intends to put a child in harm's way of a dog
attack, but like the swimming pool left unattended, tragedies
occur quickly, when we least expect it," Barrett said today.
"Adding to the tragedy is the fact that many attacks can be
prevented."
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in
Atlanta, dog attacks are now the number one public health
problem of children.
State Farm's free dog bite prevention materials can be
ordered by calling toll-free 1-877-254-FIDO (3436).
***** Town Puts Bite On Unleashed Dogs in Park
Canine owners in Avon, Conn., howled in protest recently
after the defeat of a proposal to repeal the town's leash
law in a designated area of a local park.
"I'm really disappointed and disheartened," said Scott
Lewis, a lawyer who owns two golden retrievers.
Thirty-six percent of the town's registered voters cast
ballots in the canine referendum. Dog proponents lost by 2,243
votes to 1,192. Opponents of the repeal argued that unleashed
dogs would pose a possible public menace.
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P E O P L E and P E T S
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Woof Dog
--------
SEARCH DOGS LOCATE VICTIMS OF NATURAL AND CRIMINAL
DISASTERS
Five days into a desperate search for victims of a
severe avalanche known to have killed several people at Lake
Tahoe resort, rescue workers were prepared to assume there were
no survivors.
After nearly a week of searching and finding only
casualties, the workers had all but given up.
Their last hope hung on the apparent determination of Bridget,
a WOOF search-and-rescue dog who continued to indicate that a
human was still alive and trapped on the mountain.
Bridget's seeming refusal to give up convinced rescue workers
to dig a 20-foot tunnel into the snow in a last search for
survivors; the search was successful. The sole survivor, having
been buried alive for five days, was able to extend her hand
through the snow.
A paramedic crawled through the tunnel, grabbed her hand,
and pulled her to safety.
WOOF is a nonprofit emergency service unit committed to
disaster missions like the Tahoe avalanche search. The organization
is composed of thirty dogs and handlers, all volunteers, who
train and equip themselves on their own time and, above a few
donor contributions such as that from the Insurance Industry
Charitable Fund (IICF), at their own expense.
WOOF has some of the most highly trained dogs and handlers
in the country; its members include park rangers and
ski instructors.
Dr. Ben Ho, a medical advisor for the Federal Emergency
Management Agency and the California Urban Search and Rescue
Task Forces, is the director of WOOF. He and his German Shepherd
partner, "Cash," have been long-time members of the Lake Tahoe
WOOF team.
According to Ho, "that Tahoe avalanche survivor
is alive and well today only because of the search dog. There was
no other way. There is no probe, no machine, no tool that would
have found her."
Recent catastrophic and criminal events such as the
Northridge earthquake, the Oklahoma City bombings and high-profile
kidnappings have spotlighted efforts of search and rescue teams
throughout the world. The use of search and rescue dogs in
particular has captured the interest of the public as canines
dig through ruins to rescue humans and assist crews in locating
kidnap and murder victims such as Polly Klaas.
Wilderness Finders has provided multiple search dogs to
every major FEMA disaster since the program's inception in 1977.
The organization operated during the Loma Prieta earthquake, Oakland
Firestorm, Hurricane Iniki, and the Northridge earthquake, among
others, and has successfully reunited lost children and elderly
with their families.
Canines involved in Wilderness Finders go through
approximately two years of intense training. Training begins
with an obedience class, followed by a tracking class and air
scent training. The dog then undergoes agility, building
searches, alert box/hole, rubble, cadaver and water training courses.
The purchase price of a search dog ranges from $500 to
over $2,500. The handlers go through rigorous education and
training courses also, beginning with basic first aid and
finishing with Disaster School.
Many others deserve recognition in this helping field.
For more information on search and rescue dogs/organizations
in general or ample library reading, visit the National
Association for Search and Rescue at: http://www.nasar.org/
B O O K C O R N E R
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*** Pack of Two: The Intricate Bond Between People and Dogs
by Caroline Knapp
Publisher: Bantam Doubleday Dell Hardcover - 249 pages
Amazon Review: Knapp, with the help of dog psychiatrists,
trainers, breeders, and owners, explores the partnership
between human and dog and the mysteries of the canine
mind -- how dogs love, how they think, and how they see
human beings. And despite her findings that the dog will
remain essentially "mysterious ... unknowable," Knapp is
ultimately at peace with this, still devouring
the moments when dog and human can "transcend the language
barrier" to "understand what the other wants and feels." This
book pays homage to the wonderful and complex relationship
between one woman and her dog. --Naomi Gesinger
(*Recommended Reading by CT subscriber Andrea Denning, Gone To The
Dogs. And -- our second post on this
book because it is good!)
TO ORDER:
List Price: $21.95
YoOur Price: $15.37
You Save: $6.58 (30%)
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0385316984/caninetimestheem
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W E B N E W S
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THE PET PAGEANT
--->http://www.petpageant.com/
Click and point your way to this site where you
can submit a photo of your furry friend. If your dog
is voted upon by other visitors to the site -- after they
review all the submitted dog pics -- then your dog will
be named "Pet of the Net" *and* you'll be awarded $10
to boot. The contest is held monthly.
LIVE, LOVE and LAUGH with Golden Retrievers
--->http://members.xoom.com/PureGold/
Updated on a daily basis, this interesting site
features Goldens in the news, Golden Retrievers in
children's and adult fiction and non-fiction
literature, celebrities that have Goldens, and Goldens on
TV. In the fun and learning departments, you can journey down
the "Golden" Brick Road. But, be warned. It's really tough
deciding which way to turn. Should it be first to the
Land of Fun & Games? Or how about Cool City? Or Miracle Way?
Or Responsibility Hill? At least, if you go to Bonus Boulevard,
you can feast from the big bowl and find out about everything
offered. This amusement park of Golden goodies is simply too large
to take in on one visit or for us to write upon in our limited
space. Surf on over. It's well worth a visit by any dog person.
E V E N T S
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
READERS: We are no longer providing the
event calendar. We have tracked the number
of requests for many months now and find the
number of persons finding this useful is not
sufficient to justify the outlay of time.
So sorry for those of you who have come to
rely upon it!
C L A S S I F I E D S
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E D I T O R' S C U B B Y
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hello:
I want to express heartfelt thanks to all who
have added a link/banner at their site to Canine
Times. It appears that *thirteen* sites are
currently CT banner flyers. How do we know?
Like us, you can see the results by opening your
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to add their site url and a paragraph or two of
descriptive copy. Do take a look!
If you should be included on the list, please
don't hesitate to add your site details. The
program at the site handles site additions. Here's
the url:
http://www.i-us.net/JumpList/Get_It_@.ius?jl=7NV0RJ38TY4O1H93
If this appears on your screen as two lines, you'll need
to insert it as one line to get to the right page. Or
just go to www.cfnaonline.com/caninetimes/
and use the link at the Canine Times site. Might
be easier.
When and if you are at the Canine Times site, you might
want to note that we have beefed up the Archive section.
Click on "See Back Issue" and you'll be whisked there.
Instead of relying on us humans for a response to
your inquiry for a back issue, you may use this
instead. More will be added as time permits. But
the more recent issues are online now.
Cynthia (Sunni) Freyer
Managing Editor
Canine Times
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