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 Military Working Dogs
Military Working Dogs Cooling Vests Project
Our Christmas Gift
Christmas Gifts For Your Pets
From the Desk of Leroy and Lester
Feather Picking in Birds
Military Working Dogs
Our soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan have a line of defense that is never on the evening news and rarely talked about. Their Military Working Dogs (MWD) are vital to the safety and effectiveness of many military units in the Middle East. They detect bombs, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and the trip wires used to detonate these explosives. They find drugs and weapons,  aid in search and rescue, and provide therapy to US troops. They are also ambassadors of the US military to the citizens of Iraq and Afghanistan, especially the children.
“The dogs give us capabilities that far surpass humans in terms of detection,” said Tech. Sgt. Sherrie Conkright, MWD handler assigned to Kirkuk Air Base in Iraq. “The dog’s senses are significantly more refined than ours and can detect odors better than we can.” Those odors are the unmistakable scent of explosives. These dogs are trained in nine different explosive odors and they’ve got to find every single one. “People don’t realize how many lives MWDs save,” said Chief Master at Arms Ricky Neitzel, kennel master of Naval Station Rota's Security Department in Spain. “There are several instances in which MWDs have located explosive-laden vehicles or improvised explosive devices (IED) designed to kill or injure U.S. forces, as well as locating numerous weapons caches of small arms and ordnance used by insurgents and terrorists.” They can work in any type of combat environment but training is constant. They are certified before they are deployed and they must be re-certified annually. (Quotes and photo courtesy of The United States Department of Defense.)
Military Working Dogs Cooling Vest Project
Starline Nunley of Donnelsville, OH, mother of a soldier stationed in Iraq, started this project after receiving a letter from her son, Major Parker Frawley, telling her about how the Military Working Dogs were having difficulties in the hot weather. When these dogs can’t do their job, all the soldiers are put at risk. Blowing sand and extreme heat (sometimes as much as 130°) makes doing their job very difficult. The extreme heat can melt asphalt which then sticks to the dog’s feet inhibiting their ability to sweat. Through the Cooling Vest Project, each dog receives one cooling vest, two cool packs, doggles (protective eyewear), muttluks (protective booties), a collapsible light-weight bowl, and a toy for “down-time” and costs approximately $300.00. “These dogs are our partners," said Petty Officer 1st Class Michael Thomas, Asst Kennel Master, 25th Military Police Company, 25th Infrantry Division. "We travel with them, sleep with them, and live with them. They are our best friends. Every dog handler will agree that there is nothing we won't do to protect our dogs."
For more information or if you would like to contribute to the Cooling Vest Project go here. (Also, please see the next article.)
Our Christmas Gift This Year
In lieu of Christmas gifts for each other this year, the staff of East Hilliard Veterinary Services will instead be donating the money to the Military Working Dogs Cooling Vest Project. We will have a collection box in the reception area if you would like to donate your spare change. Any amount would be greatly appreciated.
Christmas Gifts for Your Pets 
Please stop by when you are in the neighborhood to check out our supply of Christmas toys for your pets. We also have a good selection of Lupine collars which are guaranteed for life, even if chewed.
From the Desk of…
Feather Plucking in Birds
This condition can be very complex. There is a long list of problems that can be the cause of this sometimes very frustrating condition. This list includes: feather cysts, parasites, allergies, stress, boredom, liver disease, cancer, skin infections, metabolic disorders, malnutrition, disturbances in the normal light and dark cycles of the bird, and lack of natural sunlight and fresh air. Veterinarians that see this condition start their workup with a complete blood count, organ profile, a fecal test, a skin scraping, and bacterial and fungal cultures. Once all these tests have shown the bird to be healthy, behavioral causes are investigated. Sometimes it is something simple like inappropriate perch sizes. This can give the bird a feeling of insecurity which causes stress. Boredom is a common reason for the feather picking behavior. All birds need mental and emotional stimulation. Their mental and emotional maturity is equal to that of a three-year-old child. They need love and attention and they need something to do. Birds need toys and the larger the bird, the more toys they need. It is recommended that the toys be moved to different places in the cage and rotated in and out for even more variety. Birds, especially the large bird will destroy their toys. Be sure you get safe, bird-friendly toys. A bird-owning client of ours has recommended PetSolutions as great online site to order bird toys. They have a huge variety of toys from which to choose.
Even if your bird doesn’t have a feather-picking problem, we recommend lots of love and stimulation for your pet bird. A happy bird is much more likely to be a healthy bird, just like all of our pets.
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