FBRN Grads Love Winter Sports!

Sure, Huskies and Malamutes and Saint Bernards get a lot of press for their mushing and life-saving and what have you when winter rolls around, but did you know some of our Frenchies are serious Winter Sports enthusiasts?

Ernie demonstrates Snow Fetch!

Rosie and Debbie enjoy Synchronous Ice Dancing!

Lolo is a Steeplechaser par excellence!

FBRN Grad Brook takes the baton from Ellie in a relay race somewhere in The Great White North.

Not all of our Frenchies are athletes, of course. Here is Lexi practicing her truffling skills. Great to see such dedication!

Regardless of their enthusiasm for outdoor exercise, all our chilly frogdogs agree with Mancha: After some time in the snow and cold, there is nothing like a bit of apres-ski lounging in front of the fire.

We hope you are enjoying the dead of winter with your Frenchie! Remember that in very cold areas or for long outings, Frenchies should have a coat--and possibly boots--to protect them from frostbite and chilly temps.

In recent years, FBRN has seen an influx of dogs with varying degrees of heartworm infestation. Most of these cases were strays from Texas and puppy mill dogs from Missouri. Most recently, FBRN took in Emeril, a dog with such advanced heartworm his abdomen is distended from built-up fluids. The outlook for Emeril is very bleak. He is a hospice case, and he will live with us until the parasites kill him. Cajun and Alabaster are also terminal hospice heartworm dogs. Aiyana and Can Can are on their second rounds of treatment. Sybhan is on her first round of treatment in foster care. Dulcinea was successfully treated and is now on our available page.

Heartworm is carried by mosquitoes. It’s especially prevalent along the coasts, waterways, and in warm parts of the country, where mosquitoes live year round. 

Most caring dog owners who live in heartworm country already know about heartworm prevention. We want to be sure that everyone knows about it. Virtually the entire US, and even lower Canada and Alaska, has seen cases of heartworm. Wherever there are mosquitoes, there’s the risk of heartworm. Think your dog doesn’t spend enough time outdoors to be at risk? If you have slapped a mosquito while barbecuing in your backyard or you’ve been kept awake by the buzz of a mosquito in your ear on summer nights, your dog is at risk. Don’t be complacent; at the risk of preaching to the choir, it’s your responsibility to safeguard your pet’s health.

Please, call your vet and ask about heartworm preventatives. If your dog isn’t already on prevention, test to be sure your dog doesn’t have heartworms already, then give the medicine as your vet recommends. Heartworm prevention costs about $6 a month.

Prevention is especially important, because heartworm treatment for dogs who have already been infected is dangerous to the dog. The worms living in the dog’s pulmonary arteries are killed and their bodies decompose and travel through the dog’s system before being eliminated. As you can imagine, fragments of worm carcass can create problems of their own as they move through your dog’s body. Not to mention that the treatment is very toxic and the dog must endure crate rest for long periods. Because the treatment is effective only for the worms in the final stages, and doesn’t affect the larval stages of the worms, it’s not uncommon for the treatment to have to be repeated, as in the case of fosters Can Can and Aiyana. And when heartworm is advanced, as in Emeril’s case, treatment is useless, because the damage to the heart is irreversible. 

Currently we have half a dozen dogs in our care in varying stages of heartworm infestation and heartworm treatment. We test every incoming dog for the disease, because Frenchies are generally a bit less active than most breeds, so the symptoms of moderate to advanced heartworm infestation—exercise intolerance, coughing on exertion, wheezing, etc.—aren’t always apparent. At your dog’s annual check up, your vet will probably recommend a heartworm test, even if your dog is on the preventative. We recommend that you test your dog for heartworm every year. 

Heartworm is preventable. That’s the reason we are so frustrated to see so many cases and why Emeril’s case is so tragic. Please be sure your dogs are on heartworm preventative. And tell your friends.

For more information on heartworm, please visit the American Heartworm Association website: http://www.heartwormsociety.org/

JEFFREY S. CHIGER

Jeffrey S. Chiger, 62, of Cape Coral, FL passed away on November 1, 2011 after suffering a massive stroke. Jeff was a former Senior Vice President at BankAtlantic in Fort Lauderdale.

He is survived by his wife of 27 years, Ruth (Wolnstein) Chiger, his daughter, Allison Chiger and his sister, Helaine Chiger. Jeff’s favorite charity is FBRN (French Bulldog Rescue Network). He did transports, home visits and much more to contribute for the love of the breed. He will be forever loved and always missed by those whom he touched and left behind.

There are some things every Frenchie owner (and lots of other breed owners) should remember when the snowflakes start falling.

The first is to keep your frogdog warm. Knit a hat or sweater by hand, buy a Fido Fleece from our website, or acquire a fashionably fun garment that will help make up for your Frenchie's lack of undercoat. Frenchies aren't huskies--one of the reasons they don't shed so much is they don't have that fluffy undercoat. So if you live in a place that routinely hits temps of less than 40 degrees, it's your job to be sure your frog doesn't freeze. Dogs lose most of their heat through their ears and their feet, so a dog with ears like a Frenchie should be watched carefully for frostbite on those ears. 

Don't leave a Frenchie outside, not even to potty. It's important not to underestimate your dog's tolerance for cold. Stand outside with your frog in very low temps. If you are uncomfortably cold, your dog is likely colder. Don't leave your Frenchie in a car, not in a garage, not in a doghouse, not chained to a tree, not under the deck. Frenchies are not outdoor dogs. 

Watch out for anti-freeze leaks! You probably know this, since it's gotten good media attention in recent years, but just in case: Anti-freeze is sweet. And it will kill your pets if they lick a puddle of it. If you ask the folks to fill up your anti-freeze when you get the oil changed, be sure to ask them to run the hose over the engine to rinse any spilled anti-freeze off.

Some Frenchies love to run through the snow! They get very silly and it's tempting to take them off lead. If you let your Frenchie go off lead, don't do it near a frozen pond or lake. If you live in an area where water freezes over, you probably hear sad stories every year of people and animals falling through the ice. It's unlikely a Frenchie could keep his head out of the water long enough to be rescued. 

If you live where sidewalks and streets are routinely salted, consider getting boots for your dog's feet. Yes, they look silly. But they may keep your dog's feet from reacting badly to the salt and cold. If your frogdog won't keep the boots on, wipe his feet carefully with a warm wet cloth when you get home to remove the chemicals. That stuff can give your dog a tummy ache if they lick it off.

We know a couple of Frenchies who love their portable heaters. If you get one for your dog, be aware that your dog is likely to snuggle right up to it, and could be burned. 

By now, most folks know about the hazards of the holidays and decorations. Don't let your Frenchie get near the poinsettia and mistletoe, or anything from the lily family. Best not to use those long single shiny icicles for the tree; if you know your dog loves to chew plastic or wires, you might tape the electric wire to the floor; don't leave the dark chocolate candies out; don't leave anything too tempting on the lower branches of the tree--just imagine that you are toddler-proofing the house against a very cunning, naughty, chewy toddler. And if you share your Christmas or New Year's feast with your frog, don't be too generous--every vet sees an increase in pancreatitis cases following special occasions when dogs get too much rich, fatty food.

Enjoy this wintery season and the holidays that come with it! Stay safe yourselves, and keep your Frenchies warm and safe, too.