HSUS Investigation Of Petland

The HSUS investigated 21 Petland stores over an 8 month period of time. When the Petland corporation was notified of the poor findings, they went on the defensive. Petland Inc.'s Elizabeth Kunzelman had this to say, "There's no way to substantiate any of that, honestly, and we're not going to comment on it. They don't regulate the business." Instead of adressing the issues at hand, Petland decided to trash the HSUS, so that they won't look so bad. Here is one qoute from the Petland website, "Reports such as those posted on the HSUS web site surface every year around the holiday season in conjunction with their annual fundraising efforts. Unfortunately, we were not interviewed or consulted nor were we a part of any of the editing process. This is sensationalism at its best." They have an entire page dedicated to making the HSUS look bad, I don't want to give Petland a link here, but you can copy and paste it into your browser if interested. http://petland.com/PetlandInformation/HSUS.htm

According to the Petland website they say, "Our number one priority is and has always been the health and well-being of our pets." That sounds good, but I've been to my local Petsland, and personally just don't buy it. What I remember is sick looking puppies sitting behind glass, and pushy salespeople. I've never been back, as the place was depressing. That is my opinion, and apparently the HSUS agrees.

This is what the HSUS found, so you can be the judge. In an interview with former Petland kennel manager Denise Jenke, she describes how many of the puppies were delivered on trucks, and in poor condition. "They came in with runny eyes, some were kinda lethargic and nervous, a lot of them were sick, many had upper respiratory infections and had to be put in nebulizer before sale." When Denise asked her superior at Petland if these dogs came from puppy mills the response was "Yes, these puppies are from puppy mills, but we don't tell our customers that. We just tell them that they are from 'USDA approved breeders."

The HSUS investigated breeders used by Petland, and found puppies living in dirty cages that smelled of urine, with inadequate care or socialization. "One of the most common sales pitches made by Petland staff is that the company uses "USDA licensed" breeders. However, investigators reviewed publicly available state and USDA inspection reports for more than 100 Petland breeders and found more than 60 percent of the reports listed serious violations of basic animal care regulations. Many USDA breeders exhibit a long history of substandard care and yet remained licensed. While USDA regulations are minimal, some of the Petland breeders are not even complying with these basic animal welfare standards."

"Some of Petland's puppies are ordered online using a pet auction website called the Pet Board of Trade, demonstrating that many Petland stores are not screening breeders as its website claims. In fact, in some cases they may not even know the breeder's name until after purchase." Please watch this video on the HSUS website, about the sale of puppies at Petland. On the same page, it also allows you to send a message to Petland, to request that they stop selling puppies. The HSUS has presented evidence in this case, that Petland cannot deny. Instead of adopting a dog at Petland, please check out your local shelter and rescue groups instead.

Sebaceous Gland Cyst In Dogs

My groomer is a grumpy old gal, but I mean that in the nicest way. Several days before my grooming appointment, the veterinarian had found a suspicious bump. The plan was to have it surgically removed and sent off to a lab for cancer testing. I advised my groomer to be very careful, and shave around the dreaded bump. She looked at the bump, then back at me, back at the bump, then looked back at me as if to say, "Are you crazy?" My groomer then said, "CoCo, I don't know how to say this politely, but I think your veterinarian is either a crook or a moron." Then she said, "I'm only a groomer so I am unable to diagnose or treat you, but in my opinion this is a sebaceous gland cyst. If I squeezed this by accident, it would pop just like a pimple." That's exactly what she did, all by accident of course. It has healed up nicely, and I did end up finding a new veterinarian that might be smarter than my groomer.

This is all a true story, but not necessarily a recommendation. Many veterinarians will suggest surgery with a biopsy for sebaceous gland cysts. Yet, they sound very much like the dogs version of a pimple! Within the sebaceous gland, there is an oily substance called sebum, and it's purpose is to lubricates the skin. The ducts of the sebaceous glands empty into hair follicles. When the follicles become obstructed, it can cause the development of a sebaceous cyst. Sebaceous gland cysts are typically smooth and round growths and may have a slightly bluish tint. When they are popped, umm I mean surgically removed, it will drain a grayish white, cheesy consistency substance.

Hemangiosarcoma In Dogs

Hemangiosarcoma is a cancer that is more common in dogs, than any other species. This is one of the hardest types of cancer to treat since it spreads rapidly and is oftentimes undiagnosed until it is in a later stage. Hemangiosarcoma is a cancerous tumor with blood vessels that grow directly into the tumor, and is typically filled with blood. A dog may not exhibit any signs of ill health, until the blood filled tumor ruptures, causing extensive internal bleeding, weakness, and collapse.

Hemangiosarcoma can develop in many areas of the body, but most commonly the spleen, liver, and heart. Any tumor found in these areas would be highly suspect for this type of cancer. It can also develop directly on the skin, causing a lump in or around the skin. The prognosis is usually poor for hemangiosarcoma, but chances of survival are better if found only on the skin. One thing I don't want to do, is scare or depress my readers with too much talk about cancer. However, I do think it's important to bring up, as the chances of cancer survival are much better if found at an early stage.

With a dermal hemangiosarcoma it may be succesfully treated if caught early. This would involve surgery to remove the tumor, and possibly radiation or chemotherapy. Unfortunately, hemangiosarcoma with internal organ involvement has an extremely poor prognosis. With internal organ involvement, dogs who are treated with surgery and chemotherapy, only live up to one year on average.

Testicular Cancer In Dogs

Testicular cancer is one of the most common types of cancer, in older unneutered male dogs. Neutering your dog is the only way to completely eliminate the possibility of getting testicular cancer, although neutering is known to increase the chances of getting other types of cancer. Fortunately, dogs that get testicular cancer and are treated, have a very good prognosis.

Testicular cancer has a very low rate of metastasis, and 85% of dogs diagnosed can simply get neutered to get rid of all the cancer. Your veterinarian can check to see if the cancer has spread with blood work and x-rays. The remaining 15% of dogs diagnosed with testicular cancer, may need chemotherapy to fight cancer cells that have spread. If left untreated, the cancer may spread to the lymph nodes, abdomen, lung, and brain. On a side note, dogs that have undescended testicles (cryptorchids), are 13 times more likely to get testicular cancer.

The most common sign to look out for are testicles that are swollen, or uneven in size. If you opt out of routine neutering, make sure to examine your dog regularly. That way if he does get testicular cancer, you will catch it early.