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Dale City Animal
Hospital A Noah's Ark Animal Hospital AAHA Hospital Member Newsletter Archives
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Many of our clients carry their love of animals beyond their own homes and pets. In past issues we have featured clients involved with wildlife rehabilitation and the Pet Assistance League. This issue features a client, who as a member of the Friends of the National Zoo (FONZ), volunteers for the zoo's Behavior Watch Program. Susan Hughes has been a member of FONZ and worked as a volunteer since 1984. The behavior watch program uses volunteers to collect data on selected animals. They are specifically trained for each program by the zoo. The data collected contributes to understanding the behavior and habitat preferences of the animals. Over the years she has worked on projects with foxes, bears, gorillas, flamingos, elephants, pandas, and golden lion tamarins. For example, she currently serves as an interpreter for the golden lion Tamarin reintroduction program. These small primates are an endangered species from Brazil. Each spring, the zoo releases a family of tamarins in the Beaver Valley area and interpreters explain how the zoo trains captive-born animals to live in the wild. She has also worked with the pandas. Originally, she collected data during the pregnancy watch of Ling Ling. |
Currently, she is monitoring the two new pandas, their mating rituals and habitat preferences. She is also involved with the Asian elephants, specifically Kandula, the new baby elephant. They are collecting data on the development, growth, play, sleep and nursing habits. As a volunteer, Mrs. Hughes also assists with special events. In addition to the behavior watch program, the zoo has many other volunteer programs. Anyone interested in this or other volunteer programs with the zoo can call the volunteer line at 202-673-4956 or visit the website at www.fonz.org.
Mrs. Hughes behavior watch includes lions at the zoo and her own cats. Similarities between the two are evident in these pictures. |
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Drs. Davis, Mayo, Levinstein and Noel recently went to Boston for a weekend of continuing education. It was a very informative conference about anxiety and phobia disorders in dogs and cats. This included some very helpful treatment tips about helping dogs with fear of thunderstorms. There are several behavior modification methods and medications that can be used quite successfully to treat these pets. If your dog is one of those who lives in fear at this time of year, call us to set up an appointment to discuss options. |
Separation anxiety, which varies in intensity but can cause symptoms such as inappropriate elimination, destructiveness or vocalization when owners leave the house, can also be addressed very successfully with a combination of drugs and behavior modification techniques. Other topics included feline house-soiling problems and aggression between cats. The information our doctors learned in Boston will hopefully be put to good use helping your pets live a happier life. |
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Community Spotlight
At home, Mrs. Hughes conducts her own behavior watch observing the antics of her two domestic cats and two ferrets. She adopted her cats through our Have a Heart Fund program.
On May 22 of this year, Dr. Terri Summers was married to Craig Davis. We all join in wishing them the best as they begin their life together. Effective immediately, Dr. Summers will use her married name, Dr. Davis.
Our hospital continues its participation in the Dale City Fourth of July parade this year. Doctors, staff, and their pets march in the parade to promote our Have a Heart fund. Clients are invited to participate as well. For their safety, very young, very old, and recently ill pets should not participate. Contact our office for details later this month if you are interested in joining us.
Heatstroke is a serious problem during the summer months. Never leave your pet in the car, even for just a few minutes, and even with the windows down. Temperatures can soar inside a car even on relatively mild, sunny days. Open vehicles like jeeps, convertibles, or the back of a pick up truck are also dangerous. Never walk or run with your pet during the heat of the day. And if your pet is outside, insure it has plenty of shade and water. Sick animals, or ones with any type of open wound should not be left outdoors as their weakened state makes them susceptible to fly larva (maggots).
The hospital is conducting two special raffles this summer for our Have a Heart Fund. On July 31, a drawing for the American Beanie Baby (contributed by Patricia Webb) will be held. On September 30th, a drawing for the 100th Anniversary Teddy Bear (contributed by Patricia Johnson) will be held. Tickets for the raffle are available in our reception area for one dollar each.