BUSTER - A REAL DOG OF WAR

Sgt Morgan and Buster

A real Dog of War has been hailed the hero of a British Army raid on an Iraqi stronghold. Explosives sniffer dog Buster unearthed a hidden cache of arms from an enemy camp in the southern Iraqi village of Safwan writes Nick Parker of The Sun, in this shared report from the front line.

The Springer Spaniel's find was followed by the arrest of 16 Saddam Hussein supporters. Brown-eyed Buster, who is five, took part in a raid launched by 200 troops. His handler, Sergeant Danny Morgan, 37, of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps said: "The soldiers had found nothing so I unleashed Buster and sent him in.  "The rule is that the dog always goes first in case there are booby traps and I was obviously concerned for him as he started his search. Within minutes he became excited in a particular area and I knew he'd discovered something.

"The Iraqis we spoke to had denied having any weapons. But Buster found their arms even though they'd hidden them in a wall cavity, covered it with a sheet of tin then pushed a wardrobe in front of it.

"I'm very proud of him."

Buster's haul included AK47 assault rifles, a pistol, grenades, ammunition and bomb-making equipment. Suitcases full of cash, a suspected stash of heroin and crack cocaine and pro-Saddam Hussein Ba'ath Party literature were also discovered in the buildings used by the mafia-style gangs. Sgt Morgan keeps Buster at his home in Aldershot, Hants, where he doubles as a family pet for his five-year-old daughter Emma and wife Nicki.

"I trained him by teaching him to fetch weapons like guns and ammunition instead of sticks and balls," he said. "He loves his job simply because he thinks it's a game and obviously has no idea he's going into dangerous situations.

"I end up doing all the worrying because he's not only doing a job out here - he's my best friend. Buster is the only arms and explosives search dog working in Iraq right now and has been worth his weight in gold today.
Buster leaps into action

When Scud or gas attack warning sound, he leaps into a special sealed pen equipped with an electric motor that pumps air through a gas mask filter.

"But my daughter Emma is missing him terribly - even more than she misses me!

"She was upset when I went off to war but wept buckets when she was saying goodbye to Buster. She's been sending him more treats than me since we arrived."

Buster is so valuable to the army that he has even been given his own protective gear in case of chemical or biological attack.

HEAT STROKE PREVENTION

It's going to be 110 degrees and you've got four meetings and a report due today at work where you'll be cooled by an air conditioner and have a choice of beverages to choose from. But what about your pet, remaining behind at home, outside, in the sweltering heat? 

Heat stroke and heat stress are major concerns for owners of pets that are left outside for prolonged periods of time. If you are unable to keep your pet inside during the day, there are some things you can do to protect your pet. 

Water, Water, Water! 

Don't let your backyard turn into the Sahara desert for your pet. Leave plenty of water around for pets to drink from. One big bowl of water may not be enough, especially for large dogs who have a tendency to put their paws in the water or flip it over. Provide several different bowls of water in areas of shade. 

Many pets can beat the heat by taking a swim or merely standing in a plastic pool. These plastic pools, available at stores like Wal-Mart and Toys-R-Us, are a great cooling off spot for pets and often serve as a giant water bowl. Keep these pools in a shady area if possible and change out the water on a regular basis. 

Shade
If you have to leave your pet outdoors, make sure your pet has some form of shade to rest or sleep under. This can be a porch that doesn't get direct sunlight, a dog house facing the breeze, or simply an area of the house that doesn't get sunlight, even on a clear day, and remains cool. 

Pet Stores
Visit your local pet stores or online to see the latest pet items for cooling pets. Some include misters that offer a fine spray of water as well as chilled pads that maintain a below 70 degree temperature for several days. 

If he digs, he digs… 
If you find your pet digging up your backyard, it may be because he's seeking to create a cool spot to lay down on. You can't blame your dog for doing that nor should you punish him hours later. 

But what if you arrive home and you're concerned that your pet may be experiencing heat stress or a heat stroke. Here are some warning signs: flushed gums, disorientation, constant panting, vomiting, and weakness. If you pet exhibits these symptoms or any symptom that suggests heat stress or a heat stroke, immediately begin cooling your pet down. This can be done by hosing the pet down, taking the dog into a shower or bath (be sure to test the water temperature), applying soaked towels. Ice packs can also be used around the pet's head and neck area. Contacting your Vet immediately is also well advised. 

THE IMPORTANCE OF PRE-ANESTHETIC BLOOD WORK

1. The health and safety of your pet is our foremost concern. Because your pet can't describe symptoms to let us know if anything might be wrong, we recommend blood tests to give us the answers we need, especially before surgery.

2. Blood chemistry tests provide an inside look at your pet's vital organs. By testing blood chemistries we can evaluate the status of your pet's major organs. The function of the liver and kidneys is especially important because these organs process and rid the body of medications used during anesthesia.

3. Hematology tests provide an inside look at the blood itself. Blood is composed of different types of cells with different functions. It is important to know the status of each, prior to surgery. Red blood cells are responsible for carrying oxygen throughout the body. Packed cell volume (PCV) gives us information on these cells.

4. Results of these tests will determine your pet's readiness for surgery. Depending on those results, we may adjust the dose or type of anesthetic used, or advise delaying surgery

Why do Pre-Anesthetic Blood Work?
An option offered at most veterinary clinics today is a pre anesthesia blood panel. This usually includes a CBC or complete blood count, which measures both red and white blood cells, and platelets.

This checks for anemia, infection, and clotting ability. Measuring these cells also indirectly checks the function of the bone marrow, and can pick up or indicate things such as leukemia, parasites, allergic responses, clotting problems, and dehydration, to mention a few things.

The panel also includes a serum chemistry panel, which measures the functional of several organ systems. These organs can directly affect the body’s ability to handle and break down various anesthetic agents, and to handle the stress of anesthesia and surgery.

All older animals (those over 8 years) should have pre anesthesia blood work performed. Older animals have a greater chance of abnormalities that would directly affect how they handle anesthesia and surgery.

Younger animals also benefit from blood work. Occasionally problems show up in younger animals that were not apparent – such as inherited kidney or liver problems. We would rather find problems before surgery than during surgery.

Pre anesthesia blood work is one tool we use to make anesthesia and surgery on your pets as safe as possible. By combining this with other tools, we try to assure that your pet has a safe and effective anesthesia experience.

 The Top 16 Signs Your Cat is Overweight
 
16. Cat door retro-fitted with garage door opener.

15. Confused guests constantly mistaking her for beanbag chair.

14. Always lands on her spleen.

13. Fewer calls to the fire department, but a sudden upsurge in broken branches.

12. Fifteen month gestation period, and still no kittens.

11. No longer cleans itself unless coated in Cheese Whiz.

10. Rosanne fits through your kitty door without the aid of lubricants.

  9. Catfood dish replaced with Rush Limbaugh trough.

  8. Luxurious, shiny black fur replaced with mint green polyester pants suit.

  7. It's no longer safe to lift him without a spotter.

  6. "Steals breath" from all five quintuplets, simultaneously.

  5. Larry King keeps trying to kiss it full on the lips.

  4. Waits for the third bowl of food to get finicky.

  3. He only catches mice that get trapped in his gravitational pull.

  2. Enormous gut keeps your hardwood floors freshly buffed.

and the Number 1 Sign Your Cat is Overweight...

  1. Has more chins than lives.

 

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