Paws for Cancer 2009
Paws for Cancer benefits The American Cancer Society
The 10th Annual Paws for Cancer Walk held on Saturday, May 2nd 2009 was a huge sucess!
A record breaking 145 dogs (and 1 cat) helped us raise over $12,200!
Our annual Dog Walk is a way to pay tribute and promote awareness to those affected by cancer, including pets.
In some way cancer has or will touch all of us within our lifetime. By taking part in Paws for Cancer, our community, had the opportunity to honor loved ones and help raise funds to continue the battle against cancer.
All proceeds benefited The American Cancer Society.
Thank you for helping us save lives!
Corporate Sponsors
Thank you!
Aiken County Farm Supply
Aiken Ophthalmology & Carolina Surgery Center
Aiken Pet Sitters
Antech Animal Health
Augusta Animal Emergency
Bryan Kay Family
Carolina Musculoskeletal Institute
First Citizens Bank
Lilly Animal Health
McDonald's of Aiken & Edgefield
Merial
Pfizer
Powderhouse Pet Resort
Precision Tune Auto Care
Sutton Marine
Vista Bank
Webster Veterinary Supply Inc.
Special Gratitude to all our volunteers!
We couldn't do it without you!
St. Paul's Lutheran Church
Venture Troop 115 - St.Mary's
Aiken SPCA
Jae-Mar-S Dog Obedience Academy
Nancy Racki / Laura Janecek- Dog Agility
City of Aiken K-9/ Bloodhound unit
Richard & Diane Salsitz
Lindsey & Noah Reeves
Mary Calabro
Sara Barrineau
Eddie Bodie - sounds system
Ed Woltz
Thank you to all those that helped make our event a greater success!
Aiken Center for the Arts
Chris Abbott - Easy Street Magazine
James Bass Glamour Pet Photo Studio
Bone-i-fide Bakery
Mixon Signs
Signworks
Chick-Fil-A
Pawmetto Pet Treats
City of Aiken
Kroger
Chris Abbott
Cocky USC Mascot
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Cocky the USC Mascot congratulates 3 generations of the Tice Family for participating in Paws for Cancer for 10 years!
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A Special Tribute to Special Pets
Thank you to all those that submitted photos in honor of their beloved pets.
The Memory Board will be displayed at Relay for Life on 5-15-09 at Aiken High School.
For additional information regarding Relay for Life click below:
9th Annual "Have a Heart - Heartworm Clinic "
The Heartworm Clinic held on 2/21/09 was a huge success!
Caring dog owners helped us raise close to $700!
All proceeds benefited the American Cancer Society.
Heartworm disease, caused by a mosquito bite, is a fatal illness that affects all dogs and cats. Mosquitoes bite an infected animal and ingest the heartworm larvae. The infected mosquito then bites your pet and passes on the larvae. Once in your pet’s bloodstream, the larvae will develop into an adult heartworm. Many pet owners believe that heartworms only affect outdoor pets living in very warm climates but it is a nationwide threat! In the past 3 years alone, Veterinary Services has diagnosed over 140 heartworm positive dogs!
Unfortunately, dogs and cats recently infected may exhibit no signs of the disease. It is not until a pet is heavily infected that clinical signs begin to show. Symptoms in dogs include mild, persistent cough, reluctance to exercise, tiredness, reduced appetite, and weight loss. Cats exhibit signs like vomiting, gagging, difficulty breathing or rapid breathing, lethargy and weight loss.
Heartworms are easy to avoid! Dogs require a yearly blood test and monthly eatable treats (Heartgard). Cats need no testing simply a once a month topical treatment (Revolution).
Prevention is the Key!
Thank you to all those that participated!
Heartworm disease can be fatal to all (indoor and outdoor) dogs and cats.
Learn more about Heartworm Disease
Cat owners visit: KnowHeartWorms.org
Dog owners visit: The AmericanHeartwormSociety.org
Memory Tree
Thank you to all those that participated in our Memory Tree Campaign. With your help Christmas tree ornaments sales reached $350! It was a beautiful way to remember and honor a beloved pet with all proceeds benefiting The American Cancer Society.
One in Four Dogs Will Die of Cancer
The #1 Cause of Death in Dogs Over Age Two
Man's best friend may help him find a cure for cancer. A disturbing combination of factors finds dogs nearly mirroring the cancer rate in humans, says Michael Burke, vice president of the Morris Animal Foundation. Currently, one in four dogs will die from cancer, the leading cause of death for dogs 2 and older, Burke says. Sadly, many of the most popular dogs breeds (Golden Retrievers, Cocker Spaniels, Labradors) are particularly vulnerable, 60 percent of them will die of cancer or cancer related complications.
Our four-footed pals have an uncanny similarity to humans, especially children, in terms of kinds of cancer and response to cancer treatment. Dogs can respond well to radiation. But unlike humans they never go completely bald, and a low percent get sick on chemo, even though the same drugs are used on dogs as in humans. “A breakthrough in the genome armor of canine cancer could mean curing cancer for both canines and humans," Burke says.
Research is the solution. “Raising money (for research) is the only way we're going to get ahead and understand this disease better," says Burke. The Morris Animal Foundation and the National Canine Cancer Foundation are relying on people's love of animals to help finance the research to find a cure.
In July 2007 the Morris foundation launched a $30 million campaign to find a cure for canine cancer within the next 10 to 20 years. Pfizer Inc., Pets Best Insurance donated $1.1 million, and the Golden Retriever Foundation added $500,000. In addition to corporate sponsorships, the MAF’s goal is to get 1% of the 44 million dog-owning households in the US to make a small donation of $50 – for a tal of $22 million.
For the past 9 years Veterinary Services has been a proud supporter of The American Cancer Society. With your contributions (from Memory Tree, Heartworm clinic) and your participation in our annual “Paws for Cancer” race, you have helped us raise over $88,000 in the fight against cancer. With your continued support we can help save lives.
See you on Saturday - May 2, 2009 at the 10th Annual "Paws for Cancer" Walk!
For additional information or make a donation visit:
www.CureCanineCancer.org
www.WeAreTheCure.org
Pet and Human Bond
Pets enrich our lives and the amazing bond between humans and pets is almost indescribable. Yet, despite all the love, dedication and the best veterinary medicine available, there are times when we must all endure the grief of losing a pet. Veterinary Services understands how difficult it is to cope with the feeling of loss. We are here to offer our support and understanding. We also try to lessen the sorrow of a pet's death by making a donation in the animal's memory to AAHA’s Helping Pets Fund.
Making a contribution to this great organization allows our hospital to save the life of a sick or injured pet while maintaining alive the memory of a beloved friend.
