October 4: St. Francis of Assisi Feast Day - Nambe Pueblo

Mark your calendars - October 4th is the St. Francis of Assisi Feast Day at the Nambe Pueblo. Located north of Santa Fe, Nambe will hold its annual St. Francis of Assisi Feast Day on the saint's traditional day of celebration, October 4. The day honors St. Francis' love of all creatures and is a traditional community festival including food and dancing. Nambe Pueblo, 505-455-2036.

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Barkfeast Great Success!

Cochiti Lake's Desert Paws held their first annual Barkfast a few days ago - and it was a great success. People and pets were happily fed, connections made, awareness raised, demonstrations, and most of all a lot of fun.

Their next event is a fundraiser called, Celebrity Pet Calendar Contest -- all Cochiti Lake pet owners are invited to submit their pets best 'kodak moment' to be judged and possibly featured in the calendar. The deadline is Oct. 15th - so hurry and submit your photo!

Please submit your picture to DesertPawsNM@Live.com

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Desert Paws hosts Breakfast

September 13, 2009 from 8am-11am, Cochiti Lake's Desert Paws will host their first annual "Barkfast" - a meet & greet for Cochiti Lake pet owners.

Many great events are planned -
Rescue Canines demonstrate their skills - Kathy Sylvia
Wildlife and Pet Portrait artists - Annette Schreiner
Discounted micro-chipping for dogs and cats with Barbara Merickel DVM
Dog Training Classes with Carol Tharnish
Veterinary Technicians representing Smith Animal Hospital & Santa Fe Emergency Clinic
Local non-profit Pathways of Healing, Inc


A great breakfast, raffle, lot's of info and demonstrations - it will be a wonderful event and a fun launch for Desert Paws.


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VOLUNTEERS WANTED FOR 2 APNM OUTREACH BOOTHS

“WILDFEST,” July 25, 10-4 p.m.Roosevelt Middle School, Tijeras

“DOG DAYS OF SUMMER” ADOPTATHONAug. 1, 9-1 p.m.Belen Public Library, Belen

WILDFEST is a community education day organized annually by Talking Talons Youth Leadership. At WILDFEST (www.wildfest2009.com), youth of all ages can learn about the environment, wildlife and personal health in an atmosphere of fun and discovery.

Last year over 1500 people attended WILDFEST where they had the opportunity to develop new interests and hobbies, find volunteer opportunities, see amazing wildlife up close, learn about reducing energy consumption, scale the climbing wall and much more. WILDFEST participants include animal rescuers, environmental educators, youth development groups, health service providers, musicians (including the popular folk group ‘Holy Water and Whiskey’), magicians, food vendors and more.

If you are interested in helping to staff this outreach table on July 25,10 a.m. to 4 p.m., please contact Arlene at 265-2322 ext. 21, or arlene@apnm.org.

DOG DAYS OF SUMMER ANIMAL ADOPTATHON will be held at the Belen Public Library on August 1, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Events will include:* Adoption Clinic by Valencia County Animal Control* Reading to Dogs — Tail Waggin’ Tutors* Learn about Poisonous Plants from Master Gardeners of Valencia County* Building Blueprints for Dog Houses* Learn about Dog Training and Fencing Alternatives* Movies: Feature Films and Short Subjects* Safety for Kids

If you are interested in helping to staff this outreach table, please contact Arlene at 265-2322 ext. 21, or arlene@apnm.org.

Make a difference !
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Foxtails Can Be Hazardous to Your Pet's Health

Foxtail seeds have microscopic barbules along their surface. If they get caught in an animal's coat, they are passively propelled forward. If not noticed and removed, foxtails can enter a pet's skin and enter it. The most common places are between the toes, the ear canal, and nose. It causes extreme discomfort. Often an infection ensues. It can cause the ear drum to rupture, get pulled into the pharynx, stomach, small intestine, trachea, situate behind the eyelid, and even into the brain. The foxtail plant is a pest that affects pets, livestock, and wildlife.

Eliminate the foxtail plants from your yard. Check your pets daily - look for moist seeping wounds between the toes, under the ear flaps, excessive sneezing (often but not always with blood), or acute eye squinting and redness. Veterinarian advice should be sought as soon as possible in any of these cases.

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Snopes confirms - Sago Palm a Serious Danger to Pets

"Sago Palm" or "Cycad"Poisoning Alert-

It has come to our attention that many home improvement stores are selling a houseplant that can cause serious poisoning in pets and children. The plant is called the “Sago Palm” or “Cycad”. It is also referred to as “The Oldest Known Plant”.

It is used in outdoor landscaping in Southern States, but can only survive as a houseplant in the North. All of this plant, including the seeds and root ball are toxic.

• Signs of illness first appear about 12 hours after ingestion and include gastrointestinal sign such as vomiting, diarrhea and lethargy.
• The toxins in the plant lead to severe liver failure with progressive weakness, jaundice, bruising and bleeding and other signs of liver failure that lead to death.
• It is estimated that 75-80% of animals ingesting this plant will die in spite of aggressive medical treatment.

If you have one of these plants in your home you will want to be sure to keep it away from pets and children, preferably by disposing of it safely in a covered trash can or “rehome” it with someone who does not have pets or young children in the household.

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Source: http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/sagopalm.asp
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Petsmart $5 off in-store coupon

You can print this from your computer and save

Petsmart: http://petsmart-mail.com/P/v3/CouponWrapper.asp?E=835;036276;626690499;25;02&R=T1_CPN_50078&A=1007&ci=50078

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Warm Weather Cautions - Tularemia, Plague & Salmonella

Love the wildlife, but keep a safe distance for now. As is common for the warm months, tularemia and plague are on the rise. It happens naturally during springtime and summer as the population rises and there's more interaction among the species. Then, once again, later in the year, nature sorts things out and everything's back to normal again. Francisella tularensis is transmitted by flies and ticks. The DOH says there have been reported cases in Edgewood, Lamy, west of Santa Fe, and as close as La Cienega. Symptoms include sudden fever, chills, headaches, diarrhea, muscle aches and joint pain. Humans can be diagnosed, but more commonly, cats are diagnosed ... and dogs as well. Not to worry though - antibiotics do the trick.

Salmonella has been rampant on the east coast this spring. They believe it's from the bird food that people put in the feeders during the winter which then drop to the ground, get covered with snow, thaws in the spring and creates an ideal environment for salmonella breeding.

The plague is transmitted by fleas that live on wildlife (coyotes, rabbits, squirrels, mice, etc) which can then hop to your pets and you. Being here in rural New Mexico fleas can be anywhere - walking out on the trails, hiking, and in your house. In the six years we've been here, El Dorado has had a case of plague almost every year. If you go up to Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu the hiking trail states the following: "Hike at your own risk. The rodents in this natural area have fleas carrying plague". And now Cochiti Lake has it's own case of plague. This is the 4th case of plague in the state this year. Dr Paul Ettestad, public health veterinarian at the department of health, states "Everyone needs to be aware of the situation and take precautions and avoid rodents and their fleas. We are seeing plague activity in many different locations of north-central New Mexico".

In the three previous human plague cases this year (and as is suspected in the 4th case, here in Cochiti) roaming and hunting pets have come in contact with rodents or other wildlife, brought the fleas back into the home and bedroom where they often sleep. So Dr. Ettestad advises the following:

1. keep your pets indoors or away from hunting and roaming



2. get a cheap flea comb and flea spray from any pet store



3. and if you are letting your pets out then check them for fleas when they come in for the night and try to have them sleep someplace other than your bed.

Be aware that hiking will often put you and your pet in contact with fleas! So check yourself and your pet at the end of the hike.

There are two types of human bubonic plague - pneumonic (affects the lungs) and septicemic (gets into the blood stream). Symptoms -- ill within 2-7 days, fever, chills, painful swollen lymph nodes in the groin area, armpit and neck areas. Sometimes there is headache, vomiting and diahrrea. If it's septicemic there could also be abdominal pain. If it's pneumonic there could be a severe cough, difficulty breathing and bloody sputum. Symptoms in cats and dogs are similar to humans - fever, lethargy, not eating, and swollen lymph glands around the neck. The plague can be fatal - this year an 8 yr old boy in Santa Fe county died from the plague. The good news is all fleas do not carry the plague and with prompt diagnosis and proper antibiotic treatment the plague can be treated for both human and animal and things can pretty much go back to normal.

If you or your dog or your cat have any of the stated symptoms please seek medical attention immediately - don't think it will just go away.

Other sources: NM Department of Health

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Summer + rainy season = Ticks -- What you should know about tick disease in dogs

What a summer! We're having East Coast weather - humidity, rain, hot, muggy. Besides the swamp cooler being useless, what else do we need to think about? We've already had the plague here - now we need to think out tick diseases. The wildlife is carrying it - but we all moved here to be around wildlife. So here's the scoop - humans and pets can get tick diseases and here's what you should watch for:

There are 4 major tick diseases which affects dogs in the US: Lyme disease, Rocky mountain spotted fewer, ehrlichiosis and babesiosis.

Lyme disease: Lyme disease, named after the town of Lyme, CT, is carried by the black-legged deer tick (Ixodes scapularis) in the East and in the West by Ixodes pacificus or Ixodes neotomae. Larvae of the deer tick feed on mice, nymphs on mice and small mammals and the adult prefers to feed on deer, so those are the primary hosts at each stage of the tick's life. Lyme is endemic in the Northeast and steadily growing in the Midwest and in California. The South and Southwest has a very low (1%) infestation rate.

Symptoms in dogs are generally present with signs of arthritis in the joints closest to the tick bites. Two to five months after being bitten, the lameness that is the primary indicator of possible Lyme disease can come on suddenly and severely; other times it comes on more gradually. You may see shifting lameness where the dog favors one leg, then another. Lameness may come and go, sometimes for weeks at a time. The dog may go off his food. Neurological damage is possible, seizures and changes in temperament, from dullness to extreme of aggression, have been reported in dogs with Lyme. There is no rash as it occurs in humans. Normally, Lyme is crippling but it doesn't kill and the most common signs of the disease are almost always hidden. Lately, veterinarians reported signs of kidney and neurological problems with dogs infected with lyme disease.

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fewer: Despite its name, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is found mainly in the Eastern US and usually makes itself known in spring and summer (March to October) but cases of human RMSF have been reported in almost every state, Canada, South America and Mexico.
Dogs most at risk are young, generally large breeds(german shepards and dobermans especially) that spend a lot of time outdoors. Dogs over 3 or 4 years old aren't as likely to get RMSF, possibly having acquired an immunity.
The onset of the disease is rapid. Four or five days after being bitten, the dog will become feverish (up to 105 degrees). Symptoms may include depression, loss of appetite, swollen lymph nodes, bruising on the skin or gums, tiny hemorrhages under the skin, muscle pain, retinal hemorrage, swollen or painful joints. A staggering gait, difficulty keeping his balance, is the dog's most common neurological sign. Seizures are possible. A decrease in the platelets responsible for clotting (thrombocytopenia), is the most consistent finding in blood tests.
If left untreated, RMSF either kills quickly (the disease runs its course in approximately two weeks) or the dog gets over it and is then immune. Symptoms may range from slight through severe to fatal.
It takes two to three weeks for antibodies to be detectable but then their numbers rise sharply for several weeks before they level off and begin a long, slow, gradual decline over many months. Obviously the timeline is very tight here, so, since research indicates that death from untreated RMSF is more common than previously thought, a dog that appears to have it should be treated immediately without waiting for test results to come back.

Ehrlichiosis -- Ehrlichiosis (E. Canis) has three stages. The acute stage is brief and the symptoms are easily missed; it may appear as if the dog has a mild and passing viral infection: snotty nose, diarrhea, fever, a general lack of his usual oomph. In a stoic dog especially, a change in behavior may be the only alert he gives you to get him to the vet.
It's in this stage that the outlook for a cure is best. Very early on, however, testing is probably useless; until ten days to two weeks after infection, the immune system will not have had time to make sufficient antibodies for the tests to detect.
The acute stage over, the disease passes into the subclinical stage. This simply means a stage in which no symptoms are present. Cure, or at the very least, containment of the disease so that it cannot progress, is still a good possibility in this stage, which may last for years.
If the disease progresses to chronic, the outlook is grave, particularly in E. risticii and E. canis. Symptoms show up with a vengeance at this point. There are a lot of symptoms and they are easily mistaken for other diseases: intermittent fever or loss of appetite lethargy, total loss of appetite, gradual loss of body condition (esp. along the spine and around the eyes), viral tumors on the face/mouth/muzzle, hemorrhaging even when the blood count looks normal, clotting problems, low or high calcium levels, seizures, muscle wasting, skin infections, neurological signs, diarrhea, low platelet count, urine too alkaline, vomiting, hyper-reflective eyes, low white blood cell count, bleeding from nose or eyes, signs of arthritis, pneumonia, cough, kidney failure, increased thirst and urination, incoordination, neck or back pain, bleeding under the skin or a rash, swelling of the legs or joints, enlarged lymph nodes, irreversible bone marrow suppression.

Babesiosis -- Babesiosis is a disease of the red blood cells and results in varying degrees of hemolytic anemia (essentially destruction of the RBCs that carry oxygen to the blood). It seems to hit greyhounds extremely hard but any dog that contracts it may become severely ill. It can come on sharply (acute) or violently (peracute) though neither of these stages is common in the US...or perhaps the disease simply isn't often recognized for what it is in either of these stages. It's generally found in the subclinical stage, where there are no apparent symptoms, or the chronic stage in which the disease is well-entrenched and symptoms are obvious .
The brown dog tick, is the usual culprit in the transmission of babesiosis; however, transmission has also occurred by direct, blood to blood transfer in fighting dogs, and by the transfusion of infected blood. Infected bitches have been known to pass the disease to pups in the womb.
In the United States, Babesiosis canis shows up mostly in the South but it does occur in other areas.. Babesiosis gibsoni is found all over the country but most often appears in pit bull terriers.
The dogs most at risk are those brought into an endemic area. These dogs are prone to severe infection. Evidently, those that are born in an area where babesiosis is prevalent get the infection while they're still protected by the colostrum in the mother's milk and, as a result, become immune carriers.
Clinical signs include fever that comes and goes, red or orange-colored urine, loss of appetite and the dog becomes too thin, his bones are more prominent, his coat is dull and there is at least some loss of muscle mass.
Because there is a foreign invader in the red blood cells, the dog's immune system will start to destroy them, adding to the destruction the babesia are causing. A drop in the platelets which aid in blood clotting can make things even worse; this is especially a problem in B. gibsoni. As if that weren't enough, the immune system may begin destroying uninfected RBCs as well. Half of all dogs with babesiosis will need transfusion. Severe inflammation is common and localized inflammation of the central nervous system can occur.

Testing: In order to make a diagnosis, one of the first things a vet will do is run a Complete Blood Count. A CBC can be very helpful, showing up things like reduced platelets or an increase or decrease in white blood cells. However, it's important to remember that a normal CBC does not mean that a dog is free of a tick-borne disease. The CBC alone is not enough to rule them out. In fact, a negative titer on an IFA or ELISA test is not enough. Tests are only part of a diagnosis.

Treatments: A semisynthetic tetracycline, doxycycline is the drug of choice for Ehrlichiosis, Lyme Disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. It is an antibiotic. All antibiotics destroy or inhibit bacteria and don't differentiate "good" from "bad"; they wipe out beneficial bacteria in the dog's gut right along with the disease-causing organisms. It's a wise idea, then, to give the dog probiotics as long as he's taking doxycycline and for several weeks afterward to avoid the gastrointestinal problems that can develop if he's left without this help for eight weeks or more.

Tick Removal: The Right Way to Remove a Tick
Use a tool specifically made for removing ticks, a pair of sharp tweezers (not blunt ones) or a small pair of curved forceps.
Grab the tick right behind the head, i.e., as close to the skin as you can get, and PULL SLOWLY - STRAIGHT OUT. Don't twist the tick, it isn't made to unscrew. The tick's hypostome, the part that penetrates the dog, has barbs like fishhooks, so slow, easy and straight out is the way you want to go. Do not pull out ticks with your bare hands, you are putting yourself in risk to contract the disease!

Prevention: There are no natural prevention which helps 100% against ticks. In mildly infested areas, you can try natural tick collars or sprays available in your local health food store. In heavily infested areas you need chemical based tick prevention, such as tick collars, sprays or spot-on preventatives such as Frontline. please always consult with your veterinarian about the safest and most affective prevention in your area.

Keep watchful, get things checked out if you have any concerns. These things are treatable if you tend to it early.

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NM Cares About Cougars

Download a print-ready pdf brochure

(http://earthwaves.net/mailinglist/lt/t_go.php?i=236&e=MTA3Nzk=&l=-http--apnm.org/campaigns/cougars/brochure.php)

Also see: Precautions for Coexisting with Cougars

(http://earthwaves.net/mailinglist/lt/t_go.php?i=236&e=MTA3Nzk=&l=-http--apnm.org/campaigns/cougars/mountain_lions_precautions.php)

Consider making a donation in their honor:

http://earthwaves.net/mailinglist/lt/t_go.php?i=236&e=MTA3Nzk=&l=-https--apnm.ejoinme.org/MyPages/DonationPage/tabid/45323/Default.aspx

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Report Cruelty to 1-877-5-HUMANE - Billboard & Leadership Scorecard

Have you seen the Attorney General’s new Cruelty Hotline Number? It premiered on I-40 Billboard in East Mountains on May 6. What a fantastic step forward!

This is a statewide hotline for reporting extreme cruelty to animals - and calls are coming in from several counties already. At least one animal has already been saved since the 14’ x 48’ billboard’s installation. Four callers to the new hotline number reported the same horse in poor condition, resulting in lifesaving help from the NM Livestock Board.

Animal Protection of New Mexico (APNM) staff take the cruelty calls and notify the appropriate authorities about animals in trouble, or people treating animals cruelly, across the state. Fortunately for the animals, many parties have contributed services, fees and space to make messaging against animal cruelty possible in this case- Clear Channel and Esparza to name a few.

Often they offer a reward for the arrest and conviction of a perpetrator - but most people have turned down the reward because they're happy that people are working together to change the way abusers treat animals.

It's now evident that New Mexico is serious about creating a humane state for animals.

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Source: apnm.org

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Snake Season: Part 3 BUDDY AND THE RATTLESNAKE ENCOUNTER by Eunice Brooks

Buddy is our very large (115 lb) Chocolate Lab. Last September he rushed out our back door (with our other dogs) to greet a dog who had come to the outside of our 5 ft. chain link fence. Unknowing to us there was a very large Diamond Back Rattler (estimated about 6 ft) coiled in the corner of our yard, looking for mice. Buddy ran right into the snake who struck him 3 times – twice on the face and once on the neck.

At first we did not know the snake was there – Buddy just looked stunned and got very quiet. However, our other dogs were barking very loudly and lunging toward the tree by where the snake was concealed. I grew up in an area where rattlesnakes were very common so I recognized the sound of the snake when I went over to see what the dogs were so excited about. I called my husband and told him, “There is a very big rattlesnake out here; I can hear him but I can’t see him.” He came over to where I was standing and we finally saw the snake – he was the same color as the tree bark of our Mahogany Tree and the old mulch underneath it.

We got the dogs in the house and immediately tried calling the Ranger who lives in Cochiti Lake. He was unavailable but we left a phone message for him concerning what had happened to Buddy. We immediately checked the dogs – the ones who had been lunging at the snake first because we were afraid they had gotten bitten. We could not find any bites on them. We then saw Buddy lying down and blood on the floor in front of him and we knew then that he was the one who had been bitten. It was already about 5 PM and we were trying desperately to get in touch with our Vet. I left phone messages on his cell phone, office phone and at his home. We grabbed Buddy and put him in the car and headed for Santa Fe.

Buddy was born without hip joints and ligaments in his hips and so he has a great deal of difficulty climbing over anything. We put him all the way in the back of the SUV on his bed so he would be more comfortable. The Vet called us on my cell phone in the car and said, “Get him to my office ASAP” . There was heavy railroad construction going on Rt. 25 and but we still somehow managed to maneuver through all of – well over the speed limit – and about the time we reached Santa Fe, Buddy’s pain was greatly accelerated and missing hips joints or not – he climbed over the back seat – into the front seat into my lap and tried to claw his way out of the car. Thank God we were only 4 blocks from the vet when that happened. When we arrived at the vet he was already going into shock. The Vet put him immediately on oxygen and worked to stabilize him. Because of Buddy’s size he survived the Diamond Back’s bites but just barely.

Here are some facts that will help you if you have an animal that gets bitten.

• The Diamond Back is the most lethal of the rattlesnakes.
• Anti-Snake venom does not work on dogs and it is extremely expensive.
• The new shots that are called preventative – will slow the process of the venom long enough so that your dog can have a better chance of surviving the ordeal. The smaller the animal – the quicker the venom works.
• If the bite is on a leg it is more lethal because there is not enough muscle to shield the animal from the fast transfer of the poison.
• The vet and the emergency animal hospital both gave Benadryl to Buddy. It helps to dilate the blood vessels so that the animal doesn’t hemorrhage as severely.
• The venom from a Diamond Back Rattler causes the blood to quit coagulating and the animal begins to bleed out through the wounds and the pores. It also starts to dissolve the tissue and muscle so that the rattler can eat his prey.

Buddy bled out for over 3 weeks. The side of his face went necrotic – turned black and begin to die – because he is so large, his size saved his life. His head swelled triple its size and he was in severe pain – we had to give him morphine shots every day for over a week for the pain. It was nightmare I pray we never have to experience again.

How do you help protect your animals from this snake? Here is the advice we received from the Ranger.

1. Keep all bird feeders at least 100 yards away from your home. Mice are drawn to the feeders; the snakes are drawn to the mice and the birds.
   
2. Place a snake fence around your yard if possible. It is an enclosure you attach to your present fence if it is a chain link; or you can simply build one. It should be 2 – 3 feet high and the bottom should be covered by soil so that the snake cannot go under it. Snakes don’t climb so it doesn’t have to be a high fence. We used 2 ft high galvanized wire for ours. The holes are very small and it is very hard and sturdy and can withstand the heavy winds we have here – it is relatively inexpensive and you can get it at Lowes and Home Depot. If the snake can get its nose into the hole of a chain link, horse fence or privacy fence, it can stretch itself small enough to get through and into your yard.
3. If your animal does get bitten – give it Benadryl immediately and get your animal to the vet ASAP; you only have about 45 minutes before the animal goes into shock.
4. If a child gets bitten call 911 or the Cochiti Lake medics ASAP – you have a very limited amount of time.

The Ranger said that there is most probably a nest of the snakes in the arroyo on the South Ridge of Cochiti Lake. We live right on that ridge and the week Buddy got bit there were multiple sightings of these big snakes on this same ridge.

Buddy is doing well now and he is happy. The part of his facial tissue that he lost is about 6 inches by 1 inch and is where his jowls were on the upper part of his mouth. You don’t see it if you are not looking for it. He could have lost the tissue on the whole side of his face where he was stuck. He is a walking Miracle!

I hope this article will help you keep your animals safe. Just quick notes for cat owners – cats very rarely get bitten by snakes.

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Snake Season Part 2: Snake Aversion Training - by Freda Donica

Trudi and I have been to snake aversion training twice at Acoma Training Center in Albuquerque. I’m not sure about Trudi, but it is definitely working for me; I am aversed.

Here’s how it works: And, yes, they use live bull snakes. The dogs are always on leashes. One of the trainers brings a snake to each dog for her to smell it. This is done at least twice. The owners must stand still and pretend they’re not ready to bolt for the door. Did I mention they lock the door so you can’t get out? The training takes place in a big building, with lots of concrete floor space.

Next is the really fun part. The snake is placed in the middle of the floor – loose!! Each owner must walk toward the snake with her dog. And then the trainer, whom I consider to be lower than a snake’s belly, actually pushes the snake toward the dog AND YOU with a broom. The owner is then to yell, scream, cry, make every loud and scary noise one can think of, while pulling the dog away from the snake. Not a problem. This entertaining little exercise is repeated several times.

I don’t like to brag, but both Trudi and I did remarkably well. By the end of our second visit, we were both hyperventilating, our hearts were pounding and our mouths were like cotton. That must mean we’re snake-proofed, right?

The training is $10 for the initial visit, and you may return as many times as you wish, at no charge. The website is http://www.acomatrainingcenter.com/. Located at 333 Wyoming SE (on the corner of Trumbel & Wyoming); info@acomatrainingcenter.com ; Office Hours are M-F 9:30am-3:30pm; ph 266-6436.
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This Month's Theme - Snake Season: Part 1 - Snakes Among Us

With the great help of Mark Watson and his wife Deanna, we'd like to start off this month's topic, "Snake Season". Mark is a biologist and offers much help in Cochiti Lake with safely capturing snakes and relocating them as well as educating residents about peacefully existing with the wildlife in our area.

Many of us who have moved to our town have specifically moved here because we want to be in the midst of wildlife to observe it's amazing beauty. Part of what makes this beauty exist is the cycle of life and balance of the ecology. Snakes are an extremely important part of this cycle and without them there would be imbalance - they are beneficial environmentalists! Snakes help us. Among other things, they are instrumental in maintaining the rabbit, mouse, rat, termite and spider population..... and even other snakes.

We have about a dozen non-venemous snakes in our area and only two venemous. Our non-venemous include the Bull snake, the Long Nose, the Patch Nose, the Night snake, the Glossy snake, the King snake and the Coach Whip. Our venemous snakes are the Western Diamondback rattle snake and the Prairie rattler.

The smallest snake (in length) in our area would be the Texas Blindsnake - it has eyes, is non-venomous, about 4" long, and looks "pearly' like an earthworm. These little guys are your best friends in taking care of termites. The largest snake in the area is the interesting coach whip snake - adults can be pinkish in color (the young are browner), they are non-venemous and often travel at night (which is why you often find them dead on the road). They can reach about 6.5 feet. The second largest snake (about 6 feet in length) in our area, also non-venemous is the common Bull snake. I've heard many residents over the years making friends with their local bull snakes - they make their rounds and take care of any mice in the wood piles or sheds around the house. The widest snake in our area (in girth) would be the Western Diamondback rattler - they are widest when they've swallowed an entire cottontail rabbit. Diamondbacks can live 20+ years and contrary to what many have heard, the size of the rattle is not the age of the snake - they simply grow another notch every time they shed ... and they can shed several times per year. How do you tell the difference between a harmless non-venemous bullsnake vs a rattler? Well, the bullsnake does a very realistic imitation of a rattler - coils into an 's' shape, tries to change it's head to look like the rattler's 'triangle' shaped head, and it even tries to hit it's tail on something to sound like a rattle. But according to Wikipedia, the one difference you can look for is that the rattler will put it's tail up in the air to rattle whereas the bullsnake will lay it's tail flat on the ground or hit it on the ground.

So let's talk now about how we can co-exist with our snake population. First, snakes are not slimy and are not aggressive (not even the rattle snakes). Snakes would like to avoid us as all costs - they just want to get on with their day like we all do. They're not out to 'get you', they don't want to chase you, and they don't want to hide and scare you. All the snakes in our area know that humans are too big to eat so there's no need to hunt them. They have a "pit viper" on their head which is a heat sensor - it helps them distinguish whether you're a small rabbit for dinner or a big human to stay away from.

The goal would be to avoid snakes and let them live peacefully in their natural habitat. The Tribe has expressed their wish to Mark that we in the town NOT harm any snakes. If you see a snake in your yard, simply do the following: while watching the snake, move out of the immediate area quickly and get inside the house. Do not torment or poke the snake. Move out of the snake's immediate area quickly. If your pet has encountered a snake, gather your pet in the same manner. If your pet is getting close to tangling with the snake, the better method is not to hit the snake with something, but if necessary (in a life-threatening situation) hit the pet with something to control the pet and prevent it from attacking the snake. Remember, the snake will try to protect itself and go into 'survival mode' and if your pet tries to attack the snake it could potentially be a life and death situation for your pet (we'll talk more about this in Snake Season Part 2). Some dogs have a natural instinct to stay away from snakes and may even be spooked by twigs or small branches - this is a good thing. Some dogs walk right over a snake and don't even know it. Once you and your pet are in the house you can do two things:

• 1st do call Mark Watson (he's in our phone book under "Watson" and he's also listed in the front pages of the book under "Services -> Snake Relocation". Go get this number now and put it on your frig or by the phone. He will come and relocate the snake for you. He does this for free.
• If he's not home, don't panick and don't ask someone to kill the snake. Mark assures us that snakes WILL leave that night. They travel and make rounds in their large territories and after cleaning up your yard of mice will leave - they have no intention of hanging around. They will leave that night and again, the Tribe does not want us harming snakes. So no need to panick - Mark can come and help or it will leave by itself. Aren't we fortunate to have Mark?! Thank him the next ime you see him in town.
• One thing to mention - when you call Mark, try to keep on eye on where the snake is until Mark arrives - this will greatly help Mark in being able to find, capture and permanently relocate the snake.

Would you like to make your habitat less inviting for snakes? Here are some things seen around town that actually do invite snakes:

• Backyard ponds -they love water and need to drink - water in the desert will attract all sorts of wildlife. So if you're trying to avoid snakes - no ponds.
• Bird seed on the ground under the bird feeders. We all like to feed the birds, but remember the cycle of life and the ecological balance: the food drops to the ground from the birds and the mice and rabbits eat it from the ground. The snakes sense the mice and rabbits and come into your outside habitat to eat them. They just want to eat and go, but if you're offering them dessert, they'll make sure to come back for seconds!
• Wood piles - there are many in town who have their wood piles right next to their house - this is asking for trouble. Mice will make their homes in the woodpiles and the snakes will sense this. Again, they'll eat and go ... but if you don't change your wood pile habits, they'll come back to dine again. Wood piles should be away from the house and up off the ground about 1 foot.
• Garage doors - a common site in town during the summer months are garage doors partly open to let the heat escape. Don't be surprised if a mouse wonders in followed by a snake. Please remember not to panick (don't harm it), just go back inside and call Mark. You can also just let it be, keep an eye on where it is and it will go out and be on it's way in a couple of hours.
• Bird ponds - yes we want to hydrate the birds, but just be aware that any water in the desert is a magnet for wildlife and insects. These insects and rodents too become buffet for snakes. And therefore you're likely to see a snake or two.

You can certainly continue to feed and water the birds and have your koy ponds, but just be aware that part of the beautiful nature scenery will be the occassional snake enjoying 'take-out' in your yard. You now know not to panic - just call Mark and/or let it be and it will move on.

Snakes are out at all times in our environment - it's not just the summer months. In the winter they may come out of their dens on a warm day, but they will not venture anywhere to forage. They do begin to travel more around April/May as the weather warms up and you'll usually see them into September/October until the weather is steadily colder. When hiking, try to avoid reaching overhead and grabbing onto a rock - they may be basking in the sun and not take kindly to you landing on them. Avoid stepping over a fallen tree without fully seeing what's on the other side - they are often nestled right under that log and again, will not take kindly to you stepping on them. In general avoid tall grass and rocks. Here in Cochiti Lake you can find snakes sleeping on driveways or the street curbs as the sun goes down because the concrete retains heat and they really like storing up that heat for their nightly travels. Another positive is that there tend to be fewer snakes at elevations higher than 7500'.

We live here because we want to be close to nature. In kind we need to respect nature and let it be in all it's divirsity. If you would like to familiarize yourself with snakes in our area, Mark recommends a fantastic book in our library (one of the co-authors is a colleague of Mark's): "Amphibians and Reptiles of New Mexico" by William G. Degenhardt, Charles W. Painter and Andrew H. Price. UNM Press 1996. If you would like to have some 'hands on' learning about snakes and visit with "Teddy" a captive bull snake please email us at CLIPETS@live.com or call Krys/Ray so that we can get a group together to visit Teddy. Mark and Deanna are always happy to answer all of our questions and teach us some great things about snakes.

Next in the Snake Season series: What Happens if You or Your Pet is Bitten?

Next in the Cochiti Lake Wildlife series with Mark: The Many Species of Birds in our Area

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Buffalo Newborns - the youngest descendents of the great herds ....

On May 15, wobbly-legged newborn wild buffalo and their mothers could be cruelly chased from their birthing grounds near Yellowstone National Park by helicopters, horses and ATVs. Newborn calves could die of exhaustion during this annual hazing operation. Please send an urgent message to the Secretary of Agriculture to stop this wildlife tragedy. It only takes a few seconds -- and could save the lives of these wild buffalo newborns, the youngest descendents of the great herds that once thundered across America's plains. (Read more from the NRDC - click Read)

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Right now, newborn wild bison -- better known as buffalo -- are grazing under their mothers' watchful eyes on the lush Horse Butte peninsula near Yellowstone National Park in Montana. But on May 15, this pastoral scene could turn ugly if the government begins hazing the buffalo back into the park with helicopters, horses and ATVs, as they did last year at this time.If this operation proceeds, some buffalo could die, including young calves and pregnant cows. Please speak out immediately to stop the government's annual hazing operation. This wildlife tragedy replays almost every year on Horse Butte -- a birthing ground for the buffalo.First, a helicopter invades the stillness, circling low to scare wild buffalo out of the woods, so that government agents on ATVs and horses can chase them back to Yellowstone. With no time to rest or nurse during this relentless chase, some calves collapse and even die of exhaustion before ever reaching their grazing grounds deep within the park. The saddest part? This senseless tragedy is unnecessary. The justification for hazing and killing buffalo is that they could spread the disease brucellosis to domestic cattle. That is why buffalo are generally not welcome outside Yellowstone Park in Montana -- and why thousands have been slaughtered or hazed back into the park in recent years. But the fact is, there has never been a documented case of brucellosis transmission from buffalo to cattle in the wild. More to the point, there are no cattle at all on Horse Butte, so there is absolutely no reason to haze and endanger Yellowstone's wild buffalo.So please, help us give newborn buffalo a better chance at survival this spring. Tell the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary Tom Vilsack) to intervene right away and prevent the hazing of wild buffalo in the weeks ahead. As living links to the great herds that once thundered across America's plains, Yellowstone's buffalo are a national treasure. Please join me in urging our government to protect them -- instead of subjecting them to needless suffering.

Sincerely,

Frances Beinecke

President Natural Resources Defense Council

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Adopt a Penguin for Mom

-- an eCard lets her know it's coming!



http://action.defenders.org/site/R?i=ruiuMEx3uznsemjKs5zlgw.. Read more!

Spring is Here ..... Get Your Dog Heartworm Tested in April ! - Raymond Sandor

What is heartworm?

The heartworm is a parasitic worm about the size of thin spaghetti. When an animal is infected with the worm, it lives free-floating in the right ventricle of the heart and nearby blood vessels. The parasites are transmitted from one animal to another by mosquitoes. The first written canine documentation was in the, “Western Journal of Medicine” in 1847. The first documented cat infection was in the early 1900’s. The normal host for heartworm are dogs. Heartworms can live in animals other than dogs, but often have a shorter life, vary in size, or end up in odd locations due to aberrant migration. This is true of heartworm infections in cats. Some of the other animals that can acquire heartworm include wolfs, coyotes, foxes, bobcats, mountain lions, tigers, muskrats, raccoons, ferrets, otters, bears, horses, orangutans, gibbons, sea lions, and also …....humans.

Heartworm is usually diagnosed through a blood test, but the worm needs to be mature (about 6 months after entering to the pet's body) to be detectable through antigen testing. Female worms must be present for accurate test results. Cats also can get infected with heartworm. Until about 5 years ago it was believed that cats infected with heartworm are rare, but new studies show that it's more common than previously believed. There is no accurate test yet for cats, but it is in the works. Unfortunately, many cat heartworm infections are overlooked since feline heartworm disease does not commonly present with the same symptoms as dogs and the signs and symptoms look and act like other cat diseases. One worm in the cat's heart can cause sudden cardiac death or sudden (acute) respiratory signs that are indistinguishable from asthma without a medical work up.

Preventative medications

Dogs 7 months and older should be tested each year with a simple blood test. Dogs younger than 7 months but older than 8 weeks can be put on a preventative medication without testing. The most common preventative medication is Heartguard, a once-a-month chewable pill. In heavily infested areas (i.e. parts of Texas, Florida etc.) veterinarians recommend using it all year around. In the northern states with shorter mosquito seasons and less reports, it is usually recommended to use Heartguard between April and October. Holistic veterinarians try to avoid animals ingesting chemicals so many recommend using Black Walnut capsules on a daily basis as a preventative and also in addition to Heartguard. Please ask your veterinarian about your best preventative options and have your dog tested every April.

There is a low-cost clinic held the first and third Friday of each month from 8 to 11:30am and 1 to 4pm in Santa Fe at the Santa Fe Animal Shelter's Spay/Neuter & Wellness Clinic (next to the Outback Steakhouse). Their contact info: 505-474-6422 at 2570-B Camino Entrada . No appointment is necessary, but please be on time. They charge $15 for a heartworm test.

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Brooklyn's Wild Parrot Population

This may not pertain specifically to Cochiti Lake, but it's worth mentioning since NM's own native parrot population was devestated by Mexico's bird smuggling ...... NYC may soon join San Francisco in officially recognizing and protecting it's wild parrot colonies. There is a fascinating and detailed blog (beautiful pictures as well) about wild parrots in New York City. Barry Schwartz of the Feathered Friends Parrot Adoption Services, Inc. has been sponsoring the measure to protect the birds. Read more about these great birds and the community effort to protect them: http://www.brooklynparrots.com/ According to NM's Game & Wildlife website, there was a single wild parrot spotted on one of Ted Turner's ranches outside of TorC in 2004. In that part of the state there are non-native Mondell pine with cones that the parrot was found feeding on. Prior to this the only sitings reported were in the Animas Mountains of New Mexico in 1917 and 1919. Read more!

Wild Horses of New Mexico - 2min. video

This is a YouTube video by David Cramer. . Read more!

Hummingbird Ready - by Raymond Sandor

One more month and the first hummers are due to arrive here in Cochiti Lake! They'll be hungry after their long journey. If you're into gardening, here are some tips about which plant families are the best to have in creating your hummingbird friendly garden: (Click, "Read More")

According to, "The Peterson Field Guide to Hummingbirds", often the best choices in each family are the red or orange varieties, and sometimes blue/purple. Plants that are native to our area have the best odds of survival and are familiar to the hummingbirds … but be imaginative!

* Mint Family: Salvias (Salvia spp.), Bee Balm (Monarda spp.), Giant Hyssop (Agastache spp.)
* Columbines: Aquilegia spp.
* Honeysuckles: Lonicera spp., esp. Trumpet Honeysuckle, (L. sempervirens)
* Bignonia Family: Trumpet Creeper, Cross Vine, Desert Willow, Yellow Bells
* Penstemons: Penstemon spp.
* Lobelias: Lobelia spp., esp. Cardinal Flower (L. cardinalis) and L. laxiflora
* Mallow Family: Turk's Cap, Flowering Maple (Abutilon pictus), Hollyhock (as Alcea rosea), Hardy Hibiscus, Rose of Sharon.
* Evening Primrose Family: Fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium), California fuchsia (Zauschneria californica), Fuchsias (Fuchsia spp.)
* Morning Glories: Ipomoea spp., esp. Cypress Vine, Red Morning Glory, Scarlet Creeper, Bush Morning Glory.
* Acanthus Family: Desert Honeysuckle, Flame Acanthus, Chuparosa (Justicia californica), Mexican Honeysuckle (J. spicigera),Shrimp Plant (J. brandegeana).

One well known source for seeds is the Park Seed Co. I've enclosed a link here:

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