Hi! My name is Manny and I was rescued from a kill shelter in Texas by SCMR. A nice lady contacted them and sent a picture of me. They also told them that I was heartworm positive and possibly blind. I sure wasn’t looking very pretty either, but SCMR didn’t care. They found a nice lady who drove me all the way to my new foster home in Chattanooga, TN. Now that I’m living with my new foster mom, she makes me takes baths and get haircuts, YUCK!! I guess I do look and smell a lot better though. She always tells me how handsome I am. I had to go to the doctor to start treatment to get rid of these things called heartworms. I didn’t like having to have the shots and being away from my foster mom, but I sure was happy when she came to get me. She says that I have to go back soon and have one more shot so I won’t have heartworms anymore. I sure wish my previous owners had kept me on heartworm prevention.

The doctor also looked at my eyes when I went to visit. He says I don’t have cataracts (whatever that is). My foster mom said that after I get over the heartworms, I have to go see an eye specialist so she can find out what is wrong with my eyes. I can see some but not as good as I should. I sure hope they tell her that they can fix me up as good as new! The heartworm treatment is costing lots of money, but I’ve been told I’m worth every penny. I’m sure that the other doctor will be expensive, too. I’ve decided to look for Angels to help sponsor my medical bills. I sure would appreciate any help you can give, and I know SCMR would too!

Hey...look at me! I may be a bit grubby but I can see now...ain't it great?! No baths till this collar comes off...doctor's orders! But I'm seeing real good! And I have SOOOOOO many angels to thank for making donations to help!!! I didn't know people could be so nice! I'm hoping this collar will come off after my next check-up. Dr. King says I'm doing great and the pressure in my eyes is really good! It was SO good, in fact, that after my surgery, instead of the usual drops 6 times a day, I only had to put up with them 4 times a day!

All I want to do now is play! I love my foster family but they're mostly old-timers and just want to sleep all the time! But I'm not complaining...oh no...I've got a good thing going and I know it!

Without your support, we would not able to help the little ones like this who are in need. JINGLES AND EVERYONE AT SCMR THANKS YOU!

T'was the night before Christmas, when all through the house,
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
With no thought of the dog filling their heads;
And mamma in her kerchief and I in my cap,
Knew he was cold, but didn't care about that.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter;
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Figuring the dog was free of his chain and into the trash.

He unchained the dog, once so lively and quick,
Last year's Christmas present, now painfully thin and sick;
More rapid than eagles he called the dog's name,
And the dog ran to him, despite all his pain.

"Now Dasher, now Dancer, on Prancer, and Vixen,
On Comet, on Cupid, on Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch, to the top of the wall,
Let's find this dog a home, where he'll be loved by all."

I knew in an instant there would be no gifts this year,
For Santa had made one thing quite clear;
The gift of a dog is not just for the season,
We had gotten the pup for all the wrong reasons.

In our haste to think of the kids a gift,
There was one important thing that we missed.
A dog should be family, and cared for the same,
You don't give a gift and put it on a chain.

And I heard him exclaim as he rode out of sight,
"You weren't giving a gift! You were giving a life!"

PLEASE think twice about getting a dog for the kids at Christmas...a dog is a lifetime commitment and children sometimes lose their excitement over the cute puppy, some as early as January 1st! You need to make sure you're ready for a long-term commitment to your new furkid!

Gobbles Up

Recently we have rescued and treated many dogs with Demodectic Mange. No, we did not pour motor oil on them as in the old wive’s tales. Our vets prescribed appropriate treatment. These poor dogs were ALL dumped in shelters because of their mange, left to suffer...

Demodectic mange is a skin disease caused by the mite, Demodex canis. It may surprise you to know that Demodectic mites of various species live on the bodies of virtually every adult dog and most human beings, without causing any harm or irritation. These small mites live inside of the hair follicles. The mite is a normal inhabitant of the skin and generally doesn’t cause any problems. Unfortunately occasionally, the mite multiplies out of control and causes a clinical disease. The main symptoms are hair loss and reddening of the skin (which is why it is also called "Red Mange"). In humans, the mites usually are found in the skin, eyelids, and the creases of the nose!

Suppressed immune system: Virtually every mother carries and transfers mites to her puppies within the first week of life. Most dogs are immune to the mite's effects and display no clinical signs or lesions. When immunity is lowered the dog may develop a full-blown case of mange. (Stress, cortisone, other diseases can lower a dog’s immunity to the mange mites and result in an outbreak).

Treating Demodectic mange: Dogs that have Demodectic mange often have underlying skin infections, so antibiotics are often given along with the actual mange treatment. In addition, the dog is put on a good multivitamin/ fatty acid supplement.

Thanks to all of you who supported the mange treatment for Puffy, Alex, and Gabriel! You are Angels!