"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." Mahatma Ghandi.
"Animals are such agreeable friends - they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms." George Elliot
Animal Lovers Assistance League Recipients of the 2006 North Carolina
Governors Award for Outstanding
Volunteer Service.
Pet Information
Tips to Help Your Pet Live a Long and Healthy Life
Proper Vet Care Pets require proper medical care to assure that they are in optimum health and regular visits to your pets veterinarian are important in order to detect and arrest illness and disease before
they threaten your pets life.
A veterinarian is also a good place to start if you are interested in finding out about a specific breed of dog or cat and any problems associated with that
breed. A veterinarian can advise you on which kind of pet might best suit your lifestyle and activity level-if you are a "Type-A" personality, a cat might not be the best choice and likewise,
if you prefer the comforts of home, an Australian Shepherd might be a bit overactive for your lifestyle.
It is also important to keep in mind the specific needs of each animal.
If you don't enjoy brushing a cat, paying for a pet grooming service or finding cat hair everywhere, a short-hair cat might be better for you than would a Persian.
Animals should never be adopted on an impulse, but only after careful consideration of all the factors involved with owning a pet.
We certainly hope that you
will consider giving one of our pets a home, but most importantly, we want you to have the best pet that fits into your lifestyle.
Protect Your Pet's Health
Rabies
Rabies is a deadly disease caused by a virus that attacks the central nervous system.
The rabies virus is mainly in the saliva and brain of rabid animals. It can be transmitted through a bite or by getting saliva or brain tissue in a wound or in the eye or mouth.
Prompt and appropriate treatment after being bitten and before the disease develops can stop the infection and prevent the disease in humans.
Animals with rabies may act differently than healthy animals. Wild animals may move slowly or act tame. Also, some wild animals, like foxes, raccoons, and skunks, that normally avoid porcupines, may receive a face full of quills if they become rabid and try to bite these prickly rodents. A pet that is usually friendly may snap at you and try to bite.
Animals in the early stage of rabies may not have any signs, although they can still infect you if they bite you. The incubation period is the time from the animal bite to when signs appear. In rabies, it is usually 1-3 months. But it can last as long as several years. Once the virus reaches the brain or spinal cord, signs of the disease appear. In both types, by the time the animal begins to show signs or symptoms there is little hope of survival.
It's a fact that "indoor only" pets sometimes get outside, this is why it is important to comply with the law to have your pet's rabies shots up-to-date. If you suspect that your pet has been in a fight with another animal or otherwise exposed to rabies, please consult with your pet's veterinarian as soon as possible.
The best way to prevent your pet and your family from rabies is to stay away from wild animals and make sure your pet's rabies vaccinations are up to date.
Heartworms
With our close proximity to large bodies of water such as rivers, lakes, canals and streams along with our wetlands, mosquitoes thrive in Currituck County. As a result, We have a very high number of heartworm cases in dogs and to a lesser extent, cats. Transmitted by mosquito bites, heartworms while curable in canine cases can cause deleterious health effects in affected animals for years.
With cats, there has been no treatment or cure that has been shown effective.
Veterinarians are virtually in agreement on one point: The best way to cure heartworms is through proactive prevention measures. Please discuss prevention options
with your pets veterinarian and follow the advice you receive carefully-your pet will live to thank you!
Symptoms of Heartworms
Dogs
There are no symptoms at all until the disease is very advanced. At that point, the symptoms are those of congestive heart failure:
dull coat
lack of energy
coughing
difficulty breathing
fainting spells
enlarged abdomen
Cats
Cats are equally at risk for heartworms, but usually there are no symptoms. When noted, symptoms resemble those of other more common problems.
vomiting
wheezing
choking
fainting spells
hindquarter paralysis
sudden unexplained death
Waiting for symptoms to develop is not a realistic alternative to prevention
Fleas
Fleas are not only a pest, they can pose a serious health risk! Fleas can actually kill a dog or cat if an infestation is severe. Blood loss, anemia, debilitation and death can
be the results if an animal is infested with fleas.
These small dark brown insects prefer temperatures of 65-80 degrees and humidity levels of 75-85%... so for some areas of the country they are more
than just a “summer” problem. Dogs and cats often get infested with fleas through contact with other animals or contact with fleas in the environment.
The strong back legs of this insect enable it to jump from host to host or from the environment onto the host. (Fleas do not have wings so they cannot fly!) The flea’s bite can cause itching for the host but for a sensitive or flea-allergic animal, this itching can be quite severe and leads to hair-loss, inflammation and secondary skin infections.
Some pets, hypersensitive to the flea's saliva, will itch all over from the bite of even a single flea!
Be sure to consult your veterinarian regarding which methods and products will be best for you and your pets. The medications required to prevent fleas from are inexpensive and well worth the investment to protect your pet from the misery of fleas.
Pet Nutrition We are what we eat
Most important food? Good quality dry food containing whole meats, vegetables, and grains. Ingredients are listed in order by weight, so meat should be the first or second listed. Avoid by-products that are especially high in the list of ingredients; corn and corn products such as corn gluten meal; artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives; and sugar.
Storage - It's critical to store dry pet food in a cool, dry place. It can spoil. Check the date on it too.
Canned food - Whole meats, perhaps including liver, at the top of the list are good. No by-products. It should have passed the AAFCO feeding tests and have a date code. For cats a steady diet of tuna, although they like it, is not good for them. It lacks the variety needed to obtain more nutrients. Canned cat food should contain turine and should be low in ash.
Recent studies have shown that even older dogs and cats continue to need a high level of protein in their diets in order to maintain good muscle tone.
Make no bones about it - No bones for your dog! Chicken and turkey bones can splinter in your pet's throat or intestines and possibly puncture them, which can lead to death. Gnawed beef bones can compact in and block the intestinal tract and kill your dog.
No chocolate - it can cause seizures and be deadly to dogs and cats. Also do not give them pork products as that can cause pancreatitis.
Beware some of the plants that are in the home, especially during the holidays, that can be ingested by pets. Mistletoe, poinsettias, and lilies can be deadly if eaten by your pets. The ASPCA has a complete listing of plants that are toxic to pets-Visit ASPCA Poison Control
Remember to give treats - Your pets are no different than you in this department. They like to have something special too, such as pet cookies, biscuits, liver bits, and peanut butter inside a Kong type toy and placed in the freezer overnight. For cats fish based treats seem to be their favorite.
An occasional cause of skin conditions in pets is caused by Ringworm.
The scientific name for this disease is Dermatophytosis. It is caused by a fungus not a worm, and the lesion is not
always in the shape of a ring. Since fungi are everywhere in our environment, it is difficult to determine which pets
will develop the problem. The fungus that causes Ringworm can be cultured from the hair coats of normal dogs and cats.
These pets might be carriers of the disease to other pets along with people.
We tend to see the problem more in young animals.
People will sometimes pick up a case of Ringworm from their pet, but just because a pet has Ringworm does not necessarily
mean that the people that interact with that pet will develop the problem. A dog or cat can transmit Ringworm to a person
without showing any symptoms at all.
Understanding Ringworm
Cat with Ringworm The Skin is irritated and flaking with patches of hair missing
Ringworm is a fungus, but having a pet with ringworm does not mean that you are a bad pet owner.
Your pet can have ringworm for months and you might never be aware of it as there might be no signs or symptoms.
An animal can come into contact with ringworm spores at a Vet's office, from a visit to a pet-groomer or just by
rubbing against your clothes if you came into contact with the spore outdoors or from contact with another pet.
Dogs, cats, horses and other farm animals can have ringworm, but the most common carrier is a cat and long-hair cats
such as Persians are especially at risk for this skin disorder.
Ringworm is contagious and can be passed from animal to human and from human to human.
Under a Blacklight Skin and hair glow.
If your pet has patches of fur missing with skin that is flaked and peeling, ringworm might be the cause.
Ringworm can be detected in 50% of cases by the use of a "Woods lamp" which is a simple, hand-held black light that you
can purchase at a pet store for about $10.00.
Simply take your pet into a darkened room and pass the light over it's skin, if you see patches or streaks of skin and
hair that glow under the lamp, chances are it is ringworm.
Your veterinarian is the only one who can make a positive diagnosis or ringworm and they might take a skin or hair
culture from your pet.
Once the diagnosis is made, your veterinarian can discuss with you the best course of treatment for your pet.
Once treatment begins, the affected areas should begin to heal in about 4 to 6 weeks.
It is important to follow the treatment instructions of your veterinarian very carefully and consistently.
Treatment may consist of a spray, shampoo, a lotion or medications.
Containment and Isolation
As ringworm is highly contagious, measures must be taken to prevent it's spread to other pets or family members.
These measures will not guarantee that ringworm will not spread, but they will reduce the risk of further exposure.
Isolation of the affected animal is important to prevent ringworm spores from spreading
Clean all bedding, pillows, blankets and clothes the animal has come into contact with a strong detergent in hot water
If affected pet is a cat, empty it's litter pan, scrub it with a strong soap with 10% bleach and replace the litter each week
Try to limit young childrens physical contact with pet or any bedding pet may have used.
Symptoms of ringworm in humans can include:
Itchy, red, raised, scaly patches that may blister and ooze. The patches often have sharply-defined edges. They are often redder around the outside with normal skin tone in the center. This may create the appearance of a ring. Your skin may also appear unusually dark or light.
When your scalp or beard (if you have one) is infected, you will have bald patches.
If nails are infected, they become discolored, thick, and even crumble.
If you or any memeber of your family have these symptoms, please consult with your family doctor for positive diagnosis and treatment.
Help the Animals by Becoming a Business Gold or Platinum Member
Without the support of civic-minded business owners, the Animal Lovers Assistance League could not deliver the services we provide to Currituck County, North Carolina.
Because of the generous support of the business community, we have been able to reach many of our goals.
If your business is interested in becoming a Business Gold or Platinum Member, we would be glad to acknowledge your generosity on our website with a graphic and link to your business website, as well as acknowledgement in our newsletters and shelter.
Please contact our President, Ginger Sikes for more details on becoming a Business Gold or Platinum Member. E-Mail Ginger Sikes: gsikes@mchsi.com or call (252) 232 - 3696
Shelter Location & Hours of Operation
The Currituck County Animal Shelter has convenient hours so please stop by and visit us!
Site Constructed & Powered by: The Portsmouth Humane Society
2704 Frederick Blvd. Portsmouth, Virginia 23704 (757) 397-6004 www.PortsmouthHumaneSociety.org
Animal Lovers Assistance League
Pets require proper medical care to assure that they are in optimum health and regular visits to your pets veterinarian are important in order to detect and arrest illness and disease before
they threaten your pets life.
Rabies is a deadly disease caused by a virus that attacks the central nervous system.
With our close proximity to large bodies of water such as rivers, lakes, canals and streams along with our wetlands, mosquitoes thrive in Currituck County.
Fleas are not only a pest, they can pose a serious health risk!
Most important food? Good quality dry food containing whole meats, vegetables, and grains. Ingredients are listed in order by weight, so meat should be the first or second listed. 
Without the support of civic-minded business owners, the Animal Lovers Assistance League could not deliver the services we provide to Currituck County, North Carolina.
Because of the generous support of the business community, we have been able to reach many of our goals.
