Hi all, I got a private message from someone on here but silly me can't figure out how to respond! So...I'm responding here on my blog. The reason I haven't been around much lately is because I've been trying to get up to speed on canine cancer, specifically the type of cancer my dog Lydia was recently diagnosed with.

Lydia has some small tumors removed along with one of her anal glands. Unfortunately the biopsy showed that it's anal gland cancer. Right now you wouldn't know she has cancer if you saw her, but I've been told this is an aggressive cancer. So, we're getting aggressive right back. She's on some supplements, is eating a new diet that's better for dogs with cancer, and is undergoing chemotherapy. She had her first treatment last week and if all goes well will have another in a couple weeks.

I don't have room to post all of the updates here, but if you're interested, I'm blogging about her health on my website: http://petsitusa.com/blog/?cat=27

And, before Lydia got sick, I had to deal with some health issues with my dog Archie! Thankfully he's doing better though and is helping me take care of Lydia.

If you have pets, enter our contest to win a copy of the Merck/Merial Manual for Pet Health.

http://petsitusa.com/blog/?page_id=1033

If you haven’t used a FURminator to brush the loose hair out of your dog or cat, you’ll be amazed at how great it works!

Find out how you can win a FURminator for your cat or dog, visit the PetsitUSA.contest page. Hurry though, the contest ends April 11.

http://petsitusa.com/blog/?page_id=1033

To find out how you can enter to win a 101 Dalmatians DVD see our blog at PetsitUSA.com: http://petsitusa.com/blog/?page_id=1033

Austin, TX – February 26, 2008 – Austin Pet First Aid is pleased to announce its sponsorship of 2 Dogs 2000 Miles.

Austin Pet First Aid has signed on as a sponsor for the non-profit foundation, 2 Dogs 2000 Miles, which was established by Luke Robinson (aka Big Dog) to raise money for the first ever nationwide epidemiological canine cancer study. The idea came about after Robinson lost his dog Malcolm to metastatic bone cancer. It is in Malcolm’s honor that Robinson and his two Great Pyrenees dogs, Hudson and Murphy, will walk from Austin, TX to Boston, MA, accepting contributions that will help fund the study.

“Because their upcoming walk is so extraordinary, and there will be many potential dangers along the way, pet first aid training was essential.” Says Therese Kopiwoda, owner of Austin Pet First Aid. “I encourage all pet owners, whether they set off on a 2,000 mile hike or not, to learn pet first aid skills. The hope is that they will never need to use those skills, but being prepared may mean saving their best friend’s life.”

Many of the cancers found in pets are also found in humans, which means the epidemiological study will benefit human medicine as well. Because of this, the dog is an ideal model for research of this type. And, since the study will include pets that are fighting cancer, it reduces the dependency on lab animals, and may improve the lives of dogs involved in the study.

Their trek starts on March 16, 2008 from Austin’s Walter E. Long Park and is expected to take about ten months. Supporters are invited to a launch party to be held at the park from 9a.m. – 11a.m., just prior to Big Dog and his two dogs’ departure. Kopiwoda plans to be there, along with many others, to show her support and help give Luke, Hudson, and Murphy a good send-off.

About Austin Pet First Aid
Austin Pet First Aid is owned by Therese Kopiwoda, who is a trained Pet Tech First Aid & Care instructor. Classes are offered in various places throughout the Austin area. For more information, visit www.austinpetfirstaid.com.

For more information about 2 Dogs 2000 Miles, visit www.2dogs2000miles.org.