If you're a country-western music fan, you probably know the name Lacy J. Dalton. Her records and performances date back to the 1970s and '80s when she had many top hits.
Her early influences were Joan Baez and Bob Dylan. But now she performs with the likes of Willie Nelson and other icons in the music world.
And like many performers, she has lent her name to an important cause, working to save wild horses in Nevada from slaughter. I had an opportunity to meet with Lacy recently and learn more about these horses and their predicament.
Nevada's population has grown phenomenally in the past decade. Homes in the Reno and Virginia City region have sprawled out over the range and now many families live in areas where wild horses and other critters have existed for so many years.
For some of the local residents, this isn't a problem. Some even feed them, encouraging these otherwise wild animals to stay in the area rather than to move on. There's a real safety issue here both for the local people and the horses.
And the government faces a problem how to deal with these beautiful beasts.
The state says its budget can't afford to feed or relocate them. Their plan, as of the moment, is to capture and "sell" them.
The buyer? You might not like the answer to this question any more than Lacy and her group did. Ultimately, these animals will be purchased and go to slaughter, because the government believes there is nowhere else to place them.
This is where Lacy, Willie and others step in. They've offered to care for these animals and they've already offered a plan that includes developing a sanctuary and an adoption program. Problem is, the Nevada government doesn't seem to be interested. And if it gets its way, one of the largest groups of free-roaming horses will be destroyed.
Many of these horses can be tamed, making them great pets for those who like to ride.
The Federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has run an adoption program that some people have used over the years. But there just aren't enough folks out there to adopt all that are in this herd.
Too bad, too, because these horses are beautiful animals. If you're interested in learning more about these horses and their conflict, go to Lacy's Web site www.letemrun.com. You'll see some interesting pictures and learn more about their problems.
Q:
Our cat, Walter, has a wound on his cheek that won't heal. It started in February and we took him to the vet. They thought it was an abscess he got from fighting. He's 6 and he's a neutered male that goes outside during the day.
There are a lot of free-roaming cats where we live. Anyway, after three rounds of different antibiotics, our vet wants to biopsy his skin there to see if he has a cancer. Does this make sense? What should we do?
A:
Whenever I hear a story such as yours, I always recommend a second opinion from another veterinarian.
Walter's doctor may be right here, but there is at least one other possible problem; he may have a dental abscess.
And at his age, it's far more likely that he has a diseased tooth under that cheek than cancer. Both can cause the same symptoms.
He'll need anesthesia for the veterinarian to do a thorough exam, but if the tooth is bad, it can be extracted at the same time.
If, indeed, he has an abscessed tooth, this simple extraction with some antibiotics will solve the problem. So schedule Walter for a visit with another vet and to find out what's at the root of his chronic wound.
Q:
Our young labradoodle, Molly, has dewclaws on her back feet. They seem "loose" and wiggle when she walks (there's a song about this, but I don't think it refers to someone's toes). I've never seen these on any dog before. She wants to lick them a lot and the skin around one is a little swollen. What should we do?
A:
Many breeds have these dewclaws, but they are routinely surgically removed when the pups are just a few days old.
Whoever raised Molly evidently elected not to have this simple and inexpensive procedure done. Most of these dewclaws are loose, just like Molly's. And they often get caught on shag carpet fibers or vegetation outside. I'll bet that Molly's swelling is due to some type of injury from this kind of occurrence.
I believe that these dewclaws should be removed in most cases, especially in larger dogs that like to run outside. It's an elective procedure. But it can prevent injury and some expensive emergency vet bills later on. If Molly is old enough to be spayed, ask your vet about removing these during her surgery.
Pete Keesling Pete Keesling is a veterinarian at San Martin Veterinary Hospital. He writes a bi-weekly column for South Valley Newspapers and hosts a radio talk show, Dr. Pete’s Petpourri, Sundays at 1 p.m. and Friday mornings at 7:10 on KSCO 1080 AM. If you have questions about pet care, e-mail them to smvet3@yahoo.com.
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