The York Revolution is pleased to announce that The York County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) will be the presenting partner for the entire 2010 baseball season. The Revolution will assist in raising funds and awareness for the non-profit SPCA of York County through a variety of events and promotions throughout the year.

To increase awareness for the charitable organization, new logos have been created that will be used by both parties throughout the 2010 season. The new logos feature both the Revolution eagle logo and the primary SPCA paw-print logo along with the 2010 slogan "Partners for a New Leash on Life." The Revolution will also provide space on Sovereign Bank Stadium's concourse level for all 70 home games for the York County SPCA to use as a spot for fans to learn more information about their non-profit organization based right here in York.

"We believed in the people at the SPCA and they believed in us. That's why this program is being launched with them," said Revolution General Manager Matt O'Brien. "It's energizing to partner with an organization as passionate as they are. Together we'll work hard to raise awareness and funds to keep their mission pushing forward."

Along with the added exposure, there will be many opportunities for Revolution fans to contribute to a worthy cause in our community. During certain games, the Revolution players will don special SPCA-themed jerseys that will be auctioned off benefiting the non-profit. Two dollars will be donated to the York County SPCA for every lawn ticket that is purchased to a York Revolution home game in 2010. Ballpark signage, access to a luxury suite for 30 games which can be purchased through the SPCA for its benefit, additional donations, and much more will all be part of the York Revolution 2010 Season presented by the SPCA of York County.

"The Revolution has really stepped up to the plate to help the community, and their family-friendly atmosphere will be the perfect opportunity to showcase what the SPCA is all about," said York County SPCA Board President, Kathy Parks King. "This partnership will benefit all the loving animals in our care whose tails are eagerly wagging in anticipation of an upcoming season of promise and possibilities."

"Bark In The Park" promotional days, where fans are encouraged to bring their pet dogs to the stadium, have been very popular at Revolution games in the past. With this new partnership, the Revolution is offering a special "Dog Days" Ticket Plan consisting of five Sunday games where fans are welcomed to bring Man's Best Friend to the ballpark.

The Revolution and the SPCA of York County plan on unveiling more new and exciting promotions as part of this unique partnership in the near future.

Full and partial season tickets are also available now, along with the new "Dog Days" Ticket Plan. To purchase tickets, please visit www.YorkRevolution.com, call 717-801-HITS, or visit the Apple Chevrolet ticket office at Sovereign Bank Stadium between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

East York Veterinary Center to be SPCA's 2010 "Season Sponsor" In conjunction with the SPCA's partnership with the York Revolution, the SPCA is pleased to announce that the East York Veterinary Center will be supporting the SPCA as its own "season sponsor!" Located at 1997 Industrial Highway in York, the East York Veterinary Center sees all types of animals, dogs, cats, birds, reptiles, pocket pets, and even an occasional wildlife patient. Dr. Valerie Miller, the owner of East York Veterinary Center, has been a member of the SPCA Board of Directors since 1989 and is a long time supporter and advocate of the SPCA of York County. Dr. Miller also co-hosts the SPCA's Meet the Pets program. "My staff and I have always admired the SPCA for its dedication to animals and the services it provides for the betterment of our community," said Miller. "We are excited to support the SPCA and the animals in its care through this sponsorship."

The East York Veterinary Center recently completed a major expansion, and now features a large reception atrium, luxury pet condominiums, and a comfort and consultation room. Other improvements include a dedicated dental suite, expanded surgery suite and heated recovery compartments (trained nurses hold each patient until they are fully awake), state of the art medical technology, a dedicated ICU room, and expanded exam rooms to improve the outpatient experience. The facility has closed circuit cameras for patient safety and clients can even log in to see their family member from afar while staying in the lodge. New patients and appointments are being accepted on a daily basis at (717) 840-1025. Whether your needs are pet wellness services, medical attention, education or boarding, you can find it at East York Veterinary Center. The York County SPCA is very grateful to the East York Veterinary Center for its sponsorship and support!

Congratulations Willie! He has a new home!!!

Willie came to EYVC at 36 lbs.  He left with his new owner, Ellen, at 22 lbs.   Willie will continue to be on a weight management program at East York Veterinary Center until he reaches his ideal weight.

BATTLE OF THE BULGE

If you are like most people, you have made a resolution to eat better and exercise to lose those stubborn winter pounds.  So why not apply those same rules to our animal companions?  Pet obesity is a serious issue and can cut an animal's life expectancy dramatically.  Just as with any preventative, providing good nutrition for your pet is a way to ward off many diseases.  It is also the one area that you are in complete control of and can be an advocate for your pets' overall health.

Did you know 35% of dogs and cats are overweight if not obese?  By the time you see external signs of weight gain, fat has already accumulated around their internal organs.  Obesity is a risk factor for many diseases including diabetes mellitus, constipation, heart disease and hypertension, liver disease, skin disease and worsening arthritis. There are many factors that predispose our pets to obesity including genetics, type of diet, portion control, lack of exercise and underlying medical conditions.

Any overweight animal should be evaluated by a veterinarian to rule out underlying medical diseases and placed on the appropriate nutritional plan.  It is important to discuss a diet plan with your vet, as losing weight too quickly can also be detrimental.  This is most important when it comes to cats.  Certain diseases such as hypothyroidism, Cushing's disease, and others can cause weight gain or abnormal weight distribution and should be addressed.  How do you know if your animal is overweight?  I often hear that owners think their animals are too skinny when in actuality; they are in perfect body condition.  You should always gauge your animal's body condition score and it is easy to do at home.  All animals should have some body fat, but we do not want it to exceed 15-25%.  You should be able to feel your dog or cat's ribs easily and they may be slightly visible.  There should only be a thin fat cover over them.  When your dog or cat is standing, you can rub your hands along their sides to feel them.  From above, you should be able to see a narrowing at the waist and from the side you should see an abdominal tuck.  This means that the chest should be lower than the belly wall.  It should angle up as you look from chest to tail.  You should also be able to feel the spine with only a thin fat cover and the tailbones should be slightly prominent.  Any more cover than this means your animal is overweight and at risk for obesity.

So what can you do?  When it comes to diet, most of us are guilty of feeding our pets table scraps/human food and give a few reasons:

1. "If they evolved from wild animals feeding on raw meats why can't they now?"  The problem is that over time, the domestication of our pets has lead to the evolution of their gastrointestinal tract resulting in different signaling pathways and the inability to process certain foods.  After all, we don't survive on the same diet as chimpanzees right?

2. "They must be so bored eating the same thing every day."  The thing is, eating that "same thing" is nutritionally and precisely balanced to provide the appropriate calories and adequate nutrition our pets need to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

3. "It's just one bite."  While a slice of cheese in a day for the average person may not cause weight gain, the same amount for our pets will.  For example, if a 10 lb cat that only needs 200 kcal per day for good health eats one piece of cheese, that is HALF of it's daily intake!  That one piece of cheese is the same as you eating 3 and 1/2 hamburgers in a day.  The same rule applies for feeding a 20 lb dog one hot dog.  Most importantly, the degree of fat and salt in human food can lead to catastrophic illnesses such as pancreatitis as their bodies attempt to digest the food; never mind the profuse vomiting and diarrhea that can result from gastrointestinal upset.  Just keep that in mind before reaching for those scraps and treats.

And don't forget about our feathered friends and pocket pets as they can be overweight as well.  A balanced diet is essential to maintaining their proper health.  For example, an all seed diet is never appropriate for any bird.  It will eventually lead to a fatty liver and an imbalance in calcium and phosphorous in the body.  Always feed birds a pelleted diet and use seeds as a minimal treat.  As for guinea pigs and rabbits, fiber should be the mainstay of their diet.  While fruits may be their favorite, all that sugar is not a balanced meal.  Feeding 80% hay with 1/4th of a cup of leafy greens (i.e. kale, spinach, carrot tops, etc.) is ideal and save the fruit as a minimal component.

So what about portion control?  Most of us figure if our pet is begging, it is hungry.  The problem is just as with some people, not all animals know when to stop eating while some are picky.  It is up to you as their caretaker to control their portions and help them maintain an ideal weight and live a healthy life.  That means it's time to take out the measuring cup.  "One scoop" is not an adequate way of measuring intake and not all foods have the same calories per cup.  There are great websites such as www.petobesityprevention.com that list many of the popular name brand foods and how many calories are in each cup or can.  While feeding according to the bag's instructions may seem like a good plan, unfortunately those guidelines are for very active animals in a laboratory setting.  So, if your pet is like most and sleeping while you are out for the day, that amount will be too much.  On average, a dog or cat only requires 1/2 of a cup of dry food per 10 lbs. of ideal body weight.  If your animal is overweight, talk to your veterinarian about what his/her ideal body weight should be and go from there.  You can also divide your pet's food into multiple meals to increase his/her metabolism and to "trick" their body into thinking it is getting more food.  If your animal likes to beg, measure out the daily intake and save a little.  That way when he/she cries for food, you have a reserve to give that is still included in part of the daily intake.

What about exercise?  As I'm sure most of you know, if you decrease your intake but do not increase your activity level, the metabolism can actually slow down.  Springtime is a great time for getting outside so take your dog with you.  Just fifteen minutes twice a day is all you need to get started.  If your animal is very overweight, ease into exercise to protect his/her ligaments and joints.  Walks are great because they are controlled exercise and can reduce the chance of injury that can occur from running erratically or jumping.  As for our cats, all you need is a focal flashlight.  Using the light along a wall or floor can get them chasing it.  Throwing toys up and down the stairs or placing their food on an elevated stand where they need to jump to get it can help increase their activity level.  Birds should be allowed to be in cages where they can freely move from perch to perch and if in an appropriate room, allowed out to exercise.  Rabbits and guinea pigs require at least 15 minutes of exercise per day to keep them healthy and to allow their gastrointestinal tract to function properly.  They need to be out of their enclosures and moving around.

When getting started, breaking bad habits can be very difficult but there are some things you can do to reward your pet that do not involve food. Praise and attention are great rewards for animals.  Many times when they are "begging" that is all they want.  It doesn't matter if food is associated with the attention as long as they get your love.  Furthermore, praise and attention can come in the form of play, which will increase their exercise.  Simply petting or spending time with your animal can be all they need when they are "crying" for what is assumed to be food.  I know it is not always easy and there are circumstances sometimes beyond our control.  So what do you do then?

1. I know that some people just can't resist their little faces looking up at them while you are eating.  Although encouraging feeding from the table is not ideal, if you have to, give a piece of kibble instead of table food.  Set aside some of your pet's daily intake and leave it in a ziplock baggie to have at mealtimes.  Just remember, giving any food when an animal is begging is rewarding and therefore, encouraging that behavior.

2. There are small children in the house who drop food and your pet is the perfect vacuum.  If your pet does manage to steal some table food, that may be beyond your control.  But, you can compensate for those extra bits by decreasing your pet's daily intake overall.  Although any table food can cause weight gain, at least it won't be amplified by additional calories in dog food as well.

3. If there are multiple pets that eat from the same area, decrease the overall intake of all the animals.  Separate the smaller/thinner animals once to twice a day and give them an extra snack so that they don't waste away while you are trying to get your other pet to lose some weight.

If your pet is overweight, please consider making an appointment with us to discuss your pet's weight loss needs and diet plan.  We look forward to helping your pet live a longer, healthier life with you.

Dr. Sabrina Gosilo