With the retirement of our founder and executive director Bonnie Hill, we are extremely excited to announce that we have selected Victoria Cowper, CAWA (Certified Animal Welfare Administrator), our current interim executive director, as the new Executive Director for Spay Neuter Network.

Victoria’s 22 years’ experience in animal welfare is wide-ranging and vast. While much of her career has been working for animal shelters and spay/neuter organizations in Arizona, she has spent the last 3 years traveling the country to provide leadership and executive-level support for animal shelters and spay/neuter groups in transition. Her experience in open admission and limited admission animal shelter management, disaster response, spay/neuter services in rural and metro areas, and managing county and city animal care and control contracts make her an ideal leader for developing programs and collaborations to advance our mission in the community. Her expertise in implementing lifesaving strategies also brings a unique perspective to the ongoing management and future development of our new Pet Support and Resource Center.

From its inception in 2005 until 2014, Victoria served as Vice President of the State of Arizona’s Companion Animal Spay/Neuter Committee administering spay/neuter grants through the state’s pet-friendly license plate program.

Victoria’s passion for animals extends into her personal life as well. She and her rescued therapy dog Nana are one of 300 teams with HOPE Animal Assist Crisis Response, a member of the Alliance of Therapy Dogs. HOPE teams are trained to respond to more intense emotional and environmental situations than usually encountered in typical animal therapy work, so Victoria and Nana have received specialized training in crisis intervention skills (emotional first aid), animal behavior and stress management, critical incident stress management, incident command system training, first aid and CPR, and pet first aid. She was in the inaugural class for the Navigator Buddies program at Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix, Arizona, where she and Nana helped destress travelers.

Through the years, Victoria has served and led several disaster teams during wildfire and hurricane rescue work and cruelty investigations that have resulted in the seizure of hundreds of abused and neglected animals. In 2010, she received the Arizona Humane Officer of the Year award.

In addition to Nana, she also shares her home with “Charlie Brown,” a “blocky-headed whatever” dog, as she likes to refer to him, whose claim to fame is being “the best cuddler.” When not spending time with her four-legged children, she enjoys spending time with her son who is serving our country as a commissioned officer in the Navy.

We’re excited Victoria’s officially on board with Spay Neuter Network. If you haven’t met or spoken to her already, please reach out to her at Victoria.cowper@spayneuternet.org to arrange for a meeting. She would love to talk to you.

Canine Parvovirus is a highly contagious virus that can affect all dogs that are not vaccinated. Puppies younger than four months old and unvaccinated dogs are most at risk. Parvo affects dogs’ gastrointestinal tracts and is spread from dog to dog and from contaminated feces, environments, and people. The virus can live in the environment for months and may survive on inanimate objects such as food bowls, shoes, clothes, carpets, and floors. Unvaccinated dogs can contract parvovirus from the streets, especially in urban areas where there are many dogs.

Some of the signs of parvovirus include:

• lethargy
• loss of appetite
• abdominal pain and bloating
• fever or low body temperature (hypothermia)
• vomiting
• severe, often bloody, diarrhea which can lead to dehydration

If your puppy or dog shows any of these signs, you should contact your veterinarian immediately.

SNN offers the DAPPV vaccine. DAPPV is a combo vaccine for parvo, distemper, hepatitis, respiratory disease, and parainfluenza for $20. We also offer vaccination packages here. Get your pet vaccinated at one of our clinics in Dallas, Crandall, and Fort Worth.

Crandall Clinic is located at 102 East Trunk Street Crandall, TX 75114 and is open Monday – Friday 10am – 2pm.
CLINIC CLOSED June 10, 17

Dallas clinic is located at 2223 S Buckner Blvd #203 Dallas, TX 75227 and is open Tuesday through Friday 10am – 2pm.
CLINIC CLOSED June 8

Fort Worth Clinic is located at 3117 E Seminary Dr. Fort Worth, TX 76119, and is open Monday – Friday 10am – 2pm.
CLINIC CLOSED June 9, 15, 16, 22, 28

Your veterinarian can run several tests to help determine whether your dog is infected with Parvo. There are currently no drugs available that can kill the virus. Treatment consists of aggressive supportive care to control the symptoms and boost your dog’s immune system.

Dogs infected with parvovirus need intensive treatment in a veterinary hospital, where they will receive antibiotics to control secondary infections, drugs to control the vomiting, intravenous fluids to treat dehydration, and other supportive therapies. The average hospital stay is about 5-7 days. Treatment is not always successful, so it is important to make sure your dog is vaccinated.

Because parvovirus can live in an environment for months, take extra care if there has been an infected dog in your house or yard. Parvo is resistant to many typical disinfectants and can be difficult to eradicate. A solution of one part bleach to 32 parts water can be used where organic material is not present. Clean and disinfect the infected dog’s toys, food dish, and water bowl in this solution for 10 minutes. If these objects are not able to be disinfected, they should be discarded. You can also use the solution on the soles of your shoes if you think you’ve walked through an infected area.

Make sure your dog is up-to-date on his vaccinations. Parvovirus should be considered a core vaccine for all puppies and adult dogs. Generally, the first vaccine is given at 6-8 weeks of age and a booster is given at four-week intervals until the puppy is 16-20 weeks of age, and then again at one year of age. Until a puppy has received its complete series of vaccinations, pet owners should use caution when bringing their pet to places where young puppies congregate.

April is Heartworm Awareness Month. Heartworm is a preventable disease spread by mosquitoes. Left untreated, it can cause permanent damage and death. But prevention is affordable and easy. Here are eight things you should know to protect your pet.

1. Heartworm can kill your pet. Heartworm is caused by a parasitic worm called Dirofilaria immitis that enters your pet’s body after an infected mosquito bites your pet. Worm larvae left by the infected mosquito-spread through your pet’s bloodstream and migrate to your pet’s heart and surrounding arteries. The worms take 5 to 7 months to mature. Female worms are about the size of spaghetti noodles (up to 14” long) and produce millions of offspring that live in your pet’s bloodstream. Hundreds of adult worms can live inside an infected pet. As worms clog your pet’s heart and blood vessels, they block proper circulation and can lead to lung damage, organ failure, and death.

2. Texas is one of the top 10 states with the highest rates of Heartworm. Every three years the American Heartworm Society gathers data from thousands of veterinary clinics across the country to track the spread of Heartworm. Texas consistently ranks among the top 10 states with the highest rates of Heartworm infection. In 2019, the most recent year the study was performed, Texas clinics participating in the study reported 100 cases or more of Heartworm, compared to fewer than 5 cases reported by clinics in areas such as North Dakota. Both the American Heartworm Society and the Companion Animal Parasite Council rank Texas as a zone for extremely high rates of Heartworm.

3. Signs of heartworm include lethargy, shortness of breath, and fatigue. In the early stages of Heartworm, there are few symptoms. As the worms grow in size and number, your pet may develop a cough, become short of breath, grow lethargic, lose its appetite and lose weight. By the time your pet develops symptoms, the disease may have already caused permanent damage to your pet’s heart and organs.

4. Heartworm can infect cats. It is rarer for Heartworm larvae to grow to maturity in cats, but once they do, there is no treatment for cats with Heartworms. Cats cannot be treated with the same medication used for dogs, so the only protection for cats is prevention.

5. It costs less than $8 a month to prevent Heartworm. Heartworm prevention often takes the form of chewable tablets that you give your pet once a month. Tablets from Spay Neuter Network cost $30 for a 6-month supply for dogs less than 25 pounds ($5 a month). The cost is $35 for a 6-month supply for dogs that are 26 to 50 pounds and $45 for dogs over 50 pounds. The cost for a full year of prevention is even cheaper.

6. It costs $500 to $1,000 or more to treat Heartworm. If your pet gets infected with Heartworms, treatment is costly, complicated, and lengthy. The exact cost of treating Heartworm depends on the size of your dog and the stage of the disease. Before treatment, your pet may need x-rays, blood tests, and an echocardiogram to determine how much damage the disease has already caused your pet’s body. Treatment starts with a combination of medicines taken orally, including prevention medication and medication to minimize a negative reaction later when the worms begin dying in your pet’s body. After taking these medicines for several months, your pet will get its first injection of melarsomine to kill the adult Heartworms. Thirty (30) days after the first injection, your pet will need a 2nd injection. Twenty-four (24) hours after the 2nd injection, your pet will need a third injection. During treatment, your pet cannot exercise. No jumping, playing, or running. Pets need to stay as calm as possible during this period because the dying worms are getting dislodged from your pet’s heart and surrounding arteries. As they travel through your pet’s blood vessels, exertion can cause these worms to lodge in other arteries, especially those in your pet’s lungs, causing a pulmonary blockage that can lead to shock and death. Injections are given deep into your pet’s muscles and may cause pain. Your vet may prescribe pain medication. Depending on your pet’s age and health and the severity of its Heartworm disease, your vet may also recommend that your pet stays at the clinic overnight after injection in case of a negative reaction. It is much easier and far less costly to prevent Heartworm than it is to treat it.

7. Heartworm prevention keeps your pet healthy in other ways. Most kinds of Heartworm medication also prevent other worms. Currently, the Heartworm prevention tablets provided at Spay Neuter Network also prevent two kinds of roundworm (oxocara canis, Toxascaris leonina) and three kinds of hookworm (Ancylostoma caninum, Uncinaria stenocephala, Ancylostoma braziliense).

8. Start prevention early. Puppies and kittens can get bitten by an infected mosquito as soon as they are born. The American Heartworm Society recommends that you start giving your puppy or kitten prevention medication when they are 8 weeks old. Giving your pet Heartworm prevention medication once a month is the safest, easiest, and most affordable way to protect your pet from a preventable disease that can cause lasting damage and death.

Dr. Deresz talks about the importance of spaying and neutering including reducing the number of unwanted pets.

Spaying and neutering is the most effective way to reduce the homeless pet population and end pet euthanasia in our shelters. It is safe for puppies and kittens as young as eight weeks old, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.

During January, get your male dog (39 pounds and under) neutered for $30. Make an appointment by phone or online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Click here or call 972.472.3500.

This special $30 rate is even less than our normal low-cost fee and is available to all residents in North Texas. Pet parents who wish to take advantage of this offer must mention the “Happy Neuter Year” campaign when they schedule their appointment.