Mutt Madness, an online video contest sponsored by PetFirst Healthcare has announced local finalist, Dazzle from Renton, Wash. (submitted by owner Katherine Martucci) as the “Ulti-Mutt” Sports Pet for a top prize of $1,000 and a year of pet insurance provided by PetFirst Healthcare.

“Mutt Madness demonstrates how sports can be a great way for pet owners to bond with their furry friends and can help keep pets active and healthy,” said Brent Hinton, PetFirst Healthcare CEO and former Kentucky Humane Society CEO. “We are amazed by the amount of pet talent that turned out for this contest.”

Contestants submitted videos showcasing each pet’s talent. Mutt Madness featured everything from a Jack Russell terrier doing a handstand to a Chihuahua singing a Christmas carol and a pug getting excited over a stuffed piggy.

To view Dazzle’s winning video for Mutt Madness, visit www.petfirst.com.

Always keep your veterinarian’s emergency number handy. Don’t rely on 911 operators to assist you. Their specialty is people emergencies, and they will likely refer you back to your own veterinarian.

Your local chapter of American Red Cross offers pet first aid classes which can help you understand how to evaluate an emergency situation as well as how to administer basic first aid. You’ll also learn how to administer the Heimlich maneuver and CPR to your furry family member. The cost ranges from $50 to $80.

If you discover your dog or cat is unconscious, there are a few things you should check for right away. The outcome of this assessment will be valuable to your emergency veterinary contact.

• Does your pet have a clear airway? Open the mouth and look for a foreign object. If an object is blocking the airway, grab the tongue and pull it outward. If this does not dislodge the object, use your fingers, pliers, or tongs to grasp it. If the object cannot be reached or pulled out, use the Heimlich maneuver.
• Are they breathing?
• Do they have a heartbeat?

Be careful if your pet wakes up as you are assessing the situation. Your dog or cat may become frightened and try to bite you.

Click here to fill out your Mutt Madness bracket. Your votes determine who moves on to the Energetic Eight, so vote today and share your favorite with a friend!

1. Hold the pill between your thumb and index finger.
2. Firmly grasp your pet’s upper jaw with your other hand tilting your pet’s head back gently.
3. Using your middle finger, slowly open the lower jaw.
4. Keep your middle finger over the small incisor teeth and deposit the pill as far back on the tongue as possible.
5. Close the mouth immediately while keeping your hand over the mouth.
6. Stroke the throat or blow gently into your pet’s nostrils. This will encourage your pet to swallow.

Try to work quickly to avoid loosing the medication or being nipped by your dog or cat.

• Run your hand over your pet’s hips. You should feel the bumps of two pelvic bones without applying pressure.
• Place your thumbs on your pet’s back and run them along the backbone with your fingers over the ribs. You should be able to feel the bumps of the ribs without applying any pressure. If you can see the ribs or they are protruding, your pet is too thin.
• Push your thumb and index finger into the flesh at the side of the neck above the shoulder and pinch together. Your fingers should not be more than a half inch apart.
• When you look at your pet from the side, the abdomen should not be hanging down.
• When looking at your pet from above, you should be able to see a waist behind the ribs.

• Bring outdoor games indoors. Playing fetch, rolling a ball around and practicing obedience exercises are great ways to get your pooch’s blood pumping.
• Introduce new toys. Your dog may grow tired of their old playthings. A new toy can deliver an exciting challenge.
• Clean their paws. Snow, ice and salt can irritate your dog’s paws and pads. Be sure to wipe them clean after a wintertime walk or play session.
• Reduce calorie intake. The reduction in exercise this time of year makes weight gain a potential problem. Talk to your veterinarian about whether a change in diet is necessary for your pet.

If Fido is a “rabid” sports fan and barks and jumps every time your football team scores or catches some serious air when jumping to snag a Frisbee, PetFirst wants to see it. If Fluffy wears letterman sweaters from your alma mater or runs a 5K around the litter box, PetFirst wants to see that too.

America’s “Ulti-Mutt” Sports Pet will win a year of pet insurance and $1,000 for his or her owner. The winner will be announced in April after four rounds of online public voting to narrow the field.

Complete contest information and instructions for posting videos are available at www.petfirst.com. Pet owners may post videos now through March 15, and visitors to the site may view the videos and vote for their favorite sports pet. Mutt Madness is also the featured contest on PetPop.com, the social networking site “where pets are popular.”

So what makes the bulldog so special? Bulldogs are docile and adaptive and function well in families with children. Plus they’re pretty darn cute!