This beauty is Tinkerbell, a 4-year-old boxer. Her family noticed that she wasn't feeling well and had a discharge of pus coming from her vulva, the external opening of her genitals.
Tinkerbell had not been spayed yet because the family was on a limited income, but they were worried about the discharge. They ultimately brought her to the vet, where she was diagnosed with pyometra, a life-threatening disease if left untreated. For those who don’t know, pyometra is a uterine disease usually seen in unaltered female dogs who have not been pregnant; however, the disease can also be seen in unspayed cats, guinea pigs, rabbits and rats. It can be seen in dogs of any age, but typically occurs in unspayed dogs who are around the age of 6 or older. Usually, a dog will show symptoms of the disease within a few months of their last heat cycle. Symptoms often include:
Fur Kids Foundation is no stranger to this disease, sadly we’ve seen it in many cases we have helped. The Foundation board and case managers encourage all pet owners of female dogs (or cats, guinea pigs, rabbits and rats) to spay them because it prevents the disease from ever happening, especially if you are like most pet owners who never plan to breed your dog. There are also other benefits of spaying your dog, which you can read about in our Why Spay/Neuter page. We are happy to report that Tinkerbell is feeling much better and is on her way to a full recovery. Below are a few articles we recommend you read to learn more about pyometra. If you have any questions about the disease, please be sure to speak with your veterinarian.
If you would like to help Fur Kids Foundation continue to help families with animals, please consider making a tax-deductible donation. The money helps families during a time when they may not be able to afford adequate veterinary care. Check out more Success Stories.
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Fur Kids Foundation had quite a busy year in 2015. Check out what supporters like you helped make possible:
We want you to know that nearly 75% of our funds go toward helping families afford emergency veterinary care; the remaining percentage goes toward the costs of running a business (advertising/marketing, insurance, legal/nonprofit fees, office supplies, etc). The board works very hard to have most of our money go toward helping families with pets. Our board agendas, financials, and minutes are always available to be reviewed. Contact us and we'll be happy to review them with you. 2016 is off with a bang. We’ve helped nine families all ready, for a total of $1,805.41 granted in January. We've helped a dog with seizures, a pup get surgery after he ate some children’s toys, and a dog who had a severe issue with a loss of bladder control, to name a few. In 2016, our plan is to help more families with pets, and we hope you will help us raise $25,000 to help us do this. Thank you to those who have stood beside us throughout the years. Our supporters and volunteers mean the world to us, and to the families with pets who can rest easy because they can take their pet to the vet for care when they cannot afford it. We have so many success stories because of your support. If you’d like to help us continue to keep pets healthy in Campbell County, Wyoming, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. Thank you again for your support. Blessed is the person who has known the love of an older pet. We at Fur Kids Foundation love those sugar dusted faces and slow to rise bodies just as much as we love those days when our cherished pet was bounding toward us at 100 mph. After all, the golden years of a pet’s life with you are often some of the most memorable. As you can imagine, the puppy and kitten days are much different from the senior years. As our pets age, their needs change. Below are a few items to take into consideration as your pet moves into their senior years.
I'm the proud owner of two rescued beagles. Cooper, my male is roughly 6 years old, and Beatrix my female is moving into her senior years, 11 years old is our best guess. I love them dearly; in fact, I often refer to them as my kids. And, just like any loving parent, finding the right doctor for them was very important to me. I’ve moved cross country a few times and across the way, I’ve met and done business with quite a few different types of veterinarians. Some I’ve loved, and was sad to leave behind; others, I spent one visit with and promptly found a new veterinarian to bring my fur kid to for health checks or emergency visits.
We are very fortunate to have four veterinary offices in Gillette with a host of great vets and clinic staff in them. Some of you may be new to Gillette, or maybe you’re just looking for a second opinion; or maybe even thinking it may be time to change your vet. Here are some helpful tips when it comes time to finding the right vet for you.
Below are some more articles to consider reading on getting comfortable with your vet, as well as helping your pet get comfortable with the vet and their office/clinic. Do you have some tips? Put them in the comments below.
In January, the City of Gillette Animal Shelter posted the picture above on their Facebook page, reminding all dog owners about the importance of trimming their pet’s toenails. It’s important that you know toenails that are long, or even curled like in the picture above, can be very painful for your pet to walk on. When properly trimmed, your dog’s toenails shouldn’t touch the ground when they are standing still or when they are walking. If you can hear your dog’s toenails click on the ground as they are walking through your house, they are too long, and it’s time for a trim. We encourage you to trim your dog's toenails every six to eight weeks if they aren’t very active. Most puppies, or dogs who get numerous walks on pavement or sidewalks, often don’t need their nails trimmed as frequently. However, as they age, the nails will need to be trimmed. Dog’s aren’t the only pets who need nail trims. Please remember to trim your cat’s nails as well. If you’re a little nervous to trim your pet’s nails, check out the video tutorial below from the Whole Dog Journal and Veterinarian Dr. Christianne Schelling. There are also numerous pet grooming businesses in Gillette that can also trim your pet’s nails. The businesses we recommend can be found on the Pet Grooming page on our website. You can also ask your veterinarian to show you how to properly trim your pet's nails.
You can also get some tips on trimming your pet’s nails in the articles below.
Kittens. They get into everything, bounce off the walls, climb up your legs, and generally just like causing all sorts of trouble. This is definitely the case for Bodhi the 5-month-old kitten. But, recently, Bodhi wasn’t feeling very good.
Bodhi and his parents moved into a new apartment, and moving can often be stressful for pets and their owners. But Bodhi sure wasn’t acting like himself. What they learned was that Bodhi found and ate some rat poison hidden in a hole behind the toilet that was left by the landlord. Rat poison sure tastes good to the rodent it’s trying to catch, but it also tastes good to other animals. Poisoning in cats often looks like this:
Bodhi's mom is going to school full time and working part time, and his dad is currently unable to work because he’s recovering from spine surgery. Bodhi’s parents knew they needed to get him to the vet, but weren’t quite sure how they were going to pay for the emergency visit. They reached out to Fur Kids Foundation, and we were able to help cover the costs of medication and fluids to help Bodhi return to his usual rambunctious self. Bodhi is making a full recovery, and has a wonderful and happy future ahead of him. Bodhi’s parents had looked over the apartment for other dangers, but had missed the hole near the toilet with the rat poison. If you plan on moving with your pet to an apartment in the future, please consider asking your landlord if they use any poisons for insects or rodents, and ask them to show you where they put it. You should also request that they let you know if they put any others down in the future so you can keep your pet away from it. Likewise, if your landlord sprays the yard or lot for weeds in the spring, summer or fall, be sure to ask them to let you know when that is done so you can keep your pets away from the area for a few days to avoid exposure. Please know that if your pet ingests rat poison, or other poisons, the end result without a veterinary visit is often death. If you suspect your pet has eaten poison, please get them to a vet as soon as possible. Remember, with poisonings, the key is early detection! We found some more articles that talk about poisoning in pets. Feel free to check them out.
If you would like to help Fur Kids Foundation continue to help families with animals, please consider making a tax-deductible donation. The money helps families during a time when they may not be able to afford adequate veterinary care. Check out more Success Stories. Chewy, the 4-year-old Chihuahua, was having seizures that would last between five to 10 minutes, on occasion.
Seizures can be a scary thing to watch your pet go through. Like humans, dogs experiencing seizures might foam at the mouth or drool, they may twitch or move spastically, they may collapse or lose consciousness, and can even lose bladder control. Seizures happen to be one of the genetic health concerns for Chihuahuas, and some other dog breeds. Seizures can begin suddenly after years of good health. They can be hereditary (passed on from parents), or can be brought on by things like:
It was very difficult for Chewy’s owner to watch his constant companion go through a seizure, but he had been laid off from work in December, and the budget was tight. Knowing that Chewy wouldn't survive if he didn’t go to the veterinarian for necessary medication, his owner reached out to Fur Kids Foundation for support. We are happy to report that the Foundation was able to help him go to the vet, and get the daily medication to help keep Chewy seizure free. If you have seen your dog experience the symptoms outlined above, please take them to the vet. With medication, and proper check ups, dogs with seizures can often live long and happy lives. We also found a few great articles on seizures in dogs. Feel free to check them out.
If you would like to help Fur Kids Foundation continue to help families with animals, please consider making a tax-deductible donation. The money helps families during a time when they may not be able to afford adequate veterinary care. Check out more Success Stories. |
Welcome to the Fur Kids Foundation blog archive that features inspiring stories of pets and people! Get inspired by these amazing furry tales of recovery and hope! All because someone like YOU cared.
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