This cuddly fluff ball is Crowley, a 4-year-old adorable kitty.
His mom noticed that Crowley would cry out when he was urinating, and she also noticed that he had some blood in his urine. Then, he wasn’t urinating at all. Once it progressed to the last symptom, she knew that Crowley needed to see a vet, and fast. When she took Crowley into the vet, they learned that he had a minor urinary blockage. What is a urinary blockage in a cat? For those who don’t know, a urinary blockage can be a painful and life-threatening condition that typically affects male neutered cats. A urinary blockage means that your cat's urethra — the tube that drains urine from the bladder and then out of the body — is blocked by inflammatory material. When this is blocked, urine can't exit the body and the bladder becomes overfilled. If the blockage goes on too long, the kidneys may start to swell and become damaged, leaving the bladder to potentially rupture or tear. Cat urinary blockages signs
Crowley’s mom tries to do everything she can for her pets, but this emergency visit was not in her budget and was outside of what she could afford. So, she applied to Fur Kids Foundation, and we were happy to help. Luckily Crowley did not need surgery, but he did have to stay at the vet for a little bit for some fluids and medicine to make him feel better. He was thankfully able to pass his blockage and is already feeling better! It is important to pay attention to these signs and symptoms, so you can treat your feline before it becomes a bigger problem. When you clean their litter box, make sure there is a normal amount of urine, and if you notice any drastic changes in the urinating habits, seek medical advice from your vet immediately. How to prevent urinary blockages in cats Unfortunately, once a cat has a urinary blockage, the chances are higher that it can happen again. At the first sign of any urinary issues, talk with your veterinarian about the food you should be feeding your cat. Water consumption is also important for your cat’s system. Be sure to offer your cat fresh and clean water daily, or add canned food into their diet if they currently eat dry food. About Fur Kids Foundation Fur Kids Foundation is 100% run by dedicated volunteers who give their time to help the Foundation raise money with events, take applications, and spread the word about the good work the Foundation does in Campbell County, Wyoming. If you would like to help Fur Kids Foundation continue to help local families with animals afford emergency veterinary care, please consider making a tax-deductible donation via PayPal or signing up to become a volunteer. Read more Success Stories.
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This little cutie is Thomas, a 6-year-old Chihuahua mix.
Thomas' mom just got out of a bad relationship, so now she is a single mom who is trying very hard to get back on her feet. And then poor Thomas just wasn't acting like himself. She noticed Thomas was crying when his neck was touched and he really didn't want to move much. She was very worried about her little man who she says is "a big part of her family." At the vet, Thomas had a full exam and some X-rays. Worried that she wouldn't be able to cover the cost of a unplanned vet visit, Thomas' mom applied to Fur Kids Foundation for help with her bill. Luckily the vet didn't notice anything terrible in the X-rays, so Thomas was treated for a stiff neck; we've all been there! He was also given pain medicine to help him recover. Thomas needs to quit his bleak desk job and do more Pilates or yoga! In all seriousness ... Even though Thomas only had a strain in his neck, neck pain can be caused by more serious issues and injuries to the spine. Neck or spinal pain is fairly common in dogs, and is typically not associated with a known traumatic event. Unfortunately, these issues can cause a great amount of stiffness and discomfort, but can be hard for us to recognize. According to the MSPCA–Angell, signs that your dog may be in pain or have some neck and back issues can include:
If your dog is showing any of these signs, be sure to minimize the amount of physical activity they participate in and take them to the vet as soon as possible. Prompt treatment can allow for relief in pain for your pooch, and often in the prevention of the progression of disease to a more serious or irreversible state. About Fur Kids Foundation Fur Kids Foundation is 100% run by dedicated volunteers who give their time to help the Foundation raise money with events, take applications, and spread the word about the good work the Foundation does in Campbell County, Wyoming. If you would like to help Fur Kids Foundation continue to help local families with animals afford emergency veterinary care, please consider making a tax-deductible donation via PayPal or signing up to become a volunteer. Read more Success Stories. Campbell County, Wyoming is experiencing some frigid and freezing weather lately. According to some weather reports, freezing temperatures will continue through the weekend with wind chills that could take the weather as low as 40 degrees below zero! This weather is not safe for animals or humans. Please be mindful of your pets, as well as yourself, if you are outside.
The colder it gets, the faster frostbite can set in. And when you add the Wyoming wind, the process speeds up more. Once sub-zero temps hit, it takes less than 30 minutes for exposed skin to get frostbite. The same is true for your pet's ears and paws. If you have outdoor animals, please make sure they have adequate shelter and plenty of insulation in their shelter, straw is great and provides warmth (hay can get moist and mold). Feed them extra at their meals as their bodies will be burning more calories to stay warm. Check on their water often. If you see a pet outside without adequate shelter, please call the Animal Shelter (307.686.5249) or Police Department (307.686.5250) to report it. If you live outside city limits, you can also call 307.682.7271. We don't want anyone or their pets to get hurt in this weather. On February 5, Animal Medical Center of Wyoming in Gillette gave Fur Kids Foundation a donation check for more than $2,700! These funds were from an internal program that the veterinary clinic created in 2018.
This is what Animal Medical Center had to say in their Facebook post: One of our favorite days of the year is when we get to hand Fur Kids Foundation a donation! We are excited to give them over $2700 that will help families in our community through Fur Kids Foundation! A HUGE THANK YOU to our amazing patients and clients who made it possible for us to 🐾 paw-it-forward! The connection between Animal Medical Center and Fur Kids Foundation runs deep. The veterinary clinic has supported the Foundation since its inception—participating at or being sponsors for events, buying tables at A Night for Paws, donating items for our silent auctions and more. We appreciate and value their support. Learn more about the program >>> This stunner is Chewy, a 3 year-old Pit Bull. Chewy's mom adopted him and has committed to giving him the best life possible. Then COVID-19 hit, causing her hours to get cut at work, and it's taken a little longer to get caught up on finances than she planned.
Chewy has a canine brother and they love to play! Recently, they were playing with one another when somehow Chewy's ear was caught in the wrestling match. The next day his ear was swollen, and it appeared that he had cauliflower ear; what your vet will likely call an hematoma. Chewy’s mom tried to take care of it the best she could, but then noticed it was really swollen and oozing. The discomfort caused Chewy to stress chew his feet, so his mom knew she needed to get him into the vet immediately. A hematoma looks painful, and unfortunately, it is. The ear will then swell and develop a vegetable-like texture, which then makes their ears extremely sore, and will likely make your pup shake their head over and over again. Causing more of an issue. In fact, the ear (or ears) can swell so full of blood that they feel like a water balloon! Eeek! Hematomas are a minor condition, but treatment by a veterinarian is still needed. Chewy had to get sedated so the vet could release the pressure in his ear. Because of the unplanned veterinary expense, Chewy's mom applied with Fur Kids Foundation for help with her emergency bill. Thankfully Chewy is slated to make a full recovery. Hopefully he chooses a different career than a professional boxer, because a cauliflower ear doesn't look good on him. Ears are a very sensitive body part that can be susceptible to ear infections, injury, and even hematomas from dogs flapping their ears too much. It is very important for every responsible pet parent to watch out for signs and symptoms of injuries, like this one. Fur Kids Foundation always encourages you to call your vet and seek advice on the next steps, if you suspect an injury, and it is very important to take your pet in to the vet at any sign of infection. About Fur Kids Foundation Fur Kids Foundation is 100% run by dedicated volunteers who give their time to help the Foundation raise money with events, take applications, and spread the word about the good work the Foundation does in Campbell County, Wyoming. If you would like to help Fur Kids Foundation continue to help local families with animals afford emergency veterinary care, please consider making a tax-deductible donation via PayPal or signing up to become a volunteer. Read more Success Stories. January really kicked off 2021 with cases. We received nine (9) applications and eight (8) received assistance for their emergency veterinary care for a total of $2493.74.
When applying for assistance, applicants are required to fill out the application, provide proof of income for everyone in the home over the age of 18, picture ID and picture of the pet. Some cases aren't approved because they were able to cover the bill, they didn't submit all of the info needed, or they make too much. If you ever have questions about assistance, please don't hesitate to ask. Below are the January cases:
Many of these cases we help can be found as featured stories on our Success Stories page. Recently, we announced that the Fur Kids Foundation Board of Directors was looking to add two new members, and in turn we added four amazing pack members!
Mary Ellen Young has been a volunteer for many years - not sure if she regrets being my work neighbor and getting wrangled into this crazy life, but she's hit the ground running. She took over the Ladies Night Out events, now called the Holiday and Spring Bazaars, and has transformed them and grew them in a way we never imagined could happen. We're so happy to have her leadership skills, go-to attitude and craziness as a part of our pack. Tara Beard was a board member and also on the Applications Committee in the early years of the Foundation, but had to step down a few years ago due to work changes. We're super excited to announce that SHE'S BAAAAAAACK! But, just as a board member this time. Tara kept volunteering at events and has been a long-time supporter of the Foundation. Marci Zimmerman Kelhi and Trey Mcconnell have also joined our team! Both have been long-time supporters of the organization, donating their time and items to events, sharing our events, and all around being awesome. Here's your Board line-up:
Fur Kids Foundation is still looking for a Case Manager for the Applications Committee. The current Case Managers are Mary Melaragno and Linda Tufvesson. This dynamic duo alternates months to take calls and work with the applicants. While the application says we'll get in touch with people within 24 hours, we really try to get in touch with them within a few hours, and if we can't we'll ask the other person to reach out and work the case. Case mangers call the vet clinics, make sure the applicant is in good standing with them, discuss the situation, and get an estimate. If they haven't already talked to the applicant, case managers then give them a call, visit with what is going on with them, get a feel for their situation, etc. The time commitment can be anywhere from five (5) hours a month, to 40 hours a month. Some days we get five applications, and sometimes we only get five applications for the month. We try to work together so we can take vacations, have weekends away, so the other person can take the calls. This is the Foundation's most confidential committee, and a lot of pride is involved with not sharing information on the applicants, who they are, their situations, etc. If you are interested in being on the Applications Committee, we encourage you to complete a Board and Volunteer Application and contact us. This beauty is Ellah Mae, a 2 1/2 year-old calico kitty. Ellah Mae is very important to her mom; check out what she has to say about her kitty: “Her and her brother are my guardian angels. They took care of me after my oldest daughter was killed 8 months ago. I got Ellah from the Shelter when she was 11 months old. It took her over a month to want anything to do with me, until I got her brother Benjermin from the shelter. Once she realized that I wasn't going to hurt her and that she was safe, she just jumped into my lap one day and her and I bonded in a way I can't explain. She's my whole world, along with her brother.” Recently, Ellah Mae's face swelled up, and her mom thought that she got into a fight or injured herself somehow. When she brought Ellah to the vet she was surprised to hear that Ellah Mae had a number of abscessed teeth and needed almost all of her teeth removed! She never thought a cat so young could have such bad teeth. Ellah Mae's mom is a single mom on a limited budget, and this expense was very unplanned. She applied to Fur Kids Foundation for help. According to PetMD: Cat periodontal disease, or gum disease in cats, is an inflammation of some or all of a tooth’s deep supporting structures. It is one of the most common diseases in cats today. VetStreet explains that the following signs and symptoms of gum disease in cats can be:
Fun fact: Calico cats are female because they're coloring is related to the X chromosome. Two X chromosomes are needed for a cat to have that distinctive tri-color coat. If a cat has an XX pair, she will be female. Male cats have an XY chromosome pair, so they can't be Calicos. Meow! Fur Kids Foundation is happy to help and Ellah Mae is going to make a full recovery and adjust to the toothless life.
Your pet's teeth and gums should be checked at least once a year by your veterinarian to check for early signs of a problem and to keep your pet's mouth healthy. Just so you know, dental disease in cats (and dogs) can be prevented the same way it can be prevented in humans: by brushing your pet’s teeth. Talk to your veterinarian about how to help your pet avoid gum disease at your next check up. About Fur Kids Foundation Fur Kids Foundation is 100% run by dedicated volunteers who give their time to help the Foundation raise money with events, take applications, and spread the word about the good work the Foundation does in Campbell County, Wyoming. If you would like to help Fur Kids Foundation continue to help local families with animals afford emergency veterinary care, please consider making a tax-deductible donation via PayPal or signing up to become a volunteer. Read more Success Stories. Editors Note: Typically, we do not publish blogs that do not have happy endings, but Fur Kids Foundation decided that we would publish this one to help pet parents act on their concerns instead of holding off on them. Back in August 2020, Fur Kids Foundation was contacted by the mom of Sancho, a 12-year-old Mastiff/Lab mix. "He is my best friend. I love him so much, so to say he's my best friend would be an understatement," Sancho's mom said. Unfortunately, Sancho's mom had fallen ill, which made it impossible for her to go to work. Shortly afterward, she noticed that Sancho had some masses in his mouth. She believes the masses were abscesses and knew that he needed to have his teeth cleaned. Due to his age, she knew that he would need to be looked at soon, so she applied with Fur Kids Foundation for help. We are sad to report that the abscesses in Sancho's mouth weren't from bad teeth; poor Sancho had mouth cancer, or oral cancer. This kind of cancer usually affects older dogs, and is typically found on the roof of the mouth or around the gums; however, these tumors can be found anywhere in the mouth. According to PetMD, below are some signs you can look for in dogs with mouth cancer:
Surgery is often the treatment of choice for oral cancer in dogs; however, if a tumor has already spread to other parts of the body (or metastasized) it will not cure the dog. When we heard last, Sancho's mom is going to do everything she can to keep her old man comfortable and happy. Sancho cross the Rainbow Bridge in September 2020. "Everyone is taught that angles have wings, but the lucky ones of us find they have four paws." Just as humans, our pets need regular checkups to stay healthy. Depending on your pet's age, yearly exams with a veterinarian are quite common; however, for very young and aging animals, more frequent visits to the vet may be necessary. Fur Kids Foundation encourages you to establish a relationship with your vet as well as speak with them to determine how often your loving companion should visit their clinic. About Fur Kids Foundation Fur Kids Foundation is 100% run by dedicated volunteers who give their time to help the Foundation raise money with events, take applications, and spread the word about the good work the Foundation does in Campbell County, Wyoming. If you would like to help Fur Kids Foundation continue to help local families with animals afford emergency veterinary care, please consider making a tax-deductible donation via PayPal or signing up to become a volunteer. Read 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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