This is Taz, a 9-month-old German Shepard.
Over the Fourth of July, Taz was at a family member's house and played hard with his cousin’s German Shepard puppy. The day after his play date, Taz started limping. His family thought it was because he played so hard, but as the days went on, Taz's limp became worse and his family became really worried, so they took their fur kid to the vet. Taz's family is on a single person income and didn't have the money saved for an emergency visit to the vet, but knew that their fur kid needed to be seen. While they were at the vet, they applied to Fur Kids Foundation for help. Taz had a full workup at the clinic, and nothing was wrong with him other than Panosteitis, which is basically growing pains. According to VCA Animal Hospitals: Panosteitis is a condition that affects young, rapidly growing dogs. First symptoms can happen around 2 months or as late as 18 months; but, dogs are usually between 5 and 14 months old – the good news is that panosteitis usually resolves after 2 years old. Males seem to be affected more often than females, although either sex can develop panosteitis. Panosteitis can occur in any breed of dog but larger breeds–German Shepherds (most common), Great Danes, Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, Rottweilers, Doberman Pinschers, and Basset Hounds–more prone to this problem. The doctor wants Taz to not play as hard and relax a bit, as well as put him on some anti-inflammatory medication. We are happy to report that Taz is expected to feel better… once he's through his growing stage. No matter what is happening with your fur kid, at any stage of life, Fur Kids Foundation encourages you to call your veterinarian sooner rather than later. 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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Steph Kwek is a board member of Fur Kids Foundation and a Case Manager. Steph has always had a deep love of animals. As a child she spent summers splitting time between her family’s homestead Campbell County, Wyoming ranch and her grandparent’s elk ranch in Colorado. Until she realized math is bad, she had aspirations of becoming a veterinarian. She has a lifetime love of volunteering for animal organizations, foster failing, and volunteering for the organizations that fulfill her children. Steph is a native of Gillette, Wyoming. Steph has volunteered for everything from the Campbell County Humane Society to Girl Scouts to the Gillette Hockey Association. Her home and heart are always open to fosters and rescues of all kinds. Professionally Steph worked in finance for more than 12 years before shifting gears to spend time as a mom. In 2019, Steph accepted a position managing Fairway Estates. She has found fulfillment being able to provide safe, stable, clean housing to low income families. When not at work or volunteering, Steph and her husband spend their time at home on their small homestead with their two girls, many goats, pigs, chickens, turkeys, mini cows, dogs, cats and probably a partridge in a pear tree. Steph and Butch have opened their hearts to rescue goats, ducks, turkeys, chickens, a pig, a Pitbull named Raven and most recently three foster fail kittens from the Gillette Animal Shelter. Between them they have 5 children with only 2 girls remaining at home and 8 grandchildren. Return to Fur Kids Foundation Board of Directors Sadly, we learned that Samson passed away after receiving a blood transfusion. He is deeply missed by his loved ones. This boy is Samson, a 7-year-old English Bulldog/Staffy mix. His mom moved to Gillette not too long ago, and was helping take care of her aging father, which was her full-time job. She recently found a full-time job, is a single mom taking care of her kids, when her beloved boy Samson started acting sick. Samson’s stomach was distended, he wasn't eating, and she knew he felt crummy. Just getting back on her feet, she scraped up the funds she had to bring Samson in to the vet on an emergency visit, when she found out that Samson had Splenic Torsion (also know as “twisted spleen”) and needed emergency surgery to save his life. According to the veterinary team, Samson’s spleen was three times the size it should of been! For those who don’t know, a splenic torsion is a condition where the spleen twists around blood vessels, cutting off blood flow either partially or completely and leading to the enlargement of the spleen. According to Wag!, the symptoms of a twisted spleen are very similar to other conditions, making diagnosis by a vet extremely important. Signs include:
A splenic torsion most commonly occurs in large breed dogs with a deep chest (think Great Danes, German Shepherds, Saint Bernards, among others). It’s believed to happen more frequently when the spleen moves within the body, such as during physical activity. Samson’s mom applied with Fur Kids Foundation for help with his emergency veterinary care. We are very happy to report that Samson had his emergency surgery and is already feeling tremendously better! No matter what is happening with your fur kid, at any stage of life, Fur Kids Foundation encourages you to call your veterinarian sooner rather than later. 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. This beauty is Pablo Purrcatso, a 3-year-old purr-fect kitty.
"Pablo is my emotional support buddy as well as my daughters, I count her among my children. We love her – we play, we cuddle. She talks to us to let us know if something isn’t sitting well with her. She’s almost like a dog; she’s amazing," says her mom. Recently, Pablo’s mom noticed that her beloved fur kid was vomiting (more than usual) and seemed to be sluggish or lethargic. Her mom was so scared something serious was wrong with her beloved family member, and took her to the vet immediately. At the vet it was discovered that Pablo didn't have any serious illnesses, but she did have a bad urinary tract infection (UTI), which requires medication to help her heal. Urinary tract disorders are common in cats. In fact, one of the most common reasons why cats are abandoned or left at an animal shelter is due to urination issues. Generally, a UTI occurs when bacteria travel up the urethra and into the bladder. According to the AVMA, signs that your feline companion may have a UTI include:
Pablo's mom was in between jobs, waiting to start her new one, and past her last paycheck, when Pablo started to get sick. Pablo's mom applied with Fur Kids Foundation for assistance and we were happy to help. At the vet, Pablo's mom also opted to get her up-to-date on her vaccines so she didn't have to worry about her kitty catching something in the future. Whether your cat’s symptoms are just a UTI or something more, it’s important to find out for sure. If your cat’s exhibiting UTI symptoms, Fur Kids Foundation encourages you to call your veterinarian sooner rather than later. Fun Fact: Pablo Picasso was a great lover of cats and frequently included them in his paintings. 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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