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To those of you who used Animal Medical Center Of Wyoming's Snapchat filter at Fur Kids Foundation's Pet-A-Palooza, you helped the clinic raise $126 for the Foundation! Thank you so much for your support. And, thank you to AMC and the Community Veterinary Clinic for being so generous!
P.S. If you're on Snapchat, you can find AMC there at amcwyvet! Thank you to everyone who joined the Fur Kids Foundation pack at Pet-A-Palooza on September 9. The board of directors is very pleased to announce that supporters of the Foundation helped us raise more than $8,500! We also had more than $5,290 given to the Foundation for in-kind donations and silent auction items! We have an amazingly generous community, and we are truly grateful for the support. Photos of the event are posted in our Facebook album, 2017 Pet-A-Palooza. We encourage you to tag yourself or your friends in the photos and share them with your followers. We owe a huge paw of applause to Fur Kids Foundation’s volunteers. This year, several of them helped us gather items for our Silent Auction, helped us find vendors and sponsors, planned Pawject Runway and the Small Dog Showdown, and even found other people to volunteer at the event. Fur Kids Foundation is very lucky to have such a great group of people in our pack. Before we sign off, we need to give a hand to the businesses and individuals who help this great event happen in our community. Without their help, we couldn't help as many families with pets with emergency veterinary care. Since September 2012, Fur Kids Foundation has helped more than 430 families and granted more than $70,000 in aid! Our vendors at the event were really paw-some, as were all the people and businesses who donated to the Silent Auction tables. These businesses and individuals include:
And last, but certainly not least, a big round of applause to the businesses and individuals listed below for their support of this event and Fur Kids Foundation Pooch Plunge on August 26, which brought in nearly $1,400 as well. If you do business with any of these businesses, or know these individuals, please thank them for supporting us. Anastasia Blackwell Dog Training
Best Friends Forever Mobile Pet Grooming First Interstate Bank of Gillette First National Bank of Gillette Fraternal Order of the Eagles-Aux. 2711 Friedlan Family Gillette Optometric Clinic The Knotty Salon Lazy KT Designs Darren & Kim Lynde Master's of Ceremony Overhead Door Co. of Gillette Pet Grooming by Becky Pizza Carrello Premier Home Mortgage Peggy & Rod Seppala S&S Builders, LLC The SPaw Throughout August, and now into September, the Fur Kids Foundation board couldn’t decide upon just one volunteer to highlight and say thanks to; we had several! These volunteers include:
Daiton Bartow: Daiton volunteered her time to paint faces at The Rusty Bucket booth during the Gillette Main Street Eclipse Festival, and made $11 in donations for FKF! She created this volunteer opportunity herself, and used it toward her National Honor Society volunteer hours. You rock our socks, Daiton! We are very appreciative of your help and love it when our volunteers create events to help the Foundation raise money and awareness. Jamie Marchetti: Jamie volunteered a few hours one night to help FKF enter the registration forms from Pooch Plunge into our mailing list, while she was volunteering for the Crisis Text Line. For those who don’t know, our marketing list is essential to the Foundation, as it helps us market our fundraisers to the people who wish to attend them. While this type of work is not the most fun, it is essential to helping the Foundation run efficiently. Jamie joined our pack this summer after participating in a few FKF events in the past. We can’t wait to see you at more events, Jamie! Jill Matson: Jill must have spent hours this summer reaching out to businesses for donations for the Silent Auction at Pet-A-Palooza. She also spent some time to help search for vendors for the event, and helped get Oglala Pet Project to attend the event for the first time. And, Jill and her daughter Abbie always go out and hang up posters for FKF when we need to advertise our events, and they always come back with a list of other businesses that will hang them in their windows afterward. We are super grateful for their hard work. And, we’d also like to give a great big shout out to the FKF board of directors: Donna Crippen, Cody Friedlan, Shannon Henshaw, Mary Melaragno, Felicia Messimer, Robynn Nehl, and Linda Tufvesson. As you know, August and September are quite busy months for Fur Kids Foundation, and the board works really hard to make sure that Pet-A-Palooza and Pooch Plunge (and any event that is planned) are the best that they can be. Many of these board members work full-time, are involved with other charity work, and take care of their families (yes, pets are included in this statement). This board gives a lot of their valuable time, and often money, to make the Foundation better, and to help local families and their pets. This side of the Foundation can often be thankless, so make sure you tell a board member thank you when you see them again. They work really hard to make FKF a great organization. Fur Kids Foundation is able to help sweet animals and their families because of the dedication of our volunteers who plan and work fundraisers, promote the organization and support our community. Our volunteers are our heroes. If you are interested in learning how you can help us help more animals in Campbell County, Wyoming, please complete our application online or email Fur Kids Foundation at [email protected]. In August 2017, Fur Kids Foundation had eight families with pets apply for assistance, and we were able to help five of those families—granting $1,537.48 in emergency veterinary care. In 2017, FKF has granted $12,140 to families in Campbell County, Wyoming. Below is a rundown of the cases we helped in August:
We are grateful for the dedication of Fur Kids Foundation volunteers and supporters who have helped these families stay happy and healthy, and together! When you volunteer, attend an event, or help us raise money by supporting the businesses that support us with promotions, these families and pets are who you are helping. Thank you again for all that you do for the Foundation, and for families with pets in Campbell County, Wyoming. Please take a minute to check out our Success Stories and read more about the families with pets that we help. The Fur Kids Foundation board of directors work very hard to make sure that the majority of the money we raise helps local families; in 2016, more than 75% of the money we have raised was spent on emergency veterinary care. Please consider a donation to help Fur Kids Foundation continue to help families stay healthy and happy in Campbell County, Wyoming. Rascal is a 12-year-old Norwegian Forest Cat who suddenly fell ill. Rascal was acting sluggish, he wasn’t eating, and his family could tell he was feeling crummy. When they took him to the vet, they learned that he had a bad tooth, was dehydrated, and was having kidney issues.
Kitties with teeth that are in bad shape can also experience other health problems including heart and kidney disease, and it can be quite painful for them as well. And, because cats are masters at hiding their pain, you probably won’t know your cat’s mouth is hurting until the oral disease is very severe. Signs your cat’s teeth may need to be examined by a vet include: • Bad breath • Eating funny, like eating on one side of their mouth or food dropping out of their mouth or not eating at all • Excessive drooling • Reluctance to be touched on or around the mouth If your cat is experiencing any of these symptoms, try to examine her teeth by lifting her lip up (if she’s not in too much pain, she may just let you do this). If there is yellow or brown gunk on her teeth, that’s tartar buildup. If your cat’s gums are red, that’s gingivitis (inflammation of the gum tissue). Severe oral disease can result in bleeding gums, broken teeth or teeth that move, a broken jaw, and a host of other painful problems. If you see the latter, it’s best that you call your vet and schedule an appointment for their teeth to be looked at. This was a very hard time for Rascal’s family, they have other bills that they've been trying to take care of, had the expense of back-to-school supplies and clothing, and then Rascal fell ill, so they asked for Fur Kids Foundation to help. "Rascal is a very important family member, he is kind of our therapy cat. He has helped every single one of our family members, in one way or another. Whether it's a gentle paw on the cheek when you're upset, or his persistence of attention, he just knows when he's needed. He has given our family so much, I would love to give him the same," Rascals mom said in her application. Rascal had to spend three days at the vet clinic getting fluids and medication because of a nasty kidney infection. But, we’re happy to report that Rascal has made a full recovery and is back home with his family who adores him. Fur Kids Foundation is grateful for the dedication of our volunteers and supporters who have helped local families stay happy and healthy, and together! If you would like to help Fur Kids Foundation continue to help families in Campbell County, Wyoming 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. Jiggers, the 6-year-old red heeler, gave his dad quite the scare! He was throwing up, and just didn’t seem to be his spunky self, so his dad knew something was wrong. Jiggers was rushed to the vet where his dad was told that he had a blockage in his intestines. See, Jigger had eaten some dog bones, and another foreign object, and both got stuck in his belly, creating gas pockets and lacerations in his stomach. He needed surgery immediately to remove the items, and save his life. If a dog has a gastrointestinal obstruction (aka a blockage), they may show the following signs: • Abdominal tenderness or pain • Biting or growling when picked up • Bloating • Constipation or straining while going poop • Diarrhea • Lack of appetite • Sluggish and depressed • Vomiting Blockages are quite common in dogs because they aren’t very discriminating about what they eat! Unfortunately, blockages can be life threatening as they cause food, fluids and other bodily functions to accumulate in the stomach/small intestines. These blockages can cause the tissue to die, which can then lead to a painful and dangerous condition called sepsis, which means there is bacteria in the blood or other tissues when there shouldn’t be. All of this really means that if you suspect your pooch has a blockage, you need to get them to your vet immediately just like Jigger’s dad did. Unfortunately, Jiggers’ dad was laid off from work and was receiving unemployment, and had no way to pay for the surgery. He reached out, and we were happy to help. Jiggers made a full recovery, and his dad is going to watch what bones he chews on in the future. For those who don’t know, chewing is a very important activity for your dog. Chewing accomplishes a number of things for a dog: for young dogs, it's a way to relieve pain caused by incoming teeth; for older dogs, it's a way of keeping jaws strong and teeth clean. Always monitor your dog with any bone or chew toy, and take and throw away the small pieces as he gets to the end of the chew to prevent choking or unwanted blockages. Fur Kids Foundation is grateful for the dedication of our volunteers and supporters who have helped local families stay happy and healthy, and together! If you would like to help Fur Kids Foundation continue to help families in Campbell County, Wyoming 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. This is Boo Boo, a 9-year-old Teacup Pomeranian. Recently, this tiny fluff ball's mouth became swollen and painful to the touch. His mom brought him into the vet where they learned that he had stage four periodontal disease, which means that Boo Boo here has a lot of dental problems.
It’s important to know that there are multiple stages of pet periodontal disease and without a proper veterinary dental exam, cleaning and other testing, there is no way to know if your pet’s oral health is at risk. Even though it may not seem like a big problem at first, periodontal infections can lead to more serious health problems, and can be quite painful for your pet. (You can see examples of periodontal disease here.) When a pet is in stage four periodontal disease (the worst stage), there is severe inflammation, abscesses/infections, gum recession, deep periodontal pockets (the tooth has separated from the gum), bone loss, tooth mobility and sometimes profuse bleeding. Unfortunately, extensive and irreversible damage has already occurred by this point. When periodontal disease has gone this far, bacteria can enter the bloodstream and cause injury to major organs such as the heart, liver and kidneys. This bacteria can also cause a pet’s jaw to break in places because the bones have been infected. While at the vet, his mom learned that Boo Boo would need to have his teeth removed in order to start healing and feeling better. Unfortunately, Boo Boo also has a heart condition, so the vet said that it is very important that the infection in his mouth gets under control quickly. His mom is recently divorced and going back to school, so she reached out for help from Fur Kids Foundation. We were able to help with Boo Boo's help get his infection under control; and as soon as it is all cleared up, he'll be able to get the dental work he needs. Fur Kids Foundation is grateful for the dedication of our volunteers and supporters who have helped local families stay happy and healthy, and together! If you would like to help Fur Kids Foundation continue to help families in Campbell County, Wyoming 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. Check out Annabelle, a 7-month-old kitty. Her mom noticed she was very sluggish and not her playful self, which was out of the normal for this spunky kitty. Plus, she was running a fever.
For those who don’t know, the normal body temperature in cats ranges from 100.4 to 102.5 F, when it’s higher is when a fever in cats occur. Although fevers may be helpful in fighting disease, a body temperature higher than 106º F can damage organs. Contact your vet right away if your cat has a high fever. Annabelle’s dad had just started back to work, and her mom had a large bill that needed to be paid, so they had no money to pay for an unexpected veterinary visit. Knowing that their kitty wasn’t feeling well, they took her to the vet anyway, and learned about Fur Kids Foundation. Poor Annabelle had a lot of tests done on her, but they weren’t able to determine exactly what was making Annabelle sick; however, she was dehydrated, so the vet started her on fluids. Once Annabelle was started on the fluids, she nearly immediately started acting like she felt better. Her parents were sent home with fluids and we are happy to report that Annabelle is doing well. Fur Kids Foundation is grateful for the dedication of our volunteers and supporters who have helped local families stay happy and healthy, and together! If you would like to help Fur Kids Foundation continue to help families in Campbell County, Wyoming 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. Nearly 220 dogs plunged into the City Pool on August 26 at the Fur Kids Foundation Pooch Plunge! FKF is very excited to announce that plungers helped us raise nearly $1,400! We are so grateful for your generosity! Photos are posted to the Foundation's Facebook page (in the 2017 Pooch Plunge album) and to the Facebook event, so please feel free to tag yourself in them and share them with your friends. We'd also love it if you posted photos or videos of your dogs in the Facebook event so others can see how much fun it was. Below are some photos – enjoy! If you didn't know, the money raised at this event goes to help families with pets with emergency veterinary care. You can read about the pets we've helped in our Success Stories page. We are quite proud to say that roughly 75% of the money we raise goes to help local families with pets. Thank you for your support and we sure hope to see you at Pet-A-Palooza on September 9 from 10 am-4 pm at CAM-PLEX Park for more dog-a-rific fun!
We'd like to give a special shout out to the City of Gillette and Kay Friedlan and Micheala Cina with the Campbell County Recreation Center for letting us have this fundraiser at the City Pool. We also want to extend our thanks to Red Hills Veterinary Hospital veterinarians and staff for coming down to provide a free ear cleaning station to make sure your pets ears stay healthy after swimming! And, a HUGE shout out to the volunteers and board members who helped us run this event: Fawna, Daiton, Shannon, Tiffany, Crystal A., Crystal N, Diane, Donna, Mary M., Cody, Robynn, Linda, Mary L., Peggy, Felicia, Jill, Abbie, Melissa, Gillette Roller Derby, Bubba, Austin, and Conner! If you're interested in volunteering with the Foundation, please complete an application. Special thanks to the following supporters of the 2017 Pooch Plunge: Anastasia Blackwell Dog Training Animal Medical Center of Wyoming Best Friends Forever Mobile Pet Grooming Cloud Peak Energy Community Veterinary Clinic First National Bank of Gillette Fraternal Order of the Eagles - Aux. 2711 Friedlan Family Gillette Optometric Clinic The Knotty Salon Lazy KT Designs Darren and Kim Lynde Masters of Ceremony Overhead Door Co. of Gillette Pet Grooming by Becky Pizza Carrello Premier Home Mortgage Red Hills Veterinary Hospital S & S Builders, LLC Peggy and Rod Seppala The SPaw |
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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