Want To Give Back To The Community But Don't Know How? Here's An Idea!

I am working in conjunction with the great people at Calvin's Paws to hold a fund raiser.  This fundraiser will benefit animals like Bob (pictured on the right) who came from a local military vet who found him with his tail injured.  The vet tested him for FIV and Feline Leukemia and Bob came back positive for FIV.  Most vets do not understand FIV and want to euthanize the cat but not this one.  He did not want to do this and did the surgery on Bob to amputate his tail and called Calvin's Paws.  They said they would take him into their program and profusely thanked him for saving Bob's life.  Bob is now a happy healthy boy waiting for his forever home.

On the left we have Mary Russell.  She was found at a church by a good Samaritan covered in so many fleas she was anemic.  She was given a couple of baths to get rid of all the fleas, lots of good food with liver (to help with the anemia) and all of her medical treatment.  Her fosters were really afraid she wasn't going to make it but kept the faith and worked very hard with her and as you can tell by the picture she is very spoiled.  She doesn't have a voice, however, and whispers which her adoptive mom (which just happens to be the foster home also) loves very much. 

Here on the right is Meerkat.  He was found with his brother, Manor. When these precious boys first came to their foster home they sat up like little meerkats which is where they got their names.  Manor left his foster home to find his forever home.  However, Meerkat's foster mom could not let his special little boy go so she adopted him!  He was very sick as a kitten often running a temperature of over 103 which is definitely high for a cat whose normal temperature is 102.  She would often stay home from work with him because she couldn't bear to leave him home alone so sick when all he wanted was to be held because he didn't feel good.

Yes, he is definitely a spoiled little boy who is able to get into cabinets and retrieve his own treats now.  He is definitely mischievous but just look at that cute little face..how can you resist.


Animal rescue is thankless, tireless and ultimately rewarding when these precious furkids find their forever homes.  I have had the pleasure of working with some of the most giving people I have ever met who have the biggest hearts in the world.  Their pockets are always empty, their homes are never clean (to most people's standards) but their hearts are always full of love with these animals. 

Whether they are fostering cats, dogs or both there is never a dull moment and always something to do but when you see them in a great home with a great family who spoils them more than you could ever imagine it is worth it. 

These people need our help!  It takes money to do what they do and they work off not only donations but their own money sometimes and there is truly never enough.  If you want to give back to the community now is your chance!  By purchasing some items from amyedwards.scentsy.us (the Calvin's Paws fundraiser party) you are giving to the cause.  There are tons of products to choose from and 80 scents to choose from.  If you are interested or have any questions at all please contact me and I can give you direction.  You will be getting a great product and helping a great cause at the same time.  What better way to spend your money and a little time!

For any comments or questions please send me an email with "Calvin's Paws fundraiser" in the subject line and I will get back to you quickly.  If you have a topic you'd like to see discussed here please let us know.  Please tell your friends and family not only about the blog itself but about this great fundraiser!  Thanks for reading!

Do You Know Someone Who Is A "Pet Hypochondriac"?

Some of you may have heard of Munchausen by Proxy in which the mother of a child will abuse the child and then take the child to the doctor for treatment.  It is a very rare disease and is very misunderstood.  The cause is yet to be determined so treatment is difficult.  Why do I mention this human psychological disorder in an animal blog?  Well, I mention it because it can also happen to varying degrees with pets as well. I know it seems strange but I have recently come across a similar situation with a pet owner.  While I do not believe she is physically abusing this animal, she is running to the vet every time the cat sneezes or looks at her strangely.  She has made up illnesses and somehow convinced her vet that something is wrong with the animal. 


http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001555.htm

http://my.clevelandclinic.org/disorders/factitious_disorders/hic_munchausen_syndrome_by_proxy.aspx

http://www.psychforums.com/munchausen-by-proxy/topic19799.html

http://www.natural-wonder-pets.com/munchausen-by-proxy-with-pets.html

Fortunately I am able to be involved with this animal's care currently and have gotten a second opinion and this lead to quite a different outcome much to her surprise and dismay.  This begs the question, does she really want the cat to be sick?  There is no real answer to that I do not believe.

I personally believe some people want others to look at them and see all they are doing for this

This mom poisoned her baby and then sought treatment

helpless animal and tell them what great people they are and I know people who do that with various things in their lives.  So what do you do if you know someone like this?

The first thing to do is not feed into their proven (by a vet) conceived notions that their pet is sick.  If their vet and possibly one or two others have told them there is nothing wrong then they should take that and move on, but this disease does not allow for that.  These people are convinced something is wrong and may potentially blame others for it as well.

Whether someone suffers from Munchausen by Proxy with a child or a pet it is a serious illness that can and will forever damage the victim.  If you do know someone, whether they are affecting a child or pet, please let someone know such as local law enforcement or a mental health professional.  If you are in a position to do so, seek help for them immediately to prevent further damage and injury to the victim.

As always we welcome any comments and questions.  Please send us your topics you'd like to see discussed as well.  Follow us on Twitter and Facebook to make sure you get the latest information we have posted and tell your family and friends about us.  Thanks for reading!

Do Animals Actually Grieve Or Do They Just Need Another Playmate?

Often times we as pet parents feel that our current pets are lonely and need a playmate.  This happens a lot after the passing of one pet that another pet played with or spent a lot of time with so we may feel the need to get another one for the comfort of the remaining animal.  This is not necessarily something that needs to be done.  At least not right away.

Animals do grieve more than we think and they do feel the loss of a friend.  We need to give the animal time to grieve and let them tell us what they need.  For instance, if you have two pets (be them two cats, dogs or one of each) and they play together, sleep together, etc. then they are clearly bonded.  If one of them passes away then the other one may not play as much or at all or do any of the things he/she normally did when the other one was with you.

What should you do?  Keep the schedule as normal as possible and show as much love and comfort as possible.  If you are crying because of your loss then your pet may know your sadness and try to comfort you as well.  Let them comfort you because it may help them as well.

For a lot of people this whole "animal grieving" thing may sound strange but it is very real.  When I lost my rottweiler, Breda, she had been best friends with my Dane, Lucien.  They were so bonded they shared a crate (yes it is very big).  The day I had her pts was the worst day of my life.  I had no idea how it would affect Lucien and quite frankly was so absorbed in my own grief didn't really think about how this loss would affect him.  He began breaking out of his crate to go look for her.  He wouldn't go in his crate at meal time at night.  The sedatives I tried for him only made him more hyper.  I thought the scent of her on their bedding would comfort him but it only seemed to make things worse because he knew she was missing and tried to find her every day.  He was so very sad and was losing his mind.  I had to take the bedding out, get a new tray for the bottom and buy all new bedding for him so he didn't have any scent of her at all.  He eventually calmed down and he is now a very happy boy again but it took almost a year.

My friends who have Newfoundlands are dealing with their oldest, Thor, being diagnosed with

This is Thor.

Wobbler's Disease.  This is not curable but they are doing what they can to make him comfortable until it is time.  This disease involves the spine in the neck (cervical spine) and is a compression of that part of the spine.  Over time he will be paralyzed and will have to be put to sleep.  It may be days or months or years.  This is a disease which most often affects larger breed dogs but can affect small breeds although it is rare.

http://vet.osu.edu/wobbler-syndrome

Their Newfoundland puppy, Megan, is bonded to him and this breed is more sensitive than most large breed dogs.  My friends told me they have heard of Newfoundlands almost grieving themselves to death after the loss of a sibling.  It will definitely take Megan some time to grieve the loss of Thor no matter when it happens.  Of course anyone who has met these dogs will be grieving to some degree because they are wonderful, loving animals and cannot get enough attention.

There is no set time for your pet's grieving process and there is no right or wrong answer as to whether or not to get another pet.  You, as the parent, just have to gauge your pet's needs and maybe consider temporary fostering to see how things go.  You don't need to make a commitment if you are not sure if your pet will accept a new family member. That never goes well, in my experience.

As always, we welcome your feedback through comments and questions.  Send us topics you'd like us to discuss and share with people as well.  Don't forget to follow us on Twitter and Facebook and tell your family and friends about us.  Thanks for reading!

The Weekend! What Are You Going To Do?

Well it's the day most of us wait for...Friday!  So what do we do?  Wash the car?  Mow the lawn?  Why not take the dog out to the park or better yet walk down the trails in your area?  Take him/her to the local pet store if the weather is bad for some extra socialization.  My dog, Lucien, absolutely loves the pet stores because he gets tons of attention and gets to see other dogs which just makes his day.  I don't have to buy him anything at all.

What are some other ideas?  Why not work on some of your training with fido? If your dog is already properly trained then there's no reason you can't either teach a new trick or go over some old ones.  Working on recall is always a good one because if your dog runs toward something (a rabbit, for instance) then you want really good recall with your dog so you can get curious fido back.

If your dog loves to swim then there is always the local lake to take a swim in and maybe throw a ball or stick in the water if he/she likes to retrieve.  It's great exercise and also a really good way to show off how well trained your dog is because we all know what proud parents we can be when they actually do what we taught them to do.

This was too cute not to post.  Newfies are great water dogs and awesome swimmers.

Swimming is also very low impact so it's great on their joints but such a wonderful workout for them as well by strengthening muscles just like in humans.  It does the very same thing without the added stress of impact like running or even walking gives.

If your dog does love to walk or run then by all means take them out! We all need exercise so what better way than to take the dog.  It not only gets him/her out in the fresh air but also occupies their mind and you can also work on some things like sitting at intersections and sitting when a car passes which is always good and extremely safe.

Let us know what you like to do with your dog when you take him/her out.  Post some pictures too!

As always we welcome comments, questions and any topic you'd like to see discussed here.  Don't forget to follow us on Twitter and Facebook and of course tell your family and friends about us.  Thanks for reading!

What Is Neglect? What Does A Neglected Animal Look Like? (pictures only available through link)

This is a very hard subject to discuss for some people for a variety of reasons.  Either they see the neglect every day, they care about animals so much they don't want to see it or they just didn't think it existed and don't want to admit that it does exist.  Whatever the reason, know that animal abuse and neglect does exist and it is in every neighborhood, in ever social circle, and in every race and ethnic background.

The definition of neglect is this:  animal neglect or abandonment is a common type of animal cruelty where people do not provide adequate care for animals in their charge. The neglected animal may be their own pet, a farm animal, or wildlife. A neglected animal is not provided with proper food, water, veterinary care, shelter and socialization. http://definitions.uslegal.com/a/animal-neglect/

This being said, note that the neglect is not limited to the lack of proper food and water; the definition also includes proper vet care, shelter and socialization.  In my state, the legal requirement for vaccines for any animal is rabies.  Distemper, bordetella, FIV/FeLV, deworming, etc. will be recommended by vets and most people in this area consider most of those things proper vet care to include heartworm prevention for dogs.

Socialization is also key because without proper human contact then the animals can become aggressive and a danger to humans.  If they get loose then they definitely will pose a threat and will be euthanized if they end up in a shelter because they are not able to be adopted.

Proper shelter is also important.  Some people feel putting up a dog house and chaining a dog to a pole is proper shelter.  "It's only a dog", but these animals end up having sores on their joints from having to lay on the ground, do not know love from a family, etc.  Having an outside dog with a pen and a large house they can get in out of the elements is one thing but chaining your dog to a pole and having a little house they might be able to fit into is something completely different.

Having outside cats is the same thing.  Although they are more resourceful, cats need shelter from the elements as well if they are outside cats.  Ideally they would be able to come inside and be indoor cats because they will ultimately live longer lives, but if that's not what you choose to do then give them a cool place in the summer and a warm place in the winter they can go.

http://www.spca.bc.ca/cruelty/what-is-animal-cruelty.html

According to the law, the following are the responsibilities of the pet owner:

Each owner shall provide for each of his animals:
(a) sufficient quantity of good quality, wholesome food and water;
(b) adequate shelter and protection from the weather;
(c) veterinary care when needed to prevent suffering; and
(d) humane care and treatment.

If you see these things not being done for an animal I would hope that the local authorities would be called so something could be done to help the animal and punish the offender.  Please help by keeping an eye out for the helpless and voiceless.  We are their voice.

As always, we welcome any comments, questions and topics you'd like to see discussed here.  Be sure to follow us on Twitter and Facebook and tell your family and friends about us.  Thanks for reading!

Dogs And Children...They Can Get Along.

You have a dog and you also have small children but are concerned that one day your dog will turn on the kids because they are so loud and rambunctious.  Do you give the animal up because of your concerns?  Has this already happened and you think the only thing to do is surrender the dog?  Here's some ideas that might help you reconsider this decision.

**What I'm about to say is completely animal dependent and will depend on the personality of the animal.**

What was going on when the incident happened?  If the dog was eating or had just got done eating then the dog is still thinking along the lines of food so anything that gets in the way of that might be considered a threat.  Keep small children, or any child, away from your dog until the dog is COMPLETELY done eating and licking the area around where the food was placed.  If you have an infant then do not let the dog around the child during feeding time as the dog might lick the child and may eventually see the child as a food source.

If the kid(s) are playing rather loudly and making quick movements around a dog that is resting then the dog may be startled and nip the kid(s) to let them know that's not appropriate.  That is what they do to their own children.  This is not aggressive behavior at all but merely behavior modification.  Just tell your children to play elsewhere the dog is tired and wants to nap.

So you're pregnant and the dog is great with you, maybe a little more protective, and you aren't sure how s/he will do once the baby arrives.  There are so many ways to get your dog used to the idea of the new baby such as having him/her around children prior to the birth, letting him/her sniff baby clothes, mention the baby's name a lot, etc.  Making it the most positive experience for the dog and for you is key.

This link is to a wonderful behaviorist who can answer any questions you may have as to appropriate introductions or any issues you may be having.  She has dealt a lot with rescue animals and has a rescue pittie (pit bull) herself (you have to ask her about Windsor if you contact her).  Her name is Jennifer Shryock and the business name is Family Paws.

http://familypaws.com/

It is also extremely important to remember that no matter how much training your dog has had or how good the dog is with children you must NEVER leave them alone together.  Anything can happen by accident and you MUST teach your children how to interact with any animal appropriately.  You, as the parents, are the key to that success.

There are trainers you can contact as well if you want to work on some things with your dog or have questions or need to start your puppy in some basic classes.  One trainer I am personally a fan of (I used them when I had my rottweiler and they worked wonders with her and me) is:

http://www.nck9solutions.com/

They are extremely professional and very easy to work with.  Donnie was my trainer and if you don't have a thick skin and can handle some direct constructive criticism then they have other very qualified trainers as well.

Above all, make sure everyone is safe and remember your dog is just that...a dog and not a human.  Responsible parenting doesn't stop with the non-furry children.  It extends to the furry ones as well.  Click on the above links or check out my other post about introducing pets to children to get some more ideas on this topic.

As always, we welcome questions, comments and topics you'd like to see discussed here.  Don't forget to follow us on Twitter and Facebook and be sure your family and friends know about us as well.  Thanks for reading!

Kitten Season Is Here In Full Force...So What Does That Mean For Us?

So people are telling you that it's "kitten season".  What is that exactly?  Well about twice a year rescues and shelters are inundated with kittens and pregnant cats because unaltered cats are mating and having babies.  Seems pretty benign doesn't it, but if you think that just two cats (one male and one female) can have over 100,000 cats in a 7 year period then it might not seem so benign.  Then think that those 100,000 cats are having over 100,000 kittens who are in turn having over 100,000 kittens in 7 year periods of time.  That's a lot of cats that need homes, are going to shelters or rescues, are left outside to fend for themselves and potentially being abused or killed, or being euthanized in shelters to make room for the other animals being dropped off because the people don't know what else to do with them.

So what can we as humans do?  Well the best thing to do is alter your cats (spay/neuter).  This does a couple of things for the cat.  It not only prevents more babies that nobody has room for but it also exponentially lowers the possibility of cancer.  I know it sounds strange but it is true.  I have heard a number of vets tell me this very thing.  Here's a link from the ASPCA verifying this information:

http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/cat-care/spay-neuter.aspx

Another things we humans can do is adopt from the shelters and rescue organizations rather than buy from breeders.  I'm not saying not to buy from breeders at all; however, there are a lot of unsavory breeders out there so if you do get your pet from a breeder please do your homework and don't just go for the cheapest price because there is a reason for the low price more than likely.  Even when adopting you should do your homework prior to taking your pet home so it really is no different.

If there are stray cats in your area then there are organizations who will manage the "colony" or will work with you if you are willing to feed the cats in order to spay/neuter the animals to keep the population manageable and show you how to make shelters, etc.  It's not as hard as you might think.  Here is a link to a great resource:

http://www.neighborhoodcats.org/HOW_TO_MANAGING_A_FERAL_CAT_COLONY

This is one type of feeding station for a feral cat colony.

We will probably never stop the cycle but that is what rescue people work towards.  What we humans can do to help is to spay and neuter the ones that are there and not only will it help slow the cycle but it will help the animals' health as well which is always a good thing. 

For those of you who haven't spayed or neutered your personal cats, talk to your vet about the consequences about that medically.  There are more pros than cons for having the surgery done and there are lots of low cost options around as well.  I'm sure your vet or local shelter can help you find one that is available to you.

Kittens are cute but they grow up and become adults.  Lets start looking at and talking about responsible pet ownership.  Educate the people around you because the people who read this blog and other blogs are already responsible pet owners.

As always, we welcome questions, comments and any topic you'd like to see discussed here.  Don't forget to follow us on Twitter and Facebook and tell your family and friends about us!  Thanks so much for reading.