Kennel Cough

My grandmother’s new dog Brownie brought into her home instant fun, love, and…kennel cough. It is extremely common among shelter dogs. What is it?

According to my favorite source of veterinary information (see below), kennel cough complex is not one disease but a group of respiratory diseases. The complex is highly contagious, hence its prevalence in shelter situations. A symptom is a harsh, dry, hacking unproductive cough that may be accompanied by gagging and retching. The dog may be otherwise fine, without fever or loss of appetite.

In most cases, kennel cough is mild and can be treated with antibiotics and a little TLC. It should be taken very seriously, though, because kennel cough can lead to pneumonia. Be sure to keep healthy dogs away from any dog who has kennel cough.

A vaccine is available for your healthy pet. If you are thinking about bringing a new dog into the family, please consider getting the vaccine in advance. The vaccine is not guaranteed to prevent kennel cough; it lessens the severity. Also, keep in mind that some kennels will not allow you to board your pet unless he/she has been vaccinated for kennel cough.

I am happy to report that the antibiotics are working well. When I saw Brownie on Saturday, he raced around the living room as he played with his toys. Fortunately, he received treatment early and is well on the road to a speedy recovery.

Rescue Mommy

Source: A Dog Owner’s Home Veterinary Handbook (Fourth Edition); Drs. Debra M. Eldredge, Liisa D. Carlson, Delbert G. Carlson, and James M. Giffin; 2007; Wiley Publishing, Inc., pages 320-321.

New Kid on the Block

As I mentioned in Monday’s blog, my grandmother has a new dog. My grandmother was always more of a cat person. My late grandfather was the dog person.

I offered as much advice as was requested. I gave her a list of “no-no” foods. I shared my recipe for the best, homemade dog treats in the world.

She listened to some of my advice. She disregarded most of it. The point? A new dog is exciting. We all have lots of tips and tricks we are so eager to share with others. Why let someone else suffer through the same mistakes we made? In the end, though, some lessons cannot be taught; they must be experienced. Good luck, Grandma!

Rescue Mommy

Who Gets the Kids?

My 83-year old grandmother adopted a two-year old Chihuahua mix. One of her sons has a Chihuahua who she adores, so she thought having one of her own would be great thing. Always practical, my grandmother made sure this son would take the dog when she passed away before she adopted the dog.

Look in any shelter, and you will find pets who have been abandoned after the owner passed away or was sent to a nursing home. Sometimes, sudden illness forces people to give up their beloved pets. Life is unpredictable. While none of us like think in these terms, we owe it to ourselves and our furry kids to ask the tough question: “Who would take our pets?”

We are fortunate to have pet-loving friends who have agreed to take our pets if something happened to both of us. We have also made it clear which no-kill rescue group could assist if they were unable to take our beloved babies. While we want them to live with people they know, we understand that situations change. We have expressed that we want our pets fostered until another home could be found, rather than dumped at any shelter.

It is very important that you make your wishes known to your family and friends. Believe it or not, our pets are named in our wills. You spend so much of your time and energy making sure your pets enjoy a good life. Do this one last thing for them, so they can avoid a trip to the shelter.

Rescue Mommy

Keep Voting!

At last check, Brother Wolf has made it to the #4 slot in the Pepsi Challenge. In case you missed the post last week, they are competing for a $50,000 grant. They plan to use the funds for a down payment on the building where they house the shelter.

For more details, please visit the Brother Wolf site at bwar.org. The contest ends July 31, so please keep voting every day!

Rescue Mommy and Daddy

Bele Chere Travel Tip

Bele Chere is a large street festival held in downtown Asheville. This year, the festival starts on Friday, July 29, and ends Sunday evening.

The festival always draws a very large crowd. While Asheville is generally very pet friendly, your pets are banned from the festival. Please be sure to leave your pet at home if you want to attend the event.

The organizers will have a “doggie jail” near the City’s jail where you could leave your pet. However, I really do not recommend it. The weather is always blazing hot this time of year. They set up misting stations at various points, if that gives you an indication.

And, like clockwork, we always have a terrible thunderstorm, almost every year, on Sunday afternoon. It is God’s way of washing away the grime, feces, and urine from the weekend event. (Can you tell how much we hate the festival?)

So, feel free to join in the “fun” of Bele Chere. Just leave your little buddy at home.

Rescue Mommy and Daddy

Humane Alliance

Let’s face it. Caring for your pet can be expensive. In the current economic climate, it can be even more difficult. We know we have to provide a basic level of care. How can you do it when you are struggling financially, though?

We are very fortunate to have a low cost spay/neuter facility in our area. For $65, you can have your dog spayed or neutered. Cats cost $50 for females or $35 for males. The clinic also offers low cost vaccinations.

If that fee is still too expensive, talk with local rescue groups. Some offer free services if you meet certain income requirements or may have discount coupons if you do not.

According to its website, the facility works with about 40 rescue groups in 23 counties. Each group has designated days/locations where you can meet them at a drop-off location. They will transport your pet to Humane Alliance, where it will spend the night after surgery. You can then retrieve your pet the next day at a designated drop-off point.

We have some experience with Humane Alliance. Both Kiki and Gracie were sent there by their respective shelters. In fact, a lot of the local rescue groups and humane societies use Humane Alliance because of the reasonable cost.

What if you do not live in Western North Carolina? Check out the Humane Alliance’s website anyway. They have a search tool where you can enter your zip code. They will tell you if a low-cost clinic is located near you.

If you are involved in rescue and want to start a similar clinic in your area, I encourage you to visit the Alliance’s website. They have a section devoted to starting a clinic.

Here is the web address: humanealliance.org. Their telephone number is 828-252-2079.

One last comment: to give you some perspective about how great this service is, my vet told me he would have charged $300 to $400 to spay Gracie. If you are on a tight budget and live in WNC, check out Humane Alliance.

Rescue Mommy and Daddy

Lots of Sad Stories

Over the weekend, we saw a sad story about a kitten that someone tossed out the window of their car as the person drove across a bridge in New York City. The shelter had been flooded with hundreds of applications to adopt the adorable kitten.

We were extremely pleased to hear the shelter worker say that they had hundreds (yes, hundreds) of other kittens available for adoption. It is easy to get caught up in stories about cruelty, hoarding, or other headline-grabbing events and forget that millions of animals languish in shelters every day all over the country.

They may not have a dramatic story. They may have been found as strays or relinquished by owners. Their stories do not make the 6 o’clock news. Let us not forget the others who need homes too.

Rescue Mommy and Daddy

Putt for Mutts

It is no secret that we are big supporters of Brother Wolf Animal Rescue. We have other rescue groups in our area, though, that are just as deserving of support. After all, each group’s goal is to save as many animals as possible.

One of those groups is Animal Compassion Network. If you enjoy golf, you might want to check out their website: animalcompassionnetwork.org.

On August 12, 2001, they will have a “Putt for Mutts” charity golf tournament. The fee is $75 per player or $275 per foursome. Registration includes a catered lunch, green fees, and a cart. They have some nice prizes. Please see their website for further details.

Rescue Daddy

Brother Wolf's Pepsi Challenge

Brother Wolf is trying to garner enough votes to win $50,000 from Pepsi. They plan to use the funds as a down payment on their shelter’s building, which they currently lease. They could REALLY use your support.

Please visit Brother Wolf’s website at bwar.org for further information. Voting ends July 31. Thanks for your support!

Rescue Mommy and Daddy

"What Pets Think of Us" - USA Weekend article

We have an insert by USA Weekend in the Sunday paper. Last Sunday’s insert had an interesting article:

http://www.usaweekend.com/article/20110701/HOME05/307010003/What-our-pets-think-us?odyssey=tab

I especially love the opening story. If you have a chance, check it out.

Rescue Mommy

Brother Wolf Drag Queen Bingo Fundraiser

Brother Wolf Animal Rescue is having the most creative fundraiser I have ever seen. This Friday, July 8, 2011, they are having “Drag Queen Bingo” at Loretta’s Café. Drag queens will be call out the numbers for this wild bingo session.

Loretta’s is located at 114 North Lexington Avenue in downtown Asheville. We recommend parking in the City’s deck on Rankin Avenue, which is about a couple of blocks from the restaurant.

The first session starts at 6:30 p.m., the second at 9:30 p.m. The cost is $15 per session. There will be a silent auction, raffles, prizes, and alcoholic beverages for sale. All proceeds go to Brother Wolf. For more information, visit Brother Wolf’s website at bwar.org.

Good luck!

Rescue Mommy and Daddy

Noise Phobias - REPUBLISH

Since today is a time for fireworks, I thought it would be a good idea to republish this article.  I also would like to add a few tips of my own.  I let Gracie hide if she wants to hide.  I make sure she is in a safe spot where she cannot exit through a screen door or window. 

If she wants to cuddle, I let her.  However, I focus on reassuring her, not coddling her.  For example, I do not make a big fuss - "Oh, my poor baby, are you okay???  What can I do??  Oh, Gracie, my poor, poor baby!!"  Exclamations like that would only make the problem worse.  Instead, I relax and try not to feed her anxiety.

Good luck with your anxious pet.  And, remember - tomorrow is July 5th - it will be over soon!

Gracie is big bundle of anxiety wrapped in a Jack Russell suit. As I have mentioned in the past, she hates car rides, motorcycles, gun shots, and pretty much any loud noise. While flipping through the latest Drs. Foster and Smith pet supply catalog, I spotted an article about dealing with pet phobias. I found the link on their Pet Education site:

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+2085&aid=2545

The article was very interesting. It mentions the usual tactics of desensitization as a means of alleviating the fear. It offers other tips too and includes a discussion about medical treatment available.

The article also offers links to three websites who sell CDs to aid in desensitization. I took a peek at the sites. One company lets you listen to part of the CD. Gracie’s ears perked up when I played it, which was interesting. You can even download the “songs” from that particular company’s site right away. With the other sites, you must order a CD and wait.

If your pet has phobias, the above article is worth a look. You never know. They may have a suggestion you have not tried. Please feel free to share any tips you have found to be useful. We could all use some help!

Rescue Mommy

Great Article about Heat Stroke

The heat wave started much earlier than normal here in the South. While taking Gracie for a walk one afternoon, I noticed that she abruptly decided that she would not take another step. She does this if she has found something intriguing in a direction I do not want to go. She also does this when she is too hot in the summer time. Usually, though, she makes a beeline for her favorite bed of clover, which is in the shade of a giant weeping willow tree. This day, though, she stopped where she was.

It finally occurred to  me what the problem might be. We were at a point in the driveway where it is all gravel, no grass anywhere. I touched the gravel. It was hot. Can you blame her for not wanting to walk further? I scooped her into my arms and carried her back to the portion that had grass on which she could walk. We returned to the house, where she cooled down with a bowl of cold water.

I know all of you are responsible pet owners who would never leave your buddy in a parked car. Heat stroke is not simply a “locked in the car” problem. It can happen on walkies or any other time. The article for which I have attached a link is worth reading:

http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/blog/Avoiding-Canine-Heat-Stroke-20306-1.html

I hope you find this article as interesting as we did. Happy summer!

Rescue Mommy