Keep Those Bunnies in the Basket

Every holiday brings an opportunity for our furry friends to raid the sweet treats.  While we all love chocolate bunnies and robin eggs, these treats are toxic for our best.  Please be sure to keep a close eye on that Easter basket.  Make sure your kids understand that chocolate is for their bellies only.

Also, be careful of the “grass” that some people use to line Easter basket.  Kiki adores this plastic stuff.  My Mom gave me the basket I used when I was a child.  It still had a puff of the stuff inside.  One day, I found a little “surprise” from Kiki that included a strand of bright green Easter grass. 

I hope everyone has a safe and happy Easter holiday. 

Rescue Mommy

Easter Party for a Cause

The Asheville Humane Society is holding an Easter Party this Saturday, March 30, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.  The party benefits the Humane Society, of course.  Activities include an Easter egg hunt, face painting, cupcake decorating, crafts, puppy and kitten playtime, and a visit from the Easter Bunny.

Tickets are $10 per child.  Space is limited, so contact volunteer@ashevillehumane.org to make a reservation. 

Rescue Mommy

Fear Reactive Dogs

A few days ago, I received a phone call from someone who adopted a pound-bound dog.  He has lived with his new family for several months now.  He is gained weight and blossomed into a very loving dog – toward the family and the family’s dog.  However, he has suddenly become aggressive toward anyone except the man and woman who adopted him. 

Let me preface this post by saying I am not a dog trainer.  I have no specialized training.  I just have many years of experience living with dogs.  My recent experiences with Gracie have taught me a great deal about fear’s power over dogs. 

I told her first to take the dog to the vet.  Pets are stoic.  In the wild, only the strong survive, so animals naturally hide weakness.  It is bred in the bone.  Also, our furry friends cannot talk.  The only way they have to communicate with us is by “acting out.”  What we see as bad behavior may be a cry for help.

If the visit to the vet did not uncover any underlying medical conditions as the culprit, I advised her to consider his history.  Her dog without question was not properly socialized.  I encouraged her to speak with a trainer.  In my non-professionally trained mind, it sounded as the dog had finally settled into a loving home and wanted to protect them.  Again, this is my gut instinct, not professional advice.

I also told her to check out the Internet.  You can find a wealth of information there.  As with anything you read on the Internet, you should carefully consider the source.  ALWAYS seek positive training methods.  Negative training never works and can be enormously detrimental with fearful dogs.  Think how you would feel if you were scared and someone tried to “show dominance” over you, yelled at you, or used a choke-chain on you.  You might do what that person told you, but you would not do it willingly and would most likely grow to hate that person, wouldn’t you?

I told the lady she would have to invest a lot of time and that she should not expect a quick fix.  She told me she really loves the dog and wants to do whatever it takes.  I commend her.  A lot of dogs and cats find themselves at shelters because their owners do not share the same attitude.  I wish her and her sweet rescue the best of luck.

Rescue Mommy

Allergy Alert

Some parts of the country are still experiencing snow storms on a regular basis.  Here in the South, the grass has started to turn green.  The birds are singing.  The dogwood trees have thick buds ready to burst open.  Daffodils have spring from the earth and are in full bloom. 

Now is the time to pay a little extra attention to your buddy.  A lot of animals who experience the great outdoors have problems with seasonal allergies.  It makes sense if you think about it.  They are low to the ground, so their paws and bellies pick up lots of allergens.  Dogs constantly smell everything, so all that pollen just shoots right up their noses. 

All of this results in itchy skin, watery eyes, and sneezing.  Your pet may dig at the fur, resulting in patchy areas of missing fur.  They are in just as much misery as we humans are!

In most cases, antihistamines offer an effective, affordable solution to the problem.  Consult with your vet first.  Do not give your buddy over-the-counter medicines without his or her direction.  Your vet can tell you the exact product to use along with the proper dose.

Good luck!

Rescue Mommy

Frisky Pets

Something about spring always brings out the wildness in Gracie and Kiki. 

Gracie wants to stay outside all the time.  She sighs heavily when she is inside and stares out the window in the living room.  She prefers to explore the outdoors.  She enjoys long naps in the sun.

Lately, Kiki races around the house for no apparent reason.  She has tried to pick fights with Gracie by popping her on the bottom.  She does it to Rescue Daddy and me too.  I am not sure if she is trying to play or generally wants to reprimand all of us for some unknown evil deed. 

The arrival of spring lifts all of our spirits.  Let’s hope a massive snowstorm is not around the corner, or, more likely, a tremendous heat wave that does not end until October.  See, spring has not completely lifted my spirits.

Rescue Mommy

Time Change Woes

I agree with most of you that we should eliminate Daylight Saving Time.  It is awful.

It is still dark in the morning.  It does not feel as if it is time for walkies.  Then, since we have a couple extra hours of daylight in the evening, it feels as if we have plenty of time to tackle chores.  You look up, and it is 9:00 p.m.  What??

You can expect your pets to be a bit disconcerted as well.  We have noticed that Angel is not waiting for us in the morning, as she normally does.  I guess she too thinks it is too early for a walkie. 

Ugh – we will get use to this eventually, and then complain loudly when the time changes again.  We should go back to bed.

Rescue Mommy

Sarge's Photo Contest

We are lucky to have several rescue groups in our area.  One of the groups, Sarge’s Animal Rescue Foundation, has an annual pet photo contest.  This year’s contest ends March 25.

The categories are dog, cat, puppy, kitten, Photographers Younger than 12, Sarge Rescue Pets, other pets (not dogs or cats), and Super Shooters (previous winners).  Visit their website at www.sargeandfriends.org for an entry form.  You can also pick up a form at their adoption center at 256 Industrial Drive in Waynesville or at some Haywood County veterinary clinics and businesses.

The entry fee is $10.  Photos must be originals from an amateur photographer.  Visit their website or call 828-246-9050 to learn more.  Good luck!

Rescue Mommy

Hungry for Pizza

If you are in the mood for pizza tonight, Brizz Wood Fired Pizza in Biltmore Park, Arden, has a special fundraiser for Brother Wolf. 

Go to Brother Wolf’s website (www.bwar.org/events) and download a special coupon.  You must present the coupon!  Brixx will donate $3 per 10” pizza and $1 per kid’s pizza to Brother Wolf.  The offer applies to both dine-in and take-out orders.

Enjoy!

Rescue Mommy

In Sickness and In Health

I succumbed to a nasty cold last week.  Its effects still linger.  You cannot lay about forever.

Even though you feel awful, your pets need you.  It was nice that Rescue Daddy could help.  I eventually had to drag myself out of bed and take Gracie for some walkies.  She is definitely my dog.  She will take short walks with other people.  She prefers to walk with me and will quickly “do her business” then dash to the house if she is with someone else. 

As I do with every illness, I think about what would happen if I had a debilitating illness.  We treat our pets like children.  The law, unfortunately, does not recognize them in the same manner.

You can take steps to protect your pet.  Brother Wolf Animal Rescue regularly offers a class with an estate planning attorney who reviews your options.  (Check the Events page on their website at www.bwar.org for dates and times.) 

If you do not live in the Asheville area, you can find a wealth of information on the Internet.  Start with the ASPCA’s website.  They have an entire section devoted to pet planning.  Here is the link:

http://www.aspca.org/Home/Pet-care/planning-for-your-pets-future

In further searches, I learned that mentioning your pets in your will is not the best option.  What happens if you have a car accident or serious illness?  Wills apply to the dead, not the living, so no one would check your will for instructions about your pet.  Pet protection agreements and pet trusts offer better legal protection and cover more events besides your death. 

Pet protection agreements do not necessarily require assistance from an attorney.  You can even buy versions on those legal websites they advertise on TV.  Pet trusts, which are recognized in 46 states, require an attorney’s assistance, so they could be costly. 

Each year, thousands of animals find themselves dumped in shelters all over the country because their owners either passed away or developed serious health problems.  It is important to have a plan for your pets.  You made a commitment to care for them for their entire lives.   With a little advance planning, you can be sure that commitment will be honored after you are gone.

Rescue Mommy

Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook and Cat Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook

Book review:  The Dog Owner’s Home Veterinary Handbook and The Cat Owner’s Home Veterinary Handbook, Drs. Debra M. Eldredge, Liisa D. Carlson, Delbert G. Carlson, and James M. Giffin, 2007.

I bought the handbooks around the time that I learned my first dog had cancer.  Since that time, I have referred to the dog handbook too many times to count.  (Any time I write a post about something that has happened to Gracie or Kiki, you can bet I looked in these books for information.)  The handbook is filled with useful, detailed information every pet owner should have at his or her fingertips.

The inside front cover contains an index of signs and symptoms that is very helpful.  The book itself has pictures for certain conditions and anatomical diagrams for others.  I especially like that it describes in details which conditions should prompt an immediate vet visit and offers practical advice for those conditions that do not.  For example, the authors have a detailed explanation of various forms of diarrhea, offer home remedies, and discuss various causes beyond the usual food intolerance.  Yes, it is a bit gross, but that’s life!

I am sure the cat handbook is just as helpful.  Thankfully, I have not needed it – yet.  I highly recommend adding these books to your library.

Rescue Mommy

Neonatal Kitten Care Seminar on Sunday

Friends 2Ferals and Brother Wolf Animal Rescue are sponsoring a unique kitten care seminar on Sunday.  Held at the Humane Alliance Spay/Neuter Clinic, the seminar is taught by Susan Spaulding.  Ms. Spaulding is co-founder of the Virginia-based organization, Feline Outreach, Rescue, and Education. 

Ms. Spaulding will teach you proper bottle feeding techniques, nutrition, basic care, and more.  The seminar is perfect if you ever wanted to learn how to care for orphan kittens or would like to become a foster parent.  The event is free, but the organizations would really appreciate a $10 donation.

Reservations are required.  To enroll, e-mail kittenmom@centurylink.net with your name, e-mail address, telephone number, and rescue organization (if applicable).

Rescue Mommy

Stay Away From the Fence!

The inevitable happened.  Gracie brushed against the neighbors’ electric fence.

The unfortunate event occurred last week.  I have warned her numerous times to stay away.  The neighbors have horses, so the current is strong.  I have been zapped by it; it is not pleasant. 

Angel was bouncing around to my left.  I turned my attention away for a split second – which is what everyone says when an accident happens.  I looked back to Gracie and found her underneath the fence, about to “do her business.”  I said, “Gracie, the fence!”  She turned and raised her head, taking an immediate jolt to the neck.  She cried in pain – and raised her head again, taking another jolt.  This time, she ducked her head and ran to me, crying in agony. 

I held her for several minutes, trying to sooth her.  She eventually stopped yelping but shook for several minutes.  I could smell burned hair but did not immediately see any issues.  I carried her part of the way to the house.  She tried walking but inevitably ran back to me for comfort.  She was capable of walking.  She just wanted her mommy to hold her.

Once inside, I noticed a small burned place on the back of her neck, near her collar.  I consulted my handy dog manual (see the review on Friday for that).  I clipped away the hair around the burned spot and applied triple antibiotic.  For good measure, I phoned the vet.  The assistant with whom I spoke informed me that one of her chickens had perished the day before from the very same thing.  I knew electric fences were serious business but had never heard of an animal dying from one.  Of course, when the charge is set for a large animal, it makes sense that a smaller animal could be seriously or fatally injured.

I feel terrible about the whole incident.  She might have escaped one of the jolts if I had not called her name.  The angle at which she was standing guaranteed one jolt, though.  There was no way she could have extricated herself from that position without brushing against the fence.

Since then, I have been even more vigilant about her position in relation to the fence.  The day after the incident, she steered clear on her own but has since forgotten.  As pet parents, it is our duty to save our little friends from themselves.  Let's hope Gracie learned a lesson and will help me in that task!

Rescue Mommy

 

Ignorance is not Bliss

While at an adoption event recently, I heard a man complain to a friend that “they make it so hard to adopt.”  We all say stupid things and immediately wish we could pull the words back into our mouths.  I can only hope this was the case for this man. 

All you have to do is look around at all the animals available for adoption and realize WHY rescue groups spend so much time finding the right home.  These groups want a permanent home, not one where an animal is discarded again. 

If you are looking for a new friend, you can expect a long application at the local rescue group.  Around here, I have not seen anything under three pages.  You should also plan to answer some difficult questions and may even be subject to a home visit. 

You may think, “Hey, I am not one of these irresponsible idiots; I will provide a great home.”  I know that’s what I thought the first time I was grilled at Brother Wolf.  However, you must remember:  these people do not know you.  Do you think bad pet owners admit they are terrible??  No.  Everyone says they will be great pet parents.

So, smile and answer the questions honestly.  Have references available (yeah, some folks ask for that).  Know the telephone number of your vet – or establish a relationship with a new one before you visit if you do not have a veterinarian.  Yes, it can be a difficult process.  Look deeply into the eyes of the cat or dog you are adopting, and you will realize it is worth it.

Rescue Mommy