CPR for pets – just in case…

I hope you never need to use CPR for your pet, but if something terrible should happen, at least you will have an idea of what to do.  At first it looks  intimidating, but if you look closely, it is really no different from what you’ve seen  on TV being done to a human.  The positioning is different, of course, but you do the same thing with a pet that you’d do with a human.  You can actually practice on a stuffed toy if you know anyone who has a child’s toy dog or cat.

The American Red Cross and some animal services through your town offer CPR for pets.  That course is great, I know.  When my husband and I took it, we got to practice with experts watching what was going on and help us become comfortable with our process.  You don’t need the course, but it is a great idea and usually either free or at a very low cost.Just  think about it and be prepared!

National Pet Week!

I know, I know.  Tomorrow is the last day of National Pet Week.  Sometimes important things just slip by me and I feel really bad about not giving you a heads-up about this wonderful celebration week.  There are no things that I would rather celebrate than my pets since they are part of my family and my family is my top priority.  So, even if this comes too late to do too much celebration there’s still one day left.

So, how can you celebrate National Pet Week?  Some things come to mind: take time to do something with your pet- a walk, a ride in the car,  or playing with your pet and giving her special attention.  Maybe just sitting next to your pet and giving him a good scratch is something that your pet would like.  You might also think about volunteering some of your time at a local animal shelter or giving a donation in your pet’s name to honor her.  I imagine you can come up with a great idea that will show your pet how much he means to you and thank him for meeting you at the door every night when you get home from work and letting you know that he thinks you are the best person on this earth.

I have become aware of a couple of wonderful things having to do with pets, too.  The NC House of Representatives just passed a bill against puppy mills.  This has been long in coming and it still has to go to the Senate, but I will keep thinking that our senators love animals just like I do and will vote to support this bill.

According to MyFox8.com our of Greensboro/Winston Salem, I learned about this new bill.

“A law designed to protect animals and hold dog breeders accountable passed through the NC House Thursday. It now heads to the Senate.

House Bill 930 would require fresh food and water, daily exercise, vet care and solid shelter at animals at sites with more than 10 breeding female dogs.

“North Carolina is the only state in the Southeast without puppy mill laws,” explained Caleb Scott, President of North Carolina Voters for Animal Welfare. “We are a puppy mill destination in North Carolina because we have no laws on the books. Puppy millers gravitate to our state.”

Scott said he’s relieved to see the measure pass through the house and refers to the law as “long overdue” in the state.

“Thankfully everyone loves animals so it’s not a partisan issue. Everyone on both sides of the aisle loves animals,” he said.”

The North Carolina’s first lady, Ann McCrory has publicly supported this new bill, House Bill 930.  She made this statement: ‘”This legislation is a very important step in establishing basic standards of care for large commercial dog breeding facilities and helps ensure all dogs are treated humanely,” the first lady said in a statement. She declined to answer questions from reporters after watching the debate and the 100-15 vote for the bill, which now goes to the Senate.”  Be sure to read the whole article to find out more.  Way to go, Ann McCrory!

So, in celebration of National Pet Week, something else you can do is to email or write your senator asking that she or he support this bill!  And, let’s hope Caleb Scott, President of North Carolina Voters for Animal Welfare is right and this bill passes.

Danni needs your help. Sweet young dog found near Elon University Campus. If you know who is missing her, please contact us.

Danni was rescued near Elon University Campus on March 23.  She is now in foster care and is a sweet, shy little girl. 

Female, approx. 3-5 months old.
Very, Very timid. Gets along well with dogs.

If you know who is missing this baby please contact:

Kelly Ronnow, k.ronnow@yahoo.com, kellyr@bayourescue.org

336-263-6772

Pet Loss

My wonderful horse, Gideon Society, feeling his oats! May his memory be for a blessing!

I belong to a group listserve which deals with SLO.  This condition causes the nails of a dog to crack, break, and fall off.  It can be very painful during an episode and while Phaedra has Discoid Lupus, the symptoms are very similar.  Reading the blog yesterday, a woman told the group that her Maddie, a GSD who suffered from this condition, had passed on – due to something else.  All of us knew how much it hurts to lose a friend and it doesn’t matter if you’ve loved the pet for 1 year or 16 years. It hurts!

Loving a pet means that at some time in the pet’s life you will, most likely, experience the loss of that pet.  I have lost dogs, cats, a parakeet, and a horse.  Each loss is still with me to this day.  Something will happen or I will be somewhere and I will be reminded of my wonderful friend.

One of the participants of the SLO listserve group submitted a poem which spoke to me so strongly that I want to submit it here.  Like the Rainbow Bridge poem, this one offered me a way to find comfort for those loses which I still carry with me.

“There is a cycle of love and death that shapes the lives of those who choose to travel in the company of animals. It is a cycle unlike any other. To those who have never lived through its turnings and walked its rocky path, our willingness to give our hearts with full knowledge that they will be broken seems incomprehensible. Only we know how small a price we pay for what we receive, our grief, no matter how powerful it may be, is an insufficient measure of the joy we have been given.”—-Suzanne Clothier

When you experience a loss, I encourage you to contact your veterinarian and ask about a group which deals with grief and loss for the loss of a pet.  The ASPCA has a very comprehensive section on pet loss which will help with issues surrounding the time when the end of a pet’s life is near.  The coping strategies make a lot of sense to me.  There are always other resources, too, and I encourage you to seek them out.  A person who has never loved a pet has no idea what you are going through.  Talking with others who are going through the same thing will help you find some peace.

Wishing everyone peace and health!

Pet Emergency First Aid: Being Prepared For What Might Happen

You never know when some innocent action might endanger your pet.  Silly things happen like your pet comes up lame after jumping off the sofa, cutting the quick on your dog’s nail and not knowing how to stem the bleeding or being away on a vacation with your pet and she becomes ill – what vets are in the area and how do you find one.  All of us who have pets think about these things sometimes, but not all of us do something about it.

My niece and her husband moved to California a year ago.  They have 2 dogs and take wonderful care of them.  I was talking with her on the phone a week ago and asked her if she had stocked a “disaster kit” for the humans and the dogs in the family.  She gave a nervous laugh and said, “No, not yet.  I know I should do it, but what are the chances of anything really happening?”  To this, I say, “How difficult is it to put together a couple of backpacks with enough supplies for all 4 of them and put them in a closet near the door?

Lots of things can require us to be prepared such as severe weather, an accident, a house fire, or tons of things I haven’t even thought about yet.  The great thing about having a “disaster kit” is that you don’t need to know what is going to happen.  You already have things on hand, if you stock up ahead of time, and will be more prepared when it does happen!

The Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine has a great article on being prepared in an emergency.  The article also gives information about issues such as controlling bleeding, breathing difficulties, and seizures in the article.  Below is a list of items to have in a first-aid kit:

Pet first-aid kit contents

• Hydrogen peroxide (3% solution) – to induce vomiting,
  administer only under direction of veterinarian (stay away from syrup
  of ipecac unless your veterinarian recommends it).
• Styptic powder or sticks – for toenails that you have over-clipped. It is
  especially important for minimizing blood loss in birds because even
  small amounts of blood loss in birds can be fatal.
• Clean towels or bandages – for a temporary fix to stop blood and keep area
  clean. Dr. Schoeffler, Chief of Emergency and Critical Care at Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, cautions against using stretchy material such as ace bandages, which can cut off circulation if wrapped too tightly.
• Neosporin ointment – for scrapes, to be used under the direction of a vet.
• Backboard, wood, door, blanket – to act as a temporary stretcher to transport your pet to a car.
• Scissors – for cutting bandages to size.
• Tweezers – to remove a tick.
• Eyewash (like contact wearers use) – if something gets into your pet’s eye, this can be used to flush it out.
• Thermometer – you should have a dedicated thermometer for your pets and either KY
  jelly or plain petroleum to ease taking a rectal temperature.
• Plain diphenhydramine tablets (Benadryl) – can be used in dogs that have an
  allergic reaction, but should only be used as directed by your
  veterinarian.
• Muzzle – to minimize the risk of being bitten while trying to help an animal that’s in pain.
• Pet carrier – to make sure your pet is safely restrained for transport to the vet.

I hope you never need to use a kit, but the old adage, “Forewarned is forearmed,” seems to fit well.

Please sign petition against Puppy Mills

If you are an animal lover – or even if you are just a caring human being – you know what a travesty puppy mills are.  Imagine living your entire life in a small crate and being a breeding machine for someone who cares no more about you than how much your puppies can bring in to his wallet.  I met such a dog about a month ago.  Her name was Ginger.  She was a beautiful, gentle Golden.  In spite of living in a crate for six years, Ginger showed such humanity that it made me want to cry for the good soul she is.  When Ginger was outside, she continuously walked in circles unless she was walking with her human.  Her humans told us that she does this because the circle was as much space as she had in her crate and she walked to relieve boredom, pain, and perhaps make her forget that she was loved by no one.

Ginger is now loved.  Her humans are loving, kind, and devoted to her.  Everyone who meets her loves her.  She does now have a wonderful life.  It’s too bad that a puppy mill shortened her happiness by six years.

Please do something to change the laws in North Carolina.  Sign the petition that is on the following link:  http://www.protectourpuppies.com/

i want to be proud of my state for standing up to cruelty and greed.  Please help me!