These adorable kitties are Abu and Stevie, or as the vet calls them the Lily Babies.
Unfortunately, Fur Kids Foundation has seen our fair share of lily babies, too. Abu and Stevie's mom says: “They are my babies and I love them as much as my human children." So, after she noticed that her lily flowers had been chewed on, she became very alarmed when her kitties were inactive and vomiting, she knew she had to get them to the veterinarian. An FDA article, Lovely Lilies and Curious Cats: A Dangerous Combination, states that early signs of lily toxicity in cats include decreased activity level, drooling, vomiting, and loss of appetite. Kidney failure occurs within 24-72 hours, leading to death if the cat isn't treated. Thankfully, Abu and Stevie's mom got them to the vet right away. Abu and Stevie's mom is a single mom with a single income. She had a savings for emergencies; however, the visit to save Abu and Stevie from chewing on the lilies was much more than she had planned for, so she applied to Fur Kids Foundation for help with the vet visit. We're happy to report that Abu and Stevie are back home–they are not happy about their hospital night stays. And their mom won't have any more lilies in her home. From the FDA article: “If you suspect that your cat has eaten any part of a lily or its pollen or has drunk water from a vase containing lilies, immediately call your veterinarian or a pet poison control center. Depending on the type of lily, it may be a medical emergency and prompt veterinary treatment is critical. Try to bring the lily plant with you to the veterinary clinic (or take a picture of it on your cell phone). This will help your veterinarian determine if it’s one of the highly toxic ones.” For an accurate diagnosis of your pet's condition, Fur Kids Foundation encourages you to make an appointment with your veterinarian. About Fur Kids Foundation Fur Kids Foundation is 100% run by dedicated volunteers who give their time to help the Foundation raise money with events, take applications, and spread the word about the good work the Foundation does in Campbell County, Wyoming. If you would like to help Fur Kids Foundation continue to help local families with animals afford emergency veterinary care, please consider making a tax-deductible donation via PayPal or signing up to become a volunteer. Read more Success Stories.
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This is Cooper, a 3-year-old mixed pup. Cooper's family has gone through quite a few changes in the last year. His dad left his job to pursue education, which meant taking a lesser paying, part-time job.
Then Cooper started vomiting, not eating or drinking, and was obviously uncomfortable and expressed his discomfort by licking his paws and whining. His family knew they had to get him into the vet. The vet did an x-ray, where it was very apparent Mr. Cooper had swallowed something he shouldn't have: a small ball. Unfortunately dogs and cats sometimes eat foreign objects that can’t be digested; these objects can cause what vets call an obstruction or damage to the gastrointestinal tract resulting in serious consequences if they are not removed. Cooper's family is always prepared for emergencies, but with income being a little tighter, they don't have the reserves like they once had. In this case, Cooper needed emergency surgery, so his family applied to Fur Kids Foundation for assistance; we were more than happy to help. An obstruction, also known as a gastrointestinal blockage, is a common problem in dogs (especially puppies) because of their curious nature and desire to taste nearly everything. An obstruction prevents solids or liquids from passing through the gastrointestinal tract, which also decreases blood flow to the bowels, causing deterioration and absorption of toxic contents. Symptoms can include:
Cooper had his emergency surgery and a small rubber ball was removed. His dad believes it's from a golf ball that he had run over with the lawn mower days prior. He didn't know Cooper had found the broken insides from the golf ball, but it was apparent he did. Cooper's dad says: "Thank you so much for all that you guys do. I've been to a few events you guys host, and it just tears at my heart strings for all that you guys do. It's crazy for me to be on the other end of the story now. Because a year ago we were more financially stable. And to have help like you guys and Jen is amazing! This community is truly blessed to have you! And thank you so much from the bottom of my heart!" Cooper's dad reports Cooper is home and feeling better. We hope he learns his lesson and knows that he and small toys don't get along well. If you suspect your pet may have eaten something they shouldn’t have, do not hesitate to contact your vet immediately. Obstructions are medical emergencies for dogs. If left untreated, it could result in severe fluid loss (because the dog doesn’t want to eat or drink), intestinal rupture and death. For an accurate diagnosis of your pet's condition, Fur Kids Foundation encourages you to make an appointment with your veterinarian. About Fur Kids Foundation Fur Kids Foundation is 100% run by dedicated volunteers who give their time to help the Foundation raise money with events, take applications, and spread the word about the good work the Foundation does in Campbell County, Wyoming. If you would like to help Fur Kids Foundation continue to help local families with animals afford emergency veterinary care, please consider making a tax-deductible donation via PayPal or signing up to become a volunteer. Read more Success Stories. This is Ottie, a 5-year-old Shih Tzu. Ottie's dad says he's a good boy, in fact, Ottie’s the best boy. So Ottie's parents were very upset when they noticed his eye was in rough shape.
Ottie's mom is a stay at home mom, and his dad recently lost his job and was unable to receive any assistance. During this time, they lost a family member and had to travel for the funeral. When they came home they noticed Ottie's eye was, well there is no easy way to say this, his eye was protruding from his head. Best guess is Ottie and his brother were playing a little too hard, and Ottie's eye got caught in the line of fire. Ottie needed surgery immediately if there was a chance to save his eye, so his parents applied to Fur Kids Foundation for help. Did you know that certain dog breeds are prone to losing eyeballs, or eye proptosis? According to the ASPCA, brachycephalic dog breeds—those with short snouts and shallow eye sockets like Ottie (Shih Tzu), Pekingese, Pugs, Lhasa Apsos and Boston Terriers are quite prone to eye proptosis. Even mild restraint or play can result in eye issues! There are no real preventative measures pet owners can take since proptosis typically occurs after trauma. It’s a good thing that eye removal is tolerated well by dogs and cats. In surgery, it was determined that his eye was not healthy enough to be saved and it was removed. This just makes Ottie that much more beloved as a pirate dog. Arrrggghhh! Ottie's parents are hopeful that this was a one-time accident and there won't be any further issues. For an accurate diagnosis of your pet's condition, Fur Kids Foundation encourages you to make an appointment with your veterinarian. About Fur Kids Foundation Fur Kids Foundation is 100% run by dedicated volunteers who give their time to help the Foundation raise money with events, take applications, and spread the word about the good work the Foundation does in Campbell County, Wyoming. If you would like to help Fur Kids Foundation continue to help local families with animals afford emergency veterinary care, please consider making a tax-deductible donation via PayPal or signing up to become a volunteer. Read more Success Stories. ![]() This is Nala, a 1-year-old domestic short-hair cat. Nala has a canine sister, Peppers, who became ill over one weekend and needed to see an emergency vet, which drained her parent's savings account. Not to be outdone, Nala stopped eating and could not go to the bathroom. Nala's parents are on a limited income and make it a point to save funds for these types of emergencies. They drained this fund with the emergency visit for their pup, and knew they had to get Nala into the vet, so they applied to Fur Kids Foundation. At the clinic, the vet found that Nala was constipated and had infected anal glands that needed addressed. Nala received an enema, which is not fun for the vet or the cat (if you can imagine) and was put on medicine for her anal glands. Constipation is a common digestive issue for our feline fur kids. It can be caused by dehydration, pain, muscle movement issues in the colon, a condition when cats "hold it" for too long, or by chronic constipation. Some solutions that your vet may encourage you to do for your cat include: increasing your pet's water intake with canned food, getting more exercise (play time) or getting your cat to lose some pounds. Since her emergency vet visit, Nala has made a full recovery and her parents are working on building back their animal care savings. For an accurate diagnosis of your pet's condition, Fur Kids Foundation encourages you to make an appointment with your veterinarian. About Fur Kids Foundation Fur Kids Foundation is 100% run by dedicated volunteers who give their time to help the Foundation raise money with events, take applications, and spread the word about the good work the Foundation does in Campbell County, Wyoming. If you would like to help Fur Kids Foundation continue to help local families with animals afford emergency veterinary care, please consider making a tax-deductible donation via PayPal or signing up to become a volunteer. Read more Success Stories. ![]() This is Patch, a 10-year-old Chihuahua. Patch's mom calls Patch her buddy, and her daughter would be lost without him. Patch's mom is on a limited income, and recently pipes burst at her apartment, causing her to have to pay for storage for her items while repairs are done. Shortly after this happened, Patch's mom noticed that he had a sore under his tail, and since Patch is not altered she was worried about the health of her fur kid. She took Patch to the vet where they learned that he had had a ruptured anal gland. According to PetMD, anal gland issues happen when the fluid in their anal sacs aren't emptied–whether that be from your veterinarian or while the animal goes to the bathroom. Once the anal sac becomes full, it can burst, which is painful for your pet and can cause an infection without proper care. If you see your dog scooting across the room on their bottom, licking or biting their rear end, or straining while trying to go to the bathroom (constipation), they may be suffering from anal sac disease. A simple trip to the veterinarian can help your dog feel better again. She applied to Fur Kids Foundation for assistance so she could find out what was wrong with her little buddy. Patch is on antibiotics and will need to follow up with the vet over the next few months to make sure the infection goes away and he does not have any fluid build up issues again. His mom is very happy it was an easy fix and her little buddy will be feeling better in no time. For an accurate diagnosis of your pet's condition, Fur Kids Foundation encourages you to make an appointment with your veterinarian. About Fur Kids Foundation Fur Kids Foundation is 100% run by dedicated volunteers who give their time to help the Foundation raise money with events, take applications, and spread the word about the good work the Foundation does in Campbell County, Wyoming. If you would like to help Fur Kids Foundation continue to help local families with animals afford emergency veterinary care, please consider making a tax-deductible donation via PayPal or signing up to become a volunteer. Read more Success Stories. ![]() This beautiful wonkey-eared princess is Dominance, a four-year-old Pit Bull. Dominance is like a child to her parents, so when she stopped eating and drinking, they became very worried. Tests showed nothing was wrong with Dominance, other than what could be a stomach bug, or she may have gotten into something that didn't agree with her belly. She was also very dehydrated from not eating or drinking for a few days. According to PetMD, some of the (many) things that can trigger an upset belly in your canine friend include eating/drinking something that they shouldn’t; bacterial imbalances within the digestive tract; and chronic conditions such as food sensitivities. Signs of an upset stomach in dogs can include:
Dominance's dad recently was released from prison and just started working, and her mom was currently searching for work. They were able to pay for the initial visit, but did not have the funds to pay for treatment, so they applied to Fur Kids Foundation for assistance. Dominance received some anti-nausea medicine and fluids, and is on her way to feeling better. Please note: If your pup’s symptoms worsen, or if your dog is constantly uncomfortable, make sure you call your veterinarian. Signs like increasing discomfort, vomiting or having an episode of diarrhea more than twice, blood in their vomit or stool, or a toy or other foreign object in their vomit or stool can be signs of something much more serious than a belly ache. This could include pancreatitis, stomach bloating, a severe allergic reaction, or internal parasites. If you realize that your dog has eaten something he shouldn’t have—a plant, food, toy, or chemical—you should seek immediate veterinary care. About Fur Kids Foundation Fur Kids Foundation is 100% run by dedicated volunteers who give their time to help the Foundation raise money with events, take applications, and spread the word about the good work the Foundation does in Campbell County, Wyoming. If you would like to help Fur Kids Foundation continue to help local families with animals afford emergency veterinary care, please consider making a tax-deductible donation via PayPal or signing up to become a volunteer. Read more Success Stories. ![]() This is Sally Mae, a 9-year-old American Staffordshire Terrier. At the end of 2021, Sally Mae’s mom brought her to the vet who said Sally Mae had some bad teeth, and in the near future would need to have her teeth cleaned and removed. Sally Mae's mom was unemployed for a while, but is back at work and was trying to save some funds for Sally Mae to have her bad teeth removed; however, Sally Mae started showing signs of pain before her mom had enough money saved. Eventually Sally Mae stopped eating all together, and that had her mom very concerned. Fur Kids Foundation receives a lot of requests to help dogs with dental disease, which can affect 80% of all dogs by age two. It can also be quite painful. According to Banfield Pet Hospital, there are four stages of periodontal disease, progressing from plaque and mildly inflamed gums to established gingivitis (gum disease), and then on to mild and ultimately severe periodontitis, which may involve bone and/or tooth loss. Periodontal disease begins when bacteria in the mouth creates plaque that sticks to the surface of the teeth. Plaque will then harden to form tartar, which is visible above the gum line. The real problem develops when the bacteria begins to damage the supporting tissues around the tooth, eventually leading to the loss of the tooth; this is called periodontitis. If left untreated, periodontal disease may cause multiple problems in the mouth including bone infections and weakening the jaw bone, and may be associated with damage to internal organs in some patients as they age. Signs of periodontal disease include:
If your pet is exhibiting some of these symptoms, they may need some dental work done. Please make an appointment with your veterinarian. Sally Mae’s mom applied to Fur Kids Foundation for help with surgically removing the infected teeth. We are happy to report that Sally Mae went through her dental surgery fine, and is already feeling so much better–and has a beautiful smile. We're happy we were able to help Sally Mae and her mom, and the only way we can continue to help families like this one is from generous donors like you. Periodontal disease is the most common clinical condition in cats and dogs, yet it's completely preventable by keeping your fur kids’ teeth clean—aka, brush their teeth or schedule regular dental cleanings with your vet! Be sure to speak with your vet about how you can maintain your pet’s dental health from home after a dental cleaning. For an accurate diagnosis of your pet's condition, please make an appointment with your veterinarian. About Fur Kids Foundation Fur Kids Foundation is 100% run by dedicated volunteers who give their time to help the Foundation raise money with events, take applications, and spread the word about the good work the Foundation does in Campbell County, Wyoming. If you would like to help Fur Kids Foundation continue to help local families with animals afford emergency veterinary care, please consider making a tax-deductible donation via PayPal or signing up to become a volunteer. Read more Success Stories. ![]() Meet Millie, a 1-year-old purrfect kitty! Her mom has tried to keep Millie safe and healthy, spaying her when she was ready and vaccinating her at the appropriate times. But nothing can prepare you for a cat's curiosity, and that's what got the best of Millie. Cats are inquisitive pets who like playing with the oddest of objects. Millie recently found her mom's stash of rubber bands, and decided to play with them, and then decided to nibble on a few. Millie learned the hard way that rubber bands aren't all that easy to digest, or pass through the digestive tract, and wound up at the vet clinic when she wasn't feeling well. As most cat owners know, cats like to chase stringy, bouncy things… and they often like to eat them as well. While rubber bands and hair ties may appear harmless, if eaten, they can cause damage to your cat's digestive tract, requiring surgical removal. An intestinal blockage, like what Millie had, is a very serious condition in cats. This is often caused by your feline eating indigestible items such as rubber bands, tinsel, string from a roast, a ribbon or other small stringy objects; it’s rare but a blockage can occur from a lodged hairball. Signs of a intestinal blockage include:
Millie's mom is single and has a limited income. Emergency surgery to remove the rubber bands from Millie’s belly was not in her budget, so she applied to Fur Kids Foundation for help. Due to the support of generous donors in our community, we were able to help Millie and her mom! We’re happy to report that Millie received the surgery to remove the rubber bands. While she's not a fan of the cone of shame, we're hoping she's learned her lesson that eating rubber bands aren’t very good for her. It’s important for cats to have toys to keep them entertained, but it’s equally as critical to keep an eye on your cat with toys, or items that may cause harm such as rubber/elastic bands, hair ties, strings, etc. For an accurate diagnosis of your pet's condition, please make an appointment with your vet. . About Fur Kids Foundation Fur Kids Foundation is 100% run by dedicated volunteers who give their time to help the Foundation raise money with events, take applications, and spread the word about the good work the Foundation does in Campbell County, Wyoming. If you would like to help Fur Kids Foundation continue to help local families with animals afford emergency veterinary care, please consider making a tax-deductible donation via PayPal or signing up to become a volunteer. Read more Success Stories. This adorable pup is Macaroni, or Mac, an adorable Pit Bull. Mac's mom loves him with all her heart, so she was distraught when Mac didn't want to eat or drink, and began vomiting.
Mac's mom has had a pretty rough start to her year. Shortly after having her baby, she hit a rough patch, and moved home to live with family until she could get back on her feet. Homeless, unable to work due to just having her baby, she couldn't bear the thought of losing her beloved Macaroni. At the vet it was determined Mac had eaten a foreign object and would need immediate surgery, since the object wasn't working its way out of Mac. Mac's mom applied to Fur Kids Foundation for assistance, and we were more than happy to help Mac's mom. If your dog enjoys chewing up and eating everything in sight, you may want to understand some common signs or symptoms of a blockage or obstruction of a foreign object. These include:
Please understand that an obstruction is a very serious condition. If it is not quickly treated, it can cause devastating health issues and can often require major surgery to save your dog's life. If you think your dog ingested something they shouldn’t have, or if they are exhibiting the symptoms listed above, call your veterinarian as soon as possible. And because one stressful surgery wasn't enough, Mac had complications and needed to go in for a second surgery. Luckily, because of Fur Kids Foundation and support from Mac’s mom’s family, Mac was able to receive both surgeries and is recovering. His mom will keep toys out of his reach going forward, and is looking forward to brighter days for her family. About Fur Kids Foundation Fur Kids Foundation is 100% run by dedicated volunteers who give their time to help the Foundation raise money with events, take applications, and spread the word about the good work the Foundation does in Campbell County, Wyoming. If you would like to help Fur Kids Foundation continue to help local families with animals afford emergency veterinary care, please consider making a tax-deductible donation via PayPal or signing up to become a volunteer. Read more Success Stories. ![]() Meet Mia! This beauty is a 7-year-old German Shepard. Mia’s family has fallen on hard times and had to move into a new home. The place they were living didn’t allow dogs, so Mia’s family chose to find a foster home for her while they searched for a pet-friendly home. Unfortunately with the change, new dogs in a new home, a pretty bad fight happened between Mia and her two foster siblings, and Mia had to be taken to the vet unexpectedly. Poor Mia received the brunt of the fight, and received large cuts on her back legs, resulting in five drains needing to be placed in her legs.. A Penrose Drain is a latex tube that is placed into a wound with one or two ends exiting the skin, allowing fluids to drain from the wound. Penrose drains maximize the likelihood that fluid will drain effectively, resulting in less chances of infections. Mia’s family thought this was all that was needed. But between the fight and drains, Mia’s system was shocked, she wasn’t eating, drinking, and was sluggish. She needed to stay at the vet clinic to be monitored and receive fluids until her body adjusted. Mia’s family was beside themselves knowing that paying for all this was going to be very hard on their already strapped resources. They applied to Fur Kids Foundation for help, and we were more than happy to try to help relieve them of some of their stress. We are very happy to report that Mia’s family has found a new foster home while they search for a new place to live, and Mia is receiving nothing but the best care from her family and foster family. Bringing a new member into an already established pack of dogs can often be a challenge. If you are in this situation, and are finding that you may not know what to do, Fur Kids Foundation does encourage you to reach out to local dog trainers. Find information in the Resources section. About Fur Kids Foundation Fur Kids Foundation is 100% run by dedicated volunteers who give their time to help the Foundation raise money with events, take applications, and spread the word about the good work the Foundation does in Campbell County, Wyoming. If you would like to help Fur Kids Foundation continue to help local families with animals afford emergency veterinary care, please consider making a tax-deductible donation via PayPal or signing up to become a volunteer. Read more Success Stories. |
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Created in November 2011, the Fur Kids Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides education and aid to promote the well-being of animals in Campbell County.
Your donation saves lives. It goes to work helping animals in Campbell County receive adequate veterinary care during a time when their family may not be able to afford it. Please contact the Foundation to learn more or donate now using PayPal.
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