Fur Kids Foundation Pack News Blog

Thank you for helping Fur Kids Raise $3,400!

6/28/2016

Thank you for helping the Foundation raise $3,400 with our first Pet Photo Calendar Contest! We had so much fun with this fundraiser, and sure hope that you did as well. The winners are as follows:

Cover: The Three Musketeers: Lucy, Tess and Roz, 220 votes
January: Rosie, Odin and Bella, 155 votes
February: Bodhi, 140 votes
March: Izabelle and Zero, 139 votes
April: Jake, 126 votes
May: The Golden Girls: Emma and Penny, 125 votes
June: Klover, 118 votes
July: Daisy, 110 votes
August: Diesel, 110 votes
September: Pablo, 108 votes
October: Adopt Don’t Shop: Cooper & Beatrix, 105 votes
November: Katy and Katy Jr Jr Jr, 105 votes
December: Harry, 90 votes

Calendars should arrive in time for our largest event, Pet-A-Palooza, Gillette’s first and only pet festival on Saturday, September 10 at CAM-PLEX Park. If you’d still like to purchase a calendar, feel free to send a check to Fur Kids Foundation, P.O. Box 7074, Gillette, Wyoming 82717, and we’ll get you on the list—calendars are $15 for Gillette deliver and $19 if they need to be shipped. We will also have calendars for sale at our fall events. And believe us, this is a great calendar because it’s filled with so much love, as one of our volunteers has said.

Proceeds from this fundraiser support families with pets who need help with emergency veterinary costs. Since September 2012, the Foundation has helped more than 300 families and given more than $41,000 in aid. Thank you again for supporting Fur Kids Foundation! We could not help as many families with pets in Campbell County, Wyoming without your support.

Banfield Foundation awards $3,500 grant to FKF

6/26/2016

Fur Kids Foundation was recently awarded a $3,500 grant from the Banfield Foundation® to be used to help the Gillette, Wyoming charity with their emergency veterinary assistance program. This funding will help the Foundation continue its mission of saving lives and keeping people and their pets together when the community needs it most.

All too often animals suffer needlessly or are put down because of expensive veterinary bills. That’s when families in Campbell County, Wyoming can turn to Fur Kids Foundation for help. 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 families with animals. Since the program’s inception, Fur Kids Foundation has helped more than 300 families with pets receive treatment--totaling more than $41,000 in aid.

Founded in 2015 by Banfield Pet Hospital®, the Banfield Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to improving the well-being of pets and communities. Their mission is to elevate the power of the human-animal bond, strengthen the pet welfare community, provide disaster relief for pets and advance the science of veterinary medicine through fostering innovation and education. They also offer support for all aspects of veterinary care and provide grants to nonprofit organizations in order keep pets healthy and in loving homes. Since its launch in September 2015, the organization has granted financial support to more than 80 nonprofit organizations, awarding more than $1 million. Learn more about the organization at www.banfieldfoundation.org.

Be sure to check out the Foundation’s Success Stories page to read about the pets who are on the mend thanks to the help of Fur Kids Foundation.

Success Story: Kathryn

6/26/2016

Here at Fur Kids, we see a lot of great pet escapes gone wrong. Sadly, poor Kathryn has joined the ranks of a few before her.

Kathryn is a 1-year-old St. Bernard / Malamute who escaped her house and somehow broke her leg. (There is some speculation that she may be a tad boy crazy because she hasn’t been spayed yet, and tried to show off to some handsome fellas down the road.) She also had a pretty bad wound on her leg that was beginning to get infected.

Kathryn’s dad reached out to Fur Kids Foundation because he was out of work and had limited funds. He knew that surgery to save the leg wasn't an option, but the vet told him that Kathryn would do just fine on three legs, so he chose to have the leg partially amputated. He's let us know that Kathryn is recovering well, and he hopes to be able to get her spayed soon.

Broken legs in dogs are quite common. If you see any of the following signs or symptoms in your dog, be sure to take them to the vet right away:

Unwillingness to put any weight on the injured leg; often picking the leg up and walking as a tri-pod
Refusing to play, walk or go up the stairs
Unusually aggression from the dog when you attempt to touch the leg that may be broken
Howlng or whimpering -- this is a solid sign of pain in a dog
Refusing to eat or isolating themselves away from you or the family

In June 2013, Fur Kids Foundation wrote a blog about dog proofing your back yard. Please take a minute to read this blog to see if there are things you can do to make your yard safer for your pets.

If you would like to help Fur Kids Foundation continue to help families with animals, please consider making a tax-deductible donation. The money helps families during a time when they may not be able to afford adequate veterinary care. Check out more Success Stories.

Success Story: Coco

6/26/2016

Coco is a 9-year-old Chihuahua who has had seizures her whole life, but at the beginning of June she started having more frequent, longer and scarier seizures.
Her owner has had Coco since she was 6 weeks old, and they are each other's best friends and never far from one another. She knew she had to get Coco seen, but she is on a fixed income and knew she wouldn’t be able to cover the costs of the visit, so she reached out to Fur Kids Foundation for help.

Coco stayed at the vet clinic for a few days. She will have to have further tests done, and will need medication for the rest of her life, but her mom has told us that she's already feeling better.

Seizures can be a scary thing to watch your pet go through. Like humans, dogs experiencing seizures might foam at the mouth or drool, they may twitch or move spastically, they may collapse or lose consciousness, and can even lose bladder control. Seizures happen to be one of the genetic health concerns for Chihuahuas, and some other dog breeds. If you have seen your dog experience the symptoms outlined above, please take them to the vet. With medication, and proper check ups, dogs with seizures can often live long and happy lives. If you want to read more about seizures in dogs, check out our Success Story on Chewy.

If you would like to help Fur Kids Foundation continue to help families with animals, please consider making a tax-deductible donation. The money helps families during a time when they may not be able to afford adequate veterinary care. Check out more Success Stories.

Success Story: Tinkerbell and Fluffy

6/26/2016

Sneezing, snot running out from your nose, coughing, fever, sore throat, and the sniffles. Sounds like a typical cold. And that’s exactly what Tinkerbell and Fluffy caught.

Just like humans, cats can get colds. Tinkerbell and Fluffy are so close that they shared this nasty cold. Their mom noticed that they were sneezing more than normal, and just weren’t up to their usual playful selves. She took them to the vet, where they were treated for a sinus infection, but she couldn’t afford the medicine to help it clear up. She later had to take the cats back to the vet, and decided to reach out to Fur Kids Foundation for help. At the second trip, the cats were diagnosed with nasal mites; and on top of the cold symptoms, Tinkerbell was also showing symptoms of a urinary tract infection.

We are happy to report that they now have their medication and are on the mend.
When a cat gets a cold, or an upper respiratory infection, it’s a lot like when you get a cold. And, like in humans, a cold is caused by a viral infection that is followed by a bacterial infection. However, you cannot give a cold to your cat, and your cat cannot give you a cold. Symptoms include:

coughing or sneezing
dehydration
discharge from the nose and eyes -- this may be watery or bloody, or thick and colored clear, yellow or green
fever
loss of appetite
loss of energy or hiding more than usual
swelling of the eyes

Be sure to provide you cat with plenty of fresh food and water--perhaps even encourage them to eat more by putting out wet or canned food. You can also wipe away any discharge from the eyes and nose with a moistened cotton ball to keep them clean. A healthy cat can often fight the symptoms of a cold on their own; however, if your cat’s symptoms get worse, or if they are under 6 months old, be sure to take them to the vet in order to get better.
Check out these other blogs that talk about colds in cats:

Banfield Pet Hospital: Can cats catch colds?
Pet Health Network: Feline upper respiratory infection

If you would like to help Fur Kids Foundation continue to help families with animals, please consider making a tax-deductible donation. The money helps families during a time when they may not be able to afford adequate veterinary care. Check out more Success Stories.

Success Story: Boz

6/26/2016

When your pet is vomiting or isn’t eating like his normal self, you hope it’s something that will pass quickly. Often times it is; however, there is a small chance it could be pancreatitis, or inflammation of the pancreas, which is what happened to Boz.

Boz is a 6-year-old dapper Schnauzer, who was brought to the vet by his mom when she noticed he wasn’t acting like his normal self. After some tests, the vet diagnosed him with pancreatitis. His mom is on limited income and knew that his diagnosis was more than she could afford, so she reached out to Fur Kids Foundation for help. With some medication and a new low-fat diet (and no table scraps), Boz is well on his way to being a healthy, happy little dude.

Symptoms of a pancreatitis include:

belly pain
dehydration
diarrhea
fever or a lowered body temperature
hard time breathing
irregular heartbeat
lack of energy
loss of appetite
vomiting

If your dog shows any of those symptoms, or if they pass and return from time to time, be sure to take him to the vet to get checked out. To diagnose your pet, the vet will likely do blood tests to see what is causing your pup to feel yucky, and may do an ultrasound to see an image of what’s going on in the body. Dogs typically recover from minor cases of pancreatitis, but if it’s more severe it can be life threatening. With a mild case of pancreatitis, the vet will likely prescribe medication and a low-fat diet for your pooch; if the case is severe, your pet may need to spend a few days at the clinic getting some extra fluids pumped into him.

Pancreatitis usually presents in dogs who are older and overweight. However, there are some breeds, like Schnauzers, who are more prone to it. Check out these blogs for more information about pancreatitis in dogs:

If you would like to help Fur Kids Foundation continue to help families with animals, please consider making a tax-deductible donation. The money helps families during a time when they may not be able to afford adequate veterinary care. Check out more Success Stories.

Success Story: Figgaro Pho

6/26/2016

As we all know, cats are naturally curious. And sometimes this curiosity gets the best of them--especially when they eat weird things such as baby bottle nipples, toilet paper, thread, tinsel, random pieces of clothing, insects and even rodents, among other things. While many of these items can pass through their system without any issue, sometimes their curious appetite can put them in danger. Such is the case for Figgaro Pho.

Figgaro Pho is a naughty 2-year-old kitty who wasn't acting like himself. When his family brought him to the vet they did x-rays and saw something in his belly that shouldn’t be there. The vet kept Figgaro overnight pumping fluids into him hoping that would help him pass whatever he ate. Unfortunately it didn't. The next day the vet did surgery on Figgaro and removed the foreign objects that he ate.

Figgaro had recently been diagnosed with asthma, and his mom had to take a lower-paying job, his family of four was strapped for cash. They reached out to Fur Kids Foundation for help, and Figgaro is now at home healing. Hopefully he’s not eating anything he shouldn’t for a while.

Figgaro’s condition is not unique to cats, many dogs are also fond of eating items that they shouldn’t. The most common problem caused by eating something weird is what a vet will refer to as a foreign body obstruction. This condition can be life-threatening if the item they eat can’t move through the intestines and end up in the litter box. It typically takes between 10-24 hours for an object to move through the digestive track. If the object is too large, it can become stuck, which can cause a lot of discomfort for your pet and may make the following symptoms occur:

changes in mood, such as biting or hissing when being picked up
diarrhea or straining when trying to go to the bathroom
lack of appetite
lack of energy
stomach tenderness or pain
vomiting

If you see any of those symptoms, be sure to take your pet to the vet immediately. The vet will likely have x-rays taken in order to locate or confirm there is a foreign object, and may even require blood or urine tests to check the pet’s overall health. It’s also very important to note that if you see an item protruding from your pet’s rectum, do not attempt to help remove it by pulling it out. It could be lodged or wrapped around something, and you could cause more damage.

Check out some other pets who also ate some things they shouldn’t have as well as some more information on pets who eat weird stuff.

Fur Kids Foundation: He ate what?!
Pawsatively Pets: Weird stuff my cat ate
Petful: Foreign Body - When your pet swallows something he shouldn’t
Success Story: Louie Louie
Success Story: Onyxx

If you would like to help Fur Kids Foundation continue to help families with animals, please consider making a tax-deductible donation. The money helps families during a time when they may not be able to afford adequate veterinary care. Check out more Success Stories.

Success Story: Pixie

6/26/2016

Roughhousing. It’s part of being a dog, right? After all, play is how dogs explore the world, and learn to interact with other dogs and people. However, it can become dangerous if it goes too far. Unfortunately, this is likely what happened to Pixie, an 8-year-old Chihuahua.

While Pixie's parents were beginning their morning, they heard a cry from the other room where they found Pixie with a bulging, scratched eye. They think that Pixie and her older fur sister may have been playing, and that her sister accidentally caught Pixie's eye with her paw.

After rushing Pixie to the vet, they learned that the only thing that could be done was to remove the eye. With a family of six and only one income, they weren’t sure how they would be able to pay for the surgery. That’s when they reached out to Fur Kids Foundation help. We are happy to hear that Pixie is well on her way to being a healthy and happy pup after surgery. However, here are some quick tips on how to keep your dogs from getting too rough when playing:

Monitor your dogs while they are playing. If one dog is showing some signs of being stressed (lip licking, turning away, trying to get away) be sure to break up the play until both dogs can calm down.
Reinforce calm behavior. If your pet is getting too excited while playing with another pet (or group of dogs), take him away from the situation. Once he calms down, you can allow him to play again. However, if he cannot calm down, remove him from the situation completely.
Teach your dog how to calm himself. One way to do this is to leash your dog close to you while you are relaxing or watching TV. If he starts to climb on you, gently remove him from you. If he barks at you, ignore him. Wait until he settles on the floor, and then give him lots of praise. If he jumps up or barks again, repeat this process. By practicing this settling exercise your dog will learn that the best way to get your attention is to be calm.

Want to learn more? Check out some of these articles:

ASPCA: Mouthing, Nipping and Play Biting in Adult Dogs
The Bark: Is your dog’s rough play appropriate
Cesar’s Way: When dogs play too rough
Victoria Stilwell Positively: Understanding dog play

If you would like to help Fur Kids Foundation continue to help families with animals, please consider making a tax-deductible donation. The money helps families during a time when they may not be able to afford adequate veterinary care. Check out more Success Stories.

Community Veterinary Clinic opening in June!

6/14/2016

Last week, Animal Medical Center of Wyoming hit us with some paw-some news—after 25 years of business in Campbell County, AMC is opening a low-cost, walk-in spay, neuter, and vaccine clinic called the Community Veterinary Clinic. This clinic will allow everyone in the area the opportunity to provide basic care for their cats and dogs at a reasonable price without an appointment! Prices are posted on the Clinic's web page.

According to their blog, the Community Veterinary Clinic will be open Monday-Friday from 8 am-5 pm, and will be located at 2701 S. Douglas Highway, suite C—this is between Club Energize and Good Times in the Sunrise Shopping Center. You can give them a call at 307.682.3800.

Those interested in using this Clinic will receive vaccines for their pets from veterinary technicians, while spay and neuter procedures will be done by AMC's established veterinarians. Essentially, if you take your pet to this new Clinic, Fido or Frisky will not receive an annual exam, they will simply receive their vaccinations or a spay/neuter procedure. If you’d like for your dog or cat to have an annual exam, or you have other veterinary concerns, you’ll need to schedule an appointment with the Medical Center, or another veterinary clinic in town.

AMC will continue to offer state-of-the-art medical, surgical and dental services for diagnostic, treatment and preventative care for companion animals, horses and livestock at their Medical Center at 200 E. Lakeway Road.

Fur Kids Foundation volunteer board members and case managers are super excited to hear about this new, low cost clinic opening in Gillette. Be sure to check out AMC’s website, www.gilletteveterinarian.com, or like their Facebook page for more details on the Community Veterinary Clinic.

Adopt a Cat this June

6/13/2016

Are you thinking about adopting a cat? Paw-tastic! June is a great month to do it, as it's National Adopt a Shelter Cat Month.

For the past three years, Fur Kids Foundation board members have sponsored two cats from the City of Gillette / Campbell County Animal Shelter who need a home of their own. Check out who we’ve helped:

2015: Ben and Cappuccino
2014: Bright Eyes and Garfield
2013: Ozzy and Wilson

If you’re thinking of adopting a cat, swing by the Animal Shelter at 950 W. Warlow Drive and check out the two purr-fect felines below. If you adopt one of these angels, Fur Kids has already paid half of their adoption fee! FYI: These two cuties aren’t on the Animal Shelter’s Petfinder page, but you can see them when you stop by.

UPDATE: Adopted!

Elvis is a very vocal, very active three-month-old kitten. A good Samaritan found him on the streets, and brought him to the vet because he was limping. It was determined that Elvis has a broken pelvis and a hernia. However, nobody has bothered to let Elvis know he’s supposed to take it easy because he’s super feisty kitten! With surgery, Elvis will live a long and healthy life. Donations to help pay for Elvis’ surgery can be given to the Animal Shelter in his name.

This is Sammy, a 10-year-young altered female domestic shorthair cat. Sammy’s owner passed away and the family could not keep her. She loves her people and would love to go to a home with someone who could dote on her hand and paw. She is also quite vocal and often enjoys having conversations with you. This sweet girl just wants to be loved and give a little love, too. She is a little independent, so a proper introduction with cats and dogs is a must.

If you can't adopt a cat, check out this blog for other ideas on how to support Adopt a Shelter Cat Month.

Is your cat adopted from a shelter or a rescue? If so, we'd love for you to tell us about them. Feel free to share them below, or post them on our Facebook page.

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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.

Author

The Fur Kids Foundation blog is written by board member and Founder Felicia. If you have ideas that you would like to see published in the blog such as concerns about pet-focused topics in the community or a funny story, please contact the Foundation. Enjoy!

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