 This is Tipper, a 12 year-old lab mix who has never been spayed. Recently, when Tipper’s dad was petting her, he could tell that a lump was growing on her body. At her age, and because she has never been spayed, he was worried that she may have cancer. Tipper’s dad opted to take her into the vet to get a lump checked.
At the vet, Tipper’s dad learned that the lump was a fatty lipoma. For those who don’t know, lipomas are masses or tumors that develop underneath the skin and can be quite common in older dogs. Lipomas are usually soft, have limited mobility under the skin, and the overlying skin is usually not affected. Over time they can grow larger and can bother the dog or prevent movement if they are located between the legs or low on the chest. Most dogs who develop one lipoma will develop several over time. Other masses under the skin, such as mast cell tumors, can mimic the appearance of a lipoma. Therefore, it is very important to make sure that every mass on your dog is evaluated by a vet individually in case that one of the masses could be cancerous. A vet will often encourage you to monitor your dog's lipomas, noting any changes in size, number or location. Tipper's dad receives disability and wasn't sure he could afford any surgery, especially if it was something serious, so he applied to Fur Kids Foundation for help. Most dogs will not need to have their lipomas removed. However, due to the location of Tipper’s lipoma, the vet recommended that this one be removed. Tipper's dad is going to consider removal, but for now, he's happy that Tipper is healthy and cancer free. Fur Kids Foundation is grateful for the dedication of our volunteers and supporters who have helped local families stay happy and healthy, and together! If you would like to help Fur Kids Foundation continue to help families in Campbell County, Wyoming 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.
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This is Malone, an 11 week-old heeler/pit bull. Malone fell ill recently; he started throwing up, refusing food, and didn’t have the usual energy that puppies normally have. Everyone was afraid that he had parvo, especially since he had missed his second set of booster shots.
When his parents brought him to the vet, he tested negative for parvo (thank goodness) but they believed he had an obstruction. The vet encourage the family to wait a little bit to see if the obstruction would move; unfortunately, when it didn’t, Malone was headed for surgery to remove the obstruction. It was a good thing that Malone did have surgery, as he did have an obstruction, two tampons. (Yes, we know, gross!) 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:
If you suspect your dog may have a blockage, please seek veterinary attention as possible. Malone comes from a family of five that barely lives on a single income. They also recently moved into a home, and are having to pay every two weeks to get caught up on the mortgage for their home. They did not have the funds for his emergency surgery, so they applied to Fur Kids Foundation for help. In the application requesting help from the Foundation, Malone’s mom had this to say about her four-legged buddy: “He is my best friend / lifeline. Malone helps me with my depression and anxiety." The Foundation was happy to help with Malone’s emergency care, and also received word that other members of the community donated to help pay for his care. Fur Kids Foundation is grateful for the dedication of our volunteers and supporters who have helped local families stay happy and healthy, and together! If you would like to help Fur Kids Foundation continue to help families in Campbell County, Wyoming 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.  This adorable mug is Gus, a 3-year-old American Bully. In February, Fur Kids Foundation helped his family with his brother Mugsy, who had a blockage caused by swallowing a whole toy. So, when Gus was showing similar symptoms (vomiting and no energy) his parents feared that Gus also had a blockage, so they rushed him to the vet.
Thankfully, Gus only had a bacterial infection that was causing his tummy troubles, and that can easily be fixed with medication. His dad's hours were cut back this year, and the timing was not right for Gus to get sick, so his family applied to Fur Kids Foundation again for help. For those who don’t know, Fur Kids Foundation does have a limit on the emergency veterinary assistance that we do provide, so we can continue to help families with pets in our area. Gus’ family had not hit that limit with Mugsy, so we were able to help them again with Gus. The Foundation does encourage families to be responsible pet owners and try to save for medical emergencies; however, we do realize that some emergencies cannot be planned for. Having two pets fall ill in 2018 was hard on this family, and we are happy that we were able to help them out. Thankfully, both Mugsy and Gus are doing well. Fur Kids Foundation is grateful for the dedication of our volunteers and supporters who have helped local families stay happy and healthy, and together! If you would like to help Fur Kids Foundation continue to help families in Campbell County, Wyoming 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.  Meet Twitch! This adorable little guy is a 1 to 2 year-old Guinea Pig.
When Twitch's parent adopted her, she had a head tilt that was caused by an ear infection that had been left untreated. It was a serious infection, and she'll always have a permanent head tilt. When her mom noticed her other ear had black gunk in it, she was worried that Twitch had another ear infection so she took her to the vet right away. The vet confirmed that Twitch did in fact have an ear infection. If the ear infections spread from the middle ear to the inner ear, it can become quite serious; therefore, if you suspect an ear infection in your guinea pig, seek veterinary care immediately. If a guinea pig has an ear infection, they may show the following signs:
According to PetMD, “maintaining a clean and sanitized living environment for your guinea pig will help reduce the levels of infectious organisms in your home, and thus help prevent ear infections from occurring.” Twitch's family is a household of four with only one income. Her mom has applied for disability twice, and has been denied both times. They couldn't afford an unexpected visit, so they applied to Fur Kids Foundation for help. While at the vet, Twitch’s family was given some medicine to help knock out the infection. Twitch will have a follow up visit to make sure the infection is completely cleared, and is expected to make a full recovery. Fur Kids Foundation is grateful for the dedication of our volunteers and supporters who have helped local families stay happy and healthy, and together! If you would like to help Fur Kids Foundation continue to help families in Campbell County, Wyoming 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.  This is Nala, a 5 year-old German Shepherd, who is her daddy’s soul mate.
Recently, poor Nala wasn’t acting like her usual self; she was throwing up, under active, and it seemed to her dad that she was not feeling well. So, her dad took her to the vet, where they found that she had pancreatitis. This condition happens when the pancreas becomes inflamed; for those who don’t know, the pancreas is an organ near the stomach that helps digest food and control blood sugar. Pancreatitis can come on all at once and then pass, or it can stay for longer periods. Signs to look for if your dog has a pancreas include:
Older dogs and ones who are overweight are more likely to get it, but it can hit any dog at any time. Sometimes, the condition comes on as a side effect to a drug, or after surgery. Often, a fatty meal, like bacon grease or table scraps, triggers it. Dogs usually recover from mild cases, but if it's severe, it can sometimes lead to death. If your dog has some of these problems for more than a day, or if these symptoms keep coming back, take him to the vet. It could be pancreatitis, or it could be something else. Nala's dad is still paying off a vet bill from when Nala was attacked by another dog, so he knew that he couldn't afford the full bill, so he applied to Fur Kids Foundation for help. We are happy to report that Nala has been sent home and her dad is going to take care of his best friend to make sure she doesn't have any future issues with her pancreatitis. Fur Kids Foundation is grateful for the dedication of our volunteers and supporters who have helped local families stay happy and healthy, and together! If you would like to help Fur Kids Foundation continue to help families in Campbell County, Wyoming 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.
Chaos' mom is a single mom who makes enough to get by and pay for budgeted expenses. She was not expecting a $1,200+ bill to help repair Chaos' hips, so she applied to Fur Kids Foundation for help.
Depending on the situation, there may be some good steps you can take to help prevent your pooch from being hit by a car. One simple, and great training tip, is to teach your pet to sit and wait at every door or curb, or even from the inside of the car to make sure your dog won’t bolt into oncoming traffic. Don’t leave your dog unattended in your yard. And, when you’re backing out of the driveway, make sure your pets are in a safe place. Chaos has a long road of crate rest ahead of him, but after staying at the vet a few days, receiving the treatment he needed, he'll make a full recovery. Fur Kids Foundation is grateful for the dedication of our volunteers and supporters who have helped local families stay happy and healthy, and together! If you would like to help Fur Kids Foundation continue to help families in Campbell County, Wyoming 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.
Pooch Plunge may be cancelled, but you can still support Fur Kids Foundation's Pet Photo Contest8/15/2018 
ATTN Fur Kids Foundation Pack: We have extended our 2019 Pet Calendar Photo Contest to close at 8 pm MT on Friday, August 31. Our new goal is to raise $3,500, and we're so close: currently sitting at $1,949!
If you have an extra $5 to spare, please consider supporting Fur Kids Foundation by voting on or entering a pet in our Photo Contest here: https://www.gogophotocontest.com/fkf Or, guarantee that your pet is featured in our calendar by reserving a calendar day for just $10 each pet -- you pick the date that they are featured in. You can also pre-order a 2019 calendar for $16 (with delivery/pick up in Gillette) or $20 to have it shipped. We need your support! Help us keep pets healthy. Enter today!
August 10, 2018—Gillette, WY—The health and happiness of your pet, and even you/your family, is of utmost importance to Fur Kids Foundation.
As many are aware, on August 8, 2018, Animal Medical Center of Wyoming (AMC) posted on social media about a possible Canine Upper Respiratory Disease Outbreak in Gillette, Wyoming with vaccinated dogs. That night, the Foundation reached out to the experts at AMC to discuss what this could possible mean for the upcoming Pooch Plunge. We also talked with the professionals at Red Hills Veterinary Hospital. Today, AMC continued its third days of cautions to the public about this illness, saying: “At this time, we recommend avoiding dog parks, boarding facilities and any other areas where large numbers of dogs are in contact with each other as this disease can be spread by close contact with other dogs, even airborne.” Because of this illness, the Fur Kids Foundation volunteer board has decided to cancel Pooch Plunge on August 18, 2018 at the City Pool. Please know that this decision was made with you and your pet’s best interests at heart. As many of you know, we help local families with emergency veterinary care. We don’t want to be the cause of an unexpected veterinary visit for anyone in this community. Pooch Plunge is one of the Foundation’s most recognizable events, and a dog favorite. The Foundation is sad that it cannot hold this event this summer, but do encourage residents to support Fur Kids Foundation with the current Pet Calendar Photo Contest and other events that are posted on at www.furkidsfoundation.org. If your pet has any of the following symptoms cough; difficulty breathing; discharge from eyes or nose; lethargy; and fever; please call your vet immediately. Supporters of Pooch Plunge, who deserve a round of applause, include: • Advance America • Animal Medical Center Of Wyoming • Anastasia & David Blackwell • Campbell County, Wyoming Government • Cathy Brand, RE/MAX Professionals • City of Gillette (Government) • Cloud Peak Energy • Community Veterinary Clinic • Cindy Lovelace Agency - Farmers Insurance • First Interstate Bank • First National Bank of Gillette • Forever Faithful Pet Crematory • Friedlan Family • Fraternal Order of the Eagles • Lazy KT Designs, LLC • Darren & Kim Lynde • Mary Kelley • Billy & Toby Montgomery • Overhead Door Company of Gillette • Pinnacle Bank Wyoming • Pizza Carrello • Premier Home Mortgage, Inc. • Quality Auto of Gillette • Red Hills Veterinary Hospital • Scott & Linda Rexroat • Peggy & Rod Seppala • Simpsons Printing - Wyoming • Steven K. McManamen, Attorney At Law • Susan McKay CPA LLC • The SPaw • Thunder Basin Homes. 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 in Campbell County, Wyoming. Since September 2012, Fur Kids Foundation has helped 561 families in Campbell County, Wyoming and granted $97,702.21 in emergency veterinary care. The Foundation is completely volunteer ran, and 75% of the funds raised go directly to helping families with pets. Success stories can be viewed at www.furkidsfoundation.org/success-stories.html. For more information about Fur Kids Foundation, visit www.furkidsfoundation.org. Find FKF on www.facebook.com/furkidsfoundation. Follow us on Twitter, @furkidswyo. For Immediate Release Contact: Felicia Messimer furkidsfoundation@gmail.com  This beauty is Sunny, a 15-year-old Siamese cat. Sunny’s mom noticed that she had lost one of her canine teeth, and her mouth was swollen and had started to bleed—so Sunny was taken into the vet. In the office, Sunny’s mom learned that her cat had stage three periodontal disease, and she needed multiple teeth pulled.
By taking care of your cat’s teeth, you are helping to care for their overall health. It’s important to know that there are multiple stages of pet periodontal disease and without a proper veterinary dental exam, cleaning and other testing, there is no way to know if your pet’s oral health is at risk. Even though it may not seem like a big problem at first, periodontal infections can lead to more serious health problems, and can be quite painful for your pet. (You can see examples of periodontal disease here.) Signs of issues with your cat’s teeth can include:
Sunny’s mom had recently lost her job and decided to go back to school to get her degree. She was not anticipating that Sunny would need her teeth pulled, and was worried if she didn't get the bad teeth pulled, she would continue to suffer and get worse. She applied to Fur Kids Foundation for help. Fur Kids Foundation is grateful for the dedication of our volunteers and supporters who have helped local families stay happy and healthy, and together! If you would like to help Fur Kids Foundation continue to help families in Campbell County, Wyoming 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. |
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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.
AuthorThe 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! Archives
February 2019
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