Stupid Veterinary Technician kills cat!

I heard this horrifying story last week and it is still eating away at me so I just have to share.

It seems that a while back there was a loving cat owner who brought their beloved cat into their local Veterinarian's office to have it bathed. They left their fur baby in what they were assured were loving capable hands and went about their day. The technician later took the cat into the bathing room to bathe, attached a lasso type restraint and then left the cat..... WTF! Of course, if you have any brains at all, you can figure out what happened next. Yes, the cat jumped down and hanged himself. It is too bad that we have to have "filler" people in this world.

First and foremost SHAME on the Vet for hiring someone who obviously had no experience what so ever! We entrust our Animal Children to you! What were you thinking?

Having been the "Cat Bathing Specialist" for one of the Hospitals I worked in, here are a few tips to go over before you take a cat to be bathed. You might ask your Vet or groomer to explain their procedure up front so that you know that they know what they are doing. These are also helpful steps to follow if you bathe your own pets.

1. Never, never, never leave an animal alone and unattended on the bathing table, in the tub or in the sink! Duh!! Make sure you have everything at arms reach before you start anything, and damned the phone, let it ring!

2. Do not lasso or put a collar and leash on a cat! Use a harness for cats and small dogs.

3. Before going to a Veterinarian or groomer, get referrals. Ask your local trusted Animal Rescue group who they use. They will give you the nitty gritty that you truly need to know. Ask friends and neighbors who they use and whither or not they have ever had complaints about a certain Vet Hospital or groomer.

4. Ask your Veterinarian for referrals from clients as well. Happy clients always return!

5. Try to find a Veterinarian or groomer who specializes in bathing cats, then get referrals from their clients first. Again, your Animal Rescue Groups are going to give you the most unbias opinion! They love ALL animals!

I don't know the name of this Hospital or where it occurred so don't ask! But if it had been my Beloved Pet they would no longer be in Practice.

God Bless you, who ever the cats human parents were. I can only imagine your pain and anger. I only pray that you never return to that Stupid unresponsible Veterinary Office.

Mama Cyd

Cat Tip of the day!

Veterinarians recommend having at least one litter box in your house for every cat plus one extra. Although it may mean more work for us, their servants, it will help to eliminate accidents and down right acts of protest outside the box. Scoop soiled litter daily, cats are very fussy about cleanliness!

What Pest Control is Safe for your Pets?

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At this time of year we begin to think about controlling the little pests that plague our pets. Fleas, Ticks, Flies, Mosquitos and other pesky biting and blood scucking insects. It is of the utmost importance to the health of our pets and our families to do so. These insects can carry diseases that are harmful to warm blooded animals, including humans. Some examples are Lyme disease, Heart Worm, Rocky Mountain fever, West Nile virus and Tape worm. In extreme cases, blood sucking fleas can also cause Anemia in kittens and puppies.

Many Pet stores carry topical treatments, sprays, powders and shampoos that make over the top claims of doing the deed. Some of these treatments however, can also be toxic to your Pets, see story from msnbc . Adverse reactions can be severe in some cases, so buyer beware. Research the available products before using them and speak with a professional.

Most Veterinarians recommend the use of either Frontline or Advantage as these products have a delivery system that is safer for your pets and have a lower incidence of allergic reactions. Even so, be sure to follow the dosing instructions on the package. These products are packaged in amounts premeasured for an animals specific weight. I heard someone say this week that if you used the next size up from the recommended weight of your animal that you only needed to use the product every other month. OMG, what were they thinking? Would you give an infant an adult dose of medication? The dosing instructions are on the packaging for a reason.

There are even many ways to naturally protect you pet without topical treatments. One way is to bathe your pet regularly with a mild, moisturizing pet shampoo. You can also supplement their diets with brewers yeast and garlic which are natural flea replants. Some people sware by simply using Avon Skin So Soft on their pets. There are even a lot of companies that promote their own "natural" flea control products. But again buyer beware as a chemical is a chemical, natural or not. Even natural substances can have ill effects on your pet. Always check with your Veterinarian first. What ever method of control you choose, vacuum, vacuum, vacuum and do it often. Get those critters out of your carpet and upholstery.

When your dog or cat goes outside it is also important to keep the pest population in check there as well to help break their breeding cycle. A good pest control company can help to eliminate fleas, ticks and biting flies as well. Of course we all know about making sure there is no stagnant standing water for Mosquitos to breed in. For the ecologically conscious there are companies that only use green products that are safer for you, your pets, and the environment.

Be sure to look at the big picture. Take care of the pests inside your home, on your pet and outside. Your cat, dog and family will be happier, healthier and more comfortable this season.


Recommended Pest Control Co: Robinson Pest Control
San Fernando Valley, So. CA.

Does your Dog suffer from joint pain?

My Misty girl did too!

Misty is actually short for Misdemeanor, and boy did she commit a few of those when she was a pup. But now, she is our cute feisty girl.

How could we resist that face?

Misty, like all of our animal family is a rescue dog. At about 8 weeks old, someone found Misty running down a busy street with a rope tied around her neck and brought her into a nearby veterinary hospital. A friend asked us to foster her for a weekend while they could make other arrangements. Our lone dog at the time, Maggie, became very attached to Misty during her stay with us and therefore we decided they were suitable companions who could keep each other company for the rest of their doggie years.
Full of piss and vinegar, at about 6 months old, Misty caught her toenail in a brick during one of her frequent runs through the back yard. The blood coming from her paw where the nail had been literally ripped out signaled to us that some sort of injury had occurred. We took her to the vet to be examined, but besides the missing nail, nothing else seemed to be wrong. She didn't even cry, wince in pain or make a fuss.
About six months later, as Misty grew from a cute mischievous puppy into the awkward dog we now love so much, her leg began to turn outward. At that time, with still no complaint from her, we decided a complete set of x-rays and an orthopedic consult was necessary. After review of all Misty’s x-rays the vet concluded Misty had in fact fractured her front left leg, which since had healed incorrectly on its own all unbeknownst to us. We had the option of surgery which entailed re-breaking the bone, casting and keeping her immobile for months in order for it to heal. Although, even with the surgery the vet warned Misty would probably suffer from Arthritis as she aged. The entire process seemed too cruel and we knew Misty would never be happy being caged for that length of time. For all intents and purposes she seemed perfectly happy and healthy and so there we left it.
Another four years went by with our happy puppy before we began to notice Misty limping. She also became quite grumpy, which did not match her usual character. In an attempt to alleviate Misty’s growing Arthritic pain, we tried several veterinary recommended products but nothing seemed to help.
Then, about a year ago, I came across Joint Strong while purchasing products for one of the animal rescue groups I worked with. The owner of the wholesale warehouse and his wife swore by it for their own animals. They had even used it to aide their own Arthritic pain with incredible results! So, I brought home my first two-pound jug for Misty and wow, what a difference it made! Within a week, we noticed her limping less and less and her overall persona transformed from her previously grouchy state, to the much more playful and happy Misty we had fallen in love with.
The greatest thing about Animal Naturals products is they are 100% natural. So, I can feel good about giving them to my Misty and she can just plain feel good!

Recent picture of Misty on a hike!

Spring brings on added strain to Animal Rescue Groups

Spring is in the air, the flowers are beginning to bloom, the bees are buzzing around the trees and flowers, and many unwanted kittens and puppies are being born. This puts added strain on the awesome people who take time out of their already busy lives to rescue and care for the millions of otherwise forgotten animals. I have worked with animal rescue groups in some capacity for over 10 years now, and let me tell you, these people are amazing. Some literally spending 20 hours a day, cleaning cages, scooping cat boxes, taxiing animals to veterinary appointments, standing for hours at rescue events, administering vaccines and other necessary medication, educating the public and never thinking of their own needs.
In today's economy the need is even greater for these rescue groups! More and more animals are dumped in our streets because their owners are unable to care for them due to job loss and the high cost of living. Some of these dogs and cats are turned over to our local Animal Shelters still others find refuge with a kind hearted rescue person. Unfortunately the majority of these animals are not spayed or neutered, causing the numbers to climb even higher.This special group of people, called rescuers, can not say no, it is their calling to care for these innocent unconditionally loving lives.
The most important thing we can do is to educate the public. It is estimated that 9.6 million animals are euthanized every year in the United States alone, due to animal illness and overcrowding in our animal shelters. Those millions only represent about 56% of the US dog population and about 71% of the US cat population. Heartbreaking isn't it. With these staggering numbers it becomes obvious that we need to do something to help these financially strapped Rescue Groups and our Animal Care System.
First of all we need to spay or neuter our animals. Many animal shelters will offer vouchers to help with the cost of the relatively easy spaying and neutering procedures.
Secondly we must shy away from purchasing animals from puppy mills and pet stores. Your local Animal Shelter or Rescue Group can help you to find just the right cat or dog. In addition, there are multiple rescue groups on line that specialize in specific breeds of animals to be adopted. I know this to be fact, as I have two snowshoe Siamese and two Himalayas and all of them were rescued animals. There is no better love, let me tell you. Thirdly, if you are an animal lover but are unable to adopt a Fur-child, donate to your local Animal Shelters or Rescue Groups. They are constantly in need of towels, beds, food, toys, newspapers, pet food coupons, fosters, and always funds for Veterinary care. In doing so you will not only help an animal in need, but will find a warm fuzzy feeling in your heart.

>^..^<

Coasta the Haitian Hound Part 2

Chapter 2

Once we arrived back at our apartment in Petion Ville another adventure with Coasta began. We were extremely tired from our drive but had a puppy and two live chickens to contend with. Our apartment was small with two bedroom suites and a central living room/kitchen area. We decided to place the chickens in the bathtub of the second suite with the door closed and the puppy in the attached room with a bed, some water, and newspapers spread on the floor. After tucking little Coasta in we closed the bedroom door and went off to sleep in our own room. If he cried we were oblivious, slumber took us down hard and quickly.

The next morning I awoke early with the excitement of playing with my new companion. I wanted to try to find dog food, a collar and a leash which proved to be a task in and of itself in a land that has never heard of Petco. I also figured his training needed to start right away so I hurried to the extra bedroom suite to take him outside for his first morning potty. Boy was I ever in for a surprise. As I opened the door two things became very clear; one: I had slept like a rock through an obvious storm, two: Coasta and the chickens had not!

The first thing I noticed was "feathers", everywhere! The boxes of our belongings brought from the United States were open on the bed with half of their contents strewn about or torn up. The chickens were also on the bed trying to hide amongst these items, squawking noisily and flapping their wings further spreading feathers. The bathroom door was wide open and again the feathers were so thick I wondered that the chickens still had any to spare. There were chicken droppings and little dog messes everywhere, so much for the potty run! And from under the bed waddled a cute little fat bellied Coasta to lick my face. Oh my goodness, I thought I had been tired the night before, but I had my work cut out for me now.

After cleaning up this disaster with the Coasta we did the best we could with him, but he proved to be a little too wild for a small apartment. We had no where to keep him outdoors and our landlord was not a happy man, especially since chewed and soiled furniture in the rented space was also owned by him. Coasta barked nonstop, chewed a very special hand crocheted afghan given to me by a friend as a wedding gift; he ate an entire crystal butter dish! I swear, the only thing left were slivers, and trust me; there are not many Veterinarians in Haiti, let alone ones that will make a house call in the middle of the night for that sort of trauma.

Although he was a happy adorable puppy it became obvious to us that he was not an apartment dwelling dog. He tripled in size in a month’s time and needed lots of room to run and grow. We were very fortunate that one of my husband’s friends quickly agreed to adopt Coasta. He had a house on a large plot of land and we new that Coasta would be well cared for there. He could run in the grass, chase the chickens and goats and would have the blue sky above him and the ocean breeze to blow back his floppy little ears. He would finally be free the way he was meant to be, after all he was a Haitian Hound.

Our Little Slice of Pumpkin Pie!

"That cat does not leave this house" my husband said as I hung up the phone from speaking with a friend who had a prospective adoptive family for the little orange kitten I was fostering. I will never forget it because since working in Veterinary Medicine and closely with Animal Rescue groups I have heard more often from him, "If you bring home one more animal, you will sleep in the garage with it". My husband truly has a heart of gold and the fact that he refused to adopt out our little golden ball of fluff proves it.
She was brought to me by a friend and fellow rescue advocate who knew I could not say "NO". She was maybe 6 weeks old and had been dumped by someone and probably left for dead. She was a dirty, scruffy little thing with pneumonia, hydrocephalus, entropian eyelids, worms, fleas and herpes. I kept her in a humidifier, gave her antibiotics, wormed her and fattened her up with premium kitten food. I truly wondered if she would survive. But she was a true fighter and after about 4 weeks of TLC and hard work she was moved to our den to await testing and full vaccination before joining her new family of other felines. There she had more room to play and grow and continued to weasel her way into our hearts. I knew my husband was sneaking in to spend time with her even though he had said "I don't want to have anything to do with any more cats". I didn't realize how attached he had become until the night that my friend called about placing her for adoption.
That was it, and we agreed that she would keep the name that I had affectionately begun calling her due to the over-sized dome shape of her "Pumpkin Head". At 6 months we had her spayed and her eyelids fixed and also found out that she left a couple of Veterinary Doctors a bit perplexed. She still had a very round head with her ears firmly planted on the sides. A trait that most kittens outgrow by this age. The gap in her scull had not fully closed, and her jaws were a little malaligned causing a grinding sound when she chewed. She was also about half the size of a normal cat her age and extremely bow legged. She walked like a drunken cowboy at times. Outside of these peculiar physical traits however, she seemed to be as healthy as a horse and was as happy as a lark.
She was our special girl and we loved the way she would chirp instead of Meow like a regular cat. We used to say "she sees dead people", because when playing she never quite batted at the toy, but rather at the shadows surrounding it. When she made "happy feet" she would knead with all four paws instead of the usual two that most cats find adequate. Nightly she would come into the master bath to carry on surprisingly long discussions with my husband and me as we got ready for bed. Sometimes out of the blue she would come running across the living room floor jumping and chasing the unknown. You had to laugh because she was just so damn cute. Every visitor to our home was entranced by the fact that this adorable "kitten" looking and acting cat was really fully grown.
A year ago in November she began to have seizures. We were devastated knowing her physical quirks and history. Lab work, exams and multiple visits to the confounded Veterinarians office confirmed that it was possible for her to live a fairly normal life on medication. She was placed on phenobarbital which kept her seizure activity to a minimum. We gladly held her when she seized, in spite of the scratches and where more than happy to give her the medication every day. It even seemed like she understood the reasoning of it and we made a game out of playing with her needless syringe every day. She would throw it into the air and then pounce on it when it came back down. Often times she would make it disappear completely, hmm she was no dummy.
Through the discovery of her seizures she became more cherished. I think we knew in the back of our minds that she might not live to be as old as most normal cats. After all she was never normal. I never scolded her, not when she snagged the side of my sheets, not when she accidentally scratched me, not even when she had an accident outside of her box, never. She was too special, too innocent, my little angel cat and I loved her so much.
Last night she lost her battle with the seizures. She began seizing in the afternoon and by 2 AM with the additional phenobarbital and the Valium that the Vet gave her she was still wavered between seizing and being catatonic, we felt it best to let her go. I am truly grateful to the lovely Veterinarian who stayed with us for more than 4 hours and her technicians who handled Pumpkin so gently. My husband and I are beside ourselves with grief , we have lost our special child and she was only 5 years old. She is still deeply loved and will be greatly missed by everyone who knew her. I know she will be waiting for us someday just over the rainbow bridge.

Why would you cut your pets nails with a rotozip?

Seriously now, why? Imagine you are a cat or a dog and someone comes at you with this thing that spins and makes noise, and they are trying to put your toes into it? You know what I am talking about, those NEW fangled pet claw filers that are sold everywhere now; Pet-paws or Petty-Paws. They are even on the inter- net. Don't get me wrong, I think who ever invented them had a great idea, but they obviously had never worked in the Veterinary field, or tried to cut the nails on a fractious cat. For God sake, my dog runs when I hold a spoon down to her. If an animal is afraid there is no way you will be able to get close enough to him to use it. If your animal were to jump whilst his digits where in the roto, you could zip off a lot more than you bargained for. The so called safety stop or shield on these devises is "one size fits all" and with animals that is not the case. You could do major damage to a kittens paw before his little pads hit the shield. I can see using this device on an old dog, who would let a child dress him in her favorite doll clothes, or one who is used to being groomed regularly, but I don't think it is ideal for your every day feline or jumpy puppy!

Having worked and lived in the animal industry in some capacity for a greater part of my life I would recommend a good pair of Veterinary type nail clippers. A large pair of ordinary human toe nail clippers will also do the trick on cats and kittens. If your cat or dog is the least bit squirmy however, I highly recommend having their nails trimmed professionally. If you have other small pets, like rabbits or guinea pigs please do not try to cut their nails by yourself. These small animals are especially fragile and a well intentioned owner could easily do them harm. However you plan to keep your pets nails trimmed, start at an early age and cut them regularly to keep them safe and unafraid of the process. Call your Veterinarians office. Most of them will offer to cut your pets nails for a small fee without charging you for an office visit.

I am not trying to bash the makers, just protect the safety of our pets and furry family members.

Coasta the Haitian Hound Part 1

Coasta, the Haitian Hound

Chapter One

At the very innocent age of 21, I moved with my new husband to a far away land. “I am taking you to Paradise” he told me! Little did I know at the time that Haiti would provide such a beautiful, funny, and yet sometimes painful chapter to my life. My husband had rented a two bedroom apartment for us in Petion Ville, which was a beautiful little hillside town overlooking the Capital City of Port a Prince.

As soon as we had deposited our suit cases and boxes of belongings in our new home, it was time for me to meet my new father in law. My husband had rented a tiny cookie cutter, two-door Renault to navigate the three hour drive to his father’s home in Gonaives. The drive there was breath taking and exciting. When you are used to riding along the California highways, the narrow two lane roads of Haiti, on which everyone drives 90 miles an hour, can seem like a scary roll-a-coaster ride. Everywhere you looked there was color, from the dark green county side, the deep blue ocean in the distance, the bright clothing worn by most of the people, to the almost neon kaleidoscope of colors on the Tap Tap’s that whizzed by us within inches, horns blazing, piled high with produce, luggage and people. It also seemed that the only kind of car allowed in Haiti, besides the afore mentioned busses, must be the Renault, as different colors of the same variety we drove dotted the “highway”.

We spent a lovely long day at his father’s home. I was in pig heaven; or should I say goat heaven, loving the farm like atmosphere, with the goats, chickens and puppies. It felt surreal to be in this vastly different country so many miles from home. My new father in law was extremely sweet and eager to welcome me into the family with a typical Haitian feast. Creole fried chicken, red beans and rice, fried plantains and of course, a nice warm glass of fresh goats milk (Yuck). When it came time for us to leave that evening, my new father in law made sure that our car was adequately loaded with plenty of welcoming wedding gifts. We could barely close the doors on that little hatch back which was now loaded to the gills with, mangos, citron, two live chickens (yes I said live, and they weren’t to be pets either), left over food from our feast, and a ti’ chien, a little puppy that I had been playing with that day.

As we set off on our long journey home, I sat in the passenger seat with the cuddly, fat wormy bellied, white and brown 8 week old puppy on my lap giggling like a school girl. I figured his placement on my lap to be the best bet as there were two live chickens, with their feet tied together in the back seat. My husband and I laughed at the cute little guy as we drove through the much darker green now, mostly deserted, country side of Haiti. The only real light was from the dim glow of the dashboard lights, and the reflection of our headlights off the road ahead. Rarely, we would see cooking fires, which marked the scattered shacks of a small neighborhood we’d passed. In all the excitement I decided to name the little guy Costa in honor of the radio station we had listened to back in the United States and the fact that we were now living on “The Coast”.

There was one little detail, however, that had not been mention as we left my new father in laws home. Little Coasta had just been fed… Well let me tell you, unbeknownst to me, they did not have canned dog food in Haiti, and Coasta’s super had been the entrails of our own. About 30 minutes into our drive, miles away from anything, in the pitch dark of the car interior, on my lap, Coasta got sick! There was no gakking sound, no heaving, and no warning what so ever, just a sudden feeling of warm, sticky, steamy goo all over the front of my body.

When I squealed my husband immediately steered the reeking rental car off the road, parked and ran to my rescue. I managed to get out of the car without getting much of the mess in it. We searched the car and the goodies that had been bestowed upon us by my father in law, only to find that, nope, he had not given us any paper towels and there certainly weren’t any left over take out napkins stuffed in the glove box to clean up with.

God bless my husband, he ran about a half a mile back to the nearest shack to see if he could find anyone with anything to help us clean up. But my clothes were a mess and I was soaked to the skin, so I stripped down to my bra and panties just as quickly as he disappeared. I didn’t want to add insult to injury as I was now gagging my head off. Imagine the look on his face when my husband returned to the car with a rag, a bowl of water, and a shocked looking Good Samaritan from the nearest Village. There I stood, a fair skinned, blonde, American in nothing but my undies in the middle of nowhere. All the while this adorable puppy sat on the side of the road getting it all out and looking at me as though I were crazy.

Needless to say, Coasta rode home the rest of the way in the back seat of the car with two very annoyed chickens, and an annoyed, half naked adoptive Mom in the front seat. Thankfully, there are a lot of people in Haiti that don’t wear much clothing, so no one seemed to care about my lack thereof. But let me tell you, it was a very long and very loud trip home. It was a good thing Coasta was cute, or he might have gone home with the Good Samaritan. I never knew before that night, just how much I appreciated the road side rest stop, or the corner gas station…. But Coasta was going home with us.