animal rescuers - resources - support

[turasultana]

Originally Posted by fiercegrrl

i just sent an email to a rescue about a dog i saw online that i think will be perfect for me. *crossing fingers*
i've wanted a dog for years and always felt it wasn't the right time. now that i'm sick i've gotten so upset at times that i kept putting off adopting one.
so, i've asked a couple of friends if they would provide a loving home for my dog when the time comes that i can't care properly for him or her. i think that it will a lot to my life to have a dog in it.
i get to meet her tomorrow!

Also note, another option if you want animals but just don't know if you can commit for their lifetime, is to foster. Then you get to help the animal, you get companionship and love, but you pass it on to another when it or you are ready to do so. Sounds like you got it covered though so good luck with your new dog!

[violaine]

-- posted in the holistic thread --

check with your vet, but a lot of the time, small animal vets suggest benadryl spray and fish oil capsule for dry skin issues. i've found the spray gets sticky, and causes more scratching! fish oil in small amounts can be ok for treating internally [the benadryl = externally], but there may be better avenues to take, and products to use. i like neem oil over the benadryl spray, and selsun blue small amount [pigs are only 2-3 pounds as adults!].

exotic pets, such as cavies/guinea pigs, are super drug-sensitive, and cannot be treated with many medications used for people, cats, or dogs. i'm caring for a little guinea pig who was quite a while at the shelter. since i've already posted some of his background in the animal rescue thread, so i won't go into all of it here, but i will share some links, please, on neem oil, and essentials not only for humans, but our animal-family members.

here is how i'm treating the pig, toffee- for parasites- even if he is clean because it cannot harm him:

http://www.oginet.com/pgurney/skinp.htm

[sometimes, these sites do not list exactly how much of a vitamin- like i think here on this one, peter does not write the amount of B vitamin for a guinea pig [like toffee!] who is dealing with impaction issues, and that info can be found in the following link].

http://www.guinealynx.info/nutritional_supplements.html

[be sure for guinea pigs to get the capsule B vitamin and open it up- one B complex will provide four servings, and the capsule type does not contain calcium, which can be a serious problem if a pig gets too much in his diet].

i am not fond of breeding pigs, as there are enough who are awaiting homes in fosters/rescues/shelters, but some good info here on natural / holistic care for unwell dogs also:

http://www.broadstoneguineapigs.co.uk/blog/?cat=5

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15261960
[i love pubmed!]

[Soft*Silver]

I am sad to report that the handsome Newf/Chow mix that I rescued from the pound died suddenly about a week ago. The vet misdiagnosed his cough, thought it was kennel cough. It was heartworm. He had done a heartworm test on him but he said his heart was so strong and he was so alert and active he felt it had to be a false positive. He apologized profusely to me and we grieved together. I love this old country vet. He has put down 4 of my dogs and 2 of my horses over the years. He has even come to my house to euthenize a dog because she couldnt be lifted without causing her serious pain.

Old Max had a good 2 weeks with me. He had a full belly, a soft comforter, a bowl of fresh clean water at all times. He had his own toys. He had been professionally groomed and had years of outside grime and sweat removed from him. He looked so handsome!

I will not be able to foster or rescue again for awhile. I am getting two surgeries done..one for my hiatal hernia, another for my back. Until I recover from this, I am unable to take on more responsibility.

and, my heart needs to heal from the loss of Old Max...

[christie]

Originally Posted by softness

I am sad to report that the handsome Newf/Chow mix that I rescued from the pound died suddenly about a week ago. The vet misdiagnosed his cough, thought it was kennel cough. It was heartworm. He had done a heartworm test on him but he said his heart was so strong and he was so alert and active he felt it had to be a false positive. He apologized profusely to me and we grieved together. I love this old country vet. He has put down 4 of my dogs and 2 of my horses over the years. He has even come to my house to euthenize a dog because she couldnt be lifted without causing her serious pain.

Old Max had a good 2 weeks with me. He had a full belly, a soft comforter, a bowl of fresh clean water at all times. He had his own toys. He had been professionally groomed and had years of outside grime and sweat removed from him. He looked so handsome!

I will not be able to foster or rescue again for awhile. I am getting two surgeries done..one for my hiatal hernia, another for my back. Until I recover from this, I am unable to take on more responsibility.

and, my heart needs to heal from the loss of Old Max...

Awwww, softness. We are so sorry to hear this. I know that even in the two weeks, you had obviously grown to love that old boy.

I'm glad he had you for even a short time. Our hearts hurt for you.

Christie & Jess

[Diavolo]

I'm sorry to hear about Max. We believe that if they can spend their last days in the comfort of a home and receive some love and compassion, we've done our job. I know you thought he was going to get more than he did out of this life, I'm sorry, that's really hard, but thank you for caring about him and making his last days comfortable.

I've volunteered to take on a hospice case. We have two at the rescue right now and they can't afford a third unadoptable dog. This one is a beautiful boy with Wobblers. He's at the shelter, but everyone loves him to death. He's a great dog. He was collapsed when he came in, he couldn't walk. I actually diagnosed him and I've never worked in a vet's office a day in my life. I told them to take neck X-rays and look for Wobblers. They came back and said I was right. They've nursed him back to leap frogging. He won't be adoptable. They have one guy who wants to foster him, if that works great, but I need to know he understands that it's hospice, the dog's probably not getting better or moving on. If that doesn't work, he's coming here. I suspect he's coming here. Wobblers dogs can't be around slick surfaces. My place is carpet and slate. He won't slip here. I had a greyhound who lost his home in his twilight years. Luckily his family worked to find him someplace to go and didn't dump him at the shelter. I took on a red Doberman a few years back who's owner died and the family didn't want her. She lived here for 19 months before the cancer got her. I can do a Wobblers dog until the pain is too much and let him go knowing he was loved.

[Soft*Silver]

thank you for your kind words of support about Max. I am so glad he did have two weeks of being loved and cared for. I have done rescue and foster all my adult life and know only too well how sad it is when the ones we take under our wings, only stay with us a short while. Sometimes our job is simply to help them get to that rainbow bridge they speak of, where our animals go and wait for us over there. I have a small army waiting for me...soft laughter.... I love senior dogs...and have inquired about an old newfie girl I found online...her and my old demented newfie girl should get along famously!

[Diavolo]

This occurred at SF Pride. Bad Rap is the local pit bull rescue. They do amazing things. The funny thing is they are an organization that knows where to draw the line and does so frequently with aggressive dogs. Knowing that, it makes the whole PETA position even more ludicrous.

Link a dink

BTW, Ike the Wobbler's dog from Oakland Animal Services came here last night. He's here for hospice care. Quite honestly I didn't know if I should put him down on the way to my house he was so bad when I got him, I felt so bad for him. But I took him home and once he figured out that he could navigate the slate without falling down and that the cement and dirt in the back yard were safe too he's been doing ok. Not great, but he'll get a few weeks, maybe months with a warm place to sleep and a full belly and he'll know love.

[violaine]

Originally Posted by Diavolo

I took on a red Doberman a few years back who's owner died and the family didn't want her.

animal control now works with rescue groups. in fact, they did telephone dobe rescue, [my contact provided to shelter], on a red doberman who was a stray. chief officer rang me to say they were all very impressed by the woman who came to pick him up at the shelter.

hope you are all doing well, diavolo.