Pet of the Month - March 2012 - Napolean

On November 2^nd we had our first cold rain of the fall season.  Lacey was working at the Cedar Bend Humane Society when man came in holding a wet towel.  Little did she know Lacey was about to meet her new best friend.  The man told her that he saw the car in front of him toss a cat out the window, with other cars swerving to avoid hitting the kitten.  Inside the wet towel was an 8 week old kitten with his right hear dangling from his head.  Lacey quickly took him to the back and started to warm and clean the kitten.  One severed ear, a broken tail and some pretty bad scrapes.  The kitten was so tired it couldn’t even eat.  Lacey thought to herself “If you make it through the night, I will try my best to save your life.” 

The next morning, the kitten, “Napolean,” was waiting for her return.  She took him to see Dr. Smith who carefully removed the rest of the dead ear and started him on an antibiotic.  The bad news was that he would need surgery.  After a couple of weeks of tender loving care, Napolean was gaining strength and healing.  After checking around, Lacey found out that the surgery to finish fixing his severed ear was going to cost $1200.  Then a call came in from a surgeon who heard of this sweet kitty and offered to do the surgery for free.  Dr. Brent Reimer used Taylor Vet’s surgical suite, anesthesia and medications and through that partnership, Napolean had a complete ear ablation on November 21^st. 

Napolean is now healthy and happy – the two things Lacey never thought he would be!  A HUGE thank you goes out to Dr. Brent Reimer and Taylor Vet for dedicating their time and resources to helping an abandoned shelter cat. 

Pet of the Month - February 2012 - Chaos and Jinxx

Chaos is a 9 year old German Shepard rescue dog. When he was adopted he was 5 1/2 months old and a mere 37 pounds. Chaos was seized from a residence where he was greatly neglected. He was being fostered by a gal from Animal Control. She knew the Pilchers were looking for a German Shepard, so she brought him down to the the Humane Society for them to meet him. They walked him around the back yard, and he decided this was his forever family by jumping on Dawn and smearing her white shirt with mud. That decided it! He has been a cherished addition to their family, but they felt he may like a younger canine friend. Jinxx is a purebread Siberian Husky they adopted from family in New Mexico, and in Jinxx, Chaos got more than a friend, he now has a little brother!

Chaos loves to chase tennis balls, although his arthritis gets the better of him sometimes. Jinxx also likes to chase balls, as well as play tug-of-war. He also loves to rip the squeakys out of his toys, then the squeaky keeps him busy for HOURS!!! But mostly they like to play together in the back yard.

Pet of the Month - January 2012 - Sophie Butters

Lindsey heard through a friend that there was a little terrier mix puppy that was tied to a tree in Brooklyn, IA.  Lindsey walked up to her and saw this sweet puppy was tiny, dirty, had tangled hair and overgrown nails, and had a tag on her that said “Free.”  Lindsey has always had a soft spot for animals, even has volunteered at animal shelters, so she knew she had to bring this little girl back to Cedar Falls.  She planned on trying to find a friend or family member to take her or possibly to bring her to the animal shelter. The first night in Cedar Falls “Sophie” went and sat next to Lindsey’s bed at bed time and waited for help on the bed, Lindsey knew then that “Sophie” was hers forever “Sophie” has been an easy-going dog who is quite outgoing.  She loves to take walks, play and eat turkey with peanut butter for a treat.  “Sophie” found her forever home with Lindsey and they both are better off because of it. 

Pet of the Month - December 2011 - Dana Jasper

Kim Jasper loves checking out the animals at the Humane Society, but it seems when she does that, one of the cats out there, steals her heart.  That was how Dana became part of her family.  Dana was a mellow, friendly cat who loved Kim from the first minute she stepped into the cat room.  Dana was adopted on St. Patrick’s Day in 2010, they estimate she was 3 years old then.  She is a loveable cat, who puts up with most anything.  She loves kids, dogs, strangers.  Soon after she came home, she started having digestive issues.  Dana spent a lot of time at Taylor Vet after she was diagnosed with megacolon, which causes constipation, abdominal cramping and is very difficult to treat.  Kim tried all the treatments, Laxatone, enemas, other types of medicine, a major diet change, and Dana was just not getting better.  Dana was such a trooper through it all.  Finally after a lot of trial and error, they found the right combination of treatments that worked!  Dana now gets medicine three times a day, and eats a very special diet mixed with canned pumpkin.  She is a playful cat who loves to bring all her toys to Kim’s bed in the middle of the night and hides them in her shoes.  Even though Dana is more high maintenance than most cats, in Kim’s opinion, being able to have her healthy and whole is a blessing that far outweighs the costs.   

4 Tips for Bringing Your Cat to the Veterinarian

We know it can be tough to wrangle your cat for a trip to the veterinarian’s office. Many cats dislike the cat carrier as well as riding in the car, so heading in for an annual checkup can sometimes be a stressful proposition. Follow these four tips when you head to your next veterinary appointment to reduce your cat’s stress and make for a calmer car ride.

1. Make the carrier your cat’s second home.
Cat carriers are typically associated with many unpleasant things. Many cat owners keep the carrier in a closet or in the garage, so the cat hasn’t rubbed on it or slept inside it. Cats who haven’t transferred their scent to the carrier, therefore, see it as a foreign object. So give your cat time to mark the carrier with facial rubbing—she’ll feel like it belongs to her, and you may find it easier to place her inside. If you have room, make the carrier a part of your family room furniture. That means leaving it out all the time with the door open. Place a soft towel inside to make it a little more cozy. Pretty soon, your cat won’t think twice about entering the carrier.

2. Turn the carrier into a meal center.
Put part of your cat’s daily food in the carrier to help your cat associate something good with the carrier. Even better: Use a bit of especially yummy food, like canned food or even a little tuna. Or try tossing your cat’s favorite treat in the carrier when she wants to be left alone. This will reward her for seeking solitude in the carrier and continue to reinforce the notion that the carrier isn’t so bad after all.

3. Try a different kind of carrier.
If you have an emergency and don’t have time to let your cat adjust to the carrier, try using a pillowcase as a carrier. With the cat on your lap, slip the pillowcase over her body, head first. Knot the top of the case and support the bottom when holding your cat. Alternately, you can use any type of item your cat likes to nap in—two laundry baskets connected together could also work. These items aren’t a trigger for fear like your standard carrier might be.

4. Consider using a synthetic product.
Using a product that contains a feline facial pheromone can help calm cats during stressful events. These products can be sprayed on blankets, towels, or bandanas before you head to the veterinarian. Many cats become less agitated when their owners use these sprays, so purchasing one could make your life easier when it’s time to take your cat for a car ride.

Regular wellness exams are crucial for keeping your cat happy and healthy. Use these tips the next time you head to your veterinarian to make it much easier on both you and your cat.
 
Information courtesy of Dr. Sally J. Foote, Okaw Veterinary Clinic, Tuscola, Ill.

Paisley Cryer - Pet of the Month - November 2011

Playful Paisley Cryer loves to balance on the rungs of the kitchen chairs, to "stalk" her owners, and to chase ice cubes on the floor.  Her favorite toys include a scarf, her own tail, and laundry baskets.  She loves to sleep on the third floor of a doll house and carries her little stuffed lion all over the house.  She also loves to take catnaps in her owner's arms.  Her 5:30 a.m. meowing is tolerated by her owners only because she's so cute and loving.  She's an enthusiastic bundle of endless purring and playful tail twitching.  Our family is blessed to have her!

Leptospirosis

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease (a disease that can be transmitted from animals to humans) that is found in many wildlife reservoirs, such as deer, raccoons, rats, skunks and opossums. The disease is caused by a spiral shaped bacteria and is transmitted through urine, venereal transfer, across the placenta from mother to fetus, bite wounds, and ingestion of infected meat.
The most common route of transmission is from a carrier animal into stagnant or slow moving water to a dog. Late summer and fall have a higher incidence of disease cases due to the optimal temperatures occurring at this time of year.  After only one day of infection, the bacteria begins to attack many organ systems including kidney, liver, spleen, central nervous system, eyes and genital tract. Clinical signs noted at home range from fever, little to no appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, and reluctance to move. Death due to dehydration and organ failure can happen quickly.
Confirmed diagnosis of this disease is important because of the potential risk to all humans having contact with the affected pet. Unfortunately diagnostic lab tests that give a quick result have been difficult to interpret and have unreliable results. The reliable blood tests require several weeks time to confirm a diagnosis and this disease does not allow this kind of time to treat. Treatment must begin immediately based on history and clinical signs.
Treatment for Leptospirosis involves supportive care to treat dehydration and support the organs being threatened. Antimicrobial drugs are administered initially to stop the organism from multiplying and then continued for at least three weeks to stop the carrier state and chronic disease.
Prevention of Leptospirosis is very important. We are seeing an increase in the number of cases of this terrible disease in the Cedar Valley and have updated our vaccination protocal to address this change.
Initially two types, or serovars, of Lepto were believed to cause the majority of disease. They were icterohaemorrhagiae and canicola. After veterinarians began vaccinating for these two serovars the incidence of the disease went down. However the initial vaccine did not protect against all of the serovars of Lepto and soon the incidents of disease caused by these extra types began to rise also.  There are more current vaccines now that protect against four of the serovars of Lepto. Now the vaccine for Lepto also includes the serovars, grippotyphosa and pomona. For this reason, your veterinarian may be asking you to bring your dog in for a Lepto booster to boost your dogs immunity to these additional serovars and give your dog
more complete protection against this deadly disease.

Elizabeth Bixby, DVM