Pet of the Month - Chester Ketter

Chester is a hero, plain and simple. As soon as he was adopted into Allison's home, he saved her life. Allison first met him as a stray on the streets, he was smelly and hungry. No one claimed him and 10 days later, he was adopted into his forever home with Allison.

Chester had this odd habit of trying to bite Allison's chest - for no reason. In early May of 2007, Allison was laying down and Chester came over and took his paw and hit her chest really hard. This time it really hurt. Allison noticed a lump and thought it was from the hit - but it didn't go away. She knew right away that it would be breast cancer. That is how Chester saved Allison's life - she has now been cancer free for 5 years, and Chester has no need to bite or hit her anymore. He is a crucial part of Allison's critter family, and will forever be known as a hero.

Pet of the Month - December 2012 - Tank Nelson

Meet Tank! Tank is a Black Lab/Rottweiler mix who is 10 years old. When Tim picked him out, he noticed the size of his paws and knew that Tank would be a good name for him!

Tank loves to take walks, go for rides in the car or truck, people and dog watch from the window, be social and get attention from people.

Tank's parents, Tim and Stephanie started to notice some problems with Tank's mobility in the spring of 2011, but attributed it to his age or the medication he was on. Then it got really bad - he couldn't make it up much of an incline, stairs, small hill in their yard, etc. They took him to the vet in the summer of 2011 for his yearly checkup and he weighed 170 pounds! It was time for them to make a few changes! He had gradually gained weight because of treats, not measuring food and occasional people food. Tim and Stephanie did the hard work of measuring food, limiting the amount of unhealthy treats and instead gave him mostly carrots which took him a while to get used to, and cutting out all people food. They brought Tank in for monthly visits to the vet to get weighed and each time Tank had lost a lot of weight and he started getting around a lot better!  Tank currently is down to 103 pounds!  He is able to do more of the things he loves to do. 

Tank Before

Tank After Weight loss

Pet of the Month - November 2012 - Mason Stuber

Mason is also known as the miracle cat.  He was up for adoption at Cedar Bend Humane Society, and when Dave walked in, Mason picked him.  Darla visited next and Mason's fate was sealed.  He found his forever home with them.  While he was just a kitten, they noticed that he was wheezing and panting when he would play.  They brought him in to the vet and he was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) which means that the ventricles in his heart have thicker walls, which makes the heart have to work harder to pump blood.  He is now on twice daily medicines and lives life like a fairly normal 4 year old cat.  He lays in Darla's lap for his pills and takes them without a fuss.  He still plays some, but mostly wants to lay down in a pile of toys and be played with.  He does play with the other cats that share his home and he gets a lot of extra cuddling and love.  Many indoor cats who have HCM don't have warning signs and don't get the treatment they need.  It is the number one cause of spontaneous death in indoor cats.  Mason is an important part of Dave and Darla's home and they are thrilled that he has survived the odds.  

A Safe Halloween for Your Pets

As the anticipation of a fun-filled Halloween draws near, don't forget to keep an eye on your furry members.  Halloween can be a dangerous time for any pet.  The following are some tips to ensure a safe and happy holiday.

Minimize the amount of time your pet spends outside alone on the days preceding Halloween, the day of, and for a few days after.  This is especially important for black cats.  There are numerous accounts of malicious pranks involving animals that can result in injury or even death.

Do not share your Halloween "loot" with your pets.  Items such as candy wrappers and lollipop sticks can be harmful if ingested, and chocolate can be poisonous.  If your pet does eat something inappropriate call your veterinarian to determine what should be done.  

Keep Jack-O-Lanterns with lit candles at a safe distance from pets.  Curiosity or a wagging tail could easily cause a pumpkin to get knocked over and potentially start a fire.  A lit candle could also singe an animal's fur or cause serious burns.

Many people love to dress-up their pets, but your pet may not feel the same way.  Some animals love the attention, but others are already nervous with the Halloween festivities, and a costume only exacerbates the situation.  Even the nicest animal can become aggressive if his/her breathing, vision and movements are restricted.  If you decide to dress-up your pet, choose an appropriate costume, and avoid using hair gels or paints as they can cause health problems if licked off and swallowed.  

Consider confining your pet to a separate room when trick-or-treaters start arriving.  Strange people in strange costumes can frighten animals and cause them to react in various ways.  Animals may feel the need to protect the house and its occupants and respond by barking or biting, or your pet may try to escape when the door is opened.  Make sure proper identification is on your pet's collar to make for a quick return in case your pet does escape.

There is no doubt about it, Halloween can be a stressful time for your pets.  As much as you would like to include them in your holiday activities, remember that pets don't understand what all the excitement is about.  Look at Halloween from a pet's point of view.  For more information on keeping your pets safe this Halloween, contact your family veterinarian.

Pet of the Month - October 2012 - Hambone Gibson

Hambone Gibson has lived a lot of life in his almost 16 months. He was adopted by Brian and Jody as a young puppy from a friend. When he was just 7 months old, he suffered a broken right front leg from jumping off a chair. Our doctors surgically repaired it in late January. Once the leg had healed, they removed the pin and sent him home. A few weeks later, Hambone was playing as puppies do, and jumped again. His leg broke again. Our doctors sent him to Iowa State Veterinary Medical Hospital in Ames. They fixed the leg again and put Hambone on strict cage rest. The Gibson family is thrilled that Hambone is once again whole and healthy with as much energy as he always had. He loves Gibson’s 4 year old son and is a vital part of their family. He has figured out that a favorite thing is watermelon and will run to the kitchen when anyone is eating it. The Gibson family can’t imagine life without Hambone, and we are all so thankful that he has healed and is able to live life to the full. 

 

Pet of the Month - September 2012 - Casey and Joey Schmadeke

Ida and Elmer Schmadeke have always loved animals, when their Yorkie died, they knew that they needed to find another animal to love and help fill the void that she left. They found a tiny Australian silky Terrier who was needing a home, whose litter mate had just been adopted. He was so sad, the kennel staff called him Cry Baby. They put a teddy bear puppy in the cage with him and they became inseparable. Ida and Elmer ended up adopting both dogs and named them Joey and Casey. They became amazing therapy dogs for Elmer as he struggled with Parkinson’s and gave him great comfort. Casey and Joey have become best friends and have helped Ida through the difficult days. They love to run and play in her fenced back yard. Casey will sit in the shade and watch Joey find something to chase and then he will join in. They have even begun to embrace Sophie the cat who decided that she liked the dog sleeping kennel better than the bed. They all now cuddle together in it. These animals have been constant companions for Ida – her life would not be the same without them.

Pet of the Month - August 2012 - Cinder Ella Smith

We would like to introduce Dr. Smith’s newest addition to his family, Cinder Ella Smith!  Cinder is a grey tiger stripe playful kitten who gets almost constant attention from his three children.  She has boundless energy, would play all day long with unsuspecting toes, fingers, pant legs, and anything else that happens to be on the floor.  She especially loves to harass and torment Dr. Smith’s other older cats.  She seems to think that they are constantly teasing her with their tails.  They are not so thrilled with her unending energy, but they will sit next to her when she is sleeping at least!  Cinder loves to snuggle up when she is tired, and first thing in the morning she wants as much attention as she can get.  She has become a vital part of the Smith family and we are thrilled that we get to share in her energy!