Animal Companions and Their People Blog

Archive for the ‘pet stories’ Category

Welcome to the New Year. Our pets and we have “graduated” from 2010 to 2011. Here’s hoping that the New Year will be a joyous, healthy, happy, prosperous and peaceful one for our animal companions and us! May we share an ever-increasing life of love and joy with our pets!!!

Here are some resolutions we can make that may contribute to the health, happiness and well being of our pets and us. We envision a year of contentment with and commitment to our faithful and unconditionally loving companions. These are among my own resolutions:

1). I will give my pet dedicated, quality time and attention each and every day.

2). I will provide my pet with the playtime and interaction she requires each and everyday.

3). I will observe my pet closely and make an effort to discover and deal with any discernible changes in her appearance i.e. lumps, weight gain or loss, hair loss, change in digestive or elimination routine, any unusual odors or bad breath, soreness, pain, vomiting, bleeding, etc. and take her to the vet whenever I suspect something may be wrong with her.

4). I will keep my pet on a regular and healthy exercise regimen.

5). I will provide her with a nutritionally and age appropriate diet.

6). I will not indulge my pet with fatty foods or table scraps. I know they are not good for her overall health and well-being. I will reward her good behavior with verbal approval and hugs and petting.

7). I will teach and reinforce basic obedience and socialization commands – come, sit, stay, down, etc. I will encourage her friendly behavior with other dogs, cats and people by petting her and encouraging her verbally.

8). I will brush my pet’s teeth and make sure she receives regular dental care. Dental disease can be responsible for many other health issues.

9). I will engage in more bonding activities with my pet. I know that she is sentient and loves me unconditionally. She requires love, attention, appreciation and affection from me.

10). I will have fun with my dog – she and I will share many fun experiences and adventures together. I will take her for rides in the car and walks in the park and woods.
We will visit our human friends as well as our canine and feline companions.

Let’s plan many games and playmates. Let’s spend lots of quality fun times and experiences in 2011. Let’s share a joyous, fun-filled and loving New Year! Let us celebrate the New Year together!

Dog Behavior Specialist, Dr. Diane Pomerance

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According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, 39% of our pet population is over 7 years of age, which is generally the age at which a pet is regarded as senior. Veterinarians refer to pets as seniors when they enter the stage of life that signals the onset of decline – of their physical condition, mental functions, organ functions, sensory functions and immune response. Our animal companions experience many of the same symptoms and issues related to growing old as we do. However, today pets, like humans are living longer and healthier lives due to several factors: quality of life and improved healthcare.

 

An increasing number of people love and regard their pets as family members. and treat them accordingly paying attention to their nutritional needs, regular exercise, playtime and interaction, socialization and incorporating them into their daily lives and routine. Advanced veterinary care is also responsible for the increased longevity and quality of the lives of our aging and older animal companions.

 

A regular veterinary examination is an important means of assessing your pet’s overall health and well being. It is also important for you as your pet’s caregiver, to observe and keep track of signs or symptoms that suggest potential health problems. Some of the signs of possible illness are:

1). Decreased amount of activity; limited mobility;

2). Decreased appetite or complete lack of appetite;

3). Problems getting up from the seated or lie down position

4). Trouble walking or limping;

5) Weight loss or gain;

6). Increased or excessive water consumption;

7). Difficulty climbing stairs or jumping or getting down from a chair or bed;

8). Difficulty breathing, or panting heavily while at rest;

9). Drooling;

10) Vomiting;

11).Foul mouth odor;

12). New lumps, swollen areas, or bumps – or changes in existing ones

13). Changes in urination or defecation appearance and routine

14). Obvious pain or discomfort;

15). Seizures or convulsions;

16). Lethargy;

17). Lack of interest in people and activities around her;

18). Whining, moaning, squealing or moaning.

 

Pay attention to your pet and any changes in her overall physical activity or behaviors. Make a deliberate effort to examine her frequently. When you pet her, feel her for any possible lumps or swollen areas. If she winces or cries when you touch certain areas or emits unusual scents, it is wise to follow up with a visit to your vet.

 

If you are aware of any unusual conditions or behaviors, consult with your veterinarian and arrange to have your pet examined.as soon as possible. Early detection of any potential illness or health problem can improve your pet’s physical and mental health and prolong her life!

 

Dog Behavior Specialist,Dr. Diane Pomerance

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It has been a difficult and tumultuous year for so many of us. We have experienced the dramatic decline of our economy. Many of us have lost not only money, but also our jobs – and even our homes. Many of us have lost loved ones. Others have faced serious, debilitating, even life-threatening illnesses. We have witnessed the horrors of the earthquakes in Haiti and Chile and natural disasters in other parts of the world. We have experienced the effects of the BP Oil Spill – one of the worst man-made environmental disasters in history. We have lost the comforting and inspiring fellowship of many leaders and artists. Yet, somehow we continue to endure – and survive.

This holiday season may find us more alone and lonely than ever before. Friends and relatives are few and far away. We feel alienated and detached from the merry-making, kinship and celebrating of those around us. We can only hope and pray for peace and goodwill in a world that seems perilously out-of-kilter and topsy-turvy.

I have personally found deep comfort and support from my own profound spiritual faith and through the presence, love, loyalty and devotion of the animal companions with whom I share my life. It is the beauty, purity-of-spirit, grace, joy, gratitude, friendship and companionship (and lack of deceit and materialism) of these wonderful creatures that give me cause to hope for a happier, deeper, richer and more fulfilling life for all of us.

And so, especially during this time of year, when I am so thankful for all the blessings in my life, I express my gratitude for those voiceless, helpless and vulnerable creatures that seek so little from us as humans and provide us with so much love, laughter, beauty, gratitude and joy.

The following are some quotes, which I hope you, will find inspiring – especially as they may relate to the friendship which many of us are privileged enough to receive from our beloved animal companions.

“When it hurts to look back, and you’re scared to look ahead, you can look beside you and your best friend will be there.” –

———- Anonymous

“A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.”

———– Walter Winchell

“We are all travelers in the wilderness of this world, and the best we can find in our travels is an honest friend.”

————–Robert Lewis Stevenson

“My best friend is the one who brings out the best in me.”

—————Henry Ford

“A friend is someone who knows all about you and loves you just the same.”

—————-Proverb

“Don’t walk in front of me, I may not follow;
Don’t walk behind me, I may not lead;
Walk beside me, and just be my friend.”

—————–Albert Camus

“There is nothing on this earth to be prized more than true friendship.”

—————-St. Thomas Aquinas

“Who finds a faithful friend finds a treasure.”

——————Jewish Saying

“True friends are always together in spirit.”

——————-Lucy Mead Montgomery

“Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave
footprints in your heart.”

———————-Unknown

I hope that all of you are blessed with the true friendship and companionship of a beloved animal companion. May all of you have a wonderful, beautiful, and blessed holiday and a joyous, PEACEFUL New Year!

Dr. Diane Pomerance

1). Become a volunteer at your local animal welfare or rescue organization.

2). Make a donation to a local or national animal welfare or rescue organization.

3). Become a foster parent of a pet in need of a home until he is ready for adoption.

4). Socialize & obedience train a pet to increase the likelihood of his adoption.

5). Save or rescue a pet.

6). Adopt a sheltered dog or cat from an animal welfare organization or rescue group.

7). Socialize and obedience train your own pet so that she becomes a well-behaved and well-mannered member of your family and community.

8). Vaccinate your pets for rabies, parvovirus, distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, Bordatella, Lyme Disease, etc. Have her checked for heartworm and other worms, and any other infections diseases.

9). Spay/neuter your pet. There are far too many homeless animals that will eventually be killed, injured or euthanized.

10). Provide regular, on-going heartworm preventative & flea/tick preventative (usually on a monthly basis).

11). Visit your vet for regular check-ups and, of course, if you detect any signs of illness.

12). Provide proper food and shelter for your pet.

13). Provide responsible care for your pet.

14). Think carefully and responsibly before you adopt a pet. Adoption requires a LIFE-
TIME commitment on your part.

15). Care for your pet until the very end. Don’t surrender a sick or elderly pet to a shelter. Do the right thing and care for her, and if and when the time arrives where she no longer has quality of life, do the humane and compassionate thing. Have her euthanized to put an end to her suffering.

I can hardly believe it’s that time of year again - brisk, cool air, the pungent scent of autumn, and leaves falling from wildly colored foliage. Labor Day is a mere memory, and Halloween is upon us.

Halloween is a fun time for children as well as adults. However, it can be a scary and stressful time for your pets. There are many Halloween safety hazards related to this October holiday of which you may not be aware. Here are some suggestions that will help keep your pets safe.

* Keep your pets indoors on Halloween night – especially black cats. Animals are at risk of being victims of holiday gags and pranks and can be treated cruelly. Also a pet that’s outside with trick-or-treaters may get spooked or stressed by the strange costumes, music, noises and voices of costumed people in the streets.

* Walk your dog before any trick-or-treaters begin their visits.

* When walking your dog, keep a firm grip on the leash and make sure he has an up-to-date I.D. tag.

* Don’t leave your dog in the backyard or in a car. He may be frightened disoriented, agitated, or even stolen.

* Keep your pet confined and away from the door while you are welcoming trick-or-treaters. Keep him in a room that is quiet, comfortable and far away from the holiday festivities.

* Keep Halloween candy out of your pet’s reach. Candy, especially chocolate, can be harmful, even fatal to pets. Pets who consume chocolate can experience vomiting, diarrhea, irregular heartbeat, muscle tremors, and seizures. Candies, cookies and cakes and chewing gum containing the artificial sweetener, xylitol, are especially poisonous to your pet. Candy wrappers, as well as candies and goodies wrapped in aluminum foil or cellophane can cause choking or intestinal obstruction.

* Make sure pets can’t reach candles, jack-o-lanterns, decorations, or ornaments. Candles and jack-o’-lanterns can easily be fire hazards. Wires and chords for decorations can be harmful if chewed or ingested,

* Putting your pet in a Halloween costume can annoy him, and can pose safety and health hazards. If you insist on dressing him up, make sure that his costume is flame retardant and that he can breathe, hear, see and walk without impediment to his range of motion or movement.

Make your Halloween even more enjoyable knowing that your loving animal companion
is safe and sound. And, at this time of trick-or-treating, you may wish to give your pet a special treat of his own – a healthy dog or kitty goodie made especially for him!

Dog Behavior Specialist,Dr. Diane Pomerance

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Each of us has been adversely affected in some way or another by the seemingly endless troubled economy. Jobs have become more scarce, and for many simply not available. For many families, income has decreased significantly. Thus, many of us are spending less and carefully budgeting our finances to accommodate our own and our family’s most vital, immediate, and significant needs – food and shelter. How does a family pet fit into this equation?

As a Grief Recovery Specialist, I come into contact with a great number of people from all walks of life that dearly love their pets and regard them as family members. Most of the people I counsel are mourning the loss of a beloved animal companion and are seeking help coping with and recovering from their grief. It is only within the past few years that I have counseled an ever-expanding number of people suffering from financial hardship and deep emotional stress and who are wondering how they can afford to keep their pet.

I personally regard pet “guardianship” as a lifetime commitment. Once you have made the decision to incorporate a pet into your life, he is to be loved and treated as a family member or child. He is not to be discarded during times of emotional or financial duress. You would not “surrender” your human child to a welfare organization – why consider disposing of a beloved animal companion – particularly one who is older and is likely to be euthanized if owner-surrendered to an animal shelter or welfare organization? I think it is important to plan ahead to the best of your abilities. The unconditional love and loyalty of an animal companion can actually sustain and lift your spirits during difficult times. Don’t add to the emotional stress you are experiencing over finances by giving up your pet – the one who loves you no matter what!

I have some suggestions that may help you to be able to keep your pet.

1). Do not be afraid or embarrassed to let friends, family members, neighbors, co-workers, fellow church or synagogue members, other members of the community know of your circumstances and ask for help.

2). Contact both local and national animal welfare and rescue organizations and ask them if they know of low-cost veterinarians, food pantries for pets (many rescue organizations receive help and donations from stores such as Wal-Mart, Target, PetSmart, Petco or dog and cat food manufacturers) and offer pet food to those who need it. Check with local pet product stores and see if they will sell you pet food from torn, damaged or extra pet food bags or cans

3). Discuss your situation with your veterinarian and seek health care for your pet that is truly essential and critical to your pet’s health and well-being.

4). Ask your vet for a viable and affordable payment plan. If your vet is unwilling to provide a reasonable payment plan, seek referrals from animal welfare or rescue organizations for reputable, low cost veterinarians.

5). Limit or curtail spending on unnecessary toys or accessories for your pet. Often a pet’s favorite toy is a tennis ball, Frisbee or cardboard box – something extremely inexpensive and simple.

6). Rather than paying for pet grooming, groom your pet yourself. If you are unable or unwilling to do this, contact a local animal shelter or rescue organization and find out if a volunteer can provide this service for a reduced fee.

7). Scale down whenever it is possible. Rather than hiring a pet sitter or taking your pet to doggie/kitty day care, ask animal loving friends, neighbors and/or family members to do the job.

8). Check with your local Meals on Wheels to find out if pet food is available through this organization.

9). Keep your pet safe and healthy by providing him with clean water, nutritious food and exercise so that he is less likely to become sick. In cold and hot weather, keep him primarily indoors.

10). Keep on keeping on, and take it one day at a time. Although it may involve some intricate financial juggling on your part, do your best to obtain help and advice from as many resources as you can.

There are many people who love their pets and organizations that care for and support our animal companions. They may be willing to assist you. Try not to become discouraged. Persevere! Locate and contact as many potential resources as you can. Most importantly, don’t give up your best friend.

Dr. Diane Pomerance

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This morning I received an email typical of many I have been receiving during the past months. It was from a housewife and mother who, with her children, were evicted from their foreclosed home. They are now homeless and cannot afford to keep their beloved dog that has been a beloved member of their family for several years. The mother’s search to find her pet a home has thus far been unsuccessful, and she wrote to me seeking help finding a place for her dog to live. She is reluctant to surrender him to a shelter for fear he will be euthanised. As she wrote, “It’s very heartbreaking to give up a pet you love.”

With the economy in dire straits and so many people unemployed, it has become increasingly difficult to simply survive and keep food on the table let alone care for a pet. However, there are some ways you can prevent this from happening to you.

First, ask for assistance from friends, family members and neighbors. Can they temporarily foster your pet until you get back on your feet?

Seek advice from your veterinarian and vet staff as to people they may know who may be willing to foster, or if need be, keep your pet.

Do not hesitate to contact your local animal welfare and rescue organizations for advice. They may be able to help by providing your pet with temporary food and shelter and even find a long-term foster home for him.

As soon as you are aware that foreclosure may be imminent, utilize your time and local contacts to help you find an adopter for your pet. Don’t wait until you are actually evicted to request help from others.

Approach no-kill shelters and rescue organizations for advice as to how to handle your pet – they may know of facilities, resources or individuals that can help save your pet’s life.

Ask national animal welfare organizations such as the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) via their website www.aspca.org and HSUS (the Humane Society of the United States (www.hsus.org) for any advice or resources they can provide for you or your pet through this crisis period.

Accurately assess the expenses associated with keeping your pet and decide if it is truly too expensive or untenable to keep him. There are many doggie food pantries throughout the country that donate dog food to those in need. There are many veterinarians across the country who are either low-cost or will permit monthly payments on veterinary care. Is it truly unaffordable to keep your pet?

Do the best you can. Explore every option you possibly can from people who love and work with animals. Use such websites as Petfinder.com and others who post and cross-post adoptable animals all over the country. Ask community animal welfare organizations and food stores like Walmart, Petco, PetsMart or local stores for assistance. Band together with people in similar circumstances and ask your local grocery stores to contribute food from bags that may have been torn or boxes that may have been dented or damaged in some way to your pet loving community.

If you absolutely cannot keep your pet and cannot find a temporary or new permanent home for him, surrender him to a rescue group or no-kill shelter, which will hopefully put him up for adoption. Emphasize the wonderful personality and qualities your pet has, provide the shelter or rescue organization with as much useful information about his personality, likes, and dislikes as possible and let the shelter know that the ONLY reason you are giving him up is because you absolutely have no other recourse.

These are difficult and challenging times for so many of us. It is so sad to see our beloved and loyal pets suffer the consequences of our financial struggles. We must do our best to come to the aid of our pets and each other.

Dr. Diane Pomerance

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The fall is a wonderful time to celebrate the beauty and wonder of nature and animals. As the leaves turn color and the air becomes crisp and clear, we become invigorated and restored by the beauty and bounty of nature and the animal world. The season offers its own special magic and energy.

You don’t have to be Catholic to honor and celebrate the holy and venerable life of St. Francis of Assisi or to participate in his Feast Day which takes place on October 4. Regarded as the patron saint of animals and the environment, he is also one of the two patrons of Italy (with Catherine of Siena). He was a Catholic deacon and preacher who founded the Order of Friars Minor, more commonly referred to as the Franciscans.

Although many churches in the United States commemorate the life of St. Francis, October 4 is also a popular day for pets to be “blessed”. Many churches offer animal blessing services which may include a verbal blessing and holy water and are usually held at a venue which is suitable for the vast variety of animals which show up.

Blessings may be held indoors or outdoors. The animals receiving the blessing may include, dogs, cats, horses, hamsters, rabbits, goats, donkeys, fish, birds, sheep, etc. The Feast Day provides many animal welfare advocates, animal rights activists, educators, caregivers and animal rescue organizations with the opportunity to educate the public about abused and endangered animals as well as the beauty, purposefulness and importance of animals in our world. The Blessing of Animals is conducted in remembrance of St. Francis of Assisi’s love for all creatures.

The bond between human and animal companion is unlike any other relationship. It is basic, loving, pure and without agenda or façade. The Feast of St. Francis and the Blessing of the Animals attest to the beauty and sacredness of this relationship. Why not share this blessed day dedicated to St. Francis and his love for all creatures with your special animal companion?

If you are not familiar with the world of animal rescue, then you may not be familiar with the concept of “fostering” or temporarily caring for an animal in order to save its life and provide rehabilitation, medical care and socialization skills for it so that it will be more adoptable and suitable for what will hopefully be his new role as someone else’s pet or animal companion. I personally have never fostered a pet - there is no doubt in my mind that I do not have the personality or skills that would enable me to be a good foster parent. I am certain that I would have flunked the class in providing care for an animal on a temporary basis until it finds its permanent or “forever” home. Instead, I have chosen to save, rescue, rehabilitate and then adopt my animal companions knowing that I do not have the skill, stamina or fortitude to know and love an animal and then give it away (relinquish it) to someone else. In my opinion, it is a very special person, indeed, who has the knowledge of animals as well as the ability, compassion and selflessness required to care for a pet in need, to provide it with love and training, a temporary family life, and then ultimately “give” it away to someone who will share the rest of his or her life with it.

Without those generous, kind-hearted and compassionate people willing to foster an animal, many rescue or animal welfare organizations would find it virtually impossible to save and adopt out as many animals as they do. Often, an animal is simply too young, fragile or ill to make it on its own and requires someone to administer special care, training, food or medications until it becomes strong and independent enough to be designated as adoptable for a family which hasn’t the special skills money or patience to care for a puppy or kitten or older dog with special needs. Medium to large, adolescent untrained dogs are also excellent candidates for foster care. The foster parent takes on the role and responsibility of nursing an animal into health and overall well being and easing the transition from shelter to home. Also a part of the work of a foster parent is socialization and temperament evaluation. Generally, the foster parent(s) work in conjunction with a rescue group or animal welfare organization, which pay for any extensive medical care, surgery or treatment, required for the animal. However, frequently foster families donate the cost of food, toys and accessories and other expenses.

Often, foster homes provide a wonderful transition for dogs or cats that have been neglected, abandoned or abused and ended up at animal shelters with very little hope for a future home. Foster parents provide a stable and loving environment and help socialize and obedience train the animals in their temporary custody. The learn about the animals physical and emotional needs and can provide potential adopters with profiles of the animal’s personality and characteristics as well as whether they get along well with children, other pets, etc. In addition, the foster family must understand that there is no defined time limit to the time the animal will spend with them. No one can guarantee that an animal will be adopted within a certain time frame, even though one can be cautiously optimistic. I have known people who have fostered animals for a few weeks, months and even years until the “perfect” adopter comes along.

A foster volunteer ideally has some general experience with dogs and should be familiar with basic dog care and training. The foster has an opportunity to correct the behaviors or bad habits, which may be responsible for the animal being surrendered to a shelter. The responsibilities of a foster parent may include basic training: including housetraining (VERY important!), walking on a leash, learning to sit, stay, come, go down and obeying your commands. Other responsibilities may involve administering medical care (dispensing medication and providing an appropriate diet) and taking the dog to the vet,. Providing him with interaction, playtime and exercise are very important components to the dogs’ emotional and physical development. Once the dog has been nursed back to health after he has been evaluated and trained and deemed adoptable, it is time to begin the search for the best possible home for the animal.

Fostering a dog or cat may seem like a difficult and challenging task. For many of us who love animals, it is a seemingly impossible mission. We simply become too attached to our new addition to let him go. However, the rewards of saving a life and finding it a loving home are indescribable. Everyone involved in the process truly benefits!

Dr. Diane Pomerance

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If you have ever known a beagle (as I have in many cases), you are aware of their sweet, docile, cheerful, friendly, accommodating, gentle personalities and their desire to do nothing more than love you and receive your approval. Last April, I lost my glorious Beagle/Foxhound, Chloe, who was the most loving, affectionate, gentle and demonstrative being one could ever wish to know. Chloe was an angel who had been abandoned roadside with her littermates and saved by a rescue organization called HART in Dallas from whom we adopted our Chloe.

Chloe loved everyone- animals & humans – and especially children with whom she shared a special bond and loyalty and devotion. She understood somehow that they were precious and vulnerable and to be respected and appreciated in a way different from adults and other creatures. She took them very seriously and loved them.
Before Chloe, I had known many other beagles cherished for their gentle and generous natures and spirits. I have never met a beagle I didn’t love…

Last week I read an article that just about broke my heart – except that it did have a VERY happy ending. It was featured in USA TODAY and addressed the “Independence Day for 118 Beagles Used in Lab Tests” and written by Sharon L. Peters. It spoke of the life and ultimate liberation of beagles that had been used in laboratory research – dogs that lived in isolation confined in plexiglass crates fed and watered on precise daily schedule with no opportunity for any spontaneity or to socialize or experience life outside a cage.

Ironically, with the aid of various animal rescue groups and organizations, these loving little guys were “liberated” from their lives of confinement July 4 weekend after several animal loving groups came to their aid and had them released after the AniClin Research Facility in New Jersey had gone bankrupt and locked its doors. Many of these beagles went to Pets Alive Animal Sanctuary in Middletown, New York. Some of them went to t. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center in Madison, New Jersey. They were assisted by Best Friends Animal Society in Kanab, Utah.

The animals underwent an enormous transition and transformation. Most had never experienced sunlight or had walked upon the grass. They had lived in an air-conditioned or climate controlled and sterile environment year round. They were not socialized – and did not have human or other canine friends.

They learned to adjust – one step at a time, each at his or her own pace. Experiencing the hugs and embrace of humans, the licks and nips of and playful interaction with other dogs – learning to communicate with human beings and other animals, they adjusted to their new lives. And then, they were the recipients of the ultimate joy for a dog that has been lonely, alone and isolated – being adopted by caring, compassionate and warm-hearted people that care deeply for these animals and their welfare. Would that all laboratory animals could be liberated from lives of misery, loneliness and despair. However, one step at a time. Pet loss and pet grief can be difficult to cope with. We have an example of what CAN be – the hope that can become reality - dogs that are free at last – and loved, appreciated and respected for all they have to offer – for the joy, beauty and richness they contribute to our lives!

Dr. Diane Pomerance

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