We put up a list of links for pet help…over to the right….down a little…there! They’ve actually been there since we started this blog, but they somehow go unnoticed. Most are charitable organizations, but because of the economy, many are struggling. In fact, we just deleted 2 of them that could no longer offer assistance. Fortunately, those pet charity sites listed other sources for help and we added the ones we didn’t already have on our list. If you are able, we hope that you will consider offering one of these a contribution. You never know if someday you’ll be seeking their help. We’ll give some brief info on each one.

Listening to: Help! from the album “The Beatles 1” by The Beatles

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• AAHA Helping pets fund: The AAHA (American Animal Hospital Association) Foundation offers grants for veterinary care of pets that have been abandoned and those whose owners are experiencing financial hardship. AAHA-accredited veterinary practices may apply for financial assistance on behalf of their clients in need.
• Angels4Animals: is a small non-profit organization of humanitarians and animal lovers whose sole mission is to alleviate the unnecessary suffering of innocent pets. Their goals are to 1) mitigate unnecessary pain and suffering in animals that cannot access veterinary treatment because of financial constraints facing their owners and to 2) assist pet owners in making animal care decisions based upon the needs of the animal rather than financial limitations.
• Animal Poison Control Center (ASPCA): They are probably your best resource for any animal poison-related emergency, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. If you think that your pet may have ingested a potentially poisonous substance, call (888) 426-4435. A $60 consultation fee may be applied to your credit card. There are so many poisonous substances out there. The momma has called them many times and they are always very kind and helpful.
• Canine Cancer Awareness: Their mission is to provide you with knowledge and support so that you can consult with your vet to get the best possible treatment for your dog with cancer.
• Feline Outreach: (hey! that’s for cats only! grrrrrr) This is an organization dedicated to providing caregivers the educational and financial assistance necessary to care for their cats.
• Feline Veterinary Emergency Assistance Program (FVEAP): FVEAP has an interesting history. They began when a tiny kitten (Bazil) had a life-threatening condition requiring surgery.  Bazil’s guardian had lost her job and was unable to pay for the expensive procedure. She went to an online group of friends for advice. This group of people, who had never met each other, came together out of love and compassion and donated $1,400 to save Bazil. As a result of this effort, which had many complications, it was decided that a nonprofit corporation should be formed to provide a simple, safe and efficient way to accept donations and disburse funds for veterinary emergencies.
• Handicapped Pets: They understand the needs of handicapped pets and are a good source products, services, support and advice to help you care for them. They offer help for pets with cancer, terminal illness, arthritis, or paralysis, as well as senior/geriatric, injured pets, or pets recovering from surgery.
• Help-A-Pet: They understand the therapeutic benefits of having a pet, particularly for physically and mentally challenged individuals, senior citizens, and children of the working poor. However, these are often the people who are hit the hardest by the economy. The applicants must provide proof of income and are expected to share in the total cost to show their commitment to their pet.
• IMOM (In Memory of Magic): They are dedicated to insure that no companion animal has to be euthanized simply because their caretaker is financially challenged. They also have an online shopping mall with links to popular stores. A small percentage of the sales will be donated to IMOM.
• The Magic Bullet Fund: MBF helps people who have made room in their homes and hearts for a canine companion, but do not have the financial resources to provide cancer treatment. MBF does NOT fund research or promise to cure canine cancer. They help real life dogs, working with families and veterinarians, to ensure that they receive the treatment they need.
• Rolling Dog Ranch: The Rolling Dog Ranch is an animal sanctuary in Montana that rescues and shelters disabled animals. Every animal who arrives at the sanctuary gets another chance to have a safe and loving home. Their residents include blind dogs, blind horses, deaf dogs, blind cats, and animals with other neurological and orthopedic disabilities. They feel that although these animals may have disabilities, they do not consider themselves handicapped. They just want to get on with life and enjoy themselves.

The End!

Here is a list of our least popular posts (many are understandable):

• Bad speeling and grammar all over the internets- Just a list of spelling and grammatical errors we see all too often on the web.
• I’m a bad boy!- Oooh! The momma was angry at me that day! P.S. I repeated this exact episode at Sam’s house! (heh-heh! I get away with so much!)
• Happy St Patrick’s Day!- Somewhat corny list of what the momma did on St. Patrick’s Day 2008
• Counting down….- Ummm, yeah….not worth revisiting…..
• Don’t say good-bye, Joe- I think the momma was on something strange that day….
• Let me borrow that top- Now this one is definitely worth a gander. It’s a comedy/music video by Liam Kyle Sullivan. Actually, all of his videos are hilarious!
• Back with a vengeance- This title isn’t informative of the content. Basically, it’s a list/video of common poisonous plants that pets like to chew on.
• Still working night and day….- Part of series of posts about an angry/sad/funny story that happened to the momma and me (and the cats) recently.
• Getting worse…much worse, indeed!- Part of the same series. If interested, it’s probably best to start from the beginning: Trouble brewing…-
• Thirteen on the momma’s desk- Just a list of crap on the momma’s desk. Part of the NaBloPoMo list series. Maybe we’ll try that again in February (the shortest month!)
• Insight out- A few videos (or links to videos) with insight to stroke, autism, and a sweet video of an Alzheimer disease patient.
• Twin news- Just spreading the good news about OTC’s newborn twins!

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Merry Christmas Eve everyone (those who celebrate Christmas, that is). The momma let me open one present on Christmas Eve. It’s from my cousin, Linnane! (shhhhh…don’t tell her that I got her a Webkinz black poodle

I was so happy and was having a blast ripping it to pieces, but then….the momma actually took it away from me! It was made from a soft type of rubber and she was afraid the small pieces would lodge into my intestines. She said that the vets who work on the holidays are the ones who drew the short straw and are usually overworked. But I’m still sad that I could only play with my present for less than 10 minutes. Oh well, I guess that it’s better to not have emergency surgery on Christmas.

The End!

Yesterday, the momma and Sam were driving through New Jersey on their way back from the meeting when Sam suddenly said “is that a dog???” There was a dog lying down, but propped up on it’s elbows, looking around…from the middle of the far left passing lane! Without much thought, Sam found an emergency turn around in the median and headed back to the dog. The dog was a German Shepherd mix and was alert, but shivering from the cold, painful, and in shock. Sam scooped the dog up and put her in the car next to his dog in the back seat. She had an open, compound fracture of her radius and ulna was breathing a bit labored, either from pain or a chest injury. Fortunately she was wearing a collar with the owner’s phone number on a tag. The momma called the owner and gave him the bad news about the accident and resulting injuries. The owner gave directions for the momma and Sam to his house and would meet them there.

They found the house fairly easily, which turned out to be the owner’s grandparents’ home where he was currently living. Looking downhill from the driveway, Sam and the momma saw that the interstate was very close to their home….there was no fence between the home and the interstate. The grandmother was expecting them, but Sam and the momma were not expecting her cold apathy toward the dog. Sam got the dog out of the car to carry her into the house. The grandmother wanted to keep the dog outside in the garage, however the momma insisted that because it was cold outside, and the dog was in shock, the dog stay inside the house until her daddy arrived. The grandmother reluctantly let Sam and the momma into the house. They tried to make the dog as comfortable as possible. The grandmother commented that she never liked animals very much and that the dog always growled whenever she went near it. This very painful dog, allowed Sam to carry her to and from his car and let the momma to examine her vitals and gum color. Not once did this sweet dog ever try to bite them. While the momma tried to keep the dog calm and comfortable, Sam had to tell the grandmother to call a vet and let them know that they have a dog that has been hit, was in shock and had a badly fractured foreleg. After calling the vet, the grandmother told Sam and the momma that the dog had been abused as a puppy. Her grandson (dog’s daddy) and his girlfriend brought the dog home from an out of state visit. The dog’s daddy usually kept her tied up when he was not around, but today he left her out and untied while he went to a quick Dr’s appointment. The dog’s daddy finally showed up and put the injured dog into his car to transport to the vet. He seemed a little stoic, but the momma knew from talking to him that he was pretty upset. When Sam and the momma left, the momma could tell that Sam was emotionally touched by the ordeal.

The End!

The momma and I are going to post a series on common plants that are poisonous to pets. Gosh there are a lot of them! Here we list some plants that begin with either letter A or B.

• Aloe vera
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  • vomiting, diarrhea, depression, tremors
• Amaryllis

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    (from erikogan's photostream)

  • vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, hypersalivation, depression, tremors
• Asparagus Fern

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    (from The Equinest's photostream)

  • contact allergic dermatitis. ingestion of berries: vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea
• Autumn Crocus
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  • oral irritation, vomiting blood, diarrhea, shock, multi-organ damage, bone marrow suppression
• Azalea
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  • vomiting, diarrhea, hypersalivation, hypotension, weakness, coma, cardiovascular collapse, death
• Baby’s Breath

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    (from DeaPeaJay's photostream)

  • vomiting
• Bird of Paradise

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    (from DRB62's photostream)

  • diarrhea, vomiting, incoordination
• Branching Ivy (Hedera helix)
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  • vomiting, abdominal pain, hypersalivation, diarrhea
• Brunfelsia
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  • vomiting, diarrhea, hypersalivation, tremors, seizures, muscle rigidity
• Buckeye
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  • vomiting, diarrhea, depression, hyperexcitability, dilated pupils, coma

The End!