Help Emancipet!

In case you have not heard of or used this organization, Emancipet is a nonprofit that provides accessible and affordable veterinary care to all pet owners, including spay/neuter and vaccination services. These are truly important services that benefit communities far and wide.

State Representative and House Agriculture Committee Chair, Drew Springer, introduced Texas House Bill 3806. If passed, this bill would restrict the services that Emancipet and similar veterinary care nonprofits would be able to provide to communities. Non-emergency services such as dentals and heartworm testing and prevention would only be available who could document that they are indigent, as opposed to anyone. What do you think about these restrictions? For more information, check out HB 3806 and Emanicpet’s plea.

Do you think that veterinary care should be affordable and accessible to all pet owners?

If you don’t like these restrictions and want Emancipet’s services to be accessible to everyone, here’s what you can do about it!

1. MONDAY APRIL 1: Attend the committee hearing at the Texas Capitol and sign up to testify in opposition to the bill.
2. Contact the Committee Chair’s office to oppose HB 3806. Their phone number is 512-463-0526.
3. Contact members of the House Agriculture and Livestock Committee and express your opposition to HB 3806
4. Contact your local Representative. Let of the Committee and your local Representative know you oppose this bill.
5. Share your story and your support. Your experiences, photos and videos will help us tell the critical story of why this work matters in the fight ahead. Please share on social media why Texas needs non-profit organizations like Emancipet. Please include #Emancipet in your posts so that the organization can find and share them.
6. Make a donation to support Emancipet. They rely on donations to fulfill their mission of making veterinary care affordable and accessible to all pet owners. Shelters also use Emancipet services.
8. Share this post and ask everyone you know to do the same. So much is at stake.

What will you do to support Emancipet and other veterinary care nonprofits?

Grain-Free Dog Food Warning

Earlier today I came across this article from the Washington Post that linked grain-free dog food high in legumes and dilated cardiomyopathy, a heart disease. I thought it was important that I pass this information along to fellow pet enthusiasts.

Photo courtesy of Pexels

National Take Your Cat to the Vet Day

August 22nd is National Take (or Bring) Your Cat to the Vet Day! I’m sure cats across the world are saying, most emphatically, “NOPE!” but please bear with me. Part of responsible pet ownership or guardianship involves ensuring your pet is healthy, up to date on shots, and given appropriate medical care, and that any health or behavior-related questions or concerns are addressed.

Side-eye alert. Garrus is never thrilled about going to the vet but he certainly appreciates being able to eat normally now that his stomatitis is under control.

Why is regular veterinary care so important? Here are a few reasons to remember:

1. Cats age faster than humans. A one-year-old cat is the equivalent of 15 in human years and a two-year-old is 24. After that, cats age 4 “cat years” for every calendar year. So much can happen in one year, so that is why an annual checkup at the vet is crucial.
2. Cats hide illness and pain. Many cats are true stoics and don’t let on that they’re sick. By taking your cat to a vet at least once a year, any problem that may crop up can be treated early.
3. Fat cat. According to the American Association of Feline Practitioners, over 50% of cats are overweight or obese. This extra weight can put cats at risk for diabetes, arthritis, heart, respiratory, and kidney disease, and more.
4. Something’s up. If your cat’s eating patterns or litter box usage suddenly changes, that can indicate a health issue. Note changes in weight, activity level, sleeping patterns, socialness, mood, etc. and share any concerns you have with your vet.
5. Preventative care. Having a baseline and an up-to-date medical history can help avoid medical emergencies and allow vets to detect and treat health conditions earlier rather than later.

Mau lets everyone know his name once we put him in the carrier. He does NOT like traveling in the car but he too needed to go to the vet to address his dental disease.

National Immunization Awareness Month

Did you know that August is National Immunization Awareness Month? This campaign applies to both humans and their fur people! While I’m certainly not a fan of needles and I’m certain my cats do not like getting poked either, getting annual vaccinations and keeping them up-to-date IS crucial for their health.

Photo courtesy of Pexels

Keep in mind, laws pertaining to mandated vaccines differ from place to place. For example, some places require annual rabies vaccinations while in others, this vaccine is required every three years. The ASPCA and PetMD provide a thorough breakdown about immunizations for pets.

Photo courtesy of Pexels

Have more questions about vaccinations for your pet(s)? Talk to your vet.

National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month

Did you know that animals, such as dogs and cats, can experience asthma and allergies just like humans do? For that reason, the National Asthma and Allergy Foundation designated May, a peak time for allergy symptoms, as National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month. While this campaign is directed at humans, conscientious pet owners should be able to recognize the way their pets may present symptoms of asthma and allergies.

Common Asthma Triggers in Pets

• Dust
• Pollens (grass, trees)
• Air pollution, such as vehicle exhaust
• Mold
• Mildew
• Smoke (fireplaces, tobacco products)
• Household sprays and chemical solutions, such as hair spray, flea spray, air fresheners, household fragrances, and personal perfumes
• Cat litter dust

Common Asthma Symptoms

• Coughing and sneezing
• Breathing difficulties (i.e. wheezing, labored breath, shallow breath)
• Panting
• Dyspnea
• Poor appetite
• Weakness or fatigue
• Weight loss
• Pale or blue gums* [If you spot this, go to your vet immediately.)

When we took in Garrus and Charlie, we noticed that Garrus occasionally wheezed. We had not seen this behavior in previous cats, so we brought it up with our vet. Dr R thought he might have a mild case of asthma and suggested we make a log of how often he wheezed and if we noticed other symptoms. If his wheezing episodes became more frequent or more severe, we would investigate the issue further.

At the same time, we transitioned the boys from using regular litter boxes, which they used while in foster care, to Cat Genies after they fully integrated into the household. One of the things we like most about Cat Genies is there is no dust from cat litter! Aaron discovered that safflower seeds are excellent, environmentally-friendly substitutes for the plastic granules that a Cat Genie uses. We have since noticed that Garrus wheezes infrequently now, and Dr R was most pleased by this report. Dr R remarked that she had another feline patient that displayed asthma symptoms but these decreased after her owner switched to a litter that produced much less dust. She thought the same thing had happened with Garrus.

Common Allergies in Pets

• Contact: Medication or detergent found in flea collar (example)
• Flea Allergy Dermatitis: Allergic to flea saliva
• Food Allergies: Some pets don’t tolerate certain ingredients well such as beef, chicken, soy, and wheat.
• Inhalant: Indoor or outdoor environmental factors (smoke, pollen, etc.)

Common Allergy Signs in Pets

• Sneezing
• Excessive grooming
• Excessive itching
• Paw chewing
• Skin inflammation
• Ear infection
• Rashes

If you want to learn more about pet allergies and asthma, check out Buffalo Companion Animal Clinic, Pet MD for Canine Asthma, Pet MD Dog Allergy Center, Pet MD for Feline Asthma, 7 Common Cat Allergies (Pet MD), Pet Partners,and Canna Pet. If you think your pet may have asthma, allergies, bronchitis, respiratory issues, or other health concerns, please contact your veterinarian!

Pet Cancer Awareness Month

No pet guardian wants to hear the word “cancer” linked to their beloved pet. Unfortunately, however, cancer is the #1 disease-related cause of death in pets: 1 in 4 dogs and 1 in 5 cats will get cancer during their lives. The month of May has been designated Pet Cancer Awareness Month to raise awareness of pet cancer, provide important information (such as the early warning signs), and raise funds for research into causes, prevention and treatment of canine and feline cancer.

Photo courtesy of Pexels

The Blue Buffalo Foundation’s Pet Awareness Campaign also raises funds to support nonprofits that help families cover costly cancer treatments for their pets. You can donate to this campaign and see exactly where these funds go.

Personally, I have never had a pet that had cancer but I have friends who lost their pets to this disease. I sincerely hope that advances in medical science for humans and pets alike will discover more effective treatments and cures for cancers.

Photo courtesy of Love This Pic