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Getting Started on Facebook

May 12th, 2011

Once thought of as a fad, Facebook can no longer be ignored by businesses, even veterinary ones. Many veterinary practices are now online with a spiffy web site, and that is a great first step. Adding a Facebook page as another way to connect with clients is the logical next step.

Nuts and Bolts: Getting started on Facebook

1) Sign up on Facebook – You need to have a ‘personal profile’ page first, even if you do not intend to be on Facebook as an individual. You will be prompted to create a login at the very first stop: www.Facebook.com.

Many people I have talked to at clinics protest “ugh I don’t want to be on Facebook!” Not to worry – your personal profile page is not publicly connected to your business page. You do not have to do anything with it if you do not want to. Be sure to go to Account > privacy settings to maximize your privacy.

2) Set up a Facebook Fan Page – This is a separate page from your personal profile! It is easy to confuse the two. A fan page is public. Viewers do not have to be signed up on Facebook to see what you have to say. Viewers “like” fan pages. In contrast, people must request to be your “friend” and you must approve that request before they can access your personal profile page. (Your privacy settings will dictate what viewers can see publicly).

Here is where go to set up a Facebook fan page.

3) Customize your page – Now the fun begins. Facebook has some prompts for importing your contacts and promoting your page, but I like to click on the “edit page” button at the upper right. Here you will find several categories to fine-tune the look and function of your page.

First stop should be the Profile Picture. Browse on your computer to find a clear photo of yourself, your logo, or clinic photo, and upload. There are also tips and tricks if you are feeling creative with the profile photo space.

Be sure to fill in address, phone, and all other traditional ways for people to contact your practice.

4) Get posting - This is the most intimidating part for many people. What should we say? How do we post stuff?

Thankfully, Facebook makes it easy to share content with your viewers. Start by copy/pasting a link of a page from your blog or a site with information relevant to your viewers into the “write something” box at the top of the page. Facebook automatically pulls in an image (if there is one) and the text from the article and !viola! a nice easy post – just need to press the “share” button.

Posting photos (and videos) is also easy – click on Photo > browse > upload, add a comment and  ”share.”

I believe strongly in having your own web site/blog first. Putting all of your photos, posts, and practice content into one basket – Facebook – is bad if Facebook goes away or for some reason your page goes away. On the other hand, Facebook makes sharing photos and videos very easy.

There are tools to automatically connect your site and Facebook, which is a nice way to cross-promote and have the best of both worlds.

5) How to find inspiration – Post a pet of the day photo (with owner permission), a behind-the-scenes photo of staff hard at work, or an interesting case. Invite your viewers to post their own pet photos.

By “liking” other pages of interest, you may find pet information that will benefit your viewers. Simply copy the URL, and paste it in the “write something” box. Find stories in your local newspaper or using online tools such as Google Alerts to notify you of topics that would be a good fit for your page.

6) Fans find you, spread the word – Tell your friends and clients about your new page. Once you reach 25 ” likes,” you can claim your own URL, for example www.Facebook.com/YourPracticeName. Each time a fan likes or comments on something on your page, it shows up on their page, letting more people know about your page and what you are up to.

For more information

This is a very quick guide for the mechanics of how to set up a page. To learn more about Facebook etiquette and social media policies specific to a veterinary practice, I highly recommend Social Media for Veterinary Professionals by veterinary practice manager Brenda Tassava CVPM CVJ as a great primer on this topic.

Related:

• Does your clinic have a practice web site? Share it!
• Connect on Facebook

Posted in K9 Fun, K9 News | No Comments »

Tips for Happy Canine Campers

May 5th, 2011

Going camping and getting outdoors with your pets always sounds like great fun… until it isn’t.

Away from the routine and comforts of home can be stressful if you aren’t prepared. A little planning can make a huge difference in the fun factor.

If you are planning a trip, be sure to check out GoPetFriendly.com for pet-friendly campgrounds, hotels and restaurants. Once your trip is planned out, it’s time to get packing with these tips in mind.

Tips for Happy Canine Campers

1 ) First Aid Kit – This is probably a ‘no-brainer,’ but a first aid kit customized for your pet is even better. An extra supply of any current meds, or medications they might need, such as a vet-approved NSAID for pain from extra hiking, etc. are especially useful.

2 ) First Aid Training – A first aid kit is great, but if you don’t know how to use the items, it isn’t much use. When your dog is in pain and the situation is tense, staying calm and putting previous training to work is much more effective than guessing.

My vet colleague and I do a “wilderness first aid” class at our local REI store – check your outdoor stores for similar first aid intro classes. Check with your local Red Cross chapter or community college for more in-depth training on pet first aid.

3 ) Pet Identification – Is your pet’s collar tag and microchip registration information up to date? It is important to remember that cell phones may not work in the places you are camping. Adding a phone number of your vet or someone in town who could reach you is a good idea; either by adding a new tag or affixing the info to the current tag(s).

4 ) Food from home/regular diet – Keeping your dog’s diet as ‘normal’ as possible will help prevent diarrhea, upset stomach and pancreatitis. Fatty trimmings from campfire cookouts (and the yummy, drippy foil found on the ground!), corn cobs, and other camping feast foods can spell disaster for your dog.

5 ) Wildlife – Keep your pet in close range to avoid mishaps with wildlife – bites and unfortunate encounters with porcupines and skunks.

6 ) Extra towels and rags – A sudden downpour or swim in the lake can make for a wet dog who may get hypothermic with all of that wet hair as temps drop. Bringing a supply of towels to have on hand helps with the comfort factor too.

7 ) Flea, tick, mosquito and other bug protection - Your pet may already be on a monthly flea/tick preventative, but if not, check with your vet about the best product for your pet and where you will be traveling to. Extra caution for dog and cat households; products should never be used on a species it is not labeled for, and some dog flea/tick products are toxic to cats.

8 ) Keeping it routine – My dogs, like many, get to know and anticipate the normal routines of life very quickly. Travel and camping disrupt that routine. Most dogs go with the flow and are totally fine with this. Some aren’t. You may notice pacing, panting and even trembling if your dog is feeling out of sorts.

Throw in a thunderstorm or fireworks, and you may be up all night with a dog who is very frightened and won’t settle.

We pack the big bulky dog beds. The Greyhounds go “oh good – HOME” and settle right down. I am also a big fan of DAP spray to spritz on their beds. (I also love the DAP collars – see my review here.)

Finally, packing the Thundershirt is great to take a chill off the Greyhounds as well as provide a little comfort, if needed.

And sometimes…

Pets do better staying with family, friends or the pet hotel rather than braving the wilds of nature.

Photo credit: Bluey estoril/Flickr

Posted in K9 Care, K9 Expert Question, K9 Fun, K9 Health, K9 Nutrition | 2 Comments »

The HairBear that almost wasn’t

April 29th, 2011

Hairballs. We’ve all seen them. We try to ignore them. But not anymore!

Today is Hairball Awareness Day. This annual event was started by the National Museum of Health and Medicine of the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (NMHM) to showcase hairballs and other ‘ball’s (called bezoars) found in the stomachs of cats, cows, humans and other animals.

Romeo the cat (love him!) is the spokescat for the FURminator Hairball Awareness Day. I interviewed Romeo’s staff, Caroline Golon, to learn more about this campaign and to help spread the world.

Caroline is also the genius behind the Amazing Hairball Creatures idea. I love the FURminator tools, and this year’s “long hair, large cat” model is my favorite so far. The hairball creatures just added to the fun.

Here is ‘my’ entry, also found on PeoplePets:

I say ‘my’ because it was a joint project between my daughter and I and several pets; some of whom had some naughtiness that almost brought this project to a screeching halt. CoughQuincyandPurlCough

Here’s how it happened

Honestly, I didn’t give my creature creation much thought. I figured I would do the requisite brushing for my review of the tool, then smoosh the hair around until it looked like something recognizable, sprinkle a few beads around, and call it good.

Then I mentioned the project to my 11-year old daughter, the real arteest. She is a huge fan of Romeo and was on fire with the idea. I told her to “think of stuff” while she was at school, not expecting too much. I mean… it’s hair. We have tons of pet hair here on a daily basis.

After school, my daughter had a concept, name, and sketches for this project. She was serious. Ok, let’s do it.

Being the arteest that she is, she wanted to have full control of the project, including procurement of the materials. I wasn’t so sure about this, but hey – the pets always need brushing, so OK.

Barnie’s hair was the focus. My daughter excitedly carted him around, getting everything ready. Barnie: not so happy. Then she decided she needed to lay down a towel to do the brushing and hair collecting. More carting around to find a towel. Barnie: getting irritated at this point.

By the time the brushing commenced, Barnie did not want anything to do with this project. I intervened. Got hair. Then I had the idea that the other pets could play, too. Quincy, Sophie, Argos and Purl all loved their massages, and my daughter loved the new expanded hair color palette. Everyone happy. HairBear V1.0 complete.

The next day…

It was Saturday, and instead of getting up at 5:30am as usual, I thought I would sneak a little sleep-in time. After the early morning dog turnout (dogs don’t get the sleeping in thing), I noticed Purl either chewing on something or trying to spit something out. Turns out, it was both. I assist. To my horror, I find HairBear. Unrecognizable now, ruined.

My daughter, as per her usual, didn’t put HairBear away in a safe place the night before. Quincy the night owl kitty found it, and had a great time running around the house and ultimately abandoning HairBear in the laundry room where Purl found it. Uh oh. It was bad enough that it was ruined, but eventually I would need to tell the arteest about it. I grumbled to my husband about kids not putting things away, and tried to go back to sleep.

I figured I would have a few more hours, since it was Saturday after all, and the kids love to sleep in.

Not this Saturday.

Inexplicably, my daughter was up at the crack of dawn and stormed into our room, furious about HairBear. (Why was she up so early? How did she find HairBear so quickly?) She was done with this project. Stoopid pets.

I had to work to convince her to create HairBear V2.0, which included grooming the pets all over again. Barnie: are you guys crazy?

But I did. And she did. And the pets helped. And here we are with HairBear V2.0. Whew!

Check all of them out!

Lots of fun and creativity to be found in these hairball creatures!

Posted in K9 Care, K9 Fun, K9 Health, K9 Stories | 3 Comments »

What do you do with all of that hair?

April 21st, 2011

Time to spring clean the pets! Pets need to be groomed all year round of course, but many are shedding more now and need help transitioning into their summer coats.

I have big hairy dogs all of my life. Lots of time spent grooming, but definitely not my favorite way to spend time.

I have been using the FURminator tools almost exclusively since the first version of this deshedding tool. The tools have been modified and improved over the years, and the 2011 FURminator model for cats is my favorite one so far.

My 2011 FURminator is marketed for “long-hair, large cats,” but this brush worked great for all of my dogs and cats, long and short-haired. Even the low-shed Greyhounds loved their grooming sessions.

I can pull out more hair (and prevent more mats) in just a few minutes with these brushes than others I have used in years past. No matter what model of FURminator you have, it is a worthwhile tool to have in your pet care cupboard.

Now what do you do with all of that hair?

The brushed out pet hair piles up quickly. I always try to do this task outside. Windy days are even better, scattering the hair. Free for the birds to use in their nests. That is what I do. My pet hair recycling program is pretty low key.

Here are some other ideas.

For the birds and others

I read somewhere that birds like to scavenge the nice soft fibers for their nest, so that is how my pet hair scattering program got started. I’ve also read that placing tufts of your pet’s hair around your yard or garden might deter some pests. I am not a gardener and haven’t tried this, but it can’t hurt to try.

For the environment

After the devastating oil spill in the gulf, pet and human hair was used to make oil-collecting booms. Recycling and saving the environment.

For the art of it

I have seen the photos of people wearing knit garments with yarn supplied from their dog before, but now that I have taken up knitting, this gives me pause for thought. More yarn! There are apparently lots of places that will spin your pet’s hair into yarn, but I am not quite there yet. No real ‘reason,’ other than I am used to the sheepy smell of wool. A doggy smell is not so appealing.

Plus, Purl the Greyhound loves to snatch a skein of wool and run through the house with it. What would she do snatching a skein of… Sophie? That might be weird.

But not as weird as this: clothing, jewelry and furniture made from human hair. That is where I draw the line.

What do you do with your pet’s hair?

Any crafty types out there? Environmentalists? I’d love to hear about your art.

April 29, 2011 update: Make HairBears!

Posted in K9 Care, K9 Expert Question, K9 Fun, K9 Health | 1 Comment »

Top 4 Easter Dangers for Pets

April 14th, 2011

When people think of potential pet hazards associated with the Easter holiday, chocolate often comes to mind first. In fact, according to veterinarians at the Pet Poison Helpline, calls concerning dogs that have been poisoned by chocolate increase by nearly 200 percent at this time of year.

But other, more deadly dangers may sneak in the house unnoticed.

Top 4 Easter Dangers for Pets

1) Easter Lily – this iconic flowering plant is highly toxic, even deadly, to cats. The toxin of this plant causes kidney failure within 6 – 12 hours of ingestion. There is no antidote; treatment is supportive and must be quick and aggressive to counter the toxin.

Other plants of the Lilium and Hemerocallis species, commonly referred to as Tiger lilies, Day lilies and Asiatic lilies, are also toxic. Asiatic lilies are commonly found in grocery store bouquets.

“Unbeknownst to many pet owners, Easter lilies are highly toxic to cats,” said Ahna Brutlag, DVM, assistant director at Pet Poison Helpline. “All parts of the Easter lily plant are poisonous – the petals, the leaves, the stem and even the pollen. Cats that ingest as few as one or two leaves, or even a small amount of pollen while grooming their fur, can suffer severe kidney failure.”

Learn more: Lily toxicity

2) Easter Grass - while not a toxin, this ‘fake grass’ can be very tempting to cats and dogs. The plastic stringiness of Easter grass can get caught around the tongue or bunched up in the intestines, causing a complete blockage, or what is known as a Linear Foreign Body; a bunching up, and sometimes slicing through, the intestines.

Related: Icky things pets eat

3) Xylitol – this sweetener is commonly found in gum (the amount varies widely by brand of gum), baked goods, and candy. It is very toxic in small amounts to dogs and ferrets.

Learn more: xylitol toxicity

4) Chocolate – bunnies, eggs, and all sorts of chocolate goodness abound at this time of year. Most people know that chocolate should not be eaten by pets (more for us!), but ingestion accidents happen. Pets can be sneaky and can sniff out chocolate, even when hidden.

Most of the chocolate this time of year is the milk chocolate variety, which is one of the least toxic (darker, more bitter chocolate is more toxic), but gastric upset can occur. Larger chocolate ingestions may bring on tremors.

Ever wonder why can we eat chocolate and pets can’t? Learn what makes chocolate toxic to pets and not humans.

Learn more: All about chocolate toxicity

Help spread the word

All of these items are available year round (if not Easter lily, then a common lily substitute), and awareness is key to preventing a tragedy. If your pet has ingested any of these items, please call your veterinarian or Pet Poison Helpline (800-213-6680) immediately.

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Do you adopt? Or … rescue?

April 6th, 2011

Today more than ever we know that “words have meanings.” Words may be used as powerful tools to empower, create, and change the world around us.

Two words that I have used fairly interchangeably have been “adoption” and “rescue.” I can point to differences in these words, but hadn’t give it much thought. That is, until my rescue group brought this up on our email list.

How my pets found me

My beloved pets came to me in a variety of ways. One example: Greta the cat. Our tech brought her in on Halloween, having witnessed her get hit by a car. No collar, no microchip. She needed immediate veterinary care. I say I adopted her, but maybe I rescued her instead? Did she accidentally escape from a loving home that Halloween night almost 19+ years ago, leaving her people distraught? Or was she a stray that fended for herself? She wasn’t underweight, but she was in pretty bad shape when I found her.

We will never know. And in this case, she went on to have a life of luxury – love, food, toys, companions. No one came looking for her.

So what is the big deal?

I felt that “adoption” and “rescue” are good words; something positive. Turns out, not everyone has that view. Some feel that if the animal was saved from a horrible situation, that animal was rescued. If the animal was placed in one situation and then another, that is adoption. But there are many gray areas.

The definitions of “horrible,” “acceptable,” what constitutes “neglect,” or what is “better” for the animal may depend on who you talk to. More words.

For organizations (“rescue” groups, shelters, etc.) and individuals who have had to face the difficult decision to part with a pet, these words matter. The perception that the animal had to be “rescued” implies that it was in a terrible state. Maybe, maybe not. This point is argued by animal lovers everywhere.

Shelters who take in animals to adopt them out, receive animals from a variety of situations. Organizations such as Greyhound adoption groups, receive large numbers of dogs retired from racing, breeding, or those that are not entered into training. Unfortunately our group has also had a lot of owner surrenders lately, too. Loss of job, divorce, or loss of a home have necessitated finding new homes for dogs.

If the animal wasn’t adopted, what kind of life (or death) would it have? Are we rescuing it from potential future events?

When all is said and done

In the best of circumstances, pets find loving homes with lots of attention and good food. What is your opinion of rescue versus adoption? Do words matter finding homes for pets?

Posted in K9 Care, K9 Rescue, K9 Stories | 2 Comments »

Slow Down, Chow Hound

March 31st, 2011

Eating too fast. Gulping large quantities of food (and air) in seconds. This is a problem that I have not had to deal with for any of my dogs. I have always had “regular” eaters, some even picky. Gulping was not a problem. Until now.

We failed Fostering 101 last week and adopted “Burro,” now “Purl” the Greyhound. She, like Argos, had a very ravenous appetite when she arrived, and we had to remove all extra temptations of food on tables or counters. She inhaled everything.

Unlike Argos, she hasn’t calmed down on eating. She may have even been trying to eat faster, it was hard to tell.

I am working to add a few pounds to her frame, so the good appetite is great. But this quick food intake can also be a problem. If they also swallow a bunch of air with the food, it may lead to bloat or vomiting or discomfort.

For pets prone to putting on pounds, calories add up quickly, too. It is hard to resist that “wow they are really hungry I should give them more” feeling.

Ways to Slow Down Food Intake

Here are a few ideas to slow down eating. Every dog is different – what works great for one dog will frustrate or bore another. Try out a new technique or consult a dog training professional for ideas/products that resonate with your dog.

1) Small meals throughout the day – Hopefully reducing the over-anticipation. Also reducing amount of food for the body process at one time. You could divide the portions further to 4-5 servings a day if that works with your schedule.

This worked great for Argos. He was fed three times a day for the first few weeks. He completely calmed down around mealtime, including laying down until he gets the signal that his dish is ready. He is a very deliberate eater now.

2) Interactive food toys – I purchased a Kibble Nibble Dog Toy prior to Purl. This was for Sophie and Argos, both moderate eaters at the time. Neither one not needing to slow down or lose weight, but something to engage them and keep them busy.

Each dog played differently with this toy: Watch video of Argos | Watch video of Sophie

There are many other toys like this on the market. Some are food-dispensing puzzles, some are designed to slowly release food with activity, similar to the Kibble Nibble.

For the food dispensing toys, the entire day’s ration can be put inside, releasing the ‘meal’ over several hours.

3) Human treat dispenser - Veterinary Behaviorist Sophia Yin DVM MS advocates the “learn to earn” method of training.

In a nutshell:

“For the fastest training dogs should earn their meal throughout the day when you are home. That means no food in the food bowl. Instead you’ll carry food around with you in your pockets or bait bag or have it available in easily accessible containers in throughout the house. Then throughout the day, when you are home, you’ll reward appropriate behavior.”

From The Learn To Earn Program (PDF)

With three hungry dog mouths to feed, this would take more time than I have in my day. So I opted for…

4) Brake-Fast® Pet Food Bowl – I learned about this dish a few years ago from my friend (also a veterinarian) who has Labs. And we all know how Labs love to eat! It was more of an amusement at that time, since I did not have a need for this bowl for my dogs.

Until now.

After three full weeks with no slow-down in sight, Purl needed help. At first, I turned one bowl upside down in her regular bowl to add an obstacle. That worked for a few feedings until she figured out how to flip out the extra bowl.

We purchased the Brake-Fast® bowl on a Saturday, and by Tuesday she was eating slower than the other dogs, the last to finish. More importantly, she is calmer about approaching her food and eating. Hopefully in another week or so, she will be a normal paced eater. Time will tell.

Do you have a chow hound?

Please share what worked to slow your dog’s food intake in the comments below. Always good to have new ideas and products to try out. Just in case.

Posted in K9 Care, K9 Expert Question, K9 Health, K9 Nutrition, K9 Rescue | 10 Comments »

Spring Cleaning and Poison Prevention

March 22nd, 2011

Pet people know that Poison prevention is a year round  job. And, for the 46th year, the third week in March has been designated Poison Prevention Week to bring additional awareness to common household dangers.

The third week in March is on the cusp of spring, even though it may not feel like it. Yay spring cleaning! Time to get ‘fresh eyes’ and see what can be tossed and what should maybe be stored a little safer.

It’s easy to feel as if everything is “pet proofed” with resident pets. Adding a new pet, or in our case, Burro the foster Greyhound, helped provide those “fresh eyes” for potential dangers.

Burro has a penchant for pencils and plastic. Chomp, chomp. The other day, she grabbed an empty pill vial off of the counter and had the lid off quicker than I could get to her. It was empty, destined for the trash, but one more reminder of how quick and unpredictable pets are.

Probably no coincidence that human medications are one of the top pet poisoning questions received at Pet Poison Helpline.

Most common toxic household items:

(as reported to the Pet Poison Helpline call center)

Human medications: Common human drugs including NSAIDs (e.g. Advil®, Aleve® and Motrin®), acetaminophen (e.g. Tylenol®) and antidepressants (e.g. Effexor®, Cymbalta®, Prozac®) can cause serious harm to your pets when ingested, sometimes given intentionally by well-meaning pet owners.

NSAIDs can cause serious stomach and intestinal ulcers as well as kidney failure.

Acetaminophen can damage red blood cells in cats, limiting their ability to carry oxygen, and in dogs, it can lead to severe liver failure.

Ingestion of antidepressants, which, of all human medications account for the highest number of calls to Pet Poison Helpline, can lead to neurological problems like sedation, incoordination, agitation, tremors and seizures.

Xylitol: Many sugarless gums, including some Trident™, Orbit™, and Ice Breaker™ brands, contain xylitol, a sweetener that is toxic to dogs. Candies, mints, flavored multi-vitamins, desserts and baked goods may also be made with xylitol.

Even small amounts when ingested can result in a life threatening drop in blood sugar, or with large amounts of ingestion, liver failure.

Signs of xylitol poisoning include vomiting, weakness, difficulty walking, tremors and seizures.

Flowers: With Easter and spring right around the corner, flowers will begin to bloom. As beautiful as they are, some flowers can cause severe toxicity, or even fatalities, in animals. Certain types of lilies including tiger, day, Asiatic, Easter and Japanese lilies, are highly toxic to cats. Severe kidney failure can result from ingestion of even a few petals, leaves, or even the pollen. (And that pollen gets everywhere.)

Lilies are commonly included in grocery store bouquets. As beautiful as they are, I do not let them in my house. Not worth the risk with ever-curious Quincy and sometimes-plant-eating Barnie.

In addition, ingestion of certain spring bulbs (e.g. daffodils, tulips) can cause severe vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain. More serious reactions include abnormal heat rate or changes in breathing.

Chocolate: While the occasional chocolate chip in one cookie may not be an issue, certain types of chocolate can be very toxic. Baker’s chocolate and dark chocolate pose the biggest problem. The darker and more bitter the chocolate, the more dangerous it is to our pets.

The chemical toxicity in chocolate is due to methylxanthines (a relative of caffeine) and results in vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity, abnormal heart rhythm, seizures, and possibly death.

Fertilizers: Many fertilizers are basic gastrointestinal irritants. However, some are often combined with dangerous chemicals and compounds called organophosphates or carbamates, which can be harmful or deadly to pets.

Ingestion can result in drooling, watery eyes, urination, defecation, seizures, difficulty breathing, fever and even death.

Pest Control Products: Rodent, snail and slug baits are often used to keep pests at bay. However, if ingested, these poisons are extremely harmful to pets. They are highly toxic and without immediate veterinary attention can be fatal.

Rodent baits typically can result in blood clotting disorders, brain swelling or kidney failure, while snail and slug baits can result in severe tremors or seizures.

Poisons and Baits Stored Away, but Safely?

Just because rat poison is green, or blue, or hidden underneath, or on top of, the work bench out in the shed aren’t reasons for dogs not to eat it. It is a bait, it is enticing. With the newer rodenticides and slug/snail baits, the toxicity is highly concentrated. It just isn’t worth the risk for me.

If you do use these items, assume your pet will seek them out and move drawers and boxes to get at them. You never know.

Happy spring (cleaning)!

Related: CE with Dr. Justine Lee – Top 10 Toxins in Small Animals and How To Treat Them (free Continuing Education webinar)

Thank you to Pet Poison Helpline for top poisons info.

Photo © Willeecole | Dreamstime.com

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5 Fabulous Reasons to Foster

March 15th, 2011

I wrote about Adopt the Internet last week. The focus of the PetFinder Adopt the Internet is on adoption. As it should be – PetFinder has helped place over 17 million animals in their 15 years.

For this post, I am focusing on the sidekick to adoption; fostering.

Fostering is providing a temporary home to an animal waiting on their forever home. It may be because their time has run out at the shelter, the animal is declining or in poor health in the shelter, or the rescue group does not have the facility to house the animals they take in.

Fostering is a great service to that animal, making them ultimately more adoptable. Fostering is also a great way to “test out” how a particular animal or breed of animal will fit in your household. If it works out, you “fail” fostering and welcome a new adoptee!

5 Reasons To Foster

1) Help a pet out of the shelter
Most shelters do the best they can, given the facilities and funding on hand. Even in the best of circumstances though, a shelter environment isn’t a home environment. Lots of animals, smells, and noises can make even most outgoing animal shy or overly attention-seeking.

Offering a stable home environment allows for close observation of that animal – personality, health, and behavior – to ensure that the animal is healthy and provide accurate information to prospective adopters to ensure the best possible match.

2) Watch them bloom
Even though both of our fosters (adopted pets, too) had radically different personalities, they all “bloomed” after getting settled in. That first tail wag, play bow, or silly smile makes it worth getting over little houstraining accidents or ‘mistakenly’ chewed up item.

Meeting other household pets must be done with care and caution – to protect both the foster and the resident pets. Gradually allowing more freedoms and interactions as they get to know each other keeps the peace.

3) Basic training
Each new foster is a big question mark – are they already housetrained? Do they know basic obedience? Can they walk on a leash? When fostering, you may not get all of the background info you would after reseaching a potential adoptee.

Don’t be intimidated – use this as a great opportunity to brush up and practice those basic skills. If you need help, reach out to your foster coordinator or others who foster. Most will be happy to offer tips and advice.

The benefit? Our fosters have eagerly and quickly taken our advice – they have trained quickly and it is gratifying to see the results – and their self-satisfaction at a job well done.

4) Good cardio workout
This is a dual meaning for me, and a little tongue in cheek. With our latest foster, Burro the Greyhound, I am getting a lot of strength training because she is terrified of our non-carpeted floors. She is getting better at this, but for ease/quickness, I often carry her to carpet for good footing. Lucky for me she is small and easily carried.

The second part of the cardio work out is the happiness, then the sadness, then the happiness when a foster finds their forever home. It is definitely a good feeling, but I did feel the tinge of ‘what if’ with our first Greyhound foster, Hammer. It was short-lived though, because the photos and emails from his new family proved that everything turned out as it was meant to be.

5) Give them foundation, then wings
Before Hammer came to our family, we had a big sit down meeting with the kids. What fostering is, how it helps the animal, and what our role is. The kids “got it” better than I anticipated. They did great and it was a good learning experience.

Fostering provides a solid foundation of health, behavior, expectations and basic training for the newly adopted dog. This is the main reason I foster – knowing that they dog is a little more ‘polished’ and ready for a home. Less worry about a return or  adoption gone wrong if more of the variables are known.

After Hammer found his home, we had several phone calls and emails about his personality, little quirks and other Hammer humor to discuss. It is a great way to make new friends.

Never Say Never

I used to say never. I could never (ever!) foster. I would surely adopt every single one. But if you view fostering as a service to that animal and the adopters, it makes it easier. PetFinder.com also has some great tips and resources all about fostering.

Posted in K9 Care, K9 Fun, K9 Rescue, K9 Stories | 5 Comments »

Adopt the Internet

March 8th, 2011

Pet adoption and rescue is a topic I visit often. I live it.

I am not one of the super heroes of the rescue world; those who rescue countless animals or work tirelessly in shelters or situations of abuse or neglect, but I do what I can.

Every little bit counts.

Many of us are familiar with this quote:

“Saving just one pet won’t change the world
but, surely, the world will change for that one pet “

It is easy to feel overwhelmed — not only at the sheer numbers of animals being euthanized (killed) each day because time for them has run out but also the numbers of animals waiting in shelters and rescues.

If the time isn’t right to adopt now, the overwhelm-guilt is even bigger. That is why I focus on the quote above. It makes things more… attainable. Doesn’t fix everything, but it is a start, and hopefully times are changing. Hopefully, some day, we can change the bigger picture.

Sometimes the process still feels too slow. It is easy to be impatient. To feel powerless. We have many pets, how can we help one more? One thing my family has  done is to foster dogs awaiting their forever home. I never thought I could – it would be too “hard” and would it really help anyway? Turns out it did.

First we fostered Hammer. Now we have Burro (pictured in the photo with her mentor Argos – more photos here). Hammer was a sweetie, but needed a little refinement in the manners department. He was an energetic teenager dog who shined after a little polishing, and found a fabulous forever home.

Burro is the complete opposite – she is afraid of her own shadow. At times immobile from fear. We have only had her for 3 days, but she is already blooming out of her scaredy cat shell. She is discovering that walks are fun, there’s lots of yummy food here, and cats aren’t scary (most of the time).

Fostering has not only helped the dogs, it has helped all of us to have more patience with dogs who aren’t quite yet “pet-ready” yet and the power of a nicely matched adoption success.

For now, let’s Adopt the Internet

PetFinder.com is a household name these days. Fifteen years of hard work and 17 million pet adoptions later, it’s time to party. Time to celebrate each single pet who found a home (Sophie and Argos) because of this web site.

It’s a party and you are invited! Fun prizes, cute photos, and more.

Here are some ways you can be involved:

• Add a badge to your Web site to show your support.
• Take the PetFinder pledge that you will tell one person about pet adoption on March 15. By pledging, you’ll enter for a chance to win one of 10 Pet Hair Eraser® Vacuums from BISSELL.
• Caption a Petfinder adoptable-pet photo on ICanHasCheezburger! The photos with the best captions will be featured on the ICanHasCheezburger.com homepage on March 15.
• On March 15, donate your Facebook status and photo to an adoptable Petfinder pet. Simply replace your photo with one from the Adopt-the-Internet All-Stars gallery and post one of these messages:
  -More than 320,000 pets are waiting for homes on Petfinder.com. Help Petfinder Adopt the Internet today and find forever homes for as many as possible!
  -I adopted my pet from Petfinder and now I want to help get this pet adopted! If you want to help pets in need of forever homes, please repost this!
  -On March 15, share an adoptable Petfinder pet on Twitter with the hashtag #adopttheinternet.
• Add a link to your blog, Facebook or Twitter post to this page! (Come back on March 15 to find out how.)

So join in… in some way. Every little bit counts.

March 9, 2011 update: Just had a great question from Twitter:

When I get ready to add to my furry family, would I be able to find purebreds on PetFinder?

Answer: Yes! Check out the many dog breeds and cat breeds available on PetFinder.

Posted in K9 Care, K9 Fun, K9 Rescue, K9 Stories | 4 Comments »