Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day 2014 updates

Happy Holidays! We are fully booked for Thanksgiving care. Thank you to everyone who has helped make this holiday season successful. We are closed December 25, 2013 and January 1, 2014. In order to allow the other walkers to celebrate with their families, we will be closed for these holidays. Thank you!

Chip In for Freeway to Get His Wheels!

Help Freeway Get His "Wheels"

Quoted directly from the Facebook Page.

"Freeway is a Doxie puppy that Secondhand Snoots pulled from Animal Control on 1-18-13. Syd and Julie with Helping Paws Inc. is fostering him. He has no movement or feeling in his back end, legs or tail. We took him for X-Rays, an ultra sound and a MRI. The MRI has showed he has fluid and swelling around his mid spinal cord. The doctor believes this infection has been there a while and this is what has caused him to be paralyzed. He has pain in his back so he will be on medicine to help with that. Due to the severity of this, there is no surgery that will reverse the damage.

At this time, we are raising money to cover his vet bills and some wheels for him. He will be looking for his furever home with a family who can love him and take care of him with this special needs."

Click Here to go to the Auction

I will also personally be raising money for him with my 'One Dog at a Time' campaign during the same time period of February 6-February 11, 2013.  50% of all profits of the sale of my 'One Dog at a Time' necklaces will go to Freeway. I will also be donating 50% of the profits of the 'Yin and Yang' bunny stepping  stone. Thank you!
Click Here for Laughing Spider Designs to see items for Freeway

Helping Paws has also created a 'chip in' account where you can donate directly.
Click Here for Freeway's Chip In

Free pet safety pack from the ASPCA. Order yours today.

http://www.aspca.org/about-us/free-aspca-stuff/free-pet-safety-pack.aspx

だるまさんが転んにゃ - Stalking Cat -

Feeding Older Cats by the ASPCA - Excellent information

Feeding Older Cats

Cats begin to show visible age-related changes at about seven to twelve years of age. There are metabolic, immunologic and body composition changes, too. Some of these are unavoidable. Others can be managed with diet.

1. Start your cat on a senior diet at about seven years of age.
2. The main objectives in the feeding an older cat should be to maintain health and optimum body weight, slow or prevent the development of chronic disease, and minimize or improve clinical signs of diseases that may already be present.
   
3. As a cat ages, health issues may arise, including:
   - deterioration of skin and coat
   - loss of muscle mass
   - more frequent intestinal problems
   - arthritis
   - obesity
   - dental problems
   - decreased ability to fight off infection
   
4. Older cats have been shown to progressively put on body fat in spite of consuming fewer calories. This change in body composition is inevitable and may be aggravated by either reduced energy expenditure or a change in metabolic rate. Either way, it is important to feed a diet with a lower caloric density to avoid weight gain, but with a normal protein level to help maintain muscle mass.
   
5. Talk to your veterinarian about increasing your senior cat’s vitamin E intake. Antibody response decreases as cats age. Increasing the intake of vitamin E in cats older than seven years of age can increase their antibody levels back to those seen in younger cats! 
   
6. Antioxidants such as vitamin E and beta-carotene help eliminate free radical particles that can damage body tissues and cause signs of aging. Senior diets for cats should contain higher levels of these antioxidant compounds. Antioxidants can also increase the effectiveness of the immune system in senior cats.
   
7. Routine care for geriatric pets should involve a consistent daily routine and periodic veterinary examinations to assess the presence or progress of chronic disease. Stressful situations and abrupt changes in daily routines should be avoided. If a drastic change must be made to an older pet's routine, try to minimize stress and to realize the change in a gradual manner.

Cats Playing Patty-cake, what they were saying...