Animal Clinc of Kalispell - October 2019

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Pet Press KALISPELL OCTOBER 2019

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WHERE BEST FRIENDS ARE FOUND

Shout Out to Our Amazing Local Shelters

The first time I adopted a pet, I was in high school. My parents had adopted my childhood dog, Lady, before I was born. She was an Australian shepherd mutt who lived to be 17 years old. Lady passed away when I was 16, and I was devastated to lose her. She was the only pet I’d ever had, and I quickly learned how empty life is without a dog.

can get a bad rap, which is sometimes deserved, but not here. Our local shelter works really hard to help the animals in their care, and they do a great job. There are also great programs to encourage people to adopt senior pets. That’s how we got our dog, Maui, and Ozzie, the clinic cat. People can take comfort knowing that if they adopt through the shelter, humane society, or a private animal rescue group, their pet will generally be very healthy.

Unbeknownst to my parents, sometime after Lady died, I called the animal shelter near our home in Wyoming and asked them to give me a call if they got any springers in. This was back in a time before cellphones, so I gave the shelter our landline. When they called back a couple of weeks later, my parents had no idea what they were talking about until I came into the room. Fortunately, my parents were on board with getting another dog at that point.

Most of our clients have adopted pets, which is awesome. There’s nothing wrong with going to a good, responsible breeder with healthy dogs, but it’s great to see people who can give lonely pets a second chance. We even have clients who intentionally adopt older animals with serious health problems and help them get better so they can enjoy their golden years in comfort. I’m honored to work with people who have such huge hearts. The thing about adopting a pet is this: Once you’ve adopted one, it seems obvious that you’ll adopt your next pet from the shelter.

October is National Adopt a Shelter Dog Month, and I want to shout out the amazing organizations we have in the valley.

We went down to the shelter and adopted Switzy, a 10-month-old springer. It wasn’t long before they figured out why she’d been in the shelter. Within the first

20 minutes after getting her home, Switzy jumped the fence and was running around the neighborhood. We had to do a little training work with her, but eventually, she quit the escape artist routine and ended up being a great dog. Switzy stayed with my parents when I went to college, and she lived to be around 15 years old. October is National Adopt a Shelter Dog Month, and I want to shout out the amazing organizations we have in the valley. We are really blessed to have such a great humane society and county shelter. In general, shelters

Since adopting Switzy, I’ve adopted many pets from local shelters, including dogs, cats, rats, birds, and a couple of guinea pigs. They’ve all been loyal, loving animals that brought a lot of joy into my life. If you’ve been thinking about bringing another pet into your life, I highly recommend visiting one of our great local shelters.

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Where Should I Get a Dog? 3 REASONS TO ADOPT FROM YOUR LOCAL SHELTER So, you’ve decided to get a dog. Maybe you think your kids could use a new playmate, or maybe you and your spouse want someone to join you on morning walks. Whatever the reason, the next question is where to get them. Instead of paying exorbitant amounts of money to a breeder for a purebred puppy, why not check the local shelter or humane society? October is Adopt a Shelter Dog Month, and, if you’re looking to get a dog, here are a few reasons to check the shelters first. IT’S CHEAPER TO ADOPT Adoption prices include the upfront expenses, such as spaying, neutering, and vaccinations, that you wouldn’t get from a breeder or pet store. Some shelters even include the cost of microchipping in their fee. If you adopt from a shelter, you’re ensured a healthy, happy dog. With some shelter dogs, you may also save on housebreaking and training costs. LOTS OF CHOICES Is there a specific breed you’re looking for? Chances are you will find it at the shelter. Shelter dogs come in all shapes, sizes, and ages. Some organizations rescue specific breeds, and with a little research, you may find one near you. Even if you don’t find the breed you’re looking for, you may find an indispensable companion in a breed you weren’t looking for — and you never would have found them if you didn’t check the shelters. GREAT FOR YOUR KIDS

A Word F

Turok, Athena, and Titan

Hello there,

My name is Princess Leia, but you can call me Princess. I’ve been living with Dawn Navaro for almost 17 years, long before she became a technician at The Animal Clinic of Kalispell.

I was born in Florida and found in a car engine when I was just a kitten. The family that found me was really nice and wanted to keep me, but their son was still a little too young to know how to play nice with a cat. They happen to be friends with Dawn, who was already working at a veterinary office. When they asked her to take me, she said yes in a heartbeat.

Foxy

Canine-Friendly Pumpkin Truffles I’ve been told that I am incredibly healthy for a cat my age. I was recently diagnosed with diabetes, but beyond that, I still feel great. I’m perfectly happy to hang out on the top of my cat house and look down on the world. My only complaint is that my home is not a one-cat household. I share the house with two other cats: Mario, who is almost 12, and It’s the season of costumes and candy! While there are plenty of canine costumes to choose from, dogs should stay well away from the trick-or-treat bucket. Fortunately, you can still treat your dogs to a happy Howl-oween with these tasty and dog-friendly truffles.

Having a dog can be great for your kids, and getting it from a shelter can be even better for them. Dogs encourage kids to play outside and be more active, and kids gain a friend who loves them unconditionally. Plus, if you adopt, the act of giving an unwanted animal a new home can teach your kids empathy.

Ingredients

•

3/4 cup canned pureed pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)

• • • • •

1/8 cup coconut oil

1 tsp turmeric

If you still haven’t checked your local shelter for the newest member of your family, what are you waiting for? Find a furry friend you and your kids will love today!

1/2 cup coconut flour 1/4 cup ground flaxseed 1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs

Inspired by DalmatianDIY.blogspot.com.

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WHAT GOES UNSEEN Solving Your Pet’s Hidden Mysteries Surgery is sometimes the only way to know what was going on inside a sick pet. If the surgery reveals a serious problem, the pet owner may not have much time to consider their options before they need to make a decision about their pet’s health. Today, advancements in technology allow pet owners and veterinarians to collect all the information they need about what’s going on inside a pet before making a decision. One of the most useful tools in a modern veterinarian’s toolkit is a computed tomography (CT) scanner. CT scanners use X-rays that take a 360-degree image of the spine, vertebrae, and internal organs and then a computer builds images with those slices. It gives information that survey radiographs can’t show us. A CT scan can be used to determine if a dog is suffering from a herniated disc or if there’s a disease in the spinal cord. This information drastically changes how the dog’s treatment goes. Since the technology is more advanced, some people even assume that CT scans are automatically better than an X-ray. This isn’t necessarily true. X-rays are very sensitive with the lungs and the skeletal system, but less so with soft tissues. CT scans can be used to diagnose problems in soft tissues and internal organs. One is not better than the other, as they each serve an important role in diagnosed health problems in a pet. If a cat has a broken leg, a simple X-ray is enough to address the problem. However, if a dog is suffering from seizures, a CT scan can be used to determine if they have tumors or brain lesions, or if epilepsy might be responsible. At The Animal Clinic of Kalispell, we work with Discovery Animal Imaging, a mobile CT scanner, that comes right to our office. The company recently relocated to Kalispell, which means we can schedule scans for our patients faster than ever. With the help of a board-certified radiologist, the scans are reviewed that day, and we can have results for our patients in less than 24 hours.

om Princess Leia

Leia

Foxy, who is around 9. There are also several dogs around: Titan, a boxer,

who is around 10; Turok, a “rug” (Russell- pug mix), who’s 5 1/2; and Athena, a lab- boxer mix, who is the baby of the house at just 3 years old. Much like myself, all members of the clan are rescues. Mario was dropped off at a clinic where Dawn worked and Turok was at the shelter. Foxy was found on the side of the road by a client who initially

Mario

asked Dawn to take care of her while they were on vacation but ultimately decided they couldn’t have a cat at the time. Dawn rescued Titan from a shelter while she was looking for a dog for another one of her clients. Athena came along when Dawn’s friend bred her lab with a boxer on accident. Dawn has a soft spot for boxers. It can be pretty wild around the house, but we all get on well. We’re a clan full of rescues, so we have to watch each other’s backs — or, in my case, at least tolerate the rest of the family.

Thanks to CT scanners, veterinarians are able to help pet owners get all the information they need about their pet’s health and plan the best possible course for treatment.

Directions

1. Warm coconut oil into

liquid, then combine with pumpkin puree in a medium mixing bowl. Mix in turmeric, then add coconut flour incrementally. Mix thoroughly to create a sticky dough.

2. Roll dough into bite-size balls. 3. Combine flaxseed with bread crumbs in a small mixing bowl, and then coat truffles in mixture. 4. Refrigerate treats until firm.

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Inside

Find Your Best Friend

Reasons to Adopt Dogs From Shelters Meet Princess Leia and the Clan A Special Howl-oween Treat CT Scanner Availability Right Here

Amazing Cat Tales

Tails From the Past

MYTHICAL CATS OF THE WORLD

招き猫 (Maneki-Neko) — Japan Legend has it that in the 17th century, a monk living in a small temple in Edo (now Tokyo) was struggling to survive, but he still split his meals with his cat, Tama. One day, Lord Nakaota Ii got caught in a rainstorm while hunting and took shelter under a tree near the temple. Nakaota spotted Tama near the temple, and the cat raised its leg, beckoning the noble to come toward him. Curious, Nakaota complied, stepping out from beneath the tree just before a bolt of lightning struck it down. The lord’s life was saved, and to this day, the Maneki-Neko (the beckoning cat) is a symbol of wealth and good fortune. Freya’s Skogkatts — Norway In Norse folklore, the goddess Freya had a unique means of travel: a chariot pulled by two cats. These were skogkatts, or Norwegian Forest cats, that were only a little larger than your average house cat. Still, these small felines towed Freya around battlefields as she gathered warriors to send to Valhalla. On top of being the goddess of war, love affairs, and magic, Freya may well have been Midgard’s first cat lady.

Most owners will tell you their cats act like ancient deities.

Majestic, scrupulous, and utterly unpredictable, these fascinating creatures have long captured our imaginations. Even before cat videos took the internet by storm, humans have been idolizing felines, placing them alongside some of their most important mythological figures. Bastet — Egypt Of course, a list of mythical cats has to start with Egypt. While many people know the pharaohs and their followers thought cats were sacred, you may be surprised by how deep the connection goes. The earliest

depiction of Bastet, the feline deity of protection, is a lion-headed woman in battle. But, over the course of 2,000 years, Bastet evolved to resemble the domesticated, pointy-eared cats we know and love today.