Having a Pet Could Save Your Life! Seriously!

Although many pet owners will say their pets make them feel better, there are still some skeptics; however, research studies have shown that pets do have a very positive impact on various aspects of our health.

Increase Longevity after Heart Attacks

Dog ownership increases the odds for survival in persons who have had a heart attack from 1 in 15 to 1 in 87. Pet ownership has also increased the percent of people who survived at least one year after hospitalization for heart problems. Only 6% of people who did not own pets survived, versus 28% of people with pets. Pet ownership may be only one of several variables that influenced this improved survival, but even a 2-3% difference is significant. In addition, pets may actually lessen the risk of having a heart attack in the first place.

Lower Cholesterol and Triglycerides

Dogs have been shown to reduce blood pressure in a number of populations. Studies in women undergoing stress tests have demonstrated that the presence of a dog had more of an effect on lowering blood pressure than the presence of friends. Similarly, children who had a dog present during their physical examination showed lower heart rate, blood pressure, and behavioral distress than when the dog was not present. Stockbrokers who had dogs or cats in their offices when they had to carry out stressful tasks had smaller increases in blood pressure than those who did not have a pet present.

Increase Physical Activity and Functioning

People who own pets often have better physical health due to the need to exercise and care for their pets.

Reduce Medical Appointments and Minor Health Problems

The use of prescription drugs and the overall cost of caring for patients in nursing homes dropped in those facilities where companion animals became part of the therapy. A study also found that for persons living at home, those with pets had fewer medical appointments and minor health problems.

Predict Seizures

Some people who have periodic seizures have reported that their dogs can sense the onset of a seizure before they can. It has been found that dogs can be specially trained to recognize a change that occurs prior to a seizure and signal the owner of the imminent seizure. This gives the owner sufficient time to prepare and do things such as move away from a hot stove. These dogs are called ‘seizure-alert’ or ‘seizure-response’ dogs, and can be trained to signal their owners anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes prior to a seizure.

Control ‘Freezing’ in Parkinson’s Disease

In addition to the tremors and stiffness that Parkinson’s patients experience, they also face a problem called ‘freezing.’ This occurs when their feet freeze in place while the rest of their body keeps moving, causing the person to fall. As a result, some people with Parkinson’s may tend to become sedentary, reluctant to move, and reclusive. Parkinson’s helper dogs have been trained to identify when a person with Parkinson’s is ‘freezing.’ If the dog touches the person’s foot, it breaks the freeze and the person can continue walking. Medical experts really do not know how or why this works.

In addition to breaking the ‘freeze,’ the dogs are taught to prevent their partners from falling by counterbalancing them and helping them regain their footing. If the person does fall, the dog can help the person up.

Diagnose Cancer

It may sound stranger than fiction, but a dog in Florida named George has been reported to be able to detect a particular smell given off by certain skin tumors called malignant melanomas. George can sniff out this cancer with close to 100% accuracy. Researchers at Cambridge University are studying the use of dogs to detect the smell of prostate cancer in urine from human males.

Alert to Hypoglycemia

There are also animals who alert their owners to episodes of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), which allows the owner to correct the level before serious symptoms develop.

This blog post was adapted from a newsletter article originally written by Holly Nash, DVM, MS, Veterinary Services Department, Drs. Foster & Smith, Inc.

Foster Feature: Bandit!

Another two weeks, another Foster Feature! This week, we’re featuring a 4-year-old Snowshoe named Bandit, who also goes by “Bandy”!

Bandit was originally rescued from a feral colony. She is an incredibly beautiful cat who has bunny-soft fur and bright blue eyes.

When Bandit is alone, she is affectionate and loves to be petted and to play with her wand.

Bandit is intensely shy around other cats, though, and would prefer to have alone time with you to be loved on. She will probably require someone with time and patience who can work with her to overcome her shyness; however, Bandit is a lovely girl and would make a wonderful companion for anyone looking for a sweetheart kitty.

Does Bandit sound like your cat soulmate? You’re in luck! Bandit is currently up for adoption! Click here to find out more about how you can meet her.

There’s no place like home!

Pacific Siamese Rescue strongly believes in cats being indoor-only; however, we do realize that many pets also go outside during the cold season. Here are some facts and tips to get your cats and dogs through the winter safely.

Please remember, if you are cold, chances are they are too. Keep their beds slightly elevated away from cold and draft, and make sure they have a dry, warm, safe place to sleep. If you have a pet suffering from arthritis or severe osteoarthritis, they may experience more joint pain during cold weather conditions.

While many people think animals wear fur coats and should be fine in the winter, it is simply not the case. Prolonged exposure to cold results in a drop in the body temperature of dogs, cats, and other pets. Never leave your pets in the car for any length of time; it is just as dangerous in the winter as it is in the summer heat. If you have a puppy, an older dog, or a short-haired dog, just let them out to relieve themselves and, if need be, get them a sweater. If their skin turns red, white, or gray and becomes scaly, it may be a sign of frostbite and you need to contact your vet.

Outdoor cats, as well as other animals, may seek shelter beneath the hood of a car. This is potentially a deadly trap, and the animal may be killed by fans or belts. This can be avoided by banging on the hood and honking your horn before starting your car.

Coolants, antifreeze, and melt salts are lethal poison for cats and dogs. Be sure to consider “pet safe products” such as Propylene Glycol. Always clean your pet thoroughly, wipe off their paws, and keep them dry!

Then, of course, there is the other extreme. If you use a fireplace, put up a fire screen to prevent burns. You should also avoid using a space heater. Pets can chew on the cord and be electrocuted. They can also knock over the space heater, resulting in burns, or worse, set fire to the house.

Your animal’s nutritional needs may change in the winter. They may become less active and, therefore, may need less food during these months. Increase the amount of calories if your pet goes out.

Please keep your cats inside, both in summer and in winter. In addition, think about microchipping and providing your cats with name tags, just in case they get out.

Outdoor cats can freeze to death, get stolen, injured, poisoned, killed, or become lost. More pets get lost in the winter than any other time of the year.  Cats who are allowed to roam the neighborhood may be exposed to infectious diseases, including feline distemper, feline leukemia, feline aids, and rabies.

There really is no place like home!

This blog post was adapted from a newsletter article originally written by Andrea Stuewe-Lawrence.

Foster Feature: Sundari Fluff!

Another two weeks, another Foster Feature! This week we’re featuring a gorgeous five-year-old female lilac point named Sundari Fluff.

Sundari Fluff is a true beauty. She has luscious fur and icy blue eyes. Sundari Fluff can be a little shy; however, as soon as you pull out the brush, she’s your girl. As long as there is brushing and petting involved, Sundari Fluff is a purr machine.

This lovely lilac point is inquisitive, friendly, and playful with her friends. She is definitely a kitty who knows what she wants, and this frequently means she’ll seek you out when she’s ready to be groomed. Sundari Fluff will play with other cats from time to time, but would really prefer your rapt attention.

Sundari Fluff especially loves when her human decides to spend an extended period at the computer. When this happens, she rushes over for some lap time. If you’re someone who frequently works from home or spends a lot of time on the Internet, Sundari Fluff could be just the snuggle bug for you.

Do you think Sundari Fluff sounds like the purrfect companion? Click here to find out more about how you can meet her!

Annual Volunteer Event Cancelled

Thank you for your interest in our 2016 Annual Volunteer Event, which was to be held at Retzlaff Vineyards in Livermore, California on September 17th.  We so enjoyed planning this event and getting in touch with all of you!  Unfortunately, we were unable to sell the minimum number of tickets required to make this event a viable option and will be forced to cancel it.

Everyone who purchased a ticket has been refunded in full.  Please let us know if you have any further questions regarding this process at psrcatrescue@gmail.com.  Thank you again for your interest.  We hope to meet up with you in the near future!

Foster Feature: Roxy!

It’s Tuesday again and that means it’s time for another Foster Feature! This week we are
featuring Roxy, a little female Tortie who loves to sleep in the lap of her special person. Roxy is definitely a people person, and that means she’ll follow you around the house and drape herself over your shoulder and snuggle against your chest so she can receive kisses on top of her head.

Roxy doesn’t like to share her special person with anyone, especially another cat, so we recommend she be the only cat in the household.

Not only is Roxy a Tortie, but she also has some Siamese in her. This means that she has lots and lots of opinions and would love to share them with you. She is also stunningly beautiful in a way that can’t be captured by photos, and her fur is luxuriously soft – just ask her foster mom or her vet!

We also recommend that Roxy go to a household with children over five years old.

Roxy is a gorgeous and affectionate kitty who might be the companion of your dreams! She is currently located in Vallejo, CA. Do you want to meet this lovely Tortie girl? Click here to find out more about her.

A Pet Owner’s Guide to Preventing Heat Exhaustion

A closed car or a poorly-ventilated garage can be a death chamber for your pet during hot weather. You can prevent heat exhaustion simply by taking a few precautions.

Summertime travel with pets runs a high risk of heatstroke.

• Avoid leaving your pet in a car.
  • Temperatures in a closed vehicle parked in the hot sun shoot up to 150^oF or more in a very short time. Parking in the shade with all the windows open a crack will help, but if you must leave your pet more than a few minutes, it’s best to leave him at home, of if you are vacationing, in a boarding kennel or at your motel while you are out for meals and sightseeing. In the short time it may take you to have lunch or go in a store, your pet may succumb to heat stroke if left in the car. Coupled with the rising temperature of the hot vehicle, your pet may become distressed at being left alone. His excitement and possible overexertion from jumping around in the car will greatly increase the possibility of heat exhaustion.
• If your pet is accompanying you on a trip by air, arrange your hot weather flights for either early morning or late evening when the air is cooler. Awaiting boarding out on the hot pavement in the confines of his shipping crate can cause him to develop heat stroke rapidly.
• Avoid leaving pets in garages or outdoor kennels
  • Heatstroke can occur when animals are confined in a poorly-ventilated garage or kennel on a hot day, confined in the hot sun without proper shade, ventilation, or access to plenty of fresh water, or are over-exercised in the heat of the day.
• Dogs left chained out in the yard are prime candidates for heat exhaustion.
  • They may become entangled and unable to get to shade or water. Struggling with entanglement or fighting off other animals speeds the process through overexertion.

The Progression of Heat Exhaustion

Once the process of heat exhaustion begins, it progresses rapidly toward coma and death unless measures are taken immediately to reverse the rise in body temperature. Heatstroke results when the body temperature, normally 100.5^o-102.5^oF rises to 105°-110^oF. Pug-nosed breeds, obese pets, and older pets are much more susceptible to heat exhaustion.

In addition to rise in temperature, heavy panting occurs and the mucous membranes of the mouth initially become bright red. As the condition progresses, the feet and legs become hot to the touch and the bright red mucous membranes in the mouth turn pale because of decreased circulation. At this stage, pets may involuntarily void watery diarrhea.

Swelling in the brain may develop, causing critical complications. Involuntarily paddling movements and tremors may occur. The pet often appears to be unaware of its surroundings. They eventually lapse into a coma, the panting reflex stops, and they die of respiratory arrest.

Treating Heat Exhaustion
Animals suffering from heat exhaustion need IMMEDIATE EMERGENCY TREATMENT! If you are not within seconds of veterinary help, initiate cooling the pet before bringing it in.

• The first concern is to lower body temperature by submerging the pet in cold or ice water, or hosing it down.
  • The pet’s temperature should be monitored at 10-minute intervals, remove the pet from the cold water when his temperature reaches 103^oF. The rectal temperature should be taken at 10-minute intervals for 30 minutes to be sure the temperature does not go back up.
• During cooling, rubbing the feet and legs will promote circulation.
• Once initial cooling has taken place, the second emergency objective is to prevent swelling in the brain through intravenous medications.

Survival largely depends on the duration and degree of heatstroke. Since the disease progresses rapidly, the speed with which the pet is cooled down and brought to the clinic for emergency treatment is critical. However, complications develop so rapidly, even emergency measures may not save the heatstroke victim.

This blog post was adapted from a newsletter article written by Parkway Animal Hospital.

Foster Feature: Penny!

It’s Tuesday again and that means one thing: it’s time for our biweekly foster feature! This week, we are featuring the third of our three sisters. This girl is a 5-year-old tabby named Penny, and she is quite the kitty.

Penny looks just like her sister, Punkin, except she has a white nose. She is the shyest of the three sisters, but don’t let that dissuade you. When it comes to snuggling and asking for petting, Penny is as outgoing as anyone.

Penny is also typically the instigator of the games her sisters like to play. Punkin and Spot see Penny start to get riled up, and they can’t help but join in. Penny’s enthusiasm is infectious.

Penny’s a girl who knows what she wants, and this is especially true when it comes to bedtime. When she’s ready for bed, she’ll give you a gentle tap on the arm as if to say, “Make room for me!”

Penny is a sweet and devoted girl who just might be the perfect companion for you. She is currently located in Stockton, CA, and she is ready to meet with you! If you’re interested in finding out more about her, click here.

Traveling with your cats this summer? We can help!

Are you planning some time away from home this summer?  Here are some items to consider.

Pet carriers and crates need to be checked well in advance to ensure they are safe, secure, and in traveling condition, no matter if you are traveling by car, train, bus, or plane.  Be sure they meet all requirements imposed by the respective carrier and check it out well in advance.  You would not be the first one to be surprised by ever-changing rules and regulations.

Make sure your pet is healthy and in good traveling condition. If you have any doubts, just contact your vet. Please ensure your cat is current on shots as well as flea and heartworm treatments, and keep copies of the documentation with you.  Double-check you hold all medical certificates required.  Whenever you are traveling with your cat, in addition to a microchip, it should wear an ID tag at the collar or harness.

So your cat is not used to car trips? Start taking some short jaunts and build up to longer trips.  And keep in mind, not all cats may like to travel if it can be avoided.  If your pet gets car sick, check with your vet; help may actually be available.  Also, please use common sense and never ever leave your cat unattended in the car.

If you are traveling abroad, make sure you are familiar with all the rules and regulations of your destination country!  If need be, call the respective consulate: they will have all information necessary and be happy to assist.

Make sure you have a list of “pet friendly” hotels and facilities and make your bookings well in advance.  Many larger hotels near airports will allow pets in guest rooms, while others may offer kennel areas.  A pet deposit is often required, so make allowances for that and be sure to travel with an adequate amount of food and bottled water.  This is certainly not the time to introduce any changes to your pet’s diet.  

If you are traveling with a four-legged family member, consult with your vet and make sure your cat is safe and secure at all times.  If you plan your trip ahead, it will be an enjoyable journey.

This blog post was adapted from a newsletter article written by Andrea Stuewe-Lawrence.