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Roman Update March 2015: Switch your Senior Animal to Senior Food
Roman is doing great on Triple Crown Senior!
Roman has now been on Triple Crown Senior feed for 5 weeks now and is showing great improvement. With all of the recent rainy weather, he has enjoyed rolling and getting all muddy. His foster home is suspicious that he does it on purpose because he knows he’ll get brushed afterwards and he enjoys all of the love and attention!
Since Roman is so large, and also so malnourished, he is fed a bit more than the recommended 6 pounds of senior feed per day (half in the morning, half at night). He is benefiting from the higher nutrient content to make up for his older (and less efficient) digestive system. Triple Crown Senior has a higher fat content for extra energy, enough bulk fiber to make up for any lack of hay or grass, and it is also softer, which makes it easier on Roman’s system. In addition to his Triple Crown Senior feed, Roman is also given quality hay, access to pasture grass and clean, fresh water.
Roman is doing great, but in honor of him, and every other animal in his situation, we’d like to take a moment to explain what you need to watch out for, and what you can do to help your horse as they get older! Before Roman got to the state he was in, he could have been identified as malnourished by early weight loss, topline muscle loss, graying of the coat, and hollowing of the grooves around his eyes, as well as decreased hoof and hair coat quality. The following three things should be done for each aging horse, to ensure they have the best quality of life in their senior years.
Teeth Floating
The tool used to smooth down your horse’s teeth is a file, called a float (hence the term, teeth floating). Horse teeth never stop growing, and over time they can become sharp and uneven or fractured, making it hard for them to chew and even causing discomfort and pain. In this situation it is hard for your horse to eat feed, grass, and hay, and you may notice quids around their eating area. Quidding is when your horse tries to eat hay, but can’t properly chew and swallow it, so they essentially just wad it up in their mouth and spit it out, leaving behind quids on the ground as evidence of the teeth issues.
You can feed your senior horse a mix of senior feed and water to make a mash that is easy for them to swallow and digest while you are waiting to get their teeth floated.
Get Bloodwork done
As horses age they become at risk for metabolic issues, such as Cushings. If your horse has hormone imbalances, or organ failure, the only way to tell for sure is to get bloodwork done by your veterinarian. When you are caring for your senior pets, bloodwork is an essential step before you simply switch them to senior feed and assume all will be well.
Switch Your Horse to Senior Feed
Giving your older horse more of the same feed isn’t the answer. The feed just goes through them without the proper digestion and nutrient absorption. Proof of this can be seen if you examine your horses manure and see undigested grain.
Senior feed is softer, making it more easily digestible, and it is also specially formulated with high-quality ingredients to make up for your senior horse’s decreased ability for nutrient absorption and digestion.
As your horse ages their bodies are less able to break down their food into the essential elements that they need for proper nutrition. Senior feed has extra high-quality vitamins and minerals, such as protein, fiber, and phosphorus, and calcium, which is easier for your senior horse’s body to process. Senior feed has high quality nutrients for better absorption, added vitamins for the immune system, and pre- and pro-biotics to help with digestive efficiency and overall health.
When is Your Horse a Senior?
Generally, 15 years and older is considered a senior horse, but it varies for each animal. The best person to advise you on what is best for your horse’s health is your veterinarian.
Foster Feature: Winston
Today’s foster feature is Winston. He wandered up to someone’s house hurt and confused. Thankfully the person who saw him sent a picture out to be networked on facebook to give him a chance. Some facebook networking friends started raising funds and searching for a foster home and rescue to take him in. Lucky for this guy, he found both. Now he has an approved foster home and True Blue Animal Rescue to provide rescue support so he’ll be protected and then networked for a new home. Right now he’s on antibiotics and wound care from his wonderful foster Mom who is also a nurse! Here’s an update from his foster Mom:
I am 1.5 to 2 years old per my doctor. I just want constant love and attention. I am a sucker for some belly rubs, Kraft cheese singles, baths; of course I love them and please don’t forget my rawhide bones, Kong ball and toys. This living in leisure is new to me but I sure do LOVE IT. I’m not too keen on other furry friends just yet. I will get better with my social skills; I just need time to know that I am not being under attack any longer. The couch is very comfortable but I also do like to resort to my fancy crate for long naps. I promise I go all on my own too. I am potty trained too! If I have to GO, I just ring the bells on the back door.
I am still recovering from all my boo boos, especially my back leg, with the help of my foster Momma and all the sweet ladies that I have interacted with these past 3 days, of course. Shhh …I think, they think I’m too cute for my own fur! I am…Ruff Woof!
As soon as Winston is healed he will be neutered, vaccinated and put on heartworm preventative and up for adoption.
Houston has a staggering number of strays and many are injured and have no hope. Thanks to social media and some big hearted people many find foster homes and are picked up by rescues. Foster homes are the the key but funding is just as important. The rescues that are taking these animals in are small with no funding other than donations. When the animal is injured and in need of more vet care than usual, donations make all the difference. Winston is thankful that a kind person called the vet and paid for his initial visit and the next visit too! That takes the pressure off the rescue and allows us to focus on the animal and not worry about funds. We cannot thank this kind hearted person enough!
In addition to direct payments to vets there are often giving or caring fund options to donate for the animal. My recommendation for those is not to donate to them but rather to wait till the rescue that picks up the dog posts their link and asks for donations to help care for the animal they have taken in. This will eliminate confusion with trying to find out who donated and how to thank them or how to get the funds transferred to the rescue. Comment and offer to donate but wait till the rescue asks for those funds. That way the funds will go directly into the rescue’s account to be used for the animal. In this case a private person set up the account and it took us days to find out who it was. She is now waiting for the funds to be transferred from the donation account so she can then transfer them to True Blue Animal Rescue. If you wanted to donate but were’t sure where, please donate through Paypal on our web site www.t-bar.org or directly from our face book page. That money goes directly into our account to be used to help Winston.
Thank you on behalf of Winston and the many other dogs we take in each week. True Blue Animal Rescue is a 501c3 non profit organization so all donations made directly to True Blue Animal Rescue or on a True Blue Animal Rescue vet bill account are tax deductible. You will always receive a letter for tax purposes when making a donation to True Blue Animal Rescue.
Microchip Your Pet!
This week we shared a story about Oliver and Opal. If it weren’t for the fact that they were microchipped, the terrible person who took them from a rescue just to dump them in a shelter would have gotten away with it. Thankfully, the shelter scanned them and were able to take action to ensure they could have a happy ending!
To follow up on their story, we wanted to discuss microchipping. In some cities, microchipping is either mandatory or strongly encouraged. In rural areas, it is not as common, but the benefits are the same. Think about the RFID ear-tages that farmers use on their livestock to ensure their safe return if they ever get loose. Microchipping your pets is just as important!
A microchip is an electronic device that contains information connected to a database that helps to identify your pet if it lost or stolen. Unlike collars, which can be lost, removed, or worn down with age, a microchip is an identification tool that lasts the life of your pet and gives you the unquestionable ability to prove your pet is yours if you need to. All pets can be microchipped, including cats, dogs, and horses. People also regularly register their birds, and it is possible to microchip animals as small as fish or as large as whales.
Microchipping is done most commonly at your veterinarian’s office, although some shelters and rescues are able to do it as well. When your pet is chipped you must complete an enrollment form. You will receive a registration certificate which serves as your ownership document, similar to an automobile title. This document must accompany the pet if it transfers ownership. You also must keep your contact information up-to-date if you move.
It is not difficult or expensive to get your pet microchipped. The chip itself is about the size of a grain of rice and is inserted under the skin of your pet (on the side of the neck or between the shoulderblades). It usually costs between $25-50, is not invasive, and requires no anesthesia. Your pet will experience no lasting pain or irritation, and while you will be able to feel a small bump where it is located, they will not notice.
The chip can then be scanned with a hand-held device (many vets run this scan at each annual exam to ensure it is still working). Pets who are found (or turned over to a shelter or rescue) are routinely scanned on intake to ensure they do not have a chip that is registered. If a stray is chipped, their owners are immediately notified. Registrations usually not only have the owner’s information, but also an emergency contact (sometimes the vet). This ensures that there is a network available to help work at getting the pet back to the rightful owners.
For such a low cost and small bother, it is more than worth it to chip your pet and live with the peace of mind that they can and will be returned to you if you ever get separated!
Diego is Home!
Last week we reported on a story of a little Chihuahua who had gotten separated from his family on their way to their new Military base posting in California. Our volunteers had networked to find his owners, and then made arrangements for him to be driven to San Diego. Today we are proud to report that not only did our community of supporters come together to raise the gas money to ensure the family did not have to contribute to Diego’s return, but Diego is now safely home and so is his transport friend, Colton!
- #Selfie! Diego meets his personal transporter, Colton!
- Road food! Diego wanted to get one last Texas Chicken Strip Basket before he leaves the state!
- Did Diego make a nest here so he could claim the big bed for himself?
- “Colton, are we there yet?”
- Finally, San Diego!
- Diego is returned to his family. You can see how happy he and his mom are to be reunited!
Thank you, Colton, for driving so far and taking such good care of Diego, and for taking the photos to share with all of us! We are so happy to share his journey, and so happy that Diego is back with his family!
Help Get Diego Home!
Diego has had a heck of a week! One of our TBAR volunteers found him in Sealy, Texas. He was lost, and our volunteer couldn’t find anyone who had seen him before. His tags identified him as belonging to a Military Family in Elgin, Florida. Our Volunteer contacted the base and was able to find his owners!
Diego’s family explained that he was adopted through craigslist and no sooner had he settled in and become a member of the family, the family got their orders to move to a new base in California. The family was driving to their new location and had stopped in Sealy, Texas for gas. Unbeknowst to them, little Diego snuck out of the car! They could not spend the time needed to find him, because orders are strict and they had to report to their new base in time. They desperately love him and their hearts were broken when they had to give up their search. We are beyond grateful for Casie Cooper, for doing the work to find where this little guy belongs! Now to get him home!
Thank you for everyone who has tried to find options to get Diego home. We’ve made the decision to send him with our volunteer, Colton DeAeth, rather than sending him cargo through an airline or many miles with multiple other dogs being transported. Colton will be Diego’s personal escort to reunite with his family in California. Colton has a lifetime of experience dealing with the skittish nature of Chihuahuas (we say he was “raised” by his nanny, a small black Chihuahua named Marble), and he also has years of experience driving cross-country, and has even done small-dog transport for TBAR before. Colton will ensure Diego is taken on the quickest and most direct route to his family, and he will be given the one-on-one love and attention that his own family would give him.
The family has offered to pay the gas money, but we do not want to ask anything from this family that has not only given everything to serve this country, but has now recently dealt with the chaos of moving across country and also the brief disappearance of their beloved pet. We have several people who have stated they will donate to the transport, and if you would also like to it would be very much appreciated! Donations can be made via PayPal!
If all goes well, Diego will leave Texas tomorrow (Wednesday) and be with his family on Friday!!!
Adoption Fees: Deconstructed
As of Feb 1st True Blue Animal Rescue’s adoption fee for dogs has gone up from $110 – $125. Our adoption fee for cats i $75.
We have had some questions about why we charge this amount, so we wanted to share that information with you today.
Our adoption fees include spay/neuter, rabies vaccinations, distemper/parvo/lepto shots, flea treatment, heartworm testing and heartworm preventative and deworming.
We use low-cost clinics, most commonly Animal Friends of Washington County or CCC Clinic in Bryan. We have also used Petworks Express in Houston, Abandoned Animal Rescue in Tomball and KAAWS Clinic in Houston as their prices are all comparable. Remember, if you get a “free” pet you will need to pay all of this, and if you don’t go to a low-cost clinic the fees will be higher.
DOG VET FEES
Spay or Neuter
- 0-39 lbs – Spay – $75; neuter – $60
- 40-59 lbs – Spay – $90; neuter – $75
- 60-99 lbs – Spay – $100; neuter – $95
- 100 lbs and up Spay -$125; neuter – $120
Rabies Vaccinations: $12.50
DA2PPLv – $17.50
Heartworm Test – $20 (dogs over 6 months)
Fecal Test – $15
Skin Scrape – $15 (often needed)
Wormer – $10
Heartworm preventative – $5 per month
Exam: $10
Flea Treatment: $5
Total Vet Costs for Dogs:
$150 minimum for the smallest male dog and
$165 for the smallest female to
$180 for a large dog under 100 lbs.
Note: Fee can increase as this doesn’t include a possible follow-up skin scrape and treatment if the dog has mange, and it also doesn’t account for the fact that puppies need two more booster shots
CAT VET FEES:
Cat Spay: $60 or Cat Neuter: $40
Feline Triple Test for FeLv/FIV/HW – $30
FeLv – $18.50
Rabies: $15.50
FVPCP – $17.50
Fecal l- $15
Wormer – $10
Deflea – $5
Total Vet Costs for Cats: That’s $151.50 for male cats and $171.50 for females
Right now TBAR is unable to rescue many cats, as people balk at the $75 fee (when it’s so easy to get a “free” kitten). The sad thing is, people fail to properly vaccinate and vet their kitten.
It is important for us to get donations, run fundraisers, and apply for grants to keep our vet bills down. If we depended on our adoption fees to recover our costs for each animal we would have a very hard time finding people willing to pay the fees (especially when we have an animal that needs more expensive rehabilitation care). We hope this information is useful when thinking about getting a new pet, whether a “free” one or one adopted from a shelter or animal rescue.
Protect Your Pet From Heartworms
It’s almost Valentine’s Day! We love to treat our four-legged furry Valentines on February 14 (and, let’s be honest, every other day too), but we also wanted to take a moment to talk about something serious that relates to your pet’s heart: Heartworms.
At True Blue Animal Rescue every single dog we take in is tested for heartworms and is started on preventative or heartworm treatment (depending on if they tested negative or positive for the disease). When we adopt a dog out we are sure to explain to their new family the importance of keeping them on their preventative or treatment, because heartworms are the silent killer of pets across the country and if the dosage is stopped the dog will suffer.
Heartworms are spread by mosquito bites and affect your pet by infesting their heart and enlarging it. In Texas your dog has a 100% chance of contracting heartworms if they are not on preventative medicine. That means ALL dogs should be given a monthly does of Heartguard (or other prescribed medicines, whether in pill, topical, or injection form) to ward off this terrible condition. If not, it is likely that your dog will contract the disease which results in a slow and painful death unless they are diagnosed and then put on a heartworm treatment regimen.
If your dog is not already on a preventative, we recommend you take them in to your local vet. Heartworm testing can be expensive, but it is worth it to ensure your pet has the proper care.
What are warning signs that your dog might be infected?
- A persistent dry cough
- Inactivity or lethargy, excessive sleeping, fatigue after simple actions such as eating or going out to go to the bathroom
- Weight Loss, refusal to eat, loss of appetite
- Labored breathing
- Bulging abdomen or chest area
- Collapse
We know you love your pets, and we want you to have many more Valentine’s Days with them, so make sure you are informed and take them in to your veterinarian to get the best treatment for their heart!
Cats are not the typical host for heartworms, as the parasite does not often make it to adulthood in their bodies. In the case that your cat is infected with adult heartworms, it can be fatal and often goes undiagnosed until it is too late. If you have concerns, talk to your veterinarian.
To read more about heartworm disease, visit The American Heartworm Society
TBAR Heaven 2014
2014 TBAR Heaven:
Lady Bug – May 3, 2014
Ladybug wandered up to a home in Industry, TX where a kind family reached out for help. Ladybug appeared to be ill and the family couldn’t afford the veterinary expenses, but couldn’t see her suffer. TBAR sent her to the vet for treatment of what appeared to be a minor illness that needed antibiotics. After two week and antibiotics having no affect, Ladybug was returned to the vet very sick and diagnosed with FIV. Most FIV cats can go on to live normal, healthy lives – but, sadly, Ladybug’s immune system was just too weak and her rescuer helped her cross the rainbow bridge peacefully. This brave little girl was loved during her time with the family and is sorely missed.
Hubba Hubba – January 2014
Hubba Hubba was a very handsome black and white Staffordshire Bull Terrier mix who just wanted to be near people and be loved unconditionally. He was dearly loved by his foster mom and is very missed by his foster siblings. Hubba has crossed the Rainbow Bridge but will never be forgotten.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon was chained to a gate on a hot day until a good Samaritan freed her and took her in. She was a sweet girl with a spicy personality that made those around her absolutely adore her. Cinnamon was cherished and loved by her foster mom and never knew the chained life again. Now she is running free far from this world, but still very close to our hearts.
Sadie
Sadie was rescued with her sister, Marley, as a very malnourished and skinny puppy. Soon after being rescued and finding an adoptive home, our sweet Sadie passed on from this world. Her last few days on this world were filled with love and plenty of yummy food. She is dearly missed and has taken a part of her mom’s heart with her over the rainbow bridge.
December eNewsletter
We just mailed out our December eNewsletter! Did you get yours? If not, sign up by clicking here and filling out the form: TBAR NEWSLETTER SIGNUP
You can view the whole eNewsletter by clicking HERE!
In the newsletter we discuss:
Website Fixed & Updated
This year we faced some challenges with our website, but we are ever grateful to our volunteer and computer programming expert, Jason Moore, for his work in fixing the site! We were able to keep ourPetfinder page and Facebook page updated while we dealt with the website issues, but we are very glad to have our “online home base” back up and running, complete with a new facelift! Let us know what you think, and if you run into any issues please message [email protected]
Paper Newsletter
Have you received our paper newsletter mail-out? Our volunteers work hard on this campaign every year to deliver the best in annual TBAR news right to the mailboxs of all current and lifetime TBAR members. If you want to be sure you get one next year, please make sure to pay your yearly membership fee and update us on any address changes!
Volunteer Opportunities
We are always looking for new volunteers to help us with current admin tasks, or to suggest new fundraising ideas. TBAR is run by volunteers and off of donations and grants, and we can not continue to grow without admin volunteers and new foster homes every year. If you have room to foster animals, or if you have fundraising or volunteer experience, or are just looking for a way to help out the animals while becoming a part of a hard-working team, please contact us! We can’t wait to have you on board!
Upcoming Events 2015
Mark your calendars and keep an eye out for these upcoming events!
January 24: Chili Cookoff at Independence Harley in College Station, Texas
May 9: Family Fun Day (tickets will be available on Eventbrite)
The Gift of Giving
Wondering what to give the person who has everything this year? Donate to TBAR in their name! Set your own one-time gift price, choose a monthly reoccurring donation, or select one of the memberships:
- Family: $25
- Lifetime: $500
- Guardian: $100
- True Blue: $1000
CLICK HERE to give!
AND MORE! Read it all here…