Spring has sprung. Have you?

http://www.elliesrainydayfund.org
Volume 8, April, 2016

From Ellie's Friends:

Here comes our invitation to overdo it.

Here comes the warmer weather! And with it comes the allure to get out there and be a "weekend warrior". Are you wanting to shed that winter weight...so you head out for a five mile run (after three months essentially on the couch)? I've noticed Ellie and the kitties showing some of the same tendencies. This morning, Ellie took off after a squirrel. Smudge went out in the catpen and immediately headed up a tree. The spirit is ready but our bodies may beg to differ. This month we'll be talking about dealing with knee joint health, hearing about an amazing dog who is doing some "dealing" of her own, and celebrating a fundraiser that has helped us transition through the season. Make sure you get to the end to read our big news about Buster (our January love story) and his family! Newsletter readers are getting the advance "scoop".
And thank you for your love of animals and your willingness to help Ellie's Rainy Day Fund to keep more furry love ones with their families! -Juli

Help us to grow! Share this newsletter with a friend! Let us know if you have some time to volunteer. It will take all of us to keep the Miami Valley's sick/injured pets and their people together.

Love Stories:

"Lucy has given us a special twelve years. We're so thankful that you've helped that to continue for us and will be there to help other families as well"

We didn’t know what we were going to do when we discovered Lucy had torn the ACL in her knee. With acupuncture, Dr. Sue helped to alleviate some of the pain, but Lucy was still struggling to get around.

We got Lucy when she was just 3 months old. A shy Blue Beagle, she dislikes being picked up, hates storms, & abhors going to the vet. On her way home from vet visits, she tells me all about it. With head raised, she emits a continuous howl.

On the flip side, she enjoys lying in the sun, hanging out with her pack (two other 4 footers), and “singing” to our musical clock at the top of every hour. She has mastered her obedience moves & even earned a novice title in rally.

We were devastated when Lucy injured her knee. She loves her daily curb drain “inspections” and romps with her pack! Words cannot express how my husband & I felt when we learned that Ellie’s Fund was making it possible for Lucy to have surgery with Dr. Moeller. We could never have done it without you. It was a Godsend to us.

Lucy is now doing well. At four weeks post surgery she was walking for several short walks a day, and now she doesn’t even limp. She has even gone back to her drain inspection duties!

I will be donating monthly to Ellie’s Rainy Day Fund. It won’t be much but every little bit can help another animal in need. Lucy has given us a special twelve years. We’re so thankful that you have helped that to continue for us and will be there to help other families as well.

lucy, blue beagle playing with pack lucy, one year, blue beagle

Health and Well-Being:

Keeping Your Fur Family On Their Paws!

Did you know that dogs and cats can suffer from the same knee injuries that we incur? There are two essential stabilizing ligaments that cross over one another inside the knee joint. Instability most commonly occurs from cruciate ligament tears (analogous to ACL injuries in humans) and luxated patellas (dislocated kneecaps).

ACL tears occur more frequently in dogs than in cats. Sometimes tears are due to things like landing “wrong” when running and jumping, but they are also affected by weight and even breed . ACL tears in cats most often occur as a result of jumping from high places, playing or getting a leg caught in something. As with dogs, ACL tears happen more often in cats that are overweight.

Warning signs of ACL injury can include decreased activity or playfulness with cats, and lameness or awkwardness of sitting posture (leg sticking out to the side) in dogs. Pay attention to limping! Catching an injury quickly can be crucial to your pet’s recovery!

Treatment varies. Cats are often first treated with diet management (if overweight) and exercise restriction for 3-6 weeks. If medical management is not successful, surgery is usually recommended. Dogs often go immediately into surgery, followed by physical therapy. This is because with dogs, delaying surgery usually causes further inflammation and puts the ACL in the other rear leg at increased risk for rupture.

Preventative measures include:
Keeping pets at a healthy weight to relieve pressure on their joints and hind legs; providing ramps or a series of increasing levels of furniture for cats to get to favorite high places; starting exercise at a slow pace to allow for warm-up of muscles and tendons; and exercising on a regular basis (for dogs, 20 minutes three times a day at a minimum).

Information taken from: http://www.atlanticvetseattle.com/acl-injuries-in-dogs-and-cats/

For the month of April our partner, Bigger Road Veterinary Center, "grew" some new assistance for Ellie's Rainy Day Fund. Thank you to all the wonderful clients at Bigger Road who helped financially challenged families of pets who need treatment in Bigger Road's practice. We love seeing all the flowers crop up on the bulletin board honoring and memorializing your pets. Thanks also to the Bigger Road veterinarians who generously matched all their clients' donations! Winners of $50 gift certificates for donations made at each location will be announced on Facebook and in the next newsletter. If you'd still like to donate, stop by either clinic or donate online at https://elliesrainydayfund.org/donate/

Thank you, Bigger Road Veterinary Clinic! Together we are helping even more pets to stay with their people!

Help improve the quality of life of pets and keep them with their families!

Rainy Day News