Scentsy! Your purchase will help us RESCUE and prevent Tail fires!

Going away to Veterinary School was a big move for me.   I had gone "away" to undergrad but was only an hour and forty five minutes away from home at any given time.
I coped with this separation by calling home routinely, twice a week. My Mom was always glad to hear from me, but when the conversation started getting too long, she would say, "Ok, that's enough." This was before the cell phone era (ok, I am dating myself), so each minute on the phone was a billed minute. Mom figured one minute less on the phone, was money put towards my education.

One night I was talking with my Mom on the phone. The only phone we had was in the kitchen. It was a rotary phone that was physically attached to the wall (again, dating myself). You were tethered to it by one of those curly springy cords connecting the handset to the base and you were very limited by the two foot cord in the distance you could travel while speaking.  This shortened any lengthy conversation a teenager might have because there was no privacy, and you had to sit down on a stool that was certainly not meant for long term use.  Again, no cell phones.

Mom stopped me in the midst of our conversation that evening by stating, "Hold on a minute, the cat's tail is on fire."

There was no panic in her voice. There was no urgency in the "matter of fact" statement at all. I hear the phone's hand set being placed down on the counter. Meanwhile, I am on the other end of the phone panicking!

"Mom?! What do mean on fire??? MOM?!!!!"

A few moments later, she calmy returns to the phone. "It's okay, I put it out." she says flatly,  and proceeds to continue with the previous conversation. Meanwhile, my heartrate is up, I am panting, and my eyes are widely dilated!  My mind is in a frenzy.

Mom had lit a scented candle on the center of the stove, part of her evening ritual. Oreo, our longhair tuxedo cat, had pounced onto the counter and proceeded onto the stove to investigate Mom's supper which was still in a pan on the stove. During the cat's investigation, her tail spent a moment too long hovering over the lit candle, and it quickly burst into flame. The cat was completely unaware of the danger it was in.

Mom noticed the flame, walked over, picked up the cat, carried her over to the faucet, and doused that tail under a cool stream of water before any harm was done. The cat was safe, and was more upset about the wet tail than the burning tail 

The funniest part was my mother's calmness during and after what could have been a disaster! What if the cat ran and spread the fire throughout the house?   The possibility of damage to the cat, to the house, and potentially to my Mom is very sobering.

While I love scented candles for the fragrances they provide, I dislike the potential for danger that escorts them into the house. With pets, children, and my swiss cheese memory, I worry about the risks of the candles getting knocked over or being forgotten and left to burn when no one is home. I also happen to be married to a man who blows the candles out as fast as I can light them. He worries about soot stains developing on the ceiling. Each time he blows them out, he declares "The wick is too long! The wick is too long!" like Paul Revere declaring that the Red Coats are coming during his Midnight Ride.

Recently, a friend and volunteer pet foster mom, approached me about a new product, Scentsy flameless candles. Scentsy Warmers use a low-watt bulb to melt scented wax slowly.  With no flame, soot, smoke or lead to worry about, the Scentsy system is a safe way to produce a pleasantly smelling environment.

The scents are fragrant and there are so many that everyone can find a favorite. If your child sticks their fingers into the melted wax, it is completely safe. It does not burn the skin. It is comparable in temperature to a paraffin wax dip. Warm but not dangerous. If your furry feline knocks the unit over, there is no flame to spread. The Scentsy burners are much more attractive than a half burned soot filled jar-o-candle.

I can finally have a nice scent emanating throughout the house without the fear of letting it burn too long or unsupervised. The Scentsy plug-in has taken the place of our night light in the hall. It provides plenty of light for the stairwell and we awaken to the scent of our preference each morning. I am so enamoured with this product that our South Hamilton Animal Alliance is having a fundraiser with our local Scentsy representative.

From now until September 30, we are holding a Scentsy products fundraiser. You can view the products at https://judebeme.scentsy.us/Home . When you arrive at this page, you will see a little box in the upper right hand corner labeled "My Open Parties". Scroll through them to find the "South Hamilton Animal Alliance Fundraiser" then click on "Buy from Party". You can then view the products, with styles that represent everything from animals to sports, contemporary to vintage, classic to country. If you already own a Scentsy burner, stop in and order a few new scents! The burners make wonderful gifts for showers, weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, and there is something to suit everyone's taste.   

With each purchase, you will help The South Hamilton Animal Alliance to provide shelter and medical care for our animals in need, as well as make your home a safer place for your family, furry and otherwise. If you order online, your order will be shipped directly to your shipping address, and the South Hamilton Animal Alliance will be credited for the sale.

You can visit our adoptable animals at http://www.jewellanimalhospital.petfinder.com/ . If you cannot find a Scentsy product that suits you, hopefully you will find a furry friend that will...






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Mommy! Look! Mommy! LOOK!!!

We were at the Iowa State Fair on Tuesday.  I was on the phone talking to a pediatrician about a cat bite case that led to a rabies quarantine, when my son started yelling, "Mommy! Look! Mommy! LOOK!!!"  As I turn around expecting to see some crazy fair ride or giant deep fried snack that he is excited about, I see that he is jumping up and down pointing at a soldier in full camouflage military fatigues.  Then Miranda joins in, "Look Mom!" with an excited smile on her face. 

The soldier is only about three feet from Connor, so he was fully aware of my kids' exhuberant reaction as he walked by.  Being preoccupied with the seriousness of the phone conversation, I was unable to apologize for my kids making such a scene.

To my surprise, rather than continuing to walk by the two crazy kids, the soldier stops and looks at Miranda and Connor.  He stoops down, reaches into his camouflage pocket (I couldn't see it), and says "I have something for you guys." 

He pulls out what would be comparable to a baseball card, but one for soldiers.  His photo, taken in Afghanistan, is on the front, and his information including name and deployment history is on the back.  I wished I had not been on the phone when this happened, because I would have loved to have spoken with him and thanked him for his service.  I would have loved to have taken my kids' photo with him, but I am not sure I would have thought to take one at that very moment, even if I had not been on the phone.

After a brief conversation with them, the details of which I am unaware, he stands up, points at the kids, and says, "You guys take care."  I cupped my hand over the mouthpiece of the phone, and said strongly, "You too," hoping he heard both the concern and the respect in my voice.  I cried as he walked away.  Yep.  I did. 

I placed that soldier's card on the mirror above each of my kid's dressers.

I must admit I was surprised by Connor's reaction to the soldier, unsure of what prompted his excitement.  After thinking about it, I think I may have an idea from where the excitement originated.

When my father turned 18, our country was involved in World War II.  Years earlier, his mother had moved from England to the US around the time of WWI, sometime between 1914-1916.  His father remained in England to serve his country, and joined her in the US after his service in the Royal Armed Forces was complete.  

By the time my father was old enough to enlist, he did, enthusiastically.  He enlisted in the US Navy, and completed boot camp.  By the time he was ready for active duty, the war was officially over. While never doing active duty during wartime, his bravery showed in the choice he made to serve during wartime.  This choice is the source of my deepest admiration for my father. 

I remember noticing my father at parades when I was younger,  Every time a veteran's group walked by, whether they were marching, playing instruments, or riding,  he would remove his hat out of respect, hold it up in the air, and say "Thank you" to the veterans as they walked by him.  If the Star Spangled Banner was playing, my Dad's hand was over his heart, and he was singing with tears in his eyes.  I am not sure if any of the veterans noticed my father amidst the crowds of people present at the parades, nevertheless, he showed his respect, and I noticed, even if no one else did.

I always feel a deep admiration for soldiers when I see them.  Whether you agree with the political reasons behind a troop's deployment or not, you must have respect for the person.  You must have respect for the person willing to put their life on the line for what they believe in; a person willing to leave the people they love for months or years at a time for the country and people they love.  I don't usually approach the soldiers I see, but I have pointed soldiers out to my kids, explaining to them who they were and what their uniforms indicated regarding their choice of service.

So, perhaps this is where my son's excitement about seeing a soldier came from?   Perhaps he senses my respect when I see a soldier.  My father passed away a few years ago, but he would have been proud of Connor's reaction to the soldier that day.

OH SHOOT!!! 

I just thought of something. 

Perhaps Connor's reaction to the soldier stems from something else.

Perhaps it stems from the movie "Transformers"...the good soldiers vs the evil alien robots?

Na.  I am going to go with the pride and respect thing.  Transformers or not, soldiers are heroes.

Thanks Dad!

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Help From Home...

A young lady that worked at my clinic a few years ago while in high school, has been visiting the clinic lately.  Her name is Alexis, and she is close friends with my veterinary assistant, Miguel, who most of you know by now from other stories.

Now that Alexis is a young adult, and is living on her own, she has decided it has become time for her to become a doggie mom.  She has always wanted a dog of her own, and the time has come to make that dream a reality.  She visits our clinic, and meets our adoptables but is waiting for "just the right connection".  I think most of us that are pet parents understand exactly what she means.  After several meet and greets, Alexis would leave the clinic a little disappointed that she had not met "the one" but hopeful that the right dog was out there for her.

A few weeks ago, we took in a pair of adorable puppies. 

These two adorable puppies came from another animal shelter that was unable to place them on their adoption floor because the puppies were timid and did not pass the "personality" testing.  So this adorable pair of six month old pups were made available for rescue to other qualified rescue groups willing to take them into their adoption program.

When Miguel saw these cuties, he sent his friend Alexis a text message.

 "When you get a chance, you should stop at the clinic.  We have two cute Cocker spaniel mix puppies for you to see."

Alexis stared at her phone, reading the words in disbelief, as a brief recollection of a recent dream overwhelmed her.

Entering adulthood was not the only reason Alexis chose now to become a pet parent.  She was hoping a puppy of her own would help her heal and adjust to a tragic change in her life.  Just five months ago, her father died unexpectedly in a car accident.  She has been struggling to cope with the loss that occured just 8 days before her 20th birthday.

Just a few weeks prior to Miguel's text, Alexis was on a family vacation in Colorado.  On the last night of this family trip, she had a dream.  In this dream, her father and her grandfather (also deceased, and with whom she had shared a special bond) stood before her, alive and well.  It gave Alexis a warm feeling of comfort to be so close to them again, even if only in a dream.

As the dream continued, her Grandpa said, "These are the puppies for you, Alexis."  With the men, were two very cute, shy, cocker spaniel puppies.

Her father smiled in amusement as Alexis seemed overwhelmed, joyful, and definitely caught off guard by the two puppies romping at their feet, unsure of which puppy to call her own.

Her Grandpa turned to her again, "You have to pick one, Alexis." and he gave her a gentle smile.

As Alexis awoke, she felt the comfort of having seen them again, but the visit created a new longing for them to be with her now.  She wished that last night her Dad had chased her up the stairs growling like a tiger, the way he did at bedtime when she was just a girl.  She longed for him to be there as she climbed out of bed, waiting to give her that big morning bear hug meant to wake her up and start her day. 

The presence of the two puppies in the dream made little sense to Alexis, despite her ongoing search for her own dog.  She would often pray to God that he could help her through this tragedy.  She would ask God to help her find a puppy, and help her be patient in her search.  She would often "talk" to her Dad about getting a puppy, asking if he could help her find the right one.  When you consider this, perhaps the strange presence of two puppies in that dream was not so strange.


As Alexis stood looking at her phone two weeks later, reading the words texted to her by her friend Miguel, the dream suddenly made sense.  She knew before meeting them that, as her Grandpa had said in the dream, "These are the puppies for you."

She begged Miguel to put a hold on the pups until she could get to the clinic, fearful they would get adopted in the few hours it would take before she could make it to the clinic. 

She arrived at the clinic a few short hours after the text.  As her dream had predicted, she had a difficult time choosing which puppy would be hers, and she could hear her Grandpa's words, "You have to pick one, Alexis".  And slowly, the choice was made.

Meet Izy, one of two dogs that had been deemed unadoptable by one animal shelter's standards.  She is now a beloved family member and providing the gift of comfort and unconditional love.  Two lives have been completely changed for the better.  

It seems as though Izy was destined to provide the comfort, the humor, the occasional stress of pet ownership to a young woman who needed help to heal, a woman who cried out for help in finding her canine companion, a woman who received that help from the two people she least expected would be able to help her. 

While we struggle with loss, the truth is, we never lose those we love, and Little Miss Izy is tangible proof that love can surpass all boundaries.

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Update on Previous Blog Topics 2

(colored text is linked to the original blog...click on over and refresh your memory!)

Help Find Lizzy: Dog Lost in Ashland Kentucky!

I am thrilled to report that Iowa Dog Lizzy was reunited with her family after running loose in Kentucky for six lonely and heart wrenching days!  Lizzy's family was fortunate enough to have received a few informational leads as to where she had been spotted which was instrumental in her recovery.

Relaxing after the Run

Bring Hanah Home

I am sorry to say that Hanah, the dog that went missing following the Joplin, Missouri tornado, has not been found.  They are still actively searching for her, so please join their Facebook group, Bring Hanah Home.   Hope is not lost.

 

 

 

Meet the Sweets: Herkie the Hunk

Herkie, our senior lab with no hope for adoption, is doing wonderfully at his new home in New England.    

 

Herkie needed help getting up on the bed due to his hind end weakness, so his new family made him his own set of doggie stairs!  It doesn't look as though Herkie helped much in the construction process, but I am certain his old joints will appreciate the human efforts!

 

Clean Cut, Senior, White Male Seeks ...

 Remember him?

A picture (or two) is worth a thousand words!

Addie's Story: 3 part series...

Part 1

Part 2 

Part 3

Addie is doing great after eight years of being separated from her puppyhood home and family! Even in her senior years, she manages to climb into her own bed, and has the occasional left over Filet Mignon!

Addie and Cody are acclimating well to each other, as you can see by the video above.  They look for each other all the time and each wants to know what the other is doing at any given time.  Addie will not go potty unless Cody comes along too.

Ellie's Story

Part 1

Part 2

Ellie, after her visit to the Oncology Department at the Iowa State University, College of Veterinary Medicine is doing great!  Oddly, the morning of her appointment, her lesion had seemed to disappear (of course).  After discussing it with my husband, we kept the appointment just to be on the safe side.  They made some wonderful recommendations for her care, and suggested that surgery was not likely necessary.

After a few days of not even being able to find the lesion, and not a single step of lameness.  I decided to hold off on chemotherapy.  She has since had no signs of any problems with that foot or leg.

Either of two things happened.

1. The biopsy analyzed by a lab (not associated with Iowa State), was misinterpreted.

2. The well wishes and prayers of people far and wide made a difference.

I prefer to believe it was the latter of the two.  Thank you all for your thoughts, prayers, and your concerns.  Thanks go out to you from Ellie and her pal, Kirby!

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If there is a particular blog story you would like a follow up on, please request one.  If there is a topic you would like me to discuss, feel free to suggest!

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Help Find Lizzy: Dog Lost in Ashland Kentucky!

IF YOU ARE FROM KENTUCKY, WE NEED YOUR HELP!

A local Iowa family is heartbroken today.  They went on a cross country driving vacation.  During the trip, they stopped at their sister's house in Ashland, Kentucky.  Lizzy stayed there where she would be cared for by family members rather than strangers.

Sadly, on Monday July 18th, Lizzy's collar, complete with identification tags, broke off while visiting and she wandered off at a location with which she is unfamiliar.  She was seen briefly the next day but would not come when called.

Lizzy is a petite 40 lb, 2 year old, German Shorthaired Pointer.  She is a spayed female, and is liver and white, more commonly known as brown and white. Her head and butt are distinctly marked in solid brown.        She is microchipped with a Home Again microchip, and Home Again has been notified of her missing status, but in my experience, Home Again microchips do not always show up on some microchip scanners.  If a shelter is using a non-home again or non-universal microchip scanner, she may appear to not have a microchip. (future blog coming on this topic) If you are in Kentucky please spread the word about Lizzy.  Her family is heartbroken and worried about her.       If you are located in Kentucky, you can help by checking your local shelters, rescues, veterinary clinics, animal control, and petfinder pages for a dog matching Lizzy's description. Please print this page and hang it in public locations for people to see in case she is spotted. Print this page and hand it to the workers at your local shelters, rescues, veterinarians, animal control, and police departments, especially if you are around the city of Ashland, Kentucky or within a 150 mile radius.    Whether you are in Kentucky or not, please share Lizzy's facebook page http://www.facebook.com/groups/129336879919?id=10150258408144920&ref=notif&notif_t=group_activity#!/pages/Help-Find-Lizzy-Dog-lost-in-Ashland-Kentucky/209589362424737?sk=info  and this blog with everyone you know in order to help find her and bring her home. Every time this page gets visualized, so does Lizzy's face. If you have any information on Lizzy, please call us at Jewell Animal Hospital at 515-827-5700 or email Immydog@msn.com . Her family misses her greatly...

 

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http://www.facebook.com/groups/129336879919?id=10150258408144920&ref=notif&notif_t=group_activity#!/pages/Help-Find-Lizzy-Dog-lost-in-Ashland-Kentucky/209589362424737?sk=info

Too Busy for the Dog?

I was having lunch the other day, and a woman at another table, knowing the animal lover that I am, asked me for help with her son's dog.  Her son's family has a small dog, but their kids were older now and were too busy for the dog.  They are trying to find their dog a new home with people that have more time for it since it is not fair to the dog to keep it.  So far, they have had no luck.  Did I have any ideas?

After sitting and brewing for a few moments.  I responded... as gently as I could.

"Unfortunately, getting rid of the dog will only teach the kids that pets are disposable.   They should really think about whether that is the lesson they mean to convey to the kids in the household."  The woman thought about it, nodded her head, and gave an accepting smile.

"I hadn't thought of that." she said in revelation.  Her face revealed an honest moment of enlightenment rather than insult.

I proceeded, "I don't mean to sound rude or blunt with that response, but it's the truth, and it is very difficult to find any dog a new home.  Our shelters are full."

My hope is that this revelation led to a discussion with the family.

The truth is that most families are too busy for their pets.  We are constantly running one direction then the other, from one event to another.  The responsible action is NOT to rehome the pet that you committed to when you brought it home.  The responsible action to take is to set aside specific time for the pet.  Create a family schedule and commit to it.  Reaffirm your commitment to a family member whose choice is to remain with the only family it has ever known.

As a parent, offer the choice of caring for the dog or dropping an event such as basketball practice or favorite TV show to make time for the dog. It may not be the easy choice (for the child or the parent), but it is the responsible choice. If our children can learn loyalty to a team, or dedication to an organization, they should also know that a pet also requires loyalty and dedication. Parents should not be exempt from the pet care schedule, nor should they be solely responsible for it.  Parents are the ones that gave permission for the pet to become part of the family.  There are proven benefits for children to have pets, including teaching them the importance of dedication through difficult times. 

Our younger generation needs to be made aware that an animal is a family member for life.  The commitment was made when you brought that puppy or kitten home.  That pet plans to see you every day for its entire life.  It knows nothing else.  It has made the commitment to you for life.  It expects nothing else.  If you cannot make time to give the animal its care, then something must be dropped from the schedule.  The something that must be dropped should not be something that depends on you for life and that is capable of loving you, and missing you when you abandon it.  The basketball, the television, these items will not miss you, and they will not die without you. 

Rehoming a pet should be reserved for dire circumstance.  It should not be a casual decision made out of convenience. 






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Kathy's Sky

I took a photograph today. 

I was on my way to my exercise class, "Boot Camp", at 5:15 (central) this morning.  I saw the prettiest sunrise, so I stopped to take a photo.

I see beautiful skies often, yet I usually neglect to stop and take the time to capture the moment.  Usually I am in too much of a hurry to stop.   Life goes so fast, especially with two children in tow.  I was not sure why at this moment, I decided to capture the beauty. 

After class, I received a phone call from my sister.  At about the same time that I stopped my car on the side of the road to take this photo, my cousin was struck and killed by a car.  She was on her routine morning walk with a friend, safely up on the sidewalk when a car came up onto the sidewalk, taking something that did not belong to him...a life.  He took the life of a mother, a daughter, a wife, a sister, a cousin, a friend.

I can recall many times seeing her on her walk when I lived in Rhode Island years ago. She would be taking her long strides, as I made my daily rush to work, having allowed barely enough time for breakfast, never mind exercise.  I respected her dedication.

I just wanted to share this morning's photo...

Kathy's Sky

As beautiful as she was... and always will be.

Please send your love and prayers to her family...





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