Protecting Your Dog Against Ticks

by Lindsay Herrick-Somerset 

As the weather warms up, that means more time outside with your dog. But, with the warm season, also means the return of something else: ticks.

 

Ticks are found specifically in longer grassy areas and in bushes. Even though many people think of them as insects, they are actually arachnids which are similar to spiders and mites. Ticks are parasites that feed off of the blood the host they attach themselves to. Those hosts can be can a human or an animal.

 

The biggest problem with ticks is that they are carriers of disease, specifically Lyme disease. Lyme disease can be very serious if not treated, with symptoms including a fever, loss of appetite, pain, lethargy, swollen lymph nodes, swollen joints and shifting lameness from one leg to another. If not treated, it can cause serious damage to your dog's heart, nervous system and kidneys.

 

If you suspect that your pet has Lyme disease, take them to their vet as soon as possible. Your vet will want to do a blood panel to be sure and then start your dog on antibiotics right away as Lyme disease is a bacterial illness.

 

This is why it's extremely important to do a tick check any time your dog has been outside, specifically if they have been in long grassy areas (such as the river valley) or in bushes. The most common places where ticks like to grab on to and most pet owners miss are your dog’s ears, between their toes and arm pits.

 

What do you do if you find a tick on your dog? The safest way to remove a tick is by using a tick remover tool . Do not touch the tick with your bare hands as bacteria could be transmitted to you. Wear gloves or use a paper towel if you don't have gloves. Grab the tick as close to the skin surface as possible so this reduces the chances of the head detaching. Twist and pull the tick out with steady and even pressure. It may take a minute or two, so be patient. Once the tick has been removed, find a container and take it your vet so they can send it off to a lab to be inspected. Write down the time and place where the bite occurred.

 

Once the tick has been safely removed, it's very important to disinfect the bite area and your hands as soon as possible.

 

So, what can you do to prevent your dog from getting ticks? Talk to your vet about what they recommend as there are many different options out there. There are monthly topical treatments that can be applied to your dog that are effective at keeping both ticks and fleas at bay. If your dog attends daycare, most daycare require proof that your dog is having it applied. But be cautious about using any random tick treatment you find at a store as they are not all created equal and/or can be hazardous to your dog.

 

Also, make sure you check yourself over if you have been out with your pet in high risk areas for ticks. You don't want to take your chances.

Prepare for Cute: Mama and Co's Little Wienie Christmas Tags

Zoe’s Animal Rescue has some wonderful supporters, and Mama and Co.’s Jennifer is one of them! Not only has our rescue (and our sweet Missy who is looking for her furever home) been featured on her website, but she’s put her craftiness and creativity to work for our rescue animals!

Do you love Christmas…? Wiener dogs…? Of course you do! How adorable are these watercolour-style downloadable holiday tags?

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For just $3.00 you’ll receive a downloadable sheet of 6 Little Wienie Christmas tags that will brighten up your Christmas packaging while helping Zoe’s animals! Every cent will directly go to our rescue.

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Mama and Co.’s website promotes community, collaboration, and connection, and we see those vary things in Jennifer’s efforts to help raise awareness about rescue in our city and much-needed funds for our dogs and cats. We are so thankful to have such a creative, caring person as a part of our rescue community.

Now, swing by Mama and Co. and snag some tags!

 

Web Team Assemble!

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Hi, I’m Amanda. I, and the other Zoe’s Web Team leader, Kristy, are looking for creative, fun, dedicated volunteers to join us in our crusade to promote Zoe’s on the internet! Check out our positions below, and apply to volunteer. Excelsior!

Amanda and Kristy, your friendly neighborhood web coordinators.

Amanda and Kristy, your friendly neighborhood web coordinators.

Animal Biographer (2 people)
Hours per week: 2-4
Tasks:
• Write biographies for new intakes (this task is shared with the Facebook Coordinator)
• Enter new animals onto the website, and move adopted animals to Happy Tails
• Update profiles as fosters get to know them
• Participate in Web Team discussions to provide ideas and feedback

Skills and capabilities
• Willing to spend short periods of time every day/every other day updating intakes and adoptions. Our animal turnover is high, so animals must be posted and removed in a timely fashion.
• Able to write clear, concise, and engaging biographies.
• Available to communicate regularly through Facebook

Events Blogger
Hours per week: 3-4
Tasks:
• Write blog posts about upcoming events
• Attend events (or get photos from others) and write follow up blog posts
• Participate in Web Team discussions to provide ideas, feedback

Skills and capabilities
• Willing to attend 1-2 events per month (mostly on weekends) to cover the stories.
• Able to write engaging, fun blog posts.
• Photography skills an asset

Storytelling Blogger
Hours per week: 2-3
Tasks:
• Write 1 blog post per week
• Participate in Web Team discussions to provide ideas, feedback

Skills and capabilities
• Able to write stories about our animals and volunteers that are inspiring, fun, and personal

Store Manager
Hours per week: 4-6
Tasks:
• Maintain the online store
• Process donations
• Add new items and delete old ones
• Create promotional materials for the store
• Participate in Web Team discussions to provide ideas, feedback

Meet Missy on November 8th!

Missy has been waiting for a home for a while now, so we want to get her some exposure. Since she doesn’t get along with other animals, we decided to hold a ‘Missy Only’ adoption event at Koch Ford Lincoln. If you don’t have any pets, and are looking for a pup to dote on, come visit Missy on November 8th.

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Eat to Support Zoe's: November Featured Charity at Bridges Catering

Are you looking for a caterer for the holiday season?

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Bridges Catering has graciously offered to donate $1.00 from every monthly lunch special sold in the month of November to Zoe’s!

And believe me, this lunch special sounds delish!

Monthly Lunch Special  ($16 per person)

Fall Harvest Lasagna

Sweet butternut squash, kale, and feta layered with a creamy bechamel sauce.

Served with:

Sundried Tomato & Olive Salad

with fresh parmesan

Green Onion Biscuits

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

For more information or to place an order you can visit their website or call (780) 425-0173.

And make sure you check out their Facebook page to see some gorgeous pictures of the food they serve.

Enjoy some amazing food and help animals in need at the same time! What a perfect way to celebrate the holiday season.

Meet Willow, an adoptable, kid-lovin’ pup

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Meet Willow. Willow is a low to medium energy girl who loves kids and family life. She came to Zoe’s when her previous rescue closed, and has been looking for a home for a while now because she doesn’t get along with cats or most dogs. She would like to join a family with either no pets, or just large, calm, male dogs.

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Just look at that face! Wouldn’t she look great in your next family photo? If you’re interested in adopting or fostering Willow, see her profile for all the details!

Hannah’s Top 5 Dog Products

Hannah is a Zoe’s rescue, and fur-child to blogger Amanda Kelley. Here are her top 5 pieces of dog gear:

Hannah shares her Molly Mutt bed with a foster kitten.

Hannah shares her Molly Mutt bed with a foster kitten.

1) The Molly Mutt dog bed duvet ($25+). Make your own washable dog bed! Molly mutt beds have 3 parts: an outer, trendy cover, a waterproof liner, and, as the stuffing, any old duvets, sheets, or pillows that you have laying around. These are great for dogs who aren’t yet housebroken, or, you know, for folks who like to be clean. Now go ahead and throw out that impossible-to-wash dirt sponge your pup has been using.

Available online.

 

Part of the Furminator's brilliance is that little grey tab that pushes the hair from the comb.

Deceptively basic looking.

2). The FURminator dog brush ($35+). Hannah’s foster mom Theresa called the Furminator “a godsend”, and by golly, it is divine. Yes, it’s on the pricey end, but we think it’s worth it not to have dog hair tumbleweeds rolling through the house.

Available at most pet stores.

 

The front leash clip also has a martingale.

The front leash clip also has a martingale.

3). The Easy Walk harness ($35). Hannah doesn’t use this, as she’s a pro at loose leash walking, but her little brother Franklin does. The key to this harness is that the leash attachment is at the front, so any tugging spins the pup around. For many dogs, this stops tugging immediately. Which leads to a much calmer walk for Hannah and the rest of the pack.

Available at G&E Pharmacy.

 

“Pik-Up-Bags”

4). Canadian Tire poop bags ($7). I know, right? Not what you expected. In the poop bag world, there are real dangers to buying inexpensive, paper-thin poop bags. Hannah and I have ventured into that realm, and come out with the cheapest, high quality poop bag. You’re welcome.

 

 

I know you want to squeeze and love her, but no means no.

I know you want to squeeze and love her, but no means no.

5). Julius K-9 powerharness with custom patch ($60). This harness is a great way to let people know from a distance that your dog needs space. Leashes, collars, and bandanas can also advertise “Do not pet”, “No dogs”, or “In training”; however, I like this harness because you have the option of custom phrasing, the patches are removable, and the harness itself is police-grade tough. Hannah, on the other hand, likes the Julius harness because it’s highly visible, and it doesn’t interfere with her regular movements.

 
Available through the Edmonton Humane Society (Just email them – they do bulk orders from Julius K9)

Does your dog have some favourite gear? Let us know!

Why I Rescue – Jessica Kluthe

“Why I Rescue” is a series of blog posts where we asked Zoe’s volunteers what got them started in the rescue community, whether as a volunteer, foster, adopter, or any other capacity that helps change the lives of animals for the better.

Today, we will hear from Jessica Kluthe, Zoe’s Twitter and Instagram guru. 


A few summers ago my brother and his wife needed a cat-sitter for their senior cat, Felix. I reluctantly agreed: I’d never spent any significant amount of time around cats, and I was worried about the cat hair all over my clothes and my furniture.

felixBut, for a few weeks, Felix came to live at my house and before long he was sleeping on my feet at night and following me down the stairs for breakfast each morning. I soon learned that cats can be full of personality—Felix, while a senior cat, had a kitten-spirit and still really loved to play, would follow me around from room-to-room, and would do almost anything for a black olive (seriously!). We bonded.

After Felix’s stay, I realized I wanted a cat in my life.  I was missing the energy he brought to the house. Fast-forward a few years and I now have two of my own cats. Finnegan was adopted from The Edmonton Humane Society; he was found outside one early December during one of those stretches of 40 below weather. Holt was a stray a friend saved from under a set of stairs at a condo complex, and who, after coaxing him out from where he was hiding, he asked me to take.finnegan

I could not imagine life without them. I know I technically rescued them, but they have saved me, so many times, from life’s stresses and from the pain of heartache. They both tend to stick close by my side when I’m upset or feeling overwhelmed. And, when I’m in a good mood, they will joyfully take part in that too by bringing toys to drop at my feet, meowing for treats, and generally being crazy: you know, plopping down on my hands while I’m typing, doing pencil rolls across the floor, and shredding toilet paper into a million teeny-tiny pieces if I forget to close the bathroom door.

holtPrior to adopting my cats, aside from hearing about rescues in passing, I didn’t know much about them. But, as my love of cats snowballed, I started following a few local rescues on social media and thinking about ways I may be able to help.

Sadly, my brother and sister-in-law’s senior cat Felix passed away this year. But that was after a long, happy life with a family that loved him and he loved in return. One day this past summer, I was over at their house and feeling a certain emptiness without their olive-loving black cat.

I suggested they consider fostering a cat or kitten (or two) with Zoe’s. I knew fostering—temporarily taking in an animal in need while the rescue covered the medical expenses, provided food, and supplied litter—was an option since I’d read about it Zoe’s Facebook page.

Of course, no cat could ever take Felix’s place, but having another cat around would certainly remind them of all the things they loved about their sixteen-year-old guy. By bettering the life of another cat and giving another cat a great place to live and a loving family until he or she was adopted, fostering would also be a great way to celebrate Felix. My sister-in-law filled out the foster application later that day. A few weeks later, their first foster Toonie was bouncing around their house, napping on their couch, and meowing for them to turn on the tap so he could have a slurp of water.

After becoming a foster with Zoe’s, my sister-in-law told me about the supportive, caring, toonieenergetic rescue team. I knew I wanted to be a part of it! While I am not in the position to foster a dog or cat right now, I decided to put my interest in social media to work on Zoe’s Twitter and Instagram pages. I hope this can, at least in a small way, contribute to continuing to build an animal-loving, rescue-minded community. I hope to find ways to reach out to others, who, like me, not so long ago, don’t know about rescues or how to get involved. And all of this, thanks to Felix, The Cat.

 

 

 

How to Make Kitten Art

Do you have some empty wall space that you just can’t seem to find the right picture for?

Do you need something to make you smile?

Do you like kittens?

Of course, you do!

Luckily, some Zoe’s Animal Rescue volunteers are here to help!

How to Make Kitten Art

Step 1: Acquire adorable kittens and non-toxic paint.

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Step 2: Dip adorable kitten paws into paint.

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Step 3: Release the kittens!

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Step 4: Admire tiny, and now colorful, kitten paws.

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Step 5: Bathe kittens to return them to their pristine condition.

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PAINT15

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Step 6: Let beautiful art dry.

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Step 7: Hide the evidence before your partner/roommate/spouse returns home.

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But don’t worry. If this seems like too much work for you, or you don’t have access to hordes of adorable kittens, these pieces of art will be for sale in our upcoming auction. Stay tuned for more details!

Missy wants to be your one and only

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Meet Missy, our newest addition to the Zoe’s Co-Pilot Program! Missy has been in several rescues over the last couple of years, and when her last rescue closed, we at Zoe’s decided that we were going to be her last stop before her forever home.

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Many of our long-term animals have health issues, or are a difficult fit for most families. Missy’s biggest issue, however, is that she’s a dog-reactive girl, surrounded by dog-loving people, whose homes are already filled with dogs! Missy is a sweet girl, but she needs more exposure to help get her into a home where she is the only pet. To help stir up a buzz about Missy, we’re lowering her adoption fee to a mere $50, offering up to one free vet visit a month (not including procedures), and providing training for the two of you. Essentially, Zoe’s will be your “co-pilot” in Missy’s care.

Missy’s dislike of other animals tends to obscure her good qualities. But we want you to know that Missy is a good girl! She loves walks, she loves car rides, she loves cuddling, and she loves being with her people. She’s calm in the house, and happy to be your company in whatever you want to do. If you have a sunspot in your home, no dog or cat hair on your couch, and a little room in your heart, consider adopting Missy.

 

The Great Parvo Challenge of 2014

The last few weeks will live on in infamy for the people of Zoe’s. We took in four dogs with parvo.

What is Parvo?

Parvo (“Canine parvovirus”) is a life-threatening viral illness. It causes our poor puppies to have severe vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, and loss of appetite. It’s highly contagious; it can be transmitted by anything that comes in contact with an infected dog, whether that’s a person, another animal, or an object like food bowls or flooring.

Thank goodness for great volunteers!

So you can imagine how hard it is to care for a dog with parvo, let alone four of them. Our volunteers have to separate the animals, change their clothes every time they interact with them, clean up really yucky messes endlessly, and are back and forth between the animal hospital.

With four dogs suffering from parvo, our volunteers went into over time. Luckily, we have amazing volunteers who stepped up to help with the mess and get our puppies through it.

But these dogs are survivors

Luckily, our dogs have all recovered and are now moving to their foster homes.

We’d like for you to meet them.

Mother Teresa was the first to recover. She is doing well now in her foster home. You can also read her profile by clicking here.

Mother Teresa was the first to recover. She is doing well now in her foster home. You can also read her profile by clicking here.

JLo looks like a totally different dog! She is perky and loves snuggles. She was off to her new foster home today.

JLo looks like a totally different dog! She is perky and loves snuggles. She was off to her new foster home today.

Serena Williams is stunning. She is enjoying life parvo-free at her new foster home.

Serena Williams is stunning. She is enjoying life parvo-free at her new foster home.

David Beckham is back to eating treats like a puppy should! He is living parvo-free in his new foster home.

David Beckham is back to eating treats like a puppy should! He is living parvo-free in his new foster home.

Thank you to all the volunteers who helped save these precious lives. If you’re interested in learning more about how to care for a parvo pup, let us know! One of our co-directors, Kath, has offered to teach any fosters interested!