What's That Lump?~

Our family dog, a middle aged black lab, has been dieting almost since we adopted him 3 years ago.  Because he still sneaks into the cat food whenever he can get away with it, I was really surprised to discover that our persistence with diet dog food and exercise was paying off.  He had lost 12 pounds!
Then, I discovered a couple of lumps that I had never felt before.  Weight loss… lumps…could it be cancer?  
I immediately made an appointment with the vet.  While I waited, I got online and was able to create a symptom check list to review with her.  This check list can be used for dogs, cats, or any small companion mammals.
1. Lumps, bumps, or swellings that persist 
2. Weight loss
3.  Sores that won’t heal
4.  Loss of appetite
5.  Disinterest in exercise or other favorite activities
6.  Lack of stamina or unusual fatigue
7.  Difficulty with normal bodily functions (breathing, swallowing, pottying)
8.  Unusual, offensive breath or body odor.
9.  Discharge or bleeding.
10. Pain, lameness, or stiffness
Any “yes” answers indicate that a vet appointment is a good idea.  Also, “yes” answers don’t necessarily point to cancer.  Lumps, smelly discharge, and pain for example might be an abscess.  Many lumps, bumps, sores, and behaviors on this list can represent conditions that one visit to a vet and sometimes antibiotics or other medications can resolve.
By going through the checklist and making note of any and all possible symptoms, I began to breathe a little easier.  Other than a couple of lumps and weight loss that was explainable, no other symptoms were present. 
When we visited our vet, she performed a needle biopsy, removing a few cells from each lump which she viewed under a microscope.  She confirmed that the lumps were nothing more than a few lipomas or fatty tumors.   The lumps that had not been obvious 12 pounds ago were now easy to feel.  
By taking time to review our pet’s symptoms and with a simple and inexpensive visit to the vet, we were reassured that our furry family member was okay!   

submitted by Janet Barber, Fundraising Committee Chairwoman

During the late 1940s, farmers, mostly in the Midwest, were seeking alternative crops. The result was the development of commercial puppy businesses. Retail pet outlets grew in numbers as the supply of puppies increased, and puppy production was on its way. Retail giants such as Sears Roebuck sold puppies in their pet departments and pet store chains were born.
Many, if not most of the puppy farmers had little knowledge of canine care.  They often had little money. They housed their dogs in the ramshackle houses, chicken coops, or rabbit hutches which were already present, and provided little socialization. They did not know that puppies needed socialization.   Also, they often skipped veterinary care due to lack of income.
There are six other states that are known as “puppy mill states.” These puppies born of registered parents are becoming pets all over the country. One can’t help wondering if the increase in dog bites and the increase in a variety of illnesses in many of our dogs is the result of these poorly bred and unsocialized dogs. It is a well known fact among reputable breeders that each female should have at most one litter a year and that all breeding dogs should be screened for genetic and temperament issues. It is also well known that puppies need socialization with humans from a very early age to be able to bond and to have appropriate stimulation to enhance their ability to learn.
As a result of poor breeding conditions located in puppy mills, puppies acquired from puppy mills tend to have issues not typically identified with reputable breeders. Puppies raised in a cramped environment shared by many other dogs become poorly socialized to both other dogs and humans. Dogs are then transported over long distances in poor conditions, sometimes resulting in the deaths of many dogs. As the surviving mill dogs grow older, they are more prone to being diagnosed with respiratory ailments, as well as hereditary defects such as dysplasia.  In addition, mill dogs are more prone to have problems with their temperament. Puppies from mills are usually sold as purebred dogs in an attempt to fetch the higher prices associated with purebreds. However, due to the indiscriminate breeding practices of puppy mills, the dog may or may not actually be a purebred puppy.

Please read the rest of this article and more valuable information about puppy mills on our website...

Bernie is about 1 1/2 years young and full grown at 50 pounds. He likes other dogs and absolutely loves people. Bernie will stay obediently by your side while you walk, jog, work or just hang out. He just wants to be with people and please anyone who gives him a loving touch. Bernie was rescued from a kill shelter when his time ran out. This sweet fella has such a happy personality that he will win anyone and everyone over that meets him. Adoption fee of $125 includes his neuter, vaccinations, heartworm test (negative) and a 2 week trial adoption to help ensure everyone's happiness. Apply online at www.furrykidsrefuge.org and then give our wonderful volunteers 48 hours to respond---all work fulltime but appreciate & know how important your interest in one of our furry kids is. Thank you for your patience. Give Bernie a chance---foster him if you can't adopt him!! How about sponsoring Bernie with a monetary donation in his name? All donations are tax deductible and will give you a great feeling knowing that you helped a furry kid!!

Scamp is a beautiful little girl who would love to have a new human for Christmas! She is sweet and cuddly and loves people and affection. She also likes other cats and even those pesky dogs!

To learn more about Scamp, you can visit her Petfinder page or fill out an application online to meet Scamp in person! Her pictures don't do her justice so contact us today to meet her!

Call us or come by an adoption event and we would be happy to microchip your pet with a 24PetWatch™ microchip for just $20. 

Registration is free and easy and easy to update from the internet!

Thank you to everyone who joined us for breakfast on that snowy morning, December 15th! Even with Santa having some techincal difficulties making it impossible for him to join us we still had a ton of fun! The Elfs were there handing out goodies and all the kids got to sing carols on the karoeke machine.

Breakfast was delicious, all prepared by the wonderful employees of the Lee's Summit Applebee's on 291N Hwy. Thank you to all of them for getting up early to get everything prepared!

Keep an eye out for the next Applebee's Flapjack Fundraiser - Breakfast With The Easter Bunny!

Saturdays from noon - 5pm at the Petco in Lee's Summit. Visit our website for up to date information!

Please visit our website and send us your story and pictures if you can and we’ll post them on our Happy Furry Kids Page!

Thank you to all who have sent their stories – it is so heartwarming to see our Furry Kids in their forever homes!

INTERESTED IN ADDING A FURRY KID TO YOUR FAMILY?

What if Furry Kids earned a penny every time you searched the Internet? Well, now we can! GoodSearch.com is a new search engine that donates half its revenue, about a penny per search, to the charities its users designate. You use it just as you would any search engine, and it's powered by Yahoo!, so you get great results.Just go to goodsearch.com and be sure to enter Furry Kids Refuge as the charity you want to support.