UPDATE: Perla is Recovering Well after Surgery
UPDATE: Perla did wonderful! She is recovering really well. One of our vet techs took her home overnight to give her some extra love and care. We are so grateful for all the well-wishes and support for this girl and all our shelter pets. Thank you!
It’s not too late to make a gift to help Perla and shelter pets just like her get the urgent care they need. We couldn’t do it without you!
We need to get help quickly for this girl. Perla was surrendered through a local animal control officer (ACO). She has a badly fractured leg and the ACO has turned the 1 y/o over to Second Chance so she can get the help she needs. X-rays reveal a complicated fracture of both the tibia and fibula that cannot be repaired. She also has an open wound on her ankle. We kept her as comfortable as we could overnight. Today our vets hope to perform an amputation so we can get her on the road to recovery and her ‘second chance.’
Perla did great overnight. She is a very sweet, happy girl. She will likely be going to surgery within the next two hours or so. We will update you once she’s out of surgery.
We’re asking for help. With all the shelter pets we are seeing who need extensive medical care, we would greatly appreciate any help if you are able – your support will help Perla and pets like her get the urgent care they need.
Baby Yoda’s New Best Friend
A shelter dog who had amputation surgery for a birth defect has found a forever home with an eight-year-old boy who can relate.
11-week-old Baby Yoda arrived at Second Chance on transport last month from a crowded Missouri shelter with a congenital defect. He was born without a radius in one leg. As you can see in the photo below, his leg was abnormally shaped and shortened. He could not bend it or place weight on it and when he tried to use the leg, it caused him to contort his body which put him at risk of arthritis and injury to his body.
Baby Yoda’s surgery was successful. In no time, he was hopping around like a champ, ready for his ‘second chance.’ That chance came when a family saw him on our website and rushed to meet him. It turns out their eight-year-old son had something in common with Baby Yoda:
“We were browsing the shelters and came across Yoda. My eight-year-old son had an above the knee amputation due to being born with a birth defect, more specifically, with only one bone in his leg rather than two. Baby Yoda would make a perfect addition to our family.”
We are grateful to everyone who contributed to the fundraiser to make Baby Yoda’s surgery possible, and we are thrilled that Baby Yoda has found such a perfect forever home.
Finian Overcoming his Past and Ready for His Second Chance!
Finian was just 25 lbs when he came to us, severely malnourished, dehydrated and anemic. He had been eating anything he could, just to survive and was living in extremely harsh conditions when he was seized by local law enforcement and signed over to Second Chance. He weighed only 25 pounds when a dog his size should be 45 pounds. He also tested positive for heartworm, Lyme disease and anaplasmosis, but we had to focus on getting his weight up slowly so we don’t make him sicker after not eating a good diet for so long.
He’s made great strides and last week he came in for his first immiticide treatment for heartworm. He did great. And he is over 40 lbs!!
He got love from everyone at the hospital and was excited to see all of us. We are so grateful for all the support to make his second chance possible. THANK YOU!
He LOVES to play ball and is looking for his forever home. To learn more, visit: secondchanceanimals.org/adoptable-dogs/
Does Your Pet Need to Drop a Few Pounds?
Dr. Jackie Celmer explains why it’s important to help your pet maintain a healthy weight and what to do if your pet needs to drop a few pounds.
Obesity amongst domestic dogs and cats in America is becoming more common than veterinarians would like. A recent study showed that in America about 60% of cats and 56% of dogs have been classified as obese by a veterinarian. So what makes my pet obese? A pet is classified as obese if it is deemed at least 10-20% heavier than their ideal weight. Obesity is not only a primary issue but can predispose our pets to many secondary issues like diabetes, thyroid disease, heart disease, joint pain which can worsen arthritis, and weakening a pets immune system making them more susceptible to secondary illnesses.
So what do we do if our pet is overweight? The first recommendation is to evaluate what we feed our furry friends at home. Step one is to actually measure what we are feeding our pets. Most of us use a “scoop” that is some unknown measurement and we provide a scoop or two into the dish. It is very important to quantify how much we are actually feeding with an appropriate measuring cup. Secondarily it is good to mention that most commercial dog and cats foods have feeding recommendations on the back of the bag which should be fed for the pets age and ideal body weight. Ideal body weight is our “goal weight”, so if our pet is 15 pounds and we want them to be 10 pounds we need to be feeding for a 10 pound animal and not a 15 pound animal. If you are having trouble knowing how much you should be feeding your pet feel free to reach out to one of us for a more precise diet plan.
Not only is dieting key but like in humans, diet needs to be paired with exercise. We should try to take our dogs for walks or exercise them in the yard daily. If the weather is bad try to play with them in the house for at least 15 minutes a day. Cats are a bit more challenging to get to exercise on demand. Getting a tall cat tree can entice our furry felines to jump and climb more which can aide in weight loss. Additionally wand toys and laser pointers can be used to get our cats moving. I usually recommend having them chase the laser dot for at least 10-15 minutes once to twice daily.
Only about 10% of pets diagnosed with obesity are successful at losing weight and over 40% of those who lost weight gained it back within a year. It is important to remember that weight loss takes time, do not get discouraged, it is a lot of work but your furry friend will thank you in the long run!
Second Chance has 4 Community Veterinary Hospitals to help you care for your pet – call to schedule an appointment today.
Celebrating Milestones: 65,000th Spay/Neuter Surgery
Second Chance hit a milestone recently, performing our 65,000th spay/neuter surgery.
The procedure was performed at our Worcester Community Veterinary Hospital. The recipient was an 11-month-old bubbly cavapoo named Jax who was brought in by a local animal control officer through the nonprofit’s Helping Hand Program. This program lends a helping hand to other animal welfare organizations, providing veterinary care at a significantly reduced cost.
Jax was accompanied by his new friend, a dog named Tyson who was recently found abandoned in a Salvation Army shed. Tyson was seen for his own care and plans to return to Second Chance soon for his neuter.
Second Chance began our low-cost spay/neuter program in 2005 at the East Brookfield shelter to help stem pet homelessness in the surrounding community. Today, hundreds of pets come to the nonprofit’s hospitals each month for spay/neuter surgery in state-of-the-art surgical suites made possible by grants and generous donors. Second Chance’s new educational hospital in Southbridge plans to begin low-cost spay/neuter later this year.
COO of Hospitals Amanda Normandin says she is extremely proud of this milestone and the work the spay/neuter teams have accomplished. “We know just how important spay/neuter services are. Not only does the program help prevent pet homelessness, but it also improves the lives of pets receiving the surgery. Many of the emergency surgeries we perform are on female pets suffering from pyometra, a potentially deadly infection of the uterus. Routine spays and neuters can help protect pets from many life-threatening conditions including pyometra and testicular cancer.”
Second Chance surgeons are specially trained to perform the highest-quality high-volume surgeries. Pets check in early morning and are discharged later the same day so they can recuperate in the comfort of their own homes with their owners.
Second Chance founder and CEO Sheryl Blancato is proud of the longstanding low-cost spay/neuter program and said, “Thanks to these surgeries, less pets are ending up in Massachusetts shelters, which means more pets in shelters are getting a second chance.”
Now in Southbridge – Low-Cost Weekly Vaccine Clinic
We’re excited to announce that our Low-Cost Weekly Vaccine Clinic is coming to Southbridge!
Wednesdays – 8:30 to 11AM
700 Worcester Street, Southbridge
Weekly Vaccine Clinic Services
Rabies vaccine $15
Distemper vaccine $15
Nail Trimming $20
General Dewormer $20
REGISTER HERE
Can My Pet Give Me Covid?
Second Chance Medical Director Dr. Ashely Raymond Answers This Frequently Asked Question
Pet owners have been asking us about the potential transmission of infectious disease leading to upper respiratory tract infection(s) and/or the transmission of COVID-19 between domestic cats and humans. Although there have been very rare reports of pets testing positive for COVID-19, it is important to remember that there is no evidence that animals play a significant role in spreading the disease at this time. According to the AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) “there is no compelling evidence to date that any domestic animal, including cats, dogs, and ferrets, readily transmits SARS-CoV-2 to other animals, including humans, under natural conditions.
The global number of naturally infected animals is far, far less than the number of people with COVID-19, indicating that animals, including pets, are not a driver of the COVID-19 pandemic—the pandemic continues to be driven by human-to-human transmission.”
In addition, and fortunately for us, the viruses and organisms that can cause upper respiratory tract infections (URIs) in cats are not transmissible to humans. It is very common for cats in the shelter environment or who have been recently adopted to exhibit symptoms of URIs due to increased stress and most often is associated with feline herpesvirus flare ups.
If you suspect your cat is having symptoms of a URI, which can include sneezing, runny nose, nasal or ocular discharge, fever, decreased appetite, or lethargy please contact your veterinarian with any concerns you may have.
Time Magazine spotlights Second Chance – “How America Saved Millions of Pets—By Moving Them”
“The dusty white cargo plane stood out among the gleaming corporate jets, as did its passengers: 48 barking dogs, newly arrived at the private air terminal at Hanscom Field, outside of Boston.
They had left Mississippi that morning with their health certificates taped to their kennels. All week, the staff at Oktibbeha County Humane Society (OCHS), in Starkville, Miss., had been getting them ready, giving them their shots, testing their temperaments, and color-coding each crate for its destination: red for Second Chance Animal Services in North Brookfield, Mass.”
Read journalist Andrew Blum’s “How America Saved Millions of Pets-By Moving Them”
February is National Pet Dental Health Month!
Second Chance Medical Director Dr. Ashely Raymond on dental & oral health
It’s that time of the year to pay extra special attention to your pet’s mouth.
Dental and oral health are very important parts of your pet’s overall health. We recommend all pets, young and old, have a yearly oral exam, typically during their annual check-up. You might think just older animals suffer from dental disease, but your veterinarian can identify problems in their mouth while your pet is still developing their permanent teeth. Yes, dogs and cats lose their baby teeth too!
The single most important thing you can do as a pet owner is to brush your pet’s teeth daily. Make sure to use a toothpaste made specifically for dogs and cats. Human toothpastes often contain an artificial sweetener called xylitol, which is toxic and potentially fatal for pets.
Did you know that 70-80% of pets will develop periodontal disease by the time they are 3 years old? That is why it is so important to start brushing while your pet is still a puppy or a kitten. The goal is to get your pet used to handling their mouth while also preventing periodontal disease from developing.
There are many causes of dental disease, but periodontal disease is the most common condition seen in dogs and cats. It starts with infection when plaque builds up on the teeth, then travels above the gum line causing disease to the tissues that support the teeth and the surrounding bone. This can cause teeth to be loose, painful, and infected.
If you notice any of the following possible signs of dental disease, we recommend scheduling a physical exam for your pet:
- bad breath
- loose, broken, or discolored teeth
- redness, inflammation, or bleeding from the gums
- difficulty chewing or dropping food
- decreased appetite or weight loss
- pain in or around the mouth
- growths within or on the mouth
At your pet’s appointment, we can discuss preventative strategies, dental diets, recommended products, and identify problems during the exam. If your veterinarian has a concern, they may recommend dental surgery, often just referred to as a “dental.” During this procedure your pet will receive a complete oral health assessment and treatment under anesthesia, which includes full-mouth x-rays, scaling and polishing of the teeth, and may include extraction of teeth, if needed. Anesthesia-free dentistry is not recommended for any pet, for both their safety and to minimize your pet’s pain and discomfort.
We look forward to caring for your pets!