September Supplement Bichon FurKids Rescue

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August 2017 Bichon FurKids Rescue

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Contents

A Family’s Love ........................1

Blankets for FurKids .............3

Dangerous things to Pets .....4

Bichon Bash 2017 ...................6

And more! ................................7

Bichon FurKids Rescue Phone: 858-408-1937 Fax: 760-966-1702 www.BichonFurKids.org www.facebook.com/bichonfurkids info@bichonfurkids.org 6965 El Camino Real, #105-425, La Costa, CA 92009 Tax ID: 20-3652098 Marti Colwell, President

Shop at Amazon.com, and a portion of your purchase will be automatically donated to BFK.

Use GoodSearch.com, poweredby Yahoo! whenever yousearch the Internet, anda portion of your purchasewill be automatically donatedto BFK. Make sure tospecify BFK as your Cause!

Fosters Needed To get a Foster Application, please go to the BFK website at: http://www.bichonfurkids.org/volunteer

Donate to BFK

The Story of Cooper and A Family’s Love We believe that we are truly blessed when a FurKid comes in to our lives and takes a huge part of our hearts. Two years ago Cooper was adopted by an amazing family in Northern California, who drove to So Cal to adopt him. Cooper became their first pup – and close to a sibling for their daughter.

We have stayed in touch over time with some updates and photos. About two months ago I received a call from Cooper’s Dad who explained that he had taken Cooper to see not only his vet but also a specialist. His diagno-sis, which was validated as well by our vets, was and is a very sad one. Yet this amazing family, the Lee’s, rearranged their vacation so that they could come to So Cal, take Cooper to beaches and activities, and make his time with them as complete as possible.

Cooper’s pain is being managed and he sleeps a lot. He does not com-plain but we all know his time on earth is coming to an end. There is no doubt however that he will someday be an angel watching from above – and that his family has proven to be caring, compassionate and amazing. We were priviledged to adopt to them and very grateful that Cooper knew their kind of love in his life. Here is his story...

Hi there! My name is Cooper and I am the cutest and smallest member of the Lee family. I love belly rubs, car trips, and lots of attention. I enjoy walks around the neighborhood and marking

my territory. After having been adopted, I am happy to have found my forever home.

I do not want to talk about my past... it is too painful for words. After living on scraps at a train station for what seemed like an eternity, someone finally took notice. Next thing I knew I was sent to prison...I mean animal shelter. I was thrilled when I was fostered by a kind lady in Los Angeles and was shortly adopted thereafter.

I will always be thankful for my adoptive parents opening their home to me. At first I was scared, then I realized this was my home. Like any

kid, I am occasionally up to mischief. I sneak out from the backyard and I jump onto the bed even though I am not allowed when Mom and Dad are not around. Even though I get into trouble, my Mom and Dad

Continued on next page...

This is Diane, the shelter volunteer who helped us to find Jake. She was reunited with him in early May, four years later. Jake remembered her too!

“

cannot resist my cuteness! I have an older Sister I fight with. Even though we annoy each other and don’t give each other space, at the end of the day, we love each other very much. I also wait patiently for Mom. I can’t wait for her to come home so I can “attack” her with all my love. It hurts her a little bit but I know she enjoys it. I enjoy Dad’s special belly rubs and hugs. I think he give me more affection than he gives to Mom.

Last month, I was diagnosed with osteosarcoma. It has something to do with bone cancer. I am always sleepy from my medications. But I enjoyed one final trip with my family when they took me to San Diego and Los Angeles for vacation. I got to see my Auntie Marti. Although my time is near, my Mom, Dad, and Sister are trying to get in as much quality time with me as possible.

Always remember me... hopefully you and others will have it in your hearts to have another furkid in the future. I had the best time of my life with you. I hope there will be another dog who will be as fortunate as me.

Cooper, continued from page 1

Jake, now the model (canine) citizen in every way.

From street dog to snuggle dog!

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“

Love , Cooper

P.S. I love my family

sooooo much !

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Help us Blanket the

FurKids with Love!

Who doesn’t love to curl up on the bed or couch with a nice, soft, warm BLANKIE!!! Our FurKids are no exception.

All of our rescue-kids receive their very own handmade, very stylish blankets as part of their foster kits when they head over to the homes of their fosters. Having this special posession (along with a brand new matching bed!) comforts them in their new surroundings and provides continuity when they are adopted into their forever homes.

Because we rehome so many FurKids (kudos to our Volunteers!) we are always low on our blanket inventory! Can you spare a little time to help us make more of them?

It’s all very easy – no sewing involved – and anyone can do it. Even young children have fun assembling their masterpieces, happy that they can be part of helping the FurKids. Some people even make it an excuse to throw a party – and everyone invited joins in on the fun! We’ll send you the instructions and the fabric, and all you need to add is a little time – and as much LOVE as you possibly can spare!

If you can help, please contact Marti at marti@bichonfurkids.org.

P.S. What we need most are ‘girly blankets’ or some that are neutral in color. We have lots of brown and white paw print blankets and a lot that are masculine. but aqua, purple, pink etc. would work for both boys and girls.

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Sweet and Dangerous!

by Sophia Applebaum

Editor’s Note: We consider ourselves savvy dog parents. We research dog food brands, medications, foods and additives to avoid, and we stay abreast of the

latest preventative health recommendations.

There is one danger to your pets that may be lurking in the foods you eat every day: xylitol, a sugar substitute that is increasingly being used by food manufacturers in products ranging from chewing gum to baked goods. Although deemed “safe” for humans, it is extremely harmful to dogs — about 100 times as toxic as milk chocolate, according to experts. This sweetener is responsible for a surge in accidental

dog poisonings, some fatal, according to animal poison-control centers.

Sylvie’s narrow escape from xylitol poisoning

Because we have a very curious, clever, and lovable bichon, Sylvie, who likes to open lower level kitchen cabinet doors...paw at tabletop items...peruse through purses, briefcases, and gym bags...and tug at the table runner...we made a decision to keep our home free of any xylitol or chocolate-

containing products. Sylvie always keeps us on our toes as we double check our home environment every day for potential hazards.

Today we did not do a thorough check before leaving our home. And we assumed the ingredients of a product were benign enough not to warrant special handling. We were almost deadly wrong...

It was just an ordinary lazy Sunday. Leaving Sylvie home, we ran a couple of errands and then went out for lunch. When we arrived home from lunch we noticed a chewed up package of conventional chewing gum. Our Sylvie had been busy! At first I was concerned but not terribly worried; however, after reading

the ingredients I quickly entered panic mode, because I learned that the gum now contains xylitol.

We referred to our indoor “surveilance” camera to figure out what transpired. It turns out that Sylvie pawed at a pack of gum left on a table, knocked it down, and started to chew on the package. Once she reached the gum itself she spit it out. It is possible, though not likely, that she ingested a whole

piece of gum that contained xylitol.

We quickly rushed Sylvie to our local veterinary emergency room, where they immediately induced vomiting while simultaneously calling the Animal Poison Control Center Hotline (1-888-426-4435). The

toxicologist at the Animal Poison Control Center was able to pull up data on the amount of xylitol in each piece of gum from the package. We were assured that the amount of potentially ingested xylitol

was so minimal that in the worst-case scenario, it would only result in minor stomach or intestinal upset. We are so grateful that Sylvie found the gum unpleasant. If she had ingested more than one piece of

gum, she would have been hospitalized for days!

It’s important to never assume the ingredients of a product, even if you’ve been buying it for years. Ingredients can, and often do, change. If I had known the package of gum contained xylitol, I would

have placed it in a drawer or some other hard-to-reach area. I probably would not have purchased the gum in the first place.

There’s no such thing as being too cautious when it comes to doggie well-being. Double-check or triple-check your home. Dogs are very smart and notice things we overlook — like a visitor’s unsupervised and wide-open handbag! For peace of mind, I recommend doing a daily safety check of your entire

home to ensure that there are no hazardous foods or items within a paw’s reach.

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Pretty and Dangerous!

Editor’s Note: While we are on the subject of things that can harm our pets, here is a plant to watch out for...

We recently learned about two dogs in Chula Vista who almost lost their lives to the common succulent named Euphorbia tirucalli,

also known as pencil cactus, fire sticks or sticks of fire.

The first dog got some of the milky liquid on his coat; the second one ingested some and began to throw up violently. The owner had this plant in her garden for some time, not knowing that it was poisonous to both humans and dogs. She rushed her dogs to the vet who began to treat them immediately. Fortunately it appears that both of them will recover.

Since that information was not known to us, either, we want to share some excerpts from an article, the full version of which you can read by clicking the link below. We ask that all of you FurKid owners check for this plant in your garden and on your walks. If you have it in your yard, consider moving it to a place where your pet cannot access it or remove it altogether. Let’s keep our little ones safe!

Click this link to read the full article: https://www.vetary.com/dog/condition/pencil-cactus-poisoning

Here are some important points from the article:

Milky sap can be released from any part of the plant. Your pet may rub the sap from his paw into his eyes or ingest the sap from biting the plant or from licking the sap off the fur. You may see the following signs of distress in your pet if he comes into contact with the pencil cactus:

• Eye contact: Pain, Swelling, Redness, Ulceration, Temporary or permanent blindness (some humans have experienced permanent blindness)

• Skin contact: (there can be a delay in skin symptoms): Burning, Blisters, Rash accompanied by pain, Irritation to the skin

• Ingestion: Stomach pain, Vomiting, Nausea, Diarrhea

Treatment:

• Bring a sample of the plant to the clinic to aid in the diagnosis. Be careful to handle the cactus with care and caution as there have been numerous reports of eye irritation from this particular Euphorbia species upon handling.

• Some dogs who eat quantities of the plant, despite the pain and taste, may need pain medictions to be given via IV or may need antiemetics in the case of extreme nausea. Fortunately, this is a rare occurrence.

• Because eye exposure can be extensive there may be a need for further testing by a specialist. This depends on the amount of sap that reached the eye directly. The prognosis is good unless the sap has caused damage to the eyes that may require time to heal. There is the risk of permanent damage to the eyes, and if this is the case, patience on your part as your pet adjusts to a new lifestyle will be necessary.

• Skin exposure generally requires cleaning and medication for pain.

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O C T O B E R 2 0 1 7

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY

FRIDAY SATURDAY

Bichon Bash 2017Saturday, October 21st

10:00 AM-3:00 PMTurtle Rock Park, Irvine

To register:1. Go to www.bichonfurkids.org.2. Select Bichon Bash from the menu.3. Follow the instructions to register through

PayPal or by check.

We look forward to seeing you and your FurKids there!

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REGISTER NOW !

It’s Time to (Re-)Register for the Ralph’s Community Contribution Program

REGISTRATION FOR THE NEW TERM BEGINS ON SEPTEMBER 1, 2017.

Through the Ralph’s Community Contribution Program, we generate important funds for the rescue and rehoming of FurKids. All you have to do is use your Ralph’s Rewards card when you purchase food or other grocery items, and a portion of the sale is contributed to Bichon FurKids Rescue. The first day you can register for the new term is Septem-ber 1, 2017 or after. Even if you registered as recently as June, July or August, you are still required to register again, on or after September 1, 2017. All members who are currently enrolled in the Ralphs Community Contribution Program will remain active until August 31, 2018.

There are two ways to enroll: a) Online registration at www.ralphs.com (see instructions below for new and existing participants) or b) by calling us at 800-443-4438.

New Members Registration Instructions for the Ralph’s website:

1. Log in to www.ralphs.com.

2. Click on Create an Account.

3. Follow the steps to create an online account.

4. You will be instructed to go to your email inbox to confirm your account.

5. After you confirm your online account by clicking on the link in your email, return to www.ralphs.com and click on my account (you may have to sign in again first).

6. View all your information and edit as necessary.

7. Link your card to your organization by clicking on Community Rewards, then on Edit my community contribution, and then follow the instructions. Note: Make certain to click on the circle to the left of the Bichon FurKids name!

Current Members Re-Registration Instructions for the Ralph’s website:

1. Log in to www.ralphs.com.

2. Click Sign In.

3. Enter your email address and password.

4. Click on My Account (in the top right hand corner).

5. Click on Account Settings.

6. View all your information and edit as necessary.

7. Link your card to your organization by clicking on Community Rewards, then on Edit my community contribu-tion, and then follow the instructions. Note: Make certain to click on the circle to the left of the Bichon FurKids name!

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