Blessing of the Animals Blessed the SPCA As Well!
May 2, 2021 — It was a blessing of the animals we celebrated yesterday, but the SPCA Serving Erie County was blessed as well!
Thank you to Pastor Rebecca Allis and the volunteers and members of New Hope and Covenant United Methodist Church (including our own Tina Corcoran!), 2846 Seneca St. in West Seneca, for an inspirational morning and afternoon, as dogs, cats, even a parrot were brought to the church to receive a special blessing!
Church members donated many much-needed items to the SPCA, including blankets, toys, towels, cages and crates, items for the Educational Farm…and many financial donations were made as well! Suggested fees for refreshments were also donated to the SPCA.
Every volunteer was smiling, every pet owner was clearly moved, but the animals win hands-down for happiest of all! Thank you to Pastor Allis, Tina, the members and volunteers of New Hope and Covenant United Methodist Church, and to everyone who donated toward this meaningful and poignant event. See photos of yesterday’s event below!
–Gina Lattuca, SPCA Serving Erie County Chief Communications Officer
In an effort to keep community members aware of the SPCA’s current policy regarding FIV+ cats, we are reposting this informative article from August of 2020.
SPCA CHANGES POLICY CONCERNING FIV+ CATS
August 6, 2020
By: SPCA Vice President of Veterinary Services Melanie Rushforth & Director of Behavior and Research Miranda K. Workman
The SPCA Serving Erie County is making a change in its policy concerning the adoption of cats testing positive for Feline Immunodeficiency Virus, or FIV.
Previously, the SPCA only allowed the adoption of FIV+ cats to families with no other felines, or families with other FIV+ cats. Current research, however, supports the adoption of FIV+ cats into homes that include non-infected felines.
The SPCA’s new Director of Behavior & Research, Miranda K. Workman, in collaboration with SPCA Vice President of Veterinary Services Melanie Rushforth and SPCA Shelter Veterinarian Dr. Allison Kean, says, “Based on current research, FIV+ cats can live successfully in multi-cat households that include non-FIV+ cats with extremely low risk of transmission, especially when all cats in the group are prosocial. Research shows that rate of transmission is much less likely than originally thought many years ago.”
Rushforth offers the following information concerning FIV:
“FIV is an immune deficiency virus belonging to the same family of viruses that include human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) causing human AIDS. This is not to say that the viruses can cross from cat to human or human to cat, but merely explains why the medical consequences of FIV in cats can be very similar to those experienced by people with HIV. As with people living with HIV, cats infected with FIV require extra medical care and extra attention to their diet and health. And as with people living with HIV, cats infected with FIV can live long, healthy lives. FIV is not easily transmitted between cats. Therefore, other than ensuring that there is no fighting and biting, most cats with FIV can live happily with one or two other cats and never spread their virus.
Cats with FIV can live long and healthy lives. Many of these cats age normally and do not show signs of FIV-related illness.
FIV is a cat-specific virus-it can only be transferred between cats, and no other species can be infected. Since FIV can cause immunosuppression and, in theory, can increase the risk of a cat succumbing to certain infectious diseases, it is important to have the cat receive twice yearly veterinary care. All cats, including FIV-infected cats, should receive regular flea prevention consistent with the risks in the area they live.
All cats have unique personalities. Cats with FIV are no exception. Since these cats are able to live long, healthy lives, there is no reason that they cannot be a part of someone’s family. There are some who consider that FIV cats may pose too much of a risk to other cats or that the FIV-positive cat is destined to become ill from the virus. These individuals may suggest euthanasia of a cat that tests positive for FIV. This is an absolutely unnecessary measure. Cats infected with FIV should not be euthanized, unless they are actually experiencing a severe, debilitating illness that cannot be treated (as we would with any other cat).”
Workman and Rushforth encourage those considering adoption of an FIV+ cat to speak with SPCA behavior staff and veterinary technicians prior to adoption to answer any questions.
For more information, please contact Rushforth or Workman at the SPCA Serving Erie County: 716-875-7360.
Update, May 4: The first rabies clinic scheduled for May 8 is close to being filled, but there are still several openings for the May 22 vaccination clinic.
Click on the image below to register for or learn more about the Erie County Health Department’s free rabies vaccine clinics. The clinics are appointment-only, and are being held in conjunction with the SPCA Serving Erie County:
Click the image below to hear Newsradio 930 WBEN’s Mike Baggerman talk to our own Barb Haney, director of wildlife, about our snowy April showers!
April is Canine Fitness Month!
By: Shauna Greene, Veterinary Services Coordinator and Lipsey Clinic Manager
Western New Yorkers get pretty stir crazy this time of year and with a world-wide pandemic stretching into its second year, a lot of us are feeling extra cooped up. Humans aren’t the only species feeling the call of the outdoors – your dog wants in on the action! This month gives you the perfect excuse to get out in the sunshine and shed some excess winter/covid weight. April is Canine Fitness Month!
Taking your dog for a walk around the neighborhood is a great way for them to explore and satisfy their need for mental stimulation while giving you some exercise and the chance to socialize (from a safe distance, of course). If your dog is nervous or anxious around people or other dogs, consider using a yellow leash (or tying a yellow ribbon around their leash) to indicate your dog requires space from others. Here’s a little more information about this movement:
If you want to explore somewhere a bit more exotic, consider one of these dog friendly hiking trails in the WNY area: Guide to Dog Friendly Hiking Trails – Step Out Buffalo
And if you are stuck in the house, there are a lot of ways to exercise your dog indoors (remember, mental stimulation is just as important as physical stimulation and can help prevent destructive behaviors). Use props made from common household objects like laundry baskets, hula hoops, buckets and exercise steps to build obstacle courses for your dog to work through. My Australian Cattle Dog, Tex, LOVES it when I set up different tricks for him to figure out:
We’ll talk more about other ways to keep your dog fit throughout the month. Until then, get outside!
The SPCA’s Lipsey Veterinary Clinic offers veterinary services for cats and dogs! To see all available services, please visit LipseyClinic.com. To make an appointment, please call 716-531-4700.
April 10 is National Hug Your Dog Day!
By: Melanie Rushforth, Vice President, Veterinary Services SPCA Serving Erie County
Some clever dog lover has deemed April 10th to be National Hug Your Dog Day. In case you needed a reason to hug your dog (besides the obvious), we have come up with several!
In both humans and dogs, oxytocin is released when you hug your dog. Oxytocin is sometimes referred to as the “love hormone,” because levels of oxytocin increase during hugging. Oxytocin also has social functions. It impacts bonding behavior, the creation of group memories, social recognition, and other social functions. Basically, hugging your dog is way better than any prescription!
Hugging your dog also gives both of you a sense of unconditional love and connection. Unconditional love, simply put, is love without strings attached. It’s love you offer freely. You don’t base it on what someone does for you in return. You simply love them and want nothing more than their happiness. I think that sounds just like a dog.
Hugging your dog calms and relieves stress no matter how bad of a day you had. Stress and anxiety are common experiences for most people. In fact, more than 50% of adults in the United States say they feel stress or anxiety daily. Adopting a dog (and hugging that dog…once the dog is properly introduced to a new environment) could certainly help lower that number!
The many health benefits of companionship are priceless. Dogs can decrease our stress, help relieve our anxiety, and can aid in the treatment of depression. They keep us active, lower our blood pressure, and make us feel safe. I can’t think of any one thing, other than a dog, that can do all of that. That alone deserves a hug.
Do you hug your dog?
The SPCA’s Lipsey Veterinary Clinic offers veterinary services for cats and dogs! To see all available services, please visit LipseyClinic.com. To make an appointment, please call 716-531-4700.
SPCA Serving Erie County Offers Virtual Field Trips and Tours to Classrooms and Other Groups
April 1, 2021
By: SPCA Chief Communications Officer Gina Lattuca
SPCA Pop-Up Quiz:
My classroom cannot take a field trip to the SPCA.
___True ___False
Your answer:
True
Our response:
Think again!
Right now, the SPCA Serving Erie County is offering virtual field trips and tours for school classrooms, homeschool groups, after-school programs, scouting groups, camp groups, and more!
A $50.00 tour fee will virtually bring participants to the SPCA’s 300 Harlem Rd., West Seneca shelter, where everyone will “visit” adoptable animals, Educational Farm permanent and temporary residents, wild animals receiving treatment in the Wildlife Department, enjoy an up-close-and-personal meeting with one of our animal ambassadors, and more!
Virtual tours can be personalized to showcase specific animals or subjects that tie in with classroom lessons and group needs, and can even include a virtual scavenger hunt!
Tours last approximately 30 minutes. For more information on virtual field trips and tours, please contact SPCA Humane Educator Katherine Gillette-Cockerill at KatherineG@yourspca.org, or (716) 875-7360, ext. 234.
Have a Heart and Get Ahead of Heartworm!
By: Melanie Rushforth, Vice President, Veterinary Services SPCA Serving Erie County
Heartworm disease is a serious and potentially fatal disease in pets in the United States and many other parts of the world. It is caused by foot-long worms (heartworms) that live in the heart, lungs, and associated blood vessels of affected pets, causing severe lung disease, heart failure and damage to other organs in the body. Sounds awful, right? There are preventive measures that all pet owners should be aware of. Read on!
Heartworm disease is far more prevalent in dogs, since the dog is a natural host for heartworms, which means that heartworms that live inside the dog mature into adults, mate, and produce offspring. If untreated, their numbers can increase, and dogs have been known to harbor several hundred worms in their bodies. Heartworm disease causes lasting damage to the heart, lungs, and arteries, and can affect the dog’s health and quality of life long after the parasites are gone. For this reason, prevention is by far the best option, and treatment—when needed—should be administered as early in the course of the disease as possible.
The mosquito plays the main role in the heartworm life cycle. Adult female heartworms living in an infected dog, fox, coyote, or wolf produce microscopic baby worms called microfilaria that circulate in the bloodstream. When a mosquito bites and takes a blood meal from an infected animal, it picks up these baby worms, which develop and mature into “infective stage” larvae over a period of 10 to 14 days. Then, when the infected mosquito bites another dog, cat, or susceptible wild animal, the infective larvae are deposited onto the surface of the animal’s skin and enter the new host through the mosquito’s bite wound. Once inside a new host, it takes approximately six months for the larvae to mature into adult heartworms. Once mature, heartworms can live for five to seven years in dogs and up to two to three years in cats. Because of the longevity of these worms, each mosquito season can lead to an increasing number of worms in an infected pet. For something as small as a mosquito, those little insects can really wreak havoc.
In the early stages of the disease, most dogs show few symptoms or no symptoms at all, which is why it is particularly important to take preventative precautions. The longer the infection persists, the more likely symptoms will develop. Active dogs, dogs heavily infected with heartworms, or those with other health problems often show pronounced clinical signs which may include a mild persistent cough, reluctance to exercise, fatigue after moderate activity, decreased appetite, and weight loss. As heartworm disease progresses, pets may develop heart failure and the appearance of a swollen belly due to excess fluid in the abdomen. Dogs with large numbers of heartworms can develop a sudden blockages of blood flow within the heart leading to a life-threatening form of cardiovascular collapse. This is called caval syndrome and is marked by a sudden onset of labored breathing, pale gums, and dark bloody or coffee-colored urine. Without prompt surgical removal of the heartworm blockage, few dogs survive.
The American Heartworm Society recommends that you “think 12:” (1) get your pet tested every 12 months for heartworm and (2) give your pet heartworm preventative 12 months a year. Some states do have a higher disease risk than others, but heartworm has been reported in all 50 U.S. states and dogs and some cats did test positive for heartworm disease in New York State last year. The mosquito population is determined by climate, mosquito species, and local wildlife. As more animals travel nationally and internationally, the risk of heartworm disease is increasing in each state.
Heartworm disease is easily preventable. There are several excellent products that when given monthly year-round prevent and control common intestinal parasites as well as heartworm disease. If your dog is not currently on heartworm prevention, please contact your veterinarian immediately to establish a preventative treatment schedule or contact the Lipsey Clinic!
The SPCA’s Lipsey Veterinary Clinic offers veterinary services for cats and dogs! To see all available services, please visit LipseyClinic.com. To make an appointment, please call 716-531-4700.