The weather is heating up! Keep your pets cool - and safe - this summer with these tips.
Apparel NOW Available!
You Can’t Buy Love!
But you can rescue it!
We are excited to announce that Friends of Noah apparel is now available to purchase through our online store! We have a selection of T-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies and MORE! Purchases made will be mailed to you directly through our supplier. BONUS: All proceeds benefit Friends of Noah!
Here is a sampling of other items:
Want a FREE shirt?
When you sign up to volunteer at a Community Event we’ll hook you up with a FREE ‘You Can’t Buy Love’ shirt in black! It’s just our way of saying THANK YOU for helping out. Have questions? Email Dawn at marketing@friendsofnoah-wi.org.
Nora - A Second Chance
Despite what challenges they bring, there are some rescues we can't say no to. Nora is one of those rescues.
We don't know her entire history, but we do know that in September 2022, Nora was found as a stray and taken to a shelter. After several months of not being reclaimed or adopted, it was discovered she had a torn cruciate. As this other shelter did not have the funds to pay for her surgery, Nora's future was looking bleak
Nora's story - and sweet, gentle disposition - moved us. After many discussions and finding a foster who was willing to take on the challenges of pre and post-surgery, it was decided to bring Nora into Friends of Noah.
It was then discovered that Nora has likely been dealing with ACL tears in BOTH legs due to the severity and the scar tissue that has built up. Nora has also been dealing with chronic ear problems due to 'cauliflower ears'.
Nora is currently scheduled for bilateral TPLO surgery in early February. In the meantime, she has a hard time sitting or laying down like other dogs. She always has to 'shift' to one side because her legs don't fold under very well. She can't stand very long without having to sit down. She can't go for walks like other dogs because of her lack of mobility. She can't play with other dogs because it hurts her. She can't get comfortable for any length of time. She is on meds to help with her pain until surgery.
Despite her pain, Nora truly has the BEST personality! She is an absolute sweetheart who loves nothing more than a nice butt scratch, a belly rub, and a snuggle! We know that Nora will be an amazing companion once she is all fixed up!
As you can imagine, Nora's surgery costs will far exceed her adoption fee. This is where your donations make a difference. We hope that you will consider a donation at https://bityl.co/GKa5.
Special thanks to #fosterhero Kris for taking Nora in and giving her all the love she deserves!
Nora: Post-op Bilateral TPLO surgery
2/2023: Nora had surgery and is resting comfortably (as can be) with her foster family! All indications appear to be a successful surgery♥
2/20/23: Happy girl Nora! Just over 1 week post op. The bandages are off (still has stitches), but already a big difference. Her #fosterhero can tell she feels so much better as she is no longer has to sit down every 30 seconds because she’s in pain.
YOU can help make a difference in the life of a pet life Nora! Donate today!
#GIVINGTUESDAY Be 'PAWT' of the Solution!
WE NEED YOUR HELP!
ANIMAL LIFE MATTERS.
Since 2009, Friends of Noah has taken a full-circle approach to animal rescue. As a foster-based dog and cat rescue, Friends of Noah is committed to providing new opportunities to stray and abandoned animals, educating the public, and offering assistance to pet owners struggling to provide for their pets.
MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN 2022
As of 11/1/2022 Friends of Noah programs have:
taken in 72 stray/abandoned animals. That number is growing every day!
distributed over 21,000 pounds of food to needy animals. CAFÉ (Companion Animal Food Effort) works with local food pantries to distribute pet food to families in need.
contributed over $25,000 to families who could not otherwise afford emergency medical care for their pets through Noah’s Animal Fund.
continued to educate the public about animal safety and compassion through SAFE (Saving Animals through Focused Education).
WILL YOU BE ‘PAWT’ OF THE SOLUTION IN 2023?
You can help us change the conditions that lead to pet homelessness! The average dollar amount it takes to get an animal ready for adoption is $350. This includes spay/neuter surgery, vaccinations, microchipping, health/behavior assessments, vet checks, and more as determined necessary.
For less than $1/day, you can make a difference in the life of one homeless pet. We invite to make a donation and/or become an Annual Sponsor by providing the financial support that makes completing our mission possible. Learn more by clicking the button below!
The Cost of Adopting a 'Free' Pet
Congratulations - you’ve made the decision to adopt a homeless animal! But wait, why does it cost so much to adopt from a rescue? After all, the animal was ‘free’, right?
There are actually a number of costs associated with getting a ‘free’ rescue dog or cat ready for a new home. Those costs include:
Kitten Holly will need surgery to remove her eye before adoption.
Veterinary wellness exam: Just like you take a new pet to the vet, Friends of Noah ensures every rescue is vet-checked.
Vaccinations: All rescues receive age-appropriate vaccines which might include, rabies, distemper, parvo, and kennel cough for canines. Felines typically receive rabies and feline leukemia vaccines.
Treatments: Rescues are treated for fleas, ticks, ear mites, and heartworm as necessary.
Preventatives: Friends of Noah ensures rescue cats and dogs are current on flea & tick and heartworm preventatives.
Spay/neuter surgery: All rescues are spayed/neutered prior to adoption.
Microchips: All FON rescues are microchipped prior to adoption.
Food, shelter and more: As a foster-based rescue, Friends of Noah is fortunate to not have ‘shelter’ costs. However, we do still provide food and supplies to our fosters.
Winnie is a rescue that tested positive for heartworm. This is Winnie after one of treatments.
On average, it costs $350 to get an animal ready for adoption. In addition to the costs above, there are times when a rescue requires heartworm treatment, surgery, medical care, or special training prior to adoption. As a non-profit organization, Friends of Noah relies solely on adoption fees, donations, and sponsorships.
THANK YOU for helping to save animals in need!
Winnie's Heartworm Journey
Each year, over 100,000 dogs are diagnosed with heartworm. Although being screened prior to taking her in, rescue Winnie was diagnosed with heartworm in May 2022.
So that Winnie can have the best chance at life, Friends of Noah is covering the costs of Winnie’s treatment. Friends of Noah is thankful to Winnie’s foster family for taking on the extra challenges that will come from treating Winnie.
Below are excerpts from Winnie’s veterinarian. You can learn more about heartworm disease, how dogs get it, and the symptoms of heartworm disease in our recent blog: Heartworm and Your Pet.
06/2022: Winnie had her first treatment today. Winnie had her first injection of melarsomine, which is the drug that kills adult heartworms. The injection was given in her lower back on the right side. This injection is commonly painful for dogs, so please be careful with petting her in this area.
Winnie: post injection. Hoping an ice pack will alleviate some of the discomfort.
Winnie is also being sent home with prednisolone, which is a steroid that is meant to minimize any inflammatory effects from the worms being killed by the medication. Her first dose is due tomorrow morning.
Side effects of prednisolone include increased thirst and urination, so Winnie will likely need to go outside to urinate more frequently.
Winnie should also continue to take Triheart (or another monthly heartworm prevention) once every 30 days.
Please watch for side effects of treatment including excess coughing or panting, fever, or any nosebleeds.
Winnie must be strictly kept from exercise, as exercise can increase her risk of side effects from heartworm treatment significantly. She must be kept on a leash outside at all times, and only go outside to go to the bathroom. Inside, she should be kept in a crate or confined to a small room to prevent running and jumping. Utilizing an activity such as a ‘food puzzles’ can help to keep the pet occupied during this time.
Winnie will need two more injections of this medication - one in 30 days, and the next one the day following this.
One month after these injections, we will draw blood again to verify that the presence of microfilaria (juvenile heartworm larvae) has resolved.
The average cost of treating heartworm in dogs is $1000. Friends of Noah is a 501(C)3 so all donations are tax deductible. We hope you’ll consider making a donation on our donation page♥
8/16/2022: Winnie is heartworm negative!!
Thank you to all who sent well wishes and contributed to her care ♥ Before Winnie is ready for adoption, she still needs to be spayed so look for to become available sometime in September! As you can see - she is doing great!
9/2022
Winnie has found her fur-ever family! Congratulations to all ♥
Heartworm and Your Pet
Heartworm. Over 100,000 dogs are diagnosed with heartworm disease annually. But where does heartworm come from and how does your pet get it?
Mosquitoes. That’s right. Those annoying, long-nosed, whiny sounding blood suckers transmit heartworm from an infected dog to a healthy dog. From the FDA’s website: “In an infected dog, adult female heartworms release their offspring, called microfilariae, into the dog’s bloodstream. When a mosquito bites the infected dog, the mosquito becomes infected with the microfilariae. Over the next 10 to 14 days and under the right environmental conditions, the microfilariae become infective larvae while living inside the mosquito. Microfilariae must pass through a mosquito to become infective larvae. When the infected mosquito bites another dog, the mosquito spreads the infective larvae to the dog through the bite wound. In the newly infected dog, it takes about 6 to 7 months for the infective larvae to mature into adult heartworms. The adult heartworms mate and the females release their offspring into the dog’s bloodstream, completing the lifecycle.” At this time, the earliest heartworm protein can be detected in your dogs bloodstream is about 6 months.
How do you know if your dog has heartworm disease? A blood test is the only way to confirm heartworm. By the time symptoms appear, the disease has likely already spread. These are five signs that your dog may have heartworm according to Heartgard:
Mild persistent cough
Lethargy
Weight loss
Swollen belly
Difficulty breathing
Your dog has been diagnosed with heartworm. Now what? While effective, heartworm treatment can be long and costly, although a pet insurance wellness plan may minimize your out-of-pocket expenses. Your dog will physical activities will need to be restricted (physical exertion increases the rate of damage to the heart and lungs) and follow a treatment protocol depending on the stage of the disease. Treatment can be long and costly.
Can my cat get heartworm?
Yes. While not as susceptible to infection, both indoor and outdoor cats can also get heartworm when bitten by an infected mosquito. Heartworm is more difficult to diagnose in felines and not all cats show symptoms. If your cat is experiencing any of the following, a trip to the vet is warranted.
Intermittent vomiting
Diarrhea
Rapid and/or difficulty breathing
Coughing and/or gagging
Loss of appetite
Weight loss
Of course, these symptoms could be indicative of other diseases as well. Unfortunately, heartworm in cats is not treatable at this time.
Prevention is the best treatment!
There are many FDA-approved products to prevent heartworm in cats and dogs. Talk to your vet to decide which preventative is best for you and your pet!
Bags and Your Cat
Is your cat fascinated with all things bags? Are they trying to call in the bag before you’ve taken out the groceries? Cats and bags might make for some great videos, but they can be far from a purrfect combination.
What is so fascinating about bags anyway?
We get it! It’s hard for your cat to resist those crinkly sounds! Like the rustle of a mouse over leaves, the sound of a crinkly bag is something that most cats can’t ignore.
Maybe your cat enjoys being the center of attention? We’ve all heard how much commotion a cat and a bag can make!
Mostly, cats just love to explore all the things that come into your home - and if it happens to make noise, even better!
not all bags are created equal
While we often think of paper bags making these sounds, plastic bags also get your cats’ attention. Whether it’s plastic bags for shopping or the plastic ‘wrap’ used in shipping boxes, it seems like plastic is everywhere. Did you know plastic and cats can be a dangerous combination?
What could go wrong?
Your cat could get the handles of the plastic bags wrapped around their neck which could cut off their air supply.
Many plastic bags are made from a substance that cats can’t resist. Not only does the bag make noise, but your cat might think you brought them a special treat. Ingestion of plastic could lead to blockage or suffocation.
Keep your cats safe!
Plastic bags are NOT toys. Keep plastic and plastic bags out of your cat’s reach. If your feline just can’t resist chewing on plastic, it may be time for a visit to your vet to rule out other issues.
Cold Weather Safety Tips
Cold weather can pose serious harm to your pets. Follow these tips to keep your pets safe this winter!
Limit time outside. If it’s too cold for you, it’s too cold for your pet!
De-ice! Dig ice balls out of your pets’ feet when they come in from being outside. Ice balls can lead to bruising or cuts on the paw pad.
Remove salt. Wipe off paws to remove any salt. Salt can irritate your pet’s paw pads or cause mouth or stomach issues if ingested.
Fresh water. Lower humidity levels in the winter can lead to your pet drinking more water to stay hydrated. Be sure their bowl is fresh and full!
Stay home. Cold cars are just as bad for the health of your pet as a hot car in the summer. In cold weather, cars cool down rapidly acting like a refrigerator trapping the cold air in.
Community cats and strays can use your help too!
Shelter. Provide shelter for cats to get away from snow, wind, and other elements. Insulate the shelter with straw. Straw repels moisture and cats can burrow down into it. Don’t use blankets or towels as they absorb precious body heat.
Food and water. Keep their food and water from freezing. If possible, consider using a heated water bowl. A regular supply of food will help them conserve the energy they need to stay warm while helping to provide natural insulation.
Avoid salt. Salt can be harmful to cats’ paw pads and can be lethal when licked off.
Check your vehicle before starting. Cats are resilient and will seek shelter anyway. Be sure to bang on the hood or honk your horn prior to starting the engine.