Spay and Neuter

For the past 13 years I was the proud owner of my two companion Rotties; NaNook & NaKoda. Both have passed. They traveled all over the US in those 13 yrs, and were excellent breed ambassadors for the Rottweiler breed, they had their canine good citizenship, obedience, and service animal training. In honor of their dedication and loyalty to me I would like to raise funds for our local shelters to help raise funds to spay/neuter animals. http://www.ctsanimalcenter.org 


Recently, our local shelter as well as 2 other shelters ( http://www.erathcountyhumanesociety.com  & http://comancheanimalshelter.rescueme.org  ) in neighboring counties have been over run with stray dogs and cats.

I would like to help raise funds to deal with the care and spay/neuter of these animals!



Much of this problem happens because people get pets and do not spay/neuter them and over population creates pets going to homes that do not have secure properties and they get out and roam, animals who are not spay/neutered getting pregnant and the owners can't afford to keep a litter and have difficulty finding homes for all the puppies so litters are dropped off at the shelters, and sometimes people get a pet that's cute when it's little but they just aren't prepared to be a responsible pet owner (do not provide proper training, time, exercise to the animal so they have behavior issues) and they drop them at the shelter,
Whatever, the reason many dogs/cats end up at the shelter daily. Shelters have limited funds and space to care for these animals and since I was blessed to have 2 of the best companions ever I would like (in honor of their memory) contribute to helping other animals be spayed/neutered to prevent overpopulation and hopefully allow donations to provide quality care to the ones that have to live in the shelter for any amount of time.

If you would like to help me honor the memory of my companions (who were spayed/neutered) please feel free to make a donation and we will make sure it goes to one of the 3 listed shelters to help prevent over population. The fewer animals in shelters, the fewer animals euthanized!

If  you would like to donate directly to any of the 3 shelters listed feel free to click on their links above to find out how to donate directly!

If you are unable to donate at this time please come back when you can and feel free to share on your social media networks to help our cause!

Thank you!

Dehydration in dogs

Dehydration in dogs is a common, potentially life threatening condition.  It is the result of either an inadequate intake or excessive loss of both water and electrolytes and requires immediate veterinary attention.  If left untreated dehydration can result in serious organ damage and even death of your dog


What are the signs of dehydration in dogs?

Sunken eyes.

Dry gums.

Lethargy.

Loss of skin elasticity – use your thumb and forefinger to pinch a little skin on your pet's back or top of their head. ...

vision loss

hearing loss

Weakness, collapse and ultimately death.

The serious problems of dehydration can include disc problems. The discs between each vertebra in your spine is mostly made of water, so if your dehydrated the disc shrinks just a little and that can put added pressure on one of your spinal nerves and cause pain. About 99% of the people that come in my office with sciatic pain are dehydrated. The disc shrinks and presses on the sciatic nerve and the person will have excruciating pain. If someone is chronically dehydrated it can lead to herniated discs and bulging discs because their spine is less stable than normal a person.
A person who is dehydrated can have headaches all the time because the blood does not circulate as well to the brain which also can lead to dizziness, heaviness in the head, blurred vision, and hearing loss. 

What can I do to prevent my dog getting dehydration?

• Ensure your dog has plenty of access to fresh, clean water
• Clean your dog’s water bowl daily to prevent the build up of bacteria within it
• Take bottles of water with you on a walk or whilst travelling
• Avoid exercising your dog in hot weather
• Never leave your dog in a car

Dogs Unchained

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It breaks my heart to see chained dogs. I don’t really understand why people have dogs just to keep them chained in a yard. Out of sight, out of mind, and what’s the fun in that? I want my dogs to meet me at the door with their wagging tails when I come home from work. I need TV watching companions. My dogs are perfect, because it just so happens that they like the same shows I do. They guard my keyboard when I am working at the computer, and keep the misbehaving cats away.

I can’t imagine knowing that her life was being chained in the yard. In essence, it’s a sentence of solitary confinement for life. It also creates lots of issues with temperament and behavior. According to animal behavior specialist Shelby Marlo, “dogs who are forced to live their lives at the end of a chain suffer from severe psychological, emotional, and behavioral effects.”

A chained dog is usually a lonely dog. He is without much human interaction. Chained dogs often practice the same aggressive behaviors over and over. They bark, and lunge, and pull unendingly at their chains. Chaining dogs tends to make them more territorial and food aggressive. When people approach a chained dog, they are usually greeted with overexcitement and pent-up energy. When you add this to the social deprivation and practiced aggressive behaviors (while chained), chained dogs have a higher potential for being dangerous.

Chained dogs are totally at the mercy of their owners. We, at the Corinne T. Smith Animal Center, have gotten in a number of dogs in my six years, who have been left on a chain without care. While they are slowly dying of starvation and dehydration, they have no way to escape. They are at the mercy of other animals. Dogs are instinctively “fight or flight” beings. They can’t flea, so they are forced to fight.

In addition to all of the negative effects of chaining dogs, it is no longer legal to leave a dog on a 6′ chain 24 hours a day. People need to understand that chained dogs are dangerous dogs in the training.

If you love your dog, don’t make him live this lonely life. Unchain those dogs, and bring them inside. Let them feel the joy of sleeping by your bed and watching TV at your feet. They really do want to be your best friend. Freda Day

Help!

For the past 13 years I was the proud owner of my two companion Rotties; NaNook & NaKoda. Both have passed. They traveled all over the US in those 13 yrs, and were excellent breed ambassadors for the Rottweiler breed, they had their canine good citizenship, obedience, and service animal training. In honor of their dedication and loyalty to me I would like to raise funds for our local shelters to help raise funds to spay/neuter animals. http://www.ctsanimalcenter.org 


Recently, our local shelter as well as 2 other shelters ( http://www.erathcountyhumanesociety.com  & http://comancheanimalshelter.rescueme.org  ) in neighboring counties have been over run with stray dogs and cats.

I would like to help raise funds to deal with the care and spay/neuter of these animals!



Much of this problem happens because people get pets and do not spay/neuter them and over population creates pets going to homes that do not have secure properties and they get out and roam, animals who are not spay/neutered getting pregnant and the owners can't afford to keep a litter and have difficulty finding homes for all the puppies so litters are dropped off at the shelters, and sometimes people get a pet that's cute when it's little but they just aren't prepared to be a responsible pet owner (do not provide proper training, time, exercise to the animal so they have behavior issues) and they drop them at the shelter,
Whatever, the reason many dogs/cats end up at the shelter daily. Shelters have limited funds and space to care for these animals and since I was blessed to have 2 of the best companions ever I would like (in honor of their memory) contribute to helping other animals be spayed/neutered to prevent overpopulation and hopefully allow donations to provide quality care to the ones that have to live in the shelter for any amount of time.

If you would like to help me honor the memory of my companions (who were spayed/neutered) please feel free to make a donation and we will make sure it goes to one of the 3 listed shelters to help prevent over population. The fewer animals in shelters, the fewer animals euthanized!

If  you would like to donate directly to any of the 3 shelters listed feel free to click on their links above to find out how to donate directly!

If you are unable to donate at this time please come back when you can and feel free to share on your social media networks to help our cause!

Thank you!

Community Issues

The Corinne T. Smith Animal Center (CTSAC) is part of a larger community of animals and people. We are part of the community. The animal issues we deal with are community issues. Any successful solution for our local issues of dog and cat overpopulation, abuse, neglect, and the endless euthanasia will come from a partnership between CTSAC and our community.  

Think Ahead to Care for your Pets

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When I spoke to Carren Bowden, Executive Director of the Corinne T. Smith Animal Center (CTSAC) a few days ago, she told me they had just taken in 17 cats. Their owner had died and none of her family or friends were willing and able to take them in and care for them. Granted, 17 cats is a whole lot of cats, but the shelter sees this same situation regularly. In fact, one of my own cats came to be with me because her owner was a dedicated CTSAC volunteer, and after her death no one in her circle of family and friends wanted her pet cat. So, Missy Cat came to live at my house.
It’s definitely something to think about, and plan ahead for. You may think you have lots of time left and your pets will pass before you do, but unexpected things can happen. As responsible pet owners, we make sure our pets have food, water, veterinary care, shelter, and lots of love, but we also need to think ahead so that those well-cared-for pets will continue to be well-cared-for if they outlive us.
It’s important to make sure people know that you have pets in your home, so that in the case of an accident or sudden illness like a heart attack someone knows to check on your pets and make sure they are being cared for while you can’t. That’s easy…choose a couple of family members, close friends, or neighbors. Ask them to agree to be temporary caregivers in case this type of situation arises.
Particularly if you live alone, it’s a good idea to carry a card in your wallet with details on your pets and phone numbers for the people who have agreed to be temporary caregivers.
Ensuring long-term or permanent care for your pets if you become seriously ill or die is much more complicated. Verbally discussing this with your loved ones is important, but it isn’t necessarily enough. You might discuss this, but years later who knows whether the person your pet is counting on would even remember.
Ideally, when you write your will this is something that should be covered. You might consider a special trust for the person who has agreed to care for or find appropriate new families for your pets after you are gone.
Our shelter is often brought animals that had obviously been someone’s well-loved pets. Either no provisions were made for them, or sometimes the person who had agreed to care for the pets had a change of heart.
In case your beloved pets end up in an animal shelter, you want to be sure to have all the information you have about your pets available to go with them. Have a special (obvious) place to keep veterinary records, behavior notes, notes on special likes and dislikes, and anything else that might help someone want to adopt your now-homeless pets. You might keep these in a visible file on a desk or possibly filed with your will.
Most of the pets of recently deceased owners come to the shelter with absolutely no information. It would be good to know that the dog has been “fixed” and that they will probably stay healthy in the shelter because they have a vaccination history. It would be helpful to know that the dog is housetrained, loves to walk on a leash, and likes (or hates) baths. It is often hard to tell whether a cat is feral (wild) or whether his world was turned upside down and he is just terrified. The more information that comes with a pet to CTSAC or any shelter will mean a better chance of them finding a new home.
Corinne T. Smith Animal Center is open for adoptions and lost pet searches Monday through Thursday from 1pm to 5pm and Saturday and Sunday from 1pm to 4pm, and open for animal intake Monday through Thursday from 1pm to 4pm and Saturday and Sunday from 1pm to 3pm. For more information, call us at 325-646-0617.   APRIL 16, 2016 FREDA

209 people have visited gofund.me/Spay-Neuter-Tx as of today. If 209 people had donated $5 to spay/neuter and help for medical expenses, etc. for foster dogs we could have raised $1045 so far. We could have spayed/neutered 10 dogs with this......please find it in your heart

Not Rusty any more!

I'm gonna hug him & squeeze him and call him Niklaus. Rusty makes me think of an old discarded piece of metal left out in a pasture to ruin and while that may have been his past that is not his future! He shall heel and find a furever home! 

Help Now!

For the past 13 years I was the proud owner of my two companion Rotties; NaNook & NaKoda. Both have passed. They traveled all over the US in those 13 yrs, and were excellent breed ambassadors for the Rottweiler breed, they had their canine good citizenship, obedience, and service animal training. In honor of their dedication and loyalty to me I would like to raise funds for our local shelters to help raise funds to spay/neuter animals. http://www.ctsanimalcenter.org 


Recently, our local shelter as well as 2 other shelters ( http://www.erathcountyhumanesociety.com  & http://comancheanimalshelter.rescueme.org  ) in neighboring counties have been over run with stray dogs and cats.

I would like to help raise funds to deal with the care and spay/neuter of these animals!



Much of this problem happens because people get pets and do not spay/neuter them and over population creates pets going to homes that do not have secure properties and they get out and roam, animals who are not spay/neutered getting pregnant and the owners can't afford to keep a litter and have difficulty finding homes for all the puppies so litters are dropped off at the shelters, and sometimes people get a pet that's cute when it's little but they just aren't prepared to be a responsible pet owner (do not provide proper training, time, exercise to the animal so they have behavior issues) and they drop them at the shelter,
Whatever, the reason many dogs/cats end up at the shelter daily. Shelters have limited funds and space to care for these animals and since I was blessed to have 2 of the best companions ever I would like (in honor of their memory) contribute to helping other animals be spayed/neutered to prevent overpopulation and hopefully allow donations to provide quality care to the ones that have to live in the shelter for any amount of time.

If you would like to help me honor the memory of my companions (who were spayed/neutered) please feel free to make a donation and we will make sure it goes to one of the 3 listed shelters to help prevent over population. The fewer animals in shelters, the fewer animals euthanized!

If  you would like to donate directly to any of the 3 shelters listed feel free to click on their links above to find out how to donate directly!

If you are unable to donate at this time please come back when you can and feel free to share on your social media networks to help our cause!

Thank you!

NBR - National Brittany Rescue - Meet Rusty

Meet "Rusty" (may change as he can't hear it and doesn't seem to know his name)! Rusty is a rescue from the National Brittany Rescue. He is my current foster baby. Rusty found his way to me from an owner surrender and 2 previous foster homes. 

Rusty came to Texas from Oklahoma. He was owner surrendered. We are unsure how long the previous "owners" had him as we were told they found him on a road, opened the car door to shew him off the road and he hopped right in. We do not know how long they kept him before surrendering him nor where he came from before that. However, he only weighed 42.4 lbs the initial intake. 

Initial intake vet exam vet said 12 years old, secondary vet exam said 10 years old).  His initial intake vet reported he has dental issues (guess I'll be brushing his teeth). He has moderate atrophy of hind limbs (Muscular atrophy is a weakening or wasting away of muscle mass. It can be observed as a loss of muscle tone and is most obvious on the hind legs and hips of senior dogs. Muscular atrophy has two main causes: lack of activity and disease -https://www.cuteness.com/blog/content/muscular-atrophy-in-older-dogs ) and arthritis. (Arthritis attacks the joints of older dogs, not the muscles, but can still lead to muscle atrophy. As arthritis degenerates the joint, often in your dog's hips and knees, it causes significant pain. This pain causes your dog to move stiffly and slowly, and makes him hesitant to play, run or exercise like usual. This decrease in activity, coupled with reluctance to stretch the muscles and use them fully, leads to muscular atrophy. Pain management medications as well as joint support and physical therapy can minimize the effects of arthritis, which in turn encourages your dog to exercise and restore his muscle mass. - https://www.cuteness.com/blog/content/muscular-atrophy-in-older-dogs ). He is on meds to help with these issues and I will be implementing an exercise routine for him to help with the muscle atrophy and get him active again! 

His vaccinations are up to date now and heart worm negative! 

Rusty did very well with his bath, now I just have to trim his long overgrown nails as he has been "tap dancing" all over my floors and I can't imagine that is very comfortable when he walks around either! 

His previous foster homea stated they thought he was deaf and blind, however after spending 2 days with him I think he may be really hard of hearing as he can hear loud noises such as raising voice to a "yell" and a shrill whistle. I have ordered him a vibration collar to work on training  basic obedience commands and providing a way to communicate with him without feeling like I am "yelling" at him all the time. This will also help in making him more adoptable!  

Blindness - I am positive he is not completely blind as he can see a flashlight beam at night (I flashed the light at him several times at night to get him to come back in the house) and  I know he saw my cat (not sure if he saw cat clearly or saw her movement as she blends in with her environment) and I know he can see me pat my leg to come to me. Will keep updating on vision as I learn. 

 He enjoyed the kiddie pool, a brief walk and visiting with new fur friends! I think it wore him out! 

Follow Rusty's journey with me as he will most likely be available for adoption in apx. 30 days and will be in need of a loving, compassionate furever home! 

Learn about the services offered at Corinne T. Smith Animal Shelter

http://www.ctsanimalcenter.org/services.html

Spay and Neuter Your Pets Campaign.....Donate Now!

For the past 13 years I was the proud owner of my two companion Rotties; NaNook & NaKoda. Both have passed. They traveled all over the US in those 13 yrs, and were excellent breed ambassadors for the Rottweiler breed, they had their canine good citizenship, obedience, and service animal training. In honor of their dedication and loyalty to me I would like to raise funds for our local shelters to help raise funds to spay/neuter animals. http://www.ctsanimalcenter.org 


Recently, our local shelter as well as 2 other shelters ( http://www.erathcountyhumanesociety.com  & http://comancheanimalshelter.rescueme.org  ) in neighboring counties have been over run with stray dogs and cats.

I would like to help raise funds to deal with the care and spay/neuter of these animals!



Much of this problem happens because people get pets and do not spay/neuter them and over population creates pets going to homes that do not have secure properties and they get out and roam, animals who are not spay/neutered getting pregnant and the owners can't afford to keep a litter and have difficulty finding homes for all the puppies so litters are dropped off at the shelters, and sometimes people get a pet that's cute when it's little but they just aren't prepared to be a responsible pet owner (do not provide proper training, time, exercise to the animal so they have behavior issues) and they drop them at the shelter,
Whatever, the reason many dogs/cats end up at the shelter daily. Shelters have limited funds and space to care for these animals and since I was blessed to have 2 of the best companions ever I would like (in honor of their memory) contribute to helping other animals be spayed/neutered to prevent overpopulation and hopefully allow donations to provide quality care to the ones that have to live in the shelter for any amount of time.

If you would like to help me honor the memory of my companions (who were spayed/neutered) please feel free to make a donation and we will make sure it goes to one of the 3 listed shelters to help prevent over population. The fewer animals in shelters, the fewer animals euthanized!

If  you would like to donate directly to any of the 3 shelters listed feel free to click on their links above to find out how to donate directly!

If you are unable to donate at this time please come back when you can and feel free to share on your social media networks to help our cause!

Thank you!

Reasons to Spay/Neuter

Spaying a female dog also eliminates the messiness associated with the heat cycle.Neutering of male dogs and cats can prevent certain undesirable sexual behaviors, such as urine marking, humping, male aggression and the urge to roam. American Humane Association 

By spaying or neutering your pet, you’ll help control the pet homelessness crisis, which results in millions of healthy dogs and cats being euthanized in the United States each year simply because there aren’t enough homes to go around. ASPCA

• Spaying or neutering will not cause your pet to become overweight.Lack of exercise and overfeeding will cause your pet to pack on the extra pounds—not neutering. Your pet will remain fit and trim as long as you continue to provide exercise and monitor her food intake.
• Neutering is not as a quick fix for all behavior problems. Although neutering your pet often reduces undesirable behaviors caused by a higher level of testosterone, there’s no guarantee that your dog’s behavior will change after he’s neutered. Although the surgery will reduce the amount of testosterone in your dog’s system, it won’t eliminate the hormone completely. Neutering will also not reduce behaviors that your pet has earned or that have become habitual. The effects of neutering are largely dependent on your dog’s individual personality, physiology and history.

When to Spay or Neuter Your Pet

• For dogs: While the traditional age for neutering is six to nine months, puppies as young as eight weeks old can be neutered as long as they’re healthy. Dogs can be neutered as adults as well, although there’s a slightly higher risk of post-operative complications in older dogs, dogs that are overweight or dogs that have health problems.
• For cats: It is generally considered safe for kittens as young as eight weeks old to be spayed or neutered. In animal shelters, surgery is often performed at this time so that kittens can be sterilized prior to adoption. In an effort to avoid the start of urine spraying and eliminate the chance for pregnancy, it’s advisable to schedule the surgery before your own cat reaches five months of age. It’s possible to spay a female cat while she’s in heat.

ASPCA

Spay and Neuter Your Pets

For the past 13 years I was the proud owner of my two companion Rotties; NaNook & NaKoda. Both have passed. They traveled all over the US in those 13 yrs, and were excellent breed ambassadors for the Rottweiler breed, they had their canine good citizenship, obedience, and service animal training. In honor of their dedication and loyalty to me I would like to raise funds for our local shelters to help raise funds to spay/neuter animals. http://www.ctsanimalcenter.org 


Recently, our local shelter as well as 2 other shelters ( http://www.erathcountyhumanesociety.com  & http://comancheanimalshelter.rescueme.org  ) in neighboring counties have been over run with stray dogs and cats.

I would like to help raise funds to deal with the care and spay/neuter of these animals!



Much of this problem happens because people get pets and do not spay/neuter them and over population creates pets going to homes that do not have secure properties and they get out and roam, animals who are not spay/neutered getting pregnant and the owners can't afford to keep a litter and have difficulty finding homes for all the puppies so litters are dropped off at the shelters, and sometimes people get a pet that's cute when it's little but they just aren't prepared to be a responsible pet owner (do not provide proper training, time, exercise to the animal so they have behavior issues) and they drop them at the shelter,
Whatever, the reason many dogs/cats end up at the shelter daily. Shelters have limited funds and space to care for these animals and since I was blessed to have 2 of the best companions ever I would like (in honor of their memory) contribute to helping other animals be spayed/neutered to prevent overpopulation and hopefully allow donations to provide quality care to the ones that have to live in the shelter for any amount of time.

If you would like to help me honor the memory of my companions (who were spayed/neutered) please feel free to make a donation and we will make sure it goes to one of the 3 listed shelters to help prevent over population. The fewer animals in shelters, the fewer animals euthanized!

If  you would like to donate directly to any of the 3 shelters listed feel free to click on their links above to find out how to donate directly!

If you are unable to donate at this time please come back when you can and feel free to share on your social media networks to help our cause!

Thank you!

It's been difficult

Most people don't understand the bond I shared with my beloved NaKoda. They think "oh it's a dog...you can get another one". I have to confess though..........she was so much more than a dog! 

As a single woman for pretty much all of NaKoda's life she has been my companion, my protector, and yes my therapist! NaKoda traveled everywhere with me for the past 12 years.

  

She went on daily errand runs and was my office mate and roommate! There were very few minutes in 12 years that I did not have 2 shadows.

Over the past month since NaKoda passed away it has been difficult. I have found myself looking for her, calling for her, talking to her and the dealing with the saddness that overwhelms when I realize she's not there anymore. Night time has been the most difficult...being in the house alone...

However, life must go on and I have decided to honor her memory and NaNook's memory by collecting funds to donate to area shelters to help in the care of abandoned animals and spay/neuterings.

Keep tuned to NaKoda's random life just because she's gone doesn't mean I can't continue this journey in her memory...........who knows where this journey may lead!