Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Happy Halloween

October 28, 2015

Halloween is only a few days away. Are your pets ready?















If your critters are upset by the doorbell ringing, strange noises, or scary people in creepy outfits appearing at the door, now’s the time to come up with a plan.

  1. Make sure your pet is in a secure area where it won’t bolt out the door. It may be better to keep them in a quiet room with some nice music playing.
  2. Keep your cats inside for the night. Kids can play nasty pranks on kitties on this holiday, especially black cats.
  3. Start putting Rescue Remedy into the water dish today to keep those anxiety levels low.
  4. Tell them that there is going to be some strange noises and lots of knocks on the door and that they are safe and should just stay calm and relaxed. Send strong mental pictures of them snoozing through the commotion.
  5. Candy is very tempting to many pets. Chocolate can be toxic to dogs and cats and those wrappers are impossible to digest. Keep that candy dish out of reach.
  6. Put all burning candles out of reach. Curious pets can knock them over, start a fire, and seriously burn themselves.
  7. Beware of decorations that can be ingested. It’s no fun to have surgery for an intestinal blockage.
 Booooo!!  Now that I’ve scared the heck out of you, go out and have some fun this Halloween. If your pets enjoy dressing up there’s no better day in the year!

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Feeny

October 20, 2015

When I was looking for a new warmer home, one of the main reasons I picked the Sarasota area was because of Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium. This amazing organization is home to all types of marine research and they also rehabilitate dolphins and other small cetaceans as well as sea turtles. I’ve missed working hands on with animals and wanted to get involved with the rehab program at Mote. I attended their animal handling training in 2013, but they had not admitted a stranded dolphin since.

Bottlenose dolphin - not Feeny
That changed on Sept. 17, when Feeny, an adult male bottlenose dolphin, stranded in Tampa Bay. He was rescued and transported to Mote in critical condition. He was underweight and showed signs of infection, anemia, dehydration and pneumonia as well as other metabolic abnormalities.
  
Feeny had first been identified as an adult in 1988 by the Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, which is a collaboration between Mote Marine Laboratory and the Chicago Zoological Society. This means that he was at least in his 30s when he stranded. There are a few female bottlenose in Sarasota Bay that are in their early 60s.

When Feeny first arrived, people had to hold him up in the water, but soon he was swimming on his own and eating the fish that were thrown to him. Mote staff and volunteers provided round the clock supportive care with antibiotics, other medication and food, and his conditioned was constantly monitored with diagnostic tests.

I was privileged to spend three four-hour shifts with Feeny over two weeks. I recorded his movements, respiration, play with devices in the water, vocalizations, urine or feces and anything else of note. He was swimming strong and eating all the fish he was offered. I sent him healing energy and encouraged him to eat and build up his strength so he could be released in a month or so.

Unfortunately, Feeny took a sudden turn and died on October 11th. Ultrasound examinations and blood tests revealed that his blood cells were not regenerating. The medical staff will do a full necropsy to see what else contributed to his death.

I am so happy to have the opportunity to help in these situations and support this organization. The hospitals at Mote have treated 72 dolphins and whales since 1992 and more than 450 sea turtles since 1995, always with the goal of releasing rehabilitated animals to the wild. This critical care means much more than helping an animal in need — it also supports a better understanding of marine animal health, helping to inform both veterinary care and conservation of these animals in the wild. If you are interested in reading about this wonderful place, go to www.mote.org.

We were not allowed to take any photos of Feeny while he was in rehab, but here’s two short videos that you may enjoy.  Blessings dear Feeny – swim free.