Bombay, Lily, and Peanut Butter

Help us help homeless OC pets – the need has never been greater! Many good family pets have tragically lost their homes during this real estate/financial crisis and are being surrendered to animal shelters. Local rescue groups are working around the clock to save as many needy dogs and cats as they possibly can! They need our help and more available foster homes. Got stuff you don’t need? Can you share your home and be a foster pet parent?

Please donate your good reusable items for this very worthy cause. We are accepting donations Monday thru Friday – May 10^th to May 14^th during regular business hours at Founders Veterinary Clinic 330 N Brea Blvd, Brea. Fundraiser begins Saturday May 15^th at 9am until 3pm.

Donate and hunt for bargain treasures! Dog wash on site for a doggy bubble bath while you shop. All proceeds from this fundraiser – including our dog wash – will support our Founders Pet Sponsorship Program.

Please forward this information inviting your friends and family, too! And help us find homes for our three wonderful foster pets – Peanut Butter, Bombay, and Lily. So, what is Peanut Butter made of? Find out next week when we announce her pedigree and see if you are a winner!

It’s not too late. Vote here.

Hi! I'm Peanut Butter. Can you guess my mixed up family heritage? Who was my mom? My dad? You could win a free DNA test for your doggie mix-up! And how about adopting me? I’m all heart and wiggles and that’s a sure thing!

What is he or she? For sure your dog’s got a fluffy tail, long body, pointy ears, and the personality of a Labrador. Welcome to the mystery quest that most mixed-breed or mutt dog owners ask themselves. Finally, for those curious dog lovers tired of playing the breed guessing game, new technology is making it possible for them to identify just what their mutts are made of.

Two noteworthy companies, Mars Veterinary and MMI Genomics, perform DNA testing to help identify a dog’s breed(s). Mars Wisdom Panel requires a blood sample which can be done here at Founders. Your dog’s DNA is then matched to their database, which includes 153 AKC breeds. Mars’ database of breeds is one of the largest available. MMI Genomics offers the Canine Heritage Breed Test which requires the owner to take a cheek swab of their dog’s saliva to collect the DNA sample. Their database is composed of 108 AKC breeds. Note: we only offer the Mars test which requires a blood sample.

Each company then reports the results in 3 categories: Significant, Intermediate and Minor. If a breed is identified as Significant, it shows that 50% of your dog’s DNA matches to that breed. Intermediate shows a 25% match to that breed, and Minor is a very minimal match to that breed. So, unless one of your mutt’s parents was a purebred, most results will not report a breed in the Significant category. However, any breed reported as Intermediate is a good indicator of heritage. And those breeds reported as Minor simply means your best friend is so mixed-up, only doG knows!

How valid are the results? They are only as good as the company’s database and the number of branches on your dog’s genetic tree. If your dog is 5 or more breeds, the results will most likely be reported in the Minor category, making for some clueless but interesting cocktail party conversations. 

So, if you want to know just what Fido could possibly be made of – or your dog is suffering from an identity crisis – this simple DNA test may come as a shocking surprise or confirm your secret suspicions. The cost to discover all that your dog can be is a reasonable $125. But for the month of April, we are offering an April Fools Discount, bringing the price down to only $99.

Now who will have the last laugh – you, your dog, or your friends?

Another clue before you guess! Good luck!

Special contest to win a Free DNA test: What is our foster dog Peanut Butter? Place your guess on this blog – winners will be notified when her test results are back!

SAVE THE DATE – SATURDAY, MAY 15^TH – FLEA MARKET FOR FLEABAGS AT FOUNDERS – OUR SECOND ANNUAL FUNDRAISER TO HELP OC HOMELESS PETS. We welcome all useable items in good condition. Start cleaning out your closets!

Vet perk #1: You get to stay and assist when your own pet gets sick – comforting my Braddy during his IV fluid therapy at ACCIM last Sunday.

So what happened? An undetermined cause (as is often the case), such as some a kind of toxin or pathogenic strain of bacteria hit his gut and caused a circulatory type of shock, resulting in a rapid drop of his blood pressure. Within seconds of rushing through the emergency doors at Advanced Critical Care and Internal Medicine (ACCIM) in Tustin, the ER doc and support staff huddled around us: An IV catheter was immediately inserted into Braddy’s forearm for blood collection/analysis and intravenous administration of fluids and drugs. At the same time, a blood pressure cuff was tightly wrapped around one of his hind legs while another tech took his vital signs (temperature, pulse and respiration) and yet another attached electrodes to monitor his heartbeat (EKG). As a panicked spectator, I watched an ultrasound probe search his abdomen looking for a life threatening internal hemorrhage. “Oh no, I can’t lose my sweet beloved dog,”  was all I could think but not dare say out loud.

Mercifully, within minutes, my worst fears were replaced with hope: lab results and the ultrasound revealed no blood loss or damage to internal organs. After an intense 30 minutes, Braddy began responding well to the rapid fluid infusion (to bring up his blood pressure) and a warming blanket to bring up his low body temp. Now I was the one that needed medical attention for the surge of adrenalin that was still spiking my B.P. and racing my pulse. Over the next three hours he (and I) stabilized – I thankfully took him home and praised the attentive staff for the excellent care he received.

On Monday, Brad Pit is reunited with his duck – they are inseparable!

A full 24 hours later while recuperating at home with his personal physician on call (and mom on duty), Braddy was back playing with his squeaky stuffed duck and it was music (no longer noise) to my ears…It was like my three hour nightmare never happened. But it did. Let that be your wake-up call.

Obviously you know why I am sharing the events of last Sunday with you. Last week, I became that one second statistic: Every second a pet owner is faced with a $1000 vet bill. Emergencies happen. Illness happens. You must protect your pet and yourself if and when medical costs exceed what you can afford. Insurance is no longer an option when your pet’s health and safety is at risk. I never thought I would be spending a Sunday afternoon in the ER with a healthy dog that was happy and playful that same morning!

Now – as promised – our insurance review is complete and confidently endorses Petplan. If you have not read the comments left by readers on our pet insurance review – please take a few minutes to do so as you may share some of the questions asked – see our answers.

Note: the first claim I submitted to Petplan 6 weeks ago (exam and lab work for another mysterious case when Brad Pit went off his food, feeling punk and then rebounding the next day without treatment) has been paid without question or hassle.    I received an apology for the reimbursement taking longer than the normal waiting period of 3-4 weeks because of the holidays. My advice is to keep one credit card with a limit of at least $5,000 in a safe place (not your wallet!) in case of pet emergencies. Submit your claim immediately and most likely your reimbursement check will arrive before the payment due date!

If Petplan is your pick too, please use this referral code when you enroll ANP5000263-00 and $25 dollars will be automatically donated to our Homeless Pet Sponsorship Program. And if you are looking to adopt a great dog, please come by and visit our fosters: Roni, Barney and Freeway. We want to see these sweeties celebrate Valentine’s Day in their new homes with someone special to love them…

We hope you will share this important information about pet insurance and our adoption program with your friends, co-workers and loved ones.

Someone will thank you (or lick you) for spreading the word and so will we!

Debbie and Tigre

Hi, I’m Debbie Tamayo. This is my first time blogging — which proves you can ‘teach an old dog new tricks” … which is the topic of this post.

First a little about me: I have worked in the veterinary profession as a Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) with over 10 years of experience and a lifetime of loving animals. Founders has stood out as a wonderful place to work because Dr. Terifaj has not only established a great clinic, but also found it in her heart to embrace the animal rescue world. Working with rescue groups is especially close to my heart, and I realized this recently when someone asked me: “What would you do if you won the lottery?”  There was no doubt in my mind when I responded: Open an animal sanctuary and hospice care center to prevent unwanted pets from suffering at the hands of a society that too easily abandons the sick and the elderly.

It seems older dogs are mostly overlooked when it comes to adoption. Too many people believe they need to add a brand spanking new puppy to their canine family — much like it’s a new baby. But those folks overlook the joys of adopting mature dogs. Dogs that don’t want to chew up your favorite shoes or jump up, knocking over your friends the minute they walk through the door … and best of all they don’t need toilet training!

Older dogs are usually recycled pets — meaning at one time they had a family. For any number of reasons, their family gave them up. I have seen dogs not want to eat for days in unfamiliar surroundings — confused and frightened missing their home and family. Fallout from the staggering loss of jobs and home foreclosures during this economic hurricane has put thousands of pets at risk — they also lost the roof over their heads and the security a paycheck brings. They cannot weather this financial thunderstorm alone.

In May of this year, Founders established the Pet Sponsorship Program, working with the non-profit rescue group, Pugs to Pits. Some of you have become Pet Sponsors, sending us monthly donations to help with the care of the dogs and cats we are fostering at the clinic. Since the inception of this innovative program — veterinary staff teaming up with a pet rescue group — we have helped to place almost a dozen cats and dogs in the last 5 months with your help! Some of you have visited to play with a cat or walk a dog. Some help to pass out our adoption flyers and others send much needed donations. We knew we could answer this urgent call to help homeless pets because we know YOU, our wonderful clients — generous and committed to your pet’s health and safety. You understand the special bond we all share as animal lovers…

Now we need some extra help to find a forever home for Tigre. This older gentle soul is estimated to be around 5 years. Unfortunately, his white muzzle gives him the appearance of a much older dog — but don’t be fooled. He is a well behaved walking dog with no end to the walk! He is friendly with other dogs, cats, and kids and could adapt to any live-in situation as long as he is promised a place in your heart forever and maybe a warm spot to sleep beside your bed.

So, if you or someone you know is ready to open your heart and home to a recycled dog in good useable condition, please come by and visit Tigre…

And all of us at Founders will make you this 100% smile back guarantee: This noble gentleman of a dog with his soft brown eyes and silky tiger stripe coat will chase your blues away or you get a full no questions asked refund.

PS:  Please use the ShareThis button below to forward this post to your friends and family. Tigre says thanks!

A note from Dr. Terifaj — please recognize and share these sad statistics with others:

• 70,000 puppies and kittens are born every day in the U.S.
• Between 4 million to 6 million dogs and cats in shelters are destroyed every year simply because they are homeless = 11,000 to 16,000 pets per day.
• An unwanted shelter animal is killed every 1.5 seconds!