Animal Emergency Care, Bellingham

09/20/2024

September is . Our furry friends can be great at hiding their discomfort, but this post from our friends at Boundary Bay Veterinary Specialty Hospital - USA can help you catch the signs in your pets.

- Just like humans, animals can experience pain too, but they can’t always tell us when something’s wrong. It’s important to recognize the subtle signs of pain our pets display and ensure they get the care they need to live happy, comfortable lives.

It’s not always easy to spot, but your pet's behavior can tell you a lot about how they’re feeling.

Common Signs of Pain in Pets:
▪️ Limping or difficulty moving
▪️ Changes in eating or drinking habits
▪️ Unusual aggression or irritability
▪️ Hiding, avoiding affection, or decreased activity
▪️ Excessive grooming or licking a specific area

If you’ve noticed any of these signs, a check-in with your vet can provide insight into what's going on and how to help them feel better.

Our team is here to work alongside you and your vet to better understand and manage your pet's pain, offering everything from advanced diagnostics to customized treatment plans. Whether it’s arthritis, chronic conditions, or post-surgery recovery, we’re committed to helping you create more pain-free moments with your pet.

Let’s all take a little extra time this month to learn what to look out for to give them their best, pain-free life.

09/14/2024

September is National Cat Month. What better way to celebrate than by bringing a new friendly feline into your family? Stop by Whatcom Humane Society Tuesday-Sunday from 11am - 6pm and check out all the cool cats and kittens available for adoption now!

09/11/2024

Clark is this week's KAFE Kritter! Meet Clark and all the other amazing animals available for adoption at Whatcom Humane Society Tuesday - Sunday from 11am - 6pm.

09/10/2024

Would you know what to do if you suspected your pet had been exposed to something poisonous? Check out these tips and warning signs from the Pet Poison Helpline, and be prepared for the unexpected!

09/05/2024

There’s a heat wave moving through! Over the next several days, temperatures are predicted to be unseasonably warm, possibly moving up into the low 90s in some areas. We may be getting close to fall, but the summer is still in full swing! Check out these helpful tips and find out more about the warning signs of heat-related illness and what you can do to keep your pets safe in this article from ASPCA Pet Health Insurance - bit.ly/PetHeatwave.

09/04/2024

The loss of a pet can be devastating. Our community is lucky enough to have multiple resources, including Whatcom Humane Society's monthly Pet Loss Support Group. Meeting the first Wednesday of each month, this group provides ongoing support to anyone who has experienced or is anticipating the loss of a pet. Check out this article written by one of the group's volunteers for more information and insight into how this group helps support those who are grieving.

Check out the wonderful article below regarding the WHS Pet Loss Support Group, written by one of our dedicated pet loss support group volunteers. The next WHS Pet Loss Support Group meets this Wednesday, September 4th at 6pm at WHS.

Pet Loss Support/Whatcom Humane Society

Written by: Michael Berres, WHS pet loss support group volunteer

On the first Wednesday evening of each month, people experiencing the loss of their pets or facing hard decisions on ending a pet’s pain or illness meet at our Humane Society. They usually come as strangers feeling alone and isolated in their grief. While the WHS Pet Loss Support Group doesn’t end the sadness, it helps people understand that they aren’t unique or alone in their grief. And sometimes, people who started as strangers walk away as friends.

With two WHS facilitators for each session, people share the stories of their pets—most often dogs or cats. We see their photos, listen to how four-leggeds and two-leggeds met, understand the unique personality quirks of each pet, and usually hear one or more funny stories about each pet. We almost always hear the incredible sagas of what people do to help their furry family members go through disease and weakening. We hear about the indecision that everyone goes through as they are never quite sure if they “did enough” or “did I miss obvious cues” or “was I home enough at the critical moments” or …..

We hear so many stories of people being misunderstood by friends or family members as they go through their grief. People are told things like: “It’s just a cat; you’ll get over it” or “Well…go out and get another dog or cat” or “Your sadness will soon pass”. For the folks coming to Pet Loss Support, it’s not “just a dog” or “just a cat.” It’s a life partnership with unconditional love and affection (and sometimes annoyance and sometimes disbelief) that is deeply embedded in who we are.

Losing pets or facing that loss is perhaps the hardest time in our loving our critters. It’s inevitable because they generally live shorter times than we humans live. Every person does grief in their own way—the Pet Loss Support facilitators and other participants honor the unique way that each person does their grieving process. We’ve learned that some folks grieve deeply for weeks while others grieve deeply for years. We’ve learned that almost everyone finds the silence of their missing pets to be deafening—no more dog tags clanging on water bowls; no nails screeching across hardwood floors during zoomie moments; no more purring from underneath what was supposed to be your blanket and but became your cat’s blanket; no more whining to go outside for the 15th time in a day; and no more monster howls because a squirrel has walked across your back porch.

The Pet Loss Support Group meets the first Wednesday of each month upstairs at WHS from 6:00 until 7:15 PM. The group is free and doesn’t require pre-registration. You are welcome to come as often as you wish. It is helpful to bring a photo of your pet. The group doesn’t provide or pretend to be a clinical therapy experience, but we do provide a caring and supportive place to be when you go through or are facing the loss of your pet. For more information or questions, please call (360) 733-2080 x3116

09/02/2024

AEC wishes everyone a Happy Labor Day! We hope you and your family have a safe and wonderful holiday. As always, if you need us, we are open for you and your pet, today and every day, 24/7!

08/30/2024

We had a doggone great time at Whatcom Humane Society's Dog Days of Summer this past Sunday! From our booth next to our friends at Boundary Bay Veterinary Specialty Hospital - USA, Shadow's Forever Friends, and Alternative Humane Society, we could see lots of festivities like the Pet Look-Alike Contest and tons of dogs digging for loot in Hound Hill. Thank you to WHS and all the pet-friendly folks in our community for coming together each year to make this wonderful event happen!

08/28/2024

On this Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day, we would like to express our gratitude to
Radiant Heart After-Care for Pets, our area’s premier pet after-care service. Each September, they host a Floating Lantern Pet Memorial - “an opportunity for our community of pet parents to pay tribute to their departed companions. Before gathering on the shores of Lake Whatcom for the event, participants are encouraged to add a personal touch to their lanterns by decorating vellum inserts with heartfelt messages or artwork. 💛

Past attendants of the Floating Lantern Pet Memorial have found closure and healing from the opportunity to pay tribute to their pets that have passed. You can honor as many pets as you like on a single lantern.

This year’s event will be held on September 8th. There is still time to reserve your lantern!

Here’s how it works: You’ll pick up vellum paper from the Radiant Heart office that you can personalize for your pet. You’ll choose a time slot on the day of the event to arrive, and you’ll be given a lantern that will hold the decorated paper.

If you’re unable to attend the event in-person but still want to pay tribute to your pet, you can mail your decorated paper back to Radiant Heart and a volunteer will float it for you.

Follow the link below to register today!

https://radiant-heart.net/.../floating-lantern-pet.../”

08/26/2024

Today is International Dog Day. What a perfect time to consider adopting a new canine companion! Check out these adorable dogs and so many more adoptable animals at Whatcom Humane Society. Adoption hours are Tuesday thru Sunday 11am - 6pm.

08/24/2024

School bells will be calling kids back to class next week. That means new routines, and new risks, for families and their pets. Luckily, the Pet Poison Helpline has this cheat sheet to help you navigate the hustle and bustle of a new school year.

08/21/2024

Are you ready for a weekend full of food, fun, and festivities? Is your dog ready for the canine social event of the season? Because Whatcom Humane Society’s Dog Days of Summer is coming up this Sunday!

Please join AEC from 11am - 3pm when the field behind WHS will be transformed into a carnival of games, vendors, and treats for you and your pooch. We can’t wait to celebrate our community’s animal lovers and their awesome pets. See you there!

08/15/2024

Earlier this month we shared the story of Beaux, the maltipoo who was reunited with his family after over a year thanks to his microchip. Well, a hound dog named Lucy Marie in Ohio decided she could top that amazing homecoming (yhoo.it/3WR0WJB).

After being missing for SIX YEARS(!), Lucy Marie found her way to the Lorain County Dog Kennel in Elyria where, thanks to the information on her microchip, she was reunited with the family that had been missing her for so long. In the interim, Lucy Marie’s family had moved to Florida, but they had diligently kept her microchip information up to date in the hopes she would would one day be returned to them. Six years later, that day finally came.

Lucy Marie’s story is a perfect example of not only the importance of microchipping, but also a reminder of why keeping the contact info on that microchip updated is so important! This National Check the Chip Day, consider getting your pet chipped if they aren’t already, and if they do already have a chip, make sure all your contact info is up-to-date and accurate. If you’re not sure how to check or edit that information, reach out to your vet or the organization where your pet was chipped for the next steps you can take to give your pet the best chance of finding their way home should they go missing.

08/13/2024

Hiking with your dog can be an incredible experience for you and your pup. But this time of year it’s important to stay BEAR AWARE! Whatcom County is home to a significant population of black bears. In fact, sightings in places like Blaine and Ferndale are actually up from previous years.

So what do you do if you and your pooch are suddenly face-to-face with Smokey himself? Staying “calm, cool, and confident” is the key. Check out this article from laying out the dos and don’ts of hiking with your dog in bear country. From selecting the proper hike to having bear spray handy, there are plenty of ways to avoid altercations or be prepared if you happen to encounter a bear on trail.

It’s a wild world out there. Know the risks and keep yourself and your pet safe this season!

Learn what to do if you encounter a bear with your dog while hiking or camping in bear country | Statistics | Tips

08/12/2024

Look at that adorable face! We're so happy we were there to help Miss Piggy when she needed us. Check out this happy lady and all the other adoptable animals at Whatcom Humane Society, Tuesday through Sunday from 11am-6pm.

08/08/2024

If there were a Cat Olympics it would definitely coincide with International Cat Day! Our office cat, Orla, would absolutely be a gold medalist in sunbeam lounging. What would your cat medal in? Let us know in the comments and share a pic of your Cat-lympian!

08/06/2024

We are proud to partner with Bellingham Technical College to help support and educate veterinary students in our community. Thank you to BTC for providing students with the knowledge and resources they need to succeed in veterinary medicine!

Congratulations to Animal Emergency Care, Bellingham - a critical externship site for BTC Veterinary Technician program students - for earning the of Veterinary Technician Educators - AVTE award for Clinical Externship Excellence! AEC has been a great place for Vet Tech students to build their clinical experience, and we appreciate the role they play providing important industry feedback on our program's advisory committee.

08/02/2024

Little Beaux is one lucky dog! Before being found last week by animal services in Edinburg, TX, Beaux’s owner - Bianca Joseph - feared she would never see him again. Bianca never imagined over a year later she’d be getting a call that her maltipoo had been found, 350 miles away from home.

Given all that time and distance, how is it these two were ever reunited? In the end, it was Beaux’s microchip that provided animal control with the missing clue needed to bring this family back together. About the size of a grain of rice, these tiny devices can store owner information indefinitely (think of it as a miniscule permanent ID tag between your animal’s shoulder blades). When scanned by a veterinary office or shelter, these chips can provide all the contact info needed to reunite people with their lost pets.

It’s important to note microchips are not GPS devices. Your animal can not be tracked with a chip, but it can provide animal welfare professionals with all the info needed to bring your pet back home. In Beaux’s case, Bianca has no idea how he ended up so far away from where he went missing. On thing is for sure though, without his microchip, Beaux would never have found his way home.

If your pet is not chipped already, talk to your vet about this simple, affordable, and potentially life-saving tool. Take it from Beaux and Bianca, microchips are doggone amazing!

Find out more about this incredible story here - https://www.valleycentral.com/news/local-news/reunited-and-it-feels-so-good-houston-dog-found-in-rgv-reunites-with-owner/
Photos by the City of Edinburg.

07/29/2024

Check out Lily and all her adoptable friends at Whatcom Humane Society! Kennels are open Tuesday - Sunday 11am to 6pm.

07/26/2024

Most of us have a phone filled with pictures of our pets. Some of us may even have so many we have to spring for extra cloud storage just to hold them all (no judgment 😄).

Our pets bring out the amateur photographer in all of us, and National Dog Photography Day gives us all an excuse to share our masterpieces with everyone! Do you have a favorite picture of your dog? Maybe an incredible spot that makes a beautiful backdrop? Share them in the comments!

07/24/2024

Wildfire season has arrived with a fury. As an increasing number of fires break out across Washington, it’s important to familiarize yourself with how to keep your whole family, including your pets, safe from fire and smoke.

This article (https://bit.ly/WildfiresAndPets) from the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) breaks down ways to limit your pets' exposure to smoke and irritants and lists concerning respiratory signs to watch out for. Remember to always check current weather and air quality conditions - know before you go! Stay safe out there!

Photo: Crown Fire on 7/17/24 in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest
Source: U.S. Forest Service

07/15/2024

Do you have a plan for your family in the event of a fire? This National Pet Fire Safety Day, consider how you can protect your pets in the event of an emergency. This quick guide from the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) is a great place to start your preparations. For additional, in-depth resources about how you and your furry family can stay prepared, follow this link (download also available in Spanish): https://bit.ly/3Qi1gP7.

07/12/2024

Say hello to Gizmo! Visit Whatcom Humane Society Tuesday thru Sunday 11am-6pm to meet this adorable little gremlin and all his adoptable friends!

07/10/2024

Summer has arrived in full force! Besides the danger posed by excessive heat (see our previous posts for hot weather tips), the summer months usher in a number of potential hazards for your pet. To help you recognize these dangers, the Pet Poison Helpline has put together this helpful guide to summer pet poisons. So as you and your pet enjoy the warmer months, keep these hot weather risks in mind and help keep them safe!

07/06/2024

The heat is on! In fact, Whatcom County is under a heat advisory this weekend.

How hot is too hot for your pets? A good rule of thumb is that if you’re uncomfortable, they’re uncomfortable too. Be careful of scorching paw pads on hot asphalt, and keep your pet hydrated with plenty of cool water. If you are outside with your pet, try to minimize your exposure during the hottest parts of the day, and be sure shady areas are available to provide some relief from the sun.

It’s also a good idea to familiarize yourself with signs of heat stroke like excessive drooling or panting, vomiting, diarrhea, incoordination, and collapse. If your pet is experiencing these symptoms, please seek veterinary attention immediately. One of the number one causes of heat stroke is an animal being left in a hot car. With this weekend’s forecasted temperatures, the inside of a car could reach temperatures in excess of 100° in as little as 10 minutes!

For more information about protecting your pet from heat, check out this article from AECPrevents: animalemergencycare.net/the-heat-is-on-protecting-your-pet-from-heat-stroke/