Creature Comforts Animal Care

08/27/2024

One of my orchids is blooming.

08/05/2024

12/21/2023

One of my small orchids is blooming.

12/14/2023

Have you ever seen an owl smile?

Just kidding, owls don't smile like we do. But our senior barn owl Valkyrie sure brings smiles to our guests' faces. At the ripe old age of 13 years old, she's an incredible ambassador for her species at Stone Zoo: zoonewengland.org/stone-zoo/

Barn owls can be found nearly worldwide in tropical and temperate regions and on every continent except Antarctica. Whether making its home in open country, groves, farms, barns, towns or cliffs, they are great at pest control: a pair of the birds can kill about 1,000 mice in the span of a year.

📸 Educator Katie

11/04/2023

So cute!

03/10/2023

For all my friends that play words with friends with me.i can not connect so I down loaded the ap. Find me there.

01/01/2023

Have a cataclysmic new year.

12/24/2022

A little cheer at the feeders today!

12/22/2022

So cute

12/22/2022

12/12/2022

This is a true story about a sweet dog.

She was abandoned. The reason is unknown. Though I often find myself going to that dark place. Why? All we were told was that she was found roaming the streets of Dallas Texas. Then was dumped in a high kill shelter before the rescue took her in and treated her for heartworm.

It was a tease at first! We had to wait to get her because she was still in Texas when we inquired about her! The wait was worth it. We fell in love with her immediately. Our June is just so sweet; loves EVERYONE unconditionally with her awkward eye contact, gentle snoot boops, and breathy kisses.

Unfortunately, she got very sick 2 weeks after we got her. She was coughing, lethargic, discharge was coming from her eyes, she stopped eating, and her breathing was labored. We were questioned as dog owners. That is until the cardiologist found no complications from her heartworm and diagnosed her with an Atrioventricular 2nd Degree Heart Block. I being familiar of what that is, was concerned and called the cardiologist to discuss the discharge paperwork. Right before we hung up she asks, "wait....she is from Texas right?" She told us there hasbeen a growing number of dogs diagnosed with Chagas Disease in Texas and her symptoms were consistent with the disease. She said it's nearly unheard of here but there is a possibility she has it because of where she came from. She said we should have her tested for it but the test needs to be sent to Texas A&M. It is the only place in the United States that tests for Chagas Disease.

We finally got her into a primary care months later. During her appointment we requested to have her tested for Chagas Disease. Last week, her results came back Positive.

I'm sharing our story to raise awareness to all dog owners adopting/buying a dog from the South particularly from states bordering Mexico, and especially from Texas. Symptoms during the acute phase typically arise within 21 days of being infected by the "kissing bug." Heart complications and sudden death in the chronic stages.

For more information:

Chagas disease is an infectious disease caused by a microscopic parasite spread by an insect called the kissing bug. Once the parasite infects an animal, if it is not treated promptly, it can reproduce and live in the body for the rest of the animal's life. 

10/28/2022

It’s all just a bunch of Hocus Pocus! 🎃

10/21/2022

Gwenivere and a drinking buddy .( no actual dragons or cats were consuming alcohol)

10/20/2022

Wishing my amazing daughter the happiest of birthdays. We are blessed with two amazing kids.