Paradox Spay Neuter

08/16/2024

ATTN:
NO ferals 8/22
Sorry for any inconvenience

08/15/2024

Today is National Check the Chip Day! At your pet’s next appointment with their family vet, ask them to “check the chip” to ensure it can be found & the registration information is correct! If you have any questions about microchips for pets, talk to your family veterinarian!

If your pet isn’t microchipped, learn more about microchips here: https://aercmn.com/why-should-i-microchip-my-pet/

08/15/2024

If You Think Shelter Cats are Expensive, Wait Until You See the Price of a FREE One!

How many times have you seen a post like this?

Wanted Free Kitten -- We are a loving family and will be a great home for a kitten. We went to the shelter last week and they want $125 for a kitten! That is outrageous. Who can afford to pay that for a kitten? That is way beyond our budget, so we are hoping for a free kitten.

When I saw this post on NextDoor there were already several responses from people offering free or "inexpensive" kittens. One woman proudly claimed that she lets her cats have kittens as a "community service for people who can't afford the insane shelter adoption fees."

Are rescue and shelter adoption fees unreasonable? Several years ago, my coworker "Annie" chose to adopt a free kitten to save money. She knew I was involved in rescue and asked me for recommendations for affordable vaccines and altering. Annie was certain that a free kitten was going to save her a lot of money. Since money was very tight in her household, I had her make an appointment at Feral Cat Spay Neuter Project for the kitten's spay. The cost for spay, initial vaccines, microchipping and treatment for parasites were going to be only $100. A bargain! But she still needed combo testing and follow up rabies and FVRCP vaccines. That was going to add another $125 to her total. At $225, this was more than the adoption fee for a fully vetted kitten. But before she could take her in to be spayed her free kitten became very ill. She spent over $1,200 trying to save her life.

What are the costs in your community? In our area, adoption fees for fully vetted kittens tend to run between $100 and $150. This includes a wellness exam, age-appropriate vaccines, treatment for fleas and worms, spay / neuter, FIV / FeLV testing and microchipping.

We are fortunate to have low-cost options in our community, but most areas aren't so lucky. At a regular vet clinic, expect to pay $250 on the low end and up to $800 for more expensive clinics. If your free kitten has a common health issue like an upper respiratory illness, add $150 to $500 to your total. For a major medical issue, it could be thousands.

If you know someone interested in adding a kitten or two to their family, be sure to tell them that they can save money by adopting from a local shelter or rescue. If they are skeptical, encourage them to call their vet and find out the fees ahead of time. Free kittens contribute to the homeless cat population in our country because their uninformed adopters don't realize the costs of vet care. If you can't afford the adoption fee for a spayed and vaccinated kitten, you absolutely can't afford a free kitten!

08/15/2024

08/14/2024

DON’T TOUCH MY STUFF!
Resource guarding – also called possessive aggression

We all guard our resources, it’s a natural reaction to a threat of something we value being taken away.

It’s essential for survival and dogs or other animals would not survive in the wild if they didn’t guard their resources.

We also don’t get to decide what’s valuable and what’s not – different things have different value to different dogs and at different times.

Food is usually the most common, but toys, furniture, different items, places, or even a certain person are all things that may be seen as a valuable resource.

A dog turning their head away, freezing, a hard stare, whale eye, moving away, growling or snapping may quickly escalate into a serious bite in an attempt to protect that valuable possession.

Punishing or forcing a dog to give something up is probably one of the worst things to do.

Resource guarding is rooted in the emotion of fear – the fear of that resource being taken away.

Punishment and force further increase that fear, which only increases and reinforces the need to protect that resource.

When a dog is guarding food or an object, we can change the negative emotion of that fear into a positive one by swopping or trading something that has a similar or higher value than what the dog has.

This is one of the most effective ways to address resource guarding of objects as it works at the root cause of the behaviour by changing the emotional response.

A dog resource guarding a person is more complicated to address. A full history of the individual dog, family dynamics, attachment styles, situation and environment all have to be assessed before planning and working on a solution.

Resource guarding can usually be prevented, managed and addressed and by starting early, understanding why dogs feel the need to resort to this behaviour and doing what we can to prevent it from happening in the first place.

08/14/2024

Today is GWN snake education day.
Can you identify the snakes in these photos?

1. Juvenile rat snake: non-venomous (eats lizards, bugs, bird eggs)
2. Adult rat snake: non-venomous (eats rodents, frogs, birds)
3. Juvenile black racer: non-venomous (eats small rodents, insects)
4. Adult black racer: non-venomous (eats rodents, birds, frogs)
5. Brown dekay snake: non-venomous (eats slugs & worms)
6. Ringneck snake: non-venomous (eats lizards, worms, bugs)
7. Eastern kingsnake: non-venomous (will eat venomous snakes)
8: Adult & baby copperheads (bright green tail on babies): Venomous

Follow this page to learn how to identify Georgia's native snake species: https://www.facebook.com/groups/197457903938111/

Remember, it is illegal to kill a non-venomous snake in the state of Georgia, not to mention, completely unnecessary.

*Photos from Google, various references

08/14/2024

Aside from preventing unwanted litters, prevention of pyometra is one of the most important reasons to spay female cats and dogs. Pyometra is a life-threatening condition, in which the uterus becomes infected and fills with pus. This occurs in unspayed female pets and requires life-saving emergency surgery. Pyometra surgery is considered a complex spay, requiring extra time and expertise, making the cost of this particular surgery higher at most veterinary clinics. It can cost over $1,000!

Pictured is a pyometra case that came into our Spay & Neuter Clinic in April where one uterine horn is infected and the other is normal. You can see the drastic difference in size! Luckily, our veterinary team was able to help this cat out before the pyometra got worse.

08/13/2024

Georgia and most of the US are in a state of emergency with regard to overpopulation of companion animals. People are abandoning their dogs everywhere, dropping them off in secluded areas, leaving them behind in apartments and homes when they move, tying them to trees or leaving them in boxes at Animal Shelters. It's gross and it has to stop.

What can you do?

SPAY or NEUTER your dog! No one wants your backyard bred puppies.

ADOPT!

EDUCATE your community, family and friends!

#

08/09/2024

There seems to be a recent trend in cats being transported in backpack carriers 😕 No doubt there will be a surge in popularity again due to the new Argylle movie 😿

They may seem like a fun way to move a cat from one place to another, but I would urge caregivers to take a moment to think about their cat's wellbeing before purchasing a backpack carrier - the bubble carriers are particularly unpleasant for cats.

Issues with backpack carriers include:

😿They are usually too small for cats to turn around in and position themselves in a way they feel most comfortable

😿They move around a lot during transportation, which is stressful and uncomfortable for cats - most of these carriers are not very sturdy either

😿There is no opportunity for cats to hide, they are almost forced to look out through the bubble window. This means cats have to face lots of things they might find frightening during their journey, such as dogs, unfamiliar people and cars

😿The carrier is facing backward, which can be very disorientating for cats - some will experience nausea and vomit

😿 The carriers are not easy to clean, making them less hygienic

😿 Air circulation is poor, which can make cats overheat

😿Cats can arrive at their destination in a high state of arousal due to experiencing intense emotions of anxiety, fear, or frustration - this makes examinations by the veterinary team more difficult, which could impact the effectiveness of any care that cats receive (and need)

Although there are some differences in these types of carriers (ie some are a bit larger or stronger), cats can be trained to use different types of carriers and every cat and their caregiver is different, most backpack carriers are not cat friendly for the average cat. Unless this is the only way a cat can be transported to the vet in an emergency they should be avoided 🚑

😻There is plenty of useful information on what type of carrier to choose and how minimise stress during travel on this International Cat Care webpage👇 https://icatcare.org/international-cat-day/icd-2022/travel-tips/
Or visit this webpage to access the International Cat Care guides, which includes a handy downloadable guide on taking your cat to the vet 👇
https://icatcare.org/advice-cat-carer-guides/

08/09/2024

Fear is the easiest things to condition in dogs and the hardest to resolve. Fear can come from many places, many of which we don't control. This infographic is my most downloaded and shared resource. In fact, many vets and Veterinary Behaviorists use this handout with their own clients! Link in first comment to grab your own copy.

08/09/2024

Companies often change formulas and ingredients. Sometimes Xylitol is listed as birch sugar - and truly- anything containing an artificial sweetener should be avoided. Be sure to check before giving your pets any foods that contains this toxic ingredient.
*courtesy of bikers against animal cruelty

This list of over 700 products and brands that contain xylitol can help you keep your dog safe. Xylitol is toxic to dogs and can be fatal.

08/09/2024

Surely all you trappers know this!! There are many great videos available online that cover the basics of trapping: Alley Cat Allies and Tomahawk, for example.

08/08/2024

Happy international cat day! Celebrate by getting your feline spayed or neutered, up to date with vaccinations and microchipped!! Help foster, donate, volunteer with a rescue. Share posts to help them find homes!! Let's celebrate our cats!!

Taking place annually on 8 August, International Cat Day is a day to unite cat lovers across the globe and celebrate cats – sharing our passion for this fascinating species!

08/08/2024

Today is also the inaugural Unchain a Dog Day! Nonprofit Lady Freethinker is leading the "Break the Chain" campaign to raise public awareness about the dangers of keeping dogs tethered and to urge policymakers to ban the practice of chaining or tethering dogs. As some of you may know, our friends at Tripawds often support pups who have lost a limb due to neglect while on a chain, including their beloved second spokesdawg Wyatt Ray. Join us in taking action today by contacting your lawmakers and urging them to Break the Chain!
https://ladyfreethinker.org/break-the-chain/

08/07/2024

Aug. 6 – 12 is International Assistance Dog Week, which gives worldwide recognition of canines' loyalty and dedication to their owners. Service dogs take that dedication further, helping those with disabilities navigate everyday life. Read about it here: https://www.assistancedogweek.org/about/

08/07/2024

FACT: Declawing a cat is a permanently crippling procedure—10 painful amputations of the claws, bones, & cartilage. So painful, that many countries have already banned it.

Would YOU declaw your cat after reading this? http://peta.vg/25s

08/04/2024

Top 10 worst excuses.....

08/04/2024

08/04/2024

With the warmer temperatures comes the bugs. 🐜🐌🪲🪱🪰

Friendly reminder that you can use FOOD GRADE Diatomaceous Earth (DE) to keep bugs out of your community cats' feeding areas.

🐜 Sprinkle a thin layer of food grade DE around your feeding station area.
🐌 DE also helps with keeping fleas away.

Tip #1: You will have to sprinkle more DE around after a rain shower.

Tip #2: Also, picking up uneaten food after 30-45 minutes helps keep the bugs away.

More info about food grade DE: https://wolfcreekranchorganics.com/library/defaq.html

Content from Freinds of Feral Felines

08/04/2024

Sometimes, people are not keen to put their cat inside a carrier when bringing them to the veterinary clinic 🩺🐈‍⬛

Maybe it's difficult to place their cat in the carrier, or they don't travel well. Perhaps the cat has been trained to wear a harness at home and their owner doesn't want to restrict their cat's movements. These reasons are understandable, but they do not trump what is most important - to keep cats safe.

🩺A veterinary environment is not the same as a home environment. There are loud noises, strong smells, bright lights and lots of unfamiliar people and animals, all of which may startle a cat. The first choice for a frightened cat is to run away and/or hide in order to remove themselves from a threat....

🙀If a cat is held in someone's arms or is on a harness in the waiting area and then becomes startled, they will have nowhere to hide and may attempt to quickly run away. This risks them injuring themselves, their owner and even escaping outside the clinic building (I have seen this happen!)

🙀An exposed cat that is not secured safely in their carrier is at risk of being attacked by dogs waiting inside clinic, or those entering/exiting the clinic. Remember that some dogs have a high prey drive and many of those waiting may be anxious, ill or in pain, and as such may react in a way that puts cats at risk of being injured (this is not the dog's fault, just the reality of the situation).

🚗It's also much safer for all to travel to the clinic with cats secured in their carriers.

😺 Cats visiting the clinic in their carrier are safer, less likely to be injured and escape and can hide in a covered carrier elevated off of the floor.

If you are asked to place your cat in a carrier upon arrival at the veterinary clinic, it's because your veterinary team wants to keep your cat safe 👍

Check out the International Cat Care Carer Guides If you'd like some more information about taking your cat to the veterinary clinic 👇😺
https://icatcare.org/advice-cat-carer-guides

08/01/2024

Did you know? August 1 is "DOGust," the universal birthday for ALL shelter animals whose exact birthdates are unknown. Show us your shelter pet, and tell them "happy birthday" for us!

08/01/2024

545 surgeries for July 2024 (66 are feral kitties)🤯 wow! Great job community! Thank you for spaying & neutering and being involved with TNR!!!

08/01/2024

😻

07/31/2024

"National Mutt Day, also known as National Mixed Breed Dog Day, was created in 2005 by Celebrity Pet & Family Lifestyle Expert and Animal Welfare Advocate, Colleen Paige and is celebrated on both July 31st and December 2nd. National Mutt Day is all about embracing, saving and celebrating mixed breed dogs."

Today marks one of our favorite days of the year — National Mutt Day! Sending wags, belly rubs, and chin scritches to all the mutts out there.

07/30/2024

Creating canine enrichment with a cardboard box is easy and fun. Here are some steps to get you started:

Choose an appropriate-sized box for your dog's size and breed.

Cut out holes or flaps in the box to create openings for your dog to investigate.

Place treats or toys inside the box to encourage your dog to explore.

Hide the box in different locations to make the game more challenging and engaging.

Alternatively, you can create an obstacle course using multiple boxes for your dog to jump over, crawl through, or weave around.

Always supervise your dog during playtime to ensure their safety.