On occasion, we see pets for emergency care, in between our regular clinics.  When I got the call that Teddy was suddenly shaking his head and yelping, I was pretty sure what the problem was.  

We were able to pull this enormous foxtail out of his ear without having to anesthetize him, thanks to the expert and gentle restraint of our volunteer nurse, Rodajia.  We don't always get so lucky.  Often foxtail removal can require full anesthesia at a vet office, and incur up to $500 in cost when all is done.  

Foxtails are a California problem.  The tall wild grasses that grow in vacant lots, cracks in the sidewalk, and unkempt yards, and wilderness areas develop these wispy whiskered seed pods that detach from the plant, and try to attach to anything passing by.  The microscopic barbs lining the hair like wisps cause them to burrow in, and resist backing out. 

They can puncture the skin, and burrow in between toes, into ears, up noses, under eyelids, even into nipples and other tender private places.  They drag bacteria along with them, causing abscesses and trauma.  Best case scenario, they are removed from an ear or an eye, with follow up antibiotics.  They can lose an eye, if the foxtail is not removed fast enough, though.   Some lose their life after a foxtail that has worked it's way into the airways punctures the lung.  

Keep your pets safe this season, and mow and sweep up any foxtails in your yard, avoid  walking in wilderness areas with dry grasses, and check your pups ears, in between their toes, and under side.  If they have sudden fits of sneezing, especially with discharge or blood from one nostril, suspect a foxtail.  This always merits a trip to the emergency vet, as the further they burrow into the nostril, the harder it is to get them out.  

Stay safe, friends!

The Street Vets Project:

This year we initiated our Street Vets Program, Sacramento’s only year-round free mobile clinic serving low income and homeless pet owners.  Every week, our volunteers are out in the most underserved neighborhoods in Sacramento, delivering veterinary care, supplies, and education.

We care for up to 500 dogs and cats each month, most of whom would otherwise never see a vet.  We administer the basics- vaccines, flea and worm prevention, collars and ID tags- to all.  Others we treat for parvo, mange, wounds, even trauma after being hit by car.  Each month, we help owners say goodbye to their beloved pets with mercy and dignity, providing euthanasia when no other options for either treatment or end of life care are available.

We are proud of what our scrappy, resourceful, passionate Street Vets Team is achieving.  But there is a limit to what we can accomplish in the parking lots and the cul-de-sacs where we hold our clinics.

It has long been our goal to have a mobile medical trailer, complete with a surgery suite.  

With the capacity to offer full service vet care, including spay/neuter services and dental care, right to the pets and communities where the need is the greatest, we can make an unprecedented impact on the wellness and welfare of the pets in Sacramento.  

With your help, we can make access to full-service vet care a reality in our underserved  neighborhoods.

With your help, we can stem the tide of pets that swells our municipal shelters on a monthly basis. 

A generous donor has given us a 25 foot trailer, which we are retrofitting into the mobile medical unit of our dreams.  

Your contributions this Big Day of Giving will help make our big plans a reality.

Every dollar you contribute goes toward our Street Vets Program goes toward medical supplies and equipment.

You can make your contribution online anytime between today and 11:59 pm, Thursday May 3.

(Contributions will be processed from your account on Thursday, May 3)

Thank you for being part of our Big Plans this Big Day of Giving, and for helping make Sacramento a better place for its pets and their owners.

*Note: Contributions made with through Golden 1 Credit Union will earn bonus dollars for us.

Photo: Ken Raif

How do you tell a child that her best friend was unlucky at birth, and given a heart with a big hole in it? 
How do you tell a puppy that she can’t play, because her heart just might give out in the blink of an eye? 
How do you tell a single mom of two, who has rescued countless abused puppies and dogs from the community: “No, your own puppy will die in the next month because you don’t have the $4,000 to pay for surgery”?
We don’t. 
We make what seemed impossible happen. We enlist the best veterinary cardiology and surgery teams to repair the birth defect, and give this family a chance to grow up together. 
Help us mend these broken hearts. 
Surgery is scheduled on Thursday March 8 at Vista Veterinary Specialists .

Photo: Ken Raif

Photo: Ken Raif

Photo Credit: Tina Swain

Boy, do we love good news. 
Chance, our favorite goofball puppy from the Railroad Drive shelter, came up lame a week ago. We have cared for him, along with his litter mates, since he was born out at the camps along the river. When his person asked us for help, and our vet recommended radiographs, we feared a serious and expensive problem. 
Rather than cut any corners, we treated Chance as we would any of our own beloved pets. 
Our team of volunteers brought him, with Matthew, his person, to see the surgeon at Vista Veterinary Specialists, and covered the costs of the exam and radiographs. 
Chance was given a diagnosis of panosteitis, an inflammatory disorder of growing bones. With pain control, the tincture of time, and rest, his growing pains should resolve without any residual problems.  $350 is not too much to pay for this kind of peace of mind.
Thank you to all of our donors and volunteers, who make this work possible.

Charming his veterinary nurse at Vista Veterinary Specialists.