KYPSAH Paw Prints Points: June Newsletter

KYPSAH Paw Prints Points: June Newsletter

Welcome to our June edition of the Paw Prints Points!  We hope you like it and find it useful.

KOOL K9s

Dogs on Stage

 

Funny Felines

Cats in Style

 

When To Let Go

As pet owners, we are faced with making decisions, on behalf of our beloved companions, each and every day.  And, most days, the decisions are fairly innocuous save for one:  Making the call to let your pet gently pass-on from your loving care.  Having to say goodbye is never an easy thing to do.  We want our beloved companions to be with us—forever.  The sad thing is: They can’t.

Determining the right time to let your pet go is always tough because every pet is different.  Not only is the bond that we share with different pets unique but so are the circumstances surrounding their care.  This decision is usually fraught with heartache, guilt—and anger.  So, what can we do to make this process a little easier?  We thought love and hard about this, as we too have been in this situation quite a few times over the years, and we came up with some general suggestions.
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  • Remove the guilt.  Remind yourself that you’re doing the best you can for your pets.  It’s easy to fall under the spell of a guilt-ridden conscience constantly looking back, asking yourself ‘why” and over-analyzing every move you’ve made and have made.  Don’t go there.  Tell yourself out loud that you’re doing everything you can based on the information you’ve received to make the best decision possible.
  • Obtain medical advice.  Chances are, at this stage, you’re probably already working with your veterinarian on caring for your pet.  However, draw down deep within yourself for the courage to ask the tough questions and make sure to write the answers down (if your veterinarian will allow you to email him/her, ask the questions in writing so that you can have the answers in writing as well).  Answers to your questions will give you an outline of what to expect, which will consequently give you the confidence you will need to be certain that you’ve made the right call at the right time.

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Some questions we have found ourselves asking are as follows:
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  • 1.  What signs should I look for that will tell me ‘it’s time’?
  • 2.  I want to be there for my pet to hold him/her.  Is this okay with you?
  • 3.  What signs do I look for that let me know my pet is in pain?
  • 4.  Is there any other treatment that will afford my pet a longer yet pain-free stay with us?

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  • Know ahead of time the final course of action.  Determine if you want your pet buried or cremated and have this decision made-up prior to the final day.  If you can, and death is imminent, ask if you can pre-pay for the burial or cremation ahead of time.  This will be one painful thing you won’t be faced with or have to think about it when the day comes.  It will be done so that you can move into the grieving stage as easy as possible.
  • Keep your friends and family close.  Friends and family are wonderful to lean on in times of great distress and heartache.  When the time comes, see if your friends or designated family members can be there with you for support.  You would be surprised at how helpful and advantageous it can be to have that shoulder to cry on.
  • Don’t rush into a new love.  For some, the need to “replace” the friend they recently lost can be quite alluring.  While this has proven to help some people, it doesn’t help others.  Just a word of caution to make sure that the timing is personally right for your heart to accept another lifelong companion into your world.  Don’t rush into it because the next companion you get will probably be as different as night and day from your lost, beloved companion. If you get another one right away, please try not to compare him/her to your past baby.  Just accept the beauty—and quirks—that make-up your new fur-kid and watch your heart mend and grow.

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Holiday Scheduling

We have been accepting reservations for pet services, for dates encompassing and surrounding the 4th of July, the past couple of weeks.  And, we still have a few openings left for most services.  If you are planning on traveling around the 4th, please don’t forget to make your pet’s reservations soon.

Summer Heat

For dog-related services during summer, services that require outdoor exercise (walking and skate sessions) will be done by 10 a.m. at the absolute latest due to the extreme heat.  For those clients who need a mid-day potty-break, this will be achieved in a grassy-area so as not to burn the dog’s pad.  Evening visits that require dog walking will revert to play in an outside, grassy yard if applicable.  The pavement is much too hot to walk the dogs in weather that is 95 degrees and hotter.  Dog pads can burn rather easily.

June Birthdays

To all you fur-kids out there who have a birthday in June, we would like to wish you a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! Woot hoot!  Try not to eat too much cake…hehe.  XOXO

2 Responses to “KYPSAH Paw Prints Points: June Newsletter”

  1. Abby Hamilton says:

    Thank you for mentioning the four questions, including how to know when a pet is in pain. I wish I’d thought of these issues during our most recent loss of a cat. The vet told me only after the fact that our cat had been suffering a lot. If I’d known, I would have requested euthanasia earlier.

    • admin says:

      Abby,

      I can’t begin to tell you how much I learn from caring animals, in just a course of 24-hours, and that’s because all of them are different. They don’t all respond in the very same fashion no matter what they’re feeling. Therefore, I’m constantly on a learning curve.

      Your heart is always in the right place for your animals, Abby. And, hindsight is always 20/20. Don’t be too hard on yourself and take to heart the special note that your animals know they are loved by you.