WSHS Wish List
West Suburban Humane Society
Stray Thoughts Fall 2017
Ramos Continued
When he was trying to go but couldn’ t, the foster home of Ramos took him to the vet where the blockage was confirmed. A catheter was placed and the hope was that once this episode was over, Ramos would be able to pass urine on his own and go on to live his life. This did not happen. One time, his catheter malfunctioned, but twice he was able to get past veterinary staff rig-ups to pull the catheter out himself. Each time, he was still not able to pass urine on his own.
Ramos was in the hospital for over a week and no progress was made, so in order to keep him from blocking again in the future, which could kill him, the decision was made for him to have perineal urethrostomy surgery, which removes the most narrow part of the urethra that is prone to get blocked with crystals and stones, but also removes his penis and puts him at increased risk of urinary tract infections and incontinence.
If you own pets, you might be aware of the costs that have mounted in the case of Ramos. Over a week of hospitalization, sedation and catheter placement three times, supportive care and medications, and ultimately surgery by a board certified surgeon really add up. We get a break from our veterinarians, but the care of Ramos through this emergency will still be quite costly.
Should we have euthanized Ramos? His“ brother” whom he has lived with for two years would miss him terribly, as would his foster family. Luckily, WSHS treats each animal as if they are our own, and provides care when it can ensure survival for the cats and dogs in our care( and we still try when total recovery is not assured). Ramos had a terrible beginning to his life but it was his lucky day when he landed at WSHS. Every life matters and at this shelter, we go to the mat for our animals.
Maybe our building needs repair, maybe it will take longer to get a new shelter, but our animals come first and Ramos deserved the best care and treatment possible because he is part of our family. It wasn’ t his fault he wound up outside and alone at under two months of age.
WSHS has a proven history of treating and caring for countless wounds and illnesses that other shelters won’ t. These animals have no one except us to advocate for them. With your support, we can not only continue this mission, but also look toward the future when we have a facility where we can isolate sick and injured animals separate from general population.
The absence of Ramos was deeply felt by humans and animals alike in his foster home. He has such a gregarious personality, a hole was left while he spent over a week at the vet. His foster family was greatly relieved to know that WSHS would treat his illness and not simply euthanize him because he became too expensive. This is why our shelter is special, and this is why we need your support.
WSHS Wish List
• Paper towels
• Laundry detergent
• Bleach
• Anti-bacterial hand soap
• Dish washing liquid
• Food( our animals are on a specific diet: so that we don’ t upset their digestive system, we must be specific) Purina One SmartBlend( Dry) cat and dog, kitten and puppy formulas. Any canned cat, dog, kitten and puppy food is fine.
• KMR( kitten milk replacement), small baby bottles and nipples
• Dog and cat toys( washable and indestructible!)
• Cat litter
• Stamps( to be used for postage)
• Garbage bags( 13 & 30 gallon sizes)
• Batteries – AA, 9-volt and C
• 6 " paper plates
• Lint traps
• Volunteers!
• Monetary donations are always appreciated!
West Suburban Humane Society
Board Members:
Jennifer Bahlmann, President Ruth Cloonan, Vice President Brian McLachlan, Recording Secretary Cathy Pesavento, Controller / Treasurer Christian Ambler, Director Lorie Bonham, Director
Dr. Tim Brandes, Director Dexter Evans, Director Christopher Gorman, Director Jim Ingold, Director Angela Keate, Director Mark Stromberg, Director Diana Tsai, Director
WSHS Staff:
Executive Director: Carolyn Mossberger( Ext. 25) Animal Care Manager: Sarah Stromberg( Ext. 23) Night and Weekend Managers: Catherine VanGemmeren, Roberta Diehl, Carol Thygesen, Kathy Hanley Animal Care Assistants: Erica Reh, Vanessa Nelson Adoption Desk Manager: Laney Forman( Ext. 10) Volunteer Coordinator: Deb Waggoner( Ext. 45) Humane Education Manager: Mary Edwards( Ext. 24) Development Manager: Ollie Davidson
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