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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