Avoiding Emergencies: Know Which Spring Flowers are Toxic to Pets

Spring toxin 1: Tulips and hyacinths
http://veterinaryteam.dvm360.com/firstline/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/663977

Spring toxin 2: Daffodils
http://veterinaryteam.dvm360.com/firstline/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/663978

Spring toxin 3: Lilies
http://veterinaryteam.dvm360.com/firstline/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/663981

Spring toxin 4: Crocuses
http://veterinaryteam.dvm360.com/firstline/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/663980


Spring toxin 5: Lily of the valley
http://veterinaryteam.dvm360.com/firstline/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/663982

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Poison Control Hot-Lines (for animals):

(1) ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center: (Click name to go to web site)
(888) 426-4435The best-known, and most-widely used Animal Poison Control Center in the country. In 2009 alone, the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) in Urbana, IL, handled more than 140,000 cases of pets exposed to toxic substances.

"Available for any animal poison-related emergency, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. If you think that your pet may have ingested a potentially poisonous substance, call (888) 426-4435. A $65 consultation fee may be applied to your credit card.

"The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center is staffed by 30 veterinarians, including 13 who are board-certified in general and veterinary toxicology.  In addition, our experts use Antox, our unique veterinary medical database system of more than one million animal exposure case histories.  With the combined knowledge of our experts and our medical database, we are able to provide the most timely and accurate information on the potential effects of poisons and how to manage exposures to them.

"Our consultation fee covers as many additional calls pertaining to your pet's current case as are needed to provide the best care and answer any questions that you or your local vet may have.  During your initial call, you or your vet will be provided with a special follow-up telephone number to use should you need any further assistance with your pet's case."

(2) Pet Poison Helpline™ (800-213-6680) (Click name to go to web site)
"provides:
•24/7 access to experts in pet poisonings.
•Experience. We have managed over 750,000 cases involving pet poisonings.
•Specialists. We're the only poison control with board-certified veterinary internal medicine (DACVIM) and emergency critical care (DACVECC) specialists - which is imperative if your pet is critically ill!
•Cost-effective. We're the most cost-effective pet poison control out there, which is helpful in this current economy.
•Follow up consultations. Our staff will follow up with veterinarians or pet owners to ensure appropriate recommendations can be made throughout the treatment of the pet.
•Treatment advice for all varieties of pets. Not only do we manage canine and feline poisonings, we also assist in the treatment of avian, small mammals, large animal and exotic species (on a per incident fee basis)."

 

We are Taking Ideas and Suggestions for our First National Spokespet Contest for VEFM

It is high time that The Veterinary Emergency Funding Mission had a Spokespet!!! The general purpose of a spokesperson (for us, a "spokespet") is to "frame a company or organization's strengths and products to the public and investors while managing media coverage...." For the complete article, which beautifully explains this concept, click on this link:
http://www.ehow.com/about_5382539_job-media-relations-company-spokesperson.html

Here are several contests that will give us ideas for how we can run ours. I hope many of our supporters will participate in this brainstorming-session. Please leave your ideas and suggestions in the "Comments" section, below.

(1) Spokesperson search for "Young and Free."
---[A] Purpose of the spokesperson: http://www.youngfreealberta.com/media-center/credit-union-competition-looking-for-youth-spokesperson.html ;
---[B] Description of the contest: http://www.youngfreealberta.com/2010-search-archive/;
---[C] Rules/Regulations: http://www.youngfreealberta.com/storage/YF-Alberta-Rules-Regs-2010-Spokester-Search.pdf
(2) Junior Beef Spokesperson Contest for Colorado CattleWomen, Inc.
---[A] Purpose and description of contest:
http://brianallmerradionetwork.wordpress.com/2010/04/16/04-05-10-colorado-cattlewomen-host-beef-spokesperson-contest-in-briggsdale-april-17th-enter-today/
---[B] Application for contest: http://brianallmerradionetwork.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/april-5.pdf
(3) Contest for the New Media Celebrity Spokesperson (for video introductions and trailers for the Cable Muse Network)
---[A] Press release describing contest: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2010/02/prweb3662504.htm
---[B] Official description of contest: http://cablemuse.com/id86.html
---[C] Sample, with previous year's top two entries: http://cablemuse.com/id100.html
---[D] Consent form: http://cablemuse.com/id87.html

What's New for VEFM - The National Agenda

Admittedly, much of the discussions in the past 2 months have been about the Pet Fair fundraiser on Cape Cod. However, there is a specific plan for what VEFM needs, as far as non-local supporters go. The closer we get to having a fully-functional unit in southeastern Mass., the closer we get to starting sister-organizations in other locations. As I have mentioned before, we are establishing VEFM first in SE Mass., so that we can use it as a template for other communities. The long-range goal is to have community-based VEFM groups all across the United States, possibly even the world.

Therefore, I am asking all of our supporters to do some soul-searching and schedule-searching and see if you can help make a commitment to this goal. If you are enthusiastic about our project and want to "get your hands dirty," the next few months are going to be spent establishing a few core groups in parts of the country where the next VEFM unit will go. If you would like to be part of this important stage of VEFM's development, join our Facebook group, called VEFM Volunteer Action Group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=177991216736


What each of you can do, individually, is to assess the situation in your own area. Are pet owners struggling to care for their pets? Do you have emergency hospitals nearby? What happens if an owner goes to one of them and does not have the ability to pay for care immediately?

If you are a veterinarian and would like to be part of the VEFM Veterinary Advisory Group, we are currently setting that up (by revising an existing group). The link is
http://www.facebook.com/reqs.php#!/group.php?gid=248702581859


Thanks for all your support. I am really excited about how VEFM is progressing.

-Lucy Schroth DVM

We Held a Very Successful FIRST ANNUAL PET FAIR fundraiser

On Sunday, March 28, The Veterinary Emergency Funding Mission held its First Annual Pet Fair fundraiser, at The Dog Paddle training center, in Bourne, MA. There was a Pet Parade, for pets with or without costumes, and prizes for such categories as "Waggiest Tail" and "Pet-Owner Look-Alike." There was also a photo contest, judged by professional photographer Nikki Shumway, of NJ Photo. Dogs and owners participated in a Rally game, Egg-Spoon races, and Musical Chairs. Nikki Shumway also took lots of pictures, and has made some generous donations to benefit VEFM. A silent auction, bake sale, and gift/crafts for sale also helped raise money.

Links to Nikki's photos of the Pet Fair. They are really great:
http://www.facebook.com/NJPhoto#!/album.php?aid=161482&id=367692141739

http://www.facebook.com/NJPhoto#!/album.php?aid=161149&id=367692141739&ref=mf

http://www.facebook.com/NJPhoto#!/album.php?aid=161142&id=367692141739

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=161153&id=367692141739&ref=mf