Meet Piglet, The Adorable Cleft-Lip Kitty

The first thing you notice about Piglet is her nose. This dinky white kitty with black-and-gray accents suffers from a cleft lip, which gives her a certain resemblance to the A. A. Milne character of the same name.

She’s also experienced a turbulent start to life, but now this kitty is blooming into a champion for special needs cats.

Also, Snoop Dogg has Piglet’s back.

I’ll explain more on that one later, but for now let’s get to Piglet’s tale.

Piglet was originally part of a litter that was orphaned at just a few days old. Thankfully, two veterinary technicians stepped in and bottle-raised Piglet and her pals.

“She was a lot of work as a baby,” says a friend of the vet technicians, who’d shortly become become Piglet’s mom after becoming smitten with a picture of her. “Although she didn’t have many complications from her cleft, her litter was not very healthy.”

Recounting her first meeting with Piglet, her mom says, “She was mostly nose! Her eyes were closed, and her ears hadn’t stood up yet. The first time I met her in person was when she was about 1 and a half weeks old, and I immediately fell in love with her. She loved being held, and I thought her nose was extremely cute!”

While Piglet’s personality shone through from the start — and her mom describes her as “very social and loving” but also “adventurous and brave” — her cleft lip situation was cause to be cautious.

“So far there have not been any complications due to her cleft lip,” explains her mom. “We are lucky that her palate is 100 percent intact, and, despite having a unique nose, her breathing is completely normal.”

She adds that Piglet’s lower jaw is technically shorter than her top jaw, and that the disparity might cause some future dental issues, but for now it’s a case of “waiting to see how things develop as she grows.”

Helping Piglet’s cause is the fact that her mom is also a vet tech at a speciality and emergency hospital — so this little darling is going to be constantly surrounded by veterinary experts all keeping a close eye on her development.

Along with the interest of the local veterinary community, Piglet is also growing up in the public eye thanks to her burgeoning Instagram account.  With her social media profile blooming, she’s all about showing the world that “a physical difference is not a disability — cats with physical differences are unique and beautiful in their own way,” her mom says. “Just look at Piglet’s account and see how many people have embraced her unique look and love her little lip and nose!”

Along with her online following, Piglet has also picked up a fan by the name of Snoop Dogg — although in this case it’s not the rapper (who, incidentally, owns cats), but another feline living in her forever home.

“The majority of their interactions include Piglet play-attacking Snoop Dogg and stalking his tail,” says her mom. “Luckily, Snoop is very tolerant and just stands there and allows her to do it. Their relationship is like that of an older brother taking care of his little sister.”

Head over to Piglet’s Instagram account to follow her story.

Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS): “Overcoming Obstacles: Starting An Exotic Bird Shelter Program” Webinar on 1/26/16

Starting an exotic bird program in a shelter environment is challenging, but “winging it” is not a solution when birds arrive. Bring your FAQ to our ‪#‎GFAS ‪#‎AvianRoundtable webinar on 1/26/16. Register: http://bit.ly/AvianRT

“Overcoming Obstacles: Starting An Exotic Bird Shelter Program”

Tuesday, January 26, 2016 1:30 p.m. EST

Presenter: Anthony Pilny, DVM, ABVP (Avian)

Caring for exotic birds in a shelter environment is challenging. In fact, many shelters feel they cannot accommodate birds at all.  But “winging it” is not a solution when birds arrive at your shelter.

Join us for a frank discussion that examines what factors are standing in the way of your shelter’s ability to take in, to expand, or to improve capacity for exotic birds.

Bring us your questions and let our experts offer practical solutions to help you overcome the common obstacles to make your facility a safe haven for birds in need!

Whether your shelter takes in hundreds of birds, less than 10 a year, or doesn’t take in birds at all – this forum is for you!

Register for this Webinar HERE.

  

Please Share!

Washington, DC - Smithsonian National Zoo: Tian Tian, the Giant Panda Frolicking in the Snow

The Smithsonian National Zoo shared a video of its giant panda Tian Tian frolicking in the snow.

While most D.C. residents hunkered down to ride out the storm, at least one was having the time of his life.

The Smithsonian National Zoo shared a video of its giant panda Tian Tian frolicking in the snow Saturday morning. In the video, Tian Tian rolled down a snowy hill, covering himself in the white stuff.

Unfortunately, you won't get to see Tian Tian's snow dance in person. The National Zoo is closed through Sunday because of the severe weather. But hopefully, the adorable video above will hold you over.

Snow will continue to fall across the D.C. metro area Saturday, creating near whiteout conditions when combined with wind gusts of up to 30 mph. A blizzard warning is in effect for the D.C. area until Sunday at 6 a.m.

Warnings - The Dangers of Shoveling Snow: Why Some People Drop Dead While Shoveling Snow

Each approaching blizzard brings warnings about the dangers of shoveling snow, an activity that sends thousands of Americans to emergency rooms each winter. Don't tackle the walkway if you aren't in good enough shape, say the experts. You can get hurt or, even worse, trigger a heart attack or stroke.

Medically speaking, a person is indeed more likely to keel over while heaving snow than, say, jogging on a treadmill. But why?

"Physically, what happens when you get really cold is you have constriction of the blood vessels," says Lawrence Phillips, a cardiologist at NYU Langone Medical Center. "It decreases the blood supply you're getting to your vital organs."

That's bad news for people with heart problems, diabetes or high blood pressure. But just as big a problem is that many people dig in despite not having exercised in weeks or months or years. "If you haven't been exercising and you haven't been exerting yourself, this is not the time to start," Phillips said. "The amount of work that goes into shoveling snow is tremendous. ... People will underestimate the amount of work they are doing."

At the gym, he noted, it's easy to hop off a treadmill when you start feeling winded or to slip out of that spin class early. But shoveling snow tends to be a "goal-oriented" activity. Call it pride, stubbornness or maybe naivete, but men especially tend to keep at it until the job is finished -- or, too often, until disaster strikes.

"They are pushing to clear a driveway or a sidewalk," Phillips said, "and they aren't thinking about how their bodies are responding to that."

William Suddath, an interventional cardiologist at MedStar Washington Hospital Center, likens it to "beginning a weightlifting program in freezing temperatures without any preparation."

Suddath has witnessed the consequences firsthand. During the epic "Snowmaggedon" that hit the Washington region in 2010, his hospital saw a wave of emergencies involving people who'd suffered heart attacks while shoveling the mountains of snow.

"Heart attack rates go up, sudden deaths go up," he said, with the weather often preventing paramedics from reaching people as quickly as they otherwise might. "Some heart attacks likely will not be reversed as they could have been in another situation. It's a major problem during a snowstorm when you just can't get to patients."

What You Should Dog If You See a Dog Shivering in the Cold

Do you know what to do if you see a dog shivering in the cold? Even with their thick coats they are extremely vulnerable. If you see a dog outside without shelter you should contact your local police department. Just like humans, dogs are at risk for hypothermia, frost bite and even death when left in extreme conditions.

Dogs should never be left outside when temperatures drop below zero degrees Fahrenheit (-17.7 degrees C). Breeds with shorter hair like Labradors, Beagles, and greyhounds as well as puppies and older dogs are the most vulnerable.

Warning signs include shivering, lethargy and clumsiness, leading to coma and even death. Experts say it’s always best to keep you dog indoors and not to leave them unattended for extended periods of time. Walking your dog in the cold can also be painful for your dog’s paws. Keep them moist and apply petroleum jelly to their paws before walks in the winter.

Please share and help keep every dog warm and safe this winter.

URGENT! Dog Food Recall: Vital Essentials Frozen Chicken Patties Entrée for Dogs

We’re only a few weeks into 2016 and we’ve already had a few recalls concerning dog food. Sadly, another one has been announced this week.

Carnivore Meat Company, which also recalled dog food last year, is recalling some of its Vital Essentials Frozen Chicken Patties Entrée for Dogs. The company is voluntarily recalling these products due to potential salmonella poisoning.

Only one product lot is affected:

Vital Essentials Frozen Chicken Patties Entrée for Dogs

Net weight 6 pounds

UPC 33211 00807

Lot # 11475

Best by date 20161108

While Vital Essentials’ products are sold nationwide, this particular recall only affects California, Florida, Georgia, Rhode Island, Texas, and Washington.

For more information, visit Vital Essentials’ website.