FELINE MEDICAL NEEDS:

PARASITES & INSECTS: 

Fostering with Soul Dog Rescue is not for the weak of heart. Parvo, distemper, mange, malnutrition, broken and worn teeth, ticks and fleas, tick-borne diseases, and many other things run rampant on the rez where these precious souls are saved from. Taking a rez animal into foster, especially directly from a transport comes with risk of some funky diseases. Some of these things can be spread to personal pets and humans. We will try our best to deal with any problems that arise but are not always aware right away. It is very important to communicate with us when a foster animal needs medical care. 

SIGNS OF ILLNESS: 

Things to look out for are nasal discharge, lethargy, vomiting, not eating or drinking, etc. All could be signs of illness. If you believe your foster is not acting normal, email medical. Email your name, foster animals name, and any pictures needed. 

Diarrhea -- Diarrhea alone is not reason to panic and is not considered an emergency unless it is accompanied by other symptoms such as lethargy, not eating, vomiting, and/or sleeping the majority of the day. When your foster cat has several of these symptoms, please call the shelter at 303-857-6799 (daily 10am-5pm) and proceed directly to the shelter. If this is after hours, please text 720-939-2221. In extreme cases, and if after hours and no response via text, you may proceed to one of these veterinary hospitals (please call when on the way):

1. Veterinary Emergency Group -- Boulder
   1905 29th St. Boulder, CO
   720-738-9994
2. Veterinary Emergency Group -- Edgewater
   5485 W 20th Ave. Edgewater, CO 80214
   720-996-1200
3. Evolution Veterinary Specialists
   34 Van Gordon St. Lakewood, CO 80228
   720-510-7707
4. Northside Emergency Pet Clinic
   945 W 124th Ave. Westminster, CO 80234
   303-252-7722

IMPORTANT -- Small kittens decline very quickly. It is of the utmost importance that you notify us immediately if your kitten has any of the following symptoms in conjunction with the others:

• Diarrhea
• Lethargy
• Not eating
• Sleeping more than normal
• Vomiting

MEDICAL EMERGENCIES AND CARE: 

We understand that from time to time our foster animals may become injured or ill while in foster. We have specific protocols that must be followed to ensure that the animal is taken care of as rapidly and efficiently as possible. 

● If there is an emergency and it is between 10:00am and 5:00pm any day, immediately call the shelter at 303-857-6789 

● If you don’t get an answer email medical@souldog.org and text Shelby at 720-939-2221 

We will most likely direct you to bring the animal to our shelter clinic for an examination. REMEMBER…You should never take the animal to a veterinarian or clinic on your own without approval first. We will not reimburse if you take a foster to an outside vet without permission. Our medical team will decide the proper treatment plan for our animals. 

**Any foster who has been prescribed and is taking medication of any kind must have a medical dosing log filled out with each dose given. It must be signed off with time given and the initials of the person administering the medication each time it is given. In addition, it is critical to make sure the medication log has the name of the medication being given, the dosage to be given, the reason the medication is being given, and how long the medication is prescribed for. Please make sure to pick up the medication log at the same time you pick up medication from the shelter.

• No medications or treatments may be given at any time without the consent of shelter medical staff, including the director and shelter contract veterinarians. This includes, but is not limited to, heart-worm medication, vaccines, tick/flea treatment, mange medication, pumpkin, coconut oil, Benadryl, Aspirin, etc. If you feel your foster needs something, please email medical@souldog.org. **It may take 48 hours to get a response to non-emergent emails.**

YOUR PERSONAL PETS: 

Your personal pets should always be up to date on their vaccines, especially young dogs under 10 months. The parvo/distemper vaccine and the Bordetella vaccine are the most important. As long as your dog has its vaccines it is safe against parvo/distemper. Unvaccinated puppies and teen dogs under 10 months are particularly at risk. We also highly recommend your personal animals are on a monthly flea/tick preventative.