Summer has come and gone. September and even October will give us glimpses of those carefree days, but face it.... time to grow my winter coat.

Soon we will be relishing in the holidays. For some of us it is a time to give back, to share in good fortune.

Each day I am reminded of what a lucky dog I am. I do spend a lot of time under my mom's desk at SAVES, in Lebanon, NH., but I wouldn't trade it for anything.

The hard part for me is watching the staff struggle with injured and ill patients, with families that can not afford their care. SAVES has some pretty incredible programs to help with economic hardship, community contacts, and rescue connections. But unfortunately it isn't enough.

With more and more local veterinary hospitals referring their hard luck cases to SAVES, we are constantly struggling to make the program work.

Why do other hospitals refer these patients to us?

Because they know SAVES is a compassionate group, we love pets and have taken the time to create some pretty incredible programs for these silent victims. They know we have incredible staff willing to explore every avenue, to leave no rock unturned. Sometimes it isn't enough. SAVES contributes hundreds of staff hours and procedures each year to help. But we can only do so much before we are in financial hardship ourselves.

So what happens if your pet is suddenly injured or ill and you have only enough money to buy groceries for your family? Hard choices must be made.

At SAVES we look at all your options.

We can help you qualify for a short term credit card called CareCredit. This unfortunately only works if you have a good credit history.

Sometimes we can set you up for a short term loan, this requires a 50% down payment. Regular payments are then collected each week directly from your bank account. This only works if you have the required percentage as a down payment.

The Brutus Fund- this fund is a rotating pool that if an applicant is eligible, they can borrow from until they are more financially stable again. The idea is the recipient repays the fund when times are better. Only owners that meet strict criteria are eligible for this fund. This fund is only available as long as there is cash in it.


Emergency and critical care can be extremely costly. We understand that not everyone can take on such unexpected costs. Our funding is very fragile. We need a constant replenishment in order to keep the fund viable. We rely on donations for this program.

Each week we will showcase the patients that have benefited from this fund. Visit our Facebook page
The Brutus Fund and witness how this fund is helping your neighbors. All of us can help these silent victims in our community. Thank you to everyone that has already donated to this incredible cause!

blackflies laser therapy and will

Now that we are all spending more time outside there sure are a lot of new rules. No going to the pond by myself, no digging in the vegetable garden (why does she get to), I'm always being told not to poop in the flower garden.... geeez.
The bugs are starting to get to me though. I guess all of us are being bugged! The blackflies are out in full force and Mom says we will start getting telephone calls from concerned dog and cat owners about circular red spots on their pet's belly. She was right about that and boy some of us are REALLY sensitive to their bite

This poor guy really got eaten. Blackflies seem to especially like light colored dogs with bare bellies. Dad gave him an injection to help stop the itch and irritation (steroid) and some antibiotics to help with the infection. There are some great products out there for people but us poor guys are a little harder to help since we LOVE to lick off any ointment or salve put on. West Lebanon Feed and Supply has some great products such as citronella repellents that are natural products and dogs don't like the taste of.

So my face is slowly healing from the tick bite. If your pet comes down with a skin condition that looks like this, the best course is to take him to your veterinarian for treatment.
Guess I have really sensitive skin. Judy Coates, the rehabilitation guru at S.A.V.E.S. has been giving me laser treatments to help it heal. Laser therapy helps tissues heal faster and decreases swelling. This type of therapy is also used for degenerative joint disease, back pain, anal gland inflammation, you name it! Judy does laser therapy on all of my dad's bone surgeries.
There are two types of lasers used for this. Continuous laser therapy acts fast on inflammation, and stimulates circulation in the area which helps healing. Pulsed laser therapy has an immediate effect on pain since it interferes with the transmission of the pain message to the brain. Laser therapy has been around for something like 25 years and has no side effects. If it takes the pain away I'm all for it.

S.A.V.E.S is hopping! I have met so many new friends lately. With Stonecliff Animal Clinic of New Hampshire joining us in the 63 Evans Drive building I will meet even more new friends. This little guy stopped in to meet me just the other day. Wow he was really cute but the barking in my ear and jumping up at me was fun for a while but I was  ready for a nap. I do need to clarify that Stonecliff Animal Clinic is the hospital of my parents that was at West Lebanon Feed and Supply not the one in Bradford, Vermont. With the move into the Evans Drive building in Lebanon my dad will be freed up to see more annual visits and is excepting old patients as well as new ones that are in need of wellness care and don't have a vet yet! The building that S.A.V.E.S. is in. across from Lebanon High School and right next door to Nissan-Miller car dealership is becoming a one-stop mecca of all things four-legged. Starting in July Affecionate Pet Salon from the Miracle Mile in Lebanon will open their doors in part of the Evans Road building. Mom says maybe I won't smell so bad if Eve takes care of my hygiene!

And on a more serious note, the Hartford Police brought in a small cat this weekend that we presume is a stray. The poor little friendly guy had a terrible accident that dismembered one of his hind legs. This little cat is such an inspiration and a miracle. He survived for days wandering the streets of Hartford Vermont like this. The staff at S.A.V.E.S. are doing everything in their power to save this little guy, he deserves a chance having come this far on his own. A human plastic surgeon even stopped by to give advise. We are so lucky to be surrounded by such a dedicated medical community. Between the huge hospital up the road called Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, to the doctors of dentistry that have volunteered their expertise to help us four-legged ones, I feel so grateful to be living here. Thanks everyone, we will keep you posted on this little fighter. TaTa for now.