Yasmin | The Pug Dog Welfare & Rescue Association

Autumn Hazards!

by Yasmin | 26 Sep, 2023 | Blog, Pug Health

With the weather starting to change and Autumn drawing in, it’s a good idea to remind ourselves of the potential hazards to keep an eye out for, some quite serious, in order to keep our pugs safe.

Not only do piles of leaves hide what’s beneath them, they can develop bacteria and mould. If your dog ingests these it can lead to gastrointestinal upset.
Likewise, mouldy discarded foods can contain lots of different toxins, in particular on dairy products, bread or nuts, which can cause dogs to quickly develop muscle tremors or seizures.
Fermenting fruit, produces a natural alcoholic compound, which is toxic. If your dog eats such fruit, they are likely to suffer from sickness and diarrhoea, and also, may run the risk of having a toxic reaction to the natural alcohol produced by the fruit as part of its fermentation process.
Fruit stones, cherries, damsons, plumbs or similar if chewed produce cyanide, if swallowed whole, can cause choking or obstruction.
Acorns or horsechestnuts (conkers) can lead to sickness and diarrhoea, and if ingested in large quantities are toxic. They are also a choke hazard or can potentially become lodged in the gut causing a blockage, so make sure that your dog doesn’t eat any!
There are hard to identify, dangerous mushrooms, where signs of poisoning vary dramatically from stomach upset or blood in the stools to neurological effects such as hallucinations or fits, kidney or liver failure. The symptoms may present very suddenly or be delayed by days.
Poisoning from spring bulbs like daffodils, tulips or crocus are most likely to occur from being eaten in autumn when they are planted, or when they begin to flower in spring.
Fireworks can contain hazardous chemicals which can be poisonous to your dog. Initially these poisons can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, tummy pain and/or bloody stools. More severe effects may include seizures and the chemicals may also affect your dog’s breathing, kidneys and liver. Don’t let your dog into your garden unsupervised around Bonfire Night and other seasonal celebrations, without checking first that none have fallen into your garden.
Chocolate sales rise around Halloween, but remember it contains a stimulant called theobromine, poisonous to dogs. The amount of theobromine differs depending on the type of chocolate, dark chocolate having the most in it. Theobromine mainly affects the heart, central nervous system and kidneys. Signs can occur from 4 to 24 hours following ingestion where you may see vomiting, diarrhoea, restlessness, hyperactivity, rapid breathing, muscle tension, lack of coordination, increased heart rate and possibly seizure.
The worst of all the chemical spills is antifreeze, (ethylene glycol) which can leak from a car’s radiator. Ingestion is very dangerous. It is sweet tasting and very palatable to dogs, though even a relatively small quantity can cause serious kidney damage or be fatal. The first signs of intoxication can be that your dog appears ‘drunk’. If you know your dog has ingested ethylene glycol or you have any concerns, contact your vet without delay. The prognosis is poorer the longer it takes to initiate treatment.

So please be extra vigilant, and if you suspect your dog has been affected in any way. Contact your vet as soon as possible to discuss symptoms.

Enormous Thanks to Lynn Parsons for her fundraising & donations!

by Yasmin | 14 Sep, 2023 | Blog, Volunteering, Fundraising

Meet Lynn, one of our super PDWRA fundraisers.

Lynn lives in the lovely South West of England with her husband Geoff, and their family of five male pugs.

Lynn and Geoff first became fosterers for the PDWRA in early 2019, taking on with welcome arms, two foster pugs with substantial needs who consequently never left!

Last year, they kindly took in another blind foster pug who was also adopted.

Lynn has always had an active voluntary role in her local community. Her repertoire spans from organising the yearly village pantomime, supporting the local cat rescue, and lucky for us; fundraising for the PDWRA.

Throughout the summer weekends, Lynn attends the local rallies with her family, and raises much needed funds for the PDWRA by holding Teddy Tombola’s. She raises hundreds of pounds each time, regularly received by us throughout the summer.

So even before a well deserved break for the autumn, Lynn has organised a fundraising pantomime, producing and directing it, donating nearly £1,200 to PDWRA this time.

Lynn’s grandaughter has learned to use the sewing machine and even makes bow-ties, see pic of pug in one!

We cannot thank Lynn enough for her enthusiasm and dedication to our cause.

Thank You So Much Lynn. You really are a Superstar!

To find out a bit more about why we need to continually fundraise, and how you can help, please go to:
Fundraising & Events 2023 | The Pug Dog Welfare & Rescue Association (pugwelfare-rescue.org.uk)

To Donate, please go to:
Donating to Pug Dog Welfare | The Pug Dog Welfare & Rescue Association (pugwelfare-rescue.org.uk)

Great News – Pogo & Pete in their Forever Home!

by Yasmin | 10 Sep, 2023 | Blog, News, Rescue Stories

Following our social media appeal to find a forever home for 1 year old boys Pogo and Pete, a number of interested applicants came forward and very quickly their future Dad was identified, happy to take both of them!

PDWRA’s next task was to transport the boys, who were located in NI, across the Irish Sea to the mainland. Thanks to the generosity of our Volunteers, only 2 Transporters were involved – Karen, who brought them all the way from NI to mid Wales, where volunteer, Claudia took over and transported them to a temporary foster home for a few nights until their Dad returned to England from his summer holiday.

Pogo and Pete are now settling in as enthusiastically as everything they approach (like scaling fences!), and we hope, looking forward to their upcoming training sessions in pug good manners!!

We are proud of another successful and heart-warming life story enabled by our network of volunteers and star adopters and fosterers.

Pogo and Pete are in a wonderful home, used to taking on pairs, and will have the best life we could imagine for them.

Their original Appeal:
Pogo & Pete are each looking for their own forever homes! | The Pug Dog Welfare & Rescue Association (pugwelfare-rescue.org.uk)

Could You Adopt Young Daphne?

by Yasmin | 2 Sep, 2023 | Blog, News, Rescue Stories

**Great News Update**
Daphne, adopted & completely at home! | The Pug Dog Welfare & Rescue Association (pugwelfare-rescue.org.uk)

APPEAL POST:

Meet Daphne. She is looking for her adoptive home.

At 5 years-old, Daphne is a typical fun-loving pug. She is comical, sweet, playful and affectionate. She adores people and has previously lived with children.

Daphne has also previously lived with another female pug, and is currently in foster with a small dog and bitch. She has shown some dominance towards the submissive male, but this has improved during the time they’ve been together.

Daphne could live as an only pug, or potentially share her home with another pug, ideally a well-balanced, steady one who can manage bossy moments if they arise, though she is likely to settle into a new canine relationship with patience, time and boundaries.

Daphne has the early symptoms of constrictive pug myelopathy. This affects the mobility in her hind legs however, she runs and plays, and can manage stairs. She is fully continent.

To find out more about Daphne’s condition, our veterinary adviser Malcolm McKee has written an excellent article that can be found at: https://pugwelfare-rescue.org.uk/spinal-conditions-in-pugs/

If you are interested in offering Daphne her forever home or have any questions, please email directly: janemac001@nullbtinternet.com

To formally apply to adopt her, you will need to complete an application, referencing ‘Daphne 23135’ at: https://pugwelfare-rescue.org.uk/adopting-a-pug/

If you are already registered with us and are interested in adopting Daphne, please speak to your PDWRA Area Coordinator directly.