LUCKILY MOST OF THE ARC ANIMALS ARE VERY HEALTHY, BUT UNFORTUNATELY THERE ARE A FEW WHO HAVE SOME MEDICAL CONDITIONS. MANAGING THESE ARE ADDED COSTS TO OUR ALREADY HEFTY VET BILLS. HERE ARE SOME OF THEM AND THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH EACH CONDITION. WE WANT TO SHARE THIS WITH YOU SO YOU HAVE SOME IDEA ON THE ARC'S EMOTIONAL AND FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS.

CANINE EPILEPSY - GIGI HAS HAD THIS CONDITION SINCE SHE WAS 2 YEARS OLD. SHE HAS SEVERAL GRAND MAL SEIZURES USUALLY ONCE EVERY 3 MONTHS IN A CLUSTER. SHE IS ON DAILY MEDICATION OF KEPPRA ($100/MONTH). THIS ILLNESS REQUIRES US TO DO CONSTANT CHECK-UPS AND BLOOD WORK THAT AVERAGE IN COST OF $200/VISIT. WE ARE HOPING TO GET THE DOSAGE OF THE MEDS RIGHT TO PREVENT THE SEIZURES FROM HAPPENING SO OFTEN. OUR AIM IS TO GET DOWN TO ONE SEIZURE A YEAR.

SEASONAL TINEA PEDIS - IT IS AN IMMUNOCOMPROMISED ILLNESS WHICH AFFECTS THE SKIN (LEGS/BELLY) WITH A NON-INFECTUOUS FUNGAL INFECTION CAUSING ITCHING AND SCALING. ZABA HAS HAD THIS FOR 5 YEARS NOW AND IT IS A SOMEWHAT MANAGED CONDITION WITH ANTI-FUNGAL TOPICAL SPRAYS, CREAMS, POWDERS AND BANDAGES TO PREVENT OPEN WOUNDS THAT CAN GET INFECTED. THE SYMPTOMS LUCKILY ARE ONLY PRESENT IN THE WINTER MONTHS OF DEC-APR DURING THE MATING SEASON WHEN HER IMMUNE SYSTEM IS MORE COMPROMISED. THE TREATMENTS CAN COST UP TO $100/YEAR WITHOUT A VET VISIT OR UP TO AROUND $400 WITH ONE.

GOITER - ZABA JUST RECENTLY DEVELOPED A SMALL EGG SIZED GOITER FOR WHICH SHE IS TAKING DAILY MEDICATION. HOPEFULLY SHE WILL RECOVER FROM THIS SHORTLY.

AUSTIN HAS A MILD CASE OF ARTHIRITIS IN HIS FRONT RIGHT LEG FOR WHICH HE TAKES MEDICATION (BUTE) IF IT FLARES UP. BUTE IS LIKE ADVIL FOR HORSES, IT IS AN ANTI-INFLAMMATORY PAIN KILLER. AUSTIN ALSO RECEIVES HYALURANIC ACID INJECTIONS (COSTING $150 EACH) EVERY COUPLE OF MONTHS FOR THIS. HE'S HAD THIS CONDITION SINCE NOV 2014 AND IS ON THE RECOVERY SIDE OF THINGS, HOPEFULLY! AUSTIN "GETS HIS NAILS DONE" EVERY 8 WEEKS WHICH HELPS WITH THIS CONDITION. LUCKILY COOPER DOES NOT HAVE THIS.

OLIVER (BORN IN 1999) HAS JUST BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH HYPERTHYROIDISM, WHICH IS AN OVER ACTIVE THYROID, A COMMON CONDITION IN OLDER CATS. HE WILL BE ON MEDICATION (METHIMAZOLE = $50/MONTH)) TO SUPPRESS HIS THYROID HORMONE PRODUCTION FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE. THIS CONDITION REQUIRES BLOOD TESTS ($200) TO BE CONDUCTED EVERY 6 MONTHS TO MONITOR HIS THYROID LEVELS AS HE COULD REVERSE THIS CONDITION AND BECOME HYPOTHYROID. LUCKILY HIS KIDNEYS AND OTHER ORGANS ARE FUNCTIONING PERFECTLY.  

"SQUATTERS OF OUR HEARTS: THESE AMAZING CREATURES AND WONDERFUL SOULS INCH THEIR WAY INTO OUR HEARTS, PITCH A TENT AND NEVER LEAVE."