Johnstown Pet Services, INC

Sometimes you’ve gotta dream big

On Thursday Willow played with lilies in my office. She didn't eat anything. She only batted at them and got the pollen all over her before I shooed her away. W...e laughed initially but thank God something in my head told me to google it. I read, "All parts of the lily - including the stem, leaves, petals, stamens and pollen - are poisonous to cats. Even minor exposures (cat chewing on a leaf or getting pollen on his or her haircoat or whiskers) can be fatal." "Cats typically do not survive, even with aggressive therapy (such as dialysis)." I freaked out. Threw her in the shower (that wasn't fun) and immediately took her up to Blue Pearl Emergency & Specialty Hospital. Due to covid, they came and took her from my car and after her exam the ER doctor called me. She said her prognosis was very poor because they found the pollen around her mouth and on her tongue. She even said, "in my experience I've never seen a cat survive lily poisoning. Most owners only realize there's an issue when the cat is sick and by that point it's just too late" Insert hysterical crying here. She said that her only saving grace may be that we sought treatment quickly but realistically she might not make it through the night. They made her throw up, gave her activated charcoal and aggressively treated her with fluid therapy and other meds. Thank God after 2 days in the hospital, she pulled through!!! We will go for a recheck soon but her doctors are confident her organs didn't suffer any long term damage from the poisoning. I can't tell you the intense guilt I felt and still feel for buying those stupid flowers. I felt like a murderer, terrible fur mom, terrible person. I've had cats my entire life and have never heard of lily poisoning. The vets response to that was "most people only find out the hard way" The doctors, technicians and staff at Blue Pearl really are the best! They saved our baby. Please SHARE this with your friends. I would hate to see anyone go through this!! Thank you all for your support during that gut-wrenching 2 days. We're thankful our girl is back home! No. More. Flowers. Ever.

Are you planning a vacation? Don’t wait to reserve your pet sitter. I’m sure a lot of folks are itching to get away. Call now before we are all booked up.

8 year old Tiggera would love a home of her own to live out her senior years!! She has been with Wayward for the past 3 years and gets overlooked a lot due to ...her age. She does well with other laid back cats, but prefers to be left alone by the energetic youngsters. Do you have it in your heart to give this senior a home? See more

Safe and not safe summer fruits for dogs!