Nugget's amazing journey from the side of a road to a happy home

Nugget's amazing journey from the side of a road to a happy home

At first, the homeless kitten seemed to have the odds stacked against him. On May 23, a passerby discovered him crying out in pain at the side of a road. Seeing he was in bad shape, the Good Samaritan scooped him up and took him to a nearby 24-hour emergency veterinary hospital, where the staff found he had five broken metatarsals in his left rear leg and a significant abscess in his right groin. They also found puncture wounds that suggested he had been attacked by another animal. 

"A very special guy"—How CHFA saved a cat in a dire health situation
Murray is now a completely different cat, according to Kayla

"A very special guy"—How CHFA saved a cat in a dire health situation

Kayla knew something was very wrong with her newly adopted cat, Murray. Just a few weeks after she brought him home from the Humane Society of West Michigan this past June, he began vomiting everywhere and seemed to lose his appetite.

CHFA's veterinary rehabilitation gives senior dogs a new "leash" on life
Lucy is one of Emily's biggest fans!

CHFA's rehab gives senior dogs a new "leash" on life

Owning a senior pet is a rewarding experience. It’s meaningful to watch your dog’s muzzle become grayer over the years as they mature from rambunctious, puppy-like behavior to being a calm, quiet canine companion. But the other side of senior dog ownership is seeing a beloved pet go through the natural challenges of aging: sore muscles and joints, more frequent illness, vision and hearing loss, and other health issues. When your dog is still loving life but having a tougher time getting around, your vet might recommend an appointment with certified canine veterinary rehabilitation nurse Emily Harkness at CHFA.

When a curious cat drank paint water, CHFA helped save the day
Beautiful Alice mistook paint water for a delicious treat.

When a curious cat drank paint water, CHFA helped save the day

One morning, CHFA client Katelyn awoke to the unpleasant and frightening discovery that her cat, Alice, had thrown up in about seven different places all over the house. Even in her state of disbelief and worry, it didn’t take Katelyn long to connect the dots. She and her wife, Mette, had been painting the exterior of their home and left a paint brush in a bowl of water to soak it and keep it from drying out. At some point in the night, Alice, a member of the family since she was a kitten, must have ingested some of the paint-diluted water.

Summer is here and so are the mosquitos—and heartworm disease
Tazz was frustrated that heartworm kept him from being his usual playful self.

Summer is here and so are the mosquitos—and heartworm disease

Summer is finally here and so are the mosquitos. But the scourge of our backyard cookouts and camping trips are more than just an annoyance. For pet owners and their canine companions, they can lead to a potentially deadly and certainly painful condition called heartworm disease. Brittny Taylor, a Client Care Assistant at Cascade Hospital for Animals, recently learned first-hand how difficult it can be to watch a beloved pet suffer from this terrible condition.

From unable to walk to running around winning hearts: Yodi the Chihuahua’s amazing recovery
Yodi is now happy and healthy

From unable to walk to running around winning hearts: Yodi the Chihuahua’s amazing recovery

As she took her newly adopted dog Yodi to see Dr. Veneman at Cascade Hospital for Animals, Nicole was resigned to the idea that the 5-lb. Chihuahua would probably have to be put to sleep. After all, his problems seemed insurmountable: He could barely walk, he was badly dehydrated, his entire body was swollen, and his hair was falling off in large patches. “His whole body seemed to be shutting down,” Nicole said. “It’s just that his quality of life was so poor.” She had recently taken Yodi into her home on behalf of his previous owner, who was not able to care for him anymore.

Dr. Veneman was alarmed by Yodi’s condition. “He was anemic,” she said. “His red blood cell count was low. The symptoms he presented could have been from so many potential problems, including cancer.”

40 years into a successful career, Dr. Siegle looks forward to the next chapter
Dr. Richard Siegle examines Lola.

40 years into a successful career, Dr. Siegle looks forward to the next chapter

Looking back on more than 40 years as a veterinarian, Dr. Richard Siegle has seen a lot of change. Since he joined the practice in 1978, Cascade Hospital for Animals has grown from a small family veterinary practice to two clinics with 92 full- and part-time employees, and boarding, daycare, grooming, and training services. And now, with the Breton Village Animal Clinic relocating to a bigger facility soon and his son in his last year of veterinary school, Dr. Siegle has much to look forward to as well.

After a pacifier sent her to emergency surgery, Annie the boxer mix is on the mend
A post-surgery Annie on the road to recovery.

After a pacifier sent her to emergency surgery, Annie the boxer mix is on the mend

At first, it wasn’t clear what was wrong with Annie. According to her owner, Danielle, the trouble started when the normally healthy six-month-old puppy was suddenly unable to keep food down.

Worried, Danielle brought Annie to the hospital, where staff suspected the she had eaten something she shouldn’t have. An X-ray revealed a mysterious obstruction in Annie’s intestines. No one who examined the X-ray could figure out what Annie had swallowed. Then Dr. Becky Schafer took one look and said, “That’s a pacifier!”

New Associate Veterinarian Becky Schaffer Shares Her Animal Stories
Dr. Becky Schaffer examines her next patient in one of the new exam rooms at Cascade Hospital for Animals.

New Associate Veterinarian Becky Schaffer Shares Her Animal Stories

Ask Dr. Becky Schaffer about her favorite animal story, and the conversation quickly turns to cats – BIG cats.

Dr. Schaffer, the newest veterinarian at Cascade Hospital for Animals, once had the opportunity to care for a circus lion that had fallen ill while the troupe was touring West Michigan.

“I had to remind myself that despite his size, he was a lot like any other cat” said Dr. Schaffer, 34, a graduate of South Christian High School who received her bachelor’s degree from Calvin College and her doctorate in veterinary medicine from Michigan State University.

Holiday dangers for cats
Unfortunately, many of the things that people love about Christmas can be potentially dangerous to cats.

Holiday Dangers for Your Cat

Christmas time can be a very exciting time for people and cats alike. After all, we put actual trees in the
house, cover them with things that move and roll if knocked down, put a new fancy blanket that is devoid
of cat hair under it and then circle it with stringy, shiny stuff. Christmas is a fantastically fun time if you are a cat.
Unfortunately, many of the things that people love about Christmas can be potentially dangerous to cats.