Care for senior animals can be costly and although we take pride in the care that we provide for our seniors, at some point we have to find a stopping point. When considering the veterinary care we provide, we consider the following:
The quality of life
Their age
The condition(s)
Cost of medication/treatment/surgery
Grey Face Rescue Veterinary Process
Est. August 2024
Animal enters rescue. The intake team will create RG profile, add to Master Spreadsheet and upload veterinary records.
Vetting Manager reviews veterinary records, creates RVO and if a veterinary appointment is needed, a request is sent to Vet Scheduling Coordinator.
Vet Scheduling Coordinator will contact foster to schedule.
Vet Scheduling Coordinator will send vet form with appointment date, time and details in two separate emails.
First: to the foster family.
Second: to the clinic, Foster Managers, Records Coordinator and Veterinary Manager.Vet Scheduling Coordinator will make a note in the 2024 Dog Master Spreadsheet or 2024 Cat Master Spreadsheet.
Steps 2-5 will repeat if additional appointments are needed.
Following each appointment or prior to adoption, Records Coordinator will request veterinary records from partner veterinary clinics. Records are uploaded to RG + sent to Vetting Manager to review + update RVO.
Adoption/Records Coordinator will forward veterinary records to new adopters.
Foster Requests
A Foster Request Form is submitted.
Foster Manager will review + forward accordingly:
Vet Requests: If it can’t be solved by resources in the Rescue Resource, request is forwarded to vetting@greyfacerescue.org.
Medication Refills: Forwarded to vetteam@greyfacerescue.org
Behavior: If it can’t be solved by resources in the Rescue Resource, request is forwarded to bethieg@greyfacerescue.org.
The following individuals can schedule appointments, reorder medications, and request veterinary records.
Bethie Gondeck (bethieg@greyfacerescue.org)
Kate Cuthbert (vetting@greyfacerescue.org)
Marjorie Nelson (vetteam@greyfacerescue.org)
Amanda Yasgar (amanday@greyfacerescue.org)
Kenna Tveit (foster@greyfacerescue.org)
* Foster families have permission to schedule booster appointments for vaccinations such as distemper.
The following individual can request veterinary records.
Bethie Gondeck (bethieg@greyfacerescue.org)
Kate Cuthbert (vetting@greyfacerescue.org)
Marjorie Nelson (vetteam@greyfacerescue.org)
Amanda Yasgar (amanday@greyfacerescue.org)
Kenna Tveit (foster@greyfacerescue.org)
*If possible, we would love for veterinary records to be sent following appointment to the email above.
Invoices + receipt sent to
Bethie Gondeck (bethieg@greyfacerescue.org
Additional approval during the appointment, contact Bethie at 952-261-7178.
Grey Face Rescue will not cover services requested by the foster family not included in the vet forms prior to the appointment.
Euthansia Protocol
Grey Face Rescue requests group cremation and a paw print for the foster family.
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We utilize the following clinics (you MUST be able to bring your foster to one of the following clinics for care):
Advanced Pet Hospital (acph.tech@gmail.com)
Pet Central Animal Hospital (frontdesk@petcentralanimalhospital.com)
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Dogs at Grey Face Rescue receive the following care prior to adoption:
Exam
Rabies
Distemper
4dx test to check for heartworm or tick exposure
Heartworm and flea/tick preventative (tentatively April - October)
Spay/neuter
Microchip (if possible prior to adoption)
We do microchipping at our facility in St. Cloud. If fosters are unable to bring their foster to Grey Face prior to adoption, we will invite adopters to our free microchip clinics.
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Grey Face cats receive the following care prior to adoption:
Exam
Rabies vaccination
Distemper vaccination
FIV test
Spay/neuter
Microchip (if possible before adoption)
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In order for a clinic to become an approved clinic with Grey Face Rescue, they must offer the following:
15% discount (or more) on all surgeries, services and treatments
At-cost vaccinations, 4DX test and fecal testing
Ability to invoice via email and accept mailed-in payment OR keep a card of file
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Heartworm disease or dirofilariasis is a serious and potentially fatal disease. It is caused by a blood-borne parasite known as Dirofilaria immitis.
Adult heartworms are found in the heart, pulmonary artery, and adjacent large blood vessels of infected dogs. Rarely, worms may be found in other parts of the circulatory system. Female worms are 6 - 14" long (15 - 36cm) and 1/8" wide (3 mm). Males are about half the size of females. One dog may have as many as 300 worms present when diagnosed.
"Adult heartworms are found in the heart, pulmonary artery and adjacent large blood vessels of infected dogs."
Adult heartworms may live up to five years. During this time, females produce millions of offspring called microfilaria. These microfilariae live mainly in the small vessels of the bloodstream.
HOW IS HEARTWORM DISEASE SPREAD?
Since transmission requires the mosquito as an intermediate host, the disease is not spread directly from dog to dog. Spread of the disease therefore coincides with mosquito season, which can last year-round in many parts of the United States. The number of dogs infected and the length of the mosquito season are directly correlated with the incidence of heartworm disease in any given area.
TREATMENT PROCESS
January 1
- Doxycycline (4-weeks)
- Heartworm Preventative
February 1
- Heartworm Preventative
March 1
- Heartworm Preventative
- Administer first melarsomine injection
- Prescribe prednisone
April 1
- Heartworm Preventative
- Administer second melarsomine injection
- Prescribe prednisone
April 2
- Administer third melarsomine injection
May 2
- Test for HW
If the dog is negative for heartworm, they are now available for adoption. If the test is positive, they will need another injection, as well as, round of prednisone and tested in 30-days. Dogs should receive heartworm prevention monthly post-adoption, as well as, test for heartworm after 6-months.
It is crucial that the dog’s activity be limited during the treatment process. Additional information can be found here.
Hospice Program Welcome Email
Welcome to the Grey Face Rescue Hospice Program! You are receiving this email because your foster is considered hospice.
What does hospice mean? Here is a list of reasons your foster may be considered hospice:
Minimal life expectancy due to a medical condition.
Age, depending on veterinary conditions, an animal 16 years+ may enter our hospice program.
Inability to adjust to new surroundings.
As a member of our hospice program, Grey Face Rescue will continue to provide supplies, food and medications needed for your hospice foster to live a good quality of life until it’s their time to cross the Rainbow Bridge.
We do offer foster families the option to adopt their hospice foster and we waive the adoption fee.
We often get asked what the difference is, here’s a list of positives and negatives to both remaining a hospice foster or adopting your hospice animal.
Remaining a Hospice Foster
+ Supplies, medications and food provided by Grey Face Rescue
+ Cover the expense of the euthanasia appointment.
- Grey Face Rescue will make the final decision on when it is time to euthanize.
- Grey Face Rescue only euthanizes at partner veterinary clinics. We do not cover the costs of in-home euthanasias or clinics outside of our partner list.
- No continuing care. Animals will only receive a veterinary appointment for minor healing concerns. We will not provide surgeries or extensive treatments.
- We choose group cremation therefore foster families will not receive ashes, however, we do provide a clay paw print that foster families are asked to pick up when ready at the clinic.
Adopting Your Hospice Foster
+ Freedom to choose how and when you euthanasia.
+ Waived adoption fee.
+ Control of veterinary decisions
- Financial responsibility of supplies, food and medications.
- Financial responsibility of euthanasia appointment.
How to know when it’s time to say goodbye
Quality of life is important when it comes to our hospice animals. We want them to leave this earth with dignity, knowing love and make it a positive experience until their last moments. We try our best to make this decision prior to it becoming an emergency to avoid their final moments being filled with stress.
No longer can stand, walk, go outside to use the bathroom on their own, peeing on themselves.
Labored breathing, tongue turning purple, gums are more white than pink.
No longer enjoy eating or refusing to eat or drink.
A mass is interrupting their ability to walk, comfortably lay down and affect their quality of life.
An infection we are unable to manage and/or cure that is affecting their quality of life.
If your foster passes in your home, we ask that you bring the body to a partner veterinary clinic.
If you choose to continue to be a hospice foster with Grey Face Rescue, please send us 5-6 sentences describing your foster animal. What makes them special? What do you love most about them?
We will also make an Amazon Wishlist for your hospice foster. Please, send 5-7 items for your hospice that will make their remaining time here on earth special. This could be the type of food they eat, special treats, a new bed, supplements, etc. If it is something specific, please include details. We cannot guarantee that all items will be fulfilled, however, we will promote as much as possible. Items purchased off the Wishlist will be shipped directly to your home.
Information about your hospice fosters and others in this program can be found on our website here.
If you choose to adopt, we ask that you fill out an adoption application. When it asks you to choose an animal, choose any but in the next line include in the note “adopting my hospice animal (include name).” Once received, our Adoption Manager will send the adoption contract.
Whether you choose to adopt or continue to foster within our hospice program, we appreciate you! To care for a hospice animal takes a very special person but it means the world to the animal you are caring for.