The 'Cat-nesium' is done, now they can party all day and night long

Shower Me With Your Love / For CeeCee

Found this old movie about CeeCee. She was so loved. 

Rest in Peace Sweat baby. 

Rest in Peace Dear CeeCee

When I brought her home from a high kill-shelter in November 2000, I promised her that I will take care of her for the rest of her life... CeeCee at age of 20.5 passed away peacefully in November 6 at or around 9:30-10 pm and she is free now. She taught me so much and she always be loved... Read her Story HERE

Early morning in November 6  I requested a prayers on Facebook page and so many people participated. Thank you."Prayers request! Poor old Ceecee (20.5 years old) has decided that it is her time to pass. She is frail, weak and disorientated. She has become incontinent and is refusing food. I gave her a gentle bath and she is now resting. Probably going toward Rainbow Bridge soon."

CeeCee was burried in our Pet's Memorial Garden at sunrise. Rest in Peace and run free sweet soul.

Top 3 Reasons To Avoid The Lyme Disease Vaccine For Dogs

Ticks are a terrifying reality for most dog owners. 

They are parasites that latch onto a host animal, embed themselves into the skin and suck on blood. This makes the tick the perfect carrier for a variety of pathogens. 

In fact, ticks are responsible for at least ten different known diseases in the US, including:

• Rocky Mountain spotted fever
• Babesiosis
• Anaplasmosis
• Ehrlichiosis
• Lyme disease

Most of this is information that you likely already know. And why your vet often recommends the Lyme vaccine for dogs.

But did you also know that it’s one of the most dangerous vaccines you can give your dog?

Like other vaccines, the Lyme vaccine can cause allergies, cancer and organ disease.

And don’t think you’re in the clear if your dog doesn’t show any of these signs the week after he’s vaccinated …

… vaccine damage can take months or even years to develop.

That is why it’s so important for you to understand what the vaccine is before you get it for your dog.

Once you vaccinate for Lyme disease, you can never reverse that decision … or the damage it can cause.

Before you rush to your vet for that Lyme vaccine, read my top 3 reasons why the Lyme vaccine for dogs is risky business …

#1 – The Lyme Vaccine Can Cause Lyme Disease Symptoms

Holistic vet Dr Patricia Jordan urges pet owners to avoid the Lyme vaccine for their dogs. She claims the Lyme vaccine is more dangerous than Lyme disease:

“There is no justification for taking this serious vaccination risk with our dogs. The Lyme vaccine is all risk and no benefit. There is a high chance of severe adverse events … like a lifetime of non-treatable arthritis pain just for getting the jab in the first place.”

And Dr Michael Garvey of the Animal Medical Center agrees. He says dogs can develop Lyme-like symptoms. And it can happen days or even weeks after vaccination.

Dr Jordan also explains that cells in the immune system can react with the antigens in the Lyme vaccine. This causes Lyme nephritis (kidney disease) … which is ironic, because Lyme nephritis is the reason your vet wants to give your dog the vaccine!

This is why none of the US veterinary schools list the Lyme vaccine as one of their recommended vaccines.

#2 – The Lyme Vaccine Contains Dangerous Ingredients

Kidney disease isn’t the only risk that comes with the Lyme vaccine.

Vaccines carry harmful chemicals and heavy metals like:

• formaldehyde
• aluminum
• mercury
• thimerosal

You see, vaccines carry live or inactivated viruses. But the amount is so small that the immune system won’t recognize. These chemicals are added to create an exaggerated immune response to the virus.

And there are two problems with this …

1.     This type of chaos in the immune system can carry some serious issues. It can cause hypersensitivity disorders. Hypersensitivity is chronic inflammation, which can result in allergies, cancer and organ failure.

2.     Aluminum and thimerosal can travel to the brain and cause inflammation there. If you’ve ever had a reactive or fearful dog, you might not have considered his vaccines as a cause.

Still don’t believe me?

There was a human Lyme vaccine called LYMErix back in the 90s. 3 years after it went on the market, Smith Kline Beecham withdrew LYMErix amidst a class action suit. The class action suit came from a sea of allegations of adverse effects including:

• suicide
• deaths
• arthritis
• rheumatoid arthritis
• facial paralysis
• hypersensitivity reactions
• myalgia
• heart disease
• kidney disease
• and more

Most of the patients developed an incurable form of autoimmune arthritis. And that was worse than the arthritis caused by Lyme.

So if the Lyme vaccine isn’t safe for humans, why would you give it to your dog?

#3 – Most Dogs Don’t Get Lyme Disease Symptoms … Even When They Have Lyme Disease

In 2006, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania infected beagles with Lyme disease.

None of the adult dogs showed any signs of Lyme disease … even though they had Lyme disease.

The only dogs in the group that showed any signs of Lyme disease were the puppies … and after four days of on and off symptoms, every puppy showed no signs of Lyme disease.

This is likely because puppies have immature immune systems. So while Lyme is common, the disease isn’t.

But what about dogs who already test positive for Lyme?

Meryl Littman was the lead researcher and explains … “95% of exposed dogs don’t get sick, but they become Lyme antibody-positive on tests, which may scare people into thinking they need to be treated.”

In fact, 70% – 90% of dogs in some areas of New England test positive for Lyme. About 40% of dogs in Pennsylvania test positive.

Should You Get The Lyme Vaccine For Your Dog?

I can’t tell you what to do … although there are a lot of folks who try to …

If you visit the Pets & Parasites website, you’ll see some pretty scary things like this …

Pet Portraits by artist Evita Kristapsone

Due to Covid-19 these precious watercolor paintings were delayed in the transit from all the way from Latvia from artist Evita Kristapsone. She surprised us with these wonderfully made paintings of GiGi and CeeCee. Please visit her website she might be able to work on your pet portraits if you wish. https://www.facebook.com/EvitaKristapsoneArt/ 

Officially filed a name change to Rosegate Furever Home. Simple as can be... Simple as we are

If you see this new logo(s) YES, we are the same people with the very same EIN number, same location same loving care. A document, Amendment - Nonprofit Corporation (Domestic) with the filing date of 8/17/2020, has been filed for Rosegate Furever Home. Simple as can be... Simple as we are. The other name was way too long and since we have young pets too, this name will fits better for long term. 

Please continue to show your love, support and care. We are appreciate that a lot. 

Many Blessings!

Rosegate Furever Home Team

Important updates about Rosegate RHDC

     It has already been more than two years since Rosegate received 501(c)3 nonprofit status.
In those couple of years we have had quite the learning path with experiences and reality check.
Since we are not a regular rescue, this means that we do not just take in any dog and cat.
We follow strict considerations for what animals are allow to be here and co-habitat with the already established residents.

     We have also discovered that this region has little issue with people abandoning their senior dogs.
All the local shelters here are rarely full and those are usually young. It may be country living or a pervasive attitude with hunting dogs but It seems that people are caring and responsible with their dogs. That farm life has given rise to a feline problem though. Little cared for barn cats that quickly overpopulate their colonies. In an old time attitude to constantly have a cat population to hunt rodents they avoid any selective spaying or neutering.

     We had some semi-feral barn cats wander into our life and they were suffering from multiple parasitic infestations. These adventurous foundlings that came to us on their own accord were young but we could not turn them around.

     Soon or later we will have to consider either changing the name from Rosegate Retirement Home for Dogs and Cats to something more representative of the environment we produce for those in our care. Not just a new name but re-brand our character and mission. We could also just dissolve this organization officially as a business but keep doing what we have been.

     The name is too long. We are not providing a home for just senior animals and there are not many senior street dogs out here. A final consideration is that we do not wish to feel pressured by peoples thoughts on how we should be going about this project. We will probably always have family dog(s) but we will not going to specialize or focusing solely on that aspect. Me, personally, I would love to rescue only orange cats. They seem to hold a special spot in my heart. :)

     Rosie, Crosby and GiGi taught us some important lessons and tested our patience.
Through their love we came to realize that we can not fulfill all the ways these lost dogs need to be whole again. Yes we tried with all our hearts and that is why saved and spent lots of money and resources for the creation of Rosegate.

     As we get older it seems our resource or energy will lessen and thus we are considering a closure of the organization. Another option is to simply down scale and remove any business side of Rosegate. We will always be providing a home to those we can and keeping a private or personal social media page for those who have become friends of Rosegate. To those that will come, purr and conquer their way into our hearts, our door is always open.

     To those kind souls who have become our friends of furry critter, thank you and please stay.
We will continue to update the situation and keep the purr love flowing.

R.I.P Dear GiGi

Rest in Peace now dear GiGi.
Unfortunately we had to help her cross the Rainbow Bridge.

GiGi came to us three years ago from Grant County Humane Society, Elbow Lake, Minnesota.
She had Lyme disease but she was a happy doggie.
We had good times together and she loved all the cats here too. Her favorite things was rolling in the fresh grass or fresh fluffy snow. We loved our walks together and I loved her soothing snoring when she was sleeping.

Unfortunately, about two weeks ago she started to have accidents in the house, mostly on her bed during the night. She would be asleep and just poop. She seemed to get lost in the yard and disoriented. She also did not like to go out in the dark early mornings anymore. Soon after we suspected that her eyes sight had gotten worse. She still felt safe walking close near me. The cats knew that something was wrong.

Suddenly, two days ago she stopped eating and drinking. She refused her medicine and even her favorite treats. A day later she was not able to stand up nor walk.

We had to come to a hard decision to take her to the vet on May 4th, 2020. Around 11:45 AM she passed quickly and peacefully. As GiGi crossed over the Bridge she stole a piece our hearts. 

Crosby's Story

Crosby was our daughter Susan's dog but he often visited us here in the countryside. Susan adopted him from a pound in the state of Washington. The poor thing had an emotional disorder (Separation Anxiety) so sometimes he was destroying things in their apartment and not just objects but even the carpets. Barking all the time without rest when he was alone and generally driving himself to such stressful states it was unhealthy for him too.
There was times when she was ready to find a new home for him but it never happened because somehow they bonded as kindred spirits. So he stayed with her and she always hoped he would mellow with time.
When Susan ended the relationship with her boyfriend, we asked her to move closer to us. We felt she needed a big change and a new place with family near her would do nicely. She was a bit apprehensive but took the leap of faith and even went back to school for a new career path. She bought a small house and started her online college for 2 years. Crosby and her loved to visit us on our peaceful property out on the country, where Crosby was happy and free running like a puppy again. At the time we had Rosie and they became good puppy friends.

Since they lived seven miles away from us, they would visit frequently. As we grew close and had the opportunity to notice that Crosby's hearing and eyesight was getting weak. Soon after that he started pacing incessantly until he got tired and fell into sleep. His anxiety which had lessened as the years went by started to come back. Not separation but something else. Then his joints were creaking more and more as stiffness set on. Arthritis was surely present too. His happy running got slower in the big yard.

Susan took him to the vet and they said he was just getting older. He started to drink a lot of water and was having accidents in the house. The poor old puppy was just wearing out. One morning she had that feeling and sent me a text message saying; Mom, I think it's time. She sent me a video how Crosby walked around and around in tight circles. His doggie dementia had gotten much worse in a short space of time. She made an appointment for Crosby's peaceful passing.

Half of his ashes placed near Rosie's and Tommy's grave and for all the memories how much he loved running around here in the countryside. He has been released from his long years of friendship and service to Suzie and his family. He is at peace eternal and awaits all his fur and human family to run and bounce with joy.

Who's a good boy? Crosby is.

Augustina's Story

It was a busy August day. We had a big garden work day, I was working on the riding mower while my husband worked the push mower and weed wacker. After the yard looked clean and neat, we planned to watch a movie or two. It was about six in the evening. I saw the cats had been watching something quietly in the yard from their cat tower and then I heard a meow under our window. I went to the window and I saw this tiny black kitten. She came under the kitchen windows and she looked up at me, crying. Her age could not have been any older than six weeks. She must have been hungry because she was demanding help or food from a strange place.
I went outside and at first she was scared, but then easily came to me. My husband came out too and he already hugged her and kissing her. He always does this without knowing or caring if the cats is sick or not (He says he wants to make them feel part of the family without stigmatizing them.) I bought her a can of cat food and the poor thing ate like she had never seen food before.
She was purring and eating at the same time.

We kept her in the isolation room and the next few days took her to the vet. She was only one and a half pounds! The boys adopted her right away after she was released from isolation and spoiled her rotten. They trained her to steal food from the other girls and they groomed her like they were her real parents. She sucked up the love like a black hole.

We called her Augustina, since she found us in August. I often joke about her name is longer than her. She is a healthy and independent young lady now. Little Auggie has been spayed and she is here to stay. She came, she purred and she conquered. She is nine months old as of today and her brothers are still grooming her like a baby. Every evening she come between us on the sofa to watch movies with us and she especially loves horror movies. It must be the black cat in her. Auggie is the little princess of the palace and the kingdom is all hers.

Kāhili's Story

Those of you who followed Tommy's health condition 3-4 years ago on the Animal Communicators Group in Facebook, know why and how this little ginger boy came into our life.

Secretly I had hoped that Tommy will come back into our life as a ginger kitten. I was desperate to have him back and was looking for signs everywhere that can lead me to him in his new vassel. I needed to ease my pain from my grief.

I found feathers that held meaning, heart shaped kitten food in the snow outside (where there should be none) and little anomalous quirks that I hoped were just that, signs of my desire.

Tommy died on January 28th and on March 29th I was outside tending to Rosie's and Tommy's graves when all a sudden this little pile of leaves had this beautiful spiralling dance around me. It was a whirling little caress of dead leaves come to life all around me.There was no wind nor breeze out there. My husband had just come outside and he saw this little whirlwind. I was smiling and told him, "That's my Boy!" At that time I did not yet know but a little ginger was born and was about to make me aware of his arrival.

He was in the Brown County Humane Society, New Ulm, MN 125 miles away from us. I was checking in at all the shelters and rescues online. A stray momma cat called 'Goat' with her six kittens were just born that day and there were three orange kittens (all boys) in the litter. My heart was beating so hard with excitement as I followed the Humane Society's posts, watching the photos of how these kittens grew. I contacted the worker there and told her that I need one ginger kitten and we will going to see them. She was asking, do I want the one with a white back legs? I said, wow, how did you know that?

Two weeks after their birth we arrived to the shelter and she was surprised but thankful that we came all that way to see 'Goat' and her litter of delightful little puff balls. I had a chance to hold the kitten, snuggle with him and I was in love. Though the future little Kāhili took most of my attention and heart. He had peed in his travel kennel and that too was adorable to me. :) We paid the adoption fee and filed out the paperwork. We would still need to wait a while for them to reach an age they could be weaned and then separated from 'Goat'.

Later that day I saw a cute post with a photo of Baby Kāhili and hes mommy and it mentioned he was no longer available. I was beaming with pride in knowing that I was his new hooman mommy.

A cute note from the shelter lady after our visit:

"DON'T CRY MOMMIE

Today I stumbled from our bed. A very nice lady picked me and hugged and cuddled me. Said I was hers. I liked the love I felt from her and her husband. They filled out the adoption form and in a few weeks will I go live with these wonderful people in my forever home. Then I was placed back in the kennel by my siblings and my mommie. Then I noticed my mommie was kind of sad and I said Don't cry mommie, mommie please don't cry. You still got me and my 5 siblings for a few more weeks. Together we will have lots of fun. Mommie please Smile again and let us crawl all over you and let us sit on you back again when your laying down. But mommie please don't cry. We will find a brand new mommie and so will you, cause you a very sweet and great mommie, so please don't cry. I know we will be the last of you children, and you take such good care of us, and love us and feed us and cuddle us when we are scared and comfort us every time we cry, Tonight will be the same and we love you for it. It will hurt all of us when it is time go our separate ways when we get weaned from you. At first it seems cruel, and don't seem right. But we will be fine, cause you are teaching us to be strong good kitties. We will always love you, so mommie please don't cry." Then I noticed my mommie was kind of sad and I said Don't cry mommie, mommie please don't cry. You still got me and my 5 siblings for a few more weeks. Together we will have lots of fun. Mommie please Smile again and let us crawl all over you and let us sit on you back again when your laying down. But mommie please don't cry. We will find a brand new mommie and so will you, cause you a very sweet and great mommie, so please don't cry. I know we will be the last of you children, and you take such good care of us, and love us and feed us and cuddle us when we are scared and comfort us every time we cry, Tonight will be the same and we love you for it. It will hurt all of us when it is time go our separate ways when we get weaned from you. At first it seems cruel, and don't seem right. But we will be fine, cause you are teaching us to be strong good kitties. We will always love you, so mommie please don't cry."

He definitely helped me to go through the grief after Tommy passed. Somehow, he healed my heart, eased my pain and allowed me the redemption to apply my new found knowledge on animal medical observation. I vowed to never be complacent and to not be overly enamored in the opinion of just one doctor of veterinary medicine. He's a shy boy and very jumpy from even the smallest of noises but at night he comes close to me to rub his belly, massage his back and he's purring away. In early "morning", approximately 2-3PM, he's the first one who makes trouble. A constant barrage of noises in order to make sure I won't sleep any longer and feed him right away. To achieve this goal of getting me out of the bed, he is really doing his best by banging the doors and even rattling Tommy's picture off the wall. He knows the connection and what it means so how can I get mad at him, though I pretend to be and tell him so.

Kāhili will be three years old on March 29th, 2020 and each of his birthday is now a reminder of Tommy's passing and my healing.

Kāhili arrived just 60 days after Tommy crossed the bridge into the great hereafter. He's a big boy now and about 15 lbs. With fat fuzzy cheeks and a proud fluffy butt he likes to show off. He earned his pretty name after Uncle Tommy who once lived in Hawai'i and showed up into my life in the right moment. "Tommy2" has a little more bravado but he has earned it after his ordeal.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma is dangerous!

Nose Pad Cancer (Squamous Cell Carcinoma) in cats is a malignant tumor of the squamous epithelial cells. In this case, it is a tumor of the nasal plenum or the tissues in the nose pad.

“At first, a skin lesion will appear to be fairly benign, looking like a little scab or maybe a small scratch, and over time it may flake off and the cat’s skin will look normal.
But eventually — perhaps months or a year later — it will reappear.”
Several treatment options are available for lesions that are diagnosed at an early stage,
notes Dr. McEntee. “We can perform surgical removal of the affected portion of a cat’s nose or ears,” she says. “And multiple facial lesions that are less than approximately two millimeters deep can be treated successfully with radiation therapy. Some veterinarians use cryotherapy, which will destroy a lesion by freezing it. And in some cases, directly injecting chemotherapeutic substances into the tumor may be useful. For SCC in the mouth, a combination of surgery and radiation therapy may be successful and result in long-term control, but only if the cancer is detected at an early stage.

Don't get fooled by a cute nose freckles. Not until you sure about it.

However, says Dr. McEntee, when an SCC lesion is more advanced, “We may not be able to control it. We can attempt to do so with a full course of radiation, which will require more than three weeks of treatment. But even this aggressive approach isn’t likely to be successful once the tumor has progressed and has spread internally. This is why it is so important for owners to spot these lesions at an early stage, when a tumor is still very treatable.”

Please look for any symptoms:

• This tumor progress slowly, often starting as a superficial crust and scab
• Decreased air through the nose (i.e., more mouth breathing)
• Sneezing and reverse sneezing (i.e., sudden, involuntary inward breaths)
• Nosebleeds (epistaxis)
• Nasal discharge
• Swelling of involved area, including swelling of the eye, loss of sight
• Facial deformity
• Excessive tears from eyes (epiphora)
• Neurological signs (from pressure on brain) – seizure, disorientation, behavioral changes.

Please, please dear cat's lovers, if you notice small spots on your cat's nose, do not

hesitate to take your kitty to the vet. Also, please make sure that your vet is experienced and has enough compassion for animals to not put the business before patience and explore all possibilities. Listen to your gut feelings and always get a second opinion. Do not think good news is good enough, and remember to please do it quick. I know now that Tommy was here in our lives and yours to teach us a lesson. He was a brave kitty and his love reached people all over the World.

To recognize Squamous Cell Carcinoma early, you have to make sure that the surface wound did not go deeper than 2mm (millimeter). It could already too late if the wound goes deeper. :(

Heartworms are deadly!

Ever wonder what a heartworm positive dogs heart can look like? 

This is why we are so adamant about heartworm prevention, especially in the spring and summer months when the mosquitos are out. A heart like this cannot function properly. Heartworms are deadly!

Heartworm disease is a serious disease that results in severe lung disease, heart failure, other organ damage, and death in pets, mainly dogs, cats, and ferrets. It is caused by a parasitic worm called Dirofilaria immitis.The worms are spread through the bite of a mosquito.  The dog is the definitive host, meaning that the worms mature into adults, mate, and produce offspring while living inside a dog.  The mosquito is the intermediate host, meaning that the worms live inside a mosquito for a short transition period in order to become infective (able to cause heartworm disease).  The worms are called “heartworms” because the adults live in the heart, lungs, and associated blood vessels of an infected animal.    

In the United States, heartworm disease is most common along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts from the Gulf of Mexico to New Jersey and along the Mississippi River and its major tributaries, but it has been reported in dogs in all 50 states. 

The Heartworm Life Cycle in Dogs

In an infected dog, adult female heartworms release their offspring, called microfilariae, into the dog’s bloodstream.  When a mosquito bites the infected dog, the mosquito becomes infected with the microfilariae.  Over the next 10 to 14 days and under the right environmental conditions, the microfilariae become infective larvae while living inside the mosquito.  Microfilariae must pass through a mosquito to become infective larvae.  When the infected mosquito bites another dog, the mosquito spreads the infective larvae to the dog through the bite wound.  In the newly infected dog, it takes about 6 to 7 months for the infective larvae to mature into adult heartworms.  The adult heartworms mate and the females release their offspring into the dog’s bloodstream, completing the life cycle. 

Heartworm disease is not contagious, meaning that a dog cannot catch the disease from being near an infected dog.  Heartworm disease is only spread through the bite of a mosquito.

Inside a dog, a heartworm lifespan is 5 to 7 years.  Adult heartworms look like strands of cooked spaghetti, with males reaching about 4 to 6 inches in length and females reaching about 10 to 12 inches in length.  The number of worms living inside an infected dog is called the worm burden.  The average worm burden in dogs is 15 worms, but that number can range from 1 to 250 worms. 

Can Cats Get Heartworm Disease?
Is Heartworm Disease Different in Cats?

Cats can also get heartworms after being bitten by an infected mosquito, although they are not as susceptible to infection as dogs.  A cat is not a natural host of heartworms because the worms do not thrive as well inside a cat’s body.  Both indoor and outdoor cats are at risk for heartworm disease.

Heartworm disease in cats is a bit different than in dogs.  Heartworms in cats do not live as long (average lifespan is only 2 to 4 years) or grow as long, and fewer of them mature into adults.  Worm burdens are lower in cats than dogs. Usually a cat has only one or two worms. However, due to its relatively small body size, a cat with only a few worms is still considered to be heavily infected.

In cats, it takes 7 to 8 months for infective larvae to mature into adult heartworms and produce microfilariae.  This is about one month longer than in dogs.  The presence of microfilariae in a cat’s bloodstream is uncommon.  Only 20 percent of cats with heartworm disease have microfilariae in the bloodstream, compared to 80 to 90 percent of dogs with heartworm disease.  Also, the presence of microfilariae in the bloodstream is inconsistent and short-lived in cats.   

It is harder to detect heartworm infections in cats than in dogs. Veterinarians generally use two types of blood tests in combination to check a cat for heartworms.  However, negative test results do not rule out heartworm infection, and positive test results may or may not mean that there is an active heartworm infection.  A veterinarian uses the results of both blood tests, along with the cat’s symptoms and the results of other tests such as x-rays and an ultrasound of the heart, to determine if a cat has heartworm disease.

Again, Prevention is the Best Treatment!

Several products are FDA-approved to prevent heartworms in cats.  There are both topical and oral products for cats, and all are given monthly and require a veterinarian’s prescription. Some heartworm preventives contain other ingredients that are effective against certain intestinal worms (such as roundworms and hookworms) and other parasites (such as fleas, ticks, and ear mites).

Again, year-round prevention is best!  Talk to your cat’s veterinarian to decide which preventive is best for your cats.