Blog

Hungry Hearts, Feed the Arts

2012-05-15T15:21:23-05:00

Mark your calendars! On Wednesday, May 23rd, if you dine in or order carryout from Pizzeria Serio and mention The Big Hearts Fund or the Dance COLEctive, 25% of your bill will be donated to us!

I can personally vouch for the deliciousness of this pizza. And, it’s such an easy way to support your favorite cause.

New tool for measuring quality of life in cats with heart disease found reliable

2012-05-10T11:13:59-05:00

I came across an interesting research abstract published by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AMVA) this morning (well, at least it was interesting to me!) and thought our readers might be interested in hearing about this.

A questionnaire called the CATCH (Cats’ Assessment Tool for Cardiac Health) was developed by a number of veterinarians apparently interested in making it easier and more accessible for other vets and owners of cats with heart disease to evaluate the cats’ quality of life. A noble cause indeed, especially if one considers what generally happens when asking a cat to “please describe to the nice doctor how you’re feeling.”

This might be the hardest thing about veterinary medicine – there can be a lot of guesswork involved. Especially with cats. As anyone who has ever lived with a cat knows, they are masters of deception. Once, when my cat Sgt. Pepper (very devious!) had been walking around my house with a mystery limp, the minute I took her to the vet to have it checked out, the limp magically disappeared. Pepper showed no signs of discomfort as my vet moved her foot and leg around in various positions. We concluded that we would do nothing, and wait to see if the limp came back or disappeared. It eventually went away, and we concluded that she must have pulled a muscle or something. My vet actually said out loud: “Cats can be so frustrating.”

Cats with heart disease are generally no different than Pepper with her limp. They hide their discomfort. That is why, when I read the conclusion of this research: “Results suggested that the CATCH questionnaire is a valid and reliable method for assessing health-related quality of life in cats with cardiac disease. Further research is warranted to test the tool’s sensitivity to changes in medical treatment and its potential role as a clinical and research tool.” I became excited. And I thought, what a step in the right direction!

Here is a link to the research abstract.

Bark In The Park

2012-05-07T16:05:03-05:00

Oh, Monday… this is how we feel at the office today after all the fun we had at The Anti Cruelty Society’s annual Bark In The Park event this past Saturday:

A big thanks to everyone who came out to support Anti-Cruelty, and to those who stopped by the BHF table. We made lots of new friends, including this sweet 13-year-old terrier mix Nelson, who’s human Mom told us that he has a heart condition:

With the prevalence of canine heart disease, we were not in the least bit surprised to meet at least one canine friend with a cardiac condition. While the numbers for this year have not yet been published, last year’s attendance at the Bark In The Park event was estimated to be at about 5,000 participants. If we assume that 2/3rds of those people had dogs in tow, that would be about 3,300 dogs present last year. Given that 20 – 40% of all dogs are diagnosed with some form of valvular dysfunction at some point in their lives (either congenital or acquired with age), at the low end considering last year’s numbers, it can be assumed that about 660 of the dogs at the event probably had some kind of heart dysfunction.

That is why, even if your dog doesn’t have heart disease, you should care. It sure does affect a lot of animals and the people who love them.

(This is perhaps my favorite picture of the day, of BHF Secretary Des, and his new Weim friend, Blue)

If you didn’t make it out last Saturday due to the weather or something else, we encourage you to attend next year! We plan to be there again. Even in the foggy, chilly weather it was a complete blast!

Dog's Heart Disease Worries Owner

2012-05-03T12:37:44-05:00

While browsing the internet this morning, we came across this thoughtfully written article. To sum it up, the concerned owner of an 8-year-old chihuahua/pomeranian mix who was recently diagnosed with degenerative valvular disease (a very common diagnosis in small and toy breeds) wanted to make sure the medications her dog was prescribed would not be harmful to him… a common concern for owners new to the world of canine heart disease.

We would also like to point out that concerned owners can read about commonly prescribed medications for canine and feline heart disease right here on The Big Hearts Fund’s website: Resources:Medications Overview. Concerned owners can also educate themselves and learn more about their dog or cat’s diagnosis in our extensive Heart Disease:Information section!

Dr. Fox advises the concerned owner: “With careful monitoring, blood tests and general checkups, your dog should enjoy a good quality of life with minimal, if any, harmful side effects from these medications.”

Read the original article on stltoday.com

Heartworm Prevalence Map

2012-05-02T10:52:17-05:00

Curious about how prevalent Heartworm is in your area? Check out this map from the Companion Animal Parasite Counsel. And remember to give your pets preventative meds monthly!

Free Dog Heart Health Screenings

2012-04-25T11:17:54-05:00

Attention those with Big Hearts in the Pittsburgh and DC areas! There are free dog heart screenings taking place today and tomorrow (April 25th in Pittsburgh, PA and April 26th in Hyattsville, MD)!

Veterinary cardiologists with the Chesapeake Veterinary Cardiology Associates will be providing free heart screenings in a sound-proof medical unit in Hyattsville at Heurich Park, and Veterinary Cardiologists from the Pittsburgh Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Center will be providing the screenings at Heartwood Acres. They will also be available to answer your questions about canine heart disease, and how to best care for your pet. What a wonderful resource!

New study about Feline Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy funded by Winn Feline Foundation

2012-04-05T12:11:35-05:00

We are excited to hear about a new study being funded by the Winn Feline Foundation: The Ricky Fund Project. The study will address a new way to treat and hopefully prevent the development of deadly blood clots in cats with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

Thank you, Winn Feline Foundation… just more evidence that feline heart disease is an all-too-common occurrence that deserves our attention.

ZUMBA-tastic!

2012-02-24T17:05:02-06:00

A great big T.H.A.N.K.S.! to all who came out last night to the Wholehearted Wellness Jam: ZUMBATHON 2012! We had a good turnout despite the weather (apparently, all we have to do to beckon a snow storm is plan an event…) and yes, even I braved the dance floor. It was a sight to see, and it may not ever happen again. But ladies and gentlemen… ZUMBA is contagious. I dare you to resist it’s power! There may be pictures forthcoming… but our excellent event photographer Amy Hahn is finishing the images first. It will be a couple of days. If you didn’t make it out last night, you may have another chance next year!

BHF would like also to thank Grossinger Autoplex for donating their beautiful space to us! And, another GREAT BIG thanks to the amazing planning committee for this event: The Dance COLEctive board members Mishra Keller and Tiffany Leefers, artistic director Margi Cole, and Kaitlin Bishop, who is the primary link between our two organizations. It was fun to partner with you ladies and I sincerely hope it happens again!

And now, back to work putting the funds we raised to good use… raising MORE awareness for dogs and cats with heart disease and developing our financial assistance program (which, incase you missed it, has launched! You may NOW APPLY FOR AID ONLINE!)

More later. We’re longing for a walk in the snow. Can’t ignore that much longer!

Cat Saves Woman's Life

2012-02-23T10:58:02-06:00

Amazing, uplifting story! Yet another piece of evidence to validate just how important our pets lives really are.

Last Day to Pre-Register!

2012-02-22T09:20:30-06:00

… for our biggest fundraiser of the year: the Wholehearted Wellness Jam: ZUMBATHON 2012 hosted in conjunction with our friends at local non-profit modern dance company The Dance COLEctive.

The event is TOMORROW at the Grossinger Autoplex (1530 N. Dayton, just south of North Ave. near the North & Clybourn intersection) from 5:30 – 8:30 pm! Register HERE. Come join us for a fun time dancing ZUMBA (if you so choose!), taking advantage of the free health services being offered at the event (massages, healthy snacks, nutritional consultations, etc.) and bidding on some fabulous auction items, many of which will benefit our furry best friends (read: Blum Veterinary Hospital, Stay: Modern Dog Hotel, Urban Retreat, and many more)!

Don’t miss out on this awesome event and the opportunity to show your support for dogs and cats with heart disease – they need our help.

A Little Friday Fun!

2012-02-17T12:49:13-06:00

A cat is barking out the window and when caught by a human being promptly resumes meowing. Classic!

Big Hearts Valentine's Day!!!

2012-02-14T16:22:16-06:00

The illustrious Lulu, who’s sweetness and sensitivity make her the Best Valentine:

The magnificent Charlie, who’s cuddles make him the Best Valentine :

The suave and debonair Jax + Louie who’s stinky kisses make them the Best Valentines:

and lastly… lovable Lucy, who is the Best Valentine because she is excited that she is becoming the Big Sister to a little baby girl, due June 30!

(Incidentally, Lulu is also becoming a Big Sister to a baby girl this May!) So many things to love today. <3 Happy Valentine’s Day from all of us at BHF!

Gearing up for V-Day!

2012-02-13T11:59:56-06:00

Have you thought about why YOUR pet is the best Valentine ever? Do you have a cute picture of him or her? Then what are you waiting for!

Please, SEND THEM TO ME! They will be posted on our blog tomorrow and the best reason/cutest picture wins a free BHF t-shirt!

Is Canine Open Heart Surgery Becoming More Available?

2012-01-19T12:59:05-06:00

East Lansing, MI—Michigan State University – College of Veterinary Medicine cardiac surgeon, Dr. Augusta Pelosi, and her team of veterinary and human health professionals performed the Veterinary Teaching Hospital’s (VTH) first open-heart surgery on a 1 ½ year-old Australian Shepherd named Leo in mid-October.

Exciting!!!

Wholehearted Wellness Jam 2012!

2012-01-11T12:10:52-06:00

You may have noticed lately, some interesting activity on The Big Hearts Fund Facebook page. Well, now that The Big Hearts Fund Financial Aid Program has been unveiled, we need to work harder than ever before to continue our fundraising and growth efforts in order to reach out and offer assistance to as many Chicago families as we can. To that end, The Big Hearts Fund and The Dance COLEctive, in a mutual desire to promote family wellness, are proud to announce our first joint fundraiser, “Wholehearted Wellness Jam 2012: ZUMBATHON®,” Thursday, February 23, 5:30–8:30 p.m. at Grossinger City Autoplex, 1530 N. Dayton, Chicago. Registration information can be found here.

This two-hour ZUMBATHON—four 30-minute sessions—also features local health- and fitness-focused businesses offering complimentary services and products geared toward the health of animals and people alike. The evening includes refreshments, a silent auction, and the first 50 guests pre-registered by February 14 receive a special goodie bag.

For those of you asking yourselves how a local charity for dogs and cats came to work with a local modern dance company, the answer is: Me. Kaitlin Bishop. Board Member of BHF and Dancer for TDC. This awesome event features my two life passions: Dogs and Dance, although my dear loves Jax & Louie will be staying home for this party. They don’t need to worry though, there will be plenty of doggie (and kittie) goodies for me to bring home for them from the Silent Auction. This event also provides an opportunity for TDC’s friends, family, & audiences to meet the many members of the BHF community and vice versa. Some of you might leave this event with a newly discovered love and appreciation for modern dance, and we, at BHF, hope to make many new friends through this joint venture as well, especially now that BHF’s Financial Aid Program has been unveiled. This is an amazing opportunity to reach out and help even more people than we ever thought possible.

As you already know BHF’s young history, I’d like to introduce you to: The Dance COLEctive.
Formed in March 1996, The Dance COLEctive aspires to challenge assumptions about how dance is presented, through the use of cutting-edge choreography, innovative collaborations and inspired creative site-specific works. TDC’s vision is to become one of Chicago’s premier dance ensembles, recognized for its compelling, socially relevant and inspiring choreography. In fulfilling its mission and vision, TDC embraces collaboration as a core element of its creative process; values the athleticism, grace, power and strength of its dancers; and nurtures and promotes the creativity of emerging artists.

We hope you all can join us for what is sure to be an awesome evening of healthy snacks, prizes, massages, and ZUMBA. Don’t worry, for those of you who have never ZUMBA’d before, neither have I! ZUMBA is certainly not a requirement either, however there IS a special prize to the participant who raises the most pledges for the ZUMBATHON. You are more than welcome to peruse the many complimentary services available to you at this event, as well as keeping a close eye on your favorite silent auction items. Trader Joe’s, PEELD, and KIND have all contributed refreshments and snacks, and if that sounds boring, there MAY be some gift certificates available for various bakeries and our favorite cupcake shops in the city!

This is going to be an event to remember! Don’t miss out!!!!