Gratitude Abound!

In-Sync Exotics asked several volunteers

what they were thankful for this year! 

Here are just a few of their responses ~

Why are we grateful at In-Sync Exotics?

We are grateful for...

.... the opportunity to care for the most amazing animals God ever created

...our volunteers who work tireless, day and night, to provide the best care possible for our cats and Nugget

... and for our contributors whose gifts makes our mission possible!

We are truly humbled by your outpour of love and support for the animals of In-Sync Exotics...

...THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH! 

For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food,
For love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.

--Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)

We also wish to extend two paws up and loud roars of approval for all the volunteers participating in the video and for Roberto Saucedo, the creator of the video, for putting together this adorable presentation.  Job well done all!

Please have a safe and joyous Thanksgiving Day everyone! 

Oh, and before we forget, it appears our mystery tiger will have to remain mysterious until Monday!  We'll announce the winner of the Who Am I constest early Monday morning along with the winner of the "Roar Off" competition!

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Are You Ready to Rumble, Round 3!

Our next two contenders, Aramis and Kahn, are so confident in their roaring abilities, they have already hired the best talent publicists in the business to help them with their future appearances, media relations, roaring engagements, web PR, and so forth!

Both publicist have strict rules for the lions, like:

• Must look their best at all time for visitors;
• Must not poop in public;
• Must not squirt the visitors as they walk by;
• Must eat bone meat with mouth closed in front of evening tour guests; and
• Must play nicely with others.

Sadly, Aramis and Kahn are rebels at heart and have broken all the rules-- numerous times.  Their publicists truly have their "paws" full with these two "bad boys."  But their crazy antics will not stop them for vying for the title of "Loudest Roarer" in this round of the "Roar Off" Competition.

So without further ado, may we present Aramis!

Way to go Aramis!  What a fabulous roar! 

Now, it's up to Kahn to bring the house down!

 

Wow!  My ears are still ringing from Kahn's roar!

Okay, now it's your turn to vote for the "loudest roarer!"

You have until Tuesday, November 21, 2011 at 8:00pm to vote, so make your vote count today!  The winner will be announced on Wednesday, November 22, 2011.  Good luck Aramis and Kahn!

If want to truly experience what it sounds like when two lions roar together, turn up your speakers and play both videos at the same time!  Their collective roars will really blow your "fur" back!

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Crimson's Battle With A Devasting Kidney Disease

Meet Crimson.  Crimson is one of our senior cougars living at In-Sync Exotics for about 4 ½ years.  When she first arrived at our sanctuary, it took several days for her to adjust to the new environment, as she quietly hid in her den coming out only for dinner.

The years at In-Sync Exotics brought out the playful side of Crimson as she loves playing with her toys, observing others from her lofty perch, or snuggling with Keenan inside their den. 

Sadly, Crimson recently took ill, refusing to come out of her den once again.

So November 10, 2011, Crimson was taken to the vet’s office to determine why she was not eating her evening meals and refusing to come out of the den.  After examining Crimson, the vet’s initial thoughts were Crimson may be suffering from acute renal failure or chronic renal failure.

Chronic vs. Acute Renal Failure

Acute Renal Failure (ARF) is characterized by an abrupt shutdown of kidney function, most often accompanied by reduced urine production. The primary causes of ARF in cats are: urinary obstructions, infectious diseases, trauma, and the ingestion of toxins. Our vet can treat Crimson if she has ARF. 

By comparison, Chronic Renal Failure (CRF) is a progressive, irreversible deterioration of kidney function. Because cats hide their illnesses and the very early signs of CRF are subtle, this disease may only be recognized once the cat reaches the 70% deterioration level and more dramatic symptoms are observable. CRF is one of the leading causes of illness and death in older cats today.  Sadly Raja, our beloved tiger, recently passed away from CRF.

Diagnosis

The only way to know for certain whether or not Crimson was having problems with her kidneys was to take her to our vet’s office so certain clinical tests could be performed.  Blood was drawn from Crimson so the levels of creatinine and BUN (blood urea nitrogen) as well as other components of her blood could be examined. An elevated creatinine level is the most certain sign of loss of kidney function, and sadly the first two blood tests revealed the creatinine and BUN levels increased each time the clinical tests were performed.

Yesterday a third blood draw was taken and her BUN level was significantly higher while the creatinine level decreased by one point.  Based on the latest blood test and given her age of about 17 years, the vet believes Crimson has CRF.

Crimson is at home and will continue to have her blood drawn so our vet can keep track of her creatinine and BUN levels.  She is on an antibiotic regiment that will continue for three more days, just in case she also has a bacterial infection.

Our cougar continues to refuse dinner, choosing instead to eat healthy treats and bones in her den. Keeping her hydrated is also a concern for us, so we are giving her subcutaneous fluids every other day, so as to flush possible toxins from her kidneys.  We are able to administer fluids without having to sedate Crimson; she receives her fluids in the comfort of her den!

Progress!  Yesterday Crimson came out of her den to lounge on her ramp, watching all the activities going on around her and she ate an evening meal.  All we can do at this point is make life as comfortable as possible for our girl.

Please keep Crimson in your prayers as we continue to monitor and treat her for CRF.  Thank you.
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Who Am I? I'm a Mystery!

It's been awhile since we had a Who Am I? posting...so let's see if you can guess the name of this mysterious tiger! 

"Did you know I was named after a military vehicle?  I am a large tiger with huge shoulders and chest.  When I first arrived I was intimated by my new environment and would charge the fence if people got to close to me.  Now I am lovable tiger who thrives on attention.  Do you know who I am?"

 

First person to identify me wins bragging rights.  Simply send your response to our special animal email account and if you are the first person to respond to the challenge, you win!  Volunteers, if you know the answer to this question, please wait until Friday before announcing this mystery tiger's name. 

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As We Prepare For Thanksgiving!

It's hard to believe that in about 10 days it will be Thanksgiving Day!  To get everyone in the Thanksgiving mood, we'd like to present a video produced by Barry Stevenson that exemplifies the feelings of friendship and family we share at In-Sync Exotics everyday!

Remember on Saturday, November 26th, we are having a special Turkey with the Cats event that you don't want to miss:

Turkey Flyer

Calling all coloring artists ages 5-10! Print and color our Emma with a pumpkin and your masterpiece might be displayed on this blog!  Simply download the picture, print, and color!  All entries will be displayed in our Visitors' Center, but only one lucky coloring artist will have his or her creation displayed on In-Sync Exotics' Cat Tales!  So get out your crayons, and start coloring today.  All entries must be submitted on or before November 26, 2011 by 3:00pm and must have the name of the contestant on the back of the coloring page.  Good luck everyone!

Emma Says Happy Thanksgiving - 2011 - Oval - Click here to print!

Emma Says Happy Thanksgiving - 2011 - Square - Click here to print!

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