Thoughts about my articles:

Why is there such an empty feeling when you have said good-bye to a friend? Four legged or otherwise it does not matter.   The void is real and time will heal it.

I have heard comments about the last two articles, Toby and Boomer.    I do understand the endings are the same.    Pets never have lived long enough.   The beauty of the story is how they live and the vast improvement and glamour they add to our lives.   I remember a dog food commercial showing an Irish setter puppy and a young girl climbing stairs.  The girl raced a head in one scene.   The next showed a prime of life Irish Setter speeding up the stairs.  The final view shows a college co-ed coaxing the old timer Setter up the same deck stairs at a much slower rate of speed.  

It mirrors our own existence in a fast forward motif.   I have body parts I still recognize by name that have "shifted" by gravity or some other mysterious method.   I distinctly remember my chest being significantly north of its present location.  This is the aging process.   My official hair color is "usta" as in it used to be brown.   I look like my father and walk like my grandfather.   The end of life cycle is part of the life cycle.   As a Christian, I know where heaven is and I know I will be there.  I differ with some theologians in I do not "believe" animals are allowed in Heaven.   I "KNOW" this happens.   Besides how can you define heaven without animals?

I wish my telling of a great animals existence had more of a Disney ending.   I have been assured by people immersed in Disney trivia that almost all of Disney movies there is a death of something, parents, animals or a reference to an orphan in one of the roles.   It is my opinion this makes for a more believable story by adding strength to the character.    In real life, it is character strength.   Living and loving animals teaches us their importance to our lives.   When they recently have left our presence, we acutely notice their absence.  The "Force" has a disturbance that needs time to adapt.  You reach out to pet and comfort your pet, or in my case, I also pick up the phone and start dialing Grandma before my memory kicks in.

There is a value in time and commitment needed for friendship.  It must appear to be an equal trade.  There have been a few situations where I was willing to put in more than fifty percent of the workload.  Some are worth the extra effort when they blossom in to a long familiar relationship.   Some do not pan out and we call them experience.  At the end of the day, I wish to have a pet that fills out my needs and not one that I have to out think and out maneuver to reach enjoyment.  I say that tongue in cheek because most animals have us mere mortal humans figured out long before we understand.   They have a way of reading our habitual "signs" and can tell the difference between getting up to go to the bathroom and getting up to go for a walk.   Dogs are particularly astute with this trait.   It makes you wonder who the captive is.   Why do we build metal cages limiting our growth by choosing to place artificial barriers of our own choosing? Habits get us in to ruts and trenches that can block our visions and dreams.  


I would like to mention Michigan State University Veterinary Clinical Center does a Miracle Pet / animal program annually.   This Open House invites people and their pets back for a recognition ceremony.   To be invited, one of the VCC staff has to nominate a pet.   Last year they honored eighty of the thousands of cases processed through VCC during the year.   In 2009, our dog Clover was nominated and selected.   We went up to MSU for the program.  It was a wonderful way for closure.   

This year "Toby" LaMarre has been nominated.   He was an outstanding friend and dog.   As they, say in those commercials wait there is more.   Abby owned by Steve of Lighthouse Coffee was also nominated.   It is very unusual to have two animals from one practice to be included in one year.    Steve said he would be taking Abby up to the program March 20, 2010.   Paul and Rebecca will be going up also, Toby in the memorial portion.   This open house allows like-minded people to show up celebrate an animal love in their life and be recognized for their part in a love relationship.

I spent part of Saturday night at the Animal Emergency Clinic covering a partial shift for Dr Michelle Forbes.  She had a child recovering from the winter crud.   She wanted to stay home to get her son to bed.  There sure is enough sickness in the winter.   

I really appreciate the talented emergency staff assisting me.   A great staff here in Milan and at AEC makes the difference.   Daily I get to work with the best people in veterinary medicine including clients and staff.

The cases presented included a cat with lily toxicity.   This cat chewed on the leaves and started vomiting.   Luckily, the renal values and urine test were in the normal range.  

A cat with thromboembolism of distal aorta and internal iliac arteries, hypertensive blood pressure, heart murmur and acute respiratory distress was another case presented..

A seventeen-year-old cat named Manilow with  bacterial over growth and bloody stool.  
 
Another was a ten-year-old female Boxer with open pyometra reproductive discharge. 
 
A dislocated hip in a 38-pound Brittany Spaniel.   Under anesthesia, I was able to reduce, successfully the coxofemoral dislocation.   I hope it will be in the 50 percent group that does not slip out again.

Veterinary medicine is a saving Grace.   It is about extending the love story. 

For more information about a specific case, consult your veterinarian.          
The outside of a pet is good for the inside of a human.