Sammy and Maya

Invariably, when M.W. and I leave the house, Sammy leaves a puddle.  Everything to Maya is a chew toy, including Boo Boo, Felix, and Delilah, our three cats.  Sammy has a chronic case of separation anxiety, and Maya is a Twinkie-sized terrorist.

We’re all one big, bloody marvelous crew.

When I first met M.W., he described Bela and Sammy as different as night and day.  Bela, a sleek, onyx mix of Lab and Rottweiler, was the independent, deep, soulful one, the one who took care of business.  Sammy, a 105-pound, lumbering yellow Lab is, as M.W. likes to say, “dumb as a bag of hammers.”  He does two things well:  devour and snore.  He short circuits around food, while Bela savores.  A perpetual puppy, he runs and plays in his dreams.  Bela was perfectly still, a light sleeper, seemingly braced to protect her family, even in her restful state.

When I got to know them, I made an observation:  “Sammy’s smarter than you think.”

“You’re crazy.  Here, watch this.”  M.W. stood up and delivered an impromptu I.Q. test involving commands, treats, and unnecessary knee-slapping.

“You’re mean.  Listen, hear me out.  How much you want to bet that, when Bela passes away, he steps up to the plate.  Seriously.  I think he’s got it all figured out.”

“Got what figured out?”

“He doesn’t have to exert himself because Bela does it for him.  And, he’s smart enough to wait until we’re in bed before he raids the trash.  When we pick up keys, he barks like nobody’s business, and he seems to know he’s large.  He’s super-careful with the other critters because he knows how big and powerful he is.”

As if on cue, Sammy cracked his head on the bottom of the kitchen table.

“Scratch that last one.”

M.W. was dubious–not to mention, red-faced, from all the whooping.

Unfortunately, I got the last laugh.  When Bela left us, Sammy became more aware.  When he hears an unfamiliar noise, he now positions himself between us and the door. As he is typically a gentle beast, when I watch him shred a branch or a bone, I shudder to think what kind of damage he could do.

Our wedding present to ourselves was a precious, little thing we call Maya.  Feeling at home from the get-go, she curled up in my lap on the ride home and didn’t make a peep.  Eyelashes a mile long, she knows just how to work it around her Daddy.  She climbs up onto his chest, kisses his nose, and stares at him with those beautiful, doe-like eyes of hers.  Turns him into putty every time.

Loaded with personality, she’s sweet, affectionate, spunky, and a bit of a bully.  One minute, she’s docile and compliant; the next, she’s dragging Boo Boo across the floor by her ear.

Sammy and Maya go together like mac and cheese.  One of Maya’s favorite places to tuck is alongside Sammy’s tummy.  She mimics him.  If he lays on his side, she lays on her side.  If he sprawls, she sprawls.  She chews on his ear and tongue and sticks her head in his mouth.  And he lets her.

She lets me speak for her.  When M.W. comes home, she jumps on the chair and says, “Daddy, Daddy, Daddy, Daddy!!!”

“Were you good today, Maya?”

“Yes, very good.  But Mommy put gravel in my bowl again, anyway.”

“Listen, Daddy, I’ve been meaning to talk with you about something.  Can you teach me how to use that thingamajig so that I can order pizza crusts?”

“Do you think I’m pretty?”

Sammy lets me talk for him, too.  When M.W. teases him and calls him fat boy or tells him he’s dumb, he says, “Screw.  You.  Love you, man, I do, but I don’t need this crap.  I’ve about had it up to here with you and your little asides.  Fat boy.  Maybe you the fat boy, maybe you the one who ain’t too bright.  Huh?  Ever think of …  zZZzzZZzzZzz …”

They’re a trip.  I could watch them for hours.  Each one has a unique presence. They’re such a gift, such a blessing.  I kiss their heads and cuddle them every chance I get. I stroke their downy-soft ears and whisper on a religious basis: “I love you.  Thank you for being a part of my life.”

We’re treated to a rare behind-the-scenes peek into the life of a veterinarian in “Tell Me Where It Hurts” as the author, Dr. Nick Trout, takes us with him on a busy day at the huge Angell Animal Medical Center in Boston.  Several years of cases and clients are packed into 24 hours to give us an idea of what an animal surgeon might run into on a daily basis.

The cases are varied and yet not too surprising, given most pets’ talent for getting into trouble.  From a cat swallowing shoelaces, to a dog overindulging in kibble and ending up with a life-threatening case of bloat, or another pooch suffering a fractured jaw from chasing (and catching) a moving vehicle, there’s never a dull moment.

If you’re considering becoming a vet or a vet tech, you’ll gain a deeper insight of the profession from this book.  Although Dr. Trout’s writing style is more detailed than most “animal stories” books, his warm sense of humor and genuine concern for his helpless patients will keep you reading to find out how each case turns out.  You can always skip the medical details and skim through for the stories surrounding the critters and their colorful human families.

Dr. Trout highlights the bonds between his animal patients and their “parents,” as circumstances sometimes require tough decisions on everyone’s part.  Even in the most skillful hands, every animal won’t make it, and I often found myself reading faster to see if a favorite patient pulled through.  Every member of this amazing medical staff performs his work to the very best of his ability, trying to help every animal that comes through their doors.

Woven into the storytelling fabric is a strong introspective, philosophical thread as Dr. Trout shares his concerns about such issues as euthanasia, pain, grief, fear, and the financial sacrifices his clients often make to help their beloved pets.

While modern diagnostic equipment and advanced surgical techniques are now available for animals, they come with a hefty price tag that not everyone can afford.  That’s a frustration for both the doctors and the families.

Even when expensive tests are run, it’s sometimes difficult to sort out the data and arrive at a conclusive diagnosis – not unlike with people.  And in this case, the animals can’t even tell you where it hurts.

Dr. Trout shares his doubts and failures with surprising honesty and humility.  We’d like to think our vets can fix anything, but that’s sadly not true.  They’re only human, and though they do their very best, sometimes it’s just not enough.  But we also get to share his joy when healed pets are restored to their grateful families.

Though I wouldn’t consider this “light reading,” it’s a masterfully written, insightful look into the life and work of a veterinary surgeon.  The cases will intrigue you and keep you reading to find out how they turn out.  Think of it as the animal version of “House M.D.” and be grateful there are such dedicated, caring people in your pet’s life.

Today, Freekibble.com turns 2-years old! This is a website that a 12-year old Mimi started after volunteering at a local animal shelter and discovering that the shelter didn’t have enough food to feed all of its residents. Mimi decided to make sure that all the dogs and cats in animal shelters could enjoy a meal during their stay there.

Due to Mimi’s efforts, Freekibble.com feeds thousands of cats and dogs across the United States. Over 500 million pieces of kibble have been donated so far. Let’s help Freekibble.com double or triple this amount this next year, and help provide residents at animal shelters with meals while they wait to be adopted!

Congratulations Freekibble.com for all you have done for dogs and cats. And a BIG thank you to Mimi for her creative and helpful idea!

You can help feed dogs and cats that are waiting to be adopted at animal shelters by playing Freekibble.com trivia every day, and by visiting Mimi’s website daily!

Grant Daniels, 22, has surveyed 214 gardens in ten Hobart suburbs and found that those with dogs are more likely to have a healthy population of ground-feeding birds like the superb fairy-wrens.

Mr. Daniels, a graduate of the University of Tasmania School of Geography and Environmental Studies, said that it appeared the dogs ignored birds, and because of this lack of aggression, the birds in turn were happy to co-exist with the canines.

“Where there are dogs you are more likely to find fairy-wrens and possibly masked lapwings,” he said.

“Ground-feeders have learned they have nothing to fear from most dogs, unlike the threat posed by cats.”

Cats and dogs are always made out to be enemies, but this not always so! Enter Napoleon, the English Bulldog who defied the poor swimming skills of his breed to swim deep out into a lake and rescue a burlap sack containing six abandoned kittens. While two of the kittens didn’t make it, the other four were nursed back to health, leading to a hero’s welcome for Napoleon back at the local adoption center.

Is Ginny a traitor to canine’s everywhere, or is she an undisputed hero? The 300 cats who attended her memorial service would probably say the latter, paying homage to a dog who endangered herself on multiple occasions to save dying or stranded cats from peril.

On one particularly remarkable occasion, Ginny threw herself against a vertical pipe at a construction site so that it would topple and the stranded cats inside could escape. Another time, Ginny suffered severe cuts on her paws to find an injured cat inside a box of broken glass.

WKYT-TV reports that someone broke into the Harrison County animal shelter on Sunday, and then sorted through the cats and dogs to take the ones they wanted.

Shelter employee Allen Fryman told the station that six black cats and three other cats, along with six dogs, were taken.

Fryman said 60 bags of dog food and 10 bags of cat food are also missing.

Fryman believes that the thieves could have spent more than an hour inside the shelter, taking the animals to a truck parked in a field.

~wlwt.com

This week is National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week from November 1 to 7. Contact your local animal shelter and tell them “Great job” or visit the shelter and adopt a pet!! Only 10 percent of dogs and cats owned are rescues from the 63 percent of households that have pets. I was shocked to read this! There are between 6 to 8 million homeless animals each year that are brought to the animal shelters. Rescued animals really appreciate being able to have a forever home and are loving companions.

By adopting a dog or cat from a shelter, the pet will be neutered/spayed before taking him/her home. After I rescued my pups from a Texas animal shelter, they honored the rescue by giving FREE pet registrations for the life of the pet. You should check with your county to see if they give free pet registrations to shelter animals. The best advantage to adopting a shelter pet is that you save a LIFE!!