Happy birthday Bart 🐾💕

Bart had a rough start to his little life. Surrendered to a local Veterinary Clinic caked in boogers and eye discharge he was terrified… he had a leg that had been previously broken (but was healing), a hernia and his left eye had ruptured due to the festering infection and chronic upper respiratory infection he was suffering while a stray kitten.

I agreed to foster him but as time went on I realized that this antisocial, terrified little baby kitten most likely would live his life hiding under the bed in my spare bedroom and that was perfectly OK! At least I knew he was safe and would get unlimited snackies and a safe haven all to himself.

I saw a glimmer of hope for Bart when I had to catch him to take him for one of his many veterinary visits (that usually involved stealth like precision and ninja like reflexes to capture him– I have no shame in admitting that a little blind kitten with a healing broken leg is far faster than I am!) he began to nuzzle my face all purrs and kisses!

The vet clinic he was dropped off at vowed to care for him financially/medically in whatever he would need provided that I fostered him and his sister (Taloola) to which I agreed. Little did I know that Bart would become apart of our little family, our “land of misfit toys” with the rest of the “handipets” here!

The fateful day came for Bart to get neutered so I brought him to the clinic he was dropped off at (that had vowed to provide any medical care he needed) as they ran the pre-surgical bloodwork and found his white blood cell count (which indicates if there is infection present or not) was three times the normal limit! I discussed with the veterinarian that came as no shock to me since his left eye had long ruptured (which the veterinarian knew this) and needed to be removed immediately. The vet skirted around the topic of removing his ruptured eyeball until finally hesitating slightly only to mumble,

“It is just not “financially responsible” for us to remove his eye and eat that cost…”

They said that in addition to NOT removing his ruptured eyeball they would not be neutering Bart (or repairing his hernia) since he had an infection (of course all I could think in my brain was DUH his EYEBALL IS GONE! Of course he has an infection!!) The veterinarian then continued the conversation with those fateful words that I would NEVER EVER forget…

“He is only a stray. It is not like he is anyone’s pet.”

There is was. Out in the atmosphere for everyone to hear. HE.WAS.ONLY.A.STRAY. As if that negated the fact that he was not worthy of quality medical care and patience! It took everything in me to keep silent, bite my tongue and take Bart back to my house and plan my next move but one thing was absolutely certain Bart was no longer going to be a stray, he was no longer going to be alone or have no one to advocate for him — because he was going to be my baby.

After some grumbling on my part and persistence (e.g., a thorn in someone’s side) they agreed to remove his non-functioning left eye, repair his hernia and neuter him to which everything seemed to go off without issue — Bart came home to me and began his road to recovery as well as learning to scoot around the house missing an eye (and clouded vision in the right eye) but I noticed as time went on something was off? He was still just as congested and “crusty boogie” covered as he was when he first initially came to my house! Despite the menagerie of antibiotics, pills, vet visits he was still just as stuffed up as if nothing had changed.

By this time I was working at an amazing veterinary clinic with amazing doctors so I wasted no time bringing the “handicats” in to meet everyone (aka flirt with the girls) and after we accomplished a few diagnostics for Bart (radiographs, bloodwork, culture swabs etc.,) it was decided that the doctor would perform an exploratory procedure and reopen that left eye to see what was causing him so much drainage and discharge.

Once the doctor finished Bart’s exploratory procedure she came to show me what was causing Bart all of his boogey issues for almost a YEAR — a 4×4 piece of pus covered gauze as well as sutures that should have been absorbable and they were not. After she removed the foreign items from Bart’s eye socket he began to recover… again. But this time I noticed that he was much happier, the day after his surgery he joined me in bed and began to rub his face on mine all while purring and nuzzling me. It was almost as if he was grateful for helping him, for not giving up on him and for being his advocate…his voice and more importantly his “mama”.

It disappointed me to think that there were still veterinary professionals, clinics, rescues out in the world that were so quick to “write-off” a stray animal simply because they were a stray, because they required a little bit of empathy and understanding, because they were simply a “black cat”. Bart was just as worthy as any other animal of receiving proper medical care and love!

Each and every day I was thankful I answered the phone that day- the day that I got the call informing me this scared, sick little kitten needed me. Today, Bart is a happy, healthy, ornery, affectionate little boy with a toybox packed to the brim with a plethora of toys, and I am thankful for him each and every day as he teaches me about dedication, strength, resiliency in the face of adversity and of course– affection. If you would have told me that fateful August day when I brought Bart home that years later I would have a sweet, cuddly little boy I would have laughed! I would never have believed the positive transformation he has completed but I could not be more proud of him.

Happy Belated Birthday, Bart. I love you so much little boy, thank you for being part of the driving force behind this campaign. To be a voice for those who do not have a voice and even more so for those animals that are a little “special”. Thank you.

Category: Awareness, Fun, President's Cabinet | LEAVE A COMMENT

Bifford’s “Dental” Adventure!

Many of you have asked about Bifford’s dental procedure journey and echoed that many of you share the same questions and concerns for your own special babies that I had with Bifford! Let me assure you that by asking the right questions, having a veterinarian/veterinary staff that you know and trust as well as an understanding of what exactly is involved in these types of procedures (this could be a mass removal, spay/neuter or in Bifford’s case a dental procedure!).

Here I wanted to outline his dental procedure endeavor as well as post Bifford’s ACTUAL dental chart as well as anesthesia chart that was custom tailored specifically to Bifford, his age/special ability as well as what his most recent bloodwork results rendered.

ABOVE: The radiographs charting Bifford’s dental disease/issues thus resulting in the removal of all of his teeth.

Did YOU know that feline dental disease is the most common, affecting an estimated 85% of cats over the age of six!

Layers of plaque collect and harden on the tooth surface and bacterial poisons and enzymes from the plaque eventually prompt an inflammatory response in the gums (or gingiva) that if left untreated, leads to SEVERE gum inflammation (gingivitis). In cats, advanced periodontal disease can quickly progress to an end-stage condition for which extraction is the ONLY reasonable treatment option.

Signs/Symptoms of dental disease/pain in felines:

  • Bad Breath (Halitosis)
  • Red/Swollen Gums
  • Pawing Mouth (or rubbing their faces excessively on strange surfaces)
  • Refusal to eat hard food (kibble) or loss of appetite — if you notice your cat avoiding their dry food, chewing on only one side of their mouths, dropping food from their mouths while eating, or vomiting unchewed food you may be seeing signs of a cat in dental discomfort. *
  • Drooling
  • Chattering — this occurs when the jaw shakes or quivers. It is most commonly seen in cats who have resorptive lesions on their teeth (this extremely painful condition causes cavity-like holes in the teeth, eats teeth away or turns tooth roots into bone — all EXTREMELY painful conditions!) Feline chattering is NEVER normal and always indicates that something hurts in your cats mouth!
  • Excessive Yawning or Teeth Grinding (Bruxism)
  • Head Shaking/Head Tilt *
  • Decrease in Self Grooming *
  • Pulling Away or Meowing When Touched Near The Mouth
  • Changes in Normal Behavior *
  • * Though these behaviors can be signs/symptoms of dental pain it can also be indicative of other health issues/complications so it is strongly recommended upon discovering your cat doing these signs to contact your veterinarian immediately for a diagnostic work-up to help determine the problem. Also note that “CH” pets can also normally exhibit head shaking/tilting, dropping food from their mouths etc., simply due to their cerebellar hypoplasia so we suggest having a yearly dental exam/cleaning performed by your veterinarian! Just like the ol’ saying goes “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!”

By the time I had adopted Bifford in May 2014 he had already had significant dental disease (no doubt from the lack of veterinary care he received as he was bounced back and forth from a few families and just overall lack of having a family or person that had a vested interest in him and his general health) thus resulting in the removal of the teeth he had remaining.

Like many of you I was apprehensive and to be frank, terrified, for him to go under for a dental procedure not because he is a cerebellar hypoplasia cat but because he was my baby! I would equally worry (and ugly cry) over ANY of my animals, special needs or not! Despite working at the veterinary clinic that would be handling his dental procedure, being good friends with the doctor(s) responsible for his dental procedure/care (one of them which has a cerebellar hypoplasia cat herself!) as well as having one of the finest veterinary technicians one whom specialized in veterinary dentistry there was simply nothing that would soothe the irrational part of my brain about him having the procedure done. Despite my own anxieties I knew that I HAD to do this for him!

I loved him enough to be able to provide him with this care and alleviate the pain he was feeling in his mouth (I was only tipped off there was an issue in his mouth when one day he began to slobber as if he was a Saint Bernard!) so, just like any adrenaline filled, terrifying milestone I scheduled his dental procedure on a day I would be at work (and then be off work the next day to properly are for and babysit him).

I brought Bifford to see the veterinarian prior to his dental procedure so he could have a formal physical examination as well as have his blood drawn for the pre-surgical bloodwork (my thoughts were that by having his blood drawn prior to the procedure instead of the morning of the procedure this gave his veterinarian ample amount of time BEFORE the procedure to review his major organs and tailor a plan best suited to how his diagnostics looked! It was not necessary to do it like this but it made me feel better!)

I have stressed in the past the utmost importance to having pre-surgical bloodwork completed prior to any procedure (you can find that information here, here & here) and cannot reiterate enough to ASK your veterinarian if they offer this imperative diagnostic prior to any procedure (and if they do not offer it, could one request this service?). As bloodwork will better assist your doctor on how to proceed with the procedure, what medications are best suited (or best to avoid) and even in creating an “emergency plan” just in the off chance it may be necessary (according to the American Animal Hospital Association [www.aaha.org] , anesthetic related complications/deaths in cats and dogs occur less than 0.05% and 0.11% respectively but I would rather be safe than sorry and take ALL the necessary precautions or recommendations suggested by my veterinarian!).

ABOVE: Bifford’s dental procedure anesthesia monitoring sheet.
Please note that EVERYTHING listed on this form is accurate and taken DIRECTLY from Bifford’s medical chart, the only things that were “blocked out” were done so for privacy concerns.

Bifford’s veterinarian and I discussed in great length the goals and tasks that needed accomplished once we brought him home post-procedure, here are some of the main points we agreed upon for a “CH” cats care post-operatively:

  • Keep them restricted completely! This can be housing them in a spare room/bathroom or a large crate/kennel.
  • Attempt to remove/conceal anything that they could attempt to climb (or could potentially face plant from)
  • Ensure you are giving the medications your veterinarian provided for your cat EXACTLY how they are listed on the bottle as well as have a solid understanding of what each medication does and the purpose it serves as your special baby recovers.
  • For dental patients (like in Bifford’s case) he as to be on canned food SOLELY for at LEAST 14 days (he was scheduled for a two week post dental procedure recheck to ensure his mouth was healing nicely/the sutures in his mouth looked alright)
  • And most important of all — shower them in LOTS of love & praise for being so brave and strong!

Now I am often asked by pet parents (both special needs pet parents and non alike) after his dental was all said and done what was the hardest part? Personally it was the first 24 hours after his dental procedure when he was settled at home. Among the medications Bifford was discharged with one of them was Buprenorphine which is used to manage severe pain and is a controlled narcotic. Animals (and even humans that are prescribed this particular medication) can suffer from a reaction that causes them to have an “excited” phase or behave abnormally to which unfortunately Bifford was one of those patients! That entire night after his dental procedure he raged in his room like a college frat guy on spring break! Needless to say that night neither he nor his momma got any type of sleep (note: Bifford had a negative reaction to the buprenorphine but that had NOTHING to do with his age, or his CH it was just simply a medication that reacted differently with him just as some medications react with humans and others are fine!) and his room looked as if a drunken, sugar hyper, poo-covered toddler had made it their life goal to touch every square inch of that room — luckily I think he is beyond adorable and love him to pieces!

Upon speaking to his veterinarian about the concerns we had while weathering the first night post-dental we tweaked his medications a bit to better suit his needs (as well as potential reactions/sensitivities) and he was sent home with Gabapentin and Valium which though it made him extremely sleepy (this is normal with both gabapentin and valium) he was able to rest much more comfortably the next night around. In addition to these two medications Bifford also had a Fentanyl patch applied a day prior to his dental procedure. This is a transdermal patch that is applied by your veterinarian that will release a narcotic pain medication via his skin regularly for several days (YES, they had to shave a small window on his side to properly fit and secure the patch!) and is removed after about 3-5 days post procedure. Bifford had this patch applied for a host of reasons mainly because upon his dental examination the veterinarian agreed that the remaining teeth he did have would need to be extracted due to the severity of the dental disease. This patch also best helped manage any pain he may have felt post procedure without further irrigating his mouth with more oral medications.

After a few days of supervised care at home and steady medications I felt Bifford was chipper enough and ready to be reintroduced back with his “siblings” (remember up until this point I had him resting comfortably in his “big boy room”) though he was still on soft food until further notice (which proved difficult come feeding time as his siblings all felt they too deserved canned food!) he was completely and totally back to his normal affectionate, sweet self!

Bifford’s two week recheck appointment went off without a hitch! The doctor agreed that his gums looked great, his sutures still looked beautiful and everything was healing nicely just as the doctor had hoped! My main concern was that now that Bifford has no teeth left how would he eat? Would I have to adjust his daily diet routine? Initially after he was released from “strict canned food” I took his regular kibble and watered it down with warm water to make almost a mushy paste and then slowly made it less and less soggy until he was back to his normal kibble! At his annual examination the veterinarian agreed that his mouth/gums still look amazing and that his gums simply hardened thus adapting to eating cat kibble without issue (they adapt better than we give them credit for!) and to this day Bifford is a happy, healthy little boy without a care in the world … or without a broken, infected tooth in his mouth!

ABOVE: Other examples of vital organs effected by periodontal disease.
VOHC_Accept_Products_FelineDownload

By clicking the above link you can find all of the approved “at-home” dental products/supplements for cats provided by the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC). For additional information check them out at www.VOHC.org

Category: Anesthesia, Awareness, Miscellaneous, Veterinary Medicine | LEAVE A COMMENT

Lola the Rescued Cat — Interview

A very special THANK YOU to Lola the Rescued Cat for interviewing Bifford on 05/03/2021 (Specially-Abled Pet Day)! Please be sure to “LIKE” Lola on Facebook and check her website out http://www.lolatherescuedcat.com

Hello, and Happy Monday! Did you know that today is Specially Abled Pets Day? This special day is celebrated every year on May 3 to educate the public about pets with disabilities. I am so excited to take this opportunity to introduce you all to one of our new friends, a pawesome guy with Cerebellar Hypoplasia, Bifford Langer! 
Bifford is a spokescat for specially-abled cats and dedicates his blog to educating people about Cerebellar Hypoplasia and taking care of pets with special needs. He agreed to sit down with me for an interview so our readers can learn more about him and his cause. So let’s get into it. 

Lola: Hi, Bifford! Thanks so much for letting me interview you for “Specially Abled Pets Day.” Before we get into the first question, I’d like to say you’re looking very handsome today. 

Bifford: Hello, Lola! Thank you so much for granting me this interview with you, especially for Specially-Abled Pets Day! It is so sweet of you. I wanted to look absolutely dashing for this prestigious interview with the beautiful and infamous Lola!


Lola: Awww, thank you, Bifford. Could you tell our readers a little about yourself?

 Bifford: I was born in Chicago in October 2011 to a foster mother who specialized in rescuing pregnant cats from the harsh streets. I was one of four brothers, and we all had Cerebellar Hypoplasia (CH). I was considered “moderate” and my brother Munchie was considered “severe.” We were transported to a cat rescue in Youngstown, Ohio where I endured several failed homes until I found my forever one with my mom and dad in May 2014! Since that fateful day, it has been tuna wishes and high living for this “presidential” candidate! 

Lola: What do you think people need to know about CH? 

Bifford: This is a particularly important question, Lola, which I get asked a lot. The thing people need to know most about CH cats is that we are not in any pain. CH is not contagious, does not get worse (or better, either),  and we are very resilient and able to adapt to our abilities. Whenever I meet new voters, they often first look at me with a pang of sympathy as if I am suffering. But once they get to know me and see my flirtatious demeanor and zest for life they quickly see that those preconceived notions are just one of the many stigmas we are working to bust. 


Lola: That’s such important information for people to know! So, tell me, how did you find your forever family? 

Bifford: I actually had a rough journey finding to my forever family as I was returned to the shelter three different times. The very last time before I came to my forever mama, the “family” locked me in an empty hot tub because they wanted me to “die with dignity.” I was finally surrendered after a domestic abuse situation happened in their home. My current forever mama got a call saying that I was not doing well at the shelter. I was terrified, getting beat up all the time, and getting more depressed each day I was there. I was waiting for that door to open and someone to save me and love me. My mama told the shelter she would take me home “for the weekend” to give me a break, but that “weekend” was years ago. Mama learned “on the fly” about my special ability so she often tells people that they do not need to know much initially about CH. They just have to open their heart and home with a dash of patience, love & compassion. I promise they will not regret it! 

Lola: Oh, Bifford, that is horrible! I’m so glad you were saved from that situation. Do you consider yourself a special needs cat? Do you need anything special at home to keep you safe and healthy? 

Bifford: My mama says that all her babies are special in their own way, and I am no different. But the one thing she did that really helped me be more independent and stronger was to not “bubble wrap” me, as she coined the term. She let me play and chase my brothers, climb on the couch or in bed with her at night, stumble a bit and even sometimes crash (of course she was always there if I needed her.) When I first came to my mom and dad I could not get into bed at night, I would cry all hours of the night to the point I made my mama cry with frustration. But as time went on, she just kept loving me and being patient. And soon I was able to realize just how independent I truly am! Now I can play and lay in bed with mama, dad, and siblings, and I can climb onto the couch with my brother Bart all on my own. 

Lola: You’re so lucky to have such wonderful parents. Tell me more about your siblings. What, if anything, makes you different from them? 

Bifford: My mama calls my siblings and me the “house of adorable misfit toys”. The lineup consists of Bart, who is missing an eye (and his other eye is very ulcerated due to an untreated upper respiratory infection when he was a stray kitten); Roscoe, an epileptic rat terrier currently kicking cancer of the spleen’s butt; Bessie, who was found in the wall of an abandoned home in Youngstown, Ohio that was being demolished; and Lucy, a semi-feral calico that someone placed in a shopping bag and stuffed into mama’s mailbox in the middle of August. Most recently mama brought home Maxwell, a baby pug born with a severe curve of his spine as well as swimmers syndrome (where he struggles to use his back legs.) A backyard breeder came into mama’s clinic, upset that Maxwell was “costing her money” and was a “financial loss” for her. Luckily, she surrendered him to my mama. 

Lastly, and it is important to me to include her as she was very important in my life, we recently lost Maggie Mae on 1/25/21 after she lost her battle with transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder and ultimately suffered a blood clot. Maggie was a product of Petland/Harbor Pets with inguinal hernia that coined her “defective”. They were placing her in a garbage bag when she was a puppy! My mama didn’t think twice about taking her home that day in 2006.
All of my siblings play an extremely important and beneficial role in the “campaign” and to bring awareness and understanding to specially-abled animals of all walks of life!


Lola: Your mama has a very special heart, that’s for sure. Can you tell me what a typical day is like for you? I hear you sometimes go to work with your mama! 

Bifford: Sometimes I do like to go to work with my mama! Mainly because when I go I get to flirt with all the girls and my favorite doctors (who continue to spoil me rotten when I am there.) But a typical day for me consists of living the high life. Each night I cuddle with my mama and daddy in bed (of course at the head of the bed with them all tucked in snug as a pug.) In the morning, mama gets me up and we have our little routine –  I snuggle with her while she brushes my hair and makes me “presentable” as she says, while I coo and purr. Then she gets me breakfast. Occasionally, I get jealous when my siblings want to cuddle mama because that is our quality time! After that I curl up on the couch with Bart and watch the news with my daddy and spend the day “yelling” at the birds, playing with my toys, and cuddling on the couch with the rest of my siblings! 

Lola: It sounds like the purrfect way to spend a day. Tell us about your website and your advocacy for specially-abled animals. What inspired you to start it? 

Bifford: It is sort of a frustrating story how my campaign started. After mama officially adopted me, she wanted to take me to get my vaccines updated so we went to a wellness clinic because we did not have a veterinarian at that time. I was bobbling around exploring the exam room and being my usual adorable self when a staff member popped her head into the room and quietly asked if we were there for euthanasia. My mama was shocked! She simply stated that we were there for my vaccines. The staff member looked confused, and with a pang of sympathy offered to cover the euthanasia as a courtesy because she said I was clearly “suffering.” My mama was absolutely floored! To say that she went “mama bear” would be an understatement (but I never loved my mama more than at that moment when she defended me) and we promptly left.
This sparked something in her. She found that there is an alarming number of veterinary professionals, rescues, and catteries that are not well versed in cerebellar hypoplasia in cats. This can, unfortunately, trigger misdiagnosis or even worse, euthanasia for cats like me. Mama felt it was very imperative for our campaign to happen! 

Lola: Your Elite Team looks very impressive. I’m sure our readers would love to know about that. 

Bifford: Thank you! My “Team of Elite” is important because we wanted to bring together other popular and important members of the specially-abled cat community as a group to bring awareness and understanding to specially-abled animals all over the world!  (They earned this honor by the nomination of their peers and then picked at random.)  Our amazing team consists of: 




Lola: That sounds like a very impressive team! What do you think people should know about adopting a pet with “different abilities?” 

Bifford: The main thing I would like people to know is to not be afraid, overwhelmed, or turned off about adopting a specially-abled pet. We think that most families hear that these pets have “something wrong” with them, thus requiring more care, more financial restraints, etc. That is simply not true. I do not need any more veterinary care than my siblings (though it does help that mama has a “rainy day fund” for our medical care as well as has a care credit card in the event of major emergencies. We feel that any pet parent should make these preparations.) My mama jumped and took a chance on me without ever knowing anything about CH cats and she tells everyone that I am the “perfect gentleman”.  I cannot jump onto the tables or counters and I cannot scratch where I am not supposed to. But I can go on adventures with my mom and dad because I cannot dash away from them (not that I would, though. I enjoy living the good life.) I have been to Hell, Michigan, had my picture taken at the 45th parallel, and I’ve seen Santa and the Easter Bunny several times. 


Lola: Is there anything else you would like people to know?

 Bifford: To not be afraid! Just because someone is different does not mean we are not worthy of love, compassion, and understanding!  


Lola: Bifford, thank you for meowing with me today about this important topic. You were the purrfect guest! I’m sure people will look at CH kitties in a different light now. 

Bifford: Thank you again, Lola, for this amazing interview, You are a true beacon in the cat community and it was such an honor to speak with you on something near and dear to my heart – my “campaign”! 

I hope you all enjoyed meeting Bifford! His message about specially-abled pets is very important. You can follow Bifford on Instagram and Facebook. Don’t forget to tell him Lola sent you! 

Category: Awareness, Did You Know?, Fun, President Bifford & Media, President's Cabinet | LEAVE A COMMENT

Life + 18 without PAROLE

By Mike Lowry, Mr. Lowry has been in veterinary practice for “life plus 18” years. In this column, he shares his experiences opinions.

Please remember this when you are speaking to your veterinarian/technician/veterinary support staff and most importantly remember to appreciate and thank them!

Every time you say vets are money-grubbing or “too expensive” or
just in it for the money,

Every time you decline ALL diagnostics, yet demand to know “what’s
wrong with my pet”,

Every time a social function or other completely inappropriate place you
find out that someone is a veterinarian [or veterinary technician, support
staff!] you ask him/her for free advice for your animal,

Every time you feel justified posting a sh!tty practice or vet review when
everything was done according to the standard of care but your pet died anyway,

Every time YOUR lack of preventive care resulted in your pet’s early death,
yet you blame the veterinarian,

Every time she gets in early and stays late and works an 80-hour week
because your pet that had been ill for several days suddenly becomes an
emergency at 5pm on a Friday, and you demand to be seen, claiming these
heartless vets wont treat your baby,

Every time someone complains about the cost of veterinary care, comparing human medicine and insurance subsidies to pet ownership,

Every time someone doesn’t pay their bill and thinks they are entitled not
to because pet ownership is their “right”,

Every time someone walks in to a clinic and threatens to “sue your ass if
you make one mistake with my baby”,

Every time a graduate vet looks at the hundreds of thousands of dollars in
crippling debt and listens to clients driving Mercedes and BMW’s complain about the cost of a spay using good anesthetic care and adequate pain management,

Every time – YOU are part of the problem.

The problem is suicide in veterinarians. Most of us went to veterinary
school because we care. We have a calling to care, but there is a dark and
expensive cost to compassion.

Think before you act or speak!

 

 

[Source: Facebook – Dierenarts Maya Herman with Danyel Galvin, June 13, 2017]

Category: Awareness, Did You Know?, Miscellaneous, Veterinary Medicine | LEAVE A COMMENT

The Maxwell Chronicles (Continued…)

Have you ever heard the age old “tale” that having children one does not get an instruction manual but do you know what else they do not give you a manual to?

Handipets.

Or more specifically — handiPUGS.

It is even more difficult when you have a handipug who has a medical diagnosis that is not commonly seen (all of you handipet parents with those rare babies know exactly what I am lamenting about!) so you run into the problem of worry that is almost like an onion and you can peel away the layers but its just a different avenue of worry.

“Could this minor issue/problem be somehow related to their diagnosis?”

“Can they handle or tolerate minor wellness things such as vaccines or dental cleanings?”

“Am I doing everything that I can possibly be doing for their comfort, happiness & well-being?”

I am the very first to admit that I am stumbling in the dark when it pertains to Maxwell and his diagnosis (multiple limb deformity & kyphosis) but I am always willing to learn and continue to learn about dudes like Maxwell but in the meantime I am sort of learning by the absolute seat of my pants.

Is that scary? Absolutely.

But what can you do? You just have to keep “pressing on” because what else is there possibly to do? So you roll with the good and you roll with the bad just like life.

For every heart warming video I post of Maxwell cruising in his wheelchair there is probably a memory to match that of him and I up all night long while I hose down his bed that he managed to smear poop all around in (we suspect a nerve was pinched in his spine which was causing his legs to kick madly) or panic texting the patient vet’s that I work with because Maxwell is behaving in pain and I am constantly worried that he will BLOAT (again, insert face palm here!) and that I probably sprouted another few dozen gray hairs worrying if I am doing all of the right things for Maxwell all while not breaking the bank, being a pest to my co-workers or straining my marriage — sometimes handipets are dirty work and sure sometimes my husband and I bicker and squable over the animals, their “abilities” and if they in fact rule the house or not (I have accepted the fact they run the house but I fear my husband is still in denial and thinks we stand a chance — we do not), some days I am absolutely a few minutes late to social engagements because I had to hose off/sanitize/hazmat/biohazard someone’s litter box, bed, behind, paws or on one occasion face but it is life and I do believe that everything happens for a reason and there was a purpose and a reason that my adorable crew of misfits came to bless our home.

And then there are some memories that you just laugh at the horribly-timed misfortune that if you do not laugh you will cry type of moments – like when we took Bifford on his first adventure to Michigan and were unsure how to handle the bathroom issue so at the time my husband and I decided that a diaper would be the best plan of action (in case you were wondering it was not, in fact, the best plan of action!) but we had not decided who would be the official “checker” if we happened to find ourselves catching whiffs of atomic sulfur.

So if you can picture my husband and I circling our vehicle as if we are in some sort of a hazmat standoff because we could not decide who was about to check if Bifford graced us with a code brown or not. After a heated round of few choice words and panic I took the plunge and became the hero that day and checked (luckily it was a false alarm!).

But just like in life, a life with handipets is not for the weak person. They are no more work if you go in with an open mind, a healthy serving of patience and then lastly (but most important) … you must have a warped sense of humor! How else do you cope with life in general? Which is why we enjoy posting all of our funny, adorable, cuddly and sometimes messed up memories because they are all warm memories to us!

Category: Awareness | LEAVE A COMMENT