Capturing some of the special memories with Maxwell!
Grief. It has a funny way of changing a person from the inside out leaving them feeling like a hollow shell of a human being and craving for your old life back — your old “soul mate” — your beloved pet that you lost. I tell people that grief is a club that no one ever wants to join but once you have you are changed forever… the dynamics of your mind have been forever altered and your emotions run on a constant spectrum of sorrow to a semi-managed “autopilot” where you simply do not think you just ARE in hopes that you can manage the day taking everything in stride by the minute.
My entry into this ominous club was January 25, 2021 at 8:53am. My memories of that day are a chaotic whirlwind of emotions but the main point I remember forever is holding my sweet Maggie Mae and kissing her uncontrollably while I reminded her how much I loved her and thanked her for so many wonderful years. The week that followed that day felt like a blur as if I were simply going through the motions in hopes of a shred of normalcy…. it was simple all that I wanted was my Maggie Mae but unfortunately and sadly it was not that simple.
Not a minute, not a second of the day goes by that I do not miss her horribly and sorely as she truly was my “soulmate” and “heart dog” , she inspired me to constantly work to be a better person… a better friend, daughter, sister, wife. A better, more improved me all around. After Maggie Mae I vowed that I would not… I could not get another dog as my heart could not handle it! I felt that for as long as I mourned sweet Maggie Mae that it would be unfair to adopt a new dog if I could not devote the same level of love and devotion that I had given to Maggie all of those amazing years.
For as much as I worked to convince myself I would never be ready for another dog the universe apparently had other plans for me and in entered Maxwell.
Now, I am not a highly spiritual person — I do believe there is a “higher power” (though I am not entirely certain what that higher power is), yet I wear the Saint Jude & Saint Francis medal’s around my neck without fail (what can I say? I am simply an enigma!) and I believe that the universe (and most likely Maggie Mae herself!) played active roles in bringing Maxwell into my world.
It did not take long to see this little boy was special. He needed someone…anyone to give him a chance and to be patient with him (after all he was learning how to navigate his world without the use of his back legs, and eventually will learn to adapt to a wheelchair/scooter) as well as manually express his bladder to help him urinate properly. Without second thought I agreed to take him home (still not entirely sure what I was getting myself into!) and quickly realized that the world needed me to take Maxwell home and it was evident by the “M” on his chest (which was before we officially named him Maxwell! I told people it was Maggie’s “stamp of approval”) and quickly found out through some investigative work that Maxwell as born on the same exact day Maggie Mae passed away! I am unsure if this is a “thing” but my heart takes comfort in knowing that Maxwell and Maggie could have easily crossed paths as Maggie was exiting and Maxwell was entering.
As time carried on I noticed something remarkable happening — though my heart hurt and I was still constantly mourning Ms. Maggie Mae, I found Maxwell to be very “good” for me! He is a clown like, spunky little dude who does NOT let the fact his back legs malfunction even phase him nor slow him down! He plays and barks and chews just like any other normal puppy does! I remind him daily that he is not Maggie and that is ALRIGHT. He is Maxwell. He is his own being and I will love and care for him for the remainder of his days.
Somewhere in my grief addled brain I tell myself that Maggie sent me Maxwell to soothe the suffering I feel deep within my soul, to help keep my compassionate heart occupied (and to give me something ELSE to worry about! I am the typical “mother hen” always worried about someone and always attempting to feed them!).
Maxwell no doubt has many obstacles ahead of him as far as his mobility goes. And that is alright. Everything that we do we will take in stride and figure it out along the way. Maxwell does not care that I am not perfect or well versed in his “special-ability” he just cares that I love him and give him affection (and the occasional snackie!) and is just thankful that someone took a chance on him and did not immediately write him off as a “suffering” being that needed to be met with euthanasia (because that is the farthest from the truth possible!). He just needed ONE person to give him a shot. Growing up I was reminded that you “cannot save them all” and though that may be true I can change the life of that ONE pet I rescued. That is all that it takes: one person to give them a shot.
Max’s radiograph interpretation of his spine/back & ribs.Maxwell showing off his “badge” that sits proudly on his chest!
Left to Right: Maxwell playing on the floor with some of his toys, Maxwell hanging with his ‘gator in his portable crib (again surrounded by some toys) and Maxwell in his carrier rocking his adorable bowtie while in the car.
Bart is a typical four year old little boy — he loves to play, snuggle and be all around ornery but he is considered “specially-abled”! Why you may ask? Bart is missing his left eye! As a kitten Bart had a vicious upper respiratory infection that went untreated (while he was a stray kitten) that unfortunately made his left eye rupture and his right eye become ulcerated (he can see but it is limited).
Besides Bart missing his left eye what other remnants stem from his early days of an untreated upper respiratory infection and feline herpesvirus? Nothing. From time to time he will be a “booger monster” and have a few crusties by his nostrils (and sometimes will sneeze) but aside from that he is completely and totally normal! Bart has to have no special accommodations for his “special ability” (other than the common courtesy of not re-arranging the furniture without consulting him first!) Sometimes (rarely) when Bart is rushing and in a hurry to get around he may accidentally run into something (or someone!) but it does not slow him down or hinder his ability to run, play and occasionally be a pest to his brothers!
Bart is apart of the group that is helping to bust down the stigma that surrounds specially-abled animals! We are honoring specially-abled animals on this special and imperative holiday (#Specially-AbledAnimalsDay)! We are stopping the stigma for the specially-abled! Help us by telling YOUR pet’s story of how they are specially-abled!
May 03, 2021 is “Specially-Abled Pet Awareness” Day! All day today we are posting our specially-abled friends (and if you are the parent to a specially-abled pet parent please submit their photo and brief write up and we will post it on our website and social media platforms! PresidentBifford@gmail.com)
Maggie Mae with “Cheeto” (foster kitten)– August 2016
Maggie Mae was the product of an Amish puppy mill — full of disease, death and over breeding in cramped, filthy and inhumane conditions in Lancaster, PA and then ultimately sold to PetLand (Harbor Pets) in Boardman, Ohio in October 2006. She was pulled from her mother far too young and was alone, terrified in a dark, metal cage with no blankets, no toys and no human interaction as she was “DEFECTIVE” because she had an inguinal hernia so she was unable to be sold in the pet store so she was being sent back to the amish to ultimately either be over-bred or put down. The store was placing her in a black trash bag in which her “momma” noticed the heinous act they were performing and promptly asked a store employee why they would do such a thing, the employee callously replied, “If they go in a bag back to the breeder and do not make it then that saves them money in not having to put them down. They are the rejects, they are no good.” Her mother was not having any of this and immediately expressed interest in taking the small ball of fur home.
Sadly, puppy mill dogs have a reputation of their own — hereditary issues, ongoing medical problems and deformities due to inbreeding. Maggie Mae was scheduled for her spay July 2007 to which the veterinarian fixed the hernia as well in which after that she was a happy, healthy and vivacious young pug!
Maggie Mae continued from that fateful day to live a happy, spoiled life though the health problems would rear its ugly head–waxing and waning. Today, Maggie Mae celebrated her 12th birthday! She has a few teeth left (having over 20 removed due to her “pug mouth” and periodontal disease) and is now deaf and suffers on rare occasion petit mal seizures stemmed from being informally diagnosed with a tumor in the brain but without the proper (and expensive) diagnostic work it is simply the veterinarian’s professional opinion.
Though Maggie has slowed down, she cannot hear her momma anymore and sleeps more than she once did she was given a chance at life that was originally attempted to be taken away from her due to a medical condition that is easily repaired. Sadly, puppy mill pets are often subjected to these types of injustices every day — unsanitary, inhumane conditions with improper nutrition and often absent veterinary care they are viewed as inanimate objects instead of what they truly are– living, breathing beings with unconditional love and devotion to those who open up their hearts and homes to them.
Puppy mill pets, and pets with hereditary and genetic complications are categorized as “special needs” pets because they are often misunderstood and misinterpreted and badly need someone to be their voice.
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 theONLY 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.
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
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 ALLdiagnostics, 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 YOURlack 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]
