Author: Paul Handover

The power of love …

….. for the animals in our lives.

In yesterday’s post Senior Smiles there was a lovely exchange between Cindy and me. Cindy wrote:

Just a few days ago I relived in my mind the pain of losing our 16 year old Bichon- and that was a year and a half ago! Honestly, that is my biggest fear of adopting another dog- esp an older one.

Cindy then, mistakenly in my view, thought that, “it’s selfish to hang on to grief like this, and I REALLY don’t mean to“, to which I replied:

Grief is not a selfish attitude, far from it! You will know when it’s the right time to adopt, and love, a new dog.

You can then easily imagine my pleasure when thinking of what to write for today’s post to see a recent item over on the Care2 site about our commitment to our pets. About our love for our pets.

The item was called How Far Would You Go For Your Pet? and is republished here today. I would like to dedicate this post to Cindy! Cindy is the author of the blog: Mermaid in a Mudslide.

ooOOoo

How Far Would You Go for Your Pet?

By: TreeHugger. August 23, 2016

There is simply no denying the power that pets hold over us.

I suppose there are a number of reasons why we love our dogs and cats (and others) so much, but surely their innocence and unconditional love rank right up there on top. Plus they’re cute, and furry, and funny, and sweet, and overall good companions. But I have to think there is something about them providing access to the larger animal world in general as well – domesticated animals are like a bridge between us civilized humans and wildlife, and for this they serve an important role. If we can find compassion for our companion animals, in many cases that compassion seeps out and becomes extended to other elements of the natural world as well.

And we really, really have compassion for our pets. Like, approaching fervency. Last year Americans spent over $60 billion on their pets, a number expected to increase by another $2 billion this year. That. Is. So. Much. Money. If you spent $20 per second, it would take 95 years to spend $60 billion.

But even more telling than how much we spend on our pets is the other sacrifices we would make for them. With pets on their mind, the website Abodo conducted a survey of 2,000 dog and cat owners and asked them all kinds of bordering-on-Sophie’s-Choice type of questions. The following results display just how cuckoo we are for our creature cohabitants.

See more of the survey’s results here.

Written by Melissa Breyer, this post originally appeared on TreeHugger.

Photo Credit: dougwoods/Flickr

ooOOoo

The power of (unconditional) love!

Senior Smiles

Adopting dogs who are no longer young animals.

A trip to your local animal shelter reveals that dogs of all types, backgrounds, and ages may usually be seen. Inevitably, those dogs that are no longer in ‘the first flush of youth’ are frequently seen as less adoptable than younger animals. While that is understandable from a prospective owner’s point of view there’s no reason at all to disfavor the older dog.

Both Casey and Pedy were dogs that Jean and I adopted when they were well into their middle years, or six-years-old to put a number to it.

Casey, shown above, had been in the animal shelter for over a year and on top of being six had the added burden of being a Pit Bull breed.

Hi Pedy, I'm the bossman around here. Name's Pharaoh and you'll be OK. — Hi Pedy, I’m the bossman around here. Name’s Pharaoh and you’ll be OK.

So when the Care2 blogsite published a post about adopting senior dogs I thought that this was most certainly something to be shared with you.

Here it is.

ooOOoo

What Advice Would You Offer Someone Adopting a Senior Dog?

By: Vetstreet.com August 18, 2016

About Vetstreet.com
Those of us who have been fortunate enough to share our hearts and homes with a senior dog know just how special those gray-muzzled darlings can be. Earning the love of an aging pup who truly needs you creates a special bond that’s hard to put into words.

True, they may have some age-related health issues (like arthritis, dental disease or failing vision or hearing) that require attention or treatment. But older dogs have lots of pros, too, like the fact that they’re likely to be better trained than a puppy and they’re probably game to lounge around with you and take it easy. And when it comes to adopting a senior dog, you have the benefit of knowing what you’re getting in terms of size and in most cases, personality.

Our readers recently shared some great tips for people getting their first dog or cat — and in fact, we know that many of you have opened your homes to adult dogs. So when we wanted to offer tips to people looking to welcome an older canine into the family, we turned to our Vetstreet Facebook followers and asked: What’s the one piece of advice you’d give someone adopting a senior dog? And, as we suspected, our readers came through with some excellent — and touching — words of wisdom.

Advice for Someone Adopting a Senior Dog

Many readers expressed the importance of showering your senior dog with love. “Love them unconditionally, as you don’t know how long you will have them,” said Peggy Lowe-Brooks. “Enjoy each day they are in your life.”

Rich Dunn agreed, saying, “Love them, love them. Treat them like family, be there to the end and hope someday to see them on the other side!” Dee Davis added, “Make sure you’re committed to love, care and cater to them for them the rest of their lives.”

Mike Carroll suggested remembering that, for some dogs, age might be just a number: “Have fun with them; they still have a lot of energy and the desire to do most anything they ever did before. Baby them big time and be ready to be on the receiving end of some serious love and affection from them. Just let them enjoy the rest of their life like never before.”

William West Patience’s experience backs up Carroll’s suggestion. “I have had dogs that lived until 15, then I adopted one that was 16 because no one else would,” he said. “It has been a rewarding experience and has taught me so much. Except for some mobility issues he doesn’t know he’s an old dog.”

Of course, it’s important to remember that taking on a dog during his golden years can be a big responsibility, and potential owners should be ready for that. “…Remember they may have expensive medical bills; be prepared to give them the medical care they will need,” said Priscilla Leuliette.

Susan Holt Stanley was of a similar mind, saying, “Love them with your heart, care for them medically and tell them a million times how special they are!”

And Sarah Vaughn reminded us of the golden rule: “Be patient! One day you’re going to be elderly and you don’t want someone yelling at or getting frustrated with you because you move so slowly and have accidents because you can’t make it outside (or to the facilities) in time.”

If you’re considering bringing a senior dog into your home, there are numerous things you can do to help him enjoy his senior years. You might take steps to pet-proof your home in a way that makes it easier for him to get around. And believe it or not, teaching your old dog new tricks isn’t only possible, it’s a great way to help your new-old pup stay mentally and physically sharp! Getting him to the vet for regular exams and keeping an eye out for any physical or behavioral changes is important for dogs of all ages, but becomes perhaps even more important as he ages.

Care2 readers, what advice do you have for people adopting senior dogs? Tell us below in the comments. [Ed: as comments left on this post.]

By Kristen Seymour | Vetstreet.com

ooOOoo

Keeping an eye out for any physical or behavioral changes doesn’t just apply to aging dogs! 😉

Dusk to Dawn Commitment!

The love that exists between so many humans and so many dogs!

Yesterday, after I had returned from my morning bike ride with our local group of friends, Brandy was incredibly pleased to see me. To the extent that he crouched down, his head and front legs on the hardwood floor, his rear hips still up in the air, so to speak (Jean said that this posture is called a play bow), and everything about him signaling that he wanted to play with me.

I could not resist adopting a similar physical position and then we both rolled onto our backs with our heads locked together ‘cheek to cheek’ in the most exquisite and intimate bond between dog and human.

Such gorgeous events produce a loyalty and affection from me (and, I suspect, from Brandy too) that would mean that there would be no limit within me if I had to protect and save Brandy from harm.

Countless numbers of you dear readers will know precisely what I feel and how I expressed it.

Thus the example of others showing not the slightest hesitation in rescuing a dog trapped underground both makes sense and makes us feel so proud. Here it is reproduced from a recent Care2 posting.

ooOOoo

Firefighters Dig Until Dawn to Rescue Underground Dog

By: Laura S. August 14, 2016 About Laura
Could it be that when you name a dog “Tiger” you can expect him to be especially territorial? Well, perhaps that’s why this dog in Gulfport, Miss., decided to race down the street in pursuit of a neighborhood cat. Only problem is, there’s something just as dangerous as quicksand in the concrete “jungle” and it swallowed poor Tiger just as quickly.

Tiger fell deep into a concrete culvert pipe near the intersection of Mississippi Avenue and Tyler Street around 9 p.m. one evening, and it wasn’t until residents exhausted their own resources that they decided to call for help at around 3 a.m. the next morning.

Gulfport Fire Department Battalion Chief Chris Henderson, along with seven other firefighters and a pair of workers from the public works department, began working together to extricate the dog.

It was a tedious rescue because the pipe was far too narrow for any rescue worker to fit through, so the team had to cut their way through the pipe.

“We counted the joints in the pipe to estimate the distance, then walked off the distance on the top above the ground,” Henderson told the local ABC News affiliate.

The firefighters dug down and then drilled holes to locate Tiger before bringing in a concrete saw to cut through the pipe and reach him.

By 7 a.m. Tiger was pulled to safety and reunited with his guardian who planned to take him to the veterinarian as a precautionary measure although the dog appeared unharmed.

(All the photographs are Credit: Chris Henderson of Gulfport Fire Department / Facebook)

ooOOoo

Nothing further to add from me!

The harmonious order of things!

The wisdom of balance.

Let me start off with a quote:

Thomas Merton was an author who was born January 31st, 1915 and died on December 10th, 1968.

As part of the process of slowing down the progress of Parkinson’s Disease Jean is participating in three therapy sessions each week at the Outpatient’s Clinic at our local Three Rivers Hospital. One of the those sessions is physical therapy. I sat in on the initial introductory session and was fascinated by how much emphasis was placed on Jean’s ability to balance properly (and she was very good – better than me at times). Apparently a decline in one’s balance is an indicator of the brain not functioning as it should.

Psychologically and emotionally maintaining “an even keel” is vital to dealing with the countless ‘events’ that come our way every day.

I have been a follower of Val Boyco’s blog Find Your Middle Ground for some time and frequently read posts that reach out to me way beyond the words on the screen. As it was with a post published last Thursday: Steps to Find your Middle Ground.

It is republished here with Val’s very kind permission.

ooOOoo

Steps to Find your Middle Ground

Posted on August 18, 2016 by Val Boyko

This list is for all the list people out there. Enjoy the steps I have discovered in finding my own middle ground and living life in balance 💛

Notice! Take time to pause and be aware of the incredible gift of life that you share with others and with nature. Wake up to the little things. Wake up to your self. Wake up to it all. This is called living mindfully. Become a keen observer.
Accept that life has ups and downs. Really! Some one told us when were little that life should be a breeze. This is called wishful thinking. Be grateful for the highs and graceful in the lows. This is called living life well.
Become present. Stop lamenting the past or worrying about tomorrow. Living is in each moment. Now. Take a deep breath. Then another. Notice you are still here… not there.
Get to know yourself. Take that first scary step of self-discovery. Turn off the tv. Sit for a while. Journal about what comes up. Have a meaningful conversation. Listen more to others. Listen more to yourself.
Let go of judgments. We think that judging others or ourselves makes us feel strong. Judgments come from fear of not being in control and having things go our way. Our way is not the way. There is nothing wrong, so stop trying to be right. Stop comparing, criticizing and start letting others be. Let yourself be.
Realize that you are not your thinking. You are the one who is aware of your thoughts. You are awareness within a physical body, with an imaginative and fearful ego-mind that creates stories. Your thinking is not the truth about who you are or the world around you.
Find the peace within. Beyond the next breath and the next thought there is a deep reservoir of peace waiting to be stepped into. This cool refreshing stillness has always been there and will always be there for us to access. To connect to this wondrous pool becomes our practice… whether it’s in mindfulness meditation, yoga, sitting in nature, or while commuting on the train, realize that you too can find your own middle ground.

This blog is my way of helping people get their feet wet.

ooOOoo

Now go and read that quote again by Thomas Merton.

Picture Parade One Hundred and Sixty-One

The second set of those wonderful family portraits!

oooo

The third set will be out in a week’s time. Thank you to neighbour Dordie for sending me the link to these wonderful pictures.

You all take care out there!

Spreading love and kindness

The huge gift we receive from therapy animals.

I know there are times when giving Brandy a big hug feeds something very deep inside me. That unconditional affection Brandy shows me has a very strong healing sense.

I know that Jean shares my sense of being loved by Brandy, and by all our other dear dogs.

I am without doubt that hundreds of thousands of other people experience this.

Yet there must always be room for more therapy dogs which is why an item on Care2 just a few days ago is being shared with you today.

(P.S. When a photo of me hugging Brandy was sought his nibs did not comply!)

ooOOoo

Could Your Pet Become a Therapy Animal?

By: Laura Goldman August 16, 2016 About Laura Follow Laura at @lauragoldman

If you have a pet who’s mellow and loves being around people, and the idea of helping your pet bring joy to others appeals to you, you might just have a therapy animal in the making.

Accompanied by their owners, therapeutic visitation animals – which are most commonly dogs, but can also be cats, rabbits, pot-bellied pigs, horses, etc. – regularly visit people in hospitals, nursing homes, schools and other facilities, providing furry comfort and compassion.

“Four-footed therapists give something special to enhance the health and well-being of others,” says the website of Therapy Dogs International (TDI), a nonprofit organization that regulates, tests and registers therapy dogs and their handlers. “It has been clinically proven that through petting, touching and talking with animals, patients’ blood pressure is lowered, stress is relieved and depression is eased.”

What It Takes to Be a Therapy Animal

Therapy animals are “born, not made,” according to TDI. They must have an outstanding temperament, and be outgoing and friendly to people of all ages. They must also behave well with other animals.

In general, therapy animals must also be at least one year old; current on all vaccines required by local laws; and be clean and well groomed when visiting people.

As for dogs, along with the ability to obey basic commands like “Sit,” “Stay,” “Come” and “Leave it,” they are tested by therapy dog certification organizations to ensure they can do the following, according to TDI (most of these requirements apply to other species of potential therapy animals as well):

Listen to their handlers
Allow strangers to touch them all over
Not jump on people when interacting
Not mind strange noises and smells
Be calm for petting
Not be afraid of people walking unsteadily

Getting Your Pet Certified as a Therapy Animal

Think your pet has the right stuff to be a therapy animal? To get an idea of the type of testing involved, this TDI brochure describes each of the 13 tests a dog must pass in order to be certified. The tests are similar for other animals.

Some therapy animal organizations, including Pet Partners, offer workshops so you and your pet can practice the required skills before being tested for certification.

The AKC website has a list of therapy animal organizations all across the U.S. from which your pet can receive certification. Contact the one nearest you for further information.

The Difference Between Therapy and Service Animals

Although the two are often confused, therapy animals are not the same as service animals, which “have been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability,” according to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

“An example of a service dog is a dog who guides an owner who is blind or assists someone who has a physical disability,” the American Kennel Club (AKC) explains. “Service dogs stay with their person and have special access privileges in public places such as planes, restaurants, etc.”

Therapy dogs, on the other hand, are privately owned. Unlike service animals and their handlers, in most U.S. states, therapy animals and their owners don’t have protections under federal law (ADA, the Fair Housing Act, etc.), reports the National Service Animal Registry.

Additional Resources

You can find out more about therapy animals and getting your pet certified from these organizations:

Photo credit: Thinkstock

ooOOoo

Closing this post with some photographs Jean took yesterday afternoon. Me with Pharaoh and Cleo.

(OK, they were staged for this post as the look on Cleo’s face rather suggests!)

oooo

Have a very huggable weekend!

Kate Humble and Teg

Following on from yesterday.

In yesterday’s post I included the full documentary that was recently broadcast by the BBC. It was really interesting and a great insight into the uniqueness of the Welsh Sheepdog. More of that in a moment but first some details about Kate. As WikiPedia puts it:

Katherine “Kate” Humble (born 12 December 1968) is an English television presenter, mainly for the BBC, specialising in wildlife and science programmes. She was also the President of the RSPB until 2013.

Inevitably, Kate has her own website where one reads on the ‘home’ page:

Kate Humble and her sheepdog Teg set off to learn about the threats to British herding dogs. Filmed over a year, and with an exclusive insight into Kate’s shepherding life, ‘Kate Humble: My Sheepdog and Me’, unveils the story of the Welsh Sheepdog, explores the challenges of breed recognition and celebrates the simple joy of a handful of puppies.

‘Kate Humble: My Sheepdog and Me’ will be on BBC 2 on the 15th August 2016 at 9pm.

As changing farming practices, cross breeding and dog shows came about, so too did the decline of Britain’s working dogs. Of 22 British herding dog breeds, 12 are now extinct and the 10 remaining are mostly show dogs or pets. Kate sets out to discover if Teg belongs to one of these rare breeds, criss-crossing Wales as she uncovers the story of the Welsh Sheepdog and tries to find a mate for Teg.

From sheepdog trials to droving, from DNA profiling to a nationwide search for a mate, Kate and Teg’s journey is a celebration of the Welsh landscape and rural traditions. It also delves into the hi-tech, hi-value world of breeding rare dogs, and explores the timeless bond between humans and their dogs.

Join Kate and Teg as they play their part in the continuing survival of Britain’s herding dogs.

Now we hear a great deal about this endangered animal and that endangered animal but British herding dog breeds wouldn’t for me come to mind as one such endangered breed.

Clearly the effort to save the future of the Welsh sheepdog is significant underpinned by the fact that there is a society devoted exclusively to the breed: The Welsh Sheepdog Society. The website of the Welsh Sheepdog Society also has a page where registered sheepdogs are for sale. I’m going to republish the details on that page not only to show readers what the dogs look like but also to promote them to a wider audience.

ooOOoo

FOR SALE

Registered Welsh Sheepdogs of Sale from Society Members

Red and white welsh sheepdog pups for sale, pictured below. 6 bitches and 2 dogs by Fferm Mynydd Morgan out of Safn y Coed Erin. Both parents good workers. Ready to go now. Contact Edward Hopkins phone 07867 474 866.

Welsh sheepdog pups for sale. Black and white and red and white. By Wilden Gel out of Fron Felen Fflei. Good working stock. Contact Bob Williams 01745 550 304.

Welsh sheepdog pups for sale. By Hendrerhys Gelert out of Fron Felen Nel. Both parents good workers. Contact John Williams 01745 5870 657.

Welsh sheepdog pups for sale, picture below, ready December. Sire Ty Llwyd Bonnie trophy winner Penlanlwyd Tango. Dam Glyngwilym Rose. Contact Simon and Emma Mogford, 07846 017 669

ooOOoo

Here’s hoping they all find wonderful loving homes.

Let me finish off today’s post by extensively quoting from the WikiPedia page about the Welsh Sheepdog.

The Welsh sheepdog (Welsh: ci defaid Cymreig, pronounced [kiː dɛˈvaɪd kəmˈrɛɨɡ]) is a landrace of herding dog from Wales.

Like other types of working dog, Welsh sheepdogs are normally bred for their herding abilities rather than appearance, and so they are generally somewhat variable in build, colour and size. Welsh sheepdogs are of collie type, usually black-and-white, red-and-white or tricolour, and merle markings may occur over any of these combinations. The coat may be short or fairly long, and the ears are pricked, but usually folded at the tip. They are longer in leg, broader in chest and wider in muzzle than the Border Collie. They are extremely active and intelligent, and therefore need much exercise and mental stimulation, if they are to be kept as pets. Welsh sheepdogs are more commonly known as Welsh collies, however these are the same breed.

Over many decades the Welsh sheepdog has largely been replaced for working sheep in Wales by the Border Collie, a standardised breed. However, in more recent years, efforts have been made to maintain the indigenous Welsh sheepdog as a distinct variety.

Welsh sheepdogs are usually of loose-eyed action, not fixing the stock with their gaze like the strong-eyed (de)Border Collie. They are able to work independently without necessarily being under direct human control. Welsh sheepdogs are most often used for herding sheep, but also readily work cattle, goats, and even horses and pigs. Traditionally they were often used as droving dogs to take cattle and sheep to markets locally or elsewhere in Britain.

The Welsh sheepdog’s life span is 12–15 years.

History

At one time there existed many sheep-herding dogs peculiar to Wales; during the 18th century Welsh drovers taking sheep for sale took with them five or six Welsh sheepdogs as “herders on the narrow roads, guards against highwaymen, and providers of game on the route”. These were an early type of Welsh sheepdog, higher on the leg and more racily built than the modern day breed.

However, by the 1940s the group had decreased to two or three breeds only. The ancient pure breeds of black-and-tan sheepdog and Welsh hillman were almost extinct, and were scarcely ever seen working. The type best known in Wales at that time was mostly descended from the old black-and-tan with an infusion of working Border Collie blood.

In the 1940s the Welsh sheepdog was still common throughout the north and central Welsh counties. In herding activities, it did not normally work low to the ground in “the showy manner sometimes seen in the work of the working [Border] Collies”, as British dog fancier C. L. B. Hubbard put it in 1948. It was variable in type; approximately 18 in (46 cm) in height, but the weight ranged from the lighter built, leggier dog of North Wales at 35 lb (16 kg) to the more solid 40 to 45 lb (18 to 20 kg) dogs of Glamorganshire and Monmouthshire. There were no dog show classes for the Welsh sheepdog as it was purely a working breed.

Finally another picture of Kate and Teg.

Fabulous animals!

Welsh Sheepdogs

Congratulations to the BBC for a fascinating documentary.

Recently the BBC aired a documentary about Kate Humble and her journey to have her dog, Teg, registered as a Welsh sheepdog by the Welsh Sheepdog Society. It was fascinating and a ‘must see’ for all dog lovers irrespective of their residency in Wales or not! The programme, that is no longer available (still on BBC iPlayer at the time of writing), was described on the BBC website, thus:

When Kate Humble decides she wants to breed from her dog Teg, she finds out that her beloved pet is a Welsh sheepdog. She sets out to learn more about this little-known and endangered breed, and discovers that a true Welsh sheepdog is a working dog. Kate wants Teg and her future puppies to be certifiably Welsh, and sets out to train Teg to work in the traditional Welsh way. Teg shows willing, and Kate works on her own shepherding skills, but will the demanding experts from the Welsh Sheepdog Society be impressed by the pair’s performance?

However, some smart soul has uploaded the episode to YouTube so if you want to watch it do so quickly before it is removed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7m7dKBd3mQ

Published on Aug 15, 2016

Kate Humble sets out to breed Welsh sheepdog puppies from her beloved pet Teg, and learns about the threat facing British herding dogs. A true Welsh sheepdog is a working dog, and so Kate sets out to train Teg to work in the traditional Welsh way. Along the way, she meets a team of researchers at the University of Aberystwyth, whose groundbreaking DNA research reveals some remarkable facts about the Welsh sheepdog. If Teg can produce a litter of healthy Welsh sheepdog puppies, she can play a big part in helping one of Britain’s unique herding dogs survive for generations to come.

I’m going to continue this item tomorrow for there’s more information that I think you will find interesting.

But for now, watch the documentary – you’ll love it!

Life’s Lottery!

A traumatic accident to Casey is very professionally dealt with.

Our nine dogs are divided into two groups. One group lives in the kitchen/dining-room area (Casey, Paloma and Ruby) and the other dogs in the living-room/bedroom area (Pharaoh, Sweeny, Pedy, Oliver, Cleo and Brandy).

These two groups are separated by a gate, as seen here with Pharaoh resting on his bed and Casey at ease just on the other ‘kitchen’ side.

Both Jean and I go between the two areas via the gate many times daily.

Last Sunday evening, as Jean was going to the kitchen, Casey stuck his head through one of the vertical spaces in the gate and must have become stuck albeit what then happened was upon us in a flash. For Brandy grabbed the left-hand side of Casey’s face with his own jaw and the two dogs were locked together. It was a bit of a struggle to separate Brandy from Casey and when we took a look at Casey’s face it was clear that there was a laceration along his lower, left-hand lip. However, he did not appear to be in pain and we all proceeded to bed.

On the Monday morning after I had returned from my bike ride with a local group of neighbours I queried with Jean whether or not we should just check that Casey wasn’t too badly injured despite the fact that Casey was showing no signs of discomfort. Nevertheless, his wound was not a pretty sight and a quick call to our neighbour Jim Goodbrod, who is also a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM), resulted in Jim saying to bring Casey round to his place then and there.

We are glad that we did for Jim quickly discovered that the laceration was not only to Casey’s lower lip but that much of his gum below the gum line along Casey’s teeth had been torn away exposing the jaw bone. Jim said that this required specialist attention and had no hesitation in recommending Southern Oregon Veterinary Speciality Center (SOVSC) in Medford, about 40 miles to the South. Jim went inside his house and made an appointment for us to take Casey to SOVSC for 2pm that afternoon.

We had previously been to SOVSC with Hazel and were impressed with their level of expertise and experience and the fact that they were open twenty-four hours every day of the week!

By the time we arrived Casey had been allocated to be seen by Dr. Adam Reiss, DVM, and very soon after arrival we were shown into a side room awaiting Dr. Reiss’s medical assistant.

Dr. Reiss then arrived and explained that Casey’s lip and gum would require suturing under a general anesthetic but that they could fit it in that afternoon albeit Casey would not be ‘back on his feet’ until 6pm at the earliest. Of course, we agreed and shortly thereafter Casey quietly and calmly was led away by Dr. Reiss’s assistant.

Jean and I then went the short distance to the centre of Medford, did a bit of shopping, had an early dinner and returned to SOVSC shortly before 6pm.

While we were waiting for news I was interested to read a prominently displayed sign setting out what constituted a veterinary specialist. (I’ve included the image at a larger size to make it easier for you to read it.)

Clearly there is more to caring for one’s pet than meets the eye.

Indeed, SOVSC’s web site introduces readers in this fashion:

At Southern Oregon Veterinary Specialty Center, we understand the special bond between a pet and their human family. Our team of highly trained doctors, certified technicians and support staff partner with your family veterinarian to provide specialized diagnostics, surgery and emergency care for your pet upon a referral or emergency basis. Our clinic is staffed 24 hours-a-day, 7 days a week, to receive emergency cases and to monitor our critical care patients. The clinic’s board-certified veterinary specialists and staff are committed to providing exceptional compassionate care utilizing state-of-the-art technology and treatments.

The relationships we have with partner veterinarians are vital to the success of treating your pet. We will keep them apprised of the patient’s status to provide a smooth and cohesive experience.

Jim Goodbrod speaks highly of the Center.

Dr. Reiss duly came out to speak with us and explained that all had gone well although Casey was still groggy but back on his feet. Despite the smiling face Dr. Reiss looked pretty tired. Not surprising when one reflects that the time was well past 6pm.

In an earlier conversation with some of the staff it was reported that, on average, some thirty animals were seen every day!

That’s commitment to the cause in any language!

Then it wasn’t long before our dear Casey was being led back into the front waiting area.

To be followed moments later by the assistant (apologies for not making a note of her name) setting out the details of how Casey had to be cared for over the coming hours and days.

The verbal guidance was supported by extensive notes.

Then it was a case of yours truly paying for all the services that had been provided for Casey and time to go home.

The car was rearranged to give room for Casey to sit on the rear seats with Jean next to him. I took the opportunity to take a photograph of the two of them that showed clearly the extent of the suture and the drain that had been inserted into Casey’s mouth.

It was beyond me to comprehend how Casey was so nonchalent to what in any human’s experience would have been hurting big time.

An hour later we were all home and getting dogs, cats and horses fed a lot later than normal.

Miracle of miracles Casey made it comfortably through the night and the following photograph was taken a little after 9:30 am yesterday morning.Well done all involved!

Thank you to Jim and all the doctors and staff at SOVSC but the biggest thank you of them all must go to Casey!!

Life’s Lottery: For humans and animals alike!

No post today!

We had a medical emergency with one of our dogs yesterday.

We only returned home a little after 8pm.

The details, and it was a good outcome, will comprise tomorrow’s post.

How Far Would You Go for Your Pet?

Share this:

What Advice Would You Offer Someone Adopting a Senior Dog?

Share this:

Firefighters Dig Until Dawn to Rescue Underground Dog

Share this:

Steps to Find your Middle Ground

Share this:

Share this:

Could Your Pet Become a Therapy Animal?

Share this:

FOR SALE

History

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: