Roundworm-A Serious Zoonosis

Silver Sands Veterinary-04May2013

Pet Advocacy: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

DH DeForge, VMD

What is a pet advocate?  Most  dictionaries give the definition than an advocate is a  a person who speaks or writes in support of a cause; something that is quite important. Other dictionaries state an advocate is a person who pleads for or in behalf of another; i.e. an 

intercessor.

 When speaking about an advocate for a companion animal, I like to use the words true friend!

Dr. Leo Buscaglia, my mentor, wrote a poem about unconditional love.  He writes about the human spirit; the unconditional love of a pet should be our mirror to return that love without hesitation.

Unconditional Love... 
I will love you no matter what. 

I will love you if you are stupid, 

if you slip and fall on your face, 

if you do the wrong thing, 

if you make mistakes, 

if you behave like a human being 

I will love you no matter. 
--Leo Buscaglia--

The lines of this quote that are most meaningful to me are:..."If you behave like a human being; I will love you no matter."  Stop and think about that line.  Are you your pet's advocate yesterday, today, and tomorrow?  Try to think of any one person who has supplied unconditional love to you without a reservation.  I am not saying that you have not been loved or are not in love!  What I am saying is that somewhere in your friendship; your relationship; your marriage......... strings have been connected to that unconditional love.

It is our responsibility to return unconditional love to the companions that are........the children in our homes.  We seem to get into a flow; a daily repetition and we forget our companions.  Many times we miss when they are ill; other times it is too late when illness is identified.  

Art Linkletter states it the best:

"The two best interview subjects are children under 10 and people over 70 for the same reason: they say the first thing that comes to their mind. The children don't know what they're saying and the old folks don't care."
    Art Linkletter

So what happens during those years between 10 and 70?  We collect pets when young and forget them when we travel away from home or go to the university.  We develop relationships and/or marry and we become self-absorbed in our lives; our pets continue to stare with unconditional love but we do not see them! Next, we have children and the pets are now subjugated with extra treats or sent outside because we are "in-love" with our new babies and toddlers.  As the children grow comes sports, dancing, ballet, gymnastics, theater etc. We become more and more tired.  Other times, we try to relive our lives through our children and have them perform on stages we have never had the opportunity to reach.  Our pet companions drift father from our focus.  While this is happening, the unconditional love FROM our companion pet never ceases............ yet we are so busy we do not acknowledge this special gift that is given freely to us.  We do not see unconditional love but we see obligation.  Pet food, flea and tick products, heartworm prevention, vaccines, and vet visits are problems in our lives rather than love.  

There is a minority of pet advocates who get through all of this and who share in the splendor of unconditional love unceasingly.  With or without children, complicated lives never stop them from returning unconditional love to their pets.  For them, a trip to the veterinarian is not a chore; not an obligation; but an exercise in love.  The money they spend on pet food each year is not an annoyance but a thank you for their pet's love.  They enjoy seeing their pets eat with happiness and grow in good health with quality foods.   Just as they seek quality foods for their own diets, they want their pets to have the same type of quality animal food.

As our pets age, the separation from them becomes greater.  Obsolescence replaces loving contemporary friendship.  The Human-Animal Bond becomes stressed.

Age is not a disease.  The Human-Animal Bond must grow stronger with age because this is when they need us most!  One of the leaders in geriatric and cancer care in the United States, Dr. Alice Villalobos has established the HHHHHMM Quality of  Life Scale.  It is a way for the pet owner in consultation with their veterinarian to be sure that the pet who has given unconditional love all of its life is cared for properly in their geriatric years....i.e. especially when suffering from terminal disease.  Dr. Villalobos' letters stand for Hurt; Hunger; Hydration; Hygiene; Happiness; Mobility; More GOOD days than bad.  No pet should live in pain----hurt means pain!  There are wonderful and very safe prescription medicines for pain as well as alternative systems for pain control that can be advised by your veterinarian.  Happiness means that your pet should be interacting with the family and responsive to all that is occurring in their lives.  On the other hand, red flags should be noted if your pet seems lonely, bored, indifferent, anxious or afraid.  

When there are more bad days than good days quality of life is being compromised.  If the two way connection of the Human-Animal Bond is breached seek help immediately.  Find compassion in your veterinary counsel.  Take the time to sit down and discuss with your health care professional the good and the bad that you note at home.  Find a hospital that identifies with or provides Pet Hospice.  To be your pet's advocate at this stage in life, you must be observant of your pet each day.  Dr. Villalobos describes the importance of gentle brushing and grooming; massages; short walks; or maybe taking your pet for a ride in a wagon if the pet is not fully mobile.  How simple it is to take a moment to share unconditional love during a time Dr. Villalobos describes as the "End of Life Stage" in the progression from early life to adulthood to geriatric.  The "End of Life" stage is not about giving up but giving more care, more love, and greater strength to the Human-Animal Bond.

Why does it take the "End of Life" for many of us to find unconditional love.  Buscaglia states, "I will love you no matter what!"  When we lose a friend, a relative, a partner, or a spouse we always question whether we did all that we could and whether we told them enough times how much we love them.  Those who lose their companion, their pet, have the same questions.  Our pets are our children.  We want them to be comfortable and happy.  Our lives are busy but never to busy to forget to tell them we love them and SHOW THEM that we care!

I instruct our nurse-caregivers that compassion is as strong a medicine as an intravenous treatment; that telling a pet in our hospital that we love them is equal to any new medicine available for treatment; and holding a pet in their arms with affection is critical to recovery.  Pets need to know they are loved when away from home.  Patient recovery is expedited with decreased hospital time.  

It is a triad: pet: home advocate: and doctor.  Working together, unconditional love is returned; quality of life is maintained; and a pain free happy life is possible through all stages of life.  Give your pet a hug today and tell them you love them.  Share this openness and unconditional love of your pets with your children-yesterday, today, and tomorrow!

Dr. Don DeForge

Medical Director Silver Sands Veterinary

17 Seemans Lane-Milford, CT. 06460

1-800-838-3368

www.SilverSandsVeterinary.com

E-Mail DonDeForge@aol.com

Blogger: Animal Doc AM Multi-Media

Dr. DeForge welcomes comments and thoughts on his essays.  Please address them to DonDeForge@aol.com