Pets on pot: is medical marijuana giving sick animals a necessary dose of relief?

As owners tout benefits and usage in compassionate care, the battle for legalization mirrors humans’ own medical marijuana fight in 1990s California

By

Bernie
The Georgiadis’s dog, Bernie, who hasn’t had a seizure in four months.

Bernie, a 130-pound Swiss mountain dog, began having grand mal seizures when he was six months old. About once a week he would violently convulse, foam at the mouth, and urinate on himself for several minutes before recovering an or so hour later. The medication he was given seriously disoriented him, was harmful to his liver and for the most part didn’t work.

At the end of their rope, Bernie’s parents decided to put him on a pet supplement derived from cannabis. Gradually, his seizures became less severe and less frequent, before disappearing altogether.

Despite a large amount of promising anecdotal evidence like Bernie’s story, and a growing industry of cannabis-based pet products, many people have a hard time taking medical marijuana for pets seriously.

“It sounds ridiculous, until you experience it yourself,” said Bernie’s owner, Anthony Georgiadis, who says his dog hasn’t had a seizure in four months.

Living in Florida, where medical marijuana is illegal, Georgiadis orders Bernie’s supplement online from a California company called Treatibles. He is allowed to do this because Treatibles products are derived from legal hemp and contain little to no THC (the intoxicating ingredient in marijuana).

Many pet products are not made from hemp, though, but rather straight marijuana containing trace amounts of THC. So anyone wanting these products for their animal’s chronic pain, anxiety, inflammation, appetite stimulation, or epilepsy have to live in a state where medical marijuana is legal – and even then, they need to have a prescription for themselves just to enter a dispensary.

Last year, Tick Segerblom, a Nevada state senator, introduced a bill to create a medical marijuana registry for pets.

“They thought it was a joke,” Segerblom said of his senate colleagues. “It was the talk of the country for a while.”

“Look at this moron!” Dennis Miller screamed on the O’Reilly Factor, deriding the senator’s bill, calling it “the end of culture as we know it”.

“I have fish at home that want medical marijuana,” O’Reilly joked. “I’m not exactly sure how to deliver that to them, because if you put the cigarette in there it all gets wet.”

Despite the public ridicule, Segerblom said, he had been looking forward to the issue being debated in a hearing, but that hearing never happened. In the end, he said, “it went to a committee headed by a person who hates marijuana, and he made sure that it died”.

Amanda Reiman, manager of marijuana law at the Drug Policy Alliance, said that today’s battle over animal medical marijuana mirrors the clash over human medical marijuana in 1990s California.

“When we first started talking about the idea of using marijuana as a medicine, people laughed about it,” she said. “But they’ve come around, because when you know someone who was helped by cannabis it’s not funny anymore.”

n 2013, Reiman’s cat, Monkey, was diagnosed with terminal intestinal cancer. The chemotherapy and medication caused Monkey to lose her appetite, not sleep and become lethargic. The situation reminded Reiman of the countless scenarios she’d encountered with humans after a decade of working in medical marijuana, so she decided to mix a very small amount of cannabis oil in Monkey’s food.

Monkey
In 2013, Reiman’s cat, Monkey, was diagnosed with cancer.

“It brought her energy back, she was eating and playing – she was actually acting healthier than she had been before she was diagnosed with cancer,” Reiman said. “I knew it wasn’t a cure for her, and in the end she passed away several months later. But I really do feel it gave her a quality of life at the end; instead of just fading away, she stayed strong right up until the end.”

Veterinarians caution against pet owners taking matters into their own hands, because finding the correct dose can be tricky. While many pet medicines are just human drugs in different doses, the weight ratios between humans and animals can make it easy to accidentally give your pet an overdose. And pets overdosing on cannabis is already a serious problem in states where marijuana is legal.

001As with children, it’s common for pets to stumble upon a high potency marijuana edible, eat it, and become incredibly ill and intoxicated.

“We’ve seen some serious poisonings of animals [from marijuana] and even a couple of deaths,” says the medical director at the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, Dr Tina Wismer.

When it comes to pet meds, Wismer says it’s not uncommon for a human medication to be applied to animals purely on the basis of anecdotal evidence. She believes more studies need to be done on the therapeutic use of cannabis on animals to find the right dose.

Dr Sarah Brandon, a veterinarian and cofounder of Canna Companion, a hemp-based pet supplement company, says that over the last 18 years, she has administered cannabis to more than 4,000 animals, and is currently analyzing data before offering it to the medical community.

“Right now, veterinarians have no guidance on this,” she says. “There’s a lot of fear out there, and they are scared to come out and recommend [cannabis]. A veterinarian can recommend a hemp-based product as a supplement, but they cannot encourage them to use marijuana.”

Dan Goldfarb, owner of Seattle-based Canna-Pet, describes the differences between hemp and marijuana: “It’s like dog breeds: you can have a chihuahua or a great dane, both of which are dogs but are bred to exude very different characteristics.”

Canna-Pet, Treatibles and Canna Companion are all strictly hemp-based, so they are allowed to sell their products outside of marijuana dispensaries – even online to states where marijuana is illegal – without the need of a prescription. This also affords them deniability when people like Dennis Miller say they just want to get their pet stoned. But there are a handful of companies who use straight marijuana in their pet products, who say that hemp is too limited.

“We’ve seen better results with a little THC,” says Alison Ettel, founder of Treat Well, who has been using cannabis on a variety of animals for ten years and was recently invited to treat seals at the Marine Animal Center in Sausalito, California. She says that hemp works for some ailments like anxiety, but doesn’t contain a number of medicinal properties that marijuana does, like appetite stimulation, and that hemp can be harmful to an animal with a compromised immune system. “We believe hemp can have more negative effects than positive.”

Ettel adds that while her products contain psychoactive properties, if used in the right dosage in proportion to the animal’s size, there is no reason they should ever become intoxicated by it.

Brian Walker’s California company, Making You Better Brands, offers a marijuana based doggie shampoo for pain relief (along with similar products for horses). Walker says that the marijuana is never activated with heat, a process necessary for making the plant psychoactive.

But his company is still regulated like any other in the cannabis industry, meaning pet owners can only buy it in a dispensary with a (human) prescription, and can’t take it out of state. Walker said the lack of information available about the differences between hemp, active cannabis and inactive cannabis has prevented acceptance among veterinarians of medical marijuana.

“They picture a dog eating a brownie and being high for two days,” he said. “But with non-active cannabis they’re not going to get high – they’re going to get well.”

 Complete Article HERE!

For a price, saying goodbye to a dying pet can be less painful

By ELINE de BRUIJN

Pet hospice3
The main purpose of the hospice care that Joanna Harchut offers is to comfort the pets, but the owners often need TLC, too.

For 14 years, Boston the Chihuahua has beaten the odds: One of his brothers was stillborn and the other was killed by an owl.

The Fort Worth pooch has lived a good life, but now his owner, Amber Weiss, is preparing for life after her “Little Old Man” — and looking into hospice care for one of her most beloved pets.

“I feel so responsible for their exit from this planet when the time comes,” Weiss said. “It was a blessing to understand what it would be like.”

Two veterinarians have established a North Texas affiliate for Lap of Love, the country’s largest network of pet hospice and in-home euthanasia services. Drs. Joanna Harchut and Erica Fry help elderly or otherwise ailing pets live their remaining days more comfortably and pass away peacefully in their homes.

Amber Weiss talks with veterinarian Joanna Harchut about hospice care for her Chihuahua Boston.
Amber Weiss talks with veterinarian Joanna Harchut about hospice care for her Chihuahua Boston.

Hospice care and techniques are best used for pets with chronic conditions. Veterinarians consult with owners, showing them how to keep pets comfortable and manage their pain. They offer tips on exercise, massage techniques, nutrition and mental stimulation.

Boston is healthy for his age but does have some mobility issues, so Weiss called Harchut for a consultation. The vet gave Weiss some ideas on how to help Boston get around the house.

“She was so soothing and patient,” Weiss said.

Harchut said some pet owners just need reassurance when it’s time to say goodbye — even when their pets seem to sense it. At the final visit, some dogs will see Harchut and get up off the floor for the first time in days, she said.

“They know when I walk in ‘she’s here to help me,’ and a lot of times they get really relaxed and come in front of me to lay down,” Harchut said. “They’re ready before we are. They know.”

Pet hospice services aren’t new, and Lap of Love is just one of a handful operating in Dallas-Fort Worth.

The process is often emotional for pet owners like Amber Weiss, who considers Boston a member of the family.
The process is often emotional for pet owners like Amber Weiss, who considers Boston a member of the family.

And the company’s service isn’t for everyone, however: The cost for one hourlong hospice appointment is $285, plus a possible travel fee to certain areas.

“I feel thankful that they found us and that they’re able to do this,” Harchut said of her clients, “because I know a lot of people aren’t financially able to do so.”

But after a single visit with Harchut, Weiss can’t imagine the alternatives.

“When she left, I thought there’s no other way,” Weiss said.

Dr. Mary Gardner founded Lap of Love in 2010 after her 13-year-old Samoyed was attacked by another dog. Snow White spent three weeks in and out of the pet hospital. Snow White never recovered, and neither did Gardner.

Boston is still healthy for his age, but at 14 years old, his mobility has suffered.
Boston is still healthy for his age, but at 14 years old, his mobility has suffered.

The Florida-based company she started now has 81 vets working in 24 states to help give families what “every pet deserves: a peaceful goodbye,” Gardner said.

“If we can make that end-of-life experience better, maybe they’ll be open to loving again,” she said. “It seems too early until it’s too late.”

Harchut said she treats every pet as if it were her own. During euthanasia visits, each pet owner reacts differently, she said. Some give their dogs big chocolate cakes, and others have family gatherings to celebrate their pet’s life.

“It sounds funny, but it’s almost like a relief that [pet owners] get to see this peaceful process,” she said. “I feel relieved that they don’t have to watch their pet suffer anymore.”

Weiss expects Boston’s inevitable passing to be every bit as painful as the death of any other family member. But she feels more prepared now.

“Being able to look ahead and know I’m making the right steps now, it’s a relief,” she said.

 Complete Article HERE!

Pet euthanasia: Better a week too early than a day too late?

By 

Pete Wedderburn's late dog, Spot
Pete Wedderburn’s late dog, Spot

This weekend saw the biggest annual global gathering of “companion animal” (pet) vets, which takes place in Birmingham every year. The BSAVA congress has 15 concurrent streams of lectures and practicals for eight hours a day, over five days. Vets need to do a minimum of 30 hours of continuing education per year: attendance at this conference allows a full quota to be obtained on one trip.

Diagnostics, medicine, surgery and therapeutics take up most of the lecture time but there’s also space for debate and discussion: one lecture on the ethics of choosing the right time for euthanasia caught my attention, partly because it brought back memories of euthanasing my own much-loved family pet, a dog called Spot.

Euthanasia: vets, owners and pets are involved

The lecture looked at the decision on euthanasia from three perspectives: the vet, the owner, and not least, the pet itself. The big question, of course, is “when is the right time to say goodbye”?

Vets

Vets are obliged to fulfil a vow, made on qualifying, to prevent animals from suffering: arguably we may be in a better position to assess quality of life objectively than an emotionally distraught owner. That said, vets cannot dictate the outcome of a situation: owners need to be brought along with the decision. If owners do not fully understand, and agree with, the decision, they may subsequently say “the vet forced me into it”.

Owners

For owners, there are often conflicting emotions. There may be intense grief at the prospect of losing a much loved family member, but there may also be a fear of allowing their pet to suffer by going on too long. In most cases, the decision making is made easier by the thought that they are fulfilling their responsibility of relieving their pet’s suffering.

Despite this, afterward, there is often guilt: the feeling that they have “murdered” a loved one, regret that they may have done it too soon, or (more commonly), that they may have left it too late, so that the pet suffered unnecessarily.

Pets

What about euthanasia from the pet’s perspective? Do animals experience fear or despair at the thought of dying? Can they anticipate impending death? Can they consider the concept of an extended life of deteriorating quality compared to a shorter life with less pain? Is it arrogant of us to assume that that elderly pets want to stay alive and remain in our company? While each of us may have strong views about these questions, there are no definitive answers.

Pete Wedderburn at his clinic
Pete Wedderburn at his clinic

The general assumption is that euthanasia provides instantaneous relief from pain and suffering, and that animals have no foreknowledge that it’s going to happen. It seems most likely that the experience involves peacefully falling asleep and then into death, without being aware that this is happening. Perhaps how most of us would like to end our days, and that’s why we find it so easy to justify euthanasing our pets.

Pet hospices

There is a growing end of life/ hospice care movement for pets, aiming to optimise end of life arrangements for pets. It’s come up with some useful tools, like the HHHHHMM Quality of Life Scale , which can help people reach the euthanasia decision more easily.  Euthanasia of pets is a collaborative decision, with human carers and veterinary staff (vets and nurses) working together to find the best answer.  For myself, and my 15-year-old dog Spot, I had to wear the hat of owner and vet at the same time. Spot made it easy for me: he had been gradually declining with doggy Alzheimer’s, and when he refused to eat for two days in a row, it was as if he was sending me a message. He was ready to go, and I was ready to help him.

Complete Article HERE!

Pet Peace of Mind

Keeping hospice patients and their beloved pets together.

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If you’re a pet owner, you know that a dog, cat or other ‘furry friend’ can truly become a part of your family, a part of your world.

So it’s no surprise that those diagnosed with a debilitating or terminal illness sometimes worry more about their four-legged friends than themselves. What happens if they can no longer care for their pets? Where will those animals live once their owners are gone?   Pet Peace of Mind is a nationwide program that helps hospice patients like Donna Sarner keep their pets near them during their end of life journey.  The program also helps place the pet after the patient dies.

Here is Donna’s story as told by Kristine Murtz, Volunteer Services Manager and Pet Peace of Mind Program Coordinator at Cornerstone Hospice:

PetPeaceMind1_0
In particular, Pet Peace of Mind demonstrates the holistic approach that is at the heart of hospice . The emotional connection that people have with their pets is one to be respected and nurtured.

Donna Sarner is 68 years old and lives in a small, rural town in Central Florida. She was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma of unknown origin, a cancer which causes her a great deal of pain throughout her back, abdomen and legs.  She has no caregiver, no nearby family, and limited financial resources. Despite the challenges, Donna maintains a positive yet realistic attitude and wants to enjoy the time she has left with her dogs as well as the cats, vultures, raccoons and bears she feeds outside.

Donna was admitted to Cornerstone Hospice services in October of 2015 and is supported by a dedicated team who go beyond the call of duty.  The many programs we offer are about helping patients and families feel like things are going to be “ok”.

In particular, Pet Peace of Mind demonstrates the holistic approach that is at the heart of hospice . The emotional connection that people have with their pets is one to be respected and nurtured.

Donna has taken better care of her pets—including the buzzards outside—than she has herself. She wants to have her dogs with her as long as possible, “until the very end.”

Donna’s Social Worker, Renee, had to wait several months before approaching advance directives and funeral plans with Donna, but PPoM visit opened the door to this by discussing how her “babies” will be cared for when she no longer can.

Donna spoke with pride about each of her dogs: Ozzie, a 6-year old Australian Shepherd/St. Bernard mix (I know, right?!); Roxy, a 5-year old Chow mix; Bertie, a 4 year-old Catahoula mix; and her beloved old guy “Highknee,” who is a 15-year old poodle mix. He’s only about ‘knee-high’, hence the name. Along with caring for the dogs, our program arranged to have the stray cats she feeds spayed, neutered, and vaccinated. We haven’t really considered what the buzzards might need!

Pet Peace of Mind volunteer Karen Sanders transported each of the dogs to one of our partner veterinarians to get them vaccinated and any necessary medications; she continues to deliver dog and cat food to Donna. We’re providing little Highknee with some medication for his congestive heart failure, and I’ve promised Donna I would personally care for him after she cannot. She also understands that it may not be realistic to have the three large dogs with her until the end, and we are already looking for loving homes for Ozzie, Roxy, and Bertie.

See the flyers below to learn about each dog.

Learn more about Pet Peace of Mind by visiting their website.

Bertie

 

Ozzie

 

Roxy
Complete Article HERE!

Cat Funerals in the Victorian Era

By Mimi Matthews

inconsolable-grief-by-ivan-kramskoi-18841
Inconsolable Grief by Ivan Kramskoi, 1884.

During the early 19th century, it was not uncommon for the mortal remains of a beloved pet cat to be buried in the family garden.  By the Victorian era, however, the formality of cat funerals had increased substantially.  Bereaved pet owners commissioned undertakers to build elaborate cat caskets.  Clergymen performed cat burial services.  And stone masons chiseled cat names on cat headstones.  Many in society viewed these types of ceremonies as no more than an amusing eccentricity of the wealthy or as yet another odd quirk of the elderly spinster.  Others were deeply offended that an animal of any kind should receive a Christian burial. 

In March of 1894, several British newspapers reported the story of a Kensington lady “of distinction” who held a funeral for her cat, Paul.  An article on the subject in the Cheltenham Chronicle states:

“Except that the Church did not lend its sanction, the function was conducted quite as if it had been the interment of a human person of some importance.  A respectable undertaker was called in, and instructed to conduct the funeral in the ordinary way; the body was to be enclosed in a shell which would go inside a fine oak coffin.  There were the usual trappings, including a plate on which was inscribed the statement that ‘Paul’ had for seventeen years been the beloved and faithful cat of Miss —, who now mourned his loss in suitable terms.  The coffin, with a lovely wreath on it, was displayed in the undertaker’s shop, where it was an object of intense interest and not a little amusement.”

Though Paul’s burial service was not sanctioned by the Church, this did not stop other cat funerals from adopting a religious tone.  An 1897 edition of the Hull Daily Mail reports the story of a clergyman who held a funeral for his cat.  This particular cat is described as an obese, black and white female who was known to go for walks with her master.  Upon her death, the clergyman and his household were “thrown into mourning.” The Hull Daily Mail reports:

“For three days pussy, whose remains were placed with loving care in a beautiful brass-bound oaken coffin, with inner linings of silk and wool, lay in state in the drawing-room.  At the termination of this period, the rev. gentleman hired a cab, drove to the station, and took a train for the North, bearing with him the oak coffin and the precious remains.  Where the funeral took place seems to be somewhat of a mystery – at least there are conflicting accounts – but of one thing people seem to be certain.  The ceremonial respect which had been accorded to the deceased was maintained to the last, and the burial service, or part thereof, was recited at pussy’s grave.”

The majority of historical reports on cat funerals from the Victorian era are recounted with humor.  Others show a darker response to pet burials.  A September 1885 article in the Edinburgh Evening News relates the story of an “old old woman” in Abercromby Street intent on giving her deceased cat, Tom, a “decent burial.”  She applied to the local undertaker to build Tom a suitable coffin and employed a gravedigger, by the name of Jamie, to dig a grave for Tom in the local burying ground.  As the article states:

“…the funeral, which took place in the afternoon yesterday, was largely attended.  Miss — carried the coffin, and on the way to the graveyard the crowd of youngsters who followed became exceedingly noisy, and being apprehensive that the affair would end in a row, ‘Jamie’ closed the iron gate with the view of preventing any but a select few from entering.  The crowd, however, became even more excited, scaled the wall, hooting and yelling vociferously, crying that it was a shame and a disgrace to bury a cat like a Christian.”

sorrow-by-mile-friant-1898
Sorrow by Émile Friant, 1898

Whether this uproar was truly a result of outrage over Tom being buried “like a Christian” or simply an excuse for rowdy youths to misbehave is unclear.  Regardless, the results of the riot that ensued were exceedingly unpleasant for Tom’s elderly, bereaved owner.  The Edinburgh Evening News reports:

“The coffin was afterwards smashed, and the body of the cat taken out, and ultimately the uproar became so great that the police had to be called to protect the gravedigger and the old lady.  The latter managed to get hold of the dead body of Tom, and with the assistance of Constables Johnston and Smith escaped into a house in the neighborhood, where she remained for some time.  In Abercromby Street, where she resides, a number of policemen had to be kept on duty till a late hour in order to protect her from the violence of the crowd.”

Perhaps the main cause of outrage lies in the fact that Tom’s owner was attempting to bury a cat in the human graveyard.  This was not an uncommon complaint.  Many graveyards did not allow pets to be buried in consecrated ground.  As a result, pet cemeteries were established.  One of the most well-known was the Hyde Park Dog Cemetery, opened in 1881.  As the name denotes, this was primarily a burial ground for dogs.  However, according to author Gordon Stables (qtd. in Animal Death 22), the cemetery also admitted the corpses of “three small monkeys, and two cats.”

Other pet cemeteries existed throughout Victorian England, both public and private.  The pet cemetery at the Essex seat of Sir Thomas Lennard had pet monuments dating as far back as the 1850s.  While the pet cemetery at Edinburgh Castle originated as a burial place for 19th century regimental mascots and officers’ dogs.  And I would be remiss if I did not mention author Thomas Hardy, who had a pet cemetery at his home at Max Gate in Dorchester in which all but one of the headstones were carved with the famous novelist’s own hands.

Unsurprisingly, the majority of headstones and monuments in pet cemeteries of that era are for dogs.  Dogs were incredibly popular pets during the 19th century.  They were typically viewed as selfless, devoted friends and guardians.  While cats were, to some extent, still seen as sly, self-serving opportunists (for more on this, see my article Peter Parley Presents the Treacherous 19th Century Cat).  In addition, as author Laurel Hunt points out in her book, Angel Pawprints:

“Queen Victoria’s fondness for dogs strengthened their role as companions in the Victorian era.”

This bias in favor of dogs had no effect on Victorian cat fanciers whatsoever.  Cat funerals continued to take place with just as much pomp and ceremony as dog funerals.  The public reaction to both was very much the same – amusement, outrage, and occasionally scorn.  One of my favorite examples of the latter is from an article in an 1880 edition of the Portsmouth Evening News which reports on a lady who sent out “black-edged funeral cards” upon the death of her dog.  As a sort of disclaimer, the article states:

“It is superfluous to affirm that the owner of that lamented Fido is a maiden lady.”

It does seem that a great many reports of pet funerals in the 19th century news involve some stereotypical variety of spinster – the Victorian cat (or dog) lady, if you will.  Though humorous, I do not believe this was the norm.  The simple fact is that, throughout history, there have been people who have grieved at the loss of their pets.  During the Victorian era, this grief took shape in elaborate pet funerals.  For cats, who were still persecuted in so many ways, these ceremonies strike me as especially poignant.

Elizabeth Platonovna Yaroshenko by Nikolai Yaroshenko, 1880
Elizabeth Platonovna Yaroshenko by Nikolai Yaroshenko, 1880

I close this article with poet Clinton Scollard’s 1893 elegy for his cat, Peter.  In her book Concerning Cats (1900), author Helen Winslow claims that this tribute to a deceased cat is the “best ever written.”  I’ll let you be the judge.

GRIMALKIN.
AN ELEGY ON PETER, AGED 12.

In vain the kindly call: in vain

The plate for which thou once wast fain

At morn and noon and daylight’s wane,

O King of mousers.

No more I hear thee purr and purr

As in the frolic days that were,

When thou didst rub thy velvet fur

Against my trousers.

How empty are the places where

Thou erst wert frankly debonair,

Nor dreamed a dream of feline care,

A capering kitten.

The sunny haunts where, grown a cat,

You pondered this, considered that,

The cushioned chair, the rug, the mat,

By firelight smitten.

Although of few thou stoodst in dread,

How well thou knew a friendly tread,

And what upon thy back and head

The stroking hand meant.

A passing scent could keenly wake

Thy eagerness for chop or steak,

Yet, Puss, how rarely didst thou break

The eighth commandment.

Though brief thy life, a little span

Of days compared with that of man,

The time allotted to thee ran

In smoother metre.

Now with the warm earth o’er thy breast,

O wisest of thy kind and best,

Forever mayst thou softly rest,

In pace, Peter.

In Memoriam by Alfred Stevens, (1823-1906)
In Memoriam by Alfred Stevens, (1823-1906)

Complete Article HERE!

My Last Day

By Michael Henry

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Unfortunately we all die, and today had to come. If anything it’s a relief. Between my old age and failing kidneys, every day was becoming increasingly uncomfortable — These last few weeks, especially. None the less, I did my best to enjoy each and every day.

Since today could not be avoided, we decided to make an event out of it. Who doesn’t want to spend their last moments having a good time with loved ones?

My Breakfast

001You can’t start any day without a healthy breakfast — let alone second breakfast, or elevensies, but I digress. Today was no exception, but we had to take it over the top.

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I really enjoyed my breakfast

My human, Michael, made me a wonderful decadent breakfast with my favorite things: Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers (Beef) with Archetype powered rabbit mixed in. It may not sound great to you, but YUM!

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I *REALLY* enjoyed my breakfast

Sunbathing

I think I overate. So good. So full. Need to relax.
Look! The sun!

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Oh, yeah.
Eating is so much work
Eating is so much work

Oh wait, I am in the middle of telling a story…

Brushing and reminiscing

Once I recovered from my breakfast-sun coma, I spent some time with my humans, Mike and Tracy. They brushed me, petted me, and we talked about my life.

Right… there…
Right… there…

We talked about how I was born in New York City in 1994.

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A t-shirt my first human, Sui, designed based on me, in 2002.

We talked about my first human, Sui and how much I miss her. I used to climb up the ladder of her loft bed, in the East Villiage. I’d follow her too close and occasionally she’d end up stepping on me. She made an awesome t-shirt based on me.

We talked about how my human, Michael, won my heart with his constant affection. I claimed him as mine in 1999 — When he would go to work, he would pet me goodbye. The day I decided he was mine, I grabbed his hand when he went to leave, and pulled him back. Literally! I didn’t want to let him go, and stayed with him the next 16 years.

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Me, Newt, and Mulder in 2007

We talked about my bully of a brother, Mulder (1994–2009), who I still loved, and miss. He was always the outgoing one, and twice my size. He wasn’t so bad most of the time, but occasionally he was so mean to me.

We talked about moving to Colorado and all the years there.

We talked about the years with the dog, Ripley (2005-?) — I never liked him. He was never mean to me, he was just a dog. Tried to smell my butt all the time. Ick!

We talked about my adopted sister, Newt (2006–2009). She was annoying, but truly I didn’t mind her as much as I let on. Such a young ball of energy, and sadly lived up to the bit about curiosity and cats.
We also talked about moving to Seattle, and how I decided to stop being so shy. One day I was curious, so started going out and introducing myself to people. It was amazing!

We talked about my final human, Tracy. She was reluctant, at first. Eventually I won her over and claimed her as mine. She was always so affectionate to me. She was always there to help Michael take care of my health needs this last year.

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So much affection today
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I decided Michael needed help learning fashion photography. Here I am directing him and the model.

 

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So much affection today

After so much talking and affection, I needed a break

Resting and Health

When cats get as old as I do, it often comes with health complications. I’m certainly no exception. because of it, I need to rest. More and more every day.

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My kitty stairs and bed. I’m so weak I can’t hop 12-inches any more, let alone climb it.
So cumfy, back in the sun again!
So cumfy, back in the sun again!

After a year, I’m barely able to walk any more. My body aches and I’m so tired. After a final vet visit, we discovered my kidneys are in the final stages of failure. At this point my health is declining by the day. Don’t even remind me of the grand-mal seizures, they suck!

Rather than have me slowly suffer over the next few weeks (at most), we decided to have a relatively happy ending.

Final Moments

Not long after getting into my bed did I finally fall asleep. I was so tired from the day’s activities that I didn’t even awake when the vet arrived. That’s a good thing, it would have made me anxious.

While laying there I felt a prick on my side. By time I realized what was happening, the drugs were already sedating me.

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After that, Michael picked me up one last time, and held me as a drifted away.

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Final Thoughts

One of the things Michael always loved about me is that no matter how tough life was for us, I was always affectionate and loving. I always adapted, and tried to make the best of a situation, faster than any other cat he’s known.

If you don’t try to enjoy every good moment, why bother living? We should enjoy every moment we get.

Oh yeah, and and last night I left a gift for my humans to remember me by. Don’t ruin the surprise!

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Complete Article HERE!

Grieving to death: the animals left behind

By Michelle Mitchell

Ezma
Ezma, a 13-year-old female cat, was brought to the Shenandoah Valley Animal Services Center after her owner passed.

When a cat or dog gets lucky, they can spend over a decade in a home with abundant affection. They are accustomed to unconditional love; they’re used to getting their belly rubbed and love to snuggle on their favorite part of the couch. Until one day, everything changes, and these animals are ripped out of their home and dumped at the shelter.

If a pet’s owner dies and nobody planned ahead, this could lead to problems. Animals are often dumped at the shelter or just thrown out. The Shenandoah Valley Animal Services Center said this is a problem; they’ve recently saw more animals come in because their elderly owner died, in situations where none of the children could or would take care of them. Often, these animals do not survive at the shelter.

“Once they come here, the chance of them making it out is slim,” SVASC Assistant Director Tracey Meadows said. “When they come into a shelter environment, it’s very stressful for them. Sometimes they can’t overcome. They grieve themselves to death.”

Sometimes animals at the shelter miss their human so much, they won’t eat or drink. It is an entirely different lifestyle for them that they cannot get used to.

“I think they’re heartbroken. They’ve been with their family their whole lives and all of a sudden their routines changed, it’s not the same,” SVASC worker Hope West said. “They give up. They feel like they have nothing else to live for.”

They can develop medical issues and even die as a result of being depressed. Dr. Leti Hansen, a veterinarian at Greenbrier Emergency Clinic in Charlottesville, explained.

“I think the hardest issue that animals face when entering the shelter after leaving a home is depression,” Hansen said. “The shelter is a very stressful place to live. The staff works extremely hard to decrease the stress of its animals but it is impossible to replicate the home environment that these animals have come left. Animals that become depressed when entering a shelter can become immunocompromised, rendering them more susceptible to some of shelters’ more common upper respiratory diseases such as kennel cough or upper respiratory diseases of various causes in cats.”

“Depression can lead to anorexia. Anorexia in cats can cause a condition called hepatic lipidosis. Hepatic lipidosis is a condition where the liver is overwhelmed by the attempt to metabolize the body’s fats in order to create energy for the body. These cats will become systemically ill and risk dying if left untreated,” she added.

Changing behavior

The shelter affects behavior as well. For an older animal, they just can’t take the stress and change of lifestyle and shut down.

“Dogs will often become reclusive when spending time in a shelter. It is very difficult for a potential adopter to understand how this dog will behave outside the shelter,” Hansen said. “This high stress environment often causes behavioral changes in the dogs, such as tail biting, hiding in the back of their run, loud barking, and anorexia.”

Young or old, death does not discriminate. Shelter officials said the most important aspect is to be prepared. If a pet owner is prepared, cases like this will not happen as much. They recommended people write a living will with a special clause for their pets.

“We take care of our kids in our wills, we need to take care of our animals,” West said. “If people aren’t prepared at all, they end up here. A lot of them, this is where they spend their last moments. Some, they get so old and they’re so devastated, this is the last place they see. It’s sad because they’ve been in a home. Somebody loved them.”

When somebody does their will, they should ask which family member is able to take on the responsibility of their animal, SVASC members explained. This way, everything is planned for and there is no fight or confusion. If no family member steps up, they recommended people ask friends or neighbors. Again, if nobody is able, people can search online for local rescue groups that help senior animals.

“Go a little bit above and beyond. Try to rehome them to somebody before just dropping them off at your local shelter. Try to find them a home. Being in this cage is just not fair for them,” West mentioned.

If pets lose their owner, they lose their life, Meadows said. This is why it’s so important to have a plan. Hansen agreed.

“I strongly recommend people talk to their families ahead of time to ensure that their pets will have a safe home in the event of their owner’s death. Adding a clause to your will is also recommended. We see a lot of animals come into the shelter after an owner has passed away because provisions were not made ahead of time. To those family members that step up to take care of their loved ones pets, we extend our gratitude,” she stressed.

People need to be prepared, and expect the unexpected, West said, adding that animals are a commitment for life and beyond. If a pet loses its owner, it doesn’t need to lose its freedom as well and end up in a cage.

“I think people don’t take it seriously. It’s like taking care of an elderly parent. If you’re going to commit you need to commit for life. If not, don’t adopt,” West said.

West said it is up to the owner and children to make sure their furry friends are safe if the unexpected happens. With the right precautions, people can rest assured that everything will be taken care of.

“Take your parents in consideration. If your parents had these cats from the time they were kittens until they’re 13 or 14 years old, apparently they loved them,” she explained. “You parents wouldn’t want to see them in a shelter—nobody wants to see them here. They waste away to nothing a lot of them just grieve themselves. I just don’t think people think it through.”

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