Deedee's Ball

"This ball is mine"



" This ball is mine."

" You don't understand English?"

I present to you, my tail

Don't you doggies wish your tail was as hot as mine? See how it leans handsomely to to the right? I tag Shantee and Mucci to show off their tails!

A Tale of Seven Tails

Last weekend, the Animal Doctor and I took some time off to be with our human son (H.S) in Iloilo, a small city in the region of Western Visayas, Philippines.

While HS was having his midmorning nap, I sneaked outside to investigate a suspicious looking hole I saw earlier at a vacant lot outside of our house.

"Oh nooo! Not again?! Apparently, one of the stray dogs in our street had given birth to a litter of seven puppies.

While the adult strays have adapted well to a life on the edge, dining al fresco in the garbage bins and getting free lodging accommodations underneath parked vehicles, the puppies were too young to be exposed to such precarious living conditions.

I had temporarily created an enclosure to prevent the puppies from wandering off the street and getting crushed by speeding vehicles. But my mind was racing. The Animal Doctor and I were taking the first flight back to Manila in less than twenty four hours. If I had some brilliant strategy that will forever change the lives of these puppies, I better come out with it quick!

How about my Mother? She is probably the last person who will ever neglect an animal. She supported my pets ( including the ones i picked up from the street) back when I was not yet earning my own keep. But I had a gut feeling that she was prepared to freak out the moment I propose to add seven more puppies to our already nine-dog household. Since HS came along, my Mom has been telling me to focus on myself and my family, and for once, FORGET about dogs!

By night time, when it was almost clear to me that the puppies will grow up into strays themselves, I saw our portable kennel gathering dust in the garage... I knew what I had to do. The thought had been dancing at the back of my mind since morning.

That night while I was packing my things, my Mom volunteered to drive me to the airport. Oh-Oh. "No, no, I'll just take a cab", I hastily told her.

In the morning, while I was finishing my coffee and getting ready to leave, she again insisted to drive me at least to the gate of our subdivision where I could flag for a taxi. At this point, I was near wilting. I did not want my Mother to discover what I was bringing to the Airport other than my traveling bag. "Oh please, don't bother. Besides its still dark outside, go back to bed." I pleaded.

But she tailed me up to the gate of our house and caught our helper in the very act of lifting the portable kennel carrying seven live squirming puppies inside the taxi. I saw my mother's jaw dropped but before any sound could escape her throat, I waved goodbye. "I just had to do this." was what i told her in earnest.

With the Animal Doctor's help, I was able to pass through airport security and quarantine without any glitch. I had expected the worst, considering airports' rigid policies concerning the transport of live animals.

At 8:00 AM, our plane touched down in Manila. The first thing I did upon disembarking was to check on the pups while their portable kennel was being unloaded from the cargo hold of the plane. Except being smeared in poop, the pups were alright and ready for their big adventure.

Manila here we come!

Right now, we are taking care of the puppies, but our ultimate goal is to find suitable and qualified foster parents for them. Mag aso ay hindi biro. Having a pet is a big responsibility. Considering that even expensive purebreds can be victims of neglect or abandonment by some humans, a mongrel should only be reared by someone with a deep sense of compassion and respect for all animals, regardless of breed, physical attributes or market value. These people do not acquire pets solely for the fulfillment of certain needs (like companionship or security) but also because of a desire, commitment, or dedication to uplift the life of an animal, to free it from pain and suffering.

Please, take a look at these pups and see if you can have a teeny-weeny space for one of them in your heart.

" I can be your baby..."

"I'll scare the robbers away with my big bark! "

" I can warm your lap..."

" I can hold your hand when you're sad..."

"At the end of the day, when you're tired and achy, I'll give you my brightest smile.
I will be your best friend for all time"

"I'll give you a job, spoil me"

"Will you take me to your home?"



If you think you are the One, please contact us:

Clinic Phone:
02 5711130

Mobile Phone:
+63 9282518554 ( The Secretary)
+63 9209163248 ( The Animal Doctor)

Email:
lilli24ph(at)yahoo(dot)com
geoff(underscore)dvm6219(at)yahoo(dot)com
myveterinarian(at)gmail(dot)com

Moy-Moy's Tail of Mystery

I did not see IT coming. It was just one of those late afternoon when the Assistant and I would go for a walk and have our man to man talk when, all of a sudden, without any warning, IT attacked!

IT- some kind of monster maybe- lives at the base of my tail and teases me, "Moy-Moy has no willy, Moy-Moy has no willy" over and over again. Grrrrr! Frankly, its not so much what the monster ( if it really is a monster) is saying that ticks me off, rather its the sound it makes, like a gazillion gnats singing their national anthem in unison inside my ear. So before I know it, I am already chasing after my tail like an idiot. People who have seen me this afternoon may think just that without hearing my explanation.

The Secretary thinks I need a dog whisperer-- what is that?

The Animal Doctor Wages War

These are some of the items that can be found under our sink which serves as an arsenal, a strong message to our enemies that we are not joking.

Our good friend Waru, who is a great fan of natural and holistic practices, thinks that our mission is an overkill. But it is. Most of the animals that come to us harbor all sorts of disease causing organisms, from the innocuous to the extremely virulent. Most of them can thrive in extreme temperatures and may just taunt your trusty old cleanser. Parvo virus for instance, can only be killed by Sodium Hypochlorite, which is a chemical.

As a matter of fact, veterinary hospitals and clinics are places where an animal could easily contract disease. Good thing if the animal has had prior vaccination and a good immune system, but others, especially the young ones who just happen to drop by for a first check up are open targets.

There is just one thing that worries me though-- SUPER PATHOGENS. If pathogens can develop resistance to certain components of drugs used to kill them, the idea that they too may develop resistance to even the most powerful disinfectant is not far fetched. Now this brings me back to Waru's proposition. Dear Secretary, will you research on this please?

Survivors: CPV

"P"

"B"

Cheers! Our patients B and P were released and fetched by their respective pawrents today after a week long confinement at Greenwoods Pet Clinic due to Canine Parvo Virus(CPV).

CPV attacks either the heart or stomach of very young animals. In the severe form of the disease, where no treatment is administered, the animal dies between 48-72 hours due to dehydration, secondary bacterial infection ( especially sepsis or blood poisoning which results when bacteria from the intestine leaks into the bloodstream) and organ failure.

B and P contracted the disease before their succeeding booster shots could be administered. It should be noted that the first shot of vaccine for puppies does not readily confer protective immunity from the disease, hence the need for three or four booster doses that will increase the level of antibodies produced by the animal.

It is a good thing that B and P's pawrents were watchful for the tell tale signs that something was wrong with their pets. P was brought to our Clinic because he had not been eating for three days. It turns out, he tested positive for CPV.

B too was not eating, but at least he was active so the Animal Doctor just performed a stool exam and found some living things ( amoeba) in B's stool under the microscope. B was made to stay in the Clinic over night because the Animal Doctor wanted to rule out Parvo or some other puppy diseases since B only had one shot of vaccine and was brought from a pet shop where he may have co-mingled with pets of various origins.

The following morning, B was not his old self. He was so sick he would not even wag his tail when we greeted him. The Animal Doctor immediately took out his CPV test kit, and lo, a positive result came out.

The two pups were put on drip and given medications, one of which is Canglob-P which provides immediate supply of antibodies to help an already infected dog fight off the disease-- like an instant vaccine. The thing is, Canglob-P works against the virus but not against the secondary bacterial infection that may have already set in. Thus, if given late in the disease process, the dog could still die.

Its very heartwarming to see our young patients regain their strength and eagerness to explore the outside world again when, days before this, they have laid weakly in their cribs, their little bodies suffering from all kinds of pain that they could not even complain to their Doctor.

***

While we thank God for letting two creatures return alive and well into their homes, we pray for this new patient who came in late in the afternoon today. This pup suddenly stopped eating two days ago and has been vomiting. Upon presentation, he is very weak and his gums are notably pale. He tested negative for CPV but is positive for intestinal parasites. The Animal Doctor is still to rule out other diseases.

Dear God, please keep watch over this poor puppy.