Saying Goodbye to Your Pet
“How will I know when it is time?” This is probably the question we hear most often when one of our patients is approaching the end of its life. As much as we would all like to be spared making the decision to have our pet euthanized, making that decision is just one more responsibility of pet ownership. You made the decision that the time was right to get a pet. You made the decision which pet to get. You made the decision to care for that pet as well as you possibly could. Your decisions led to a loving, caring relationship with that pet. Now you must make one last decision regarding that beloved pet: Is it time to release my pet from this life, through humane euthanasia?

While the pet’s owner(s) must always be the one(s) to make the final decision, seeking counseling from your veterinarian, your family, and your friends is recommended. Bear in mind, some people will not want to take part in the decision-making and others won’t understand your attachment. “It is just a dog (or cat)” is a comment that may be made. Seek out those who are compassionate, sensitive, and supportive to this very real and painful decision. Speak with those who understand the strong attachment between you and your pet.

Be sure you fully understand your pet’s diagnosis. If there are any questions, speak to your veterinarian or their staff. There are a number of very effective pain control medications available now for animals. Terminally ill pets or pets with bone or joint conditions can be kept comfortable for quite some time, perhaps giving you more quality time with your pet. If pain control medication has not been discussed, speak with your veterinarian right away.

We believe the primary decision-making factors are:

• What is your pet’s quality of life?
• Is your pet able to do the things that made him happy most of his life?
• Does he react to you and other loved ones in the same manner as before?
• Are you able to control his pain?
• Is he still enjoying life?

There are some great books you may want to borrow from your local library. Please see our suggested reading list. You can go to www.deltasociety.org for a more extensive list.

Plan ahead if possible for the day of the euthanasia procedure. Ask the veterinary staff to describe the methods and details so you will know what to expect. Decide whether or not to be present during your pet’s euthanasia. Decide who else you would like to have present, or if you would prefer to leave the pet with the veterinarian. Should that be your choice, know that your pet will be handled with respect. As James Herriot wrote in All Things Wise and Wonderful, “…there has always been a comfort in the knowledge that the last thing these helpless animals knew was the sound of a friendly voice and the touch of a gentle hand.” Arrange for a friend or family member to accompany you to the appointment so you will have support and will not have to drive yourself home. Decide what you want done with your pet’s body after euthanasia. Think about how you want to say goodbye and/or memorialize your pet.

As difficult as this can be, it can also be a time when your shared bond actually strengthens. Your pet will remain in your heart forever.

Rainbow Bridge
To honor the families who have lost their pets this year...

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge. When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water, and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the pets who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing: they each miss someone very special, someone who was left behind. They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. Their bright eyes are intent. Their eager body begins to quiver. Suddenly they break from the group, flying over the green grass, faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into those trusting eyes, so long gone from your life, but never from your heart. Then you cross the Rainbow Bridge together…

Raisin/Grape Toxicity
We have been reading reports of growing numbers of poisonings in dogs and cats from raisins or grapes. The ASPCA Poison Control Center has now documented over 50 cases of acute renal failure due to dogs eating grapes or raisins and in cats after eating raisins. At this time the actual toxin is not known nor do they know exactly how many is too many. One reported case was in a dog that ate 10 – 12 grapes. In these cases, affected animals generally began to vomit within six hours after ingesting the raisins or grapes. Anorexia, lethargy, and diarrhea are other symptoms that have been reported. Additional signs of renal failure have become evident within three days. We are recommending that pet owners avoid giving grapes or raisins as treats to their cats and dogs. Should there be a case of accidental ingestion, seek veterinary attention as soon as possible. The recommended treatment is immediate gastric evacuation (induced vomiting), followed by IV fluids for 48 hours. Other therapy may be necessary based on the severity of symptoms of renal failure.

Raw Bread and Pizza Dough Toxicity
While we are on the subject of poisoning, here is another situation that has the potential for trouble. During the process of rising, the yeast in the dough produces ethanol. Pets consuming raw bread dough may experience a toxic reaction to the ethanol. Symptoms include behavioral changes, vocalizations, weakness and staggering, depression, and urinary incontinence. If untreated, respiratory depression, cardiac arrest, and death can follow. In addition to the ethanol toxicity, expansion of the bread dough in the stomach can lead to gastric dilatation, gastric torsion, and gastric obstruction, all of which can be fatal.

BARF Diet Study
New research into a fast-growing concept in pet nutrition, bones and raw food or BARF diet, has raised some new concerns. The study was small but the findings showed Salmonella present in some BARF diets being fed by dog owners. Meal-sized samples of food prepared by pet owners that regularly fed a BARF diet to their dog, as well as fecal samples from those dogs and similar samples from dogs fed commercial foods were analyzed for Salmonella. All food and fecal samples from dogs fed the commercial diets were negative. Eight of the 10 food samples and three of the 10 fecal samples from the BARF-fed dogs tested positive for Salmonella.

Salmonella are bacteria that can cause severe diarrhea in humans. If treated early, there are generally no long-lasting effects from Salmonella contamination. It is most serious in infants, the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems.

Welcome two new employees, Melissa and McKay
Melissa Mawhinney has joined our staff as a veterinary assistant. She came to Columbus from Philadelphia with her family about eight years ago and graduated from Reynoldsburg High School in 1999. She is very active pursuing her studies in Veterinary Technology, volunteering with Friends for Life Animal Haven in Reynoldsburg, caring for her two cats, Cypress and Escher, and spending time with her boyfriend, Greg, who is majoring in Physics at OSU.

After graduating from Magnolia High School in New Martinsville, West Virginia, McKay Blue moved to Granville, Ohio, to attend Denison University. She graduated in 2003 with a degree in Biology, then moved on to the College of Veterinary Medicine at the Ohio State University. McKay had to leave Harley, her 185 pound Great Dane, and Dally, a Cocker Spaniel, at home with her parents, but she goes home to visit as much as possible. At OSU, she is a member of the Equine Practitioners Club and the Student Chapter of the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Farewell to Aimee
Once again we have to say goodbye and good luck to a valuable employee. Aimee Shields is beginning her 4th year at vet school, which is going to be a very busy period in her education. Aimee was a hard worker and a quick learner and always willing to help. We will miss her.

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