Meet Levi!

 Hi everyone!! Last week we did a formal introduction of our crazy Roary and today we are pleased to introduce you to the woofie in our family, Levi!!!

Levi joined our family on November 21st, 2020, this week he will be 12 weeks old!!! 

The decision to bring both Roary and Levi into our family wasn't an easy one. After Cody passed in June and Dakota passed in July our hearts were broken. Receiving a double blow like that was something that very few are prepared for. The pain was immeasurable. 

Lenny and I found ourselves missing the clicking of nails on the floor, the daily routine of caring for a pet, we missed LOVING pets, we missed it all. We knew our home wouldn't be without pets for too long, but we also didn't want to rush into bringing just any pets into our home.  Adopting Roary, was far harder for me than when Levi joined our family, because while you are NEVER prepared for the passing of a pet, we knew when Dakota was diagnosed with cancer in June, that he wouldn't be with us long. When Cody passed there was no warning. I seriously doubted I would ever have a cat again. That's a post for another day, back to sweet Levi.

Lenny and I knew we wanted another Shetland Sheepdog. They are known to be great with cats, and while I always loved the breed, after having shared my life with Dakota for 13 years, I knew I wanted another Sheltie. We also decided, as we did with Dakota to go through a breeder. 

We had found a couple of breeders in Michigan that for one reason or another were not good fits, then we found a wonderful woman in Ohio who when I contacted her was waiting for a litter to be born in just a matter of days. When it's meant to be it just works!

Levi was born on September 17th, 2020. When Dakota joined our family he was 8 months old and I always felt I missed out on the early puppy days. This time around I knew I wanted the puppy experience, (crazy lady that I am), and when Levi was born we enjoyed updates on the breeder's website as well as via text.

When we went to pick up Levi we had the honor of meeting his Mom (Myka) and his Dad, (Rambo). Myka was an extremely devoted Mama and Rambo took a particular liking to me when he met me.

Levi was a champ on the ride home. He slept in a basket (wonderful advice from the breeder) and never made a peep. He was kissing us and loving on us from the moment we all met!

Even Roary! When Roary first met Levi he hissed once, (Cody did the same thing when Dakota arrived). After that first hiss where it was established just WHO the boss really is around here, it took less than a couple of hours for them to be doing this.

Levi is a wonderful puppy. He has an incredible disposition, he isn't fearful, he is loaded with personality and chutzpah and boy oh boy he is a big boy!!! He was 9 and a half weeks old when he went to the Vet for the first time and he was already 10 lbs!! "Dr.Smiley" had said he expected a puppy the size of a guinea pig to come in....then...in came Levi! Ready to take on the world!!!!

Levi met Sylvia
at Bloomfield Pet Grooming
(which is part of DePorre Veterinary Hospital)
when he gets bigger he will be a frequent customer!
Photo Courtesy of DePorre Veterinary Hospital

He met "Dr.Smiley" himself!
Shhh, don't tell him he's getting
a shot there soon!!!!
(Maybe that is why Levi has a rather "concerned" expression on his face?)

Of course he had to flirt with
Jessica, who is "Dr.Smiley's" assistant

Levi was excellent at the Vet and we hope that he continues to be that way!

We are proud with the progress that Levi is making with housetraining. It isn't as easy for him as it might be for some other dogs because we live on second floor. That means MANY trips up and down the stairs (Levi isn't able to do the stairs yet so Lenny, who is the primary person taking him on his multitude of trips outside, carries him). As is to be expected there have been TONS of accidents, but yesterday he pooped outside for the first time and has pretty consistently been peeing outside for a few days now.

Levi, is super fun and playful. With a puppy there is NEVER a dull moment!

Levi channeling his inner cat
in the Neko Napper
that used to be one of Cody's favorites

He knows the word "dinner" and waits at the gate

He has a special love affair with Lenny

Levi has already developed a close relationship with Roary. For Roary, Levi is just what the doctor ordered! Roary has an extremely strong play drive and is super trainable and intelligent. Levi's arrival has given him a new playmate partner in crime, and they are already causing quite a bit of mischief for Mom and Dad together!

I am excited because while Cody and Dakota had an extremely close relationship, they never ever slept near each other. Yesterday, Lenny took this darling photo of Levi and Roary that leads me to think they are going to have one extremely bonded relationship as well, and just might sleep together often!

While we still have the loss of Cody and Dakota weighing heavily on our hearts and minds, Roary and Levi have helped our healing more than we could ever have imagined. Our Cody and Dakota will never, ever be replaced, nor are we trying to. But as "Dr.Smiley" told me 13 years ago when we added Cody to our family after Bobo passed, "you aren't replacing one pet with another, you are making NEW memories with a NEW pet".   While Lenny and I will ALWAYS have Cody and Dakota in our thoughts and our hearts, we look hopefully and happily to the future anticipating what we hope are many, many happy memories yet to come!!!!!

Veterinary Appreciation Day, Medical Updates and Thank you #VeterinaryLove #Trupanion

How things change. Usually this day is a joyous one for me to blog about but this year it sure isn't.

First, Happy Veterinary Appreciation Day to our Vet, Dr.Lewis (also known as "Dr.Smiley") and the entire staff at DePorre Veterinary Hospital. The love, caring and professionalism they have shown to my boys for 13+ years has been unsurpassed. My husband and I ARE and will ALWAYS be grateful.

This is an old collage but I love it,
so I'm using it again.

Veterinary Appreciation Day™ was created by Trupanion in 2015 (Trupanion happens to be the company we have pet insurance with but this is NOT a sponsored post, nor was I required to blog about it). This special day was founded to recognize veterinary professionals and the wonderful work they do. From the front desk to the exam room, veterinary teams offer compassion, advice and care for our furry family members. Veterinary Appreciation Day offers the animal-loving community the opportunity to come together on a single day to show their appreciation to the compassionate veterinary professionals dedicated to helping their pets live the happiest, healthiest lives possible."

The challenges of caring for our pets during the COVID-19 nightmare has been extra trying for all Veterinary practices. Every day these caring Angels have risked their lives for their love and concern for our pets and we are grateful! 

To DePorre Veterinary Hospital, Trupanion Pet Insurance, and ALL OF YOU....THANK YOU. (We sent a fruit tray to DePorre today to show our appreciation and bought the staff lunch approximately a month ago)there are tons of ways to show gratitude for your Vets!

Thank you Ann so much for this gorgeous graphic

Now, on to the bad part. A quick update:

Our beloved Dakota has cancer. It's on his heart. It all happened suddenly. He was diagnosed on June 8th. He is happy, eating super well and rest assured neither my husband, myself, or  our Vet will have him suffer. We will all know when it is time. We are cherishing each and every day we have left.

Thank you again Ann!

For Cody, he is having a biopsy of his intestines done on June 25th.  Dr.Lewis feels there is a strong chance it is NOT Lymphoma, but we will know for sure after the biopsy.

I want to give a HUGE thank you to Trupanion as well. We have had pet insurance with them for years and I have never called them as much during those years as I have in the past two weeks! They are super efficient, professional and compassionate.(They have even put up with my crying on the phone).

A few of you have reached out to me via email and phone and I THANK YOU! I didn't (and still don't)_ want to post about what is going on because while some find blogging about things like this to be cathartic, I am not one of those people. Maybe down the road I will be, but definitely not now. I felt that all of you deserved an update for showing so much concern and love for my boys, THANK YOU!

I am grateful for both of my boys, whatever will be is in the hands of a power much greater than any of us. Life just completely sucks sometimes. Our beloved Dakota has the biggest heart I have ever seen on a dog and he doesn't deserve something as ugly as cancer sitting on it, and our crazy Cody, we hope with all of our might that he has a number of years left with us. I can't bear the thought of losing them both.

Enough sadness, we are enjoying taking slow, short walks with Dakota, Dakota is enjoying that he can eat whatever he wants and he is eating hamburger whenever he wants it and he is gobbling it up. I kiss that handsome face every day and tell him how much he is loved, and every night Cody sits with me on the couch and I pet him, kiss his crabby face (lol) and tell him how much I love him as well. 

Do me a favor ok? Kiss all of your babies from us!

Much love from Caren, Dakota and Cody

We Missed World Veterinary Day 2020!!!

Cody and I are appalled that we missed World Veterinary Day (which we didn't find out until now, falls on the LAST SATURDAY IN APRIL).

While we are grateful for ALL that Veterinarians and their staffs do, this year probably more than ANY YEAR we are extremely grateful for all that our Veterinary practice (DePorre Veterinary Hospital) is doing to help keep our pets safe and healthy while we remain on Corona Virus lockdown.

From "virtual text chats", through the Anipanion app ("telemedicine"), to curbside appointments, to still handling phone calls and questions with caring, professionalism and love. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR ALL they are doing to keep our pets healthy while utilizing SAFE actions to do so.

FROM AVMA.ORG: The theme of World Veterinary Day 2020, which falls on April 25, is “Environmental protection for improving animal and human health.”

The WVA created World Veterinary Day in 2000 as an annual celebration of the veterinary profession, taking place on the last Saturday of April. Starting last year, the WVA has partnered with Health for Animals, the global animal medicines association, on the World Veterinary Day Award, which honors one WVA member’s activities related to the theme.

Details about World Veterinary Day and the World Veterinary Day Award are available at the World Veterinary Association website.

International Cat Care and the International Society of Feline Medicine launch CatCareforLife #WorldVeterinaryDay

FROM CAT CHAT WITH CAREN AND CODY: Today is World Veterinary Day, today, "the global veterinary community will come together to celebrate. Created by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) and the World Veterinary Association (WVA), World Veterinary Day is meant to raise public awareness about the important roles veterinarians undertake."

We love our Vet, ("Dr.Smiley") and are grateful for him and the entire staff at DePorre Veterinary Hospital. (Cody is particularly happy that they are designated as a "Cat Friendly Practice" and they are AAHA accredited. A MUST for us!)

"Don't tell "Dr.Smiley" that I am secretly LOVING THIS!!!"

Today, in honor of this special day, we are sharing a post from our friends at International Cat Care, which introduces their new program: CatCareforLife.

International Cat Care and its veterinary division, the International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM), were delighted to launch a new program at BSAVA Congress. Entitled CatCareforLife, it is a blueprint for how a clinic and owner can work together to keep cats healthy and encourage veterinary visits. The program is provided in partnership with IDEXX and Royal Canin, global leaders in veterinary diagnostics and cat nutrition.

Regular life-long preventive healthcare should be the goal for every veterinary patient. A combination of primary prevention (eg, vaccination), secondary prevention (early detection of disease) and tertiary prevention (reducing impact of disease) measures are important in a comprehensive healthcare program, although secondary and tertiary measures become more critical as the cat ages and as diseases become more prevalent. 

The program is aimed at both veterinary clinics and cat owners and will be promoted to both, encouraging owners to understand the life stages of their cat and its equivalent human age, and offers best practice guides for recommended health checks. The information is set out simply for owners and it is explained that it is based on independent published studies and data and developed by expert feline veterinarians and others working with International Cat Care/ISFM. It allows the practice to refer to reliable, trustworthy and independent information.

Clearly with a substantially lower number of veterinary visits than dogs, cats represent a considerable opportunity to a veterinary practice, as well as presenting a significant unmet health need. Experience with the Cat Friendly Clinic program has demonstrated that increased knowledge and understanding of cats pays real dividends in the clinic.  

International Cat Care and ISFM provide veterinary clinics with a freely available practical guide to the CatCareforLife program, including posters, charts, clinical sheets, owner resources and checklists and veterinary protocols, all on the dedicated website www.catcare4life.org.

International Cat Care, in partnership with Ceva, has developed a set of handling videos for both vets and nurses, and for owners. The videos, (there are 29 in all and a couple are seen above and below in this blog post).  detail best practice handling techniques and approaches, and are designed to reduce stress for cats and improve safety in vet clinics, and also to help build a bond between owners and cats at home. 

For owners, there are 13 videos covering two different areas, interacting with cats and handling cats. Particular attention is paid to getting cats used to going in the cat carrier and travelling – cats can be helped to understand that entering and spending time in their cat carrier is a positive experience. A number of the videos cover helping owners to get their cats accustomed to having ears, eyes, mouth, paws/claws and coat checked to improve handing at home, but also in the veterinary clinic. Of course, these are not just for owners, as the information is useful for the veterinary team to know in order to help owners prepare for veterinary visits as well as care at home. 

  For the veterinary team, there are 16 videos covering many aspects of handling cats in the clinic, from assessing the cat while in the carrier to handling for blood sampling, intravenous catheter placement and administering oral, aural and ocular products. Tips on towel wrapping to assist handling in a comfortable way for the cat are also covered.

How will you be celebrating World Veterinary Day?

Happy #WorldVeterinaryDay !!

Hi my furiends!! It's Cody!!

Today is a super special day! Now I know that many kitties and woofies cringe when they hear the word "V-E-T", but I gotta tell ya, we would be in deep cat litter if we didn't have a good Veterinarian! Dakota and I are blessed to have one of the best! Today is World Veterinary Day  a day when I can give my Vet and his associates a high-paw and tell them all how much I love them!

From the World Veterinary Association:

Veterinarians are a special group of health care professionals and scientists because they prevent disease in animals and treat animals of all kinds around the world.  Healthy animals also contribute to happier and healthier people.

In 2000, the World Veterinary Association initiated World Veterinary Day on the last Saturday of April each year to bring attention to the many ways veterinarians contribute to the health and well-being of animals and people around the world.  Most people know veterinarians as the “animal doctors” for our pets, livestock, horses, and a variety of more diverse animals such as zoo animals and exotic pets such as birds, reptiles, and small mammals.

 I know that my Vet (and the staff at DePorre Veterinary Hospital), love me and are always looking out for me.  Our Vet is gentle, caring and kind. He always tells Mom and Dad about what a "great cat" I am and that makes me purr with delight!

I started going to the vet when I was just a young kit and I remember the day like it was yesterday! Dr. "Smiley" (he is REALLY Dr.Lewis!), got the biggest kick out of me! He pulled out a pen and let me play with it while I was on the exam table, and he told my Mom "This one is FEARLESS!" He went on to say, "this can be a good thing or a BAD thing!"

This photo is from 2013
Before DePorre moved into their "new digs!!"
And before Dr.Lewis had his beard!

Thankfully it turned out to be a GOOD thing!

When I was neutered all of the lady Vet Techs fell in love with me and called me their "cuddle bug." They said that all I wanted to do was cuddle!!

Dr.Lewis always has time to talk to my Mom and always helps ease her worries, he always gives her the best advice. Two years ago when I had my mysterious illness, he helped calm my Mom down (trust me that is no easy task!), and he was in constant communication with her. Mom, Dad, Dakota and I would be lost without him!

Mom, Dad, Dakota  and I consider our Vet to be an important member of our family! Dr.Lewis used to care for Grandpa Bobo and he helped him cross the bridge. He helped Mom know when it was "time" to help Grandpa Bobo on his journey. When Mom felt guilty adopting me a mere two weeks after Bobo left her, Dr. Lewis said, "You aren't REPLACING Bobo, no cat could ever do that. You are making NEW memories with a NEW cat. Bobo would want you to give the same love to another cat that you gave to him." Those words helped my Mom more than he probably even knows!

We are truly blessed to have such a professional, caring, and knowledgeable Veterinarian and the other Vets, Technicians, Receptionists, etc. at DePorre Veterinary Hospital , are pretty darned good too!

Today we salute our Veterinarian (who deserves a medal just for putting up with our babbling, hyper and over concerned Mom!) and the staff at DePorre Veterinary Hospital, as well as Veterinarians all over the world!!! Thank you for all that you do!

Love from,

Cody

We LOVE Our Vet! #ThankAVeterinarian Veterinarian Appreciation Day™

Hi all it's Cody! Today is a special day!! Today is the day I get to say "Thank You" to my Veterinarian, better known as "Dr.Smiley!"

Yeah, yeah, I know what you are thinking, "How in the world is this guy actually THANKING the Vet for the torture that they put us through?"

A Veterinarian's work is super hard, especially for MY Vet. Above all else, he has to put up with my babbling Mom. I know "Dr.Smiley" is thrilled when my Dad takes Dakota to the Vet and Mom doesn't come, because when I go to the Vet, Mom is there EVERY TIME and NEVER stops talking!

Don't get me wrong my furiends, I don't like being poked and jabbed either, but when I am home and stop to think about it, I know it is all for my own good. Dakota seems to LOVE going to the Vet as evidenced by the photo below (it's an old one, I don't use that carrier anymore, I have a nice new one!).

 I guess what Dakota loves about Dr.Smiley is the fact that he is kind, compassionate and caring, I have to admit, I love that about him too. Even if I don't look like I do!

He always gives my Mom good and honest advice.  There are MANY, MANY times that he has gone above and beyond, returning Mom's frantic calls,  even when he was on vacation.

I don't adore going to the Vet the way Dakota does, but I know it is for my own good, so, I want to take a moment and say THANK YOU "Dr.Smiley" WE LOVE YOU!!!

If you aren't as lucky to have a fabulous Veterinarian as we are, check out the  Four Tips To Find The Perfect Veterinarian . 

Love, Cody

Well...I don't miss YOU!!!!! and Vet #Selfie

Hi my furiends!!! I stole the password to Mom's email account and THIS is what I found! WE MISS YOU! (A lot!!!) It's time for a visit. Please call us today to schedule an appointment for Cody 248-646-1669 Dear Caren, Cody is due for some important medical care in July: • 1-Year Rabies Vac. Feline due Saturday July 25, 2015 Please disregard this message if you have already scheduled your appointment. See you soon! DePorre Veterinary Hospital KITTIES!!! HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I never showed you outtakes from my last appointment with "Dr.Smiley" and his "Evil" Assistant!!! Mom had taken me on a surprise journey to see him a couple of months ago when I was having another allergy flare-up, and here are some gruesome shots from my visit!!! Be sure to note the JOY in their faces and the LACK OF JOY on mine! "I sure don't recall ANYONE having made an appointment for a PAWDICURE!!!!!! Get your paws off of me!!!" Then kitties, the HORROR continued!!! "Dr.Smiley", his "Evil" assistant, and my equally "Evil" Mom, wanted to record this violation for posterity by taking a: VET GROUP SELFIE!!!!!! Contrary to popular opinion, the positioning of my tail between my legs does NOT mean that I was "Happy to see them!!" Head on over and see what are hopefully MUCH LESS humiliating photos of other kitties at: CLICK HERE TO VISIT! In full disclosure: I was just kidding!! I TRULY LOVE "Dr.Smiley" AND his "Evil Assistant", well, at least MOST of the time!!!!! Now if you will excuse me, I gotta go and destroy that email before Mom sees it!  Love,  Cody

Today is #WorldVeterinaryDay!!

Hi my furiends!! It's Cody!!

Today is a super special day! Now I know that many kitties and woofies cringe when they hear the word "V-E-T", but I gotta tell ya, we would be in deep cat litter if we didn't have a good Veterinarian! Dakota and I are blessed to have one of the best! Today is World Veterinary Day  a day when I can give my Vet and his associates a high-paw and tell them all how much I love them!

From the World Veterinary Association:

Veterinarians are a special group of health care professionals and scientists because they prevent disease in animals and treat animals of all kinds around the world.  Healthy animals also contribute to happier and healthier people.

In 2000, the World Veterinary Association initiated World Veterinary Day on the last Saturday of April each year to bring attention to the many ways veterinarians contribute to the health and well-being of animals and people around the world.  Most people know veterinarians as the “animal doctors” for our pets, livestock, horses, and a variety of more diverse animals such as zoo animals and exotic pets such as birds, reptiles, and small mammals.

 I know that my Vet (and the staff at DePorre Veterinary Hospital), love me and are always looking out for me.  Our Vet is gentle, caring and kind. He always tells Mom and Dad about what a "great cat" I am and that makes me purr with delight!

I started going to the vet when I was just a young kit and I remember the day like it was yesterday! Dr. "Smiley" (he is REALLY Dr.Lewis!), got the biggest kick out of me! He pulled out a pen and let me play with it while I was on the exam table, and he told my Mom "This one is FEARLESS!" He went on to say, "this can be a good thing or a BAD thing!"

This photo is from 2013
Before DePorre moved into their "new digs!!"
And before Dr.Lewis had his beard!

Thankfully it turned out to be a GOOD thing!

When I was neutered all of the lady Vet Techs fell in love with me and called me their "cuddle bug." They said that all I wanted to do was cuddle!!

Dr.Lewis always has time to talk to my Mom and always helps ease her worries, he always gives her the best advice. This past winter when I had my mysterious illness, he helped calm my Mom down (trust me that is no easy task!), and he was in constant communication with her. Mom, Dad, Dakota and I would be lost without him!

Mom, Dad, Dakota  and I consider our Vet to be an important member of our family! Dr.Lewis used to care for Grandpa Bobo and he helped him cross the bridge. He helped Mom know when it was "time" to help Grandpa Bobo on his journey. When Mom felt guilty adopting me a mere two weeks after Bobo left her, Dr. Lewis said, "You aren't REPLACING Bobo, no cat could ever do that. You are making NEW memories with a NEW cat. Bobo would want you to give the same love to another cat that you gave to him." Those words helped my Mom more than he probably even knows!

We are truly blessed to have such a professional, caring, and knowledgeable Veterinarian and the other Vets, Technicians, Receptionists, etc. at DePorre Veterinary Hospital , are pretty darned good too!

Today we salute our Veterinarian (who deserves a medal just for putting up with our babbling, hyper and over concerned Mom!) and the staff at DePorre Veterinary Hospital, as well as Veterinarians all over the world!!! Thank you for all that you do!

Love from,

Cody

A Crisis Averted!

As many of you know, Cody suffers from allergies.  He is on a veterinary diet, but I am inclined to think, and the vet will be revisiting this, that his allergies are in fact, seasonal and not diet related. Approximately every three months Cody breaks out in miserable "hot spots", red, oozing patches on the top of his head, just above his ears.

If you look at Cody's head
you will see the "evil hot spot"

When Cody has a flare up the vet begins a course of Prednisolone which  often involves approx. 10 days of pills.

In our household, I am the "piller." My husband does not know how, nor is he comfortable "pilling" a cat. **Note:this is particularly upsetting because Cody is easier to "pill" than any cat I have ever seen. You simply trick him with food, grab him and plop the pill in his mouth. Cody is food-obsessed and it works like a charm, EVERY TIME.

A week or so before BlogPaws, I was obsessed with Cody's head, knowing it was nearing time for him to have another flare-up. I was on the alert.  My husband was a wreck. He kept telling me to "quit putting this out in the Universe." Every time poor Cody just passed within my view, I would say "Let me look at your head!" Two nights before I was to leave for BlogPaws it happened. The evil "hot spot" appeared. I promptly went into maniac mode.

I paged my vet, who, being the angel that he is, promptly returned my call. I began crying and shrieking  "Cody is having another flare-up, I am scheduled to leave for a conference in the next two days and my husband cannot pill a cat! What am I going to do?" I had missed last years conference due to a kidney stone attack and there was no way I was going to miss the conference two years in a row.

Vet to the rescue! He had me bring Cody in first thing in the morning. While waiting, I noticed changes that had been made to their remodeled facility.

I couldn't tell you if the Feliway worked, because Cody is quite good at the vet and always has been. I did like the effort on the part of our vet to make their environment more comforting to the cats that visit that are much higher strung than Cody. Cody has thankfully always been a "take things in stride" kind of cat, mostly if there is food involved!

While I waited for the vet to enter the exam room, I  surveyed the new "cat friendly" decor:

And...it was time to test it out with Cody who wasn't impressed with the "new digs" at all! 

It was mean Mama who put him up on the ledge, he did NOT go there willingly!

Cody wanted NONE of this new "cat-friendly" exam room. He disliked it so much that he actively sought out the comfort of his PTU.


Before shooting this video Cody DID get back in the PTU because I had left the PTU door open! After unceremoniously "dumping" him on the table, I locked the PTU door to prevent a re-entry!

But Cody wasn't going to give up!

"I know I can get in here!"

"It has to open, I know it has to!"

"Now where did that latch go?"

"They got me...I'm trapped"

And then we got him!

Thankfully all turned out well, Cody was given a steroid shot (which normally we don't use, but due to my husband not being able to "pill" him, we had no choice.)

Cody returned home,  I left for BlogPaws the following morning in TEARS because I had never left home with one of my pets not being well.  I was even more upset than I would have been leaving under normal circumstances.

Cody's Dad did a great job on "head patrol." I called numerous times a day for updates, and aside from a few terrifying  "I'm not sure how his head is" reports, when I returned home he was completely healed!

A Crisis Averted!