Puppies:

Our puppies are an important part of our lives. In reality, they should not be classified as a hobby, but as FAMILY! Love reciprocates and our lives would be empty without them!

First, I begin with our deceased puppies that have made our lives complete and loosing them was a great loss. First, Bonnie Jean McTavish. Bonnie Jean was named after a Broadway musical, Brigadoon song, "I'll Go Home with Bonnie Jean." She was Arthur's heart and passed away in December of her 14th year. Arthur claims he still sees her shadow walking around the room and feels her at night jumping onto his bed where she always slept! She was a registered Scottish Terrier (Scotty)

Next is Maggie, our Shetland Sheep Dog (Sheltie).She was our grandchildren's dog and they moved and could not take her along. She was one of the most loving and gentle pups we've every had. She too, passed away along with a large lump of our hearts.

Next is Heidi die Valentine, a registered Min. Schnauzer and Margaret's heart. She was a Valentine's gift and a perfect specimen of the breed. We lost her to Diabetes. When she didn't have her way, was ignored, or irritated with us she would go into Margaret's closet and pick out the best pair of expensive high-heeled shoes and chew them until you could recognize only the color. She and McTavish were a pair. They both would go into the bathroom and catch hold of the end and pull the toilet tissue all over the house, criss-crossing down the hall and into every room. They were something else and I would purchase a ton of tissue for them if we only had them back. Tavish and Heidi, two of the very best. Where you find one, you find the other; that's why you find both of them on the following photographs.

                   
    
These bottom pictures were taken on a camping vacation at
Gulf Shores. They loved to camp in our 30' travel trailer!

Next is the most gentle of all, Margaret's Lady MacBeth or as we called her, Bethie. A beautiful white (wheaten)  Scottish Terrier. She is 10 and staked her claim to a sheep skin under an end table in the living room. No bed for her, she likes the freedom to roam during the night. A real love.

Now we come to the Min-Pins, or Miniature Pinchers who weigh about 12 pounds but think they are as big as the Doberman Pinchers whom the toys were copied from. First is Margaret's, Mimi Madonna and she is anything but a Madonna. If it tells you anything her father was named Apollo and her mother   "Killer Mimi Killer Mimi Killer Mimi." No, that's not a misprint. She has characteristics of both her parents. The good looks of her dad, and some of the aggressiveness of her mother, Killer Mimi, Killer...Oh, you know. She is part dog and part mountain Goat. She climbs to the back of tall easy chairs or the back of the sofa, etc., as high as she can climb. She is her mother's girl and is rarely over 5 to 10 feet away from her. 

As I write, Mimi in in her 4th day at the Small Animal Clinic at Mississippi State University for a strange paralysis of both front and back legs. It broke our hearts to  leave her, So far she has had one test after another beginning with blood test, CT scan, MRI. We received a call from a surgeon who planned to remove a herniated disk in her neck that the staff thought was causing her paralysis, but the CT Scan and the MRI showed no ruptured disk. Back to square one, now they search for the possibility of some neurotoxin caused by an insect or cats (we have no cats and with 5 dogs, it would be suicide for a cat to enter our back yard.) Our hearts are broken, but the doctors feel that they can find the culprit, be it a tick that produces a neurotoxin or a mosquito that produces something like the west Nile. We hold our breath when the phone rings. The doctors call us every morning and every evening to give us a report of her progress or the lack of progress. We continue to pray. Redemption at last! We were beginning to feel there was no hope. Mimi was there from Friday until the following Friday and we received calls that were not encouraging. One test followed another, changes in medication occurred almost daily. We were told on Wednesday that we could pick her up on Friday. We were almost silent during the seventy mile trip to the Small Animal Hospital. Our hearts were broken when we saw her in basically the same condition as we left her. Her hind quarters were still paralyzed with very little, if any, improvement. Our conversation with the physician who led the team that cared for Mimi was somewhat bleak! Mimi floundered on the floor like a little seal and it broke our hearts. We were relatively quiet on our return trip home and Mimi was uncomfortable and agitated. Finally,  she did eat well, as she had eaten little that morning in preparation for her trip home. The first night was a nightmare and Margaret and I talked openly about a subject that both of us kept locked in our hearts. Putting her to sleep. But the arms of angels and the sound of their wings surrounding her and the story changes dramatically!

Mimi’s Nursing Notes 

Friday – Day 1:

                        Returned home from SAH at the College of Veterinarian Medicine at Mississippi State University. She has a good appetite drinks a lot of water, urine – copious, irritable from traveling. Slept in spurts, needed midnight pain pill. No muscle relaxant – doing fair, much TLC.

Saturday- Day 2:

                        Fair night’s sleep, ate well, bath and water massage, Urine normal, good BM, soft and formed, walked 6’ two times (12’ in all) good attitude, responded to “move that toe, leg” repeated about a hundred times, really trying and responded well to our other dogs. Responded to visitors at the door, bristles, and barks and shows her aggressive nature to strangers (the old Mimi).  

Sunday – Day 3:

                        Slept fair, but needed midnight pain pill, ate well (got into her crate to eat by herself-all our pups have a special place to eat) responded well to second morning bath and water massage. Mimi walked. Not crawled or dragged, a measured course- 36’ by noon. Urine normal, responding well to other dogs especially to 8 year old standard Schnauzer (salt & pepper) whom we have dubbed “The Gray Nurse.” She offers much encouragement to Mimi.  Walks away from Mimi, stops, looks back and waits for Mimi to catch up and repeats this process several times and seems to understand when Mimi is tired and then walks away to join the other puppies. Sunday Afternoon: Took a nap! After her nap, we put her on the den floor and observed her. She walked 14’ to my easy chair greeted me and continued walking behind my chair and hunched up on all fours and delivered her BM as if it consisted of gold nuggets to our joy and accolades. Afterwards, she walked out from behind my chair, walked across the den to her crate, stepped in, then stepped out and walked across the den to my wife’s chair where I had moved; I then got up and moved back to my chair and repeated the process until she had walked with a strong gait making it 92’ by 4:22 PM. I think she is on her way to recovery. 

Monday – Day 4:

                        Mimi continues warm baths and hydro therapy: (a) to prevent urine burns as she still urinates in either the floor or in her crate. (2) Water massage and articulation of joints in all four legs.                     

                        Today she was like greased lightening! All over the house like a flash with only an occasional wobble. She ate well, slept well and used the toilet in a 3’X2’ plastic tray with 5 inch sides and lined with pee-papers! We call the tray, the bemjo, the Japanese word for toilet. It worked great!       

                        Her walking and running continued to improve. She even tries to stand on her hind legs and jump into our laps. She takes her cheese rolled medications with gusto and takes her pain pills at night after midnight so we can sleep. She has taken no muscle-relaxant medications only on Friday night after the long trip home. 

                        Her attitude is changing from, “the little train that couldn’t to the little train that could and did! She relishes our praise and encouragement. The other dogs (male Min-pin, Standard Schnauzer, and Wheaten Scotty) are doing their part in her convalescence by encouraging her to follow the pack. Mimi is a remarkable little pup who always seems to be trying.

Tuesday – Day 5:

                        A miracle is occurring at 535 Love Circle. Today when all had finished their breakfast and were ready to “go,” outside Mimi wanted to go also. I carried her down the six steps of our deck and stood her in the grass, she ran to her favorite place and had a long pee, and then bowed up and had a good BM, looked up at me and my wife to receive accolades of a job well done to a BM that was as precious as 24 karat gold! We retired the banjo forthwith! 

                        Today she runs around the house checking on the maid, climbs into every nook and cranny, in her crate in the den and out again without a wobble. If the other dogs are resting, she aggravates them until they are engaged with her in a game of tag or what ever dogs call it. Her recovery is so rapid now that we can’t seem to keep up with her. I am able to journal a little now as she is in her crate taking a nap with the door standing open. I may have to take some of her medicine just to be able to keep up with her. It appears that Mimi is on her way to recovery. Last week was one of the worst in our lives; this week has been one of the best! I overheard her talking to one of the other dogs about her name (Mimi Killer, Mimi Killer..you know!).She said to the other dog, "Mom and Dad think my name is Mimi Madonna," swelling her chest she said with great power, "But I'm really, VASHTI, THE CAT KILLER!" Some pronouncement from a 3 year old 12 pound Miniature Pinscher. Her story to continue, film and tapes on the eleven o'clock   news! 

Wednesday - Day Six

                        Mimi continues to improve, however, she has begun drinking, what seems to be an inordinate amount of water. Taking into consideration, the hot humid weather, it still seems excessive. It could be her medications, yet in the back of my mind, I fear, diabetes!  Note: We have since returned to Miss State College of Veterinarian Medicine-Small Animal Hospital and our fears were alleviated as we learned that her medications cause the excessive thirst! Whew!  I hope and pray that after all she has gone through, that diabetes won't materialize. Thank God! She eats well, a mixture of Science Diet RD and Fit and Trim, twice a day. She is as regular as clockwork when it comes to her toilet habits. She has a BM always twice a day following meals, and urinates up to 8 times a day, often on the floor. She either walks or runs every where she goes; I've noticed that she gets the tendency to wobble a little later on into the day and early evening. Earlier on she had difficulty navigating on the Kitchen vinyl flooring. Apparently, the disease, medications, and crate time caused a weakening of her hind legs. At this writing, she seems to have little difficulty walking on the vinyl flooring!

Medications: She ha been strictly on medications prescribed except for  pain medication and muscle relaxing medicine. She had these two medications for two days after returning home and we felt that she no longer needed them.

Thurs., Friday, Sat,. Sun., and Monday - Days 7 - 11

Mimi has made little significant change during the past five days. She interacts with the entire pack (which includes us)! She enjoys the freedom of roaming about our home. She has three or four pallets, placed strategically about the house so she can be where the action is and yet have a resting point! We always feet the Min-Pins in their crates under a wall table between the den and kitchen, which is in view of Margaret preparing their bowls. As soon as she sees/smells the processing begin, she gallops to her crate, noses the door open and jumps inside. In a few seconds our male Min-Pin joins her in his crate beside her. Both are territorial and would never dream of invading the sanctity of each other's crate. As soon as they eat, it is out to pee and poop!

Her front legs seem to be fairly normal, but her hind-quarters are still somewhat weaker, but improving. She cannot jump "up" into the easy-chairs as in the past! However, this morning (Monday-Labor Day), after breakfast, before we could curb her, she jumped down the 6 steps of the deck to the ground, head over heels, got  up, shook herself and continued to the grass to do her morning business. We were terrified! Yet both of us being crippled could only gasp and pray that no damage was done. Apparently, luck was with us and Mimi was not injured. 

Tuesday and Wednesday: Days 12 - 13

Days routine, activities continue with little change.

Thursday: Day 14

We returned to Miss State for her two week check up. She pranced in on her leash, as if to say, "look at me, I CAN walk again." She received a good report, two thirds of her medications were removed  We are to return in two more weeks. Many of those in her medical  team had read this report in this web site and shared our joy of her continued improvement.

I am in the process of building a ramp so that it will be easier on her to get up and down the six or seven steps from the deck to the fenced in back yard. I have it almost complete, an "L" shaped eight X twelve in length by two feet wide. All remain is hand rails on one side. Last night the little dickens ran up the steps where I had been carrying her! Oh, well, Margaret and I will be able to use it as will the others in our pack of 4 pups and two humans. Thanks goodness, so far, we are the alpha male and female!

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday: Days 15-17

My computer finally bit the dust! Drove to Columbus to replace it! We use our computer for just about everything. Banking (bill pay), since we are both crippled, we order almost everything but groceries via the Internet. What a marvelous time! Both of us in our seventies, it sure saves shoe leather and energy! And I should not fail to mention E-mail! No work on the ramp this week end. Another day should finish it. Mimi seems to improve daily. Perhaps by small degrees, but improvement! She walks better than Margaret and me, now!

The days follow very much the same as the day before. The doctors are cutting back on Mimi's medications which seems to be a good sign and truthfully one day she seems better, the next she seems to loose a little ground only the next to recapture it. Time will tell!

Since Mimi's mishap we have done all within our power to make her happy, comfortable, and to know she is loved! Our retirement home is a nightmare. To get from the den or kitchen to the back yard requires one to traverse six steeps steps, from the kitchen to the enclosed garage requires 3 steps, and the front door requires four. This didn't seems a problem 8 years ago when we moved in, but with heart attacks and strokes, it has become difficult! Especially,  now with Mimi's problems.

                        Mimi's Nursing notes, FINAL ENTRY:

                          It's early in the morning as I write and I am a bit nostalgic. As  I look back on what seems now, to be a nightmare. Mimi progresses each day as a normal and lively 3 year old Min Pin. The horror of her paralysis is fading from our hearts. What was once a lump of flesh is now a vibrant, active, energetic, and loving  little friend (child).

                        Our gratitude goes out to the staff, students and administration of the College of Veterinarian Medicine at Mississippi State University!  They've gone far beyond the second mile! They have earned our esteem, our love,  and everlasting appreciation for their devotion to our little Mimi. We are aware that her life was snatched from oblivion and will hinge upon her continuing medications and therapy. I scoured the Internet researching information relative to her condition and found that the prognosis for her malady indicates that we may have her only three or four years! We plan to make those years, happy years;  with prayers, faith and tender loving care that it will be longer and  we can beat the odds!. As we look at her and realize her condition of only a few months ago, we haven't given up hope that we will have her as long as God wills! Our beloved pets mean a great deal to us! Further more, we grieve when their condition is grave or threatening. Our lives have changed immensely due to Mimi's illness, we have overcome many problems and have faced them a day at a time knowing that there were solutions and it was our responsibility to find them.

Solution # 1!  It was necessary to get Mimi to the back yard which meant carrying her in my arms! I stumbled a couple of times, almost dropping her. Solution ----  I began building a narrow ramp wide enough for one person or a couple of dogs to navigate! In order to get the gentle grade or slope that we, and Mimi could navigate, I found it necessary to go from the floor of our deck eight feet out and then to the left, twelve feet. During my adult life I saved for a shop...(see hobbies-woodworking)  It is very complete with table saw, band saw, double bevel chop saw, table jig saw, cast iron wood shaper, a table spindle, disk, belt sander, planer, planer-jointer, a floor drill press and a table drill press and a myriad of electric hand tools, dust collector, air compressor with a contractor model framing nailer, etc. Thank God for the equipment! With all of this, the comical part was to see a 74 year old man with a cane moving 2X4s, 2X6s, 1X6s, nailers, saws to fit the occasion around the back yard constructing a twenty foot ramp. As with Noah and his ark, it was heck of a job for an old man!, but today, September 16, 2006. I completed it along with flood lights on the beginning and end of the ramp. (You can see pictures of my deck under "Hobbies-Cooking!") We love our little pouches (make that present-children and apologies to Skipper, Deborah and Douglas). The following pictures will give insight into our project, Mimi-Gate! It was a labor of love! It breaks our hearts as we drive down the streets and roads of life and see innocent animals chained to a tree with no shelter from the elements. All because the owner thought it would be neat to have a pet and then their lives moved on and the poor animal became the victim of circumstances, left to suffer because their owner became weary of them.

                        I fear if I were a judge, on the bench, listening to cases of animal injustices, I would not send the perpetrators to a couple of years in a cozy air conditioned, prison with weight rooms and color televisions, no!  I would sentence them to a month of being chained by the neck to a tree or post in one's backyard with sanitized but murky water to drink (is that an oxymoron?); a can of hash dumped on a dirty bowl or plate a couple of times a day and left in the summer's heat, rain, and invasions of insects to contemplate their crime and abuses of God's creatures / shades of St. Frances of Assisi !  No, I am not an animal activist, just one who believes that owning a pet is a sacred responsibility. Don't get a pet if you don't aim to provide for its needs. If you do feel compelled to purchase that cute little animal in the window or accept one from the neighbor's litter, or feel that every child needs a pet and the time comes when the animal becomes a liability rather than a friend or asset, then for God's sake as well as the animal's , call a pet rescue or humane society to take and care for the innocent creature "and try to find one desiring to adopt the pet who will sincerely care for its needs with more devotion and responsibility than you are willing to  give or some Judge may sentence you to a month, chained in the back yard. The animal has no voice to break and a life! Yes! I do watch the Animal Channel!

                        The "M" stands for MIMI Gate!

Manfried der Rae, Manny the deer as Min-Pins are frequently called in Germany. Here in the South, where we live, the Min-Pins resemble the antics of the local white tail deer. They bounce, trot, and carry on like the white tails. I also call him "the Boss!" Weighing in at 12 pounds, he demands attention and gets it; all the others give him space and submit to him if he is around. When Arthur leaves the house, Manny howls in soprano until he get his way. He loves to ride in the car and stands on Arthur's thigh and props on his fore-arm so he can see and survey sights along the streets and highways. He is so spoiled rotten that he stinks, but is the lovingest little guy you'll ever find. He begs enough table food to fill a German Shepherd, but never gains an ounce, he is all ways checking our chain-linked fenced in 200' X 100' back yard. He understands what I am saying to him and responds as I command him a-n-d vice versa!

Click on McTavis, above, to email me