One of our clients, Mrs. DeCarlo, shared this story about her cat that had surgery on both of his hips. There’s very little information on the recovery expectations from this procedure (called a bilateral femoral head ostectomy), so Mrs. DeCarlo documented her experiences in the hope that other pet owners would find it useful and helpful.

 Many people sleep well, zonking out after the eleven o’clock news into seven or eight hours of uninterrupted oblivion. I am not among them. I wake up in the middle of the night, every night, so it wasn’t unusual for me to be heading toward the kitchen at 2 a.m. What was unusual was seeing Buddy, our two-year-old grey male cat, lying next to the litter box on the back porch. He greeted me with his usual meow but made no effort to slip through the pet door to join me. Even the treats I put nearby didn’t spur him to action.

 A few hours ago he’d been chasing a laser pointer. Now he didn’t, or maybe couldn’t, move. Something was very wrong.

I called Park Avenue Animal Hospital early the next morning. In the meantime, Buddy had managed to make his way into the litter box, but he was limping, trembling and obviously in pain. X-rays showed his right hip was severed. Dr. Rick said the cause was a genetic defect, and his left hip was headed down the same path.

We received this in an email from Pam Strickland of Chipper Haven Rescue and we just had to share as it is an unbelievable story.

Take a deep breath and allow me to introduce you to Samson.........

Yes, that is a tumor dangling from his neck. He was also full of intestinal parasites and has heartworms. His coat is dull and his hindquarters are weak. Samson was picked up by OCAS in a rural area of Apopka....though it was believed he had an owner, no one would claim ownership. The Animal Services Officer was told "Oh, he's a stray that we've fed for years in the neighborhood."

My mind cannot wrap itself around the neglect that this poor little guy has suffered for years at the hands of people who simply ignored the obvious. As our veterinarian confirmed, that tumor has been growing for years. When we saw his picture on the OCAS website, we jumped into action and thanks to David Morton from OCAS who expedited Samson's early release from the shelter, we were able to get him seen by our caring, compassionate veterinarians, Dr. Rubenstein and Dr. Turgai, at Park Avenue Animal Hospital to see if there was anything we could do to help him.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. —Jan. 11, 2009—In support of “Responsible Pet Ownership Month” in February, Bark Busters, the world’s largest dog training company, offers guidelines for the estimated 44.8 million dog owners in the U.S. “A dog needs order and leadership from its pack leader, which means that good canine manners start with its owner. Making the decision to become a dog owner comes with responsibility,” said Liam Crowe, CEO and master dog behavioral therapist of Bark Busters USA. “Following these basic but important tips will help your canine companion live a long, healthy and happy life.”

•    Get your dog spayed or neutered. Spayed/neutered pets not only live longer and healthier lives, but they also make better companions. The best age to spay/neuter a dog is around five to six months old, at the beginning of puberty. Talk to your vet about the right time for your dog.