Remembering Leo, this pet cancer awareness month
(formerly titled My Animals Are Dying)
This time last year my cat Leo passed over. He was a smallish gray tabby my husband brought into our house from a feedstore eleven years ago. The owner had been arrested for brandishing a gun, shooting up into the sky, and accidentally grazing someone standing in the way. I am not sure why my husband thought we needed Leo in our life. Having a rescued wild mustang, another horse, two burros, several goats, a million rabbits and some ducks, plus several cats and about eight dogs, with our seven year old running around with them seemed like enough. And we were in the middle of a town on a couple acres, so we had to maintain some semblance of normalcy. Leo wasn’t sure about being there either and upon arriving climbed up my body, leaving several scratches and bites on all accessible parts of me. He then ran up the edge of a door and spent forever sitting up there. But soon he became accustomed to us, and mostly hung out with the other cats, but also with Rosie’s litter of puppies. My dog Winnie grew up with Leo. After several moves we ended up by an arroyo near Murrieta Hot Springs, CA and Leo reigned. He outsmarted the coyotes at every turn, and befriended each new cat that showed up at our door. His last few months were difficult due to us getting evicted and he and our other cat and Winnie the dog living several places. In our recent quarters, I thought I would give Leo the healing energy he needed and would get him well again by having him sleep curled up with me and by giving him daily, gentle massage. But the vet said he was in pain in both front legs, had fluid between his ribs and lungs, and was in danger of drowning in his own fluids any day. Leo had perked up for several days on Metacam for pain, and even caught a mouse outside, and liked the scratching board and stretching. Previously, whenever I had a stomach ache he would lie on the area until it got better. But recently he wouldn’t stay long and soon disappeared into his closet. Leo died from cancer. My dog Rosie died in the spring from diabetes and Cushings Syndrome, after having two toes removed that were cancerous. Gravy, Rosie’s mate, died a year earlier from abdominal cancer. My ex husband’s wife’s pitbull died of cancer, and the black lab I picked out as a pup in Long Beach died this spring of cancer. Two other dogs that were part of the pack in Aguanga, at the Back 40 where my ex lived for awhile died in the last year, of cancer.
What is happening? Are animals dying the same as always but we never bothered to have them diagnosed? Or is the water they are drinking, the food they are eating and the air they are breathing killing them,? Should we throw out the commercial food and just let them eat the purest grains and fruits and veggies, with some protein? I am thinking that Paul Newman brand pet food is a good way to go, but there are many wholesome dog food brands. We need to get them affordable for everyone. Leo, I wonder what we should do to keep your animal friends well. I am so sad you had to go, faster and sooner than you or I wanted. We love you, and trust you are with your friends in the spirit energy realms, feeling no pain, and at peace.
I highly recommend checking out veterinarean Michael Fox’s website. www.twobitdog.com. He is former vice president of the Humane Society of US, author, world traveler. He writes of helping our pets get healthy with pure drinking water and wholesome food, enough exercise, massage, love and many other things!
