Saying Good-Bye: Pet Loss and Children

Silver Sands Veterinary Center

Saying Good-Bye

Pet Loss and Children

The Human-Animal Bond Series

DH DeForge, VMD

A child's loss of their first pet is one of the most significant moments in a young person's life.  How the child understands and copes with the loss can change how they perceive a multitude of problems in their lives.

Dr. Leo Buscaglia writes in his famous book about life and death for children: The Fall of Freddie the Leaf the following:

"Freddie the Leaf landed on a clump of snow. It somehow felt soft and even warm. In this new position he was more comfortable than he had ever been. He closed his eyes and fell asleep. He did not know that Spring would follow Winter and that the snow would melt into water. He did not know that what appeared to be his useless dried self would join with the water and serve to make the tree stronger. Most of all, he did not know that there, asleep in the tree and the ground, were already plans for new leaves in the Spring."

As a veterinarian, I encourage all parents to pick up a copy of The Fall of Freddie the Leaf and sit down and read it from page to page with their children.  It is written by a man who was not a psychologist and not a psychiatrist....but by a man who was an educator and loved to teach people how to love others.  He died at too young an age but his work is still with us in his lectures; PBS programs; and in his books.

The veterinarian, the ER doctor, and the parent have to become a triad of hope and love at a time of great loss.  Whether it be a pocket pet that has reached the end of their life; a pet hit by a car with life-ending injuries; or the geriatric pet that has grown with the child over a period of years and is now in their final days.....this is a very difficult time.  It is difficult for the advocate, the parent, and the care-taker.....but it is extremely difficult for the child.

My special friend, Dr. Alice Villalobos, whom I have quoted many times before throughout my blogs has coined a very important phase of the Human-Animal Bond as "The End of Life Stage."  This stage is not about euthanasia alone but it is about the care of the pet during the final stages of living.  All pets deserve dignity in the form of a quality of life. 

What saddens me is to see pets coming in for the first time to our General Care Practice or our Urgent Care practice that are at the end of their life and suffering.  There is no need for suffering in the majority of "The End of Life Stage" patients.  We are not discussing here acute trauma or acute toxicity but chronic changes that have occurred over weeks; months; or even years without the pet receiving necessary help.  This is where the triad of the General Practice Doctor; the ER Doctor; and the pet Advocate [i.e. pet owner] must be activated early on and not after a long period of discomfort or suffering.

Dr. Villalobos writes that Animal Hospice-i.e. Pawspice-should become a viable part of "The End of Life Stage" in each pets journey.  She states: "People come to us [i.e. veterinarians] for advice and present their pets to us as patients; they do not expect us to prematurely terminate their pet's life without exhausting reasonable home care options.  Our veterinary profession can with solidarity offer pet owners supportive, palliative options for comprehensive home care and attention to their pet's special needs when they are going down that final road to death."

I have reviewed in other blogs Dr. Villalobos' excellent Quality of Life Scale.  We should be looking at the following: Pain or Hurt; Hunger or interest or non-interest in eating; Hydration; Hygiene and pet's care or lack of care in its own self-cleaning and grooming habits; Happiness in each and every day of our pet's life; Mobility and the ability to ambulate comfortably; and finally and lastly.....MORE GOOD DAYS THAN BAD DAYS.  

Review these categories of Dr. Villalobos and see where your older pet or pet with a serious illness fits into each category.  Even better, make a daily chart and report the finding to the veterinarian that is treating your pet.  Your pet may benefit from home Pet Hospice care.  There may be need for a SIMPLE medicine change or an INTERVENTION in alimentation with an E-Tube placement. Sometimes a pet cannot eat any or enough food because of an illness. Others may have a decreased appetite, difficulties in swallowing, or have had some type of surgery that interferes with eating. When this occurs, and one is unable to eat, nutrition must be supplied in a different way. One method is “enteral nutrition” or “tube feeding. 

A plethora of treatment options, to bring quality and comfort to our pets, exists and as our pet's advocates we must consider the implementation of these treatments in conjunction with our general practice doctor, the ER veterinarian, and through home pet hospice.

Herbert Nieburg and Arlene Fischer in their book-"Pet Loss" have brought together a special list of authors who have worked with children and pet loss over the years.  They state: "The major tasks we as parents need to accomplish in helping our children manage pet loss is to assure them that their grief reactions are normal, to allow the expressions of the grief, to encourage questions, to provide straightforward and sympathetic answers and explanations, and to set a positive model for our children to follow.  By supporting and comforting them as they grapple and mourn, we are guiding them through a difficult period. And we are helping them to lay the groundwork for dealing with subsequent losses throughout their lives." 

 

Children know when their pets are very ill.  Many times they do not want to talk about the ending that is close at hand.  Fred Meyers, MD. University of California, Davis School of Medicine writes: "Palliative care should not be the last resort....or about giving up. It's about increased quality of life and enhanced coordination of care.  It is not about dying.  It is about living with cancer [or other life ending problems].  It is not about less care.  It's about more care."

Dr. Don DeForge

Animal Doc AM Multi-Media

http://www.AnimalDocAMMultiMedia.blogspot.com

Questions: Please write Dr. DeForge at DoctorDeForge@yahoo.com

Silver Sands Veterinary Center

17 Seemans Lane

Milford, CT 06460

www.SilverSandsVeterinary.com

19Oct2013

The Soul of Unconditional Love-The Human-Animal Bond

Silver Sands Veterinary Center

 "The Soul of Unconditional Love"

The Human-Animal Bond 

The Human-Animal Bond must be experienced!  The unconditional love of a child for his dog or cat cannot be explained in words.  The love the animal brings to the child brings comfort to a world that is full of problems.  The child can see in the dog happiness, friendship, loyalty, and most importantly that special constant gift of love.  The Human-Animal Bond or the Soul of Unconditional Love is the  spiritual and non-material component of a human allied with animal, in a special time shared as one.  This is not a religious bond; this is not a bond of philosophical linkage; this is a real and strong sharing of time and space as one entity.

The AVMA in 1998 states the following:

Human-Animal Bond: The human-animal bond is a mutually beneficial and dynamic relationship between people and other animals that is influenced by behaviors that are essential to the health and well being of both. This includes, but is not limited to, emotional, psychological, and physical interactions of people, other animals, and the environment. The veterinarian's role in the human-animal bond is to maximize the potentials of this relationship between people and other animals. AVMA, published in June 1, 1998, edition of JAVMA

In 2013, The Soul of Unconditional Love relationship of man to animal, The Human-Animal Bond, is much more than words will ever state.  It is a dog helping a handicapped person; a returning veteran with PTSD finding a new friend; a child being assisted with a reading problem; a person being helped in early seizure detection by an animal;or an animal providing physical  assistance to the deaf, the blind, or individuals with other impairments.  Therapy dogs are, also, used to help children with emotional distress.  This spiritual and non-material bond is high energy and filled with  passion.  It sustains itself and does not have to be fueled with expensive electronic toys or super phones.  List the components of your life that make you happy that are not material linked.  We can start with your love for a child; or a parent; or a partner, spouse, or lover.  Continue that list and try to create non-material items that your truly are passionate about.  The list quickly gets shorter in non-material and longer in material items.

In an earlier blog I re-created my mentor's Love Quiz into a Pet Love Quiz.  Today, I bring you Dr. Leo Buscaglia's original Love Quiz to see how it relates to the Soul of Unconditional Love in man's relationship to animal.

Love Quiz-Dr. Leo Buscaglia:

Asking yourself questions and answering them honestly is a good path to self-knowledge. In keeping with this idea, I'd like to propose a few end-of-the-day questions for each of us . . .

· Is anyone a little happier because I came along today? 

· Did I leave any concrete evidence of my kindness, any sign of my love?

· Did I try to think of someone I know in a more positive light? 

· Did I help someone to feel joy, to laugh, or at least, to smile? 

· Have I attempted to remove a little of the rust that is corroding my relationships? 

· Have I forgiven others for being less than perfect? 

· Have I forgiven myself? 

· Have I learned something new about life, living or love?

. Have I gone through the day without fretting over what I don't have & celebrating the things I do have?

If you are not satisfied with your answers, take heart! Tomorrow you get to start all over again! If you will it, this is one quiz you can never fail.

Mother Teresa wrote: "If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other."

In the Soul of Unconditional Love, The Human-Animal Bond, there is always peace.  A child always has a friend that will listen to them.  We are never chastised for giving our opinion.  Our companion is with us in good times; bad times; and times of great sorrow and in times of celebration.  That bring peace.  I truly believe that if our politicians, leaders, corporations, and the rich and powerful understood the significance of the Human-Animal Bond we would live in a different world.  If they could sit back and watch a child pray with their dog, this would be a better world.  If people put away me, myself, and I and replace it with unconditional love, the mass killings of the innocents would stop.  If unconditional love replaced hate and people spending hours of wasted time in tactics of destruction, the world would find great peace.

I invite you tonight to study the Soul of Unconditional Love, the Human-Animal Bond, and cherish its components; incorporate them into your own personal Love Quiz.  Share this love  with others!

The love in this picture is very special and is unconditional; the interaction of a baby of this age and a pup is not recommended by Dr. DeForge!

Dr. Don DeForge is Animal Doc AM

http://www.AnimalDocAMMultiMedia.blogspot.com

Questions or Comments E-Mail DonDeForge@aol.com

Silver Sands Veterinary Center

17 Seemans Lane

Milford, CT 06460

15October2013

Silver Sands Veterinary Salutes A Nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize

Silver Sands Veterinary Salutes a Nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize, Malala Yousafzai

We many times take freedom for granted in the United States.  We never comprehend the fact that freedom of education is not universal and it is not always available for any and all who seek to improve themselves  Malala Yousafzai sacrificed her life for her belief in freedom of education.  Only due to a miracle she is alive today.  This blog has no need for interpretation.  Please read it and share it with your children who may be complaining about the difficulty of school, their homework, or the way school inhibits their free time.  Maybe tomorrow they will get up with a completely different opinion of what freedom of education truly means and its importance to all!

'I don't deserve Nobel yet', says Malala Yousafzai

Tag:    Malala Yousafzai,  Pakistan, Education,  Taliban, Nobel Peace Prize

Last Updated: Wednesday, October 09, 2013, 19:38  

Mingora: Malala Yousafzai, the teenage activist nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, says she has not done enough to deserve the award, as her old school closed Wednesday to mark the first anniversary of her shooting by the Taliban.

The 16-year-old was shot in the head by the Pakistani Taliban on October 9 last year for speaking out against them. She has gone on to become a global ambassador for the right of all children to go to school.

Feted by world leaders and celebrities for her courage, she has addressed the UN, this week published an autobiography, and on Friday will learn if she has won the Nobel Peace prize.

But in an interview with Pakistani radio station City89 FM, Malala spoke of her desire to do more to promote education, saying she felt she had not yet earned the Nobel accolade.

"There are many people who deserve the Nobel Peace Prize and I think that I still need to work a lot. In my opinion I have not done that much to win the Nobel Peace Prize," she said.

In Swat valley, in deeply conservative northwest Pakistan where women are often expected to stay at home to cook and rear children, officials say only around half of girls go to school -- though this is up from 34 percent in 2011.

Malala was taken to Britain for treatment in the wake of the attack and now goes to school in the central city of Birmingham.

On the first anniversary of the shooting that came within a whisker of ending her life, her old school in Mingora, the main town of Swat, was closed to mark the occasion.

"All sections of our school have been closed today to express solidarity with Malala on the anniversary of attack on her. The school will reopen as usual tomorrow," a teacher in Khushhal Public School told a news agency on condition of anonymity.

Malala first rose to prominence with a blog for the BBC Urdu service chronicling the difficulties of life under the rule of the Taliban, who controlled Swat from 2007 until they were kicked out by the army in 2009.

Though their brutal rule has ended, pockets of militancy remain, with schools regularly being destroyed by insurgents. Fear of the men of violence means there will be no public event to mark the anniversary.

"We did not organise any function in Swat on the anniversary of attack on Malala because people fear they can also be attacked like her," district education officer Dilshad Bibi told a news agency.

"Many girls are scared that they can be attacked if they are attached with Malala."

While Malala has enjoyed acclamation around the world, in Pakistan the response to her rise to stardom has been more sceptical, with some accusing her of acting as a puppet of the West.

But with her message of hope and determination she has managed to inspire some of the youngsters in her home area.

"The incident of attack on her one year ago is unforgettable. Education is our life and Malala raised her voice for it, so we like her very much," said 12-year-old Humera Khan.

"I also aim to fight for education when I grow up."

Reuters

First Published: Wednesday, October 09, 2013, 19:38

The text of Malala Yousafzai’s speech at the United Nations

We take freedom for granted and in the United States and many other countries of the world do not realize the gift of education that is given to us.

In the name of God, The Most Beneficent, The Most Merciful.

Honourable UN Secretary General Mr Ban Ki-moon,

Respected President General Assembly Vuk Jeremic

Honourable UN envoy for Global education Mr Gordon Brown,

Respected elders and my dear brothers and sisters;

Today, it is an honour for me to be speaking again after a long time. Being here with such honourable people is a great moment in my life.

I don't know where to begin my speech. I don't know what people would be expecting me to say. But first of all, thank you to God for whom we all are equal and thank you to every person who has prayed for my fast recovery and a new life. I cannot believe how much love people have shown me. I have received thousands of good wish cards and gifts from all over the world. Thank you to all of them. Thank you to the children whose innocent words encouraged me. Thank you to my elders whose prayers strengthened me.

I would like to thank my nurses, doctors and all of the staff of the hospitals in Pakistan and the UK and the UAE government who have helped me get better and recover my strength. I fully support Mr Ban Ki-moon the Secretary-General in his Global Education First Initiative and the work of the UN Special Envoy Mr Gordon Brown.  And I thank them both for the leadership they continue to give. They continue to inspire all of us to action.

Dear brothers and sisters, do remember one thing. Malala day is not my day. Today is the day of every woman, every boy and every girl who have raised their voice for their rights. There are hundreds of Human rights activists and social workers who are not only speaking for human rights, but who are struggling to achieve their goals of education, peace and equality. Thousands of people have been killed by the terrorists and millions have been injured. I am just one of them.

So here I stand...    one girl among many.

I speak – not for myself, but for all girls and boys.

I raise up my voice – not so that I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard.

Those who have fought for their rights:

Their right to live in peace.

Their right to be treated with dignity.

Their right to equality of opportunity.

Their right to be educated.

Dear Friends, on the 9th of October 2012, the Taliban shot me on the left side of my forehead. They shot my friends too. They thought that the bullets would silence us. But they failed. And then, out of that silence came, thousands of voices. The terrorists thought that they would change our aims and stop our ambitions but nothing changed in my life except this: Weakness, fear and hopelessness died. Strength, power and courage was born.  I am the same Malala. My ambitions are the same. My hopes are the same. My dreams are the same.

Dear sisters and brothers, I am not against anyone. Neither am I here to speak in terms of personal revenge against the Taliban or any other terrorists group. I am here to speak up for the right of education of every child. I want education for the sons and the daughters of all the extremists especially the Taliban.

I do not even hate the Talib who shot me. Even if there is a gun in my hand and he stands in front of me. I would not shoot him. This is the compassion that I have learnt from Muhammad-the prophet of mercy, Jesus christ and Lord Buddha. This is the legacy of change that I have inherited from Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela and Muhammad Ali Jinnah. This is the philosophy of non-violence that I have learnt from Gandhi Jee, Bacha Khan and Mother Teresa. And this is the forgiveness that I have learnt from my mother and father. This is what my soul is telling me, be peaceful and love everyone.

Dear sisters and brothers, we realise the importance of light when we see darkness. We realise the importance of our voice when we are silenced. In the same way, when we were in Swat, the north of Pakistan, we realised the importance of pens and books when we saw the guns.

The wise saying, “The pen is mightier than sword” was true. The extremists are afraid of books and pens. The power of education frightens them. They are afraid of women. The power of the voice of women frightens them. And that is why they killed 14 innocent medical students in the recent attack in Quetta. And that is why they killed many female teachers and polio workers in Khyber Pukhtoon Khwa and FATA. That is why they are blasting schools every day.  Because they were and they are afraid of change, afraid of the equality that we will bring into our society.

I remember that there was a boy in our school who was asked by a journalist, “Why are the Taliban against education?” He answered very simply. By pointing to his book he said, “A Talib doesn't know what is written inside this book.” They think that God is a tiny, little conservative being who would send girls to the hell just because of going to school. The terrorists are misusing the name of Islam and Pashtun society for their own personal benefits. Pakistan is peace-loving democratic country. Pashtuns want education for their daughters and sons. And Islam is a religion of peace, humanity and brotherhood. Islam says that it is not only each child's right to get education, rather it is their duty and responsibility.

Honourable Secretary General, peace is necessary for education. In many parts of the world especially Pakistan and Afghanistan; terrorism, wars and conflicts stop children to go to their schools. We are really tired of these wars. Women and children are suffering in many parts of the world in many ways. In India, innocent and poor children are victims of child labour. Many schools have been destroyed in Nigeria. People in Afghanistan have been affected by the hurdles of extremism for decades. Young girls have to do domestic child labour and are forced to get married at early age. Poverty, ignorance, injustice, racism and the deprivation of basic rights are the main problems faced by both men and women.

Dear fellows, today I am focusing on women's rights and girls' education because they are suffering the most. There was a time when women social activists asked men to stand up for their rights. But, this time, we will do it by ourselves. I am not telling men to step away from speaking for women's rights rather I am focusing on women to be independent to fight for themselves.

Dear sisters and brothers, now it's time to speak up.

So today, we call upon the world leaders to change their strategic policies in favour of peace and prosperity.

We call upon the world leaders that all the peace deals must protect women and children's rights. A deal that goes against the dignity of women and their rights is unacceptable.

We call upon all governments to ensure free compulsory education for every child all over the world.

We call upon all governments to fight against terrorism and violence, to protect children from brutality and harm.

We call upon the developed nations to support the expansion of educational opportunities for girls in the developing world.

We call upon all communities to be tolerant – to reject prejudice based on cast, creed, sect, religion or gender. To ensure freedom and equality for women so that they can flourish. We cannot all succeed when half of us are held back.

We call upon our sisters around the world to be brave – to embrace the strength within themselves and realise their full potential.

Dear brothers and sisters, we want schools and education for every child's bright future. We will continue our journey to our destination of peace and education for everyone. No one can stop us. We will speak for our rights and we will bring change through our voice. We must believe in the power and the strength of our words. Our words can change the world.

Because we are all together, united for the cause of education. And if we want to achieve our goal, then let us empower ourselves with the weapon of knowledge and let us shield ourselves with unity and togetherness.

Dear brothers and sisters, we must not forget that millions of people are suffering from poverty, injustice and ignorance. We must not forget that millions of children are out of schools. We must not forget that our sisters and brothers are waiting for a bright peaceful future.

So let us wage a global struggle against illiteracy, poverty and terrorism and let us pick up our books and pens. They are our most powerful weapons.

One child, one teacher, one pen and one book can change the world. 

Education is the only solution. Education First.

Dr. Don DeForge

Animal Doc AM Multi-Media

http://animaldocammultimedia.blogspot.com

St. Francis of Assisi and The Human-Animal Bond Part III

Silver Sands Veterinary Center

DH DeForge, VMD

St. Francis of Assisi and 

The Human-Animal Bond Part III

Blessing of Animals 
by Kevin E. Mackin, O.F.M.

As autumn arrives, people in various places may notice something odd.

A procession of animals, everything from dogs and cats to hamsters and even horses, is led to churches for a special ceremony called the Blessing of Pets.

This custom is conducted in remembrance of St. Francis of Assisi’s love for all creatures.

Francis, whose feast day is October 4th, loved the larks flying about his hilltop town. He and his early brothers, staying in a small hovel, allowed themselves to be displaced by a donkey.

Francis wrote a Canticle of the Creatures, an ode to God’s living things. “All praise to you, Oh Lord, for all these brother and sister creatures.” And there was testimony in the cause for St. Clare of Assisi’s canonization that referred to her little cat!

That there are today over 62 million cats in the U.S. attests to the continuing affection we have for our furry, feathered or finned friends. We've even had a cat called Socks in the White House. Other popular presidential pets range from Abraham Lincoln’s Fido to Lyndon Johnson’s beagles, named Him and Her.

For single householders, a pet can be a true companion. Many people arrive home from work to find a furry friend overjoyed at their return. Many a senior has a lap filled with a purring fellow creature.

The bond between person and pet is like no other relationship, because the communication between fellow creatures is at its most basic. Eye-to-eye, a man and his dog, or a woman and her cat, are two creatures of love.

No wonder people enjoy the opportunity to take their animal companions to church for a special blessing. Church is the place where the bond of creation is celebrated.

At Franciscan churches, a friar with brown robe and white cord often welcomes each animal with a special prayer. The Blessing of Pets usually goes like this:

“Blessed are you, Lord God, maker of all living creatures. You called forth fish in the sea, birds in the air and animals on the land. You inspired St. Francis to call all of them his brothers and sisters. We ask you to bless this pet. By the power of your love, enable it to live according to your plan. May we always praise you for all your beauty in creation. Blessed are you, Lord our God, in all your creatures! Amen.”

When preparing this week's blog, I decided to look at St. Francis of Assisi during the time of his feast day celebration.  Many will state the Human-Animal Bond has nothing to do with faith and especially nothing to do with St. Francis of Assisi.  There will be atheists that will disagree with all that I state in this blog.  To those, I respect your thoughts but disagree with you as much as you feel that I am off base in this commentary.  It is best for the atheist to turn the page and not read the rest of this blog.

Look at the two quotes of St. Francis of Assisi below and then let me show you their connection to the Human-Animal Bond.  Francis saw the love of animals and felt it was the perfection of God's love for man.

“Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
when there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
Grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand,
to be loved as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying [to ourselves] that we are born to eternal life.”
― St. Francis of Assisi

tags: prayer

“Blessed is the servant who loves his brother as much when he is sick and useless as when he is well and an be of service to him. And blessed is he who loves his brother as well when he is afar off as when he is by his side, and who would say nothing behind his back he might not, in love, say before his face.”
― St. Francis of Assisi

The unconditional love of our companions symbolizes hope; light; joy; peace; and love elevated to its highest designation.....................being unconditional. We as humans place restrictions on our love.  I will love you if you do this; or I will always love you if you do what makes me happy; or even better I will love you for eternity if you are faithful and never even look at anyone else even in passing.  

Our companion animals give........... but never ask to receive...............that is what makes their love so special.  The companion animal is the servant that loves his brother as much when he is sick and useless as when he is well and of service to him.  Our companions are companions to us in every stage of our life as they pass quickly through the stages of their lives.

So the key is Francis finding in animals the ultimate love that the God of all faiths has provided to each of us.  Unfortunately with our free will, we reject routinely that love and rarely share it unconditionally.  There are exceptions.  Francis tried to teach us to spend our lives at the service of others.  My mentor, Dr. Leo Buscaglia, mimics Francis when he stated, "only when we give joyfully, without hesitation or thought of gain, can we truly know what love means."

Why is it when we return from a hard day at school or the work place that we immediately seek the warmth and bond of our companion animal.  It is because they are not going to trick us; they are not going to hurt us; and no matter how we have treated them they continue to love us even more.

The blessing of pets should not be an exercise that is performed because it is cute or just an event to attend.  It is a celebration of unconditional love!  It should be our way of saying thank you for giving to me that which I cannot give to my sibling; my parents;my children; my spouse; my girl or boyfriend; or to those that help me with all of the problems of my life.  It is a moment in time when we can say even though I am imperfect I want to tell you now how much I love you!  

That is the beauty of the Human-Animal Bond.  Children can experience an infinite form of love which becomes a living teaching symbol of values and respect.  When our children experience the love of an animal companion, it is easier for them to understand what love really means.  In today's world, love is confused with physical attraction.  The Human-Animal Bond takes the child deep into the abyss of the true meaning of caring, sharing, helping, and believing.............. that life is more that just making me, myself, and I happy.

So...thank you St. Francis for experiencing and sharing the importance of man and his relationship to animals.  Your words will allow us to continue to celebrate the wonder of the Human-Animal Bond each and every day of our lives.

Dr. Don DeForge

Animal Doc AM Multi-Media

http://animaldocammultimedia.blogspot.com

Silver Sands Veterinary Center

17 Seemans Lane

Milford, CT.

06460

Doctor DeForge welcomes comments about his blogs; please address them to DoctorDeForge@yahoo.com

06October2013

Silver Sands Veterinary-The Core Four of the Human-Animal Bond

Silver Sands Veterinary Center
Loving Your Companion

The Core Four of the Human Animal Bond 

Donald H. DeForge, VMD

New York Yankees Core Four

By Ryan Nakada | September 24, 2013

• Andy Pettitte (1995-2003, 2007-2010, 2012-13, 18-year career, 15 spent with the Yankees, 3 with the Astros)
• Mariano Rivera (1995-2013, 19-year career, all with the Yankees)
• Derek Jeter (1995-present, 19-year career, and counting, all with the Yankees)
• Jorge Pasada Catcher-1990 and now retired

As a group, they were a part of the New York Yankees’ dynasty of the late 1990’s. Before 1995, the last time the Yankees made the postseason was 1981.

• 12 Postseason Appearances.
• Eight Division Championships
• Five World Series Championships (1996, 1998-2000, 2009)

Individually, these players have made their own impacts with some outstanding achievements.

In the 22nd round of the 1990 Major League Baseball draft, Andrew Eugene Pettitte was selected. Andy Pettitte holds the Yankees franchise record for strikeouts. In 2001, Andy Pettitte was named Most Valuable Player of the American League Championship Series by going 2-0 with a 2.51 ERA. The two wins were the first and last game of the series with the Seattle Mariners. In 2009, Pettitte became the first pitcher to start and win all the series-clinching games in one postseason. Andy Pettitte has 19 wins in the postseason, an all-time high.

In the 24th round of the 1990 Major League Baseball draft, Jorge Posada was selected. Jorge Posada ranks among the best of the New York Yankees catchers. He is first all-time in doubles (379), walks (936), second all-time in home runs (275) and extra base hits (664). He also played in the most postseason games as a catcher in history.

Mariano Rivera was signed as an international free agent in 1990. Originally a starter, Rivera accidentally found “a gift from God” when he discovered the infamous cutter. He would become a setup reliever for then closer John Wetteland  in 1996 before the title was passed on. 652 saves and counting, Mariano Rivera may go down as the greatest of all-time at his position. Rivera is amazing in the regular season; he finds a level beyond that in the postseason. In the postseason, Mariano Rivera has 42 saves and an amazing 0.71 ERA, both the all-time best.

With the sixth overall pick in the first round of the 1992 Major League Baseball draft, the Yankees selected Derek Sanderson Jeter. In his first full season in 1996, Derek Jeter would go on to win Rookie of the Year, hitting to a .314 average. In 2000, he was the All-Star Game Most Valuable Player and in the 2000 World Series, against the New York Mets, Derek Jeter hit .409 with nine hits and two home runs to become the World Series Most Valuable Player as well. He is the first player to accomplish such a feat. In 2009, Derek Jeter became the Yankees all-time hits leader with his 2,722nd hit, surpassing Lou Gehrig. He also became the first Yankee to reach 3,000 hits. He achieved it with a home run in a five-for-five game. With 3,316 hits and counting (I hope), Derek Jeter is the all-time hits leader in the New York Yankees franchise.

Andy Pettitte, starting pitcher, and Mariano Rivera, closing pitcher, have combined for the most wins-saves combination. They have achieved this combination 72 times. The other admirable qualities of these four players are that they are not only dedicated professionals with fiery passion for the game of baseball; they have all composed themselves with class and grace that is admirable and respectable. Pettitte and Posada are known for their visibly energetic personalities on the field, letting the world know when they like what they see or do. Derek Jeter, the captain, composes himself with a passive grace that makes him a role model for many and respected by all. Mariano Rivera’s calm demeanor put all at ease and his unnecessarily nice gestures show that his humble beginnings made him an appreciative human being of all those around him, for a minute or a lifetime. While only one dons the title of “captain,” it is as if they all had the characteristics that made them captains in their own respective ways.

When the 2014 season begins, it is safe to assume that Derek Jeter will be the last member of this group to be wearing pinstripes. All three of his historic teammates will have retired and it will be a first for the Yankees shortstop. It will be the first time he will play a game where none of his brother-like teammates will be on the roster with him.

Four players signed with one team, debuted with one team and spent almost their entire careers together is not a common occurrence. With the creation of free agency, it is rare for a set of players to come up together with one team and stay together for as long as the Core Four has. Many believe that this will never be achieved again. The fact that the Core Four were as successful as they are is even more astounding. For those that witnessed it, appreciate seeing something that may never be seen again. For those that didn’t get the honor of witnessing it, ask those who have because it is truly a treasure to see a successful group of talent wear the same uniform for as long as they have.

The Core Four of the Human-Animal Bond

We all know about the outstanding baseball Yankee phenoms making up the Core Four. Let us take a moment to try to determine what is the Human-Animal Bond Core Four?  Consider the statement: The Human-Animal Bond is a miracle in itself!

Dr. Bernadette Dunham states the following:

"Because of irreplaceable companionship, pets teach children about compassion and love, and the process of life and death. Pets also teach children how to care for others, and they show all of us the ease and importance of acceptance. Your age, looks, and wealth don’t matter.  Animals are simply thankful for you!  Despite your bad hair day or your blue mood, your pet will always be there for you.  This feeling of support is so deep and profound that it cannot be easily defined.

In Dunham’s eyes, the human-animal bond is inevitable because the “interaction we have with our animals impacts us on a daily basis [and] is what makes our bond so strong. We can’t help it.” She added, “The bond we share with our pets greatly affects the compassion in society.  Animals enrich our lives so much and I hope we never lose sight of how fortunate we are to experience the human-animal bond.”
 

The following quote is among Dunham’s favorites:  “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” –Mahatma Gandhi

Take a moment to contemplate the significance of the miracle of the Human-Animal Bond.  Pet's teach children what the words compassion and empathy really mean.  They teach love.

Leo Buscaglia speaking about love speaks about this magic from a human perspective which easily can be turned around to reflect on the Human-Animal Bond.

“There are scores of people waiting for someone just like us to come along; people who will appreciate our compassion, our encouragement, who will need our unique talents. Someone who will live a happier life merely because we took the time to share what we had to give.” 
― Leo Buscaglia

 That is the key--animals teach children to share the love that they have and to give it freely to others.  In society it is the opposite.  We are born with the freedom to love but as we grow we are encamped in fear, anxiety, and paranoia.  Many psychologists describe a scenario that as children grow love is replaced by extreme and irrational fear or distrust of others.  Some of this is taught and the rest occurs as a by-product of the negativity of media.  The face of the news showing killing, rape, kidnapping, and suffering night after night after night.  Bad news sells and good news is vanilla!

Because of all of this, the animal can become a key in allowing acceptance, erasing prejudice, and explaining the wonder of unconditional love.  As Leo states, there are scores waiting for someone who will live a happier life because we took the time to share what we had to give.  Animals teach us that each day by wanting to be with us; wanting to be our friends; giving without expecting a return and/or a contract of remuneration in some shape, form, or manner.

The Human-Animal Bond Core Four has at its center our COMPANION....the one that provides unconditional love to us each and every day.  The second part of the core four is each of us....the pet owner, advocate, and caretaker.  The 3rd and 4th Core Four participants are your loving regular doctor of veterinary medicine and the ER doctor who is there in time of crisis.

The Core Four of the Human-Animal Bond:

1. Our Companion
2. Ourselves at Pet Owner-Advocate and Caretaker
3. The General Practice Doctor
4. The ER Doctor  

We salute each member of the Human-Animal Bond Core Four but must always remember than without #1, our beloved companion, the other 3 do not exist.  Hug your companion tonight and tell them that you love them.  Care for them in all stages of their life from neonate to the end of life stage.  Make a commitment to never let them suffer and be sure.......100% sure........ that there are more good days than bad days as they approach their geriatric years.  

Pet ownership is a term that I do not use.  We are not owners but have been given the privilege of caring for a life....an animal life....in the good times and the not so good times. That privilege brings with it an important responsibility to never waiver in care.  That is a tall order but it is the mandate of the Human-Animal Bond.  We receive the gifts of our companions...they only ask in return a home of safety, medical attention when needed, and a quality of life.  Their unconditional love is freely given in return!


Dr. Don DeForge
Animal Doc AM Multi-Media
http://animaldocammultimedia.blogspot.com
E-Mail DonDeForge@aol.com with comments
Silver Sands Veterinary Center
www.SilverSandsVeterinary.com
17 Seemans Lane
Milford, CT. 06460
1-800-838-3368
02October2013