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Puppa's Pages

Rabies Challenge Trials!!!

I've been keeping my eyes on the latest news regarding vaccination frequency for animals, especially in light of what happened to Teddy. Well, enough money has been raised through grassroots efforts to begin a Rabies Challenge Study. There will be two studies, one for 5 years, one for 7 years and both will be focused on proving once and for all that rabies vaccinations have long-term duration of immunity. This means that the government will then be able to lengthen mandated revaccination intervals.

In a lot of states the Rabies vaccine is required every year for both dogs and cats. In some states, like New York, boosters are required every three years. But under studies done by Ronald Shultz at the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine, serological studies have shown rabies titer counts have levels known to give immunity seven years after vaccination. However, his studies are not enough to prove the matter. There has to be an official study, done over several years, before the government will listen.

While the funds have been raised to start the trials, money will be needed to carry the study through to its seven year completion. If you want to help, go to this site:

http://www.rabieschallengefund.org

Please help prevent other dogs and cats from suffering the effects of over-vaccination!!

Teddy and I thank you for supporting this very important study.

One year anniversary of your death

Hey Puppa.

I realised a few nights ago that you predicted who would come after, I just didn't put the pieces together until much, much later. Shortly after your death one year ago today, I dreamed that you were sitting beside me in a convertible car. As I pulled the car onto the road, I saw a black and white chihuahua sitting on the side of the road. It felt like you were telling me that's how you'd come back, maybe.

So in the days that followed, I spent a lot of time browsing petfinder and various other rescue sites. I had no intention of adopting again, I was just curious to see if there really was a black and white chihuahua out there, as per your hint in the dream. Turns out that black and white isn't really a chihuahua breed colour, as I had zero luck finding any. That is, until the day I saw a very uniquely coloured dog on Petfinder.

The shelter had named him 'Spook'. He had very distinct markings and while the description said he was chocolate, the pictures showed he was black and white. He had very light coloured eyes and the shelter described him as a chihuahua, though I knew he wasn't. I couldn't imagine that the lady who ran the place (I spoke with her by email and asked her to send some more pictures) didn't know the difference between a chihuahua and this considerably larger dog. He was small in comparison to, say, a chow, but he wasn't a small breed dog.

I decided to go have a look at him. He was about three hours west of us, in the mountains, and it took your papa some convincing to drive that far just to see this dog. I just wanted to look at him and see what other dogs were there, as well as get away for a while.

We got there and as we were walking back to his cage, we passed an elderly cream-coloured chihuahua. The poor old guy caught my attention. Turns out he hadn't been neutered and the shelter wouldn't release him until after his surgery and recovery, which would take another three weeks. So we walked on back to the cage where 'Spook' was. Here was this wiggling, non-stop pup, so excited to see us!

I was really surprised at how young he was--only about 6 months old, plus he really was a deep auburn colour, not the black and white that he'd been in the pictures. No, he wasn't a chihuahua, either. (We found out later he was a Basenji.) Your papa took to him right away, so the shelter lady took us to an empty room and brought 'Spook' back to spend some time with us. I immediately thought 'No way' as this wild boy bounced around the room. Your papa tried to get him to sit and when 'Spook's' butt grazed the floor (by accident, I think), he said "Look! He sat for me!"

I could tell they were going to get on well and the next thing I knew (against my better judgement), we had signed papers and were taking this wild thing home with us. He was not you, Teddly baby.

But over the days and weeks that followed, it turned out that his crazed energy at the shelter had been due to the extreme lack of exercise he'd gotten there. With considerable exercise (read: day care) and some discipline, it turned out that underneath all the crazy energy was a gentleman. A very Teddly-esque gentleman, surprising given his young age, a time when most puppies are wild.

While Alex (as we renamed him) is neither a chihuahua nor black and white, it seems that you were right, Teddles. I can't say that he's you, but I can see where he's got some of your traits. And he loves his min-pin big sister, Saradevi, very much. In fact, she's picked up some of Scoopy's bad habits, so it's a little haunting. I called her 'Scoopy' just the other day. It stopped me in my tracks.

Funny how things turn out. You took something of mine with you when you died--I can no longer hear the 'Call' to adopt, nor do I have the maternal feelings for animals that I used to. Yet thanks to your papa, Saradevi and Alex are now part of the family.

I will continue to hope for a sign from you, some dream, some sighting of you in the form I knew. If Alex and 'Devi are the ones to carry the message, then so be it. I will take what I can get. Just know that I have not forgotten you and never will. I love you with all my heart, baby boy.

Love,
mum

Hey Puppa Bear. Today we had to take Saradevi to that place. You know which one I mean. She got bitten or stung in the mouth and her face started swelling up. Your papa talked about how you also had a swollen face on a couple of occasions. Crazy min-pins...always getting into something.

When 'Devi came home her leg was wrapped in a pink bandage, exactly like yours was the night you came home from that place, the night before you died. I watched her walk across the living room and it hurt because I didn't see her. I saw you.

I've long since stopped wondering if the grief is ever going to leave. It isn't.

While we were at that place someone brought in a doberman pinscher who was in pretty bad shape. She could barely stand up. I thought about what the animal communicator said about you wanting to come back as a doberman. Maybe you should come back as something that doesn't die.

Death is the root of all suffering. If what we've always been told about the afterlife doesn't turn out to be true and death is really like snuffing out a candle flame, then I won't have to worry about looking for you in heaven or in the next incarnation. I'll go wherever those candle flames go and never be subject to grief or pain ever again.

I love you, Teddly. Spirit in heaven, urn beside my pillow or gone forever.

Love,
mum