Welcome to Lynda Ward’s ‘Rhyme or Reason’, a regular column devoted to feline related sayings, poems, rhymes, limericks and ditties (these can be by you, or even by your cat or another animal). You’ll receive a free 2kg bag of James Wellbeloved premium cat food if your item is published (5kg if it’s chosen as the ‘Star Turn’) and it can relate to any aspect of cats and cat ownership. So don’t delay, start racking your brains for those serious, funny or wise words!
Contributions should be e-mailed to Lynda at lyndaward@pettradesolutions.com faxed to 01773 540703 or posted to Lynda Ward, c/o Our Cats, with your full postal address.
*STAR TURN *** *** STAR TURN *** *** STAR TURN *** *** STAR TURN *** *** STAR TURN*
Cat On My Lap
I am holding music in my hands,
fingertips touching the tremor,
treasure of melody unmade,
measure in warm fur
rolling from the belly of time
down through bone into bond,
resonant, rich and round,
but with darker notes,
like perfume,
stealing into the marrow heart of me.At my slightest touch
your deep contentment,
immanent,
lets lose, on tides of ebb and flow,
a low murmuring lullaby
from another place,
an always place
of affinity and knowing.
The more I stroke, the more your snuffle song,
growing, rattles and roars your frame,
as though your rocking tide will engulf us.
And then you sleep again,
stretching one slow, elegant paw,
with utmost deliberation and languor;
an invitation to paradise.
How can I refuse?
S. Wright, Bristol
Veterinary Viewpoint
Coping with amputation
AT LAST month’s BSAVA Congress, John F. Innes BVSc PhD CertVR DSAS(Orth) MRCVS gave a presentation entitled ‘Coping with Amputation’.
Synopsis
Amputation of a limb in small animals may be necessary following severe trauma, limb deformity, or for treatment of aggressive tumours. The frequency of amputation following trauma has declined over the years with the development of improved treatment options for injuries such as fractures and severe soft tissue wounds.
For malignant tumours of the limb, there can be alternatives to amputation, but amputation remains a useful treatment option. In this situation, amputation is often performed to relieve pain and may be combined with chemotherapy to prolong survival and maintain quality of life.
Small animals, such as dogs and cats, typically adapt rapidly to amputation, usually within 1-3 weeks. Physiotherapy can assist this process. There is a misconception that larger breed dogs will not cope with amputation. However, assuming their other limbs are functioning well, this is usually not true.
Although larger dogs may appear more ungainly following amputation, this is more of an issue of our perception rather than an issue for the dog. Previous studies have shown that large breed dogs can cope well with amputation.
Because quadrupeds carry approximately 60% of their body weight on the forelimbs, the effect of forelimb amputation is slightly more pronounced.
Sophisticated gait analysis techniques can be used to evaluate the effects of amputation. In summary, when indicated, amputation can allow pets to have an excellent quality of life.
Lunch digesting,
Coonies resting,
On my soft, warm bed.
Dream my Coonies,
mice and fishies
Drifting through
your heads.
Carol Williams,
Moreton-on-Lugg
Dashing Denzil and Tom Quartz, snug in bed
Ode to Cheeky Chesney (aka Rusty Dusty)
Cheeky Chesney SHOWED the rest
... and on the day he did his best
to win the Tanya Trophy was the quest
with judge Barbara Leigh he took the test
at the South Ribble show - a real cat fest;
THE most prestigious cat show in all the North West!
Mum Sandra sez at home he’s a bit of a pest
nibbles her arm - but only in jest,
(appen she needs a kit-proof vest!!)
And after all the excitement the place he likes best
... curled up at home in his ‘nest’.
Mrs S. McHugo, Flint
Dexter the cat, attended the BSAVA’s press conference to illustrate just how well cats can adapt to the loss of a limb.
Dexter’s hind leg was amputated following severe injury in a road traffic accident.
According to his owner, Mrs Moira Burns from Coventry, this has not stopped the seven-year-old from sitting in the middle of the road now or kept him from his favourite pastime - climbing trees.
“I am on first name terms with the local fire brigade as people think he is stuck in trees when he isn’t”, she said.
