HandicappedPets.Net

That is AWESOME!!!

Pap has been working on his sitting up the past 2 weeks. It's interesting that he learned to walk before he really mastered sitting erect.

I agree!

Well, it was 100 degrees today. It's still 93 at 7 PM. I don't usually feel the heat, and we were outside. I was thinking as long as Pip was not in direct sun, he would be fairly OK. Not really. The sun is at a low angle this time of day, close to setting, and he still overheated. I didn't realize it was happening.

The good thing is, we discovered the best trick. His bed is covered with a bath towel. If I put an ice cube down on the towel, it freezes itself to the terrycloth and sticks, and he can lick it for as long as he likes without it scooting away from him. He doesn't drink water from a bowl, so this helps. We're supposed to be doing our exercises right now, but he needed to cool off.

I knew to be careful with him in August, and I was watching him like a hawk. I wasn't thinking of May.

I think he's OK now, we'll go try our ex-ies in a minute.

That IS weird for May. Personally, we're freezing (40 degrees), which is weird, too.

Really weird! If you could split the difference, we'd both have 70 and it would be perfect.

We're going to have this problem for the next 5-6 months and need to figure out how to continue rehab, while dealing with the thermoregulation issue.

I wish I could find a chart that gives official descriptions for levels of walking ability. You'd think there would be such a thing. He does necessary walking with mental confidence and moderate physical difficulty. Does not do unnecessary walking.

I want to continue daily exercises. We'll have to work around the heat somehow.

'Tis true. Vets don't even necessarily know what's what about such things.

PS--Ares says he wants to move in with y'all because it's too cold up here!

Tell Ares there's a big owl that's been hunting in our back yard and he's better off where he is!

Not big enough to carry off Paddy??!!

He might be big enough, but he'd have a hard time reaching him. Paddy is in a 10x10 enclosure with 12" chicken wire around the top and the opening in the ceiling is 8x8 and the sides are 6' tall. I can't picture him being able to land inside the enclosure from in flight. He'd almost have to dive straight down head first, or land on the frame and jump down feet first. It says this kind of owl has a 43" wingspan. If he got down inside, he wouldn't be able to get out unless he's a helicopter. Then he'd be trapped in an enclosure with a cat that weighs 4x what he does. What a panic that would be for all concerned.

I'm being careful, though. When I open the enclosure at 10PM to bring Paddy in, I pick him up immediately and do not let him walk.

When I take Pip out at night, I look at the telephone wire, the neighbor's TV antenna, and the top of the telephone pole. Those are all places I've seen the owl sit. There may be more I don't know about, so I look all around. I hope he would stay away with a human in the yard, but I'm not making any assumptions. Therefore Pip doesn't get to run from the fence to the door after dark.

Just noticed this morning, Pip was using a lot longer stride in his front legs. This is the first real change since he started walking without support Feb 4. Before he was using short fast scissor steps in his front legs. This morning he was stretching them out like a racehorse.