Life is Short - Adopt a Pet

I graduated from grade school as a member of a small class. There were just 21 of us all together, and most of us had been together since kindergarten. We grew up together. We shared a lot of the same experiences. We were influenced by the same teachers, learned lessons in the same classrooms, participated in the same sports teams, and survived the lunch room and playground together. As with all things, time passed, we grew up a little more each and every day. Eventually, we graduated and went on to different high schools and from there, college, or otherwise. As it is wont to do, life took us all in 21 separate directions. Then, last week, I got the horrible news that one of my classmates was the victim of a tragic accident and had died.

As with any tragedy, many people were brought together to comfort each other and pay respects to the one that we collectively loved and lost. I was moved to see the range of good people that her life had touched. I reconnected, at least briefly, with many people that I hadn’t heard of, or thought of, in a long time. Many of these people were influential in my upbringing.

If this week has taught me anything it is that, in the big scheme of things, life is short. As a veterinarian, I have seen the circle of life. I have seen pups and kittens enter the world and geriatric pets exit it. We humans may get upwards of a hundred years (give or take) to experience life, but our feline and canine friends, whom we bring into our lives on a regular basis, have a much shorter life expectancy. Our feline friends live an average of 12 to 15 years. In our canine companions, the average life expectancy varies according to size. Giant breeds may only live seven or eight years, whereas smaller breeds may surpass 15 or 16 years. There are always exceptions to the rules, and I’ve seen many a 20-year-old cat and toy breed dog.

As a part of our finite days on this planet, many of us choose to adopt pets. Pet adoption is overall a wonderful experience and can add immense joy to the life of both human and animal alike.

There are an estimated 6 to 8 million dogs and cats in American animal shelters each year. Many of these animals are found as strays roaming the streets while others come from downright horrendous environments including hoarders and puppy mills. Unfortunately, many pets are relinquished to shelters across the United States as owners can no longer afford to care for them, move to new homes, or the owner themselves dies without having made arrangements for their pets’ care.

I strongly encourage considering adopting a pet from an animal shelter. There are far too many good dogs and cats that end up meeting an early demise because there are not enough people willing to open their homes to a new pet addition. Owning a dog or cat can have countless benefits for a household. They can bring joy and unconditional love and companionship. A strong human-animal bond can be an incredibly moving and life-changing thing.

However, what many people forget is that owning a pet is a major responsibility. When we adopt a worthy animal companion we become their only means of resources and care. We take on that role of provider and steward for each animal we own. No amount of love or good intentions is going to provide food and veterinary care for our feline and canine companions.

If you are considering pet adoption, please take into account your financial situation and make a realistic budget for veterinary care. If you do not already have a regular veterinarian, start looking for a reputable one. Try to be objective as possible about if you and your family are able to accommodate a pet that is going to be a part of your family for many years. Research different breeds, and temperaments, and medical conditions associated with each breed. The more preparation you do, generally, the better the outcome for all involved.

I can’t help but think that my classmate would want to be associated with an article about shelter adoption. Her dogs were a big part of her adult life. Her family had requested that memorial donations be made to the local humane society. It was an honor to be a part of a donation from our
grade school class in the name of our childhood friend.

Author:  Dr. Marisa Tong
Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Pigs of a Different Color

Today’s column is about pigs. No, not the male chauvinist kind nor the ones that inhabit those many posh pork palaces now dotting our countryside, but pigs most of us, including veterinarians, don’t see much of anymore. These pigs belong to what are called “heritage breeds.”

Hogs of these breeds played an important historic role in the development of the pork industry in the United States, but over the last several years have fallen out of favor for various reasons. One, is that their growth rate may be somewhat slower than today’s more popular breeds, but the main reason probably has to do with a thing called body fat.

As Americans tried to become leaner the demand for leaner pork increased, and some members of these breeds had just a little too much of the dreaded adipose tissue. However, true pork lovers know that fat is where the flavor is and that has become “the” key selling point for many of these heritage breeds.

So what started me thinking about these hogs? Late one night not long ago, I found myself mid- humerus deep inside of a sow trying to deliver her last pig, and not feeling especially jovial. The sow I was working on happened to be a “club pig mama”, not a breed per se, but a type of hog that produces the pigs that 4-H and FFA kids show at the fairs, and the type of hog I mainly deal with these days.

Although most of these sows have huge hips, way too many of them also have a narrow bony pelvis which makes piglet delivery difficult, and impossible in some cases. A dystocia involving a club pig sow is now my most common large animal emergency, and usually results in not many live pigs, disappointed owners, and I can attest, a very frustrated veterinarian.

I don’t want to make it sound like they are the bane of my existence, because they’re not. The sows are actually good for business. On the downside, though, the dystocias are crippling my hands. Fortunately, the squeeze from this sow provided enough regional analgesia that I could only sense my arthritic thumb grinding on itself.

It was about this time that a question begged to be asked: Could there be an easier and more enjoyable pig for people to raise on a small scale? Almost immediately, my mind began to fill with images of Tamworths, Herefords and Red Wattles.

Fans of “Downton Abbey” may recall the pigs introduced in Season 4 as a way for the Crawley family to increase revenue for the estate. Well, those were Tamworths.

That cast addition was fitting as “back in the day” hogs were known as “mortgage lifters.” If the Crawleys did have a mortgage, though, I don’t think the Tamworths could have lifted it much. I’m not even sure they could have paid Downton’s heating bill.

An English breed, Tamworths may have some genetic origins in Ireland. Red in color, with their long bodies and trim bellies, they were considered a bacon- type hog. Today, Tamworths are described as good grazers and extremely prolific.

Dan Hilty, from Wapakoneta, raises Herefords, an American breed marked similar to the cattle of the same name. With a red body and white face and legs, the Hereford hog is an attractive animal. Dan says they, too, do well on pasture and are “easy keepers.”

Dan also touted their good maternal instincts and described how careful the sows are with their babies when he farrows them in pens. “They don’t move around a lot when the piglets are little.” Dan went on to say that Herefords are “an enjoyable pig to have around.”

When I asked Tom Inkrott, who raises a few Red Wattle hogs near Leipsic, about his pigs, he cut straight to the meat of the matter, so to speak. “They taste like what hogs used to taste like. Their taste is the best.”

Red Wattles are also red-haired, with skin tags called wattles, akin to what goats have, hanging from their necks. According to Tom, Red Wattles are also known for having large litters.

If your favorite hog color isn’t red, don’t despair. The Large Black breed is aptly named, and if you prefer spots, the Ossabaw Island Hog or the Gloucestershire Old Spot have enough color splotches to satisfy anyone’s needs.

Sadly, many of these breeds have critically low population numbers. As a fan of all things agricultural, I would encourage anyone who likes pigs, has a small acreage, and wants to do something of lasting importance to the pork industry, to please consider raising one of these heritage breeds before they disappear. Good genes are a terrible thing to waste.

Author:  Dr. John Jones