Pets in Italy

Heart to Heart

I've started a book review page for animal and pet related books, and my first review is for the fabulous Heart to Heart by Pea Horsley. This tells the story of Pea's career change from stage manager in London to full time professional animal communicator. (Yep, she reads your animal's mind!) read my review here. Warning: This book will make you cry!

Jaw Dropping Japes

We've had our fair share of mishaps with the animals here in Italy. I think the most bizarre was lab Zsa Zsa getting a hollow round section of marrow bone wedged napkin-ring style round her lower jaw. This entailed a visit to an incredulous vet, a tranquilizer (for the dog, although I could have done with some myself) and some box cutters.

Two days ago I discovered one of our cats lying motionless at the bottom of the drive. At first I thought the small black and white shape I could see in the distance was a magpie, but closer inspection revealed it to be a distressed Jimmy with his mouth hanging open.

An emergency trip to the vet followed and it turned out Jimmy had broken his lower jaw right up the middle vertically. I was horrified, but our great vet Massimiliano seemed totally unfazed and showed me how he would mend the fracture using wire and pliers. Shades of ZsaZsa all over again!

Yesterday Jimmy had the operation and when I went to pick him up, Massimilano lifted the little cat's tongue to show me a shiny piece of wire through the lower palate and secured in a twist through the skin on the other side. It was beautifully aligned too. Great job! He showed me the x-rays and it seems Jimmy has also broken two ribs, the ones right at the end of the rib cage. Poor thing!

So Jimmy is now home, suffering from severe concussion and I'm feeding him Recovery cat food using a syringe and injecting him with antibiotics and painkillers. It's very common for vets here in Italy to ask owners to give jabs, administer drips and so on. The poor little cat has slept almost all the time (make that 99.9% of the time) and each time I check on him he seems to be improving. His pupils are even sizes and he seems to be more relaxed although one front leg is still a bit rigid.

Googling 'jaw fractures in cats' it appears these are quite common and caused by a fall or, more liklely in Jimmy's case, a run-in with a car. The concussion can last several days, so I am hoping that he will improve and be able to move about again soon.

Talk about jaw-dropping - especially the bill!

The Cat Concerto

I just love this!

Rescue Pet Matching Service

I'm currently helping a very nice British lady and her husband give a home to a rescue dog. I'll post more later when I am sure it is all going to work out well. But my contact with her has given me an idea. And that is to offer a rescue pet matching service.

The idea is this. Suppose you want to give a rescue dog or cat (or horse) a home. Maybe you have heard there are thousands of appeals posted online but you don't know which sites. Maybe you don't speak Italian that well and can't call them to get more information. All you need do is email me telling me the kind of pet you would like to help and I will try and find a good match for you and help you contact the people organising the adoption.

As the lady who gave me the inspiration for this writes: "I found it very difficult looking at web sites and not understanding them too well, that I was inclined to give up. The biggest problem is speaking to people at the rescue centres and trying to make them understand the type of dog you were looking for.  Also I am sure there are many English people, especially round Tuscany and Umbria that would be willing to adopt, as we Brits are suckers for a hard luck story!!"

I'm doing this on a voluntary basis and have no idea how it will work out, but I am hoping that together we can help at least a few more animals find loving new homes.

Compassionate Owner Needed for Bobby

Well, just when you think you've seen it all, you get an appeal that shakes you to the very core.

This little dog is called Bobby and is currently being fostered in the countryside near Rome. He is an 'adozione del cuore' - we've talked about those before. They are for dogs that need very special care, usually because they are handicapped. In Bobby's case he is both blind and deaf, so someone really special is needed.

He sustained terrible injuries inflicted by his owner and was found bleeding and dying by an animal lover who took him to the vets in Cassino, near where he was found, to be treated. The vet was so moved he treated him free of charge. Bobby is now being looked after temporarily in the countryside near Rome as although he has recovered from his injuries, they have left him blind. They have just discovered to their great sadness that he is also deaf. The poor little soul - God knows how many kicks he has suffered in his short life and now all he can do is enjoy the sun on his back and the love of a patient owner.

If you can help poor Bobby then please contact Cinzia 328-0414169

email: ZUCAL@digitpa.gov.it

Latest news: Bobby is doing very well at his foster home, can recognise her touch and is getting used to going for a walk using a harness and lead. It is highly likely his carer is going to keep him permanently, which is fantastic.