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Rainbow Bridge
Just this side of heaven is a place called the Rainbow Bridge. When an animal dies
that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to the Rainbow Bridge.
Th
ere are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play
together. Th
ere is plenty of food, water, and sunshine, and our friends are warm and
comfortable. All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor;
those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember
them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
Th
e animals are happy and content, except for one small thing: they miss someone
very special, someone who was left behind. Th
ey all run and play together, but the
day comes when suddenly one stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are
intent; his eager body begins to quiver.
Suddenly he breaks from the group, fl ying over the green grass, faster and faster.
You have been spotted and when you and your special friend fi nally meet, you cling
together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. Th
e happy kisses rain upon your
face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into those
trusting eyes so long gone from your life, but never absent from your heart. Th
en you
cross the Rainbow Bridge
together...
Pets Undergoing Chemotherapy
By Shari Camp
Chemotherapy and pets is different than
chemotherapy and people. In Veterinary
medicine, the goal with chemotherapy is
to get the highest effective dose to fi ght the
cancer with the least effects on the quality
of the pet's life. It is a fi ne line that the Vet-
erinary Oncologist/Internal Medicine Spe-
cialist walks. The quality of the pet's life is
important and is one of the many concerns
when the pet is undergoing chemotherapy.
Can pets have side effects from the che-
motherapy? Yes they can, the side effects
that the pet might endure are generally able
to be treated with medications which then
allow the pet to go back to normal activity.
Some may think that their pet will lose its
hair; it is not a common side effect but can
happen. The difference when a pet loses its
hair is that it will grow back, in many cases
softer than before. It is important to re-
member that there are many different types
of cancer, each cancer and pet respond-
ing to chemotherapy differently. There
are many different protocols to treat the
different cancers and the Veterinary On-
cologist/Internal Medicine Specialist will
determine the best treatment for the pet.
It is important to stay in communica-
tion with the veterinarian and the staff
that is treating your pet. It is also en-
couraged to let your pet live life to its
fullest; no need to restrict activity unless
the veterinarian recommends it. Com-
pliance and communication are part of
the key to the success of the treatment
.
Shari Camp, is a registered veterinary
technician at Greater Cincinnati Veterinary
Special
ists