Melissa Shapiro, DVM

24/04/2025

We are away on our trip to the south and we are having a very nice time meeting our Piglet friends. Tomorrow we are visiting a school.

But when we aren't doing "Piglet" we are still feeling so so sad.

I wanted to write a little bit about my beautiful dog Gina. And there will be more to come. But I don't talk much about her and the other dog's rescue stories. They aren't full of gore like some stories you see on social media. But they are full of cruelty and then kindness.

Gina was born deaf in one ear which caused extreme anxiety. She was a double merle Aussie border collie mix. At 10 weeks old she was dumped in someone's driveway. She was feral and difficult to catch and handle. She was brought to safety by Colbert Veterinary Rescue Services in Georgia. No one would foster her bc she was so difficult to manage. She screamed ALOT and couldn't settle.

We met her at an adoption event when she was 4 1/2 months and 15 pounds. As we were leaving I saw out of the corner of my eye sleeping in a crate all alone while all the other dogs were barking and carrying on.

I am partial to white herding dogs bc my vet school dog April was a white herding dog and I knew I would have another at some point.

When I picked Gina up she put her head on my shoulder and I was in love.

I spent a huge about of time working with her in the beginning bc she would lunge at cars, bicycles, joggers, and people who had a high pitched laugh. Yup. She was very difficult but so soft and sweet.

It took almost a year but she transformed into the most devoted, beautiful, friendly, but still anxious good girl. She and Susie were friends and then we added Dean.

Deanie's lost without Gina right now. He is very sensitive. Annie is also feeling sad. These three spent a lot of time together over the years.

There's alot that happened in the 14 years she was my dog. If there's interest I will share some Gina stories that happened way before Piglet came along.

🩷🩷🩷

13/04/2025

Special Senior Sunday:
This was me a few years ago. Six dogs was plenty. We had lost our little Susie and these 5 on leashes were perfectly matched. Eveyone could walk for miles with a few sniff spots along the way. We all got some seriously good exercise and little Piglet in the stroller loved his fresh air nap. He came out of the stroller at key spots to sniff and p*e. I spent hours a day walking with my dogs for miles at a time.

I really want to be happy that this chapter of dog walking lasted as long as it did. I was in pure denial about my older dog's aging until about 2 years ago when it became necessary to split the dogs into younger and older groups. We also added two young dogs, Lucy and Georgie, who made walking ALL together much more difficult.

I still spend hours a day walking with my dogs but the distance traveled is a fraction of what it used to be. I'm sorry to say that as much as I love my old dogs and want them to enjoy every minute of being outside doing what they love, I'm literally crying as we walk so slowly now, it's almost like standing still. They love it and still share the same enthusiasm for heading out the door into the car to go to the beach or just going out in our own neighborhood.

I've watched other dogs transition from young and vibrant to sweet old age. I love caring for senior dogs in my vet practice. But now it's my own dogs that are declining in front of my eyes, and I'm finding an overwhelming sadness clouding all of my interactions with them.

I'm trying to step back, remember their beautiful lives, their precious places in our family and my every day life for so many years. They deserve that dignity and respect. They are still happy despite great health challenges, which on another level makes me happy. We'll continue to keep up with our routine even if it looks much different than happier times. I feel lucky that both Gina and Deanie have gotten well into their 14th year with grace and that little Evie and Annie are still feeling good at over 13 each.

06/04/2025

This is going to be a much different format than our previous zoom webinars and parties. It will be very interactive and hopefully a lot of fun. I hope to see lots of our dog loving Piglet friends later! It's at 7:30 PM eastern time. Sign up is on our website events page!

28/03/2025

Happy birthday to my Ellie who still calls me to get my opinion about what she should eat for lunch. 🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷

23/03/2025

I really want to do a talking video but I don't have it in me to communicate this message without crying. Maybe it would be a good thing to show that I actually have emotions but I hope you'll read on.

People who love dogs throughout their lives can break their lives up into dog chapters. For example- childhood dogs, college dogs, early adult dogs, family dogs, empty nester dogs, and the senior citizen dogs.

There is some overlap but this is pretty much how my dog chapters have worked out. Everyone has their own twist. Transitioning from one stage of life to the next is really much easier with dogs by your side. That's how it's been for me. I've never been without a dog to move me from place to place, AND from the loss of one dog to the next.

I subconsciously have relied on my love for all of my dogs to carry me through some of the most difficult transitions and loss.

This time around tho I'm finding it much more difficult. This probably is because I'm feeling my own aging directly parallel to this groups of dogs. I currently only have pain in my knees and back so I'm still pretty mobile- not exactly like the dogs. But my career focus is changing and my friends and family are all retiring😂

As my old dogs are moving closer to their final phase-these 5 in the pictures are all over 10, my anticipatory grief is overwhelming at times. I know it's not only for each of my beloved dogs.

It is also for the beautiful chapter we've lived over the last 14 years. So many amazing positive things have happened with this dog group. It's really hard to believe it's coming to a close.

Focusing on all of the positives I know I'll be fine- the anticipation is the worst part. I accept the inevitable of having dogs. The lead up to the end is painful. It's hard to stay focused and be present while everyone is still here.

I really didn't think my dog Gina would still be here after diagnosing her very severe kidney failure a couple of months ago. It's alot of effort to suppress the anxiety of knowing the end is near. But it is so important for me, my dog, and every

31/12/2024

Vet dog mom thoughts for this holiday week.
I have 5 dogs over the age of 10. And I'm a house call vet with a focus on end of life care for dogs and cats.

It's never easy to make end of life decisions for our pets, but it seems that it's even more difficult around the holidays.

This week is a typical holiday week. Families are together and older dogs and cats are not waiting for the kids to go back to college. Some are thankful that they're all together for the end and others were hoping for one last happy holiday with their older pet.

As an objective professional I feel a lot of compassion for people who really struggle with the decision to let their older pets go peacefully. On one hand they want to do what's best for their pets but on the other, they're looking for a specific diagnosis or sign to get them to the mindset needed to let go. And they don't always get to have it the way they imagined, which makes it even more difficult.

When animals are in distress, the decision becomes very clear. But some of these older dogs and cats decline so slowly and maintain many aspects of good quality life for such a long time that their people get lulled into feeling like they'll go on forever.

It's important to focus on the situation at hand, making decisions based on your pet's condition, quality of like, and prognosis. Letting the rest go- how could this have happened so fast when it's actually been progressing gradually for a very long time, or I just want him to make it to his 18th birthday which is in 2 weeks...

Becoming present with your pet at the time it's going to happen, letting everything else go, is the first step in grieving and accepting the loss, before moving on to recovery.

Losing a pet, and having to decide to euthanize, is crushing. We don't get better at it with practice, but we can help ourselves by remaining calm and deliberate as we spend the last moments saying goodbye.

I hope this helps some.🩷🐶🩷🐈🩷

23/10/2024

When I decided I would be a veterinarian, at 6 years of age, I had no idea there was something called euthanasia or that it would end up being a major part of my veterinary career.
Today, I said goodbye to Jem, one of my sweetest patients who I've taken care of for his whole life of 14 1/2 years.
I vividly remember our first visit bc I thought his parents were crazy for adopting him. And then he had a reaction to the bordatella vaccine I gave him. So his new puppy visit turned into an involved minor medical crisis! He chewed everything in sight but quickly settled down to become one of those perfect labs.
In the last few years his old age and arthritis gradually took away his mobility. He got the best of care- meds, supplements, slings, ramps, and lots of love. He swam in the river, took a winter trip to Florida where he swam in the ocean, was an amazing big brother to Radley, and he enjoyed every last minute of his life, to his very last breath.
He gave all that he could. Today was his day. It was a beautiful sunny warm October day. He left the way he lived, with dignity and love.
He was on his favorite bed, with his mom right there with him as he closed his beautiful brown eyes.
I stay very calm when I'm helping dogs and their people through their end of life care and euthanasia. This one, it was tough to hold back the tears. I really wasn't looking forward to saying good bye to this dog.
I feel very lucky to be able to help my patients, both the long timers and the ones I've just met. While it seems like the absolute worst part of vet medicine, for me, it's bringing peace to a difficult situation for pets and their people. RIP sweet boy Jem.🩷

11/10/2024

Gina update!
Dementia or a good memory?
Yesterday my 14 year old, deaf dog Gina missed her afternoon walk bc I was away for the day.
From the time I got home at 8 PM she was on high alert for any signs that she would be taken for a walk. By 11:30 she was desperately leading me to the door for her walk, piling on the guilt.
I was wondering what was on her mind but looking back, it was simply a case of a really smart dog realizing and reminding me that I had missed and deprived her of the most important 30 minutes of her day.
Needless to say, she did her walk today and went back to her normal relaxed in the evening girl, pictures here.
Thankfully, she doesn't have issues with dementia yet. Pacing and carrying on at night is a sign of dementia in dogs and it is not always easy to deal with.
Have you had dogs with doggie dementia? How did you manage them?

27/09/2024

25/09/2024

This is Shipley. He is an eight week old new baby that I got to see today. The last time I saw his mom was when I helped her say goodbye to her very old very sweet dog Brewer. No doubt that it was his mom's very saddest day over Brewer's very long life.
But today was a very special new day, welcoming a brand new fresh (literally), adorable little guy into her life.
As a veterinarian I get to be there for both the happiest and the saddest days of my patient's and their family's lives. It's a full circle that I've done many times over so many years in this most amazing profession.
I didn't expect to be lifted like I was by this 4.5 pound fluffy little man. This little puppy brought us smiles and laughter like only a puppy can. So so precious.

20/09/2024

Her foster mom said that she didn't think Lucy was disabled enough for me. Little did we know that her fractured right foot would never heal and she would be a 3 1/2 legged dog. Her right foot works well when she wears her brace so it counts as half. Otherwise she's pretty much a 3 legged dog. She also uses her broken foot when playing indoors on a carpet.
Compared to my deaf blind boys, this is a relatively easy disability for me to manage although finding someone to make a useable brace took over a year with numerous fails.
Lucy does well. In addition to her broken foot she has bilateral luxating patellas. Even that doesn't hold her back.
Today Lucy Lemonade had her first grooming appointment. She looks amazing even cuter than we knew possible.
She's having a zoom 4th bday party on Sunday. Hoping some of our social media friends will join.
Happy Bday Lucita.🩷
And if you're on Facebook, please join our new group, The Disabled Pets Community. Link will be in our stories.

18/09/2024

Here's a little deaf blind dog Scout followed by pics of my own large pack of sweet needy dogs. Scout is 12 pounds, a year and a half old, and in great need of someone to commit to working with him so that he, like so many others like him, can live his best life. He is in CT with a rescuer who is unable to give him the time he needs to even start to prepare him for his forever home. The rescue found a foster for him and he was improving there but they backed out and now Scout is back and regressing. He barks a lot. He needs activity, training, love, understanding, probably medication to help with his anxiety... I have not met him but have heard his story and it is all too familiar.
I posted about him last night and already I've gotten messages letting me know that he belongs with me, with my already over max dog pack. Please, any time and energy put into thinking about this little dog moving in with us needs to be devoted to helping him find a good solid placement with someone who is willing to devote time and energy to keeping him safe and helping him realize his potential and live his best life. Again, that person is not me. My 8 dogs deserve more than I can give them as it is now and while we bent our rules a year and a half ago to adopt our deaf blind Baby Boy Georgie, we are over capacity! I am on dog overload! And it makes me really upset when I get notes pleading with me, complimenting me, telling me that I'm the only one that can help this dog. This is not true and it is very frustrating to read.
What I am willing to do is advise and support the person who steps up and says yes. That person is a dog person, who understands what it takes to work with a dog who needs extra time and patience. Maybe this dog is not fixable but we will never know if his person doesn't come forward really soon.
Scout is in CT with CT Animal House. Website is ctanimalhouse.org.

11/09/2024

02/09/2024

We missed Senior Sunday yesterday so here's Senior Monday.
My dog rescuer friend sent me this first picture of a jet black dog that popped up on her Facebook memories from 11 years ago.
Yes, this is our 13 1/2 year old Deanie as a youngster. And the second picture is Deanie today.
So many mixed emotions surround seeing pictures like these. Thankful is on top or the list.
Thank you to the rescuers in AR who pulled 5 month old Dean off of a county road and to my rescuer friend Holly who let me sponsor his transport to CT so a client of mine could foster him. And then thank you to my daughter and husband for insisting that he stay. It's not that I was delighted then or that Dean and I have seen eye to eye along these many years, but he is a superb sweet dog who is a very big part of our family. As he ages he gets even more endearing and extremely adorable with his old gray face.
For everyone who is reluctant to adopt a black dog- reminder- they do not stay jet black forever. Gray faced dogs are the absolute best. Looking at them is such a mezmerizing amazing experience.
Highly recommended! 🩷

26/08/2024

Today is International Dog Day. I currently have 8 amazing little dogs and over my life, more than 20. Each dog has enriched my life in their own individual way, taught me sweet and harsh lessons, and given me something to think about every minute of every day. I think that goes with the cliche, they give me purpose, which on many levels has been the case.
My original white herding dog April literally never took her eyes off of me. She was an only dog and I was fortunate to be able to have full focus on her. When she left me I knew I would have another white herding dog but had no idea it would be a dog like my half deaf, vision impaired, anxiety ridden Gina.
She was going to be my take her everywhere dog and she was for a few years until we added a collection of dogs. But even still, she did come with me everywhere for years. It wasn't the other dogs but her anxiety that has limited her ability to come with me all the time.
Her devotion to me is unwavering. She is an old 14 years now. Whether I leave the house for a few days or an hour, her one focus is waiting for the return. She may not hear the door open anymore but as soon as she does, she is right there with her loud shrilly welcome home I can't believe it's you voice.
When we go upstairs to our bedroom for the night I have to help her and Dean before I carry the little boys up. She waits a the top of the stairs until I arrive with Piggy and Georgie before she will go into the bedroom. I've included a picture of her waiting in this post.
As she's growing older I'm becoming even more aware of her sweet love and beauty.
When we adopted her I was warned that she was going to be a challenge and over her first few months here she was. But once we found ways to manage her issues she was able to shine.
Oh- when we got back from our trip the other day, she got into the car to be with me while I spent an hour putting the car back together. Those are the pics of her in my car.
Her middle name is Beautiful for reasons more than her looks!
Happy International Dog Day!

24/08/2024

We treat each of our dogs as an individual. We include them on their own terms. Little Lucy Lemonade is very shy and prefers to stay in Piglet's stroller during our school visits and meetup events. She loves to travel but when out and about, prefers to be more of an observer than a participant. We love her and we respect her preferences.
From a dog mom and veterinarian perspective, this is the healthiest way to manage a group of dogs. When we visit schools, all the children want to pet all of our dogs. Evie, Zoey, and Georgie are all out in for the pets. A dog like Lucy, who is very friendly but shy, and prefers to watch rather than be touched by the masses, presents an opportunity to teach children about boundaries and personal space. She also brings a message to be yourself and accept support from others.
Each of our dogs adds something special to our family and everything that we do out in public.
Have a happy weekend, everybody.