Maxwell My Very Best Friend and Fearless Hero

by Allan R. Pentecost
(Casselberry, Florida)

Maxwell came into our lives 12 years ago this coming Mother's Day. He actually showed up at our back door. When I first picked him up, I realized he was covered in fleas, had a bad case of worms and had some pain in his hind quarters. We immediately took him to the Vet. They cleaned him up and de-wormed him and said to return in 2 weeks if his hind end was still hurting him. As we had to keep him 10 days anyway before we could get him fixed, which we did. The vet took xrays and determined that Maxwell had double Perthis disease (both hips) he was estimated to be appx. 5 months old and his perthis disease was so advanced, it was like an 8 year old dogs disease. The Vet elected to do a double F.O.P. They had to do the left leg twice as they did not get enough of the bone...So Maxwell has gone through life with no hip bones just muscle tissue. I do not want to run out of room, so a quick medical history. Maxwell also had a tennis ball size tumor removed from his back left side 2 years later, non cancerous. About age 6.5 they found and removed a mast cell tumor on his back left shoulder, close to his neck. Thank God, it has not returned. Then Maxwell had to have eye surgery from a cat scratch that would not heal. We have an excellent Vet and he made his eye better. Then when he was about 9 we found another mast cell tumor right over his right ear, in the crease of were his ear meets his head, another removal and thank God again, it has not returned! Maxwell is so smart and so fearless of anything and would give his life to protect me, what and outstanding gift from God. He has been there and has helped me through so many rough times in my life. Maxwell is now very close to 12 and we suspect he may have been intentionally poisoned, His liver enzyme the alkaline phosphtease is has been going up fast, it is 990 as of yesterday. An ultra sound showed a large area on the liver, not sure what yet. This last episode only started 7 days ago. He is sleeping a lot and we are hoping it is not caused by the new rodenticide, bromethalin. He is my Hero and my very best friend, I can feel his love so strongly...Please, please...Pray For my Maxwell