Medicine
I was replying to a message with the TV on in the background when a drug commercial came on. You know, the kind that shows groups frolicking in a park-like setting while the narrator tries to run through the legal limitations and known complications that the drug may cause. By the way, the next time one of these commercials comes on, tune out the pretty pictures and really listen to the potential complications; it’ll change your impression of the drug.
What made this commercial stand out for me was one of those legal limitations mentioned. I’m sure the narrator said not to use this drug on a lactating dog. That is when I realized the drug being advertised was for dogs. I’ve seen commercials for flea and tick treatments in the past. This one, however, seemed more like a commercial for a drug to treat a medical condition.
My wife and I have had pets for all 40 years of our marriage. I can assure you we’ve loved and taken care of every one of them. We’ve also worked through their conditions as they aged, with a blind dog, a cat that required insulin and something like IV fluids to help flush its kidneys, among them. For each of them, we, with input from our trusted veterinarian, had to decide if and when the quality of their life had diminished to the point where it was compassionate to help them over the rainbow bridge.
Our veterinarian thought one Siamese cat we had years ago was succumbing to some cancer. He offered to refer us to Kansas State University for CT scans and pet cancer experts with potential chemo treatments, but, in our judgement, we felt that as long as the cat was happy and not in pain, we’d enjoy whatever time he had left. He survived another six months and the day we decided to let him go, he passed on his own. We never found out what type of cancer he had, but I assure you we gave him lots of love and attention.
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” - Psalm 23:1-6 ESV
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.’” Revelation 21:1-4
We have prayed to God for every one of these pets that He would provide us with clear guidance on what to do and when with them. We have had to rely on our hearts and best judgment. However, our focus always was on their pain-free state and happiness.
I’ve read several theological articles about whether there are or are not pets in heaven. They all seem to expand upon passages in the Bible without a clear definition. That kind of reading the Bible seems dangerous to me. Because of that, I won’t opine on my feelings, and I will trust that God knows better than I could.
