All hail the Queen.

It only seems right that the first of my four-legged furballs I introduce here would be Rosie, otherwise known as Queen Rosie.

Queen Rosie

When I refer to Rosie as the Queen what I mean is that, in this furry corner of the world of mine, essentially everyone and everything revolves around Rosie. That's okay, though, because she's put in her time. At the beginning of this month Rosie turned 21 years young. I've had Rosie since I was a very young child. I grew up with her.

Now, in her geriatric years, Rosie is battling renal disease and arthritis, and she even fought off a severe case of pancreatitis and hepatitis two years ago. She also has -- excuse me while I use watered down medical terminology here -- a bad eye. At this point in time the eye is not causing her any problems or symptoms, but in the future it could result in glaucoma, which can be very painful and for which the only true cure is to have the eye removed. Through all of her ailments, though, Rosie has been a real trouper. It seems that nothing can bring her down. In fact, back when she was being treated for pancreatitis and hepatitis, she was deemed “bionic” by the veterinarian caring for her. What’s more, upon meeting Rosie, no one ever seems to believe me when I inform them that she is twenty-one years of age. I can only hope that I’ll age as well as Rosie.

I should give credit where credit is due, though. Helping Rosie fight her ailments is indeed an impressive pharmacy of medications. One of these is RenAvast, a relatively new nutraceutical that promotes healthy renal function. It has not been on the market for very long, but it has worked wonders for Rosie. On RenAvast, Rosie not only acts happier and healthier, but her renal values (BUN, creatinine, etc.) have been not only remaining static but at times even showing improvement. In fact, at her most recent vet visit a few weeks ago, her renal values were at levels lower than when she was first diagnosed with the disease. In addition to RenAvast, Rosie is on potassium supplementation and famotidine (pepcid) to further assist with issues arising from her renal disease, and she receives subcutaneous fluids daily to help flush out the circulating toxins caused by her faulty kidneys. She is also on a low dose of a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory for her arthritis.

So, as I said, Rosie is certainly on an impressive pharmacy of drugs. But, since with these medications she is thriving in her geriatric years, I won’t complain a bit. After all, just like us, our animals age. And, just like with us, age is not a reason to simply throw in the towel. Quite the opposite, actually. So, if giving Rosie a pharmacy’s worth of medications makes her feel more or less young again, then that’s what she’ll get.

And then there’s the fact that Rosie has taught me that just because an animal is aging does not mean he or she can’t offer us just as much companionship and undeniable entertainment that he or she offered as a youngster. Yes, my once young and playful Rosie has certainly slowed down, but, at the same time, she has become sassier and at times riotously set in her ways. When Rosie wants fed she lets that fact be known loud and clear, and then she gets fed right then and there. Seriously, she gets fed on the couch in the living room, because that’s where she wants to eat.

Rosie invented the "couble" -- a couch and table all rolled into one.

Talk about breakfast -- and lunch, dinner, snack, and everything in between -- in bed. Speaking of which, when Rosie wants help getting onto my bed in the wee hours of the morning, she lets me know with a meow that could wake even the dead from their slumber. And so what do I do? Of course I immediately jump out of bed and lend her a helping hand onto my bed, and then I swiftly contort myself into whatever position she demands of me. And then there’s the fact that when Rosie physically demands the very blanket off my lap, I relinquish it without question. And when Rosie wants the resident dog or five other cats to give her some much needed space, she lets them know with a wail or a hiss or a swift slap in the face, and sometimes all of the above. And then, with a hop, skip, and a jump, I corral the young hooligans out of Rosie’s sight.

As I said, Rosie is the Queen of this furry brood of animals, and she deserves to be. After all, to put it in perspective, she is the equivalent of a human being who has made it to roughly one hundred years of age. We must respect our elders. So, all hail the Queen.