Imagine you’re a frightened young boy, anxiously awaiting the next strike from granddad, knowing it is sure to come. For, Paul Biagini, this was a childhood reality. Beatings from his grandfather were regular, brutal and dreaded. He struggled to cope. That is, until his father bought him a cattle dog. That two-year-old pup became Paul’s protector, even shielding him from his grandfather’s attacks, and thanks to his new best friend, the abuse soon stopped. With that came Paul’s lifelong love of cattle dogs.
Several years ago, Paul and wife Amanda settled in Mulgowie and were introduced to UQ VETS at the Gatton Campus Small Animal Hospital. Cattle dog children Diesel and Bettie Page became regular patients, taking their annual check-ups at the hospital. When Diesel started showing signs of pain in his right shoulder, scans and ultrasounds led to a diagnosis of arthritis. Despite the beloved pet receiving medication and chiropractic care, his overall condition worsened. A haemorrhagic bowel infection one year meant Christmas in the hospital, where the veterinary team nursed him back to health.
Not long after his return home, Diesel was diagnosed with dementia. For his Arthritis, the veterinary team saw Diesel each month for ketamine infusions as part of a clinical trial, this treatment gave Diesel and the Biagini family another two years of quality life together. Dr Jodilee Penn and the vet nurses would walk him through the hospital or on the path outside, and everyone would say g’day and give him a pat and a cuddle.
“He’d come home behaving like a puppy again but, while the warmth and care Diesel received was exemplary, old age eventually became too much for Diesel with his dementia,” Paul said.
In the end, Dr Penn and vet tech Melissa Lindert came to the family home to give Diesel the quality care that the family needed. For Paul, Amanda, and their daughter Rosie, it was a precious experience.
The couple remained regular visitors to the Small Animal Hospital, most recently with the late Bettie Page.
“Bettie Page was always an early riser – she would place her head on my pillow, and I’d give her a cuddle,” Paul said.
“One morning in April, I was giving Bettie her usual morning cuddle and pat and I noticed some lumps under her jaw on her neck.
“I was not sure what these were and asked Amanda, she called UQ VETS that morning and they asked for us to bring her in for a check-up.”
A biopsy revealed the most devastating news the Biagini family could ever imagine, their treasured ten-year-old Bettie was diagnosed with canine lymphoma. Amanda and Paul had many discussions about Bettie Page’s chances and decided to proceed with chemotherapy treatment, something that the family found terrifying and overwhelming, however with the compassion and reassurance of the team at UQ Vets Gatton, both Bettie Page and her parents managed 24 rounds of chemotherapy with little or no side effects.
Bettie Page was both courageous and deeply loved during her treatment and she showed very good signs of a recovery, however things took a turn for the worse. While in remission from the lymphoma, Bettie Page became suddenly unwell and went downhill quickly, a check-up and some scans delivered the devastating news that she had developed a hemangio sarcoma on her spleen which was bleeding. The diagnosis came on the Friday and with little time to prepare, the Biagini family made the heart wrenching decision to let their treasured Bettie go on that Sunday, with the loving help of Dr Jodilee Penn and vet tech Melissa Lindert.
“Bettie Page will forever be remembered for her love, loyalty and fighting spirit and will never, ever be forgotten,” Paul said..
“Dr Penn and Dr Aaron Herndon have so much compassion - much like the other vets in the hospital,” Paul said.
“It was a great comfort seeing Bettie Page and Diesel being looked after with skill, love and compassion.
“The vets are just incredible people and the quality of care is always consistent.
At a UQ Giving Day Morning Tea last October, Paul and Amanda shared their experience with other grateful patients of the Small Animal Hospital. Clinical Director Dr Donna Parker acknowledged Paul and Amanda along with the other patients who entrust UQ VETS with the care of their beloved pets.
Sincere thanks to all those who support the Small Animal Hospital and help ensure high quality care continues for animal patients and their owners. Thanks, too, to those who support research into small animal diseases like canine cancer. And to those who donate beloved pets who have passed for research and teaching.
If you are interested in getting involved, please contact Marlin Othman.
