Ron Gaydos and his wife Elaine Lam were dedicated cat people when they met 25 years ago.
Their feline clan soon grew to seven, and it wasn’t until 1988 that a dog boldly asserted himself into their affections, a spunky Shih Tzu named Kaylun. He was always calm and grounded, posing no threat to the cats. Another Shih Tzu, named Trevor, came along a few years later, and for ten years the menagerie was a happy one.
Then Kaylun died suddenly, and despite their grief they knew Trevor needed a new companion. They soon found one in the form of Lil Oscar, a playful Shih Tzu puppy who was a joy to have around. For two years the dogs romped together happily, until one Halloween when it became evident that something was wrong with Oscar’s back legs. A trip to the emergency room revealed that he had slipped discs in two locations on his spine. He stayed at the clinic over the weekend, until a veterinary surgeon could work on fusing the discs back into place.
Although such surgery has a high rate of success (especially when done within 24 hours of the injury), it was not so with Lil Oscar; he never regained full use of those back legs. But though he was unlucky in the surgery department, he was fortunate indeed when it came to his human caretakers. Ron and Elaine’s devotion to their beloved pup never faltered.
So Oscar could continue to enjoy outings with the family, they found an online company that made wheelchairs for handicapped dogs (www.doggonwheels.com). At home, Oscar scoots himself along by virtue of some extremely strong shoulder muscles, with help as needed. His kidney problems, also a result of the spinal injury, have stabilized with the use of daily antibiotics.
In recent years, Oscar has participated in walk-a-thon fundraisers, including the Peninsula Humane Society and SPCA’s Mutt Strutt around Coyote Point Park in San Mateo, as well as other festivals and special events, like the Burlingame Pet Parade. Oscar’s most recent achievement: winning the best costume prize at the Sunnyvale Howl-oween Pet Parade with his very special Haunted House Wagon décor.
The moral of the story is that handicapped dogs still have lots of life to live and love to give. Through the devotion, compassion, and effort of his owners, Ron Gaydos and Elaine Lam, Lil Oscar teaches an important lesson wherever he goes: Dogs with disabilities can prevail!
For more on Oscar’s exploits, visit http://liloscarswagon.com.
It was during the winter months of early 2010 that I got the idea for a covered wagon to fit over Lil Oscar’s wheelchair. I made a prototype out of bent plastic rods, which worked until it got warm and the rods started snapping. I tried wooden rods with about the same result. Finally I thought of using fiberglass rods – success! I placed the rods in holes I had drilled in the wooden frame. I attached the wagon by hooks to the wheelchair so it could be removed in less than a minute. We were almost ready for our first test, the PHS/SPCA’s Mutt Strutt. The previous night one of the rods popped out and almost tore the wagon cover, so I set them with glue. Good thing, because the wind was howling on the day of the event. Happily, Oscar bounced around the 3K walk without incident. Since then we’ve been modifying his wagon to fit different events. We’re love to join a Christmas Parade, but can’t seem to find one. We may have to wait for Spring to get him involved in more outdoor walks and parades. He thoroughly enjoys them! – Ron Gaydos
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