11/26/2008 - 9/23/2023

We had to say goodbye to our sweet, sweet Nikki on Saturday, September 23, 2023. Apparently, she had a seizure or stroke early Saturday morning. She was struggling and there wasn't much we could do except let her go.

This sweet gift of a dog came here 5 years ago this month when Jacki Inman's mom needed a safe place to send her. What a gift she was, what a joy. Nikki was the sweetest, happiest little dog. with the cutest little walk. Wiggle, wiggle, strut, strut. She and Taz were best buddies, they loved, loved, loved each other. And when Izzy came here last year, it was Nikki who took her under her wing and helped Izzy overcome a lot of her fears. This gentle dog didn't have a mean bone in her body.

Well, okay, on occasion she was known to nip, but she always warned you first and it was always because you were doing something that displeased her. We always took a muzzle with us when she went to the vet although most of the time, it wasn't needed. She was a delightful character.

We all miss her, Taz and Izzy especially, but interestingly they are hanging with each other. I think offering comfort as best they can to each other. Nikki would be proud.

Our youngest daughter recently lost her beloved dog Layla and wrote: "Between hello and goodbye there was love, so much love" and that says it perfectly. Goodbye sweet girl, we loved you so.

Sweet little Lucy is gone, she left us yesterday, July 1, 2023. She had been living with chronic renal failure for several years, still we thought we'd have more time.

Our whole house is missing her, she was the tiny little alpha in this pack of rescue dogs. It's hard to wrap my head around the fact that there will be no more play bowing with Taz and Pal to get them to play with her, or sleeping side by side with Izzy, or running to the fence to bark at the neighbor's dogs. I miss taking her to bed with me and her placing her little butt on my shoulder waiting for me to cover her.

Who would think a tiny, 3 lb dog could capture such a huge place in our hearts. She was the undisputed boss in our house. She welcomed Lexi & Pal then Jack and Izzy and Fred and said her goodbyes to Mason and Prince and Lexi and Jack and of course sweet Oscar. Mason was my heart dog and while one dog never replaces another, Lucy came here two months before we lost Mason, and her presence made his loss bearable.

She was a sweetheart.

And now she's gone. God Speed sweet girl, you are missed.

2/6/10 - 7/1/2023

 

October 1, 2018

Today we said goodbye to this sweet little guy. We think he may have had a stroke over the weekend. He couldn't stand or move his left legs and he didn't show any improvement Saturday or Sunday. Prince had a lifetime of medical issues. He was diagnosed with microvascular dysplasia as a puppy, he had a neurological disorder that caused him to shake his head and squat multiple times a day, Dr. Fenner suspected hydrocephalus. And then there was the problem with a bone being out of place in his neck Regardless, nothing slowed him down until this weekend.

Several years ago during a routine dental, a former vet pulled all of his teeth and broke his jaw in the process.(Note the adjective "former.") Two years ago he developed cataracts and lost his sight. At times he would throw temper tantrums from frustration but for the most part he was a happy, feisty, funny, loving little dog.

How do I explain this little guy to someone who never met him? He was adorable, one of the cutest "little white dogs" you'll ever find. Everyone loved him. I fell in love with him on a rescue website, he fell in love with his dad. Even after Prince developed cataracts and could no longer see, he could find Jim anywhere.

He was just a fun little dog. I can't count the number of fights he started around here and had to be rescued. He used to go round and round with Mason and as recently as Friday he was giving Lucy what for over his breakfast. Stinker. Troublemaker. Feisty little sh*t. It's hard to believe what a huge hole a 3.2lb dog leaves in one's heart. Good night sweet Prince. Mom loves you. Always.

 

May 29, 2020

Saying goodbye to Lexi, our little love bug.

We had to say goodbye to this sweet, sweet girl last night. She took her last breath at 7:33 pm. She had a terrible day yesterday, steadily going downhill. Even with pain medications it was clear she was uncomfortable, struggling to breathe and no amount of wishes or prayers or medical magic was going to make a difference. It's always hard to say goodbye but this little one had such a love of life, always happy, adventurous, demanding when she wanted a cookie. She brought so much joy and laughter to this house and she is leaving a huge hole in our hearts.

I don't want to say goodbye by recounting her last day, rather I want to remember the sweet girl she was. Never once did she go on a walk that she didn't lay down and poop out. She would roll and scratch her back and not get up until she was good and ready. It was hilarious and always made me laugh.

Then there were the cookie temper tantrums. Somewhere between 9:00 & 10:00 PM she would suddenly jump up, snuffle then bark and demand a cookie. Every. Single. Night. And of course, once she started 6 other dogs joined her until it was either give them a cookie or forget about watching the rest of whatever show was on TV. Yeah, this sweet little dog was quite the rabble-rouser when she wanted a treat.

When she and her brother Pal came here in July of 2019, they were inseparable, almost joined at the hip. They were depressed, traumatized, and clearly didn't understand why they came here and what happened to their original family. We gave them time, let them watch our other dogs and learn this was an okay place. Lexi was the first to venture into her new home. She discovered everyone got a cookie after Oscar and Taz had a diaper change and she was delighted.

She welcomed Taz's attempts to play and learned that she could be away from Pal, play with the other dogs and her brother would be fine. Of the two of them, she decided first that being a Spoiled Royal was a good thing.

Lexi climbed the steps and hopped in our bed to play with us. She loved rolling around, getting a belly rub, and roughhousing with me. She always ended her sessions with a kiss. I will miss this sweet dog who trusted us enough to accept us as her new family. I will miss her funny, silly sense of humor, and oh how I will miss her sweet little kisses.

Rest easy sweet girl, we will love your brother for you and keep him safe. Mama loves you. Always.

And Then There Were Five. . . .

I said goodbye to this sweet little dog today. He was a tiny little guy, barely tipping the scale at 5 lbs. but what a gigantic  personality he had. 

When he was healthy he was fearless, he would bravely take on the world.

I can't begin to count how many fights I broke up in the early years. And once he finally understood attacking the other dogs was not permitted, he took his wrath out on inanimate objects. 

For years he had an ongoing war with brooms of all sizes - whisk brooms, kitchen brooms, shop brooms, if it had a handle and bristles he would fight to the death (or what passes for a Yorkie killing a broom.) He also had a passionate dislike for helium filled balloons and would bark incessantly until we removed it from his sight. What a little character he was.

While he certainly displayed a Yorkie 'tude, he was the best little dog. He loved to curl up on my lap when I read a book and he'd climb on the sofa and press against me while watching TV in the evenings. He'd snuggled up beside me in bed at night and would chase the others away if they came to close. What a sweet, feisty little dog he was. 

Gaylin had such an irrepressible spirit, such a love of life, such a wonderful irreverent attitude it's hard to believe tomorrow will come without his ornery little personality announcing he's ready for the day. He was a pint sized bundle of love and I miss him more than I can explain. 

I loved that little guy, I will always love him. He made me laugh out loud and he made my heart smile. Every day with Gaylin was a good day. Except for today. Today I lost my buddy. Today I cried. Bye Munchkin, Mom loves you to the moon and back. 

Saying goodbye.

It's been a difficult 19 months. We've lost four Spoiled Royals Holly, Myla and Punkin, and Sweetie. Three wonderful Pomeranians and a happy Yorkshire Terrier all gone in less than two years. 

Holly was unquestionably the happiest dog I've ever met. She didn't walk, she bounced. She had a silly sense of humor and loved to sucker her fur siblings into thinking something was going on. She would suddenly hop up, start running and barking and get them all riled up then quietly sit down and watch the fun.

She was a happy, silly little dog with the look of a fox and she always had a smile on her face. She loved life, loved her fur siblings especially Myla and could not stand to be placed in a crate. What a little character she was.

Every day at 4:00 PM she came to wherever I was and pawed at me. I would pick her up, hold her in my arms and give her a belly rub. It took a long time for her to discover the joys of a belly rub but once she did, she was adamant that she received one daily. How I miss that silly dog demanding her daily belly rub. Out of the blue, in early April 2014, just after turning 14 yrs old,  she laid down on the deck and went to sleep and simply did not wake up.  It's been almost two years and I still can't reconcile our beautiful, spunky little red Pomeranian is gone.

A few weeks later in April of 2014 we had to help our little Yorkie Sweetie to the bridge. Her cancer had progressed to the point we couldn't keep her comfortable. She was such a good little dog, always in a good mood, always bossy, always fun. I never like putting any of our dogs down but it was especially hard to let her go.

I've told the story many times but she came to us as a Yorkie in need of a new home. After we decided she was home, I wanted to rename her because I didn't care for the name Sweetie. I spent a good two weeks playing with different names, trying to decide if they fit her. I finally gave up and stuck with her original name because honestly, she was (and always will be) a Sweetie. She was 6 months shy of her 15th birthday when we lost her and not a day goes by that I don't miss her.

All went well for several months and then Myla, our beautiful, blossoming white Pomeranian passed away in September of 2015 just two months away from her 16th birthday. She was the most frightened dog when she came here and it took years for her to trust us but oh what a change once she did. Like Holly, Myla had a perpetual smile on her face. Although sudden moves still could startle her, she quickly realized whatever scared her was not going to harm her and she would stop mid-flight. She just blossomed with love for us, wanting to be where we were, barking a "hurry up" at mealtime, always, always a joy.

She went outside one morning very early to potty and something happened. We found her laying in the grass, unable to stand, breathing hard. We brought her inside and held her as she took her last breath. Such a majestic beauty, such a sweet dog. Three well loved dogs gone in the blink of an eye. And then there was Punkin.

Punky was the smallest dog here and also the oldest at almost 17. His health had been failing for the last couple of years but he kept chugging along, always bouncing back from whatever health crisis he faced. He was a tiny dog with a huge heart, no fear and fiesty as could be. This sweet little guy is my cautionary tale.

I knew his health had been failing. He wasn't eating well, he started stumbling, losing his balance, and developed dry eye.  He was just off. I was taking a couple of other dogs into the vet and added Punkin to the visit for a quick check. I knew he was not great but I just thought he was getting old and maybe needed some meds. He seemed thinner and not as sharp but Punkin was a survivor. It turned out he was in renal failure, suffering and in pain. There was nothing to be done except help him to the bridge to stop his suffering. Oh how I hate that he was that sick and I didn't see it. Learn from my lesson, when you have a senior dog in poor health, get an objective pair of eyes on him. This tough little guy suffered more than he should have and that breaks my heart. One thing I do know for sure is that he knew he was loved every minute of every day that he lived here. Like his three fursiblings, he is missed every day.

Losing four dogs in 19 months is difficult. It seems like we had no time to recover from losing one and then another senior gained their wings. Was it worth it?  Yeah, it was. Life is filled with valleys and peaks and losing a beloved pet is definitely a valley, but the joy of loving one is certainly a path to the highest peak.

Goodbye dear Holly, sweet Sweetie, majestic Myla and precious Punkin, thank you for being our dogs. We miss you guys so much.

Find a Vet You Like and Stay With Them

People who vet hop drive me crazy! I'm not talking about trying different vets until you find the one you feel is the best fit for you and your pets. I'm talking about those folks who never have a regular vet. They take their pets to the vet only when illness or injury strikes and it's rarely the same veterinarian twice in a row. 

They explain how vets are only in it for the money and they complain about the cost of everything from CBC panels to medications.(Of course veterinary school was free thus there are no student loans to repay, all laboratories perform tests at no charge for veterinarians, the gas and electric company donate services and both vets and staff work for free because they are so dedicated to helping animals. Thank goodness they don't have to pay for groceries, gasoline, medical care/insurance or a mortgage.)

I recently had a conversation with an acquaintance who was outraged by the cost of medicine a vet was prescribing for his dog. On the one hand, I knew the price he was quoted to be high but on the other hand, he'd never seen this vet before, he went there because he had a free exam coupon and the vet only had his word on his dog's history because he had never bothered to keep records or bring any with him. Of course all vets are omnipotent and know all, see all and can look at a dog or cat and know its entire medical history.

I know he loves his dog but honestly, IMO, he needs to love his dog enough to find a vet and stick with him or her. Why is that concept so hard for so many people to understand? Find a veterinarian you are comfortable with, one your pet also likes then take your pet in at least annually. As the pet gets older it might be necessary to take them semi-annually and even more often if it has a medical condition that needs monitored. 

There may be a few wacko vets out there but I can tell you unequivocally there are a lot more wacko owners. A veterinarian goes to school for a minimum of 8 years, they do continuing education to keep their skills sharp, they spend a lot of time and money developing and maintaining the skills needed to diagnose and treat your pets. Respect that.



Establish a rapport  and trust your vet. If you don't understand something, ask. If you can't afford a recommended treatment tell your vet that and ask if there is a less expensive alternative treatment that might help.  If the pet needs a treatment you can't afford and there is no alternative available, ask how much time your pet can wait and then get busy and find the necessary funds. Pet owners should be prepared to find a way to pay for needed care, that is your responsibility not your vet's. Vet care is not discretionary, you have a pet, you have a responsibility, live up to it. 

You'll find that a regular vet most often will try to help where they can.  Sometimes they may be able to direct a pet owner short of funds to resources where the pet owner can apply for financial assistance, sometimes they may be able to offer a discount (please note that is never required) and many times, because they know your pet, they can offer advice that money can't buy. 

They can't do any of this if you are forever vet hopping. Figure out what you need in a vet and then look for one you click with. Then, take your pet there for annual or semi-annual visits. If you have an emergency, start with your vet and follow their instructions. You will make many investments over the years but one of the very best is investing in the right vet for your pet. (And you won't have to listen to me rant because you vet hop. LOL)