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life with my new family

Giving thanks to a great dog

Thanksgiving weekend befell tradegy to our family. Lacy's health had taken a turn for the worse and she began to seizure. Her body shut down, she would no longer stand, walk or even sit up. She was vomiting body fluids as she hadn't eaten in days. She was taken to the emergency animal hospital where she was euthanized. We did the best we could to make her last few months on this earth as filled with love as possible, and in the end, I hope she knew that she was honored, cherished and greatly loved. In Lacy's final moments, she scooched closer to me and sat up to place her head over my shoulder. She gave me a quick lick on the nose and laid down, closing her eyes and releasing her spirit from her body. My heart still pains at this loss though ultimately I know that it was necessary.

Date of death: 11/26/06

I miss you, Lacy.
Mom

This is not an entry from Lacy, but from me--her 'mom'. 5 months ago, we adopted Lacy from the Wisconsin Humane Society where we were told that she was surrendered because her currently family was moving out of the state and couldn't take her with them. We thought that her behaviors that first few weeks were because she missed her family....She'd pee in the house, refused to eat any and ALL food, her tail was down and her energy low. After two weeks of this, I took her to my vet for a follow up. Lacy had lost over 10 lbs and had an enlarged liver. We assumed that it may have been from the anesthetic from her spay surgery--some dogs react in this way. Lacy perked up a little as we administered doses of milk-thistle (aids in liver health). She actually wagged her tail upon occassion and the accidents in the house lessened. Then they got worse again. She went back to the vet for more tests. She got a little better...then a little worse. She would go for days without eating...she was drinking large amounts of water....back to the vet again this time looking for cancer. Nothing conclusive. She got a little better and then a little worse. She had x-rays and an ultra-sound. Nothing conclusive.

After 5 months, a host of veternarians (as well as their bills) has concluded that Lacy is dying. She has lost 20 lbs. since I first brought her home. Her energy comes and goes. She must remain outside most of the time because she cannot hold the contents of her bladder. Her appetite is sparce. Her tail rarely wags.

We adopted Lacy, having mourned the loss of our previous dog, with love to share. We imagined a long and healthy road for us all to travel together. Instead, what we have is a decision to make. When I feel her suffering is too great, I must decide the day to put her down.

Lacy has suffered with an enlarged liver for 5 months. Currently, her heart is struggling. My daughter and I are struggling with what we know will be a loss. This breaks our hearts. We are grief-stricken. I am also angry....angry that this family who 'owned' her previously was so heartless as to surrender a dying animal without giving out that information. The vets and I conclude that her liver failure has been a problem for much longer than 5 months given how quickly her condition has deteriorated. I am not only angry for what this experience has put my daughter and I through, but for what it has put Lacy through, too. She had to adapt to our ways; change her surroundings; spend countless ours in the vet's lab...Instead of spending her dying days in her life-long surroundings surrounded by her original 'family', she had to readjust her entire life's patterns in her remaining months. I thank God that we were allowed to adopt her...so that she would know love, especially in the worst of times. She will know love into that final hour.

Please--never surrender your pets in their time of need. Not only is it cruel to the pet, but cruel to the family that believes that they are adopting a healthy pet. Love and care for your animals until it is time for them to depart their earthly bodies...

With the heaviest of hearts,
Lacy's 'mom' Marianne

Is this week over yet?

This has been quite a week! Last Friday I got really sick. I wasn't feeling too well before that and wasn't eating...but on Friday, I just couldn't get up! And I didn't really want to because I had messed the house in several places...When my new family got up for the day, they noticed the messes and that I wasn't moving much. Instead of getting mad, the mom said she was worried and called the vet and got me in right away. I had lost 8 pounds in the two weeks with my new family! The mom had to lift me into her truck and I could barely keep my eyes open on the way to the vet. Once there, he took my temp again, stuck me with needles and eventually, I had to pee in a cup. I was too exhausted to even notice what was happening. The vet thought that perhaps my kidneys were failing or that I had cancer or something. My family cried and i felt badly...I tried to make them feel better by giving kisses...but i was too tired to give too many.

As a cheer up for everyone, we all went up to the country to visit grandpa and his dog, Maddy. There, I smelled all that wonderful fresh air and wagged my tail for Maddy. It was good to see her again. Grandpa offered me a special treat of TURKEY! which I LOVED and ate a whole bunch. that made me feel much better.

At the end of the weekend, we came home and everyone looked as tired as I felt. The mom made some steak for us. I gobbled that up--but then she put the gravy on my dry dog food (!). I sucked the gravy off of each piece and spit out the pieces on the floor. I can't stand that stuff! I thought she'd get the hint when I wouldn't eat ANY kind that she brought home....

The next day I was still not feeling all that great and continued to have 'accidents' in the house. The vet called with some good news: I wasn't dying of kidney failure! It was my liver. It was out of sorts for any number of reasons....he was glad to hear I was eating and gave the mom a special diet of people food for me. this is great! I get to eat people food several times a day and take some milk thistle for my liver. I think it is helping because today, I only had ONE accident in the house!

I was so proud of myself that I wagged my tail for my entire walk! And I WANTED to walk! I have more energy and am eating and I think that I love my new family! They really are taking good care of me!
lacy