Diego has gone to wait for us at the Rainbow Bridge

On January 17, 2005, my husband and I were at the animal shelter in San Diego, California. We were there to renew our Sandy's dog license. I had waited until the very last minute, so it was either pay a fine or go to the shelter. Never go to the shelter unless you have room in your life and heart for a new family member.

While the clerk was working on the paper work, we decided to walk around and say hi to the dogs. Big mistake turned blessing! In an 8 foot by 4 foot kennel was a lonely looking brown dog. His name was Ty at that point. There was nothing remarkable about Ty except he looked like Sandy. We sat down on the floor and talked to Ty for a little while, then like so many other people, we walked away.

Only I couldn't get Ty out of my head. After going through 2 more rooms, I looked at my husband and told him I really wanted to meet Ty. He agreed, so while he went to get help, I returned to Ty's kennel. I told Ty that unless he was mean to us, he was going home with us. I scratched his head the best I could through the chain link kennel, until the guy came to take Ty to the meeting area.

We followed Ty and the shelter worker into the meeting area, where Ty immediately jumped up and gave us both kisses very soundly and squarely on our lips! We were HOOKED and completely in love in that moment, the rest was just idle chatter and play. Ty was made for us, but we still had Sandy and 3 cats at home to think about. My husband went home to get Sandy while I spent time with Ty.

I asked the shelter worker if he knew how Ty did with cats, and he took me and Ty into a little room. He picked up the weirdest looking thing I had ever seen! It was some sort of toy on wheels that had been covered with real cat hair. Ty didn't give the thing the time of day so the guy said Ty got along well with cats.

I then sat and waited for Sandy and my husband. It was late in the day, and I was told we could come back the next day for Ty. NO WAY was I leaving him there one more day! I decided we were going to adopt Ty, and he would get along with Sandy and the cats, like it or not. After all, he did well with the other dogs there, and he passed the cat test! I went to the front desk to fill out the paperwork.

I was pleasantly surprised when they told me that because they thought Ty was 7 years old, he would only cost half of the normal $70.00 adoption fee! Woohoo!! Ty and I could go shopping at the San Diego Humane Society store in the adjacent building with the savings. I adopted Ty, got the licenses for both him and Sandy, and off we went.

While walking across the courtyard, I called my husband and told him we now had 2 dogs. he was just as happy and excited as I was. I bought Ty a pretty blue collar and leash, and treats for both dogs. Ty and I then went out and walked around the courtyard waiting for Sandy and my husband.

When I saw our car pull in the parking lot, my heart skipped a beat. I was hopeful that the 2 dogs would get along, and nervous as to what I would do if they didn't. Sandy saw Ty and immediately liked him. Ty saw Sandy and immediately decided he needed to mount her to show her he was going to be boss. Well, once Sandy almost bit his ear off, Ty figured out pretty quick who was going to be boss. Sandy and Ty became close and fast friends.

Once we got home though, the cats that Ty was supposed to be okay with, well that was a very scary moment! Ty went after them and tried to eat one of them, literally! Returning Ty to the shelter, where I had learned he had been for more than 6 months, was out of the question. We set up an are for the cats that Ty couldn't get to, and 3 weeks later they finally started becoming friendly.

Next order of business that first night was Ty's name. We decided Diego would be a better cuter fit with Sandy. He picked up on his new name rather quickly, and even seemed to like it.

Over the next few months we spent a lot of time at the Dog Beach in San Diego, and dog parks in both San Diego and in Arizona. We watched Diego go from an over weight sloth to a svelte running machine. The 2 were amazing together. Sometimes it was as if they ganged up on us, each going to opposite ends of the dog park to poop at the same time. They made quite a name for themselves with their personalities and antics!

In December of 2005, we had gone camping with both dogs. Diego had issues with men carrying anything, so when the ranger approached, Diego jumped up and grabbed the paper from him with his teeth. It was very scary, but no one got upset or hurt. Once the ranger was gone, I patted Diego's butt and told him I didn't like his behavior! Diego looked at me and then left the tent. He gave me a look that spoke a few choice words, and kept walking. I was walking behind him pleading with him to come back. The ranger stopped him, laughed and then Diego and I walked back to the tent. He made it very clear that if I was going to spank him, he wasn't hanging around!

When we moved to Oregon, we started doing foster care for other animals. Our first litter of kittens were bottle babies, and Diego was terrorfied of them. We found this funny, the dog who tried to eat the cats was now genuinely scared of the tiniest of cats. He was afraid of them, but boy was he protective! He wasn't going to let anyone else mess with them.

Over the next year or so, Diego began to really enjoy taking care of kittens. He got very good at cleaning them and playing with them, even allowing them to use him as their jungle gym!

Diego grew further into our hearts, and blossomed into the best dog ever. Everyone in our vet's office loved him, asking how he was doing, even when I had called or was there for another animal. Diego was very much like their dog as well, he was just that awesome of a dog.

On August 8, 2007, we thought we were saying goodbye to Diego. He was very sick, but with love and prayers and a great vet staff, we were able to enjoy Diego's love for a little more than 21 additional months.

Last Tuesday we found out that our beloved Diego was sick with Lymphoma. We were told he likely had a month, maybe 2, and that the vet had seen one cat hold on for 8 months. We were saddened, but hopeful that Diego's last days would be happy.

The lymphoma ravaged Diego's system with a vengeance. Within a week he was too week to walk more than 10 feet on his own. Yesterday it was as if every last bit of strength he had was gone. We knew it was time, and set up at appointment for today. We carried Diego into the vet's office. I had decided days ago that one of Diego's last memories was going to be of us feeding him chocolate candy. Chocolate was one of the things Diego always wanted, but was never allowed to have. I grabbed some of the bite sized Snickers from the candy dish in the office, and I started feeding them to Diego. We saw a sparkle in his eyes that hadn't been there for days. He quickly learned the crinkly sound of the wrappers, and he was really enjoying his chocolate. Everyone had a blast watching him eat his chocolate, having a laugh at how happy he was.

Once his last piece of chocolate was eaten, the vet gave Diego a sedative. Diego slipped peacefully over to the Rainbow Bridge, with a smile and chocolate on his lips!

We miss him greatly, but now Diego is happy and whole. He is running and playing and probably eating more chocolate!

CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH!!

Yep, you read that right!! Today I went to see my friend, the vet! Yes, I LOVE going to the vet!! He is a very nice man, AND he has a lot of pretty women working for him!! It doesn't hurt that most, if not all, of those pretty women are in love with me and tell me how handsome I am!! What male is his right mind wouldn't want to go to this vet with this staff!?

Anyway, as soon as Mommy parked the car I was excited!! I KNEW where I was!! I could hardly wait to get in to see my girlfriends!! YEP, they were excited to see me!! I was not so happy with one, when she took my temperature!! I mean we aren't even dating and she is married, and she got up close and personal there....I got over it though when she rubbed my chin and told me how good I was and how handsome I am!!

She then took me back to the treatment room to have blood drawn. I know, MOST dogs, people too for that matter, would NOT think this was a good thing, but again my pretty girlfriends are involved!! You see, one of them pokes me, and another 1 or 2 HOLD me!! After it is all over, they ALL love all over me!! The loving part FAR makes up for the negatives like pain or removing my blood!!

So then the first blood test had a problem, and they had to draw more blood. You know by now that this also meant WAY more loving from a bunch of pretty girls!! Who cares about needles with pretty girls around??

So then about 20 minutes later, my friend the vet came out with a HUGE smile on his face for Mommy and Daddy!! They were very happy to hear that everything is normal or close enough to normal that I don't have to come back in again unless I get sick again!!

Hmmm, I thought that was horrible news myself, what will I do without the pretty girls doting all over me?! Mommy made me happy again when she said she would take me there once a month to weigh me!!


I know I am not normal when I say this, but I LOVE MY VET!!

Just not wanting to say too much too soon...

Well, Mommy and I have been VERY lax about updating everyone on how I am doing. Mommy knows I am okay, but she is just still afraid. I go back to the doctor on the 10th, and then hopefully I will be able to update my page here fully!! Till then, know I am doing okay, still taking pills, BIG ONES, with every meal and twice a day!!

Come on, everyone, I feel fine!

But Mommy and Daddy and the Doctor won't let me do ANYTHING! I still can only have a tiny bit of water in my mouth every once in a while. I was SO BORED in the Doctor's kennel today, with my IV for half the day again! And they made me wear my awful blue E-Collar! That thing in my leg is so itchy, and I can't even lick it!

I did get to ride in the car with some kittens today, though. I love kittens! At least as long as they don't get TOO close. They were in boxes, so I could be exactly as close as I wanted, and no closer!

Then, on the way home we stopped on top of a parking garage where Daddy works, and Mommy and Daddy got out and watched the U.S. Navy Blue Angels show. Boring! But Mommy and Daddy seemed excited about it.

The worst was when we finally got home and I STILL CAN'T GO TO THE WATER BOWL!!!!! Tben Mommy and Daddy started trying to get my IV started again. The catheter got clogged, and they tried and tried, and called the Doctor, and tried some more and IT HURT! Finally, they gave up on that after more than an hour and I got to relax for awhile. Then Mommy gave me my liquid in my shoulder while Daddy held my head. That's so much nicer, I don't mind my shots, even though it was 50CC of IV fluid and not a regular shot. I have to do that every two hours until today's IV bag is empty, and then all day for another IV-bag full tomorrow, since my IV catheter is ruined.

But I feel so good! I think I could eat the whole 40lb bag of food Mommy and Daddy buy, and drink the whole 2-gallon water dispenser I share with my brothers and sisters. But Mommy and Daddy say if I eat or drink right now I'll just get sick all over again, and I could die. Darn this Pancreatitis! I still don't get to eat anything until I'm at the Doctor's office on Monday morning, and then I'll have to sit there to see if my body can handle it.

Being sick...day 4 with no real end in sight...

Today is Saturday, and day 4 of my being really sick. Well actually it is more like day 6, but it has been 4 days since it got really bad. I have been spending my days in a kennel at the vet's, and my nights at home in my crate. I have had almost constant IV therapy, with even getting 1 bag at home each night.

My blood work yesterday showed marked improvement on most of the things they tested. My liver is now what the vet is watching most. My pancreas is "swollen", and squeezing the bile duct from the liver. This is "normal" for pancreatitis, so aside from the danger to the liver, it is "no big deal". Mommy wrote that like that so as to stress that it is an expected turn in my health, and not a surprise to the vet. Surprises at this point could prove fatal to me.

I came home last night with a horse sized pill to take! I saw Daddy coming towards me with that, and all I could think was my vet is a maniac out to gag or choke me!! I mean come on!! I can't even drink a good sip of water to help wash that monster pill down!! But wait!! Mommy asked the vet yesterday if I could have SMALL bits of water to moisten my mouth. The vet said yes, so after this monster pill, I was able to lap up a whopping 2cc of water!! It was great, like the nectar of the gods at this point!!

The other great news with that pill is that it actually stayed DOWN!! There was a 50-50 chance I would not be able to keep it in my stomach, so this in and of itself is MAJOR progress towards getting better.

So, guess how I get to spend MY beautiful summer Saturday today?!??! YEP!! I am on my way back to the vet's for more IV therapy!! I do get to stay home tomorrow, but will get the IV therapy from Mommy and Daddy....Monday it is back to the vet's!!

Okay, have to go now.....Wish me luck and please keep the prayers coming!! They are working a miracle here!!

I am very sick and need your prayers, PLEASE!

I have been sick for the past four days. Until yesterday, Mommy and Daddy thought it was just a passing tummy bug. When I vomited on myself and just sat there, they knew it was bad.

They rushed me to my vet, and my temp was 105.6. I was on the verge of having a seizure. The vet gave me an iv and medication, and my temp went down.

I came home with Mommy and Daddy last night so I wouldn't be alone, and I have to be back at the vet this morning for more I.V therapy and meds.

The vet first thought I had ingested something like a posion. Mommy and Daddy said they didn't think so and couldn't figure it out. After extensive blood work, I was given a diagnosis of Pancreatitis.

Well, I am off now to my vet again. I hope to have great news for you later today. You fellow dogters dogs and your people are some of the best in the world! I know you care about me and will send your prayers and thoughts my way!!

I saw a squirrel today!!

I know some of you out there are asking what is the big deal. Mommy tells me there are squirrels ALL OVER THE PLACE!! Boy, I have never seen one so CLOSE!! There aren't very many squirrels in San Diego, and since we have lived up here I haven't seen any near me. I did today though!!

We went to a park in Portland this afternoon, Ginger had an interview with a family. I went reluctantly, as it was pretty cold and it was RAINY!! We were running around the park and suddenly I saw this little furry thing run up a big tree!! Oh, I just HAD to explore!! I went over to the tree and just stared at the squirrel. When my willing it down didn't work, I figured I would climb the tree......You are probably laughing right now because YOU already know dogs can't climb trees. I tried and tried to climb! Then I had the brilliiant idea that I would get up there with a nice big vertical leap! Okay, so my visions of getting the squirrel exceeded reality, but I had fun trying!

I tried to climb some more, and I jumped and jumped! When nothing worked, I tried talking the squirrel down! I barked, and that silly squirrel yelled at me everytime, "Leave me alone!" I have never been that close to a squirrel before, so I was very surprised I spoke his language! The first time he yelled at me, I just stared at him. I wanted to laugh at his squeaky little chatter. Apparently he knew I wanted to laugh because HE laughed at ME the next time I barked!! After awhile of this, I eventually gave up and went back to playing with my brother and sister and Ginger and this other dog, Ajax.

I had so much fun!! I would really like for Mommy and Daddy to take me to more parks with squirrels!! I know I could have a blast chasing them!!

GINGER! GINGER! GINGER!! That is all I hear all day long!- (I am supposed to sound like Jan Brady here)

GINGER! The whole world suddnely revolves around a dog we only met a month ago! Somebody better fall in love with her soon and adopt her, she is getting entirely too settled here! Don't get me wrong, anybody who thinks Ginger is the girl for them will HAVE to meet everyone's approval, including mine! It's just that I feel a little pushed aside now with her around! Like JUST this minute, you know where she is? Right now she is on a walk with Sandy and Daddy, MY Sandy and MY daddy! ARGH!!!

Daddy told me he would take me for a walk later after Charger eats. I get stuck with Charger a lot now! We all know how much fun Charger is! Well, it isn't SO bad walking with him and Daddy! Charger and I have pretty much the same idea of a good walk, so I usually don't have to go on LONG walks now unless I want to!

Mommy is trying to make me happier, she keeps telling me that someone out there is looking for Ginger for their girl, they just don't know it is Ginger yet. HUH!?! How can they be looking for Ginger if they don't know Ginger?? Oh well, I guess in the human world that MIGHT make sense, but not to me! I just hope Ginger finds HER home soon! I want my world back!

Okay, okay, I like Ginger, but I just feel left out so much now! So, if you are looking for a wonderful girl, my Ginger is EXACTLY the girl you need to meet! She is fun and well behaved, and she takes ALL of my Sandy time!!

Itty bitty rawhide treats!!

Okay, so Mommy says it isn't little, so you explain to me HOW I was able to eat the thing so fast! CLEARLY Mommy favors Sandy! She tries this EVERY time she gives us treats of any sort! Mommy is always telling me that my treats are the same as Sandy's, and sometimes even bigger!!

Yeah right, who does she think she is fooling!? Sandy NEVER finishes her treats first! WHY you ask? Because SHE gets the best of the treats! I KNOW that is why she is still enjoying her's long after I have finished!

Oh, and tonight just made my point! Ginger finished before Sandy as well!! I know I am getting gypped on this, it can'y be just because I make a pig of myself!! Can it?!!?

Then Ginger came along....

I guess you have read about Ginger by now. She moved in on Saturday and was only supposed to be here until today. She is alright I guess, but I am not really very happy about having her around! She hogs Sandy's time! She tries to KISS me!! Well okay, that may be okay, but she is a GIRL!! I did try to rub off her kisses yesterday, but I still have that stupid collar on!! Yet another reason to hate that collar, I can't wipe off Ginger's kisses!!

I don't know if I am glad I don't have to go out in the cold and rain, or if I am jealous that I don't get to go with Sandy! Mommy keeps telling me I am doing a good thing, so I guess it all evens outs.

I like to growl at Ginger once in awhile, mainly because I can, but also because she tries to give me KISSES!! doesn't she know Sandy and I are best friends?! Oh well, I have to let her know that I can not let another girl kiss me!!

Maybe I can talk Mommy and Daddy into taking ALL of us out tomorrow, IF it is warmer and sunny!! It was only 30 degress out this morning!! No love loss there by me not going out!!

P.S. I almost forgot the most important thing! Ginger brought her own bed with her. It is a great big pillow bed that I loved and wanted to only sleep on Ginger's bed!! SO, Mommy and Daddy made me my very OWN bed!! Okay, I guess if I really think hard I can think of lots of good things about having Ginger around!