Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Today we said good bye to our care for life foster Dal, Dee Dee who had a short battle with an unidentified but very fast growing soft tissue sarcoma.
She came to live with us Halloween 2013. her dad passed away & her mom was moved into a facility where she could not have pets. DeeDee had another foster lined up, but then we learned there was also a cairn terrier that the people's daughter was trying to find rescue for. WHDR wanted to try to keep the dogs together, so we agreed to take them both until other arrangements could be made. Turns out that Dee was not very nice to her sister (we later learned that this was frequent and that Molly actually had to have staples one time from being attacked by Dee). There was a very nice home available for Molly, so it was decided that we would separate the dogs after all. Despite lots of grumbling with our resident dogs (and a few holes), we quickly grew attached to Dee Dee & it was decided that she would just stay with us until the end.
Over time, the fights decreased and Dee Dee LOVED our guest dogs, especially one really gentle male lab mix named Cupid. Cupid is supposed to visit tomorrow, and we thought about keeping Dee Dee around just a little bit longer. We know she would love to see him. But her tumors had started opening up (one was starting to smell bad), she wasn't eating that well, she was getting really grumpy with the other dogs, and she was starting to show signs of being in some pain. We decided early in the week that Saturday would be the day we took her; we could always change our minds if it didn't feel right. But this morning, she fell going up the stairs (she would use the ramp down but always took the steps back up) and ended stuck partly under the stairs, partly under the ramp and crying (for help? In Pain?) We decided to go ahead with our plan. We took her in & stayed with her the whole time & left with My cat's little wooden box.
This one was especially hard for Lynelle. Buddy was my bird, Millie was my dog, Autumn was my cat, but Dee Dee was ours. She's lost cats before (she had two losses very close together a couple years ago), but this is the first dog she has lost. Her dog Spunky has pretty serious untreatable kidney disease, and I know this got her thinking about "when" for Spunky.
Dee Dee on her bed
Autumn
Millie (& Peaches) at the WHDR picnic a few years ago. It's next weekend--would have loved to get Dee Dee to it
Buddy--sorry don't have any new ones (need to dig out an old memory card for that)
Sonya & "Millie"--born Feb 1999, diagnosed with OSA 8/27/14, set free 9/27/14
(RIP baby girl)
So sorry for all your losses in such a short time......they all had a very special and loved place with you. I very much admire those that take in many homeless pets and give them a loving and stable environment, and sometimes end up keeping them permanently.
May all your heartache ease in time, and good, happy memories always remain in your heart....
Bonnie & Angel Polly
HUG!!! So hard for me to lose 3 dogs in 18 months, but you it was just a matter of days 
I am soooooo sorry that things have been so hard for your pack lately. I can't imagine how you must be feeling, how all of you must be feeling, the sense of loss right now must be enormous. With the bond you have with all of your animals I know that's the glue that will keep you together and feeling comforted, but still it must be so hard. May all of your memories shine a light in the darkness. My condolences to all of you. xoxo & lots of hugs. k
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Not even sure how you are able to put one foot in front of the other. Too much, just too much. I'm so very, very sorry. Our hearts break with you.
These pictures are such treasures...what a crew!
You continue to do what's best for your animals in whatever phase of their journey they are on. And when they need the gift of transition, they know they can count on you to help. I know it was a different scenario with Buddy and that was such a shock.
Dee Dee and Millie are such spectacular looking girls...just stunning. I'm glad you have these photos.
Goodness knows you have a lot of Guardian Angels watching over you AND, knowing they are all together should be comforting...as long as Dee Dee is behaving herself! Autumn is probably bossing them all!
Unfortunately, you are all too familiar with grief and the process it takes to just continue to work through it....ever so slowly. You have such a huge heart...such a huge capacity to love. That kind of love brings about such sadness when one crosses over to the other side of life.
You gave Dee Dee the best possible life and she thrived being with you, as do all of the animals who come to you!
Thank you for sharing Dee Dee with us...for sharing all of your pack with us....they are very, very special souls...as are you!
Miloie brought you here for a reason. You have been so helpful and supportive, all the while going through rough times. Let us help you. Stay connected...we are here for you. You still have some rough weeks ahead.
May the wonderful memories of wonderful days with all your beloved soon help heal your broken heart.
Surrounding you with lots of Dal Tail Wags...
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle
Happy Hannah had a glorious additional bonus time of over one yr & two months after amp for osteo! She made me laugh everyday! Joined April's Angels after send off meal of steak, ice cream, M&Ms & deer poop!
I'm so sorry to hear about all the loss you've had to deal with in a short amount of time.
I'll be sending you and your family a warm hug!
Sahana and her Angel Leland
November 17, 2009 - June 30, 2014
May you finally be healthy and running free at the Rainbow Bridge. Until we meet again my sweet boy!
Today would have been Dee Dee's one year adoptaversary. We have her bed set up in the same spot in our bedroom as it was. We had the bed you see here in there along with one exactly like it, but then she started leaking badly, so we exchanged it for a baby crib mattress. No one else has used it yet (except one of the guest dogs we have now). It's the same mattress that everyone used at my old house, but they won't use it here, at least not yet.
In this pic is also Peaches (& Millie's back).
Sally, I think it was you who asked how Peaches ended up in a house full of Dalmatians.
Her previous mom was a friend of my friend's husband (follow that?). This lady got herself involved with a major drug kingpin in our area & they got caught (something to do with tax evasion and/or stealing from her parents' business or something). She was to go to rehab & job corp? but had 4 dogs. A dobe and a shih tzu went to family, Peaches to friends & a very difficult Dal to a shelter. At some point she went to visit Peaches and found they were feeding he beer and purposely blowing pot smoke in her face ( and as I found out, allowed her to get completely infested with fleas!), so my friend volunteered me to watch the dog for a little while. It was supposed to be for 30 days but then she called & said things were taking longer than she expected.
At some point I found a nice home for peach with the mom of a coworker who had a couple other cockers (I later gave a foundling cat to this family). The day before peach was supposed to go to try out her new home, the lady called & said she could get her in two weeks and would send me money before then. Well, two weeks went by & then a little more time & then I finall heard from the lady. She asked if i would keep her but let her visit once in awhile. Of course, I agreed! She did actually come visit once & Peach wanted nothing to do with her. She never sent any money but she did write me every year.
Eventually she went to school, got a job, somehow got her Dalmatian back ( the other two stayed with family, I think her mom), married, got a house & adopted a kid. Sometimes there are happy endings.
it's been a couple years since I have heard from her. I hope she is still doing well.
Sonya & "Millie"--born Feb 1999, diagnosed with OSA 8/27/14, set free 9/27/14
(RIP baby girl)
Awwwww, such a sweet picture. It's wonderful how content and seren they all look. This is a picture of dogs who know they are so well loved.
You have had such a rough time recently. I really admire your ability to stay here and offer such helpful support and comfort to others. You have given and heart and soul to so many furbabies and feathered babies and.so many other critters who were lucky enough to be loved and cared for by you.
Quite a story about Peaches! She may not havefelt wanted before you, but Peaches was clearly meant to be with you!!! Wow! What a backstory!!!
I know you miss Dee Dee and Millie and sweet Buddy too. These "milestone dates"...these "firsts" are so rough.
Thanks for taking the time to share this story and delightfully touching photo.
Extra treats in Dee Dee's honor tonight!
Love and hugs!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle too!
PS..Peaches is lovely!
Happy Hannah had a glorious additional bonus time of over one yr & two months after amp for osteo! She made me laugh everyday! Joined April's Angels after send off meal of steak, ice cream, M&Ms & deer poop!
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