A Reprieve for Shaggy
Shaggy is laying in a puddle of urine and shaking. The first accident she's ever had for years. I pick her up and bring her upstairs. She seems unable to stand on her own as one of her back legs appears unable to support her. I check - nothing was broken. I imagine it must be painful due to her arthritic state and age. I call the vets office only to get a recording and tell them I need to bring her. It's aprox 10 pm. I spend the evening with her having laid down sleeping bags on the floor so I can be near her all night. Her breathing appears labored. I don't sleep the entire night -even tho she eventually does. The vet calls in the morning I tell them I think Shaggy needs to be put down as she appears to be in a rough state. I don't want to do it but don't want her to suffer either. I call a friend and ask them to drive me as I know I wouldn't be able to drive home after the trip to the vet. I have spent the night preparing for this outcome saying my goodbye's and crying my eyes out. We sit in the backseat and Shaggy occasionally licks my face and looks at me. I continue to cry and hug her. Arriving at the vets I carry Shaggy in and place her down on carpeting while I check in. She gets up and walks around and greets everyone that enters or is seated. I question my decision. We are led to a private room to wait for the vet. Shaggy whom originally was on the table wants to get down. I let her walk around the room and that's how the vet finds her. She greets the vet and seems very aware of her surroundings even circling around a stool and doesn't bump into it. I am astounded as her vision is very poor and this room is new to her. The vet checks her breathing and performs other test. She tells me she has some fluid buildup which antibiotics should clear up. She also increases her heart medication and provides me with some Medicam. It's not her time yet she tells me as if she is still eating,asking to go to the bathroom and aware of her surroundings she may have some time left. How much is not known..it could be 2 wks or 2 months - but not now. I have a reprieve as does Shaggy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so happy!!!!!!!!! Just wanted to share this with everyone and will treasure each day I have left with her. |
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| so glad you get a few more precious moments with shaggy!
take lots of time to enjoy and love. You sound like a great mom,and so loving,sahggy is lucky to have you in her life,as I'm sure you feel lucky to have her |
| Hi,
Thanks very much for your kind words, I really appreciated it. I feel very fortunate indeed to be able to have her for a little while longer.  |
| Marianne,
I have loved hearing your stories of Shaggy and so glad that this wasn't the last. The old girl just went through a lot of trouble to show you how much she missed the vet. I can't imagine how upsetting the car ride there was. Please know that you and Shaggy will be in my thoughts and prayers and that you will both have peace when the time is right for her to pass. Give her a great big hug and a belly rub for me and tell her to try a more subtle way to tell mom that she wants to see her doc.  Stormi |
| the One above just know that it wasn`t her time....and how much you love each other.....just enjoy her....the same way she does.
Vero. |
| Glad Shaggy got a reprieve.
Just wanted you to know that Joan and I are thinking of you. |
| im so glad you and shaggy have time left together, everytime i read your posts i get a little teary eyed thinking of my shaggy that i grew up with.
give your shaggy a hug for me please |
| You guys are the best!!! I got a bit teery eyed reading all your wonderful post and encouragement. Thank you so much!
For once I'm speechless |
| Way to go Shaggy! And Marianne!
Take it easy. Hope you are having a beautiful day of recuperation! What an ordeal, brought back some sad memories, but I love the end result! Hope the meds kick in and clear up that fluid pronto. |
| An update and a funny tale to share.
Shaggy is doing really well after taking the meds..while still sleeping the majority of the day her activity level when she is awake is fairly good and she once again is enjoying her 1 block walk in the evenings. Here's the funny part which I can now share as I was too exhausted when I first wrote this story. Thursday night, the day before I found her, I was attending a lecture at a college - half way through I felt very ill , feverish and horrible aches all over my body. As luck would have it I was seated in the first row and didn't want to appear rude and leave. Egads! Friday morning I did go to work but had to leave half way through the day and stopped at the doctors. The doctor stated I was very close to having pnemonia, calling me a sick puppy (ha!) and filled out a perscription for me. I was too exhausted at that time and thought I should go home first and sleep, which I did awakening in the evening. Apon awakening I had to get my meds. Again as luck would have it - my two boys are currently travelling across the country so there was no one home but me. That's when the story started - it was night time and raining hard but I needed to fill my perscription. It was supposed to be a quick trip. I returned home to find Shaggy panting behind the front door and my key (which was the spare set- newly made) did not open the front door.) What an awful predicament! Merlin would stick his big head through the cat door which is how I heard Shaggy panting. I had to get in!! I race around the back and look at my 8 foot high fence with spikey things on top and know I have find something to stand on to reach the latch. I'm just barely over 5 ft tall and wearing heels. (stupid me just put on the first pair of shoes I grabbed.) I couldn't reach over the fence to unlock the latch. I search around and find a huge tree trunk in my neighbors woodpile and lug it over to the fence. (They weren't home) I stand on it and reach over...NOOOO there is a huge bolt on the gate!) Who the heck placed it there? I suspect one of my boys did but didn't tell me about it nor told me where the key was. Now I'm frantic...I need to get into my house!! I have to get to Shaggy! I have to jump over that 8 ft fence in high heels in the pouring rain even tho I'm feeling as sick as a dog - an appropriate pun in this case. I go get another log and balance the two and step up while teetering on these two logs. I get one leg over and balance on a tiny ledge at the top of the gate in my heels. The drain spout is right there and the water is gushing on top of my head...oh groaners! I hesistate as I'm scared to jump the 8 ft down ..again Mothers Love prevailed as I think of Shaggy. I jump down and my heels stick in the mud. All my windows are bolted on the lower level, my house is like Fort Knox. I search around and see my aluminum ladder is under the porch - praying the bathroom window located on the second floor is not bolted. I lug the heavy thing over and place it against the house...again scared to climb so high but again Mothers Love previals. I climb up ---Yeah!!! the window is unlocked!! It's a very tiny opening but I managed to squeeze through..I'm in and race down the stairs!!! That's when I picked up Shaggy and carried her up, spending the night with her. Her and I spent the following week recouperating. I can now laugh about this entire episode and wanted to share this funny story with you guys. |
| I am so glad that you did not get hurt and both of you are recovering. I wish I could say I had never had days/nights like this, but sometimes these things happen. Somebody must be watching out for us.
The things we will do for our loved ones! |
That was my post, I just forgot to login and then I couldn't edit.....
Hope Shaggy is enjoying a lazy Monday. I put off walking Abbi and now its raining. We might just have to go in the rain. This weathr isn't helping down here. We all have a sinus colds and are all clogged up. We had spring-like weather at Christmas and now it goes from cold and dry to cold and wet daily. Guess it is still winter. Here's to brighter, slightly warmer days ahead.  |
| Hi Agingright,
You always say the nicest things in your post - thanks very much. Shaggy and I are both doing fine after we both finished our doses of antibiotics and rested a few days. Whew! I only managed to miss 2 days of taking Merlin to the offleash dog park as yikes do I ever notice it when he hasn't been out! No peace in the house! So while Shaggy was recouperating I still drove down the three blocks with Merlin, while I sipped coffee and chatted with the other dog owners and he raced around like crazy getting out all his energy. Ah gotta luv our four legged friends and all the stuff we do for them but they pay us back tenfold. Hope you and Abbi enjoyed the walk and you didn't get too wet. Marianne |
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