MY FIRST LOSS...RASCAL
THIS ONE IS DEVOTED TO RASCAL! 2001
Written by Sugarsweet056
MYBELOVEDFURRBABIES Visit her journal, please!
I have only one picture of him, it's not digital, & it's of poor quality so I'm unable to post his photo, but hope you get some insight into what he looked like & what kind of dog he was, from my writings.
He was the first pet I ever lost (as an adult).
One cold morning, when I was living in TX, I went out into my yard to find a skinny, hungry, dog hidden halfway under my riding lawn mower. He was mostly a light reddish color with short hair, probably about 40 lbs. He was so scared, but wanted to make a friend badly I could tell.
I spoke softly to him, he came crawling out, to lick my hand. I could see his back leg had a cut on it, I fed & watered him, then cleaned up the cut. Noticed he'd been neutered...but the sutures had been left in & the skin & grown up over them! Evidently someone had thrown him over my fence, there's no other way he could've gotten in, that's probably how he got the cut on his leg.
Took him to see the vet, they removed the sutures & proclaimed him in good health, guessed him to be about 1 yo, a Variety Mix LOL. So he got his shots & home we went.
He came right in the house, surprised to see he was housebroken & was sooo good inside. He walked right beside me every where I went. Never needed a lease he never left my side, to the feed store, the pet store, the hardware store, etc. Even when going out to feed the chicken & ducks, he was right by my side, never offering to chase!
He was such a good, loving, obedient friend. I often laughed at him, when he walked away from you, his back legs appeared bowlegged & he looked like he was wearing spurs...I said I should have called him Cowboy. LOL
One night he awoke me around 2:am, begging me to get up. Thinking he must need out I opened the bkdoor...but no he ran tothe front door. Confused by his behavior I followed him & looked out front. The house across the street was on fire! I called 911, & went to check on the people. The house burned down but all were out safely!!! I was so proud of Rascal! My hero!
Then one dreadful day I came home from gro shopping, to find him in the bathroom, laying on the floor...semi comatose! I kept trying to arouse him, finally I got him back to his senses, but couldn't get him to stand. Finally, after about an hr, I got him standing & walking, but he kept toppling over. This was all on a Sunday afternoon, I called the vet at home (you can do this in a small country town), he agreed to open his office & meet me there. So, I got him in the car & off we went...by the time we got there he was fine??? Vet checked him but couldn't find anything.
So life goes on...then a week later, I noticed he was unsteady on his feet, wobbly. Back to the vet, could find nothing...ran some tests, still nothing.
Continued to get worse. Went to another vet, checked by that vet & her partner, they could find nothing. Then a couple days later, his back legs were gone...paralyzed from the chest down. They checked & rechecked, even did xrays. But could not find anything. I was determined to keep him with me, planned to get him a doggie wheel chair in a couple mos...meanwhile I wrapped a towel around his stomach to lift his back legs off the floor & walked him like that (me carrying the back & his front legs doing the work). He had to wear a diaper, he had no control over his functions. He seemed happy, but then after about a mo, he started to have problems breathing ifhe layed flat, so I had to sleep sitting up with him across my chest in an upward position. He was getting worse.
To the Vet again, they told me they suspected cancer, a tumor along the spine that was working it's way up, although it didn't show on xray. His muscles were deteriorating rapidly, & also his lungs were becoming affected. They suggested I consider putting him to sleep, as no more could be done.
I spent that last weekend with him, giving him treats & his fav foods, lots of praise & love. Explaining how much I loved him & would miss him. But would see him again some day!
Mondaycame too soon...off to the vet for our final journey together here on earth. He went peacefully & I cried non stop for a week! My tears became less, but my love for him is as strongtoday as it was then...even though we only had 1 1/2 yrs together.
Tears are streaming down my face now, as I remember...My beloved Rascal, my dear dear friend!
FOR MY SWEET LAMBY! 2002
My Sweet Lambchop or Lamby as I called him...this is YOUR space, lil man!
Sorry, no pic here either! Only have one & I couldn't get it to come out good when I tried snapping it with my digital. Since he was snow white & laying on a white comforter with his teddy bear. But you'll get the ideal of what he looked like!
Back in TX, on a dirt road in the country, I found a min white poodle, that some one had dumped out. He was about 7 or 8 lbs, very old, blind, almost deaf, toothless, & incontinent due to age. Of course, I took him home!
Posted some flyers & ran an ad just in case...no replys!
A trip to the vet....guesses him to be about 18 yo! But healthy for his age, a slight heart murmur but that was it. Got our shots & home we go.
He was sooo smart & cute, he learned his way around in the house very fast...at first he'd follow the other dogs or me, but soon could do it on his own. He had to have a diaper on, due to age he couldn't control that any more.
You wouldn't believe how easily he became a part of our family! Sad to think a family tossed him out just because he was old!
He was with me for 2 yrs, I enjoyed every moment of it. Mostly he'd just sleep, but when I'd come home from being out, he'd come to meet me at the door with the pack, & he'd stand on his hind legs & twirl around...so precious!
When he was 20, he started having bad seizures...I knew it was time to let him take that walk to the rainbow bridge. So, I spent several days getting him ready for the trip.
With assurance I'd meet him there one day, offto the vet we went for the final time. He was smiling whenhe went, with me holding his little paw!
Tears flowed for days...then a calm, knowing that Ihelped to make his final 2 yrs good ones.
I still think of my little Lamby, & know he's there with the rest...waiting for me. I love you Lamby, you are in my heart & I'll see you again someday!
This one is for the one & only LOLLIPOP! 2003
My cute, fat, charming, lil lady!
I first saw Lolli when she was 6 wks old, she was the last puppy left. An old station wagon, parked at a Walmarts, with a sign on the back saying...FREE PUPPIES. A lady standing beside it, was holding up an adorable little tricolor puppy!
That did it, my heart was won over by this tiny gift from God.
I found out she was a rat terrier/beagle mix. The next day we went to get shots & a checkup. She was in great shape!
A wonderful pup that grew up to be a wonderful lady. She turned out to be a fat bodied, small headed little dog, about 20 lbs.
She minded well, would stay with me all the time, wanted lots of love.
She was different somehow, seemed as if she knew her time here was short. She made the most of everything.
We moved to Mo. Shortly there after I noticed she was having trouble peeing, she'd strain & dribble. Thinking she had a UTI, took her to the vet. He took one feel, & said her bladder was full of stones. So we had to have an immediatesurgery.
She came through the surgery well, was filled full of stones. The vet said there was no room for urine. But all went well & she came home.
She had to be on a special food to help prevent the reoccurrence of stones forming.
She did well the first few days, then quit eating & stopped peeing, her abdomen was getting bigger. I rushed her to the vet, who said he'd keep her over night & see what was going on. Well, the next day, he said he had inserted a needle into her abdomen & with drew urine. So, something was wrong. Emergency surgery was started!
He found that some of the sutures had came loose on her bladder letting the urine go into her abdomen. He fixed the problem & she came home again.
She recovered quickly, never did she whimper during all this. She was sooo brave & good!
As she got better, we became even closer. She was my "best" girl now, staying close to mama all the time.
All went well...then a yr later, she stopped peeing again!!!!!!! Back to the vet, sure enough her bladder was full again. After more tests he proclaimed it was now bladder cancer. And she needed to be put to sleep.
I couldn't believe it! My loving Lolli, my dear friend!
We made that fateful trip, after much loving & talking to my girl. Telling her, that Rascal & Lamby would be waiting for her. And the rest of us would be there before long.
She went quickly without any pain.
I still see her in my dreams. We had a wonderful 4 1/2 yrs together.
I love you Lollipop, you'll always be the brave lil girl in my heart!
THE BEST FRIEND I EVER HAD! PUDDIN 1986 -2004
THIS IS FOR MY BEST FRIEND IN THE WHOLE WORLD...MY PUDDIN...THIS IS FOR YOU BABY!
A long time ago, a woman told me that her miniature poodle had pups, & she was going to give them away, because the mama had disowned them.
They were only 3 weeks old, & doubtful they would make it.
My daughter had just ran away from home, I was going through a divorce, & was so lonely. (You can read about these things in my archives of the journal "MY LIFE".)
So, I said I'd take one. I was handed this tiny ball of black fur. So teeny! I went & got some doll bottles & infant formula & strained baby food to mix with it, & went to work to save this wee one.
Every 2 hrs, I was feeding & wiping her butt! It paid off!
She was a beautiful, super smart, healthy bundle of fur.
I took her for her first grooming when she was about 8 wks....surprise...under that baby fuzz she was a striking silver!!!
We were together constantly, she was always with me. No one could come close! She'd bite at anyone who got too close to me, she sit in my lap most of the time. And loved to ride, had a special seat for her so she could look out the window!
She saved me from a mugger/rapist in the park one day, by jumping (all 10 lbs of her) through the window & biting his hand forcing him to drop his gun & run! My Sweet Heart! My Pride & joy!
When she was about 6 yo, she hurt her knee (football knee injury, they called it), but vets decided not to operate, as it only bothered her at times. She walked with a little limp, but I carried her most of the time anyway!
We were living in the suburbs, just the 2 of us. My mom moved in & we moved to the country.
No one can know how much love & companionship she gave to me over the years.
After our move, we got Angel, then Sweet Pee, then Rascal came to live with us, then Lamby, then we got Lolli, & Shy. She never minded the others, as all were little puppies she helped raise, except Rascal & Lamby. Besides she was the #1 Lady & all knew it!!! We lost Rascal there!
Then we all moved to MO. Not long after our move here, we lost Lamby. Then later, Lolli went!
Puddin, who I lovingly would call Puddybear or Puddy2shoo was getting older now...18 yo.
She was about half blind & getting hard of hearing. She was toothless, poor baby. She began having seizures, terrible ones. Vet gave me meds to help control them, but it didn't help.
I didn't want to accept that it was time...no, Pud would be here forever! But then the day she had a traumatic seizure as I held her in my arms & I knew.
I was being selfish to try & hold on, it was time.
So, once again I took a loved one to go that long journey by herself. I spent the week loving her, letting her know how grateful I was for the 18 yrs she had given me.
I gave her a breakfast of her favorite foods, thentook her to the vet. She went easy, & I went home in tears!
I must've cried for a month. I still cry sometimes, I have her ashes in a little urn with her pic on it.
I've left instructions that when I die, I'm to be cremated & our ashes mixed together before being scattered. I promised her we'd be together forever & we will be!
She came into my life a few mos after my daughter disappeared, gave me love for many yrs, then a yr after she passed my daughter was found!!!! And she's back in my life now.
Thankyou Puddybear for being there for me, for all those years.
I pray you're with our other pals at the Rainbow Bridge.
I'll be with you again someday my beloved best friend!
