Merry Christmas to all!

As I sit, getting ready to go to sleep on this wonderful Christmas Eve; I am surrounded...  Surround by love.  Surrounded by 1 old, minature beagle, with whom I have now spent 12 Christmas Eves with.  He has been there when many have not.  He has given me the true meaning of Christmas - unconditional love.

I am surrounded by a very large mastiff, who is snoring and exhausted from stealing a very large piece of beef tonight.  She ran outside with it and gulped it down.  She came back inside, sheepishly wagging her tail, as if to say "sorry, but thanks, it was good!"

I am surrounded by a very old black lab, who has given me nothing but joy and love since I adopted him 8 years ago.  A loyal, loving boy, who laid on the floor with my daughter tonight, both excited for Christmas.

I am surrounded by a farting bulldog...  Perhaps not such a lovely Christmas thought, but he is a lovely dog.  He was the hit of our Christmas party last night and really made people smile.

So here I am, in the midst of dogs, thinking about the true meaning of the season.  I all I ever need to do is look to these four heros and I have found the spirit and love of the holiday season.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good (and less stinky) night!!

Unconditional Love

So, this post is not about my current dogs, but ones I grew up with.  Valentine (a golden), Tank (a golden) and Crash (a lab mix).  This time of year reminds me of my Mom, who passed away 14 years ago.  She loved the holidays!  LOVED Christmas.  SO I always think her of her a little it more than usual this time of year.
My Mom and I always had a "date" for Wednesday nights to watch "Beverly Hills, 90210".  I worked for a treatment center and usually called Mom during lunch.  One particular Wednesday, the boys were acting up and I could not get away.  So, I waited until I got home to talk to her.  When I got home, it was eerily quiet.  Usually, I would be greeted by barks and tail wags.  I pulled in and heard nothing...
I went into the house, still quiet.  I heard the TV downstairs on "snow" with that loud humming sound.  I called to my Mom and got no response.  I looked downstairs, and my Mom had died.  Laying in the room we called "the pit".....  She had a heart attack.  As sad and painful as it all was, she was surrounded...  All three dogs were with her.  Laying by her side.  One had a toy, the other had a ball, the third just laid with her.  I remember the faces that I saw when they looked up at me; so sad, so peaceful....  I can't prove it, but I am certain they were with her all afternoon.  Once they knew it was ok to leave her side, they began comforting me and continued to do so for many years.
Dogs are wonderful.  Dogs are amazing.  Dogs are unconditional love defined.......  May your dogs give you peace, joy and love on your worst days.... and your best days!

There is something about Lou...

I was reading a magazine about bulldogs today...   I began to think about Louie and what a wonderful companion he has become.  I will give it to you straight - Louie is disgusting.  He burps.  He farts.  He is constantly dirty.  He drools more water on the floor than he gets in the house.  But, Louie is the kindest, sweetest, most loving dog I have ever met.
Louie loves his people.  Actually, he loves all people, unless they are infringing on his house or HIS people!  I have recently changed jobs (to a dream job), which has allowed me more time with my family and my dogs.  I am now able to take my daughter to school every morning.  Louie has decided that this is his job too!  It started about a week ago as a power struggle between the two of us.  We were running late for school.  I opened the gate to go to the garage and Louie bolted past me and ran downstairs.
"No, Lou.  Come Lou.  Please come Lou, I don't have time for this."  He looked at me and sat!

"Louie, get your butt up here NOW!!"  Nope.  He wanted us to take him...  Well, after several minutes, I won.  Lou stayed home.  The next day, we were even later for school!  I opened the gate, Lou bolted.  This time he went all the way downstairs.  I followed, cursing...  When I came around the corner, there was Louie, shaking, wiggling and smiling!  He was sooooooo excited and wanted to go.  Lou won this one.
Since that day Louie has accompanied us to school in the morning, and sometimes in the afternoons for pick up.  It makes him so happy.  It makes my daughter and I giggle, and start our morning off in a great mood!  Yesterday, Louie got to come into the classroom with us!  I have never seen a dog so excited!  I really thought he was going to come out of his skin!!  The kids loved Louie.  Louie loved the kids!  Louie is now the talk of kindergarten!
The morale of the story - Louie may be gross, he may be stinky.....  but he makes anyone he meets smile.  He makes me happy.  He continues to teach me the true definition of unconditional love!!

The second incident at the vet.....

Bruno had been staying at the vet for a few weeks.  He was still barely eating and drinking little water.  The weekend was coming.  No one staffed the vet's office on Sundays, so we were prepared to bring Bruno home on Saturday and take care of him.  I was going to have to give him shots, IV fluids and medications.  I was prepared, and thought being home might be good for him.
I was told on Saturday that "she" did not want Bruno to be released and "she" wanted him to stay at the office over the weekend.  Again, I had to advocate for my little man.  I was pissed that "she" wanted to keep him in the office, on Sunday, when NO ONE would be there.  If something went wrong, they would not find Bruno until Monday morning, when it could be too late.  If he came home, we would be with him and ready to do something if needed.
Bruno came home.  He was so sick.  He was so exhausted.  But he was happy to be home!  I took vital signs every hour.  I gave him fluids through a needle 4 times a day.  I gave him shots every few hours....  He did well on Saturday.  On Sunday, he took a downhill turn.  He began to vomit.  We decided he need to go to the doggie emergency room.  When we got there, I explained everything to the vet.  The vet gave Bruno a heavy duty medication that the owner of my regular clinic refused to buy or give.  It turned out to be a miracle drug!  Bruno began to feel better!!  He started to eat and drink small amounts on his own.
I called Dr. Lynne on the way home and she was as excited as I was!!  She called the emergency vet the next day and order some of the miracle drug for Bruno.  He was showing signs of hope!!  We continued to go back to the clinic, EVERYDAY for a couple of months.  He was getting ultra sounds weekly to look at the pus pockets (the ultra sound doc did not make us pay for many of them, as we were already racking up a huge medical bill).  I was still giving him shots and heavy duty anitbiotics and taking his vital signs frequently.
Then it happened....  About 6 months after that awful night that Bruno was taken into surgery, we had another ultra sound.  Dr. Lynne, Dr. Dawn, the ultra sound doc, the front office and of course Bruno, my daughter and I were nervous!!  We went into the ultra sound room and flipped the little guy on his side.  She began to check the area where the largest and most stubborn pus pocket had formed.  The room was so quiet...  But wait, she couldn't find it!!!  IT WAS GONE!!!!!!  Bruno was completely healed!!!!  I couldn't believe it!  The vets couldn't believe it, the office couldn't believe it.  HE WAS HEALED!!!  We all had tears in our eyes!  Bruno was a fighter and he had won this battle!
Almost three years later, I sit here typing, with my 12 year old buddy, Bruno, laying next to me.  What a blessing!  He was like a new dog when he finally felt better.  No more blockage, no more pancreatitis, no more infections!  For the first time since my husband and I had been together, he saw Bruno play!!  That blocked intestine had been causing Bruno a great deal of problems for many years.  We just didn't know how bad until he was all better!
There are so many people to thank for helping Bruno get through this....  Dr. Lynne, you are amazing!  I am so glad we met that night, so is Bruno!!!  Dr. Dawn, you, too are amazing!  You have been such a wonderful vet for so many years, and you finally got that nose lick you always wanted!!!!!  The office staff, the techs, the ultra sound doc, my family and the community for all being there - to listen, to let me cry, to hug me!  You guys are ALL AMAZING!!!  Each and everyone of you have been a blessing to us, and we have our Bruno Bear to prove it!!  THANK YOU!!!

The incident at the vet....

I can't remember exactly the timeline of when this occurred, but I believe it was shortly after we figured out Bruno had pancreatitis....  I went in just before closing one night to check on Bruno and get an update from Dr. Lynne.  Dr. Lynne seemed a little off, a little upset.  I asked her what what wrong.  The conversation went something like this....

Lynne "As of tonight, I am off Bruno's case".
Me "Excuse me"?
Lynne "I was told I am no longer allowed to treat Bruno"
Me "The hell you are.  Where is she"?

"She" was the owner of the clinic.  "She" had never impressed me.  "She" had always rubbed me the wrong way...  The ONLY reason I took my dogs to her clinic was because of Dr. Dawn!  and now, Dr. Lynne as well.

The office called "her" so I could speak to her.  I was pissed!  My baby, Bruno, had been saved by Dr. Lynne.  She and Dr. Dawn were the only people who were allowed to treat my animals.  Period.  I explained this to the owner.  "She" told me that she was the owner and asked is she got any credit???  Ummmmm, no.  "She" did nothing for any of my dogs.  I met her once and immediately did not like her.  I explained to her that my dog's treatment was MY decision, not hers; and that my decision was that Dr. Lynne and Dr. Dawn would be the only vets touching Bruno.  I explained to her that she rubbed me the wrong way the first time I had met her and that I did not like her.  I told her that because of me, MANY people came to her clinic to see Dr. Dawn.  I explained those people could easily leave as well.  I WAS FURIOUS!!!!!!!  Bruno was my dog, my family.  The conversation did not go well for the high and mighty owner....  I hung up and walked out to the waiting room, where the entire staff was waiting.  I simply said, "Lynne, you and Dr. Dawn will be continuing to treat Bruno".  Enough said.
I spent some more time with Bruno and went home that night, feeling a little more hopeful, as I had just won a big fight for my buddy!

Bruno is sick, the saga continued....

I went back to visit Bruno the next day.  There was no improvement.  Actually, it was getting worse.  He was refusing to eat.  He was starting to refuse water.  Again, I laid with him and talked to him.  No wags, no licks, nothing but sad, sad eyes....  I gave him my finger with water on it and he licked a tiny bit.
Everyday that week, I went back with multiple jars of baby food and canned dog foods.  I would try everything until he ate..  FINALLY, he took some after I wiped it on his nose!!!  Dr. Lynne, Dr. Dawn and I were all so excited!!!  I usually came at lunch and Dr. Lynne would sit with us.  She was amazing!  She was so patient, kind and meticulous.  I am so grateful that we had her and Dr. Dawn taking care of our little guy!

He continued the high dose antibiotics.  He started eating for me, a little bit everyday.  I was beginning to see a little bit of hope!!

Bruno is sick Part III

Bruno was in the hospital for a week.  He wouldn't eat.  He stopped drinking.  I visited everyday.  I would lay on the floor with him and pet him and cry.  Occasionally he would lick my nose.  I would bring him a different flavor of canned food or baby food everyday.  Nothing worked.  They decided to do an ultra sound to see why he wasn't eating and why he was so depressed.  The news wasn't good...

He had several "pus pockets" in his intestines.  He had an infection.  On top of that, he had pancreatitis.  As if the surgery wasn't enough, the poor guy was now super, super sick.  Massive, high dose antibiotics began.  Could this get any worse?
I remembered the first day I met him and what an awesome dog and companion he had been.  I began to face the painful reality that Bruno may not make it through this awful ordeal.  I sobbed the whole way home that night.  I got home and sat on the floor with my other dogs and cried and cried.  I explained to my little girl that Bruno was very sick and I was not sure if he would ever come home from the hospital.  She sat down and cried with me...  I would go back tomorrow and talk to Bruno about his possible fate....