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LaNett
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Joined: 16-November 04
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LaNett

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17 Nov 2004
I didn't know where else to post this question that would be appropriate. I've tried to upload my late pets' pics, but it's not working. I have jpg formats, but I can convert them to just about any. What's the secret to putting a pic as an avatar or in a post?

Thank you - LaNett <><
16 Nov 2004
Greetings from Miami Florida USA -

This has been a very sad year..........

I have always loved God's furry, scaled, shelled, and what have you critters! And I have always had wonderful companion animals in my life - from a horse to a couple of little tree frogs.

At the beginning of this year, I had two wonderful dogs as my buddies - B.B. and Ace. I got B.B. as a sickly 8 week old pup from the Northshore Animal League in NY. I went there with one purpose: to adopt a puppy for my then 18 month old son. She was a chestnut Lab mix with "flying nun" ears that were much to big for her. And she had three different parasites and required much care. After filling out a stack of forms and waiting for over an hour, we took her home and counted our blessings for having her in our lives. B.B. grew to be a fantastic guard dog and my very own precious shadow! Where ever I went, she followed without the slightest hesitation.

Nine years later, my husband came across a black lab-mix who seemed to be lost. He brought him home after the poor dog sat by his office door in the NC heat all day. He had a collar, but no tags. We put signs up for blocks of where he was found and an advertisement in the local newspaper. But no one replied. So what else could we do but to keep the lovable guy? Our vet said that he was about one year old and in pretty good health. We named him Ace, and he and B.B. became the best of buddies. That was nine years ago and so much has change this year after we moved to Southern Florida.......

B.B. developed severe athritis in her spine. Her vet prescribe pain pills and we fussed over her. She would walk around the perimeter of the backyard for hours and the vet said that was probably why she survived so long. She completely lost her hearing and her eyesight declined. She became incontinent and we had to keep her outside with her doghouse so she wouldn't be embarrassed by having accidents in the house. And we praised God for the warm FL weather. B.B. got to the point that she only recognized me - HER shadow! Wherever she went, I followed without the slightest hesistation. She lost weight even though she was eating well. Then, this April, her back hips and spine collasped and she could not get up........... I was devastated.

My husband convinced me that B.B. and I had to say good-bye. He insisted that she was only holding on for me. So after some prayer I agreed that he could take her to the vet's office - her final trip in the car, which she loved up to her last day. B.B. was 17 1/2 years old. I still miss her and I would have to write a novel to tell you of all the joy she brought to my family over the years. So Ace, my son, two cats and I said goodbye through showers of tears...............

The next month I noticed a lump growing on Ace's side. We took him to the vet's office on a Friday and he insisted that the lump be removed the following Monday. By the time we took Ace in for the scheduled surgery, the lump had grown from the size of half a golf ball to a softball. He pulled through surgery without any complications and recovered beautifully for a 10 year old dog! But the biopsy came back as MAST Cell Cancer - grade 3. The tumor that had been removed had a clean border, which was good. Although the vet was optimistic, I was still worried after doing some research into the matter, being that the cancer was grade 3. Ace never lost his spirit and every thing was going well until August......

That's when I noticed that the lump had come back. Ace had barely grown his fur back from surgery and he had another lump growing. So we took Ace back to the vet's office. I could tell by the vet's facial expressions of worry that it wasn't good. He scheduled him for another surgery immediately. And this time Ace had a very hard time recovering. The lab report came back with no clean tissue around the tumor and advise to remove more tissue. But the vet told me, with a tear in his eye, that he was up against ribs now and there was no more tissue to remove....... My heart sunk in my chest. The vet informed me about a steroid treatment that, in some dogs, could slow the cancer growth and buy some time. So we began the treatment.

Ace did not have the results from the steroid treatment that we had hoped for. He grew more tumors at the spot of the original tumor and started getting tumors on his feet. The vet also prescribed a medicine for the terrible itching that the chemicals from MAST Cell cancer produce. We kept Ace as comfortable as we possibly could and prayed.

This past week was horrible for all of us. Ace was miserable from itching, huge tumors growing on his side and digestive problems. He could no longer keep anything down. He laid around and it seemed an effort for him to even wag his tail. Monday morning he would not even take a milk bone - his absolute favorite thing in the whole wide world. When he looked into my eyes and I saw so much pain, I couldn't stand it. We took him to the vet's office and they knew why we had come before we said a word. The vet just looked at me and said "I am so very sorry.."

This has been a very sad year......

I don't know whether anyone will read this or not. But I just want to say that when my dog B.B. was growing old and actually going through a very natural aging process that even some of us humans will experience, I used to pray to the Lord to please take her home while she slept and remove the pain. I did not want to do His job! And as Ace's health so quickly deteriorated, I found myself praying the same prayer for him. And yet I, and my husband made the choice to remove the suffering from our dear beloved friends.

Today I came home from work with no dog to greet me at the door after over 18 years. I sit here sobbing because I miss them both so much. And yet there are three cats sitting all around me sharing in my pain. The oldest, Merlin, 7 1/2 years old, was up all night - calling and roaming through every room looking for the big black dog who has always been in his life since we brought the cat in as a tiny grey kitten abandoned to die in the streets. And there's the 6 1/2 year old gentle orange tabby reclining at my feet, Sir Lancelot, who we adopted at 9 months old to keep Merlin company while we were at work all day. Oh - and the newest member of our family, who is pouncing on my lap and chasing anything that moves on the computer screen! Lovely, the beautiful ocicat look-a-like kitten that my son found in the Redlands just 2 months after we said goodbye to B.B.; she is the baby of our family.

As much as my heart is broken, God has shown me this one thing - B.B. and Ace were blessings to our family! Had we not taken them in, what would have become of their lives? They were always well cared for and loved - in fact, they were right out spoiled with caresses and songs and toys and games! And our lives are so much richer for having brought them into our home. They gave so very much to us all. Their loyalty and adoration was a daily blessing to us. And I thank God for the privilege of caring for two of His wonderful creatures over all these years.

May the Lord bless each and every one of you for your compassion and love and care of His beautiful creatures. And may He wipe away every tear from your eye when it's time to say good-bye.

- LaNett <><
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