The Latest On Teddy
If you are a dog owner, there will be decisions throughout your dog's life that you will have to make. Some are easy, other matters harder, then of course, the big one. When it becomes a matter of life, or death. If your beloved dog is at a point where illness has robbed the animal of any enjoyment of life, or where unrelieved pain is too great burden for your pet to bear, you will need to let go. That darling dog who is a member of your family, is your fur-kid, your baby, will present you with the almost unbearable task of seeing them over the rainbow bridge. It rips your heart out. My newest stray dog, Teddy is at a point where I must do some hard thinking.
Teddy is blind, traumatized, depressed and I'll add to the list, he is a frightened little soul. When he arrived I was shocked he was even alive. He sat on his soft dog bed like a statue. He was breathing. That was about all the life I could see. There was no spark of joy, no interest or reaction to his surroundings, nothing. I know that dogs like this wee boy, under the right conditions, plus time and heaps of love, can do an amazing turn around. Just because the little lad was blind, didn't mean he was beyond help. His background was sketchy, other than a medical report on the loss of his vision, I knew very little.
In tiny steps this wee Japanese Chin has shown he may be able to make it. His head will turn wherever I am in the house. He likes Miss Kitty, herself a wild little stray. He will actually move his bum over to allow her room in his bed. His tail thumps a few times when I stop to pat his head, which is often. I found out he loves to be brushed. He'll lean in towards the brush, sighing in sheer bliss. Yesterday I found a lump on his tummy, just to the side of his belly button. I stopped breathing, angry that he now has one more thing to contend with. Off to the vet's. He poked and prodded, Teddy cried out, his head spinning trying to find me. I held him then, while the vet told me he will, "take a look" on Monday morning. Blood was drawn, other tests done then I carried the poor kid home.
Monday morning I will wait for the news. If it means more suffering for him, I'll let him go. If he can be treated but at a huge expense, I'll wonder if I should pour more money into this dog or let him pass on, leaving the spot in my house open for another dog. A different dog that may have a better chance for a happy life. My head has to rule over my heart.
While I was at the clinic with Teddy, a woman came in with her tiny poodle. She was dressed very fine. I would have loved to have had her jewellery to sell, it would have done so much for the stray dogs waiting in line for homes. Her poodle was in a carrying case, shaking like most dogs do when they come to the doctor's. He whimpered, she snarled at him to shut up. He sank back into his case. He was old, the woman said, and had soiled her house. Put him down. She paid the money, shoved the case with the poodle over to the vet tech,. then walked out. The poodle was taken from his case. A warm towel was wrapped around him, he was cuddled by everyone, and held tenderly while the deed was done. I couldn't help but think, on Monday morning, that might be Teddy and I.
Until that time rolls around for Teddy to face yet another operation, I am going to love him to pieces. If he must go, he'll leave feeling cared for, that he was special, and I'll weep. If the news is good, he'll be graced with more time. I'm rooting for the wee dog, he really does deserve a chance. Only time will tell.
