Today is a day that we have known to be coming for a long time, yet have dreaded the necessity of it ever since IT was decided.

Sadie is our (mommy’s, actually. she loves me too, but is devoted to her mommy) Dalmatian Pointer mix. Our Dalmointer, if you will. She came to us as a scrawny little girl, white with black spots, and a left eye that was clouded over and blind. Our wonderful vets at Acoma Animal Clinic got her on antibiotics and her eye cleared up. Sadie loved to cuddle with her Mommy, and even allowed her Mommy to carry her around even though she was much larger than would be comfortable. Her Mommy loved her, though, so Sadie got spoiled.

Sadie joined us in 2001, and we figured her birthday was going to be December 9, so we just celebrated her turning twelve. Over the years, Sadie turned out to be a loving and loyal companion. She took to her training very well and even though we walked her on a leash, she never really needed it. She would not leave Mommy’s side.

About four months ago it became apparent that something was wrong. Examination at Acoma would uncover a cancerous growth around her lower GI tract. It was constricting her bowel, and causing interference with her right rear leg. Surgery would have involved removing most of her sphincter muscle, causing more problems than it would have solved.

Cinnamon is our little brown dog we don’t know what she is. She looks to have a mix of retriever and cattle dog in her, and when our niece called from work saying she had found a “puppy” that needed to be rescued, Cinnamon was – well, the color of cinnamon. All over.

Not all brown anymore, is she? But, we were just going to “foster” her until we found her a good home. (we are still looking.) Cinnamon helped Sadie run the house. All other animals came after these two, and were loved and mothered by them.

Cinnamon developed a healthy nervousness of the Vet’s office after two trips to be sewn back up. Both trips were precipitated by Princess, who thought Cinnamon would be easy to dominate. (after the second time, Princess found a new home) Cinnamon was a real trooper, and her layers of protection, lovingly installed starting the first day we were looking for a home for her, kept her from being hurt too badly.

About a year ago, Cinnamon developed Cushing’s disease and diabetes. It was a tough call to find them, since they tend to mask one another’s symptoms. We decided to treat the diabetes. Cinnamon has been very patient and tolerant as we have learned to give a gentle and hopefully painless injection twice a day now.

As you can see in her picture, Cinnamon is ready to go home. She looks tired, she doesn’t have the energy to get up and move around with us anymore. It’ time.

You have both been very good girls. Please tell Sara and Logan hello when you get to the Rainbow Bridge.

Chat ya later…

Thanks for stopping by, In GOD We Trust, and Wear Red on Fridays!

Tweet

Are you wearing red today? Show your support of the troops!

Sadie, the Dalmointer of the group, has been diagnosed with cancer. She has had benign growths on her body (fatty deposits, basically) for a while now. This latest is tough. The cancer is around her colon, pressing on it in various angles. This makes it difficult for her to have a proper BM. We are administering stool softener and a laxative-like medicine, this is followed with Pepcid for the upset tummy that follows the laxative.

Surgery isn’t really an option – to remove the cancer a lot of the muscles around the colon and tail would be removed also. This would cause huge problems, like not being able to wag her tail. Or control her bowels.

We are told she has between three and six months without surgery; up to a year with it – but with a greatly reduced quality of life – and that is important. If she’s not comfortable, it isn’t worth trying to make her comfortable.

She will be missed. She will be going to join Sarah and Logan at the Rainbow Bridge, where they will be waiting for us.

Please keep her FurMom, The Most Beautiful Woman in the World, in prayer. She is taking this really hard.

Chat ya later…

Thanks for stopping by, In GOD We Trust, and Wear Red on Fridays!

Tweet