Rescue Journal

kai

Carol · Dec. 30, 2008

some stuff just makes me angry so deep down that i want to scream. kai is the one who has brought my rage to the surface today.

we get these dogs, sight unseen...just a call that says someone needs you and we try to squeeze them in.

sometimes they come with no history...just a number assigned from whatever pound they were in. but their stories unfold to some degree as we get to know them.

here is what i learned about kai today, and it is breaking my heart. several years ago, kai, an unneutered spanielX ate a bone. i don't know if he got it from the garbage because he was hungry or if someone just tossed it to him and didn't care.

it got stuck in the roof of his mouth, wedged between the teeth and across the palate. and there it stayed, day after day, month after month, year after year...festering painfully thru the flesh and right up thru the bone.

it hurt him...and no one saw and no one cared.

eventually the bone broke off, (there is still a calcified piece attached to one tooth) and all that was left was a huge hole in the bone at the roof of his mouth and open sore and painful tissue. it took time but it did partially heal into scar tissue everywhere except where the hole was. that stayed open for many more years making him sneeze and feel like he was choking whenever he tried to eat.

i don't know if kai was a street dog or a backyard breeders stud, all i know is that for a very long time that dog lived totally alone. no one loved him, no one cared, no one once took pity on him and tried to help him out.

finally he ended up in a pound where so many animals are killed every day that their lifeless bodies are disposed of in overflowing bins.

kai didn't die there, ace of hearts got him out before that final indignity and sent him up here.

so for almost four weeks, kai has had pain meds, he has had antibiotics, he has had a full belly, several warm beds and me following him around to wrap him in fleece. he has had my soft hands touch him, and renee's soft hands touch him, and carrie's soft hands touch him and laura's soft hands touch him and many other soft hands touch him in love.

was it enough? could it ever have been enough?

i just don't know.

rest in peace little kai, i am so very sorry your life was so hard.

Comments

Carol

you guys take such special, gentle care of our wrecked ones..i cannot thank any of you near enough.

Tanya

Hey Carol - just reading the blog - this one still bugs me too - but do know alot of people admire you ( including me) for giving this boy the dignity and respect he deserved. He was cranky when anyone tried to lok at his mouth or go near his head now we understand why. You did everything possible for him and had it been repairable - it would have been done. I had already arranged to bump a staff surgery to get the dental part done until we did a complete oral exam and saw the extent of the damage. The antibiotics and pain meds helped to make him comfy and he abviousley trusted you, as do all of them. May god bless you and all your creatures in 2009 - looking forward to working with you in the new year.

Elaine Strozek

carol Please ask Lynn to phone me 604 615 9936 I lost her phone number thanks

Eva Stock

Dear Kai;

I miss you already as I was so fond of you so quickly. Thanks Carol for trying different foods so he eventually kept some down and was not so fearful of eating. He was so cute. He liked to come in the bathroom when I was cleaning. And I was so happy when you saw him wag his tail. Rest in peace dear Kai. Eva

Poor dog, what a hard time he must have had for such a long time. I wish we had been able to heal your hurt, you are loved & now you are free. Go peacefully & run in green fields chasing butterflies & greeting the SAINTS that have gone before you. Tell Moses & Cedric... I still miss them..lots

Chris T

Once Kirby got a piece of bone or twig or something (I can't remember what) lodged between his teeth on the roof of his mouth. He was distraught. How do you leave a dog like that for years. People suck.

laura

It pisses me off that shit like this happens to the innocent. Kai was a sweet boy! Thankful he experienced some love & care at the end of his life. I know when I laid with him on Sunday he did enjoy the caresses. He was not insignificant he passed in the loving arms of Carol. Be free Kai!

Rae

Oh Kai, I am so sorry that you lived your life in pain. That just royally sucks!!! Rest in peace little guy you will be missed by all of your friends at Saints!

lynne

oh crap that poor little dog. i hope he goes somewhere now that he eat what he wants and he is completely happy . thanks carol for bringing him to saints, his final home and for giving his lots of love

Deb

I hope Kai understood that he was loved and that everything that could be done to help comfort and soothe him near the end of his torturous life was done.
Would that he could have been helped by SAINTS, would that he should have been helped years ago, when it would have made all the difference.

Goodbye good dog.