Rescue Journal

headaches equal rescue.

Carol  ·  Aug. 23, 2008

i am glad that yesterday is over, i had a migraine all thru an intense work day from little sleep from the 2 nights before. i didn't get into the house til after 8pm last night (thx laura for the barn bed gift!!!) and i was in bed in less than an hour.... so these poor guys got little out of me yesterday.

tons of stuff weighing in on me. my mind was wrapped up and around nola's recovery so her death has just stunned me.

"the great big c" is a little tiny 7 yr old chi named "coco" who came into vanc. emerg with a life threatening injury. the treatment was options were high.... 4-6 thousand dollars, the family elected for euth. the clinic called at midnight to see if we could take her in. the family was given the option of surrendering her instead of euth, they chose to surrender and coco became a saint. we moved her first thing the next morning over to our vets and she is still there and doing well. the family have now changed their minds and want her back. and now i have another headache.

i don't know this family, i don't know this dog very well and somehow i have to decide what is really and truly the best thing for coco cuz just after midnight on thursday morning, she became my responsibility. besides her injury, i know she badly needs a dental and i know she also needs to be spayed...there is no point in saving her life now and leaving her at high risk for preventable death by cardiac disease from rotten teeth or reproductive infections or malignancies.

i have been in contact with her family and have given them my blunt honest take on this which is basically little coco-puff might have been dead had they chosen euth, which would have totally removed any option of changing their minds after the fact. they "get" this but as she is not dead, they want her back and are willing to pay for her treatment.

now here i have to caution everyone cuz i am sending them a link to saints...they need to know how and where she is and the blog is the easiest way for them to keep up on her progress without taking up alot of my time. sooo...personal judgements and beliefs aside, until i decide about what is best for this dog, she is an emotional hot potato that we all must try to not drop on her head.

this is once again a very real part of rescue, which is why i have decided to share it here...it is not just as simple as making a committment and then following thru. there are all kinds of factors and outside forces that confuse and waylay, rescue is a never ending maze and you just have to find a way safely thru it with the animal winning in the end.

so please pray for coco that she gets well. pray for the family that they can and will understand and be patient while we struggle thru this. and pray for me that i figure this tangled thing out right for coco-puff.

other news.....the ferrier finally came yesterday so thank god the horses feet are all done. the tenant is actively moving so now i can start getting ready for moving the storage into the shop. rusty the rooster is doing ok , i have a new medical plan for him that i need to set up today, sunrise and sanjaya are both fighting off colds and buddy and sissy have more lovely hair on them then i have seen on them before and gee it has only taken 3 and a half freaking long years.

good thing to understand here about chronic skin dogs with conditions that can't be "cured" (anyone who tells you all skin conditions can be cured has only played around with the curable ones so they only know the good half of the story)....but...some can and do get better and better over time...the effects of 8-10 years of damage and disease does not always go away overnight. patience and not giving up helps them to get as far as they can.

i am going out for breakfast to mcdonalds before i face whatever today happens to bring.

Comments

Heidi

I think if the family is willing to pay for the vet care she has received and they are willing to spay and do the dental why not give Coco back. It can be overwhelming when faced with a huge vet bill and medical problems for people without previous experience or medical knowledge to face. It may not be the most ultimate home but its a home she is familiar with and if she is not being abused, neglected or chained outside then you would have to consider what other animal isn't getting into Saints because you have Coco. Is their situation worse? Glad I'm not you!!!

Jenine

Maybe an important question here is: Does the family need help to become educated on "animals"? And this
may be a chance to bring that about. Carol, only you and the family can make that decision. Family, please
be honest with your decision.