In memory of DYLAN - 1 year later

Grant me the Serenity to live each day to the fullest for tomorrow may be my last......

It is one year later to the day, since we made the decision to have Dylan cross the Rainbow Bridge. We (ma & pa) were there by his side....... he wore his new turquoise sweater as he snuggled in my arms, wrapped in his blankie. We cried as the tech administered the dose. They said it may take a few minutes and may have to give him an extra dose before he sleeps eternally. Thank god they were wrong. It took less than one minute for him to take his last breath. It was heart wrenching, but I knew he was out of pain. I knew we had done everything possible to save him. It was a decision that was evident ~ quality of life.

Although this very special, little 4 year old Yorkie, that we rescued just three weeks earlier, captured all our hearts, he is gone, he will never be forgotten. His loving personality and smile-like face will forever remain in our hearts.

It was really difficult for me to get over the fact he was gone. It took me two months of going to various shelters and rescue agencies looking for a dog that caught my heart. It was the last stop in Santa Monica, where I found Buster. Immediately we bonded and he came home. I changed his name to Dylan, after the great Bob Dylan. He even liked listening to his music. The rescue agency and the vet said he was a very lucky guy to have had ma& pa. They said he was rescued from an animal shelter just before they were going to destroy him, as they had kept him for several months longer than they should have. But his scrawny look kept everybody from picking him. It was someone from the animal shelter that called the rescue agency. They picked him up right away. Since I was on their list, they called me almost immediately. He was only with the agency 3 days when I took him. They said he had kennel cough, but with the medicine they prescribed, he would be better in a week. Well, if you read his entries last year, you'll see, they were wrong. Sadly wrong.

Dylan probably did live the best 3 weeks of his life with us. He was treated like royalty. As I look back in hind sight and although my heart still aches and I cried a few tears this evening as I read his journal to Pa ( Pa never read Dylan’s journal, there certainly isn't a truest statement than ~ it was better to have gave love, if even for 3 weeks, than to never have given love at all.

He is my little angel.

Good bye my baby Dylan. You truly were a gift from heaven.

In memory of Dylan 2003 - 2007

What have I done now?

Ma had to shake me kinda hard to wake me up this morning. I refused to eat. I love ma's cooking and all but I don't feel really good today. I feel funny kinda different. Everything is begining to hurt me. I just want to sleep. I wish I could tell ma and pa to stay home with me today. But it's best just to let them go to work. They work really hard ~ sometimes too hard. Ma had to force me to stand up. She carried me outside to piddle. I barely had any energy. I just wanted to go back to bed. Ma left the TV on for me. I could hear elmo and the cookie monster on TV. She even left the heater on for me so that I would stay warm.
I was so lucky today!!! Pa came home for lunch and stayed a long time with me. He was kinda sad because no matter what he made me, eggs, wienies, two different dog foods, I just could not eat a thing. All I wanted to do was sleep. I spit up the food. I felt awful. I saw pa had a tear come down his face. I wish I had the energy to jump up and lick it off his face and tell him please not to cry and that I loved him very much. I was very happy to be here.
He called ma a few times to tell her I didn't look very good. I was beginning to hurt real bad all over. I just wanted to sleep. It hurt to breath and I don't know why. I am scared. I wish ma and pa were here to hold me. I am sooo tired and sleepy. I hurt really really bad. Why? I am supposed to be getting better like the doctor told ma & pa. But I don't think he was right. It hurts to breath. I barely have the energy to do that. I want ma & pa......... please make the hurt stop hurting. Please.

I'm going home tonight

I overheard the doc and the techs talking earlier. They said they called ma & pa and let them know I can go home tonight as I have been here 5 days and seem to be doing well. I am still not feeling well at all but I'm not letting ma know this as she will cry again. I am starting to hurt more inside. Ma and pa are coming to take me home!!!!!! Hope they bring me something to eat!!!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ma and pa showed up as promised to take me home. I was so happy to see them, even though I couldn't show them cuz I have absolutely no energy, but they will never know because I just want to sleep in my own bed with ma and pa in their bed. They bought me a new sweater and blanket tonight. Ma was a little sad again because I really didn't have much of an appetite or wasn't really thirsty. I just hurt and want to sleep in my bed. Sleep is nice.

My 4th day in the hospital

Ma & pa came to see me tonight. The kept their promise and brought me a hot dog. Man was it delicious!!!!!!! The vet said I have pneumonia and feels that I am doing much better and should recover from this soon. I am so very happy and ma was crying happy tears this time. I was happy for her too. As a ma, she asked (embarrassing - can't see my red face with all the fur) if I had pooped since I was in the hospital. They checked my chart. Could find that I had. If they would have just asked me, I would have told them no. I can't poop where I sleep. Please, could you? The vet said they (ma & pa) could take me outside for a walk and let me poop. Man she has only been my ma for a short while and she knows me so well. Not to mention, she even brought my jacket from home. I felt warm and happy just to be able to walk on grass outside. Pa was very happy to see me jumping over the small plants and strutting around. I peed like there was no tomorrow. I even pooped. Ma had to pick it up. Yuck! I didn't want to go back inside but ma said it was best not to over exert me because after all I did have pneumonia and we are trying to get me better. I just wanted to stay outside and enjoy the night. Pa was on my side - he was happy too, but ma was the boss and eventually ruled.
They said goodnight and promised to be back tomorrow night with a new treat. I can't wait to see what she brings me!!!!!! They really are terrific! I am so blessed.
p.s. I heard ma and pa talking to the tech about me and telling them how great I was outside and pooped too!!!! Everyone was elated!!!!

5 days in the hospital

I spent 5 scary days in the hospital. It was cold and lonely. They had this tube in my little paw with lots of water going thru it. I was forever shaking, wouldn't eat and wanted just to be with my ma & pa. I slept a lot. After the 3rd day my ma & pa drove to see me. Remember I was in a hospital 1 hour away now. I was so happy to see them. My only sad thing was that I just had no energy to wag my tail or even get up.

Ma & pa brought me a cheese burger from jack in the box. N called them and told them it would be good for me to eat some fatty food since I was refusing to eat anything. I was feeling horrible. I found the energy to lay my little head in my ma's hand and kiss her hand. Man did it feel nice to be with them again. I was scared that they had abandoned me and I was gonna be stuck in another cold cage again. How much more depressed can I get??? Pa is soooo cool. He calls me Dylano. I guess that means I'm his special boy! He fed me and held me too. I felt kinda bad cuz I got my dog hair on his superman sweatshirt. You know how cool my pa is??? I wear a superman dog tag! Guess that's the closest I can get to having a tattoo just like pa! Hey it works for me!!!

I was very sad when they had to leave cuz I really wanted to be going with them but knew I was really sick and needed to stay here so that I could get better. I just wish I could get ma to stop crying. It makes me feel I was doing something wrong. I love my ma & pa! They said they would be back again tomorrow night and would bring me a hot dog!!!! Yummy... can't wait till tomorrow night.

Now I have to stay in the hospital

Well we took Dylan to the vet this morning as we were instructed. The vet said he made need a few days in the hospital but they were going to take an x-ray to see if there was fluid in the lungs. At least this would point us to pneumonia. After waiting for about ..... forever....... she came back and said that the x-ray showed no pneumonia. Our hearts fell to the floor. She said they were going to keep him for awhile and run blood work and put him on IV's. We cannot rule out distemper at his time.

She didn't say anything positive other than they should have some test back tomorrow. We are preparing ourselves that he may not be coming home. We are both having a difficult time with this.

Another trip to the vet

This evening I spoke with the adoption (rescue agency) that we adopted Dylan from. I turned to them as I just didn't know which way to turn. I am broken hearted and very concerned about his little guy. We have had him 2 weeks tomorrow. When we adopted him, they said he is highly stressed but with time, trust and a little TLC, he will do fine. They also said he had kennel cough (which they said was normal) and sent him with doxicilline. He wasn't a spunky little guy ~ as they said he was rescued from SEACCA in Downey. He was in there much longer than normal but they thought he was so cute and so they kept him hoping he would be rescued. Which he was. After a few days, he would react to the normal situations most dogs would...... pig ears (which they love to chew on, bones, treats... food or water. We took him to our vet. He said may have a bad case of stress due to the conditions of being i the shelter for a long time plus he had kennel cough. Since he was already on doxicilline, they also gave him cough medication and 3 liquids (thru IV). Said we need to get him to eat, pretty much let him eat what he wants as long as he eats and drinks. I think we went to Petco and Petsmart 5 times in the last 2 weeks buying dog food then taking it back (because he wouldn't eat it). Thank god they have a great satisfaction return policy!
Now a week later he is worse... we took him back to the vet the other night as he is always shaking and refuses to eat at all nor drink water. The vet thinks he ma have distemper. Since they cannot give their opinion he did say if he was working at the shelter and this dog came in, he would have put him down. He placed him on Bastral (another antibiotic) and more cough tablets. We have to give him 12 oz of liquid daily *which he said should be 1 oz every hour. We are to take him back tomorrow to a recheck and take it day by day to see if he gets better.
This evening I called the rescue agency where I adopted him from. I explained to them how heartbroken I am that I may lose this little guy and I just needed guidance on what I should do. They said they had 2 other dogs from the same time period that Dylan was there that came down with pneumonia. One puppy and one adult dog. They have been treating both of them and are recovering very well. We are taking them back in the morning to the adoption agency as we are meeting them at their vet. She felt that Dylan has pneumonia also and not distemper. He may just need to stay at the hospital for a little while so that they can help him to recover.
Although we have had him for 2 weeks, we have all become attached to him and want very much for him to recover and enjoy life. He is very spoiled living with us ~ he deserves a great life and we cant wait till we can start doing more things with him.

What a fabulous weekend

What a fabulous weekend it was! Ma & pa's grand kids came over and spent the night!!! On Saturday we went to a beach especially for dogs!!!! Wow! a beach especially for us!! Only in Cali I tell ya! This is a dogs life! Now just remember this past week I haven't yet barked or been real excited or at least not public ally displaying it...... not sure what this new life is all about. We had so much fun...... I had never ran in the ocean water (wow was it so blue) or felt sand, or should I say never felt sand that wasn't associated with a cat and a box. As we ran up and down the coast it was terrific. The wind blowing against my fur. Sand, sand and water everywhere. At one point a big dog ran up to my ma. I got jealous and barked at him. What was I ever thinking? I am maybe, 1 foot tall next to this giant lab. Hey, when it comes to this terrific ma, he wasn't about to steal her from me! Had to protect my new findings! Ma and pa thought it was the cutest thing to finally hear me bark. She picked me up and kissed me! Agh!!!!! After that we all went and had pizza. I didn't get to eat any though. I had to stay in the truck. I didn't mind because I knew we had a great time and they were enjoying themselves too!After that, we came home and watched videos on TV and then they played xbox. And I learned that X-Box is not a litter box. No I didn't go near it...... but the kids were on blankets on the floor laughing and wrestling and having fun. I jumped in and played with them too. I had a fantastic time with them. They gave me doggie treats too! We watched a video called "good boy' do you think they were trying to tell me something? Nah ~ I'm well loved. The next morning ma & pa made pancakes and all the fixings. They smelled yummy. Although I ate eggs, I didn't get to taste the pancakes. We then went for a long walk (boy was it windy and chilly today) to the circle. Ma and T and I sat in the sun enjoying the rays and a beautiful day. I started not feeling good again and ma noticed. She held me most of the time. I didn't like it too much when strangers kept coming over to me and saying "what a cute dog ~ and try to pet me. After awhile it got old and ma noticed I was feeling very uneasy. I crawled into her arms and snuggled in her neck. I felt so secure and warm. Boy am I a lucky guy!

The walk back home was hard for me. I had to keep stopping. Ma carried me a ways. When the weekend was over, I was sad to see my new friends go home. Can't wait to see them again! Ma said maybe in 3 weeks.

ps. Did I mention we got to go to Petsmart today? I got a brand new jacket with a hood. It's blue (ok, it's purple and blue). Ma says I look adorable. She says she is going to take a picture of me in it. I hope not, it's purple!!! I'm a dude!

I went to the doc's

Mom insisted I wasn't feeling well or didn't look too good today despite the fact that I have kennel cough and seem to want to sleep most of the time. I am thankful that they rescued me.... but something is missing and I just can't quite pinpoint what it is. These people are awesome! The first weekend I came here, they bought me 3 ~ not 1~ but 3 doggie beds. Yikes! Just last month I was sleeping on cold concrete waiting for my number to be up until a lady from Perfect Pet Rescue saved me, took me in, cared for me, and placed me up for adoption. This is my my new ma & pa found me. Anyhow...... the first weekend we went shopping and they also bought me a Ralph Lauren sweater and a superman t-shirt. My pa really like superman. He's a serious collector and even has a tattoo of "S" on his arm.

Ma called N and told her I'm not eating very much and she is very worried about me. Since N is over an hour away, ma and pa took me to their old vet in Downey. He was ok. He gave me 3 shots and some medicine. Said if I didn't get better to come back in a few days. But we shouldn't see a change for about a week.
note to self: ....self get better. i really like this place! There is a lil dude here (about 12 yrs old) he is really fun too!