Getting ready to say goodbye to an old, sweet friend, and an article on heartworm for the dog owner

Granny Annie, my obese Boston terrier, who is very, very elderly now, has a cough which has progressively gotten worse and last night I was up with her. Granny, as you followers know, was found at the local high kill animal control and had her five minutes of fame as her story and her photo were sent around the world in Wayne Pacelle's HSUS blog and magazine.

She tested heartworm free, and is regularly given her prevention. But I believe it is congestive heart failure because of her extreme weight. Although she still will seek me out and remind me in no uncertain terms that it is a nice evening and time for her stroller ride, I have made the awful decision to play God and have her euthanized. Maybe as soon as tomorrow.

That will be a sad day for all who know her. She has been an absolute blessing to me. I may not be online tomorrow afternoon. The grave I dug for her the week after I got her is still there in the garden. I thought she was dying then of pneumonia and it turned out to be an upper respiratory infection. Still, I knew her time was short.

I implore you to consider adopting the older dog, especially if you are a senior citizen like me. They are very special, and the rewards are inestimable. They need YOU. And you will find in a few minutes after holding "the right one", you need that dog, too.

I am not looking forward to this, but if she is not asleep, she is coughing. I have no idea how old she is, but the time for mercy has come. And if I love her, that is my responsibility. Her three legs have difficulty holding her up now and she tires after a few steps.

So I will give you this link, because I've had to treat a dog with heartworm before - old, sweet Basset, Ruthie. She was a stray who was roaming the neighborhood. The treatment was very hard on her. And I've seen how heartworm debilitates a dog first hand.

http://www.houstonsheltiesanctuary.com/HSS_Heartworm_Site.htm

March 1, 2008 - Paddling, meatball party, the flood and beavers...

Today is the first of the month. Time to make the meatballs for the party. We have one every month on the first. It's heartworm prevention day for the dogs.

I'll also be adding some photos of the flood and some from yesterday's paddle. I couldn't get all the way up Econfina to the lake, because two fisherman came back down as I was paddling up to tell me there was a "big log" they couldn't get over. I said, "No problem for me," since I really can get over a log, but it was a little chilly. Then I saw it. There is a pine tree that's been submerged or floating for a while - no branches, and it is securely wedged right across the creek. I have a feeling that maybe the flood or current didn't put it there. I think it's the work of beavers. I saw their chews just before the flood, and I wanted to check them out yesterday. They just want the lake to get bigger! I'm sure big, brawny guys in their boats will get out and move it. Had it traveled down the creek with the current, it would have moved parallel to the movement. Our county hates beavers, and will not use humane excluders when they try to dam.