My Letter To James

James is a poster in a group that I belong to.He sees no reason to Neuter a male dog.After much debate this was my response.Which by the way,Since I am such a slow typer James had already responded before I posted saying that in actuality his unaltered male had passed away from old age and if he ever got another dog he would probably have him neutered.I guess that means I don't have to make a trip to Animal Control for a guided tour with James...Whew...Shelters cause me a lot of anguish,,,I can only imagine how the animals staying there must feel! Joan Murphy Snow So James...Are you convinced that neutering your Male dog is in the long run a healthier option for your pet than leaving him intact?If I was I betting kind of gal I'd say no .I mean I get it...All the posters except one have been girls an...d it has been my experience (with my husband) that when a dog is neutered you guys "Feel The Pain".But please allow this girl to throw her opinion out there, for what it is worth.It probably is a healthier option for your dog to be neutered.All data points in that direction. For sure your guy won't die of testicular cancer and you MAY enjoy a few more years with him. But neutering a dog is not a guarantee that he won't get another cancer.It has been my experience that after my guys were neutered a SLIGHT change occurred in their demeanor.It didn't happen over night it took a few weeks to develop.It was the fact that their bodies had slowed down the testosterone making progress. Mark my word(As my guys still mark the mailbox post) they're still boys, just a bit calmer and easier to manage.As far as unaltered males being quicker to bite than altered males. There is some data that suggests that but if my memory serves me right I believe the data reads that more dog bites occur when the dog is a CHAINED unaltered male and so the biting probably has more to do with the dog being an under socialized, resident dog then the fact that he is unaltered.Now ...here is the reason so many of us on this page are pro spay/neuter and I think it is something that you have to experience first hand. So let me offer you this invitation,,,Anyone of us will meet you at the animal shelter of your choice so that you may enjoy the company,if ever so briefly, of all of the dogs there, who by the way probably wont be leaving by the front door, They will be taken out the back door in a bag .I know it is harsh but it is the truth.After this experience James if your argument is "I am a responsible owner( I am sure that you are) I don't let my dog wander and breed indiscriminately.Then I wish you well and I will pray that you never drop your leash when there is a dog in heat in the near vicinity.

FAST FORWARD...It is now 2012 and Bella is gone. She died shortly after my last blog in 2009. A hard decision had to be made back then.I didn't want Bella to leave but she was so sick and she wasn't going to get better.So...I took her to G.V.S. and they humanely euthanize d her. In another time I would have said that they "Put Her To Sleep" but Bella didn't go to sleep that evening,she died.It was one of the saddest days of my life. I stayed with her almost to the end but when they administered the "killing" shot I had to step out of the room.I just couldn't watch her go.When the Vet Tech handed me her collar and leash she said that Bella had passed very easily,One big sigh and she was gone. It was dark and had just started to rain when I left G.V.S. that evening.With Bella's collar and leash in the passenger seat beside me, I cried all the way home.It was Weds.and Thanksgiving was the next day. I have no memory of that Thanksgiving. I was so distraught.I had changed. I know after some people loose their dogs, they feel that out of respect for their lost animal that they should wait a respectable amount of time before bringing another pet into their life but I couldn't do that. I not only wanted another dog,I needed another dog to heal me. On the Friday after Thanks giving I started my search on the internet. I knew who I was looking for, A young,female,black,pit bull mix. I was looking for Bella. It didn't take long to find her either. She was at Fulton County Animal Service and her name was Rose.In her Photo Rose looked so much like Bella it was amazing and she had the same sweet look out of her eyes.Under her Photo in bold letters was the word URGENT. I moved fast. As soon as I could I drove over to FCAS and said I want Rose and without much of an introduction I adopted her. The next day Rose was spayed in the morning,I picked her up to take her home that afternoon and before we left the building I had changed her name to Bambi. So, here we are back in 2012 and you may ask,did you find Bella's clone?The answer to that question is Nope...In fact Bambi is almost the polar opposite of Bella.Where Bella had more of a ballerina's body,Bambi is more like a roller derby queen. Bella was timid and trusted very few, Bambi doesn't know a stranger and would go to anyone who called her. Bella was aloof,Bambi is a tad bit needy. Really,about the only things that Bella/Bambi have in common is their color,that sweet look from their eyes and that they both loved/love me with their whole heart. RIP Bella <3

Heaven Is Just A Heartbeat Away

Because of recent events I have been reminded AGAIN of how quickly everything can change..One minute I am waiting for a vet to give my dog Bella her Kennel Cough vaccine. Two hours later I am at an Emergency Animal Hospital listening to another vet ask me that if Bella should go into cardiac arrest did I want her resuscitated.It is confusing.....
When I was nineteen my Grandfather died out of the blue. He went to bed alive (After a bowl of ice cream) and woke up dead.Talk about confusing!!I have often wondered if when he woke up it was like that scene from the Wizard of Oz where after the house drops on the Wicked Witch of the West,Dorthy walks out into Munchkin Land and says to Toto that she didn't think they were in Kansas anymore.I wonder if Pop said to himself I don't think I am in Ohio anymore.I hope so.And I hope he danced the yellow brick road all of the way to the Emerald City where the Wizard gave him the prettiest silver boat to sail the bluest waters with.And that He and Nanny are happy together in the ever after.Because for my Pop Heaven was just a heart beat away as it is for all of us.

A Good Dog Is Hard To Find

A Good Dog is Hard to Find

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Yesterday at 8:58am | Edit Note | Delete

Everyone who knows my dog Bella knows she is crazy, For those of you who have not been introduced(and that is just about everybody because she is so shy) I will attempt to explain her to you and make excuses for why I love her so much.
Bell is a Lab/Pit mix ,who we adopted from a rescue group about 6 years ago.When we first met her she was standing in front of Petco with her handler,tail between her legs and very thin.I thought she was a Whippet mix and said so.Her handler said nothing to discourage my "I think she's part Whippet" thought process. Only a vague "Oh Bella is a little bit of this and a little bit of that." comment.
Word to the wise...."a little bit of this and a little bit of that...." means Pit Bull mix.
What can I say, it was love at first sight.She was timid yes, but oh so sweet and accommodating. We were all over her,petting and hugging and just generally in her face.I realize now that Bella must have been in a drug induced state.To let perfect strangers into her personal space is just not in her character!!! Ask any groomer who has had the misfortune of having Bella cross their thresh hold and they will tell you,"That dog is NUTS!"She bucks like a wild bronco when she is put in a restraint and trimming her toe nails is a nightmare.So....the only conclusion that I can come to about that day is that Bella was doggy downed out.
Now you may think I am a dog novice, but I am not.I have had dogs in my life since before I can remember.(None of them were like Bella though)so I knew what to expect when bringing a new dog into the family. I expected that when Bella met Rosie's dog Mabry she would be a bit shy and wary but that they would do a good bit of sniffing each other and then go into a doggy dance,eventually ending with them chasing each other around the room.I did not expect her to scream like a baby and hunker down(and neither did Mabry).I expected her to loose her appetite and not eat because she missed her old"pack "I did not expect her to eat like her stomach was a bottomless pit hence loosing the mixed Whippet look and turning into a Pit bull.That was the biggest shocker.I had adopted a Pit Bull with issues.Knowing what I know now I WOULD adopt her again, in a heartbeat, but back then I was scared.Bella had been abused that was quite apparent and I can only assume it was by a man given her great hatred for men.Someone must have beat her with a broom because she is still terrified of brooms and will make a wide birth to avoid walking by one.
There only a handful of people who are given the privilege of petting Bella,Myself, My daughters and My husband (although she has allowed several other people to pet her if they are sitting but not if they are standing) My daughters and myself can do anything to her except trim her nails and roll her on to her back. MY husband can pet her and in the last couple of years she will allow him to put her leash on.
So Why you ask would you be so attached to such a pain in the butt dog? It is plain and simple, She loves me with all of her heart,she is protective and loyal and would bite anyone who tried to hurt me or the people who live in my house.And I love the fact that she is particular about who she gives her heart to. Because of that she has my heart.
We took Bella to the vet to get her kennel cough vaccine and have them look at her skin as she had been itching and chewing at herself(We found blood on a chair where she had been laying) . While there the vet noticed some strange bruising and ran some blood test. To make a long story short the vet didn't find any platelets in her blood and she is now in the hospital in critical condition for fear that she could bleed out.They are trying to figure out what caused this to happen.I have a bad feeling. She did not act sick at all,which makes this all the more shocking. She went in for a routine check up and we were told she may not make it through the night.She is not suffering(except for the fact that she is away from her home and with strangers).But I am. Please remember us in your prayers today .Nothing is for certain.