Minnie is our July 16 2017 Pup of the Week (And Prince too)

Every dog has a different reaction when they arrive at Rainbow Bridge.  When Prince arrived earlier this month, he was very distraught about leaving his mom and his pack.  It took all our efforts to acclimate him to the Bridge  He is now getting along much better.  He wanted his Momma Jodi to know he is all better now, with no pain, and lots of love in his heart.

We expected the same behavior from Minnie when she crossed Rainbow Bridge this week.  Minnie was a sometimes member of Tupper and Max’s pack.  In the last weeks of her life, she became a full-time member.  Her then mom had grown weary of Minnie’s peeing in the house and was going to have her sent to the Bridge.  Momma Pam, Tupper and Max’s Mom, and Minnie’s sometimes mom (although in Minnie’s heart Momma Pam was her full-time mom) brought Minnie back into her house.  She refused to send Minnie to us before her time.

This is the second time I have written about Minnie  The first time she ran into the woods away from Momma Pam and didn’t come back.  She had got her leg caught in a bear trap.  She was saved by her dad and uncle.  She recovered from that injury, but it was one of many injuries and illnesses that would plague Minnie during her mortal life.  She had liver problems, and bad hips and back issues.

When Minnie returned to Momma Pam, she had been neglected.  There was a reason for her constant peeing that no one had explored.  She had not been given the required shots she needed, and her hair was hard and brittle.  That all changed when she was back with Momma Pam and Boris.

Minnie was left at the vet for a day as they tested her for Cushing’s Disease.  The only thing that discovered was that Minnie had to go back.  When she returned to Momma Pam’s, she found out that her sweet Dad had custom built stairs for her so she could get on the couch.

Unfortunately, Minnie would not have a long time to spend on the couch.  She stopped eating, and she was in pain when she moved.  The vet discovered that she had advanced liver disease and Cushing Disease.  Momma Pam had kept her promise to Minnie.  She had done everything for her that she could.  But she had to send her to the Bridge.

Tupper and Max awaited her anxiously.  She got to the top of the stairs, and all her pain was gone.  She stood up on her back legs and announced:  “I am very happy to be here, and be a permanent member of the Knarian Clan.  I love my mom and brothers very much.  And what I want, more than anything else, is to go to bed/”

Bed?  We asked.  Don’t you want to play, to visit your brothers, to get your wings?

“Excuse me,” Minnie said.  “I have had liver disease, Cushing’s Disease, hip surgery, been neglected before getting to Momma Pam, and got my leg caught in a freaking bear trap so excuse me if I would like to lie down to a little while.”

When an angel is right, she is right.  Tupper and Max showed her the room they had made for her in their house.   She slept the day away.  Then she got up and was danced with Tupper and Max.  She kissed and hugged everyone and is very happy to be a member of the DS, TB, Blogville family.  She said she wanted to learn everything she could about being an angel and get back to see Momma Pam as soon as possible.

And that she did.  She has been the fastest learned I have ever seen.  Within days she was back visiting her mom as a butterfly.

Don’t worry Momma Pam.  Minnie will be back to see you a lot.  And you are her forever mom now.

As for me, I am left to wonder.  

How much faster would angels learn if we just let them lie down before they trained.

We may have new rules around here.  Minnie rules.

Minnie is our November 15, 2015 Pup of the Week

Being an angel can be an exercise in frustration.  Most of the time all we can do is watch over our loved ones, carry prayers up the mountain to the Big Guy for them, and fret.  But occasionally we are able to directly help.

Which brings me to Minnie and her angels Max and Tupper.  Minnie has had a terrible month.  She developed a very itchy rash that would not respond to any treatment.   Antibiotic pills, salves, nothing her regular vet gave her worked.  Her Mom decided, after more than two weeks of Minnie suffering, to try a holistic approach.  

Minnie’s Mom changed her diet to home made which she hoped would help cure Minnie of her terrible rash (and Minnie’s brother Boris was the happy co-recipient of the home cooked meals.)  Making the food took their Mom a long time and cost more than then kibble but she is a Mom who would do anything for her sweet babies  

But, like all other attempts, the new diet did not work either.  The disease spread into her ears and all down her undercarriage.  He prescribed a new antibiotic a new ear medicine, a new pill, and most scary of all the “B” word that scares all parents and pups very much.  .There was also the possibility Minnie had an autoimmune disease called Canine Pemphigus.  It is a group of autoimmune skin diseases involving ulceration, crusting of the skin and fluid filled sacs.  The treatment for this would be very expensive and would take years of follow up appointments.      

During all of this Max and Tupper could only watch from above.  They carried thousands of prayers to the Big Guy for their sister but they were in as much in the dark as we were.  Us angels like to think we can control things but mostly all we can do it try to provide comfort .

But on Friday something very bad and scary happened and the only reason it had a good outcome was because Max and Tupper were able to intervene.  Even after her biopsy, with stitches in three places, one quite delicate, Minnie, a beagle, insisted on going for a good stroll and sniff on the walking trails behind her house.  Having been cooped up Minnie was rearing to go and since she is a good girl who always comes when called she was not leashed.  But on this day she did not come.  

Minnie’s Mom repeatedly gave her “come” call but there was no sign of Minnie.  It soon turned pitch black and her Mom was begging God for mercy and help while crying and continuing with her “come call.”   She called her sister and her nephews to help in the search.  The boys began calling Minnie’s name and they heard a bark in the woods.  They followed it and found Minnie’s horrible fate.  Her leg was caught in a hunting trap.

Minnie’s Mom, because of physical issues, could not get to Minne.  She tried 911, and the DNR, but it was Minnie’s Dad and her uncle who got there first.  Minnie’s Dad saw her back leg was caught in the trap.  There were pins on either side of her leg and he pushed them in and pulled her foot out of the trap.  From there Minnie was taken to the emergency vet and miraculously there were no broken or crushed bones.  There was just some swelling and Minnie was given medication.   She needs prayers for her recovery from being trapped and for her rash.

But that’s just the part of the story her Mom knows.

Max and Tupper were watching over Minnie when she got her leg trapped.  They flew down to Minnie and told her to lie very still.  They cuddled up with her and told her that everything would be all right.  Minnie wanted to struggle and get free but Tupper said she would hurt herself more.  The two angels made rustling noises so the nephews could find Minnie and they told her not to struggle when she saw friendly faces.  The made sure she did not move when her leg was removed from the trap, and kept her calm through all the xrays and tests that came afterwards.  They stayed with her right up until the time she got drugged up and no longer needed to be kept calm.

So, when you are giving thanks to the heavens for Millie being safe don’t forget to thank Tupper and Max.  It isn’t often us angels get to help out directly.  I know Tupper and Max are very proud of their work.

And they hope they never have to do it again.

Ask Aunt Foley

                Dear Aunt Foley:  There is a possum outside our window.  Why is a possum coming to our house and what should we do about it?  - Boris K and Minnie.
                Dear Boris K and Minnie:  Oh you don’t want to mess with those possums.  They are vicious little creatures.  Forget everything that Big Vermin has told you about animals.  It is all lies.   In truth there are only rats and squirrels and everything has evolved from them and these possums are just big mean rats who like to play dead and when you go to eat them they eat you.   Please keep away from the possums at all costs.
                Dear Aunt Foley:  We live up in the mountains and the Tanner Brigade is down in the valley.  Mom and I have to climb down the mountain to visit and then climb back up.  Can you install an elevator? – Enzo
                Dear Enzo:  I can do better than that.  I am going to visit you in your dreams and give you the codes I used to put into the computer to upload me wherever I wanted to go.  I went to the White House, to Hollywood, to my friends.  Wherever I wanted.  Just be careful.  You have to fit through all the small tubes that make up the Internet.  It was easy for Pocket and me because we are small but you and your Mom might have some problems.
                Dear Aunt Foley:  Why, before they do terrible things to me at the vet won’t they feed me first?  I think that is adding insult to injury

.  – MacDougal
                Dear MacDougal:   Vets don’t want you to eat because they are going to poke and prod you and stick things where they don’t belong and often when you get stuck in your most sensitive place you say “I think I am going to puke” and then you puke.  And who can blame you?  You just got something stuck in your most sensitive place.  So, to avoid the puking they don’t let you eat. 

For more adventures of two tiny terriers click HERE

 

Boris, Minnie, Angels Max and Tupper are our December 14, 2014 Pups of the Week

Thank the Big Guy it was a quiet week here at Rainbow Bridge.  I did have to do a lot of flying up to the mountaintop to deliver prayers for friends including Smoochy, Sandy, Aran, Ju Ju and many more.  But we don’t mind delivering prayers.  Prayers are a sliver of hope and when you build enough slivers you can move a mountain.

Two dogs who flew prayers up the mountain with me were my two good friends Tupper and Max.  They were members of the same pack who came to the Bridge very close together this fall.  Their dual parting left their Mom crushed and no one would have blamed her if she decided to spend this Christmas hiding under the covers.

But that is not the way that Tupper and Max’s Mom operates, and if she had given in to the, intense pain that came with losing two heart dogs in the same year their siblings on the mortal side, Minnie and Boris, would not let their Mom stop spreading her usual Christmas cheer.

As Benjamin and I discussed last week humans are the most resilient species on the planet and they have solved the mystery of how you live broken hearted.  They are much better than us dogs who fall apart if Mom and Dad come home late or dinner is not served on time.

And the Boyz Mom showed that resiliency this year by keeping with a long held tradition of going to the Michiana Humane Society with donations of dog and cat food and supplies for the homeless pups at Christmas, plus blankets.  I am so proud of her for doing this because making Christmas special for homeless dog is a cause that is very important to me.

She posted that she could feel Max and Tupper with her and I can verify that she was correct.  The two flew down to be with her and see the happy expressions on the shelter dog’s faces when they realized they were loved this Christmas too.  And their Mom decided to forgo spending money on humans this year and spend it on dogs stuck in shelters waiting for their forever home.

You see Max, Tupper, Boris and Minnie’s Mom is really Mrs. Santa Claus.

I stole the picture on the top of this blog from her Facebook page.  She is standing outside of the shelter with Boris and Minnie, and, if you catch it just right during the sunset you can see Max and Tupper beside them.  

I wanted to personally thank The Boys’ Mom for providing a wonderful Christmas for those dogs who need it the most.  We are wishing her the Merriest Christmas ever

We know it won’t be without Max and Tupper, but you are resilient Aunt Pam so anything is possible.