Raising Addie

Celebrating my Girls

noreply@blogger.com (Raising Addie) — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 17:50:00 +0000

From the first introductions of Lucie and Hailey as puppies, it was pure magic.

January 3, 2009

Zoe didn't care much for Addie when she was a puppy. But with Lucie it was different. It was like she had met an old friend. We had no idea at the time that Zoe would be leaving us in two short weeks.

January 25, 2009

February 25, 2009

February 28, 2009

April 5, 2009

April 10, 2009

April 25, 2009

August 1, 2009

My girls didn't need much prompting to pose for pictures.

September 25, 2009

October 11, 2009

They were three peas in a pod. Always there to help one another.

November 11, 2009

And when Lucie became ill in October 2009, their bonds grew even closer.

February 10, 2010

April 3, 2010

Lucie had been ill for so long and beat her illness like a champ. She was so incredibly strong even with her newly identified birth defect. With Texas A&M giving strict instructions to not let her do too much and no running or the worst may happen. We turned to our tried and true Veterinarian, Dr. Johnson choosing Lucie's quality of life over quantity. We let her live her life the way she wanted. Playing and running as much as she wanted. And boy did she surprise everyone by living a healthy full life for 12 glorious years.

March 25, 2012

March 15, 2013

April 19, 2014

March 5, 2015

August 26, 2015

January 30, 2016

My girls always new when I needed them after my mom died offering more cuddles than usual.

March 31, 2016

June 11, 2016

Hailey was always protected by her big sisters on walks being in the middle. Yet Hailey was the one that barked at all dogs and people she didn't know.

March 17, 2017

Our Shady Dog and Princess, Lucie.

March 27, 2017

March 28, 2017

March 16, 2018

March 13, 2019

September 19, 2019

February 27, 2021

September 29, 2021

My girls. My love for them is never ending. Their chemistry was magical to witness. It was a blessing having them with us for as long as we did. I am grateful for the endless number of cuddles, kisses, walks, adventures and playtimes. I have millions of pictures to remember them by which sends me back to those precious moments, feeling all of their love as if they have never left.

My Angel on Earth...

noreply@blogger.com (Raising Addie) — Fri, 03 May 2024 20:30:00 +0000

is now in heaven.

Only a tiny little angel could fit in so perfectly with our big girls from day one.

Hailey was supposed to be the little lap dog that I always wanted.

Hailey chose the big girls instead and who could blame her.

My gorgeous girl brought us joy and happiness throughout her entire life.

Hailey has been the most devoted, tolerant, resilient and fun-loving pup.

She was the toughest little pup, hardly ever showing her pain.

I hope you felt all of the love that I have for you each and every day. I loved creating fun activities for you, especially your golden eggs and our matching socks.

I had so many more fun things planned for us for when you got better. I'm so sorry that I couldn't make you better.

Thank you, Hailey for giving me all of your love and always being by my side. I love you with all of my heart. I'm so happy that you came into our lives. I have 15 years of fabulous photos to remind me of how happy you were.

I did all I could.

noreply@blogger.com (Raising Addie) — Thu, 02 May 2024 19:02:00 +0000

The next day, April 28th she didn't want to eat and for several days I did my best to tempt her with any food. I kept trying a ton of new foods recommended by our in home vet, Dr. Lynn and foods I knew she loved. Anything to get her to eat. If she liked the smell of it enough she would try it once and only a little bit. I tried Fresh Pet for small dogs which she ate for a few meals. She enjoyed baby lil' sticks for two meals and then refused. I seriously tried every food I could think of. For our food motivated Doxie who would eat anything that you handed her, we knew this was bad. She was slowing down. I was running out of foods that she would accept meds in.

Our primary vet, Dr. Johnson was unavailable to give his recommendation on how to help her. The other vet in his office, without full blood work, gave us the option of placing her on a kidney food diet, providing subcutaneous fluids daily and adding Entyce to her med lineup to get her to eat. He stated that the kidney food is not really appetizing and that we would need to try a few probably.

Our in home vet, Dr. Lynn quickly did full blood work calling us on May 2nd with the results of multi organ failure. Add this on top of the undiagnosed brain tumor that caused those horrible seizures two months ago, a new heart murmur and pancreatitis issues.

We learned from our big girls and did not want our little Hailey going through testing and hospitalization where she would be scared and may pass away. We also didn't want to subject her to things where her quality of life afterwards would be worse. We made the gut wrenching decision to stop Hailey's suffering which is the best gift that we could ever give her.

What I struggle with the most is that Hailey was stable and had a great quality of life before surgery. I mean, right up to the day of surgery. She was happy and having fun. Every day I had fun activities planned for her that she absolutely enjoyed. During her first week of recovery, I had planned fun themes and golden egg toys were picked out and ready for when she was better.

The vet that we have trusted her whole life recommended it stating we needed to know what type of cancer it was for later in her life. After surgery and that horrible first night which was out of character for her, you could see she was getting back to normal. Once she was able to be on hard kibble again we resumed doing the things that she loved which she enjoyed. I believe whatever medical event took place within her on April 25th was the beginning of her decline.

I was previously unaware and a google search taught me that, "Studies show that 0.9%–2.0% of patients that receive general anesthesia will develop kidney dysfunction 7–14 days after anesthesia." The vet office that performed her surgery said no, this could not be a factor. From my view over everything that I saw is that this was a big coincidence and the timeline fit for when Hailey started to decline.

Along with this line of thinking, I do wonder if decompensation occurred. Meaning, "When a dog can no longer hide or mask the signs and symptoms of disease and suddenly becomes very obviously sick. Dogs have a talent and instinct for compensation, or hiding their symptoms, which is why they can seem to get sick “overnight” when they finally decompensate."

This post was written for my reference after we let Hailey go.

Gabapentin

noreply@blogger.com (Raising Addie) — Sun, 28 Apr 2024 04:30:00 +0000

Stopping Rimadyl didn't help Hailey at all and Gabapentin made things so much worse. Yesterday at times she was unaware of where she was or where she was going, she slept more and her water intake increased continually.

The side effects of Gabapentin hit Hailey hard today. My poor little Hailey was disoriented, frantically moving around our house crying and drooling. She refused to eat and was drinking a ton of water. I had given her a dose in the morning and stopped after that. We considered taking her to the ER but honestly didn't want to put her through a ton of tests to tell us what we already knew since she had just been to the vet. She finally settled down falling asleep in the corner of our den around 6:45 pm. I watched her like a hawk believing that this might be her last evening. To gently drift away in her sleep is what all pet owners wish for. As I watched her, I also was frantically searching the internet for any clue as to what could be going on with her. Around 9:15 pm she woke up, looked around, came over to me looking for a snack. We thought we were beyond the worst of it when she willing ate her kibble.

After we let Hailey go, I learned through a google search that I stumbled over that Gabapentin when given along with levetiracetam may increase side effects such as dizziness, drowsiness and confusion. I believe that may have been why Hailey had such a horrible reaction to it. The vet who prescribed both meds didn't tell us this was a potential.

I'm certain that Gabapentin has helped pets out there. Hailey was on it before in liquid form for neck and back issues short term when she was younger and only experienced sleepiness. At the age of 15, I don't believe that Gabapentin was the best choice for her. I have not had an older pup (over the age of 11) who Gabapentin has helped. Lucie couldn't walk well or bend over to eat or drink and the second we took her off of it she developed severe edema. Addie wouldn't sleep at all and was anxious. I can personally attest that it causes dizziness, unease, sleeplessness/sleepiness, sleep paralysis (during the first two weeks), memory issues and electric shocks in your brain just to name a few. I have been on it for 10 months due to damaged nerves in my neck which are now healing. It makes me uncomfortable that Gabapentin is recommended so often for pets and people without any education on what to expect.

This post was written for my reference after we let Hailey go.

Shake it Off

noreply@blogger.com (Raising Addie) — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 02:00:00 +0000

I couldn't wait until Hailey was back on dry kibble so she could have some fun again. Hailey just loves posing and I love spending special time with her.

Our fun was short lived when she couldn't keep her kibble down. I knew something was not right. My husband was so very kind and got Hailey to Dr. Burney at VSNT lickety split . I thought it was low calcium, but no it was something else. Her kidney's are not functioning properly. They gave her an anti nausea shot along with subcutaneous fluids. He took her off of Rimadyl and started her on gabapentin hoping this is the issue.

This started quickly on April 23. She refused her normal kibble so I was trying different things to get her the kibble nutrients along with something she would really want to eat. I used a rolling pin to break apart her low fat no taste kibble. My husband suggested mixing in some egg to spice it up. It was lick the bottom of the bowl good.

Since her surgery two weeks ago, she's not bounced back yet. And gabapentin, well, it comes with it's own side effects leaving Hailey terribly tired and limiting how often she wants to walk around. But not throwing up in the last 24 hours is wonderful for her. I'm focusing on Hailey's message of "shake it off". All paws crossed and praying that the medication change helps her kidney's get back on track.

5 to 7 very long days

noreply@blogger.com (Raising Addie) — Wed, 10 Apr 2024 22:34:00 +0000

Hailey came through her surgery yesterday to remove the tumor in her mouth like a champ!

Daisy had the perfect gift for her. The Take Care Bear from Bark.

Hailey was only under anesthesia for 5 minutes. Yes, our vet is that good! They gave her a shot for pain which I believe wore off around 10:30pm because she screamed/cried for the majority of the night. Regardless of my repeated attempts to calm/comfort her. She finally passed out around 1 am for a few hours and then was right back at it.

But throughout the day today, she finally rested peacefully eating like crazy because of her fast yesterday. Soft food is required for 10 days. Since the wet canned food doesn't agree with her, I soften her dry food with a little bit of water. She doesn't mind it at all.

We should have an answer about the tumor in 5-7 days. Daisy is watching over her older sister like any younger sister should.

Yesterday evening when I was taking the girls out, while I was looking at Hailey a little black and white hummingbird flew into my view. The hummingbird landed at the top of a tree and looked in our direction. It stared at me for the longest time. Addie always diligently looked after Hailey when she was ill or after surgeries. I believe she dropped by to check on her little sister.

Update: Maybe that's 5-7 business days.

Update: One of our Vets from Neighborhood Pet Health Center called on April 24 with the results. It's an oral plasmacytoma which is cancer but a non spreading one. Dr. Burney from VSNT also commented when he reviewed the results. Dr. Burney stated, "the good news is that all of the mass that could be seen was removed. We should watch the area. If the mass starts to recur, we do have some options, including radiation therapy."

Sheep

noreply@blogger.com (Raising Addie) — Tue, 09 Apr 2024 14:00:00 +0000

This will be the first surgery that Hailey will have without Addie there to support her. Addie would always watch over Hailey, alerting us to an oncoming seizure or doting after her when she got home from surgeries.

One of Addie's first toys was a sheep. The sheep stayed with her all her life long.

I saw this little blanket with sheep on it and knew it would be great for Hailey. I know she can't see the sheep but it is a comforting reminder of Addie for me and how much Addie loved Hailey. Given all of Hailey's issues right now, surgery is the last thing that she needs to deal with. Our vet was clear that although he would do everything to make the surgery goes quickly and watch her vitals closely, but surgery might just be too much for her. I loved the thought of Hailey having her sheep blanket with her there, when I couldn't be. I slept with it myself so my scent was on it hopeful that she will find comfort in it in her cage before and after surgery.

All paws crossed and praying for my sweet Hailey.

Totality: O!M!G!

noreply@blogger.com (Raising Addie) — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 23:00:00 +0000

How often does a once in a lifetime total solar eclipse event land in your backyard?
For us, just once.

Our news has been reporting on this event for at least a month leading up to today with their solar eclipse countdown. State of emergencies had been declared for some counties in it's path. Some were saying to stock up on food and make sure you have all of your prescriptions filled in case everything is backed up due to more people in different areas. Some said clouds will block our view. Some traveled from different countries to come to the DFW area to view it. We just kicked back, relaxed and let the eclipse come to us.

For the girls I made special planets bandanas. For Hailey I made little stars socks to match. Daisy clearly didn't appreciate my work and wouldn't participate in the picture.

I made sure to purchase our viewing items from the best places to protect our eyes. I found these cool eclipse viewers from Rainbow Symphony. I even purchased a special viewer to use with my phone to snap a quick pick from American Paper Optics. Although my focus was on simply experiencing this event, I wanted to snap a few pictures.

Daisy approved of these bandanas that I purchased.

Hailey says it's time to get outside!

The eclipse is starting!

Daisy's cheeky little bum!

While having fun with my girls, It just kept getting darker and darker. My husband placed some lounge chairs out for us to view the eclipse comfortably. Then it was time for the girls to go inside. Sorry pups, you'll have to experience this from inside.

The sky went dark quickly and just like that, it was night. The stars came out. There were a little bit of clouds to start but they soon parted giving us a completely unobstructed view.

It literally took my breath away. I could hardly believe my eyes. The birds fell silent and it felt eerily supernatural. I was so very lucky to experience this with my beloved husband.

While we were waiting for totality, my husband and I noticed a lot of little bugs flying around. I said, we need some dragonflies as I had not seen any this year. As we sat watching our world turn from night to daylight again, a black and white dragonfly landed on my knee. He sat there for the longest moment looking at me before he hurriedly flew away.

I have seen a ton of dragonflies in our yard over the years and not once have they ever landed on me. Some say if a dragonfly lands on you it is a sign of transformation or new beginnings. Others may say he was just disorientated from the event. I believe that it's a sign that I will hear good news from someone. Specifically, Dr. Johnson.

My quick pictures do not do this totality eclipse experience justice, they were not meant to but are more a memory marker for me. When I went into our home after to check on the girls, they were very cautious. Daisy peeking her little face around a corner to look at me when typically she is at the door waiting. I wish the girls could tell me what they experienced because they clearly felt something too.

Hailey enjoyed her golden egg dinner with a moon and stars theme. After tomorrows surgery it will be a little while before she can have dry food so I made sure to make dinner special and fun.

After a super exciting day, the girls relaxed together... for a few minutes anyway.

Happy Easter!

noreply@blogger.com (Raising Addie) — Mon, 01 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Since Hailey was a tiny little pup, her tiny carrot has been her sidekick. For the first year of her life I took her picture with her tiny carrot to show her growth. From there it would be with her for each birthday. When I saw this little carrot costume on sale, I couldn't resist. She loved it! Daisy was not as happy in her carrot bandana.

Today was a wonderful Easter filled with love and joy!

There is always something else lurking.

noreply@blogger.com (Raising Addie) — Fri, 29 Mar 2024 12:57:00 +0000

It's been a little over three weeks since Hailey spent the night in the ER due to those odd seizures. I have made the most of every day with her, even more so. She has been doing great! On Wednesday when I was giving her a piece of her food, I noticed something red in the back of her mouth. She hates when I mess with her mouth so looking into it was difficult. I had my husband take a picture while I held her mouth open. The red area was next to a space where years ago she had a molar removed. My husband said maybe a tooth has abscessed. The odd thing is, she's not in any pain from it. Still eating like she never gets fed.

We saw Dr. Johnson today and he said based on the look and feel of it, it is a tumor. And he said it is most likely a bad tumor. Even though there is risk, he said it needs to be removed so he can find out exactly what it is. He said he will be in and out in 10 minutes so she will not be under anesthesia long. So she will have it removed.

Since she has started her anti seizure and heart medicine, she has been so much happier. Running around more and just generally happy which I love seeing. Even with everything going on inside of her, she's thriving. All fingers and paws crossed that the tumor is nothing.

I couldn't love my most perfect pup more.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Raising Addie) — Sun, 17 Mar 2024 16:56:00 +0000

A Different Type of Seizure

noreply@blogger.com (Raising Addie) — Tue, 05 Mar 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Hailey had been recovering nicely from her calcium drop. She was back to her old self and we were continuing to enjoy our Spring weather. I took this picture of Hailey on Sunday afternoon. Everything was ok.

At 7:30pm, Hailey had a seizure. She went down on her side quick. She was stiff with legs shaking. It didn't last long, maybe 15 seconds. Then she got up and walked across the room to my husband who gave her a little treat. Nowadays, treat means one piece of her low fat gastro food. She then walked under my desk got in her bed. Maybe 5 minutes later, another one hit her just like the last one. She slid out of her bed.

The next 4 seizures were maybe 10 seconds long. She would be either sitting or laying down with her head up. Each time she would start shaking and her head would twitch or jerk to one side. These all happened within half an hour. We took her to the Emergency Vet who is used by her thyroid doctor.

While driving over, Hailey was quiet. Not moving around which is unlike her. She would shift, take a deep breath and then become very still. I really thought that this was it. When we arrived and went in, I was clutching her so tightly, I just didn't want to let go. As with every Emergency Vet, they terrify you with everything horrible that could be going on and at one point giving us the option to end things here and now for her. I was in tears, my husband said no, we are not giving up on her without knowing what's going on.

They kept her overnight during which they took chest x-rays, did blood work and started an IV. The next morning the regular doctor, who was more likeable than the overnight vet, called. She said that they started her on anti-seizure medications overnight. She said Hailey had not had any more seizures. She said that Hailey has a stage 3 heart murmur and that there is also fluid in her belly that was noticed on the chest x-rays. She said there could be a cancerous tumor on her liver or other cancer in there causing the fluid. Her heart is slightly enlarged and that also might be causing the fluid. They also started her on heart medication overnight. She said the seizures could have been caused from her heart issue causing mini strokes or a neurological cancerous tumor.

They had a laundry list of every test, scan, MRI that they wanted to run. When it came down to it, based on her age the Vet said that they wouldn't change how they are treating her. It would just give us answers. Well, we are not putting her through anything unless treatment would change. The quality of Hailey's life is worth much more than quantity at this point.

We picked her up Monday afternoon and she was her happy self again. Clearly the meds were helping her feel better. As we were driving home, Dr. Burney her thyroid doctor called. He didn't hear the heart murmur two weeks before, neither did our primary vet Dr. Johnson. Dr. Burney apologized for not catching the heart murmur, again discussing testing that could be done to give us answers. Based on what Hailey displayed during the seizures, he believes it is a brain tumor. He said our options are limited to radiation. We know all about this having been through it with Lucie. We learned and given Hailey's age, we do not want her enduring the testing and procedure involved to extend her life a few months. He said a pup with a brain tumor has 3 to 6 months. Quality of Hailey's life is most important.

That's my Hailey. Enjoying life and making funny faces. If you thought my Hailey was already spoiled, you can only imagine how spoiled she will be now.

For my reference, Hailey's new medication consists of Levetiracetam 250 mg, 3/4 tablet 3 times a day and Vetmedin (Pimobendan) 2.5 mg, 1/2 tablet in the morning and 1 full tablet 12 hours later. Dr. Burney also wants her to stay on Rimadyl instead of switching to Galliprant which our primary vet wanted. Dr. Burney believes that Rimadyl provides better pain relief than Galliprant. Plus her blood test all looked fine so he sees no reason why she cannot stay on it right now. If anyone is still reading our post at this point, have you ever had two trusted Vets disagree on a med and if so, how did you handle making the decision. This is a first for us.

Happy Leap Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Raising Addie) — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 15:06:00 +0000

Hypocalcemia

noreply@blogger.com (Raising Addie) — Sat, 24 Feb 2024 14:50:00 +0000

We have been enjoying a lovely early Spring here. Sunny weather in the 70's. No crazy freezing cold weather. It just couldn't get better. Both girls were doing great.

Then all of a sudden last weekend, Hailey wasn't well. Couldn't keep anything down and she was doing this odd tripping thing with her back legs, yet she was still her happy self never acting sick. Wanting to eat everything.

A Vet check Monday morning was all good. Heart sounded good and her overall check was fine. Our Vet said the only odd thing was that when they were bringing her back to us from the back, all four of her legs went out from under her and she couldn't get up. Once he helped her up, she trotted along to us. As we waited for her results, I noticed her tripping more and having more difficulties walking. Blood tests results that we received Tuesday, showed that her calcium was low. These results also showed that she has Cushing's and Pancreatitis. She was showing no clinical signs of Cushing's so nothing would be started on that front unless she starts drinking a lot of water and urinating a lot. Outside of an upset tummy, she was not acting like she had Pancreatitis but we went ahead and moved her to Royal Canin gastrointestinal low fat dry food just to be safe. Since Addie suffered from it, we know exactly what that looks like.

Since her calcium was low, we immediately contacted her thyroid doctor who wanted to see her immediately. As we were leaving for her appointment, she was having the most trouble walking. Dr Burney at VSNT checked her over and did a specific blood test checking her ionized calcium which had dropped to .99. The normal range is 1.18 - 1.37. He said it was Hypocalcemia that was causing her weakness which is why she was tripping and having a difficult time walking. He found no other issues outside of the low calcium. He said if it would have been just a bit lower, he would have admitted her. He said that he has seen this happen before. The dog is doing great and then the calcium just drops. No rhyme or reason to it. He increased her calcitriol to help correct her calcium.

Dr. Burney said the increase would take 2-3 days to see a change in her. Tuesday evening was her worst evening. She hardly walked at all and at times I could see she wanted to walk but couldn't. It was awful. But the next morning she was already improving and by the next day she was doing so well again.

Taken today, one week after Hailey started to not feel well.

Well done, Hailey!

15 Years Loved - Happy Birthday, Hailey!

noreply@blogger.com (Raising Addie) — Thu, 01 Feb 2024 15:41:00 +0000

A birthday of this magnitude doesn't come along very often so I made this celebration extra special. For 14 days leading up to Hailey's birthday, she enjoyed a mini celebration each day.

Her golden egg is a perfect example of her mini celebrations. She rolls the golden egg, nudging it until it bursts open revealing her surprises including little Easter eggs filled with her kibble pieces for her to sniff out. She absolutely loves this and has so much fun!

I started our sock's n' such moments a few years ago where we wear matching socks and enjoy a snack. Our version of snacks now is simply pieces of her dog food to help keep her weight down.

Hailey is our first pup who has achieved the age of 15. It helps that she has been our smallest pup we have ever had. That's why it is so special for us right now.

Her new birthday bed.

Extra special Birthday pan"cake".

Birthday hide and seek lunch.

My sweet little Hailey was so tiny when we got her that I couldn't imagine how she was going to mange with our big girls. They loved her from the second that I placed her on the floor in front of them. Addie took over as mom, always making sure she was ok and when she was older alerting us to when a seizure was coming. Lucie was her best friend. She has always thought she was a big dog. On walks, Hailey was the one that would bark at everyone passing by and never a peep from the big girls. I know she is missing her big sisters, they had the deepest bonds. I have done my best to bring her joy.

Hailey's first day home.

Within a few hours, already cuddling with her big sister. It was her most favorite spot to be.

3 months old

15 years old

Same carrot and same hat.

The same gorgeous smile.

The love for my Hailey runs deep. She is the perfect pup.

Here's to a ton more memories.

Two Much Fun

noreply@blogger.com (Raising Addie) — Sun, 31 Dec 2023 15:30:00 +0000

Happy 2nd Birthday, Daisy!

She enjoyed her traditional birthday "cake".

And look at that happy little nub!

I couldn't love my crazy little corgi girl more.

My Addie Girl

noreply@blogger.com (Raising Addie) — Sat, 05 Aug 2023 16:30:00 +0000

It's been one year but it feels just like yesterday.
Love you my girl.

Lucie in the Sky

noreply@blogger.com (Raising Addie) — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 04:23:00 +0000

This day is frozen in time for me. Facebook presented me with a memory that brought joy to my heart and reminded me of all the happy Feb 20th's she enjoyed.

February 20, 2011

This lovely one is another example. February 20, 2020

As the sky was full of pink clouds, how could I not believe that Lucie was showing me that she is still with me and is ok. Pink was her color. I know she is very happy with Addie by her side. Earlier in the day I had asked for a sign regarding an important question. I believe I received my answer. Thank you my Lucie love. My heart.

Happy 14th Birthday, Hailey!

noreply@blogger.com (Raising Addie) — Wed, 01 Feb 2023 12:33:00 +0000

Four Months Old

Fourteen Years Old

We could not have asked for a better fit for our pack than Hailey. This tiny little girl was instantly accepted by our big girls and loved every second. She truly grew up believing she was a big dog too. Hailey is pretty much the perfect dog. Low maintenance, excellent temperament and sweet as can be. AND she puts up with Daisy our Corgi.

Happy Birthday my little one!

Happy 1st Birthday, Daisy!

noreply@blogger.com (Raising Addie) — Sat, 31 Dec 2022 20:18:00 +0000

The Amazing Hailey

noreply@blogger.com (Raising Addie) — Thu, 03 Nov 2022 16:36:00 +0000

Health wise Hailey has dealt with a lot this year. From Parathyroid surgery to tooth removal to scary red tumor removal. Through it all she has been a champ. Today she had a check up on her ionized calcium and she did great! Her number is perfect at 1.3. She currently takes D3 three times a week and it's working great. We will do rechecks of her ionized calcium every 6 months from here on out to ensure she stays in good health. Our Vet did say that this vitamin can suddenly stop working and to look for vomiting/not wanting to eat and/or drinking a ton of water and urinating a lot.

Hailey is completely enjoying life right now and is even acting more puppy like. I know this year has been hard for her not having Addie and Lucie by her side. She only likes to snuggle with them, even now but I do see that she is happier in herself which is wonderful to see.

She has even made friends with our feral cat, Gypsy. Never thought I would see this!

At 13 years and 10 months, Hailey is looking fantastic!

YAAAY, Hailey!

Daisy

noreply@blogger.com (Raising Addie) — Sun, 25 Sep 2022 18:32:00 +0000

I had always wanted our next pup to have the advantage of being raised with our girls. Four years ago after much thought we had decided on a Corgi. Then Addie blew her ACL and needed surgery. After that the right time didn't come. Then Lucie got sick. Loosing her the way we did completely rocked our world. We all needed a happy little face to help us.

Introducing our Daisy.

Our girls were not a fan of a new puppy but welcomed her into our family.

Daisy is a Pembroke Welsh Corgi. Born on December 31, 2021. This little girl has helped our hearts in the biggest way.

My favorite picture of these two. Daisy looked up to her big sister and always felt protected on walks.

I'm glad she was able to meet Addie and spend a little time with her. In Addie's prime, she would have loved chasing her around the yard.

Hailey tolerates her but her heart still belongs to Lucie.

I'm so glad this little girl was brought into our lives. She's as smart as a whip, keeps me on my toes and is the sweetest love bug. And she has the happiest little face all the time. I look forward to a time when we can give her a big sister to enjoy.

Running on Empty

noreply@blogger.com (Raising Addie) — Fri, 02 Sep 2022 16:00:00 +0000

For us, August is the start of celebrations. Our wedding anniversary (30th this year) and my best friends birthdays. Then comes my Birthday in September. Ron's Birthday in October and Lucie's Birthday in November.

I've been reflecting on the last 14.5 years, people/friends have come and gone. It's bound to happen. My circle is small. I hold those who care close to my heart. There are my tried and true friends who are always there for me which I am ever so grateful for. And then there were my big girls.

Day in, day out. Absolute utter devotion and love. And it went both ways. This was my happy place.

After we let Lucie go, I was clinging to Addie like there was no tomorrow. Until there wasn't.

Home

noreply@blogger.com (Raising Addie) — Wed, 17 Aug 2022 01:23:00 +0000

I fell in love with Addie from the second I saw her picture. No arrival was more anticipated. I hung her pictures at work and her tiny little face gave me something happy to look forward to after the sudden loss of our K-8.

The more I got to know her, the more I loved her.

This girl kept me on my toes her whole life long.

Never a dull moment while Addie was around.

The love of a big dog in our home was a presence all it's own. None can be matched.

I had the perfect family. They were so good and respectful of each other. So much fun and love. I just never wanted it to end.

With my first two dogs, the decision to leave this life was theirs. In some respect it's easier to live with when you don't need to make that decision. Choosing the date/time that your beloved best friend will die comes with a pain so unimaginable that I can hardly bare it. All done in the best interest for their quality of life and that's how it should be. We were blessed with an at home Vet that Addie knew well who made this as easy for all of us as possible. I can't thank Dr. Lynn enough. She eased her pain in life and set her free to run again.

My girl is home.

Bed

noreply@blogger.com (Raising Addie) — Sun, 14 Aug 2022 11:03:00 +0000

I worked a nine to five job the majority of my girls life. Each night after dinner was playtime initiated by Addie. She would go choose a toy and start playing with it. Lucie would bark at her then they would chase Addie upstairs onto our bed.

This nightly ritual was adored by all.

AND I loved sleeping with my big girls in the bed.

Addie would always start off by curling up at my pillow. I would kiss and cuddle her then she would move down to the foot of my side of the bed. Hailey always provided a turndown service by "fixing" the blanket, then hiding under it until I found her.

Lucie was the wild card. You never knew where she would end up in bed.

April and May of last year were tough on our big girls. They were both dealing with big health issues and by the end of May Lucie could no longer comfortably walk up the stairs. That didn't stop evening playtime at all. Just the location. For sleeping, if they can't come up then I'll stay down. I always dreaded the day I moved from the couch back into bed because that would mean that both big girls were gone. Last night was my first night back in bed and it was brutal. As I laid down in tears, I thought you know what they are not gone. They are here with me and I felt their presence.