Bilbo - rescue dog at Sennen Cove - too late I'm sorry

[gloria townsin]

Did you see Bilbo in action on T.V. on Tuesday evening? I meant to put it on the forum and forgot until it was too late. What a gorgeous boy.........almost worth getting in trouble in the sea to have him come and rescue you. :D

[Janet Swan]

No, sadly I didn't see it Gloria. Have just googled 'Bilbo LifeGuard Sennen' and YouTube has a cute video showing Bilbo in action. On the same YouTube screen, there is also a video of Sennen Cove, which might give Kath a delightful 8 minutes!

Janet

[gloria townsin]

I'm so sorry I didn't post it in time.......got my oldest lad pretty ill with breathing problems so trips to vet and up all night last night, probably the same again tonight. Never get used to this part of sharing my life with them. He's not suffering but if his breathing gets really bad again then it might be a different matter. There are only so many meds you can put into one small dog. Ho Hum!!

[Kath Mulligan]

Missed the programme about Bilbo, Gloria, what was it on then I can look out for repeats? Will check out You Tube as well for that and the Sennen video.

Sorry to hear that you are having animal problems again. Hope things soon improve. This heat couldn't have anything to do with it, could it?

Kath

[gloria townsin]

It was channel 5.
Harvey is still with us although I thought he might not be on Wednesday. Two nights in the armchair and I feel like I have sailed the seven seas!! He has had lung problems for about a year for which he has been having meds, (he will be 16 in November) but his heart until Wed. was good. Yes the heat has definitely been a factor even though I have fans on indoors and take lots of precautions with them as Shih Tzu, being a brachecephalic breed, have short noses and some lines have terrible breathing problems, happily my dogs have never been bred to be over short in the nose so they don't as a rule have problems, but age is causing Harvey's current predicament. Anyway today he has had another jab for his lungs and I am giving him his usual meds plus something for his heart which is now much stronger again. His tongue is pinker than it was the other day when it was a nastly shade of bluey mauve. He ate last night when I hand fed him and Jackie, my vet, has devised an inhaler out of a plastice jug with a hole to take a Ventolin inhaler. I place the jug over his face and puff it once then hold it in position for 10 seconds, remove it wait for a minute or two then do it again. So we shall see how things go on. He is still not at a point where a decision has to be made, in no pain and not suffering. He can now lay down again so his lungs must feel clearer. I said to Linda I just cannot keep doing this heartwrenching stuff - I really feel when I lose these dogs I will not be having more........love them as I do it is just so hard to let them go.

[Kath Mulligan]

Poor Harvey, and poor you too; what a rotten time you are having. Your vet sounds like a wonderful lady, much better than Linda's by all accounts! She must be a great support to you when things go wrong with your dogs. I do hope that the latest treatment works for Harvey and gives him an extra lease of life so that he doesn't trot off to Rainbow Bridge just yet.

Am sending an Ambrose Rock wish for you both.

Kath

[Linda]

Oh I just wrote a whole load about our Vet and then thought NO this isnt appropriate when Gloria is having a difficult time with Harvey.

All I can say is - Gloria you are lucky to have a vet who is trying and working with you. Harvey has every chance for his quality of life and care as well as love fro you both. I too wish an Ambrose Rock wish for Harvey and for you too!
I am so glad you have a good vet.

Much love to you both



~ you and Harvey I mean not the Vet! :)



:lol:

[gloria townsin]

Ambrose Rock wishes gratefully received - thank you so much :)
A bit of improvement which is good and he ate last night although only when I hand-fed him, Shih Tzu can be like that if unwell. Although to be fair I don't think he finds it easy to bend his head to eat, I have tried putting his dish higher for him but he prefers me to hand feed him :roll: so that's what I do and am happy to see some food go down. Should have been helping to run the Shih Tzu Club Summer show today but Harvey needs me here to give him his meds and generally keep an eye on him, not my way to let them down but his need was greater today.

[gloria townsin]

I know how fortunate I am with my vet. she has been looking after our animals for over 30 years and it's like going to see a friend which in fact she has become. Over the years she has given me advice on all kinds of things other than veterinary - she is wise and clever and everyone loves Jackie - a while back she used to arrive in her stable yard......no fancy waiting rooms for her........with her three big dogs heads sticking out of the Volvo roof, a Great Dane, Rottweiler and GSD the Lurcher curled up on the seat. It was like a cartoon out of a James Herriott book. As they arrived they would all be barking, hilarious!! Sadly she has recently lost her Rottie and I so wish I had taken a photo when I could.
She has decided that dogs can and do develop asthma as they get older, mainly breeds such as Shih Tzu, but because no research is done on it there are no provisions for it's treatment here, but in America they make a mask for inhalation sprays, hugely expensive and not nearly as much fun as the plastic jug with a hole cut in the bottom. Always get a good cup of coffee at Jackie's as well, I did a bit of dead heading her hanging baskets yesterday while I was there chatting.........that gives you some idea of my vet. without whom Faith would never have survived her illness, she is now bouncing around I am happy to say. :D

[Linda]

WOW!
Gloria...that is some Vet ...would she move to Cornwall...??? she would have a thriving practice if and when we all get there..:)

[Kath Mulligan]

Jackie sounds worth her weight in gold. Perhaps you should copy out these posts, Linda and show them to your vet on the island as an example of how animals and their owners should be treated! :wink:

Kath

[gloria townsin]

Everyone should be lucky enough to have a Jackie in their lives I decided a long time ago. :D

[gloria townsin]

Sad to say that we lost Harvey at 7.15am today. He had a good night although several times I had to look carefully to see he was breathing, and woke this morning and indicated he wanted to go to the kitchen for a drink which he did. I carried him into the garden and he just keeled over from side to side, I brought him back indoors and rang Jackie and said I think he is at the end. I was ready to take him to her and just said I wish he would go quietly here at home and minutes later he did ........ he gave us his lifetime of pleasure and happiness - I had so many happy times with him and lots of fun - his happy nature told me he enjoyed all our excursions too. He was never going to stay with me as when he was born I didn't think I could keep a male and twice I nearly let him go, although I didn't want to. Jeff decided me when he said it he had his own home he would like to keep him, so reluctant was I to let this dear puppy go, that was all it took and he stayed and never once did I regret it. He never sired any puppies, he was much too toy orientated and was deeply in love with my spayed Westie, Kate, who we lost a year ago, I'm sure they are together now. He was the boy I made into a Champion but that isn't what defined him or our life together, a judge wanted to take him to America when he was still young, I said no. He had many a trip to Crufts where he won his class as a youngster. But the fun times inbetween and the days at home give me some happy memories to keep forever. God Bless Champion Redhall Harvey Moon, Moogie to his nearest and dearest.
Thank you for your support and thoughts. xx

[Kath Mulligan]

Oh Gloria, I am so sorry to hear your sad news. I am sure Harvey is now happily running around with Kate at Rainbow Bridge, delighted to see her again. At least you know he died happy at home with you to care for him, he couldn't have been in a better place.

Sending you much love and comforting thoughts and wishes to help you through this unhappy time.

Kath

[gloria townsin]

Thank you Kath you are a dear, I much appreciate your thoughts

[Linda]

Oh Gloria, I just read your post about Jennie and Gerald and sent you an email before I got here and read this! I am so so so sorry. I too am going through a moment which will come shortly with Oscar , teh brave little cat with cancer of the ears. So emotions are near to the surface adn I can feel so readily your loss. I have been sayting to Jeff I wish Oscar could go peacefully without having to call teh vet...I am NOT taking him on a car journey. So I am so pleased that Harvey went at home with you by his side, feeling the love you have for him and knowing he's safe. I believe they do go to a place like Rainbow Bridge and that they are free and happy now, just waiting for us to join them.
Dear Harvey, what a lucky boy he was to have stayed with you and I am sure he knew it.
Hugs Gloria.

[Janet Swan]

Oh Gloria, so sorry to read about Harvey. It brought tears to my eyes and I never met the little sweetie. So lovely that he passed away at home though - that final visit to the vet is so distressing for pet and owner. Perhaps, when you feel you can, you might post a picture of Harvey in your album so we can all see him?

Thinking of you.

Love, Janet

[Linda]

what a lovely idea Janet.

Yes do Gloria!

Linda

[gloria townsin]

There already is a photo of Harvey in my Album in full show coat taken just about the time he gained Champion status, I think the photo was taken for the Shih Tzu book of Champions. Anyway it was taken when he was about 5 years old.
I think in many ways today has been worse than yesterday, despite having the two girls the house feels so empty. Whereas the girls curl up together and only look up when they want something, Harvey never left my side, followed me everywhere. When I was working on the computer he would be sitting at my feet and if I went to the toilet he would be waiting outside the door. Very hard to adjust to. But thank you all so much for your kind thoughts and responses. :)

[Kath Mulligan]

I think all of us pet-loving people on here can understand exactly how you are feeling, Gloria. I vividly remember how empty our house felt after we lost our cat, Cindy. I wasn't working at the time and the house never felt empty when she was in it, even though in her later years, she was often fast asleep on our bed for much of the day, but after we lost her it was just awful. I used to take the girls to school then come home and cry because I missed her so much. For ages afterwards I used to step back very carefully from the cooker when I was doing meat because she had a habit of appearing silently behind me, then rubbing her head against my leg asking for titbits, and I could still feel her there even months after she died.

Am off to your album now to have a peep at Harvey.

Kath

[Mili]

I said to Linda I just cannot keep doing this heartwrenching stuff - I really feel when I lose these dogs I will not be having more........love them as I do it is just so hard to let them go.
Oh Gloria I just read about your loss and I am so deeply sorry. With my Andrew’s condition and his glucose high numbers I have been worried sick and I have repeated many times those same words over and over. When I am done with the last one, I will not have the courage or strength to do it again. I will find the way to give some of my time to beloved cats but will not bring more to my home.
Big hug!
“The holes in our hearts are to let the light shine through.” – Unknown

[Brenda]

May I add my sympathy for the loss of Harvey, too, Gloria. I'm so sorry your little friend is gone. We get so very close to our pets, don't we? It does take some time to get over that feeling that they'll be there when we come in the door. I'm sure you have lovely memories to recall, and I hope they help you feel better.

Brenda

[Mili]

Prayers going up for Harvey, Oscar and all our beloved four-legged children. All we can do is give them all the love and caring there is in our hearts to the last day and dream with that day we ourselves cross the rainbow bridge and reunite.

[gloria townsin]

This is a good place to be when sorrow hits, there are so many lovely people here to give you support and comfort and to know that you identify with how I feel right now is a help in itself. I pity anyone who never has the companionship of a cat, dog, horse or any of God's creatures to hold their warm bodies close to you and just 'be' is to share the most precious time and to speak to those who know that to be true is just as precious. Bless Oscar and I wish for things to be made easy for him, Linda and Jeff. We were indeed lucky in the midst of all the sadness that Harvey was in his own home and was held to the end by Jeff, Eddie and myself. Thank you all for all your words.

[Mili]

"Friendship marks a life even more deeply than love”. – Eliezer Wiesel

“To the soul, there is hardly anything more healing than friendship.” – Thomas Moore

[Sybille Weber]

After my stay in hospital I'm trying to catch up with all the recent posts on the forum and was so sorry and sad to read about Harvey.
My thoughts are with you, Gloria. It is so hard to lose a much loved pet, but it must be comforting to know Harvey had a long and good life together with you.
All good wishes to you, Gloria, in this sad period of your life.

[gloria townsin]

Thank you Sybille it is so good of you to think of Harvey and us when you have so many health problems to contend with. We wish you better health in the very near future.

[Sybille Weber]

Thanks a lot, Gloria.