Suzie Update

Today I dropped Suzie off at the vet to have some current XRays done.     Good news - her lungs look so  much better which means she is responding well to her medication!!!   yay     The vet has also asked that try giving her only 1/2 a tablet once a day instead of twice a day and to monitor how she does.     If her breathing maintains the present state, then she'll only require the single dose.     She will miss the extra spray cheese if this works out.  ;)

The vet confirmed that Suzie should not be considered adoptable so she's basically a hospice dog.   I already knew this was where we were headed, but I've already found a measure of peace with that reality.    He thinks she has at least a year left, maybe more.   I confirmed with the decision makers in our group that I could continue fostering her as a hospice and received the ok.     I was told that the group would only pay for her medication from here on out ... and that terrifies me.    I'm getting clarification but I believe this means no more hospital stays, even if it will prolong her life and no more emergency measures. I guess this is the hard decision making involved in rescue work.   She is going to continue to be listed on Petfinder and Adopt A Pet as an available, special needs dog.

Suzie and Tina ... always close to each other

I also will have to accept the group's decision about her sister ... technically Tina is not hospice and very adoptable.    I personally believe these two 12 year old girls will not survive without each other but unfortunately since I don't pay the bills for our group it's really not my call.   JTK and Tina really  love each other so that's a huge worry for me.     I'm sure you're asking why I don't just adopt the two of them ... I wish I could.    If I had a job it might be possible, but without a job there's no way I can afford the vet bills for these two.   If I can't afford to pay their bills how is it fair that I expect our group to continue paying their bills? 

Even though this is not a matter of blame, I do feel awful about how much they have cost our group.    One of my friends in the group is going to help me do some fundraising via Facebook and Twitter to cover some of their vet bills.    Prior to Suzie's most recent hospitalization, I believe their bills were well over $1,000.00.    I try to reassure myself  by reminding myself that  I'm not the daughter in law of the owner who gave these two girls up in poor health.   At this point, maybe that's why they were given up - because of how much they were going to cost???

Due to situations like this, our group will no longer accept what is considered an "owner surrender" without the dogs being completely healthy, utd on all medical procedures including vaccinations ALONG with a donation.    The person who turned Suzie and Tina over to our group did promise to give us a donation, I even called her up a couple of weeks later and encouraged her to send that in ... but no such luck.    In order to keep rescuing dogs, we can't keep getting in to serious financial binds like this.