Monday, March 28, 2011

the past four months

4 months ago we rescued a stray chihuahua.  we were not planning on adding another dog to our family but the cards had been dealt and with a sequence of events, out of our control, a little chihuahua crossed our path and we couldn't ignore her.  we had to bring her home with us.  when we got her home, i fed her, gave her some water to drink and a bath to freshen her up.  she was so pooped she fell right asleep, clean and full and safe.


the very next day she was at the vet.  she weighed in at 3.3#.  doc estimated her to be 10 months-ish because she still had a baby tooth.  he also said she was emaciated and had mange.  to top everything off, poor little thing was in heat!  poor little nameless doggie.  where did she come from?  who could have neglected her like this?

after our vet visit, we took her to a local groomer to get her nails trimmed.  they were completely overgrown and out of control.  wherever this doggie came from, she was definitely not properly cared for.

well after having her for 1 week, we decided to keep her.  i had thought of taking her to a chihuahua rescue but that wouldn't solve anything.  that would just be adding another dog to the system.  she is so tiny and helpless.  she needs us and the love and attention we can give her.

that same week, i introduced her to my facebook friends and made her the official model of kibblesplace.  oh, btw, we named her bailey.

bailey loves going for car rides in her booster seat and has a wardrobe of harnesses to keep her safe on the road.  she hears the velcro tearing open on her harness and she comes running because she knows she's going out.  we take her to as many places as we can but it is january and a bit cold.  we cant wait for spring!

wednesday 26 january 2011 was the 1 year anniversary of losing our precious kibbles.  though the pain and heartache of this day still cuts like a knife, little bailey is doing her best to keep my mind occupied.

monday 31 january 2011 we had bailey spayed because, well, it's just the right thing to do.  (40% of dogs spayed/neutered live longer lives).  i also had them pull that baby tooth and to trim her nails way down because they were so out of control.  when we picked her up the vet assistant told us her uterus was the size of a great dane.

monday 14 february 2011
happy valentine's day!


friday 18 february 2011 was our follow up visit to make sure her incision healed up properly.  she weighed in at 3.6#.  doc readjusted her age estimation to be 4-5 years, according to the condition of her teeth.  we asked about her uterus and he said it was diseased.  had we left it in, who knows what might have happened.  cancer maybe?  he said it looked as if she had been pregnant in the past but might not have carried to term.

by the end of february it's as if we have a brand new dog.  after her surgery, bailey has become so much more active.  she is bailey 2.0.  she was so quiet and demure and now she is full of life and energy.  she must have been in so much pain with her diseased uterus.  we joke that we want it back in because she's like the energizer bunny that keeps going and going and going.  she can run and jump and chase toys.  none of which she could do before.  she couldn't even eat a cookie by herself.  we had to break it up for her so she could chew the crumbs!

saturday 5 march 2011 was such a nice day, 76 degrees, we decided to take bailey for a walk on historic tree-lined euclid ave.  we didn't measure distance but we did note the time.  we walked for 45 minutes.  we had such a nice leisure stroll, ie no tugging, no struggling, no stress.  she is so good on leash and she's friendly with everyone she meets.

by mid march bailey knows how to sit, shake hands and do a high five!  she knows the routine of our house.  she knows everyday when "daddy" gets home, we go to the den for our coffee time.  she also knows that's when she gets her glucosamine, which she thinks is a treat.  shh, don't tell her it's not.  then it's play time and when we sit down to watch the previous night's recording, she nestles on "daddy's" chest and takes her nap.

thursday 17 march 2011 was st pat's day and the wearing of the green.  bailey spent her day rolling in the clover, as every dog should.  it is so nice to see her healthy and happy.  it is amazing to think of the weak little doggie we rescued less than 4 months ago.  what a dramatic change.  you wouldn't know she is the same dog.  she has made a complete 180.   


happy st patrick's day! 
bailey's on the rocks