A little white dog with a big heart, BonniedaWestie, who had Cushings & SARDS started this blog. She passed over Rainbow Bridge 8th September 2015 after a very short illness. This blog contains information about disabled dogs & blind dogs & where to get help & information. God Bless her beautiful soul. I will miss her and love her forever.
I herd today dat anovva fur haz gone otrb and dis one had been eatin mushrooms. Da fur in qwestion belonged to sumwon famuss, Da Rock, dat big musselly American actor wot starred in da film Da Mummy and stuff like dat. Well he had 2 lickle doggies, Brutus (on da rite) and Hobbs (on da left) boff French Bulldogs.
Sadly Brutus ate a mushroom in da Rock's garden and became vewy ill, the particular mushroom he ate was a deadly one and da toxins started destroyin his liver immediately and nuffin da vet cud do could save Brutus. Sadly he went OTRB in his daddy's arms. As big as da Rock is in statchure he has a heart as big if not bigger for anipals and was broken hearted.
"Taking an opportunity to find light in a darkness of mourning, The Rock wrote a touching caption, memorializing his lost family member and calling the tragic event "another reminder we have to live and love as greatly as we can today, because tomorrow is never guaranteed." Source: thedodo.com
Now int dat wot me bin sayin to yoo all, da Rock is a vewy wise hooman. *nods*
So me got to finkin, and as da Rock a famuss hooman, it woz ideal time to warn yoo and yoor hoomans about da danger ov mushrooms.
I haz got a pdf document here >> Mushrooms Dangerous to Dogs <<
Wich tells yoo all about wot mushrooms iz dangerous, da symptoms ov mushroom poisonin and how to protect yooselfs from eatin dem. Da main fing is NEVA EAT A MUSHROOM not even ones yoo hoomans buy from da supermarkets or grocery stores.
An if yoor garden has mushrooms dat come up evfurry now an agen get yoor hooman to pull dem out, dere's not much dey can do to stop dem growin cuz dere's 10 times more ov da mushrooms underground dan ones ontop, an dey spread hundreds of yards under ground before pokin one or two mushrooms up to da surface. So best juz to pull each mushroom up as it shows itself.
Not all dogs will eat mushrooms tho, but if yoo is one dat snuffles an eats all sorts of fings yoo find out on yoo walks or in da garden, den yoo is da one dats at risk of mushroom poisonin. Fankfully my furbro Mojo dusn't eat anyfing except cat poo and fox poo and stuff like dat, mmm makes me dribble juz finkin bowt wabbit waisins.... But muvver not sure if Gizmo eats dem, so she gotta watch him wen da mushrooms appear in our garden, cus dere's loads of dem come up usually in da spring time. Muvver dunt fink dey poisonous ones but she not a mushroom expurt, an I dunt suppose yoor hoopawrents iz expurts either, so best pick dem all and frow dem away in da rubbish bin.
So here's sum advice regardin mushrooms yoo'd find in yoor garden
Lawn Mushrooms
Mushrooms are fruiting bodies produced by many types of fungi when conditions are right for spores to germinate, such as when the weather is very rainy. Unfortunately, so many kinds of mushrooms appear in lawns that it's often difficult to distinguish poison mushrooms from safe ones without the practiced eye of an expert. For this reason alone, watch your dog carefully when mushrooms are present on the lawn to ensure that the canine doesn't ingest them.
Symptoms of Poisoning
Symptoms of mushroom poisoning can vary in severity, depending on how much and what type of mushroom was consumed. Vomiting, diarrhea and milder symptoms of gastrointestinal upset may occur with only a minor exposure. More severe symptoms, including excessive salivation, agitation, hallucination or even death from liver failure can result if highly toxic mushrooms grow in your yard. Early signs of liver damage in dogs often appears as yellowing of the gums.
Poisoning Care
If you suspect mushroom poisoning in your dog, immediately call a veterinarian. Before you rush to the veterinarian's office, though, collect a sample of the mushroom eaten by your dog. A dog may be convinced to drink water or milk mixed with 1 tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide per 15 pounds of body weight, which will induce vomiting. If any of the mushroom is regurgitated, collect it as well; it may help the veterinarian determine how much of the poisonous mushroom was consumed.
Prevention
It's difficult to prevent mushrooms from appearing in a lawn that contains high amounts of organic matter, but a few simple modifications may defeat them over time. Applying 5 pounds of 21-0-0 ammonium sulfate per 1,000 square feet of lawn speeds decomposition of organic debris. Regularly dethatching and aerating the soil also can modify conditions that help fungi thrive. If your lawn mushrooms persist, you could rake or remove the mushrooms as they appear, before you let your pet on the lawn.
An dunt furget to download da pdf file I put on here, cuz dere's impawtunt info in dat!
Rite dats me news flash ritin ova. Now onto ovver stuff.
Me muvver is getting over losin me so sudden, bless her. She still wells up and cries for me but not so much, I am tryin so hard to heal her heart but want to say a huge fankoo to yoo all my fwends, for bein dere for her and supportin her wif yoor lovely messages. It iz helpin her so much.
Once she back to normal, well yoo know normal for her bahahahaha she gonna start organising my Trust Fund to help pawrents wif dere own pet funerals and stuff. I will keep yooz all updated on dat, cuz it impawtunt innit.
Me furbro Mojo has been to vet twice wiv his ears, dey boff sore inside and he had 2 wks of antibiotics an ear woshes. Muvver takin him back tomorrow for a check up but muvver finks dey iz betta now cuz dey not smelly or anyfing and he not flickin his head no more.
Gizmo is gradually improovin, still a bag ov nerves and muvver sez she dunt fink he will eva be any diffrunt, but he feels safe wif muvver and not qwite so paranoid as he woz. He still flinches wen she goes to stroke him, as if he gonna be beaten, and I dunt fink dat will ever stop either but da longer he wif muvver da more he will trust her and maybe da flinchin will stop evenchewlly.
Me fursista Lily le Puss has taken to sleepin in me bed insted of on da big bed wiv muvver. Not sure wot dat all about, unless she still missin me and me bed full ov my smells so it comforts her. Cuz Lily woz me bestest ever pal and I loved her vewy much and she loved me too so I fink she juz missing me a lot at da momunt.
Well dats about all me news for now, except to say to all yoo hoopawrents dat has lost yoor furbabies da last few days not to worry cuz dey is all up here wif me over da Bridge and dey is all happy, healthy and whole and all playin togevver. But dey sad to see yoo all missing dem so much and dey wish dey could let yoo know dey is okay. So keep wotchin for little signs from dem. Easy to miss, but yoo will notice dem wen dey are sent.
Cud be a white feaver, a rainbow, a favwite toy in a diffrent place, or juz sumfin like a shadow out ov da corner ov yoor eye. But dey will send a sign, trust me, I'm an Angel.
I sayin farewell for now my fwends, I gotta let muvver get on wiv stuff an I got dem angel pups to train up, dey on bed makin duties today fluffin up fresh new clouds for new arrivals and we never know how many dere gonna be each day til dey arrive.
Keep safe my fwends, and rememba I loves yoo all vewy much!
It feels so good to be able to rite to yoo agen, but I muzt apologize for not bein around for da last 2 weeks since passing over Rainbow Bridge.
Dere was fings to do, sorting out me place up here, comfortin me muvver cos she woz unconsoluble cuz she fort me gone furever and juz wanted to touch me fur an kiss me agen, but up here tiz diffrunt, an me had to make muvver understand dat she carn't touch me fur agen, cuz dat woz all part ov me earfly body, an up here we dunt need dem cumbersome old lumps ov fur an bone. We can whiz around wivout dem, wich means we canz run faster and fly! Yes my fwends tiz troo.
Not fly like flappin da wings like burds, but wen someone who loves us or a pal is in need ov our companionship, guidance or help, we iz just dere wiv dem. It's ooba cool my fwends. We canz even be in 2 places at once! Dunt ask me how dat werks, cuz rememba me iz new up here meself. But sum ov da other fur angels told me. An me sisfur Midge who I grew up wiv sed once she lost dat crickety rickety arfriticky riddled body of hers an she arrived up here, she was whizzing round for days, propur dizzy she woz. *rolls eyes* *wispurs* She's quietened down a bit now fank Dog.
An it wos grate to see me kitteh's agen, an all muvvers furbabies wot been here for years. Corse we all young lukin up here, now dat is pretty cool I reckon if we cud bottle dat, we cud make fortune for muvver while she 'down dere'. Eternal yoof is sumfing dem hoomans is always afta. *rolls eyes*
Now today a dear fwend comin to da bridge, she may alreddy be here, I not sure cus it gets pretty crowded sumtimes, depending on how many comes each day and I juz heard dat anovva furpal came wif her.
So me iz dedicaytin dis post today to @PixelDoggy who came OTRB an I fink I see her now fru da clouds, not sure if it her for sure, dere's so many new doggies arriving, but me wavin at her, and by her side anovva furpal @smith_dawwizer dear Tiger who arrived here rather suddenly and unexpectedly for his mummy and daddy, as he had car accident.
To boff sets of pawrents, me wants to say, dat altho yoor hearts iz breakin now, pleeze know dat we iz all togevva here in Rainbow Bridge heaven, and we iz all happy and healthy and whole. An dat wen you fink ov us, we will be dere rite next to yoo, yoo juz won't be able to see us, but yoo mite feel us, a nearness, oh me wish me cud explain it.
An sometimes, but not always we sends signs to our pawrents dat we haz arrived an we wants to comfort dem to let dem know we iz ok and happy, but sumtimes dem signals iz missed in hoomans busy lives, but we duz send dem. May take few days or weeks, even a munf but yoo will see da sign one day and know we is safe and we loves yoo.
My muvva still very sad and altho me finks sumtimes she got ova da shock ov me leavin her so quick and so soon, she still will suddenly start cryin, and da pain gets worse. Itz natural my fwends dey will always miss us, wich is why as me always sayin, yea me knows, here she goes agen *rolls eyes wiv paws on hips* we gotta make da most of time on earf we got togevver, cos none ov us know how long dat gonna be, and den wen da hooman or anipal passes away dey can go in da knowledge dey was much loved.
Some furs not get dat love on earf, da ones wot suffered at hands of da hoomans, or were abandoned not wanted and left to fend for demselves, or even da wild anipals dat never haz hooman love. But wen dey get here dere is love all around, it's like a big ole woolly blanket around us, and we juz snuggle rite down in it and absorb alld at love. Tiz why we can send sum down to yoo all cuz dere so much ov it up here.
I tried to explain how it iz up here for yoo to understand, its difficult fing to do, speshully wen me juz arrived meself, but I hope it gives yoo and yoo hoomans sum comfort my fwends.
I be around an abowt forever now, and all da wile me muvva able to scribe for me.
Now onto earfly fings, iz yoo takin part in Zombie Squad's Pirate Week? Muvva's got me picfur wiv a white pirate's hat on me head, me aunty Hevva made me dat hat. We gotta talk like a pirate wich not always easy bol It's a lot ov fun my fwends, its made me ole muvva smile a few times I see. I woz wotchin ova her shoulder ovver nite an it made me heart sing to know she can smile agen.
Me muvver is gonna be busy soon cuz she setting up a Trust in my name. A non profit fing or summit, I dunt understand, anyway it gonna be called sumfin like Bonnie's Rainbow Bridge Fund. An wot it gonna do is let peepul know dat dey can attend der furbaby's funeral, dey can even see dere furbaby in a lickle chapel ov rest if dey want to, as it's all included in da fee dey pay da vets for cremation or burial at dere local Pet Crematoria/Cemetary. An not only dat, but wen peepul donate to my Trust, da money is going to pawrents who carn't afford to pay for an individual cremation or burial for dere furbaby.
Muvver sez dere's so many pawrents dat would want one, so dey get da ashes back or attend da funeral or even pay to haz dere furbaby buried in proper pet cementary, but cos of dere circumstances can't afford to, so dere furbaby has to go in wiv lots of ovvers and dats not wot pawrents want. So wot Muvver hopin to set up iz da pawrents vet contacts Muvver regardin me Trust and we den pay for da individual funeral or part ov it dependin on da pawrents circumstances. It all gotta be set up propply an linked wiv all da vets in UK and PDSA and stuff. So it gonna take a wile, but Muvver iz werking on it rite now to get it set up, along wiv some ov her hooman fwends.
Now for pals pawrents outside UK da only way we cud help iz by helpin set up a yougivin donation page or sumfing. Cuz pawrents not in fit state to organise all dat wen we furst go over da bridge, so my Trust can step in and do it for dem. Den money available to pay for da funeral.
So it's all very complicated and takin lot ov organising but me Muvvers on it and me will let yoo know wen it sorted and peepuls can make use ov it. We will need fund raisers too, cuz me finks dere will be lots ov pawrents wot will need our help me pals.
Well dats abowt all for now me pals, sorry its a long one tday but me had lots to say. Pleeze send yoor condolences to Pixel and Tiger's pawarents on Twitter, dey need our love now cuz dey iz hurting bad.
Spread da love an be kind to everyfur and hooman. I love yoo my fwends. Bless yoo all.
I haz got all sorted owt in heaven and now me got to help my fwends down on earth.
So wile muvver sortin owt me effureal ritings and fings, I bin sortin owt sum moosic for yoo to listen to.
I love you so much my fwends, fankoo for takin care ov me muvver wile me was on me journey to heaven. I luffs yoo so much for makin sure she woz ok. I worried bowt her but I had to go to heaven. Pssst *wispurs* its rilly nice up here, bacon and sossiges forever an loadsa fwends to play wif. An yoo can haz wotever wevver yoo wantz so if yoo likes to play in da snow yoo juz fink abowt it an yoo gets it. Or sunshine an flowers an dere dey iz rite infront of yoo. Itz amazin.
Dunt ever let yoo hoopawrents be scareded of letting yoo come here cuz it speshul place. I be very happy here but I know me muvver an fwends miss me, an dey carnt see me cuz me an angel, but I iz always wif yoo all an wif muvva, cuz in heaven yoo can be everyware at once. How cool is dat?
Anyway here's couple songs for yoo wot me likes. One is message from me, to remind yoo all I iz always here for yoo, wotever, and second one is just happy one me qwite likes bahahahaha
A Pakistani escort agency in Dubai. I've swiftly deleted the posts, and have had to change the settings so that when people leave a comment, I moderate it before it's posted to the blog.
Please don't let that put you off commenting, and if anyone wants any help to block someone who has spammed their blog they can only block someone who's actually following their blog. And most spammers are smart enough to comment as a guest. About the only thing they are smart about it.
Here is a link to some really useful information about keeping your blog public so everyone can enjoy, and it explains how to protect it from spammers or rather how to deal with spammers that you come across defiling your blog.
I do apologize for this, it would be nice if everyone could just leave a comment or their thoughts, but these days it seems there's always those that want to either ruin something, advertise something, or just be abusive or disgusting all over someone else's property, whether it's in the material world or the virtual world.
I'll be updating Bonnie's blog soon with news of how things are going since she went over the rainbow bridge.
As you know it was Bonnie's funeral yesterday at 1.30pm GMT. When she was taken ill so suddenly on Monday 7th of last week and passed away on the following Tuesday 8th September, I was devastated.
I had been through good and bad with this funny little white fluffy dog, she had fought to stay with me all her life, from puphood to her passing. Always poorly, hardly a month without something wrong, yet she was always happy, smiling with those cute little glossy black lips, and her tail was wagging more than it was still. I loved her to the moon and back, and had swallowed my pride when she was diagnosed with SARDS and Cushings, and had to ask total strangers to help me keep her alive by donating to her vet treatment fund, as I couldn't afford it and couldn't bear the thought of having her put to sleep.
She was so popular on Twitter that her pals and hooman followers alike all rushed to help, it was so touching, so emotional and so wonderful, and I will always as long as I live be ever grateful to each and every one of you for doing that. You kept her alive and she repaid you with her help and advice and her love.
So when she passed away it was not only devastating for me, but for you too. You all loved her, she touched each and everyone of you, and the outpouring of grief and love shown by you I've never seen before.
I didn't feel alone in my grief, you shared it with me, as you had shared her ups and downs throughout her journey of life while you knew her on Twitter. You were and are and always will be very special to me and I will never forget how you have supported me emotionally. It is something quite special.
When dear Bonnie passed away, my world fell apart. I had never mourned a dog as much. Maybe because she was so vulnerable, so brave, so poorly, so happy, or that she suffered those last 24hrs of her short life. The physical pain in my chest was unbearable. As you know I'd already lost 2 cats this year and my brother. I have no other family so my furbabies are my family. And so to lose the most important member of that furbaby family was like being stabbed in the heart.
So in my grief, I wanted to do something so that her short life was not in vain. I'd already dedicated thefureverbook.com to her, not thinking she'd be mentioned in it so soon, and this blog was started to help people with a dog or cat with a disability, or similar conditions to those Bonnie had. And I'm proud to say it has helped many pawparents.
But this was a different feeling, I'm not sure if it was my idea, Bonnie's idea, or a joint effort, but I wanted to show people that they could visit their furbaby's funeral or if they couldn't face seeing them to just attend the funeral. So that's why I took my heart in my hand and gathered as much strength as I could muster, with your help my friends, and decided to go to her funeral. I felt it was something I had to do personally anyway to say goodbye to my very special girl, but also to show others it is possible. I had no idea how much help it would be to my own grief. The change was incredible, as you will read further on in this article.
Some of you will remember that Bonnie had sent me 2 signs that she was ok. My Magnolia Stellata, which had bloomed in the Spring was now in bloom again, I picked a blossom and brought it indoors to press it later so I could keep it along with my other keepsakes of Bonnie. Then I noticed a solitary dandelion seed trapped in a spiders web in the corner of the window, so that too was brought indoors, wrapped in tissue and kept safe. Later I will get a picture frame box to put them in along with a lock of her fur.
I have shared everything with you my friends, since darling Bonnie passed away, for two reasons, firstly to let you know what was happening because you all loved her so and secondly because it helped me in my grief to cope with her loss.
I'd already done the flower arrangement for Bonnie the night before her funeral, some white roses and sunflowers with tiny butterflies on them. They looked lovley. I thought these would be the only flowers Bonnie would have, how wrong I was.
Biddy's mum Shirley arrived at 11.30am. The weather was terrible and I'd been desperately worried about her driving 3hrs to collect me, but thank goodness she'd got here safely.
As Shirley and myself travelled the hour's journey to Penwith Pet Crematorium there had been an accident and the traffic was travelling very slow, at snail's pace. By 1pm we were still crawling along and it looked as if we wouldn't make it in time, so I rang the the Pet Crem and explained where we were and that we were worried we would miss Bonnie's funeral.
The man was very understanding, and told me not to worry because he would wait until we got there. Shortly after, thankfully the traffic began to move more freely.
The weather had now brightened, and was dazzling sunshine wth a bright blue sky with huge white fluffy clouds. We spotted Bonnie in many of them.
We had put the co-ordinates in the sat nav and it seemed to have a mind of it's own. As we got nearer we turned off by it's instructions and ended up driving around country lanes with high banks each side, crammed with wild flowers and grasses still waving their seed heads in the wind. I think we were both worried we wouldn't find the Pet Crem let alone arrive within a reasonable time, but then as we went round a sharp bend in the road, there it was on the right hand side.
The time, amazingly was 1.25pm. How we'd arrived with 5 minutes to spare is a mystery but thank goodness we had.
We turned into the gravel drive, and drove up towards the buildings. We parked outside the wooden barn type structure, alongside the horse orchard. When horses are buried there, they plant an apple tree on each grave, and their names were on slate markers under each tree. A small statue of St Francis of Assisi peeped out out from a brightly coloured flower border at the side of the orchard gate.
As we got out of the car the man came out and welcomed us, and told us some flowers had arrived from California earlier and that they were next to dear Bonnie in the chapel of rest. Thank you @HoneyDogKimura so much they were beautiful and now stand next to Bonnie's casket.
The man opened the chapel doors and there was Bonnie, on a brocade covered bier in a blanket lined wicker basket, wrapped in a brightly coloured crochet blanket. She looked so peaceful, her little head resting on the blanket.
Biddybt went over and stood up to look at Bonnie and pay his respects, it was very touching.
I touched Bonnie's fur, and ears. She was very cold, her eyes were closed and she looked just like she was asleep. As soon as I touched her the grief left me. It was swept away by an overpowering feeling of peace and love. I can't explain it, but it was wonderful. Shirley noticed a white feather caught in the strands of the blanket she was wrapped in and pulled it free and placed it on the blanket by her shoulder.
Shirley read the note from ZombieSquad HQ, which I have videod and will put on Bonnie's youtube channel this week, and then I read my personal note to Bonnie, which Shirley recorded.
We stayed with her for about 20 minutes, telling her about all her friends on Twitter who were thinking of her and helping her over the bridge. It was very special.
I then played the special song for her, but unfortunately the recording didn't work, but it didn't matter, the song was from me to Bonnie and she'd heard it. It was Cliff Richard singing Golden. The words seemed so apt.
We then left dear Bonnie and the man who had left us alone to perform our service, came back and told us it would be 2hrs before we could collect Bonnie's ashes. He asked me what type and colour of casket I wanted for Bonnie's remains, and I chose a dark wood one.
We decided to go to Mousehole to find somewhere to eat or have a coffee, we found a little pub, The Kings Arms in the tiny village of Paul, where we had a packet of crisps and a shandy (beer and lemonade) Biddy came in with us, and we spent a long while in there talking about everything and nothing passing the time. Sadly the pub had finished serving meals when we got there, but no matter, we were happy with our crisps. After that we went into the small ancient church opposite, the Paul Parish Church. We went inside and I took some photo's of the beautiful stained glass windows.
By now it was almost 3.30pm, and so we headed back to Buryas Bridge where the Pet Crematorium was.
Again the confused sat nav took us the wrong way, it kept wanting to send us up muddy farm tracks or into someone's private drive, but we eventually got on the right track and got back to the Pet Crem at 3.45.
While we were waiting we met another lady who was walking in the horse orchard. We asked her if she had a horse buried there, and she said no she was waiting to collect her cat's ashes. We gave each other a hug. I mentioned how wonderful it was to be with our pets right to the end and how much it had made a difference. No more waiting for days from when they passed away, wondering where they were or what was happening to them. Not knowing when they would be cremated and even more importantly when to expect their ashes back. I told her how it had helped me with closure and how I didn't feel the deep searing pain of grief anymore and that I felt happy and full of peace and she said yes thats exactly how she felt.
By this time we had all walked back to the building, and as we came near the chapel the man came out with Bonnies casket in his hands inside a white box, with a small spray of white silk flowers ontop. He apologised as he'd not asked me what I wanted on the brass plaque ontop of the casket and my mind went blank. The sight of the tiny casket sent all thoughts from my mind. My once happy, smiling, tail wagging little fat Westie was now inside that tiny box.
Shirley came to the rescue, bless her heart and said "What about 'My Bonnie'?" I thought that was fabulous and off he went to engrave the little plaque.
After a few minutes he came back, and we put Bonnie in the car along with the beautiful flowers, and headed back towards home. The sun was briliant by now and it had turned into a dazzling day.
As we got halfway home my mobile rang, it was the Pet Crem. A big bouquet of flowers had just arrived and they wanted to catch us before we got too far away so we could go back and collect it.
So we turned around and headed back. When we got there it was a beautiful bouquet from Zombie Squad HQ. Thank you my friends, it was breathtaking. The scent of the lilies was almost over powering in the car going home, and I can still smell them now filling the house with their perfume.
We headed home along the A30 and as we drove there were rainbow upon rainbow, one after the other, as if Bonnie was leading us home. It was amazing. Shirley said "You must have had one hell of a bond with each other, she has sent you so many signs that she is ok. You are blessed." I guess I must be, I've never experienced anything like it before, and doubt if I ever will again. She must have used all her strength in heaven to send me all those signs. Each one filling me with even more love for her.
We hadn't eaten all day apart from the crisps, so we called in to McDonalds and Shirley let Biddy out for a walk and I went in for the Big Macs. I'd had some vouchers through my door, so half the cost was paid by voucher, which was good. We took the Big Macs back to my place, and as I opened the door dear Mojo and Gizmo were so pleased to see us. They had been left 6hrs.
I have never left them that long before, 4hrs being the very most and then very rarely. But they had both been very good boys and rather than rush out to the garden to toilet they were more interested in jumping up and making a fuss of us. Eventually they calmed down and went out into the garden.
Shirley and I ate our Big Macs which were delicious, and then at 7pm Shirley headed home. Not long after the weather turned nasty again and down came the most torrential rain, I was so worried about Shirley but as you know she got home safely.
Last night I was so tired, drained infact. I went to bed, and where I'd not been able to sleep since my darling Bonnie had passed away, last night I slept like a baby. When I woke this morning there was no ache of grief, yes, I'm still sad and still miss Bonnie, but I feel more at peace and happy that I know she did everything she could to let me know she was in heaven and she could once again see, and run around like a pup with all her furpals who had gone there before her.
My friends, please ask if you can be at your pets cremation or burial. It's all included in the price you pay the vet, there's no extra to pay and it really does help the grief and gives you closure.
Bonnie's legacy will be to make this common knowledge so everyone gets the same chance I had yesterday. And I also want to start either a charity or non profit organisation where people can donate and when someone who cannot afford to have their beloved pet individually cremated or buried, they can get financial help from Bonnie's Fund. So she can carry on helping all furs in her memory. But it all needs organising properly, and a couple of dear friends on Twitter have said they will help me get it sorted out.
I'd like to thank you all for the cards, flowers, notes, DM's, tweets, emails everything. I am working my way through them all to thank you individually. They all mean the world to me. Thank you.
Well my friends this is not goodbye from Bonnie da Westie, this is just farewell. She has far too much love for her many friends to disappear into the clouds over Rainbow Bridge forever.
She will still be helping others, remember when there's a storm, the thunder will be her clattering about with her bedpans, and the lightening is just the storm flashing off those glitturball nickurs of hers and if there's hail stones, well they're just the lumps in her emena's she's throwing away. She will be all around us everywhere, popping up with something to remind us of her, and on a still quiet day you may even hear the twang of those heavenly rubber gloves.
So please don't feel sad about her leaving us, but please celebrate her life. She wouldn't want you to be unhappy, she always wanted to make you smile, and that's what she wants now. Be happy she is an angel, and remember her with happiness, she will always be in our hearts.
Once this old heart of mine has healed a bit more, she will be back as Angel Matron, helping other furs and people, and making us smile again. Because that's just what she does best. And we all love her for it.
Tomorrow I will see you for the last time my baby in your earthly form.
I know your little body is just an empty husk and your soul is now soaring high over Rainbow Bridge, please know I will hold you safe in my heart until we can be reunited again.
You had a short but happy life, and I will ensure that your legacy helps other furs and pet parents. You will not be forgotten my lovely, you will live on in the hearts of many for you were much loved.
Tomorrow will be hard for your muvver, but Biddybt and his mum will be with her. And together we will stand strong in the shadow of your love as you pass into Heaven and your earthly body is turned to dust. You will light the skies, you will be the morning and the evening star, shining for all eternity.
All your friends and even those who you had never met will be there in spirit sending strength to your muvver and oceans of love to her, and their love will help your spirit soar high and free, for they all loved you so much and will never forget you.
The outpouring of grief and of great love I have never seen before on Twitter, which was your virtual world, somewhere you could help others either by giving them a furry shoulder listening to their problems, a kind paw when they were sad, sending a prayer when they were sick, and making them laugh every day, bringing sunshine into their lives. You have touched so many and given so much.
We will all be there tomorrow, a gathering of like minded souls who will come together to say farewell to one of, if not the most loved little dogs ever, and I am so proud that you were mine.
I wanted to do something in in my angel's memory. I had already made the fureverbook and dedicated it to her, not knowing she would go so soon. I wondered if doing that had prompted God to take my baby so suddenly. I know it sounds ridiculous but that's what crossed my mind.
After losing Bonnie on Tuesday, there was a lot of uncertainty as to when I would get her ashes back, or even which day she would be collected from the vet's mortuary and taken to the crematorium. I'd chosen an individual cremation for her. The vet told me she would be collected Friday, so was unsure when she would be cremated and when the ashes would be returned to them so I could bring her home. This only made everything more painful to bear. Where was my baby, when was she going to be cremated, so many questions, questions that no petparent needs when they are grieving the loss of their furbaby.
I rang the pet crematorium to find out if she had been collected from the vets mortuary on Friday as expected and when I could expect her ashes, the vet had said it would be either Tuesday or Friday. It's always a mystery where they are, when they are actually cremated and when you can get the ashes. So many uncertainties.
The very kind man who I spoke to yesterday (Friday) said she was there and asked me if I wanted to attend the cremation. I said I didn't know that was possible and he said yes it was and a few pet parents often attend their furbabies funerals. The crematorium can also get the furbaby ready and the petparents can visit them in the chapel of rest before the service. Yes the crematorium holds a little service before the body is taken away to be cremated.
I didn't know that either, and the man said they always have a little service before cremation, whether the furbaby is cremated individually or amongst other furbabies who's petparents can't afford an individual cremation.
I was amazed. Why isn't this made available to all petparents who's furbaby has died, it gives comfort and closure to them and eases the pain of losing them a little.
The man said he would rearrange his list and Bonnie's 'funeral' would be at 1.30pm on Monday. To give me time to get there from where I live. He asked me if I wanted to see her before the commital and I said yes I would, so she will be put in a little basket on a fluffy blanket and he said she will just look as if she's asleep and I can say my goodbyes and have closure. So that's what I'm going to do.
Once they take her after the service, I can either wait in their waiting room, where they provide coffee, or if weather permits walk around the gardens of remembrance. It takes 2hrs from the commital.
My dear friend @Biddybt's mother, and Biddy are driving 3hrs to go with me, and we will give Bonnie the send off all loved pets deserve and bring her ashes home with us. I am so grateful to Biddy's mother, she is a rock and a wonderful friend and I love her very much. I hope I can repay her kindness but in a more happy way when or if she needs a good friend.
I want to set something up in my darling Bonnie's memory that will help petparents who want to attend their pets funeral, and help them arrange it, as we are all in no state emotionally to ask if it is possible. I'd also like to tie in with that, some sort of charity that people can donate to so that if anyone needs an individual cremation or pet burial, but don't have the funds to do so, there will be the money to pay for it. Its heartbreaking enough to lose a pet, and if you have to let them go amongst other furbabies when you'd much rather have their ashes back or want or need to give them a dignified send off by attending their funeral, then there will be somewhere to go for advice and help.
It's really brutal emotionally when they are put to sleep at the vets, They pass over the bridge and then they're taken away by the vet. We are emotional wrecks and leave them there, not knowing what is going to happen to them. We don't know when they will be collected, when they will be cremated or buried, and when we will get their ashes back if that's what we want. We are in no state to ask, we are consumed with grief and sobbing our hearts out, and we have to walk out and leave them behind not knowing what is going to happen to them.
So for a week and sometimes longer we're grieving terribly and mourning our furbabies, until we get a call from our vet to say the ashes can be collected. Then we have the pain all over again, after some healing has taken place the few days previous, the heartbreak comes back again with the tsunami of tears as we collect them from the vet.
From euthenasia to receiving the ashes or the 'funeral' we have no idea whats happening to them or when. And that makes the grieving so much the worse. We don't get proper closure and our furbabies aren't treated with the respect in death that they deserve.
We have funerals for humans, so why not animals? We attend human funerals and although we are terribly upset, we can get closure after the terrible ordeal of losing them, whether we lose them suddenly or over time, by accident or from illness.
So I want to set up something in memory of dear Bonnie. There are many charities for different things, disabled pets, blind dogs, animal rescues, but there's nothing to fill that gap from losing them to accepting they are over the bridge at peace, no knowledge out there or advice on how we can attend their cremation or burial at the pet cemetary we can give them the send off they deserve and receive comfort and closure by doing so. Which inevitably will ease the heartache and grief we feel.
Even now, although I have been in such deep deep depths of sorrow and grief, and had periods of uncontrollable sobbing and weeping, once I knew I could see my baby again and send her off with prayers and poems and with the love I've given her all her short life, it has given me great comfort. And I know she is in Heaven looking down and approving.
If anyone who lives near or not too far from Penzance in Cornwall want to attend her funeral, please feel free to come, she would have approved and I would so love to see you there at her final journey.
If you would like to show your respect for her I think she'd like donations to an animal charity. I would like donatons in the UK to the PDSA because from the beginning of our journey through her short life, I didn't have the funds to pay for her vet bills, and the PDSA help petparents when they need help the most, when their furbabies are poorly.
After I moved house, I was unable to get help from the PDSA as none of the vets in my area would accept her as she was so poorly, which was very upsetting as my baby needed veterinary help so often, and I had no cash to spare to cover it. It was then that I opened the yourcaring page for her when she was first diagnosed with SARDS and then shortly afterwards Cushings, and she was able to survive because her dear friends and their parents donated to her vet meds fund. Thank you my friends for that.
If you live in America or Canada, perhaps you could donate to the similar organisations there.
Here are a couple of links to American and Canadian organisations that help with vet bills. The Humane Society USAPaws USA
I'm sure if you search on Google there will be a charity that helps with bills. I hope there is one there that can help you.
I know that once she has sorted out everything in Heaven she will be back to Twitter as Angel Bonnie, she wll continue her blog to help petparents and furs as much as she can, and we will at least have our Angel Bonnie once again in our lives as she rattles those bedpans and twangs those rubber gloves in Heaven.
The outpouring of grief and love on Twitter since she was taken ill on Monday, her passing on Tusday and since, has been overwhelming, she meant so much to so many. I am extremely touched by people's kindness and support, and an opening of hearts who have gone through the same thing either recently or in the past. I have heard some heart wrenching stories from still grieving petparents, and hav cried for them too.
The support has been so wonderful and I will be eternally grateful for your kindness and caring.
To my beautiful fur angel you will constantly be in my heart and thoughts.
Bonnie never really had a long healthy life, from day one she was ill and she fought to survive and I fought alongside her.
She was always happy, wagging her tail, rolling on her back and showing those 7 nips of hers, and never complained with whatever life threw at her, she just battled on regardless just happy to be alive and be loved. Even when she lost her sight she was still cheerful a few days after it had happened, when she'd got used to her black world. Blindness came quickly for her as it does with most SARDS dogs. So there wasn't time to adust, but that didn't phase her.
I thought I'd share her life story, I posted a shorter version on thefureverbook.com website but not everyone will see it there so will post it here for her pals.
It's not a sad read, it just lays out her life from being a sickly puppy mill pup to now.
My darling will return to her blog and to Twitter, once my heart has healed, but at the moment it's too painful. And she needs to adust to her new life over the Bridge. After all she's got all those angels to sort out and getting them to polishing all those heavenly fermometas and bedpans, and making sure they can mix up a good emena or poltiss.
Bonnie's Story
Bonnie da Westie - 28th August 2008 - 8th September 2015
I got Bonnie when my old collie was 14, Midge was almost blind, senile, incontinent, and deaf. But she was my soul mate through so many traumas in my life. Midge actually lived another 3yrs after I got Bonz. She went over the Bridge at the grand old age of 17yrs.
I wanted to get another dog before Midge passed away, to help ease the loss because Midge and I had gone through so much together and I knew I would be devastated as we'd been together since she was a 6week old pup.
I'd seen a litter of Westies advertised locally and went to look at them. There were only 2 pups left Bonnie and a little runt of the litter. I actually liked the look of the little runt, but thats me, always feeling sorry for the poorly one and wanting to mother and nurse it. But Bonnie immediately came over to me and grabbed my handbag, she was a diva even at that age. She dragged it away under the table where I had to recover it.
The breeder showed me her mother, running around in the yard with a mixture of other breeds, but I didn't see her father. Her mother looked ok, and all the dogs looked happy enough. Infact it looked a bit like a farm yard but with ducks, chickens and dogs instead of cattle.
I paid the money and got the roughly written out pedigree, which I wasnt bothered about, and it turns out it wasnt worth the paper it was written on anyway.
I scooped Bonnie up into my arms, where she started licking my neck straight away something she carried on throughout her life. As I was getting into my car the breeder called out, 'oh and she's got a bit of diarrohea, they all have, but that could be the feed.'
When I got home it was more evident that it wasn't just diahorrea, it was something more serious, so I took her into the vet to get checked out.
To cut a long story short, she was backwards and forwards to the vets, during the day, during the night, for the next few months. I almost lost her several times. At first they thought it was parvo, then they didn't know what it was, and finally after several poo samples over a period of a few weeks, they discovered it was Giardia. Those were terrible dark days, never knowing if I would still have her from one day to the next.
Giardia is a parasite that lives under the mucus membrane of the gut, and it's life cycle isn't regular, so it's very hard to diagnose. It causes havoc with the gut and in Bonnie's case left it weak and prone to infections, and there was some scarring too.
Eventually she got over it with medication, and I had to be careful that the other pets didn't catch it and myself also.
I found out about a year or so afterwards when I bumped into Bonnie's sister, that the whole of Bonnie's litter, her brothers and sisters had all died apart from her and one sister. All had Giardia. What happened to her mother I don't know. But if the pups had it then the mother surely did. It was terrible news. It was pure accident I bumped into Bonnie's sister, she and her mother were waiting outside Tesco's and she looked identical to Bonnie. So I mentioned I'd got a little Westie girl too and we got talking and the lady said where they had got 'Holly' and we both knew they were related. Whether Holly is still alive or not I don't know. I hope she is. And I hope she's healthy.
After Bonnie became a young adult, she still couldn't hold her wee all night, and it wasn't a case of her being lazy or not becoming house trained. So all her life up til last January I had to put down puppy pads all around the floor in the bedroom for her to use, and she'd wee maybe 2 or 3 times in a night. The vet couldn't find a cause for this and said it would be best not to spay her as that could make her even more incontinent.
I think she must have had Cushings a lot longer than just a few months, she was diagnosed in January this year. Because she'd always had a weak bladder and a few other symptoms.
The year before moving house (2014) she was seriously ill. She had a raging infection in her mouth and in her gut, which they couldn't control, then she had a false pregnancy at the same time with milk. She was just getting over all that when she developed pyometra and had to be spayed. They hadn't spayed her before because they said it would make her incontinence worse. I was worried that she wouldn't be well enough for me to move house. But she was. The little soldier that she was fought hard and got better.
Then end of last year I noticed she was bumping into things and laying around a lot looking depressed. It just suddenly happened. So I took her to the vet who made an appointment with their eye specialist. He said he thought she had SARDS, I'd never heard of it, and he explained its a disease that causes the optic nerve to die and blindness and can cause blindess as fast as overnight in some cases. He said he wanted Jim Carter the top leading opthalmology specialist to take a look at her.
I asked how much would it cost, as I didn't have much money, and he said around £800.
I burst into tears. I didn't have even a fraction that much money. I was devastated thinking I was going to have to have her put to sleep. After speaking to some friends on Twitter they told me to put up a youcaring page for Bonnie, but I wasn't keen. They said as she'd helped so many others by raising money for charity it was their turn to help her. So reluctantly I put the youcaring page up and the next morning there was £2,500 in it.
She saw the specialist who had to sedate her to put the electrodes on her eyes, and test reaction to light and electrical impulses and it confirmed she was totally blind.
Jim Carter the specialist asked if she'd been tested for Cushings, I said yes last year but it was clear. She'd had that test when she had the gut infection trouble. He said to get the vet to do a more involved Cushings test as dogs with SARDS can also have Cushings.
So I made the appointment with my then vet and the second test in was done in January this year and proved positive.
She was started on Vetoryl to treat the Cushings, but not until several expensive ACTH tests, to check what level of drugs she needed and if it was controlling the disease. They said Vetoryl will give her a better quality of life, and stop her drinking so much, peeing so much, and make her feel better. Although one of her vets said he recommends no treatment as Vetoryl is so powerful and aggressive, which it has to be to keep the tumours shrunk, that it causes problems with their bodies.
So she was started on Vetoryl. And again her pals on Twitter donated money regularly so that I didn't have to pay much for her ACTH tests and meds. Without their help I would have had to have had Bonnie put to sleep.
She seemed fine on the Vetoryl, and she only just recently had another ACTH test, 6mths from being diagnosed. It was good and so she remained on the low dose of Vetoryl without needed an increase. I was so happy.
Then of course she was suddenly taken ill Monday with IMHA, caused in part to Vetoryl, but not totally it did contribute to it though.
And the rest you all know. She was gone in 24hrs.
I am devastated with grief, and I felt guity that she had been in the vets all Monday and Monday night and Tuesday and was there frightened, blind, being poked and pushed about by strangers, and feeling so very ill and in pain. I felt she might think I had deserted her as we'd never ever been parted before. The thought of her laying in the vets wondering what was going on and why I'd deserted her when she needed me most played on my mind, and still does. A friend on Twitter said a vet once told her that dogs don't think like us, they live for the moment, so the time she was in the vets were just moments in time, and that when dogs are sick they turn into themselves and don't think about anything other than either getting better or dying.
This has made me feel a little better but the thought still haunts me and makes me feel bad, but at the time, I thought I was doing the right thing as I put my trust in the vets, and I know it was the right thing. No-one expected her to die when she was first ill, and she was in the best place to get better. With the vet.
I don't know why we beat ourselves up, but I've always fought for Bonnie, and always tried to do the right thing for her and I think I'm trying to convince myself that I did do the right thing, and that the pain of losing her is blurring my judgement.
She went so quickly nothing could save her. It was her time.
So this is her story
She never had a normal life like most dogs, she was always poorly, she was a puppy farm pup which probably explains it.
But I always put her first, sacrificed for her, and gave her as much love as I possibly could plus some. I fought for her and fought with her during her health battles and we were soul mates and the bond between us was so strong. She was a special girl.
I wanted to dedicate thefureverbook.com website to her and also this blog, so that her suffering wasn't for nothing.
By allowing people to join her on her short life story, she could teach us all how to cope in life, how to live life to the full, how to love everyone, how to help each other, and how to realise that life is very short, and life is unpredictable, we don't know what is around the corner, and we don't know how long we are her for.
I tried to put everything I could find about SARDS and Cushings on her blog to help others, with links to useful sites with information about how to look after a blind dog, and that just because they're blind they can still enjoy life. I wanted somehwere people could go to find everything they needed in one place, instead of panicking like i did and rushing around looking and gathering information when their furbaby lost it's site or got Cushings. I hope it's helped people going through the same situation I did with Bonnie. Knowledge is very important, because Cushings in particular is such a devastating disease and the treatment can also be devastating as I have found out.
Knowing what I now know, I wish I hadn't allowed her to have treatment for the Cushings. Because the Vetoryl did contribute to the IMHA but with hindsight everything in life would be better wouldn't it. We do what we think is best at the time, and we can do no more.
As she said on this blog, life is like a dandelion. Each part of our life blows away like a seed from a dandelion, until all the seeds are gone. Sometimes they go slowly one at a time, and sometimes something happens and the seeds that are left are blown away in the wind all at once.
Bonnie's seed's were blowing away pretty quickly, and the few that were left all blew away on Tuesday when her little soul flew to Heaven.
She took most of my heart with her but her legacy will live on with thefureverbook and her blog still helping others even though she is over the Rainbow Bridge.
Bonnie was put on this earth for a reason, and through her suffering she has taught us all important life lessons. She didn't suffer in vain. She gave us all a gift. Each gift was different and to be treasured. She will be remembered and loved for a very long time.
There will never be another Bonnie, and I could never replace her. The physical pain in my chest and the grief at the moment seems too much to bear I pray to God it will soon ease.
I'd also like to say I knew she was popular on Twitter, and I know a lot of people loved her, but what I didnt know til now was the hundreds of people that have dm'd me to tell me that she touched their lives in such a way that she made their lives better or she helped them cope with certain issues in their lives and she showed everyone what life should be about, to love one another and to live for the moment.
And I'd like to thank all those people, all her friends, for loving her, laughing with her, sharing her problems, and for supporting her and allowing her to live through donating to her meds fund for which I will be forever grateful, I really am. Because without your help I would have had lost her back in January because I just dont have the funds to pay for all the tests, treatment or medication that she needed, and you dear friends kept my Bonnie alive. Thank you and God bless you all for that.
And finally thank you for your support now she has gone, helping me cope with my grief, checking in on me via Twitter or emails and showing me that you love me as you did Bonnie.
I love you all and I know Bonnie did and still does love you all too.
As promised I have written this update for everyone to know how Bonnie's last days were.
It's been painful to do, but she gave so much to so many and touched hundreds of lives and made them a little bit better in her special funny friendly way.
You have all given me such emotional support while Bonnie was sick and after she went OTRB, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart, you have given me strength when my world fell apart yesterday.
I was devastated to lose Bonnie.
She was unwell Monday morning and had trouble walking as if she didn't have the strength. She'd not been jumping around on the bed for me to lift her down when I woke up in the morning, and when I put her on the floor she just stood there. It was an effort for her to put one paw infront of the other. I rang the vet and took her in at 9.20am. She had a full blood panel and they said they wanted to keep her in for the afternoon to do an ultrasound scan and some Xrays. When I rang later in the afternoon the vet told me she had deteriorated and they wanted to keep her in overnight to monitor her.
I rang them at 10.30pm and the nurse said she was stable. However in the morning things had taken a turn for the worse yet again, and Bonnie's red blood cell count was down from 25 the night before to 15. She had more Xrays and more blood tests. It wasn't the Cushings, she had been doing really well and had only just had her latest ACTH test which was brilliant and she could stay on the low dose. I was pleased at the time her ACTH results were so good, I had no idea what was about to happen.
But this wasn't the Cushings, it was something far more deadly. After many full blood panels, scans and Xrays they discovered she had developed IMHA, a disease which makes the immune system attack and kill the red blood cells. As you may know the red blood cell count for dogs should be a minimum of 59 up to about 65 I think, not sure. Bonnies was 25 on Monday evening, 15 on Tuesday morning and when I got to see her in the afternoon it had dropped again to 12. They tried everything in their power to stop the disease but nothing was working, she was on several drugs, fluids to stop her dehydrating and drugs to stop her blood clotting, and drugs to line her stomach to protect it from the drugs that they were pumping into her.
When they brought her to me in their arms she was totally out of it, awake but so full of so many drugs to try and save her she was really not with it. She didnt get excited when she saw me infact I don't think she knew where she was. I was so shocked, the vet had warned me beforehand to be prepared. She had lots of pipes and canulas in her arms and tummy. The vet told me she was also now on pain meds as she was in pain by then too. And she'd been sick earlier.
I had psyched myself up that I wasn't going to sob when I saw her I didnt want her to go with the sounds of me sobbing in her ears, I wanted her to go in peace. God it was so hard. My chest was aching with the effort of holding all that emotion inside. I was gasping for breath half afraid it would come out as a sob, and how I held back the floods of tears I shall never know. God must have been with us then, to give me the strength.
They laid her on the floor on her blanket and I got on my hands and knees and supported her chin. She didnt have the strength to lift her head.
The vet explained that there was no more they could do as she was sinking so rapidly but they could try a few more days with different meds but the overall outlook wasn't good. It broke my heart to see her in such a state, and I didn't want her to suffer anymore.
I told the vet no, I wasn't going to let her suffer anymore. If they did by some miracle save her, which the vet said was highly unlikely, she would be on more meds for the IMHA as well as the Cushings and the SARDS. But the vet said I was making the right decision, as nothing seemed to be working to stop the disease, it was so aggressive.
I held her close and stroked her talking to her, and when the vet went for the syringe Bonnie perked up and her ears twitched and she lifted her head slightly to let me know she knew I was there. I'm so pleased she did that. She heard me, and she felt safe and she knew she could go over the bridge while I was there.
I told her I loved her so much, and that all her Twitter friends were sending love and prayers, and then told her that she would soon have a lovely sleep and feel no more pain. Tears started rolling down my cheeks, and I didn't want them to fall on her fur so she knew I was upset, but I think she knew. We had such a bond that we knew each others thoughts and emotions.
The vet came back and put the syringe into the canula on her arm, and listened to her heart. After only 1 mil of the fluid she had gone.
The vet was amazed that after only 1 mil she had gone so quickly, and I said 'She was just waiting for me to come and say goodbye.' And I firmly believe that. She had been so close to death but was hanging on to see me before she left.
I stayed with her for about 15 mins, still talking to her, sobbing my heart out, stroking her, kissing her. I didnt want to leave her. She was so special and still is.
I wrapped the blanket around her, and my friend Angela called to the vet to come for Bonnie, and they took her away.
I have arranged to have her collected on Friday for cremation and hopefully get her ashes back Tuesday. She will then be put with old Midge the collie who loved her, and Sophie and her kittens.
And when it's my time to join them, I want their caskets of ashes put in with me so we are all scattered together.
Poor Mojo is missing her a lot, and keeps looking for her, but I expect he'll get over it a lot quicker than I will. And Gizmo doesn't seem to miss her at all, but then he didn't live with us until 2 or 3 mths ago, while my brother was in hospital.
I've lost so many this year, Sophie puss, Tootsie puss, my brother and now darling Bonnie.
Once my heart has healed a little, I'll put all my love into Mojo, Gizmo and Lily le Puss. They are a comfort to me, but at the moment I am too devastated to think of anything but my darling Bonnie. She was so special.
There will never be another little dog, with such a big heart, that touched so many people with her love and compassion, she is irreplacable.
With hindsight I wish I had never allowed her to have treatment for her Cushings. The drug she was on, Vetoryl is very aggresive, it has to be, and it wreaks havoc with their bodies to control the Cushings tumours.
Although I'm not blaming Vetoryl totally, it was contributory to her contracting the disease that was killing her IMHA. About IMHA
As you will see from that link, IMHA can be caused by several things, and sometimes dogs just get it for no reason, and West Highland Terriers are in the selection of breeds that are prone to it more than others.
Some dogs can survive with treatment and need medication the rest of their lives, but some like Bonnie who has other health issues, stand no chance and the disease takes hold within hours and kills them.
Please read the link about IMHA and check the symptoms and if you are in any doubt at all, whichever breed of dog you have, please get a full blood panel work done and ask your vet to check for IMHA. You could save their lives.
Even vaccination and heart worms, medications and all sorts of things can cause it. So being aware is much better than hoping it never happens.
Bonnie's gums were white. After I'd taken her into the vets on Monday, I saw them and was shocked, they had no blood in them at all, and Bonnie always had flame red gums that always looked inflammed and sore. So it was quite a shock to see them as white as paper.
There will never be another dog like Bonnie, as I said she's special and I wanted to make the most of her life, give her the best I could, always put her first, and use her to help other people in any way she could for whatever reason they needed a friend.
Her blog will continue once I have done my grieving, I'm not sure yet whether to carry on with her as Bonnie over the Bridge, or let Mojo take over. But it has too much useful information and I will still dig around and find things to put on here that will help other furs in anyway I can.
Last week I made her website the fureverbook last week, and dedicated it to her, a place for anyone to leave a note, tribute, light a candle, or just talke about the loss of their pet. I had no idea it would have been used for her so soon. But it's her legacy to all furs and hoomans as a place that will remain furever on the internet for people to leave a memorial or a prayer for their beloved pets.
So please if you want to use it please do, in memory of my beautiful Bonnie. There are already a few memorials there from others to remember their beloved furbabies. Bonnie would be so pleased to see it being used.
I wanted her to still help others, after she went, and I hope she can. She's now in heaven watching over us all. Wearing those glitturball nickurs of hers and dazzling all the angels with them.
And if it ever gets so busy it needs a better more professional website, then I'm sure we can raise the money to pay for some high flying professional software writer to produce a proper website so it can go on for years even after I've joined Bonnie.
Thank you, all of you for travelling with Bonnie and myself on this journey. She was only diagnosed in January with Cushings and it's been a wonderful 6 months with her until recently. I wouldn't change anything for the world other than to have her whole and healthy.
She was a little white puppy farm dog that fought all her life with so many illnesses from the moment she came into my life, yet she was brave, happy and funny almost up to the end and I will love her forever.
And when you see a dandelion think of her and what she taught you. That life is fragile, and none of us know how long we have, like a dandelion losing its seeds in the wind, our lives unfold. Make the most of every day, every minute and every second. And live life to the full with never a bad word to anyone.
Hello dudes and dudettes, it's Mojo here, Bonnie da Westie's furbro.
I haf permishon to post on her blog wile she is indisposed so I can keep yoo updated on her recovery.
As yoo all know, or most of yoo do, she was admitted into vets yesterday and they did lots of X-rays and tests and blood tests and fings to find out why sisfur woz so ill.
They discovered that the drug she was takin for her Cushings, Vetoryl had given her another disease called erm... *rummages thru paperwerk* aahh here it is.
Autoimmune hemolytic anemia, or immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA)
I not sure if dey can cure dis disease or wevva sisfur will haf to haf treatment rest ov her life for it, but dey can try an controls it.
Da vet lady juz phoned an we iz back down in da dumps agen. Vet lady sed Bonnie's red blood count has dropped significantly dis morning from 20 to 15, so dey puttin her on an addishonal drug as well to try and stop her immune system killin her red blood cells. Additional drug called Atopica, so she now on that as well as Prednisone, Cyclosporine, an anti blood clotting drug and some other drugs.
She also had a pancreatitis test, wich woz negative, but vet lady sed it not a reliable test, but they wanted to rule out pancreatitis as well as IMHA.
The vet lady said she not good. She has deteriorated dis morning. Muvver is so upset agen I cuddle her. Dey not 100% sure it Vetoryl dat caused dis new disease now, and sed dis morning it cud be a number ov reasons she has developed it, but it does point to da Vetoryl but dey said da Cushings cud haf been maskin it. It so difficult to know. Dere is 2 types of IMHA, one is primary and one is secondary and its difficult to find out wich one sisfur got.
Pleeze keep praying for my sisfur.
Muvver wasnt goin to visit her today cus it might upset sisfur, but I fink she going in now s'aftanoon incase Bonnie goes over da bridge and muvver not see her before she goes.
So hard for muvver to know wot best, if it best to stay away and let Bonnie fight to get well or to visit incase she loses her fight.
We iz all heartbroken. I mite never see my sisfur again.
Someone has asked some advice about da 2 diffrunt designs of Halo Coat dat are availuble for us blind dogs, and Muvva tried to answer da question on da article page, but reply was too long and Muvva couldn't abbreviate it cos dere iz impawtunt points to mention for boff coat designs.
So we iz puttin dis review here for peepul to read.
Here it is:
HALO COATS REVIEW
This review is to help people who are considering buying a halo coat for their blind dog.
There are pro's and con's for both designs and I've tried to point them all out in this review to help you decide which design would be best for your dog.
I don't put either of the Halo’s on Bonnie at home, it's best she learns how to navigate herself, she got confused when she couldn't bump into things to learn where they were because the halo stopped her touching things with her nose. Dogs use their sense of smell more to navigate than any other sense, so they don't really need a halo coat indoors, nor in their own garden, as long as there's no spikey bushes or twigs that can stick in their eyes, I find Bonnie's happier in the garden without the halo coats on. And she's learnt where the bushes are and any obstacles like plant pots or walls.
Jim Carter, Opthalmic Specialist she see’s for her SARDS explained that in the home it’s best she doesn’t wear any aids for her blindness, as dogs find their way around by smell, and each thing in the house has its own unique smell, so even if you move furniture around they know it’s been moved. As long as you don’t move things around every week that is. Jim’s the top guy in the UK for veterinary opthalmology and lectures at Bristol University as well as holding clinics in the south of the UK. I’m very fortunate that he also holds a regular clinic at my local vets every 2 weeks. So when she needs her six monthly checkup its not a major road trip to get her seen.
I find she’s a lot happier in the home not wearing either of the halo coats. When I first tried them on her in the house she was totally confused and got a bit stressed too. Without them, she learnt her way around very quickly, and now you wouldn’t even know she was blind apart from that funny little thing they do like going around things extra wide, instead of just passing close by. I suppose they know things are there, but not how far or close they are.
So she only wears her halo when we go out and in new places where she hasn't learnt her way around, or visiting friends houses. She feels better with the halo's on then as it gives her more confidence and she feels safer.
Here’s my findings on both designs, I hope it helps.
INDIVIDUAL REVIEW
The Halo For Paws Jacket style
The Halo wire isn’t as rigid as the Muffins wire, so bends out of shape easily and I find very difficult to get the right shape back. So sometimes it’s a bit lop sided.
The problem with this is, if the wire is not adjusted properly, it tends to graze across the eyes when the she turns her head, which can scratch the eye or damage it, as the design of the coat brings the halo wire close to the dogs head and it can bend or become eye level rather than just above the eyes. So you have to be very careful when fitting it to your dog that the wire is bent up and well away from the eyes. From the front there’s no way the wire can touch the eyes or the nose if you’ve bent it into shape properly. You can also adjust the wire as to the amount of wire infront of the nose.
The coat itself is a good design, disregarding the halo for a moment, once it’s on it’s on and there’s a loop to fit a leash so it’s like a harness. It doesn't wrap the dogs body as well as the Muffins coat, but it's a firm fit. It's also not as long as the Muffins coat, but that could be my bad measurements when ordering the coat.
Another problem with this coat is that you can’t detach the halo, so if you’re out somewhere and don’t need the halo, like in the car or indoors somewhere other than at home, the halo wire gets in the way and can knock into or get caught up in things and that confuses Bonnie.
Bonnie is happy wearing the jacket halo but unfortunately having both SARDS and Cushings, both conditions cause her to put on weight, so the jacket is very tight and she can’t wear it now. I have considered making a new jacket but not plucked up courage yet as it looks a bit complicated.
Muffins Halo
I can’t really think of anything wrong with the Muffin’s halo the halo is detachable so convenient if you're in the car it's easier to stick the wings and halo on when you get out of the car or if you're anywhere your dog doesn't need the halo itself you can just take the wings and halo off easily in seconds.
The halo is high above the eyes, so no way can the wire get anywhere near the dogs eyes. So in that respect it’s better. You can also adjust the length of the halo on this design. And if the halo sticks out too far infront and looks more rectangular than round, it's easy to bend into a rounder shape. It keeps it's shape a lot better than the jacket halo does being made of stronger materials.
I do find the jacket part gets grubby so I’ve made a couple of new coats after sourcing coloured denim and extra wide velcro. They were pretty easy to make using the original as a pattern.
I hadn't adjusted the shape of the halo in these pics, it's now rounder and looks a lot better.
I prefer the jackets I made to the original Muffins Halo one, they are prettier, and you can choose patterned denim that suits your dog. So if you have a blind male dog, maybe go for something something more boyish. I found the material for Bonnie's on Ebay, just search for 'patterned Denim' and make sure it's a good stiffish denim rather than a denim look fabric as it needs to be the same firmness as denim used for jeans. I used denim that had a pattern on one side and plain on the other, and then found some fab bias binding on Ebay to match or blend with the material. With the material that was left over I made a matching bandana for each coat, so she looks really smart when she's wearing her Muffins Halo. The only thing is I didn't put a pull ring on the coats to fit a leash, and she can't have her leash fitted to her collar as the wing's get in the way, so I put a harness on her. I should get a couple of leash rings and sew them to the home made coats, but haven't got round to it just yet.
Jim Carter the Opthalmologist says a harness is better for dogs with SARDS as collars tend to put pressure on the neck and the nerves from the eyes travel down through the neck. I didn't know that. Don't understand it, but he's the expert, so trust what he says is right.
Another good thing with Muffins Halo is, if your dog puts on weight due to SARDS or Cushings you can just make another coat and use the wings and halo on it. So whether your dog gets thinner or fatter, the halo is always going to be useful, whereas it's not so easy to do with the Halo For Paw's jacket due to the design of the coat.
I do feel a bit embarrassed when we're out and she's wearing the Muffins Halo, as people tend to stare and think she's in fancy dress whereas with the other jacket they just look at her and know she's blind. Plus where I live people tend to put their dogs down if they’re blind or disabled. Not sure if that’s because they’re not educated about the dogs disability or they don’t feel comfortable going out with a dog with disabled aids, or they just think that because the dogs disabled it has to be put down. I get some pretty weird looks when she’s in her buggy as well, and tend to use it away from home. I throw it in the car and drive somewhere to use it. She loves her buggy and feels safe strapped in it, and again it's easier to put the Muffin's style halo coat on her as the wings detach easily when she goes in her buggy and go back on easily when she comes out of her buggy to walk. You soon get used to the funny looks from other people whether your dog's in a buggy or wearing a disability aid, and you learn to look straight back at them and give them the 'she's disabled get over it' look.
I did find she hates road walking since going blind as the traffic scares her to death, as it would me, hearing cars and trucks roaring past and not knowing how close they were or if they were heading towards me.
So she only really wears her halo coats when she’s in someone elses house visiting, or somewhere strange having a walk, like parks and wild places or even the beach (rocks).
I think she's happy wearing both. With the Muffins one if we're out, as I sad earlier, it's easier just to take the wings and halo off if she doesn't need them whereas with the other jacket design you have to take the whole jacket off.
I honestly think there's pro's and con's for both of them but to be totally honest the Muffin's Halo comes out ontop for me. It's a better design for the dog, easily adapted to have the halo on or off while still wearing the coat, and more convenient for me.
They're both pretty expensive, so not the kind of thing you want to buy and then find out it doesn't suit your particular dog.
Another thing to take into consideration is the breed of your dog. If, for instance you have a big butch boxer, or an Alsation you wouldn't want a sissy looking Muffins Halo coat for him because he wouldn't appreciate his street cred dropping drastically. But you can now get Muffins Halo's designs in baseball player style (I think it's baseball, could be American football).
And you can always make a cover for the wings if you wanted, so they're more butch and not so pretty. Just a bit of imagination and the 'werld's your lobster' as Bonnie says.
I hope this review has helped and if you need any advice, or help or just want to ask a question fire away! It's no bother at all to help.
