rvtwithboxer
Boxer Pal
I sent my beloved Boxer, Meisha Marie, to the Rainbow Bridge. She was my first Boxer, and a rescue. We had 8 wonderful years together, during which she not only became a therapy dog, but she over came a "breeder" who turned her in to the humane society because she didn't like the way her puppies looked, heartworm disease, recurring tick borne disease, severe allergies, and her own aggression towards other animals. She became an honorary therapy dog for my grandmother after she had heart surgery and we figured out that if Meisha wouldn't let granny out of bed it was because her difibrilator was going to go off. She was diagnosed in May with a urinary tract infection caused by several Methicillin resistant staph bacteria after being hospitalized for a myelogram and imaging about a month earlier. I treated her for 3 months before she finally cultured negative for all the resistant bacteria. The speicalist treating her advised me to go 1 more week with the natibiotic injections and subcutaneous fluids, since her infection was so severe. 2 days shy of the extra week she started vomiting and became very lethargic. I rushed her in to the specialty hospital again, where they found out she was dehydrated and had a heart murmur. She also had a fever, so tey collected multiple cultures. Chest radiographs revealed an enlarged heart, and her echocradiogram and ECG revealed she had dialaed Boxer cardiomyopathy, and had already lost 30% of the contractility of her heart muscle. We strarted her on a home made diet to stop the vomiting, and VetMedin to help her heart muscle. The specialist also prescribed Enalapril, but after 2 days sh got much worse, her haws were up, she could barely walk, and when they took her blood pressure it was horribly low. She seemed to be doing ok, not great but just ok, for about 2 weeks. Then I noticed she would drip from her nose, and she couldn't stop panting. I had already stopped crating her because she'd been having some very severe separation anxiety, very unlike her. When I called for the culture results, I was devastated. She had once again become infected with multiple Methicillin resistant bacteria. I knew I couldn't put her through more stinging antiobiotic injections, it wasn't fair to her when the Doctor told me that she was a Boxer, and in her condition I needed to love her every moment and realize she could go at any time. I decided to take her home for the night. She got a quarter pounder with cheese and onions and pickles, which she'd always wanted to try. I stayed with her all night in the living room, and everytime she'd try to rest she had to get up to breath. In the morning her abdomen was hard and distended and I knew what I had to do. I made her waffles, and eggs, and bacon for the last time. We called the clinic to let them know we were on our way. I stopped at McDonalds for her favorite french fries, and an oreo McFLurry she'd always begged for. She had no idea that her veins were collapsing and they were having a hard time getting an IV in. We laid down her Winnie the Pooh blanket she'd had since the day I brought her home, her favorite toys, and she devoured her McFlurry, then a slice of cheese, and 2 whole big cans of chicken! She hadn't had chicken since she was 3 because she was allergic to it! She got so full she covered up her french fries with her toys, and came and laid her paws and head in my lap like she had so many times before. I told her not to worry, she got it right the first time, so she doesn't ahve to come back and go through any of this again. The end of our stoyr was very much like the beginning; Meisha Marie and I, a few tasty treats, and lots and lots of love. I know she's waiting at the Bridge, and I'm sure there's a couch there for every furbaby there. Rest in peace baby girl. Mommy loves you, muah!
