No, I'm not talking about chocolates, Candy was our very camera shy mini Doxie we rescued about five years ago from an abusive home along with our other mini Doxie, Moo. At the time we had two Boston Bulls and yes, although four dogs seemed like a lot, our home is large and the four small dogs had plenty of room play or hide.
One of the things we noticed on Candy when we brought her home was a small spot in the middle of her back where the hair hadn't grown correctly. Our vet indicated it looked as if she'd been hurt at some point. The thought of an animal being abused makes my blood boil.
The reality of that injury came two years later when we were getting ready to walk the dogs in the morning before work and Candy couldn't get up. She pulled herself out of her bed with her hind legs dragging. That was the most horrifying thing to watch. Thankfully, she didn't seem to be in pain--never once cried out.
It turned out she had a badly damaged disk that required immediate surgery. The vet was able to repair the damage but in spite of everyone's efforts and continued of work outs, Candy never walked again. She also lost all control of her bladder and stools and bladder infections were a constant concern. Over time several have asked why I hadn't put her to sleep. I couldn't. Candy was four years old when that happened and if there was the slightest chance she would eventually walk it was worth a try.
We kept her in a clothes basket filled with towels that had to be changed on a regular basis. The up side of it was that we could take her wherever we went without worrying about accidents. She especially loved going outside and laying in a sunny spot on the grass. Sadly, in recent weeks her bladder infections became worse and she seemed to be constantly crying. It got to the point where we had to consider her quality of life and so this past Saturday, I took her to the vet one last time. I took this photo just before we left.
