Sunny

Sunny had been patiently waiting for over a month in one of the large shelters, but because she was over ten years old, had a very difficult time walking, and had a nasty wound on one of her hips, she was continually overlooked when it came time for someone to adopt her. Thankfully, Old Dog Haven was contacted, and she found her forever Final Refuge home. Sunny was very quiet, was not interested in moving around outside, or particularly interested in eating either.

After a complete intake exam and xrays, the vet told us Sunny had some of the most severe hip dysplasia she had ever seen and, sadly, had probably suffered with this for years. No wonder she did not want to get out and explore her new digs! We addressed the wound on her hip, and are treating the hip dysplasia and we hope that will have her feeling better soon. She had at least two badly fractured teeth which have been removed in an extensive dental procedure; we hope with a more comfortable mouth she will be more interested in eating. Sunny has begun to show her personality a little at a time, and now wags her tail and looks especially happy when she sees her people. She also has a fondness for tennis balls. She will pick one up and carry it whenever she moves from one spot to another – they seem to bring her some level of comfort. She has barked a few times, which we hope means that she is feeling more at home here. We have also convinced her that a short walk in the pasture is a good thing, and she is becoming a little more interested in doing that because she is finally in less pain.

Once again, Old Dog Haven has stepped up and given another lovely old dog a new lease on life! Her Final Refuge family will do whatever they can to make up for some of the long suffering this girl has had to endure in the past with lots of good food, a comfy bed, all the tennis balls she wants to carry around, and all the love she will let us bestow on her! Lucky us!  PS: Sunny loves to sit outside in the sunshine!

Update:  After many months of trying to keep Sunny as comfortable as possible, she let us know that she was ready to say goodbye. She basically was uninterested in eating and moved less and less every day, even with all the medications to keep her comfortable, and extra good food to encourage her to eat, it no longer seemed that anything was working. Sunny was separating herself from the rest of the pack as is so often the case when the end is near.  We suspected there was some kind of cancer lurking inside, but were never able to come up with a definite answer. She was a medical challenge in many ways.

When we said our goodbyes, we were so glad that she went peacefully, and would no longer be in pain. While Sunny may have been a quiet presence in our home, she was so responsive to love and affection.  And then there were the tennis balls!  They must have been a big part of her life.  She could no longer chase them but she always had one close to her.  There were tennis balls laying about in all her favorite spots!  We were so glad we could give her a few months of knowing she was loved and well cared for. She certainly deserved that!

We will always have a warm spot in our hearts for her, and thank Old Dog Haven and all the wonderful sponsors who supported this dear dog. Her Final Refuge family appreciates it so much!