Pets

We have 3 dogs and 2 cats, 2 rats and 1 "sea monkey" LOL Our oldest dog is 16 and we will be putting her down this weekend. She was an early wedding present for us. Aimee was born in a hollow tree in Ramona,OK. I picked her out because she had a "heart" shaped pattern on her neck. We have had her since before we were married....."shackin" as my mom calls it. She is now having a hard time getting up and down because of arthritis, and she also has a "lick granuloma", which looks like a big growth or tumor, on her inside leg. She's having restroom issues and going deaf and blind. It's time I know, but it is hard when you've had a pet who is older than your child. She will be greatly missed. My memories of her will be etched in this blog and also in pictures. I will fondly remember her squeaky toy "Woody" the yellow bird from peanuts cartoons--Woodstock. She could hunt that thing down anywhere we hid it! Even inside cabinets! She played ball with my step-daughter Meagan back when Meagan was barely 3yrs old. Now she's in college. wow! Aimee has always been the queen of the castle and even when different animals, those of which who are 3 times bigger than she is, came into the family she let them know she was the boss! Aimee is exactly half red heeler (mom was full blood) and half corgi (dad was full blood). She looks like a corgi, except bigger and taller. Dollar is approx. 10 years old and he is an Australian shepherd red and white in color. I rescued him at our bank about 9 years ago. No one could get him, not the bank employees, policemen, firemen, nor the dog catcher! I was working at Eastland Mall Cinema at the time, and when I would leave around 5 or 6, there he was standing in the middle of 145th at the busiest time of day waiting, looking. It broke my heart. I figured that some jackass must've dumped him around that time of day, because every day at that time he'd come out and stand in the street looking. It took me a week of bringing him treats, and food and a blanket to his hollowed out little area between two bushes until he would let me sit by him just out of arms length. We were about to be hit by a wonderful ice storm one day and it was starting to sleet while I was there with him. I told him "Look now boy, it's now or never" He watched me go over to my car and get a blanket. I knew he was probably gonna be a fear biter, and I knew that a blanket might save me from some wounds. He let me come up behind him and while I was talking to him, I got to pet him for the first time! I eased that blanket over him, reached down and picked him up, determined not to let him go until he was safely in my car. He did swing around his head and try and bite me, thankfully the blanket saved a bite on my leg! I got him to the car, and brought him home. It took my husband a long time to get his trust, so we kinda figured a man was mean to him. Dollar is now at the vet, because he had a "lick granuloma" on the top of his foot and was starting to hurt, so we had it removed. Unfortunately we have had to take him back because he keeps ripping the stitches out. (3 times now!) He has an elizabethan collar on, but he is so limber! The E-collar is huge! Built for a St. Bernard I think, but my dog is the smartest stupidest dog I've ever known. They wanted to keep him sedated and confined for a few days and see if they couldn't get it to start healing. I also forgot to mention that he is the only dog allowed in that bank other than the dogs that assist the handicapped. They love him! Now there is Freeway.....can you guess where he was rescued? You got it! Highway 88 in Claremore, OK! He is a blue merle--Australian shepherd. Gorgeous! He also has really soft fur. I rescued him one rainy, muddy day about 9 years ago (I think). Get this.....a train was coming and he was on the tracks! He was scared and just couldn't figure which way to go. I pulled to the nearest side street which happened to be across the highway. Luckily it was early and not a whole lot of traffic going. I got out of the car, and hollered at him to come here, and he came running to me and jumped in the car! He is such a big furry dog and I didn't know what to espect from this strange creature, so I slid into my seat real carefully, and he was facing the window in the passenger seat. I thought he seemed really nice, so I took him on home. Now, I was not planning on keeping him at all! My husband was the one who said what a beautiful dog he was and that he could stay. I was shocked! Well Dollar and Freeway were best friends immediately, and they cleaned each others faces and played together quite a bit. This past March Freeway developed vestibular disease. In the past it was referred to as old dog's disease. We took him to the vet and he was put on antibiotics and steroids to try to reduce the swelling by his brain, but I think he just got accustomed to his condition instead of better. He seems confused at times, and dizzy and his head tilts all the time. He laid around a lot when it started, because I think he didn't know what was happening to him. I don't know if the world is always spinning to him, but I know he uses the wall as guidance a lot. He does try to go too fast at times and falls over, but I think he's adjusted a whole lot better than he did when it first started. Our oldest cat Squirrel came into the picture before Dollar and Freeway, so I guess he's about 11 years old. I remember getting him from a friend of mine, mostly because I was angry at her for not getting her pets spayed and neutered. His parents are brother and sister......isn't that nice. An inbred kitty. He's all gray, and his fur isn't all that pretty, but he's got a cute face. I remember bringing him home and going to the movies with a friend. My husband and son who was about 3 at the time were at the races, and they got home before I did. Well, the kitten goes running under the chair, and my son says, "Daddy Daddy! There's a squirrel in the house!" Husband grabs a bat thinking he has to kill a squirrel, and bends down and says, "It's not a squirrel it's a damn cat!" Thus his name was squirrel! Freeway loved him and herded him everywhere until our next cat came into the picture.......Same Highway 88 about 2 years after squirrel came into our life. I had taken our son to school and was on the way home. There was a dead tiny animal in the middle of my lane. I straddled it......sad....it's a kitten. For some unknown reason I looked into my rear view mirror and low and behold it lifted it's head and then layed it back down again! I did a u turn in the middle of the highway! No traffic thank goodness! I raced back to the kitten got out of the car as fast as I could, raced across to pick it up and back to the car. It's head was bloody and it was alive! I rushed it to the vet about 3 miles away, and they wouldn't help it! I always thought that most vets would treat an animal if you turn it over to them. Lots of them work with shelters and animal aid and if it's in need of emergency care will take care of them. This one didn't. It was my vet who neutered Dollar, and they wouldn't help me out. Nice! I didn't have the money, and so I took that little kitty to my friend's house. We cleaned her up and put her in a box. Her head wound was not very big at all, but I guess any head wounds bleed a lot. My husband said absolutely no way would we keep her, so I left her at my friend's house in a box in the bathroom. My son and I went over there A LOT ! I thought that this kitty would have neurological damage, because it was not walking properly. Very wobbly and sometimes not using back legs. I would massage that kitty and help it walk and basically teach it how. That kitty turned a big corner and is now my husband's favorite of all the animals! Her name is SQUASH! Freeway absolutely loves her, and babies her something awful. She also loves to rub all over him and sometimes stands up on her back legs just to rub up against his chest. She's a mess though! If she gets cold, she MUST get under the covers with you! If you call the dogs, she comes running! Now the rats......we love them so much! Our son has had rats for several years now. Most live about 2 years, which is sad, because they are so smart and loveable! His two rats at the moment are Pipsqueak and Squiggles. I think Pipsqueak has definitely been the best one yet! Squiggles has been the most difficult one we've ever had. Most rats bond with a member of the family, but this one just wants to be on her own. She looks like a badger! We love the kisses they give and how smart they really are. They know their names and come when called! One of the first rats we had was when squirrel was still a kitten, and they ate out of the same bowl! Well, that's the pets we have currently. I will always rescue when I can and love them and care for them as long as I can. I don't believe in buying animals when there are so many unwanted animals looking to be rescued from the pounds. They will love you so much more than any purchased pet will. Go adopt from the pound please! Thank you!