Jimmy came to us two weekends ago. It was clear he had been suffering with multiple illnesses for a long time. His nails had grown into the pads, and he was pretty much covered in sores, bald spots and lumps and bumps of undetermined origin. He struggled to walk.
His sparse medical records gave little insight into what was ailing him. Our board member Jen, a former vet tech, gave him a warm oatmeal bath and clipped his nails. It was a start, but we needed to wait for our new visiting veterinarian, Dr. Reynders, to come in on Tuesday and check him over. She took blood, gave him some skin spray and a shot to help with his itching. She also gave him an antibiotic.
On the following Tuesday, he was taken to another vet of ours, Dr. Latson. He took more blood and confirmed what he thought - Jimmy has Lymphoma.
We are choosing to make him as comfortable as possible for whatever time he has left He does enjoy his food still, and he has multiple comfy places to rest. Our compassionate volunteers give him lots of attention all day long, and the Prednisone prescribed for him seems to be helping a little, as he is more mobile and alert than when he arrived. Of course, we are all falling in love with him. How can we not?
And this is the hard part, of course, of what we are doing here at Whiskers; we are at the end of many of these pups' lives. We will be here when these dogs' original owners cannot be - to comfort and cuddle them, to keep them safe and fed and clean, and to be close when they breathe their last. They will not die in some kennel, alone and unloved. They will be with us, cared for until the end.
We know what we signed on for. Our little army of wonderful volunteers will be here for Jimmy and for Wags, another of our HOSPICE dogs. And for whoever comes after them. We will all rejoice when a senior pup gets a second chance with a loving family. And we will all mourn together when one of our residents dies here at the sanctuary.
Please see that the work we do matters – that every life is precious, has meaning and deserves care-taking. And please, also see, that with your donations and support, you are making it possible for this important work to continue. We can’t be there for all of them, but we can make an important difference for some. And that’s exactly what Whiskers set out to do. And we’re doing it!
Please. Help us help those who have no say about where they land in their later lives. Help us be there to rehome the deserving dogs who, through no fault of their own, find themselves without a family in their senior years. And help us make the Jimmys’ last days as good as they can be. It’s what Whiskers was created for. And what you are already helping us do.
Polla Milligan
Founder & Ex. Director
White Whiskers Senior Dog Sanctuary
