The Ones Who Touch Our Hearts

On November 27, 2010 our family adopted a Beagle named Molly. We weren't looking for a dog as we lost both Angel, our Dachshund and Betsy, our Spaniel mix just about a year before. Angel we lost on September 23, 2009 due to her body failing her but not her mind. Betsy developed a windpipe tumor just a couple of months later and on January 15, 2010 we lost her. We had already lost two amazing companions and we had decided no more for a while when I saw a posting on FreeCycle stating this dog, Molly needed a new home as her elderly owner could no longer care for her and if no home could be found she would have to be put down. We couldn't let that happen so her owner kept her for the Thanksgiving holiday and then we picked her up.

Molly was 9 years old but we were willing to give her a happy home for however long she lived. Since she was older she wasn't exactly the kind of dog a little boy wants. He wants one who will run around and play with him. Well even though my little boy didn't get the one he wanted he loved his 'puppy' he would feed her, take her outside with him to play even if she just laid on the ground nearby while he played she was company. He would lay on the floor with her and pet her and hug her and he even kept a gingerbread cookie tin which he kept dog cookies in which he called her dinosaur bones. He would always tell her 'whose a good girl?'. Of course there was also the times he would get impatient with her for not walking quick enough when he was in a hurry to go outside or didn't hear him yell because she was having hearing problems but they got along fine.

I tried not to get to attached knowing that she wouldn't be around long and somewhere along the way she slipped into my heart. She would be under my feet, wait until I just sat down to decide she needed to go outside but she was also my shadow. Where ever I went she was sure to be close by. She would howl at me if I had gone to the doctors or some other errand when I got home. Well today that howl was silenced forever. She had a rough weekend and she walked that walk a couple of times over the weekend. She would gather up all here strength that she had left and she would walk to the far end of our backyard and lay down in the garden bed. We couldn't get her to come in for anything. Twice she was carried back into the house and laid on a bed of blankets and she would be given water if she could muster up the strength to drink. We took her to the vets where it was discovered that she was not in the fine health we were told when we adopted her. Her last panel of blood work from the previous owners had shown she had a major problem - Cushings disease. Had we known that she needed any care we would have gotten it for her but because I didn't find out until today it was too late for her. It is harder to deal with then I thought because it was an unnecessary death at this time. Had she gotten medication she would still be here. I feel so guilty as I questioned something right after we took her and I was told by the elderly owner that I could have her medical history but she asked what I had concerns with and I was told not to worry as she has had that problem since she was a puppy but she was healthy. So the files were faxed to my vet but I never thought to have them read over her notes. My biggest regret. I cannot undo my part in her death. I can only live with my actions. For that I am sorry. I'll miss you Molly.

Molly

Angel

Betsy