Although I have introduced you all to my beloved four-legged friend, I have yet to tell you the amazing story of how we ended up together... so, here it goes...
Before I got my darling little angel, I was going through a really tough time. I had been through a pretty traumatic experience and had pretty much lost all hope. I was severely depressed, not eating and had gone from being a smiling, positive person to a shadow of myself. When I got my pup, I weighed 42 kilograms. I remember the very first time I saw her. We were visiting the SPCA looking to adopt a puppy to help me to forget about the past... there were about 6 or 7 Jack Russel/Dachshund puppies, but my eye instantly went to the little brown one on the right. She was staring at me from behind the bars and when I knelt down, she put her little paw through bars and touched my hand. It was love. Instant love. After a couple of seconds, I got up, said to my mom 'that's the one', and left. We signed the papers and, after they sent her in to be spayed, we were able to take my little angel home with us.
Right from the start, I knew something was wrong. Although she was energetic, she was vomiting regularly and had a terrible runny tummy. That same day, we took her to the vet. She told us that she was going to check her for Parvo, which is a horrible virus that is excruciating and deadly to most puppies. We were so worried, but thankfully, the test came back negative. The vet sent us away with some antibiotics and told us that Snooki must have just eaten something funny.
As the days went by, her condition did not change. In fact, it got worse. She started sleeping more and her runny tummy was pretty much like water. After about a day, we got a call from the vet telling us that we would have to bring Snooki in again because one of the other puppies from her litter had just been diagnosed with Parvo. Knowing how contagious the disease is, we knew that Snooki had it too. Now, the chances of survival are incredibly slim if a young puppy picks up the disease, so you can imagine how distraught I was. I was so in love with this dog and, although I had only had her for a few days, she was my everything. I lost my mind. I cannot even remember much from that day... I am pretty sure that I had a breakdown.
That same day we were called back, and another vet told us that there was little chance for survival and that we should take her home where she could be comfortable. I couldn't believe it. I was so lost. That night, Snooki was so weak she could not even lift her head. It was the worst night of my life. Parvovirus literally eats away a dog's intestines so that, even if the dog does eat or drink, very little is actually absorbed. That is why most dogs die from dehydration before the virus itself can kill them. The pain is apparently excruciating. Watching my little one who was so innocent, so sweet and so loving go through that was unbearable. I stayed up with her all night trying to give her a re-hydrating solution (that I had made) through a tiny syringe. Most times she would just vomit it up, but she kept some of it down. To this day, I am sure that my loving words and that solution are the only two things that kept her alive until morning.
As the sun rose, we jumped, desperate, into the car and drove back to the vet. This time, Shabeer Bhoola was there. He is truly my hero and was the one who gave me hope again. He told me that he could save her. He admitted her and put her on a drip for the dehydration. Then, all that was left to do was to wait and to see if she had the strength to fight the virus... and to beat it. I visited her every single day at the vet and every single time, despite being in pain, she would get excited to see me and would touch my hand with her paw just as she had done the day that we first met.
After a week at the vet, Shabeer gave her the all clear. She had done it! My baby had won! She was the only puppy from her litter who had survived. She was going to be fine. I was so happy. Being able to have her in my life was the best gift I have ever received and I will always be eternally grateful to Shabeer for saving her. Shabeer is an amazing man and I have so much respect not only for his ability to work so well with animals, but also for his heart. This man has a heart of gold. He is my hero, and always will be.
Today, Snooki is 1 and a half years old and is the most energetic, lovable, loyal and happiest dog in the world. She is the light of my life and makes each day a million times better. She is my other half, my soul mate. She is my angel without wings. I love you so much my Snooks.
“If you don't own a dog, at least one, there is not necessarily anything
wrong with you, but there may be something wrong with your life.”
Roger Caras
B
xx
