Sweet Sami

My vet and I decided that it was time to let Sami go peacefully. He agreed that she looked mostly dead and I was probably the only thing keeping her alive. :( 

She had lost a lot of weight in the past month and her digestive system had stopped digesting food. 

I think this poor girl was ready to be done with her broken body. Dr Folland struggled to find enough blood pressure in her tail to inject her with the euthanasia medicine. 

But when he was done, I wrapped her in her blankie and tucked her in my shirt near my heart. She always loved that spot. And that's where she went to sleep for the last time. 

Good job, Sami! You were such a fighter! 

Hospice Again

Frodo was brought to me today to die. 

:( 

He's the little beardie I saved last month when he was having seizures. 

He has gout now caused by kidney failure from defective kidneys. There's no treatment and it is quickly getting worse. He's in a lot of pain and not moving. 

I'm taking him in tomorrow for my appointment with Dr Folland (which is why his owners brought him to me). I expect we'll choose to put him down and end his misery. Gout is a very painful condition and a horrible way for a beardie to die. 

Until then, he's all snuggled up in his blankie and staying warm in a sick tank.

Sami & baby Dragon are going in for follow up visits tomorrow. We may end up choosing the same option for Sami who is not doing well, even after the antibiotics. 

Hopefully there will be good news for baby Dragon otherwise it's going to be a very very depressing visit. 

This is the dark side of rescue. 

Sad Sami

This is how Sami looks most days -- 

She's still really sick. But she does try to eat on her own and she's pooping okay. 

But most of the day, she lays on her log and doesn't move. 

It makes me sad. She's got 4 more antibiotic shots left. Hopefully that will help. 

Morning Tears

There have been more than a few mornings in 3+ years of rescue when I've cried in the morning because of grief. 

Today was one of those mornings with happy tears!! 

Baby Dragon was drinking on his own!! He's been so stick that I haven't even been sure he'd wake up on his own. 

Woo hoo!! 

And Sami woke up and moved herself to her warm spot. 

So so so so relieved. Last week I didn't think either one would make it. Now they are finally showing signs of life. 

Phew!

This calls for an extra Dr Pepper (my soda of choice!!!) today to celebrate. 

Two Little Sicklies

Depending on the moment you look, Dragon and Sami can look quite well or mostly dead. I try to look often but not jump to conclusions because it can be disheartening. 

Sami has thrown up several times in the past week and isn't eating much. 

Dragon threw up last night and again in the middle of the night. :( He has a bend in his spine right above his vent and it's making it hard for him to poop. I think that's why he's throwing up. 

He keeps his eyes half closed most of the time. I lost the last baby with severe MBD. I dread the thought of losing this one too. 

His poor crippled spine. 

I'll just keep plugging along. I've backed way off food for both of them and am only keeping them hydrated for a day or two. 

Sun Time with Sami

Sami is doing a little bit better over all. I have her laying next to me in the sun on my bed. 

Today was her second antibiotic shot and she's halfway through her treatment for Coccidia. I'm hoping she gets a little better everyday now. 

She's not all the way "out of the woods" but she's not as critically sick as she was a few days ago. 

Sami made it through the Night

Sami woke up and started walking around her tank this morning. I got her to drink on her own too. 

She looks a lot more lively now than she did last night. Which is a good sign. 

I brought Dragon the vet this morning for his first Calcitonin shot and brought Sami along with me. 

She was nice enough to poop all over the back counter and is now running around the back room. Which is also a great sign. 

Her poop smells dreadful and has for a couple days. :( So one of the techs is running a decal test on it to see if that explains why it smells like old cat pee. 

At least for now, I'm very pleased with her progress. 

Sickly Bedtime

Dragon is all curled up in his bed. 

Sami is looking even worse than she did before. :( 

I'm sure I'll be checking Sami's breathing at least once or twice tonight. I sure hope her body can pull through this. 

Bad News for Sami

I took Sami in yesterday for bloodwork and got the results today. Originally, the vet recommended I wait a week after the x-Ray and then test bloodwork if there was no improvement. But after watching her all weekend, my gut instinct said not to wait. I'm glad I didn't. 

She has a raging infection and has started becoming toxic. I've already started antibiotic shots and will continue to giver palliative care (fluids & food) for the next 3 weeks. 

I hope we can pull her through this. As you can see, she looks dreadful. Poor baby. It will be at least a week before she will even start showing signs of improvement. 

Sami & Lexi- rescues number 76 & 77

These two sisters are sweethearts! And they are the perfect fir for a family I've been working with to find beardies for for Christmas. 

They are both just over a year and very mellow.