Mystella

Beautiful pictures! See you later pretty girl, you'll be in great company in the 'arrivals' dept at the bridge

Man that girly was well named!!! I think she is part cat and is quickly working through her list of 9 lives!!!!

What a beautiful story Tina, I think you are right, things happen the way they are meant to, we just need to stay out of the way of destiny See you later Tilt.

We will see you later sweet Toots

Thanks everyone, it helps to know that so many people loved my silly girl. Faith had a million questions for me and I managed somehow not to fall apart till after she got on the school bus. This morning she said to me 'Mommy are you very very sad' I said yes sweetie I am, she said 'me too mommy, how long does forever take' Then with some 5 year old wisdom she said 'we are lucky that God picked for you and daddy to adopt Stella and me, he knew our perfect family'

I've been away from GT for almost a month now, just busy, but right now there is no where else I can think to be. I KNOW it is only see you later, I have typed that so many times and I do believe it, but it just hurts so much. Stella Bella Mcmonkey Mcbean has left us. There I've typed it but yet I still can't believe it. I gave her a cookie and a kiss on the snout this morning like I do every morning and she trotted happily to her bed. I came home tonight to a tearful DH. Stella's Gramma came over this afternoon to take her out and meet Faith at the school bus. She said Stella was panting a bit so she took her outside, then they came back in and Stella was sick to her stomach and there was some blood in it. My mother in law decided to lay down with her for a minute before taking her to the vet and Stelly snuggled against her, closed her eyes and left us. MIL was so worried that I would be mad at her, but I am so grateful that she was with her and that Stelly went in her favourite place, her own home. Faith doesn't understand really and says that her heart hurts. Mine does too, so much I can't describe it. There are so many wonderful things about Stell to say but my mind is such a blur right now and it is so hard to make my fingers type. This message must be so disjointed. I owe her a better tribute than this, but I just can't do it right now. I know you guys will understand and will indulge me when I am able to get my head together a bit more. I love you Stella, sweet goofy loving girl. Brave soul who walked around the neighbourhood unfazed as firecrackers went off, but whined and ran if a fly got in the house. My quirky hermaphrodite, destined to be unique right from the start! You changed my life and I will love you forever and yes baby I WILL SEE YOU LATER but until then I will miss you every day.

I just found a tick on Stella. 12 years and this is her first one!!! Okay maybe not but definitely first one in the 9 years I have had her. At first I thought it was a mole. I have made that mistake before thinking a mole was a tick. Then I looked closer and saw a leg OMG I almost passed out. I am hugely bug phobic but this is my girl, I have to ignore that and help my baby. Don't puke, don't panic, run for GT the source of all info!!!!!! But wait I think I remember something about this tick stuff EWWWWWWWWWWWWWW. I got a syringe and cooking oil, the result of that was an oily dog with a tick still embedded in her neck. Then I ran for GT, read one post which said use rubbing alcohol. Ransack house. No rubbing alcohol. Alcohol is alcohol though right, and I always have tequila New syringe, dropping tequila on the tick. Its gross little legs stop moving but he doesnt come out. @@#$#% Now I have probably killed him (or he's passed out) so I go back up to GT and read further. Okay tweezers it is. And Dh of course because it is a miracle that I haven't thrown up already So DH pulled the nasty little @#$#er out. I squirted the remainder of my tequila syringe (small amt) on the spot where it was. Now I am getting out some lime juice and putting the open bottle of Tequila to some further use. Hmm maybe I should have some breakfast first. Stell will be fine, right?????????????????????

Aww, give little Cali a gentle hug from me

He is the bionic pup 'we can rebuild him, faster, stronger, noisier, sneakier' Glad to hear he is doing so well and Nancy you need the pups to be driving you crazy, because otherwise what would the excuse be

Stella is a hermaphrodite this means she has characteristics of each sex (like a brain and a penis) I can never resist that line Okay back to the point we thought she was female but during her spay surgery they discovered that in addition to her girl parts she also had an undescended testicle and a hemi penis. She has choses to live her life out as a diva girl and we respect that so don't be calling her Stanley or anything!!!!

Glad to hear Conner is doing better Yes, Stella takes daily metacam too and it sure adds up, I pay about $70 for a two month supply from my vet.

Stella has quite long nails, but no foot issues. She has long quicks. We were told to keep cutting and they will recede, that was 8 years ago and they really haven't receded much. We cut regularly as much as we can without quicking her. Our vet's only suggestion was we could put her out for a bit and purposely quick them to get them short. But that just sounds painful since she doesn't seem to have any problems with them. No infections , no corns, no calluses, just long nails that always click on the floor when she walks. I always dread running into other greyhound owners because I know they are thinking 'ooh look at those neglected feet'

I shocked myself with a cattle prod once so I can commisserate with her, it shakes you up that's for sure! Poor little Pave. That is the exact reason that Oscar Doodle my chinchilla has to stay in his chilla condo, he loooves to chew and electrical cords are as fun as baseboards to him. For that reason he only gets his freedom in the well closed in safety proofed bathroom.

It will be really prone to re-dislocating. We struggled with Stella with that on and off for about 5 months. After the first time all those ligaments and 'connectors' are all stretched and loose so if the dog runs and twists it will pop right back out. We finally ended up taping and leash walking to give it all time to heal back to normal.

Brian I am so sorry Lois, sweet girl, we will see you later.

Stelly is 12 now so I am choosing to believe 14/15 is more average - (just call me cleopatra I will admit however that Stella Bella lately does seem 'senior', this winter she seemed to age.

I don't think there was anything wrong with the question, or the answers so far, it is personal and depends on lots of factors with the main one being quality of life. Is it common for a dog to be put down simply for having dementia or being a bit more inconvenient? probably not , at least as mentioned not amongst our ranks of dog lovers, but if the dementia leads to a change in their enjoyment of life then that is an entirely different decision. I guess for pet lovers the answer is you make the best decision you can by combining what your head tells you and what your heart tells you.

She is beautiful, congrats

So sorry Sheila K was one of what I think of as the original GT pack, the small group of people that was here when I first came to GT and I know how special he was to you. We will see you later Kiowa

What a beautiful pictorial and tribute to your sweetie.

I am so sorry Audrey We will see you later Darius and until then Audrey we will remember your sweet boy with you.

Aww Junie, I am so sorry. My Oscar is 15 now and they sure do bounce their way into your heart!! We'll see you later little oompa loompa chalupa enjoy lots of raisins and crazy dust baths until then.

Oh Karen I am so sorry. I have tears pouring down my face right now. When one of our PSDs pass it is a blow to the whole dept, losing one of our own and mourning a hero. But in Arco's case I feel like I know his heart not just his job like I do with our K9s. Arco had a cool job, no doubt and he did it with grace and honour, but that was such a small part of his personality. It was more about 'who he is' than what he did. Big squishy hugs to you and your dad and thank you for all your wonderful posts and all the bar chats that let me feel like a friend to you and your wonderful boy. I know you will miss him terribly but I also know, with all my heart, that it is just 'see you later'. So see you later big guy and thank you

Aww Beej all sorts of prayers and good wishes coming your way for you and your boy. You know I am the eternal optimist but I know how very hard the 'wait and see' must be for you. All appendages crossed and energy flowing your way sweetie