Munchkin is in Doggy Heaven.

Munchkin

Age 11, February 13, 2000 - February 06, 2012

tle Munchkin was always by my side. Being disabled, on bad pain days, she knew I was hurting and wo

Nickname: MunchaBunch

Yesterday, exactly one week from her 12th birthday, I had to make the heartbreaking decision to put my little, precious Doxie out of her pain. The Vet made a long list of what he could do to determine what was wrong with her, but told me he felt she was bleeding internally, which she was, and he told me the best thing for her was to end her pain and suffering. It started two weeks ago whenever she would eat that her tummy would Bloat to the size of big ball. I did research on Bloat in dogs, and learned that the dog breed's that had deep chests, which Doxies do have, would develop Bloat where their tummy's would either twist and turn, cutting off the blood supply, but she didn't have any of those symptoms, but the other kind of Bloat, whenever she would eat or drink it would cause severe bloating of their abdomen. Her appetite was still good, even up to the day, yesterday, February 6, 2012, but she just started refusing to drink water. The last two nights she would make soft crying noises, so I gave her Pet Stress tabs I bought at the Pet Food Store, and she would fall asleep almost instantly. But after a few hours she would have to go outside to do her "business" which was normal until the night before and she developed diarrhea. When I got home, after having her die in my arms, I wrapped her in her towel as she loved to lay on towels and said my final good bye. I will be getting her ashes in a couple of weeks, just as what happened when I put my other Doxie. I will put a great picture I got of her sitting up and place her little cedar box with her ashes in it, where I will put a picture of me in it and pictures of her in it along with her collar and lock it up. Her picture will sit beside the cedar box.

I talked to a guy at the Vet when I put my other Doxie down who was almost 16 years old, as a normal lifetime of a Doxie is usually between 10 to 13 years. Munchkin died right in the middle of that time frame, and exactly one week before her 12th birthday. He told me that he had the dog he basically grew up with, cremated like both my little best friends were and will be done with Munchkin. However, someone broke into his apartment, and thinking there was something of dollar value in the small Cedar Boxes, but apparently when the burglar discovered it contained ashes of his beloved pet, the burglar scattered her ashes all over the floor and that hurt him more than anything. He couldn't believe someone could be so cruel, and I had ti agree.

The Vet told me he felt she was bleeding internally, and when I got home after having her die in my arms as the Vet gave her the shot we all dread, but it also ended her pain and suffering. I got the hose ready and discovered the three stools which were all diarrhea, were full of blood, so he was right, and as much as it hurt me to make the difficult decision to have her put down, and for him to know he wouldn't make as much money as he could have had i keft her, I knew he had her best interest at heart. He gave me a huge Vet Bill had I decided to leave her there for care, but he said since she was just a week away from her 12th birthday, that it might be best to put her down.

I had to undergo this process with my second Doxie who was just four months away from her 16th birthday. She lived a long and happy life camping and off roading. Little Munchkin never got to go camping as I was disabled and have been since 1992, so she spent more time in bed next to me, Munchkin would try and do exercises that I was able to do standing up and only get in my way. She taught herself to sit up, a bad habit for Doxies and I would always push her down and she would pop right back up again. She learned how to sit, shake, lay down and play dead dog, in spite of her little tail always moving. She made me laugh, or get angry if she got mad at me and would potty on the carpet, right where I would stand as these little dogs don't get mad, they get "even". She knew exactly where I would stand and she would pee right there.

I will wait several months before getting a bigger dog to help me since I am permanently disabled, and there is an agency that will help train a larger dog, such as a Lab or German Sheppard, and train them to be service animals.

I miss you my little Munchkin and although I cried so hard once i left the Vet and got home, I would cry myself to sleep, and it was a cry that comes from inside the heart, which I felt was breaking in half. I slept with her picture in my arms, as she only weighed 16 lbs. She had lost about six ounces from the last time I had to place her in the kennel, where they took such good care of my Munchkin every time I had to go into a Rehab Center to receive two antibiotics through my Portacath and I think it's infected as my SED Rate was so high, and it goes right into my heart, so I could be facing an infection in my Portt that keads to my heart but it is a device only a doctor or nurse can access with a special needle under my skin placed ub the top right side of my chest wall, where I receive any and all my IV medications.

Dear Munchkin, I know you have crossed over the Rainbow Bridge and someday when God decides to take me, I will be with you and my other little ornery Doxie. Please forgive me for ending your life, but you had been in such pain the last two days, praying it wasn't serious, but knowing after doing research on Bloat in dogs, the Vet did tell me it was the best thing for her. I gave all your food to Auntie Alicia and her three little Chi's, and knowing she lived on an even lower cost than I had to live on, she could use the doggie food which I had just refilled a week ago, along with giving away your leashes, collars and food bowels.

I miss you my little Munchkin, but know you are no longer in pain nor suffering. With all my love, your ":human" Mom.

I want to thank all who wrote me messages. I felt like I was the only one grieving for her loss and for the person who works at an animal hospital, thank you so much for your comment. As much as we love our pets, and we know deep inside like her Vet said, she was a very sick dog and he gave me a "l;aundry list" of things he could do to diagjnose her problem, but he pretty much already knew and I wouldn't have been able to leave her at a Vet's office overnight, all alone and in pain, wondering why I left her when she was in so much pain, when she never left me whan I was in pain. Thank you so much.