Ultimately, the decision regarding Journey was taken out of our hands and made by her last night. She was asleep on my recliner and when I asked her to come down, she tried, but she collapsed. 🙁 Her front legs were on the ground, her rear legs and belly still on the chair)and she was having some sort of a seizure episode. It lasted for just a few seconds, but she spent the rest of the night laying on her bed hardly moving. She appears to be in a great deal of pain and we made the tough decision to let her go. We could not undo what some a-hole did to her before she arrived here, the damage was to extensive. I suspect that besides her ears being such a painful issue for her- something else is going on internally.
I just don’t understand how someone could intentionally turn a blind eye to an animal suffering. I think that is why I rescue because someone needs to care. We didn’t have Journey long but it still hurt like the dickens to say goodbye.
I did want to say thank you to the three of you who reached out to me privately and relayed your own stories about the challenges of caring for a senior dog. Journey was a hospice adoption- it cost us nothing to adopt her- all we lost was our hearts which we freely gave to her for just under two months.
I was pretty upset when I typed this out (I still am). But wanted to let those of you who wonder what happened. Journey had a stroke. The vet believes that all her head shaking to relieve the pain of her ears caused something in her brain to rattle loose and she stroked out. She died on my lap and she went peacefully with those who loved her surrounding her to let her know that YES, Journey you DO matter.
I did a lot of research online about cauliflower ear (that’s what they called Journey’s ear flap and inner ear. Of all the images I found and there were hundreds, I didn’t see any that even resembled the level of damage that Journey was dealing with! I couldn’t even lift the flap of her left ear without her yelping. My vet said it was the worst case of ear damage that he had ever seen. 🙁 He also said even if the flaps had been removed, that the pseudamonis would have been a lifelong, painful battle for her.
Bloody unfair. But she had love and care for the last two months of her life, probably the happiest period she ever knew.
we are very sorry Journey has left for the Bridge….you can’t undo what happened to her before, but she lived a wonderful life in the time you had her and that counts for a lot
I am sorry Journey didn’t know you before the last few months of her life. You can take comfort that she was able to pass into her next life with a lot of love.
oh no, I am so sad to hear of her passing, She had the greatest home and more love than she could have imagined during her stay with you. The last thing she took with her was your love, her head in your lap for peace and comfort. May her years of torment be erased from her memory and only your love and devotion to her to live in her memory for eternity. (crying with you)
I am so sorry to hear for Journey’s passing. She received love and care from you which brightened each and every day of her time with you. She will be watching and helping you from up above. RIP sweet girl.
Journey knew that there humans in the world who wouldn’t hurt her, and who made her feel wanted and safe. What a gift it was you and Mike gave her. Godspeed, Journey.