A very old stray {The Old Fella Story}

[Dixie_Flyer]

Went camping this weekend at a campground on the lake, had not been there for a few years. Once there I began to walk around looking at the different sites when I noticed a very old dog. He just lay there until I got too close then he got up on three legs and hobbled away. Just judging I would say he is at least 11 years old. Well back to my story. The next afternoon he wanders into camp and just sits there looking. He looked so sad, so the wife got a bowl of our dog's food and put it down for him and he came over and ate. He then walked over to our dog and the two of them sniffed each other over and then they lay down together for the rest of the afternoon. That night he disappeared.
The next morning he was back and was a little more receptive of me. I looked at his injured leg and found that half of his rear foot was gone. It had healed and was not causing any problem except that he was walking on the stub that was left with no foot pad which causes him to limp. His front teeth were gone except for one canine tooth and it looked decayed. His eyes were tired looking and showing his age. He spent the rest of the day just laying around looking for a handout and by afternoon the campground host came around and saw him. I enquired about the dog and was told he had been there for three years and that most of the campers were tolerant of him and gave him food.
So what to do? Do you pick him up and bring him home or do you let nature take it course. He can't harm anyone, he has no teeth and he isn't a nuisance unless you don't like dogs, and no one seems to mind him being there. He is gentle and likes other animals as seen by his interaction with our dog. He still would not let me touch him but he would eat from my hand. Enough said, what would you do???

On June 28th 2008 Old Fella passed away of complications caused by bone cancer. Fella spent almost three years with his new family and became the icon of rescued old stray dogs. He will be greatly missed but his foot prints have been left in our hearts forever.

Now Charlie, the ten year old rescued Golden Lab has come to be a part of the continuing Old Fella story. (*Note, Charlie took his journey to Rainbow Bridge unexpectedly September 30, 2008)Suzie continues to charm her way into our hearts with her antics as she has grown from a puppy into a young lady. Togther they will carry on the Old Fella legacy. Come join us in their daily lives and be a part of the best feel good thread in RV.NET history. The legacy lives on.


HIghways Article Puppy Love

Old Fella Burke County Animal Rescue

[W7SFO]

Dixie Flyer wrote:
I want you to meet the next Old Fella

Richard,
He is a good looking boy! I sure hope it works out. He could pass for Tia's daddy!

[campincandice]

Richard, he's beautiful! We lost our yellow lab Jordan a year ago, and we'll always have a soft spot for yellows. However, Molly, who we adopted shortly after losing Jordan is black - why you ask? To match my clothes :B At least the hair all over my clothes won't show so bad!!!

[Martyn]

Aha - you see, when you and Fella met me and Princess it was destined that you should have a Prince!

[Dixie_Flyer]

vickiebec wrote:
Does that mean he is part of the family? Whats his name.

He will get his try out this afternoon. I plan to bring him home and see how it works out with Suzie and Izzie. First stop was at the vet's to get a check up and see what is going on inside the old boy. Then to get a good cleaning before introducing him to Sue. I want him to look his best and to lose that smell he got from being at the shelter.

[vickiebec]

Does that mean he is part of the family? Whats his name.

[Dixie_Flyer]

I want you to meet the next Old Fella

[Dixie_Flyer]

This morning we were awakened by Suzie wanting to get outside to start the day. After the rain last night the morning temp was a cool 69*, very nice for July in the Deep South. This morning I have to help Sue get out a shipment and then go to the city shelter to check things out there.
Last night Izzie tried to move into the bed with Suzie {Suzie’s bed} but Suzie wasn’t going to have any part of that. There was a little snarling going on so Izzie got in the bed with us. He loves to sleep with his head on my legs or curled up next to my back if I am lying on my side. He will stay there all night and by morning he gets up and goes to his litter box and then comes back down for his social hour around the breakfast table. He will get in Sue’s lap while she sits at the breakfast table so she can rub his ears and scratch his chin. Then he will go and inspect Suzie’s food bowl just to see what was on her menu.
Things are getting a little better, I guess they will by degrees as the days go by and we get use to the change. One of our daughters {Ava} is coming for a few days so I am excited about her visit, its always nice to have the kids come to stay for a while. She is wanting to learn about Sue’s business so she is going to take a few days from her family to do this. Okay I have to go and start loading the flat bed trailer to take a shipment to the warehouse so I will talk with you later.

[Dixie_Flyer]

Suzie and Sue have been playing with each other. Suzie gets her toy Possum and brings it to Sue for her to throw it. Suzie then runs to catch it and brings it back to Sue. The only thing missing is Fella barking while this is going on because he wanted to be included in the fun. Suzie is such fun to have around and she is a live wire of energy.

Once again we have been blessed with rain, how badly we need it. The temp has dropped to 72* outside since the rain that too is a welcome relief.

[Dixie_Flyer]

Dashonthedash wrote:
I know how fast cancer can spread. Please allow me to relate the story of Willow, my first rescue and the dog that started me on a lifelong love affair with greyhounds. She was 12 years old, and had been with my GSD Max and me for almost 10 years:

I was away on vacation, when I came home and discovered that Willow was having trouble with her mouth. It wasn't bleeding at that time, but it soon swelled up until her head was almost as big as Dash's is now. My vet was on vacation at the time, so a substitute vet looked at her. She diagnosed the problem as a couple of abscessed teeth, pulled them and gave me some antibiotics. The problem subsided for a couple days, then came back worse than ever. One week from the initial diagnosis, my own vet finally had a chance to look at her, and he immediately diagnosed it as lymphosarcoma. I made an appointment with the oncologist at CSU for the following Wednesday. By that time, she was having problems breathing, and they had to place her in a hyperbaric chamber. They gave me three choices: full chemotherapy, partial chemotherapy or immediate euthanasia. Because of her age, I opted for the partial (prednisone), which they said might give her 2 or 3 months. For the next few days, she improved dramatically, and was almost back to her normal self. Then, on Friday night, 9 days after starting treatment, she started throwing up blood. Saturday morning, I took her to the vet, ready for the worst. He decided to keep her overnight for observation. That night, he called me to let me know that Willow threw up some blood, went to sleep and passed away naturally. It was just over 3 weeks after the first symptoms and 2 weeks after the diagnosis of cancer.

Richard, it was Fella's time. Even had you treated the jaw, other complications would have quickly developed, and he would have continued to suffer. Cancer is a terrible disease, and can spread quickly even before it is discovered.

Thanks Gary. We know now that Old Fella had cancer before we left for the rally in Branson. Our vet here missed the diagnose, but had the cancer been discovered it wouldn't have made any difference in the outcome and most likely would have changed our plans about the rally. As it was Fella did fine on the trip there and back and then when we went to the specialist she determined there was cancer and suggested a full range of X-rays be done. That is when the cancer was discovered. It seemed it was all down hill from there and very fast. When Dr. Phillips told us that bone cancer was the most painful kind of cancer there was and how much Fella had suffered it was amazing how he had put up with it as he had. She said it was his determination to please that kept him going. The pain meds had helped, but he was still suffering a great deal. This made the decision easier.

[Dashonthedash]

I know how fast cancer can spread. Please allow me to relate the story of Willow, my first rescue and the dog that started me on a lifelong love affair with greyhounds. She was 12 years old, and had been with my GSD Max and me for almost 10 years:

I was away on vacation, when I came home and discovered that Willow was having trouble with her mouth. It wasn't bleeding at that time, but it soon swelled up until her head was almost as big as Dash's is now. My vet was on vacation at the time, so a substitute vet looked at her. She diagnosed the problem as a couple of abscessed teeth, pulled them and gave me some antibiotics. The problem subsided for a couple days, then came back worse than ever. One week from the initial diagnosis, my own vet finally had a chance to look at her, and he immediately diagnosed it as lymphosarcoma. I made an appointment with the oncologist at CSU for the following Wednesday. By that time, she was having problems breathing, and they had to place her in a hyperbaric chamber. They gave me three choices: full chemotherapy, partial chemotherapy or immediate euthanasia. Because of her age, I opted for the partial (prednisone), which they said might give her 2 or 3 months. For the next few days, she improved dramatically, and was almost back to her normal self. Then, on Friday night, 9 days after starting treatment, she started throwing up blood. Saturday morning, I took her to the vet, ready for the worst. He decided to keep her overnight for observation. That night, he called me to let me know that Willow threw up some blood, went to sleep and passed away naturally. It was just over 3 weeks after the first symptoms and 2 weeks after the diagnosis of cancer.

Richard, it was Fella's time. Even had you treated the jaw, other complications would have quickly developed, and he would have continued to suffer. Cancer is a terrible disease, and can spread quickly even before it is discovered.

[chrisnpat]

Dixie Flyer wrote:
Sue says I didn’t get it exactly right when I described Old Fella as having a broken jaw bone. According to her Dr. Phillips described Old Fella’s problem as a tooth that either had abscessed or the cancer had become involved with the jaw bone and tooth together. In any case to stop the bleeding surgery was needed and the necessary equipment to do that was miles away in another clinic. Given the fact that Old Fella had been diagnosed with bone cancer and the outlook didn’t look that promising, to end his suffering would perhaps be the right thing to do.

Sorry for the confusion

Richard, Im sure there isn't anyone on this forum that wouldn't agree, that you and Sue did the right thing for Old Fella, and if there is someone like that........They don't belong here.

[HobbsHauler]

Popping in to see if Richard had a chance to check out the Golden. Maybe you could start a new wing at the rescue called the Ol' Boy wing.

[bonniesoo]

Whatever the situation was I truly believe you did the right thing for Old Fella. He didn't need to undergo any painful situations and seemed very happy and content till the end.

[Dixie_Flyer]

Sue says I didn’t get it exactly right when I described Old Fella as having a broken jaw bone. According to her Dr. Phillips described Old Fella’s problem as a tooth that either had abscessed or the cancer had become involved with the jaw bone and tooth together. In any case to stop the bleeding surgery was needed and the necessary equipment to do that was miles away in another clinic. Given the fact that Old Fella had been diagnosed with bone cancer and the outlook didn’t look that promising, to end his suffering would perhaps be the right thing to do.

Sorry for the confusion

[Dixie_Flyer]

It is time now to pick up the pieces and move on as Old Fella would have wanted us to. His strong will to live carried him beyond what many would have endured, so taking his example we will carry on the banner for the rescue effort and move forward.

Suzie is now back to her old self running and playing and into mischief. This morning she must have heard another animal outside because she went running into the living room so she could look out the window and came running back to the bedroom jumped up on the bed making sure we were awake. She was barking and carrying on wanting us to get up and let her out, so we did. Who can resist a 43 pound dog jumping up and down on your stomach when you need to go to the bathroom?

Last night we got some much needed rain, but it knocked out our satellite so we don't have a TV in the family room, who cares? It's time wasted anyway. Okay it's time to get ready for church so I had better go for now, so ya later.