[Dailydrool] A Sad Day for Rescue :(

[froggie]

I got a call from a young woman living with her aunt (whom she described as "low class") in Nashville about a basset that showed up there 2 1/2 weeks ago.  She said her aunt wasn't going to take care of him so she wanted him to come to a rescue.  I really wasn't going to take him given that I am trying to lower the numbers here,  but thought maybe I could find somewhere by the weekend---when I go to Nashville anyway for Poppi's potential adoption--but she said she didn't think he'd live that long.  Alarmed by that, I agreed to meet her right away in Clarksville, TN (1/2 way.)  I met her in the Cracker Barrel parking lot and saw the smooshiest basset I think I have ever seen here.  He had the biggest feet--literally the size and thickness of my fists!-- and huge ears.  Gorgeous.  He was, however, complete skin and bones.  His spine was protruding--even his neckbones were showing.  His belly, however, was huge.  My first thought was bloat, but it didn't seem right.  His gums were white and cold.  His eyes were full of green goop.  They laid him in my van and I sped away to the vet.  I'd said that if we ever got in a big smooshy basset boy, his name would be Solomon, so I reached back, stroked his head, and called him by name.  

At the vet's, there was a man with his ancient rottie with a dinner plate-sized tumor on his shoulder.  Dr. Todd helped the dog to the man's truck and sent him to the Bridge.  The man said he'd already dug his grave.  I cried into Solomon's fur just knowing that poor dog--who was in obvious pain--would be running around again very shortly.  When Dr. Todd took a look at Solomon, he said it wasn't stomach related but lower--a massive abdominal mass and his spleen was so enlarged it was about to rupture.  He was so debilitated as it was, he'd never survive surgery to remove the spleen, and there was no telling where else cells from the mass had spread.  He was older, but with not much white on his face so if he was even 6 or 7, it would have been an accurate guess.  Dr. Todd said the best thing for him would be to release him from his pain--and he was in a lot of it.  I kissed him on the nose, looked into his big brown eyes and told him I'd let him go.  I held him tight as he breathed his last.  The rottie didn't go alone to the Bridge today, and neither did Solomon.  He's being cremated and we'll find a beautiful urn for his ashes.

Susan and the Hoptown  Bassets + 7
Murphy, Jeremiah, Twinkie, Walter, Rusty Paws (ATB),Sammy (ATB), Nellie (ATB), Barney Boy (ATB) &  Bert(ATB), Bianca(ATB), Solomon (ATB), Sapper, Poppi, the Bitty Sisters, Betsy, Flappers and Ginger
Bluegrass Basset Rescue, Inc
A Basset is an Asset!

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