[Dailydrool] Puppymill dogs

[rosekh at aol.com]

I am mommy to 2 puppymill rescues, Fred and Annie.  Fred is slightly wary of strangers, but mainly wants to be friends with everyone, especially if you have food, or a hand with which to pet him.  Annie is more typical of puppymill dogs...very timid and afraid and, while she's made great strides in the 3 years she's been with me, she is still nervous and skittish and not trusting of anyone other than me.

The only real health issue we've had is that Annie had a stage 2 mast cell tumor removed from her abdomen 1 year after she came to live with me.  It was a miracle that I found it because, at the time, Annie hardly EVER rolled onto her back for me to give her a belly rub.  The fact that she did, and that I found this little lump which was the size of a pea, is amazing to me.  I'm so thankful that she was with me at the time, and I was able to get it removed...if she'd still been at the puppymill, I hate to think what the outcome would've been.  Annie has also had some sprains and has limped from time to time...she is very clumsy, and tends to trip over her own feet.  One vet told me that she'd torn some ligament and needed surgery (at the time, she wasn't even limping anymore.)  This is the same vet who removed the tumor and then said, "Well, the margins were clear, but since I didn't think it was a tumor, I didn't remove as much tissue as I should've, so we should go in and remove more."  What???  Obviously I went for a second opinion on both issues, and Annie has had no further surgeries (the vet we went to for the second opinion, who I currently use, was recommended by our rescue group...should've listened and gone to her in the first place!!)

Anyway, Fred is prone to stomach aches and cysts, but so far nothing major thankfully.  I am totally in love with my two puppymill dogs, although I hate thinking about where they came from (we choose not to think about it in this house!)  I often think of Annie's puppies, and pray that they went to good homes.  I also wonder if Fred and Annie had any puppies together, and laugh about what a handful any dog with these 2 as parents would be!! :)

Rose, Annie and Fred
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