MR. TIMOTHY

 You have all fallen in love with Mr. Timothy.

 He was a stray in my area and we were able to get him and take him to the vet.

 As soon as I held him, I knew he was seriously ill.

 He was incredibly thin at 8.5 pounds.  He should have been at least 12 pounds.   His muscle mass was gone.

 We ran the bloodwork, and tick panel, and urinalysis-- we do this on our intakes especially those that are in trouble health wise.

 He stayed at the vet for fluids.

 I held him awhile, so he could know someone loved him and then they took him back for care and fluids.

 They cleaned him up--and got rid of the fleas that were all over him.

 And then I waited for all the results to come back.   The results were far worse than I anticipated.   The list was long-- severe kidney failure, liver failure, bad heart murmur, lyme disease, pulmonary hypertension, and his mouth was full of abscessed teeth.   He could not be sedated at all to help his mouth and it hurt.  His kidneys were almost non-functioning and anesthesia was not an option.  He was in pain.   His bladder was full of infection.  His PCV was only 16-- it should have been 40-50. 

  With IV antibiotics, fluids almost daily, we might have kept him alive for a few weeks.   But, how fair would that be to a dog in pain, whose body was failing him.   WHY??  Because whoever owned him never took care of him.   He was a beautiful little boy-- and he deserved so much more.   So, it was left to us in rescue to hold him, and tell him I loved him.

 We made him a bowl of food, and it had chicken and goodies, and a heart on the top made of cheese.  We hand fed him, and told him he was special. 

 His eyes told me he didn't feel well.  Rescuers see this too much.   I held him for an hour, talked to him, gently rubbed his back and kissed his head.  All I could do was hold him for one hour at the end -- letting him know someone cared, someone loved him, someone was going to hold him close as he gently left this world that had treated him so badly.   (Even with antibiotics and fluids, his life might have gone on a few weeks, but with pain-- I wouldn't and couldn't let that happen.  His body was shutting down.)

 He walked over to the vet as if to say, "thank you" and then I held him again.

I loved this little man, even for a short time.  He is not in pain now, he is safe now-- he was met by my Starlight, my Floyd, my Pi, Jelly, BeeBee and Nala and Cami Bear.   He is whole again, he is happy, he is running free.   Farewell little Mr. Timothy.   I wish we could have saved you.  💙⭐