Monica found Ripp by following a group called German Shepherd Rescue & Adoptions back in 2012. Ripp had just been turned over to them after Animal Control or the Sheriff's office was called to remove him from the premesis in South Carolina where he lived with his first family. They left him alone in their backyard unloved and unattended. In their extreme negligence he developed severe ear infections that were never addressed. GSRA were asking for donations to help pay for the surgery he had to remove the infections. The infections were so bad that they destroyed both his inner ears. Doctors had to perform a total ear canal ablation, which means that his inner ear and ear canal were removed from both sides and he was left completely deaf. We donated to the cause and Monica followed his recovery online hoping all along that we would be lucky enough to bring him into our home.
We had experience caring for dogs with special needs. We had a Shepherd mix named Jake who lost his right, rear leg in a hit and run accident. Jake lived with us until he was fifteen years old and for the last months of his life I had to carry him outside whenever he needed to use the bathroom. He became a very 'hands on' dog. We already decided that we wanted to adopt older dogs when Monica found Ripp's story, and since we had some experience with special situations we felt like we might be better equipped to meet the challenges Ripp would pose. About six months after his surgery we had an opportunity to meet his foster mother who decided to break protocol and bring him over to our house with her. She had been caring for him since GSRA received him a year earlier and was seriously considering keeping him. She had a very, very vested interest in his well being as she had fallen for him in the same way everyone who met him fell for him. He was a unique character. Our meeting went well and twenty four hours later we were bringing the longest, tallest and probably the sweetest German Shepherd ever to live with us in our happy little home.
We had experience caring for dogs with special needs. We had a Shepherd mix named Jake who lost his right, rear leg in a hit and run accident. Jake lived with us until he was fifteen years old and for the last months of his life I had to carry him outside whenever he needed to use the bathroom. He became a very 'hands on' dog. We already decided that we wanted to adopt older dogs when Monica found Ripp's story, and since we had some experience with special situations we felt like we might be better equipped to meet the challenges Ripp would pose. About six months after his surgery we had an opportunity to meet his foster mother who decided to break protocol and bring him over to our house with her. She had been caring for him since GSRA received him a year earlier and was seriously considering keeping him. She had a very, very vested interest in his well being as she had fallen for him in the same way everyone who met him fell for him. He was a unique character. Our meeting went well and twenty four hours later we were bringing the longest, tallest and probably the sweetest German Shepherd ever to live with us in our happy little home.
Ripp was different from the very beginning. His deafness meant that he was oblivious to almost everything going on around him. He couldn't hear threats, he couldn't hear us behind him, and he never once heard any of the sweet things we said to him over and over again, though we never stopped speaking to him. Every animal that ever came close to him seemed to recognize immediately that he was different and they all kept a wide berth. He was never a threat to any of them, but he was clumsy and bull headed. If he saw something he wanted he trotted over to it, much like a horse, with no regard for any of the things or smaller animals he might knock over in the process. He was a big, furry, lovable steamroller.
Ripp became attached to Monica right away. It was wonderful to see it happen so fast, and because he was deaf he kept his eye trained on her any time she got up. He followed her everywhere she went for the first couple of years and eventually settled on staring at whichever door she left through until he eventually looked back and forth at all points of entry, waiting to see from which direction she might return. If she didn't return quickly he would get up and try to sniff her out. As he walked in circles around the house he would stop and look back at the room she left in case he missed her coming back, and then trundle on until he figured out where she was. If he found the room she was in he would lay on the floor outside the door until she emerged and then he would proudly walk back with her and plop back on the floor beside her. He was pure sweetness.
Ripp became attached to Monica right away. It was wonderful to see it happen so fast, and because he was deaf he kept his eye trained on her any time she got up. He followed her everywhere she went for the first couple of years and eventually settled on staring at whichever door she left through until he eventually looked back and forth at all points of entry, waiting to see from which direction she might return. If she didn't return quickly he would get up and try to sniff her out. As he walked in circles around the house he would stop and look back at the room she left in case he missed her coming back, and then trundle on until he figured out where she was. If he found the room she was in he would lay on the floor outside the door until she emerged and then he would proudly walk back with her and plop back on the floor beside her. He was pure sweetness.
Ripp first exhibited signs of DM about two years ago. The first sign was that either of his back feet would drag behind him as he walked. A simple test is to flip a paw over to see if the dog flips it back. If the nerve response is lost the dog doesn't "know" anything is wrong and the paw stays flipped. We knew for a very long time that he had the disease and what it would entail. Ripp had had pneumonia a couple of times before and we were very anxious that he would get it again once he became paralyzed. For several months we were able to get him up and moving on his own by helping lift his hips and giving him a little push in the right direction. He always soldiered on and kept his head high even if he knocked us, our other dog or small pieces of furniture over in the process. He was never mopey because of his condition.
For the last several months all Ripp wanted was for the three of us be together. He would still play with his tennis ball enthusiastically even without the use of his legs. He could reposition himself on his giant six by six mat by flopping around with his front legs until he pointed in the right direction. Often, that was how he would stubbornly show that he was not interested in the food or water we tried to give him, by flopping away from the bowl we held by his face. Food would fly through the air, water would soak him, us and his many pillows but we would keep hassling him until he ate enough to maintain his weight. Unfortunately he was not as food motivated as most dogs so any time he got really sick (inactivity, such as what paralysis brings, can lead to pneumonia and UTI's, both of which he had) it became stressful trying to get him to take his pills. We gave him nightly shots for awhile because he became suspicious of anything once he discovered we had put pills in his food. He actually chewed his food, so we had to outsmart him at every meal.
For the last several months all Ripp wanted was for the three of us be together. He would still play with his tennis ball enthusiastically even without the use of his legs. He could reposition himself on his giant six by six mat by flopping around with his front legs until he pointed in the right direction. Often, that was how he would stubbornly show that he was not interested in the food or water we tried to give him, by flopping away from the bowl we held by his face. Food would fly through the air, water would soak him, us and his many pillows but we would keep hassling him until he ate enough to maintain his weight. Unfortunately he was not as food motivated as most dogs so any time he got really sick (inactivity, such as what paralysis brings, can lead to pneumonia and UTI's, both of which he had) it became stressful trying to get him to take his pills. We gave him nightly shots for awhile because he became suspicious of anything once he discovered we had put pills in his food. He actually chewed his food, so we had to outsmart him at every meal.
As Ripp's condition worsened we had to try and feed him every hour or so to maintain his health, and every three to four hours we had to express his bladder because the disease meant that he could no longer manipulate it to urinate. If you don't express the bladder, and thoroughly, any animal can get bad infections. In Ripp's weakened state that would have been disastrous. Add to that the fact that strong antibiotics made food unappealing to him and you can see what a challenge we had on our hands. This stage of Ripp's condition lasted for roughly four or five months until he finally succumbed to the inevitable. We knew that an infection would get him if the disease didn't finally rob him of the ability to use his front legs. Last week he finally began to slow down and stop showing his bouncy, happy self when I got home from work. Last Saturday he turned old right before my eyes as Monica slept on the sofa and when we had a chance to talk about it Sunday as he began to struggle occasionally to breathe we feared our luck had finally run out. We had had "The Discussion" several times, so we knew we had to get him to the vet the next day to confirm our fears.
Ripp was an active part of our lives for six years and one day. He was never anything but sweet, loving and happy. He was one hundred percent devoted to Monica and me, and his adopted sister, Bella. He hugged me by burying his head into my chest every day when I got home from work, sometimes for as long as a couple of minutes. He let us hug him back as long and as often as we wanted and as long as we were all around him he had everything he ever needed or cared for. He was an absolute delight, and despite the fact that his body failed him almost the entire time we had him with us, he simply rolled with it without so much as a single complaint. He and I became best friends, and he was the Furry Love of Monica's Life. We wanted to give him a loving home to grow old in because his first seven years were so, so rough and unfair. All of that paled in comparison to what he gave us in return. The last, and possibly the kindest thing we could do for him was to spare him the awful decline that a third bout with pneumonia would bring.
Monday afternoon Monica and I, along with Ripp's veterinarian of six years and two assistants, all wiping tears from our eyes, said "goodbye" to one of the sweetest, most innocent and enduring souls to ever grace the Earth. I do not know how to express how fulfilling our time with Ripp was, or how grateful I am that we had a chance to give a loving home to a spirit like his in such need of grounding. His foster mother did a great job caring for him, but with other Shepherds to find homes for in her house she had her hands full. Ripp was a work in progress when we took him in, but even paralyzed, deaf and eventually with only one ear he helped make us more whole than we had ever been before. He will be in our thoughts and in our essence for the rest of our lives.
Monday afternoon Monica and I, along with Ripp's veterinarian of six years and two assistants, all wiping tears from our eyes, said "goodbye" to one of the sweetest, most innocent and enduring souls to ever grace the Earth. I do not know how to express how fulfilling our time with Ripp was, or how grateful I am that we had a chance to give a loving home to a spirit like his in such need of grounding. His foster mother did a great job caring for him, but with other Shepherds to find homes for in her house she had her hands full. Ripp was a work in progress when we took him in, but even paralyzed, deaf and eventually with only one ear he helped make us more whole than we had ever been before. He will be in our thoughts and in our essence for the rest of our lives.
Last year was a real stress test for us as a family and especially for me, personally. I lost the last of my grandparents, Ruby, in January. I visited her twice a year from the time I was four or five years old and I kept that up even as I entered my fifties. To have a grandmother at the age of fifty is indeed special, and I miss her still. I lost my father in June. Our relationship was hardly normal but we spent more time together in the last ten years than in the previous forty combined. It was cruel that he deteriorated to the state he was in at the end and his passing was a genuine relief given his frail condition. We were well aware of Ripp's fate and we expected that he would not survive last summer. He had a terrible bout of pneumonia followed by a particularly bad UTI in the spring but he pulled through it and was able to live relatively comfortably for another nine months. All of these things took a physical, and a heavy, heavy emotional toll on me. Monica and I were completely dedicated to making Ripp's life as comfortable and happy as possible. There was no "extra time" for anything given what my work and practice schedule has always been, and blogging had to wait until another time. I have truly missed it, but priorities had to be reevaluated to keep our promise to each other, and to Ripp. I am proud of what we did and sacrificed for him and I would do it all over again if we had to.
In closing I would ask that any of you who may be considering a new pet give some real thought to adopting through your local SPCA or one of the countless adoption agencies. You may even find one that focuses on a particular breed if you have a desire for a specific type of dog or cat. Older animals have a harder time finding homes because so many people want a puppy or a kitten for their homes. There are ups and downs with both scenarios, as well as some research to do such as looking up animal or toddler compatibility and making sure that the breed you may be interested in can live well in an apartment or if they need space to run around. If you are determined to provide a loving home for a new, furry family member you can do just that by taking in a critter that may have already had a rough experience in the wrong home. We will be pet adopters for life. The rewards for us have been immeasurable, and our lives are changed for the better because of our time with Ripp, Bella, Jake, Jasmine, Luna, Damien, Marvin, Ginger and Venus.
Ripp, you filled our home with love and our hearts with joy and happiness. As you run around for the first time in months with our other furry friends, and hear for the first time in years, know that we could never thank you enough for giving yourself completely to us and for trusting us to treat you well. What I wouldn't give to feel your head against my chest and my arms wrapped around you one last time. Be well, Buddy! Know that we will never stop thinking of you.
Aw man! Ripp sounded like such a cool dog. Hope you guys are doing ok...
ReplyDeleteEven the Minister of Death has a soft spot for dogs. They really are a tyrant's best friend. We're okay, Keith. Thanks for checking. Knowing that there was only one "right" decision to make has helped. Also, we have had some practice with this over the years. Best to you and yours, and keep an eye open for more posts. Now that this is behind us and Confessor are still plugging away there are things to write about again. I could have given away our Secret Plan for Total World Domination but that seemed counterproductive. Until our next TWD meeting, "Cuidate, amigo!"
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