These were the sweet last moments I had with our baby girl, Ivory.
Today she was hit by a car and suffered multiple injuries resulting in euthanization.
We were at my parents' to enjoy the pool, and, as always, she was right beside me laying in the grass.
It had to be a minute or two...I dozed off. I came back to, and Ivory was gone.
I asked the boys where she was. They didn't know.
I called and called for her. She didn't come.
A lawn mower was going next door...I thought I heard her yelping and thought she might be caught somewhere...
Then...I looked through the neighbor's yard to 15th street only to see traffic moving very slowly.
My heart sank.
I started running.
There she was...in the middle of the road...alive... a man crouching over her, supporting her but she didn't stand up. She had been hit by a car that ran and the neighbor saw it and hurried to help.
Long story short, I sprinted and got my car, we lifted her in and I rushed to the veterinary hospital.
The whole way there I talked to her, kept her alert. I knew she probably had broken her leg. She had tire marks all over her white fur, lots of scrapes and bleeding. But nothing life threatening, I thought.
We arrived and they immediately took an x-ray of her hind end... I waited and waited...I was a wreck.
They said she had severe shock and they wanted to treat it. She was also bleeding out of her nose now, showing her lungs probably had contusions. I started having flashbacks to Zoey.
Then the orthopedic surgeon came in and said it didn't look good.
My heart sank more..and by then I was uncontrollably shaking.
He proceeded to tell me that She had not just fractured, but shattered her right femur. It was broken in 3 different directions. Bone fragments were everywhere and it was right up next to the ball in the hip.
"It doesn't stop there."
He next told me that her ball in her left hip socket had detached and she had suffered damage to her growth plate. That leg, even if repaired could not grow anymore.
"That's not all."
Next he showed me that her pelvis was detached from the spine on her left side.
I then started asking tons of questions. Healing time?...long. What about her front legs? (which she'd been limping on and probably needed surgery themselves from elbow displaysia)... they would probably be forced to early onset arthritis due to the pressure they'll take through the long hind healing process.
Then, he got real with me. "We can make this livable for her. If you say the word, we will get to work...BUT... human to human..... I am going to tell you, this will not be easy. We are talking multiple surgeries and pins everywhere...thousands of dollars, and a dog that will probably not ever be active. Walks, probably not, but maybe. And even if she does get through all of it, it wont stop there. She will have a lifetime of problems and pain. If there is any hope, I usually twist people's arms. And I hate to say this, but I think the only humane thing to do here, would be euthanization. I don't like to tell people what to do, and I love to see dogs prove me wrong, but in this situation, I would recommend that even if it were my dog."
So I said a long prayer, had a few minutes alone with her, and made the choice.
Then I held her through it.
I thanked Heavenly Father for letting her be a part of our family, even if it was short lived.
I am so grateful, even if it is "just a pet" for the knowledge that I will see Ivory again.
Running, jumping, happy and pain free.
And hopefully her and Zoey will be buddies.
I miss my snuggle buddy by my feet already.
