Pippi is now at The Rainbow Bridge May 29, 2021

[jesse girl]

Re: Pippi's Story

A third of a cup each .Remember this is just one meal for a 26 pound beagle who is an old gal . She has maintained her 26 pound weight for 11 years so I guess the calorie count is good . I never did any research on that as far as jesse's food and went with a more common sense approach . Science is great but sometimes it gets a bit to paticulare on things which you may not need to worry about so much .

[Pippi's Mama]

Pippi is now at The Rainbow Bridge

My sweet little Pippi went to the Rainbow Bridge on Saturday morning, May 29th. My heart is broken.

I was so hoping that she had IBD and that a food change would help her condition. The pathologist report a month ago stated it was histiocytic sarcoma, but he couldn’t rule out IBD. However, it had only been a very slight chance that it could be IBD.

I had cut back on her dogfood and added boiled chicken, mackerel, boiled eggs, and spinach, along with milk thistle with her meals for over a week and had planned on transitioning completely from the dogfood (Thanks so much for the recipe, Jesse Girl). Her blood glucose was better than ever, even on the prednisone. On her vet visit on Thursday, she had actually gained weight and her platelet count had risen to 40,000 from 20,000 the week before, and I was so encouraged. She was more anemic, though. She had gotten a little more anemic at each visit. But still, I thought she was doing a little better. Her blood glucose from Thursday night to Friday morning had been 180 at p.m. feeding, 120 around 2:30 a.m. (she’d gotten up to go to the bathroom so I checked her bg in case she might be high), and 180 again at a.m. feeding – the best glucose reading she’d ever had since she had been diagnosed with diabetes 2 years ago.

On Friday morning, she ate her morning meal with gusto. We spent most of the day on the back porch, and Pippi had a wonderful time curled up sleeping on the couch or on the cool concrete. Around 4:30, I picked her up and realized she was really lethargic. I rushed her to the vet. In a day’s time, she had gone from 40,000 platelets to 14,000 platelets and was even more anemic. The vet suggested we try the vincristine drug as it would help the spleen release platelets to stop the bleeding – wherever it was. She never showed external bleeding and her stools never had blood in them.

Pippi didn’t improve, so Saturday morning, I took her back in for another evaluation. Her platelet count had increased slightly to 22,000, but she was more anemic than the day before. The vet said that her platelet count should have at least risen to 70,000 with the Vincristine overnight. This showed that the spleen wasn’t making platelets fast enough. The slides showed platelet and red blood cell destruction and that many of the red blood cells didn’t look healthy. I knew then, it was time to let her go.

My little Pippi looked from me to Mama as we talked to her and told her how much we loved her. She never lost her sight in the 2 years she was diabetic, and I’m so happy she was able to see us until the very end. On her last walk on Thursday, she saw a rabbit and got to “chase” that rabbit on leash one last time.

If it hadn’t been for this wonderful group, it might have been different. It was here that I learned I needed a glucometer and that I needed to do diligent testing in order to try and save her sight. It was here that I learned so many things that helped her. I wasn’t a member long, but I read lots of helpful posts for months before I joined, and many posts after I joined. I know there are others who learn so much from this forum without ever joining. It was a true blessing for Pippi and me.

Pippi and her sister Phoenix, who passed away in 2019, were a team on Earth, and now they are a team again, playing in the green grass and chasing all those pesky rabbits at the Rainbow Bridge.

Goodbye for now my sweet special Pippi. I was so lucky to call you mine. I miss you so much that I can hardly stand it. My only comfort is that I know I’ll see your joyous spirit again one day, the spirit that knew no meanness in this world. We will then cross the bridge together, along with my humble Phoenix. I feel so blessed to have had two heart dogs in my life. Both at the same time. How many people get to experience that kind of love?

[jesse girl]

Re: Pippi is now at The Rainbow Bridge

You did all you could for your wonderful Pippi right up to the end . You were so determined and pip road that magic carpet ride with you . What a great team you 2 made . Some battles we are not suppose to win and that's just part of how life works It has a biological ending but not spirit as that's forever

What a time it will be when you get to be back with your loves . Not limited to this world but free to be whatever you want .

Pippi will always have a special place on this forum .

[k9diabetes]

Re: Pippi is now at The Rainbow Bridge

Oh no... I'm so sorry to learn of Pippi's passing. Such wonderful photos of her. I wish you and we could have had more time with her.

To be so beloved... such a blessing for her.

Sending her a kiss skyward.

Natalie

[bgdavis]

Re: Pippi is now at The Rainbow Bridge May 29, 2021

I so sorry to read that Pippi has left your care. I know she will be forever in your heart.

You provided her with all that was possible and now she is with friends, chasing rabbits.

Hugs,
Bonnie and Angel Crissy Ann

[Pippi's Mama]

Re: Pippi is now at The Rainbow Bridge May 29, 2021

Thank you everyone for your kind words about my Pippi. It is so hard for me right now. I miss her so much. The house seems so empty. I sure wish I could hear her joyful barks again and her welcoming "woo woo's". She was such a talkative little dog. She loved everybody. She never knew a stranger.