Raven & Friends

31/03/2022

21/11/2021

We have TEN days left for our Scentsy fundraiser!
Check out the festive items available for the holiday season. You can buy for yourself or buy for a friend. As long as you’re supporting a good cause right ?

Fill your life with fragrance!

19/11/2021

11/11/2021

Now Raven will be with me forever 🖤
6 months just wasn’t long enough.

31/10/2021

Raven wasn’t the only baby in the house that was dealt a crap hand of cards.
We’ve never taken the time to introduce Gypsy on Raven’s page. I don’t share Gypsy much because as we all know so much judgement can come from a picture.
Gypsy joined us in May 2020 when she was 3 months old. I thought from the pictures that I would be getting a Demodex mange puppy but from the moment I laid eyes upon her , I knew she was going to be a medical challenge. I’ll skip the background because that would be A LOT to explain. But to sum it up, after advocating for Gypsy - we got her diagnosis back in July 2020. She has a horrible skin auto-immune disease called Ischemic Dermatopathy. However, Gypsy is a more advanced level which is referred to as dermatomyositis.

“Ischemic dermatopathy basically means that the skin and hair follicles are not getting enough blood because of inflammation in the blood vessels. Milder forms are associated with hair loss and scaling; sometimes the condition can be severe enough to cause ulceration and bleeding.

When muscles are involved (like those in the GI tract), the disease is called dermatomyositis. We recognize it as an inherited defected in Collies and Shelties; other breeds have been reported to have this as well.”

Gypsy has it BAD. She doesn’t have eyelids or a bottom lip. She has terrible flare ups on her skin , when everything becomes a scab and she gets infections. She struggles to walk because the muscles in her hips and legs are weak from every disease. Plus her paws are the worst of it, they have ulcers. Her a**s prolapses every time she p**ps which I put back in myself. It’s a really hard auto/immune disease to deal with, it affect so many areas of her body. It’s hard to watch it take the joy from her eyes for weeks at a time.

But here’s thing… as I am describing this, even I am thinking “what type of life is this?”. She won’t have a long life, she will be turning 2 in February. We know her time is limited with us and it is really hard to accept that. If Gypsy gave me any sign, that she was ready for her pain to end; I would be right there by her side giving her that chance to be pain free. But there are good moments and there are bad , which sounds about right for this story we call life. When the bad moments start outweighing the good , and Gypsy seems to have nothing left to be happy for. Then I will know.

But till then, I literally do EVERYTHING, and I mean EVERYTHING I possibly can to bring her comfort.
We’ve done all the different meds , all the supplements , all the CBD and FECO, Chinese herbs, acupuncture, topical ointments/sprays/oils . I would go to the ends of the earth for her.

22/10/2021

RIP little baby Bean. I only knew you for a short bit but I just know you would have been amazing.

His body gave up the fight while laying in my hand.

21/10/2021

Please send miracle vibes to this tiny guy. He is en route to me from New Caney. He’s 5 weeks old and already on the same medical journey that Raven started at 3.5 weeks old. He is lethargic and doesn’t want to eat. His body is already failing on him.
He hasn’t been thriving like his litter mates and the vet he saw yesterday suspects enlarged kidneys.
Raven had the opposite issue where her kidneys were under developed. There’s no guarantee that I can get him over this hump.
But I have to try right? Raven was a miracle every day that she lived. I feel she would want me to try to give this baby the same chance that she had.

19/10/2021

At 6 months old, she doesn’t belong in that box.

But she’s back home where she needs to be. Her only home ♥️

15/10/2021

I was going to post earlier today, but I wasn’t quite sure to what to post since I don’t have any Raven stories anymore. It’s been 10 days since we had to say goodbye. Every time I’ve thought about her and her amazing, up beat attitude - I start to cry. I don’t even get to choose the dogs we have to keep , they’re just the ones that don’t get adopted for numerous reasons. But even though Raven had congenital birth defects and I know she wouldn’t have a long life, I would have kept her no matter what. I would have loved to have her in my life for the next years. She would have literally been the best dog I’ve ever been able to call mine.

A friend sent me this article today, I didn’t even know it was out there. To the author, thank you for taking the time to honor Raven’s life by sharing her story. It means more than you know to have her touch so many peoples’ lives- I wish everybody would have gotten to meet her.
Raven was a fierce , joyful puppy who was surrounded by friends and love. She had endless puppies and kittens to snuggle with. She had a family that loved her dearly. I never would have given up on her from the day she was born. Her body made that choice for the both of us , but if it would have continued to fight- I would have continued to fight right along with her.
She might be just a dog, but she taught me something. You have to make the best out of the life you have.
We don’t know what the future holds for anyone. But she made the choice to wake up twirling and prancing even though she never felt 100%

Please share Raven’s story. So her name can be known.
“though she be but little she is fierce”

We continue to take on hard cases , some we will win and some we will lose.
www.PayPal.me/JamiesAnimalRescue
Venmo:

One of young pup Raven’s favorite things to do was sunbathe with her furry family. A dog full of s***k, she loved frolicking with the foster dogs and cats who came to stay with her family. Even though she struggled with her own issues, Raven wanted to help other dogs find their happiness. Sadly th...

06/10/2021

Missing her big time today.
This is one of my favorite pictures of her.
When I laid eyes upon a newborn puppy that weighed merely ounces , 1/3 of the size of her siblings- when I saw her pushing her way through the other 6 of them to find a ni**le.
I just knew it right then and there. She’s going to be a badass. And that she was.

05/10/2021

Please take a journey through Raven’s life.
It was only 6 months long, but for the most part - it was a good life. I can only hope she felt it was an amazing life. We had a lot of ups and downs, but I never could bring myself to give up on her ; no matter how tiny she was. When she was young, I was told over and over that she wouldn’t make it another week, that it was time to let go. There were no answers for her.
But still… she hung on. She was born with congenital defects, her kidneys were not developed fully and she struggle with her liver as well. She was mere ounces when born, and I did not expect to ever see her at 6 months old weighing 16 lbs.
I may have kept her alive , but she gave me purpose in life.
For the last 6 months, since the day she was born I have fought for a diagnosis , researched, went to vet appt after vet appt, supplements , medications , special diets, syringe fed, you name it… I did it to keep her alive. Her health consumed me. And I would do it for years to come if I was given the opportunity. My heart has a huge hole in it, it may have only been half a year but she became part of who I was. She was the best puppy I ever could have hoped for.
She was so happy, so full of life. She twirled ih the air when she was excited. She welcomed every new dog with a kiss. She loved running out the door to go on a car ride. She was a true miracle who was taken from us too soon.
Her kidney couldn’t keep up with her growing body, and the puppy that left me today was a shell of who she used to be.

Thank you to everyone who has supported her along the way, it means the world to know she was able to spread her story of joy, resilience, and determination.

A special thank you to our two vets Dr.Dunn and Dr.Faw , who never hesitated to help raven in anyway that I needed. They were there as her support system since she was a newborn, and they never once told me enough was enough. They saw her will to fight and Raven loved them for that even if they did have to poke her a lot. You two are very special to me for everything you did for her.

05/10/2021

One last sunbathe with some of her brother and sisters (and her biological mama).
When I say Raven was a spectacular puppy, that is no under statement. She was everything I would have ever wanted in a dog.

05/10/2021

Saying goodbye before he leaves for school 💔 just in case she isn’t here when he gets back.

05/10/2021

It’s never about me. It’s about her.
I burst into tears every time I pick up the phone to make the appt.
She has become a shell of herself and as much as we want her to rally through this. Her organs are shutting down. I know in my gut there is only one way this turns out today.

04/10/2021

My worst fear is coming true. I knew it was inevitable but kept hoping it would be a little longer.
6 months old is so unfair. Why did she get chosen to be born this way? She has the most amazing personality. She loves everyone and everyrhing. I
Raven has entered stage 4 kidney failure and there’s no coming back from it. Several areas of bloodwork are off the charts and not even readable. She had a cerenia injection today in hopes that she will start to eat. She received sub-q fluids (IV fluids is not an option because of her veins) and I will be continuing sub q fluids at home.
She was given some pain meds and muscle relaxers this AM to help with pain.
We will love her for a few more days if she can make it, but I won’t allow her to suffer. If she lets me know she is in too much pain , I will be by her side.
I usually always ask for the dog to be in your thoughts. But please keep me in your thoughts this time.
I have seen so much death and sadness over the years doing medical and hospice cases. I’m always ok. I was meant for it, but this time I won’t be okay.
This time I will be losing a big chunk of me, she’s become a part of me. I have spent the last 6 months spending everyday keeping her alive. I have done everything physically, emotionally, and medically that I can since she was a day old. She consumes my thoughts and my heart.

04/10/2021

We are vet bound to try to figure out if there’s any coming back from her sudden decline. I do feel part of it is related to the new injections she started last week to help the production of red blood cells. After much research , I found that one of the side effects is muscle and joint pain. She is definitely experiencing that since her 3rd injection, she can barely walk , and when she does - she is stiff and cries easily from touch.
She ate a little bit this morning and threw it up everywhere on the way to the vet. She threw up several times yesterday as well and wouldn’t keep cerenia down either. She eventually showed no interest in even human food. We are at the point that the vets say it is more important for her to eat anything rather than trying to stick to her kidney diet. That it is more crucial for her to just get nutrition in her body.
She has lost 2 lbs already 😫

I just want more time with her. She was just so happy and playful last week.

03/10/2021

Keep Raven in your thoughts 💔
She is no longer the Raven that has been so full of s***k and life.

02/10/2021

My poor baby, she isn’t feeling good anymore.
Getting her to eat an adequate amount has been a challenge , her p**p has started to have some blood in it, and it’s obvious she doesn’t have the energy she used to have. We have had 3 injections this week to help the production of red blood cells. We will have follow up bloodwork this upcoming week but my gut is telling me that the kidney values have worsened.
Each day with her is a blessing because we don’t know how many we have left.

29/09/2021

Raven and her buddy, Kane , soaking up The mornings rays.

28/09/2021

Raven will be going multiple times a week to start a new injectable medicine. We are hoping that it will boost her body to start producing red blood cells because her anemia is increasingly getting worse by the week. The lack of production of red blood cells goes hand in hand with kidney failure.
This new medicine is very expensive , and she has to go 3 times the first week. Then 2 times a week after that. Each vile only has 2 doses in it and it’s $168 a vile.
I know that’s a lot of money, but I can’t give up on doing everything possible of giving her a great life even if it’s a short life. She turns 6 months this week.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE consider donating.
www.PayPal.me/JamiesAnimalRescue
Venmo:

24/09/2021

She’s the most perfect pup 🐶 😍

23/09/2021

Sweet baby raven @ 3 weeks of age. I got her at 1 day old and this was the first time I finally got to touch her after tricking her mama out of the room. It was just a week after this that her health went downhill.

23/09/2021

She wants to be like her Mama.

23/09/2021

Well, the news isn’t good. But it rarely is when it comes to congenital kidney disease.
Raven went in yesterday for her day 1 of 3 IV fluids to help flush her kidney and liver. This is basically the only treatment plan there is to keep her body going so she goes in every couple of weeks to have it done.
This morning though she woke up around 5 an , just moaning. Then this morning she was not active at all, and was trembling. She used to tremble when she was a young puppy when her kidney or liver was overworking.
Vet thought possibly the IV fluids went to her abdomen instead. So an ultrasound was done and no fluid was found. An x ray was done and it did show she has small intestine inflammation, which could explain her weeks of diarrhea we have been battling. But still nothing that explained what was happening.
Her bloodwork was depressing , even more than it was just 11 days ago.
Her kidney values have worsened , her phosphorus and have increased even more, and her anemia is quickly worsening. That is just to name the MAIN concerns.
This most likely means she is now is stage 3 (out of 4) kidney failure.
She has perked up some and back to playing, but it’s definitely noticeable to me that something is wrong. It’s like she’s making herself be a puppy.
She currently doesn’t want to eat her renal diet food which was a red flag because she is usually ravished. I will be adding new supplements to her daily regimen.
I am going out of town this weekend and am panicking, I need her to stay okay through the weekend.
She is truly a miracle. She will be 6 months old on my birthday (9/30).

22/09/2021

Please keep Raven in your thoughts today. She is worse than she has been in months. She received fluids yesterday and they’re worried the fluids may have accumulated into her abdomen instead of flushing her kidney and liver like it’s supposed to. She is back at the vet today but won’t be receiving fluids. They will be monitoring her and doing an ultrasound.

21/09/2021

Raven is starting her 3 day regimen of IV fluids. We love foster creek and how much they love her.
I am leaving town this Friday for the weekend and am in panic mode that Raven will go down hill while I am gone. So taking her in to have her kidney and liver flushed as a precaution. She will be staying with my husband , who of course cares about her dearly but he’s not a helicopter mom like me.
She is also going to have an abdomen ultrasound done this week to see if it’s possible to drain the “free fluid” from her belly. I believe this is what’s causing her very watery diarrhea and regurgitation. I can tell she has more fluid in her abdomen just by jiggling it. This can happen as a result of the liver pushing fluid back out instead of breaking it down. She will be 6 months old next week and I desperately want her to get to at least experience one year of her awesome life.

21/09/2021

Raven has a new found love of water hoses 😍, just like her dog mom.

14/09/2021

CAT RESCUES OR ADOPTERS!

I have been fostering these two kittens for Rosenberg animal shelter for 3 weeks now. They’re 8 weeks old. I am supposed to be returning them to the shelter on Sept 22nd to go up for adoption. Our rescue does not do cat intake anymore , because I got stuck with way too many cats. I would LOVE to find a cat rescue or even better , an adopter for these adorable babies so that they don’t have to be returned to the shelter. They will NOT be happy there- these two are very vocal and do not like confinement. Even a bathroom is too small according to them, so a cage will not do them any good.
They are healthy, happy babies, both males. They’ve been in a foster home with cat-friendly dogs, puppies, adult cats, and a 5 1/2 year old boy.
*indoor only*
Parker (left) & Peter (right)
Currently located in Richmond , TX

[email protected]

14/09/2021

Raven & her special needs foster brother, Finn.
Finn has born with a cleft palate , and also has suspected hydrocephalus.
He can be a bit much at time even though he’s half the size, but Raven was able to get him to play nicely.

14/09/2021

Raven & her special needs foster brother, Kane. Kane is about 4 months old and was born without hind paws. He wants to be playful but since he can’t walk fast, run, or jump- it’s difficult for him to partake in full puppy shenanigans. Raven says “that’s ok brother , I’ll come to you!”

14/09/2021

Raven and her special needs foster brother , Marcus.
Marcus was born with a deformed hind leg and also suffering from neurological issues. He isn’t able to fully walk at this time but we are hopeful!
Raven is so gentle with him.

14/09/2021

Raven & her special needs foster brother , Kane.
Kane was born without hind paws but because Raven is amazing. She is able to alter her play skills to match the needs of other pups depending on their size and their abilities.

14/09/2021

Raven is still perky and playful. But you can tell at times with the look in her eyes , that something is wrong.
We can’t get her regurgitation and diarrhea under control. Regurgitating isn’t even a “symptom” of renal failure but we can assume it’s all related somehow. Her diarrhea has a very weird consistency to it as well.
We have tried a variety of prescribed medications , natural supplements , probiotics , and over the counter medications.
Her diet has not changed since she has to eat a special renal diet.
I just need her to keep fighting. One day she will be here , and then one day her kidneys and liver will decide they can no longer function. Every time I think about that day , I’m overwhelmed with fear.

13/09/2021

Keep Raven in your thoughts. Even though she is not actively sick, I can tell something is starting to go wrong. She is going to spend the day getting Iv fluids at the vet to try and flush her kidney and liver. Typically it would be 3 consistent days of Iv fluids but with the weather , I didn’t want to prolong it and don’t know what tomorrow will bring with the rain. So we are going in for one day , just so it can do a little work on her failing organs.

12/09/2021

Raven and her “real mama” going on a nice evening walk.

10/09/2021

My sweet, perfect puppy.
Raven went in for her monthly check up today to see where her kidney and liver values are.
She has been having diarrhea that we haven’t been able to get under control (and have tried everything) and she has some regurgitation. We knew this wasn’t a good sign.
She is officially in stage 2 kidney failure (out of 4 stages).
How can something that is so playful , cuddly , and happy be dealt such a crappy hand of congenital disease cards.

08/09/2021

Raven taking care of her babies like she the good big sister she is 💕

02/09/2021

A miracle all wrapped up into a 13 lb body 💕

She’s everything amazing, plus more. Except her new found obsession with eating p**p- that’s not amazing.

30/08/2021

Can someone please explain to me how I’m supposed to wrap my head around THIS puppy having a life threatening condition?

25/08/2021

Raven just checking in!
Even though her bloodwork says otherwise , my baby girl is still holding on strong. She’s happy, playful, and so full of love. She’s the best puppy I’ve ever had.
I dread the day that she wakes up a different version of herself.