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Arte's Teacups
TITO
Some of my friends and I were sitting around one day enjoying the warm sun after having a pretty long and cold winter. We were enjoying watching our puppies socializing with other puppies and also interacting with children and other adults. We realized how lucky we were to have these happy, healthy little furbabies in our lives.
We exchanged stories about pets we had had in the past as children and the different breeds we had until we discovered the big hearted, tiny Chihuahua. We each acquired our Chihuahuas from different breeders either online, through the newspaper, from friends who bred their dogs, or from rescue shelters. During these social meetings we realized we had more in common than just the love of the Chihuahua breed. We, or members of our family and friends, had had experiences with breeders who either brought joy into our lives or sorrow that was beyond repair.
As we shared our experiences I looked upon the happy puppies at play. I enjoyed watching how their individual personalities were developing as they ran back and forth to their various owners for reassurance liken to that of a human toddler who seeks security in his/her mother’s or father’s arms.
Yes, indeed, I am a very lucky person to have such happy, healthy, and thriving dogs in my life. However, there was one little puppy I will never forget. His name was Tito: my little giant. When he was first born, he looked and acted like his siblings. I wanted a playmate for my Che and I fell in love with this little pup. I watched him as the weeks went by toying as to whether or not it was the right time to introduce another puppy into my family. And then one day, the puppy that had captured my heart was no longer posted. The first thing I thought was someone had purchased him right from under my nose. But then I remembered that it was the breeder’s routine to leave the pup on the website so that the new owner could watch them grow by posting new pictures each week.
So now I am wondering what happened to this adorable little pup. Not able to stand it any longer I telephoned the breeder. She stated she removed the puppy from the “available” page because she suspected he may not be healthy. She stated she saw something in him that she had not seen in any of the other puppies before. After many conversations and vet visits, it was still unknown whether this little guy had a disorder known as “hydrocephalus” and if so, to what degree.
As the weeks went by the pup began playing just as any puppy would play, but sometimes not with the same gusto or confidence. We all still suspected the worst, but it did not seem euthanasia was appropriate at the time. We wanted to give the pup a chance because, by all appearances, he was destined to be in this world given that it was in a safe environment wherein it would be treated gently and given as much attention and love one could possibly ever give a pup. I convinced the breeder that my home would be the perfect home to give this pup a chance.
At the age of approximately 4 weeks is when the first signs of hydrocephalus became apparent. Tito had the easty-westy eyes (eyes looking outward, left/right with a large portion of the white of the eye on each side of his nose. As the weeks went by his little applehead had a more prominent dome shape than just a nice rounded applehead. By week six the dome was subsiding but he had four soft spots which gave to a more flattening look instead of a domed look. As he got older he started looking like a Furbie. Of course we all thought he looked adorable because who didn't fall in love with the Furbie fad.
By the time he was able to come home with me the only signs of possible hydrocephalus was a slight easty-westy in one eye, but the other was normal. He played with Che with the curiosity of any new puppy. They wrestled like two little kids. But I began to notice how gentle Che started to become with Tito. Che began to fuss over Tito like a mother hen. I thought probably because he felt like a big brother and took it at that.
I continued taking Tito to the vet for evaluation each week. Without performing sonograms we did not have a definitive diagnosis. But most of the outward signs were that Tito may not have hydrocephalus because the tell-tale signs were very minimal and, most important, his soft spots were getting smaller. We were all happy about that because we were actually under the impression that that meant Tito was normal. How wrong we were!
Because of the uniqueness of hydrocephalus, I decided I wanted Tito to be examined by the vets at UC-Davis Animal Hospital. I made an appointment with the Neurological Department. I just wanted some peace of mind and thought that if Tito did have hydrocephalus at least we would know how severe and if anything could be done for this cute little guy. It would be five weeks before we could get an appointment. So I set the appointment and the technician said if there was a cancellation they would put Tito at the top of the list.
The following week I started noticing how Tito was playing. He had lost his gusto of diving into Che. He walked very cautiously and deliberate. Sometimes he would just sit like there was an invisible fence around him. On other days his gait reminded me of the old Charlie Chaplin movies. His mobility was definitely deteriorating. He was sleeping more and playing less. And then there would be days when he would wake up in the middle of the night and want to play. These occasions raised my hopes for him and I kept telling myself that it was my imagination that he was not normal. His behavior flip-flopped back and forth.
On his next vet visit he seemed to be developing at a better pace, however, he was not gaining weight and one eye was still abnormal. I think we all saw the writing on the wall. But we were hoping it would be a mild case and nothing fatal.
Over the following two weeks Tito's physical mobility started changing drastically. He would have spurts of playfulness, but would tire out no sooner than he got started. He would lean against a wall and just stare out into open space. I was keeping observation clinical notes on his behavior and such so that I would have something for UC-Davis to go on. Unfortunately, the appointment with UC-Davis was not to happen.
During this two-week period, the molera had shrunken down to what we would consider "normal" size for a Chihuahua. But, since his skull was starting to fuse, there was no room for the excess liquid build-up to go. Therefore, the pressure on Tito's little brain started causing seizures. In the beginning of the seizures they were mild. In fact, I didn't even realize he was having seizures. I thought it was the typical puppy clumsiness. But as the intensity increased I could no longer deny what was happening to my sweet little pup.
That last week was Hell on Earth. The seizures became more frequent and more violent. I have read that there is no pain with these seizures, but there is no way I can believe that. My little Tito would throw his head back and scream such a blood-curding scream. His facial features looked like something out of a horror movie. His little body would stiffen while his front legs would appear to be trying to dig and there were many other physical things going on that I will not go into. All I could do for him was wrap him in a blanket while rocking and talking to him soothingly. In the beginning of the first grand mal seizures I had flash backs to when my godsister would have epileptic seizures and what we would do to ease her through them. I basically tried to do the same for Tito.
Each day during that week was worse than the one before. Then one morning Tito started having one seizure after the next. I called my vet and she said to bring him in immediately. Unfortunately, once we arrived there really wasn't much that anyone could do other than make the decision to euthanize my little sweetheart. But then God made that decision for us. Tito started going into cardiac arrest. We wrapped him in his blanket and I held him in my arms and rocked and sang his favorite song to him. His little body, which had been stiff from the last seizure, started relaxing. I kissed the top of my little baby's head and told him I loved him and continued rocking him. During this time, my vet and her staff had formed a circle around me and my precious little pup and said prayers for him.
Tito and God made the decision for us. His little body went completely limp and I felt his last breathe on my neck. My adorable, little sweet puppy was now on his way to the Rainbow Bridge where he would be able to play and enjoy his spiritual life without harm from anyone.
I will never forget the support I had during this time. His breeder was there with me every step of the way. His vet and her staff were on standby 24/7. And of course, my friends and family were all pulling for this little guy to make it. He fought so hard and we just knew he would make it because of the days that he played like other puppies. I guess we loved him so much we were just in denial.
Would I do it again? While I do not regret this experience, because I learned so much about myself, I would not want to go through it again. My heart goes out to those who are raising hydrocephalus puppies and to those whose puppies are now dogs. I can imagine how many times you were thinking if the end was near with each passing seizure.
So, I hope you will now understand my passion against breeders who knowingly sell puppies with hydrocephalus. And, for those of you who purchase these puppies thinking the pup will outgrow the symptoms may be setting yourself and your children up for heartbreak. I still hear his little screams every so often. But when I wake up he's not there and I look at his little pine box on my dresser and it brings me back to the present.
To learn more about hydrocephalus please click here.
Peace
Love
and
Arte
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