Today's update

Last night Spike didn't sleep a wink.  I stayed up with him, rubbing his head and telling him over and over i love him so  much.  It's so difficult to tell if he's hurting and where or how much.  All I can do is just give him the pain medicine and hope it helps some.  His good eye looks less inflamed than it did yesterday but his glaucoma infected eye is getting more  and more hard to keep the pressure down which is never good.  We continue the drops and continue to hold him, and for now thats all we can do.  I pray every minute of every day that nothing goes wrong or happens, we just don't have the ability to take him in, and that makes me feel like I'm failing him.  All i want is for him to not be hurting, not be in pain, not feel so horrible.  Comfort should never be a luxury for some, but a right for each and every pet we own and care for.  My heart just keeps breaking.

Awareness, information, support, and financial support are so important for owners of all pets.  With so much being done to combat and eradicate human glaucoma, it makes no sense as to why we aren't more focused on the canine or feline form of glaucoma.  After all, for nearly all pet owners, our four legged friends are just as important to our family as our own children (and in many cases are our own children)  But research for canine glaucoma has so far to go, and that means so many more families face having their worlds turned upside down financially and emotionally.  And worse,  so many more once sweet and smiling faces, will instead be coated in pain and suffering.

My family is struggling on our military pay, to pay for the much needed ongoing care and treatments for our beloved dog Spike.  Like so many other families in the same position, we barely live paycheck to paycheck, and while we take the greatest care in feeding, loving, and taking care of our four-legged babies, emergencies or major problems such as a diagnosis of Glaucoma just isn't in the budget.  It is horrifying to hear a handful of people tell us we need to put him down OR get rid of him! How can any sane person person justify any of those measures.  First, Spike has a handful of years if not more ahead of him and deserves the right to live those years.  Secondly, we don't get rid of our children or spouses when they are sick and yes it is the same.  Why? Because my friends, for most of us our fur babies are just like our children.    When you make the decision to be a responsible pet owner, that has some unwritten rules that come along with it.  Some of those include, loving unconditionally, caring for them in sickness and health, and doing what you have too even in hard times to ensure you keep them fed, safe, and healthy.  We have spent 8 1/2 years after rescuing him from a puppy mill, taken great care of him.  He's been healthy, and happy til now.  So doing what I have too, is what I intend to do and continue doing until this horrible disease is a robber of sight no more.