Judy Arrived @ Tailends 7th April 2007

Judy arrived at Tailends on Saturday 7th April from Rotherham Dog Rescue.  She was an elderly Labrador who has come from a grim situation in Huddersfield dog pound where she was very depressed.  She seemed to be very unhappy on arrival and we had difficulty getting her out of the car.  However once she was in the garden with the other dogs her tail started to wag and her eyes lit up.  She went for a little walk, ate a good supper of fresh chicken and vegetables and then curled up on a comfortable bed to sleep.  Every now and again she opened her eyes and looked at me and then went off to sleep again.  She was seriously overweight and had large callouses on her legs and sore patches on her tail.  Her ears were very mucky but this was dealt with quickly.  It would seem that she had been kept outside in kennels during her life and had little exercise, but she was very appreciative of some home comforts.  It was a joy to see her stretched out, relaxed and happy on a nice thick duvet.  Judy had various health issues and was treated with antibiotics and analgesics.  She really brightened up and was soon happily enjoying sunny walks and playing with toys.

On Friday May 25th Judy had the tumour on her left elbow removed and her ruptured anterior cruciate ligament was treated with a d'angelis nylon implant.  She was kept in overnight on a morphine drip and came home on Saturday morning.  She was soon eating well and seemed fine. She was not allowed walks for six weeks so we had to keep a close watch on her diet as she loved her food and came to us very overweight.  She was delighted to be back home after her surgery and hospital stay.

Judy’s blood tests revealed that she was suffering from thyroid insufficiency so she was put on medication to deal with this problem and also had periodical tests to check on the dosage required.  Her mobility had never been very good though she did enjoy her walks to the fields where she loved meeting people and other dogs – especially if they had a ball or toy which she could “borrow” for a bit of fun.  She could run at some speed if she spotted a dog playing ball at the bottom of the large field – but would pretend to be tired if she saw someone coming towards her.  Then she would lie down and roll on her back in the hope they would tickle her tummy or offer her a nice tasty treat!

She improved markedly during her course of Hydrotherapy at the Roundswell Hospital (which is a part of the Charter Vet Group which we use). She saw Simon, who is the head vet there, and measurements were taken again of the muscle in her leg where she had a cruciate implant after arriving at Tailends. The muscle had increased by an amazing 9mm in just five weeks, which is a real success story. This extended her active life and also gave her a better quality of life. She loved going for the water treatment and enjoyed all the attention and choice of squeaky toys which she could play with as she walked on the treadmill with the water taking 80% of the weight off her.

Judy went to the vet for a consultation on 6th August 2009. Her back right leg was now very weak and she could not walk too far, though if she went to a new location she did make that bit of extra effort. Mental stimulation works wonders sometimes.  Unfortunately there was little more which could be done as her arthritis was very bad in her hips and knees. She was a very old lady but we had to do our best for her.  We decided to try cartrophen injections for 4 weeks to see if there was any improvement. They might help the arthritis a little and slow down the rate at which the joints were deteriorating.

 Judy could not take normal anti inflammatories as they all seemed to cause side effects which upset her digestive system. She did take various supplements including Litozin and seraquin to help her as much as possible.  There was slight improvement but not as much as we had hoped.  However she was eating well and still enjoying her very limited excursions along the footpath.

Judy was becoming very frail. She was an extremely old girl with various health issues, but she still liked going for trips in the van and had a very good appetite. Her legs were not good and she could not manage to walk further than a few yards. She went out onto the footpath, had a ramble and a sniff around, played with her squeaky toys and rolled about on her back before slowly heading back home for a lie down.

Our dear old Judy fell asleep forever on Saturday 24th October 2009.   She had recovered very well from the surgery to remove a back molar tooth where an abscess had developed requiring urgent attention.  However she had deteriorated in the previous few days and was unable to go through the back gate onto the footpath so just went into the garden to answer the call of nature.  She was drinking excessive volumes of water and then, on Friday, she refused to eat.  This was very unusual for her as she generally loved her food, like all Labradors.  I gave her some spam, which she seemed to enjoy, but by Saturday morning she refused all food and her eyes told me that she had had enough and now needed help to leave her old worn-out body.  So I telephoned my vet and Harriet kindly came out to help her.  She went so quickly and without any fuss or movement.  I watched as her eyes closed for the last time while I gently stroked her head to reassure her.  She was ready to go and passed away so peacefully as she lay, in her own home and lying on her favourite memory bed surrounded by her friends who all lay quietly as she left.  Judy had such a big personality and is missed by everyone.  Every morning she would go into the front garden after her breakfast and wait for the postman to arrive with biscuits in his pocket. 

Her squeaky toys lie silent next to her favourite tiny low fat treats.  Judy had been at Tailends for 21/2 years and had become a real character - so different from the depressed overweight neglected old girl who arrived here from a Yorkshire dog pound in April 2007.

We are so glad we shared your last months and gave you some happiness and comfort.  How you enjoyed going for trips in the van to accompany other dogs when they went to the vet, where there might even be a donkey in the fields waiting for treatment. (Judy loved donkeys and liked to lick their faces.)     I know Gloria will be waiting to show you the way and now you will be having long chats with dear Jack and all the other souls you knew here.   I am sure we will all be together again one day.  Until then, run free with the others in the buttercup meadows where the warm sun always shines.