Floppy's Story
Floppy
“Pets are special. They bring us so much joy and happiness, companionship and love. And when they are gone, so many tears. Our Floppy was special, not only because she was our pet, but because she was such a brave character.
Floppy continually defied the odds and proved the wonderful vets at Grove Lodge wrong. First, when she began to suffer with fits when she was seven years old; then a year ago, when she was ten and her hind legs collapsed and she was paralysed.And a few months later, when she started to have nosebleeds, normally a sign of a tumour.
Each time we were told to prepare ourselves for the worst, but Floppy's tail never stopped wagging. She loved seeing people... and she loved eating! We bought her one of those doggy cart, but within weeks she was on her feet and walking again. Determined was not the word. She wasn't going to be beaten.
For the last year she has been our inspiration. We all complain about things in our lives which don't really matter. Being with Floppy made you feel humble. In the end she decided when it was time to go. She just laid down and went to sleep - fifteen minutes before the vet arrived. It was as if she had said:“No one tells me when I'm going to die”. Obstinate? You bet. But then she was a basset hound!” - Floppy's Owners
Profile
Floppy had suffered from epilepsy for several years before I met her. This meant she was on two medicines every day for life. Then, in May 2005 she collapsed on her hindlimbs and couldn't walk. She appeared completely paralysed. Because of her epilepsy, and anaesthetic for xrays and tests was very risky. Instead she started on high doses of steroids and her owners bought a special cart to support her rear end. Against the odds, after a few days, she stood up and later she started to walk slowly.
The steroids kept Floppy on her feet, but caused her to gain weight and left her susceptible to skin and bladder infections, which needed antibiotic treatments. She also developed a skin problem called calcinosis cutis due to the steroids.
Floppy gave her owners another scare last September when she started daily nosebleeds. As her vet, I had to tell them that this often indicates a serious medical problem and can be caused by cancer of the nasal passages. I didn't think Floppy would survive very long, but started some antibiotics. Again, she proved me wrong and two weeks later, the bleeding abruptly stopped.
Floppy lived on for another six months with a lot of love and care from her owners. Sadly, she died recently, at home. She was always a friendly and amenable dog, despite her problems and she will be sadly missed by all the staff at Tarring branch. - Tracy Rhodes