Rainbow Bridge-Farewell to Suki
Our beloved old grey-muzzle Suki has crossed the bridge and left us behind. Suki died Wednesday, June 3, 2015 after falling ill early Monday morning.
Suki has been with Terry and John since 2007, three years before we founded Unidos para los Animales. Suki is one of the dogs who brought Unidos about, and has been a beloved Sanctuary Dog since we found her.
Her life before we got her her is unknown, but it was not good. Suki was probably three or four years old when she was injured and we found her. She had been hit by a vehicle and attacked by dogs. She was unable to stand and had many bites all over her body. Her tail had been broken and we later found that someone had also shot her, as she had pellets embedded throughout her body.
Suki was terrified of everyone, but slowly came to trust John and Terry, and eventually to trust a select few other people. She also formed a strong bond with Yancy.
Suki was quietly sweet with all and affectionate with those she knew and trusted. With new people she was always reserved and cautious. Although riddled with arthritis in her last years, she was reasonably comfortable on her daily medication for pain control. She still managed to cruise the “Lower Forty” of her huge yard, munching on avocados and patrolling her domain. Suki was queen of the Porch dogs and extremely attached to Yancy and Canela.
Suki, we miss your sweet face and your gentle nudges, asking for petting. You have left a very big hole in our hearts. We hope that you are running fast and free on the other side, playing with Red and other friends who crossed before you.
Suki’s story:
Suki is a Sanctuary Dog. She is a very old mixed breed dog who we scooped up from the street almost 8 years ago. She had been hit by a vehicle and attacked by dogs (we aren’t sure in which order). She was laying in the street at a busy corner, unable to get up. She was bleeding from over thirty bite wounds and frankly terrified. We had her stitched up and took her to another rescue, but quickly brought her back as she was far too traumatized to be with other dogs.
Suki’s body slowly healed and other than some stiffness and a broken tail not too many outward signs remain.
But the inner Suki took much, much longer to heal. She lived a quiet life with her canine companion Yancy for several years. The only people she trusted enough to let approach and touch her were Terry and John. After about 3 years of life in her quiet home, she slowly began to allow more people into her small circle. She is still very shy with people she doesn’t know, but will allow her trusted core of humans to pet, groom, and stroke her.
Suki is a quiet old girl. She loves short walks, and loves to hunt for avocados and make sure all is right on the large piece of land where she lives. She is very attached to Yancy, and makes sure to keep an eye on him.
Suki has some urinary incontinence which is well managed with hormone therapy, and of course she takes daily Rimadyl for her stiff old hips. She loves her home and her pack, and will live out her remaining years as a Sanctuary dog.
In the spring of 2014 Suki developed an abscess in her side. It finally cleared up with antibiotics, but then recurred. Our vet opened her side to try to determine the cause of the abscess, and found two channels of infected, necrotic tissue running deep inside her. We suspected that Suki had been spayed at the rescue that first had her using a technique called the McKee technique, in which the dog is opened through it’s side, the uterus is pulled out, and tied of with plastic Xip-ties. He cleaned out as much tissue as he could, and when she healed, he and to go in abdominally to see if he could find the cause.
A month and a half later, Suki underwent a second, massive surgery to find the foreign bodies inside her. Indeed, she had two Zip ties in her abdomen, along with massive quantities of adhesions. She nearly died during the surgery, and was in intensive nursing care for three weeks afterward. The x-rays taken revealed that Suki had been shot prior to us finding her. Her body has many pieces of lead shot in it. The doctor removed what he could.
Suki’s will to live is very strong, and she pulled through. She appears to feel better than she has in years, and her coat, appetite, and activity level have all increased.
