Mia’s Story

I came home from work on a Friday evening and Mia would not eat her dinner. Mia is a Cocker Spaniel, any one who knows the breed must know how I was immediately alarmed. Mia never misses a chance to eat, no matter what the offering. I took her to the ER Vet and after an x-ray, thry discovered a blockage in her small intestine. The Vet was thinking a ball or sock, etc., but Mia liked food, she did not eat inanimate objects. They decided they should open her up. The thoughts running through my head were, ‘I hope my underwear is not what they pull out’. Alas, the Vet called during the surgery and said her intestines ruptured while they were in there and what was there was not fabric, but a tumor. They removed about a foot of her intestines and cleaned her out the best they could. He said a lymph node looked ‘iffy’ but they did not want to take it because of chance of infection. She was touch and go for 2 days. I was a mess, and when the news came that they removed adenocarcinoma from her small intestine and she probably only had 2-4 months to live, the only thing I could think is I did not want her to die there. They released her to me with some antbiotics and pain killers. I set up a futon mattress on the floor of the living room, spread Wee Wee pads all over it and proceeded to lay with her for the rest of the week. The Vet gave me all the instructions for the medications, but what I neglected to find out is how to feed her. She had not been eating in ICU, but when she arrived home, all she wanted was to eat. I researched many holistic studies on what to do to fight the cancer in her body, since chemo was not an option. I read that Grain free was the way to go, so I began her diet regimen. When we returned, a week later, to have her staples removed, the staff was astonished! I was then told that none of them expected her to survive the peritonitis. She is amazing! That was two years ago, 3/23/2009. She is still frisky, lovey, mushy and, of course, food driven. She is now 10 years old and my miracle girl! When I thought I was going o make her comfortable for a few months, two years later, I am overjoyed that I never gave up hope and she never gave up fighting! I am now prepared for whatever happens with her, being given so much extra time.