Penny James

OUR BEAUTIFUL GIRL HAS CROSSED THE BRIDGE 15.4.2017

A distraught Di told us “I’m sorry to tell you our beautiful Penny crossed the Bridge at 8.30 pm tonight. Hopefully, Dazzle was there to greet his girlfriend and partner in crime”.

Just a couple of weeks before, Penny was, uncharacteristically, lethargic and went off her food so she was taken to the vet to be checked out. Little did anyone think it was going to be anything serious. From Penny’s blood tests, the vet determined there were abnormalities but it is was not a thyroid problem. Because of possible inflammatory issues, he tried her on a course of antibiotics first and, if there was no change, she would have to have a scan. She also had anti-sickness treatment.

After another physical examination, everything seemed fine. Penny didn’t seem to be in any discomfort and certainly didn’t react to being poked and prodded by the vet. Her urine sample showed a bit of protein present but nothing to worry about and she had some appetite stimulant tablets. It was 6th April and, from more blood tests, the vet decided it was probably pancreatitis which could be managed medically and with some simple lifestyle changes. That night, there was a breakthrough when Penny started to take a little food. Di dropped a chip on the floor and she scoffed it then had a few loose pieces of dried dog food. It wasn’t much but it was more than she had been eating so that was also a positive sign and everyone hoped Penny had turned a corner.

All seemed to be going well and Penny was returning to normal then, on Good Friday, a very upset Di told us “Penny’s improvement was short lived. Our vet is closed for Easter and we were so concerned that we took her to the animal hospital in Gloucester this morning. The lady vet was very thorough in her examination and kept Penny in for further tests starting with blood tests. Her heart rate was elevated and there was a slight lymph node swelling on her neck. Her abdomen was very sore and she was, clearly, in pain. We did not expect to be leaving her there but she is in the best place. Whatever the outcome, her welfare comes before our feelings.

It was, possibly, a severe pancreatic episode so Penny was put on pain relief, fluids and antibiotics. She had a high white blood cell count and the vet was not happy about the area between the pancreas, liver and spleen. Penny was expected to be there for a few days and the possibility of exploratory surgery was discussed depending on how she responded to the present treatment. At lunchtime, the vet rang saying there was no real improvement, which was disappointing. Worryingly, her stomach was distended and filling with fluid so the vet was going to do another scan.

I think we both knew this would be a lost cause. The vet rang back about 6pm with the news Penny had pancreatitis, peritonitis, anaemia and some very worrying abnormalities in the white cells – cancer. To have done further invasive exploratory surgery was pointless. Any treatment would have been risky and with no guarantee of success. There was nothing more we could have done. This had, obviously, been building for a while and she was getting worse so we agreed that she should be put to sleep.

We went to the hospital and spent time with Penny. She was certainly not a happy girl. The duty vet was lovely and we were with Penny as she passed peacefully away. We had taken her to the vet on Friday and she never came home. It seemed so unfair especially so soon after Daz”.

Farewell dear friend. How hard it was to have to let you go
But, back with Daz, your pain all gone and happy now we know
Fly high dear Pen and Dazzle, we’ll see you in the sky
Two twinkly stars to light the room as in our beds we lie 

We’ll feel you in the snowflakes and in the April showers
We’ll remember times spent gambolling amidst our field’s wild flowers.
We’ll feel you in the sunlight, it’s warmth upon our faces
In our pack, you’ll always be a perfect pair of aces.

Together forever again now, Penny and Dazzle were two very special dogs who meant a lot to our IRR family and especially to the West Country folk. They will be very much missed and our hearts go out to Di and Alan at this very sad time.

Di said “Penny and Dazzle have left a gaping hole in our lives that can never be filled. They will never be forgotten and our many photos, videos and memories will always remind us of 2 very special dogs who came into our lives nearly 10 years ago.

We miss them beyond belief but if there is a consolation, they are together at the Bridge, reunited partners in crime never to be parted again.

Thank you to our friends who have sent thoughts and prayers throughout Penny’s illness and, now, such kind messages of support and their condolences. A special thank you to Wendy for arranging the 2 lovely Remembrance Candles and to Pauline for her very thoughtful and kind gift of an elephant photo frame and finally thank you IRR for allowing us to adopt them”.

Pauline replied “Everybody loved Penny and Dazzle. They were an important part of our West Country gang together with Danny, Ricky, Eddie, Sammy, Stella, Ricky 3 Legs, Digby and Lucy, now, sadly, all reunited at the Bridge. Huge heartache for us but what wonderful happy memories we all have so the thanks must go to Di and Alan for persevering and giving those two reprobates such a wonderful, happy home”.

IN THE BEGINNING

In 2007, Penny was a very pretty young pure bred Golden Retriever, aged about 9 months, when she was found as a stray. Unbelievably, nobody claimed her. She had her spay operation when she came into the care of IRR.

She seemed to be very happy in the company of other dogs as well as people and had a lovely nature so Penny was fostered with Pauline and Steve and their own dogs in Somerset. It was there she met the handsome Dazzle who she befriended. He was enough to turn any young lady’s head.

It took a few hints and a bit of a guilt trip laid on an unsuspecting Di and Alan who only ever wanted to adopt one dog, a female and a Golden Retriever but Pauline knew nobody could resist the gorgeous Dazzle so it was that Penny went off happily to living in Gloucestershire with her best friend, Dazzle.

THE EARLY DAYS

Di remembers “Just before Easter 2007, we said “goodbye” to our lovely Goldie girl. The house fell silent and the hoover became semi redundant.

“No more dogs” we promised ourselves but that sentiment soon changed and it wasn’t long before an application to adopt was winging its way to Irish Retriever Rescue.

After a successful homecheck, we were told that Penny might be the girlie for us but there was a slight catch! Pauline, in Bath, was fostering Penny and another stray called Dazzle and she wanted them rehomed as a pair. This was not part of our original plan but we paid a preliminary visit to meet them both and it was pretty much love at first sight.

One week later, on a beautiful warm sunny Saturday in July, we collected them from Pauline and brought them home. They spent the afternoon playing in the garden. We thought they would be exhausted and would sleep all night. Wrong! Next morning, chaos in the kitchen. The shattered remains of a crystal fruit bowl on the floor. A loaf of bread devoured!  Amazingly, no cuts or injuries!

One week later, the floods hit the county. The back garden turned into a swamp. Mud glorious mud. Doggie heaven!

Only a couple of days later, I returned home to find the foam stuffing from the seat of a cane sofa has been systematically disembowelled! The perpetrators watched intently with their innocent ‘butter wouldn’t melt’ expression as I started the clean up operation. This set a pattern of mild destruction for the next month or so.

We learnt many things about our new companions:-

That Penny was the ring leader and the brains behind the operation.

That they operated as a team. If something was not at floor level, Dazzle used his height to counter surf and remove it.

That anything edible got eaten. That anything not edible got eaten (or chewed up). Everything that wasn’t bolted or glued down had to be removed to a safe place where prying paws couldn’t reach! A few weeks later, after another joint assault on the sofa, it was finally consigned to that great sofa bed in the sky! Their loss!

But this was all part of the settling in process and, eventually, they became calmer and less destructive when they realised this was their forever home.

Happy bouncy boy Dazzle simply loved everyone. He was a gentle cuddle monster without a bad bone in his body.  Penny was less enamoured of humans until later in life but she did love her ball, it provided her with years of pleasure.

When she was younger, she made a habit of sitting on Dazzle – not that he minded. We dubbed her Lady Penelope but we think this little lady was a tramp:)))

They played with each other constantly. They played with our grandchildren and our son’s 2 Beagles. They enjoyed a week by the sea in Devon and, of course, they went with us to the IRR Reunions. This was the 2007 Parade of Rescues at the 2009 Reunion just outside Bath.

A MUCH VALUED SPONSOR DOG

In 2008, Penny became one of the temporary Sponsor Dogs when Hilary and Eric decided, rather than wedding favours, they would like a picture of an IRR rescue dog on every table.

She then carried on after the retirement of a couple of the early Sponsor Dogs. She was always happy to represent the bitches who had puppies when they were just babies themselves hoping they would also find a wonderful Forever Home as she had done.

Di and IRR say a big “thankyou” to Penny’s loyal Sponsors:-

MORE HAPPY TIMES THEN VERY SAD ONES

More happy days as Penny and Dazzle and their friend Albert wished “Merry Christmas to all our friends in IRR”

But, inevitably, things changed, age slowed them down and they no longer played with each other so much.

Dazzle developed dementia and over a period of 4 months, gradually lost all memory and recognition. The time came to say “goodbye”.

Then just over 6 months later, in a cruel twist of fate and due to a sudden fatal illness, Penny joined him at the Bridge. It was a huge, unexpected shock.

And now the house is silent again and the hoover is once more semi redundant. There are no more smiling faces and waggy tails to greet us every day.