Several years ago, when my dog, Hallie, was about a year old, I decided I wanted another dog. I went to a local shelter because I knew the had a Jack Russell. When we arrived the dog was already getting adopted. This was a small shelter and there were no other really small dogs there I connected with. I realize now this was a sign from above. I told my husband, Steve, we should head up the river to the next county pound to see what they had. When we arrived many of the dogs were tied up outside while the kennels were being cleaned. Steve went inside to the small dog room but my eye was immediately drawn to a gray dog tied up to the fence. He was laying down and acted as though he could barely move. He looked up at me and quickly put his face back on the ground. Out loud I asked "Are you a Schnauzer?" It was hard to tell. Aside from being gray and having a docked tail you'd never know he was a Schnauzer. He was a filthy matted mess with only one eye. I asked the dog warden to take him inside for me. I sat on the shelter floor and looked into the eyes of a dying dog. "Today's his last day" they said. He smelled. His teeth were gray and he could barely stand. I grabbed a pair of scissors and started hacking away at his hair. He had two eyes. One was just matted shut with infection.
Steve came out of the back room glowing saying he'd found a cute gray poodle that was all groomed. I told him "I'm not worried about the poodle, I want this one." I'm pretty sure Steve thought I'd lost my mind. We paid the adoption fee, made the neuter appointment on the shelter's phone and took him home. Just three hours before he was to be put into the gas chamber he was free. Out of the blue, we named him Bailey.
When we got home it took 5 baths to get him clean. The water that ran off him looked like chocolate milk. I got him an emergency grooming appointment. After being completely shaved down, it was clear, he was an old purebred Schnauzer. He perked up a bit after getting cleaned up but he still seemed sick and didn't want to eat.
Two days later we took him for his neuter. I told the vet to do a dental cleaning while he was under. About an hour later the vet called and said Bailey's jaw was broken and he had six broken teeth. He said the injuries were consistent with a kick to the head. He doubted it was from a car. I called the shelter and was told the police had brought in Bailey but they had no other information.
Bailey sported a bar on the outside of his face for eight weeks. The poor kid looked like Frankenstein, even winning the ugliest dog award at Barktoberfest. His appetite immediately improved and he blossomed into the most lovable dog I've ever known. Our local NBC affiliate came and did a rags-to-riches story on him.
Baileys' wonderful temperament and ability to melt the heart of anybody who knew him made me think he would be a good therapy dog. Bailey went along with me and the president of our humane society to local schools where we talked to the kids about proper pet care. Bailey was in Heaven with all those kids loving on him. I also took him to our pet friendly mall where he could get "wallered" by the kids. One of his favorite things to do was to go to the pet stores and watch the hamsters play.
Just 11 months after we adopted him Bailey had an abscess tooth. Our vet pulled the tooth but was concerned with the tissue around it and sent a sample off for biopsy. By now Bailey had become my "heart dog". I felt such a strong connection with this wonderful animal. It's hard to describe. When the biopsy came back stating he had malignant amelanonic melanoma I was devastated. I was told there was no cure and I should just take him home and make him comfortable for what time he had left.
I kept thinking this wasn't happening. Bailey had all those years of possible mistreatment and just as his life was getting good... Cancer! I refused to let him die without a fight. I managed to get him an appointment at Ohio State University vet clinic. I was told for about $10,000 we cold remove half of Bailey's face including one eye and at best we'd have him 6 months. I was told they would do chemo and radiation along with the surgery but this type of cancer never reacts to the treatments. Again, I was devastated.
By this time the tumor had grown so far into Bailey's mouth he was biting it and it was bleeding all the time. It smelled like no other rank smell I‘d ever encountered. The stench of cancer permeated everything I owned, my house, my car, my clothes. I took Bailey home and pleaded with my local vet to do something... anything. Dr. Romano took Bailey into surgery and removed as much of the tumor and he could without cutting into Bailey's skull. It bought Bailey a couple comfortable weeks but by the time the stitches were out, the tumor was back and just as big.
I joined a Yahoo group for people who owned dogs with cancer. They were wonderful and taught me about holistic treatments and special diets. I cooked every one of Bailey's meals.
Just 13 months after his adoption Bailey was fading. He wouldn't eat and couldn't get up to meet me at the door. My husband and I fought over when/if we should end his suffering. Finally on October 24th, 2003 we drove to the vet clinic. We asked if the vet would do it in the back seat of my car because Bailey HATED going in that place. He agreed. We waited in the parking lot. I managed to get Bailey to walk around a bit. By this time the tumors had multiplied and were all over his face, eyes, and in his throat. He looked a fright and smelled even worse. A lady came out of the clinic. She'd just put her kitten to sleep. She sat on the curb and cried. In truly Bailey style, he walked over to her and put a paw on her knee as if to say "It's okay lady". Little did he know, he was next.
My vet and my favorite vet tech came out and as I sat holding Bailey in my lap, they set him free. It was the worst moment of my life. I felt the life slip from his body and in an instant his pain was over. We left his body there for cremation. I remember vividly watching Cindy walk away with his lifeless body with his beautiful white leg hair blowing with the breeze. That was the last time I saw my handsome little man.
Adopting Bailey changed my life. Some say I'm the crazy dog lady now but I wear it as a badge of honor.
Thank you for reading this.
Bailey
Sept 19, 2002 - Oct 24, 2003
