Rescuing Pamuk
Pamuk, a stray dog born on the streets, had been under the care of a dedicated community carer. Stray dogs often struggle to survive without human support, and without his carer's help, Pamuk might not have lived to see his fourth birthday. Thanks to her, he was now eight years old.
However, his carer was facing a challenging situation. Her landlord was unhappy with the visits of stray dogs to the property for food and care when they were unwell, which forced her to move.
This raised concerns about the fate of the dogs she looked after. Fortunately, I spoke with the shelter manager, who, driven by her compassion for animals, agreed to provide a safe haven for all 145 dogs at the shelter.
Pamuk was transferred to the safety of the shelter, where he settled in well and enjoyed the facilities.
However, a while later, I received a call from the manager. Pamuk had developed problems with his nose and mouth and needed to visit the clinic urgently. He was experiencing acute nasal and orbital discharge and was not feeling well at all.
When x-rayed, Pamuk was found to have a number of bullets lodged in his body.
Unfortunately, this isn't unusual for stray dogs. Many people perceive them as nuisances, and as a result, shooting stray dogs is not uncommon.
However, lead poisoning from the bullets would not cause the orbital & nasal discharge
Pamuk's X-rays indicated some irregularities that necessitated further examination. Upon reviewing the images, the medical team noticed areas that were not consistent with a typical, healthy scan.
These abnormalities prompted our vets to recommend additional tests to determine the underlying cause.
Pamuk rested in the clinic garden for a while after his first set of X-rays. The calm surroundings provided a soothing atmosphere for him.
Later, he returned inside where a surgical dye was applied to enhance imaging. This dye helped in obtaining clearer, more detailed images during the second set of X-ray pictures, which were crucial for his diagnosis and subsequent treatment plan.
Sadly, Pamuk’s tests revealed a number of tumours. This wasn’t the news we wanted to hear.
Pamuk had to undergo a biopsy so that we could ascertain the nature of Pamuk’s problems & act accordingly.
Pamuk was admitted to the patient room while we anxiously waited for the results of the biopsy.
Thankfully the biopsy results showed that Pamuk’s tumours were benign, a blessing, but he would need surgery to remove them.
I remember feeling very anxious about this, particularly because it would involve a number of surgeries which would leave Pamuk feeling sore.
Dr V assured me that Pamuk would not suffer in any way, he could control any pain sufficiently. This was very good news indeed.
Pamuk needed several surgeries with healing & rest time in between & while I felt anxiety with each one, I could see him looking happier every time.
By the second surgery he was bright & interested in his environment again. His appetite was back to normal & more importantly, his happiness barometer as Dr V calls it was wagging to full capacity. I knew we had done the right thing by him.
After a time Pamuk could be discharged back to the shelter, I was very pleased to hear this.
Street born dogs, particularly of Pamuk’s age do not appreciate confinement. He missed outdoor spaces & being around other dogs.
Life was normal again for our beautiful boy
We knew that there was every chance that Pamuk’s tumours could possibly grow back. It is the nature of these things to be unruly & unpredictable.
Time passed & Pamuk continued to thrive. Whatever the future held for him we knew that we had bought him a heck of a lot of time to continue being the happy dog he was.
Pamuk had a huge zest for life & being a Labrador mix he loved his food more than anything in the world.
Much time passed & sadly Pamuk’s tumours returned.
This time we made the decision under veterinary recommendation to not intervene.
Pamuk went to live at the clinic on hospice care where he could be managed so as to stay free from any pain or discomfort.
I was worried about him being confined, no street born dog wants to spend their remaining time on this earth in a patient room or the chief vets office.
A covered living space was set up for him in the garden so that he had the option of indoor / outdoor time. This worked really well
This image was taken by Pamuk’s community carer & is one of my favourite pictures of him. It demonstrates perfectly who Pamuk was. A happy-go- lucky wanderer who loved his food & always had something to be cheerful about.
I wanted to make sure that his hospice care gave him things to enjoy & our vets were in full agreement.
Pamuk adored Dr S who would make sure she spent as much cuddle time as possible with him.
He loved food so he was give ice cream, sausages & even steak.
And when his time came he was helped over the bridge outside in the clinic garden. Under the stars with his favourite person cuddling him, holding his paw & speaking to him softly & kindly.
Pamuk was my first ever experience of end of life care & I don’t mind admitting that I struggled.
But, Pamuk taught me a very important lesson. Never give up on a dog!
He was given so much time to enjoy life that would have been snatched away from him if we had not helped him, time that mattered to him, time that was filled with joy.
I haven’t included pictures or videos of his end of life time not because they are upsetting, they aren’t. But because I believe that those last days are private. They aren’t for “content creation”, they aren’t for “entertainment” They are private moments that should be treated with respect & dignity. I know that some people will not agree with me, which is fine, I respect that but there is a risk of such a sensitive time turning in to a vehicle for clicks, likes & cash & I am just not prepared to risk that. I love the dogs too much.