In Memory of Shelby

I was looking through some photos that I have and came across this one of our lovely Shelby who went to heaven over 2 years ago already...she was such a beautiful loving dog..

Shelby came to us from Georgia, she was rescued by a wonderful woman who did some sheltie rescue and accepted her because her family no longer wanted her since they had a new real baby and no longer wanted her. We adopted her and flew her from Georgia to be with us.

She had some wonderful times and some I wish had never happened, like the time she was brutally attacked by a chocolate lab a few years after we got her.  She was a trooper and survived that. She was content and carefree most of the time...except when it stormed outside...she would shake and whine and I tried my best to comfort her. I don't know why some dogs are afraid of storms and others could care less.  Obi didn't like storms either. I take comfort believing that they are both in heaven where there is nothing but sunshine 24/7. 

When she got diabetes she started going down hill from there. She lost weight and her arthritis got worse. She was almost completely blind. She started stumbling down stairs too. So we decided to let her go... Sweet Shelby...I still miss her from time to time.

Said Goodbye...

Shelby St James July 2000 - March 19th 2010


You may remember Shelby was very sick last fall and it was determined among other things she had Diabetes. Her blood sugar level was over 500 nearly every time tested. She had lost weight and was only around 16 pounds.

Since then she had managed to gain back a few pounds, but her quality of life was going down hill. She has become blind, her arthritis has worsened, she has had (prior to the Diabetes) some anal tissue inflammation problems thought to be Cushings but was not..I forget the technical name for it.

And recently she often has been pacing, whining and generally looking unhappy. She had become my shadow and always wanted to be on my lap...although that is not something I minded one bit, it was really not like her. I gave her much love and kisses!

She was bumping into things, missing a step and smacking her poor head on the floor and two days ago in the morning fell down a flight of stairs (I wasn't up yet and hubby didn't get to her in time). She got through it okay but it made us take a good hard look at her condition and face a harsh reality and wondered if we were just keeping her around for US. Her Diabetes was still not under control and we were up to 10ccs of Insulin twice a day.

So...I took her to the vet today, and while she was on my lap in the car shaking, I looked down lovingly and said "This is the last time you have to be scared to go the vet, Shelby." Hubby met me there so that he could say goodbye too. We gave her one last hug and kiss and now she is at peace romping with Reebok and Misty for sure..

Shelby, you will always be loved and never forgotten...