Initially, Crystal was fed just 10ml every 2 hours, and even that little bit she would throw up because her stomach had shrunk so much. Now, after 3 weeks, she gets syringe fed every 4 hours and in between, she is offered food that she likes: liver, roast pork, BBQ chicken etc. Basically, at 21 years old, she gets fed anything she fancies! She has difficulty picking up the food with her tongue (since she has no teeth), so some days she gets tired and frustrated and gives up trying to eat. We’ve done a lot of research, blended her food, made it mushy, cut it into small pieces etc. but nothing really seems to work – we realize every dog is different and not all methods will work across the board. It makes us wonder how she managed to eat regular kibbles for almost a decade at the boarding place. Maybe that explains why she's so skeletal.
Her determination to survive is just amazing. Her willpower is so strong that we can imagine she was rather feisty in her heyday. She bumps into things and falls, but just picks herself up and continues along like it’s really no big deal at all. Nothing, it seems, gets her down. She even tried to jump over an obstacle. Well, it wasn't really much of an obstacle; just a water hose, but to her, it’s still a hurdle. When she tries to jump, it’s quite a sight to behold.
When she first went to her foster home, her tongue was purple. Another resident dog now shares his blood stimulant supplements with her, and her tongue has turned a healthier red shade. The resident dog also shares his eye drops with Crystal 5 times a day, and her eyes are no longer dry and dazed-looking. She now has the energy to turn her head and struggle when we syringe-feed her or apply her eye drops. We’re actually delighted that she is still able to put up a fight!
Initially at her foster home, she didn’t know how to lie down and relax. She acted very much like a breeding dog. She would just sit and doze off. Even today, we still have to carry her and lay her down. She panics a little at first, but when she realizes it's safe and soft, she falls asleep. Her foster now sleeps with the light on, waking up every 2 hours to check on Crystal while she sleeps. Did she vomit, pee or poo in her bed, or is she having a seizure etc.? Crystal's foster lets her wear a bell on her collar, so the foster can hear Crystal when she moves about. Her foster is very sensitive to the sound of the bell or the playpen rattling when Crystal bumps into it, and will immediately jump up to check if she's okay. Sometimes the foster likes to just sit and watch her sleep. Crystal is such a precious tiny angel, so sweet, so frail, sleeping so comfortably on a nice cozy bed.
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| Read her rescue story here |
Dogs live in the present. They do not dwell on the past like humans, which is why we have so much to learn from them. Crystal enjoys her brand new life now. She likes her walks in the parks (carried like a princess, of course), having two other dogs to accompany her at home, and being waited on hand and foot every 2 to 3 hours. It’s a life every dog dreams of and deserves. Crystal doesn’t want you to feel sorry for what she has gone through. She's a tough cookie, for having made it this far. So if you do meet her, just give her love and pats and not bring up her past. She just wants you to be happy for her, that she is starting a brand new life at 21 years old! Let's celebrate life!
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