Saturday, March 12, 2011

Weekend Whimsy: Veronique, la Pug Fantastique!

As many of you know, I have four pugs.  Our oldest pug, Veronica, turns 15 years old this month. I'd like to tell you her story....to be honest, I can hardly believe she is still with us.
Jessica with her snuggle pug, Veronica
 Veronica was our first pug.  We got her during our "Archie's Comics" phase.  We already had a Golden Retriever named Archie.  Soon after that we acquired two turtles and named them Betty and Jughead.  This naming phase extended to the acquisition of our second pug, a black one we named Sabrina (the Teenage Witch) but that's another blog.
Jessica is trying to look like a pug!  Veronica does not seem amused.
 I remember when we first got Veronica.  She was fearless against the giant Archie!  She would jump and play and grab his under belly hairs in her mouth until they both collapsed in an exhausted, yet satisfied, pile of canine playfulness.  Archie would look at me and pant.  I swear I could hear him say about the puppy Veronica, "Thanks Mom!  She's the best toy you've ever gotten me!"

We decided that owning a pug was a very satisfying experience.  She was playful yet loved to relax and nap with us.  It seemed the pug personality totally reflected our lifestyle.  Veronica was fitting in just fine.
She got the name "Veronique la Pug Fantastique" from this Mardi Gras dress up session.
I was on a business trip when I got the phone call.  Veronica had been hit by a boat trailer and was paralyzed from mid-back on down.  I was heartbroken!  I cried all the way home from my business trip.  When I got home, we had to make the decision whether to put her down or not.  Although her spinal chord was severed, she was in no pain once we healed the minor injuries.  After conferring with our veterinarian, we decided to become the primary caregivers for a paraplegic dog!

The trauma of the accident caused Veronica's metabolic system to go whacky.  She is diabetic and we have to inject her with insulin twice a day.  We also have to express her bladder 2-3 times a day as she cannot urinate herself.  She frequently gets bladder infections which must be treated with antibiotics.  Throughout all this, she remains spunky, loving and dominates the other 3 pugs!

About six months after the accident, we had her fitted for a "wheelchair".
She gets around quite well with her wheelchair, in fact, maybe we should call it an ATV!

Veronica's accident happened when she was 4.  As I previously stated, Veronica turns 15 this month.  I have noticed some changes in her recently and seeing these photos makes it even more clear to me that she is becoming frail.

She's had an interesting life and her resilience and fortitude are qualities that many of us would do well to emulate.  Happy Birthday to Veronique, la Pug Fantastique!

Have a Great Weekend!

7 comments:

  1. Happy Birthday Veronica!!! What a beautiful story and what a tenacious little girl you have there...

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  2. Such a fantastic girl and fabulous fur Mama!! Happy Birthday Veronica!!!! Suzanne

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  3. Awwwwwwwwwwww Happy Birthday Veronica!! What a pretty girl!!! We had a beagle that had diabetes too and we had to give him shots twice a day also... he went blind from the illness though... kids used to get freaked out by how his eyes looked... *sigh* I miss my Buddy!!!.. loveeeeeeeeeeeee the photos...such a beauty! :):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):)

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  4. Happy Birthday to Veronica! She is such a fighter! What an amazing story! The photo of her in the wheelchair just breaks my heart.

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  5. I love this post about your sweet Veronica! She is so blessed to have you and be in your family full of love and to bless all of you back. Pets are meant to be loved like this! =)
    Happy Happy Birthday Little Miss!

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  6. awwwww... I just want to love on her! What a sweetie!! You're such a good doggie momma juju!! :) A

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  7. Well after reading your story, I'm bawling my eyes out! When my husband and I first got married he had a black Pug. Her name was Spice! I fell in love with her! And her name was appropriate:) We now have another Pug we rescued. Her name was Penny (also my sister's name)so we changed it! Her name is Mary:) She just turned 14. Two years ago she got Pravo and we almost lost her! Love her forever!!!

    ~Vanessa W

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