“AT THE MOMENT, CASSIE’S LOVING LIFE…”
When her owners had a baby, and no longer wanted tiny Yorkshire Terrier Cassie, who weighs in at just 1.6kg, Jill Watson, from Burnley, Lancashire, adopted her. “The vet thought — from the state of her — she was 14,” Jill recalled,
although Cassie was actually only three.
She needed dental treatment, which included the removal of five teeth. “Her mouth was too small; her crowded teeth had become loose and painful,” said Jill.
“Both her knees are grade four luxating patella — the highest they can be. They’re permanently out, but she’s too small to operate on; the bones would fracture. She has canine epileptoid cramping syndrome (CECS) which means she can’t have gluten at all.
“She has physio and hydrotherapy, painkillers, and ketamine injections to try to relax her muscles. She’s got sore eyes because her tear ducts aren’t big enough to take the water away. On a normal sized dog they could operate, but she’s too small.
“We’ve spent thousands and thousands on her, but she’s such a happy little soul. Day by day everything is getting slightly harder and she’s struggling more. At the moment, Cassie’s loving life — but when that changes, and we can’t keep her pain-free, I won’t let her suffer.”
“PIP RUNS AROUND AND NEVER BUMPS INTO ANYTHING!”
Penny Andrews, from Hunstanton, Norfolk, adopted Peggy and Pip, two tiny Chihuahuas the RSPCA rescued and rehabilitated after they were found abandoned at the roadside. The RSPCA believe they were bred for the ‘teacup’ trade, but were discarded because their health issues made them unsellable.
Peggy is Pip’s mother, and initially, their future seemed bleak. Peggy was missing part of her left leg and, following veterinary investigations and specialist consultations, staff discovered Pip was missing part of her brain, leaving her blind and with no functioning eyelids.
Penny and her daughter, Jess, already shared their home with Perry, a Jack
Russell X Dachshund, four cats, a budgie, a cockatiel, and a tortoise.
Despite the devastating impact of their health issues, the dogs have settled in well. “The animals all get on, and the dogs all sleep in the bed under the duvet at night,” Penny said. “Pip has mapped out the bungalow; she runs in and out, and around the top of the garden; she’s so clever, the way she runs around and never bumps into anything! You could quite easily forget that she can’t see. I think it affects me more than it does her. Peggy is very laid-back and just wants cuddles all the time. They’re both really happy!”
“Peggy is Pip’s mother, and initially, their future seemed bleak. Peggy was missing part of her left leg...”