• Home
  • About Us
  • Work With Us
  • Social Media News
  • Privacy & Terms
  • Thunderbolt Social Media
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Dangerous Cupcake Lifestyle

  • Entertainment
  • Travel
  • Food & Wine
    • Cupcakes
  • Disney
  • Marvel
  • Crafts, Cars & Cool Things
    • Crafts
    • Cars
    • Cool Things
    • Technology
  • Family & Life Over 45
  • Dogs
You are here: Home / Dogs / Taking Care of a Special Needs Dog: The Story of Missie the Yorkie

Taking Care of a Special Needs Dog: The Story of Missie the Yorkie

December 15, 2016 By Donna Biroczky Leave a Comment

Tweet
Share59
Pin2
61 Shares

This is Missie the Yorkie, my special needs dog. She just turned 10 and she’s like a puppy minus the potty incidents…no, wait, she does have some incidents but they are more due to attitude than need…she’s like a puppy except she has some grey hair and doesn’t chew things. Missie does, however, lick the carpet in tiny little circles incessantly unless you stop her.

missie the yorkie

She fits right into our weird family.

Missie became part of our family on New Year’s Eve, 2009. We were planning a crazy big party as a goodbye to California, our house was going on the market two days later and as soon as it sold, we were going to drive to South Carolina and start over. She was half of a doggy duet, part of a puppy package, one of two furry kids that had grown up together. Best friends from their early puppy days, Missie and Charlie came to us from a local service dog trainer. Our youngest son needed an autism service dog, which can cost upwards of $12,000. Charlie’s match had fallen through when the parents changed their mind about getting a dog, and the trainer had to make space for an incoming puppy being trained to help a child with cancer.

We’d been wanting a service dog for a while, but the cost was prohibitive. The agencies we spoke with all told us that most families had to fund raise for quite some time but that it was much easier than expected. “Families usually end up getting at least half from their relatives.” I knew that wasn’t going to happen with us, so when we were offered Charlie, we immediately made an appointment to go see him. We knew about Missie, and weren’t deterred, but we also weren’t expecting how quickly we’d fall in love with her. With eight of us watching to see if Charlie would bond with Little Man, Missie wove herself into our hearts by prancing around the garage and yard as though there were no strangers in her world. Meanwhile, Charlie walked past all of us, right to Little Man, sat down and leaned on him.

There wasn’t a dry eye around. The deal was sealed. We were now a family of eight.

special needs dog

The pups quickly fit in the household routine. Charlie would calm Little Dude and play guard dog every time someone would come to see the house. Missie would climb onto all of the furniture and explore but always ended up cuddled in my lap before long. She was my lap warmer then and still is now, almost seven years later.

These seven years were not without some rollercoaster rides though. Never did we know how expensive medical care can be for animals, what loving an animal can do for a family, and how much you can love eight pounds of furry dedication.

Missie would sporadically throw up her food, mostly undigested. Vets didn’t really have much concern as it wasn’t consistent…until one day she wouldn’t leave her bed and rush to dad when he came home from work. Her slow walk to see him began a very scary time.

Long story short, after a few months in and out of the hospital, Missie was diagnosed with a severe kidney infection resulting in blood in her urine. It was pretty terrifying to see that puddle. The infection was eventually cleared up, but she got sick again not long after, at which point they realized she had stones in both kidneys, her urethra and her bladder. She was kept at a vet overnight, due to her IV, and the vet was so worried about her, he took her home with him to care for her throughout the night, until a very high-tech clinic 2.5 hours away could operate the next morning. We credit that doctor, Doctor Mike, for saving her life.

It was a teary visit the next morning when we made the drive to Charleston for surgery. Holding Missie on my lap in the car, looking down at that sweet trusting face, it was a long ride. We didn’t know how it would play all out, only that the little bundle of fur that had wandered around the garage and yard that New Year’s Eve a few years prior also wandered into our hearts and we were nowhere near ready to let her go.

A week later, she was back at home with us, having survived a surgery to repair a liver shunt (a congenital malformation where her body doesn’t send things through her liver to filter) and to remove one septic and dead kidney. The feeling was that the liver probably had caused stones to build up, which killed the kidney and caused subsequent infections. The surgeon also removed stones from her bladder and urethra, leaving one remaining stone in the other kidney that was unsafe to remove at that time.

Over the next few weeks, our sweet little bundle recuperated like a champ. She began to run around and play like we hadn’t seen before. Her dedication to us also seemed to grow, as though she knew we had saved her life. She had staples from one end of her belly to another, and I had to give her subdermal injections twice a day for 10 days — at the tune of $30 per day — as well as some other medications. All told, her surgery and subsequent treatments had cost us over $10,000.

I know. CareCredit became a good friend and I’m so fortunate that the husband was so willing to hand over a hard-earned bonus check from work to cover what CareCredit didn’t.

Since that time, Missie’s doing fantastic! We watch her health closely, probably a little too close at times, but I guess that’s expected. We have a wonderful vet who understands my paranoia and doesn’t laugh at my tears at almost every appointment. I’m such a wimp. He also doesn’t push aggressive medical treatments at us unless he feels it’s absolutely necessary. I trust his care implicitly. Missie gets dental treatments once or twice a year, depending on how well her teeth look. Despite that, and daily teeth cleaning, she only has six teeth left. She doesn’t let that stop her from enjoying her meals though.

special needs pet

Having a special needs dog can be a tough gig. Still, I wouldn’t do it differently. We were fortunate to have the option to get her the surgery and to pay for the other things she needs. We are well-aware that not everyone has that choice. Some people give us a hard time for spending that money on ‘just a dog,’ but dog lovers, you know there’s no such thing as ‘just a dog.’ We’ve heard how we could have spent that money on our kids, and yes, we could have, but in reality, we did spend that money on the kids. They see that we don’t give up on something and that we love completely. The kids learned that animals are valued and they’ve had the chance to develop a relationship with a best friend that depends on you for everything. The hugs and kisses and support those animals provide have paid off tenfold, and we didn’t have to tell them that.

The money also didn’t mean the kids went without. It changed nothing. That CareCredit payment is just another line item in the budget and will always be. Even if we use it only for routine exams and dentals, it’s interest-free financing. The kids didn’t miss out on anything and Christmas that year (and every year since) has been as opulent as before. They kids also learned about following through on commitment and having priorities.

I worry when she burps, when she stumbles on the stairs a little in the dark (because she is losing eyesight in at least her left eye, not sure about the right) and I get nervous each time we have her blood tests run just to see where we’re at. She began to show signs last year that her remaining kidney isn’t functioning at 100%, but we knew that would happen. Renowned specialists have reviewed her case and determined that lithotripsy for the remaining stone was not possible, so she’s on pills forever. Her food is also prescription and she can’t eat anything else, but with proper care, she’s going to live a long time. We’re so, so lucky.

Charlie’s also doing wonderfully, having had two successful ACL repair surgeries. I call him the lovey puppy, as that’s all he wants to do. And take his walks at night.

special needs dog

Missie has her own Facebook page and Instagram account. I know….but I’m okay with that. She’s one special puppy and I could share photos of her endlessly. This allows for that without scaring people by being that crazy dog lady.

Stay tuned for post number two in this two-part series. Two dogs, two parts to the story, with the second being tips on caring for a special needs dog. These animals present themselves in many ways and they are all worth it.

 

Tweet
Share59
Pin2
61 Shares

Filed Under: Dogs Tagged With: missie the yorkie

Previous Post: « How Do You Gift Thoughtfully? With a Little Planning and a Lot of Love
Next Post: Are You Buying Rogue One Tickets Yet? The Force is Strong! »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Follow Us

dangerous cupcake lifestyle club 33 profile
I’m Donna, and I’m not a mommy blogger.
I’m a Marvel geek and creator of Dangerous Cupcake, a Southern California lifestyle blog dedicated to life after the kids grow up. As my four kids enter different stages of their lives, I get to do the same, having fun, loving Disney, watching Marvel, and not letting my age define anything. Phase 2 of life is pretty amazing. Join me in changing focus ands enjoying life during our next adventure, without totally starting over. However you do it, life is short, live a little dangerously.
Donna@DangerousCupcakeLifestyle.com

We are an Amazon affiliate, which means some Amazon links you click may be our affiliate links. In that case, we may make some money IF you purchase using those links or other affiliate links.
We appreciate you!

STUFF WE WRITE ABOUT

Footer

dangerouscupcakelifestyle

Mom life after the 4 kids grow up🥂
Lifestyle~Travel~Food~Crafts~Entertainment
Collabs: donna@dangerouscupcakelifestyle.com

Donna B ~ SoCal Blogger
In 2020, we started our home renovation. We knew i In 2020, we started our home renovation. We knew it could be a challenge during the pandemic, but we’d been waiting and were ready. 

We started with new lighting throughout, adding additional outlets and power along the way, outside and in. What a difference it made! Then we moved on to the kitchen and its adjoining family/dining space, making it perfect for the family to eat in on the daily and for holiday meals and perfect for me to watch TV while prepping food or writing late at night. So many plans!

To really change it up, we decided to add a Butler’s Pantry to one wall, where there originally was nothing permanent. The design needed to incorporate our two wine fridges (one white, one red), our booze bottles, all our crystal and dishwater, and our bar equipment. I wanted two glass doors to display the pretty stuff and a hanging wine glass area...and a countertop to serve as a beverage area while entertaining. Easy, right?

The main kitchen layout stayed the same, but we gutted it entirely, removing all the aged oak cabinets and dark marble counters. Swinging the sledge that first time felt amazing! We chose Shaker-style cabinets in a slate grey, a stainless farmhouse double-sink and white quartz with grey marbling. To really maximize space, we turned a pony wall into a cookbook shelf with a matching counter, had a custom island built to stow my gear and provide more food prep area, and had a copper pot rack replated. I can’t forget the bench seat by the weird window that is extra storage and a great place to sit, with its new purple cushion. 

Then came a new dining set, a loveseat to complete the relaxing hangout nook, and a refaced fireplace. The blues of the backsplashes brighten up a once dark space, purple pops of color bring it all together, and we LOVE it in here!  Thanks to my son, the contractor, we have a unique area to entertain and spend time together. Stay tuned, more reno posts coming, as we’re doing the entire house!

#renovation #homerenovation #renovate #remodel #homeremodel #homedesign #homeredesign #kitchendesign #kitchenrenovation @Lowes #designyourhome #kitchenredesign #farmhousesink #shakerstyle #laminateflooring #newfloors
Did you watch Tom and Jerry as a kid? I did, and I Did you watch Tom and Jerry as a kid? I did, and I loved it! Who didn’t, right? I always rooted for Jerry the Mouse! It was a popular cartoon then and now, the infamous duo is back in a new movie hitting the big screen, and HBOMax, on February 26!

A fun hybrid of live-action and animation, the new Tom and Jerry has a stellar cast, including Chloe Grace Moritz, Michael Pena, Colin Jost, Bobby Cannavale, Jordan Bolger and more! Based in New York City, now we get to see something we never thought we’d see: Tom and Jerry have to WORK TOGETHER.

In preparation for the movie, Warner Bros. sent us this awesome box of goodies, including this smash cake, full of treats and surprises. We’re going to have movie night this weekend, where we’ll play the game and laugh together, but I’m most excited to introduce my granddaughter, Charlotte, to another cartoon I grew up with. I’m sure she’s going to love Tom and Jerry just as much as I do!

I’ll have a blog post up soon with a downloadable activity pack and links to some games to prep for the movie — or just to stay occupied on another weekend safe-at-home! I’ll also include some photos of what’s inside this massive cake! (And let me just say, the CAUTION tape on the outside of the box had the delivery man doing a double-take. “Should I just put this right here?” ...as he set it down OH so carefully!)

Thanks, Warner Bros.! Can’t wait to watch the movie and have fun with the goodies!

#TomandJerryMovie @TomandJerry #TomandJerry @hbomax @warnerbrosentertainment #warnerbros #familyfun #familymovie #movienight #familygamenight #gamenight #tomandjerrygame #cartoon #animation #hbomax #liveaction @wbpictures #liveactionmovie @boutiquepublicity
Since lockdown started, we realized just how much Since lockdown started, we realized just how much money we spend on takeout and restaurant food. I'll be honest -- I miss restaurants but at least this past year has pushed me back towards one of my favorite activities: making food for those I love. I may not be able to entertain like we used to (yet), but now that our kitchen renovation is complete, I have the space to experiment and get ready with some new recipes. I also can throw together simple food and healthier options, like this caprese salad. It's just about the easiest thing to make that can be a side dish or a meal in itself. 

I made this one using three different kinds of heirloom tomatoes from Melissa's Produce, fresh pre-sliced mozzarella and fresh basil, both picked up at our local grocer for just a few dollars, making this meal also inexpensive. Slice the tomatoes, layer them with the cheese and basil, and drizzle with your favorite type of balsamic vinegar. I used Bertolli balsamic glaze, which adds just a little tang to the salad. 

I used to order Caprese salads a lot when we'd got out. The crisp of the tomato, the creaminess of the cheese and the savory taste of the basil -- I may have made a smaller serving just for myself the next day. Healthier options don't have to be fancy, expensive or time-consuming. They also don't have to be super low-cal or small portions. Life is short, so eat good food, get some exercise and make new things.

#MelissasPartner @melissasproduce #salad #food #recipe #capresesalad #basil #freshtomatoes #heirloomtomatoes #tomatoes #freshproduce #freshbasil #saladrecipe #kitchenremodel #renovation #kitchendesign #instafoodie #foodiepics #foodie #foodphotos #foodpics #balsamicvinegar #balsamic #eathealthy #healthyfood #healthyfoodies #healthyfoodie
During lockdown, it’s been so important to have During lockdown, it’s been so important to have a safe space to spend our time. I’ve never enjoyed having a garden more than this past year. Early on, it provided vegetables and throughout, it has been a haven. We put up a tv, spruced up the furniture and still, sitting under this tree has been a favorite. Even Shuri gravitates toward its shade, and these oranges have contributed to many breakfasts, brunches and mimosas. Here’s to another Sunday being happy at home!

#oranges #orangetree #orangetrees #sundayfunday #sundaymornings #sundayvibes #sunphoto #sundayphotography #garden #backyardgarden #backyarddesign #backyardgardening #backyardgoals #backyardoasis #backyardfun #backyardphotography #naturephotographer #growyourown #growyourownfood #growyourownfruit
We haven’t had a date night out of the house on We haven’t had a date night out of the house on a normal scale since pre-COVID. We love going out but things have been closed and we also want to be safe. Normally, the hubs cooks a fancy dinner for Valentine’s Day, but this year, he surprised me with reservations for a favorite restaurant of ours, Scarlet Kitchen and Lounge in Rancho Mission Viejo. They offered a special holiday menu, served outside in a beautiful setting, with heaters keeping us toasty. I started our meal with this amazing themed cocktail, a Love Conquers All. It is made of bourbon, macadamia nut liquer, Benedictine, coconut water, pineapple, lemon, egg white and edible glitter. OMG it’s a top-three cocktail EVER. The bartender is a genius, as these flavors came together in a drink I could enjoy on a regular basis. 

The rest of our meal was equally good, but made better because we got to see our sweet friend Marla and we thoroughly enjoyed just being out in public. Hearing others laugh and talk....oh how I have missed that. 

Masks are required, tables are set apart and we felt totally safe. And happy. That matters now, more than ever. 

@scarletkitchenandlounge #scarletkitchen #scarletkitchenandlounge #cocktail #cocktails #cocktailsofinstagram #bourbon #bourbongram #bourbonlover #bourbonenthusiast #bourbonlife #bourboncocktails #bourbondrinker #bourbondrinkers #bourbondrinks #bourboncocktail #edibleglitter #fancydrinks #fancydrink #valentinescocktails #valentinesday2021 #datenight #nightout #foodblogger #blogger #ranchomissionviejo
Last night, I made an amazing chili verde in the I Last night, I made an amazing chili verde in the Instant Pot. It's a family favorite, and so easy that I had time to experiment in the kitchen for the first time since we finished the redesign. I decided it was a good night to enjoy another olive oil cake, using hearty and flavorful oil and fresh produce gifted to me by Garcia de la Cruz and Melissa's Produce. It was a hit!

This particular cake uses 1 1/3 cups of olive oil, which makes it incredibly moist. Garcia de la Cruz oil has such a rich and fruity flavor, it makes it better than a typical olive oil cake. You can make this cake with any kind of olive oil, but I really recommend this one. To ramp it up a notch, I used fresh blood orange juice and 1/4 cup of strained passionfruit juice, adding sweet, citrus nuances without overwhelming the basic foundation. This cake has no frosting but the top of the cake develops a slight crust, adding a little crisp to each bite. 

If you've never had a blood orange, they're in season now and it's the perfect time to give them a try. They're not just a gorgeous red color, but they are sweeter and tangier than regular oranges. I love how they changed the color of this cake batter just a little, and if I'd used another 1/4 cup of the juice instead of the passionfruit, I think the cake would be a slight pink, making it an even better item to add to your Valentine's Day meal! Passionfruit, however, is a favorite of mine and I love how versatile they are! I use their juice quite a bit in a morning smoothie!

@melissasproduce @GarciadelaCruzOliveOil #ValentinesDayRecipes #valentinesday #dessert #food #recipe #oliveoil #valentinesfood #valentinesdayfood #melissasproduce #baking #instantpot #passionfruit #bloodorange #bloodoranges #bakedessert #freshproduce #foodies #sidedish #bakeacake
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Life is short, so it should never be boring. Dangerous Cupcake Lifestyle is all about enjoying life, finding yourself after your kids grow up and above all, keeping it real. Live dangerously. We'd love to hear from you -- let's work together!

Copyright © 2021 Dangerous Cupcake and Thunderbolt Social Media

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non-necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.

SAVE & ACCEPT