# ~Our tiniest rescue~



## ~LS~

Bella's 1 year and 4 months old. Her owner could not keep her any longer due to
allergies. She has ear mites, dry skin, diarrhea, and a mild case of hip dysplasia.
She is a fearful girl, was clinging onto my chest for four hours before she finally
decided to say hello to my pack. The boys were very gentle with her, and Chanel 
is ecstatic about having a play partner. Little Bella is keeping me busy, but I shot 
a really quick video of her for you guys. Take a look at this little angel. Such a tiny 
and fragile little girl, makes Chanel look like a Bullmastiff, hehe. I can already tell 
though that she has a really big heart.


----------



## 20887

She is just adorable!


----------



## teetee

aww she is so sweet. Look at that tail, just a goin! haha she looks very happy to be with you and your pack. Chanel looks happy too! a new fwend!


----------



## LBChi

Aww, she is precious! It looks like she will get along fine! Her tail was wagging and she looked happy. 
I bet Chanel is happy to have someone smaller than her!
You do such good things LS.


----------



## ~LS~

Oh Missy she is so precious! Not sure if you can tell from the video, but she's skin and bones, I can not wait to fatten her up.


----------



## ~LS~

Girls, I'm in love with her, she just made my heart melt. 
She kissed me on the cheek when I first saw her, she is 
a real sweetie pie. :love2:


----------



## Chihuahuasloveme

U should keep her  lol she really is the best!


----------



## just cindy

Oh wow !! she looks so happy to be with your pack and that never ending tail way kept me smiling the whole video and I still got a grin on my face  So sweet


----------



## nabi

She is adorable...you can tell she has a great personality....she will fit right in with your fur family...

I admire anyone who does rescue...I could not do it...I would keep every one and then be a hoarder :foxes15:


----------



## Jayda

So, so cute! Keep her!


----------



## missydawn

She is precious,I'm happy she's with you and will have a good home.


----------



## ~LS~

Here are a couple of pictures. 


Rocky & Benji say hello










Angel eyes










Chanel is pure muscle, fit but tall 8 pound girl, take a look at the size difference, it's incredible.










I could never say no to that face


----------



## LBChi

I can see how skinny she is in the last pic. I know you w.ill take such good care of her and fatten her up, in a healthy way of coarse!


----------



## ggtina

She is so adorable ... Chanel makes her look so tiny.


----------



## nabi

Oh my word...she is the cutest little munchkin...who could ever say no to those eyes....I love her already :love4:


----------



## Gingersmom

Awww she's so cute...once she gets her "sea legs" she's going to give Chanel a run for her money...they'll be tearing up the house... Congratulations to the both of you!!!


----------



## proudpeyotemama

She is SOOOO cute! She looks so happy to be with you & the rest of your gang. What an angel!


----------



## pupluv168

Oh my gosh. She is just the most wonderful little girl I've seen. I am in love. She seems like such a doll, too. She needs some fixing, but she seems like she will be a great dog someday soon. I so wish I could find a girl like her down here. I've been looking but I haven't found one like her! Are you planning on keeping her now that you are in love? LOL.


----------



## teetee

she and rocky are the same colors!


----------



## KrystalLeigh

She is beyond adorable. I love her in that video, wagging her tail. She's such a little heart breaker. I'm so glad that she's found you.


----------



## Missygal

She's adorable!! Looks like we both rescued little angels!!


----------



## lulu'smom

Oh my gosh, LS, that is the face of an angel. I could never let her go if I were you! I am so in love. If I didn't live so far away I would take her right now!


----------



## svdreamer

Oh, my gosh, she is just so adorable. If I was closer, I'd snatch her up in a heartbeat. Just look at that tail, she is so happy to be there.


----------



## ~LS~

You know girls, I'm not used to such a tiny rescue baby, we usually have 
medium or large breeds. This little one is tiny even for a Chi. Hubby and I
have to be careful about where we walk so we don't step on her. I did not
want to stress her out today, but tomorrow we'll have a first bath and nail
trim. She also has a yeast infection, so we'll have to start treating that. 
She's not eating or going to the bathroom, so I'm staying up with her until
she does, and am keeping her hydrated. She has a couple of teeth that need
to be pulled too, so perhaps that is the reason she is refusing to eat, or simply
the stress of a new environment. I'm watching her like a hawk, because she is
very tiny and at a higher risk of hypoglycemia. I don't think I'll be sleeping
tonight. She is very fearful but has warmed up to me, she doesn't know any
commands, not even basics, so we have some socializing and training ahead 
of us, should be fun. She is lying on my chest right now, just under my chin,
I have to stop myself from kissing her sweet little head so much.


----------



## lulu'smom

I keep looking at her pics, and I'm telling you that is one precious baby girl.


----------



## ~LS~

I have a couple more pictures Tina, I'll go upload those now. 
I can't stop staring at her, she's just too precious.


----------



## thatrandomgirl

Oh goodness, what a cutie. I can tell that she's thin from the pictures, but I know you'll be able to fatten her up!

Quite a comparison to Chanel! I'd be so scared to have such a small one.

Looking forward to hearing about your progress with her! Forgive me if I missed it, but are you considering keeping her?


----------



## ~LS~

A few more...


----------



## Missygal

She is tiny and too cute!!


----------



## pupluv168

Her, Chanel, and Rocky all match! Poor Benji isn't tan and white! LOL. She is just so gorgeous, I wish I could have her to hug myself!


----------



## Wodjeka

wow, she is adorable! Are you keeping her, our are you looking for a nice home for her?
she needs some "work done" but I think she will turn out a real beauty!


----------



## ~LS~

I'm taking things a day at a time.

I will say one thing though...she stole my heart, and is not giving it back.


----------



## LBChi

Oh LS you just try to stop kissing her little head, I dare you...it is impossible! And with that sweet little girl you have now it is out if the question! Do you have sort food you can give her? I'm sure she will warm up to her new situation before you know it! How much does she weigh?


----------



## ~LS~

She finally ate a little chicken. And as I'm typing this she is doing a pipi on her
pad which is such a relief! I have been waiting ages! My eyes are closing I'm so
tired, been up since 4am as usual, it's way past my bedtime. Now if little miss
Bella gives me a nice present(poopoo) I will go to bed!


----------



## flippedstars

She is so sweet. Can I ask how they came about the diagnosis of mild hip dysplasia?


----------



## ~LS~

flippedstars said:


> She is so sweet. Can I ask how they came about the diagnosis of mild hip dysplasia?



It is simply word of mouth for now, they had no vet records whatsoever. 
My vet will be taking a look at her tomorrow. Will hope for the best, but 
am ready to expect the worse.

Are you wondering because her hips look good or bad? I know you have a good eye for these things.


----------



## KittyD

Very cute! where did you find her? Kijiji? or Craigs? I have not seen her on Berger Blanc or SPCA Jean Talon blog 
I saw an adorable girl just like her the other day on Kijiji, she came with a Juicy couture carrier.. same dog? her name was the same 

She's darling.. good luck!


----------



## Tiny

What is her current weight? Keep us updated when she does gain some. She is just too cuuuute! I wished i could snatch her  lol! Idky but she reminds me of a cute little bambi deer, so cuuuute!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## elaina

oh, i love her !!!


----------



## KritterMom

Aww look at her little tushy wiggling with her tail. She is a cutie. I bet someone will fall in love with her and adopt her right away.


----------



## ~LS~

KittyD said:


> Very cute! where did you find her? Kijiji? or Craigs? I have not seen her on Berger Blanc or SPCA Jean Talon blog
> I saw an adorable girl just like her the other day on Kijiji, she came with a Juicy couture carrier.. same dog? her name was the same
> 
> She's darling.. good luck!


I don't care for the evil Berger Blanc after the huge scandal. I know they
changed many things about their practices but I still don't trust them.
I found out about this little one online, and my oh my how I wish I got a
Juicy carrier, lol, would have been nice. Are you looking for another Chi
baby? Or are you still considering fostering a Shepherd?

How have you been by the way? I rarely see you nowadays. 





Tiny said:


> What is her current weight? Keep us updated when she does gain some. She is just too cuuuute! I wished i could snatch her  lol! Idky but she reminds me of a cute little bambi deer, so cuuuute!!!!!!!!!!


She just got here today, won't know the weight until the vet's appointment. 
My guess is around 2 lbs. Funny you mentioned bambi, I kept thinking the
same thing. If she did not have a name I'd call her Bambi for sure.




elaina said:


> oh, i love her !!!


It's so easy Elaine. 




KritterMom said:


> Aww look at her little tushy wiggling with her tail. She is a cutie. I bet someone will fall in love with her and adopt her right away.


Someone already did...wink wink.


----------



## pigeonsheep

waggy waggy tail tail! :albino:


----------



## KittyD

~LS~ said:


> I don't care for the evil Berger Blanc after the huge scandal. I know they
> changed many things about their practices but I still don't trust them.
> I found out about this little one online, and my oh my how I wish I got a
> Juicy carrier, lol, would have been nice. Are you looking for another Chi
> baby? Or are you still considering fostering a Shepherd?
> 
> How have you been by the way? I rarely see you nowadays.


Hey Berger has dogs that need rescuing as well! otherwise they get put to sleep.. I scan there often for Chi's as I always have friends looking.
Pretty sure I saw your little girl the other day online, glad you got her and not someone strange. 

Very busy lately with lots of fun projects! summer is my favorite time of year, don't get a ton of time to get on here, been loving the fun & sun.
No not fostering any Shepherds here? DH used to own a few though!


----------



## Timmysmom

If you don't keep her, I would really love to adopt her. But I think someone already has their mind made up, wink, wink, nudge nudge.


----------



## ~LS~

Pigeonsheep, I love that tiny tail. :love2:


And Kitty, you are absolutely right. Enjoy your summer, but please find some
time to stop by and say hello. Miss you girl. 


I'm happy to say the long wait for a poop is now over! Woohoo! And it was 
a pretty ok one, so the tiny bit of pumpkin helped. Off to bed now, big day
ahead of me. :sleepy2:


----------



## ~LS~

Regina, she's not going anywhere.


----------



## KittyD

~LS~ said:


> And Kitty, you are absolutely right. Enjoy your summer, but please find some
> time to stop by and say hello. Miss you girl.




Hey my offer still stands! any time you want to get these dogs together at the park suits me fine.
I know you have yours out all day and stuff, lately my guys are out with us all the time as well, so just let me know when you'll be around and we can meet up for a dog play date  I'd love to meet your new dog!


----------



## flippedstars

~LS~ said:


> It is simply word of mouth for now, they had no vet records whatsoever.
> My vet will be taking a look at her tomorrow. Will hope for the best, but
> am ready to expect the worse.
> 
> Are you wondering because her hips look good or bad? I know you have a good eye for these things.


It looks more to me like severe LP which honestly is pretty much painless if her knees are a grade 3 or 4...the classic bowing and bowed shape of her legs makes me think that...I absolutely could be wrong, though. Hip dysplasia is very uncommon in chihuahuas or toy breed dogs but legg calve perthes is not, which would be my second guess for diagnosis...so who knows? 

Either way she looks like a very happy peppy little one that is handling life just fine...

If anything I'd recommend dual opinions before any type of action, but none may be required. Repairing severe LP btw, should only be done by a specialist and it has a much lower success rate on the severe grades than it does on higher grades, so assess her for yourself if that is the case, over a period of time, before jumping into a surgical option  


Good luck with her and let us know how she does!


----------



## michele

Sorry but you will have to keep this one !(There you have been told ) she would go so well with Dottie who is 2lbs.You get used to walking with your head down making sure she's not under your feet,you and hubby will end up walking like that when your out and she's not even with you.


----------



## Charlotte~

I am so glad you're keeping her! She's so beautiful, so imagine when you've fixed her up a bit <3 she looks so happy to be with you in that video. And Chanel will make a very good big sister!


----------



## ~LS~

Kitty, that sounds nice. 


Flippedstars, thank you girl, I value your opinion. Oh lord how I hate LP, we
shall see what happens. If that's the case we'll deal with it. I'll definitely keep
you guys posted.


Michele, I love love love her already. The little heartbreaker kept me up all night,
I'm acting as if I have a newborn in the house, fussing over her. I need to let
her be and just get some rest before I collapse. I'll go try and do that now. I
said that at 4am, yet still stayed up. I think I worry too much, she's tiny but
definitely a tough cookie.


Charlotte, all of her issues are manageable, and even if something else came
up I would do my best to provide everything for her. She's a very good girl,
it will be easy taking great care of her, it will be hard trying to not spoil her! 
Oh and Chanel loves her, she follows her every step and even let Bella use her
bed and toys. She's being very good. I'm still giving her tons of affection so
she knows she's queen of the castle.


----------



## MiniGrace

She is so sweet! That video brought tears to my eyes! She looks tiny and very skinny! Is she eating?


----------



## ~LS~

MiniGrace said:


> She is so sweet! That video brought tears to my eyes! She looks tiny and very skinny! Is she eating?




Yes Terri she is now eating, thank goodness! I think she was just a little
stressed in a new environment. She seems a lot more relaxed now and
is eating little by little. I'm feeding her kibble right now, as her previous
owner did, so I don't upset her tummy. She did try a very tiny piece of
chicken with pumpkin when I could not get her to eat kibble, and that
perked her up, since then I've had no problems feeding her. Her stools
are better now too, but not 100% just yet. She is very skinny, the ribs 
are visible, we'll work on that. I like my dogs fit & slim, but not like this. 
She's doing great considering how little she's been here, hopefully it'll only 
keep getting better.


----------



## MiniGrace

I am glad she is eating! She looks like to me that she has a slender build so even at a proper weight she is still going to look very fragile. She reminds me so much of Taz in that video! I am so glad that you are keeping her!


----------



## Chi Nation

~LS~ said:


> Bella's 1 year and 4 months old. Such a tiny and fragile little girl, makes Chanel look like a Bullmastiff, hehe




HAHAHA!!! She does make Chanel look huge! She is quite a cutie, you should keep her 
See, thats the reason i choose not to foster. If left up to me, i would become the razy dog lady with 50 chihuahuas. I wouldn't want to let any of them go.


----------



## ~LS~

MiniGrace said:


> I am glad she is eating! She looks like to me that she has a slender build so even at a proper weight she is still going to look very fragile. She reminds me so much of Taz in that video! I am so glad that you are keeping her!


Absolutely, she is meant to be slender, just not this much. Considering she
might have hip issues I would not want her to gain too much, just enough
to slightly cover the ribs.





EastGreenChihuahuas said:


> HAHAHA!!! She does make Chanel look huge! She is quite a cutie, you should keep her
> See, thats the reason i choose not to foster. If left up to me, i would become the razy dog lady with 50 chihuahuas. I wouldn't want to let any of them go.


She's staying, but she will complete our pack. Hubby has a different address in
his name, so we have two dogs registered with him and now two with me, once
Bella gets her shots. The limit is 2 per dwelling. So until we move to a house
out in the sticks that will be it. Bella's literally the size of a large rat, barely
qualifies as a dog, haha. She's so sweet and quiet too. I keep waiting for her
to cause some trouble, but she's really good, just shy.


----------



## Brodysmom

Just seeing this! You're keeping her?! YAY! 

I agree with Kristi about the LP. Her back legs look really straight, no angulation at all, which is common with knee problems. Legg Calve Perthes is another thing to have the vet check for (by x-ray) as some people call that 'hip dysplasia' just because it's a more common term. That is where the head of the femur deteriorates. Since she is so small, surgery may not even be required.

I'm sure you can get her fattened up and healthy in no time! Can't wait to see her blossom under your care.


----------



## pam6400

Oh what a sweet little peanut!! You are so lucky to have found each other. Chanel is going to be the best big sister in the world. Girl, I don't know how you function with NO SLEEP! Bless you! What a wonderful little family.


----------



## ~LS~

Thank you Tracy and Pam. Tracy, I sure hope surgery is not needed, I can't
imagine such a tiny thing having to go through that. I'll take her in for a check
up and vaccines, see what my vet says and we'll go from there. Hoping for the
best. I want to see her do well and be happy. I'm already so attached.

Pam, I keep telling myself I need to go to bed, but she is the tiniest dog I ever
cared for and I just can't stop watching her every move. Hubby even offered to
keep an eye on her while I nap at least, but I just don't know.


----------



## pam6400

~LS~ said:


> Thank you Tracy and Pam. Tracy, I sure hope surgery is not needed, I can't
> imagine such a tiny thing having to go through that. I'll take her in for a check
> up and vaccines, see what my vet says and we'll go from there. Hoping for the
> best. I want to see her do well and be happy. I'm already so attached.
> 
> Pam, I keep telling myself I need to go to bed, but she is the tiniest dog I ever
> cared for and I just can't stop watching her every move. Hubby even offered to
> keep an eye on her while I nap at least, but I just don't know.


Oh yay for hubby! Take him up on the offer and go get a nap, you deserve it. You are gonna need all your energy in the next few days! Nighty night.


----------



## ~LS~

Haha Pam, I think I will do that now...finally. My right eye is twitching for crying out loud...time to sleep! 

I'll talk to you girls soon.


----------



## Audreybabypup

Aww LS she is a little doll! Too cute  I just got a new rescue lastnight. She's a little spaniel mix. Well she's found, so I'm searching for her owners before trying to rehome her.I bet Chanel is liking a new tiny friend.


----------



## Kalisee

By time you read this, hopefully you will have had your well-deserved rest! I wish I was part of caring for that little one. She looks so fragile but the kind of fragile that you know is going to be stronger with the proper care and especially LOVE! I say this without you knowing me very well, so if I hope it doesnt sound odd when I say I get a vibe only from reading that says there is noone better for that little baby to be with. You are a true mother!


----------



## foolevaar

She is so beautiful and so tiny, if that tail was any bigger she'd probably take off.
I know what it is like not to be able to stop caring for them when they're in bad shape, You're a good mommy. I hope you've had your sleep though


----------



## Dazy Mae

What a precious little angel....She will thrive from all the love and care that you give her I have rescue girls myself and they had similiar rough starts as this little one, but all it took was someone to love them and care about them to make a difference.
So glad she is with you....best of luck and keep us updated


----------



## Audreybabypup

I didn't read all the posts, you're keeping her? Aww cute!


----------



## Lisa T

Oh my another beautiful Bella, lucky you and lucky lucky Bella to have you. x


----------



## LaceyBlue

She is so sweet! Special stuff the two of us taking in rescue Chi girls on the same day . It will be fun to watch them both progress physically over time!


----------



## pupluv168

What did the vet say? I hope Bella is doing well today!


----------



## IeshaNicky

OMG LS she is sooo cute. So happy your keeping her hope everything goes well at the vets.


----------



## ~LS~

Thank you girls. I wasn't able to get an appointment for today, I was hoping I
would since he knows me well, but he was booked. So we took one for next
week. I gave Bella her bath and nail trim, cleaned her ears, she was an angel
through it all. She's super fearful, she holds onto me for dear life, and won't
even walk around our home, just stays in the same area. It'll take a lot of work
and patience, but I'm ready. I stayed up all night with her, still did not sleep. I
was told she is pipi pad trained, but she's not, so we are working on that as
well. Chanel is desperate to play with her, but Bella can't keep up with Chanel's
energy level, she'll sort of play for 30 seconds and that is it. I don't blame her,
she's skin and bones, no muscle. We are working on that too. She was afraid of
hubby, but is slowly warming up to him. She won't go too close to him, but she'll
stare at him and when he looks her way she'll start wagging that helicopter tail,
all happy that he noticed her, haha, she's so sweet. The main thing on my mind 
now is LP, I'm paranoid now, watching her knees and how she walks, I'm curious 
to see what my vet says, but I have a feeling she has it in both knees. It makes 
me sad just to think about it, she's so fragile. But I'm working on getting myself 
mentally ready to deal with whatever challenges come. As for Bella her knees
or hips don't seem to bother her one bit, so here hoping for the best.


----------



## briarrose

Look at her tail. She is adorable.


----------



## fayzoe

I can't believe i missed this my internet not been working for a week. Bella is so sweet LS she is a lucky little girl to have you looking after her. So is Chanel going to have a little sister to play with. I think you are going to keep her and she looks so happy playing with Chanel. Hope she gets on ok at the vet next week she is so tiny and a cute little girl and i know she will be well looked after with you as her new mum ive got you keeping her lol. Well done! LS for taken care of her but don't forget to look after number 1 (you) Big hug for you.x


----------



## ~LS~

Thank you girls! 

Don't worry Fay my friend, I'm being good to myself. 
Bella is slowly getting settled so I'm taking time to rest.


----------



## jesuschick

She is PRECIOUS!! Love her coloring and those eyes...

How exciting and fun!

Cannot wait to hear how she does at the vet and what they ay. If anyone can get this girl healthy it is you!!

I was going o comment that she is Eden sized but she sounds even smaller! More like Dottie and LeStat sized. What a precious little pixie!


----------



## ~LS~

Karen, I will definitely update on her progress. I'm trying so hard to take good 
care of her, I feel like I have a newborn in the house, because she requires so
much attention. She's a very special girl, that is extremely easy to love, I hope
she will live a very happy and healthy life with us. Her spirits are high and she
is always bright eyed and happy to be around me. Feels like she was always here.


----------



## missydawn

I love the markings on her!


----------



## cherper

Oh she is just the most precious, adorable , sweetest thing i've ever seen!!! Please tell me you are keeping miss bella!?  Oh she is sweeet! :love1: :love3: :love5:


----------



## pupluv168

LS, I think she will fit in well with your pack. And once she has some meat on her bones and her energy is up, she will give Chanel a run for her money. Now you have a perfect pack, two boys and two girls. If she does have LP or some other issue that may limit her mobility, you could get her a backpack or something so she can come along on your long walks! I can't wait to follow her journey of healing with her new family  

She is such a lucky dog to have you and hubby as Mama and Papa, and Chanel, Benji, and Rocky as big siblings!


----------



## Wicked Pixie

She is just gorgeous. I can see why you wouldn't be able to let her go.
I can't believe how tiny she is, we have guinea pigs that weigh well over 2 pounds


----------



## OzChi

Wow, I'm away from the forum for a couple of days and look what happens! Bella is an adorable little girl and I'm sure she will thrive with your love and care. I'm so glad she and Chanel are geting along and that she has found her forever home with you


----------



## pupluv168

Sarah, that's why you can't leave us. When you do, people decide to get puppies! On second thought, leave again so I can get one.  

Just kidding!


----------



## OzChi

> Sarah, that's why you can't leave us. When you do, people decide to get puppies! On second thought, leave again so I can get one.


Sorry - back at my boring old job again so I will be here a lot!

I was so busy over the weekend I didn't even get a chance to take any new pics of Winston to post  bad mother! I feel like he's grown already in a week and I'm missing recording it.


----------



## ~LS~

missydawn said:


> I love the markings on her!


Me too, everything about her is charming, from her looks to her personality. 




cherper said:


> Oh she is just the most precious, adorable , sweetest thing i've ever seen!!! Please tell me you are keeping miss bella!?  Oh she is sweeet! :love1: :love3: :love5:


Oh yes I am, I'm in looooove! :love2:





pupluv168 said:


> LS, I think she will fit in well with your pack. And once she has some meat on her bones and her energy is up, she will give Chanel a run for her money. Now you have a perfect pack, two boys and two girls. If she does have LP or some other issue that may limit her mobility, you could get her a backpack or something so she can come along on your long walks! I can't wait to follow her journey of healing with her new family
> 
> She is such a lucky dog to have you and hubby as Mama and Papa, and Chanel, Benji, and Rocky as big siblings!


Ashley, that's exactly what I thought too! I have a sling carrier that is 
now too small for Chanel, but is great for Bella. She won't miss out on our
adventures, any way we can get her out there we will. 

Thank you for your kind words. I'm the lucky one.





Wicked Pixie said:


> She is just gorgeous. I can see why you wouldn't be able to let her go.
> I can't believe how tiny she is, we have guinea pigs that weigh well over 2 pounds


I won't find out until the vet's office, but I think she might even be a bit
under 2 lbs. She's really the size of a rat. I can easily wrap my thumb and
index around her waste. She really needs to put a bit of weight on. Her
appetite is better and better, but I have to supervise her and feed her
piece by piece. She's too weak for tough love right now, so any way I
can get her to eat I do.





OzChi said:


> Wow, I'm away from the forum for a couple of days and look what happens! Bella is an adorable little girl and I'm sure she will thrive with your love and care. I'm so glad she and Chanel are geting along and that she has found her forever home with you



Thank you girl! As I'm typing right now I'm finding it hard to focus because her
and Chanel are playing and making silly sounds, haha. Chanel is a good girl, she
accepted Bella quickly. And I think she will help Bella come out of her shell.




pupluv168 said:


> Sarah, that's why you can't leave us. When you do, people decide to get puppies! On second thought, leave again so I can get one.
> 
> Just kidding!


SEE you are doing it too! You called her a "puppy". I've been doing it non
stop, hubby keeps telling me she's a big girl, but she's so tiny and demands 
so much attention I feel like I have a puppy in the house.


----------



## ~LS~

OzChi said:


> Sorry - back at my boring old job again so I will be here a lot!
> 
> I was so busy over the weekend I didn't even get a chance to take any new pics of Winston to post  bad mother! I feel like he's grown already in a week and I'm missing recording it.



Oh boohoo for you! Miss I just got a beautiful puppy AND went on an exotic vacation!  
I'm glad you are back to your boring job and now have time for the forum, I miss you....yes I'm a selfish baby, what are you gonna do?!


----------



## carrieandcricket

Oh LS, what a lucky little girl to have you for a new momma! I know you are going to take such good care of her! She is cute, and Chanel seems to love her new adopted sister.


----------



## Audreybabypup

Oh LS you are taking such good care of her  I'm so happy that Chanel likes her so much. Audrey really helped Sophia settle in and get used to things and even potty train so its great Chanel is helping her new little sister out. Wow she's so tiny, so cute!


----------



## Blondie87

Oh my gosh I love her! She is adorable! So glad you are keeping her. She is so skinny, hopefully you can fatten her up quickly. She definitely looks like she has bad LP, just from the video. But it's usually common for tinies to have LP. Surgery may not be recommended because of her size, and depending on if it actually bothers her or not. I am curious to see how much she weighs, she looks SO tiny compared to Chanel.


----------



## lynx8456

~LS~ you are such a kind & sweet lady for taking that precious little girl in. She is very lucky to have you and your wonderful family taking care of her. Bella is quite pretty..can't wait to see her with a bit more weight on her and a little more time to settle in with your family. I'll bet she will look and feel like a whole new lady!


----------



## KrystalLeigh

AHH! I didn't know you were _keeping_ her! THAT IS SO EXCITING! I can't wait to see videos of her and Chanel when she starts to come out of her shell!


----------



## Missygal

I'm so glad you're keeping her!!


----------



## lulu'smom

I keep checking back for pics of your sweet baby girl (we won't call her a puppy). lol I love all the pics that show Benji? (I hope I got that right but I'm really sleepy so forgive me) being such a caring big bro with her. I know Chanel is being a good big sis. She could not have found a more wonderful family to be a part of. But if you ever get tired of her...feel free to send her South!


----------



## OzChi

> Oh boohoo for you! Miss I just got a beautiful puppy AND went on an exotic vacation!
> I'm glad you are back to your boring job and now have time for the forum, I miss you....yes I'm a selfish baby, what are you gonna do?!


I know, I'm a whiner aren't I! My holiday feels like months ago and I haven't had as much time to enjoy Winston as I would like (although I got up an hour early today so we could all snooze together on the couch before I had to go to work). I spent 7 hours helping my hubby install a security system in our house and that took up most of my saturday and then yesterday I had a girls day at a friend's house who lives an hour away so by the thime I got there and back and spent a few hours with my friends I was wondering where my weekend went and how I was going to fit in my groceries and laundry in the few hours I had left? Next weekend I will be doing no social activities and 100% devoting my time to my pups!


----------



## AussieLass

Oh wow, I just love those, "It was meant to be ....." stories with happy endings. The Universe blessed you both methinks


----------



## ~LS~

Thank you my sweet friends. 

I'm about to start a very busy week, too much work too little time. Yet I got 
no sleep last night...poor Chanel got stung near her eye, and half of her face
swelled up. So I stayed up all night keeping an eye on her after the Benadryl.
She's doing noticeably better this morning. It's always like this you know, we
take in a rescue and one of our dogs gets sick. All the bills like to pop up all at
once. I'm grateful I have a savings account specifically designed for doggie
emergencies. I attached pictures of Chanel's poor eye, I took these last night.
This morning her eye is almost back to normal. My poor girl. Yet all she wants 
to do is play with her new sister, acts like nothing happened...that's Chanel
for you...unstoppable.


----------



## pam6400

Oh poor little princess! So glad her eye is getting better. Thank God for Benadryl. A couple of weeks ago we woke up to find Frankies entire muzzle swollen to double in size, no idea what bit him. I ran him into vets without even calling! Now I know the importance of have Benadryl at hand.
More pics (whenever you get 2 seconds!) of the tiny one please????? Oh I wish I lived near you. I would come over to doggy sit so you could get some shut eye!


----------



## ~LS~

Oh poor Frankie! 

Yes please come over, I can't pay you, but I'll cook!  All you can eat. 
Bella is a real handful. Scared of life. It's challenging, but I already see 
minor improvements, so it's extremely rewarding. I love that she loves
me, always clinging onto my chest, like a third boob, lol, but she needs
to learn to be a little independent, we are working on it, but I admit it's
hard. It must be so scary to be so small. I'm sure with training and socializing
soon enough she'll have the heart of a lion. I'll take some pictures for you
later on today. I'll find time. Definitely.


----------



## Huly

I have to wait until I get home to see the video but I know it will be cute!


----------



## ~LS~

Christie, page 2 and 4 have pictures, if you'd like to see.


----------



## LittleGemma

Omg, how did I miss this? I want her! She is soooo adorable! I would never be able to let her go if I were fostering her, lol.


----------



## ~LS~

LittleGemma said:


> Omg, how did I miss this? I want her! She is soooo adorable! I would never be able to let her go if I were fostering her, lol.



You know Caitlin, caring for her made me realize more than ever just how stupid
it is to breed such tiny runts. The girl is TOO delicate. She's not a dog. Her legs
are literally tooth picks. I can't even begin to imagine the health problems that 
will pop up down the line. To be honest she needs so much care that I simply
would not trust that someone else will be able to care for her the way she
needs. I could never re-home her, I would not find a home that fits my standards, 
because it would be one in a million. She is too tiny and too fearful, she will
not even go up to the water bowl to drink, so I have to get fluids into her
around the clock. I think I can provide for her everything she requires, from
safety to training to proper care. There is no doubt that she is ultra cute, 
but it comes at a price. Taking her on is not a light commitment, but I'm ready. 
I just hope that she will thrive.


----------



## LBChi

She is a precious little angle, I am so glad you are caring for her, anyone else I think would probably get too overwhelmed. I hope everything checks out ok at the vet and all she needs tlc.


----------



## carrieandcricket

How much does she weigh? I understand your fears. Cricket is so small with little legs like that, and scared of a lot. I'm sure Bella will come out of her shell with the TLC you provide. You are such a great mommy.


----------



## Meeru

What a precious little girl...and look at that tail go! Take good care of her!


----------



## sakyurek

Wow congrats she is so beautiful and really fits your family.


----------



## Audreybabypup

I'm so glad she has found you! Poor sweet heart. Reminds me much of little sophia (I know she's bigger at 4 pounds) because she was so afraid of everything. You are right tho, it is so amazing and rewarding to see the progress they make when little by little they become less afraid and happier. It makes me sad too because this is what those people who want "tea cup" chis get and breed for. They want a purse dog and instead of a healthy dog they create poor tiny dogs.


----------



## pupluv168

~LS~ said:


> You know Caitlin, caring for her made me realize more than ever just how stupid
> it is to breed such tiny runts. The girl is TOO delicate. She's not a dog. Her legs
> are literally tooth picks. I can't even begin to imagine the health problems that
> will pop up down the line. To be honest she needs so much care that I simply
> would not trust that someone else will be able to care for her the way she
> needs. I could never re-home her, I would not find a home that fits my standards,
> because it would be one in a million. She is too tiny and too fearful, she will
> not even go up to the water bowl to drink, so I have to get fluids into her
> around the clock. I think I can provide for her everything she requires, from
> safety to training to proper care. There is no doubt that she is ultra cute,
> but it comes at a price. Taking her on is not a light commitment, but I'm ready.
> I just hope that she will thrive.


LS, do you have one big water bowl for all the babies? If so, it may be too big for her- it could be intimidating. Maybe get a tiny little one just for her and put it in a corner. Show her it is all for her, and maybe she will be less timid about it? We did that with Rocky at first because he was scared of the bowl and now he shares the big one with Lilly. 

Hopefully with time most of her timidness will go away. She will get more comfortable. You are definitely the right person to deal with her, your experience is just what she needs! If I were her, I'd be scared too. She's so little and everything must seem so big and scary! I agree about the "teacup" dogs- they are bred without concern about health issues or temperament. It's all about the tiny look, which isn't right. I'm just so happy she found you. 

PS- I am so sorry for poor Chanel. Glad the princess is feeling a bit better


----------



## Audreybabypup

I just went back to page 4 and viewed her photos again. Such a baby doll


----------



## Audreybabypup

Oh poor Chanels eye  I'm glad she's doing a little better already!


----------



## ~LS~

Thank you ladies! My goodness you are all so sweet and kind. 


Ashley, I have tiny bowls for Bella, they are really min mini, but she's still afraid.
She'll be alright, I'm working on it with her several times per day. She responds
very well to positive reinforcement, it gives me hope.


Oh and no worries about Chanel, her beautiful eye is back to normal. 
She's running around like a crazy monkey right now, lol.


----------



## LBChi

its amazing how dogs bounce back isnt it? That picture of chanels eye looked terrible! poor baby.


----------



## svdreamer

~LS~ said:


> You know Caitlin, caring for her made me realize more than ever just how stupid
> it is to breed such tiny runts. The girl is TOO delicate. She's not a dog. Her legs
> are literally tooth picks. I can't even begin to imagine the health problems that
> will pop up down the line. To be honest she needs so much care that I simply
> would not trust that someone else will be able to care for her the way she
> needs. I could never re-home her, I would not find a home that fits my standards,
> because it would be one in a million. She is too tiny and too fearful, she will
> not even go up to the water bowl to drink, so I have to get fluids into her
> around the clock. I think I can provide for her everything she requires, from
> safety to training to proper care. There is no doubt that she is ultra cute,
> but it comes at a price. Taking her on is not a light commitment, but I'm ready.
> I just hope that she will thrive.


Don't let their small size fool you, LS. My Twiggy is 2 pounds, 14 oz and was run over by a car and is still thriving. She only has three good legs and she doesn't let that slow her down at all. She was totally unsocialized when she came and to this day, if I call her, she crawls over to me on her belly, but she's my toughest, most fearless dog here. Give her all the time she needs to get used to you and the family and I think she will surprise you. But don't think her small size doesn't make her a dog, because Twiggy is all dog, believe me.  Take a deep breath and don't baby her and let her learn to eat and drink on her own. She will not starve or break, she's a lot tougher than you think.


----------



## ~LS~

That's what I'm trying to do Pam. Like hubby put it today "You are making her into 
a real dog". I'm trying to desensitize her to the things she fears. It'll take time,
but she'll learn that there is nothing to fear. I have faith in her. She's a good
girl, just needs some boundaries, some basic training, socializing and lots of love. 
The first couple of days she was so afraid and stressed, she needed a little extra 
care in order to make sure she eats, drinks, etc. Now she is a little more calm
so we are working together on her invisible obstacles. I have no doubt that
she will only grow stronger with each passing day. I don't agree with breeding
purposely for runts like her because of the health risks involved, but now that
she is here I will do my best to ensure she lives a full, happy doggie life. The
reason I say she is not a dog is simply because due to her built and physical
limitations due to poor breeding she is not able to do some normal doggie
things such as go for a long walk for example. Obviously I do not and would
not breed dogs. But a dog her size could not even be bred, that's not natural.
She's also a poor example of the breed imo, Chis are meant to be compact,
she will definitely gain strength but she'll never be sturdy, she's fragile, that's
just how she's made, and even though I will train her with the same methods 
I use with other dogs, I will still think twice and always take extra care and
precautions. You know, she reminds me of your Twiggy too, I thought that
right away.


----------



## LittleGemma

~LS~ said:


> You know Caitlin, caring for her made me realize more than ever just how stupid
> it is to breed such tiny runts. The girl is TOO delicate. She's not a dog. Her legs
> are literally tooth picks. I can't even begin to imagine the health problems that
> will pop up down the line. To be honest she needs so much care that I simply
> would not trust that someone else will be able to care for her the way she
> needs. I could never re-home her, I would not find a home that fits my standards,
> because it would be one in a million. She is too tiny and too fearful, she will
> not even go up to the water bowl to drink, so I have to get fluids into her
> around the clock. I think I can provide for her everything she requires, from
> safety to training to proper care. There is no doubt that she is ultra cute,
> but it comes at a price. Taking her on is not a light commitment, but I'm ready.
> I just hope that she will thrive.


Oh, I'm so glad to hear you are keeping her. I'm sure you can provide the best home with the care that she needs. You are a great person and knowledgeable dog owner. Poor little thing. She does look so fragile. Is she underweight right now or is that just how small she is built? I just saw the pictures of her on the other pages and those really show how tiny she really is. Wow.


----------



## ~LS~

Caitlin I think it's a bit of both. She definitely needs to put on a bit of weight at 
least cover those ribs. But I think she'll always look scrawny instead of compact.

She's very tiny. I'm curious to find out her weight once at the vet's.


----------



## svdreamer

Of all my dogs, only Tiko, Reggie and Billy are built compact. The rest are the longer legged/body body type. And even Billy's body is a bit on the long side.

As to long walks, Twiggy can keep up with the rest of the pack doing zoomies out back even with three legs. She just has to be careful they don't run her over, but if they do, she is not shy at yelling at them and putting them in their place. lol I don't walk my dogs due to my ankle injury, but I think if she had four good legs, she could be slowly built up to do a good long walk with time.


----------



## Audreybabypup

Oh LS you have a great attitude. She is going to thrive in your care, I just know it! So happy she's with you and your hubby and your sweet dogs now. She'll get better with time and the love she is now being shown  it makes me so happy to see a dog in need get that loving tender care.


----------



## Audreybabypup

And I know you've worked with so many rescues. But what I learned with sophia (she was abused with broken rib) is that a calm voice in a soft happy tone, and slow moment when going to pick her up, were the 2 things that helped her the most. And audrey really helped her to come out of her shell and taught her to play and bark (ya thanks for that last one Audrey haha) so I know having Chanel will help little Bella as well. It takes time and a lot of love, but its so nice that now Sophia is even wagging her tail when hubby (aka Daddy) gets home when she use to hide under the coffee table afraid of men.


----------



## Mona Lisa's Smile

Just seeing this now....and I didn't read every page...*embarrassed*....

I'm glad you have taken this tiny girl in. She will thrive in your care, I'm sure of it.

Some of these tinies are so delicate....they do need extra special care.


----------



## ~LS~

svdreamer said:


> Of all my dogs, only Tiko, Reggie and Billy are built compact. The rest are the longer legged/body body type. And even Billy's body is a bit on the long side.
> 
> As to long walks, Twiggy can keep up with the rest of the pack doing zoomies out back even with three legs. She just has to be careful they don't run her over, but if they do, she is not shy at yelling at them and putting them in their place. lol I don't walk my dogs due to my ankle injury, but I think if she had four good legs, she could be slowly built up to do a good long walk with time.


I'm afraid she doesn't have four good legs. LP could be present. But there is
no need stressing about it until the vet's appointment. I know though that
even with LP in both knees many dogs can lead pretty normal lives. So I'm
staying optimistic.





Audreybabypup said:


> Oh LS you have a great attitude. She is going to thrive in your care, I just know it! So happy she's with you and your hubby and your sweet dogs now. She'll get better with time and the love she is now being shown  it makes me so happy to see a dog in need get that loving tender care.





Audreybabypup said:


> And I know you've worked with so many rescues. But what I learned with sophia (she was abused with broken rib) is that a calm voice in a soft happy tone, and slow moment when going to pick her up, were the 2 things that helped her the most. And audrey really helped her to come out of her shell and taught her to play and bark (ya thanks for that last one Audrey haha) so I know having Chanel will help little Bella as well. It takes time and a lot of love, but its so nice that now Sophia is even wagging her tail when hubby (aka Daddy) gets home when she use to hide under the coffee table afraid of men.



Aww thank you for your sweet words, and it was so heartwarming to read about your success with Sofia. You're a good mama.  





Mona Lisa's Smile said:


> Just seeing this now....and I didn't read every page...*embarrassed*....
> 
> I'm glad you have taken this tiny girl in. She will thrive in your care, I'm sure of it.
> 
> Some of these tinies are so delicate....they do need extra special care.



Thank you very much.  I will do my best. She's worth all of my efforts and then some. She's a little angel.


----------



## Blondie87

Her build reminds me of Izzie. Obviously your Bella is a lot skinner, but Izzie has a long super very thin frame. Like our Vet said, she is like a size 0-3 in the Chi world. I can't fatten her up. She is fine the way she is, but any skinnier and she'd be underweight. I used to soak Izzie's kibble in goat's milk to try to fatten her up, per advice of other Chi owners. Didn't do anything for her tho.. lol.


----------



## ~LS~

Blondie87 said:


> Her build reminds me of Izzie. Obviously your Bella is a lot skinner, but Izzie has a long super very thin frame. Like our Vet said, she is like a size 0-3 in the Chi world. I can't fatten her up. She is fine the way she is, but any skinnier and she'd be underweight. I used to soak Izzie's kibble in goat's milk to try to fatten her up, per advice of other Chi owners. Didn't do anything for her tho.. lol.



I don't want too much weight, especially considering she might have LP, I just
want to not see her ribs all the time. I think I can get it done, her appetite is 
not bad. 

How are you and your girls by the way? I see you so rarely lately.


----------



## Blondie87

The goats milk didn't do a thing to Izzie, so I don't think it would fatten up your Bella too fast, but it might help speed things up a lil. I hear Tripe can help a lot too, but you've done this before so I sure you know lots of tricks. And yeah, you for sure want her on the leaner side cuz of LP, I deal with the same thing with Izzie. But Izzie could stand to gain a couple more oz and still be lean, lol. But she is what she is, she won't gain! Her sis on the other hand I gotta keep my eye on. The girls and I are good! Had my post op appt today and everything is healin great. Otherwise we are just enjoying summer, goin for walks, on hikes and to parks and such..


----------



## svdreamer

Remember, you don't want to have her gain too fast. I just free fed Pepe and some of the other skinny rescues. I'd let them gain at their body's own pace. Too many calories at once can shock their system. IMO


----------



## rms3402

I'm so excited you are keeping her!!! She is so sweet and it makes it that much better that Chanel loves her!! Chanel is such a sweetie though, so I'm not surprised that she's taking care of her!  I wish I could see in person just how small she really is. Sounds SO tiny. She looks like she could be Rocky's daughter (I think it's Rocky!) because of the similar coloring.  how lucky she is to become part of your family, and how lucky are you to have such a sweetheart! I'm so excited to watch her progress!!


----------



## Adrienne

Awww she is adorable!!!! congrats!!


----------



## flippedstars

How did Bella's vet check go on Thursday? Any news?


----------



## ~LS~

Thank you girls for all your kind words. Sorry I've been away, my illness can be 
crippling at times, the last week has been extremely challenging to say the least.

The vet visit wasn't so smooth, Bella was terrified. But we managed to give her her 
first DA2PP vaccine, check her little heart, check her knees, her teeth, and got 
some more wormer as well. Bella was diagnosed with grade 4 LP on her left knee. 
Vet said she also has bone malformations due to lack of vitamin D and calcium. 
It's upsetting of course, greedy people breed these ultra tiny dogs without any regard 
to health. Vet said that poor nutrition plays such a huge role in these little ones' 
development, sufficient nutrients and vitamins could have prevented the malformation 
of her ribs. Her heart is good, and her teeth aren't as bad as I thought, which is good news. 
As for LP, I'm not 100% decided on whether or not we'll be doing the surgery, but I'm 
leaning towards yes, because vet says eventually the second knee will have it too and 
in the long run it might affect her spine also. Other than that she is doing a little better, 
still scared to death of everything and everyone, but slowly improving.

I almost forgot, her weight is 2.1 lbs, but vet agreed with me that she needs to put on a 
little weight, but not much due to her LP. He also wants her on Glucosamine, Chondroitin, 
and Calcium. I've already had her on liquid Gluco/Chondroitin, so will now add a little 
Calcium as well.

I hope you guys are all well, give your pups big kisses from me. I'm off to bed for some much needed rest.


----------



## Jennmay

Ahh I am glad you kept her. She is a cutie pie. Sorry to hear about her health issues but I know you will do the best for her


----------



## carrieandcricket

Its not great news, but its not the worst either. And thank goodness its nothing untreatable. I'm glad she has you, and that you have her.


----------



## LBChi

She is in the best hands, I know you will do right by her. Hugs to you and all your babies!


----------



## ~LS~

Thank you ladies. I love this little girl. 
I hate the thought of putting her through such a surgery.
But if it comes to that than we'll do what's best. Right now
I'd like to try other options considering her quality of life and
perkiness, she plays and runs like nothing is wrong. Hopefully
balanced nutrition, slim figure, exercise and supplements will
help her lead a normal life. In the meanwhile I'll start saving
for the surgery in case I decide upon it in the future, better
be prepared just in case.


----------



## nabi

I wish you had gotten better news...poor little girl possibly has a lot of problems in her future ..
this is a part of the consult we had for Izzy at the University of PA radiology dept...You may already be aware of these thoughts and of course, each case is examined individually...

" If under 5 years of age, low grade luxating patellas, signs of lameness - surgery, if no lameness, don't cut. If high grade luxating patellas (out all the time), I recommend surgery. If over 5, regardless of grade, if they are not showing signs of lameness, I would hesitate to go to surgery. The risk of course, without surgery is progressing arthritis and increased risk of cruciate ligament rupture. 

If surgery IS performed, it should be done correctly. There are many different procedures described, but you should know that most non-board certified surgeons perform only techniques on the soft tissues, without altering the bone. Almost 100% of the time these techniques fail unless combined with surgery on the bone itself. If you elect surgery, it should be done by a board certified veterinary surgeon. "


----------



## ~LS~

nabi said:


> If surgery IS performed, it should be done correctly. There are many different procedures described, but you should know that most non-board certified surgeons perform only techniques on the soft tissues, without altering the bone. Almost 100% of the time these techniques fail unless combined with surgery on the bone itself. If you elect surgery, it should be done by a board certified veterinary surgeon. "




Kathleen that is exactly what my vet said, he personally does not perform the
surgery. He said many vets do, but they do a very poor job. If I decide on
surgery he recommends doing it at the DMV, the price is extremely high, but
in his opinion they will do it properly, the best possible job. I trust his advice.

Which is why I'm starting to save now.


----------



## pam6400

~LS~ said:


> Thank you ladies. I love this little girl.
> I hate the thought of putting her through such a surgery.
> But if it comes to that than we'll do what's best. Right now
> I'd like to try other options considering her quality of life and
> perkiness, she plays and runs like nothing is wrong. Hopefully
> balanced nutrition, slim figure, exercise and supplements will
> help her lead a normal life. In the meanwhile I'll start saving
> for the surgery in case I decide upon it in the future, better
> be prepared just in case.


LS we went thru the LP surgery with Frankie at 9 months old. He had stage 4. It was a big surgery and our vet (at the time) specialized in LP. He is starting to show signs in other leg and vet says it is only stage 1, she can pop it back in. Hate to think of another surgery. He is almost 5 years old now.


----------



## teetee

jeeees! I feel lost I've been gone so long! I'm missing out on so much info on the forums!!! I'm soooo happy that you are Bella's new mommy. She is a dainty little girl and I agree that finding a home for her that will take proper care would be so hard. I wish all little babies could be so lucky to have a mommy as wonderful as you, and many others on this site  It's great to hear you're taking on this commitment. It will be worth it. All the love you are going to give her and all the love you'll get back. Not to mention how much Bella will learn to love her new brothers and her new sister  I am just thrilled to read that you've decided to keep her. Yay!!


----------



## ~LS~

pam6400 said:


> LS we went thru the LP surgery with Frankie at 9 months old. He had stage 4. It was a big surgery and our vet (at the time) specialized in LP. He is starting to show signs in other leg and vet says it is only stage 1, she can pop it back in. Hate to think of another surgery. He is almost 5 years old now.


Oh Pam, I'm sorry to hear about Frankie's knees. Darn LP is all too common
in our breed, it's not fun that's for sure. I hope you can avoid a second
surgery. I imagine it's not just a big financial expense but an emotional one 
as well. If it comes to Bella having the surgery I might contact you with 
some questions if you don't mind, or simply for some support from someone
who's been there. Big hugs to Frankie. Take care.




teetee said:


> jeeees! I feel lost I've been gone so long! I'm missing out on so much info on the forums!!! I'm soooo happy that you are Bella's new mommy. She is a dainty little girl and I agree that finding a home for her that will take proper care would be so hard. I wish all little babies could be so lucky to have a mommy as wonderful as you, and many others on this site  It's great to hear you're taking on this commitment. It will be worth it. All the love you are going to give her and all the love you'll get back. Not to mention how much Bella will learn to love her new brothers and her new sister  I am just thrilled to read that you've decided to keep her. Yay!!



I've missed you girl. Hope you and your fur kids are well. I appreciate your
kindness. I haven't been on the forum in over a week, I was too ill, and I
am feeling better already just from all the warm wishes and words I received
today. It's nice to be a part of such a caring community. We are all dog lovers
here, it's good to know others understand why I do the things I do for my
dogs, some folks on the outside world think "it's just a dog" and it's not worth
all the effort. I could not disagree more.


----------



## svdreamer

I was told that Pepe has grade 4 LP, but being he is so small, he probably will never need surgery. He shows no signs of pain and he's about three years old and weighs 4 1/2 pounds. So, hopefully, Bella will never need it, either. She really is a little girl. Twiggy weighed that when I got her, she was just skin and bones when the pound gave her to me, she gained almost a pound and looks so much better. Bella looks a lot happier already.


----------



## pam6400

~LS~ said:


> Oh Pam, I'm sorry to hear about Frankie's knees. Darn LP is all too common
> in our breed, it's not fun that's for sure. I hope you can avoid a second
> surgery. I imagine it's not just a big financial expense but an emotional one
> as well. If it comes to Bella having the surgery I might contact you with
> some questions if you don't mind, or simply for some support from someone
> who's been there. Big hugs to Frankie. Take care.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've missed you girl. Hope you and your fur kids are well. I appreciate your
> kindness. I haven't been on the forum in over a week, I was too ill, and I
> am feeling better already just from all the warm wishes and words I received
> today. It's nice to be a part of such a caring community. We are all dog lovers
> here, it's good to know others understand why I do the things I do for my
> dogs, some folks on the outside world think "it's just a dog" and it's not worth
> all the effort. I could not disagree more.


LS, no problem. Frank's surgery was nearly $2,000 and that was in 2008. He is on joint supplement as well. Keeping our fingers crossed on the other knee.


----------

