My dear Goldi passed from a rattlesnake that bit her directly in the neck. despite immediate vet care she got worse and worse and passed after around a day and a half of fighting hard. She was a wonderfully sweet & happy dog who was so very loved. We buried her under the apple trees where she loved to play and dig.
below are more details if you want to know. probably excessive details.
thank you to anyone who has & will donate.
Goldi was one of my two companion dachshunds. She and her father, Lucius, are/were sweet & happy little hounds. Goldi follows me back and forth all day as i sing and talk to her, she would stay by my feet wagging and playful, even at 12. lucius is now doing this and still looks for his daughter as we go about our day.
goldi especially was a comfort to me, to help me endure my chronic pain issues such as sinus tumors with nerve damage, healing from my 6th tumor surgery, back & leg issues, gastroparesis, severe migraines, and several other issues that leave me unable to work and mostly in bed sick, exhausted and in pain. she would cuddle me for hours and lay on me, especially when i was having anxiety and severe sinus pains. i feel her loss immensely. the dachshunds give me something physical to focus on instead of my pain, and force me to get out of the house and to find joy (and exercise ). both goldi & lucius have been a true blessing from God.
goldi's end was very traumatic.
goldi and lucius had been trained in snake aversion therapy but it is not 100% and the snake was in a hidden spot so i did not see it when i checked the yard. it was hiding by the corner of the house and so i let the dogs out and watched them i was looking at lucius when i heard goldi scream :
Goldi was bitten in the neck by a rattlesnake, i heard it rattleing, she ran to me then she immediately fell over into a siezure and was crying. and despite going straight to the vet, and having many treatments and care, she got worse and worse til she passed mainly from painful severe internal hemorhaging.it was deeply traumatic and not an easy passing, it took a little over 1.5 days.
it happened at midnight so at first the vet sent her home, he gave her a shot of what i stupidly assumed was antivenom and later learned was just benadryl. he didnt think she had more than 10 minutes in her she was so bad off(because it bit her in the neck although the vet couldnt find the bite then) i so wish he would have just said she had no chance then and put her down instead of her horrible suffering.
so i had her at home a few hours, thinking she had had antivenom, and her hemorhaging was very painful for her. she nearly passed many times. i was able to get some tramadol down her and it eased her pain a little i hope. i comforted and sung to her the entire time. she would wag gently when she was able. then she she seemed to begin to improve less hemorhaging.it and she wanted to stand. so we tried to get back into the vet most of the night, sitting outside in our car, texting and calling and knocking and ringing the bell.
for the few hours goldi seemed to get better. she tried to stand several times and was hemoraghing less and less. we thought the antivenom (that she had not recieved, ) was working. the swelling around her neck had not gotten any worse and actually did not til the next night.
they finally answered the emergency hotline at 7a.m. and let us in at 8.
when i got in, and i told them how the night went and asked why the antivenom wasnt helping enough, and asked if she needed another i found out, from the assistant, that he had actually given her a shot of benadryl. i said to give it to her now please! and the vet was hesitant to give her anti venom because of its price.
I had to promise to try to raise money somehow before they would give the anti-venom to her. i definitely understand and I am praying kind people will help us. They estimated a minimum of $3,000 will be added to the bill between the antivenom, medications, iv's, and keeping her so long. however since she passed around 1.5 days it was $1500.
I already owed a great deal for both dachshunds; (both dachshunds had rough health crisises the past few years and several near-death experiences, such as cancer(lucius) tumors(goldi), a double antibiotic resistant uti that caused reoccuring pancreatitis for nearly a year, until the special antibiotics finally saved him, and it caused lucius to get diabetes and need expensive prescription foods and medications. then Goldi nearly died when she got out of the house and into antifreeze by the neighbors tractor. and goldi had weak teeth that cracked easily so she had had to have 2 or 3 surgeries to remove them as they cracked. i have paid monthly but the bill is still 8,000 before this. those few years added so much debt.
this all happened within the past 3 or 4 years as i had multiple surgeries for sinus tumors that kept returning, and i was unable to try to earn extra money.
so the bill has gotten extremely high, before the snake bit goldi it was already around $7,000. i make monthly payments but not very much since i live on disability. i would pay for the rest of my life if needed to have saved her.
I do not take asking for donations lightly, it is a last resort . as I'm on disability i apparently do not quailfy with things like care credit or credit cards, or loans. and i am unable to work or earn money. but i am continuing to look into charities & such.
I am not trying to make a sob story, i am just trying to be honest and transparent with how it happened so people will know i did my best for her and how much she meant to me.
Any amount you can donate will be greatly appreciated.
forced to say: "no raffles, sweepstakes, giveaways, or promotions are offered in exchange for any donations made to the GoFundMe.'
Goldi was always a wonderful, happy little dog, who i love so much & who put up an amazing fight. i miss her more than i could have imagined.
Thank you to anyone who reads this and especially those who are able to donate, and have donated.
i have made a youtube video with the best & happiest moments of goldis life
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