We lost Ruca Bella around 5pm on Friday, June 26th 2015, she would have been 10 years old this September. She was with me for eight glorious years yet I was not ready to see her go. Her whole life she was a healthy and happy pup always smiling and eager to please, she was happy as long as she was by my side and I took her everywhere I went. Last week she began to show some signs of weakness and discomfort, she started eating a little less and was much slower on her walks. By Thursday she had not eaten for a day and a half and couldn’t make it up the stairs on her own. I cancelled my day at work and we got her into the vet right away. The next 24 hours were a blur, from X-Rays and blood work to ultrasounds and ultimately emergency surgery.

Our worst nightmare was a reality and within hours of taking her in to the doctor on Friday. I found myself on the phone with the surgeon having to make the dreaded last decision for most pet owners. Ruca had a large mass in her abdomen that was attached to her kidney and was a cancer that had taken over her pancreas. She lived with it until it had completely taken over and she could no longer walk or eat.

She was the strongest, most incredible thing I had ever met and I chose her company over most others on any day. She came into my life the same way she went out, abrupt and quiet. She didn’t suffer, she was polite and well mannered, she was a real lady. We miss her every day and our lives won’t ever be the same without that little girl but we know she lived a good one, we made sure of that!

The only thing getting us through this unexpected and dreadful experience is the support and love from our family and friends. The last few days of Vet visits really started to add up and we had to make quick decisions, money not being of importance when the life of your pet is at stake. We are now asking again for your support in helping us pay off her medical bills, anything will help and it all adds up fast. Thank you from the bottom of our broken hearts, Ruca was loved by many and will be missed so very much.

“We lose ourselves in the things we love. We find ourselves there, too.”