Asia came home yesterday.
She is a Standard Schnauzer of an indeterminate age. She came along with an emailed file of medical documents, some 60 pages worth, and she is listed as anywhere from 8 to 12 years old. After about 36 hours with her, I'm going to lean towards 12. She is so called fospice, meaning foster/ hospice, so I suppose by definition she's in pretty rough shape. I can't say I quite expected this rough however when I signed up. Or maybe I did, just not right away?
The blind bit I wasn't prepared for. Or the deaf part. I think she's only mostly deaf. At least she seems to be able to hear some things. I think it's a bit odd that no one told me this before I agreed to bring her home. Well, I guess they did tell me (in a way as if they assumed I already knew) when I went over to meet her and pick her up. It just seems like a rather important detail that might have been good to know ahead of time. Not sure it would have changed my mind or not, but it could have.
Asia's story is one of those impossibly sad/ face plant against the keyboard kinds of stories. San Francisco animal control picked her up after being told about her from a relative of the owner-
"Mother in law Aurora Seldnar left the house 3 months ago and the dog behind. No way to contact her. She has been feeding since but has not interacted with her and is scared of her. A little timid but easily vacs and petted. Seems to have trouble seeing. On vet board for grooming also."
A few weeks after that Muttville picked her up. From there she had lots of medical procedures, and then was adopted in July of 2014 (she was picked up by animal control in May). Two years later, the adopter had to go to assisted living, and Asia could not come along. So back she went to Muttville. That was in April of this year. She had more medical stuff done, including the removal of some mammary tumors, and then she was made fospice eligible the day I picked her up. I'm a huge fan of Muttville and all, but I'm a bit surprised that they ever thought she was a candidate for another regular adoption in the first place...but I guess you never know. I don't imagine too many purebred schnauzers show up at rescues.
She is really a beautiful dog.
I don't know how much time she has left, or much of anything. I have lists of questions that keep growing. Not sure exactly why I was wanting this particular adventure, but I was, and here we are.
We made some progress this evening. She actually got up and checked out a little bit of the kitchen and living room. I think she's about figured out where the door is to go outside and how to navigate the little steps and where her bed is. Yesterday and this morning she was interested in nothing. Just slept on her bed. I can't imagine how terrifying it must all be for her. At least she's got her nose.
How do you get a dog to trust you when it can't see you or hear you? I know their sense of smell is their primary sense, but still...seems like a bit tough to go on only one thing.
I'm definitely staring into a blank future where I couldn't even guess at what is going to happen. It's an unusual place for me to be, especially with an animal.
I think the main goal is just to make the last chapter in the life of Asia better than the earlier ones.
