GoodBye, Miyo

Date : 27 November 2006

Miyo, a mongrel puppy, died 3 days after I adopted her from SPCA, Seberang Jaya, Penang.

It was like love at first sight when I saw her caged along with her mother and sisters at SPCA. She was so gentle like a little gal, cute with a small pretty face and eyes. Looking at me pitifully, and I immediately made the decision of her adoption.

I did not know that she was infected Canine ParvoVirus when I wanted to adopt her. I should have thought of something wrong when I saw the bloody feces around the area and her poos. It was only slightly watery, we did not even think that it was pinkish due to blood stinged. How the hell would I know the whole SPCA is infected by Parvo Virus???!!! I thought she was vomiting worms out after given dewormer!

Ever since I brought Miyo back to my hostel, she only had a meal. After that was vomiting and diarrhoea and she refused to eat.... The next day, all I could do was speeding all the way from Penang to Johor. Have u ever know that when u speed fast enough on the highway, u don't even need to switch on the wiper during raining? My dog was weak, and she just sleep all the way back home.

On the third day, I decided to bring her to doctor. And she was diagnosed to be infected by ParvoVirus, which is highly pathogenic to puppy. Signs are bloody diarrhoea, dehydration, hypoglycemia then death. Miyo refused to eat, anything she took in was vomitted out. She started losing alot of electrolyte and glucose. Even 100plus also cannot relieve her. Her heart was beating very fast and she could hardly stand up.

With some symptomatic treatment, I was still hoping that my gal would be strong enough both at mind and body to go through this sickness. Too bad, she still did not manage to make it through the midnight of the fourth day....

Was I wrong to bring back a sick dog? I didn't know that she was sick! Mum has been blaming me for bringing back a sick dog.... =( Because of Miyo, we have to quarantine the other 2 dogs; we have to disinfect everything in the house, as the virus can survive in the environment for half a year.

Then I started to ponder... If I never did adopt Miyo, will she die in SPCA? Is it better to die in there or die in my house? How did she feel about me adopting her? Was I making her life worse? Is it I shouldn't have bring her home? Was I reckless at my action? I am deadly sad and confused now.

It is for sure that every dogs in the SPCA now is threatened by Parvo. And I heard that Dr. Goh who adopted 6 dogs from there was facing the same problem too. So, the dogs in the SPCA are dying???!!! I am worried for the rest of the dogs still residing in the SPCA. I called the volunteer working in the SPCA to alert her about the outbreak of the disease. However, from the conversation, I sensed that not much action can be done due to the economic condition. This branch of SPCA is short of funds to give every dogs a vaccine. I am afraid that I will dream of the dogs in SPCA dying one after another.....

I am still thinking of what the doctor had said to me in the clinic..... "What's the point of having SPCA when dogs are not treated? They might as well die on the road side than in that contaminated SPCA." I have no idea how to respond to him at the moment, I don't really like this doctor anyway.

Who should be blamed? We should blame those people who are cruel enough to dump their pets; those irresponsible owners that leave their pets to mate and breed; those people that don't spay their pets......

Plz don't think that spaying a pet is making them suffer. Try to think the other way round, if they accidentally get pregnant and give birth to offsprings that you cannot manage to keep all..... in the end you dump them all.... then you are the culprit who is making more animals suffer.

I pray,

Miyo, may you rest in peace and have a better life in your next life.
We will remember you and love you always.