The email subject line was "Very sweet Cocker in need!," and it came from Patty R. at the SPCA serving Erie County in western New York. The Cocker's name was Snuggles, and she had a terrible case of glaucoma, bad dental disease, and nasty "Cocker ears." She was 10 years old, and had been surrendered by her owner.
That was a good thing, because the intraocular pressure (IOP) in Snuggles' right eye was a whopping 51 mmHg (milimeters of mercury, which is how the pressure is measured) -- and she needed medical care right away to remove that blind and painful eye. With all the bad glaucoma cases we have seen over the years, I can recall only one (blind Briggs the wobbly Beagle) with an IOP higher than that. Humans with glaucoma report that it is like living with a permanent migraine headache, but dogs can have IOPs much higher than humans, which is why veterinary ophthalmologists believe that "For this reason, glaucoma in pets is usually much more painful than glaucoma in humans." (See this for excellent info on glaucoma in pets.) Snuggles' head must have throbbed so much it felt like it was coming apart.
So last Monday, the SPCA's vet removed Snuggles' eye and did a thorough dental and ear cleaning. (The shaved leg in the photo above is from the catheter for surgery.) Meanwhile, Patty had arranged for volunteer pilots with Pilots 'n Paws to fly Snuggles out to us at the Mount Washington Regional Airport in Whitefield. This is the kind of short haul that Pilots 'n Paws is designed for -- generally, 400-mile trips or under. On Tuesday night, I drove out to the airfield (um, when it is unstaffed and unlit at night and you can drive right up to the runway, it's more like an airfield than airport!) and waited for pilots Paul and Luke to arrive.
I sat in the truck facing the runway, with only red lights at either end of the airstrip telling me I was in the right place. No one else was around, and the entire place was pitch black except for those two red lights. Suddenly, there was an eruption of blue and yellow lights along both sides of the runway -- pilots can turn them on remotely from the aircraft on approach -- and off to the west I saw the lights of a small plane descending.
When Paul and Luke pulled up to the truck, I could hear a small dog barking from inside the plane even before they had shut off the engine. Paul let Snuggles out of the crate and I took her for a brief walk before putting her in the truck. Then I drove the truck around to light up the fuel shed so Paul and Luke could find the hoses to refuel the plane -- yes, it was that dark! This is what that scene looked like:
Though Snuggles has elevated pressure in her remaining eye, she can still see with it -- but the risk is very high that she will go blind from glaucoma in that eye in due course, too. I will be taking her to see an ophthalmologist shortly for an eye exam and treatment plan.
On Wednesday morning, Snuggles was a different dog than the one the SPCA had seen. I emailed Patty that day to say, "I wanted to let you know that Snuggles is a complete character and one very happy girl ... she’s running around the house, jumping up and down, barking, throwing herself on her back on a dog bed and rolling and rolling around and then barking as she rolls. She follows us everywhere. You can just tell she feels so much better now that the pain is gone. Taking an eye out after runaway glaucoma is such an enormous relief for them. It’s almost like she can’t believe the pain is gone."
Here are more photos that Alayne took this morning of her:
And:
Thanks to the compassionate people at the SPCA, and to the two wonderful pilots, Paul and Luke, Miss Snuggles has got a great new start in life!
Alayne says that between Fuzzy and Snuggles, we have "a serious case of cutesville going on!"
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It is always nice to hear when animals are rescued, giving them another chance. What a blessing for her, right at Christmas.
Posted by: Rita Boatright | December 14, 2010 at 04:07 PM
Thanks so much for helping Snuggles get rid of her horrible pain & get her on the road to feeling so much better! You two are the best! What an amazing difference a dog that's not in agony anymore feels! She is precious.
Welcome Snuggles. You've hit the lottery when it comes to best places to land.
Big hugs all around,
ginger, Tobias & Tlingit
Posted by: ginger | October 20, 2010 at 06:44 AM
Another addition to the wonderful RDR family! welcome home Snuggles and I agree, theres a serious case of cutesville goin on with the addition of Snuggles and Fuzzy!
Posted by: GiLe | October 20, 2010 at 01:08 AM
She IS a cutie and obviously ecstatically happy! Thanks for sharing her joy with us :)
Posted by: nancy carlson | October 19, 2010 at 10:12 PM
She is beautiful! You are wonderful people to take this lovely girl and give her a new life that is pain free from the glaucoma. Hope her other eye can be saved. Welcome to a good life little Miss Snuggles!
Posted by: Becky in Bedford NH | October 19, 2010 at 08:02 PM
Welcome to RDR Snuggles! Those pictures say it all...a pain free, happy girl. She's adorable, definitely cuteness to the max around RDR!
Posted by: Ann | October 19, 2010 at 05:44 AM
These pix of Snuggles just made my day. Imagine how great her senior years are going to be!
Posted by: Kelly | October 18, 2010 at 09:55 PM
Clearly this rolling dog fits right in, and will show it with a few good rolls for the camera. My dogs hardly get a lot of good rolls because they are allergic to grass and dust and trees all the stuff they'd roll in outside, so they just roll on the bed.
Posted by: Sarah W | October 18, 2010 at 08:56 PM
Hurray for Snuggles! She looks absolutely delirious with joy as she rolls. Hugs to the entire RDR crew!
Posted by: Shelli Smith | October 18, 2010 at 07:49 PM
Three men, working into the night, for no pay, to save a little dog. Who says chivalry is dead??
Welcome Snuggles and thank you gentlemen.
And thank you Patty R.; I hope this success story sustains you during hard times.
Posted by: Lynn (in Louisiana) | October 18, 2010 at 03:40 PM
Welcome Snuggles!! You definitely rank up there with all the other cuties that live at RDR!!! Welcome Home!
Thank you to the SPCA, Paul & Luke, Steve & Alayne for coming to her rescue, helping to take her pain away & giving her a wonderful place to roll, play, bark & SNUGGLE!!!
Posted by: Colleen & In Memory of Sweet Kitty Erin | October 18, 2010 at 02:23 PM
Snuggles is such a doll! I am so very glad she has been saved and is being taken good care of.
Posted by: Rhonda | October 18, 2010 at 01:46 PM
Oh how adorable!! I just want to snuggle with her!!
Posted by: Maree in NZ | October 18, 2010 at 01:34 PM
Thank you Paul and Luke and of course Steve and Alayne for helping this little doll. I think Snuggles knows she has won the roly-poly puppy lottery. Gives me much joy to see her happy and relieved with a joyful future in store.
Posted by: Angela | October 18, 2010 at 12:11 PM
I hope Paul and Luke remembered to turn the lights off when they left. :)
Posted by: Dee's mom | October 18, 2010 at 11:45 AM
Oh, lucky Snuggles! Cute does not begin to describer her!
My mare had her eye removed with an IOP of 87! I was horrified to learn it went so high so fast. Her remaining eye will be coming out soon as well, although pressure is still "normal", it is painful from ERU regardless and completely blind.
Posted by: Darcie | October 18, 2010 at 11:40 AM
WELCOME HOME SNUGGLES WELCOME HOME
I sure hope New Hamshire doesn't have a Tax on Cutiness or you guys might be in truoble.
Posted by: Eric | October 18, 2010 at 11:24 AM
Wow - she is a cutie. I hate to hear about owner surrender of an older dog, but in this case, it certainly was for the best!
Posted by: Suzanne | October 18, 2010 at 10:42 AM
Snuggles looks very comfortable in her new home! Thank you for taking immediate care of her; I'm sure she feels wonderful...obvious from her rolling. : )
Welcome Home Snuggles!!
Posted by: boundforglory | October 18, 2010 at 10:38 AM
Paul & Luke, remember, all good deeds will be repaid to you somehow, somewhere in life. Thank you for your time, plane, fuel, kindness & compassion. I am sure Snuggles really appreciated it, in a doggie kind of way. My dad was a pilot and I wish he had know of your organization. Thank you so much. Anne
Posted by: Anne in Florida | October 18, 2010 at 09:07 AM
I agree with Alayne.
Posted by: Lynda | October 18, 2010 at 08:31 AM
Snuggles is adorable and looks so very happy. Cannot imagine her tolerance of the pain as dogs are so stoic. Thanks for taking her in.
Posted by: Dee in KY | October 18, 2010 at 07:31 AM
What a great way to start a brand new week!! It's simply wonderful to know that Miss Snuggles (a real cutie-pie indeed) is no longer in pain and receiving tons of TLC!
As always, thank you so much, Alayne & Steve, for opening your arms and hearts to animals in need.
A special thank you, too, to Paul, Luke & the kind-hearted staff at Erie County SPCA.
God bless you all!
Posted by: Carla Polastro-Nigro | October 18, 2010 at 04:09 AM
snuggles look very cute with a winking look about it. makes me want to go and get a pet as well! hope snuggles is settling in well.
Posted by: Travel Vacation Packages | October 18, 2010 at 02:44 AM
I LOVE this post and it made me SMILE so!!!!! Snuggles is adorable and the pictures above are nothing short of JOYOUS!!!!
Posted by: Shirley * James/Portland, OR | October 18, 2010 at 12:48 AM
Already cozy in the laundry basket! Snuggles is a smart girl!
Also, I hope people realize how important good dental care can be for improving older dogs' lives. It can make a huge difference in relieving pain. Speaking from experience, my 10 yr old dog became a lot more willing to play with other dogs after some serious dentistry (extractions and root canals). Dogs use their mouths to mock bite and wrestle, and she was again interested in "engaging her peers"(!), and seemed a lot happier and more relaxed. If you can, invest in seeing a vet with dental experience (granted they are hard to find).
Posted by: Roxie | October 18, 2010 at 12:06 AM
Aw, I couldn't stop laughing when I read how happy Snuggles was after the pain from her eye was gone. I am so happy for her!
She looks like a young pup!
All the best to you Snuggles.
Posted by: Chloe | October 17, 2010 at 11:44 PM
You can tell from the photos Snuggles just cant believe her luck! Wonderful!
Posted by: Kate & Luke | October 17, 2010 at 11:17 PM
Love that last photo. What a little darling...
Posted by: JC | October 17, 2010 at 10:34 PM
I have a Golden that came to us about 2 years ago (he's now about 14) that had uveitis that turned into glaucoma--We figure he'd had it for a very long time--But he was not a candidate for surgery to have his eye removed because of other health issues so I opted for the "Intravitreal Gentamicin Injection" instead--While the success rate isn't 100% for this procedure we were lucky in that it did work. I remain grateful and thankful for a good ophthalmologist and that my dog is now living a happy and pain free life, as Snuggles now will!!
Posted by: Kim | October 17, 2010 at 10:08 PM
RDR to the rescue again!! Such a lucky girl to be in your experiened and loving hands.
Posted by: Evelyn - Tacoma | October 17, 2010 at 10:08 PM
Simply adorable, and she fits right in!
Posted by: Linda | October 17, 2010 at 09:58 PM
Snuggles and Widget will look like they are winking at each other. RDR has met and exceeded its cutenss ration that's for sure. They are all cute if you ask met. The RDR blog is a highlight of my day and always has been. But I think the entries are getting even better.
Posted by: Bob | October 17, 2010 at 09:44 PM
RDR is gonna need a new Cute-O-Meter - I think you just busted the old one! :-)
Posted by: Heidi, Emmett the Beagle, and Moxie the kitty | October 17, 2010 at 09:34 PM
We had the same experience with our kitty Sarah (3). She had the severe glaucoma in a blind eye. Once the eye was removed she became a playful kitten. Snuggles does look like a happy puppy. Thanks for all you do.
Tammy
Posted by: Tammy and Jay | October 17, 2010 at 09:12 PM
Wecome home Snuggles! Ican't even begin to imagine the pain she was in, although she looks happy as can be in your wonderful photos. Cutesville for sure!
Vote-Vote-Vote!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks Steve & Alayne for all you do.
Posted by: Doe George | October 17, 2010 at 08:55 PM
Thanks to you, there is yet another happy, rolling dog on Earth. She is such a cutie!
Posted by: leighsa | October 17, 2010 at 08:40 PM
Welcome, Miss Snuggles, and best wishes to you in your new home. I like to think Sunggles might associate feeling better with you two.
But the question arises: How *will* the dachshunds recover from this incursion into their cutesville territory? What with Fuzzy and Snuggles, the doxie lock on cuteness suffers a blow; gosh, even the newcomers' names are cute -- yow!
Posted by: Moon Rani | October 17, 2010 at 08:39 PM
It is indeed CUTESVILLE going on at RDR where Snuggles is rolling around trying to fit right in. While I have been thrilled with all the flurry of adoptions of RDR residents......I have missed seeing many of them so now I get to look forward to hearing more about the new kids too! Still holding out for a photo of Roo with her new cart......
Posted by: Marla from KC | October 17, 2010 at 08:35 PM