Good Bye, Old Friends...

Sammy was our first 'baby'.  We got her just a few months after we got married and she went E-V-E-R-Y-where with us.  Then, we got Lily...two days before we found out we were expecting Alyssa.  Her and Sammy became best friend and inseparable.  

As time went on, it become more of a love-hate relationship.  They were great with the girls. They loved to snuggle with me.  They were a great security system.  However, on the other hand, they were also annoying sharks who would steal food and run away.  We always threatened to take them to a farm because of the naughty behavior.  We never really meant it though.   

However, this Fall Alyssa started breaking out with really bad eczema again. To the point she was blistered and bloody.  She was also having constant headaches, stomach aches, and terrible acid reflux.  They ran every test possible and nothing major turned up except that her little body was really struggling to fight allergens.  They did a blood test for allergens and the body's response is supposed to be less than 0.35.  For grass she was at 0.49 and 2.35 for cats.  We already knew those two.  The one we didn't know was dogs.  Her test results showed that she was at a whopping 12.49.  After a little research I found that stress and anxiety (like she has about school and social situations) can trigger suppressed allergies.  I am guessing that is what happened.

Here is a picture of her arms...I don't even think this was the worst of it. 

We really had no choice.  We talked about different options, but the only real option was to re-home Sammy and Lily.  That would be hard enough, but who wants an 8 and 10 year old beagle pair...because we weren't willing to split them up.  The answer is no one.  We also refused to take them to the pound, so with the help of a Facebook friend I was put in touch with a lady who runs a dog rescue and had the room to take them in.  Now they are living on a farm in Johnstown with 15 other beagles.  We can visit if we want, but I think it would be too hard on everyone involved.  She said they are adjusting well and like playing with the other dogs.  I just keep reminding myself of that.

It has been a little over a month and Alyssa has gotten a little better.  It is hard to tell whether or not it is due to the dogs moving or a new medicine she is taking that she started around the same time as the dogs' move.  Either way, the stress level in our house seems to have gone down a little as a result. That is a very welcome change!

It still breaks my heart to think about giving them away.  And it is super weird to think about us as a pet-less family (beside the one fish that is still hanging on for dear life).  I am praying someday we will be able to have another one.  Until then, I guess it is 'goodbye'.