Once a lifetime, one has truly the very best dog friend ever, and Scrapper was that doggie friend in my life. She was born March 12, 1987, and was with me for less than 9 years......

i have lost my beloved Scrapper.....

It began the week before Christmas; she started losing some weight and wasn't acting just right,
but nothing to make me really alarmed. i started giving her extra vities and Bentonite, and she
seemed to be ok. i went to my folks in Colorado Springs for the holidays, and she got thinner,
and her belly fatter, the weekend of Christmas; it seemed to come on very fast, and i was getting
worried. She and i were on the doorstep of my folks' vet at 8 am the day after Christmas. He did
a cell pack count, and she was at 23%, normal being around 45% He diagnosed her as having
hemolitic anemia, but didn't know the cause. He sent some blood off to Denver for an immune
panel, and did some blood work of his own. For some reason, her own immune system was
eating her red blood cells. Her bone marrow was producing lots of healthy new red blood cells,
but was dumping them into her bloodstream before they were fully matured. He gave her a shot
of prednisone, and had me give her pills twice a day. In 2 days she was feeling much better. The
immune panel came back positive for lupus, but when he did a cell pack that Friday, it was up to
37%. i was feeling much better, and really enjoyed the rest of the visit with my family.

We
returned home Sunday, New Year's Eve, and she was seeming much better. But she was a little
weaker on Wed., and by Thursday was considerably worse. i rushed to my vet here in Santa
Fe, and her cell pack count was way down again, to 20%. He took two x-rays of her chest, and
saw that her heart was enlarged. His main concern was getting the anemia under control before
exploring any other possibilities; he wasn't totally convinced that she indeed had lupus. He
quadrupled her prednisone, and also put her on lasix for her fluid buildup (brought on by the
breakup of blood cells from the anemia that her body was unable to re-absorb. She actually
looked very pregnant). She was worse by Friday evening, and was so bad at 1:30 am that i called
Murt at home; he said to give her an extra dose of the prednisone and meet him at the clinic at 8.
She was breathing very hard, and in a lot of distress; i couldn't sleep at all, only be with her, hold
her, tell her how much i love her, and pray for a miracle. i asked the Lord to spare her life and
return her to good health; but in the back of my mind there was that little thought creeping in that
she may die. i kept putting it away, for i couldn't even bear the tiniest thought of losing her. But
as her condition worsened, i knew i must give her to Jesus, and know that His will would be done
even if it was not what i wanted. i was horribly worried, and in shock that she had gone down hill
so fast, and within so few days faced the prospect of her death. It seemed as if she had fallen over
a cliff and was unable to climb back up. By the time we met Murt at the clinic, her cell pack had
crashed to 14%, and he immediately decided to do a blood transfusion.

i met Murt Byrne
when my neighbor Joe's dog Deets (Scrapper's first-born, a son; a sweet red Cattledog) was bitten on the nose
by a rattlesnake at 3 months old. That day we also met Frank, Murt's wonderful red cattledog
who was rescued from the Animal Shelter, where Murt was resident vet for many agonizing years.
Frank was to be the donor of 1,000 cc of blood. It had been about five years since the clinics' last
transfusion, and the collection bottle had lost enough of it's pressure that it wouldn't do it's job of
'vacuuming' the blood into the bottle. Frank was zonked out on the table with his neck shaved,
and the two of us trying to do the work of five; getting the jugular to drain into the bottle, holding
legs down and neck up, holding the bottle just below the table (the collection tube being too short
to reach the floor.) When nothing worked, Murt tried to get enough from Frank's arm with a
syringe; but that failed too. He called the Emergency Clinic near my office, and they happened to
have two extra bottles, so off i raced!! The new bottles really did the trick; and by the time i
returned, the three assistants who work for Murt had arrived. Frank gave willingly, and Scrapper
accepted the same way. i sat with her from 9:30am till 6 pm, regulating the drip and adding
more air pressure to the bottles as needed. i can see why those collapsible plastic bottles have
taken over! Scrapper was such a trooper; she always was such a great patient when we had to do
anything to her. We had a wonderful day together, talking and hugging and just being close; we
even took a couple of naps on the sleeping bag i'd brought with me. She looked at me so lovingly
and sweetly, and in such a knowing way. She knew my every mood and every move, and could
tell i was distressed over her condition. My perfect girl...... Well anyway, i stayed up all night
with her for three nights, and even though the transfusion helped and she had a good day Sunday,
she took a turn for the worse by the evening, and was worse all that night. i was absolutely
devastated, coming to the realization that she was close to the end. All i could do was hold her
and comfort her, and by the morning i didn't want to let her go; but had to.

There was no way
that i could take her to the vet that Monday morning, January 8, 1996. Joe said he would take
her for me; i couldn't handle having my last memory of her being put to sleep. i cherish that last
mental picture being, instead, of her sitting in the front seat of the car, looking at me in that same
wonderful way. She looked at me the entire time as they drove away, watching as long as we
were in sight of one another; devoted to the end. That little face in the window looked as healthy
and happy as ever..... She was the perfect dog and friend in every way. Perfectly obedient,
perfectly sweet and fun, perfectly dedicated to me 24 hours a day. Aware of my every mood and
move, practically never letting me out of her sight. She never needed a leash, even in a crowd;
she was always at my heels, nudging me in the back of my knee to remind me she was there. i
never worried about having my car broken into, never a worry about being carjacked, even in the
big cities. And at the big Arabian Nationals Horse Show at the NM State Fair grounds, i could
ride to an arena, 'park' her outside under the steward's booth, and she would never leave. As soon
as i'd come out, there she'd be, watching for my return, greeting me with doggie smiles, jumping
up and down with joy. She also loved to ride on the horses with me; as long as i was next to a
table, or down in a small arroyo, she could jump up in front of me, and off we would go, even at a
full gallop.

i was certain i'd have her for at least six or eight more years, as Cattledogs are quite
long-lived; and to lose her so suddenly and so young has been heartbreaking. i lay on the couch
all day Monday and most of the day Tuesday, weeping uncontrollably; tears can be so cleansing
and healing..... i cried and slept and cried some more, and tried to watch some movies to take my
mind off her. i was so very lonely, and i know i will be for a long long time to come. As the days
go by, it gets a little better, but the mornings are still very difficult, and nearly every time i talk
about her i lose it again. i just hope that one day i will have a Scrapper grandbaby. This is the
first time in 24 years that i haven't had a Cattledog.... i can hardly bear the thought of my
everyday life without her, my 24 hour a day companion for nearly nine years.... My sweet and
funny Dorothy is good, and fairly loyal, but typical of a terrier, she'll go on adventures with other riders
and never look back, whereas Scrapper would never leave my side without a lot of persuasion.
Lord help me!!!!! i know that there will never be another Scrapper, that she is irreplaceable in so
many ways; but i also know that one of her grandchildren is likely to be very much like her, as her
children are now. Joe has two of them, and they are extra special! i will try to be patient, pray
hard, and see who next the Lord bring in to our lives.....

Baby Kanga

May 12, 1998----------

IT'S A MIRACLE!!!!!!!!!!!

May 8, 1998------exactly 2 years and 4 months after Scrapper died, Tia arrived in my
life.............. She was named Tilly, but it was so close to Chile that i knew it would be a problem;
i prayed that first night about a better name, and here came Tia-----she was, in a way, the aunt to
Khaki and Deets, Scrapper's babies........ Well, in early April,
Esther Eckman, who bred Scrapper's mom, Molly (Blueberry Molly O'Fraka) e-mailed me to say
there was a dog in Sacramento who needed a home, a relative of Molly, and would i be
interested??? Well, i was still holding out for a Scrapper kin, a puppy of my own to raise....... i
told several people about her, and there was some movement to get her to NM. A man was going
to take her, but it turned out that Tia did not like men, and the home was not as 'dog-friendly' as
she was used to for the past 5 years (she turned 5 on April 29......). So i arranged to have her
flown into Albuquerque, and the first time her previous owner could get her to the plane was the
8th.............

She had belonged to a teenage girl who had gotten her at 7 weeks, took her to obedience school
and showing school, and had shown her a few times. She was preparing to go to college, and the
family did not want her anymore. They had Rotties, and were not 'cattledog' people. They CAN
try ones patience........ over a year ago, as i was wandering around the cattledog sites on the
internet, i came across the Blueberry site, and i wrote an e-mail to them. Nothing more than to
say hi, and tell briefly of Scrapper. It was many months later that the same person, Esther, heard
about Tia needing a home, remembered my letter, and wrote to me........ THANK YOU
ESTHER!!!!!!!!!!! Anyway, the mom, Celeste, had warned me that she was dog-aggressive and
was being very obnoxious, and just needed out of their home. i did not know what to expect, but
thought it was worth a try evaluating her!!!!!!

5:54 pm, Delta Dash----------waiting waiting for Tia's arrival....... Renee Schildkraut went with
me, digital camera in hand, and we waited (my ever-present butterflies going to town........) and
waited...... finally, here she came!!!!!!!!! Said hi in the crate, then let her out and took her for a
walk. She was Scrapper's size, albeit about 10-12 lbs overweight. She was calm and obedient,
never even gave a hint of biting or fussing. Met Dorothy and Chile, as well as Renee and Ezra's
dogs, no problem!!!!! i was SOOOOOOO amazed!!!!!! At one point, she stood in the living
room, looking toward the front door with a far-away look........where WERE her humans????
She slept on the doggie bed right next to me, quiet and good. Next day, off to an AKC show at
the State Fairgrounds, where some people who know Cattledogs gave her a bit of an evaluation;
but she was too fat and out of shape to tell much; but so well behaved!!!!!!!!

We get home, where she met the rest of the gang (now we are 6 doggies...............), everyone gets
along fine, no fussing, no hackles raised, just as if she belonged here. She follows me
everywhere, is very obedient and sweet, seems so well adjusted that i am in shock.

Then comes May 12........... Celeste had sent her pedigree, and i was looking at it; Molly's mom
was Tia's grandma on both sides. But i had never had a pedigree of Scrapper, and didn't know
just what was in store. Once again, i am wandering around the Cattledog sites, looking for a
woman who had Wonderful Cattledog cartoons in the Cattledog newsletters in the late 70s, early
80s............ and i run across a pedigree site; i type in Barnyard Scrapper, and there she is... and i
cry!!!!!!!! Then i go for Molly's pedigree, and miracle of miracles, Tia is Scrappers 1st
cousin!!!!!! Molly and Tia's father are siblings!!!!!! i do not yet know if they were littermates or
not, but what an amazing gift from my Lord GOD Almighty!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank You Lord Jesus for this most awesome and Glorious of gifts you have given
me!!!!!!!!!!!

For some great Australian Cattledog photos and stories, check out these pages!!!


The Reckless BoPeep Page



ACD Links

Australian Cattle Dog Web




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Baby Scrapper....

Good little mama, back from a horseback ride, a swim, and here's dinner!!

see how Scrapper's human anti-aged!!!!!!

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