The Story of Winston Benjamin - A Puppy Mill Pup

Hi, my name is Winston. I am a Miniature Schnauzer pup. I love my family with all my heart....and even though I was on this earth for just a short time... I want to tell you my story.

I first saw my Mom and Dad at the puppy store (A place Mom and Dad called Furry Babies in Janesville, WI). I cannot tell you how long I had been there, but I can tell you that when I saw my new Mom and Dad for the first time, it was love at first sight. I was so excited to go to my furever home. They had searched far and wide and had picked me!...or should I say I picked them...  I was finally going home! My new big sister Miley was also very excited. On the ride home, I was introduced to friends and family over a funny little device.. and my new sister and I made plans to play all day every day furever! We were going to have such a great time, sharing toys and food, and even a kennel (Even though I have my own). I bonded to her and wanted to play all the time. We were best friends.

      

On my first day home, everything seemed to be fine. I was eating like a champ, learning about my new home and playing.. oh there was so much playing with my big sister. We would tire ourselves out... and then sleep away until we were ready to play again. Mom made sure we went outside to potty. This was something new to me. I had to learn that I should go potty outside (Miley was a big help. She taught me how to dog), but most times I just couldn't hold it in. When I had to go, I had to go. I  would often soil my kennel and the kitchen floor. Mom was concerned a bit, but knowing all this was a new transition for me, a little bit of upset would be normal. 

 

My upset bowel continued. I was still eating and playing and I seemed to still have energy but I just couldn't hold in my loose poop. It would just come exploding out. I didn't want to soil the kitchen floor or my kennel. I wanted to be good for Mom and Dad. I wanted to make them proud and make them happy. My Mom and Dad put me on a special diet of boiled chicken and rice.. it was delicious! Although, it did not help. After a few days of this not clearing up, Mom decided it was time to take me to the vet doctor. Mom said the pet-shop I came from had a contract with a strange lady vet doctor, but she wasn't open for a few days so I had to wait. The day finally came and I went with Mom to see the vet doctor.  I was scared. So very scared, but I wanted to be brave for Mom. The vet doctor weighed me ( she said I weighed a little over 5 lbs), took my poop sample and told my Mom that I had something called Giardia. Finally, my Mom  knew what was wrong with me. I could finally get better and play with my big sister again! The lady vet doctor gave my Mom some medicine for me to take. 

During the next two weeks, I took my medicine but I did not feel any better. I still could not go potty without having the runs (as Mom calls them).  My back end hurt. I was a brave pup and I continued to take the medicine Mom and Dad gave me. I was always hungry; I could eat all of my food and some of my sisters, but I was loosing weight. Little by little everything that I ate just seemed to be coming right out of me. The medication I was taking was not working. Mom and Dad were so worried. Mom called the vet doctor again and this time instead of medication the lady vet doctor decided to give me my very own special food. She called it G.I. Food and a special powder called a probiotic. The lady vet doctor said that this would help, but it did not. No matter how much I ate, I was always hungry. I could not hold in my upset bowel. It felt like I had water coming out. Mom did her best to bath me and clean up my mess. All I wanted was to make her proud, to be the pup she knew I could be, but I was just to sick.

I love my home and my family. It feels like I have been here furever. Mom says its been now a little over 4 weeks since I came home. I am so tired all the time. I want to play and run with my big sister but I can barely open my eyes. I try to tell my Mom and Dad when I have to go, but even I can't tell anymore. My body hurts. I try to eat because I am hungry. Mom and Dad gave me back my special boiled chicken and rice diet. I can barely make it to my bowl. I see Mom and Dad and how sad and worried they are. I don't want to let them know I am worried too. Dad takes me to the car and I hear Mom and Dad saying I am going to the Emergency Vet. I don't know what that is, but I hope they can help me. The vet doctor takes my blood, weighs me (they say I weigh a little over 3 pounds) and are going to run tests... I love running...but I don't have the energy anymore. I wait patiently being brave for them. I don't want them to know I am scared. I hear the vet doctor say they are going to take an X-Ray. I don't know what that is, but I hope I don't have to move. I am just so tired. They put me on a table with a big machine, and there is silence.. I almost fall asleep...then they take me back to Dad. The vet doctor says they could not see much with the X-Ray because I was too skinny and dehydrated. Dad told the vet doctor I drink water all the time. I do, I am always hungry and thirsty.They poked me with a needle and gave me something called "fluids" to at least get me hydrated. I had a big bubble on my side.. I looked kinda funny, The vet doctor also gave Dad another medication for me. I hope this helps. I don't want to feel tired anymore.

A few days pass, and I feel a little better. I have a little more energy than before, and I try to play with my sister but I still hurt. The medication seems to help a little. Mom says I still have the runs, but they look more like soft serve ice cream. Yum! I love Ice cream! For a few days I feel better, and the bump on my side full of "fluids" shrink. I get lost in a little bit hope, and I see that Mom and Dad are too. I see the painful smiles on their faces when they see me perk up my ears and try to play and run around. Like all things... this did not last. 

  

As they days went by, I started feeling tired again... I did not want to play, or go outside.. or do much of anything.I did not want to disappoint Mom and Dad. I tried to show them that I wanted to be okay, but it was hard. Very hard. My sister tried to get me to move around and play, but I just did not want to. I was loosing hope again. My upset bowl was back. I could not hold it in again, no matter how hard I tried. My body just would not accept any nutrition from food. I could feel myself getting weaker as Mom and Dad would snuggle with me. I love them... I want to be the pup they know I can be...I want to run and play with my big sister Miley. I want to explore the world...but I am getting so tired again...so very very tired. 

Mom had an idea. You see, before I came home, my sister Miley was on this food called "Ollie." Mom knew when Miley started on this food she gained a little weight and thought that maybe if I started on this I would too. This food was delicious! Much better than all the other food I had! You know what? Mom and Dad were feeding me treats too! Ollie treats! I was in Dog Heaven!  My sister Miley told me all about that. After a few days I started to feel a little better again. I could get up and walk to my bowl, I could play for a short while and when I went potty by bowl was a little more firm. But again, this did not last. After a few days I started to feel tired again. My rear end hurt and once again my stool was like water. Mom did what she could and put creams there to make me feel better. 

Mom and Dad tried everything. I even got pumpkin food! Mom told me all about Jack-O- Lanterns and Halloween. Let me tell you, I like to eat the insides of Jack-O-Lanterns. They are yummy. I felt better again for a few days, but again I started to feel tired and my stools were back to the famous runs.

I just turned 6 months a few days ago (June 7th, 2019 to be exact). I am exhausted. I have no energy. I cannot take those wonderful steps to go outside. I have trouble walking. It hurts to much. Mom and Dad have done everything to keep me comfortable. They snuggled with me. Held me tight and told me all about the world. I wanted to go Trick-or-Treating for my first Halloween. I wanted to see my first Snowfall. I wanted to have my first Christmas with my family. I longed to sit under the Christmas tree and take that once in a lifetime picture with my big sister Miley. I wanted to celebrate my first birthday and go one more time to the dog park. I will have to do these things from Heaven (You know, that wonderful place my big sister Miley told me about); because today, June 11th 2019, at 2:25pm, I crossed the rainbow bridge in my human sisters arms. 

Please do not be sad for me, I was loved from the moment I first saw my new family at the pet-shop to my last final moments of my time here on Earth. 

To my family, please remember me as I was when you first saw me. Remember all the love, all the belly rubs, playtime, snuggles, all of our walks and many adventures. I could not have asked for a better time here on Earth. Remember that I am waiting for you at the other side of that Rainbow Bridge.

Woof,

Winston Benjamin

6/25/19 **Update from the author** -- The results of Winston's Autopsy came back. Parvo and Canine Corona Virus. Please, please help put an end to puppy mills everywhere. No dog should go through such pain.