Sugar’s Gift Gives the Ultimate Present for You and Your Pet

Almost two years ago, my Yorkie Cookie, started to gain some weight in her belly.  She started panting even when just lying down and her fur started turning gray.  I just assumed it was old age kicking in since she was around 11 years old.  Let me tell you a little bit about her. Cookie came to me through a friend, Christine, who had rescued her from going to the shelter.  I had lost a dog a year prior and wasn’t sure I wanted another pet, as losing a pet is the hardest thing to go through as a pet owner.  But I took Cookie home after she almost fought my friend’s dog for my attention!  I guess she ultimately picked me! Ha

Cookie became my bestie and we were together like “peas and carrots” as Forrest Gump would say.  She was a Yorkie and could be very snooty at times, which was hilarious.  Don’t ever touch her paws, little dogs don’t like it or make her go outside when it is wet! She was great with my grandchildren who are a range of ages.  My oldest grandson, Jordan, named her saying “Cookie is a cool name for a dog; you have to name her Cookie!” So she became Cookie and she seemed to like the name.   She loved to run around the park, ride in the car, and lay in the sun. She would just lay down in the driveway or yard and act like she was tanning at the beach.  She patrolled the neighborhood from her perch on the couch, watching out the front window and letting you know when someone was coming.  She loved kid’s attention; she never growled or bit anyone.  A great, little dog she was!

Back to a couple of years ago and thinking she was getting old.  Well, she was but I took her to the vet and they diagnosed her with Cushing’s disease.  Humans and animals get Cushing’s disease.  Any breed can get it, but some breeds are more prevalent to it than others including the Poodle, Yorkshire terrier, German Shephard, Boxer, Boston terrier and Maltese.  Horses also can suffer with Cushing ’s disease. It usually shows up in the animal’s senior years.  Some can be diabetic or start drinking huge amounts of water, which is what Cookie did.  They are constantly hungry and looking for treats and food all the time.  It is a horrible disease for your pet and for the pet owner who is watching what is happening to their wonderful furry friend.

I hated to think about it but as time went by I could see Cookie was really getting worse and being home with her during the pandemic made it very clear.  She would have a good day of walking outside in the yard and just seeing a bit of her old self and I would think she would be ok.  Then, she started having a harder time getting up once she lied down, and was urinating much more than normal. All of her fur was  almost white.  I knew the time was coming and I hated thinking of taking her to the vet’s office for euthanasia.  I started looking for another way, there are mobile vet’s that come to your house, but many were not operating because of the pandemic or were much more than I could afford to pay.  In doing an Internet search, I luckily came across “Sugar’s Gift”.  A non-profit organization located in the Sarasota/Manatee County area that will come to your home for you and your pet.  I called and spoke with Sue and explained our plight.  She was very understanding and said she would get back to us. 

Nikki Stewart, co-founder of Sugar’s Gift called me to find out about Cookie and me and tell me her story about establishing Sugar’s Gift.   Nikki and her husband Glenn had a Yorkie also named Sugar.  When it came time for Sugar to cross the rainbow bridge, the veterinarian who told Nikki they would come to her home said they couldn’t come.  Sugar was suffering and Nikki had to rush Sugar elsewhere.  She said she and Glenn decided that no one else should go through that and Sugar’s Gift was born.

 On April 28^th, Sugar’s Gift, Dr. Ashley Carson and the wonderful staff of the Veterinary Medical Center at Lakewood Ranch came to our home to bring Cookie to the Rainbow Bridge.  Our family including several of my grandchildren and my son were able to be there with Cookie to say goodbye.  I can’t say enough about Sugar’s Gift.  What a wonderful way to say goodbye to your pet in their home.  We know one day we will see Sugar and Cookie at the Rainbow Bridge!

Sugar’s Gift needs two very important things to keep going, one is donations to pay for the expenses of euthanasia and so important are local veterinarians who are willing to make house calls to help people be able to take their pet to the Rainbow Bridge in a loving & caring way.  Please tell your vet about Sugar’s Gift!  You can get all the information about Sugar’s Gift at www.sugarsgift.org and Sugar’s Gift on Facebook.

Photos from Vicky Sullivan