Tilt

​Sadly, we've learned that our dear 2016 alumnus Tilt has passed to the Rainbow Bridge. Tilt came to rescue as an 8-month-old amputee (formerly named Buddy). He had healed from his surgery but was also recovering from an upper respiratory infection.  The poor guy was having a rough start to life.  It was a relatively short life, but absolutely packed with love and we are very thankful for that.

His mom Amanda sent us such a heartwarming message about Tilt that we asked if we could post the entire message. Tilt’s family also recently adopted Amos and you’ll see how they have helped each other heal.

Amanda’s message: “Oh our sweet, sweet Tilt. He passed away very suddenly and tragically back in early February. He was only 7 .   He had just had a great annual vet checkup, and a perfect full lab panel in December.  One night he was breathing very heavily in his bed. I got up to see if he was just dreaming, but no. He was struggling. We rushed to the ER vet to find that a small-ish (ping pong ball) sized tumor had grown near his heart and caused bleeding into the sac around the heart. He didn’t last 10 minutes at the ER vet before he was gone. Just in a very undetectable spot until the inevitable happens. Which it did in early February. That poor dog didn’t deserve anything that happened to him, other than finding us. Started his life off by getting shot, and ended with a very ill-placed tumor… But man, all the in-between was bliss. He was SO loved. And so spoiled (as should be!)
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Tilt was honestly the BEST dog I have ever had in my entire life. He was one of those dogs you might get once or twice in a lifetime. Just so in tune to you. So good natured and it’s like he just knew we were his people, his soul mates... and he wanted to be nowhere else in the world but with us... yet if we went out of town or were gone for the day, he knew we’d come back for him, and he didn’t stress… total and complete mutual and reciprocal trust and love. Everyday. Unfaltering. He was so at peace with us. So, one with us. He was my husband’s self-professed soul mate, and they were attached to each other. I’ve never seen my husband cry so much. 7 years old… you just feel robbed. It’s still hard to talk about losing Tilt. Worse, our daughter went to bed and all was perfect... woke up and asked… where’s Tilt? So hard. 
 
…But, in having Tilt, we are now definitely partial to 3-legged dogs! Amos still has all his legs (and good for him!) but we saw his injured leg and knew some special considerations would need to be recognized and accommodated by anyone who would adopt him. We felt especially equipped to deal with and watch a special orthopedic need. And we knew we could offer a pup a very loving and active home. Though losing Tilt hurt so much, and still does, we know it’s our calling to get in there and do it again. Provide again. Love another one.  Even though Tilt only had 3 legs, those are some BIG PAWS to fill for sweet Amos! And we know he’s not Tilt. That honor belongs to Tilt alone. But Amos is seriously loving, cuddly, and definitely willing to please, learn and play. He is settling into our family nicely and will become just as cherished a part of us as his predecessor once was.
 
Thank you for inquiring. I’m sure you got more than you bargained for in my response! So sorry for delivering sad news to your inbox. But we are all smiles and so grateful to be cuddling a very snuggly and snoring Amos as we speak.” :-)
“In the end it’s not the years in your life that count.  It’s the life in your years.”  Abraham Lincoln