Samantha too chose us in February,1991.The reason I say this is that when we went to look at the litter she came wagging that little stub of a tail right up to my husband and I.We knew she was ours.She was such a sweet pup-very easily housebroken and not a big chewer.She had a companion at our house.My daughter had an English bulldog named Baby(she is also in Rainbow Heaven)She and Samantha loved each other.They played tug-of -war and Baby would drag Sammy Jo across the floor.They were too funny together.Maybe it was the English roots.Samantha too was a beautiful liver and white English Springer Spaniel.The reason for the too on her name is she was named for Samantha one who was the Springer we had before her.She was a love also.She went to Rainbow Heaven two weeks before Samantha too entered our family.I will refer to her from now on as Sammy.She was never a dog who loved to ride--it made her sick.She was a true homebody.We use to have great walks and talks together.She never left my side when I was at home.I sometimes felt I walked her to death.My friend ,
Shirley was her groomer and where she stayed when we went out of town.She did an excellent job on her--she looked like a show dog.I want to thank Shirley for being there for me and Samantha through the good and bad times.Sammy loved chew bones,greenies bacon strip treats and people food.For the longest time she had a sensitive stomach and had to eat very plain food.Towards the last of her wonderful little life the vet said to feed her what she wanted---Boy did she love chicken and spaghetti==they were her favorites--she also likd doublecheeseburgers from McDonald's.I am so grateful her stomach could tolerate the food at last.She would wait when I went shopping to see if I brought her a toy or treat.This was before she got older.She would then run off in another room with it like a child would do.She was my grandson's pillow===she loved for him to come so they could lay on the floor together.We would give her a time(this was laying in the floor and loving and scratching her itchy spot).She loved it and we did too.She knew the boundaries of our yard and even when she was in it she never went out except to go to our neighbors garage and get a bite of cat food and chase the cat until they both would stop and look at each other like, okay ,,we did it now what? Then they would both go to their house.It was so funny.She did not like for people to cut through our yard.She ran out barking to our property line---all they would have had to do was pet her and she would have licked them to death.She dressed up for Halloween as a dinasouar.The kids loved it and she loved the kids.I can not imagine Halloween this year--it will be hard.Seven years ago while brushing my angel,I noticed that she was losing some fur on her backside.We took her to the vet and they ran several tests.It came back that she had Cushing's Disease.This is a benign tumor in the pituatary or adrenal gland.We were told you can't cure but you could control side effects for a while.This broke our heart to think our precious had this.The vet put her on Anipryl.It worked===her fur came back,she quit drinking oodles of water.We were set,or so we thoght.One year 4 years ago she,my grandson and I went outside to look at Christmas lights.My husband had gone to pick up supper.It was dark outside.My husband pulled up and told us there were some really neat lights down the street.My grandson,Me and Sammy(we thought)decide to walk down there.Samantha was always behind me--she followed me everywhere,except this night she must have smelled the food in the car---she had followed the car up our long driveway--My husband did not know it ,nor did I.I thought she was still with us.The only thing we can figure out is that her feathers got caught under the wheel and pulled her leg under the tire--my huband ran over her.He was screaming and she was making the most horrible sound I had ever heard.Trevor and I went runnig up the driveway when we realized what was happening.My husband had gotten her from under the car and her leg was literally broken into--the bone was protruding.We rushed her to the emergency vet and waited for x-rays.We were told by the vet on call she might lose her leg.I was unconsolable and so was my husband.The surgeon looked at her that Monday and said he cold repair by surgery and using an external fixator.It was very expensive,A lot of people said she is 10 years old and has Cushings---why would you do that? There is one simple answer to that.We loved her --she was our baby.Surgery happened--my husband built her a ramp to use to go out.She was visited by everyone in the neighborhood.She stayed crated when we were gone to keep her more confined.She adapted to the crate and it became her place.We never thought that would happen so easily.She healed but still had a stiff leg.She never let it get her down though.What a trooper.Everything was great until about 8 months ago she woke up completely blind---she was losing her hearing also.We were amazed at how well she was adapting but then she became confused.We went back to the vet and her blood pressure was extremely high---they put her on a blood pressure pill and it went down almost to normal within a couple of weeks.She was also on Rimadyl for arthritis.We thought okay --everything is fine.She was a little over 14 years old at this time.We then started noticing the hair was coming out again,her back legs were almost useless---she was using them for support more than anything.I read up on cushings and found out that blindness,the legs,hair loss,stiffening of joints,muscle mass disappearing were all side effects---the Anipryl had stopped working.All of these things were happening to her.She could barely stand up to eat--she slept constantly.She had the hardest time getting up and down--steps were out of the question(even though we have a sunken living room and she managed that step--people were amazed)I would go to bed crying seeing her pain.She never moaned unless she was sleeping or she would cry when she needed help getting up.My husband and I battled the decision we knew we were going to have to make---God I wanted her to live forever ---she was and is my heart.We knew we were not making the choice for our own benefit---she had to be in pain constantly.Finally I called my friend Shirley,who works for a vet(Dr. Miller) I knew I needed her support one more time.She told me she had known it needed to be done the last few times she had groomed her but she knew it had to be our decision.She set every thing up for Friday,July 22,2005 She was 14 years.7 months ans 21 days old.We took her in.Shirley was in tears as were my husband and I. We went into a room where we met Dr. Miller.He was wonderful--he told us about his dog that had passed.Sammy had been licking her legs constantly--he said her legs were rigid with arthritis.My husband and I had both talked to Sammy before we went to the vet to let her know why we were doing this and how much we loved her.The vet told us what to expect and did we want to be there.We told him yes.We had been through everything together and we would be with her throgh this.My husband and I both told her what a good girl she was and that we loved her.We loved on her while she went to Rainbow's Gate.This is so hard--You do not know how important a part of your life thay are until they are gone---everywhere I look, I see her.I know she is at the garden waiting for us.My dear sweet baby--I wish the whole world had known you.You were the absolute best,WE WILL NEVER FORGET YOU!You are our heart and mine is breaking.Never forget you were truly loved--Daddy took down your ramp---you do not need it anymore,my darling---love and kisses to the best friend we ever had.