Rocky & Jack - The Terrible Two's

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Left:Jack Right Rocky
Rocky and Jack are sisters, Jack Russell Terriers. They are full of energy and keep us going.

Rocky

Rocky is a bit more laid back than Jack. She is not as hyper but at times she can be. She will go on a barking fit for no reason.

She’s an extreme begger for food and treats. I swear that dog truly loves food. She actually drools for food. She will even stare at the treat dish like it’s going to come down. She will go outside, do nothing and come in because when they go do their business outside they get a treat.

Rocky’s favorite time of the day is snuggle time when we watch movies in bed. We snuggle and cuddle and it’s just a very special time for us. It’s really relaxing.

Rocky has a kong from when she was a baby and she is glued to that kong. In the summer she will hold on to it the entire time. I’m surprised she does not get lockjaw. We also have to constantly throw it. She will bark at us if we don’t, so instead of relaxing outside she will make us throw kong.

Rocky also LOVES swimming and she surfs on a molly brown. It’s a good cool down for her when it’s hot.

Jack

Jack, I have to say really is one of a kind. I say this in a loving way and I would not change her for the world but she is bossy, bull headed, does not listen, does what she wants when she wants and grumbles and growls if she is not getting her way.

But in all honesty she puts up a front, she really is a snuggle bug and a softie. But she acts all rough and tough.

She charges at the mirror down the hall scaring the crap out of us all the time. She attacks it.

When we go for walks, both Rocky and Jack rule the neighborhood. When people see the terrible two coming down the street, they wave at us and switch sides.

Jack loves to watch TV. She will sit there and actually watch it, but she also attacks the TV when she sees something she does not like.

Jack is an extremely hyper and high strung dog with loads of energy, she’s a pistol. If she hears the mail man coming she barks like crazy. If she gets frustrated she will bite the snow or something around her.

Jack had a huge overbite, poor baby. It’s hard for her to pick up food, so we usually give her a helping hand. She also makes a mess, because she leaves bits of food and treats but Rocky (we call her Hoover) comes along and picks up the left over crumbs.

She truly is one of a kind.

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Rocky
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Jack

The Story of Rocky's Eye

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One morning we noticed Rocky had a squinted eye and we all thought she had something stuck in it, however, that was far from the case. My dad just walked in the door and her eye was not squinted, so he could see it and without an appointment and without hesitation we rushed her to the vets when he said she must go into the vets IMMEDIATELY.

Her pupils were fully dilated with a white glaze over them. This happened over night with her eyes getting that bad with the white film over them. I was petrified but kept it together for the sake of Rocky. Dr. Branton (our vet) sent us over to another clinic he owns, because he wanted to test her eyes with this special equipment he did not have there.

So, at the other place they did a pressure test and the one eye was awful. She was totally blind in that eye. OVERNIGHT, can you imagine going to bed having sight and waking up blind?!

The left eye was borderline (50/50) and the right eye (bad eye) blind. We will have to keep drops in that eye forever, so the same thing does not happen to her other eye, which I'm really scared may happen. You become resistant to medications if you use them all the time.

My vet Dr. Branton sent us to a optometrist in the States. He checked her over and said the dreaded words, "The eye has to come out," I was mortified and scared, so our veterinarian Dr. Branton did Rocky's operation since he does some a few times a year plus he operated on his dog Benny and took the eye out.

Rocky was blind in that eye anyway so it wasn't the hugest shock to her.

I have total confidence in my vet. He has done NUMEROUS operations on our animals, even three operations on my chinchillas.

I was so petrified and scared and sad. I didn't want her to spend the night there since she rules my bed. She is used to pillows, scratches, snuggles and blankets. I wanted to bring her home so bad and I got my wish.

The thought of taking the eye ball right out made me nauseous. It was just a very devastating time in my life. I just felt so horrible for my baby, what a traumatic thing to go through within a day!

After the operation when we got her home, I put her in bed with me. She liked that and slept, which is the best healing process.

We thought Jack (my other Jack Russell) would start licking the wound or sniffing at it, but she didn't which was a good thing.

So in a week, we had no time to think, no preparation and some tough decisions to make in a split second. There was the option of a fake eye, which is prone to getting infections, a glass ball with her eye lid being sown shut or just close the eye up. But, as well as that, it can have some complications.

I went with just closing the eye up. That way it is over and done with and I will never have to deal with infections. There is an indent where the eye was and it is sunken in but I'm used to it now.

She always looks like she is winking, it's cute.
So what happened to the eye? Well let me explain as best as I can.

On our eyes we have a covering that protects our eyes called a lens. Well that lens fell off and did some major damage to the eye, because the lens was not there to protect it. So much that there was no hope saving the eye and it had to be removed. She was totally blind in that eye. So we need to keep close tabs on the other eye. Rocky was in pain with that eye. It's like having a constant migraine. That is why the eye was removed.

Rocky pulled through with flying colors, it was us that had the problems after. We were total basket cases. Stress can really take a toll on your body and mind. Rocky gets two different kinds of eye drops and she will be on this the rest of her life. But I do think the pain meds make her groggy. Plus the operation is slowing her down some, but not very much.

I would do anything for that dog and pay whatever I needed to make her better. Which already is a lot, but you can't put a price on love. But she is still a bundle of energy, nothing slows that dog down. I wish she would just take it easy for a bit but no, there is no stopping a Jack Russell on a mission.

I have came to the conclusion that if she does have to get the other eye taken out I will help her. I will teach her words on commands like Curb, Stairs, Food and she will be carried a lot.

I don't think it's necessary to put a dog to sleep if they are blind and both vets have said they can still be happy totally blind. I would not let her suffer just to make myself happy though and keep her around. However, putting her down will not be necessary thank heavens! That was my worst fear.

All the vets and specialists say that a blind dog can still live a fulfilling life. Just some adjustments need to be made. 

Now with Rocky's other eye she did have surgery, we could keep the eye or remove it. With her age and everything we decided to go with the procedure to keep the eye. Now she is completely blind but you would never know it. She is amazing, a survivor and trooper.

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Rocky Going Home After Surgery
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Waking Up From Surgery
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Rocky with me Being Sedated

Run Away Jack

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This was one terrifying day. It was just awful. We had some workers here working in the back yard. Well, they left and when they left they left the gate open. My dad let Jack out and my mom was sitting at the computer and saw Jack roaming in front of our neighbour's house.

I was in my apartment and I heard my dad racing and running really fast. I knew something was up. So I ran upstairs and he said, “Jacks Out.” I was in my PJ’s of course. My heart sank and I thought I was going to throw up. I raced outside and she thought this was a chasing game.

Then she took off down the street and I ran after her. I was screaming my head off, “Help.” Finally this lady saw me and knew I was trying to catch Jack. Jack went to her and I yelled, “Pick her Up.” She did.

I gave her the biggest hug, she had no clue what she did for me. I could not thank her enough. I kept giving her a hug. The worst thing in the world would be my dogs getting lost and not knowing where they were. They are both microchipped. But still!

She saved my dog's life. But here I am racing around screaming "Help" in my PJ’s, they must have all thought I was insane.