It has been just over a year since Tripp came into our lives. Tripp was rescued from an appalling puppy mill in Yucca Valley, CA. Tripp is a “blue” Schipperke, meaning he’s dark gray in color. When he was rescued, he was loaded with hundreds and hundreds of ticks, and was practically hairless (he looked like a little wild boar). He was also very ill. Lynn Brown, a wonderful rescuer and Schip lover in Southern California, is the angel who rescued Tripp, and there was something about his story – and him – that made me fall in love with him. Within a month, Lynn flew him to Seattle to start his life with us.
Tripp suffers from pulmonary hypertension, among other things. He’s doing pretty well at this point, and has almost a full coat. Tripp is taken care of by three veterinarians: our local vet (Northshore Veterinary Hospital), our local holistic vet (Dr. Donna Kelleher), and Dr. Woodfield, a cardiologist in Lynnwood. Together thise folks have brought Tripp back to life. I have learned a lot about Chinese medicine from Dr. Kelleher, and it is certainly serving Tripp well. I have come to rely on a mixture of Eastern and Western medicine in treating all my pets.
Tripp is amazing in that in addition to being incredibly sweet he also handles his physical issues with such grace. If anyone can teach me to live in the moment, it’s Tripp. I have heard from many rescuers that rescued dogs seem to behave especially sweetly, as if they are grateful . . . that may be the case, who knows. Tripp teaches me to let go and move on, something that is hard for a Cancer, if one is to believe in Zodiac signs (!). Tripp is the greatest beauty of them all, and despite having lung and heart issues, he can do the zoomies with the best of them!