Welcome back to Friends Club Friday!
Today let’s meet Tiny Tim!
Tiny Tim is a sweet little soul who came into this world on May 4, 2009. He is a special-needs French bulldog, born with a cleft palate, who then got hydrocephalus. He also has a hiatal hernia and has several other serious health issues. Due to his fragile condition and his very small liver, he is not a candidate for surgeries; the risks are much too high.
This little guy has more than his share of hardships. Because of his complicated set of ailments he requires 24 hour care and complete dedication from his humans. The happy part to this story is that Tiny has the most loving humans a little guy could ask for!!! Tiny’s Mom says he is, “a teeny Tiny life who just needed someone to care enough to help him live. He is never left alone, but we don’t mind. He is the love of our lives.”
Tiny Tim turned 4 years old in May and weighs only 6 pounds. Tiny’s Mom says his doctors “are very puzzled as they do not know how he is still on earth.” She knows why. She says, ‘He is an angel and here to save others.”
Tiny’s mommy (MommyLinda) and daddy (DaddyEddie) rescued him when he was just two days old. When Tiny entered their lives, it was a very sad time for them both. They had both suddenly lost their own human mommies and MommyLinda’s eldest daughter had passed on from cancer. MommyLinda was in a very sad place. Tiny gave she and Eddie so much love and a very special way to share all the love they had to give.
This is the story of how Tiny met MommyLinda and DaddyEddie: Linda was contacted by a neighbor who knew she had worked with rescues and had owned an English bulldog. “The neighbor said they have a two day old French bulldog pup that was born with a cleft palate and the breeder did not want to feed him every two hours, so the humane thing to do is to PTS. I could not believe my ears. I saw this GORGEOUS beautiful baby and no one wanted to feed him? Of course we ran to save him. But I had NO idea what to do.” So right away Linda began learning all she could about how to take care of this precious little pup. “I researched about tube feeding, artificial milk, amounts to feed, how many times, etc. It said if you do not know how to tube it can do damage to the lining of the stomach, throat, oresophagus. I was scared to death. I called many breeders and rescues for the breed and no one called me back. Tiny had been two days with no food so I had to do something. We bought milk, a heating blanket and a container to keep him in. Very slowly we heated his milk, and he was fed every 2 hours for months. EVERY article that ever touched his face was sterilized. After his feedings we held him up like a baby and burped him. We took his little arms and held them up and made circling motions. Then we patted his sides incase any fluids got into his lungs. After his feedings, he would bond with us and nurse on our arm. OH how we adored him. His teenie Tiny bunny nose and his innocence. He was fed every 2 hours 24/7 for the first 6 weeks due to his tiny size. He could only take so much milk at one time so we had to do this for his sugar levels.”
“We did well until Tiny was about 5 -6 weeks old. He started to get very cloudy eyes. But they were looking larger as well. We took him back to the doctor and he gave us drops for dry eye and also a prescription to help. He was not very happy when we messed with his head. Always wiping his little button nose and suctioning he was very sensitive holding him still. It was a very time consuming process. After feedings suctioning, burping, motion to prevent fluid in lungs, it was at least an hour so and after 6 weeks we were worn out. But the moment you look into those eyes, you find the strength.”
“Tiny’s eyes did not seem to be getting better, they seemed to be getting worse and his head began to grow. His ears at the tips began to curl inward. He also seemed to be getting confused and he had problems walking. Back to the doctors again. Tiny’s diagnosis was very bad. He had hydrocephalus.”
Mommy and Daddy were so very sad and worried but they kept loving Tiny and taking care of him and miraculously his skull slowly closed, the medications worked and saved his eyesight and he was able to walk. “The only thing we had to do is wait for the swelling to go down in his head as he could not go #2 without one of us holding his bum down cause his head was so large and heavy, he would topple over. LOL The things we do for love!!”
Linda and Eddie have continued on in this same way; doing all they can and giving all they have to help this sweet little guy for the last 4 years. In return, Tiny gives so much love and helps to spread awareness for other dogs with special needs.
Tiny’s dad got him this truck to help him get around!
Mommy, Tiny and Muncea the bulldog, who has now passed on.
Tiny with DaddyEddie
Just look at that sweet face! What a luv!!!
“Tiny has been able to share his story of hope and love. To date we have helped rescue 15 cleft palate puppies and they all had repairs and now living beautiful lives. Sharing our story as enabled us to help other lives and also heal our hearts,” says Linda. They also volunteer with Tiny and visit with sick children and elderly people to try and make their days a little brighter.
This family has been through so much. On top of Tiny’s medical challenges, both Linda and Eddie have faced serious medical challenges of their own. Through it all they have stuck together and stuck by Tiny and they have found strength through love, faith, and dedication.
We are so happy they have each other and their very special bond!
Tiny came into their lives needing a lot love and care and they have so generously devoted themselves to helping Tiny have a good life. This dedication has made all the difference for all three of them!!
Tiny still faces many challenges every day. (Recently he lost a pound for no explainable reason.) Lucky for Tiny his humans are there for him not matter what! Linda says, “We love him unconditionally and we were not giving up.” Tiny is so, so loved! It warms our hearts!
Tiny Tim and his family want to say to all, “Thank you and thank everyone who fosters, adopts, volunteers, transports, donates. There are SO many different ways to help and each and everyone is very important. We support ANY rescue organization that needs us. All breeds, all sizes, all shapes, all ages.
EVERY LIFE DESERVES A CHANCE…………………….. ♥”
To Linda, Eddie and Tiny, we say “Thank YOU!!!” Thank you for loving one another so much and for spreading love and inspiration through your beautiful relationship and dedication to one another.
For lots more love and inspiration do go visit Tiny Tim and his family at Tiny Tim’s Blessings on Facebook
All our love to you and your amazing family, Tiny! And love to you all!
Always~ Gretta Rose and the de Pug family
Here is another Frenchie, Lentil, who was also born with a cleft palate. His story is filled with love, hope, and inspiration just like Tiny’s!!!
Otis eats an ice cream!!!
Here is sweet Mugsy! Mugsy is a Bugg, (which means a pug-Boston terrier mix). Her Mommy says and she smartest dog. She is two years old and is always making mommy laugh out loud with her mischievous antics and slightly naughty stunts she has become known for.
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