Hi EJ,

Sorry I just saw your post.....how is Molly doing? I know how special she is.......even when we have many pets, some just stand out with their loving hearts.

Glad you are working on a ramp. Know that will help her a lot. My oldest eskie (Destiny) is 15 & the stairs in my house are steep & slippery wood. Luckily she is only 20 pounds so now that the fracture in my back is healed, I can carry her up & down the stairs.

Understand the heat thing also. I had a similar experience with Celia (who is now 13). I had been trying to put gas into my truck from the gas can so I could make it to a Dr's appointment. The heat had expanded the gas & when I went to pour it, it went all over the truck & me.....had to cancel the Dr's appointment. At the same time the guys came that my friend hired to help mow my yard while I was dealing with my fractured back (fell off one of her horses). I didn't want my dogs (Leo, Celia & Tawny) getting in their way of mowing & just wanted to get upstairs & shower off the gas & wanted to give them some outside time while I showered, so I attached their leashed to the railing on my front deck. I came downstairs about 30 minutes later (thanks to God, I didn't get sidetracked like I do sometimes). I came downstairs with my load of gas covered cloths for the wash & noticed out the window of my front door that Celia was just laying there & not moving much (not at all like her bouncy self). I threw down the cloths & flung open the door. The dogs leashes were tangled in the first place. I unfastened the leash from her collar. She stumbled across the deck & grabbed her up & into my upstairs shower. I spent at least 20 minutes soaking her down with the cold water. We were blessed that she never got to the point of convulsions, but nervous that she being older might end up having a heart attack or something I called the vet & ended up taking her in. Somehow with the panting she was doing, she built up fluid in her lungs & my vet gave her IV fluids while at the same time gave her diuretics to relieve the fluid in her lungs

Picked her up the next morning & brought her home. First thing out of the truck, she went bounding in her bouncy way across the front yard. The vet said that once she gets to that point that it's easier to get there again in the heat & humidity, so to be very careful.

Needless to say, Celia seems to be good at her own self care. She goes out for her potty walk & immediately heads for the front door, not even wanting to be out in any heat. She willingly stays home now rather than wanting to "go truck" with me everywhere I go like Leo does.

I sure understand how you feel with Molly & the heat issues & how hard it is for them to get around after going through the heat exhaustion. Thinking of you & Molly through this hot summer. We had one week of the high 90's.....then it cooled off again, but it's now getting hotter & both me & my dogs hibernate in the house in front of the fan trying to conserve on electricity makes it difficult to bear the heat, but with the vet bills now, I have even less money for electricity (ugh).

Many caring thoughts & prayers for you & Molly & your family