On 2/23/2017 I found myself at Scraps in the Spokane valley. Being the curious george I am, I entered a dimmed hallway away from the other dogs. There was a small dog out of his cage, on a blanket eating out of a bowl. A worker confronted me on what I was doing here. I asked if he was a pomeranian? She said yes and said he would have to be a special adoption (thinking that would deter me}. I said I was interested. I was directed to a lady in charge of Scraps. They tried to talk me out of adopting him because of his disabilities and he had been abused. The people that brought him in said they had found him on the street. After being interviewed I took him out in the parking lot, it was cold and windy. I filled out the paperwork, but he needed to be sent to the vet to be neutered. shots and chipped. (Valley Vet in Spokane performed the procedures - he had a testicle which was way up high) He had a deformation of the back legs that caused his feet to be turned out 90 degrees and his rear set low. Dr. Hamilton checked with WSU to inquire about a remedy. WSU responded that nothing they could do to improve his quality of life. Dr. Hamilton determined he may have been a puppy mill dog, was probably about 3 years old, 8 pounds, had arthritis which should be treated with tramadol and probably a peekapom mix. I took him home. His name "Thumper" came from the noise he made when moving across the carpet. He wouldn't eat the first 2 to 3 days. Over the next year, the groomer commented on how much healthier he had become due to his increased weight, quality of his fur and upper body strength. We treated him with tramadol 1/2 pill (50 mg) twice daily. He acted and was treated as a normal dog, taking him out on our acre of lawn with our shelti (Sadee) to run, explore and do their business. We took him in our motorhome on many trips and he loved to ride in dads lap. He never had an accident in our house or motorhome. He was suspicious of strangers and very protective of us. His hearing and eyesight were superb. Though the note on his cage at Scraps read that he didn't interact with toys, once at our home he enjoyed close to 35 dog toys, especially ones that squeaked. He could chase deer and climb stairs to our second floor. We had a movable ramp so he could get up on the sofa on his own. 2 1/2 years into his stay with us he developed a cough. We took him in for an exam and Dr. Hamilton diagnosed him with an enlarged heart. He was given the following prescriptions to be given twice a day: Spironolcatone 50 mg 1/4 pill, Tramadol 50 mg 1 pill, Enalapril 5 mg 1/2 pill, Carprovet 25 mg 1/2 pill, Furosemide 12.5 mg 1/2 pill and Vetmedin 2.5 mg 1 pill. Dr. Alexander Hamilton originally warned us Thumper with this condition may only survive 6 to 12 months. He lived nearly 3 years. Though he slowed down a little, he stayed active and had no adverse reactions to the drugs he was on. I did begin taking the dogs out 3 to 4 hours, up from the 4 to 5 hours I used to take them out. We went out to dinner on my wifes birthday on October 20, 2024. When we got home around 10;30pm and fed the dogs and gave Thumper his pills. About and hour and a half later Thumper began coughing. I gave him 1/2 pill of Guafenesin. No change. We took him to an Emergency clinic in Coeur d'lane, Idaho around 1:00am. The vet there said there was nothing he could do and if we were prepared then he would recommend putting him down. He reminded us that many people wait too long to have this done. From the beginning I felt Scraps was preparing to put this dog down. I prevented that and ended up having the best dog, friend and member of our family a person could wish for. I know I can never replace what he gave us. We were every bit as fortunate to have him as he was to have us. We have the greatest respect for Dr. Hamilton and Valley Veterinary Clinic for their excellent care and extra years we enjoyed Thumper. We will never forget him. He has had a lasting impact in our lives and we look at handicapped dogs with a whole new attitude.