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Senior Dog Needs Help
#1
Seasons Greetings, 

My rescue senior dog has fragile health. I've been caring for her almost exclusively since I got her, getting her through various health problems in the past few years. She's now 12 and almost completely incontinent. I keep her in a fleece jacket under blankets 24/7 because she's always cold. My apartment building has tetchy heating. It works, sometimes, the window always leaks, it's currently 66 degrees and the heat is set to 90. Nothing is coming out. I've asked for help from the building management every winter I've lived here. Supposedly this building was new when I moved in. I have been in other people's apartments in the building, they don't have the same problem. I try and tell them to fix it, but they send the Super who does nothing but says nothing can be done to make it work better and keep the window closed. I think he doesn't believe me. And makes me sign a paper saying he did something or he won't leave. I'm tired of complaining. 

I sleep in a hat with a face mask because the leaking air makes me sick, and I can't move my bed anywhere away from the window as it's a tiny studio. I can't use the space heater which I bought for her last year, it's sparking a lot, I think it's ready to quit and I only got to use it one winter. Do you need to buy a new one every year? That's expensive. I'm disabled, I can't work due to various chronic health problems (it's why I adopted my Dalmatian, she was so old and sick they gave her to me for free. I felt of kindred spirit), have little money and a lot of it I spend on her but this expense I don't have for. I need help for her. Heat for the house in some way (space heater that won't break or get my own repairman in here which management won't like) a bed for her that's very cozy, some pajamas. Anything. 

Her bed is expensive, I've been looking for a waterproof one (I can wash off but not have to launder every day which I can't afford when she has an accident which is often) but the only ones are high priced (for my budget). It's been driving me to distraction. I just bought her an apartment potty because she just can't make it outside anymore, her Christmas present. It's wonderful but that was my big expense this year. She's a happy dog and her health is the best I can make it, she just has a few things that (I've spoken to doctors who say it's old age) I can't cure. Apparently, dogs who were spayed sometimes develop incontinence in their old age due to a spinal injury when splayed open on the table for surgery. 

Anything will help. I only have a wish this Christmas for her health. It's a Christmas wish I've had before. The first year I had her we healed her up and she didn't need the $1200 surgery that three doctors told me she needed when I first got her. (A different issue.) I was very blessed. I hope to have more miracles with her, and have her with me many years more. This dog saved my life. I was so depressed when I got her, I was next to suicidal. She got me out of it, I'm living again because of her. She's my life. She deserves all I can give her. I am giving that but even I need help. I love her to pieces. As I said, anything would help, even $20 for pajamas for her. Thank you. 

https://paypal.me/gothicdarling

Edit/Update: Hi. Just wanted to update about the heating. The landlord did send the superintendent. He did the same as he always does, says I didn't close the window properly and uses a device to check the heater and heating (it's got two red lights to detect temperature?). But basically, he did nothing, slammed the window closed but that is all. He says there is nothing wrong with the heater. I doubt that, it doesn't come on when I turn it on, but that is what he says. (Something about how the building heat is controlled by outside weather.) I don't know how to get through to these people. I'm pretty sure the leaking window is the fault of the air conditioner installation. The window is just a sieve for cold air, and they permanently install the ac. I can't get it out. I can request they take it out but then they'd have to put it back in in the summer. They won't do that in and out business. I've spoken to a tenant who used to live here in the building. She confirmed the windows leaked in her apartment too. So it's probably the windows (which I've covered extensively with insulation and tape and a bag over the ac and curtains over the whole window) and a bit of the heater. I'm looking at space heaters (which I can't afford), the one I have is officially dead. I can't get it to put out any heat. My dog is permanently in a fleece jacket of hers (tattered) and under blankets. It's not enough. I caught her shivering uncontrollably yesterday while under all of it and had to cuddle her out of the shivers. I really don't know what to do. The window leaking is even affecting my health, I wake up with a sore throat. I can't sleep in wind, yet I've been doing this for 4 -5 years. I literally put a face mask on to sleep in hoping to prevent it. This is not how anyone should have to live. I don't know to whom I complain in order to get this fixed. All complaints to my building management go unbelieved. It's not a matter of just putting on more clothes at this point, it's a matter of being able to heat my apartment ( a very tiny apartment which shouldn't be hard to heat as it is so tiny) when I want to.

Edit/Update 2: I've bought everything for my dog on my own money. No one donated to help, did it on my own dime, so she's good. Probably. Her feet are messed up and I need to buy her some walkee paws for going in the snow but that's all and I can buy that if I skip buying anything else this Christmas. But she has a bed and pajamas and coat and a pair of shoes are in the mail. They will take a month to get here as I bought everything on Aliexpress to afford it.

The heating situation is worsening. It's 64 degrees in the house as of December 12, 3pm. The central heating (that's what you call the long baseboard heater?) is barely on. It's been 65 degrees for days, since the snow. The landlord - via the case manager- said there is nothing they can do about the heating. They bought me a space heater... which won't arrive until the 28th. That's the update.

Please note, I also have a bunny in the house. He's also cold. Typically his hidey box is warm from his body heat but it's not now. He I can't cover in blankets like I can my dog. He'd never stand for that. So... the situation isn't affecting just me or my dog. Also, coned bill came. It's $100 now (probably the central heating trying to put out heat but not? Maybe?) can't imagine it with a space heater doing the full heating duty.

I'm not asking for money anymore. I don't think money will help. I'm just flabbergasted at the situation and deliberately ignoring of it the building management is doing. This is an update for the record, really. Like a conclusion.
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