Hi there. Today was an especially bad day. ... The call came
that the ashes of our precious Georgie, a beautiful little
7-year-old Yorkie, was ready to be brought home. The grief
that seemed to be a little more in the background resurfaced,
and the loss seems too much to handle. I turned on the computer,
and this was the first thing that I saw. We were there when
this beautiful little creature slipped into this world and
we were there when she slipped out. I know someday this will
be a comfort, but right now it is hard to understand how a
little five-pound girl can leave such a huge hole in the hearts
of so many people. Duke, her little mate, is grieving as well.
He doesn't eat much and has a hard time going to bed without
her. Thanks for letting me get this out. Linda Patton
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Pets: "Say Goodbye" Readers Respond
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My husband and I took an Australian
Shepherd from a coworker of mine. Fancy had been abused,
burned many times with a cigarette lighter, had loss of
hair, was very skinny, and, to top it off, he was 10 years
old. When we went to pick him up, Fancy raced to me, wagging
his tail, and I knew we would make him okay.
What a joy Fancy was. He was everyone's best friend. Later
on he developed bad hips. ... Our vet put him on Rimadyl
and on a lean diet ... This worked wonders for Fancy for
quite awhile.
Later, Fancy lost the ability to hold his urine. Once again
we called our vet, who discovered Fancy had become diabetic.
Insulin shots began, twice per day. I tested his urine four
times daily to give the vet accurate information so we would
be able to adjust his insulin doses. Fancy was up to 48
units twice a day, but after he lost some weight, we were
able to lower it to 24 units a day. We were able to maintain
Fancy for almost seven years like this.
We had decided early on that as long as Fancy did well we
would not put him down. We loved him way too much. Last
October, it became very hard for us to maintain his diabetic
state. Fancy would crash, and it would take me longer and
longer each time to rebound him with peanut butter and jelly
sandwiches, and dark Karo Syrup. We knew Fancy was failing,
he couldn't walk well, kept crashing on a daily basis, and
didn't want to eat, even his treats. We called our vet and
talked with him at great length. ... His age and health
problems were working against us. His quality of life was
getting dimmer and dimmer.
On November 30, 2001, we decided that our beloved pet Fancy
was to be put down. It was something I dreaded doing, but
we felt there was nothing available for us to maintain Fancy
in a comfortable state. We had him cremated, and placed
in an urn. We wanted to have him with us forever. I know
in my heart that it was the "right" thing to do,
but felt like I was playing God.
We have many wonderful memories from our beloved pet Fancy.
I hope that, wherever he might be, that he has wonderful
memories of our love for him. We miss him daily. When I
dust his urn, and touch his collar, I can feel him next
to me. We know how hard it is to go through this, but wouldn't
give up one day with him to avoid the pain of losing him.
Thank you for letting me drop a line to you, so you might
know how wonderful a dog he truly was.
Sincerely,
Robynn Othouse
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You may not be aware, but there is a wonderful place in Tampa
called Florida Veterinary Specialists. They have all the latest
equipment used to treat people. All of their doctors are highly
qualified to treat any illness. There are doctors that specialize
in cancer treatment, radiation, and chemo. Whatever the problem,
they can diagnose and treat it and, most important, all of
the people there are extremely caring.
Many veterinarians are hesitant to tell their patients about
this facility. The facility does not give regular exams and
shots. They take only the unusual and difficult cases, and
a veterinarian must refer your pet. It would be a wonderful
thing if more people were aware that these services were available
to their pets. Please pass the word ...
Audrey Cantele
Spring Hill, FL |
