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[Twolanerider]

Don, I am really sorry.
 I remember when CVO Pets first started...all because of your cat vomit thread   OH the pictures that were posted on that one.

Thought about just that this evening when I went looking for this thread.  Several here had met Dizzy over the years so it seemed not inappropriate to share her story.  Thanks to everyone for check-ins here and the several PMs or emails.  That was nice.

[Gettinold]

Sorry for your loss Don!

[Skillet]

Sorry to hear of your loss Don. Lost my best friend and companion after 17 years together this past May. It's hard but there will always be the memories.

[LovemyCVOgirl]

Don, sorry to hear about your precious little girl.  That must have been really difficult for you to put her in the ground.  I know how much I love my 4 girls and I can't imagine how heavy your heart is today.  God bless Dizzy and may she live on in Heaven chasing balls and remember that a dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself.

[cvobiker]

Don,

Very sorry to hear sad news about Dizzy. It's amazing how we become attached to our pets, they're like part of the family and they pick up personalities to match..  I have two Golden's and I can tell ya, somehow they know when I'm having a bad day.  They'll pull something off in tandem that will catch me off guard, sometimes making me laugh to point of tears and then there all over lichen me to death..   I certainly don't look to the day when I loose theses dogs,,,  god bless to ya,,,   Dizzy looks like awesome dog and we know you will miss her  

[ultrarider123]

Don, sorry about Dizzy.  They are like our kids more than pets.  Mine are getting up there and I know the day will come but sure have enjoyed their companionship as I know you did Dizzy. 

[BUCKNUT GREG]

Sorry for your loss, Don.  Im sure she was well taken care of.

[Twolanerider]

Thanks again guys.  My little niece who helped so well and so bravely yesterday called this morning before school to check how I was doing.  She's a good kid.  Think some serious good has been earned toward her Christmas stash.

The person that had the roughest night last night had to be Dizzy's cat.  Poor thing wandered around up and down repeatedly.  Long plaintive "weowwwwws" looking for her buddy.  The two were the same age.  She's a cat from the local shelter I got so Dizzy would have a companion.  They alwasy played great together.  They came home only a few days apart.  She finally stopped and settled a couple hours ago.

I'm still moderately bummed.  Since it had to happen I'm still glad the dog passed at home with her pet companions around and in comfortable surroundings.  Better than being euthanized on the sterile cold vet's table.  Fortunately she never was in any physical discomfort.  In fact an absence of pain seemed to mark whatever it was she had.

And now another day.  Got to go give the cat some attention.  When you're a cat and your name is Lincoln Garfield McKinley knowing that you're named after assassinated Presidents seems to give you license to be demanding.

[Midnight Rider]

Damn, Don, I'm really sorry to hear this.  I know how much Dizzy meant to you, and though we never got to meet, I know how great any of the Greyhound derivatives are as companions.  Gentle, sweet, and very sensitive to their humans.

If you recall, Shug, my adotpted Greyhound, went through a similar decline.  Suddenly, and nobody ever figured out what was wrong with him. 

Dizzy...rest in peace.

[Twolanerider]

Damn, Don, I'm really sorry to hear this.  I know how much Dizzy meant to you, and though we never got to meet, I know how great any of the Greyhound derivatives are as companions.  Gentle, sweet, and very sensitive to their humans.

If you recall, Shug, my adotpted Greyhound, went through a similar decline.  Suddenly, and nobody ever figured out what was wrong with him. 

Dizzy...rest in peace.

I did a lot of homework the last 2 1/2 months trying to figure out what was going on when the local vets or regional specialists couldn't nail it down.  Was weird that her first day she went from seeming entirely normal to being almost totally down in a span of 12 hours. 

Prior to that I'd noticed very light tremors in her jowels over the prior couple days.  Mine, then the vet's, first thought was these were petite mal seizures.  Either some developed epilipsy on its own or brought along consequent to a stroke or brain tumor.  Anti-seizure meds made no difference though.  Different meds were tried.  Closer and extended observation made me believe it wasn't seizures though.  Have dealt with that before and this just wasn't quite that.

The vet then thought it was the activation of some long simmering tick borne illness.  There are several.  No definitive results from any tests to support this.  Diagnosis was entirely inferential. 

Diz just kept getting weaker and weaker though.  Pronounced lack of signs of pain or other discomfort seemed odd (at least to me).  Though she looked like a people might in the throes of a significant MS episode.  Vets kept saying there's no canine analog though.  So what do I know....

More blood tests than seemed fair and a host of other things checked for over the three months never produced any definitive answer.  No course of meds ever made any change at all.  As I kept digging I think she developed a slightly atypical (because of the sudden nature of the presentation, even though it could have been brewing for a long time) case of either degenerative myelopathy ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canine_degenerative_myelopathy ) Depending on sources this is the same thing or something very similar to canine degenerative neuropathy. 

Of everything I could find the pathogenesis of the disease states track with Dizzy's decline and presentation even including the lack of pain.  Without a necropsy won't ever know for sure.  And it won't have made a bit of difference as there is no treatment.  This is what I think got her though.

I remember when your big Greyhound got sick Terry.  Thought about that more than once during Dizzy's illness.  Glad they're both through their tough times but wish it hadn't happened to them.

[dlg]

My Honey bunny:

[hdbrad03]

Sorry to hear this Don I know Dizzy filled a very special spot in your and you family's Hearts and will be missed. We lost our 15 year old English Setter "Megg" this year. Her companion a 11 year old Boxer remains, "Sussie" and Val keeps reminding me no more Dogs for it is hard to travel when we have Pets. I have never been Pet free and it will be tough.

My Granddaughter really touched my Heart on my Birthday she gave me two framed pictures one with Megg and a BEST Friend Frame. Another framed picture with myself, Megg and Sussie which where begging to share my Supper. Brought Tears to my eyes.

It does get a little better with time. 


 


   Brad


 

[Twolanerider]

Amen to all that Brad.  Every bit.  Spent the afternoon with my niece again after school and just dropped her off for the evening.  She's really working hard on the new puppy idea....   Optimism like this is contagious. 

Trouble is she already has a breed in mind.  I just looked it up as it wasn't one I was familiar with.  Great Pyrennes.  Good lord....  This thing is named after a mountain range for a reason!

[porthole]

Great Pyrennes.  Good lord....  This thing is named after a mountain range for a reason!

I thought it was french for Great Piles of Poop!

Sorry to read this tonight and it's almost as if my Molly knew I was reading something sad, she is sitting next to leaning in and resting her head on my knee with that oh so sad look. She offers her warm thoughts as well.you finished your time with Dizzy. Showers are a good thing after these events, no one can hear you.

Parker is a brave one and a good match to keep you together while.

Some time ago after we lost our third Golden to the big C, I wrote a piece for one of the  Golden forums titled "Why cant they just pass in the night".
As sad as it is, passing the way Dizzy did is the most comforting. I never had to do "the deed" until I was over 40 and it was horrible.

I hope all your memories will be pleasant ones.

[Twolanerider]

Thanks Duane.  Last night and today I've thought a couple of times about your writings of your dogs and the pics of that beautiful dog in the garage with you as your worked on the bike.  When it wasn't too cool (Italian Greyhounds are skinny and cranky about the cold) Dizzy had her spot in the shop too.  Big pillow that one dare not disturb for if it was you got "the look."  You know, the one that says "uh, that's my spot."

The first IG I had I got for Christmas when I was eight.  Red dog named Stupe (tried to name him after Charlie Brown's Snoopy but I got it wrong).  Ball chasing fool.  Would run after thrown balls until he'd trip over his tongue.  Would literally run up the side of a tree to get a ball placed as high as a grown man could place it.  Stupe moved from SoCal to Missouri, discovered winter and was with me until I was 23.  He had a stroke and had to be euthanized.  Had never done anything harder. 

Couple of years later got another IG.  Also named Stupe (so I wasn't terribly creative).  Stupe II was a cranky little chit.  Loved me.  Loved playing fetch for a little while.  Then would give you this look that said "hey, you know this is redundant don't you?"  Then he'd leave the ball where it was and walk back.  II was afraid of cats though.  I'm sure it hurt his ego a little.  This Stupe made it until he was 15 also.  Then heart and kidney issues made it time to avoid some serious pain that would have been his last weeks.  Thought it would be easier the second time.  I was wrong.  Hell, it had been easier with many people that had passed than it was standing there holding the dog while the meds did their work.

Couple of years in between than another IG.  That was Dizzy.  The absolute happiest of the three.  More puppy in her that stayed her whole life than the other two.  They were all good dogs; just different.  Dizzy wouldn't fetch for chit though.  Just not her thing.  But she loved being on a leash and getting her walks.  Three or four miles meeting people or others dogs on their leashes and she ate up every minute of it.  Never much off pace and right at the knee.  Were it not for the prospect of seeing a rabbit or a squirrel and having the sight hound part of her kick in (and brain turn off) she could have walked without a leash.  This dog loved everyone of any age and every other pet she ever saw.  Affectionate and content around her people.  Just a great great dog.  Wish she'd had the extra five years or so the others got.  But if it wasn't to be I'm glad she passed here comfortably rather than on a cold stainless table with a needle in her leg.  I can't know if it was easier for her but damn it was for me.

Parker had a lot more questions today than yesterday.  Yesterday she was just the diligent caring worker and helper making sure everything seemed pretty and comfortable.  Dizzy's favorite towel.  A nice box.  The hole was "just right."  That I was ok.  Today, however, it was different.  You could tell the kid hadn't stopped thinking.  Questions about death and were we "sure" Dizzy was actually dead when we buried.  Had anyone ever mistakenly been buried when they "weren't quite" dead yet?  Questions about passing and what comes next.  Deep thinking for a nine year old.  All while walking an Audobon trail on a warm autumnal day watching pelicans in the adjacent creek and the leaves falling.  It's impossible not to be proud of that little girl and not to be impressed by the intellect and thoughtfulness she's developed already.