Sweet sorrow...

Last night Dutch had another seizure.  Bravo pup woke me up to tell me about it. My husband hopped out of bed and sat cross legged on the floor, cradling her convulsing body tenderly in his big arms.  I thought for the millionth time how lucky I am to have a man like that.

When the seizure was over, Dutch stumbled around the room for a long time, pressing her head on the wall, acting is if she were blind. Two different veterinarians suggested that she most probably was experiencing symptoms of a brain tumor.  I made the decision to have her euthanized today.  It is never an easy choice, but seeing her confused and perhaps in pain made the decision a bit easier.

I gave her a big breakfast. The dog loved to eat.  Then I gave her some pain medication. She spent the morning doing this...

On hot days she would eschew her selection of squishy beds and lie upside down propped up against the dining room wall. This put her in close proximity to the kitchen door. We were prone to slipping her a cookie when we walked past, a habit that delighted her.

We brushed her and put a new pink bandanna around her neck.  She enjoyed the attention. Her previous owner came by with the two dogs Dutch used to live with.  Dutch was happy to see all of them, wagging her tail and walking her voluptuous, swaying, walk.  I gave her a rack of pork ribs for a treat.  She enjoyed every morsel.

When we got to the Vet's office she seemed calm and happy.  In the examine room she greeted the sweet vet tech, then fell over in another seizure.   This helped me know my decision was the right one.

They sedated her. Relaxed and sleepy she took her last breath in Rachel's arms.  I brought Flirt with us, so she would know her friend was gone, the two of them had a special relationship. It was clear that they enjoyed each others company. Flirt took it all in, looked directly in my eyes when Dutch died, then sighed deeply and laid her head on my chest.

We took Dutch's body back to the home where she spent most of her life, and they buried her near some old friends.  We each drank a glass of champagne, toasting the life of a very, very good girl. We have never known a sweeter dog, or one more well behaved.  She had a long and happy life, blessed for the most part, with good health.  In her youth she spent happy times running through the woods and fields, and swimming to her hearts content in the river. In old age she spent long hours lounging in front of the wood stove or sunning on the deck.  All in all she was a lucky dog.

Most of all, we were lucky to have her, but wish she'd been able to stay a little longer. Farewell, Dutch... thanks for everything.