the family dog got put down today.

[The Stranger]

She was nearly eight years old. I remember going with my dad to the airport to pick her up on Thanksgiving weekend when I was home from college. I'm at my parents' place a lot, so me and this dog were pretty close.

She has been having pretty bad seizures for about the last five years. She's been on a lot of heavy medication to try to help control the seizures, but for the past two weeks or so she's just been wandering around the yard disoriented, bumping into things and stepping in her water dish.

My dad took her to the vet last week to have some tests done. Meanwhile, this morning, she couldn't keep her balance well enough to walk, was trying to crawl around on her belly pushing with her hind legs, and wore her toenails down to the bone, streaking blood all over the patio. My dad took her back to the vet, and got the results of the tests from last week--most likely a large brain tumor. That spelled the end for her.

Its sad to have her gone, but she hadn't been well for a long time. Still affectionate to the end. I post this tonight in tribute. I know she wasn't a family member like a person is, but as any pet-lovers out there know, people can form quite a bond with their pets. And I'm sad.


Elfi
9/30/99 - 7/9/07