2001 was not a good year for dog for me. In February I had to put down my Shih Tzu, Bo Bear due to kidney failure and two weeks later my Lhasa, Coco Kendall committed suicide by vehicle..
I was devastated.. A week later a client called up and said she needed to find a home for Callie, a beautiful Australian Shepherd everyone in the shop adored. Callie was loved by her owners but the didn't have time for her.. Callie spent many nights at the shop when mom forgot to pick up.. When Callie was home she was spoiled with treats which led to her obesity.. We had told the owners if they ever wanted to find a home for Callie we would have one for her.. When she called that morning my heart had already started to heal..
I took Callie home and she fit right in.. She was the perfect dog.. I had no qualms with her..... not a one... till about a month later she started peeing on my wood floor.. At first I was upset but this was unusual so I took her in to the vet suspecting she had a urinary tract infection..
The vet delivered some devastating news.. Callie had diabetes.. at her stage she was given a year to live.. if that.. Her previous owners had loved her to death..... literally..
We did the insulin in hopes that it would give her the best chance possible.. and she was a trooper about it too.. Gradually her eyes were taken over by cataracts. Callie's spirit was so great she would still play fetch even when she could barely see.. she would listen for the ball..
When I adopted Callie in February she was a robust 65lbs.. By November she had dropped to 35.. She was holding on by a thread.. One morning, I woke up to see her sitting there with a look that asked "let me go" It was the hardest thing I have ever done..
I have had a thousand dogs come and go in my life.. Some were pets, some were friends pets, some were my foster pets, many were clients. Never... NEVER has a dog touched me the way Callie did.. I lost her 8 years ago and I still ball when I think of her..
that was beautiful nicole.
ReplyDeleteYou should pray to St. Francis of Assissi for comfort. He is the patron St. of animals, animal owners, animal groomers. Jacob and Quinten were so small back then!
ReplyDeleteTruly touching. know what that's like. I still cry when I think about Abbey; she's in a box in the trunk till we move again. Nobody knew what was wrong with her, though, and she'd meow in my ear while I was sleeping every night. She was about 11 lbs healthy [lol she was a chunky monkey] and weighed less than 2 when I had her put down. =( Sometimes I wish I could bring her back, to cuddle with her and say sorry.
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