I had to take Drake for an emergency vet visit last week to a last hope specialist. Her words to me after her exam of Drake and his extensive medical records was, “Mr. Selby, you have a very sick dog.” She said there was little to nothing they could do short of surgery, and that didn’t have a positive prognosis.
She prescribed a heavy two week course of antibiotics for the internal infections and a diuretic for the fluid build up on his lungs, and confirmed that we were at the end of Drake’s life. She said after the antibiotics kicked in we’d have a week or two – maybe a bit more depending on how the diuretic did.
He predictably bounced back a few days later. He even felt good enough to go for a low-key dog park visit with Max & Guinness, but too much exercise or play left him struggling to breathe (rapid shallow breathing). Monday night we were playing ball keep-away and had a nice pre-bedtime walk. He had his appetite back, and tried to get Guinness to play with him – back to his normal self. We figured we’d have another week or so – until the antibiotics were gone and the shit came back.
Yesterday afternoon the day boarding place called. They’d gone to his run to take him out for another exercise/pee break. He was curled up on the raised bed, unresponsive. Gone. It appears he did, in fact, die in his sleep.
I called our vet from the car asking what to do. I was clueless. They said not to worry about it. They’d go get him and bring him to the office , and Talisa and I could come there. That’s what we did.
He was in a room, wrapped in a blanket, still curled up on the raised bed from the boarder. We ugly cried. I hugged him. Talisa hugged him. The vet techs came to check on us. They were crying. The vet came in to talk to us. She was crying. We said our goodbyes to Drake and went to the front desk to settle up. The receptionists were crying. Drake was loved by them.
We took the dog bed and blankets back to his boarding, and thanked them for taking such good and attentive care of Drake. They were crying.
And last night a German Shepherd won Best In Show at the Westminster Kennel Club.
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