Ode to my little Tank of Love.
Saturday, Papa and I took our dog Amaya to the vet's clinic because her behavior had been really erratic for the last month or so and we were worried. She'd lost about ten pounds, she was vomiting every other day, she couldn't keep food down except for soup, she kept peeing in the house, she slept about 20 hours a day, and she'd taken to staring blankly at the wall without moving. She's twelve years old, so we're thinking "Hey, it's probably just doggie dementia, not much else."
After a few tests, the doctor told us that it was a lot worse than any of that -- Amaya had sever anemnia and only had about 1/4 of her red blood cells left, there was a tumor growing in her spine, and another bleeding tumor in her stomach. Because of the anemnia, there was a shortage of oxygen to her brain, which accounts of the strange behavior. Basically, we were given the option of having her operated on (which would cost around 3 grand and there would be a 90% chance that she'd die on the table), or having her put to sleep. It was a huge shock for us; we were expecting a prescription or something, not being told that our dog was in so much pain that she needed to be put down. We had no idea that it was that bad, or that Amaya was in so much pain all that time.
My papa's a very reserved guy, and I don't remember ever seeing him really break down. When the doc told him that putting his baby to sleep was the best option all around, I could almost see his heart break. In the end, that's what we decided on, and Papa went with her so she wouldn't be alone. He told me later that she'd given him kisses on his nose and snuggled in his arms before the needle came home. It was over quick, no longer than ten seconds. She passed away in Papa's arms, and he stayed with her for about fifteen minutes, sobbing into her fur (his words). We haven't had the heart to pack up her things (food dishes, doggie bed, etc), and the house feels incredibly lonely now that she's not here. We're talking about possibly getting another dog in the next few months, though not too soon. Amaya was the greatest dog in the world, loving and loyal and a great big ball of love for all.
Some things I'll miss most:
1) How she curled at my feet anytime I watched Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Futurama.
2) The time she got stuck in a tree 6 feet off the ground because she was trying to catch a squirrel (hee)
3) Snuggling on the couch with Papa while watching his old movies.
4) The sound of her snoring.
5) Her waiting at the kitchen door when she knew it was time to eat.
6) How she'd go bat-shit crazy when a motorcycle zoomed by.
7) How she's eat anything except bananas and anything Papa cooked from scratch (again, hee)
8) Her always seeming to know when I was feeling sad and how she's sit at my feet and let me pet her ears.
In short: I miss my dog.
Amaya
1995 - 2007
After a few tests, the doctor told us that it was a lot worse than any of that -- Amaya had sever anemnia and only had about 1/4 of her red blood cells left, there was a tumor growing in her spine, and another bleeding tumor in her stomach. Because of the anemnia, there was a shortage of oxygen to her brain, which accounts of the strange behavior. Basically, we were given the option of having her operated on (which would cost around 3 grand and there would be a 90% chance that she'd die on the table), or having her put to sleep. It was a huge shock for us; we were expecting a prescription or something, not being told that our dog was in so much pain that she needed to be put down. We had no idea that it was that bad, or that Amaya was in so much pain all that time.
My papa's a very reserved guy, and I don't remember ever seeing him really break down. When the doc told him that putting his baby to sleep was the best option all around, I could almost see his heart break. In the end, that's what we decided on, and Papa went with her so she wouldn't be alone. He told me later that she'd given him kisses on his nose and snuggled in his arms before the needle came home. It was over quick, no longer than ten seconds. She passed away in Papa's arms, and he stayed with her for about fifteen minutes, sobbing into her fur (his words). We haven't had the heart to pack up her things (food dishes, doggie bed, etc), and the house feels incredibly lonely now that she's not here. We're talking about possibly getting another dog in the next few months, though not too soon. Amaya was the greatest dog in the world, loving and loyal and a great big ball of love for all.
Some things I'll miss most:
1) How she curled at my feet anytime I watched Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Futurama.
2) The time she got stuck in a tree 6 feet off the ground because she was trying to catch a squirrel (hee)
3) Snuggling on the couch with Papa while watching his old movies.
4) The sound of her snoring.
5) Her waiting at the kitchen door when she knew it was time to eat.
6) How she'd go bat-shit crazy when a motorcycle zoomed by.
7) How she's eat anything except bananas and anything Papa cooked from scratch (again, hee)
8) Her always seeming to know when I was feeling sad and how she's sit at my feet and let me pet her ears.
In short: I miss my dog.
Amaya
1995 - 2007