Aug 31, 2011 17:03
I noticed as soon as I walked in the door Monday night that something wasn't right with Buddy. I came home to get the key to my grandmother's house so I could drop some of my stuff off there; the less I had to move the next morning the better. I also wanted to leave Nadia for the night so she wouldn't be in the way while moving.
Usually when I come inside Buddy and Maxie are at the top of the steps wiggling and wagging, excited to greet me. That night Buddy just stood there, wagged his tail (which was low) a couple times, then walked away and plopped down in the living room. I asked my mom if he had been acting weird lately. She said he didn't get excited when it was time to eat, and he didn't finish his food or even try to eat Maxie's. He wouldn't go to the bathroom that night either. He'd just walk a few steps and plop down. We should've taken him to a vet then...
The next morning my mom called me and said Guy was taking him to the vet while she got the moving van. Buddy was up all night, walking a few steps, then resting, then walking a few more steps.... like he was restless, but didn't have the energy to move around. And he didn't go to the bathroom that morning either, just walked outside and plopped down.
So Guy took him to the vet, and I finished packing stuff with Phil (who I brought back with me after dropping Nadia off). Before my mom even got there she called and said the vet called and told her this: Buddy was having internal bleeding, apparently for a few weeks, and there was so much damage that they could try to do a $5,000 surgery or put him down. I told her I have the money and I'd pay for it, but she said there's no guarantee it would help any and that I needed the money for school. I said there's no guarantee I'd even get to school! But she over-rode my decision. :/
So she got there, we packed, and headed to Delaware. Right to the vet. Val and Jon were with Buddy for about 2.5 hours waiting for us to get there. Everyone said their goodbyes, and I asked to be alone with him, but Alex wanted to be there too, which was fine. So he and I stayed with Buddy till the end. :/ He had a lot of fluid in his chest or stomach, cause once he was gone he leaked out of his ear or mouth or... somewhere.
I wasn't too thrilled with the vet tech that gave him the injections <.< You give the sedative and wait for them to fall asleep before giving the injection that stops the heart, but he was still awake when she did it! I felt him shudder and that was the end. I should've said something <.<
Anyway... it was sad, very sad, but it didn't hurt. And I can talk about it now, a day later, and I'm fine. It was just such a surprise to see him go first. We all thought Maxie would, since she's older. I guess you just never know; animals are just so good at hiding their pain. By the time you see the signs it's usually too late...
I'm gonna miss his goofy face, and butt-wag, and his overall happy presence. He really was a good dog. :(
"I've had a life that's full, everyone's been good to me.
So fire up that fiddle boy, and give me one last drink.
When the sun comes up I will leave without a fight.
The world is mine tonight."