Post by Paprika on May 18, 2009 17:19:51 GMT -5
Not a ferret, but...
I remember when he was born, April 21st of 1994. In January, a violent 7.4 earthquake rocked Northridge, CA and caused our big brick wall to come tumbling down. Not too long prior we had adopted a young rottie, P.T., who hadn't been spayed yet. In the commotion of the next day or so, the purebred male husky from down the street thought it would be OK if he came into our yard and made a woman out of P.T.
A litter of puppies was born in April. We kept two, and named them Magic and Blue.
PT died of a stroke when she was 11. It was sudden and heartbreaking. Blue died of cancer when she was 12. Around the same time, Magic was having a lot of trouble walking. He couldn't get up. He had severe arthritis and we almost had to put him down then... can't have a dog that can't even walk. Instead, we looked into our options, and came across an (expensive) miracle therapy. Hundreds and hundreds of dollars later, Magic could walk again. He had been on glucosamine and fish oil since, and had done so well. He would move around, and every night poke you for treats. Even at 15, he went to the off-leash dog park every weekend (well, when it wasn't too hot). And, he was still alpha dog of the pack in our house, no matter how old he got. None of our dogs would mess with Magic, who would bark, annoyed, at any youngin' who was gettin' too feisty -- from a laying down position.
As a pup and as an adult, all one had to do was ask Magic, "Are you a happy dog?" and he would return with a very enthused howl. So enthused, actually, that it may last for minutes and minutes on end, baroowoowoo and arrooorooroooing until he couldn't do it anymore. Are you a good dog, Magic? Are you a happy dog? Do you sing when you're happy?... that's all it took...
On Saturday night, Magic, my big husky/rottie mix, had a very violent seizure. He has had seizures before (as did his mother and his sister once they started into seniority), but for the first time, after this one--after his head fell with a violent thunk--and we held him, we realized how old he was. We looked into his eyes and there was no longer spark, no longer did he seem like the "old dog with a young mind." For the first time in our lives and maybe his, did I think, oh my God, this is really it.
Sunday morning he still hadn't moved. He had pooped himself twice. I knew he was dying. My mom knew it. Everyone knew it. It would only be a matter of days. My parents and I couldn't let him linger. We couldn't let him just hang onto life just because we're selfish and we can't let him go.
We took him to the vet. Said our goodbyes. I was present for the whole thing, which hurts, but I had to see him, had to be the one of last things he saw, to keep him calm, to love him over to the other side. We couldn't afford having the vet take care of him, so we drove him to a crematorium. He will be cremated as part of a communal cremation, and then his ashes will be spread at sea in Huntington Beach. He loved the beach, and loved swimming. It seems only appropriate.
We love you big boy.
Magic
April 21, 1994 - May 17, 2009
A candle has been lit.
(click for candle)
He loved to sing.
(click for video)
! I know how hard it is to lose a pet close to me. It's a heart breaking expierence. *hugs*!
