I lost Zu to Osteosarcoma. It was a span of 24 days between the time she started limping for no apparent reason until a pathological fracture of her humerus and micrometastasis of cancer to her lungs force me to do the unthinkable.
She would have been 3 in January of this year.
On Memorial Day, my perfect, easy, sweet, kind and wonderful companion of 8 years also decided she was done.
Nikka was the easiest, most trustworthy dog I will ever have. Until she was diagnosed with cancer, she never caused me a moment's worry. I lost her to metastatic cancer.
In late July, I gave a temporary home to Londie, a 13 year old arthritic female Akita who had been dumped in a shelter by her owner. She was with me briefly before she, too, opted out. Londie had Degenerative Joint Disease and hip dysplasia. And a broken heart, come to think of it. Her cowardly owner was cruel to abandon her.
In October, my giant boy Rafa clearly told me he was done. He became unpredictable around people, had to be hand fed, and was losing control of his bowels. When his senility caused him to come inside to urinate, it was clear he was not mentally stable. Hence, his demise was due to complications of canine dementia.
We're a single-dog household now. I miss Zuki. I miss Nikka. I miss Rufie. I love my funny, bright, energetic puppy, and boy, I miss the ones I had to let go.
