Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Georgia, Minister of Joy, 2003-2011

 

It was completely out of the blue. As you saw, she was running around at the park on Thursday. On Friday, we thought she tweaked her back. On Saturday, we took her to the vet who said, yes, she'd tweaked her back. On Sunday, she refused her food and her meds. (One of the cats knocked the bottle of Rimadyl off the counter and Andy ate 10 of them, so we spent the evening at the Emergency vets with him.) On Monday, she refused to drink and hid under the back porch steps.

We took her back to the vet who took X-rays and saw what looked like a tumor. Or maybe an abscess. Back to the emergency vet for ultrasound, but the tentative diagnosis was a hemangiosarcoma, a tumor of the blood vessel. Odds were not good in any event, and as it happens, she died during the night.

She was an incredibly sweet dog. Very patient (except about food) and gentle. She loved her down pillows. She loved her Mr. Potato Head. She loved the water. She dug up a number of plants I wish she hadn't and tracked more dirt on the bed than I would have thought possible. She was my alarm clock for several years now and often knew before I did the exact moment when I woke up (so it was clearly time for breakfast). She ate, slept, and played with gusto and incredible joy. I will miss her.

13 comments:

JCF said...

So beautiful, was your Georgia. (A Setter of some kind?)

May all of Georgia's pack hold each other close, w/ her sweet memories.

Enjoy your Golden Tail, Georgia. Nevermind the plants (they needed diggin', and she was there! ;-/): good girl.

Lorin said...

Rest in peace, pup.

Ellie Finlay said...

Oh, I'm so, so sorry for your loss. I do know what it is like to lose a beloved dog. May Georgia rest in peace and have nothing but pure dog-joy as she waits for you to take up new life with her in eternity. And may you be comforted.

Anonymous said...

Such a beautiful photo, but such sad news - I'm so sorry.

whiteycat said...

Deepest sympathy and prayers from me and the Four Cats.

whiteycat said...

Deepest sympathy and prayers from me and the Four Cats.

it's margaret said...

God bless you good and faithful Georgia, who looked at LKT and loved her back.

God bless you LKT good and faithful child of God, who looked at Georgia and loved her back.

That's what life is all about.

Love.

Thank you both for showing us what love is all about.

amen.

LKT said...

Thank you all very much.

@JCF, she was a Flat Coated Retriever.

She was absolutely love on legs and a constant lesson in generosity.

JCF said...

Should have guessed it (what's the nickname for a Flat-Coated Retriever? A Flatty? An FCR?). Such a beauty.

Wag your Golden Tail "Howdy", Georgia, to Mitzi and Sasha (Though it's been many years, I still miss my Retriever girls)

BooCat said...

Miss Georgia is a beautiful girl, my heart-felt sympathy.

MarkBrunson said...

My prayers, my love, my condolences. I never know what to say in such times.

Unknown said...

Beautifully written. Having spent time with Georgia, I too will miss her. I am so sorry for your loss.

Unknown said...

Beautifully written. Oskee too will miss this wonderful dog. I am so sorry for your loss.