I moved to Colorado in mid-November of 2004. Boo, my brother-in-law's Samoyed, was 3 years old and had just been invited to the Eukanuba Invitational Championship at Tampa, Florida. We were all excited, but the handler/breeder decided that Boo was just too hyperactive to take on a road trip that would last at least 3 days, one way. For a year, though, we all called Boo "Eukanu-Boo." Four years ago, Boo started limping on her left hind; it was diagnosed as bone cancer. Jim and Kathy took Boo up to the Colorado State University Veterinary School, in Fort Collins, and found there was a program of radiation and chemical therapy combined that had proven effective in fighting Boo's type of cancer.
In mid-May, Boo started to seem as if she didn't care whether she ate, or not. She was still interested in what were, normally, treats - but she wasn't up and wanting breakfast at the crack of dawn, nor was she eating as if there was no tomorrow. Soon, she was skipping eating breakfast. Then Jim went to spend a week with his brother in South Dakota, who underwent brain surgery recently. Boo wouldn't eat much at all for mys sister, Kathy. When Kathy joined Jim in South Dakota, I pulled Boo over to Rosie's house and kept them together. Seeing Rosie eat on the other side of the glass door, Boo ate her meals - but not with gusto.
When Kathy and Jim returned, and Boo went home, Boo stopped eating again. She'd take a bite of this or that, but had real no appetite. Jim took Boo in for a check-up last week; on Friday, her blood tests came back. Tuesday, she had an abdominal ultrasound performed. Her abdominal cavity was full of fluid (the vet removed 1.5 liters) and she had a tumor the size of a baseball on her liver. Boo is now on anti-nausea medications, and an acid reflux medicine, as well. The fluid and the tumor press on her stomach, and make her believe that she is full of food and contented. In reality, her pounds are melting off. All we can do is make her comfortable, and give her lots of love - and recognize when she is truly suffering, so we can say goodbye.
I met Jim in December 1979, when he and Kathy first started dating. He has always had at least one Samoyed as a companion... I'm not sure what he and Kathy will do when Boo crosses the Rainbow Bridge.
ReplyDeleteThe hardest thing about loving our pets is knowing how short their lives are. Wishing your family time with Boo filled with love and comfort.
Hillbillygator
Thanks, Hillbillygator! I'm sure you know and understand!
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