|
Linda, I am so sorry to hear that you have lost your Toby, you tried everything you could to keep him with you, to have had those last three months was so important but I know only too well how hard it is to let them go...it must be a difficult time for everyone. Our Toby is also ten years old and is in early stages of heart failure..he is on heart medication and has some good and some bad days. He is also coming to the end of a course of antibiotics in the hope that the gagging has been mostly due to a lung infection..in the end you just want them to feel comfortable but it does become increasingly difficult to watch any obvious deterioration. In your photos I saw something familiar in your Toby's face, they have a similar look. Our very best wishes to you and your family at this sad time.
Jo, Toby and Hannah(Golden)
-------Original Message-------
From: Linda J. Anderson
Date: 07/05/05 01:30:49
Subject: [pyrnet] Re: HEALTH, CHAT: Toby went over the bridge today Well, Toby's cancer caught up with him and he went from doing well, to not eating, not drinking, panting and horrible coughing - almost overnight. He had bone cancer and we did do an amputation April 5, but knew it would only buy us time. It did buy us time and for us, it was worth it to have three more months that were pretty darn good for the big guy. My husband , daughter and I took him for the last van ride (he loves van rides) and the vet was very kind and we did it right in the back of our van - arms around the big lug. He was such an amazing dog .. truly the Large Stuffed Animal sort of Pyr. He was ten.
Toby was my first involvement in Rescue for the Great Pyr Club of Puget Sound. You all might have noticed my musing on what dog I might add to the crew around here .. maybe a smaller one? Well, Toby was supposed to be a Corgi!~ Yup.. we had Ski - we wanted a buddy for her and I even had a litter of Corgi pups to go look at. But in the meantime I agreed to get Toby in Bellingham where he was a resuce - he was a working dog and the owner had died, leaving Toby and brother w/ no home. Brother was adopted to a new working home. toby was much more interested in people and loving than working it seemed. He was 18 months old and as I drove home , he kept hanging that big ol' head over my arm -- And looking at me with those amazing brown eyes. And.. (no! I need a smaller dog!!)... and... he never went past rescue at my place and the Corgi was never purchased.
He made a much better dog out of Ski - she quit being dog aggressive and they always just loved one another. He worked little.. always letting her do the heavy lifting of guarding our challenging few chickens.
But later.. as she got older and more arthritic.. he did begin to guard more. He helped out with the Pyr club at sheep show and the fair as an ambassador of good will for the breed and loved everyone.
So... I will miss him so very much. Ski keeps on keeping on (age 13) and we have our new pup Sampson.. but Toby was and is in a class by himself. I've included a couple photo links.. Hope they work and thanks to everyone who has over time, given us good wishes and hopes for his struggle. It is just so valuable to have a community like this to ask questions and just share .
Linda Anderson
Night Sky Farm
Stanwood, Wash.
| |||
|
|
