Benny

I decided to let Benny go Saturday night. Here's the e-mail I sent to family and friends:

Hello,

I'm writing to tell you that I had to let Benny go last night. He had stopped walking about three weeks ago, and our regular vet suspected that a disc issue was the cause, and put him on crate rest. He seemed to be doing OK, until Thursday, when he would no longer eat. He emphatically refused scrambled eggs yesterday AM, and started to sound like he was having breathing difficulty yesterday afternoon.

I took him to the Animal Emergency Center, where they did a pretty comprehensive set of tests and x-rays. They called back to tell me that one of his vertebrae was most likely cancerous, which was causing the paralysis. In addition, his kidneys and pancreas were both outside of normal limits, possibly a side effect of the cancer, or 'just' old age.

There was no good prognosis, so I made the decision to let him go. I held him in my lap while the injections were administered. He slipped away peacefully.

I had two and a half years of being blessed with that little clown. For such a little guy, he had a tremendous heart.

He is missed. 

It has not been a good year for the critters here. I've lost Suzu, Baxter, and now Benny in about a year.

Grif and the cats are doing well.

Me, not so much.

Baxter

Baxter and Friends, ca 2000

Most of last week was given to caring for Baxter as he was getting ready to go.He disappeared Sunday afternoon, and I didn't see him until I got home from work Monday evening. He had suddenly lost some more weight, as  well as the strength to climb up on the bed.

I don't know if one had to do with the other, but Griffin had gotten hold of him by the neck Saturday afternoon. Whatever the reason, he wasn't going out to eat and drink, so I sequestered him in a carry box, with food. He didn't eat, but did lick the gravy from the bowl. I moved him into the bathroom with food and water, which he proceeded to gulp mightily.

On Thursday, I fed him, and again he drank quite a bit of water. I went downstairs, and sat in my chair with him next to me. He went to sleep, and never woke again. I put him on the bed with me that night, and he was gone the next morning.

Baxter and Shin-Wa, ca 2000

What I miss the most is him hopping up on the bed, and perching on my hip as I go to sleep.

Bye, B'.

Bretagne (Bumped and Updated) Bretagne Was Honored Before Her Passing

Bretagne has passed on.

Click the picture for the CBS video

More at the Houston Chronicle  Via @JusticeWillett

* * *
I just didn't feel like trying to post anything for Patriots' Day (9/11) this year. I'm rather news-averse these days, what with all of the seriously bad insanity going on all over the world.  But today, I found this and needed to share:

You can see the rest here! 

Thanks to  weaselzippers and KLFY!!

Dakota Has Passed On

Koda (as he was affectionately known), went into convulsions at about 2:30 this afternoon.  I took him to the 24-hour emergency vet, after trying a few first aid things at home.  They pumped him full of valium, which reduced the convulsions to mild tremors.

The vet was straight up with the prognosis - based on what the expensive tests that I can't afford might tell us, she was not optimistic that he could go home and be OK.  So, I made the decision to let him go.

He passed peacefully.  The med they use anesthetised him immediately, and continued on to an overdose.  He slipped away in less than a minute.

Pax vobiscum, Koda.