Things I miss most about my dog

Our 10-year-old German Shepherd lost his battle with AIHA/IMHA this past weekend. It is a dreadful disease that he contracted somehow (we’ll never know) and was diagnosed with in early December 2010. After a quick stay at the hospital he was put on Prednisone to bring his blood counts up. Both the vet and my husband and I thought he would be able to pull through because it seemed he was recovering (you can never recover from this one) quickly. His blood count was up to 37 within two weeks of his diagnosis. Then… last Saturday, January 8 (my husband’s birthday) it all came crashing down. He began vomiting and had other serious symptoms and lost all will to live. He wouldn’t eat, take his meds, look for attention, respond to much… it was so very sad to see th dog we loved more than anything go downhill so quickly. So, after a shot of renewed energy later that evening and overnight, we had to make the terrible decision (for us, it was the best decision for him) to put him down.

I miss:
– his cold, wet nose
– his smell
– his wagging tail and excitement when I got home from work
– hugging him
– giving him cookies (treats) and burgers (ice cubes)
– listening to him plopping down on the hardwood floor
– watching him try to catch snowballs
– walking him
– watching him wait for my husband to give him a command
– watching him follow my husband everywhere
– seeing him outside playing, rolling down the hill
– dancing and singing with him (to him singing meant barking to his favorite songs)
– howling with him in unison
– everything, every little thing that made him special, unique… Wilson

He was truly a piece of me. My “soul” dog. I will miss him forever. I still have his toy on my desk and I play with it just to hear the same sounds he made with it. A friend of mine told me they laid on the carpet their dog laid on just to smell him… I found myself doing the same thing, today. It was awesome, granted weird, but he was there… just like she said!

The last of his footprints disappeared today with the new snowfall. Even though they are forever gone… he will be forever in my heart.

I miss you sweet dogger. For anyone experiencing AIHA/IMHA or any drastic disease (or for that matter, a healthy dog) hug them every day; enjoy each day like it’s their last; spoil them; enjoy them and what they bring to you/you bring to them. Love them with all your heart.