We lost our beloved DoberBoy, Dutch, this morning to cancer. He'd only been with us since last October, coming through a Doberman rescue group who took him from a shelter in Kentucky.
He's not been feeling well for several weeks and we've been consulting with our vet frequently as we monitored and treated his condition.
Last night xrays confirmed the presence of a very aggressive cancer in his left shoulder bones and soft tissues. The cancer had actually bridged the gap in the shoulder joint.
We sifted our way through all the options and realized that none were of much benefit to Dutch.
When you adopt a dog, especially an older one, you do it knowing that your time with him may be shorter than you'd wish.
But, wow, what a relationship to have ... at all !
Dutch was more territorial than our other DoberBoys, and definitely not willing to share his persons with other dogs (sometimes not even with the two girls we already had when he arrived).
But, oh my, what a personality! What a ham! What a talker!
There's just no way to make an easy decision to release an animal from its painful existence. I'd much rather it be the animal's choice, not mine. But we've not been given that option.
My one comfort is that we gave him a safe, loving home for the months that he was part of our family. And I'll keep him in that part of me that misses the critters who've been my companions.
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