One is never prepared to say goodbye even when you see it coming.
Monday morning Misty refused her pre breakfast meds cracker. Which has only happened once before. When it happens, it is a bad omen. Then she was unable to negotiate the steps from the garden and then she started panting very pronounced. Wife called me at work to take Misty to the Vet's.
Normal temperature for a Lab is 101-102.5 degrees F or 38.33C-39.17C
Misty was admitted with a fever of 105F (40.4C) During the examination she started having small seizures. I left thinking they would find the problem, give her some meds and all would be well. I gave her a hug and left.
Misty received an IV and was heavily sedated to keep her from panting and was given chilled meds and kept in ice packs to bring her fever down. Instead it went above 106.4F (41.3C) She was in a drug induced coma. Her body started shutting down about 5:30p and we decided to let her go.
In retrospect we believe what we saw today had actually started weeks ago and it was not until it was so pronounced that we understood what we were looking at. It is quite possible the tumor on her pituitary gland grew until it reached the hypothalimus, the gland that regulates body temperature, or she had a blood clot in the brain. The vet said there were signs that whatever happend, happened in the brain.
Misty was maybe four years old when we met. Maybe ten when she died. I am a fortunate man to have learned many small lessons of life from a wonderful Labrador retriever named Misty. God let me hold her leash for six years. Either I have learned all I could from her and it was time for her to move on, or He had a more pressing need for her elsewhere. God Speed old girl. See you at the Bridge.
Monday morning Misty refused her pre breakfast meds cracker. Which has only happened once before. When it happens, it is a bad omen. Then she was unable to negotiate the steps from the garden and then she started panting very pronounced. Wife called me at work to take Misty to the Vet's.
Normal temperature for a Lab is 101-102.5 degrees F or 38.33C-39.17C
Misty was admitted with a fever of 105F (40.4C) During the examination she started having small seizures. I left thinking they would find the problem, give her some meds and all would be well. I gave her a hug and left.
Misty received an IV and was heavily sedated to keep her from panting and was given chilled meds and kept in ice packs to bring her fever down. Instead it went above 106.4F (41.3C) She was in a drug induced coma. Her body started shutting down about 5:30p and we decided to let her go.
In retrospect we believe what we saw today had actually started weeks ago and it was not until it was so pronounced that we understood what we were looking at. It is quite possible the tumor on her pituitary gland grew until it reached the hypothalimus, the gland that regulates body temperature, or she had a blood clot in the brain. The vet said there were signs that whatever happend, happened in the brain.
Misty was maybe four years old when we met. Maybe ten when she died. I am a fortunate man to have learned many small lessons of life from a wonderful Labrador retriever named Misty. God let me hold her leash for six years. Either I have learned all I could from her and it was time for her to move on, or He had a more pressing need for her elsewhere. God Speed old girl. See you at the Bridge.
