| Author | Message | ||
     86129squids |
Today's the day. He fell off the bed yesterday evening while we were watching TV... must've ruptured or fractured something. Heading to UT Veterinary Hospital soon. Not a good day... St. Francis on the line, youn's. | ||
| 86129squids |
Might as well run some backstory. D'Ogee was diagnosed with lymphoma 2 years ago this coming January... it is more than a minor miracle he's made it this long with cancer. The resilience of a Basenji is a marvel- my first dog, Loki, made 17 1/2 years. I kept Loki too long, though. When D'Ogee came to me, I vowed to not keep him if his time comes to hand. Today- refusing food, even eggs and salmon, which he loves. I fear that he's ruptured or fractured something. Might even rattled his brain... he's not the same dog as before the fall. At this writing, no room at any "inn", not vet hospital except University of Tennessee can see him. I guess we'll head to UT this afternoon. M thinks he'll maybe get over it by tomorrow, just spoke with her on her break. I'm not so sure. What to do. | ||
| Xbpete |
My Husky Mauli is now 18 yrs old, slowed up a ton from the running machine in her youth. We had a cancer removed from her paw and recovered. We do a mile a day walk and she is now not pulling but meandering a bit, About 2 months ago she went off our deck on the second floor and was standing outside the door looking in! Still walking fine, sitting down a little tender but.... Will love her to the ..... I feel ya bro....hoping for the best for yas | ||
| 86129squids |
To paraphrase... it is accomplished. D'Ogee went easily, quietly, peacefully. A much better day for him than yesterday. Not so much for us... it is what it is. I honored my end of the bargain... to not have my boy suffering needlessly. Now we will have to adjust... ourselves, and Rocky, to the absence. Waking up tomorrow will be no load of presents under our tree, but we'll be OK. At least I'll keep telling myself that. Tomorrow it'll be near 70 degrees here. A good long MC ride is in order... M is planning on doing a slow-cooker bone in turkey breast, with mashers, green beans and Benton's prosciutto... I'll work up the salad and bread when I get home. Christmas is for dawgies too. | ||
| Whisperstealth |
I'm very sorry for your loss Brad. Your accounts of D'Ogee left no doubt he was a great dog, and your life was blessed by him. "I honored my end of the bargain." Yes you did, and that in itself is very honorable. Never easy, it's down right hard and painful, but the right thing to do. Most importantly you were there for him when he needed you the most, till the very end. It doesn't get any more honorable than that. He was loved by you, and he loved you in return. The pain is real, but you will work through it. Take as long as you need, and feel all the feels you need to. Hug your M and Rocky, and know he is pain free and at peace. | ||
| Zane |
Man, this is really sad news. I'm sorry for you loss. | ||
| 86129squids |
Thanks... youn's know me, even with a QWERTY I tend to be verbose. Honestly I feel that I did better than I had expected... Marcia is my anchor, and little shit (Rocky) are Ok, but... something is off-kilter. I can be 100% logical/rational, when needs be... I'm on the front-end of grieving. At least tonight's sleep will be better than last night's... by a long shot. Birds and fish... I keep saying it. They are the easiest pets. I always knew, though to limit the size and cost of my animals... birds that could either remove a finger or screech and remove my hearing, or a dog that I couldn't handle. So, I settled on cockatiels and the Basenji. Fish at random, although I did raise an albino tiger oscar in a 40 gallon tank... big enough to actually pet the fish. Critters... yeah. Just hard to lose this one. | ||
| Court |
Deepest sympathy . . . . there are few things I've endured tougher than the loss of pets. | ||
| Hughlysses |
Very sorry to hear, it, Brad. | ||
| 86129squids |
Thanks, brothers Court, Hugh. Today so far has been OK... until I went to the gallery of my phone. Just 2-3 days ago I took a great photo of both boys, on the bed. I'm reminded of the little grandma in that old Steve Martin film "Parenthood"... it's the rollercoaster of life. That to me was the pivotal scene and line of the whole movie. So, today I'll be doing a Gemini spin every now and then. I always say the Greeks got it right, what with the two faces... one laughs, one cries. That'll be me for a while. Already "baked" the little paw print they gave me yesterday... might ride out on Sevierville Pike to the place that'll likely do the cremation. Thought about heading back to UT Vet hospital... but no. Twice this year we had to go there. I've always loved the ride down Neyland Drive... won't ever be the same now. Oh well. Such is life... no time to be sad on THIS day. Got shizz to do, and Jane beckons me for a ride.  Thanks again, my friends. Court, what you said is spot-on. I can do damn near anything I set my mind to... but yesterday was different. Horribly so, but again, I kept my end of the deal. I must now keep my mind on the much, MUCH longer <good> life that D'Ogee had with us... and the countless blessings he brought us. Still... I smile and...  | ||
| 86129squids |
Heading to the Z. I did ride out, out Sevierville Pike, past the place... and headed back, to a fantastic Christmas dinner, with M, her brother, myself, and Rocky. D'Ogee's absence was there... it is OK with me. Not really, but yes. I do mourn the loss, but... This mortal coil is... ours, and also our fur kids. The spirit is common. | ||
| 86129squids |
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| 86129squids |
Susan Coe. Not sure, but pretty sure that Loki, my first B, was in the lineage listed in her book. D'Ogee likely came from later dogs from Africa, in the 80's, when Basenji's in the USA needed new blood lines. That's when the brindle color showed here. D'Ogee was a trindle. I called him the George Clooney of all Basenji's. Damn handsome. | ||
| 86129squids |
Splendor In The Grass. I had just given him a Tomahawk ribeye bone from work, Fleming's. Yeah... a dog's day, indeed.  | ||
| 86129squids |
Been a pretty okay day. Rode most of the day, out to the Calderwood Dam overlook and back. Adjusting. Damn weird, but kinda... OK? Grokkin it, not as of yet, nor at peace, myself. That will come. I cannot say how much I look forward to the New Year. I aint eating any more $$hit sammiches, oh heyull no. My last short jaunt was out for a few groceries. Stopped by The Shed, ran into some folks I know... who will be putting down their sheltie tomorrow... I got to pet the old girl. NOT easy. Then I went to Petsmart and they were damn near OUT of fish food...?!? Yep. I miss my pet rock. Ready for Monday, youn's. Facing forward and upward, no other way. F it all, but I'll be Okay in a minute or three. (meh.)  | ||
| Buellerxt |
I am so sorry to hear of your loss 86129squids. Losing a loved dog is TOUGH. I cried many times with our last one. You sound like a great dog owner. The best to you. | ||
| 86129squids |
Last pic of the Basenji and 10# shizz in 5# sack together, Rocky... Thanks, you all, for keepin' with me here. Me and my dang dawgs. D'Ogee was getting too dang heavy in this pic... yeppers. I'll be taking him tomorrow to the crematory, on the PC800. Good day to ride, and it WILL be pegs down. He was bigger than life, to me. Well, it sure seemed that way... youn's know.  | ||
| 86129squids |
When a Basenji tail is uncurled... I of very few know why... they are a fascinating breed. Not at ALL easy. Worth it, over and again... just great dogs. I hope to raise one up to do... THIS. Outside of Atlanta! My guy actually qualified for lure coursing in Greenback TN, just too old to be competitive. THIS is a GREAT sport!!! Hey! I aint no Debbie Downer after all. Fk no. | ||
| 86129squids |
Actually... let that video run, it should lead to some Czech B lure coursing. Much better, plus some bonuses. It shows the dogs, and their handlers... running and walking. Thank me later. | ||
| 86129squids |
Monday... good, great news. Found out about an outfit that will not only go get your pet's remains and cremate them, but also will deliver locally, C.O.D....! Talked at length with the proprietor, named Cliff. In that conversation, I quickly assessed that he's the real deal. DANG if that's not great for me, us. Can't say how much I'm ready for a better 2022. Life without D'Ogee... weird. Peaceful, which is weird. Less sad than I'd thought for years. Can't help but wonder if Rocky needs a new buddy... but M won't allow it... ? I'm already wanting a new parrot, ideally a cockatiel. I gotta have my critters. Time for Z again. So, SO looking forward to our traditional sparkling wine and caviar New Year's Eve... gots her 2 types of caviar this NYE. She deserves no less. | ||
| 86129squids |
D'Ogee is home. Great fella, Cliff... he and I talked for a good while. He's got an Evo era Softail... might be a new riding buddy. Auld Lang Syne indeed. C'mon, 2022. Got to get some burgers and hot dogs on the grill soon... Rocky just got a bath. All is well. | ||
| Jaimec |
So sorry to hear of the loss of your fur baby. Not the best holiday season for you either, I see...  | ||
| 86129squids |
Thanks, Jaime. We'll be OK- us, and you too. I cooked everything on our chef-grade panini press, it was dang delicious- with rosemary/sea salt steak fries, all the fixin's. I sat D'Ogee on the third chair... we had a great dinner. Rocky got all the treats, as intended... even the Applewood brand hotdogs as treat bites. Love and loss. I'm more OK than I'd anticipated. We three remaining are allowed more peace, and D'Ogee is at peace. What shall be is, and what we shall see is yet to be seen. I'm just glad to be in the storm. | ||
| 86129squids |
I'm pretty sure this was the first BRAT calendar pic that I'd submitted, way back in the day. Both dogs were young. They were certainly the odd couple... but nonetheless, buddies and brothers. We now are double-time spoiling Rocky, which he deserves...? Yeah.  | ||
| Jaimec |
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| 86129squids |
Dammit... must be raining around here. Face wet already... thanks again, my friend. FWIW... here's the link to Basenji Rescue and Transport. Caveat Emptor... ! These are very mischievous dogs, they run like the wind, and they are damn smart, damn willful. Didn't take me long to decide on Loki as the name for my first B. I rarely see any for adoption here, even in adjoining states. https://www.basenjirescue.org/ Uh oh... Winston, in IL. Trouble writ large! Oh noess... the dang mixes are beautiful. Big boy in CA... wow. | ||
| Zac4mac |
That’s beautiful Jaime - Brad, my deepest condolences for your loss. I am sure I’m not alone, knowing how much you loved that pup. I think every time we lose a loved one, we love harder the next time. Happy Old Year, may 2022 be a better one. Z | ||
| Zane |
Isn't it amazing? For an animal that doesn't have hands, they can have such a strong grip on our hearts. | ||
| Jaimec |
My cat has been an absolute Godsend since my wife passed away this year. I really don't know what I would've done without him.  We almost lost him in May. It cost a little over $20K to save his life and it was worth EVERY penny; I'm so glad I did. He'll be 11 in February and shows no signs of slowing down. | ||
| 86129squids |
 ... How many flavors of cool are you? 20K... yeah. Worth EVERY penny. Years ago... we lost Marcia's dog Chloe. Horribly, tragically... I'd almost give the house and mortgage to have her back. She was THAT good a dog, otherworldly, in her intelligence, loyalty, capacity for love. Heck, she even LOVED going to the vet! She ONLY gave love. Once, somehow, M and I both left the house and didn't realize she was outside... in the rain. All day. She just stayed by the back door, and waited. Still amazes me to think of her, years later. When she was killed... we waited to replace her. This happened shortly after I got D'Ogee. We went to the Blount shelter... saw a little barkbarkbark- looked at him, then came home. We passed on him, a little time passed... next day we went and got "Pinky". Last of his litter to be adopted. Well, "Pinky" just wasn't right... I wanted to name him Beavis. M wouldn't have it... so, Rocky he became. Zane...  |
