Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Saying Good-bye...

This weekend, I faced the moment that every pet owner dreads. Even though Scamp was 14 1/2 years old and suffering from congestive heart disease, I kept him going with the help of numerous medications and a wonderful canine cardiologist, Dr. Eva Sikorska. She had just seen him on November 30; less than a week later, it was all over. I had taken Scamp along on a car trip to Wisconsin, where he enjoyed day boarding at the Woofdorf Astoria while I attended a board meeting at the DeKoven Center in Racine.

He had slept much of the time, but when I came in the door, he scooted out from under the desk in the reception area (Woofdorf often keeps senior dogs within view). We enjoyed an evening at a hotel in Madison, and drove back to Chicago on Saturday morning. Overnight, he started barking/coughing and chasing his tail. It was unlike his usual wheezing, so I waited to see what happened. An hour later, he repeated this sequence, so I called the animal ER center. They recommended a dose of Lasix and also of Hycodan. The next morning, I took him to the car to drive him up to the center in Northbrook. He came out with the most horrible coughing, and just minutes later, he was limp in my arms. I took him to a nearby ER center, where Alice very kindly let me say my good-byes and took a paw print for me to keep.

Losing Scamp is something that I was not fully prepared for. For the last few days, I have felt his absence in every corner of the house. My husband Steve put away all of the crates, gates, blankets, feeding bowls, toys, etc., so I am even more conscious of the emptiness. How hard it is to go into my small study and not see Scamp resting on the couch...or sleeping next to my side of the bed, and perching himself at the edge of the mattress each morning...or begging for treats in the kitchen.

After talking to the vets, I realized that this was the time for Scamp to leave. His disease had severely weakened his heart, and he could not continue. I can only be grateful to Scamp's loyal and spirited companionship, and hope that I was a good caretaker. My 5 1/2 years with Scamp has made me marvel at the special relationship and communication possible between people and their pets; it is a wonderful gift, and one I hope to enjoy at some point in the future.

Friday, October 23, 2009

Scamp goes Out West


I just returned from a 2 1/2-week driving trip to California...in a Ford Econoline... accompanied by a good friend, his bike, two sleeping bags, and my trusty Maltese, Scamp. I give Scamp credit for adjusting to various conditions of desert, mountain, and ocean without complaint. He was a contented traveler, nestling in his canvas crate in-between the two front seats. I left the top flap unzippered, so he could poke his head out every so often to indicate a need for food or water.

As we drove through the region, I came to appreciate the dog-friendly motels, cafes, and shops that welcomed us. I also became frustrated with inflexible motel policies ("no pets")--especially in Death Valley, where (let's face it) how many lodging options ARE there? And how much damage would a 13-pound, 14-year-old non-shedding Maltese inflict? I even use a doggie diaper at night in case of...

Special thanks to Amy and Dan at Tecopa Hot Springs Resort in the Death Valley area for their especially gracious hospitality. Dan and Scamp developed quite a rapport!