Saturday, February 16, 2008

Monty


I have put off blogging about this for a week now. Last Friday night, the 8th, Monty got very sick. We rushed him to the animal hospital, where he was diagnosed with pneumonia and put in an oxygen tent. The next day the vet said he seemed to be doing a little better. We went to visit him and he seemed to be struggling to breathe, although he knew we were there and tried to interact with us as best he could. We told him how much we loved him and missed him. We went into another room to await the vet so we could discuss his prognosis, but a few minutes later they told us he was in distress and that they were getting ready to put a tube down him to help him breathe. We told them to stop. He passed away quickly. We are devastated and have cried so much over the past week our eyes are sore.


We had gotten him as a puppy. The breeder told us he was seven weeks old, but when we got his papers we learned he was only five weeks. I carried him around on my chest for three weeks. He lived to be 13 years 8 months. We loved him dearly and will never forget him.

My DH is so sad being without a pet that he wants to get a new dog soon. I'm still hurting. It seems disloyal to him to get a new dog so soon. I won't deny that there is a big hole in our household right now, so we probably won't wait too long.

All our dogs tend to be "Daddy's dogs" since I am the one who ends up giving them their pills, brushing them, and taking them to the vet. They associate Daddy with fun things and Mama with painful things so it's normal that they gravitate to him. So I want to also get a cat--they don't seem to play favorites as much as dogs do.


It is wonderful the way a pet worms their way into our heart and so hard when they are taken from us. I am writing with tears running down my face. This week has been so painful but the years we had with both our Scotties have been worth every tear. We will recover and love other animals just as much as we loved Monty and his mate Maggie--on and on and on.

DH purchased a lovely purple bougainvillia for me as a Valentine's Day gift, and we will plant it in our yard as a memorial to them both. I bought a plaque that says "Dogs leave pawprints on our hearts" which will hang on the fence above the plant.

Goodbye, sweet Monty. You have crossed the rainbow bridge and are playing somewhere with Maggie, and all our other pets who have passed over. We love you all.

2 comments:

Marla said...

OMGosh M! I'm so sorry. I think that getting another dog quickly is not disloyal to Monty but a tribute to how much you loved him and don't want to live without him.
{{{{Hugs}}}}

margil said...

Thanks, Morah--I know you are right. It's just so fresh right now, but I know it won't be long before we get a new fur-person to love.