[Dailydrool] Tobys' story

[Paula Smith]

I cannot say thank you enough to all the droolers who have sent me such
kind and comforting messages about my Toby going to the Bridge. Now that I
can string two coherent thoughts together I thought I would share Tobys'
story.

When my son was 13 he spent 4 months in Primary Childrens residential
treatment center for treatment of bipolar disorder.  While there he was
visited weekly by two very handsome basset boys Tas and Fiz, owned by Mary
Kemp. When he was released and doing well we made a deal that he could have
a dog, he chose a basset.  We contacted Carol with Utah Friends of Basset
Hounds and filled out an adoption application. After our home visit, we
made a trip to Carols' house, as soon as we entered her yard Toby made a
b-line straight for my son.  After a few minutes he was barking (he had a
lovely deep ahroo bark) and acting just as silly as my son, we had been
chosen by this beautiful big boy. After some serious negotiating with Carol
(I didn't have a fenced yard at the time, one of their requirements), I
convinced her that I could be a responsible basset owner and wouldn't even
let Toby near an open door without a leash on (which I didn't have to
really worry about as Toby wasn't your typical basset who would bolt out an
open door, he was more of a meandering type, never in a hurry). It didn't
take T long to have us trained, he was spoiled rotten and pretty much got
whatever he wanted. All he had to do was look at me with those big brown
eyes and I melted every time!

Just over a year ago he was diagnosed with Addisons and did well with
monthly percorten shots and daily prednisone, until about 2 months ago. I
noticed that even after his shot, he wasn't his usual happy self, didn't
play much with Cooper and was very agressive, even toward me. Our vet
didn't really have any answers, his lab work was perfect and his aggression
was intermittent. About 3 weeks ago he started being very unsteady on his
feet, would shake a lot and seemed to be in pain, especially when walking (
he had very crooked front legs and misshapen front feet and a repaired ACL
on one back leg), was having a very hard time getting up the stairs and on
the couch in his favorite napping spot. On tuesday, he wouldn't eat (which
he did intermittently, wasn't too worried). On wednesday he ate normally
and seemed to be a little better, on thursday he was shaking more,
especially when asleep and wouldn't even eat one of his favorite cookies or
a chip. Thursday night he wouldn't stay in the house (despite my best
efforts of carrying him back in and putting him on my bed 4 times). Every
time he would go out, he would find a new  (and more inaccessible) corner
of the yard to hide in, I think he was trying to tell me something. By
friday morning I had come to the very hard decision that it was time to let
him go, so off we went to the vet.  The staff at our vet was wonderful and
let me hold him as he passed, I swear he looked at me as they were giving
him the injection and had such a look of relief in his beautiful brown
eyes. I can honestly say this was one of the hardest things I have ever had
to do. I hope and pray that he has been welcomed at the Bridge by Elder
Clara and has been running and playing with the buppies and checking out
all the shops on Main Street.

Cooper and the cats have been looking for him since I came home without
him. Does anyone have any ideas about how to help my Coopie get over the
loss of his big brother? Even though they didn't get along all that great
the last few months I know he still misses him.

Again, thank you all for the wonderful emails and kind words, they have
helped more than you will ever realize.

Paula
Cooper (where is my cranky brother?) and the cats George, Z and Smokey (aka
Tobys' kitty)
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