[Dailydrool] Hanna ATB

[melissa gibson]

Monday afternoon I lost my best friend. Hanna was a 16 year old Treeing Walker 
Coonhound. We were together for 14 years. I have always had bassets growing up 
and have bassets now. When I went to the Petco adoption days all those years ago 


I was looking for a basset but there instead was Hanna. A beautiful tri colored 
hound dog! I had just bought a house and couldn't wait to go out and get a dog, 
I had Ben the cat already. Unfortunatley Hanna got adopted by someone else. I 
was devastated. The lady at the rescue said "how bout one of her sons, Homer or 
Jethro?" The next week I went back and there was Jethro, the spitting image of 
his momma. Unbelievably after a few months I was at the Petco again during 
adoption days and there was my girl Hanna. I just sat outside her cage talking 
to her and petting her, The rescue lady said "that's Hanna" I said "Hanna got 
adopted" Well whoever had adopted Hanna first had since had a baby and lucky for 


me didn't want my girl anymore. So at long last I had my girl Hanna! Hanna was 
big and loud and goofy. Even though she was a hunting dog her and Ben the cat 
had a strange cross species love affair like nothing I have ever seen, By year 7 


we had added Queenie the basset and year 8 Jethro went to the bridge. Soon my 
obsession with senior bassets started and there was a revolving door of dogs. 
Hanna was very accepting and accomadating. She towered over all the dogs so she 
knew she was still the top dog.

Hanna turned 16 in February, our walks had been getting shorter and shorter. 
Arthritis, old age,degenerative myelopathy possibly? She just wasn't doing so 
well. 

About a year ago I had made a promise to her of no more dogs. She was my 
princess and I wanted to concentrate all my energy and love on her. I did what 
I could to make it easier for her to get around, keep her comfortable. I 
lavished extra love and attention on her at every turn. I was in denial. Last 
week she developed an abscess on her cheek. It became huge, and disfigured the 
whole side of her face. I made an appointment for Monday to see the vet still 
believing I was going to treat the abscess. I just was not ready to lose my 
girl. This past Sunday I didn't have to work because of the snow and I saw close 


up how bad she really was. She was in distress. She just keep walking in circles 


and going to the window and was very restless. Sunday night we were up most of 
the night and I was oscillating between treatment or the bridge. I knew what I 
needed to do but I just couldn't imagine that I could do it. During the night 
the abscess popped. At least that relieved some of the pressure on her face. She 


wouldn't let me near her face and I knew if I treated it she would be miserable 
with the vet poking and prodding and probably having to wear a cone for what 
would probably be her last few weeks.

Monday at the vet it took two hours, I just sat with her in there for the 
longest time. The vet came in and talked to me several times. I said I am going 
to do this but I am still trying to talk myself into it. She just paced and 
paced. When she would settle down she was so uncomfortable because she couldn't 
lay her head down. I layed with her on the floor, petting her and telling her 
how much i loved her and what a good girl she was. I was just sobbing 
uncontrollably. I stayed with her afterward for a long while, just looking at my 

beautiful girl resting so peacefully. I knew she would be reunited with Ben and 
Fussy soon. I have not publicized the fact that she is gone because I am barely 
holding it together. The tears are right there at the surface. I did okay at 
work yesterday but as soon as I started driving home I started crying realizing 
my girl Hanna would not be looking out the window for me when I drove up. This 
is going to be extremely hard. I am left with Abe and Daisy Mae who don't seem 
to even notice Hanna is gone. It is all I notice, the presence of the house 
feels completely different. Nothing matters anymore, everything just seems 
trivial and petty. I want my girl back.
 
Melissa

Jethro (son of Hanna) ATB
Queenie ATB
Farfel (Fussy) ATB
Dale ATB
Ben the cat ATB
Little Bit ATB
Hanna ATB
Abe
Daisy Mae (Pee Princess)