My Moondoggie...

For those who may have met our beloved lab, Moondoggie, it would be extremely hard to argue that he is about the sweetest, loving pooch if ever one exists. I bought Moon w/some cash that was left over after my dad passed away. It was one of those bittersweet checks that came to me a year after his passing, that pretty much closed all that was in litigation for my brother and I. I had decided to find a lab that was similar to our lab, Champ, whom I purchased for my dad for Christmas one year.

Well, Moondoggie, was the one out of the litter who didn't want to go anywhere but hide in the garage. He had this face and head that resembled, if you remember, Ivan the Gorilla who was held captive in South Tacoma's B&I. Like most kids I grew up with, I would stand and stare at Ivan in awe, but yet felt so very sorry for him....(glad he's in a good zoo now.)

Anyways, Moondoggie is a wonderful black lab, with such a human spirit. The memories I have of us hiking and running the Mission trails and beaches, and driving to California with our beagle, T-Bone, from Colorado. Moon would always sit up in the front seat and we'd hold "hand/paw." Just a huge mush pup. He'd let you do just about anything from dressing him up to riding in a wheelbarrel. The one thing he used to love was running on Dr. Huss's motocross track. That dog wouldn't quit....until one day, about 4 years ago, when he couldn't move the next day after having fun on the track.

Well, Moondoggie is almost 11 yrs. old now. It seems like he's been aging faster and faster to the point where I had to make the decision not to take him hiking at the Mission any more...it literally kills me. It was just too much on his back legs. He's been doing good, but it tears me up that we can't be that "Moon & Me...everywhere I go, he goes" team anymore. Now we're at taking slow walks around the block....which seems to make him out of breath anymore.

Then the other night, he started whimpering and tried to get up on his back legs, but also was having trouble walking on his front leg. I've been told by the vet, too, that his heart was weak and thready. What can I do? The walking thing tears me up enough, but now it sounds like there's nothing I can do about his fate with such a weak heart. Jim and I gave him a good massage and an anti-inflammatory called DermaMaxx. A half-tab dose yesterday and today, plus a day of resting in the sun from our living room window, we allowed him to rest as we went riding at Huss's track close by for a couple hours. When we got home, lo and behold, he was a bit better. Talk about relief.

We've owned quite a few dogs, most of them beagles, and T-Bone was the closest one to us. T-Bone passed in his sleep, which is the way it should be. However, Moondoggie is so human....just the down days of his ups and downs are killer for me. I know he's aging at a faster rate than our other dogs, and I know when one decides to become a pet owner, you set yourself up for these times as well, but I can't imagine life without my Moon. A few of my friends have recently gone through this and I've always been there to support them. I guess I'm afraid that my turn may be coming up sooner than I'm ready for. I guess we just take it one day at a time in hopes when his time comes, it's the right time for him. sigh* I bellieve this girl who most people think of as pretty strong, just might not be strong enough for this. If the time comes to have to make the "decision" I will make it, and will be there right with him....I'm just hoping I won't have to and that God does. I'll be prepared to do it, though, if and when he gets to that point of suffering. It's just afterwards, I dunno how I'll be able to handle it. I'm sure Squiggy will help me a lot. I've sort of prepared the boys....and I'm sure they'll be my rock as well. Moondoggie knows my every emotion and gives that attentive look as if to say, "I'm here for you." I talk in Italian slang to him....cracks Jim up. But the other night when he wasn't feeling good, I talked in that lingo to him and got a little happy wag out of his tail. A true one of unconditional love, my Moondoggie. sigh*

Sorry for the depressing blog.....again....sigh*, but that's been on my mind for the past few days. I'll be sure to add in the "Moon Report" with hopefully good news on my future blogs. In the meantime, please say a prayer for my Moondoggie.....and little one for me too. thanks so much~