Maggie and I dedicated our walk in memory of her cousin, Sunny, today. Sunny was 11 years old, a Mix of who knows what really. She was about the size of Maggie, the color of a Golden Retriever but short coat like a Lab. She had a head like a Pitbull. She was playful with people and dogs. She was known as the ‘bad dog’ at the family camp when they would come visit but I always liked Sunny. She was a VERY good dog in my eyes. And in Maggie’s eyes too. Maggie and Sunny grew up together but really only saw each other when they would come up to visit 2-3 times a year. Maggie doesn’t really like many dogs but Sunny she really did. Sunny loved to give in to Maggie’s game that she adores…being chased. They would play bow and chase each other and just have a grand time. We always made a point of making sure Maggie saw Sunny when they came up to visit at the family camp. The last visit was in July. When I saw Sunny, she was lame on her right front. I asked Kim(her Mom) how long she’d been lame. They’d taken her to the vet recently before coming up and the vet put her on NSAID’s. The NSAID’s weren’t really doing anything for her, however. It made me sad to see her that way – as she was really trying to “be Sunny”…play with the kids, play with the other dogs. But I could see pain on her face(and obviously the slight limp). I asked Kim if they’d x-rayed her. She said no. I suggested when they get back home to get her x-rayed.
Sunny and Maggie had a great visit. No chasing games though – not with Maggie being a Tripawd now. I just don’t want her to get hurt.
A few days later after they returned home, I got a phone call from Kim. Kim told me that Sunny was x-rayed and the diagnosis was Osteosarcoma. Gulp. More like shit. I knew it. I never said anything to her when they were up for their visit but down deep I just had an inkling it was bone cancer. Why would I think that…I dunno…paranoid about cancer now, I suppose. They opted to not do amputation and to put her on pain medications to try to keep the pain from being too severe until the time in which it came that Sunny needed to go to Rainbow Bridge. I found out yesterday that Sunny was put down on Wednesday.
Kim hasn’t called me. I feel so badly…. Sunny was a “GOOD DOG”…I’d say Maggie’s favorite Cousin. Sunny’s family ADORED Sunny. She was a “good dog” in their eyes too. They thought so much of her – just like a kid.
So, Maggie & I dedicated our walk to Sunny. Chase those frisbees, play with those dogs and kids, Sunny…you were a “GOOD DOG”.
Here’s a photo of Maggie after our walk sporting her Tripawds bandanna. I don’t have a photo of Sunny. I wish I did.
