hiddenmuse | Maybe It's A Sign ...

I feel like I risk becoming a full-on drama diva, being the bearer of bad news again.

Today, we had to put Libby, our 6 month-old black Labrador puppy to sleep. She had become violently ill early this week, and by the week's end she was terribly emaciated, spiking fevers of 106 degrees (102 is normal) and when let outside, had to be carried back in. The veterenarian thinks it was Parvo Virus - because the onset was so sudden and the symptoms were there, even though she'd tested negative for it previously.

I was there when it happened (when she was put to sleep), and it just kills me that she had to suffer so much. With Sid, it was sudden - no real pain or suffering. Libby had a week of various ailments linked to Parvo Virus (I won't go into detail - it ain't pretty), and if she could've been saved, would probably live the rest of her days with brain damage.

The sight of me in a tiara, bawling my eyes out, must've been a doozy to the Humane Society employees. Even wearing my non-pharmaceutical antidepressant didn't help much. (Yes, I shared with the family - when we got to the exam room, I promptly put the tiara on Taylor's head. And handed her a Kleenex.) It's just hard to deal with a loss like that. And as bad as it may sound, I'm glad that I was there with Libby in those last minutes. She was there for me after I'd lost Sid, so it was only right that I be there for her. :)

It may be a few months before the family gets another dog, as Parvo apparently can lie dormant for up to 6 months, and the last thing we'd need is to get a dog, then lose it the same way. In the meantime, they've been advised to wash the house down with bleach and not adopt another puppy for 6 months - to be on the very safe side.