UPDATE 9-25-2011—

My precious Toby came in to my life 9/8/97 and departed from me 9/10/11. My Toby was diagnosed with HEMANGIOSARCOMA of the spleen 4.5 years ago and had an emergency Spleenectomy which revealed a burst tumor in his abdominal cavity. The Vet gave Toby 3 months to live with or without treatment and I made the decision to forgo treatment as the “odds” of Toby surviving through the chemotherapy was small and I wanted him to live out whatever time he had happy. I was BLESSED to be given 4.5 years after Toby’s surgery and diagnosis. In the 4.5 years, my precious dog went from 103 pounds to 50 pounds before he died. He remained happy, he didn’t show signs of being sick or being in pain on the outside, and lived knowing he was loved.

The truth is I needed Toby more than he needed me. In the end, Toby’s kidneys and liver were affected by both age and the cancer. In his final days I fed him water and soft food from a bottle, carried him outside when I thought he needed to eliminate, took him for a couple of car rides and making sure he knew I loved him so very much. I wanted Toby to go naturally because I just didn’t want to make the decision to let him go. The final nights of Toby’s life I slept on the floor near his bed of lush pillows and blankets in the event he needed water. On Friday evening the day before Toby’s passing I knew that he wasn’t going to make it through the weekend. The morning of 9/10/11 I awoke at 5:00 a.m and realized Toby was in the dying process, his eyes were in a blank stare as if he wasn’t there and his breathing was shallow. I just couldn’t watch my beloved dog go so I called the Vet to my home. I couldn’t watch my Toby be put down nor could I wrap him in a blanket and put him in the hole I had dug earlier so my brother and the Vet did until he was half way buried and I could take over. It breaks my heart knowing that pets come in to our hearts so quickly and show us the meaning of love and can be taken from us by something so horrible as canine cancer. I was one of the lucky ones who got 4.5 years after my Toby’s diagnosis and I believe it’s because Toby knew I needed him and couldn’t give him up. To all those who have lost or are in the process of losing their beloved pet to cancer, no matter what your decision is for their future, never give up on them, and love them as much as you can. Toby may be gone but he is in my heart forever.

— Cynthia

Thank you Mike and Cindy for your generous donation in memory of Hannah! It’s truly a beautiful tribute that you’ve created for the Faces of Courage page:

http://caninecancerawareness.org/faces-of-courage#Hannah

Canine Cancer Awareness is a 100% volunteer organization. Your donation goes to help dog families who cannot afford treatment. They can fight this disease in Hannah’s name. Thank you so much.

UPDATE 01-21-2011—

Yogi was a Christmas gift for Cami & Payton in December 2000, Santa brought him. In the beginning, like all puppies, Yogi was rambunctious and wasn’t very fond of rules. After he was trained (along with everyone else in the house) he loved to learn and yearned to earn praise from those around him.

The in-between years are similar to most stories, happy memories of swimming, walking, playing ball, the stepping on toes, stealing of pillows (or anything fuzzy) were constant. His favorite toy was the tennis ball, 3 years ago he was a tennis ball eating monster, I bought him pink tennis balls and after two months he didn’t eat tennis balls, he carried them around and played with them.

It was a week before Thanksgiving 2010 when we noticed Yogi wasn’t feeling well. Sometimes he would have an upset stomach but this particular morning seemed to be more. The next morning we learned that Yogi had advanced stage canine cancer, specifically hemangiosarcomas of the spleen which is a very common cancer in german shepards and golden’s – also it affects males more often then females. The ultrasound showed a tumor the size of a softball on his spleen and the vet advised it had also spread to other parts of his body. They did not suggest surgery and treatment due to Yogi’s age and the advanced stage. Surgery would not guarantee survival and would be very hard on him without a positive result. The vet gave him anywhere from days to weeks so we brought him home and have made sure he was happy and comfortable for the time we had with him.

The tumor had grown rapidly over the past few weeks and he would have good days and bad days, until the day he lost mobility of his back legs, therefore was unable to sit, stand, or walk. Even when food and water was brought to him, he refused both, not even bacon tempted his appetite. Although he did not show any signs of pain, it was evident he started to suffer, his breathing was harder and harder by the minute.

January 5, 2011 turned out to be the first difficult thing for the new year. We miss him but know he no longer suffers. Yogi is missed by all of us every day, it is still hard for me because I did so much with him, we were snuggle buddies on the floor and he loved when I would brush him. If I wasn’t feeling well I would lay on the floor with Yogi, he helped my migraines go away. I could relax him as well if he was stressed out because of a thunder storm or just anxious. We bonded instantly and the day we went to put him down I sat next to him in the back seat and he put his paw in my hand and like he was holding my hand his toes grabbed down. It made it even harder to let them take him, but I knew, he knew, it was time. He can, and never will be, replaced but will remain in our hearts forever.

— Mark, Stacey, Cami & Payton

Hannah

UPDATE 06-12-10 —

Dear Hannah:

This month marks your 14th birthday, our sweet girl. Not a day passes that Mommy and Daddy don’t think of you, or wish you were here with us. Its been two years since you went to the Rainbow Bridge, and we miss you and know you are waiting for us. Life moves on and brings many changes, but you need to know that you are loved, and will forever be in our hearts. There are some new faces in the house! Bailey and Cleo needed someone to care for them and love them just like you, and have joined the family. We know you would welcome them into your pack! Rest peacefully, Hannah-bug. Chase all the birds you can find, and dive deep for the best rock in the lake. We love you always!

— Mom and Dad

UPDATE 03-31-09 — Donated today in memory of Hannah. It’s been a year since you left us for a better place. We think of you every day, and love you with all our hearts. You will always be with us, our beautiful black lab.

— Mom & Dad

UPDATE 04-05-08 — We lost our beloved Hannah to hemangiosarcoma of the spleen and liver in the early hours of April 1st, 2008. She was nearing her 12th birthday. Her loss was so unexpected, it still seems like a bad dream. She had spent the weekend competing in something she so loved: a Dockdogs competition. Although she could no longer jump as far as she once could, she was so excited to leap into the water after her retrieving duck. She brought home seven ribbons that weekend. The very next day, as I was preparing her and our four other dogs’ dinner, she was conspicuously absent from the nightly lineup of hungry eyes watching my every move. I called out to her, and finally found her lying on the living room floor. She was lethargic, and could not get up to walk. As I was on crutches from an injury three weeks before, I called my wife, who had just left to volunteer helping cats find forever homes. She returned immediately, and knew instantly upon seeing Hannah that something was very wrong. A neighbor was summoned to help load Hannah into a blanket and into our van for a trip to the vet ER. She was losing blood, and an ultrasound found a splenic tumor. She was stabilized, and transported to another ER where surgeons were on-call to operate. As my wife drove through a rainstorm, I lay on the floor of the van holding her for the 35 minute trip. Through tears, I told her she was the best dog in the world, and how much we loved her, and how special she was. I prayed that she would be spared any pain or suffering. On arrival, we made the decision to have the surgery, just in case there was any chance to save her. After an agonizing wait, the surgeons came out to tell us the bad news; that it had spread to her liver, and she would not live much longer, even if they were able to remove the cancer. In the most difficult moment of our lives, we made the decision to say goodbye to our precious Hannah. Although it hurt us terribly, it was no longer about us, but about her quality of life. She left us peacefully at 1:45 in the morning.

We took her home wrapped in a blanket, and made sure that her canine brothers and sister had the chance to say goodbye to her. In the order that they came to our family, we showed them her body, and in the way only dogs can, they said goodbye. We took her the next day to our friend and hometown veterinarian, who cared for her since we were blessed with her entering our lives, and would take care of her one last time through cremation. A few locks of fur were collected, and our friend said she would take a pawprint for us. We will scatter her ashes in her hometown near Lake Michigan, where she learned to swim and dive for rocks. Her spirit will run free, unencumbered by any pain, soreness, or effects of old age. She will always be with us, till the end of our days, when we will be reunited once again.

We love you and miss you, our sweet girl and punkin’—

Mike & Cindy, Bandit, Muffasa, Chompers and Peanut.