Sometimes, a lot of times, choices are hard to make in life. Tonight was one of them.
We have three pups, basically all rescues. One was living tied to a tree, another dropped off to stay for two weeks, thirteen years ago and the other just in need of a home and a gift from a dear friend trying to get rid of a litter of pups , but wanted him anyway.
Things went great until Ham, our brown guy lost most of his sight from juvenile cataracts at the age of about six or seven. He went totally blind a couple of years later and after moving him to Orlando, out of his well known comfort zone of our old house and yard in Georgia, moves about carefully and with great trepidation.
Charlie, our white guy, the same age as Ham has slowed down quite a bit as well. He seems to have and suffer from more aches and pains than me.
We have the routine down pat. Guiding Ham to walk around Charlie, the grumpus and never moving furniture or leaving chairs pushed out from the kitchen table.
It's worked well for over a year.
The past couple of months Charlie has gone downhill. Moves slow as a snail and obviously often times in pain.
When he started becoming incontinent in the house, knew we had to make a decision. Unfortunately we selfishly put it off too long.
Charlie and Ham have always been buds. We jokingly call them Siegfried and Roy. Ham licks Charlie ears clean every day along with Charlie's massive tear stained bulldog jowls.
They were besties.
Last night, the inevitable happened.
I was standing in the doorway of our bedroom talking with Tim. Ham sauntered in and blindly,unknowingly bumped into Charlie.
Charlie starting his famous growling technique...he's never bitten but sounds like he is. Ham turned and walked away. Charlie followed him and growled again. Ham walked away yet another time. The third time, Ham had enough. Can't blame him...couldn't see the enemy or where it was coming from. He simply reacted.
It happened in an instant. I had Ham's collar and Tim had Charlie's. Ham had sunk his teeth into Charlie's jowl and were stuck there. It took us what seemed like an eternity to get them apart, with Charlie's blood already pooling on the floor.
It was absolutely frightening, terrifying and beyond excruciatingly painful...for all involved.
It was a long night. Tim and I ...mostly me, decided it was time for Charlie to be put down. He had aches and pains beyond belief, and had become incontinent...seemingly knowing it was wrong and would attempt to lick it up before we saw it...which in itself broke my heart to see.
We decided to do it the very next morning. Called a good friend we've made here and got the number to her Vet.
Charlie moved one foot from the dog fight after I mopped up all the bloodstains, back to his bed a foot behind him and remained there for almost eighteen hours.
Morning came and just couldn't make myself take him to the vet and be put down. He slept and was breathing. Tim had to leave for work at six AM and Charlie was still sleeping as well. I checked on him all through the night and early morning and his breathing wasn't labored. He didn't whine or whimper.
The old boy has had a good life with us. TJ dropped him off to stay with us for two weeks...almost thirteen years ago and has been with us since.
Unfortunately, it's still Charlie's time to go. His quality of life as gotten to the point that we are making him suffer so we don't have to suffer without having him around.
That's just not right... not for Charlie.
It was a cold and gloomy day in Orlando. I chose to let Charlie remain on his favorite dog bed for another day or two.
Come Monday morning, the old boy will be lovingly taken to the vet and cross that rainbow bridge.
He incredibly survived the dog fight and even went out and pooped tonight after I got home from work.
Still doesn't change the outcome or odds of him having a happy life.
He won't. He is thirteen years old and has lived way beyond his life expectancy.
He has been granted two more days...more for us than him.
Oh, Charlie. You will be missed but always loved.
Thanks for all the memories.
Have said it many times, the only bad thing about having a dog is they don't live long enough.
Till next time...a grieving COTTON
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