| An associate shared this heart-rending story | | | | and then feed them to her. She was a strong |
| with me about his pet and I'll repeat it here | | | | dog. She could pull me along behind, |
| in his own words.I had the most lovely | | | | dragging me holding her leash.As time went on |
| Rotweiler female dog. She was about two | | | | she continually had stomach problems, |
| years old when I bought her. She had a | | | | separated by days when she felt better. The |
| strong personality, but was sweet, loving and | | | | size of her abdomen also grew larger. Each |
| affectionate to me. I named her Snoopy. She | | | | day we still faithfully went on her walk. |
| was a career watch dog. I kept her on a long | | | | She would come to me when she thought it was |
| tether line attached to a strong steel post. | | | | time to go walking, and remind me that she |
| Every day she would go for a long walk with | | | | wanted to go. As time went on her rest |
| me.When I moved to a more rural setting she | | | | periods during our walks, grew more frequent |
| had her own fenced off yard, to play in. | | | | and longer. Some times we did about half and |
| Life was good. She loved to go for walks on | | | | half, walking and sitting. I would carry a |
| the mountain side behind where we lived. | | | | water bottle for Snoopy so she could drink. |
| Snoopy's world was one of smell. She loved | | | | She always became thirsty on her walks.Snoopy |
| to go sniffing in a ground squirrel's burrow. | | | | started developing tumours on the out side of |
| She would spend a lot of time digging up the | | | | her fur coat. From time to time, I checked |
| hole. The dirt would go flying behind her, | | | | her coat and noted she was developing more |
| as she became a dirty, soil covered mess. | | | | tumours, on her sides and shoulders. I |
| She would dig until tired, and even then it | | | | suspected the large mass in her abdomen was |
| was difficult, to pull her away from the | | | | also a tumour.Sometimes her food seemed to |
| hole.Snoopy was a very intelligent dog. I | | | | make her feel sick. In her last week she |
| talked to her all the time. She seemed to | | | | found a bunch of bird bones in the forest and |
| understand a great deal of the English | | | | insisted on eating them. She really enjoyed |
| language and would get all excited if I asked | | | | eating those bones. I knew her days were |
| her if she wanted to go for a drive in the | | | | numbered and did not want to deprive her of |
| car. Then she would saunter off to the door, | | | | any last pleasures. The day after she ate |
| and wait for me to go out with her. She did | | | | the bones she felt really sick. She didn't |
| much the same thing if I asked her, if she | | | | eat her food for a couple of days after that. |
| wanted to go for a walk. Snoopy would | | | | Instead she went looking for grass, when we |
| gesture with her head and paws to | | | | were out walking. In a few days she felt |
| communicate. Some times it was almost like | | | | better again. All the grass we picked |
| we were psychically linked. I would wake up | | | | together, must have helped. She sure ate a |
| at night from a deep sleep, when she wanted | | | | lot of grass. She had a few last good days. |
| to go out side.Snoopy had thick black and | | | | Snoopy really enjoyed life on her good days. |
| brown hair. Twice a year she would shed her | | | | She enjoyed going exploring so much, on the |
| coat. The heaviest hair loss was in spring, | | | | mountain side. On her good days one could |
| when her winter coat was shed. The lighter | | | | almost forget, that she had a growing |
| hair loss came in fall as she prepared to put | | | | problem.Snoopy became sick again and this |
| on her winter coat. I would try to comb her | | | | time couldn't keep down food or water. I |
| every day when she was shedding hair. | | | | would try to give her little drinks, hoping |
| Brushing her hair yielded bunches of her | | | | her stomach would keep the water down. She |
| black fur so at this time of year brushing | | | | just threw it up, a short time later. On her |
| her coat became a major element of her pet | | | | last morning I woke up, hearing Snoopy |
| care routine.Even though we were very active, | | | | coughing violently. I ran to help her. She |
| taking mountain walks each day, Snoopy, | | | | was in a life and death struggle to breath. |
| started putting on a lot of weight. She was | | | | I tried to clear her throat, swatting her on |
| so heavy, I could not have lifted her. She | | | | the back of the neck. It was too late. She |
| was about the size of a small sheep.Off and | | | | went unconscious and died in my arms. I was |
| on she would have stomach problems. I | | | | heart broken. My best friend had died. Her |
| noticed she was developing a pot belly. She | | | | departure ended her cancer, but left me lost, |
| would eat a lot of grass on days when she | | | | with a gigantic hole in my life. Snoopy was |
| didn't feel well. Sometimes I would help | | | | the best part of my life. |
| her, by picking the blades of grass for her, | | | | |