Anthony’s Ramblings

A few weeks ago Jag, my black lab, had stopped eating or drinking. He was taken to the vet and they kept him for a few days to nourish him back to life. We were given prescription dog food, prescription treats, and very strict feeding guidelines. Everything was going well until last Wednesday. Mom had told me that he wasn’t eating like usual, but I brushed it off. I got a phone call Sunday morning from my dad. He said it’s time. So, I rushed to my parents house in the Central Valley (about a 2 hour drive from my place in San Jose) so I could see him before he was put down. I decided to spend the night and go with him to the vet in the morning. So, I spent 95% of my time sitting/laying next to him. As the day progressed, he got worse and worse. Dad and I had to carry him whenever he wanted to go somewhere. We limited him to the back yard and the living room. Eventually, he didn’t care where he was. Before everyone settled down for the night, Mom and I carried him into the house. I decided to sleep with him, which was the best decision I made. Of course, I couldn’t sleep because the sheer thought of losing Jag kept my mind turning. So, I layed down next to him and switched between watching him and watching the TV. Time passed and his breaths became farther apart. At about 1:13 AM (early Monday morning), he stopped breathing all together and passed.

Jag was my first dog and, besides fish, my first pet loss. I never imagined that it would be this hard. He was an extraordinary dog. He was happiest when he was with the family regardless of where we were (though he did prefer being on the boat or in a car). It’s like I’ve lost a brother. He was 11 years old…it was his time.

Jag, I’m going to miss you…very much.