What a day yesterday. This is a sad story, so be warned.
Rose called me at 4:30 to say, “I
think you should come home immediately, there is something wrong with one of
the dogs”. My heart drops, I ask “which
one”. Peter, she replies. I can hear in her voice that it is
serious. Oh please God, I think, please
let it not be that one of the kids has hurt the dog. “What’s wrong”, I ask. “I think the dog is dead,” she replies
solemnly. But how, how could it be? Rose says that Kate came inside to tell her
that Peter was dead. Rose replied that
Peter couldn’t be dead, she must just be sleeping and goes outside to
look. Peter looks dead. I tell Rose to
keep the kids away from the dog and that I will be there right away.
I throw my computer in the bag,
grab my stuff and race home. I was
working at my mom’s house, five minutes away. The whole way there I am hoping that the dog is just sick, how could the
dog be dead! Hundreds of possible
reasons fly through my head. Maybe the
kids hugged her too hard and broke her neck. Maybe she ate something poisonous. Maybe a snake bit her. Maybe a
scorpion bit her. Maybe Bruno played too rough with her. How could she be dead! My little baby. My little baby Peter.
I arrive at home with my heart in
my mouth. The walk from the garage to
the back of the house feels like a million miles long. There she is, lying on her side. She looks so peaceful, as if she is sleeping. I touch her gently. She is cold and her body stiff. Her little
face looks swollen. She isn’t sleeping, she is dead.
I reel back. How could this
happen. How could this lively beautiful sweet puppy be dead. They were fine
when I left in the morning, hopping and skipping around like two little mad
things. I had been home in the middle of
the day and only seen Shelley, but I thought Peter was lying in the kennel with
Bruno. Peter liked to take little siestas.
I call Marko, I am so nervous. He
is going to be so upset. I hate having to break the news to him on the phone,
but I can’t face telling him in person. I know he is going to freak out.
He freaks out. Shouts. That is what he does when he is upset. I
shout back at him telling him not to shout at me, I am upset enough
already. I’m crying. The kids keep
asking me “why are you so sad, mommy”. They both climb on me, hugging me, taking my face between their
hands and kissing me on the mouth. I don’t think I’ve ever cried in front of
them, but I can’t stop crying. It’s all
too much. I haven’t yet shed one tear for my pregnancy loss, but this floors
me. My little baby Peter, oh please
please please don’t let her have suffered. I don’t think I could handle it.
Marko says that his father is on
the way to our house, he will take Peter to the vet for an autopsy. Marko wants to know how the dog died.
My father in law calls with report
backs all the time. He is an absolute hero in the crisis. First thought is tick bite fever. But the initial bloods rule that out. A full examination is done and we have our
answer. Thank goodness, thank you with
all my heart, the dog didn’t suffer. She
had heart failure due to a genetic disorder. She must have died instantly and
peacefully. I can’t tell you how much
that helps me. The thought of her
suffering was killing me. She was such a sweet, loving dog.
The vet says it is fairly common.
Their hearts become enlarged and simply give in. My heart feels like it has taken a severe
beating this week. I’m exhausted. I feel so terribly sorry for my baby dog. I’m
glad she had a good life, albeit a far too short life. And I am so glad she
went peacefully.
Inherited Heart Disease
The breed's primary heart problem is Subarterial
Aortic Stenosis (SAS) but goldens also face Mitral Valve Dysplasia and other
valve problems.
SAS is a restriction of the aorta, usually by a ring of fibrous tissue, just
after it leaves the heart. This restriction results in a distinct murmur (due
to backflow and turbulence), heart enlargement, and restricted blood flow. As
with CHD, affected dogs can be asymptomatic or severely crippled by this
disease. SAS can also lead to sudden death, even in very young dogs. It is
thought to be a genetic disease with a polygenic dominant mode of inheritance.
Since many goldens have innocent (non-SAS) murmurs as puppies, breeding adults
must be cleared by a board-certified veterinary cardiologist
Marko comes home and we end up
having a huge fight. Screaming at each other. I am still so upset about the dog and he starts shouting at me about how we
need to make sure we watch the children all the time and god forbid this
happens to the children and what happens if I phone him at work and say
something has happened to the children. I beg him not to talk about that now; I
don’t think I can deal with it. He
shouts, I shout back.
An hour later, Marko and I declare
an unspoken truce. It’s been a very upsetting week for both of us. We should
try and be kinder to each other at times like these.
I walk into the kitchen, there is
a bunch of red roses for me. It’s our
eight year anniversary. Happy
anniversary. It certainly hasn’t been mundane.
RIP little Peter Albertyn
18/12/2007 – 22/04/2008