Gray Dog

Last Sunday, Greta and I went for a 3.5 mile run, a feat for me but a breeze for the old gray dog. However, once we were home, she seemed lethargic and slow. A little off. That behavior continued throughout the week, and by Thursday night when she wouldn't even eat a piece of offered chicken, we were very concerned.

A heartbreaking vet appointment on Friday confirmed that Greta had internal bleeding, likely from a cancerous tumor in her spleen. Her body temperature was low, she had lost 30% of her red blood cells, and could barely walk. The vet did not think she would survive through the weekend. We were advised that euthanasia would be the most compassionate choice. We made the appointment for Saturday morning.

Surprisingly, Friday night she ate some chicken noodle soup. Then, begged for more. By Saturday morning, she was barking at the door bell, hoisting herself off her beloved sofa perch by herself without effort. She seemed altogether too perky to go through with the procedure. So we canceled. The vet suspects that the internal bleeding is temporarily clotted-- whether that is for a day, a week, or more, we don't know. He explained that often times these things wax and wane, but was very surprised by her ability to bounce back from such dire conditions the day before.

Today, she is sleeping on the sofa with Ellie (her beloved elephant), occasionally wandering to the front window to keep watch, and enjoying a rawhide. We don't know how much longer she will grace us with her lovable presence but we are treasuring this time with her. She has been a loyal, true companion for over ten years, so we will follow her lead when she tells us it's her time. Until then, there will be lots of snuggling that sweet gray mug.