Rocky Doxie 1 May 2000 - 19 October 2015
With great sadness it's time I posted this here..that our beloved Rocky has passed on.
We adopted him 1 May 2005, and he was estimated to be 4 years old by the rescue...however our vet thought much older due to the condition of his teeth. He was a total love bug, never met a stranger, though would bark if you were not throwing the ball to him..in his younger years. When his human brother was born 6 years ago... Rocky thought Joey was his and they were instant best friends (till this school year Rocky would try to follow him out the door every morning for school!).
Earlier this year we noticed incontinence set in and his vision was lost about 2 1/2 years ago...however he still carried on and was good otherwise. His hearing seemed to deteriorate this year as well, however he still seemed content. I've always treated their issues as if they were human (you know if this is Grandma do you make the most of it...or do you ask God to take her home).
In mid September he began refusing food. At that time we went to the vet and he had an infection however all else was good according to the blood panel. He was put on antibiotics and a dental was scheduled for October 1st...it was then that we got a call that he did not do well going under his heart rate dropped drastically...we made the decision to halt the procedure. At the time of pick up we were told his kidney numbers were elevated (later in talking to the vet myself she thought that was because of the medication as 2 weeks earlier it was fine).
In this time we put him on raw he did well with the chicken (not beef...that came up every time)...after a few days though again he stopped eating. We then we to canned Natural Balance again for a few days he'd eat it...but then stop I even bought organic baby food for the big guy (I swear he was holding out knowing my husband would give him chicken and cheese.) As of last Friday he began not even keeping water down. Saturday morning he was up and seemed as ok as he'd been this summer. Even ate a bit...but again did not keep it down.
Monday we took him to the vet and I knew it would be the last time....Joey was already home due to a long appointment he had mid day. I made the decision to take Joey with us (this was HIS best friend)...and at 6 he needs to know what was going on...before the appointment I sat and talked with Joey and we brought Rocky up on the big bed and loved on him with massive cuddle time. The 3 of us went into the vet and the infection was out of his body his kidney numbers were no worse (nor horrible, just out of the normal range) . In talking with the Dr. it was basically said "we could buy some time ....but how much??? was any ones guess) however the chance of him improving any if at all did not look good...it was more of an age thing. We made the decision to help him over Joe took Joey out of the room after saying goodbye and I was with him till he passed, holding him, loving him, letting him we'll miss him more then ever..and one day we'll all be together playing fetch and being forever young.
He's being privately cremated and should be back home in a few days (I plan on moving out of state in the next 3 years so burying him here @ the pet cemetery was not an option). To say we miss the big boy is an understatement. In fact Monday night Joey woke up screaming "I WANT MY DOG BACK!" then during the night he was crying in his sleep (honestly my husband took off work Tuesday and I kept Joey home from school...as all 3 of us had a rough night with little to no sleep through the tears).
He LOVED the Christmas Tree (to the point I don't even want to put one up now
"It doesn't matter where you go in life, it's the doxies you have beside you!"
Nicole, Mom of the Doxie Duo