Almost 2 years ago, my daughter Stephanie, rescued a Silky Terrier from a neglectful situation. His name was Charlie. He lived with her for 4 months and then when she moved to Florida, he came to live with John and I and joined 2 cats and a lab. Why not? He's little... He was approximately 10 years old... quiet with liquid brown eyes. He moved right in ...
He soon earned the nickname from me of: myittybittylittlebittyittybittypuppy.
I called him that all the time and he seemed to smile when I did.
Well, he quickly stole our hearts. He was smaller than Wooley Bulley, our 21 lb cat who thinks he is a dog, but Charlie got along great with all of them. Charlie taught me to love little dogs, although, he was a big dog in a little body. He was the perfect dog - except for the trash picking habit he picked up from our lab, Lucy, and then he started begging, just like Lucy. It was funny to watch... I took him everywhere with me. He was so compact. I couldn't help take him everywhere with me - he followed me everytime I left the room - a true Silky Terrier.
Then on Tuesday, August 29, 2006, I came home early afternoon, gave everyone kisses and sat down at the computer. Charlie came near me and acted like he was vomiting but there was nothing. I thought, maybe he has something caught in his throat? This went on for a couple of minutes and I soon knew something was wrong. I immediately called our vet and ran him over there. Dr. Parnes took one look at him, and took him downstairs while telling me that his stomach is bloating and this is very serious. Wow - I knew something was wrong but this??? .... Can you fix him for me please?
She soon came back upstairs and after explaining lots of different things to me and showing me xrays, etc., I made the decision (of course, with my husband on the telephone as well) that the best option for him - based on all factors we knew at that time - was to put him to sleep. Oh my, I told her through my tears, this certainly hadn't been on my list of to do's today!
This all happened within one hour and 15 minutes. Start to finish. My head was spinning - I was so sad. I said my goodbyes to my little soul mate and he was put out of his pain. Dr. Parnes seemed as mystified as I - even though Charlie had been on prednisone for a month or so for other issues - the only thing this could be was ulcerated stomach, or worse.
45 minutes after I got home - my eyes literally almost swollen shut (of course all the excess loose skin I now have on my lids didn't help), Dr. Parnes phoned me. I had asked her to autopsy (if that is what you call it) and she did. He was FULL of cancer. Absolutely took us by surprise. NO symptoms whatsoever. She said he had a large tumor that looked like it had started on his lung, grew and went to diaphram, pushed stomach over and attached itself to muscle and his spine. His spleen also had nodules and was so swollen it was almost ruptured. I could not believe it. It did validate our decision a little more but doesn't help my broken heart right now.
Thank you Charlie. I learned a lot from you in the short time you lived with us and I will miss you every single day. You moved into my heart and that is where you will always stay. I love you and will see you again someday...
