We had to put the dog down. Some stories never end well, and the stories about dogs are always at the top of the list. Their lives are short, intense, and full of love, and their passing is heartbreaking - always. She had a heavy bloated stomach due to previously unknown tumors around her spleen and kidneys, and that was that. Eight years never leaving my side came to a halt in a few sincere hours.
It was an ordinary morning. Coffee in the park, happily playing with her favorite weekend friends while running around in debates over who owned the smelly ball. No clues were given. No signs. Nothing. Returning home, she had her first meal of the day while I had more coffee. She fell deep into a midday nap, and I went to work, leaving her alone for a few hours. It was a completely normal Sunday, a day she had experienced countless times before.
Kajsa was sitting upright on the bed when I opened the door. I held my shoes and coat and gently touched her swollen chest while she quietly whimpered. Then, everything happened very quickly. Leash, car keys, wallet, and plastic bags in case of any unforeseen accidents on the way out. I called my wife from the car, prioritized at the clinic, then waited for the veterinarian's verdict while Kajsa slowly recovered from her temporary drowsiness.
Gastric dilatation volvulus is what they call it. That’s when the stomach twists out of position, and gas mixes with natural acids turning it into a rapidly growing ball. It’s fatal if you don’t get to the hospital in time. The weight of the tumors had caused the drop, and to fix it, everything had to be removed before the stomach could be stitched back into place. No spleen, no kidneys, and poor digestion would mean she would need daily medication and dialysis every two weeks.
That’s not a life for a dog.
I am a country boy, born and raised alongside cattle, pigs, and chickens. I have seen bulls turned into cows with a tight rope and a razor blade and cats being neutered head down in rubber boots with the use of a harvesting tongue. I have seen dead horses, decapitated chickens, and heard pigs let out their final cries for help.
I cried every time but never thought it was wrong.