Your Pet Loss Stories

by Gail
(Missouri)

Victoria was a beautiful black Austrian Shepherd-Border Collie with white fur on her chest. She came into my life unwanted by others and in danger. She had killed a rooster and neighbors were going to shoot her. I offered to replace the rooster and did. Her owners did not want her anymore so I said I would keep her since I had her sister already from the litter.

When I moved to town from the country, I had to find a foster home for Victoria and her sister because I had other pets too. After two years at the foster home, I got Victoria back because she had blood in her urine. Turned out she needed surgery for gallstones. I raised the money for the surgery and she survived even surprised the vet.

A year later she had heartworms. Started her on double doses of heartguard which seemed to be working and making her look and feel better. We had some episodes of having to give her Lasix for fluid buildup when she coughed and could not breath well. A couple of times over the months, she would just collapse on the ground for about 60 seconds and then stand up and be fine. This resulted in her taking Diogoxin twice a day for her heart for over a year.

Then this past summer, she got pneumonia. She pulled through with antiobitics. After her gallstone surgery, she was put on a strict diet of H/D but later on she could have some treats and sometimes little pieces of chicken which she loved.

But then on the evening of November 17, 2009, I went home after work and loaded up Avon to deliver and pulled out of the driveway at 6:45 p.m. Victoria was there watching me drive away like she always did with her ears standing up and her tail wagging. I decided to wait to feed her when I got back when I give her the second heart pill.

When I returned to the driveway at 9:30 p.m Victoria was not standing there to greet me as usual. I saw her body on the ground facing the driveway. She was still warm but already gone. I immediately felt guilt for not staying home but was told that this could happen. Since she had survived through so much, I guess I was not expecting this to happen "yet".

It has only been two days and I am crying as I type this. This dog was loyal and a great companion. She never acted like she was in pain when she had to have been. She always acted happy and friendly. I miss her being there every morning when I go outside and every night when I go back inside. She was a great dog. I still cannot believe she is gone.

If anyone wants a great dog, I would recommend the Austrian Shepherd. Victoria was everything that a good dog could be and more. I hope that I did everything that I could do for her while she was with me. She was 10 years old.

I still have her sister, Sabrina, who looks totally different but has that same sweet good natured disposition.

Sadly,

Gail