Aspen was my little adopted
ferule guy. The breeder wasn't very good at breeding anymore
and all her dogs were ferule and terribly matted. Aspen was one
of two, one year olds, offered to me. After seeing them both,
I wasn't impressed. Neither would come to me and they smelled
like a bathroom and they were so matted, it was hard to tell
they were Samoyed's. The adults were the same way. *:(
I finally chose the one that first came to me for a bone, and
I'm so glad I did. It took awhile for him to come to me later
that night so I could clip the shell off his back, but once he
rested with his two paws on my lap and his nose in between,,,,he
just collapsed and trusted me with the scissors. It must have
felt great for him to get that shell off his back that would
be pinching him.
The next day Aspen had what most likely was his first bath and
boy did he look great after! Fluffy and white! It made me feel
bad that I couldn't also save his brother from those conditions,
but I couldn't go over 3 dogs.
Aspen has a little bit of a different story than the others.
We lost Shadow and Luna as my cancer treatment started, so it
was Aspen that went through it all with me. I should say we helped
each other because he got sick after Luna died. I forget what
it was called, but he could have died from it and the vet thinks
it was his anxiety after loosing Luna. They were like mother
and son and he was never alone until she died. He got better,
but then sick again with a reoccurring problem of vomiting. After
tests I was told he had renal failure and he might last a year
if he had the lactated ringers, which were not working. I tried,
but he wouldn't have it.
I found information from studies in the UK that baking soda acted
like dialysis, so I started making him pills. A woman I ran into
also told me to give him turmeric. I made kidney friendly food
and was teased that he ate better than most people. True! He
did!
Whenever he had a scare and there were a few, I would raise the
baking soda and turmeric. He got me through the rest of my radiation
and then we both settled down to recover a bit. Both of us in
the same position. Sick, dying and wanting to take care of the
other. We had our laughs, his last Christmas tree and he even
met some new friends, the Siberian cats I adopted. I have to
laugh though, because I waited for months to get a cat. I was
worried Aspen might not be gentle. That wasn't a worry. Siberian
cats actually like dogs and liked Aspen, but he didn't know what
to make of them. *:)
Aspen got to be cat curious for a couple of months before this
disease finally took him. I had many scares with him, but this
time too much was shutting down and he was in pain. My neighbor/friend
brought us to the emergency vet around 3:00am,,,,where Aspen
died on my lap, the same way he collapsed on my lap the first
time I went to brush him. Even the vet said she never saw a dog
go so peacefully.
I knew it was time. We got almost 2 1/2 years when we were told
"maybe 1 year". I had to force feed him for months,
but as soon as that was over, he got up and grabbed one of his
toys and wanted me to chase him around the house. Force feeding
wasn't fun for either of us, but it didn't last long, he didn't
hate me and at the end,,,,,,,,he actually gained weight when
I was told dogs in the late stages were usually starving to death.
I guess no one else thought of force feeding, but no way was
I going to let Aspen starve!
More than any other I lost,,,,,,this one left me feeling I'm
missing a huge part of myself. Partially, that's because he was
my last dog and he might be just that. That's also hard to take,
but mostly, I miss my clown. Aspen had a way to always cheer
me up, no matter how bad I was feeling and I hope I did the same
for him.
Aspen my baby brat,,,,,,I can't help but think happy memories
when it comes to you. You were such a clown! Yet, even though
the memories make me smile,,,the tears still come. Someday baby,
we'll be together. We'll all be together!
Christmas 2019
Christmas 2020Christmas
2021
Christmas 2022Christmas
2023
I love you with my whole soul,
Mom
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