29 March 2015

Mia's last day


Some of you have met Mia, a Bassett Ariegois - or seen this photo of her in exhibitions.  Sadly, today she was put to sleep.

It's been a bad few weeks lately.  First, my oldest dog, Beau - a black and tan Bruno du Jura, had to be put to sleep. It was his time. Indeed the deed was done not a day too early or too late and I was okay about it. He'd had a good life here and lived far longer than he would have in the particular refuge he was in.

But Mia, who had a dreadful early life (as did Beau) didn't deserve to have been so sick for the last two or three weeks of her life. She'd had an ear infection for six months, nothing would clear it up and the skin deep within her ear got so thin it started bleeding.  At this time I changed vets, not because I didn't have the best faith in my old vet but because Mia was so car sick every time I drove a distance to her and she understood and agreed. The new vet gave me product for her ears that went into her blood stream and caused massive inbalance and semi-paralysis -  and ever since then we've been trying to get her right. And I changed vets again, of course.

Last night she became totally paralyzed and so this morning she went to the vet on her last journey.

When I got Mia around 7 years ago she'd been living in a filthy 2 metre square run with another dog, Mistral. She'd obviously had several litters of puppies and was thin as a stick and with bleeding skin. They'd been living on top of years of excrement and having food thrown over the fence. The owner died and the son wanted to shoot them.  So, they came to me. Mistral lived only 3 months because she had cancer, but Mia put on weight and was in excellent health, except mentally and emotionally. All her years with me she was terrified of any visitor, especially men.

Mia was a wonderful dog, so kind, so sensitive. I miss her like crazy. 

So, now, this house is very empty. I have this photo of Mia hanging on my wall. And another of Beau hangs elsewhere. I'll show you Beau's photo another time.

(the second photo shows Mia with her friend Maggie, in the background). 

7 comments:

  1. Sad news.....
    Big hugs from "us" here in Stavanger.
    We know she was loving, loved and looked after.
    We fully understand the loss, Jilly.

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  2. More big hugs from me in Perth Jilly. So sorry to hear this, especially if in Mia's case it was avoidable. Take comfort that Beau and Mia are happy together again. Xx

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  3. More big hugs from me in Perth Jilly. So sorry to hear this, especially if in Mia's case it was avoidable. Take comfort that Beau and Mia are happy together again. Xx

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  4. You treated her with kindness and love, and she knew it.

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  5. Oh, Jilly, I am so sad for you - and with you. Watching a beloved pet suffer is horrible. You cannot explain to them why, or ask them what you can do to help. Thank heaven there is a humane way to end it. I am so sorry you are lonely now, but I have no doubt your home is or will be full of other creatures to love. Take some time for yourself to be sad, and then be happy again. I am sure you have some beautiful photos to remember you friends.

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  6. A champion dog portrait based on the inevitable tragedy of life.

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  7. Mia got to experience your love, as did Beau. Even Mistral had the blessed relief of time with you before she died. We do our best and I think they know. They certainly pay us back in love.

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