For the love of Snoopy

Last week, something horrendous happened to us.  Our dear friend, Snoopy, got sick on Friday and, on Sunday night, he passed away.   He was only 11.

This photo was taken exactly one week before his death.  That day, we were at a picnic and Snoopy had a great time.  

In the coming days, though, we noticed him seeming tired, and twice I found him hiding in the closet.  It wasn't until he stopped eating and clearly wasn't himself on Friday night that we knew something was really wrong.  We took him to the vet Saturday morning, and the Dr. said he suspected kidney failure.  He took blood, gave Snoopy some shots, and sent us home with some special food and directions on how to care for him until we got the blood work results on Monday morning.  But, he was gone on Sunday night.

We have been in shock. I have no words to express how much we are grieving. Our other dog, Maggie, passed away last July.  She was 2 years older than Snoopy.  That was very hard, but this was even harder, because it was so sudden.

This is one of my favorite photos of the two of them: he was still a puppy and we were at a pumpkin patch.  Snoopy was in high spirits.  We all were.

I loved this little dog so much. He really had my heart.

 And, of course, Ben's.

They grew up together.

Ben grew older, and Snoopy did, too.  Unlike Ben, he became more cuddly in his old age.

He was my buddy.

I couldn't breathe for the first couple of days after he left us.  I could hardly believe he was gone.  I wanted him back so badly; now, it's been a week and it's sunken in.  But I still feel so awful.

To help me cope, I ordered this necklace from Wild Twisted Roots on Etsy.  It's comforting me to wear it. 

Through it all, I've been wracked with guilt about getting the kitten, Paul Simon.  If I'd had any inkling Snoopy wasn't well, I never would have brought another pet into the house.  I can't help but think it caused Snoopy stress, or at least, made him jealous and sad at times over the last month.  In the photo above, taken while Snoopy lay ill, the kitten was concerned and trying to comfort me. I know how awful I look in the photo, but it is the reality.  Believe me, I look only a fraction as devastated as I was feeling inside.

When Snoopy passed away, Ben had left a few days before to go back to college for his sophmore year.  I think maybe he was waiting for Ben to go.  

I am so glad to have had the love of Snoopy in my life.

Please, hug your pets extra tight and give them lots of love; you just never know how long you'll have them.