Last week I had to say goodbye to my beloved companion, Cora. She was my husband’s very first dog and our first dog together. We got her 14 years ago at an SPCA in Nova Scotia; she was only 12 weeks old and so darn cute. We all had an instant connection, and she became part of our little family very quickly.
She grew with us as we went through all of life’s events. We bought our house for her, (because it had a fence in the back yard), she was there at our wedding, she was there when we brought our daughter home, and two years later when we brought our son home. She was the best camper; she loved to lounge in the sun on those lazy summer days. Cora loved us unconditionally like only a dog can, and we all loved her back. She was simply the best.
The team at Riverview jumped in quickly when I carried my 80lb shep/husky mix into the hospital on a Saturday night. They didn’t see me as their manager that night, they saw me as a client, and they took care of Cora, their patient, with precision and speed. I knew what was coming, but I needed the diagnostics to make sure it was the best decision for her. They cared for her overnight and put her on IV fluids to keep her hydrated as we waited for all the results to come in, and for my Doctor to put the puzzle together. Then I got the call, the one you know is coming, but you don’t want to pick up the phone.
Cora was very sick and needed to go into surgery right away to see if we could save her. I knew in my heart that she would not survive the surgery, and my husband and I made the gut retching decision to say goodbye to her and let her pass peacefully in our arms. Saying goodbye is the hardest part of sharing your life with an animal, and after almost 20 years in the Veterinary Medicine, it does not get any easier. Our family was extremely blessed to have her in our lives, and knowing that she was our first family dog that gave us complete joy (except when she got into the garbage) will help to carry on the great memories for years to come.
As we celebrate senior pets for the months of October and November, here at Riverview, I wanted to celebrate the long life of joy that Cora brought to our family.
Written by Kelli, RVT
