Update 5: A Huge Hole in my Heart

Right before I left for the ARHA show, my dog Trooper got sick. He was vomiting Thursday night after several days of not being himself and just not feeling well. He has a sensitive stomach so we don't get super stressed if he vomits, but later that night he was also shaking and shivering. By the time we got up Friday morning he was weak through his rear end and falling over. Chuck rushed him to the vet and after some blood work and tests it was chalked up to an inner ear infection and we were sent home stocked full of antibiotics and medication. Chuck was suppose to go with me to the show, but we decided he would stay home with Trooper and keep an eye on him instead of sending the dogs to my moms to puppy sit.

I should quickly tell you a bit more about Trooper. I've had him since he was a small puppy. He was given to me at the shelter about 6 years ago by a vet student who couldn't keep him. She didn't want him to go through the "system" so I told her I would take him home until I found a new home for him. I had no intention of keeping him, but he had the most expressive eyes, I ended up instantly falling in love with him. He had lots of issues, food aggressive, dog aggressive, and completely unsocialized. I worked with him everyday for several hours, handled him, trained him, took him everywhere I could. We soon got over everything and he was a happy social dog who loved everyone. He was extremely intelligent, protective of his family and watched over everyone of us. When my husband (before Chuck) passed away suddenly and tragically, Trooper was there. He was by my side the whole time and pulled me and the kids through a time when we couldn't see the light at the end of the tunnel. He was my constant companion and absolute best friend. After I met and married Chuck, he also instantly fell in love with Trooper and what a wonderful dog he was. We often joked that he had to live forever as we don't know how to live without him.

Chuck and I talked on and off all day Friday and Trooper was still not feeling well, but seemed to mildly improve. Saturday Chuck called my in a panic....he was seizuring. I had him rush him to the emergency vet. After several seizures and blood work and exams, I got the call late Saturday night that Trooper was in renal failure. I was stuck at a horse show 4 hours away and could not get back to him. I managed to hold myself together to get through until I could get back late Sunday night. The vets were able to keep him stable and comfortable until I could get there. Chuck and I snuggled with him and told him how much we loved him, how much he would be missed, and held him while letting him go. I couldn't hold it together anymore. It was 2am and I was exhausted and just lost my most precious friend. I broke down. Chuck and I stayed home all day Monday and we let the kids stay home from school. It was a tough time for the whole family. We all miss him dearly. Everyday is hard, he was a huge part of our lives.