Roxie

Sadly we have lost our dog Roxie.  She passed away yesterday and we all are deeply saddened by her sudden death.  I got Roxie 12 years ago from the pound and my roommate Shannon could have killed me for it.  She was just so sad and lonely in her cage at Pets Mart that I couldn't leave her there. Roxie was my companion all through college, when Dave and I broke up, when Dave went to the Marines and and during his tours in Iraq.  Roxie, saw me through anesthesia school, and the birth of our son.  We often joked that Roxie would never die.  She had survived heart worms at 6 months of age, being hit by a car with a compound fracture, and eating lots of ant poison.  Nevertheless, whatever she scummed to was quick and fast and I although it is harder on us, I am thankful for her quick passing. 

Roxie had fallen down the stairs on Wednesday afternoon and although she took a hard fall she got right up and walked it off.  However, that evening she started vomiting and did not want to come inside.  The next morning she walked down the stairs and went outside but again did not want to come in.  That afternoon she became very tachypnic and progressively became paralyzed.  Dave left work and took her to the vet for an evaluation and we both thought she would be put down.  The vet felt very strongly that she had just hurt her back and he was certain she would recover fully in just a few days.  He gave her a dose of steroids and sent Dave and Roxie on their way. 

When I arrived home from work and saw Roxie for myself I agreed with Dave and was certain she was dying.  I called the vet and told him that if he really thought this was all pain related then she needed a narcotic.  Poor Roxie was breathing so fast that I couldn't even count her respirations.  I quickly gathered Brody and drove to the vet to pick up a narcotic for her.  When I arrived home I took a few steps inside and knew she had passed without even seeing her.  I sat Brody down in the kitchen and when I walked upstairs I found her dead.

The medical person in me just could not handle not knowing what happened to her.  The vet said all her labs were fine.  I could not stop questioning if they were fine then why would she have died so suddenly.  I have now decided that she must have hit her head when she fell and had a brain bleed that ultimately caused her to herniate.  I know to most people this sounds gruesome and cold but it brings me great comfort to "know" what happened to her. 

She was a great dog and will be very missed by our entire family!!!