Husky News (Not Good News)

[ecchi]

Most of you will probably know that in the "Thread Of The Day" I sometimes post "Husky News". This is not as common a "Puppy News" because, being older and more sensible, the Husky rarely does anything stupid or out of the ordinary, whereas the puppy often does things that are stupid or out of the ordinary (or just puppyish). Anyone who followed "Husky News" will be aware that the husky was getting old for a dog, about 14 years old.

Yesterday (Wednesday), when I went over there to walk the dogs, the husky's owner told me he had died on Saturday. This was not a surprise on account of his age, but he had not been seeming too ill, in fact I think the last "Husky News" I posted was how he appeared stronger, and was chasing squirrels and ducks in the park.

However early on Saturday he had appeared unsure of himself - when I got him up for breakfast he had appeared confused, as though he did not know where he was. I put this down to just having woken up possibly combined with the beginnings of senility. But with hindsight he was probably feeling ill and trying to decide if he could make the stairs up to where his breakfast was served.

Unknown to any of us, his heart was failing, later that day his owner realised he was ill, and took him to the vet. The sedated him to examine him, and when he saw how ill he was told my friend that it would be kindest to not let him wake up. My friend agreed.

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In some respect it was the perfect timing for him. With most humans and animals - if they die at this time of year you tend to think "I wish they had one more summer", but huskys have thick fir, they hate the summer. In the case of a husky, if they die in September you think "I wish they had one more winter." So maybe going before the weather warmed up was a blessing. Summer was never fun for him, and at his age and current health it would have been worse.

Also, from my own selfish point of view: Friday night his owners had gone out for the night, and I was staying overnight to look after him, so I got one last day with him before he died.

However in other ways it was bad timing. I had not been in to walk them Monday or Tuesday because of hospital visits. The puppy was upset because of the husky's disappearance (don't know if he realises the husky is dead, but he knows he went out and has not come back). When I did not turn up on Monday he got further upset, presumably thinking that those he loved were leaving him one by one.

My 'phone has been faulty. So when my friend tried to call me to tell me about the husky it went to the answer service. He tried several times, and because he knew I had hospital visits he thought they have found something serious and I had been rushed straight into hospital, adding to his worries.

And there is the fact that his owners were away for the last night of his life. Although good for me, it will probably be something they regret.

My friend is still upset, and his partner is distraught. When I came to walk the dogs he hid in the bedroom and would not see me, he was apparently afraid that seeing me come to walk the husky would be too much to take.

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I will miss the husky, he may have just been a dog, but he was a good friend.

Although it looks bad, he is not trying to eat the pig, he is trying to make friends with it.

Goodbye dear old friend.