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Ten years without Brandi
May. 11th, 2011 08:46 pmToday makes 10 years since my dear, sweet Brandi dog died.
Brandi was very old for a German shepherd mix -- she might have been as old as 16. When she came to live with me and my then-housemates in the summer of 1993, we were told that she was 8 years old. She was supposed to be the "house dog" and belong to no one in particular, but she chose *me* to be her human, and that's what made her special to me.
Brandi's interests in life were treats, chasing squirrels, rides in the car, and walks in the park. She was not the brightest star in the canine galaxy, but she did endear herself to me.
Toward the end of her life, Brandi started having lots of trouble with her hind legs, to the point where she could barely stand up. There's a name for this condition, which seems to run in German shepherds, but I can't remember it offhand. "Something something myelopathy," I think. Her back end was wasting away, but I found it awkward to pick up and carry 55 pounds of dog, so I found a home-visiting vet to perform the final treatment. Brandi had refused to eat or drink the morning of the appointment, so I think she knew it was her time.
I used to sing a little song to her, and it was probably the last thing she ever heard....
I love my Brandi,
Oh yes I do,
I love my Brandi,
She loves me too.
She is the best dog
On planet Earth --
Of my love for Brandi
There is no dearth.
Brandi was very old for a German shepherd mix -- she might have been as old as 16. When she came to live with me and my then-housemates in the summer of 1993, we were told that she was 8 years old. She was supposed to be the "house dog" and belong to no one in particular, but she chose *me* to be her human, and that's what made her special to me.
Brandi's interests in life were treats, chasing squirrels, rides in the car, and walks in the park. She was not the brightest star in the canine galaxy, but she did endear herself to me.
Toward the end of her life, Brandi started having lots of trouble with her hind legs, to the point where she could barely stand up. There's a name for this condition, which seems to run in German shepherds, but I can't remember it offhand. "Something something myelopathy," I think. Her back end was wasting away, but I found it awkward to pick up and carry 55 pounds of dog, so I found a home-visiting vet to perform the final treatment. Brandi had refused to eat or drink the morning of the appointment, so I think she knew it was her time.
I used to sing a little song to her, and it was probably the last thing she ever heard....
I love my Brandi,
Oh yes I do,
I love my Brandi,
She loves me too.
She is the best dog
On planet Earth --
Of my love for Brandi
There is no dearth.
