12/23 thru 12/26/10

  Well another Christmas has come and gone.  It was a good one as far as family goes had a wonderful time at my Mom's even though alot of the kids couldn't be there because of the weather.  It gave me time to reflect on my Dad and my sister Susie I miss them both so much I know they are looking down and enjoying still seeing the family enjoying each other.  We went to Tina's family on Christmas afternoon had a great time as all her family made it and got to watch the niece's and nephew's have a good time.  Had great food all day long got home fed the dogs and took a long nap a lot of traveling always wears me out.
  Not so good of a week as far as the dogs go.  Lost my old female pointer named Maggie.  She was 13 1/2 years old but in pretty good health.  I hunted her Saturday on pheasant and she did great pointed a couple of birds and I got a picture of her last point.  She seemed fine Monday she greeted my at the gate when I fed her and she ate good and was quite happy getting her milk bones.  Her stools we good and firm and she seemed just fine.  But when I fed Tuesday she did not meet me at the gate and I knew something was up I opened her dog house and there she laid curled up in a ball like she slept and she was still warm.  I think she curled up went to sleep and just didn't wake up I think it was just her time.  If you enlarge the picture below and  look down the corn row you can see Maggie's last point it was a nice rooster and we did not get it unfortunately.

Woke up Wednesday morning and Gem was bad.  Gem has cardiomiopathy and right sided heart failure and takes meds daily for his heart and to keep the fluid in check.  Well Wednesday morning he was bloated and having a hard time breathing.  I called the Vet and they fit him thankfully.  We x-rayed him and could see the fluid build up in his abdomen but unfortunately we could also see fluid build up in lungs.  This is bad as we can not drain the lungs nearly as easy as the belly.  Dr. Johnson and Kelsie his RVT shaved his side and inserted a cathater needle into his lower belly and used a syringe and started pulling out the fluid.  They worked for an hour and 1/2 and pulled 10 1/2 cups of fluid.  He looked so much better and he lost 8 pounds all in fluid.  The Dr. upped his lasics from 120 mgs a day to 180 mgs a day and he seems to be doing better he gained some fluid Christmas eve to Christmas morning but the lasics kicked in and he seems to be close to normal now.  But the Doctor said his heart had enlarged more and the valves were not closing all the way now and his days are numbered.  Gem was a real trooper through all this he never moved just stood like a good boy and let the doctor do his thing.  With his days numbered I really am trying to spend some quaility time with him he really is a great dog and will miss him like none other.  I hope he does like Maggie and goes to sleep and doesn't wake up I sure don't want to see him suffer.  If he gets bad I will put him down and that is a day I will dread but he deserves to go with dignity and not suffer for days.  Well thanks for listening to me go on about Gem but he is just the greatest dog to ever walk on this earth I love him so much.  Below is a picture I took Saturday 12/18 on his last pheasant hunt.  This is his last point and it too was a big ole rooster and Scott and I both missed him sure wish I would've got that bird.