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Thursday 30 June 2011

Good Bye to a beloved companion...











Today is my last day with my special dog, Deja. I got Deja 12 years ago from a breeder in Ontario and had her shipped here on a plane when she was just 7 weeks old. She fit in the palm of my hand when she arrived and has been my best friend ever since.

If I had to choose two words to describe Deja, it would be loving and kind. She doesnt have an angry bone in her body and this breed of dog never ceases to amaze me. "She isn't just a dog, she's a Vizsla" and if there's anything you should know about Vizsla's it's that they are sensitive, high energy, loyal, affectionate and aim to please. This breed is very attached to their master and if I am completely honest.....the truth is I havn't peed alone in 12 years!! She follows me everywhere! lol. I have never had to leash her because I couldn't lose her if I tried. In more recent years she has been known on occassion to chase our car down the street so she can come with us. Her loyal ways however have turned into some major anxiety in her "senior" years and her level of separation anxiety is pretty debilitating for her.

She has the biggest heart of any pooch I have ever known and it makes me so sad that the time has come where we have to say good-bye. She has been struggling with her kidney's off an on this last year and continues to battle polyuria, polydypsia and urinary incontinence. She drinks obscene amounts of water (gallons) every day and then turns around 15 minutes later and pee's out gallons of water...it's an all day event..... drink-pee-drink more- pee more!!!! We ran a few tests to rule out Diabetes, Cushing's disease and a few others. Our Vet believes her kidney's are failing and thinks they might be functioning at a mere 20-25% at this point. Her anxiety has reached an all time high and proves to overwhelm her on a daily basis....she whines/cry's a lot and trembles/paces when she's really anxious. The only enjoyment she gets nowadays is a little rough and tumble with her bestie (BFF), Roxy (our 3 year old boston terrier) but even that has steadily dwindled over the past few months. We have battled with the decision to lay her to rest for months now.....opted to "wait it out" several times but things aren't getting better and continue to get worse so we believe that it is her time to move on to bigger and better things. She has given us years of love, support and affection and impacted our lives in a big way but loving your pet is also knowing when to let go. I will always remember the countless trips I took with Deja.....camping the Oregon Coast in Cannon Beach, running along the beach in Birch Bay, swimming different lakes in the sweet Okanagan, fishing in Castlegar and 100 Mile House, crabbing on a 75 foot yacht, boating/camping on the Sunshine Coast (Salt Spring Island), chasing cows in Saskatchewan, chasing horses on dad's farm, river rafting in Penticton and one of her favorite past times was playing and swimming at Kits beach for the 7 years I lived near the beach. Deja has been my side kick longer than anyone and has carried me through some hard times which I will never forget. Her kind, gentle soul was always just what I needed whenever I was sad, heart broken or stressed out about school just to name a few. She also served as the ring bearer at our wedding in 2007 and looked so sweet in her pillowed silk harness while my nephew walked with her down the isle.

FOR MY SWEET DEJA GIRL

A PARTING PRAYER.........

Dear Lord, please open your gates
and call St.Francis
to come escort this beloved companion
across the Rainbow Bridge

Assign her to a place of honor,
for she has been a faithful servant
and has always done her best to please me.

Bless the hands that send her to you,
for they are doing so in love and compassion,
freeing her from pain and suffering.

Grant me the strength not to dwell on my loss.
Help me remember the details of her life
with the love she has shown me.
And grant me the courage to honor her
by sharing those memories with others.

Let he remember me as well
and let her know that I will always love her.
And when it's my time to pass over into your paradise,
please allow her to accompany those
who will bring me home.

Thank You, Lord,
for the gift of her companionship
and for the time we've had together.

And Thank-You Lord,
for granting me the strength
to give her to you now.

author~ Brandy Duckworth

Rest in Peace Sweet Deja Girl
Dec.4th, 2000-July.1st, 2011

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