Loving Peanut & Petrie: Best.Dog.Ever.

Last night was rough. Ryan, Cami, and I said a relucant goodbye to Jasmine, our 6 1/2 year old Boxer.

She had been growing sicker since mid-November.

Apparently dogs hide pain from their companions as long as possible.

I am convinced Jasmine did just that.

Four weeks in a row we trekked to the vet, beginning with belly pain.

The first week's x-ray diagnosis was arthritis.

She got prednisone.

She did not get better.

The second week's x-ray showed nothing unusual, but Jasmine's coloring was pale and blood samples were drawn.

She showed signs of anemia.

Without an ultrasound nothing more would be known.

We went back for more blood samples and improvement was shown.

We were leaving for Florida the following day.

Thankfully my parents took Jasmine so she was not in a kennel alone.

After Florida, Jasmine seemed perky at first, but then she started backsliding. Her third blood sample showed a decrease in oxygen levels. A third x-ray was taken. There were hints of a shadow in her abdomen. Tumor? Maybe.

Three alternatives were given.

1.Let it ride, knowing that more than likely her anemia was caused by some sort of internal bleeding.

2.Get an ultrasound to figure out what we were dealing with.

3.Do exploratory surgery. Risky, but could solve the problem and potentially increase lifespan by 3-12 months.

We opted for the ultrasound. Ryan drove Jasmine the whole way down to Gaithersburg, Maryland after taking off early to do so Friday, December 3.

Unfortunately the US was inconclusive because part of the spleen was hidden. A sample was taken for the belly that confirmed internal bleeding. Surgery was recommended. We declined.

Saturday was a good day.

Jasmine and I went to Petco and got doggy pictures taken with Santa. Jasmine was afraid of jolly old Saint Nick. We loaded up on treats. I bought her FAVORITE treats ever--stuffed pig hooves.

The rest of the day she went from bone to bone, eating and munching away happily, stubby tail a-wagging.

See evidence is below.

Sunday to Tuesday flew by.

Sunday and Monday Jasmine seemed in good spirits. However, she was growing pale again. Tuesday afternoon she seemed very pale, and was more reluctant to eat. Ryan left for class. Mom, Cami, and I left for Park City to Christmas shop.

When we came home, Jasmine was having difficulty breathing and seemed dizzy. She alternated from wanting to be near us, to trying to find a place on her own.

Ryan called the vet and was reassured that Jazzy would either pull through, or that this was indeed the end. He said that internal bleeding causes a shock to the system and that the disorientation that comes before the last breathe makes it painless. I opted to spend the night downstairs with Jasmine, since at this point, she could not stand up, let alone lift her head, and was lying on a Pier 1 cushion-turned doggy bed. I didn't even get my makeshift bed made when she took her last breaths. She died at 11:00 pm.

We took great care to say goodbye. Ryan had to pull me off of her, as I lay sobbing in her fur. She is being privately cremated, and we will receive her remains, at which time we will decide what to do with them.

I know it sounds silly to be going into detail about Jasmine's last days with us, but Jasmine was special. One of a kind. Impossible to replace.

Because of this, although I love the boxer breed, I doubt we will ever have another boxer. None can replace Jasmine.

Jasmine was the largest female in a litter of puppies that Ryan and I impulsively went to see prior to leaving for our honeymoon. Ryan picked her out. She was the calm amongst the storm. The only puppy to be calmly sitting amidst her chaotic siblings, yet when we scooped her up she looked at us with such love that there was no other choice. We picked her up the day after we came back. I named her, thus beginning the Disney duo that would become Jasmine and Nala for four years. Giving Nala away to a loving home was difficult, but seeing Jasmine leave this earth was heartbreaking.

I will miss my...

Jasmine Turquoise Sky Princess (AKC name)

Jazzy

Jazzers

Botu

Batu-Batu (Ryan claims this means "Swift Feet" in some random tribal language)

Botu-Beatu

Beat-rat

Bot

Jazzy-Jazzermine.

I will miss Ryan singing, "She's a good girl. She's my friend. She's a Jazzy-Jazzermine."

I will miss watching Cameran dangle over the edge of her high chair in search of Jasmine.

I will miss watching Cami figure out how to pet Jasmine.

I will miss Cameran using Jazzy to push off of in an attempt to stand.

I will miss Jasmine's docile nature.

I will miss her love of the outdoors.

I will miss saying "Car, walk, outside, Pappy and Nanny, treat" and seeing her head cock to the side.

I will miss her nudging open the bathroom door and backing herself inside for a Botu-belly rub.

I will miss her butt-wiggling almost as fast as her nubby tail.

I will miss her Tigger-like four foot vertical attempts at any door.

I will miss taking her for rides with her muzzle sticking out of the window.

I will miss my instant dishwashing pre-rinser.

I will miss having the unconditional love of my first four-legged child.

I will miss burying my face in the nook between her eyes and nose.

I will miss sleeping like a contortionist while Jazzy made herself comfortable in bed.

I will miss our little Peter Pan-Nana wannabe.

I will miss being greeted at the door by the being most excited to see me arrive home from work each day.

I will miss Jasmine. Always.