Grab some tissues. This is going
to be an emotional roller-coaster. I also recommend grabbing your
fur-child(ren) and cuddling with them.
Cazic was our
first dachshund. He was a shaded longhaired standard size dachshund.
We adopted him from a breeder in Kentucky in May of 2009. Zach and I
were so excited! We had been scoring the states of Kentucky, Indiana
and Ohio for a reputable breeder with mini dachshunds. (Please no
comments about adopting, we tried and it didn't work out.) We picked
out our little guy from some pictures she emailed to us. We decided to
go meet him - at only 6 weeks old we couldn't take him home yet. We
fell in love instantly. He wouldn't leave my lap for a second! I
looked at Zach and said... this is our puppy. We need him.
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| Caz is on the left, his twin sister on the right. |
We brought him home
5 weeks later - at 10 weeks old - once our apartment was puppy proofed
and ready. I didn't know what to do! He only weighed 3 pounds 4 oz.
He was so tiny.
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| First day home and already stealing my pillow! |
The first year was
so much fun. He was the happiest puppy I'd ever met. He loved going
outside to play, chasing me around, playing with other small dogs and
going for walks. His favorite toy was a stuffed soccer ball.
He
had the biggest ears and longest tongue ever too. He was
irresistible! We nicknamed him Lick Monster because he seemed to be
licking something all the time. haha.
At
one year and 6 months old, we realized Caz wasn't a mini. He weighed
in at 15 pounds and was in great shape! He was the same height and size
as his favorite dog park friend Max, a male Pomeranian show dog.
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| One of many dog park friends. |
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He loved to travel
and see his fur-family. We would take him to Ohio to see my family and
Illinois to see Zach's family. Both had pets - dogs, cats, hamsters,
fish. He loved going to visit and play!
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| Cazic (left), Manny (middle), Chelsea (right) |
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| On our way to the dog park! |
His favorite time of year was Winter. Being a
longhaired dachshund, he was always warm. He loved digging in the snow
and sometimes burying himself.
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| He kept walking until he got stuck. lol! |
We didn't think much about his size until he almost
hit two years old. We were sitting at home when Caz wasn't acting
normal. I went to pick him up and noticed he was super hot. I was
instantly nervous. I started checking his body for possible causes when
I found the red spots. It looked like he had a severe allergic
reaction or chicken pox - and they had popped up in a matter of
minutes. He was severely bruised all over his body. We rushed him to a
24/7 emergency vet for help.
In
November of 2011, Cazic was diagnosed with IMT - immune mediated
thrombocytopenia. This is an extremely rare (possibly genetic) disease
that both dogs and humans can have. Basically, his red cells weren't
getting oxygen because his immune system was attacking his own cells and
killing them. He was dying, and needed help fast. Caz survived the
impossible - two full blood transfusions and a full week at the
hospital. The bills were so expensive - we could barely afford them
even with help.
Caz
being a stubborn little guy made it through the worst case of IMT ever
seen in a dog. He had the best possible vet care, vets and techs who
loved him and we never left the hospital (unless they kicked us out,
which happened twice).
He
was given a strict regime of bed rest and medication four times a day.
He was such a brave little guy and stuck with us. He had to re-learn
how to walk, run and play. He no longer could go outside unless I
carried him, couldn't get shots, use flea meds or be around other dog.
It was a huge adjustment for all of us. Thankfully, we had Sera - his
bestest cat friend - to help keep him company.
She
never left his side and even had to go to the vet with us for his blood
recheck every two weeks. We finally got his IMT under control. He
spent so much time curled up in blankets. His spirit never broke even
with the heavy medication.
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| He was still super silly! |
He was doing so well for about a year, then he
relapsed again for about two months - another transfusion, more
steroids, more meds.. The cycle never truly ended. We got to spend two
wonderful years with him before in February of 2013, he relapsed
again. This time was different - his kidneys, heart and intestines shut
down. He couldn't breath well, he was seizing and could barely move.
We
lost the battle on February 14, 2013. He passed peacefully in my arms
wrapped up in his favorite blanket on the way to the vet. One year ago
today. I'll never ever forget his sweet face, big heart, big ears, soft
fur and long tongue.
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| The last picture taken of Caz before he passed. Also his last time traveling. |
Two of my dear friends, Jason and Marti Sharp, felt
my pain and made me this amazing gift. Marti is an artist with a huge
heart - especially for animals. She decided to recreate my favorite
picture of me and Caz in colored pencil.
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| Sorry for the terrible photo quality. |
I couldn't have
asked for a better gift. This picture helped me get through some of the
toughest weeks of my life. I'm so thankful for every single day we had
with Cazic. He was truly a gift from God.
IMT
is literally a silent killer. Watch your pets for any behavioral
changes, bruising, red spots, swelling, gum color (should be dark pink,
not pale pink), and energy level. If their belly looks like it's dirty,
but a bath won't take it off, have your dog's blood cell count
checked. Early detection is very important.
Learn more about IMT here.
If
you've read this entire post, thank you. I hope this helps someone's
pet someday and they can catch the IMT early. Thank you everyone for
the support in the past - especially Zach, our families, Jason and
Marti, Lois, the vets in Kentucky and Sera our cat, and of course my
blog friends. You're all amazing people and animals!
Enjoy the memory of your lost loved ones today.
Help save a pet's life by donating to the DSRF and their medical bills. Happy Valentine's Day!
