There is nothing cuter than a beagle puppy, and you were my first. My cocker, Honey, needed a playmate and because I was so crazy about Snoopy in the Peanuts comic strip, I did some research on beagles and decided that I wanted one. You were 8 weeks old when I got you and were a character from the start. You were definitely your own beagle, sometimes I could imagine you doing the things Snoopy did!
One day I even found you out in the yard, curled up with a baby rabbit that had gotten inside the fence, neither of you aware that something wasn’t right with this picture! You had your own agenda. Throughout your life you had two speeds, slow and stop and two things that motivated you, food and sleep! You were really into being comfortable.
Given the chance, you also liked to run–with your nose to the ground in true beagle fashion–except if you went too far and noticed that you were alone, you laid down and shivered until I finally found you. I remember shortly after we moved up north, you got out of the yard, and nose to the ground took off. Unfortunately, you were so intent on smelling–you ran right into a light pole and almost knocked yourself out!
I think you scared yourself too, because once you got your act together, you came running right to me–tail between your legs and ready to go home. You weren’t so quick to take off for a long time after that.
But, you also had other problems. A week after I got you, you started having seizures. Vets back then didn’t do the kind of tests and stuff like they do today and I was told you had epilepsy. We started you on phenobarbital, but the seizures continued. The medicine wasn’t working and it was making you drugged, so I took you off of it and we managed your seizures the best we could.
Luckily, you didn’t have them too often. When you were 9 years old we moved up north, and I had to find a different vet. I explained your problem to him and he asked me if you had ever had x-rays. You hadn’t, so he wanted to take some and do some other tests. He found your problem immediately. You had cardiomyopathy, probably from birth. He told me it was a miracle you were still alive having gone
untreated all those years.
I was mad that this wasn’t discovered earlier. You were started on medication, but I was warned that due to your age and the severity of the problem that I shouldn’t get my hopes up. Well, you did great. I was preparing myself for the worse and as it turned out, we had 7 more happy, fun years together before you went into heart failure.
I was devastated at losing you, but you beat all the odds and the years we had together were the best. You not only made me a lifelong beagle lover, but you inspired me to help animals with health problems and to question diagnosis, because like with doctors–vets aren’t always right either.
I have since gone on to doing animal rescue, mostly special needs animals and some of them beagles. You were truly a love and an inspiration and I know you’re waiting for me at the Bridge–hoping I’ll have a treat for you! I miss you terribly and think of you often–still laughing about the crazy things you used to do.
Rest in Peace, sweet girl and
keep being your own beagle
until we meet again—-
ALL MY LOVE FOREVER,
| Ginger |
| 16, Jan 1995 |
| Helen Malinauskas |