Our Good Boy Is Gone. Lepto booster hastened his demise.
Prince suffered so much in his final days.
And yet he was his noble, calm, stoic, stupendous self.
Our glorious lion boy, friendly, gentle, happy -
The lepto booster hastened his demise and added to his misery. I argued against it, at his June 6 vet visit -- should have adamantly refused to pay $30 for a vaccine booster he didn't need AND which would cause terrible side effects. My bad: I should have researched this first instead of trusting a veterinarian.
Note to Self: BE MORE ASSERTIVE
All of 2024 was hard for our beautiful boy, after a hostile rescue dog charged into our yard and bit him (long story, not gonna go there right now).
The bite got infected, and it took 5 rounds of antibiotics and staples and MONTHS, months, months, on an off, in the miserable e-collar, and many bandages and pain killers. (The first vet visit was February 2024.)
I will not describe the heartbreak of going on walks without Prince. He loved our meadow walks with Bear. He valiantly tried, but a walk was so tiring for him, he just gave up. To go without him, to see him left behind - not gonna go there right now.
Not every dog needs every vaccine.
That’s the heart of integrative, individualized care.
Prince was inert for 24 hours after the booster. He started walking around but could no longer get in and out of the house without assistance.
Then, the licking began.
We hoped the donut would deter him. It did not.
He bled through the bandages even after days in the miserable e-collar.
Too late, I'm learning more about this booster.
Why We Don’t Recommend the Leptospirosis Core Vaccine for All Dogs
Overvaccinating can burden the immune system, trigger chronic inflammation, or contribute to long-term sensitivities, especially in senior pets or those with underlying health issues. We believe in protecting your pet without overwhelming their system, and that means vaccinating only when truly needed, not as a blanket policy.
From our holistic perspective, recommending the leptospirosis vaccine for all dogs regardless of lifestyle, health history, or risk amounts to overvaccination. While broad guidelines aim to simplify prevention, a one-size-fits-all approach can have unintended consequences.
..... Even vaccinated dogs can become infected, and vaccine protection is incomplete. From our integrative perspective, this makes a strong case for focusing on true risk reduction, like immune support, environmental awareness, and early intervention, rather than relying solely on partial coverage through vaccination.
Dr. Becki Baumgartner is Natchez Trace Veterinary Services' Certified Master Herbalist. Her passion is helping people find natural solutions for mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional challenges--for themselves and their pets!
PRINCE SUFFERED
Our cat knew
"Bobi the Bad" (now Bobi the Beatific) has known for weeks that Prince was fading. He started consoling Bear before the Last Day came round at last.
When I brought home a souvenir of Prince's fur, Bobi sat on it and pulled it closer to his heart with a paw (so help me God, it's on video).
Prince was SUCH A GREAT DOG and I cannot even begin to convey how much he was loved and is missed.
Our first collies, Blaise and Bailey, are long gone but not forgotten. Our son composed a song about the lack of white and gold...
"Bailey" by Miles
When I go back to my parents' place
You're not there with the same old happy face
Body covered in white and gold
Or looking sad like you know however I was feeling
when I got home
I don't find you dancing up the driveway
Moving tall and pretty or resting on the lawn
All the emptiness that fills the yard
All the silence I notice when I get there
To the place we used to play
And where you'd devour your lunch
Always scared during a thunderstorm
There's a lack of white and gold
And your wagging tail
But we keep on playing in the yard
Like we can feel you watching us
More at https://mileskean.bandcamp.com/releases
Sorry to hear that Carol. It's a heartbreaking loss.
Thank you!
We knew it'd hurt and we'd miss him.
I thought I was an old pro at this, the loss of a loved one. "Been there, done that."
Ha ha ha.
The older I get, the more losses I "move on" from (not a great word for it), the HARDER it gets!!!
Also, the anger. Yes, anger is easier than sorrow, but my dog suffered needlessly due to the carelessness of a hostile dog owner, and suffered again with the recent lepto booster.
Lately I keep reading about Reiki healing. I've heard the sound bowls - so freaking annoying to me, LOL, but, ok, maybe I should "go there," pay some healer to help unblock the stored anger.....
Thank you!
The shock is finally starting to wear off... but not the ache of his absence.
"Just a dog" -
I believe in the Velveteen Rabbit principle. If toys who are loved enough become immortal, so do our beloved animal friends. :)
Or, as the Natives and other "primitives" have believed all along, we all have souls.
Even the octopus is sentient, and apparently smarter than cats and dogs.
Ah sure he's in doggy heaven now, and smart or not I wouldn't fancy trying to snuggle up to an octopus:)
Oh Carol I am so sorry!!!!! I know how much you loved him, how hard the past few years have been. That effing vet! I am so angry at him!!!
He was a wonderful dog, loving, smart, funny, kind. Even I will miss him.
I love you!
THANK YOU - you have known these dogs (and me!) for years now.
#Freddy is almost as dear to me as to you.
And #Jimmy - oh Jimmy! - all your incredible efforts with him, feeding him home-cooked gourmet food!
Your chickens.
I love all your loved ones. Your words and photos bring them to life so memorably, so vividly.
(I accidentally upvoted my own reply - oops - then tried to undo it. Will the cyber world be rattling like pillars in an earthquake ??)
You could bring down the wrath of the boy kings that rule us here. They do try to overlook simple mistakes, although they sometimes err there.
Oh dear. MEA CULPA. Forgive me, young overlords....
I'm a mess! Tomorrow is my 70th birthday, and I'm baking the cake! This will be the first cake I haven't made from a mix in at least 25 years! It took me two hours to haul the mixers, turntable, cake pans etc up from the basement and clean them. I am hoping it is the best cake any of my guests have ever had. A Sachertorte, one of my old faves. Did you get my email?
HAPPY 70th BIRTHDAY!
Your cake sounds marvelous!
Found your email, and thank you, thank you. :)
Your vet with the Lyme vax... you were so much wiser than I.
You held your ground.
No vax.
How's your homeopathy work/studies coming along?
(Thanks again!)
Thanks!
Yeah, this remedy can help profoundly.
I gots to run right now to pick up my daughter!
xo
Heartbreaking. Sorry for your loss!
Thank you, Lady Rebecca.
I all too well know how you feel, and I am so sorry. While I was reading your words, I had to keep stopping to take in a deep breath to keep the tears back, I felt every not gonna go there right now. Losing a pet is like losing a member of the family.
You have every right to be upset at the other dog's owner and the Vet for giving a shot that could do what it did.
Thanks @myjob - you have lost your share of beloved companions, human and otherwise!
So many brothers - and your parents.
No Justice in this life, for so many (whoever killed my sister walks free, along with hostile dog owners), but I pray for the malice and anger to be lifted from me.
Listening to Gregorian chants now. Tried "sound bathing" and singing bowls, but, ugh, that was more annoying than wind chimes. Bring me the ocean breeze, the sighing of the fir trees, but not the clank and buzz and hum of bowls and bells.
PEACE I leave with you, my peace I give to you, peace which the world cannot give is my gift....
I love this image:
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Ohhh what a beautiful boy <3 I'm so sorry, Carol.
Thank you @honeydue!
I still have your anthology of freewrites (or freewrite inspired) short stories in my Kindle, or rather, in some cloud - time for a new Kindle (I'm only on #7), as this one is soooo slow and it's soooo hard to call up titles.
Off to check freewritehouse. Wow, it's been long time.
Aww thank you!! I still remember all the support I got on that and appreciate it! I think I'm only on my 3rd Kindle, but like books, these seem to be a guilt-free addiction, no?
Long time no see, Carol <3
As a pet owner, this brings tears to my eyes. I'm so sorry for your loss, Carol.
Thank you for reading and commenting. :)
He suffered so much due to the mistakes of others.
My own biggest mistake was not educating myself better and not FIGHTING harder for him.
I feel like my heart's been squeezed knowing that. Please don't blame yourself, Carol. I'm sure you did the best you could at that moment
I am so very sorry. Never heard of this shot. Poor baby suffered so. I am forwarding this blog to my daughter who adopted a new dog a year ago. He is due for shots. I don't know which ones.
A beautiful dog who should never have had to suffer like that.
THANK YOU.
Most of us do allow our trusted veterinarians to overvaccinate our cats and dogs - and our family doctors and pediatricians to overvaccinate our human loved ones.
ASK, and don't trust the doctor/vet, and READ, and decide for yourself....
Advocate for your loved ones!
For all the good my attempts at crusading will do, here I go, sounding the alarm.
May your daughter's dog live long and prosper. :)
So much feel your grief and want to hug and comfort you for your loss!!
Thank you :)
BTW, I love your post on the ferry to Oslo. Norway is on my bucket list!
Very sorry for your loss.
Thank you.
(I love all your photos, btw!)
I just found this post. I am so sorry for your loss. Our fur babies mean so much to us. He was a beautiful dog, and well-loved.
Thank you for reading and commenting.
I'm in several collie groups on Facebook, and almost every day, another beloved collie dies.
If humans have souls, so do our beloved animal companions!
Suddenly, a month after the demise of Prince, our vet fired us.
Letter in the mail - we can no longer be your vet -
Because, why -? "Mutual respect and trust" - did this vet somehow see this post?
I didn't ID him/her.
Today someone mentioned AI searching our Facebook posts and contacting employers - could AI be doing a witch-hunt on me, stirring up trouble whenever I vent about someone???
I mean, if I question the vet's judgment, I'm guilty of disrespect?
Who besides AI would even know who the vet is? I never ID'd the vet.
I doubt if s/he saw this post, but was this post really that incriminating and awful?
How terrible and offensive am I, that doors keeps slamming in my face?
I was planning to look for a different vet, anyway - now I have to stop procrastinating and find one asap, in case of emergency or a sick cat. This one kept terrible hours. Open only four days a week. All the vets have extra fees and hidden costs added in, so this one wasn't even saving us money...