Last week was the longest week of Sharon’s and my life. It was the shortest week of our Tazzy’s life. We made the drive to the University of Missouri’s Veterinary College so that Tazzy could have a hour long procedure to tie back a portion of his larynx to help him breathe as he was suffering from a dread malady known commonly as Lar-Par, in his case refined with the acronym GOLPP, Geriatric Onset of Laryngeal Paralysis and Poly neuropathy. This disease is particularly fond of Labrador Retrievers. The procedure took 5 hours with the left side tieback failing and a second incision in the right side of Tazzy’s throat.The surgery was on Monday, we took him home on Wednesday and rushed him back to MU on Thursday, as it was evident he wasn’t doing well.
On Friday morning the ER vet at MU called us and told us Tazzy was not responding to the pneumonia protocol and we hurried to the clinic to see what was going on. Upon arrival, they took us to “the room”, an office with two plush chairs, and a stack of pamphlets on the counter recommending a crematorium for pets. We knew it wasn’t good. The ER doc that admitted Taz entered and explained that Taz was in for a very poor quality of life, if he survived the current pneumonia, and it was time for us to make a decision. We did, out of tremendous love. Tazzy was brought in and we laid on the floor with him before they took him back to his bed. At 12 Noon, Tazzy was brought back in and we said our goodbyes as he died in our arms. Understandably we were and remain devastated.
Go back in time to the middle of September in 2013 when we picked Tazzy up from the breeder, the only yellow Lab in a litter of blacks and chocolates. Like all Lab puppies, he got into our hearts within hours. We were experienced with Labs, Tazzy was number five for us, and we loved every one of them. He was laying in Sharon’s lap and I looked over and said “little man I already love you, but one day you will break my heart”. The heartbreak occurred at noon one week ago today. The “Image Armor” that good police officers wrap around themselves to protect us from the harshness and emotion of the world, has long since melted away. I have asked myself just why it is that a rational human being would get a dog, knowing they were time limited, fall in love with them, only to be crushed a decade or so later. Dog parents know why.
Tazzy was with us, virtually 24/7, for over 11 years. He was wise, smart and comical and returned the love every day of his life. It is this love that makes it worth while.…and is so crushing. I am sorry that everyone reading this did not meet the TAZ, your life would have been better for it.
A final point. The Bible says that dogs have no soul and cannot be admitted to heaven. Billy Graham took issue with this and said heaven is a place of perfection. Graham also said there cannot be perfection without his dog(s). I’m betting on you Billy and I pray you, sir, are right.
SR
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