Losing My Companion

It’s true. The worst part of owning a pet, or being owned by a pet, is having to say goodbye to them. No matter the circumstance, it rips your heart out. I’ve had pets that have had to be humanely euthanized suddenly, at a young age, and even at an advanced age after some illness. None of it is easy but I have always had at least one other pet when I’ve had to say goodbye. This time, I didn’t.

I knew that Giovanni was getting up there in age; somewhere around 16 or 17 in dog years. So, depending on whose calculations you believe, he was in his 90s or more in human equivalent years. I had been very, very lucky with him. I got him when he was either three or four years old and other than a bout with crystals in his urine, which required two separate surgeries a couple of years apart, and a daily pill for his thyroid, he was basically issue-free. I noticed in the last few months that he was slowing down a bit, not quite as fast and feisty as he used to be. Totally normal. Yeah, in the back of my mind I knew that the day would come eventually but it still felt like it wouldn’t be anytime soon.

That day came on Sunday. His breathing was labored in the morning and I took him to the animal hospital. Because of the coronavirus, I had to “check in” in my car and then the staff came to get him. I didn’t get to go in with him or see him before I left two hours later. Of course I had no idea…