October 12, 2012. It's been over a year since we lost Deco. As can be seen in an earlier post on the main page, we had to say goodbye to Deco on July 31, 2011.
On Thursday, July 28th, Deco went to bed on the main floor, not much different from any other night. There was no indication of what was in the immediate future. In retrospect, maybe there was a sign. She didn't follow us upstairs in the hope that we would let her sleep with us on our double bed, which was a rare occurrence.
On Friday, July 29th, Deco woke up unsteadily. I went to the back door, thinking that I would need to let her out. Danforth charged out the back door, like he always does, Kitty just kept laying on the loveseat, like she always does. But Deco, she stood at the door, unwilling to go outside. She was shaking, and I wondered if something was frightening her. It was a sunny day, as opposed to there being a thundershower. Deco was terrified of thunder. Deco dropped out a little "poopsicle". Just a single little poop. Very rare for Deco to accidentally relieve herself inside the house. Sarah came down, and asked me what was going on, and because Deco was shaking, I suggested taking her for a short walk to the end of our street, where there is a parkette. We don't have grass on our property, so sometimes the dogs like to munch on the grass like a billy goat. Sarah leashed up both Kitty and Deco, and Deco could barely make it partway down the street. She refused breakfast.
I don't remember how long into the day that we waited, but I think that it was some time in the afternoon when Sarah said that she didn't like how things were looking with Deco, and decided to take Deco to the vet. She spent several hours down there with Deco while tests were being performed. No results indicative of anything were coming back, and by late evening, Sarah asked if I could come down to swap out staying with Deco. I did, and by this time, Deco had been put into one of the cells in the basement to spend the evening. I don't mean to describe it like she was being jailed. I just can't think of another word to describe it. Anyway, I don't see it as a prison, just a way to separate all of the vet's in-patients. She had barely been going to the bathroom up to this point, and she was still struggling with stairs. I stayed with Deco until about 3 or 4 in the morning. I decided to leave, so that I could come back the next morning.
When I came back, she appeared to be in better spirits, though she was still moving slowly. I had gotten a text sometime after 9am from my friend Chris, who was asking how Deco was doing. I responded that she seems to be doing ok, and at 9:39AM, he responded "That's great!". I stayed with her while more test were performed. This was very difficult for all of us, including our vet, who was struggling for any sign of what was going on. At this point, no test result had given any indication of what was wrong.
At 3:18PM, Chris followed up, and I told him that there was no news yet. The ultrasound didn't tell much, and that they may do another Xray. They continued with pain medication and antibiotics.
But by somewhere between 5 and 6PM, the vet gave me the bad news. Deco's lungs had been filling up with fluid (pleural effusion), she had pneumonia, caused by blood clots in her lungs. She was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, a deterioration of the heart muscle. They didn't believe that they could do anything. There was one "Hail Mary" that they could try, but the risks involved were so high, they couldn't recommend it. By 6PM, I had called Sarah to tell her, and even though I hadn't broken down, I was on the verge. Our beautiful Deco was not well, and there was nothing that could be done.
Sarah decided that she wanted to take Deco home. I was reluctant, but unwilling to fight her about it. We brought her home, and fed her a bag of ice chips that Chris had bought, since that was the only thing that we could give to her. I still regret not having bought some cheese slices. I will always wonder if that would have been the only solid food that she would have eaten. Boy, was that ever her "trigger" food. We called our friend Stacie, because we knew that, like us, the news that Deco was so severely ailing would be crushing. Stacie came by with her daughter, Carmen, so that they could spend some time with her before she passed.
By the time it was midnight, we knew that we were simply being selfish. Deco was not going to recover. We called our vet to ask if he could come over to put Deco out of her pain, and he agreed. He came by sometime past 4AM, and he did what needed to be done. We are grateful to his understanding and willingness to come at such an awful time of day.
To this day, it is heartbreaking. Though Sarah had been through this before, it was my first time having my own dog put down. Typing this brings tears to my eyes. And every time I look through these, I remember the beauty that Deco was, and all the wonderful memories that she gave me.
So it's time that I put together a page just of Deco pictures, to celebrate what we continue to miss.
Deco
Deco using Kitty as a pillow.
Deco, shiny.
Deco always had something to say.
Deco, in a moment of petting bliss.
Deco using Sarah as a pillow.
Running through the water in Malagash with Kitty and Deco - August 19, 2006
Deco being pestered by an insect at Larry's cottage - June 16, 2007
Deco yawns - June 16, 2007
Deco, alert for something - June 16, 2007
Deco gets comfy in our new home - August 13, 2007
Kitty leans on Deco, who uses Sarah as a pillow - November 11, 2007
Deco and Kitty use Sarah as a pillow, who is using Keith as a pillow - February 19, 2008
Deco strikes a pose in Windsor, NS - April 15, 2008
Deco strikes a pose in Windsor, NS. Kitty often lies like that - April 15, 2008
Deco loves cats, and nuzzles up to Mikado in Windsor, NS - April 21, 2008
Sarah is amused by Kitty trying to make herself comfortable on top of Deco, who sleeps on David Piper - April 26, 2008
Deco was always trying to be someone's shadow or blanket. Windsor, NS - April 26, 2008
Deco rests in the shade on a hot day at Petopia - June 22, 2008
Deco being Nanny's blanket - August 8, 2008
Deco running like the wind outside Windsor, NS - August 18, 2008
Deco loved rolling in grass. Windsor, NS - August 18, 2008
Deco loved rolling in grass. Windsor, NS - August 18, 2008
Deco's tongue after a good run. Windsor, NS - August 18, 2008
Deco after destuffing a toy in Bedford NS - August 22, 2008
Deco at a Halifax off-leash park - August 23, 2008
Deco at a Halifax off-leash park - August 23, 2008
Deco at a Halifax off-leash park - August 23, 2008
Kitty and Deco at a Halifax off-leash park - August 23, 2008
Deco on our Windsor, NS bed - August 24, 2008
Deco shares a reclining chair with Sarah, sitting beside Ted - Sept. 6, 2008
Deco is petted by Kai in Bathurst, NB - Sept. 9 2008
Kitty, Sarah and Deco, having returned to Toronto - Oct. 2, 2008
Deco, practicing her scary Hallowe'en look upon Danforth's arrival - Oct. 4, 2008
Deco watches the unseen Danforth - Oct. 5, 2008
Danforth makes himself comfortable (?) on Deco, Grace's shadow - Oct. 8, 2008
Kitty and Deco at Balmy Beach - Oct. 11, 2008
Kitty, Danforth and Deco at Balmy Beach - Oct. 11, 2008
Deco on the chase at Cherry Beach - Oct. 18, 2008
Deco rests on Keith - Oct. 26, 2008
Deco and Danforth - Nov. 15, 2008
Hepplewhite and Deco share a bed - Dec. 18, 2008
Kitty (in grey) and Deco (in green) at a Riverdale park west meetup - Dec. 20, 2008
Deco at Petopia frolics with some friends - Jan 11, 2009
Deco at Petopia - Jan 11, 2009
Sarah is clearly amused by Danforth while Kitty rests with Deco - March 7, 2009
Sarah adores Deco - April 6, 2009
Deco - April 21, 2009
Deco up close - June 7, 2009
Marylin with Sadie and Deco. Sadie reminds us of Deco - June 16, 1009
Kitty, Sarah and Deco - Oct. 24, 2009
Deco and Keith - July 19, 2010
Deco - August 16, 2010
Carol tries to warm to Deco, with Sarah - August 23, 2010
Deco does her Kitty impersonation - September 12, 2010
Deco has been active at a Riverdale Park West meetup - Sept 18, 2010
Deco at a Great Dane meetup at Riverdale - Sept 18, 2010
Deco, location unknown - December 11, 2010
Hepplewhite visits with Sarah and Deco - December 18, 2010
Deco and Sarah - December 18, 2010
Deco provides Diane with comfort when dinner isn't going smoothly - Dec 25, 2010
Deco at Diane's during Christmas dinner - December 25, 2010
Deco hopes for some of Diane's Christmas dinner - Dec 25, 2010
Benevolent Deco allows Danforth room to sleep - January 3, 2011
Deco allows Danforth room to sleep - Jan 3, 2011
Benevolent Deco allows Danforth room to sleep - January 11, 2011
Deco and Kitty - January 30, 2011
Deco at home - January 30, 2011
Deco uses Kitty as a bed - February 8, 2011
Kitty uses Sarah and Deco as a bed, Danforth in back - Feb 19, 2011
Adelia and Deco - February 20, 2011
Stacie, Carmen and Sarah are blanketed by Kitty and Deco during the Oscars - Feb 27, 2011
Deco at Rally obedience - March 24, 2011
Deco rests with Janice and Chris - April 1, 2011
Sarah enjoys Deco being used as a bed by a puppy. Quispamsis, NB - April 9, 2011
Keith, Deco and Danforth running in Malagash, NS - April 10, 2011
Deco, Keith, Kitty and Danforth in Malagash, NS - April 10, 2011
Sarah, Deco and Kitty on a trail behind the Bedford Holiday Inn - April 14, 2011
Sarah and Deco on a trail behind the Bedford Holiday Inn - April 15, 2011
This portrait fell apart - April 15, 2011
Deco - May 7, 2011
Deco with a toy in the backyard - May 11, 2011
Deco - May 11, 2011
Deco - May 11, 2011
Danforth attempts to get Deco's attention - May 11, 2011
Deco, Kitty, Danforth - May 11, 2011
Deco as we load the clown car with 3 great danes - May 15, 2011
3 Great Danes loaded into a wagon - May 15, 2011
Deco while we visit with the Bovairds - May 15, 2011
Deco at Withrow off-leash park - June 5, 2011
Deco at Withrow off-leash park - June 5, 2011
Deco at Withrow off-leash park - June 5, 2011
Deco lounges in the backyard - June 30, 2011
Deco lines up to be fed - July 2, 2011
We play in the backyard - July 2, 2011
Deco at Cherry Beach - July 6, 2011
Kitty and Deco at Cherry Beach - July 6, 2011
Deco at Cherry Beach - July 6, 2011
Deco imitates Kitty - July 18, 2011
Goodbye, Deco - July 31, 2011
