Most of you know that Larry and I are great dog lovers and we have had rescue dogs in our lives for a very long time. This week has been very difficult for us as our Paxton grew sicker and sicker and we seemed unable to get control of his health decline.It’s hard to believe that Paxton’s struggle ended just a short time ago. He was surrounded by love and affection and the best care we could have found for him. During the late evening and night and after getting the feeding tube with our high hopes of a complete recovery, Paxton developed severe pneumonia and was unable to breath on his own. He was given oxygen and more chest x-rays taken. His condition deteriorated rapidly. This morning we were on the way to the vet hospital to see Paxton when the doctor called with the very poor prognosis.We discussed options with the Doc McCord, looked at the chest x-rays, and Larry checked in on Paxton himself. Our baby dog seemed to already be in another world and was just waiting for his body to end it’s miserable physical journey. With next to no possible hope of recovery and with only more pain and deterioration to anticipate, we decided to set Paxton free to roam the hills in heaven. We imagined Pearl, who left us in May a year ago, to greet him and ask him, “Where have you been? I’ve been waiting for you for 2 weeks!” And then, they run off to bark and chase imaginary postal vehicles, UPS and FedEx trucks, and possibly a pizza delivery guy or two. Paxton was an escape artist and today he escaped the ultimate bounds of gravity.We can rest in knowing that we and the doctors at Colorado State University, James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital, did all we could do to bring Paxton back to a healthy life. However, the severe pancreatitis and complications from multiple medications and the pneumonia left him too tired to continue the fight. We believe that his doctor and student took the best care possible of our furry son. Both of them were in tears and sobbing with us as we made the decision to let him go. The 4th year vet student told me that Paxton had become her baby since Wednesday. I thanked her for being Paxton’s surrogate mom since I couldn’t be with him during the final days of his health crisis.Paxton had been admitted into a national study on pancreatitis through CSU. His rare and unusual case will be documented to help vets understand more about the disease and how to treat it. Ultimately, his sacrifice will help other human families and their furry kids in the future. Knowing this helps make his passing seem to be less senseless. We do miss him already. Scooter is trying to fill in the gaps and giving us double the love. We thank Paxton for his three and a half years of love and antics. What other dog could get a 36″ tumbleweed through a 10″ doggie door and then proceed to destroy it in the middle of the living room floor? (Those stickers are hard to get out of the carpet.) And what about his first days here when he decided the best thing to do with dirty laundry was to take it out the doggie door and run around in the backyard with it. The image in my mind of him and Larry’s blue and white stripped boxers blowing in the wind as he ran around in circles with them is just too funny to this day. He was a wonderful rescue dog from Kansas who would have been put to sleep years ago had it not been for Homeward Bound of Northern Colorado and the good work they do. Remember them if you are looking for a place to donate. http://www.homewardboundrescueco.com/
Hug your current pets for us, remember the good times with those already departed, and thanks for all of your thoughts and prayers. God bless you all.
Love, Kathy
Paxton White
January 1, 2004-July 19, 2008
As my friend Mary said a while ago,”He was more than just a dog…”