A Dog Is A Dog and Much More

     

This picture is of a fatter me and a puppy named Nini. She was the runt of the litter but always wanted to sit in your lap, get her belly rubbed and vibrated happily when I returned from the store or friends visited.

I still have the WV t-shirt but Nini passed away on June 30, 2025.  Canine Menegitis/Encphelitis of unknown origin was the diagnosis.  The Vet called and said it was time to come and say good bye to our little girl. 

Nini came to my house in 2021.  The Pandemic came and went, Caroline my older sister died, I had a bad case of shingles, got my Covid Shots and Nini and I became an "item" I guess.  She was small and I could carry her up and down the stairs.  She never really got properly socialized with other dogs, maybe she was scared of other dogs or thought she was my protector.  We did a lot of walking, and I pretty much cut back to an occasional beer, I lost about 50 lbs. in total.  I bought some steps so she could lay on the couch and look out the window.  She insisted on sleeping next to me. 

Getting old is complicated.  

I fell and broke my right hip.  Thankfully, Lisvey and Nery, part of my extended family were able to provide a foster home for Nini while I recovered.  And it was a little bit of a challenge to get her out for a walk. 

I got a walker and on the leash she pulled me around, I got steps, she sniffed around, burned some energy.  My god, a 10 lb sled dog.  We both slept a little better but if I woke up during the night she would sneak as close to the pillow as possible.

And so this morning there was a story on Facebook about a runty dog and a boy. 

"Son, you don’t want that puppy. He won’t be able to run and play like the others."

The boy stepped back, rolled up one leg of his trousers, and revealed a steel brace on his leg, attached to a special shoe. Looking up at the farmer, he said, "I don’t run so well either, and he’ll need someone who understands."

I needed someone to understand, we communicated and we all leaned on each other.

The trip to the vet was sad but further suffering would have been worse. And so it goes.


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