In Memory of
Shortcake
By Patricia Collier, Shortcake's human companion
for nearly 9 years
We've all known people and animals who were never sick - until the day they died. And we've all known people and animals who seemed to endure pain and illness most of their lives - until the day they died.
Our little Shortcake was in the latter group. When we found each other, right down the street from our house on June 6, 2000, she had heartworms, more than likely the reason she was out on her own. She miraculously survived two treatments before they were finally banished from her little body, but the poison in the treatments left her weakened for life. Although I regretted putting her through it all, I knew she would not have had a month longer with us if the disease had been left untreated, an option a vet had amazingly recommended! (Yes, we quickly found another vet!)
As a result, Shortcake became what you might call "fragile." We had to be careful the other dogs didn't bump her around too much or she would develop leg problems or neck pain. Subsequent medical checks always revealed no specific problems, so we started wondering if Shortcake hadn't caught the acting bug. This proved to be the case at the vet's office one day when (once again) she was checked over and given a clean bill of health and then walked normally out to the busy waiting room. Shortcake took a look at all the people and dogs and wham! Suddenly her neck lolled to one side and she developed a limp. Of course everyone was like, "Oh, that poor little dog." We carried her to the car (I know, I know!) and of course, the whiplash and leg injury was forgotten by the time we got home.
After that we called her "The Princess", "Paris", "Your Highness" - you get the idea. Yup, it didn't take Shortcake long to train us. Through the years we had lots of fun, laughs, and birthday parties. She allowed us to sleep with her in the big bed. She had her own laundry basket in my office and she would supervise me from under two blankets. She couldn't play with the punch she once had, not after those heartworm treatments, but she was active and had a brisk, bossy little walk that always made us smile. She had an unusual brindle-colored coat and we always assumed there was a bit of chihuahua in our little doxie. Shortcake loved car rides and meeting new people and animals.
It might have been her voice telling me to go to the animal shelter one day a couple of years after she found us. The result of that trip was a little servant, er, brother for her. A dachshund/beagle mix, Bert became her constant companion. He would lick her ears, her teeth and even licked away a skin irritation she got on her head a couple of summers in a row. I look over at Bert as I type this and it is clear he is still mourning his Shortcake.
It was enormously shocking almost 9 years into our paw-ternship with Shortcake when the vet said her regular blood work revealed kidney failure. "We can't cure it, but we can maintain it and give Shortcake as much quality time as possible." she told us.
We learned to give Shortcake subcutaneous fluids every couple of days. We bought her special food for kidney problems. She returned to the vet every couple of weeks for blood tests. All seemed to be going well, even a bit better than expected, until the day it all stopped working and Shortcake indicated it was time to go.
I write this one month to the date she left us. I didn't notice this until I started writing. As with every animal I've ever had to give back to God, I will miss Shortcake with all my heart until we are reunited with her one day at Rainbow Bridge where she's healthy and getting an Oscar every day. You know, none of us own another person or animal. We're all just borrowed for each other to love. I'm glad we got to hang out and love each other, Shortcake. We will meet again.
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