Goodbye Trixie my Pixie 23.12.2006-23.2.2010

Dearest Trixie,

I could have sworn I heard you barking last night.  That distinctive Malinois pitch - that certain bark when you insist on getting something - usually's Joe's toy.  For a moment I thought Joe and you were playing your exclusive version of 'Snatch-Fetch'. Only to remember that you are gone.

Then Tuffy barked, as if to answer. Followed by the howls of the entire pack (interestingly without the prompting of the siren's wails). Maybe that was you after all.  Back to say your goodbyes since you left us so suddenly.

I've been deeply comforted by the circle of hearts.  Kind, supportive words from bloggers alike.  Personally, I've never heard of the rainbow bridge until I started reading other dogs' blogs and how dog's who've passed on goes on to be a star.  It could all be tales but I'd like to believe that you've gone to a much better place.  Where you can run and play all day till your heart's content and not be hampered by your inherent physical limitations.

This evening as I was staring into the heavens, I witnessed something most curious.  A silent moving globe of light - the size of a distant star ... yet a little nearer to earth.  For a while I thought it was a flying object - an airplane?  A helicopter?  But usually their lights would blink, and this light was constant. Nor was there a distinct roar of engines.  I stared at what I could only describe as a 'little star' moving towards the half moon ... and then as mysteriously as it appeared, it dissappeared into the moon's light.

All I could think of then was you, Trixie.  Maybe they were right after all, you have gone on to become a star.

We will all miss you.  The Furkids for being their race- queen ring leader.  Tuffy and Snoopy would miss your affectionate wags and kisses.  (Not sure Anna would miss you since you almost made ribbons out of her face).  Joe will miss having you in his game of 'Fetch' or 'Snatch' - infact, just now after a game while I was giving him a drink from the garden hose, he half expected you to sneak up to his toy and snatch it away!  And I most of all would miss just calling for you and watching you come happily bounding.

This is the only way I know how to say goodbye Trixie.  With words.  Take care darling girl.  Love you loads.

Tee, Tuffy, Snoopy, Joe, Anna, Tubby, Wally, Brandi and Dexter
Xoxox

Acute Pancreatitis

""Acute Pancreatitis"- that's what Trixie's doctor said was the cause of death when he called to report later this morning.

"What caused it?"  I asked.  He answered, "No one can be too sure. However it is common amongst particularly amongst female dogs.  Causes?   It could be her diet (but they all eat the same thing!).  Her age (Trixie's four human years old) But there's no determined causal link ...although some breeds are known to develop the problem "

The puzzling thing is, Trixie out of the lot was possibly the most robust out of the pack.  She hardly ever had diohrrea, or vomited.  Hardly ever shown signs of lethargy or developed a fever.  Infact, hardly fell sick for that matter. From the day she came to Dog Woods as a wee pup of 3 months she was always on the go.  She was so hyper, I had to properly school myself on how to handle and train a dog so highly strung!

To be honest, she was the one that caused the most injuries amongst the other dogs. The two, Joe the Rottweiller and Anna the Doberman never stood a chance against Trixie the Belgian Malinois. Don't get me started on how many times Joe (the Rottie) got nipped in the butt and the wound later demanded some careful care.  And then there's Anna - Trixie's caused some major damage there too - twice required stitching and draining.  Even from her cage recently, she manage to inflict a couple of bites on Anna's left check.   Because of the recent clashes I've been giving both Anna and Trixie many running checks just to see if I've missed any injuries.  Trixie almost always seem to come away unscathe after clashing with either Joe or Anna.

And then all of a sudden she left us.  Time's up.  Maybe all these while she's been trying to tell me that something's wrong and I mistook that for her being afraid of firecrackers (since she scaled her pen's fence every time she heard a pop).   You know the song 'Who Let The Dog Out??' - that was Trixie.  She'd let herself out, climb any fence or gate that confined her - more so over the CNY festivities.

The only time she required the doctor's attention was when she had a piece of skin dangling from behind her left hind leg.  Am not sure how that happened (from running too hard - into fence?) but she came bounding and sat even without me calling.  And when they are that good, something's definitely amiss...The doctor had to stitch her up.

I suppose am still plagued with 'what ifs ...'  Could it all have been prevented ... had I called the doctor earlier .... *sigh*

To think those pictures were taken  a little more than a week ago.  After Joe returned from having his wound treated (thanks to Trixie), Anna getting bitten (by Trixie yet again) and Wally getting tick fever.

So rest in peace Trixie.  I'll always remember you.  Some day I'll see you again ... over that rainbow.

Thank you for your kind thoughts ...

Dear kind warm readers,

Thank you for your kind thoughts.  I truly appreciate them.  It helps - at least for me trying to get my mind to accept the full fact that Trixie's gone for good.  There's always so much to do at Dog Woods.  If it's not the dogs to mind and fuss over there's the chores to be done at home, meals to cook and people to fuss (or boss ;) around.  But in those still moments where nothing immediate warrants my attention I find myself staring into the horizon.  If there was a mirror before me, the expression would be that of bewilderment - slightly gaping mouth, furrowed brow, and a look - lost somewhere, going over and over again what had caused her sudden death.  That's when the sad realisation dawns - that I would never see Trixie (or Iggy as I'd usually call her), again

Dog woods is fairly spacious - more than an acre, enough space for the nine dogs to run about without cramping their style.  Understandably I can't possibly keep an eye out on all nine of them at once... the two Basset Hounds would be tumbling over each other - Tuffy teasing Snoopy and Snoopy giving him a mouthful of what she thought, Anna and the Furkids would be chasing down or digging up a scent (someday I'd post pictures my increasingly crater-ful lawn), Trixie would be running in circles attempting to herd us lot (minus the butt nipping - which we trained her out of), Joe clutching a toy would be looking for a game of fetch.

Usually after all that play and if i knew that no one would be visiting, the dogs would be left to roam about freely (within the confines of Dog woods that is) - with minimal supervision.  And that's when it happened I think ... where and what happen to Trixie within that moments while am pottering about.  What had she ate?  Could she be bitten? What kind of bug had she picked up - so virulent that it took her life so suddenly.   Now am afraid for the rest of the pack ...

Will call the doctor later (don't think his practice is quite fully open yet) to find out Trixie's results.

With a heavy heart ...

... Trixie crossed the rainbow bridge today.  It was so sudden.  I discovered her lying so still this afternoon in her crate when the doctor finally arrived to give her a check.

She wasn't touching her food the last couple of days and I had been feeding her the usual multivitamins (when the dogs are not eating).  Thinking it could be tick fever (since Wally was down with it last week and the Vet had been around to see him twice) I had the Vet to come round to give Trixie her shot of antibiotics only to discover she was no longer breathing.

To think she was ok this morning and I was fretting over getting her to swallow her multivit.  Am still trying to grasp the fact that she's gone.  I can't say am numb.  Just shock.  Not quite sure how or what cause her to leave us so sudden.  It's not that she's been ill for prolonged periods.  Even the good doctor was puzzled.   He'd just seen her last week - trotting about her usual sunny mischevious self.  

And that's how it is whenever I think of Trixie.  Her alertly trotting about - being ring leader to the pack of Furkids (Anna's usually kept in her pen when Trixie's out since they both don't get along), giving chase to  whatever that moves (joggers, motorists, neighbour's dogs) - all well within the confines of the Dog Woods perimeter fence (so no harm done to others)

She was character in her prime who love nothing else but to run like the wind, snatch Joe's toy and guard her home.  And now she's gone.  I feel so sad whenever I think I'd never see Trixie with in all her fawn handsome-ness patrolling the perimeter fence.  Or come running (usually the first to arrive) whenever I call, or just to sit pretty - just to show that she's a good-er girl than the rest of the scampering lot - who's usually playfully wrestling about.  

The only explanation would either be a) deliberate poisoning from someone who hates the Dog Woods Pack or b) bitten by a venomous snake - cobras possibly c) a heart attack - from too many firecrackers?  (honestly, Trixie's heart is built to withstand firecrackers ... though she does like to complain about them alot).

The good doctor's taken Trixie's body for an autopsy.  Still running some tests when I last messaged him.  We'll all know tomorrow why Trixie left us so suddenly.