Today Sampson Met Leigha

Today was the day I was dreading for years. Today Hannah went out into the yard and came in tears welling in her eyes. Today Sam met Leigha in Heaven.

I knew he was getting close but didn’t think it would happen so suddenly. We think he had one Grand Mal seizure and that was the beginning of the end for him. When I found him only able to move a little I brought him up into the dog run where Clover usually lives. I had to bathe him because he obviously lost control of everything. This may sound heartless but I think he appreciated being outside again he kept looking up at the bright sun and if he could I think his tail would have wagged. I let him lay out there in the sun all day yesterday since my vet was closed and I didn’t want to stress him out. He could still vocalize and he wasn’t crying in pain so I let him lay there on his straw contentedly; he had no interest in food but took water when I offered it once or twice. He looked for Hannah once or twice but he just seemed to be enjoying the sun between seizures. My plan was to take him in on Monday if I had to, but I didn’t have to make that choice for him. He never woke up this morning. I think it was a peaceful end for him.

What I couldn’t do was take care of his body after it; I went to work and thankfully my Dad did that job. I had made it easier for him by letting Sam enjoy the run which meant no bringing him up from the basement. He laid peacefully on a bed of straw in the shade of the house and our wooden fence. I suspect he wanted to go alone because we checked on him almost every half hour all day yesterday and into the night when we weren’t sitting with him. I don’t think he wanted Hannah to be upset with him as she cried over him when she thought he was going during one long seizure yesterday. Talking to one of our local vets today reassured me that I made the right decision for him; sometimes choosing to have the vet make the call for them is harder on the animal especially the stress of going into the office again. Neil said if he was still vocalizing and not crying it was a good sign he wasn’t in pain and if I didn’t want to take him in the way I let him go was perfectly acceptable.

So rest in peace Sampson