Sunday, April 14, 2013

In Loving memory of Lion

Today, I'm totally devastated by loss of my favourite pet, Lion.


Everything happened so sudden yesterday.
I usually go for late lunch with friends or window shopping on Saturday.
But not yesterday.
Its extremely hot humid day.
I find myself doing speed cleaning up of room like usual,
hop to shower & leave my in law's place before 12 pm, which is early.
Quick lunch myself & go straight back to Mum's place.



Family out for lunch when I reached home before 2 pm.
Then I found Cookie (Lion's mummy) keep staring at me like something its wrong.
I asked her what happened from afar, but she didn't blink & continued to stare at me.
At that moment, I sensed something is wrong, I call for Lion.
His usual response will be tail wagging and climb out from the shed,
but I got no reply from him at all.



I went to the backyard and found out he is heavily panting at the cage
(which has shed/roof covered over & fresh water provided).
Immediately, I let him out from the cage and he crawl desperately to the car porch.
Even the neighbour next door came up and told me the dog have been panting and barking for almost an hour.



I thought letting him to cool down, he will be fine.
Observed him until 3pm and he seems to start cooling down with not much panting.
When call his name, he still can respond to us.
So, I thought he will be okay & took a nap.


When I woke up at 4.30 pm, it rained heavily.
Dad told me that Lion can't move a inch.
Even he call out his name, he got no response from him.
We rushed him to the Vet.



After consultation from the Vet,
they confirmed Lion got heatstroke & need immediate fluid therapy.
The vet will keep in view for 15 hours and if everything goes well,
he can return home the next day.



This morning,
after attend Sunday mass & breakfast,
we rushed over to see him.
The clinic just opened, but vet is not around.
I checked the consultation room where he lied, he is not there.
Everyone said comforting words like maybe he is healthy again
and got transported to another room.



I actually got a sense from the other pet dogs this morning,
they are all gloomy like they have strong feeling of what's happening.



Received phone calls from the Vet around 9.30am.
He said Lion didn't managed to survive to this morning.



I hate this feeling of loss.
I even went to a Healing Mass last night, to pray & hoping
to get Lion back home healthy.
When I first heard he passed away,
the first thing which came across my mind is,
Why Life has to be like this?

Then, endless questions popping in my head.
Why I didn't know it's heatstroke?
Why I didn't sent him to vet when I first see him panting loudly?
Have the Vet try his best to rescue him?
Do Lion know I'm waiting for him to come home?
Do Lion know I much I love him & miss him?


Life!!
Tons of patients on wheelchairs trying to get up from the seats.
Tons of patients suffered from cancer trying to fight for their life.
Even dogs too, fight till the very last breath!

But why those have a life yet wasting it away like hurting your own body & others?
like on drugs, excessively drinking & smoking, dangerous drivings.

I feel like all of us always take things for granted around us.
We might didn't notice what we have until its gone.
Life can be just so unfair from this view.
But if you take another angle from the view you are standing,
it can be different.


I just wish to share to everyone who owns a pet dog,
the first symptom of heatstroke it over-panting.

If your dog exposed to hot environment weather,
do let him off to cooling shed preferably air conditioned room.

If your dog panting loud & non stop, thick saliva & can't move around like usual. Diarrhea & vomiting.
Please sent him immediately to the Vet.
*This is what I blame myself*

I read from the internet that you can bath your dog with normal room temperature water & cool him with electric fan. But I'm not sure this can be apply in hot tropical country, because I think this will bring him to death even faster because of sudden cooling.


Here's my favourite Lion's pic when he's a pup.
He's a mixed tibetan spaniel.



15 May 2009 - 14 April 2013


May you rest in Peace, Lion.
Che che miss you so much already!!! :'(








1 comment:

Vincent Quek said...

Very nice of u to share the lessons learnt, Sylvia. Hope you're feeling better today. So tragic.