October 2, 2007

It is with deep sorrow that I announce that My Mozart has passed away.

He was not ill nor did he suffer an accident...Mozart's untimely death was at
the hand of a careless vet technician at my regular vets office during a very
routine procedure that was a last minute idea.

Mozart did not have an appointment that day at the vet, he was only there because
he went along for the ride with me and another one of my dogs who had the
appointment. The last minute idea was to get Mozart's anal glands cleaned since we
were there. The vet tech was too aggressive and rough and my lovely boy was
internally damaged within a couple of minutes. I did not realize what exactly
had occurred I just knew something was terribly wrong when I took him off the table.

Mozart died three days later at Texas A&M Vet Hospital after six hours of surgery trying
to save him. The autopsy revealed that he was 100% healthy with the exception of
his colon had been ruptured in two places a finger length in.  They tried to re-sect
the colon but the tissue was so necrotic from being septic for so long the sutures were
not stable. They kept pulling apart. They had brought in several surgeons trying to
save him. He had been  hemorrhaging from the time they first cut him open. His
platelets were almost gone. They had a donor dog standing by for a transfusion but they
were not sure if he would even maintain the blood. I had to make the call and I was all alone.
Do I let him go or keep hoping and keep him going? I asked what was ahead if they brought
him out of anesthesia. The prognosis was grave and there would be pain involved with no
certain outcome. This was so hard for me. I could not even bring myself to say the words. I
knew had to let him go as any more suffering thru an improbable recovery was NOT an option.
He was under anesthesia and not suffering at that moment and I knew I had to let him go
then and there....without talking to him....without saying my proper goodbyes......no good
bye to the ONE who had meant the absolute most to me in my entire life. Ugh....

A part of me died when I finally did tearfully mumble the words to tell them to do it...I will
never forget that crushing moment for  as long as I live. I could hardly breath and I am sure my
heart stopped for a second at the same time his did..... I know the world stopped for me.

All I could think about when it was over was that nursery
rhyme....over and over in my head....
"All the Kings Horses and all the Kings Men Couldn't put
Humpty Together Again"

My Mozart.

Mozart loved 3 things....Going for Rides....Cookies and he loved
Playing with his Toys!
That fateful morning he was playing and running doing zoom zooms around the
yard and I called him to come inside but he refused. I told him he could go for a ride
and that was all it took..he ran to the door eagerly. Yes, Mozart loved going for rides...I
just didn't know this ride to the vet would be my fatal mistake.

This is not at all fair but I am having to accept the emptiness that I now have
in my heart and my home.

I loved him dearly and I have never had a more exuberant, happy, fun and extremely athletic
dog who had the will and heart to overcome some VERY major obstacles in his lifetime.

At 5 years old and in the prime of his show career during his campaign in 2001 Mozart
suffered a stroke from a blow to the head. At that time he was ranked one of AKC's
"Top Dogs" and held a spot between number 3-5 in AKC's all breed system. Due to the
stroke Mozart suddenly became completely blind, deaf and lame on his left side. He lost
his gorgeous long coat from the medication and anesthesia from the MRI. It was a long sad
slow year to follow but with lots of hope, love and dedication to my boy that had given me
much more than I could ever give him...he recovered 110% and you would have never
known he had been handicapped after that. I would like to comment that during this
period this dogs tail still stayed up...he was a trooper.

Within 2 years he went on to compete twice at the Garden in NYC at the Westminster KC dog
show in 2003 and 2004. In 2003 Mozart to even my surprise ended up on the front page of the
New York Times!  The New York Post and News Day both did big stories on him. The media
called him the Lance Armstrong of dogs. He and I also were on the NBC Today Show with
Katie Couric interviewing us. This was an amazing time for me as anyone could imagine. To
have him back and happy and getting all of that attention! He deserved it!

Mozart...he was a Super dog!
He was always a very happy and active boy, he was not a weak or old behaving dog...he
was stable and strong! He was remarkably youthful and full of life, vigor and vitality.
Up until that fateful day I took him to the vets office..... he still ran around the property at full
speed like a wild boy....and played like a puppy with his toys.

I would do anything to have Mozart sleeping next to me at night again kicking me in the
face when he stretched out or turned over. What used to irritate would now only be a
blessing. He was such a wonderful companion. He went everywhere with me.
He would do whatever you asked of him..... always and without complaint.
He loved going to McDonalds for french fries that was always his favorite thing to do!
Every day he would run into the family room and slide across the hardwood floor
until he came to a stop like Kramer did on Seinfeld....smiling all the way.
He was silly and comical and he knew when he was being a funny boy.

Mozart had a fabulous temperament and a wonderful attitude!
You could set a bomb off in the room and it would not affect his temperament.
He was a rock!
He used to hug me by wrapping his neck around mine and laying his head over
the back of my shoulder.
I never saw him mad at anyone or any other dog his entire life.
He never hurt a flea and loved everyone he met.
He liked all other animals and was accepting of all other dogs that I brought into the
house over the years including intact males.
He was not shy nor was he ever one bit skittish Mozart was a confident dog.
He was however a sneaky boy with food and toys and if you were not looking any food in
front of him or on the counter or in the car would be gone in 2 seconds flat!

He was in full show coat up until the day he died and was groomed faithfully every week.
He had the shiniest and silkiest coat I have ever seen on an afghan.
He was the most beautiful dog in the world to me and we had a bond that was
inexplicably strong.

He always had a happy smile on his face and a sparkle in his eye and his perfectly ringed
tail never went down his entire life.... until this past weekend.

Mozart...he was my dog of a lifetime.

Today as I walked my property I saw in the near distance the little black Velcro rain boot that
fell off his front foot last week when he was running thru the wet grass. That day when he ran
back to the door missing that one boot....I went into the yard and I searched for it but I could
not find it....nor could I find it all last week (while he was still with me).

I cannot bring myself to go pick that boot up yet......as I know he must have paused there
in that exact spot last week.........happy and playful.
In my mind.....I want to go back to that spot and have him standing there in that boot
waiting for me to come save him.......but he wont be back in that spot ever again.....

Mozart is gone.

How do you get over your dog of a lifetime?
I am certain that I will never know.