Buffy

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My name is Russ Western. You may not remember me, but I adopted a boxer from you about three years ago. I named her Buffy, after a character referenced in Auntie Mame.

She was so thin, afraid of tall men, I'm 6'4", She quickly learned that this tall guy was okay, and I took her camping (in my camper) and on hikes in the Sierra Nevada Mountains during the following years. What a gal.

Then, February, 2001, Buffy started throwing up her food and started to lose weight, she was diagnosed with advanced kidney disease. She spent several days in intensive care, and when I took her home, they said I would have to give her a large injection twice a day. I have had cancer, so I have given myself so many shots, that when it came time to give Buffy dialysis shots twice a day, it was no problem. She came home and got much better, her dialysis was complemented by a special low protein diet. Buffy started gaining weight as she was able to keep her dinner down. She began to thrive again!

She did real well for seven months, during her last month, her blood tests indicated that she was beginning to decline. She started to throw up and lose weight, I did ALL I could, but her time had come and all of her blood levels were end stage. Buffy was euthanized last October 17th. I held her in my arms so she wouldn't see the needle. Afterward, I cried so terribly hard that they let me out the back door. The vet was crying too because they had gotten to know Buffy so well during her illness.

What a wonderful pet she was, and I am so appreciative that I was able to give her a really great last couple of years.

Thank you for being part of that experience. It helped me.

Russ Western