Today Dakota would have had his birthday. I want to thank you all for thinking of us and sending all those wonderful thoughtful messages on Facebook and elsewhere. Dakota! An incredible amazing loyal friend and part of our family October 13 2007 – September 30 2014 On Monday Sept 29 I took Dakota to the vet, he had been sick (diarrhea and throwing up) for a few days and he did not seem to get any better. She took an X-ray and discovered some mass that was unknown to her. She could not tell me what it was. Believe me I asked many questions. She took blood and suggested to wait with any actions till the following morning depending on the blood results. That night Dakota started to get really sick, he did not even eat his rice and chicken. He started to leak diarrhea from his behind and he started to throw up water as well☹. The following morning she called with some bad blood results. She suggested to see a specialist. The specialist took X-rays and noticed a big mass. When he tried to get better ‘’pictures’’ of the area, Dakota really flinched. He must have been in so much pain. He explained to me that he did not know exactly what this big mass is. He wanted a second opinion from a radiologist in California. He only asks second opinions 2 or 3 times out of 600 cases. He would call me back with the results that afternoon. In the meantime he suggested to go back to my Vet and get Dakota on fluids. So that is what I did, he got admitted and put on fluids. Then I got the phone call that he not only had the biggest intestinal cancer he and the other specialist has ever seen, but that all his intestines were affected. (Dunne darm kanker, het gezwel was zo groot dat het niet alleen de dunne darm kapot heeft gemaakt, maar ook de dikke darm was er heel slecht aan toe, beide specialisten hadden nog nooit zo een grote tumor gezien in de darmen) He is specialized in cancer and would like for Dakota to come back to him, so he could help his pain and put him on steroids and chemo, this way the cancer might stop growing. There is no way I would have put Dakota through that. We waited for Jen, who was rushing back from Pittsburg to put Dakota down. Her parents came to say goodbye of Dakota. I had his favorite toy (his green snake) and a blanket (with Missy’s smell) on it. When Jen arrived, we gave Dakota some water, ice cubes (he loved) and a great last meal (he loved loved). Just before 8pm (20.00) he took his final breath. I am devastated! It’s so hard to go through this grief and see Missy suffer even more. Unfortunate it is also a big part of being a dog owner, they will not outlive you. We have to focus on the fact that we made the right decision, to not let him suffer any more than he already did. To send him to heaven with all the love we could possible surround him with, to embrace the love and amount of joy he brought to our lives…. Dakota was a pure bred American Bulldog, he was internationally known, born in the Netherlands and then flown to Aruba to be with his new mom and arranged marriage to Missy, our female American Bulldog. He and Missy fell in love immediately and had several puppies. Missy was sick after giving birth so Dakota stepped up and took care of the puppies. They were adopted out and now live in the Netherlands, Bonaire and Aruba respectfully. Dakota and Missy made the journey to the states in 2012 by flying into Miami and then driving to PA where they have resided with their new sister Dolce ever since. It was an adjustment to go from chasing lizards to squirrels but they both adjusted well. Dakota loved every tree and was fascinated with the squirrels, where did they disappear to, when they go behind a tree?? Dakota and Missy slept side-by-side every day, often in the shape of a Ying/Yang as they truly were each other’s soul mates. Although happy in our estrogen enriched home, Dakota often craved the attention of men. On Aruba when my family visited, he was with them all the time and did not pay any attention to me. In America Jennifer’s father became one of his best friends. He loved ice cubes and would run to the fridge each morning to get one when Jen made her shakes. He was obsessed with tape measures to the point that if you opened one in front of him, he was on top of you and you were on the ground. He loved to play with his snake. However after 15 throws, he would be done and tired. When he was playing and running with Missy or Dolce, he would throw his but to the floor and spin in circles! He loved to jump in to cars. Your door is open? That means I can get in. He and Missy jumped in the truck of our realtor and did not wanted to get out. This was one of the first time Fred met them and he called in panic. Dakota also jumped in the car, while we were moving Jen’s parents. Although the car was loaded with paintings and pictures… He jumped right in there, breaking a few. He has this uncanny ability to bust out a fart and then look at you as though you had done it. He was a lover not a fighter. Every time he greeted you he was so excited, giving you all of his love and paws. We often referred to him as our shadow because he just wanted to be with us. He was our special needs boy, not necessarily the sharpest tool in the shed at times, he was totally unaware of his size and would often cramp and twist his 90 pound body into Dolces 19 pound bed. He would often walk over and sit right on your feet or directly on Missys head or butt. He would run into a palm tree (in my yard on Aruba) that never moved from his spot. He would start to run and knock you right down to the ground. You would know when he dropped one in the yard because he would come running like a mad man to the door. He could not eat any rawhide bones, because he would choke on them. However he was the only dog out of the three who knew how to open the screen door, push doors open with his head and walk through any gate, just to see where you are and to be with you. Jen called him her twist cone because his coloring was split right down the middle of his head. He was our protector, if anyone came to the door, I would say LUID and he would bark, scaring anyone to think twice before coming in, even tough his tail was waggling. We will miss kissing his nose, flipping his bottom lip with our fingers, cuddling with him, rubbing his forehead where his wrinkles were (he loved that), his big head on the side of our bed telling us to get up, in the living room he would put his head on your lap and just stare at you… and we will miss his eyes, they were so sweet and soulful. He was the best dog and best lover of humans that I experienced. He was a great, amazing, sweet, kind dog. He will be dearly missed, by us, by Missy ☹ and anyone he encountered in his life.
Posted on: Tue, 14 Oct 2014 01:36:58 +0000