Wednesday, August 03, 2005

 
Foxy Kingsley, 1986-2005



by David J. Kingsley

We are sorry to have to tell you that Foxy died tonight, after a long wonderful life of at least 18 1/2 years.

As most of you know, we rescued Foxy from the Humane Society of Broward County, where she was on "death row" as unadoptable, and we like to think she had a wonderful life, getting as much pleasure as she gave to us.

She was able to overcome so many different problems over the years: Not only did she survive with only one eye for 13 years, but she somehow got over Sweet's Syndrome, which has never been reported in dogs... only in horses and humans. When she went into kidney failure, we were told that the normal life expectancy is 6 months; Foxy made it for 5 years! The last few years have meant a daily trip to the vet every morning for fluids for the kidney failure, and she would stand there willingly while the needle was put in and she was given the fluids.

She survived pancreatitis, an enlarged heart, a heart murmur, a chronic cough and lately chronic pulmonary obstruction as a result of her old age. We had her for 17 1/2 years, and the Humane Society said she was one year old when we got her. According to what we have found, depending on which source you use, 18 1/2 dog years makes her age in human years somewhere between 107 to 129 years.

Yesterday morning, Foxy would not eat, unusual for her unless she was very sick (she had lately been eating 1 1/2 cans of Mighty Dog each day). Yesterday at lunchtime when I went home, Foxy was breathing very rapidly, unable to get her breath, breathing from her abdomen. I took her to the vet immediately, where she was diagnosed as having congestive heart failure. Normally, this is treatable in a person or young dog, but Foxy was very old. She was given aggressive treatment, but she would not respond. We agreed with our vet to give it until today, to see if her breathing could be improved. Unfortunately, her breathing remained very difficult, and she also, for a second day, would not eat....even when we tried chopped liver, McDonald's hamburgers, roast beef and freshly cooked steak.

For the first time in all her illnesses, we could not say that she would "get over it", and we could see that she was, for the first time, actually suffering, since she could barely catch her breath. We had to make the painful decision, and in the end, I held her close, asleep with her head on my shoulder, as she was put to sleep.

We had 17 1/2 wonderful years with her, and have many many wonderful memories. She was the top dog in the house, and lived her life "her way". We will miss her, but know that she had a very happy life.
posted by Michael 4:05 PM