Sasha is gorgeous -- what a sweet video Valentine!

Rio's momma

I need to come back and visit a little early this year...usually I return here for the anniversary of the transition of my German Shepherd, twipawd, Luna (Luna vom Burghard), on September 16, 2008, but I need to visit now because last Thursday, August 22, 2013, I lost Luna's sister, Xena (Xena vom Burghard), suddenly and unexpectedly.  I'd like to share with you what I posted on my Facebook page (Burghard Shepherds) that day:

“Xena: Warrior Princess”

April 29, 2005—August 22, 2013

Thursday, August 22, 2013:

I lost my beautiful German Shepherd Dog, Xena, today.   She was just fine yesterday, eating, playing, etc.  Just being Xena, Warrior Princess.  But, last night when I put my dogs to bed (in their pens in the garage/nine dogs), I noticed that Xena's water was red, which made no sense at all.  It looked like blood, but there was no blood elsewhere and she looked great and acted normal.  I replaced the bucket with a fresh bucket of water.  I took the old water bucket, with red water, and made a note and pinned it to it my employee, Wilner, to see in the morning to try to figure out if he could shed any light on this situation.  He arrived for work at 7:15am and I hadn't been out in the garage yet, but I asked him about the red water and he had no idea what that could be.  He went out to Xena's pen and called to me, "have you seen this?"  I replied, "Seen what?"  And, he said, "The blood..."  I rushed out there and Xena's cage was awash with blood, the water, the floor, her bed.

As for Xena, blood was dripping from her mouth, but her tail was wagging and she seemed normal otherwise.  We rushed her outside and put on medical gloves and started examining her mouth for a cut tongue or missing tooth, but couldn't see anything as she was wiggling and there too much blood.  I immediately called our vet, Dr. John Dee, and told him the situation.  Then I took her over there immediately.  He had me leave her there, which I hated to do, so he could sedate her and get a good look at her mouth.  He called me shortly after that and told me that Xena had a large tumor at the base of her tongue.  This was devastating news.  There really was nothing that could (or should) have been done.  She was still sedated and I asked him to keep her that way.  I told him to do a chest and abdomen x rays to see if there were any other signs of disease.  I was thinking “hemangiosarcoma” which killed her sister, Luna, at the age of three, and her mother, Kora, at the age of 11.  The chest x ray looked normal, but the abdomen x ray showed a suspicious area.  At any rate, I knew what had to be done and it broke my heart.  I called Dave, who is in Ohio right now, and told him the shocking details of the morning.  He was deeply saddened to hear this news and couldn’t believe it was all so sudden.

Through blurry, teary eyes, I drove back to the vet’s and said good bye to my Xena-- funny, bouncy, strong,  Xena. Our “Xener Weiner” as I called her.  I witnessed Xena’s birth along with her 9 littermates in 2005. Now, I witnessed her transition and held her paw as she quietly slipped away and made her way to the “Rainbow Bridge”.  It was very peaceful, but emotionally painful, nonetheless, for me. Dr. Dee was very kind during the entire process, and I had vet tech, Mallory, by my side, as she had been when we put Eik Sr. (Xena’s father) to sleep in 2010.  Their kindness made all the difference.

Xena was the biggest newborn puppy in the litter, even bigger than the males.  Now this.  At age 8, not young, but not old either.  It all was happening so fast.  As I walked out of the vet’s office, an older lady with an elderly dog was coming in.  She took one look at my face, and said, “Oh, I’m so sorry…” and then gave me a hug.  That was so nice of her. 

Of all nine dogs, Xena was Wilner’s favorite.  I returned home to find Wilner mopping the kitchen floor, pool area, and living room where blood had dripped all over.  He was in tears, too. 

During all of this chaos this morning, once I realized what would need to be done, I called the University of Florida and arranged for a necropsy (autopsy) to be performed, as had been done for my other 3 dogs.  I want to know what killed my dog.  Especially, if it was hemangiosarcoma, which killed sibling, Luna, and mother, Kora.  As I write this, Wilner has gone to Dr. Dee’s to pick up Xena’s body and transport it in the SUV to UF where vet students will watch the necropsy and learn.  This will happen either this afternoon or tomorrow.  I am always pleased when some medical good can come from these types of situations.

And, finally, I called Beau Crevasse in Gainesville, for the cremation.  The woman with whom I spoke was so kind and understanding.  She patiently waited during the silences where I couldn’t speak.  I used this family run “pet funeral home” three times in the past, for Xena’s parents and sister.  I highly recommend them, because as pet owners themselves, they truly understand what people go through when they lose a beloved pet.  The cremation will take place next Tuesday and her cremains will be in a little wooden box, matching the ones for her parents and sister, with a black German Shepherd lying on top of it.

Xena was ready to play today, blood or not, that was her personality.  But, life had other plans for her. Joyful, playful, and loving.  She will be missed.  I like to think that we will all be reunited again someday.

                                                                             *************

August 27, 2013:

Now, Luna and Xena are running together, free and happy...Xena was cremated this afternoon, and yes, I ordered another walnut box with a black German Shepherd dog figurine lying on top from Beau Crevasse in Gainesville.  They join their parents, Eik and Kora.  And, here we go again with a connection with my father.  Today is the 6th anniversary of his transition.  (Luna's diagnosis came on the anniversary of his birthday, October 5th, 2007).

As always, I have reread the posts I have made in the past, and all of the wonderful responses from the other people here going through similar experiences.  And, yes, of course, I'm crying again.  I need to cry, so this is good.  It's so important to have a place I can visit to share my feelings in this manner.  Thank you so much...

So very sorry - your love for your dogs shines through with every word. Blessings to you and your family during this difficult time.

What beautiful girls you have had.  I'm am so very sorry that Xena had to leave you.  Having recently gone through losing a member of my pack, I know no words can really get across how much we all feel for what you are feeling now.  Please just know our thoughts are with you and your family.

Hello everyone:

It is hard to believe that yesterday, September 16, 2013, marks five years since we lost our little tripawd, Luna.  I like to visit this area each  year so I can focus on Luna among folks who understand what losing a beloved pet is all about, not to mention having gone through the amputation experience with your pet.  It is not easy and I tip my hat to anyone who has gone through this with their pets.  Of course, the pets are amazing how they handle it all.

I'm wearing my rainbow bracelets today in memory of Luna and her sister, Xena, whom I lost on August 22, 2013, and their pawrents, Eik, and Kora, who are waiting for us at the Rainbow Bridge...especially Luna this week...

4-29-2005 to 9-16-2008...

I think the link to my smilebox presentation about Luna is broken, but here is a link that hopefully will take you to it.  It features pictures from her pre and post days and weeks surrounding her transition to a "tripawd":

http://www.smil.....gview=true

Thanks to all for your kind words....

Sandra & "Angel" Luna & the gang