MISHA (@RB), APRIL, CARI & RICO'S FRIENDS, Dw

Anim
Anim Graphic ©1997 Kitty Roach<.STRONG>

BONNIE (@RB) &
BEAU (@RB) DWIGGINS

Bonnie is the Airedale Canine Companion of Judy & Roy. They live in a suburb of Portland.
Bonnie thinks, "This year I'll guard them; next year I'll EAT them!"
Bonnie would like everyone to know that the camera added ten pounds to her picture; she is really quite svelte!

In the Summer of 1997, Stone Ridge Beauregard, known as Beau to his friends, became Bonnie's playmate. Says Judy, "You can see from his photo that Beau is a darling. He's very affectionate and sweet-natured. He just loves Bonnie."

She tolerates him most of the time, and treats him as she would a little brother who gets into her things and messes up her world. But I think she enjoys his company some of the time, especially when we go for walks. He's an ally in her neverending neighborhood patrol. They both think it's their job to keep the neighborhood safe and all the c*ts in their houses -- where c*ts belong.

By the way, we do have a nickname for Beau. I hope he doesn't get a complex but it's so fitting and we don't mean any disrespect -- Beau-zo. Airedales are such clowns.
If this isn't Airedale affection, I don't know what is!

In 1999, the Airedale Rescue Quilt Project was born. Forty-eight squares were created. Here are Judy's squares, depicting Bonnie & Beau.

On 1 April 2000, Judy writes:
This is one of the saddest days of my life. Bonnie crossed the bridge today. When we arrived at the emergency vets, they told us she was in shock and very anemic. She was bleeding internally (they tapped her abdomen with a needle). The doctors were suspicious of a burst tumor in her spleen or liver. They called in a radiologist who did an ultrasound and discovered a mass on her spleen, plus a small cystic mass by her kidneys and her liver also had a suspicious spot. They also discovered fluid around her heart that could be blood. She also had moderate heart disease and a heart murmur. They said there was over a 90% chance that the tumor on her spleen was malignant - something call hemangiosarcoma? They said the prognosis for those tumors is not good. Before they discovered her heart condition, they said the best case after surgery would be a two- to five-month survival.
We were left with a horrible decision - to have the surgery to try to remove as much of the tumor as possible - giving her an additional few months, or to euthanize her. The doctor said if we did nothing, she would bleed to death. We decided we couldn't put her through the surgery and recovery, especially with her heart condition. Of course, we'll always agonize about whether we made the right decision. Should we have taken the chance on her having a few more months? She was so depressed and tired today. I felt she knew it was time to go.
Roy and I were both with her when she crossed the bridge. I cut some hair off her chest and off of her stinky beard . . . momentoes to remember her by. I told her that I loved her more than any dog I've ever known and that I'll never, ever forget her. She was the best! Roy and I were both petting her and crying. Just as the doctor gave her the injection, I said, 'Bonnie, you can see Sadie waiting across the bridge for you.' At that moment, Bonnie actually wagged her tail, just like she could see Sadie beckoning her over the bridge. A few seconds later her heart stopped beating.
We'll be so lonely without her funny face. I don't know what Beau will do without her to be his guide and mentor. He idolized her. My husband's heart is broken. Bonnie was his heart dog too. What am I going to do without my sweet baby girl? We're going to miss her so much.

On 15 October 2006, Judy writes: My sweet Beau is gone
My heart is broken. My sweet Beau is gone. The skies are so full of clouds & rain today - it is as if the heavens are crying, too.
Beau was my best friend & constant companion. I don't know how I will survive without him. From the moment he joined our family, he wrapped himself around my heart and never questioned his place there. He was never far from my side. He made our home a joyous place to come home to. How will I be able to walk through the front door and not feel him bump into me? I won't be able to sleep at night without hearing his snoring at the foot of my bed. Our pain & grief is overwhelming.
He left so quickly. We had no idea he was sick. He went on his usual walk to the park this morning and seemed fine when we left to check on my brother. When we came home, Roy saw him first and said, "Judy, help me with Beau, he can't stand up." Beau was in a total state of panic, scrambling to get to his feet on the kitchen floor.
At first we thought his leg had fallen asleep so he was having trouble standing. We carried him to the living room and tried to calm him down. He was very shaky and clearly disoriented. I sat with him for a few minutes and he calmed down but we could still tell he was not feeling well. I put a heating pad on his back to see if it would help relax him. He did calm down a little. We debated about taking him to the emergency vet.
Our decision was made quickly when he tried to stand again and couldn't walk. This time he was in a state of sheer panic. I threw a blanket around him to calm him down. He laid down, breathing hard. Roy carried him to the car. I sat in the backseat with Beau while Roy drove to the vet. Beau was having a very hard time breathing. A few times, I thought he was going to die before we got to the vet. I kept telling him he was going to be all right and repeating how much I loved him. The ride seemed to take forever.
They carried him inside on a gurney. My valiant boy did his best to stand. He did not want to be carried. As soon as they had him inside, the tech came out to ask us if we wanted them to resuscitate him if he arrested. We said "No."
We knew it wasn't good when they called us into a room. The doctor said they had put him on oxygen but he was very anemic - she said she'd found blood in his abdominal cavity. She thought he would arrest while they tried to put in a catheter. Then the tech came in and said he was arresting. The vet asked us again if we wanted them to resuscitate him. We said to let him go. It was only a few minutes before he was gone.
The vet said she felt that he'd probably died from internal bleeding. Roy & I immediately thought of Bonnie (@RB). She went almost exactly the same way and at nearly the same age.
The people at Dove Lewis Emergency Vet were wonderful. They gave me a lock of Beau's hair & prints of his paws. I am so lost without my sweet Beausey. Roy's heart is broken too. He says he lost his best pal. Beau was a very special Airedale. What are we going to tell six-year-old Jordan? He's seen too much sadness this year. I'm feeling numb.
Judy, missing my sweet Beau, and Anabelle (Where's my best friend? I'm confused & worried.)

And, beloved master, should the great Master see fit to deprive me of my health or sight, do not turn me away from you. Rather hold me gently in your arms as skilled hands grant me the merciful boon of eternal rest - and I will leave you knowing with the last breath I drew, my fate was ever safest in your hands.
--From A Dog's Wish

Bonnie (@RB) & Beau (@RB) shown with the kind permission of Judy & Roy Dwiggins
Thanks to Karen Clouston for the Airedale Graphic

BONNIE (@RB) & BEAU (@RB) DWIGGINS
Bonnie is the Airedale Canine Companion of Judy & Roy. They live in a suburb of Portland. *Bonnie thinks, "This year I'll guard them; next year I'll EAT* them!" Bonnie would like everyone to know that the camera added ten pounds to her picture; she is really quite svelte!**
In the Summer of 1997, Stone Ridge Beauregard, known as Beau to his friends, became Bonnie's playmate. Says Judy, "You can see from his photo that Beau is a darling. He's very affectionate and sweet-natured. He just loves Bonnie."
She tolerates him most of the time, and treats him as she would a little brother who gets into her things and messes up her world. But I think she enjoys his company some of the time, especially when we go for walks. He's an ally in her neverending neighborhood patrol. They both think it's their job to keep the neighborhood safe and all the cts in their houses -- where cts belong.
By the way, we do have a nickname for Beau. I hope he doesn't get a complex but it's so fitting and we don't mean any disrespect -- Beau-zo. Airedales are such clowns. If this isn't Airedale affection, I don't know what is!
In 1999, the Airedale Rescue Quilt Project was born. Forty-eight squares were created. Here are Judy's squares, depicting Bonnie & Beau.
On 1 April 2000, Judy writes: This is one of the saddest days of my life. Bonnie crossed the bridge today. When we arrived at the emergency vets, they told us she was in shock and very anemic. She was bleeding internally (they tapped her abdomen with a needle). The doctors were suspicious of a burst tumor in her spleen or liver. They called in a radiologist who did an ultrasound and discovered a mass on her spleen, plus a small cystic mass by her kidneys and her liver also had a suspicious spot. They also discovered fluid around her heart that could be blood. She also had moderate heart disease and a heart murmur. They said there was over a 90% chance that the tumor on her spleen was malignant - something call hemangiosarcoma? They said the prognosis for those tumors is not good. Before they discovered her heart condition, they said the best case after surgery would be a two- to five-month survival. We were left with a horrible decision - to have the surgery to try to remove as much of the tumor as possible - giving her an additional few months, or to euthanize her. The doctor said if we did nothing, she would bleed to death. We decided we couldn't put her through the surgery and recovery, especially with her heart condition. Of course, we'll always agonize about whether we made the right decision. Should we have taken the chance on her having a few more months? She was so depressed and tired today. I felt she knew it was time to go. Roy and I were both with her when she crossed the bridge. I cut some hair off her chest and off of her stinky beard . . . momentoes to remember her by. I told her that I loved her more than any dog I've ever known and that I'll never, ever forget her. She was the best! Roy and I were both petting her and crying. Just as the doctor gave her the injection, I said, 'Bonnie, you can see Sadie waiting across the bridge for you.' At that moment, Bonnie actually wagged her tail, just like she could see Sadie beckoning her over the bridge. A few seconds later her heart stopped beating. We'll be so lonely without her funny face. I don't know what Beau will do without her to be his guide and mentor. He idolized her. My husband's heart is broken. Bonnie was his heart dog too. What am I going to do without my sweet baby girl? We're going to miss her so much. On 15 October 2006, Judy writes: My sweet Beau is gone My heart is broken. My sweet Beau is gone. The skies are so full of clouds & rain today - it is as if the heavens are crying, too. Beau was my best friend & constant companion. I don't know how I will survive without him. From the moment he joined our family, he wrapped himself around my heart and never questioned his place there. He was never far from my side. He made our home a joyous place to come home to. How will I be able to walk through the front door and not feel him bump into me? I won't be able to sleep at night without hearing his snoring at the foot of my bed. Our pain & grief is overwhelming. He left so quickly. We had no idea he was sick. He went on his usual walk to the park this morning and seemed fine when we left to check on my brother. When we came home, Roy saw him first and said, "Judy, help me with Beau, he can't stand up." Beau was in a total state of panic, scrambling to get to his feet on the kitchen floor. At first we thought his leg had fallen asleep so he was having trouble standing. We carried him to the living room and tried to calm him down. He was very shaky and clearly disoriented. I sat with him for a few minutes and he calmed down but we could still tell he was not feeling well. I put a heating pad on his back to see if it would help relax him. He did calm down a little. We debated about taking him to the emergency vet. Our decision was made quickly when he tried to stand again and couldn't walk. This time he was in a state of sheer panic. I threw a blanket around him to calm him down. He laid down, breathing hard. Roy carried him to the car. I sat in the backseat with Beau while Roy drove to the vet. Beau was having a very hard time breathing. A few times, I thought he was going to die before we got to the vet. I kept telling him he was going to be all right and repeating how much I loved him. The ride seemed to take forever. They carried him inside on a gurney. My valiant boy did his best to stand. He did not want to be carried. As soon as they had him inside, the tech came out to ask us if we wanted them to resuscitate him if he arrested. We said "No." We knew it wasn't good when they called us into a room. The doctor said they had put him on oxygen but he was very anemic - she said she'd found blood in his abdominal cavity. She thought he would arrest while they tried to put in a catheter. Then the tech came in and said he was arresting. The vet asked us again if we wanted them to resuscitate him. We said to let him go. It was only a few minutes before he was gone. The vet said she felt that he'd probably died from internal bleeding. Roy & I immediately thought of Bonnie (@RB). She went almost exactly the same way and at nearly the same age. The people at Dove Lewis Emergency Vet were wonderful. They gave me a lock of Beau's hair & prints of his paws. I am so lost without my sweet Beausey. Roy's heart is broken too. He says he lost his best pal. Beau was a very special Airedale. What are we going to tell six-year-old Jordan? He's seen too much sadness this year. I'm feeling numb. Judy, missing my sweet Beau, and Anabelle (Where's my best friend? I'm confused & worried.)
And, beloved master, should the great Master see fit to deprive me of my health or sight, do not turn me away from you. Rather hold me gently in your arms as skilled hands grant me the merciful boon of eternal rest - and I will leave you knowing with the last breath I drew, my fate was ever safest in your hands. --From A Dog's Wish
*Bonnie (@RB) & Beau (@RB) shown with the kind permission of Judy & Roy Dwiggins* *Thanks to Karen Clouston for the Airedale Graphic*