I have an afternoon team meeting, but I am taking it from a cafe close to home, as not long after, we have to take our dog Viski to the vet to discuss options. He is in increasing pain and losing mobility due to arthritis and some tumors, and his teeth are in such bad condition now he has trouble eating. He spends most of the days sleeping - unless there is a little sausage on offer, then he acts like a squealing puppy - he is deaf and mostly blind, but his sense of smell is still working well enough.
"Discussing options" speaks of the condition and for us, it is about his comfort, which means pain management. He is fourteen years old now and while I have only known him since he was five, he is definitely a big part of our family. I am not sure how my daughter is going to react at his passing, as even though this year she has faced it a couple times including my father, this would be the first time that it is something that she is very close to, that she interacts with daily.
She knows he is going to the vet today and last night she told my wife that she had taken the time to sit with him and explain that it is nothing to be afraid of, so he is prepared and doesn't get scared. she has obviously realized that every time she is to go to the hospital, we do the same with her so there are no surprises.
One thing I am glad of in Finland is that for the most part, people take the responsibility for their pets seriously and do a good job of looking after their animals. I have never understood how people can willingly take and then neglect or be cruel to an animal, including working animals. I think it tells a lot about a person in how they look after the animals they have.
While I hope he will be with us a bit longer, Viski has had a very good life so far and enjoyed the company of people who treat him well and look after him. We were worried that when our daughter was born that he would get jealous, but he graciously gave space and very soon become her guard. He literally tears soft toys apart in seconds, but to this day, he hasn't destroyed one of our daughter's. As soon as it is designated hers, he gives it a a sniff and a longing look - and puts it out of his mind. Anyone who owns a dachshund will know, they are single-minded and stubborn once they have a target in site.
This year has been difficult in so many ways and it doesn't look like it is going to be ending the run anytime soon, which makes me think that Viski's time is drawing to a close. Maybe it will be a fitting end and start to a different kind of family life, one where he has enough time with us to see us settled into a new home before he leaves.
Life is about ends and beginnings with most looking at it from the other direction. But the beginning can't be started until whatever was before has ended - the start of noise marks the end of silence.
Silence inevitably returns.
Taraz
[ Gen1: Hive ]