Chester

Little Chester, probably a schnoodle but very schnauzer-like except in his silky wavy coat, was sent to a boarding kennel when his person went into a care facility. The family asked his vet to euthanize him because they didn’t want him, the vet refused and he went to a shelter. We took him home after 18 hours but he had had just too much stress. In two months he had gone from a healthy 14 year old dog weighing 14 pounds to a very frail 10 pounds, no doubt from endless circling to the left from stress and dementia combined. It took two weeks for him to relax in his ODH home and the circling to turn into random pacing at times but long naps in between. He was frantic at the vet, struggled wildly with any restraint, wouldn’t walk on a leash and urinated almost every hour, wherever. Slowly he learned the routine and calmed down, ate well, wagged his tail occasionally, and went out the door to relieve himself – if it was left open and if he made it that far. After a month he had gained some weight and relaxed a lot but dementia was really taking over and his body got weaker. We are glad that he had some comfort in his last month and knew that he was wanted and loved – what a shame that he had to go through such stress at the end of his life. We loved him and will not forget him.