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3 goldens
10-16-2006, 02:10 AM
My Precious Hunter,

Three years ago today was one of the saddest days of my life because it is the day you were taken from me. I have spent all these years telling of your death, using the story of your death to try to save other precious dogs.

I have also tried to describe you so people would know the kind of special boy you were. But it is so hard for people who never knew you to understand. How can you describe a rainbow to one who can not see, the sweet scent of rose to one who can not smell, the sound of a song bird to one who can not hear.

They could not know your gentleness, like a spring breeze, because they never saw you laying beside your sister, gently licking her face after she had her knee surgeries. They never saw you laying besides Honey's crate to keep her company when she spent 6 weeks in there after heartworm treatment. They never saw you bringing your toys and placing them on the grandchildrens blanket as they sat on the floor.

They could not know your patience as they never saw you let your sister or Honey take the toy from your mouth. Or the way you let Honey run up behind you and grab your leg, almost pulling you down. You would just sit down and look at me as if to say "Is she ever going to stop pestering me." We wanted you to grown or snap at her as we were scared she was going to hurt you, but you never did. Or your total willingness to share any food or treat.

They could not know how you made me laugh with your clumbsiness, the way you would fall off the bed until you learned to sleep wrapped around my head, or the way you ran into things and even tripped over your own feet. Yet when you ran, no gazelle was more graceful. Your long lean body stretched out, sun bringing out the gold and silver in your golden fur. Or the way you woke me each morning with your wide, dripping tongue dancing hap-hazardly on my neck, in my hair, in my ear. When I turned my fact towards you and opened my eyes, your ears would perk up and your tail just thump. You were so happy to have my attention, I just had to laugh at you.

They can not know your devotion to me. The way you had to sleep where you could see my face--once you learned not to fall out of bed. How I would sometimes wake up at night with the feeling of being watched and it was you on the floor watching me--I was to close to the edge of the bed for you to be there to see my face. I would move over and you would get back on the bed. They could not see you watching me talk and hear people say how you hung onto every word I said.

They could not see how hard you fought that last week to live, never refusing to take your meds, never trying to get your IV out, never refusing to go back in your ICU unit after being out for tests to go potty, never fighing the twice a day blood draws. They all said you wanted to live for me.

Hunter, my Petey boy, I never believed in ghosts or visits from beyond, but I knew without a doubt that night, 8 months after your death, that you were using your sister's body to let me know you were fine, you loved me as much as ever and you did not blame me for your death. I have so wished to be woken again with her tongue all wet and slobbering dancing on the back of my neck to wake me..as you always woke me in the mornings. But it has not happened again. But i am so thankful for that one visit becuase it took away my guilt.

I think when God made you he threw away the mold. You were a one of a kind, my precious Petey , and I love you as much today as I ever did and I will love you that much forever. Love, Mommy

HUNTER Aug. 19, 1999 -----8:40 PM Oct. 16, 2003

For those that don't know, my Hunter was struck down with autoimmune hemolytic anemia and liver damage brought on by that 6 month heartworm preventative injection, ProHeart6. Ten months after his death, it was pulled from the USA market at the request of the FDA because of the extremely high number of reported reactions and deaths. The compnay would still like to bring it back onto the market, or introduce the 12 month version used in Australia.
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Doberman's
10-16-2006, 09:09 AM
I am so sorry. {{{ HUGS }}}

Thanks for posting this, I know about Proheart6 but many people do not and it is still available in Canada. :(

brunosmom
10-16-2006, 06:36 PM
3 goldens.....I am sorry about Hunter:(
You wrote a very touching story about Hunter.....I felt as if I knew him as I read the story...for my own dog Bruno does the same as yours. You and Hunter will be in my thoughts.......I did not know that about the Proheart....I have been using Valuheart for prevention of heartworms that I ordered from Australia....is there any connection?

Those who live in our hearts never really die...

3 goldens
10-16-2006, 08:28 PM
ProHeart6 was an injection that was to last 6 months. It had time release spheres that were to release over that time.The main ingredient wa moxidectin. It has never been proven what exactly caused so many reactions and deaths, but according to the FDA there wre more deaths due to it in the 3 years it was out than all other heart worm preventatives combined, and some had been out for as long as 12 years. It was made by Fort Dodge.

In early 2004 there was a recall of some batchs that hit the market in July 2003 because of a problem with the time release spheres. We could never find out exactly just what the problem was--all releasing at once, releasing at the wrong time, not releasing at all. I will never know if Hunter got some of one of those batches or not.

And just to let you know, in Australia they have a 12 month version and people from there are coming to American dog health groups looking for informaion bevcause of dogs dying or having bad reactions to the Proheart SR12. I got an e-mail from one about 3 weeks ago that had read Hunter's story on www.dogsadversereactions.com and wanted information---she had lost her border collie to the SR12. She is trying to get the media alerted there like we did here. Down there they r eport to the proper govenment agency, who in turns turns the case over to the manufacturer to investigate and rule on, more or less like letting the fox investigate the hen house raid. They, not the goverment keeps the "stats" and they rae not for public review. And do you think they are going to rule their product is at fault and lrisk losing a mulitmillion dollar product? There is no Freedom of Information there so they come here looking for information. And Fort Dodge wants to introduce it here!

Plummy16
10-17-2006, 05:46 PM
That made me cry!!! I'm so sorry about your loss, it's so nice to remember the good things! Petey sounds like he was a wonderful dog.