Sweet Pup Arjax

Here was a picture of our sweet puppy Arjax (maybe 8-10 weeks at this point) as he joined our family almost 5 years ago. Today, unfortunately, we relinquish our rights as owners, and surrendered him for optimal veterinary care, hoping that his future adopters, assuming he makes it out of his exploratory surgery, is none other than Hearts United for Animals; a wonderful no-kill dog sanctuary that pays for medical treatment when families can't. Back last Christmas when Atreyu died, our family grieved for the spunky dog she was, but we always thought, "at least it wasn't Arjax" whose temperament, loyalty, obedience, and personality made him a member of our family. Of course, we don't prioritize our dogs as humans, he was our friend, and we, his caretakers. With the exception of a few vacations, he has been by my side every day, all day, for over 3 years when I started working in the home full-time. His companionship and antics provided peace of mind, and sweetness to our every-day life. Arjax was playful, sweet, and obedient, often arousing comments such as, "How will we ever find such a perfect fit for our family" over the years he was with us. His temperament has never been anything but exceptional, even his 'rough-housing' that happened almost daily with the kids was like an older, gentler friend who would always let the younger ones win.
We're so going to miss him.

A few months old.
Last night Arjax got sick in the house, prompting us to give him some water and house him in his outdoor shelter (insulted doghouse included) and to check on him early this morning. When we took him out of his kennel, his normally chipper and happy-go-lucky self was replaced by a slow, haggard looking dog who was walking carefully. We knew something wasn't right so we tried to feed him. He rejected food. He'd never done that before. After an hour at church, I came home to take him for a slow walk around the block, thinking he needed to go to the bathroom, and just needed the exercise. After a walk to the park, I realized something was horribly wrong, and I took him and the kids home when I noticed he could barely lay down without seeming to be in pain. We called the emergency vet and Stefan took him in at 10Am. Within the two hours he was there before we had to say our 'goodbyes', we found out that his intestines were clean via X-ray (we thought they may be blocked, causing toxicity), and his blood work was clean. They literally had no idea what was wrong with him. After realizing surrendering him was our only option for a positive recovery, we both went back for one last snuggle. After receiving fluids and a lot of pain meds, the poor pup still couldn't lie down and rest. He was in a standing 'half-squat' (think doubling over from stomach pain) so they knew his stomach was bothering him severely.

Taking a break from a busy day of play.

After we left, their policy is to not tell the owners the outcome, though Stefan made a deal that he wanted to know what happened to him before he signed the papers. After briefly visiting with a hesitant employee, we found out (around 6PM) that he was doing okay and they had him set up for exploratory surgery, but promisingly, other dogs in more critical condition were before him. They thought he might make a recovery assuming the next few days went well. There was an adopter coming this afternoon, and after the shift change at 7:30 PM, we're now in the dark as to who has him, whether he made it, and what he has/had. I think that's the hardest thing for me. I'm completely without closure. On a positive note, Stefan wrote a letter to the vet clinic and to the potential adopter about Arjax's life with us, and included his contact info, saying we'd appreciate an anonymous letter as to what his condition was and assuring us he has a good life.

I feel much more upset with the loss of Arjax than I did with Trey, simply because now...there are none. Arjax was my constant foot-warmer, night-time protector and sweet cuddler who loved his belly scratched. I can only hope that if he does make it, he has a family that loves him and his personality as much as we did. Love you, Big Bear.

As for us? We'll get another dog, perhaps even two again, though not right away. Our plans are still so unsteady, though you can bet in the future, if you still read this blog, you'll see another little pup gracing the pages of Our House.