Goodbye to my Faithful Cad



Dear Readers, it is with the heaviest of hearts that I share our loss with all of you.  My furry little brother has lost his battle with DM and crossed the Rainbow Bridge yesterday afternoon.  Over the last 2 years we have been so blessed to have had the well wishes from all of you.  We met the most talented and thoughtful people because of Cad and because of his illness.  People in animal healthcare and amazing bloggy friends, all of who helped us throughout these last couple years.  We thought would we would give special praise to the fantastic folks who treated Cad.

Cad relaxing post surgery- he loved to sleep "like a human"

The support we had from our vets Dr. Gould, Dr. Manley, and the entire crew at Apple Country Animal Hospital.  My frantic last minute calls when I would realize we were running low on his meds and were on our way out of town with him.  During all Cads time at Tufts, they would call and check on us humans to see how we were holding up.  They were so good at offering practical advice and willing to research anything to help all our pets, especially Cad.  Gosh those folks have been so wonderful to us!!

Cad getting ready to work in the tank at Paws in Motion

The amazing team headed by Dr. Suzy Starr at Paws in Motion was vital in his recovery after his disc rupture and continued to be instrumental in keeping him independent for as long as possible.  Cad LOVED Suzy, sometimes more than us! :)  She gave him all kinds of doggie "junk food", which he adored.  Cad was a huge foodie.  Back in his prime, and before we knew better, we fed him 2 cups of dry kibble which he could down in 1 minute flat.  Towards the end he got picky and wanted only canned food so we spoiled him with lots of different kinds of gourmet treats and cans of fancy grain-free organic food.  He was sooooo loyal he really deserved all the spoiling. :)

Cad on Wells Beach 2013

 

The folks at Eddies Wheels who made his beach-ready wheelchair so he could enjoy his last season at the beach.  Man that corgi was gaga for beach walks and chasing seabirds of all kinds.  One of the funniest memories we have of Cad is the first time we took him to the beach.  He and I went all the way to the waters edge.  This is Maine water mind you so it is cold, even in the summer, and this was early spring I think.  Well, the water came up and just barely hit his feet.  I started to run back and he froze.  I think it was so cold he didn't know what to do. It wasn't dangerous water and he was leashed, don't worry.  I turned and said "come on" and, after he snapped out of the shock, took off far from the water.  He was always cautious about the water after that. :) 

 

"Fat" Cad before we put him on a diet- we really didn't realize how fat he had gotten!! circa 2006

 

We never could have imagined when Cad came to us after my mom passed away, how much he would change our lives.  I've had many, many pets in my life, but as cautious & shy as he was, Cad was responsible for having introduced us to so many human friends.  Amazing people who touch so many others with their gifts.  The impact he had will long outlive him. 

 

Cad chillin' in Maine pre-disc rupture circa 2009



We take comfort in the thought that he and Mom will have a happy reunion.   Now they can take endless beach walks, cuddle together on the sofa, and keep an eye on us from above. :)

 

 Cad Christmas 2013

 

Cad lived with us longer than he did with my mom (he was 14- would have been 15 this spring!), but I always considered him my "little brother".  He was always one who had to have the last bark.  LOL!  When we would talk to him and he didn't like what we said he would always give a "humph" snort, or a quick bark.  When he got too sassy, I'd usually sass back with "Mom said you were adopted" or "Mom liked me best"- which would involve another sassy bark from him. *smile*.  He really was an amazing dog.  Cad was super smart and knew a ridiculous number of words, luckily he never got to know how to spell since we ended up having to spell MANY words around him.  A great protector, though mostly barking from behind my leg unless it really counted.

 

Cad showing off his wheels June 2013



This is the first time in our 13 years together that we are without any furry friends in the house.  Even though the house is already too quiet, we talked about it and decided we would wait a bit before bringing home another friend. 

 

I'm going to take a little break from blogging for the next week or so.  I'll be back, don't worry.  I'll still hop around and see what all of you are up to, but I need a little time.  Until then, Tom and I want to say thanks again to all of you for your kindness.