Aunt Jazz is at Rainbow Bridge

[Dixieland Dancer]

Kathi and I were finally able to talk through our tears. On Sunday morning a little after midnight, they got a call that Jazz's liver had quit functioning. They immediately went to the hospital and found that she was bleeding from the nose and her stomach was very distended. They also found her rolled over with the vet technician rubbing her belly. She loved belly rubs.

When Jazz saw and heard Kathi and Bob, she got up and greeted them as though nothing was wrong, her tail wagging. They took her outside and she did her business and then they took her back inside. Jazz was her old self again for a short period of time. I guess this is normal when they are near the end. She fell asleep and they made the decision to euthanize her at that point since her liver was shutdown and she was bleeding from the nose.

She was such a great girl. She gave her mom and dad the greatest gift of getting to see her as her old self again, even if it was for only a short period of time. It was a gift I know they will cherish forever.

Bob is taking this very hard. He has also lost about 10 pounds in a month (since Jazz got sick). They have been training Blaze (Dixie's natural brother and Jazz's family brother) in SAR work also but he is no where near as good as Jazz was. She was a natural. Anyway, Kathi tells me he wants to quit the team now that he doesn't have Jazz. I think this will pass but please pray that it passes quickly.

Kathi and I also have another concern. Dixie looks like a twin to her Aunt Jazz - minus the difference in age. It is going to be hard on Bob to see her. The resemblence of the two of them was remarkable. Here is the picture at the birthday party. What do you think? Should I keep her away for a while or let him see her?

Jazz is at the bottom and Dixie is third from the bottom. This picture was taken in January. The one above posted in memory of Jazz was taken when Dixie was only about a year old. Goldens usually are lighter when they are pups and grow into their adult color by the age of two.