On March 29, 2007, I adopted Chloe, an eight-week-old yorkie. The year prior, I spent much of my time researching, shopping, and longing for this pup.
Chloe was well worth the wait. This two-pound ball of fur had more spunk than most standard size dogs! She ran in circles, bouncing off of any objects that came in her path. She rarely tuckered out and loved being the center of attention (which she was much of the time). She would go toe-to-toe with me and scuffed her feet in defiance whenever I gave her a firm, "No." But most of all, she brought so much joy and laughter to my life. And ultimately, I believe she played a roll in my diagnosis.
This past year, Chloe developed some medical issues. In January, she started waking up every night in dry heaving fits. I immediately took her to the vet, but she was sent home with a clean bill of health. The nights grew longer when she began waking up multiple times in the night to purge. Food didn't appeal to her, so I took her to Three Dog Bakery for one of her favorite treats on our way back to the vet. They performed blood tests and concluded only that there was a rise in her glucose levels-- something we all chocked up to her devoured peanut butter cookie. Things seemed to get better and we went about our daily routine. I continued to watch for changes in behavior and conditions yorkies are prone to, such as hypoglycemia.
Nothing was out of the ordinary. Chloe continued to be an active, healthy dog. She downed insane amounts of water, constantly went to the bathroom, and acted ravenous every time she caught a glimpse of a meal. All of these things were habits she had developed as a puppy.
On June 8, 2010, I sat down to watch a television show with her on my lap. She jumped up and went to the door, waiting patiently for me to let her out. While she stood on the patio, she yelped, seized, and collapsed. I scooped her up and she went limp in my arms. After thirty minutes of mouth-to-mouth she was pronounced dead at the animal hospital. Cause of death: stroke or an aneurysm.
Chloe was unlike any other dog I have ever met. Our personalities mirrored one another and she seemed to develop any physical ailment that I had (e.g., shallow grooves in her knees and a nervous belly). At the time of her death I knew little about diabetes-- the only nugget of information that stuck out to me is that hypoglycemia is a part of a diabetic's life. This small tidbit planted a small seed in the back of my mind...
"A really companionable and indispensable dog is an accident of nature. You can't get it by breeding for it, and you can't buy it with money. It just happens along." -E B White
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