Buffy Tang, our wonderful puppy, was put to sleep (euthanized) on Friday, June 23rd, 2023, at around 3:30 pm. A veterinarian from Lap Of Love came to our house to do the procedure. My three sons had said goodbye to Buffy earlier in the day, and we were with my mother-in-law during the afternoon.
Buffy was diagnosed with congenital heart failure on June 10th. She had an enlarged heart, and fluid was collecting in different organs. A couple of months earlier, Buffy was put on another drug to address fluid in her lungs, and at that point, it was clear that her heart was having issues. While we treated Buffy with drugs, her coughing improved, but her health deteriorated after her CHF diagnosis.
Buffy was never in great pain; however, her appetite had declined, and the week before her transition, she barely ate any food though she still drank water. She spent most of her final days on her bed in front of our coat closet, observing her family. In the last couple of months, Buffy had taken to cuddling on the floor with any sweatshirts or jackets we left on the ground. So we ensured that for her last couple of weeks, she had our clothing on her beds we kept around the house.
In the final week, Buffy struggled to walk, and we carried her around as she needed. Buffy had a few accidents during this time in the house, which was rare for her.
Buffy was 14 years old and was a pure-bred Shetland Sheepdog. She was born on May 23rd, 2009. Her full name is Buffy Lynnlea’s Sparker Tang. We got Buffy from Dorothy Christiansen, a wonderful breeder who passed away in 2021. Here is her obituary.
Buffy was the smallest in the litter, which meant that Dorothy probably wasn’t going to show her, which was the perfect opportunity for us to get Buffy. We chose to get Buffy from a Dorothy after doing extensive research to ensure that the breeder we chose was not running a puppy mill and was a responsible and respected breeder. Buffy was always a small dog. At the most, she weighed around 16 pounds and, as an adult, was about two feet long. Her fluffy coat always made her seem bigger.
Buffy was our first wedding anniversary present to each other. While Diana had grown up with a dog, and she was my first dog.
Diana and I have no doubts that we had made the right decision about how and when to help Buffy transition. It was an act of love and gratitude. We are proud that we did right by our puppy throughout her entire life. Raising a puppy and caring for a dog over 14 years is an accomplishment. It took a lot of time, energy, and effort. Through all of the ups and downs in our lives, we were always there for Buffy as she was there for us.
I am proud and thankful but more than anything I miss my puppy.
As I've told her story on this blog, I feel I need to finish her story. I know this will help me process, and I want to honor her by making sure that I don't forget this last part of her life. Coming up is Part 2: The Diagnosis.
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