In loving memory: Thor Oct 2004 - Apr 2005

Thor Marmalade October 2004 - April 2005.

Today I was awoken with bad news. Thor, my housemate's pup and Lady's kid has passed away as of Tuesday night. He is barely 7 months into life and have yet to live, 7 months is just too short a life even for a dog.

He was feeling a bit sluggish on Monday when I came back home and played with him, I put it to a mild sickness and let it go it's own course. Yet by Tuesday night when I was back, he was visibly sick, he lay there in a corner whereas he would usually jump up barking in greeting, won't touch its food, body visibly weakened and without energy to even lift up his head, only his tail was wagging in recognition. At that point it was already 11 p.m. when I was home, I started calling the vet but as it wasn't office hourse the doctor could not be reach. At that point I knew its fate was not in my hands and I hoped that it would be able to make it through the night and Ravin (Liz's boyfriend) could bring it for proper treatment the next day. It still bewilders me how Ravin did not notice anything wrong with him (Liz is back in Sarawak for the holidays) or maybe other than feeding him he couldn't care less.

I awoke with it gone, and feared the worst. True enough as I met Ravin today he delivered the news that Thor had passed away during the night. The diagnosis was internal bleeding that led to a full system shock and subsequent shutdown. What might have caused it he couldn't say but the doctor suspected it might have been something he ingested and cause a rupture in his belly. I wonder what he was given for food, maybe it was a splinter or fragment of bone (which I never allow Lady to eat) that did it, I'll never know.

I am deeply sadden, this is not just an animal, its not just a dog, for a while it was good to be able to call it my pup. From the moment of its birth, the so tiny black lump that came out from Lady, it was already beautiful at that point. 7 months to see it open it eyes, be concerned about it when it was sick, the numerous vet visits to treat various ailments and shots, the first time it barked, its first walk, just seeing it grow up was a miracle. Many people would say being shattered from the lost of a pet is no big thing, but they're wrong it takes pet owners to really know how it feels when a beloved companion and friend passes away.

Though Thor isn't not my pup as the responsibility has fell to Liz to care for it, yet with him being here at my place, seeing it everyday, hugging it, watching it eat, waking up to its barking at night, somehow it is not an easy loss to put up with. With him gone Lady is all alone now, her other two pups all given away, sometimes I still wonder how they are faring and whether they're growing up fine and loved. It's sad, Thor was the healthiest of the bunch, the largest of the three by far and the best mannered among the trio. It would be him that I'll miss the most, I think Lady feels the lost as well. She is here now all alone, Thor's empty collar and chain lying on the floor, today I saw her wailing and nuzzling me more than usual, maybe a sign that she wants comfort from someone who shares her grief and understands what she is going through.

No one can replace Thor. So in loving memory for the brief time he had with all of us, may he find peace if there is a heaven for pets, as they say (which I truly hope is true, all dogs go to Heaven). Rest in peace, you'll always be in my memory and heart.