For Friends of Oka: A few last day pics

[deborahjross]

Dave has some more, but here's what was on the camera:



This was taken a few months ago: Oka hanging out in my office. From the way he's sprawled, you can see the loss of strength and muscle tone. At this point, he'd get up, albeit with difficulty, to go walkies or to play.



April 17 2013 - Rose and me with Oka, waiting for the vet. Oka is incontinent and unable to stand. We put out his favorite toys and dog biscuits.


Oka is staring at the laser "bug" (the reddish dot beside the dog biscuit) but unable to respond to it. The swelling in his left upper leg is probably from an embolism. The vet suspected he'd had a stroke, from the way he held his head.


Buddies to the end: After it was over, Shakir, the black cat, snuggled up to Oka's body, something Oka never permitted in life.

Comments

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

Oh, how these made me tear up.

Okay is so clearly in pain--his expression looks like it did when I was there, and that med was making him miserable.

[deborahjross.livejournal.com]

We have no doubts we did the loving thing in letting him go. He'd lost sensation in his hind legs, so he didn't even feel the needle go in, although his veins were so scarred from the repeated chemo IVs, the vet had to poke around for it. He went so easily, didn't fight it for an instant. I think he was grateful to go, and with Dave telling him how much he was loved.

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes. I can totally believe that. He looks so weary in those last photos, not like the Oka of the days of memory.

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

He so clearly knows he's safe and loved.

[deborahjross.livejournal.com]

Gosh...blurry screen virus strikes. I'm remembering how much time we spent with him on a daily basis. I hardly ever went out walking without him, and we took him everywhere you can take a dog. Not grocery stores, of course, but the bank, the pharmacy, even appointments with our financial advisor. As long as he was with "his people," all was well in his world.