We bought Billy from a breeder - he was for our daughter as she so wanted a puppy. He kind of picked her and she fell in love with him right away.

Billy was a beautiful grey and white Yorktese with lovely temperament and was quickly potty trained.He loved walks and chasing the geese down by the pond - eating a little apple while sitting with you when watching a movie. Car rides were another joy to him - poking his little nose out of the window feeling the wind.

On one of his check-ups he had to be tested for a possible thyroid problem - which he did have and consequently had to have medication twice a day for. He also had popping knee joints - so a little while after his neutering we went ahead and had one of them done - at a cost of a $1000 but he was worth every cent. His other one was going to be done next year (sooner if necessary) because my daughter wanted to save and pay for it herself. He managed to get some of the sutures out and had to go to the emergency room and wear a collar for a week!

One evening both my son and daughter were playing with him in her room - my husband had gone to bed and they were making a lot of noise so I went and asked them to tone it down a bit. As I turned to walk away Billy started to choke on a piece of his rawhide bone… I grabbed him - put him on the floor and tried to get him to cough it up - on gently checking in his mouth it was out of sight or feel.

My husband was on the phone to the vet. I told my daughter to head for the front door with him and I grabbed a blanket - as I ran towards her I saw Billy flop in her arms again I tried to get him to cough it up.

He appeared to have a faint heart beat (or was it just hope in my heart I don't know) I started massaging his heart and continued, praying out loud as we headed to the emergency room until I handed him to the vet… but it was too late. They got the piece of rawhide bone out and told me I had done everything right and there was nothing more I could have done but for me it wasn't enough - he still died.

They brought him to me - I held him stroking his little nose and talking to him.

My daughter was so stressed out we had to leave her at home shouting to her brother to look after her as we ran to the car... she was now on the phone and I held it to Billy's ear so she could say what she wanted to while we arranged to have him cremated and his ashes returned to us.

I also had a lock of his fur cut off for her to keep. He was cremated the next day.

When we fetched his ashes she decided she would like a box for him but wanted me to choose it which I did. It now stands with Billy's ashes in it on the shelf above her bed with a vase of flowers next to it.

My daughter had bought his birthday (2nd) and Christmas presents ready. She wrote a lovely letter to the vets and staff who had looked after him - they said it made them cry - she also gave them a photograph which they keep on their front desk.

Not a day goes by we don't think of Billy and miss him so much.. The vet said it is very rare but it does happen… Don't be that rarity - don't give your dog/s rawhide bones.

Copyright 2009 Nightowl.

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