As I get closer to finishing my journalism degree, 2023 has brought me a lot of personal satisfaction thanks to decisions I made almost four years ago.
However, today I’m not going to write about any personal achievements, today is about our little Mila and how we recently had to say goodbye to our beloved pup so suddenly.
When my girlfriend and I got a puppy during COVID, I was confident we could do it. We were both home all the time and there was literally nothing else to do – the pandemic made sure of that.
I remember bringing our little Frenchie home, she didn’t have a name yet, but she complemented her identity with a big personality.
Adjusting to life with a dog was a lot of fun. Mila made our mornings a lot more interesting and late school nights more manageable.
I remember when she was only one year old, Mila got sick and started vomiting for a couple of days. I remember feeling scared. That was the first time my girlfriend and I shed some tears for her.
After getting the right medication, Mila went back to her energetic self. She would again chase bigger dogs at the park and her recall was impeccable. She was perfect.
Once she'd turned three, there was no doubt Mila had filled a space in our little home and hearts.
But year three was hard. Mila’s shedding had gotten excessive, and her dry skin made her feel irritated. Once we noticed the medication we applied wasn’t working, we took her to the vet again and again.
After a few visits, we discovered Mila was also suffering from a urinary tract infection (UTI). Worried for her, we decided to take her for further analysis, and shortly after, everything got a lot worse.
While this is happening, Mila was also losing her appetite, which began with leaving a few kibbles behind, and quickly turned into having to hand-feed her homemade food.
Following another visit to the vet, we learned Mila was suffering from a UTI because she had a kidney infection. We were advised to take her to the animal hospital, once again.
After listening to the vet explain the many things our little Mila had wrong, she had to stay a day to be given antibiotics. Hoping she would get better, my girlfriend and I went home alone.
The next morning, Mila's condition had worsened. In a span of a few days, she wasn’t herself anymore. After days of vomiting, not eating, and rejecting her medication, the ‘humane’ thing to do was to have Mila put to sleep.
In her brief time with us, Mila brought immeasurable joy and quickly became an integral part of our family. Her memory will forever remain in our hearts as a beloved member of our household.
Wherever you are, rest in peace, little Mila.
