From the left are Dusty's "Grama" Molly Charles; Kim Allison and Joan Van Doornick; his cheese supplier and great fan, Judy Simpson; his dear friend Jaqi TerHAAR; Amy L Charles, who misses Dusty's touch with all of her heart; and two of his friends from out west: Anne Vigneri and Lois Kincaid.

Thank you, Jim Thompson, for understanding and taking this treasured photo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dusty went into the hospital last Thursday--after collapsing upon trying to stand when he woke up in the morning and growing worse thoughout the day--with what was seemingly a bulging disk in his neck causing swelling and pressure on his spinal cord and trauma to his hindquarters. He spent two days in the hospital, on a cortisone drip to try to alleviate the pain and swelling. While Dusty seemed to be feeling somewhat better when I visited him Friday evening--he righted himself immediately to give me a slow, sweeping wag of his glorious tail--he was still very shaky and unstable to stand or walk then and in the afternoon Saturday. Dusty's regular veterinarian, Bob Jackson, DVM, who has been through so much with him, was out of town until today. Despite the insistence of one of the younger veterinarians in the practice, I brought Dusty home Saturday, where he could be with me and with his "family" and his comforts. (He does not do well being "kenneled" and away from us all in a cold, drab, strange place.) After eating precious little to speak of at the hospital, he ate a nice dinner for me that evening--enough to give him some strength again--and took his meds faithfully, and allowed me to help him as much as possible, yet he was still very tired.

Sunday was a beautiful day. Dusty was still trying to stand and trying to move about a bit; I stayed in his sight as much as possible, so he wouldn't try to get up from his comfortable couch or cushion in the living room. It was a wonderful, truly spring day, full of birds and squirrels and blue skies and green grass, so I took Dusty into the front yard and set up a beach umbrella for him; he was able to enjoy the breeze and the outdoors without being too warm. We spent most of the day there, and Dusty was very reluctant to have me carry him back into the house. Dusty has always loved his outdoors time: The sights, the sounds, the sunlight, the wind... He again ate a decent dinner--chicken and dumplings mixed with regular food seem to work wonders for those who ail. By nightfall, Dusty was exhausted once more. I made up a bed on the floor beside him and slept the night next to my beautiful boy, stroking his side and showering the top of his head with kisses.

This morning was, against all weather predictions, beautiful once more. Dusty and I went outside, where I set up a blanket and umbrella once again. We spent the morning there, until it was time to leave for a visit with Bob. (We had made this appointment before Dusty turned so poorly by Thursday afternoon.) I asked to have Bob please come outside to the vehicle to see Dusty, as I didn't want Dusty upset by being in the hospital and on the tile floors that gave him no traction. After a brief outdoor visit, Bob carried Dusty inside for a better look, on a carpeted mat where Dusty could stand on his own. It became clear, very quickly, that a degenerative bone disease was not the cause of Dusty's troubles, although what was wrong enabled symptoms that mimicked a spinal ailment.

DUSTY HAD SO MUCH HEART.

He had so much heart that it took until the very end for cardiomyopathy to make its presence known. Dusty had a clean heart with a clear beat only a few short weeks ago; now, his heart worked so hard to push the most irregular and traumatic pounding beat. It is most likely that clots breaking off because of the heart disease were causing what had appeared to be neurological problems. Dusty is already a hero; anything else we could have asked him to do would simply have been too much. I asked Bob if we could please take Dusty back outside, where his family was waiting for him. It was around 1:30 this afternoon that my handsome, brave, determined, loyal Dusty took his final breath on this earth. I never left his side. I am grateful to Bob for allowing Dusty to go out of this world as he lived in it: Handsome, loved and with great dignity.

Dusty is my first saluki. He came to me under unusual circumstances and changed my life--for the better--forever. Without Dusty, there would have been no others. Dusty ran in his first lure trial as a six-year-old. His first foray into the show ring was the 2000 SCOA National Specialty, where he was entered as a Veteran and took home the glorious green third-place ribbon in Sweepstakes. Dusty fought an incredible battle with severe pneumonia in 2001 and lived not only through the illness, but for three more beautiful, loving years.

Dusty is the love of my life. I have never known or lived with and been loved by a more incredible dog in my entire life. Dusty ruled with an iron fist in a velvet paw. Dusty taught me the deepest meanings of love, loyalty, trust and care. Dusty leaves behind a devastated "Mom" and human best friend; Zahrah, who he brought up and who was his precious companion and friend; and Zahrah's babies, Zafirah and Zayn, who, at not quite two years of age, still had so much to learn at the paws of the master.

I will never be the same.

DARRINNA A'FARU, JC
"DUSTY"
8 FEBRUARY 1990 - 17 MAY 2004

~ FIRST AND LAST AND ALWAYS ~ 

 

Loved forever by a heartbroken Amy L Charles.