Campy Update - the final chapter

 

If you know me, you probably know Campy. 
Campy has been my loyal best friend for almost 16 years. We do everything together.

For me and Karel, our life has included Campy in almost everything that we have done.    

In April, Campy turned 17 (I didn't realize this as I had his birthday wrong for all these years and just learned that when we adopted him, he was 18 months old and not a year old). We recently had a belated birthday bash with dog-friendly muffins (I used this recipe).

At Campy's recent vet visit (end of May), Campy got a clean bill of health. His body is working well. It's his brain that is declining. 

Campy gradually went blind and deaf over the last two years. He has also been suffering from Canine Cognitive Decline (CCD = dog dementia). It has been so hard to see him change into a different dog. We miss our spunky, energetic, opinionated dog. He requires a lot of care but we are honored to be there for him however he needs us. 

Ella loves Campy so much. 

Karel cut a hole in a shoebox for his water bowl so that he doesn't step into his water. You can also see the many pillows that we have lined around his large "enclosure" in our main room so he doesn't hurt himself or get stuck anywhere. 

Campy has a very specific routine of going on short walks, being held, eating and sleeping (not necessarily in that order). When he is not doing any of these, he is confused, bumping into things, circling or staring in space. We've questioned his quality of life many times over the past few months and earlier this week, we thought it was the end. This was the hardest week of our life with Campy. We cried so much it was hard to focus. We booked "the appointment" and 24 hours later, Campy told us it was not the end. We recently started him on a new medication, Selegiline (Anipryl) a few weeks ago because I heard great things about it for dogs with CCD but we don't think it was working well for Campy as it made him very wobbly (almost drunk-like), weak, tired and out of it. We weaned him off and he seems to be much better. He is also on Phenobarbital twice a day for seizures (since 2015) and we give him a Senilife pill in the evening (which we feel has been helping for the past year). 

 

It's been a bumpy road over the past few months and we know the end is coming soon. But for now, we are making sure that his final few days, weeks or months are the best for him. We are constantly taking note of what brings him joy and right now, he is still eating great, drinking great and peeing and pooping regularly. Although sometimes it takes him a little bit to fall asleep in the evening, he is sleeping great and he loves his naps. He also continues to enjoy his short walks (he walks up to a mile a day total) and he will smell the grass and mailbox posts (which we feel means he is still interested in his walks). He enjoys being held and sometimes he will give us kisses. And when he sees his friend Ruby on a walk, his tail will wag. He still recognizes his favorite people when he gives them a sniff. Although he is sometimes wobbly, he is still moving around great and doesn't appear to be in any pain or discomfort. 

 

In case you missed it, this is our newest addition Mia (~2.5-3 years old). She was in our neighborhood for several months this winter and I couldn't take it anymore. Now she has a home.
I'll blog about her story soon. 

We are also managing the health of our senior cat Madison who has been battling Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy since Feb 2022. After a last ditch effort by our vet to do a double lung tap on Madison, he didn't think she would make it a few more months. But here she is, still going strong over 2 years later. However, around two weeks ago, she gave us a scare when she stopped eating and we noticed she was breathing heavy again. We rushed her to our local vet and after labs and Xrays they told us she had fluid around her lungs and heart (not inside like last time) so we have new medication for her. She is a very strong cat but we do worry about her condition worsening as she is beating the odds right now. 

Campy has been with us through the good times and bad. He has given us unconditional love for almost 16 years. He has been my therapy, my support, my everything. It's going to be incredibly difficult to say good bye. Campy enjoys us for being us. Every day of his life has been a lottery winning day. No one loves us like Campy loves us. Campy makes us believe that every day we are the most wonderful thing that ever happened to him but it's actually the other way around. Adopting him in October of 2008 was the best thing that ever happened for us. 

I came across this post on a website and it was too good not to share....

"Dogs offer us companionship if not actual friendship. This may be because our furry friends are not capable of understanding the complexities of being a human being, but that really doesn’t come to mind when, after a long day of getting caught up in thoughts of how horrible we are, we come home to them so happily running to meet us by the door. Through the trials and tribulations of life, there’s a certain comfort in knowing that there are creatures who always see us in the best light, as their affection for us remains unconditional and their gaze non-judgemental, even considering all of our shortcomings.

Dogs exemplify loyalty. Beyond companionship, dogs are also fiercely loyal to their humans. It’s almost as if, not only do we humans take on the labels of fur parents, but dogs treat us as family as well. They stay by our side and, in their own way, care about us. It’s a bond that gives us a sense of belonging and ground us when we feel out of place, out of our comfort zone, or out of our depth.

Dogs protect us. Building on the loyalty they exhibit, it comes as no surprise that, once the bond is forged, they usually also become protective of us. And it just so happens that, thanks to their sharp senses, they are extremely good at it. They do so in a variety of ways, from the dogs that help keep our homes safe by warning us of danger through barking and growling, especially at night, to highly-trained canines that perform crucial roles in search-and-rescue operations and in sniffing out the bad guys.

Dogs support us in keeping track of and maintaining our well-being. As creatures that rely on routine, dogs are perfect pets to nudge us into doing things that are good for us more often, be it walking them and in the process getting some exercise in and taking in some fresh air to going to the park and engaging in some social interaction with other dog-owners gathered there."

Some pictures of Campy's amazing life.......

Happy 15th Birthday Campy

 

Dear Campy, 
You have surpassed the life expectancy of the average dog and today we celebrate your 15 years of life. 

I still remember the day we came across your picture on Petfinder.com. Your long-legs, floppy ears and innocent golden face stole our heart and we knew we needed you in our life. You were only a year old and we were in no position to "own" a dog. I was in school becoming a RD, your dad was the general manager of the Trek Store, we were a few weeks away from getting married and we were living on a very tight budget. We had recently moved to Jacksonville, Florida - living in a small apartment on the 3rd floor.

But little did I know how much I needed you in my life. 

Since the day I brought you home, you have slept in our bed. You love to burry yourself under the covers and always make sure part of you is always touching me. You get excited for every new day, despite the routine being exactly the same as the day before. All you know is life with cats. 

The best part of my day is seeing your energy when I get out your leash for your walks. You love being outside. 

We've created so many amazing memories together. You've traveled a lot - from bike races and triathlons to visiting friends and family. You are the best travel companion as you never complain and always know how to calm us down in stressful situations. 

From stressful and exhausting moves and life changes to the loss of family members, you've helped us get through so many emotionally challenging times. And no matter the day, you shower us with unconditional love without using any words. Even on the worst day of life, your joyous celebration of 'another day of life' becomes a gentle reminder to express gratitude and to always focus on the positive. 

You love to destroy plush toys with squeakers. You always get your own Thanksgiving plate. 

You show your loyalty through protection but when you learn to trust a stranger, you become extremely kind and affectionate. 

Over the past few years, we've noticed the changes and signs that you are aging. You are much less golden. You are much more anxious. Your hearing is mostly gone and you sometimes get disoriented and confused. You can no longer jump like you used to so everytime you make it on the couch (after a few missed attempts), we celebrate your effort and say "you still got it!" You need help getting off the bed as you don't trust yourself jumping down. Your joints are stiff after sleeping and you sometimes struggle to lift your leg to pee. You prefer to stay downstairs as it takes a bit of work to go up the stairs. You can't hold your bladder as long as you used to but luckily you don't mind wearing a diaper (and you look so cute in it). You've been on seizure meds since 2013 and thankfully you haven't had one since.

You sleep a lot. With very few teeth left, your tongue often slips out of your mouth as you sleep so deeply. I love seeing how comfortable and happy you are snuggled in your bed, feeling warm in your fuzzy blanket or dog bed. 

But you continue to impress the vet at your senior check-ups. You still have energy for long walks and you don't hesitate when there's an opportunity to chase a bird or squirrel. You still get excited for car rides. And you get so excited when it's time to eat - jumping and barking in excitement. 

Although the aging process has been slow, there are constant reminders that you are getting older. But instead of worrying about how many years we have left with you, I celebrate every day by recognizing how much life you still have in you. 

Whatever life throws at us, you are always there. You remind us every single day to be happy and most of all, to always be grateful for another day. 

Today is a monumental day and every day forward is a blessing.

Happy 15th birthday Campy, my love. 

Happy 13th Birthday Campy!!

 

I can't believe that my lovey, my buddy, my snickerdoodle, my golden nugget, my chihuahy, my Campy camp is turning 13 today. 

For the past 12 years, I've been spoiled with unconditional love from my furry best friend. To celebrate another year added to his lottery-winning life, I thought I'd share 13 fun facts about Campy: 

1. Campy loves to sleep under blankets and he loves pillows. 

2. Campy loves road trips. 

3. Campy does not mind being carried around like a baby. 

4. Campy is very gentle around cats, puppies and kittens. Strangers (humans), not so much. 

5. Campy suffered from seizures in the summer of 2015. He was put on phenobarbital and takes 1/2 pill in the morning and in the evening. He has been seizure free ever since. 

6. Campy was attacked by a dog off the leash in December 2018. He handled it like a champ. 

7. Campy is not a big eater. He doesn't care for dry dog food but loves dry cat food. 

8. Campy loves being warm. He loves to sit outside in the summer and by the indoor fire in the winter. Campy despises the snow and does not like to be wet. 

9. Campy loves to be active (and outside). He used to run with me but now we go on long walks and hikes. 

10. Campy has traveled to many cycling and triathlon events all along the East Coast. 

11. We found Campy online at Petfinder.com. His original name was Sparky. 

12. Campy is my therapy. We have been through so much together. 

13. Campy loves toys ("bears") with squeakers. The process of taking out the squeaker is his favorite hobby. 

Since I have a bazillion pictures of Campy (around a million of him sleeping), I thought I'd share a few of my favorites. For more pics, you can check out #campyslife on Instagram. 

Happy 7th B-day Campy!!!

Today we celebrate Campy's birthday!! Since Campy is a rescue dog, we aren't sure of his exact date of birth but we got him around the age of one. So every year, for the past 6 years, we have celebrated the day when Campy came into our life.

Here are a few fun facts about Campy. 

Campy loves to travel! We find pet-friendly hotels and he never stays in the room alone. What a lucky doggy!

Campy loves the outdoors. He has endless energy....

Until he wears himself out. 

Campy loves nature. Any new place is an exciting place. Any old place is also exciting too. He never seems to get bored from walking the same routes on our morning walks but in the case that there is a new smell, Campy is always the early bird to find it! 

Campy is a Chihuahua Italian greyhound mix. He has a strong personality and he is really, really fast. He was 11 lbs when we got him and now he is 13 lbs. I'm pretty sure he gained two lbs of muscle. Campy is an athlete!

Campy was found behind a building in Amelia Island. He was being fostered by a nice family for two weeks until we found "Sparky" at Petfinder.com. Here is the story about how we found Campy. 
Campy is named after Campagnolo. Only a high-end lifestyle for this rescue animal.



We got Campy just a few weeks before we got married at Honeymoon Island in Dunedin, Florida. Little did we know that Campy would change our life in so many ways. All for the better. 

We could not have asked for a better furry child in our active lifestyle. 

Campy is not the best eater. He is not the type of dog who will steal food from a plate or start eating from his bowl as you are putting food in it. He won't eat dry food, only wet food. And his favorite food is chicken, rice and veggies (homecooked). 

Campy loves going to races although he has never watched me race. Campy has cheered on Karel and many cycling races and a few triathlons. Campy even spectated at IMFL last year and watched the last hour of the finishers...what a trooper! We will be at IMFL again this year to spectate and cheer on our athletes. 

Campy sleeps more than he is awake. He is an excellent sleeper and a master at cuddling. 

Campy loves to smile. He is a really happy doggy. But just be sure to ask me if you can pet him if you ever see him because he is super protective of his mommy and often brings a big attitude wherever he goes in public. 

I have more pictures of Campy than I can count. I will not regret this one day, many many years from now.

Campy has slept in our king size bed since the day we got him. Even though he has his own doggy bed, there has never been a night in his life that he hasn't slept in a bed. 

Campy loves pillows....

And blankets. Campy loves to sleep under blankets. 

This is called roaching. Campy assumes this position when he is exhausted. 

Campy is not built for distance but he is a great sprinter. He has one speed and it is fast. He loves to be in the lead or be chased. He makes for a great run partner off the bike as he never complains. Campy's longest run was 4 miles although a quality run for this 4-legged friend is around 10 minutes. 

Campy loves his sweaters. Although he didn't have to wear them much in Jacksonville, FL, we may be shopping for new sweaters here in Greenville, SC for our first winter. 

Campy loves to de-stuff toys. Every toy is called his "bear." This is Campy's mission in life, to destroy every bear that is given to him. Or, as this picture shows, if he is visiting someone who has a dog, be sure to hide all toys or Campy will find them!
"Campy, did you do that?"

Every year, Campy gets a Thanksgiving plate of real food. Ok, I take that back. Campy is a GREAT eater on Thanksgiving.



Campy was a great Thanksgiving left-over turkey helper to my dad. 

Campy has helped me train for 7 Ironman's. He gets stronger and stronger every year!

Campy loves road trips! He will typically sleep (in my lap of course, despite his bed starting in the back seat) unless we slow down or stop. Then he has to check to make sure we are on the right route. Campy's collar (and leash) are from Cycledog

Since we got Campy, he has never been in a crate and has never slept alone overnight. Campy has the best pet-sitters when we travel and has a few great home away from home. 

Madison loves Campy. She was found outside (by Campy) in a bush, not too long after we got Campy.



Madison always wants to be by Campy.



As close as possible, always trying to be just like Campy. 

Campy uses his "bears" as pillows.



We find him in these positions all the time. A bear as a chin-rest. 

Campy gives unconditional love all the time. He shows us every day how lucky he is to be in our family. 

But we are the lucky ones!

Campy can sleep in any position. As long as there is a pillow or blanket, he will find a way to get comfortable. He is not a floor sleeper. 

Campy loves to recover from workouts with us. 

And watch cycling/triathlons on TV.

We are true dog lovers. If something is dog friendly, we get super excited that Campy can join us. 

Happy 7th birthday Campy!!
To the 4-legged furry little guy in our life.....
You make every day a fun, happy day. You never have a bad day. 
Every trip is more fun with you. 
Although you have a strong personality, you know how to give a lot of love.
You love to be active and you love the outdoors - just like your mommy and daddy.
You make it so easy to take pictures of you and thank goodness we have so many photos to capture all the great moments in our life together.
You spent the first year of your life on the streets and we feel so lucky that we found you!
Campy, I promise to always give you the best life ever because you have made our life so amazing since we all became a family.

Keep on smiling and loving every day of your lottery-winning life! We love you!