Please help me say goodbye to Kurt. In the space of one week he was pulled from a dog shelter in Kentucky courtesy of Jean Stone’s Gentle Jake’s Coonhound Rescue and taken to a vet. He was so happy and cooperative! He had a dental and all vetting thanks to donors and his local team Kristie Jones and Lisa Sparkman. He seemed strong and healthy. He recovered from surgery and came to me as his foster. He played in the yard with his foster brother Riley, another GJ rescue.
But suddenly it all started downhill. Kurt was showing all the classic signs of pain – panting heavily, throwing up – first food then water, crying, and frantically chewing on anything he could find. My friend Erin helped me get him to Bluegrass Vet in the middle of the night and he got a shot to kill the pain. And an X-ray that showed Cancer everywhere.
After many conversations with his rescue team, and his vet, he was sent to the angels. His pain was too great.
Let Kurt be an example of the old stray coonhound who was loved and cherished and planned for. He had a plan and a future. He had a team of people who adored him and cheered his every step on the rescue path. Who knows who his original family was. They didn’t deserve him. He was a loving and peaceful and happy soul. We all loved Kurt. I am a firm believer in “signs”. And I believe the strongest ones come when you need them the most. On the way home from the vet clinic after saying goodbye to Kurt, I saw a rainbow! It was twilight and I could barely see it, but it was there. I am believing that was Kurt, letting me know he made it across the bridge. Call me crazy but I really do believe that !!! 
Heartfelt thanks to Jean at Gentle Jake’s, Anna Nirva, Lisa Sparkman, Kristie Jones, my friend Erin, and the wonderful vets at Bluegrass vet for caring about sweet Kurt, and showing him love and comfort in his last days and hours.
#hounddogbrokenheart
8 Comments
Beautiful tribute, Janet. Kurt stayed with us long enough to be able to feel grass under his paws again and to run with another hound. I never will understand how cancer can destroy so quickly. I am sorry you had to go through this, but i am glad he had you with him, loving him. What great beautiful memories we will always have.
Thank you Lisa !! This was really a tough one, but I am glad it brought us together !!
In one short week you were shown and you gave in return the love of a lifetime. Those kind souls who saved you are in pain right now but they will hold you in their hearts forever. Knowing that you are pain free and waiting for them at the Bridge will ease their heavy hearts.
You were a handsome, happy boy with the true spirit of the ultimate hound. Run free, sweet Kurt. You are loved.
Hi Penni !! Thank you for your kind words. Kurt was an absolute gem, and typical of most coonhounds. Very loving and sweet. Even with all the terrible pain he was in, he was sweet and kind with everyone that treated him. This was so difficult – because he finally got out of a very terrible shelter situation (on the day he was supposed to be euthanized) and finally had a chance at the life he deserved. I am just happy that he was with me, where there was a 24/7 vet that I could take him to. He knew love and care, and did not die alone on a cold concrete floor. I appreciate your comments. Thank you !!!
I lost my walker tree coonhound, Junior to lymphoma just a few weeks ago. He started out as a foster with his heartworm treatment byt the rescue backed out. He lived over a year from his diagnosis. Miss his howl!!
I am so sorry for your loss Deborah. Loving dogs is easy and difficult at the same time. I also have a treeing walker who came from a crowded Kentucky shelter. He was on the euthanasia list because he was heartworm positive. He is a “foster failure”. After nursing him through the heartworm treatment I just could not let him go. I hope there will be another hound in your future.
My sweet and handsome, Kurt…You are gone way too soon. I promised you a better life; however, I didn’t realize it would only be for a week. I’m sorry you were in pain; I had no idea you were hurting as you were always smiling. I’m so thrilled you got to run around with Riley B and that Janet was with you. Thank you for the rainbow…❤
Kristie I appreciate your kind words. Rescue is an emotional roller coaster – this was a tough one !!! Kurt finally got a chance, then it was so short lived. But he did not die alone in pain on the cold floor of a shelter. He died in the arms of someone who loved him, even if only for a the briefest time.