(JEWISH GROUP) Today, Laveau would have turned 17. (loss of my chihuahua, pics)
I know this might be odd that I am posting this remembrance here, but I feel better doing it this way.
Some of you know I have many chihuahuas. I have lost three in the past few years, Voodoo, then Zatanna, and last year, Marigny. Well, the first Saturday in April, Laveau, our Big Girl, had a stroke and we had to let her go. She was the last of the group we called "The NOLA (New Orleans) Zoo Krewe".
Laveau came to us from Oklahoma while we were living in NOLA. She and her half-sister, Marigny, arrived in late May 2010. She was named after Marie Laveau, the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans. She was a potential mate for Voodoo, so the name was based on that possible paring. Unlike her sister, Laveau was very reserved. She wasn't unfriendly, she just couldn't be bothered with other people or, really, other animals. She was quiet, rarely barked. I also said if she were magically transformed into a person, she would have been one of those "ladies of old", prim, proper, but silently held her ground.
It took her almost a year before she even warmed up to me and my husband! While the other dogs loved sleeping in the bed, she did not. Eventually, she joined everyone else in the bed. She moved through the house silently. For years (and I am not kidding), if she thought you were watching her while she was trying to poop, she would hold it or wander off behind a bush! She never played with toys but loved to watch her sister and the others play. You would turn your head, and there she would be. Without making a sound, she would tuck in and go to sleep next to me or my husband.
She loved when my husband or I came home and would greet us like the others, tail awag, but never barked. She almost always had a serene look on her face, even when she slept.
A few years back she started having some problems. Turned out, she was in kidney failure. We didn't know because she never showed us any signs. We found out through blood tests. I eventually learned to "read between the lines" with her. I could always tell when the others weren't feeling well; not her! Turns out her left kidney was malformed, and the other one wasn't much better. So, we started with a variety of medicines and treatments and her bloodwork greatly improved. This was 8 years ago! Various remedies and doggie dialysis, and she did quite well. The doctors said if they didn't know about the diagnosis, they would think this was a tip-top dog.
This last year, she started losing weight. She was called "Big Girl" not because she was overweight, but because she was solid muscle. We knew the time was coming. She had a vet appointment the last week of March and her values had all improved! She was doing quite well, better than she had been in over a year. Then Saturday, before Easter, she got up from one of many naps, she was 16yo after all, and she was acting funny. After a few minutes and a quick search, I realized, she had a stroke. She went downhill quickly. For the first time, she screamed out in pain! We were terrified. Eight months prior, she fell down some stairs and broke her front paw, she barely whimpered!!
I was finally able to get a hold of our vet, told her what was happening, and we met her at the office. I carried her in my lap. She was given a sedative before the other drug. She spasmed, which ripped me apart. But our vet, said, after the sedative, she couldn't detect a heartbeat, so she was already gone and the spasms were "after the fact", she wasn't "there" when it happened. I don't know if that is true, but I hope so. Laveau was gone.
When my husband I returned, we were both sad. I was still crying. La Familia (our new group) knew something was wrong. When I put them and my husband to bed for the night, Nabu, who usually gets up in bed and immediately lies down, got in bed, then immediately got down, ran around, checking the enclosed sunroom, then the two cages where Laveau used to sleep. She couldn't get in the bed anymore. Then, he stopped, looked at me, and whimpered, then climbed into bed. The others then gathered on the edge of the bed and just stared at me and laid down. They knew something was wrong; missing.
Laveau is gone, but she brought us years of happiness. She was a sweet, gentle, and calm chihuahua. Today (5/26), she would have been 17. I cried most of the day, between sad and happy. Laveau may have crossed the Rainbow Bridge, but she will always be our hearts. This is our Big Girl, the last of the NOLA Zoo Krewe, our Laveau...
Her last birthday:
They may leave us physically, but their little footprints are all over our hearts forever!
= new reply since forum marked as read
My friend's daughter rescues cats and at the time they had 3 - and tiny cat #2 was afraid of much bigger cat #3 so she offered him to me. Of course I accepted and he's the sweetest kitty, comes when he's called and likes to be near one of us. His name is Nicky and he just turned 7 and the weird thing is that he has the same birthday as my Jack - March 27th. My Jack would have have been 20 on his last birthday, but I lost him at 16. And if I'm not paying attention, I do sometimes call Nicky Jack.
Anyway, I didn't mean to go on about my own pets, just wanted you to know that I've been there and I completely understand. Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful Laveau and her story with us. She was so fortunate to have found you. 
One of the vet assistants at our vet cried when she heard the news. Laveau, who "had plenty of friends", really liked her and was never a "shaky puppy" when being held by her. Laveau was always so stoic when getting her IV fluids. She never cried or winced.
Never apologize to me about "going on" about your pets! I enjoy hearing about others' pets and how much joy they bring.
what a lovely tribute
Grieve not
nor speak of me with tears
but laugh and talk of me
as if I were beside you
I loved you so
’twas Heaven here with you
- Isla Paschal Richardson
I don't think I have ever encountered a calm chihuahua.....at my complex a guy was walking his little chap and it started barking at me ferociously...."Never mind my tutu, I'll kick your ass!" I quipped. He laughed so hard (the dog was literally wearing a pink tutu). Regardless of temperament though, I don't think chihuahuas have any awareness of how tiny they are. I can respect that! 
precious memorial honoring LaVeau. She's beautiful.
Mahalo, BtA☮️💙🌈🌸 
She was a one-of-a-kind chihuahua!
have you and your husband to look after her, and the Zoo Krewe. And, vice versa! ☮️💙🌈🌸🍀
Your Laveau could be a relative of our Zilla who very recently slipped into his forever sleep. They look the same though our "little fluff" was black except where he went to grey as he aged.
May the memories of her unconditional love help bring you peace.
I meant to reach out to see how you were doing with your loss. Obviously, we are happy they are no longer in pain, but the hole in our hearts is there. Sounds like your Zilla looked like our Voodoo. I linked to his memorial; you can see his pics. Or, you could share Zilla's pics if you want.
My husband and I decided the mantle above the fireplace would be where we would highlight our chihuahuas. So, we have an 8x8 canvas print of each of them. Grouped by family, two on top, two on the bottom. In the middle, we have two spaces between the two groups. Those are two canvas prints that say: "Don't make me go all Chihuahua on you!" and the other says: "A House is not a Home without Paw Prints!". However, during special days, birthdays and memorials of passing, I have two other canvas prints, one says: "Happy Birthday" in 100 languages inside a heart and the other says: "You gave me such joy. Run free over the Rainbow Bridge.". During the special days, I swap out the prints and place the birthday or memorial canvas print above their picture. In my mind, it allows me to celebrate them all day. Yesterday was Laveau's first birthday without us, so this is how our mantle looked for the day:
This is how I mourn and how I keep their memories alive.
Thank you for your comments and know I share in your sorrow too.