Greta

I'll write more when we are recovered a bit. But to help with my memory and to relieve some pain briefly, I'll copy in an email to family.

Our one and a half year old dog Greta died early this morning from complications of a fall. On Sunday we went out to one of our favorite places to hike- Caldwell Fields – and she went up on a rise over the creek where we picnic and play. There is about a 25 foot cliff that is easy to get to for the dogs. She decided to jump to get down. There is a very shallow creek overlaying a shelf of solid rock. She made, as you might expect, a horrible sound, cut her mouth a good deal but seemed to be ambulatory and shocked but ok for the time.

We got her back to the car quickly and had her ride in back with Phyllis until we could get to the emergency clinic. While she was shocky (any person or animal would be) she was doing well with her breathing and consciousness. Her exam showed her contused in many places, but generally ok. Her x-rays showed contusions but generally nothing else. But with such a fall, there really is no telling what might be wrong internally and Greta went into lung failure this morning, about 1:30. Phyllis and I intubated her and tried to get her back to a place where we could take her to the clinic, but she was too damaged for us to save.

This morning, it's hard to concentrait on anything as I still feel her large heart struggling to beat under my hand.