Summit (Bbf Dropout) May 5, 2005 - Jan 30, 2019

[krissy]

https://youtu.be/hfS9fVtfmr4

 

I'm too exhausted and emotionally worn out to write another one of these so I just copy and pasted from my Facebook....

 

Goodbye to the best first dog that anyone could ever have asked for. Goodbye to the dog that introduced me to the breed I love and to the sport I love. It's because of Summit's patient, willing, but slightly training challenged self that Kili and Kenna have been able to become the successful agility dogs that they are today, and the reason that I will always own greyhounds.

We adopted Summit while I was in vet school. He was 5 years old and the easiest dog you'll ever meet. He walked into our home and accepted the rabbits, the first time dog owners, all the dog festivals that I could now gleefully attend because I had a dog of my own, and so much more. He let me clip his nails, brush his teeth, sign him up as a blood donor, drag him around to ultimate games, collect blood and give vaccines on my own... even stitch and remove lumps without sedation or restraint.

And when I decided that maybe I actually could train a greyhound to do agility, he went right along with it. Although we never mastered the teeter or the weave poles, and he never trialed, he taught me so much... including that if I wanted an agility greyhound... I could have an agility greyhound. And so instead of getting a border collie when we were ready for dog number two, we got Kili.

I said this fall that I didn't think Summit would make it through the winter, but as the months passed I started to think maybe he would. Maybe he'd make it to his next birthday. But then about 2 weeks ago he started to be a little slow getting up for dinner. I thought his arthritis was progressing and increased his pain medication, but that didn't help. A few days later he refused to eat until I mixed in some canned food, and I felt the first twinge of anxiety - this dog had never refused food in his life. Then a few days after that he refused to eat even after adding canned food and cheese - and then I knew something was very wrong. Despite his bloodwork being normal, his continued picky appetite made me ultrasound him last week. There were some concerns about his liver and one segment of small intestine but no concrete answers. His appetite picked up over the weekend and I started to hope maybe he'd rally for a little longer.

Today I took Summit to work for another ultrasound, but an hour before, he suddenly couldn't sit up or stand, he seemed uncomfortable and anxious. He had to be carried to the ultrasound room for his scan, where Cam determined that he had a mass in his intestines and fluid in his chest, likely metastatic GI lymphoma or adenocarcinoma (x-rays of his chest last week were normal). Since he progressively seemed more and more disoriented (almost seemed like he was having an old dog vestibular event, wanting to turn/roll to one side) we made the decision to let him go right away. He never asked anything of us in all the time we had him, we certainly could not deny him a quick goodbye while he was suffering.

I knew that our time with Summit was growing very short, but I was not prepared for the possibility that I might not be bringing him home with me tonight. Hopefully you have found Caspian and Adrienne on the other side... I suspect Sebastian will not be long in following you so maybe don't go too far and the 3 of you wait for him until he's ready too. I will miss you, and will always be thankful to have had my good boy showing me the ropes of dog ownership. You are the standard against which all other dogs will be measured. Rest easy, my best of boys.

[Guest AmberGusDad]

Godspeed....

[greysmom]

Kristie I'm so sorry. Summit was such a special boy. {{{hugs}}}

 

Run In Peace sweetie. You'll be missed by so many!

[LaFlaca]

A beautiful tribute to a beautiful life. I'm so sorry your good boy had to go. Peace to your broken heart.

[Time4ANap]

Kristie,

 

I am so sorry that Summit had to leave. Having lost our "first hound best boy" in October, I am still too familiar with the raw pain of that sudden decision you weren't expecting to make. I am sitting here trying to type though tears. It feels like Summit grew up with all of us here on GT much like Rocket did. I absolutely loved his pics and videos over the years. Summit was a favorite of everyone here and we will all miss him.

 

Your video and written tributes to him were beautiful.

 

Run-free Summit. Go find your GT friends at The Bridge, they'll show you around.

[Remolacha]

What a special boy

[spottydog]

So hard...godspeed to your grand old man...and yes, peace to your soul.

[smurfette]

I'm so very sorry for your loss. Godspeed, Summit.

[Busderpuddle]

RIP Summit.....what a beautiful boy

[AnneGTS]

I'm so sorry

[FiveRoooooers]

This is a profound loss. Krissy, I am so terribly sorry your best boy has gone.

 

Godspeed Summit. Find Pagliaccio.

 

[ramonaghan]

I'm so sorry for your tremendous loss. We will all miss Summit. Rest easy, sweet boy.

[palmettobug]

Kristie, I remember how hard you fought to get him back to normal after his first illness. What an amazing hound, he will be missed.

[cleptogrey]

he will be missed, all great companions are. his legacy of GREYHOUNDS CAN DO AGILITY dogs continues with your girls.

[BatterseaBrindl]

I am so very sorry that you had to say goodbye to your Summit.

What a wonderful bond you shared with him.

Remember all those good times....

 

[Fruitycake]

I am so sorry that you had to say goodbye. I loved 'getting to know him' here.

 

Run free, Summit. You'll be missed.

[Houndtime]

I am so sad and sorry for your loss.

[Simonsays]

I'm so sorry for your loss, our boys had the same birthday

[Patsy]

Enjoy those campsites at The Bridge sweetie and I'm told there are lots of (nice shallow) ponds for wading.

[Beachbum1]

So very sorry for the loss of your sweet boy.

[heartdogs]

Enjpyed following Summit on GT. & I'm sorry he had to leave you.

[Batmom]

I'm so sorry for your loss. He had a good long run with you, and I know that is no consolation at all.

 

 

Godspeed, Summit.

[beledi]

Im crying. Godspeed

[EllenEveBaz]

I so enjoyed seeing his training videos. Your accounts of his big recovery gave us all hope that the dogs we love might make it through, too.

 

Farewell, best of boys.

[JaimeL]

So sorry for your loss. What a beautiful tribute to Summit, he certainly was a special guy.

Run free sweet boy.

 

Jaime L