Lync

So it's now been 5 months since I had to put Lync to sleep. I'm just now able to write about it. Lync was entered in our local dog show November 19-21 2021. He had a fantastic weekend. He won Best of Breed at all 4 shows. He won a Group 3rd one day and he would of had a Group Placement on the last day but he was showing signs in the Group Ring of not feeling well. He also won Best Male Veteran 2 days and Best Veteran in Breed and Group on the last day. I had to pull him from the Veteran Group Competion. There was a wonderful entry of Flatcoats at this show, 17 to be exact with 7 Specials which made his wins all the more wonderful! On Sunday when I put him up on the grooming table before Group Judging I noticed something was wrong. He wasn't wagging his tail, licking my face or trying to pull my mask off. When I brought him to ringside he perked up so we all thought he was hot as the building was quite warm. I gave him to his handler and sat down to watch. As soon as he started to move I looked to my friends and said "something is wrong with him " To make a long story short I ended up bringing him to the Emergency Vet Care straight from the show. A day later we were in Calgary seeing a Specialist. Covid meant I had to wait in the van while he was examined. Within 15 minutes the Vet called. I couldnt believe what I was hearing. Lync's belly and chest were filled with fluid. He had a tumor on his heart, it was hemangiosarcoma. Lync was just 8 years old. I knew the risk of this happening when I decided to get a Flatcoat. Cancer is in every single line of Flatcoats. Some live to old age but a huge majority never even see double digits. I made the choice right then to end his suffering. I went in the clinic and sat on the floor with him. He was so sick he wasnt even engaging with me. He just wanted to lay down. His handler Pat who lives in Calgary came down to say goodbye as well. Pat, the Vet and I sat on the floor. While Pat and I patted him and told him what a great dog he had been and that we loved him, the Vet ended his suffering. I was devasted. Lync was my Heart. My constant shadow. He only had eyes for me. He loved me so much, and I him. I was comforted by remembering our summer we had just spent together. I had quit my job in June and Lync and I hit the road together. We travelled to compete in Dog Shows, Field Events, Sprinters and Barnhunt. We visited my sister in Sherwood Park for a week. We had the best time together . My Heart still hurts. There is an emptiness there now. How I loved that boy.