There's little humor in today's article, yet thinking back over the past several years, there was an abundance of laughter, fun and happiness injected into our lives by the subject if this story - our family pet and faithful friend, Archie.
Archie left us about a month ago and went to reside permanently in doggie heaven. Our sorrow can't be measured in words and the tears shed when he left us would leave his big doggie bowl spilling over.
We miss him terribly, and the joy he brought us in his short lifetime will give us many happy memories for many years to come.
He was 65 pounds and growing, by thought he was a lap dog. Every night when my husband was comfortably settled in his Barca Lounger, Archie would start with the paw on his knee and the anxious look in his eyes, until he was finally invited to jump up in his lap. And there he stayed; at least until it was time to make a trip to the kitchen to share an evening snack.
Every time the refrigerator was opened, or the cabinet under the sink where the dog treats were stored, Archie was right there, tail wagging, nose sniffing, ready and waiting for a bite of something.
His doggie door was in the laundry room, and he spent his evenings lying with his head half in and half out of that little door, make sure everything was okay out there. That was his job - guarding the back yard.
It was also his job to bark at the mailman and at every person who dared to walk down the street past our house. Also, to follow me outside in the back yard when I was hanging clothes or gardening, or for whatever reason - and he stayed there on guard duty until I went back inside, then he followed me in. I don't think I'll ever be able to hang clothes out again without a pain in my heart.
We aren't the only ones missing Archie. Poor little Tasha, who at 17, still patiently tolerated his frivolous and sometime aggressive but well meaning antics since the day he joined our family eleven years ago, is so obviously grieving for her lost buddy it breaks my heart. And she doesn't even know why he's gone.
Each time we go away and return, she greets us half-heartedly, then looks around, sniffing and hoping Archie may have come home, too.
As for how we lost him, Archie somehow developed Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia, known as AIHA, a condition the Vet said was hard to explain, but basically, it's where the immune system targets and destroys its own red blood cells.
Symptoms, including a jaundiced appearance, can come on gradually and progressively or, as in Archie's case, suddenly and acutely, and not respondent to treatment. It's similar to a bad case of flu in humans - fever, severe upset stomach, etc. Causes of this disorder include some medications, infections (viral, bacterial, or parasitic), bee stings, and unfortunately, some breeds of dogs - including spaniels - have a genetic predisposition for AIHA. Archie was a Field Spaniel.
Still, I will never believe anything caused this terrible thing but the tainted dog food containing melamine in the wheat gluten imported in the cheap from China. A few years back, when this outbreak occurred (fatal to hundreds of cherished pets), Archie became deathly ill with many of the same symptoms attributed to AIHA. Fortunately, at the time, he was treated and recovered. I believe this somehow stayed dormant in his system, flaring up occasionally and finally resulting in a severe, non-treatable, fatal attack.
If you have any inkling your pet may be victim of this disease, please contact your veterinarian immediately. Also, a website called "Meisha's Hope; A guide to canine AIHA," is very informative.
All that said, I can hardly get excited over food; but one of Archie's favorite meals was Beef and Noodles (the people version). So here's a different slant on this recipe, which I would never give a dog due to its inclusion of onions, but very good for humans.
BEEF PAPRIKA
8 oz. Sirloin, cut into thin strips
1 medium onion, sliced thin
1 cup beef broth
1 tsp. paprika
1/8 cup flour
1 clove garlic, minced
Butter or oil for browning
2 Tbsp. sour cream
Coat beef strips with flour; set aside. Sauté onion and garlic until onion is transparent; remove from pan. In same pan, brown beef strips in butter or oil. Add onion and garlic back to pan along with broth, paprika and a little salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then cover and cook on low heat until meat is tender, about 20 to 30 minutes. Stir in sour cream; serve over cooked noodles.
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