I can not believe I am posting this.  I left for a weekend of lure coursing in Atlanta on Saturday morning…everyone and everthing was fine until this morning, Ken called me at 8am to say that Bodhi was having difficulty breathing and his gums were pale. His back was a little hunched…my first thought was bloat, but he hadn’t eaten since dinner the night before and had gone out on first turnout and seemed fine. I asked if I should come home and Ken said no, not yet. I think we both just thought he was going to have a big gas bubble or something. I mean, he hadn’t skipped any meals and this was a dog that was perky and bouncing around Petsmart last Thursday. Friday night he was roaching like nobody’s business. No sign of being off or sick.

The rest of the day is kind of a blur…Ken called to say the vet was concerned but still not sure what was going on. They had him stable and were giving oxygen and letting him calm down so they could take more xrays. The first round were concerning, as his bronchials looked whiter than they should be. But, his heart looked good and no blockage in the trachea. Then Ken texted me to come home immediately. I called him as I was loading up the van and he told me the vet had just downgraded Bodhi to “grave” – his white blood cell count was bottomed out and he was coughing up blood. Bodhi passed away while peacefully sedated at the vets.

Bloodwork and nasal swabs are being sent to Cornell for diagnotics. The only diagnosis we have now is “undetermined respiratory condition.”

To say we are in shock is an understatement. Thank God for Ken and my good friend Heather who is the only thing that kept me sane on the drive from Atlanta to SC. The vet was wonderful and must have spent at least an hour just talking with us and answering a bazillion questions. Coming off the loss of Harmony, neither of us are prepared for this. I just don’t know how in the hell this happened. I pray Cornell can provide us an answer because young, healthy dogs are not supposed to die like this. And since it was a respiratory condition, we are obviously concerned for the rest of the pack as well. Though no one has shown any symptoms – not even Tater who came from the same racing kennel as Bodhi. This vet is knowledgeable about what makes greyhounds different and what their little quirks and concerns can be coming out of a racing career….

Please help us remember our Bodhi – the sweetest hound that was taken too soon. I’m thankful to have gotten to know him over the last couple months and that he was able to spend a week in a loving home, being spoiled. I have no doubt that he loved every second of being here…it was obvious in the way he lapped the yard, roached when he napped, nuzzled us for lubs and shredded the stuffies. I am honored to have known him.

Godspeed, sweet Bodhi…we loved you from the first moment we met you. Our time together was too short, but our love for you is without end.

I just don’t understand this at all

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