Author: Casey Clark

As I mentioned in Part 1, Marjorie’s animal communication helped me with Buddy’s anxiety and other things. I was really happy that I had her as another tool I could use to give Buddy the best life.  

About a year later, I was in my newish apartment, and Buddy started acting oddly. He wouldn’t use his hind legs and was really lethargic. This episode went on for about 10 minutes or so, and I called my veterinarian to get some help. I was living in DC at the time, about 1 hour and 20 minutes from my vet, so I was sending videos and pictures as I described what was happening, and he told me to go to an emergency vet and suggested one in DC. I let Marjorie know, and once again, she came to the rescue! As I sat in the waiting room, never having been in this situation before, Marjorie offered a great deal of comfort. She gave me some suggestions on what to ask them to ensure that everything was being considered and that we got the best care possible. She suggested asking for certain blood tests to ensure the proper follow-up. I felt like I had someone on my side who was not only consoling me but was helping me keep a level head. Marjorie also checked up on me after our visit and kept checking on Buddy. Everything ended up being okay, and the emergency vet chalked it up to him getting into something he shouldn’t have. That wasn’t the Buddy I knew, so I knew something else was going on.

Buddy’s Health Started to Decline

In September of 2023, Buddy had his one-year check-up. We went to see Dr. Ahalt, and after a quick exam, he said, “Casey, I think his heart is getting worse, and I think he has some fluid on it. We’re going to do some blood tests and exams to see what exactly is happening.” My eyes started to tear up as they took my sweet Buddy back for testing. They brought him back in not too long after, and I anxiously waited for the results. His heart was, in fact, getting worse. It was enlarged, and he had fluid in his lungs and around his heart. He also had some other things going on with his kidneys. Long story short, he had to go on 7 medications to help his heart beat better and to reduce the fluid. My heart was broken. I wondered, “How did things start declining so quickly?” We were advised to come back in 30 days to see how he was doing.

Buddy Had Another Episode

One day, Buddy and I were in the car, and he was in the back seat. Before, he would stay in the back seat but in recent months, he became more anxious and just wanted to be on my lap. So I attached his leash to the headrest so that he couldn’t get up front. We were driving along, and I looked back to notice that he wasn’t moving. I immediately pulled over, and he was having another lethargic episode where his body was pretty limp. I held him and reassured him he was going to be okay. I gave him some water and got him comfortable on my lap for the rest of the ride home. I called the vet and took him in. He ended up going on another medication to help with his blood pressure. So now, he was on 8 medications a day, and I was told that there was not much else we could do. He was on all the medications he could be on with the highest dosages for his size. 

It Was Time for More Animal Communication

Given Buddy’s recent medical exam, I connected with Marjorie again, and we chatted about Buddy’s new state. I really wanted to get some reassurance that he wasn’t suffering because his symptoms were getting worse. He was gagging a lot more when he drank water and just didn’t seem very comfortable. Marjorie reassured me that she didn’t sense that he was feeling any pressure or discomfort. This was a relief. The last thing I wanted was to be selfish and keep him here for my own benefit when it was his time to pass on.

Preparing For The Loss of Buddy

With the changes in Buddy’s health, I had to come to terms with the fact that his time was limited. His symptoms were much worse starting in February of 2024. It was almost like he was trying to cough the fluid out, but it wasn’t coming out. Seeing this on a regular basis broke my heart even more. It felt like there was really nothing more I could do. I did little things like give him his favorite treat, buy more of his favorite “Gumby” toys, and even let him sleep in the bed if he wanted to. This was my way of making sure he was most comfortable and enjoyed his last days. Thankfully, I work from home, so I was able to spend the majority of our waking hours together. Well, my waking hours because Buddy slept a lot! 

Despite giving him his best days in preparation for the day when he would pass, I never would have imagined that those days were so numbered. Like Marjorie said in her Pet Loss and Animal Communication: Part 2 blog, death does not read the calendar, and boy, was she right! One day, I scooped Buddy up and put him in the car, and we went on a ride. He wasn’t anxious; he just sat in the back seat and stared…until he didn’t. I was talking to him, telling him we were about to stop and usually I could hear his name tag jingling when I would talk to him. I heard nothing, so I looked back and he was gone. He had laid on the seat and passed. I couldn’t believe it. I needed more time. More time with him and more time to prepare. 

Marjorie brought up so many great points in her blog. She mentioned doing some inner reflection to determine how you’ll bring this chapter to a close in a way you can live with, knowing how you would handle the remains, and so on. I didn’t do any of this. It came way too fast. 

My Suggestion for Your Healing

While I was able to figure things out, I struggled with guilt for quite some time. I did until I had another consultation with Marjorie, during which we talked with Buddy after his passing. As I wasn’t ready, I learned that Buddy wasn’t ready either. His heart stopping caught him by surprise as well, and his spirit was still hanging out in my apartment, making sure that I was okay. My call with Marjorie gave me the closure I needed with him. She comforted me by reassuring me that he was where he wanted to be when he passed, and that was with me. He wasn’t in chronic pain, and I didn’t have to make the decision to put him down. This really was the best case scenario for me and for Buddy. So, my suggestion is to take the time to think through what will happen when your beloved pet passes and be sure to utilize Marjorie before, during, and after the process. You will not regret it!

In April, I had the pleasure of reading Marjorie’s blogs about pet loss. I knew I would be facing it at some point, so I was curious to see her perspective. Little did I know that within a month, I would be experiencing the loss of a pet, which is what inspired me to write this guest blog. Here’s my story, and I hope it helps you find healing if you’re experiencing this, too.  

In August of 2022, I decided it was time for me to adopt a dog. Long story short, I had been working on some self-healing for about 3 years and for once I was alone and felt that I could love something now that I learned to love myself. Looking back, those who are close to me would say, “who rescued who?”While I’ve heard many people say this before, they weren’t kidding. “Buddy”, an adorable beagle mix, was on his second time at the Frederick County Animal Control Shelter, and I just couldn’t understand why anyone would give him up, especially when he had a heart murmur. Knowing that he was viewed as a “misfit” hurt my heart even more. Him being there didn’t make any sense to me at all – other than it was so that I could love on him. 

Buddy’s First Months In His Furever Home

When I adopted Buddy, I was a bit nervous. I hadn’t had a dog since being a kid and I was in my mid-30s at the time. While nervous, I couldn’t have been more sure that he was for me when I had him. He was sweet as can be, quiet as ever, house-trained, didn’t need a crate, could care less about other people and really just wanted to be around me. He was the perfect dog for me with where I was in life. Buddy was laid back. He had a playful side and was smart as ever but I never wanted to overexert him because I knew he had a murmur and with the little medical knowledge I have, I knew getting him all worked up could be harmful to him. So Buddy and I became best friends and just palled around and took it easy. My friends grew to love him and learned quickly what I meant when I’d say, “I’m really not biased, he is the best dog ever!”. We would go to cookouts and all kinds of things together. He was my road dog!

Understanding Buddy’s Health

When I first adopted Buddy, I got thim established with Dr. Ahalt at Jefferson Veterinary Care. He was a long-time friend of my stepdad, and I knew he would take good care of Buddy and be honest with me about anything going on. During our first visit, he made sure that I knew he had a murmur and informed me that it was at a 3 out of 5 but not a “strong” 3. He said we should keep an eye on him and stay aware of any changes in behaviors or symptoms. He told me to watch out for things like heavy breathing, gagging when drinking, and being lethargic. Other than that, I could bring him back for a year check-up.

Buddy and I Tried This Animal Communication Thing

I felt good about Buddy’s physical health at the time but not his mental health. My apartment had a fireplace and when I would light the fire, Buddy would literally climb on top of my head and shake like a leaf. He was scared to death. He also wouldn’t walk on a certain area of the grass when I would take him outside. I had gotten familiar with Marjorie’s services and decided to give her a try to see if I could figure out what was going on with him. My first consultation with her was the best 20 minutes! She was compassionate, kind, and very intuitive. I didn’t really know what to expect since, before her, I didn’t even know that animal communication was a thing. She explained to me that with the fire, Buddy had possibly witnessed a large fire with a lot of chaos, so it gave him bad anxiety. With the area he wouldn’t walk in, she sensed that something was covering the ground that he didn’t like the smell of. Well, pine needles had covered that area, and it was so pungent that it turned Buddy off. It was fascinating to hear these things! I simply stopped taking him to that area, and as far as the fire went, Marjorie gave me some tips.

To help acclimate Buddy to fire, Marjorie suggested that I put a fireplace screensaver on my TV since it was mounted above the fireplace. As I got him used to the site and noise, she recommended that I put some ash near his food and water bowl since he associated those two things with pleasure/happiness. Once he got used to that, she suggested I start a small fire with half of a log and then build it from there. I gradually did all of these things, and it worked! Buddy was no longer scared of the fire. 

Another tip that she gave me to help with his anxiety when I left him was to look at him and then envision me leaving and coming back happily, greeting him. I used to do this, and it worked like a charm. She told me that dogs have no concept of time, so no matter how long I was gone, this trick would work and give him reassurance that I was coming back. 

Using Marjorie to communicate with Buddy really enhanced my care for him. Little did I know, I would need her more than ever in the upcoming months. Stay tuned for Part 2.