In this deeply sentimental tribute to his beloved Labrador retrievers, Colorado resident Koktavy tells his story of caring for companion animals during their final journeys in life. Beezer was diagnosed with kidney disease at age nine and died within nine months. His brother Boomer was crippled with bone cancer two years later and also died. Koktavy, a self-employed creditor’s attorney, discusses his struggles to properly care for the dogs–from his painstaking effort to feed them unique diets to inserting intravenous medications into their bodies. The task requires him to make a series of compassionate, courageous and difficult decisions on their medical treatments, as well as to determine when to finally let go and say goodbye. Ultimately, the author learns to face his own fears and lose his guilt at not being able to do enough, and he develops a fresh appreciation for living life in the present.
This simply told, heartfelt memoir, though a bit too saccharine, will appeal to pet lovers struggling with aging and terminally ill pets, who can glean ideas on how best to get help from everyone from medical specialists and online support groups to professional animal communicators.
