On a sunny afternoon, the clouds were gray.

This picture was taken minutes before I left bebe
at Ian's house. It was a Sunday, April 10th.

That is what I felt...for today, two of the loveliest dogs I've loved died.

Eros, Ian's baby and Misty, my supposed to be future baby. :(

Eros is a half Shitzu, half Maltese cutie that I gave Ian, my beloved almost four months ago as a graduation gift. I personally named him Eros, for three reasons:

1. It is the Greek word for "Love". And though I   absolutely don't believe in mythologies, I like the story of "Eros and Psyche" (Love and Soul).

2. Due to the heart-shaped colored hair on his forehead (which he even eventually loses after two months). 

3. I love Ian and giving him a dog which name depicts love is just fitting.

Eros (I also call him bebe) just turned three months then. Though I was a bit sad of letting him go, I was also happy at the same time knowing that he'll be more taken care of with his new family.

Sleepy Misty, about one month.

Misty, on the other hand is a half dachshund, half greyhound sweetheart. Though I didn't request for any in return when I gave Eros, Ian promised me Misty as a special gift. I was hesitant at first but since I love dogs, I thankfully accepted the idea. She already turned three months almost a month ago, and I was supposed to get her already last week but the inevitable happened---she, together with her sister, Nita and Eros got sick.

Nita, Misty's only litter sibling died first, out of  what they thought as a mere diarrhea. On the night of Nita's death, Misty started to vomit and excreted bloody diarrhea late that night..she was confined at the vet the following morning. Eros exhibited the same signs two days after, and he followed Misty at the community vet.

Observations were done and the result took us by surprise. The culprit was Parvovirus, a potentially lethal virus that causes infection in dogs and puppies that indeed causes bloody diarrhea and vomiting. The said virus is asymptomatic (meaning no visible symptoms can be observed) until it is fully blown in the system. Among other organ defects, it causes extreme damage to the intestinal tract, explaining the bloody diarrhea. For more complete info, visit link: http://vetmedicine.about.com/cs/dognz/a/parvodog.htm . To how the virus reached my boyfriend's residence is unknown but what is known is that Parvo is epidemic at their baranggay.

The two dogs were left in the care of their trusted veterinarians and since the diagnosis, we could only hope for the best. Learning how serious the condition is, Ian repeatedly told me to pray for their recovery and I did ( I'd do it anyway even if he didn't tell me to). Those two dogs were special, they are our babies and we hoped and prayed hard until this day. This day when our prayers have been answered differently.

Eros drew his last breath between 9:42-10:20 in the morning. Ian called me just before my second class start and at his first word, I already knew what he's about to say due to the urgency and agony in the tone of his voice. I left the room for awhile and started to cry. Bebe seemed to be well this morning, he even had the strength to stand and wag his tail when he saw Ian. Ian was about to carry him when all of a sudden he cried from pain and his muscles contracted. Eros died a painful death, from a seizure attack- aside from Parvo, he also had another virus in his system, known as distemper. http://vetmedicine.about.com/od/dogdiseasesconditions/a/CW-Distemper.htm

Misty followed him some time later in the afternoon, between 5:30-6:30pm. She was a tough soul, being  younger and fragile than Eros but has managed to survive hours longer. I could imagine how hard she fought there as she was in the incubator, seeing how Eros died and how Ian cried, she must have tried hard to live to not suffer the same fate. Unfortunately, the virus was stronger than the antibiotics and other medications; the virus was stronger than her will. This news is so disheartening, two deaths in a day is just too much. Guilt also overtook me for technically, Misty is already mine. I was supposed to take care of her but I wasn't even able to hold her 'til her last moment. The chance of doing so is forever lost.

Ian was and is still inconsolable. The pain that he's feeling pains me as well..it's like a deja vu for me, I lost two dogs in a day too; [Pretty, my irreplaceable anak and her baby.. It was so painful, I didn't had the heart to blog its details up to this day.] I knew that words are not enough but I just told him what I told myself when the same experience happened to me: that wherever the passed dogs are, they are happy together with our other deceased pets and that at least there, they are not suffering anymore. Though they will no longer be visible or physically seen, they'll forever stay with him, in his heart..and they will look after him. 

After this dire incident, I can only think of these two important conclusions:

NEVER OVERLOOK THE IMPORTANCE OF VACCINE and DO NOT DELAY.

Nita, Misty and Eros were just 4-6 months old puppies and they were still unimmunized. I am not and will not blame Ian's family though, had they known about this earlier, I am sure they will take the proper measures immediately. They also did more than enough when they realized that the dogs were sick. Viruses are nonetheless opportunistic and it just so happen that it had affected and taken our dearest's lives. 

Both of our babies died this day and it will never be forgotten.