The Nose Knows
The story
It's a real story from a few years ago. About my dog Dakota.
I went to the animal shelter with my mom. We were going there cause I asked to see the cats. I had a cat at the time name Crystal. I think I was around 10 during this time.
As I was looking at all the fresh faces of the cute kitties.
There was this crate in the lobby.
Poor little guy was brought back by their owner due to the owners mom having cancer or something. Which I could totally relate to in the future.
But back to the story.
My mom was near the crate. She peered inside. Then boop! A small nose popped outta the tiny mountain of blankets. Then the rest of the snout, then Dakota's large, brown, cute eyes found my mom's. He then popped his whole head outta the blankets. He has one ear up and one ear flopped down. He had a white diamond shaped fur patch on his forehead. Sorta like the pretty jewel things that Indian cultured people wear. But this fur patch was just part of his pattern.
He was so cute and tiny. A Chihuahua mix. I think he was round 6 months old. But tiny.
My mom instantly bonded with the little guy!
All this happened while I was looking at the cats.
When it was time to leave... As I was skipping down the steps. My mom stopped. She looked at me. I stopped. I looked at her. And she said, "do you wanna get a dog?" I thought she was joking. So I sorta laughed it off. Cause my mom wasn't known to be spontaneous. At least not that I knew of.
When I realized that she was serious... I jumped for joy, bounded up the stairs. We got the little tot. And the rest was history.
Until 5 years later...
Dakota was know to use his nose a lot. Smelled anything, anyone, and any-any, until he smelled the wrong thing.
A pile of fungus.
It went to his brain. He couldn't walk. Couldn't eat. Wouldn't hold his fluids.
So, we had to put him down. Actually... My mom had to at the Vets. I couldn't be in the room due to the stress.
Over the years, my mom and I always said, "it was his nose that brought him to us, and it was his nose that took him away".
So, be careful with your pets out there. And watch out for fungus. They're not good for the brain!!
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Points of view
while i totally agree with the story about dakota, i find it somewhat incredulous that one's own pet could be so tragically affected by something as seemingly innocuous as a fungus. it reminds me of a time when my own dear companion, whiskers, suffered a setback due to a similar ecological hazard, albeit, thanks to swift intervention, he recovered! 🤞
therefore, let us collectively aspire to a heightened awareness, not merely attributing loss to fate or quirks of anatomy but instead embracing preventative vigilance.
Certain fungi maybe aren't dangerous. But when my dog was too strong to pull away for a good 3 minutes of inhaling whatever was in the pile of leaves down the road... It became dangerous. We took him to the vet right after. They said it was a fungal infection to the brain. They said he'd pass away on his own but suffer great pain, or we could put him down while he still could look at us in the eyes😭!
Good reminder that we must always be very careful with our doggies... chocolate lying around, grapes... we must watch!
indeed, the list of commun dangerous stuff is not always well known by everyone...
honestly, it's tough to fully agree with the story's sentiment. it seems like there might have been some oversight regarding dakota's environment, particularly with potential mycotoxins. it's heartbreaking to lose a pet, but maybe there were preventive measures that could have been adopted; surely understanding potential hazards is part of caring for our pets. still, it's hopeful to think about how much happiness dakota brought into your lives during his time with you 😊 always a learning experience, right???
i mostly agree with your story, but honestly, it seems there might have been a bit of neglect concerning potential fungal hazards in dakota's environment. the narrative sounds heartwarming, as pets do bring immense joy, yet one wonders if more attentive care could have prevented such a tragic outcome. perhaps there should have been a more diligent assessment of environmental risks that might contribute to mycotic infections. it's frustrating to think of the circumstances that led to dakota's passing; sad as it is, maybe this is a reminder for all pet owners to stay vigilant. 😕