07/29/2025
Three weeks ago today, Roch wandered in through the back door of our facility. Since that day, he’s been a source of comfort for those grieving and a work bestie for me. He’s walked with a heavy limp, and he has a tumor under his tail, and we were told right away that he’s an old guy with a bit of an expiration date on the horizon.
Yesterday, we went on our morning walk, and he was his normal, happy self. He explored a little more into the nearby fields, bounding out with bright eyes and his beautiful smile while hunting his favorite prey, the juicy grasshoppers.
After our walk, he ate and drank as normal but had not gone #2 on our walk like he normally does.
I left to handle some personal business, and returned to find he had no interest in standing to greet me and would not even rise when I put his leash around his neck. He LOVES when I put his leash on him.
He eventually did go outside once last night.
I spent a little more time with him last night, hoping to inspire him to want to go outside.
He didn’t eat his 5:00 meal. It is still in his bowl as I type this 20 hours later. He refused two amazing treats, one of which was his nightly ritual, one that made him forget I was alive once I gave it to him. Not last night, though. It’s still in the ball that he gets it in.
I took him to be checked out, and although I knew the answer, I was hoping to get a better prognosis.
Three weeks after coming into our lives and touching everyone who entered the facility with his gentle nudges, we are told that Roch has Hemangiosarcoma. The absolute truth is that we won’t have Roch very much longer. We did administer a steroid shot to try to pep him up a bit and hope to see that extend his life and time with us here.
Although he hasn’t eaten his regular food yet, I was able to give him a McDonald’s hamburger patty (with a little cheese, of course), and a couple McNuggets, piece by piece.
Prayers for either a painless escape or a little bit of a rally so he can enjoy life a little longer would be appreciated.
To those of you who met Roch and were comforted by his gentle nature, I think he enjoyed being there with and for you just as much as you enjoyed his presence.
❤️🙏🐾
