Roxie Erak

Hi Cindy,

I just wanted to drop your agency a note about our wonderful boxer
Roxanne who my son Thomas adopted from Homeward Pets about 5 years ago.
Roxanne was a boxer and when Thomas adopted her was told that she was
dumped as she was a high maintenance pet. Roxie came to live at my
house with Thomas (my son) about 4 years ago. I had never owned a dog
before and I must tell you that she became the love of my life and was
the sweetest dog ever. She was very low key and very loving. When we
got her she didn't know how to play with toys or balls so we taught her
to play. We also believe that in her short life that someone had abused
her. She would become very scared when voices were raised and would go
and hide and shake. How can someone hurt a dog as sweet a Roxie? Can't
understand it! Although she didn't have the prettiest face I've ever
seen she was the most beautiful dog to us and I called her Grama's
sweets, my beautiful girl and my sugar cookie.

Unfortunately Roxie endured many issues with her health while with us
but I was more than willing to deal with each of them as they came. I
had a wonderful Vet (Dr. Michelle Nemeth) and a great support staff at
Northwest Animal Clinic in Silver Lake who were always there for us.
Unfortunately last November a bump appeared on Roxie's right temple
adjacent to her eye socket. We had numerous tests done including a
biopsy and at the end of the day it was apparent that there wasn't
anything that Dr. Nemeth could do to remove it. This boney mass grew
agressively and started to deform her right eye. I stayed close to Dr.
Nemeth seeing her every two weeks as I did not want Roxie to be in any
pain. I saw Dr. Nemeth last Saturday for a follow up on an ear
infection and she was very surprised to see how much larger the tumor
was - it had been only two weeks since she last saw her. During that
appt we discussed the fact that the tumor was deforming her eye and that
it may be causing her some pain. That morning before the appt I thought
that Roxie was acting a little listless and wanted to be close to me all
the time. We decided together that it was time to put her on some pain
medication and to start thinking about when the right time would be to
put her to sleep. I went home and spoke to Thomas and my daughter Gail
and decided that we should do it this week. Sunday Roxie really seemed
to be in pain which I managed with pain medication and on Monday morning
I called and spoke to the Vet and we made the decision to put her down
Monday afternoon. This is one of the hardest decisions I've had to make
in a long time but had always said that if I thought she was suffering
I'd make it! So......I'm sorry to say that Roxanne passed on Monday May
4th at about 5:00pm. Thomas, Gail, Dr. Nemeth and I were all with her
and it was very calm and peaceful..... We all loved Roxanne so much but
take comfort in knowing she is in heaven where all sweet dogs go......

I just thought you would want to know how much she was loved and also to
thank you for saving her so we could have those 5 years with her! Here
is a picture of her so perhaps you will remember her "beautiful" face!

Best regards,
Susan Erak, Gail Erak & Thomas Erak