He had not eaten since the Friday night previous, and the long and short was that he was very anemic, with very high white blood counts by Sunday afternoon.  He's been prone to episodes of not eating so this time didn't seem out of the ordinary. I don't know if you were inside at all, or not, but you probably would have noticed him laying under the piano bench, pretty much unmoving. However, he started having a bit more problems this time, since he couldn't stand up... so it seemed something was up. I contacted our vet after church on Sunday, and he suggested he be taken to the clinic.

When we arrived, I set him on the counter, and filled out the paper work. He was taken immediately into an exam room, and I awaited word, with Erika.

The vet first off said he was in pretty bad shape... and might not make it. This was sort of a shock, obviously, since, as I mentioned, he's been through bouts of loss of appetite, before.

Well, as it turned out, he was deathly anemic, which was the cause of his very deep breathing... which I had noticed that Sunday morning, but ascribed it more to a digestive situation than actually breathing. It's amazing now far he managed to get, all things considered! Makes you wonder what was keeping him alive at all. So, then, after the blood test, and being in an Oxygen unit, it became apparent that there was nothing to do, but administer a shot to put him to sleep... so that he'd not have to suffocate, essentially. He also had major bruising in the lower abdomen. Dr. Custis, his regular vet, thought all of this indicated he had some serious malignancy that was causing the high white blood count, and the extremely low red blood count. They even suggested (initially) that a blood transfusion might have helped... but that was ruled out when his condition became more obvious.

It could have been a malignancy, or an organ failure, but at any rate, he would have been 8 on Oct. 11 of this year, which is pretty young for a mini schnauzer.

Sassy, his sole litter mate is doing well, in spite of his diabetes. Sebastian was Ute's favorite of all 5 dogs, having been her wedding gift, in December, 1993. At the end of this memo, I've added a little tribute I put together.

Some historical notes.....

[An excerpt from My Diary, No. 12]

THANKSGIVING 1993

"… Also, I was getting Ute a puppy (miniature schnauzer) for [a] wedding [gift]. Well… Found one from a breeder in Cincinnati. Debatable authenticity, but they were nice enough. The first one we found was already named "Sassy". It had a brother, a very quiet one, and little.

DECEMBER 1993

When we went to see them, we decided to get both. Ute had already gone [the] day before (December, 3, Fri.). That evening, Kelly Albainy-Jenei and I played for the Siemens Accounting and MIS Christmas Party. Ute talked about the puppies she’d seen.

12/4/93

Then, when we both went, Saturday, I decided I liked "Sassy" and Ute liked the other. So…. We got both, and voila, had 2!

So, [wanting to keep famous composers in the naming convention,] Sassy became Charles Camille Saint-Saens, and Sebastian was to be Johann Sebastian Bach, but that name was already taken [in the AKC register]. So, we renamed him "Sebastian von Pueschel, after the maiden name of Ute’s mother, which was nobility…"

______________________________________________________________________________________

A final message to Sebastian:

Basti, as a puppy, you always annoyed everyone by your incessant tugging on everyone’s shoelaces.

Later, you tugged at our hearts, with your mischievous personality, and cat-like demeanor.

You made us work for your love most of the time, so that when you made it a point to huddle close under foot, we would always wonder what was up.

Now, you’re gone, and though your passing is a sad end to seven happy years with you in our home,

We will untie the laces for you this time, as you tug at each of us one last time, as you go on your way.

Basti, be a good boy, wherever you are, and I pray that everyone who has a pet, takes the opportunity to become as attached as we were to such a wonderful little guy as you.

Goodbye, Basti…