This day marks the one-year point since Zaffer underwent his biopsy procedures (i.e., core sample removal from his oral tumor and invasive surgery of his right leg as an effort to try and learn why he had been experiencing crippling inflammation thereof).
On this very day, exactly one year ago, Zaffer would begin his rapid and torturous decline to his final moments. Prior to the aforementioned procedures on December 29, 2022, Zaf had continued to demonstrate playfulness and other expressions of enjoyment during his daily activities. He truly had a great attitude considering all he was going through. In the late evening of December 28 and into the early morning hours of December 29, he experienced another oral bleeding incident. By sunup, thankfully, his bleeding had resolved and he was happy, energetic, and interactive. Crushingly, however, after his traumatic clinic experience hours later, his personality vanished (never to return). My best friend would never be the same
The biopsy appointment was extremely stressful for Zaf and ultimately caused him a great deal of lingering pain. It was also his first experience with a drug known as ketamine (used to sedate him prior to full anesthesia). I remember after initially administering the ketamine he emitted some explosive, horrific-sounding cries I'd never before heard him make. I later learned that ketamine, along with being considered an agent of anesthesia, is a hallucinogen. It's related and chemically similar to PCP (phencyclidine, aka "Angel Dust"). The vet opted for ketamine to ramp him down because the usual sedative he had been receiving, midazolam, no longer worked on him.
Once home from the December 29 procedures, Zaffer remained in an agonized stupor until he took his final breath on February 20, 2023. It was such a heart-wrenching end to my treasured companion's life. If I had only known, I would have never subjected him to the biopsy appointment. I am chronically haunted by the experience. I miss him immensely!
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