Another dog that was put down that I really like was Pablo.

Pablo was a yellow Lab that had an amazing mouth/toy fetish.  No matter
what, EVERY TIME he came into the clinic, he had something in his
mouth.  He wasn't comfortable going anywhere unless he had something in
his mouth, whether it was a toy or a towel.

Pablo developed a splenic tumor so his spleen had to be removed.  I
remember being there on that day.  Pablo came in holding in his mouth a
teddy bear with a Lakers basketball jersey.  Awwwwww!!!

After the surgery the toy was out of his mouth obviously, and he was
whining as he was waking up.  Irememebr that I thought it was kinda
funny, because I pictured him saying, "My spleen......they took my
spleen......"

Anyways, he recovered just fine from the surgery, but was undergoing
chemo to eradicate any remaining cancer.  everytime he was in for chemo
he had a toy or a towel in his mouth.  I remember he was also in for a
bath.  When I came to take him up to his owner, he was lying down in
the run with the towel in front of him.  As soon as he saw me, he
immediately picked up the towel and wagged his tail.

Even when he had his chemo, he had a toy in his mouth. He was a big dog
and it normally took two people just to hold him down while he received
his chemo.  He would sometimes drop his toy, but as soon as he was
done, he would pick it up again and be wagging his tail.

Well about a month ago, we found out that the cancer had spread.  I
don't know the details, but I do know that I came into work one day to
find his name on the RB board.  he had a very bubbly personality along
with that silly mouth fetish that made him unforgettable.  I shall miss
him.

Or will I?

I found out later that Pablo's owners had taken a bunch of tissue
samples. Why?  Because they were going to have Pablo cloned.

You have GOT TO BE KIDDING ME?????!!!!  I could get into a deep
scientific discussion on why this is a bad idea, but I'm not going to
waste the energy.  It is NOT the same dog.  The only thing that will be
the same will be the genetic material as far as I'm concerned.  The
gossip that I heard was that the owners are spending $50K to clone
Pablo.  Why don't they take the $50K and give it to a shelter or to
cancer research??

I'm sad and yet I'm puzzled.  I shall miss Pablo greatly, but yet I'm
puzzled that the owners would spend that much to just clone their pet.
Our experiences, surroundings and the people around us shape the person
we are, so I don't see how this cloning Pablo will be the same.

Of course I've never seen a cloned animal before.  WHo knows.  maybe
one day a lab puppy with a mouth fetish will come into the clinic......

Kristi