Chester

The Baby Howler

Chester came to us as a stray when he was about 8 weeks old.

He was one of a litter of about 9 that came trotting by the house one summer morning.

He made such a fuss standing up in the back of the Animal Control Officer's truck and howling as he was driving away, that I felt bad and went to the Animal Shelter and got him back.

$5000 Dog

When Chester was about 2 years old he contracted a horrible disease called blastomycosis. The disease attacks the lungs and is usually fatal.

Chester went from 55lbs down to about 30lbs in a very short time.

When the disease was finally diagnosed correctly by Dr Mary Flynn, a 6 month treatment was instigated and a hefty vet bill of about $5000 was the result.

Chester survived and lived to a ripe old age.

Shy boy

Chester was always very shy. Even at eight weeks he had the habit of showing his teeth as if to snarl when he got nervous. He was also a howler for a very long time.

Chester could talk. One day, I overheard my my wife ask him where his little sis was. Chester replied, "I ron't row!"

The words ,'I love you', from Peggy and Chester would usually chime in with about 30 seconds of his song 'Howling in the Moonlight'.

A Long Happy Life

Chesty as we called him lived a full life to the age of about 14 years.

When arthritis and congenital spinal chord degeneration finally progressed to the point where he wasn't able to get around, we decided it was time to send him home.

Of all the boys we've laid to rest I think Chesty will be missed the most.

Everyone in the family had spent times in conversations with him. There was always a look in his face that said he understood every word spoken to him.

The same dr that had saved his life years before, laid him to rest on Tuesday afternoon, January 29, 2013. We buried him on the hill with his brothers.