play_arrowIn Memoriam: Tundra the Wonder Dog Val Cairney
Welcome to this special episode of Val Talk’s Pets. This episode is a memoriam to our Tundra the wonder dog.
Well, I guess you can surmise from the introduction, our beloved Tundra crossed the Rainbow Bridge on October 19th of this year. (2026) Was it expected? Not really.
Tundra came into our lives almost 9 years ago as a transfer from Whitefish Bay First Nations in northern Ontario. In my episode called Tundra the Wonder Dog, I told the miraculous story of this amazing community dog that almost died twice. The first-time spiritual intervention saved his life, and the second time by a wonderful veterinarian named Dr. John Brajkovich at Caledon Mountain Veterinary Hospital. The story of this dog’s journey was nothing short of miraculous and we were so grateful to become his pet parents and have this amazing soul in our lives for the length of time we did.
Tundra was a senior dog in the last 2 or 3 years, being anywhere between 10 and 12 years of age and he was a big dog. We were doing all the things you do for a senior dog; hip and joint formulas, supplements for his well-being and I even got a cold red laser to treat his back end, not that he was exhibiting huge issues, just some old-man effort to get up.
For that reason, just a few weeks ago, we ordered him non-slip socks. They worked very well. He was able to get up from lying down on the laminate flooring with half the effort and we thought we were on to something. They did work very well, but I can say he wasn’t really a fan. But being the stoic dog that he was, he let us put his socks on while in the house and I would say, didn’t really realise the difference they made in his mobility. But we certainly did.
He seemed to be doing quite well, and we had been taking him to pet friendly restaurant patios that had doggy menus and to stores that welcomed pets. We thought we would go to that next level and go to a picturesque town about 2 hours away that we have been to many times but this time, with him to a doggy friendly hotel.We wanted to go mid September, but I could not get availability, so we ended up with the closest date I could get and that was October 18th to stay one night and see how it went.
I was so excited about this little get away. About 5 days before the trip Tundra started to say no to breakfast. He does that. It’s kind of a husky thing. Then he said no to dinner as well and then we couldn’t get him to really eat anything. On Saturday the day before leaving, he threw up and he was breathing oddly, with his stomach showing signs of heaving as he breathed. On Sunday, he seemed okay but didn’t want to eat and we weren’t sure whether to go on the little trip or not.
We decided to go thinking he would enjoy being somewhere new and the parks etc. We packed up the car and headed onto the road. Hubby was asking how he was doing and I kept turning around to see if he was comfortable, but it was clear he was not enjoying himself and we turned around. At least we were only about 10 minutes on the road. We discussed everything in the driveway and decided it was not a good idea as something was going on and he needed to have medical attention.
Luckily when I explained to the hotel what had happened, they said they totally understood and would not charge us anything. Even if they had, that was not a determining factor, but it was very kind of them. We unpacked everything and waited until morning. Tundra tried to eat a bit of food and some treats. He wandered outside for a bit but preferred to come inside and sleep. The breathing issue I found very concerning. In the morning, I phoned the vet hospital one minute after they opened. When I call the vet, I usually ask to see his usual vet, but I didn’t specify and took the first available appointment.
We loaded him into the car in the afternoon and assured him all will be okay. “We’ll get you sorted buddy; it’s going to be okay”. When we got to the vet, that’s when things went very pear shaped. As we were getting him out of the car, he fell. I was holding him and asking hubby to check he didn’t graze his face or there was any damage I couldn’t see. He seemed alright, so hubby took his leash, walked about 6 steps and he collapsed on the ground. His head was tilted to one side and he was completely disoriented. We tried to get him up, but it wasn’t happening.
I went into the clinic and said we needed help and four technicians came out and two decided to carry him, one on each end and took him straight into the back area and us into an exam room. We both sat there, staring, but in our minds we both were thinking, this is not good. A nice assistant came in to inform us that Tundra was stable, on oxygen and his actual vet was assessing him. That was such a relief knowing it was his vet.
The vet came in and said that Tundra was stable and on oxygen, but then he said, “This is not good news”. Just what we feared. He asked me if I had noticed how distended his stomach was, and the truth is I did notice, but he was a bit tubby and I thought maybe he had put on a few more, but that was not the case.
The vet informed us that he felt there was probably a very large mass in his stomach, originating maybe from the liver, or spleen or the stomach itself. We decided to do the blood test and the x-rays, so we would know exactly what we were dealing with. The news was not good. The x-rays showed a very large mass that had pushed his organs out of normal position and his heart had enlarged trying to pump and therefore causing the gut breathing and his gums were showing the pale sign of lack of oxygen.
All scenarios were discussed, and when I asked what had happened in the parking lot, whether he had had a stroke, the vet felt it was more like he had fainted because of the exertion from falling out of the car and just not getting enough oxygen.
It was at this point that he honestly told us that he believed he would probably have another episode like that by that evening if not sooner and we would more than likely be back there the next day or at the emergency clinic in the middle of the night. And as everyone who has gone through this knows that every option is weighed and considered, and together with the vet that has cared for him personally, the decision to let him cross the Rainbow Bridge was made with all the facts possible and for his best interest, not ours.
So, like many, many pet parents have done, I lay on the floor with his head against my chest and hubby holding is paw, and allowed all the distress to leave his body, cradling him so he knew we were there and that we could take away any fear and let him cross with our love.
We elected to save some of his fur which we can put into different memorial items.
I’m sure that just about every pet parent that listens today knows every single part of this story and knows every feeling of heartache and void that losing a pet brings. We are no different than all the pet parents that have been through this and this is also not our first time going through this as well. Personally, I have grieved nine cats and four dogs. It doesn’t get any easier and I think as we get older it actually gets harder.
When I deal with a pet parent who tells me they have just lost their dog or cat, the one thing I always say is, there are no words I can say to console you, the only thing I can say is that I understand. And pet parents do understand. People who are not animal people don’t really get the deep grief that pet parents experience when their pet crosses over. But, if you think about it, we are sometimes in their company more than we ever are in the company of our human family.
Our dog or cat are there everyday, every hour, sleeping with us, cuddling with us, playing, coming on trips, sitting in the sun, joining us outside for a BBQ or just to read a book and have a cup of tea. They are the ones we often hold on to when we are sad or upset. Their presence and their routine get us through hard times. The intrinsic relationship we have with them is what creates this incredible heartbreak when they leave us.
As I have had to relate the passing of Tundra to people I deal with everyday, I am asked if we will get another dog. I’ve mentioned this before in my episode, When our pet pass away, and how everyone deals with pet loss very differently. Some people like to get another pet right away, some do not. I am in the category of not. I just need time to heal from the loss. Neither way is right or wrong, it’s what works for the human.
So, I would like to pay tribute to all the companion animals that are giving so much right now and all the amazing pets that have crossed the Rainbow Bridge. I hope they are all basking in the sun and running and playing. I also hope that they can come back over the bridge when they feel they need to be in our company again, even for just a little while. And to our Tundra the wonder dog, you were the best, and we were so fortunate to have you come into our lives. You will forever be with us.
A special thank you to:
Dr. Rob Hillerby of Caledon Mountain Veterinary Hospital
The technicians and staff at Caledon Mountain Veterinary Hospital
Dr. John Brajkovich, Tundra’s saviour at Caledon Mountain Veterinary Hospital
The Harbour House Hotel, Niagara on the Lake, Ontario
To everyone for your condolences
And to Tundra for choosing Joe and I to be your family.
Explore more episodes about Tundra, senior pets, the bond we share with animals, and the experiences of pet parenthood.
Hi everyone, and welcome to Val Talk’s Pets, the forum for pet parents and enthusiasts alike. So, I have been working in the pet industry now for almost 10 years and, on a daily basis, I handle a lot of issues and questions arising from pet parents. I am not a veterinarian but I do have certifications in Canine, Feline, Small Animal, Fish and Herptile and Avian Health and Nutrition from the University of California, Davis Extension, the Vet College.
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