Ben was a Welsh Terrier that we "rescued". The original owners discovered a heart murmur at 6 months of age and chose not to keep him. The breeder asked us and we took him in as a "foster dog". Needless to say he was still with us 7 years later. His murmur was later diagnosed as severe sub-aortic stenosis. We were told by the cardiologist that most dogs born with this severe of a defect did not make it past the first year. At the time of definitive diagnosis Ben was 4 years old. 3 years later he went into congestive heart failure and survived 4 more months. In the last days of his life the trachea was so compressed by the enlarging heart when he breathed he sounded like he swallowed a squeaker toy and when he barked, like a goose honking. True to terrier form the morning he moved on Ben was trying to hunt rodents with Maggie, his sister that we still have. He "barked" at the Javelinas grazing in the front yard and would have tried to chase rabbits given the opportunity.
Ben loved his ball, swimming in his pool and just being your friend. Best Friend Ben will live forever in our hearts. February 20, 2004 - June 9, 2011

Janell And Phil S.