Waterways Big Tim's Shooting Star, MH, WDQ (Comet) left us today after a short but valiant fight with kidney disease. He got sick at the Master National and grew progressively worse until today. We had him tested for everything under the sun and all tests were negative. Joe Quinn took excellent care of him until this morning, when I picked him up and took him to my vet. We made the decision with very heavy hearts. By this morning, Comet was extremely lethargic and had not eaten for a few days. He has been on IV fluids, antibiotics, all kinds of meds and special diets for the past month. My vet and the kidney specialist together decided that it was most probably an end-stage lupus or some type of kidney disease brought on by a long-term low-grade infection that manifested itself way too long after the initial issue and after it had done its' worst damage. Comet went to the Bridge to be with Tim, and I know they are together and having a ball getting those ducks. Tim wanted a dog that played the game, and Comet was here long enough to get his MH and run in the MN this year. Comet was just 4 1/2 years old. He was born out of our female, Waterways Northcreek Contesa, JH, who was bred on the last anniversary that Tim was alive. The litter was whelped in June 2000 and I kept the pick of litter male. He was a wonderful pup and a dynamite retriever...never met anyone, two or four-legged, he didn;t get along with. I had very high hopes for him, but they were not to be.

I will miss him. He was the sweetest dog I ever have known. I stayed with him until the end and held him and told him to go to Tim.

Micki