*woof*
Posted on 06/01/2013 4:18:52 PM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
The former First Lady of Aggieland passed away Thursday morning.
Reveille VII, the American Collie who served as Texas A&M's mascot from 2001 to 2008, succumbed to a respiratory complication at about 10 a.m., said Dr. Stacy Eckman, the A&M veterinarian who had served as Reveille VII's primary caregiver. She was 12-and-a-half-years old.
The 70-pound purebred was admitted to the Small Animal Clinic at the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences on Tuesday morning and had emergency surgery that afternoon. Caregivers said Reveille VII seemed to be recovering well from pneumonia-like symptoms on Wednesday and that the Thursday downturn was sudden and unexpected.
"Up until Tuesday morning, she was very healthy," Eckman said. "There were minor medical problems, but overall she was very healthy and had a good quality of life. It came on very suddenly, and she had a whole team of doctors here working on her, but in the end the best decision was made for her."
Eckman said large dogs like collies typically live about 12 to 15 years.
Reveille VII's immediate family, caregivers Tina and Paul Gardner of College Station, said she was beautiful and at peace when she passed.
"We've been married 46 years, and we've always had at least one dog, if not two," said Tina Gardner. "Each dog, just like each person, has its own personality. She really was a hoot. She was the most loyal, loving dog. She never ever once had it to where she was not the queen, the first lady and had a regal look about her. She always carried herself that way."
To thousands of Aggies, she was a former five-star general and the highest-ranking member of the Corps of Cadets. To the Gardners, who took care of Reveille after her 2008 retirement, she was a loving and caring pet. She wasn't too fond of lawn mowers, golf carts or skateboarders, but was clever and a big fan of food. She even swiped some candy and people-food she shouldn't have a time or two.
"She was a great eater," Gardner reminisced.
Reveille VII loved being a part of the Aggie family, Gardner said, but acknowledged that the public appearances and job duties were sometimes stressful for the former mascot. The retired life, she added, was much more relaxing.
"If you think about it truly, that's not a dog's natural life," Gardner said of the mascot's former duties. "It got too stressful for her, and that's why she got retired at a younger age. She was with us one or two days, and there was a noticeable difference."
Gardner choked up a few times when talking about the beloved pet and said that she appreciated the outpouring of support from the community and the university.
"We loved her so much," Gardner said. "It was a prestigious honor to have her in our home."
Brig. Gen. Joe Ramirez, commandant of the Corps of Cadets, said the death was a loss felt by the entire Aggie family.
"She represents our school, our tradition and what this university is all about," Ramirez said. "Anytime we lose a Reveille, it's a significant emotional event for all of us ... For those of us who are Aggies and wear the ring, it's like losing a member of our family."
Most details about the memorial service are unknown, but Reveille VII will share a view of the Kyle Field scoreboard for each home football game, along with the former Reveilles buried at the north end zone. Gardner said Reveille VII will likely have a full military funeral at Kyle field, similar to her predecessors, and that the memorial might be held in the fall, when students return from their summer vacations.
University officials said memorial service details will be announced as soon as they are finalized.
The Aggies go overboard for everything. Military funeral indeed! But, I’d attend if she were my dog... snif, snif...
Remember when the Aggie Corpsmen got suspended for holding the Rice U cheerleaders at swordpoint for stepping on the field at Kyle stadium back in the ‘70s?
That was meant to be a doggie ping.
12+ years is good...could be better but still more than one should expect. The more people I meet the more I love my dogs.
*woof*
Just darn such a lovely dog!
Nice picture. I was afraid to post it becaause it said it was “for sale”.
She was a beauty, but you can be sure that she ahd the best of care at the Vet clinic at A & M.
Yep! I agree with your statement about dogs and people.
Actually, it was a cheerleader from SMU ..
Sorry to hear this. I painted her portrait, from a photo, for a mother who lost her Aggie son. She will be very sorry when she hears.
Just wondering..do the Aggies bury their departed canine mascots at Kyle Field, as Georgia does with its Bulldogs? Sadly. English bulldogs don’t have a very long life span, so there is quite a collection of former “UGAs” at Sanford Stadium.
BTW, the ugliest dog mascot in college sports has to be the brown bulldog at Mississippi State. Georgia went with the white-coated version, and MSU got stuck with his uglier cousin.
Yes, they do.
SMU? I mis-remembered. No wonder I’ve never had any luck looking up that story. That was a scandal at the time! I think the Aggie got kicked out, but the A&M alums were all on his side.
But don’t forget — Rice had the Marching Owl Band, otherwise known as the MOB. They never practised, wore anything they wanted on game day, and generally were insulting to a finely tuned marching unit like Texas A & M.
Stanford University seems to have followed their lead in today’s era.
It seems so.
RIP.
there’s no such thing as an ugly dog, they’re all beautiful to somebody.
She had the same markings as my collie tiffany who passed just last summer. She was just a few days over 12 years old too.
Actually, it was Rice in the 1970s and Baylor in the 1980s.
Anyway, this University of Texas graduate sends his condolences to all Aggies on the death of Reveille VII.
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