The toughest decision one has to make...

[AVGWarhawk]

specifically when it is your most faithful of friends. Nine weeks ago our dog of 11 years was diagnosed with tumorous growths on her spleen and lungs. She was given 6 weeks to live. We gave her Prednisone(steroid) that helped comfort her and feel better. But this is only a bandaid. Eventually Prednisone is not quite effective over a period of weeks. Thus the tumors are allowed to continue the growing pattern. Moo has been quite happy although oxygenation was lacking as time went on. Her gums and tongue ashen gray with lack of oxygen. Between yesterday and today a tumor had grown in such a short period of time that her entire left side of face is completely swollen and eye almost swollen shut. I suspected it was another tumor. My suspicions confirmed at the vet. It was time to make that toughest decision one can make in life. Moo was not in pain but labored in breathing. It is time to throw in the towel. My wife and I decided one more night at home. Our girls to spend the night spoiling her. A great meal of chicken and stuffing. One last walk up the street and a very slow one at that. Ice cream before bed. One last time out in her beloved backyard. One last visit to the vet with a heavy heart at 11 am tomorrow. This is the hardest decision my wife and I have made in life. Your dog is truly your most faithful of friends.

Moo was a rescue dog. We were told she was probably 2-3 years old when we got her the Christmas we moved into our new home 11 years ago. She was presented to our girls with a big red bow three days before Christmas. She only responded to the name Moo. This name she kept. She has been a loving and protective member of our family ever since.


Moo:

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You’re giving me a special gift,
So sorrowfully endowed,
And through these last few cherished days,
Your courage makes me proud.
But really, love is knowing,
When your best friend is in pain,
And understanding earthly acts
Will only be in vain.
So looking deep into your eyes,
Beyond, into your soul,
I see in you the magic,
That will once more make me whole.
The strength that you possess,
Is why I look to you today,
To do this thing that must be done,
For it’s the only way.
That strength is why I’ve cared for you,
And chose you as my friend,
And why I’ve loved you all these years …
My partner till the end.
Please, understand just what this gift
You’re giving means to me,
It gives me back the strength I’ve lost,
And all my dignity.
You take a stand on my behalf,
For that is what friends do.
And know that what you do is right,
For I believe it too.
So one last time, I breathe your scent,
And through your hand I feel,
The courage that’s within you,
To now grant me this appeal.
Cut the leash that holds me here,
Dear friend, and let me run.
Once more strong and steady now,
My pain and struggle done.
And don’t despair my passing,
For I won’t be far away,
Forever here, within your heart,
And memory I’ll stay.
I’ll be there watching over you,
Your ever faithful friend,
And in your memories I’ll play,
… free and happy once again.

[Castout]

I know it's a dog but it still saddens me.

On the bright side is she not going to suffer more and your family can now pick another puppy.

I love my husky as well. Been taking it along with me when I jog.

[Snestorm]

Now my nose is running, and my cheeks are soaked.

My best friend, partner, and only family left, has been bouncing up and down the road with me 24/7 for the past 14 years. In our occupation, I've been more than lucky to get away with this, and know he'll never be replaced. Although he's in exceptional shape, thinking about his age scares the heck out of me.

I feel for you, your family, and her.

[the_tyrant]

You have my sympathies:salute:

[mookiemookie]

I'm sorry. I am a big animal lover and I know what you're going through. Just remember that Moo's sole purpose on this Earth was to bring joy to you and your family. It sounds like you gave her the opportunity to fulfill her purpose, and you've returned all the unconditional love that she's given to you.

Stay with her in the room when it happens. That's all they ask of you at the end - that you're there to hold them. It's tough, but it's the price we pay for the joy they bring us.

[MH]

Sorry for your MOO face...

[Bakkels]

Moo made you happy, and I'm sure you made her happy. It's always a sad thing to see a dog, of which I have no doubt was a great member of your family, go. But remember the unconditional love and joy she gave you. And be glad you got to say goodbye.
My sympathies.

[Torplexed]

Sorry for your loss. I'm sure nikimcbee could commiserate with you on the subject. He was pretty broken up over the lost of his namesake four-footed friend a few years back. :cry:

[Platapus]

Sorry for your loss.

You have that dog a good life.

The world needs more people like you.

People like you make people like me almost like people.

It was a noble decision. :salute:

[sharkbit]

My condolences. It is amazing how pets become so much part of your life.

My wife sent me this a few weeks ago:

JUST A DOG

From time to time, people tell me, "lighten up, it's just a dog,"
or "that's a lot of money for just a dog."

They don't understand the distance travelled, the time spent,
or the costs involved for "just a dog."

Some of my proudest moments have come about with "just a dog."

Many hours have passed and my only company was "just a dog,"
but I did not once feel slighted.

Some of my saddest moments have been brought aobut by
"just a dog," and in those days of darkness, the gentle touch
of "just a dog" gave me comfort and reason to overcome the day.

If you, too, think it's "just a dog," then you probably understand
phrases like "just a friend," "just a sunrise," or "just a promise."

"Just a dog" brings into my life the very essence of friendship,
trust, and pure unbridled joy.
"Just a dog" brings out the compassion and patience
that make me a better person.
Because of "just a dog" I will rise early, take long walks and look
longingly to the future.

So for me and folks like me, it's not "just a dog"
but an embodiment of all the hopes and dreams of the future,
the fond memories of the past, and the pure joy of the moment.

"Just a dog" brings out what's good in me and diverts my thoughts
away from myself and the worries of the day.

I hope that someday they can understand that its' not "just a dog"
but the thing that gives me humanity and keeps me from being
"just a man" or "just a woman."

So the next time you hear the phrase "just a dog,"
just smile,
because they "just don't understand."

~Unknown Author~


Some friends of ours sent us this poem after I had to put my dog down 6 years ago at the young age of 8 due to lung cancer:

The Rainbow Bridge
inspired by a Norse legend

By the edge of a woods, at the foot of a hill,
Is a lush, green meadow where time stands still.
Where the friends of man and woman do run,
When their time on earth is over and done.
For here, between this world and the next,
Is a place where each beloved creature finds rest.
On this golden land, they wait and they play,
Till the Rainbow Bridge they cross over one day.
No more do they suffer, in pain or in sadness,
For here they are whole, their lives filled with gladness.
Their limbs are restored, their health renewed,
Their bodies have healed, with strength imbued.
They romp through the grass, without even a care,
Until one day they start, and sniff at the air.
All ears prick forward, eyes dart front and back,
Then all of a sudden, one breaks from the pack.
For just at that instant, their eyes have met;
Together again, both person and pet.
So they run to each other, these friends from long past,
The time of their parting is over at last.

The sadness they felt while they were apart,
Has turned into joy once more in each heart.
They embrace with a love that will last forever, And then, side-by-side, they cross over together.

:sunny:

[Onkel Neal]

Sorry to hear that, buddy.

[Platapus]

JUST A DOG




Thanks for posting that. I had not seen "just a dog" before. Very nice. :yep:

[Jimbuna]

Oh Chris!!!

Not much I can say my friend...sitting here at work in front of my net book and a female colleague asking me if I suffer from hay fever because water is filling up my eyes and running down my cheeks (silly cow).

The Buna family pet is a Lhasa Apso and is fourteen human years old and we are witnessing the deterioration effects now (latest one is partial hearing loss).

So whilst I can empathise I hope you won't mind if I recap what I say to the missus when we look on at 'Dylan' as he sleeps on his bedding and we get all sympathetic about him...

"Look Ann, you've given him the best of everything in love, care and attention during his short lifetime and I'm confident he knows and appreciates the fact. Focus on all the positives and good times we all shared together".

Not much mate, I know but I hope you all come out of this in a positive way.

Off to the loo now to blow my nose.

God Bless

[BossMark]

Very sad indeed :wah: I am really sorry to hear this

[HunterICX]

Sorry to hear that Chris, always hard to lose a faithfull member of the family.
take care mate.

HunterICX

[GoldenRivet]

heartbreaking.

very sad.

I dread the day that something like this happens to my dog.

he is a family member, personality in a fur coat, closest thing to a kid i presently have.

[frau kaleun]

Sounds like she had a good life with your family.

I always figure that when we take these critters into our homes, in some ways we've assumed some the power of life and death that Nature would once have had over their lives had they been left to their own devices.

This is all well and good when it comes to giving them the best food and shelter and care that we can provide, but it gets hard when the time comes where the other type of decision has to be made. Without us in the picture, nature would just take its course and no one would be the wiser... but there might be pain and suffering and if we can shorten or prevent that, I feel it's our duty to do so because it's part of the responsibility we assumed when we decided not to let "nature" take its course at the outset when they needed a home and had none.

It's never an easy decision and when they have become an integral and beloved part of your family, it's never "just" a dog or any other kind of animal, it's a living being you knew and loved. My condolences to you all of you on your loss, but just remember how much better a life she had because you were there for her when she needed you - right up to the end.

[Oberon]

Got a touch of the 'Hayfever' myself reading through that. Next to my desk here on the wall is a picture of Max, our old Lab cross Collie, he had skin cancer as well as a lot of internal problems. We tried everything we could to keep him with us, and damn he was so strong and stoic, but it was a battle that could not be won. We lost him just under a year ago, and there's still a big hole but the pain gets easier to live with day by day, but he is never forgotten and never will be, nor will Moo. Like the poem you posted says "Forever here, within your heart, And memory I'll stay."

So please, give her a big hug from me, and you spoil her rotten tonight. You'll be in my thoughts, all of you.

God bless.

[Takeda Shingen]

This was a heartwrenching read. My thoughts with you and your loved ones.

[Tchocky]

Who's been chopping onions in GT :(

My sympathies, AVG, you are doing the right thing :salute:

[AVGWarhawk]

Thanks all. Today at 1115 our Moo was put to rest. Her struggles to breath and just get up are over. Quick, painless and dignified. She was faithful to the end. It was the one best thing we could have done for our family member in need.

She was dropped at the funeral home for cremation. We selected a nice urn. She can be picked up tomorrow. My girls did not want to leave Moo behind if we ever sell this house.

We carry on.....

[Jimbuna]

Give them two girls a friendly cuddle from old Uncle Buna Chris :sunny:

[joea]

I have nothing to say except she was lucky lucky lucky to have you as a master.

[Buddahaid]

I loath losing pets. It seems to hurt more than losing people you know for me. I really feel your pain, take care.

[Tinman764]

Very sad. The only thing to do is love them back as much as they love you.

[Armistead]

It's tough, I tried to save my dog, small Yorkie oversize heart and her lungs filled with fluid. The meds made her better, but she got worse and even with more meds she died. I regret I didn't put her down and she suffered more for a week, so it's a hard decision that you made correctly.

[momo55]

You are powerless in such situations and you have given everything possible , respect .
10 years ago I lost my dog and it still hurts .

My sympathies AVG and family .

RIP Moo

[sharkbit]

Damn these onions.....they're making it hard to type.

You have my sympathies as well. Cherish the memories. :sunny:

I don't know if this this is the time or place but I'd like to share this:
I had a dream about two mnonths after we put our dog down in 2005. My family and me were playing with her in the back yard. It seemed so real, not like a dream at all. At the end of the dream, our dog was sitting at the top of the steps like she always used to and I had the strangest feeling that it was time for her to go. I sat down with her, put my arms around her and told her that I sure missed her and then I woke up.

It seemed so real and it seemed that she just wanted to come back one more time for a romp with us and to say goodbye.

Dream brought on by just missing her alot or something else? I don't know. I will always remember it though.

:)

[Platapus]

Who's been chopping onions in GT :(



Damn these onions.....they're making it hard to type.


Strange, I seem to have something in my eye tool :yep:

[AVGWarhawk]

It's tough, I tried to save my dog, small Yorkie oversize heart and her lungs filled with fluid. The meds made her better, but she got worse and even with more meds she died. I regret I didn't put her down and she suffered more for a week, so it's a hard decision that you made correctly.


It is a very hard decision. My wife stated 9 weeks ago, "Are we doing this for her or we doing this for us?" Meaning at the time she was diagosed with mast cells gone wild was she in any pain at that time and are we hanging on for us. At that time she was oxgenating very well. Pink gums and tongue. Still had spunk in her step. The predisone worked miracles. The cough stopped. Her allergy that made her lick her feet constantly was completely eliminated. She was finally comforable from the incessent licking of her feet. In hindsight it was a good decision to use the pills and provide her 6 weeks of good times and good eats. At 9 weeks in a matter of 2 days she had grown a mast cell in her mouth. Very large. Her breathing labored. It was every indication that life for her was getting unpleasant. The decision was easy at that point. Either way we has humans want to hang on. When she went limp in my arms after administering the desired amount I knew she was finally free. I felt much relief but still very down and miss her much.

[Jimbuna]

When she went limp in my arms after administering the desired amount I knew she was finally free. I felt much relief but still very down and miss her much.

Well in that respect your a far braver man than me Chris....I salute you and one day hope to shake your hand in person :salute:

[Armistead]

It is a very hard decision. My wife stated 9 weeks ago, "Are we doing this for her or we doing this for us?" Meaning at the time she was diagosed with mast cells gone wild was she in any pain at that time and are we hanging on for us. At that time she was oxgenating very well. Pink gums and tongue. Still had spunk in her step. The predisone worked miracles. The cough stopped. Her allergy that made her lick her feet constantly was completely eliminated. She was finally comforable from the incessent licking of her feet. In hindsight it was a good decision to use the pills and provide her 6 weeks of good times and good eats. At 9 weeks in a matter of 2 days she had grown a mast cell in her mouth. Very large. Her breathing labored. It was every indication that life for her was getting unpleasant. The decision was easy at that point. Either way we has humans want to hang on. When she went limp in my arms after administering the desired amount I knew she was finally free. I felt much relief but still very down and miss her much.

Crap, I cried like a baby when mine died. She basically lived with me in bed when I went through several back operations, a week later my cat died that I had for 22 years, but I sort of expected that and don't much like cats although I like this one. Course with my mom dying a few months ago, nothing hurts worse than that, but the same thing. I have no doubt my mom would've preferred to die earlier but lived in suffering because of her kids until finally she died a harsher death than she had to.

Still, It's hard being a part of death, actually being there, but you want to be, but it's a hard experience actually watching something die human or animal if you love it.

I did a job this past spring for a very rich old couple..big rich, but the husbands an ass, wife basically bedridden. I got to where I would check on her and get her stuff. Her husband at 88 still works his business. She broke into tears and just said " my dog died" and I talked with her for about an hour as she showed pictures...finally realized the dog had been dead for years, but that dog became her life...she even said.."wish that bastard would've died instead of my dog." referring to her husband..

[AVGWarhawk]

No worries Armistead...I cried like a baby as well. It's hard man. It's even worse when you make that decision.

We picked up her ashes today. She is in a nice polished pine box. I was utterly impressed with the funeral home. Our house feels empty. That ever present noise of a bone being chewed or barking at a squirrel in the backyard is gone. My wife was bumming tonight making just one bowl of food for our poodle. Even our little poodle Dash is a bit lost at the moment.

[Lord_magerius]

After reading this thread my hay fever and aversion to onions is also playing up, who would have thought.

I was in a similar situation with my dog Misty, there's not a day goes by where I don't think about her. You've done the right thing doing what you did. Misty's last meal was beef in gravy with an extra long walk chucked in. Damn those onions and hay fever again... :cry:

[Hottentot]

Been there, done that. Multiple times with many different animals, not just dogs. Some as part of the job, some as personal losses. Ages old or just a few weeks old, males and females, sick, retarded or wounded. Anything.

And you know what: you get used to Death always being an employee in your crew. But you will never get used to losing. You can rationalize it all you want, but you won't. Heck, you without any doubt know that it was the only right choice. But you still won't. Emotions just don't work like that. It's humane.

All I can say is that your wife was exactly right. And so was the decision: it's the last service you can do to your companion. And you owe it to him/her.

My dog is at the moment 2,5 years old and I have already accepted that I need to face Mr. Reaperman once again. It may be in 10 years or more, but it could as well be tomorrow. The only thing I know is that the day will come and I can't prepare for it. I can't wish it to go away, but I can wish how it happens. And if my wish ever comes true, I get to take my dog into a forest he loves, let him swim in a clean lake for a while, do whatever he ever has loved doing. And after that end our journey with one painless and quick bullet.

I have seen enough vet clinics. It's no place for a dog to die, if I can help it.

[gimpy117]

It will be one of the hardest days of your life. My dog was 12 when we put her down...i was 15 then. I'm 20 now and i still get a little sad when thinking about my dog sandy.

but, you'll know shes in a better place.

[Hottentot]

It will be one of the hardest days of your life.

I don't know if that was intended for me (seeing it's in future tense), but if it was: believe me, I have lived it already. I stopped counting when I ran out of fingers to count with.

[gimpy117]

I don't know if that was intended for me (seeing it's in future tense), but if it was: believe me, I have lived it already. I stopped counting when I ran out of fingers to count with.

it's for anybody who's ever lost a pet. they may be your property, but sometimes it feels like they own your heart

[nikimcbee]

I feel your pain AVG. Sorry to hear about your loss. It sure is a tough desicion to make, especially when that time arrives.

[AVGWarhawk]

Yup..it's a crappy road.

[FIREWALL]

When you first bring it home it's a PET.

Very soon he or she becomes FAMILY.

My sincerest sympathies on this sad time for you and family.

[TheDarkWraith]

My pets are my children and I treat them as such. To lose one would be unbearable, unthinkable. I know that day is coming and it saddens me to no end. I try to enjoy every minute I can with them before that dreaded day comes for when it does my smile will no longer be.

I can only image the sorrow/pain you are experiencing now :cry: They are not pets....they are family.

[sidslotm]

I never would have believed a man would cry over loosing a dog, but I did, twice and that's enough for me. Even now as I prepare my food at the sink, I still look down to the right where my dog would sit patiencently waiting for a carrot, the bond between man and dog is something to be believed, just how this comes about is a mystery to me.

[Herr-Berbunch]

Sad news, but the correct decision. You could rush out and get a puppy, but nothing can replace Moo, and nor should it - but in time there may be space for another. Cherish your family memories together to help you all.

I have been suffering with a touch of hayfever this week, but not today, so I have no excuse. Hurry up in that toilet, Jim!

Edit - I've just remembered that my little girl (nearly 3) says 'the onion's poking me in the eye' when she's in the kitchen and we're chopping onions. This thread has more pokes than Facebook.