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Post by czb on Aug 27, 2022 18:22:59 GMT
ugh. that sounds heartbreaking.
our prior dog lived until 15.5. she was likely senile the last year+ of her life. she had sundowners and seemed kinda functional during the day but not at night. she would bark at nothing and stare at her reflection in the glass door. i could deal with that because that's not what did her in. she was getting less and less mobile and it looked like she was in chronic pain, likely from arthritis. on her last day, she refused food and could barely walk. so that's when i knew it was time.
it really stinks. she was my partner in (non-)crime.
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holly
OGs 
GR member since 2005
Posts: 1,212
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Post by holly on Aug 27, 2022 19:19:01 GMT
ugh. that sounds heartbreaking. our prior dog lived until 15.5. she was likely senile the last year+ of her life. she had sundowners and seemed kinda functional during the day but not at night. she would bark at nothing and stare at her reflection in the glass door. i could deal with that because that's not what did her in. she was getting less and less mobile and it looked like she was in chronic pain, likely from arthritis. on her last day, she refused food and could barely walk. so that's when i knew it was time. it really stinks. she was my partner in (non-)crime. It’s so hard to watch them deteriorate & try to figure out if it’s time or if tomorrow will be a better day for them. But when they get the way your baby did, it makes the decision easier in the way that you’re not second guessing if it’s the time. Not easier in saying “goodbye loyal, loving friend” My last dog we put down Sept. 24, 2013 I was second guessing right up until they gave her the first dose of whatever it is they give them to start the process. She was still sitting upright looking so happy, but still panting like crazy (she had CHF & an enlarged heart, & was constantly panting & the meds weren’t helping anymore, she was drowning in her own fluids, it broke my heart to see her like that). & I almost stopped & brought her back home, but poor thing was struggling every day just to breathe, & I knew I was just being selfish, & I’d rather be there with her at the end instead of coming home from work one day & finding her dead without us getting to say goodbye & being able to hold her & love on her. That would be way worse. |
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Post by eatsleepbeer on Aug 27, 2022 20:06:54 GMT
Hugs to all my fellow doggie lovers in this thread, you've all brought tears to my eyes . We've had to say good bye to three in the past. Our current rescue puggie boy is 15.5 and the light of our lives. I can't stand to think of the day we'll have to say good bye. Ok now I'm crying again.
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Post by no1novice on Aug 27, 2022 22:17:55 GMT
Oh my god Holly that is so awful, you poor thing.
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Post by mrsfawlty on Aug 28, 2022 7:50:58 GMT
ugh. that sounds heartbreaking. our prior dog lived until 15.5. she was likely senile the last year+ of her life. she had sundowners and seemed kinda functional during the day but not at night. she would bark at nothing and stare at her reflection in the glass door. i could deal with that because that's not what did her in. she was getting less and less mobile and it looked like she was in chronic pain, likely from arthritis. on her last day, she refused food and could barely walk. so that's when i knew it was time. it really stinks. she was my partner in (non-)crime. It’s so hard to watch them deteriorate & try to figure out if it’s time or if tomorrow will be a better day for them. But when they get the way your baby did, it makes the decision easier in the way that you’re not second guessing if it’s the time. Not easier in saying “goodbye loyal, loving friend” My last dog we put down Sept. 24, 2013 I was second guessing right up until they gave her the first dose of whatever it is they give them to start the process. She was still sitting upright looking so happy, but still panting like crazy (she had CHF & an enlarged heart, & was constantly panting & the meds weren’t helping anymore, she was drowning in her own fluids, it broke my heart to see her like that). & I almost stopped & brought her back home, but poor thing was struggling every day just to breathe, & I knew I was just being selfish, & I’d rather be there with her at the end instead of coming home from work one day & finding her dead without us getting to say goodbye & being able to hold her & love on her. That would be way worse. The best day is when those big ole balls of fur say 'hello' and adopt us as their owners. The worst days are when we have to say goodbye to them. I know your pain, I feel your pain, I share your pain as the owner of several 'tear-stained tee shirts'. My little beasticle wakes me up, way way too early, every morning to inform me that her bowl of cat biscuits is ONLY half-full but I dread the day when she stops! Sending hugs to you all.xx |
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Post by loftybike on Aug 28, 2022 8:12:05 GMT
Cat owner here. Vali (Cersei of cats) is now well in her 16th year, has arthritis and is on pain medication, she's fat and a little more snuggly sometimes, but she still rules the whole block as hard as always. Little limping cat still kills mice, and has dogs pee in terror by merely showing up. We love her so much.
Hugs for everyone from me, too.
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Post by no1novice on Aug 28, 2022 11:55:38 GMT
I would have (another) cat - as Grey's suggestion if it wasn't for all the cats around here.
The psycho-neighbour-from-hell has at least two. They attract at least one more and my little-old-lady neighbour has one as well. Plus she feeds any that pop by.....
I'd need something the size of a panther to create his/her own space.
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Post by funky on Aug 28, 2022 22:32:06 GMT
Oh god reading all your stories breaks my heart. My lovely dog is almost 15, very old for a dog her size (30 something kg). She was always so healthy and pure energy. The last couple of months she slowed down a lot and now we have to help her get up, turn her in her bed at night, lift her up all stairs and hold her with a leash around her belly when she goes potty or she might fall. She was always very clumsy, I was hoping she would be more careful when she ages, but no.
But she still loves swimming, going for walks, seeing other dogs and of course eating the whole day.
For now we try everything. I try to work as much from home as possible - even though we are a very pet friendly company, it just doesn't work anymore. We go once a month to the vet where she gets something against arthritis and chiropractic care. And we bought diapers.
Even though we know where it's heading, we still don't want to think about it.
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Post by no1novice on Aug 29, 2022 0:02:12 GMT
Sending you so much love Funky ♥️
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holly
OGs
GR member since 2005
Posts: 1,212
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Post by holly on Aug 29, 2022 3:04:11 GMT
Oh my god Holly that is so awful, you poor thing. Thank you. 💜 |
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holly
OGs
GR member since 2005
Posts: 1,212
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Post by holly on Aug 29, 2022 3:12:56 GMT
Oh god reading all your stories breaks my heart. My lovely dog is almost 15, very old for a dog her size (30 something kg). She was always so healthy and pure energy. The last couple of months she slowed down a lot and now we have to help her get up, turn her in her bed at night, lift her up all stairs and hold her with a leash around her belly when she goes potty or she might fall. She was always very clumsy, I was hoping she would be more careful when she ages, but no. But she still loves swimming, going for walks, seeing other dogs and of course eating the whole day. For now we try everything. I try to work as much from home as possible - even though we are a very pet friendly company, it just doesn't work anymore. We go once a month to the vet where she gets something against arthritis and chiropractic care. And we bought diapers. Even though we know where it's heading, we still don't want to think about it. I know how you feel. Every time my husband brings up how she’s not doing well, I tell him to stop talking because I don’t want to talk about it. We go to the vet every month as well, for blood work to make sure we don’t need to adjust her meds. Good thing we love her so much because she has cost us a fortune this past year. But the joy & love throughout the years is priceless & I dread the day when the memories are all we have left of her. ugh, I’m crying now, I just can’t do this topic anymore. I’m so sorry. I didn’t expect to have a breakdown while typing this. |
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Post by funky on Aug 29, 2022 10:40:30 GMT
I'm sorry holly I didn't want to cause you a breakdown. Hugs to you! It brings me a lot of comfort to know that she had a very, very long and happy life, and I'm also certain that if she stayed with my ex boyfriend's parents (that was a very short discussion once) she wouldn't be with us anymore because it would have been too much to handle for them. Husband & I are both tall and strong, we both don't have much troubles carrying a 35kg dog around, but it's not for everyone.
Enough of that topic, I will just grab her and go for a walk now.
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Post by mrsfawlty on Aug 29, 2022 10:46:23 GMT
Oh god reading all your stories breaks my heart. My lovely dog is almost 15, very old for a dog her size (30 something kg). She was always so healthy and pure energy. The last couple of months she slowed down a lot and now we have to help her get up, turn her in her bed at night, lift her up all stairs and hold her with a leash around her belly when she goes potty or she might fall. She was always very clumsy, I was hoping she would be more careful when she ages, but no. But she still loves swimming, going for walks, seeing other dogs and of course eating the whole day. For now we try everything. I try to work as much from home as possible - even though we are a very pet friendly company, it just doesn't work anymore. We go once a month to the vet where she gets something against arthritis and chiropractic care. And we bought diapers. Even though we know where it's heading, we still don't want to think about it. I know how you feel. Every time my husband brings up how she’s not doing well, I tell him to stop talking because I don’t want to talk about it. We go to the vet every month as well, for blood work to make sure we don’t need to adjust her meds. Good thing we love her so much because she has cost us a fortune this past year. But the joy & love throughout the years is priceless & I dread the day when the memories are all we have left of her. ugh, I’m crying now, I just can’t do this topic anymore. I’m so sorry. I didn’t expect to have a breakdown while typing this. Hugs, big strong ones.xx |
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trixie
OGs
stuck in the middle with you...
Posts: 2,105
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Post by trixie on Aug 30, 2022 2:29:01 GMT
Oh you guys, I get it and I feel you. I think I posted before that I read something once, someone talking about their dog that said "I mourned him before he was gone." And it always stuck with me because that's what happens when you know you don't have much longer with them.
I've lost 4 in my adult life, my 3 border collies all made it to 15 which is pretty great but it still doesn't make it easy. I told Novice that one of them was my doggy soul mate and that one hurt the worst. Nov, I know Holly was your doggy soul mate too.
A close second was my pound puppy, Peaches. She had lots of lumps and bumps which our vet said were just benign cysts, ok. Then she got one on the bottom of her foot and we said it has to be removed it's interfering with her walking. So they did the surgery and it turned out malignant. She was only 7 years old. I was so pissed off at my vet I never went back to him. He really had no advice what to do at all. So I went to my old vet and he gave me some steroids and antibiotics and we managed to keep her around and comfortable for a year. I took that dog everywhere I went for that last year, and she was just happy to hang in the back seat and she got lots of McDonalds cheeseburgers which she loved. When we took her to put her down, I started sobbing in the car because it was morning and I didn't think we could get her one last McDonalds cheeseburger. But we did get her one. That one was so hard. She was only 8 and I felt she should've had many more years ahead of her.
I could go on and on but I will stop now. I know we all have stories and precious memories and bad memories of their last day, but in the end it's all worth it. I have lots of pictures and when I look at them I can smile now. Hugs to you all.
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Post by eatsleepbeer on Aug 30, 2022 12:52:56 GMT
I gotta stay out of this thread. Well, got a morning cry in. More hugs all around.
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