What we do for our pets...

[cameront120]

John, I have no words of wisdom or even first hand knowledge of how difficult this is for you. Kai and Samm are the first dogs I've ever owned and are young and healthy. I dread the day that I'll be faced with the decision that you and other members have been through and only hope that this caring commmunity will be here when I need a shoulder to lean on. Keep strong and remember the good things.

Cameron

[Stefrobrts]

I don't think the grief ever goes away completely. Shortly after we brought Alki home as a puppy I lost my first pet, a cockatiel named Conti. She had been with me through thick and thin for ten years, through high school ups and downs, college, getting out on my own, and getting married. We came home from work at lunchtime to check on Alki puppy and she was having an attack of some kind, and when I picked her up she died in my hands. That was 13 years ago, and I still miss her like it was yesterday. Every now and then we'll do something that reminds us of her, like having popcorn, and how she used to sneak up and dive in to the bowl, or how she liked to sit on my shoulder and play in my hair, or hop over and chew up the corner of the magazine you're reading I still have a few books and magazines with 'beaky marks'. She never accepted Dave, she would sit suspiciously on his knee and watch him while we were watching TV, and if he tried to pet her she'd hiss at him and fluff up. Sometimes I would pet her until she closed her eyes and then let him take over, and when she peeked to see who was petting her she'd get all out of joint and hiss at him again!

The next time we moved after she died I found her box of toys and thought 'I can't throw this away, what if she needs them?' It just doesn't seem like they can possibly be gone forever after being such a big part of your life for so long.

Now we're preparing to get a new puppy this weekend, and I know someday Alki will be in the memory column with Conti and Cotton Kitty, and Lucy, Baby Niles the parrot, and all our other friends who have passed before. But they fill our lives with such joy. The house would be cold and empty without them. I try to give them the best lives possible while they're here, and let the ones who remain cushion the blow when they leave.

There's nothing to do but keep plugging along. Hang in there, and know others have trodden down that same road before. Not sure that helps, but it's all too true.

[Sugarfoot]

To John and to Rick and Sandi and to all others who have lost a pet ~

John, you are right. Grief over losing our irreplaceable pets doesn't subside as quickly as some would believe. I think Stef is right, it doesn't really ever go away completely. Being OK is going to be on a different time-table for everybody. I lost my sweet Maggie on June 2, 2007. Even yesterday on the way home from work my eyes were filling with tears knowing she wasn't going to be there to greet me. But the tearful times are less now than they were six months ago, or even two. I'm OK because I'm also learning and accepting that these moments will continue perhaps for years.

Years out even when we are OK something can trigger the heartache to come back in waves. I don't know why it hurts so bad. Maybe part of it is because we know they depended totally on us and gave us complete and unconditional loyalty and love in return. Maybe it's just because we are human and they were nearly so. Thank goodness we all still have the capacity to feel, even it's grief. If we lose the ability to grieve, then the sweetness of their memory will be lost as well.

[Stefrobrts]

Back to the topic of what we will do for our pets, Chester, our old Dalmatian, has been having a lot more trouble walking. He has had an accident in the house almost every day this week because he can't get up and get to the doggie door in time. Then when he gets to the doggie door, he has trouble stepping up to go through it. When you install the door you are supposed to put it at chest height, which was fine 6 years ago, but the old man just can't get through it anymore.

A couple days ago we bought a giant doggie door and installed it as low to the ground as we could get it, so he can just about walk straight out without lifting up at all. There's about a three inch step to go out.

So this morning he wakes me up struggling to get out the door. Now it's not the doggie door, it's the step down outside the door to the ground that's stopping him. Although there are concrete brick steps, they are about 8 inches tall, and that's too much for him too. He fell over twice trying to get back up them! I felt terrible for him!

So today we added a wide ramp with a easy angle. It goes out about 5 foot before it hits the ground and is made of 2x4s and leftover deck scraps. He tried that and sure enough he could walk all the way to the end of it and be on the ground, and then walked back up it to come back in. What a relief! Hopefully we won't have any more accidents and I won't get woke up in the middle of the night to the sound of him tipping over trying to get in and out.

It stinks seeing your pets get old and incapacitated!

[silver&gold]

We are dealing with a loss as well we lost our Border Collie Anna. We have had her 13 years she died of a brain tumor. It feels like our world came to an end. We sure will miss her. She would have been 13 March 22

[maxandgeorgia]

Stephanie, if it helps, we're sharing a problem for our pets at this time. Our old Wally, Weimaraner, 14 years old, also is having a terrible time getting up on his hind legs, and when he stands, he is constantly shifting weight on his front legs, his "elbows" sticking out at sharp angles. He gets aspirin twice a day in a bit of cheese and relishes it. We too periodically have the wetting at night, though I'm not sure if it's our GSP pup just being lazy and lifting his leg or if it's old Wally. I guess we're both close to the point of asking ourselves if life is now good enough for these older boys, but Wally still gets excited about food or strange dogs or just a big hug. Sometimes he'll take off across the yard at a funny wobbling trot. How do you know when the time has come? It doesn't feel right here, yet. Our sympathy for Chester and admiration for you at your solution of the door and ramp. ~G

[Stefrobrts]

Wally sounds just like Chester. Chester used to be a pretty handsome boy, but now he is gangly and lumpy and sore. He is still happy though, so that's what really matters. Sometimes we take treats right to his pillow so he doesn't have to struggle to get up. He has gone downhill really quickly. Two summers ago he went to the silver falls rally with us and was trotting around playing with the kids. Great Pumpkin's kids took him off in the woods and built a little fort and stuck him in it and called it Fort Chester But now he can't even get up and down the steps to get in the trailer so he has to stay home

I guess we'll just play it as it comes. I feel for you though, it's hard to see them getting old.

[safari57]

This is the tough time when your pets are on the verge of age taking over. It is so sad to see them at this part of their lives - it hurts to know that your active dog is on the downside of life.

For me, this is the time when our ability to pay back all the love we've had from them. We do all the extra things we can to give them as much time as we can, and then we make the very tough decision that they are no longer having an enjoyable life. That could be through pain, or just knowing that this critter that was able to do the normal things is now struggling to just carry out the basics.

Our hearts go out to all of you with pets at this stage.

Barry

[Mikethefixit]

And now there is 1. We had done all that could be done Our Mini-Schauzer AMANDA who was 14 Surcomed to Cancer on Feb 14 2008 at 12:15am
She will be missed.

[jnerges]

Originally Posted by Mikethefixit

And now there is 1. We had done all that could be done Our Mini-Schauzer AMANDA who was 14 Surcomed to Cancer on Feb 14 2008 at 12:15am
She will be missed.

Hey Guys, I am so sorry to hear about your loss. Hang in there and remember you are not alone and it gets better. Amanda was an awesome pooch.

John

[Stefrobrts]

Sorry to hear about Amanda. I'm sure you gave her a great life.

[safari57]

sorry to hear the news Mike. At least you know she had a life filled with as much love as she gave back.

Barry

[Mel]

Mike, I'm so sorry about Amanda. I hope you can take at least a small bit of comfort in the knowledge that you did all you could for her.

[cameront120]

So sorry to hear about Anna. They're with us for such a short time and give so much. I like to think that she is waiting for you at the bridge, free from pain. You have my sincerest sympathy.