Saying goodbye to a beloved dog

[Dr. Sak]

I'm so sorry to hear this Lathum. I wish I could say something that could make it better.

[Poli]

Originally Posted by Lathum

Thanks everyone, sadly I think it is official.

The one thing the vet asked us was if he was throwing up and they continued to tell us the fact that he wasn't is a good sign. Well, took him for a walk and he came up and drank a ton of water then proceeded to throw it all up plus the last meal he ate. He obviously is in very poor shape. Not ready to throw in the towel but midnight is approaching fast for him, and what really sucks is tomorrow is my birthday.

I'm so sorry. So very sorry.

[CleBrownsfan]

Crossing my fingers that your pup pulls through this little spell... keep us updated.

[DaddyTorgo]

I hope that's it and he gets a lil better Lathum. Keeping my fingers crossed for you - and for Bernie of course.

[SegRat]

Good luck man.

[BYU 14]

Definitely keeping him in my thoughts, sounds like there is now room for some optimism.

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by Castlerock

Every time I see this thread bumped, I say "Oh no".

So sorry, Lathum.

+1

[Lathum]

We lost Bernie today. He was getting better than took a turn yesterday. We decided we didn't want to keep experimenting on him. He was having trouble walking and had a few seizures. It was just his time. He was a great dog and a great friend and will be sorely missed.




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[DaddyTorgo]

noooooo.

fuck...i'm sorry Lathum. that can't have been easy.

[MizzouRah]

So sorry Lathum

[JonInMiddleGA]

I'm very sorry for your loss Lathum, may Bernie rest in peace & happiness.

[Dr. Sak]

Lathum I am very sorry for your loss.

[CleBrownsfan]

So sorry Lathum...

[PilotMan]

I am so sorry Lathum. I am still dealing with the loss of Boyd, and know just how you are feeling today. Hang in there, brother.

[Castlerock]

So sorry to hear about Bernie.

[General Mike]

I'm sorry about Bernie. I still turn around from my computer, or walk in the front door expecting to see Blizzard behind me/ laying on the floor.

[Honolulu_Blue]

My folks had to put one of their dogs to sleep today.

Sergei, named after then Detroit Red Sergei Fedorov, was a great dog. He and his entire litter were put a tashbag and thrown into a river. Serge managed to claw his way out and was found freezing to death on the bank of the river.

Since those harrowing first few weeks, Sergei lived the next SEVENTEEN years like a prince.

I was already in college when we adopted Serge. We adopted him a few weeks after my dog of fifteen years, Mindy, was put to sleep. I still believe that getting Sergei so soon after Mindy passed was the best thing we ever did. He never replaced her, but he filled the void nicely.

Sergei was an odd looking dog. He looked like some cross between a Basset Hound and a yellow lab, he was long and short with big floppy ears.

Like I said, he lived like a prince. By the time we got him, my dad had really mellowed and loved that dog. My parents had their first "empty nest" a few years after we got Serge, so he was spoiled rotten.

He was a great dog and had a great life.

Good bye, old friend.

[BYU 14]

Very sorry to hear HB, but it sounds like he had a great life indeed.

And it never ceases to amaze me how people are so callous towards animals. To throw a litter of puppies into a river is beyond despicable.

RIP Sergei

[DaddyTorgo]

Sorry to hear about that HB.

I anticipate my parents losing our lil guy in the next 5 years or so...really not looking forward to it at all.

[PilotMan]

It's hard to lose a pet, especially one with such a storied and loved history. What a life you gave to one that was thrown away. Hang in there.

[Poli]

Originally Posted by Poli

Thanks, Castle, that was really nice.

Miss you, baby girl.

My fiance has heard enough about Snuggles that she'd like for us to have a dog when we get married. I just don't know how I can do it. When I was a kid, it was easy to replace a dog. I'm not sure I'm built with that ease any longer.

Has anyone else pulled the trigger on replacing their loved one?

[PilotMan]

Our other dog, who was also 12 when we put our Greyhound down last year, went into depression after he went away. She started getting really nervous when we would leave, and started being very anti-social. She would go hide under a bed all day long. She stopped eating and we were worried that she wouldn't last long, even though she was healthy.

We took her to the vet to see what was going on, and the vet told us that because she was the lead dog, and without anybody to lead that she felt useless, and didn't know where her place was. We tried to do some behavior work with her and while it did work to some extent it wasn't complete.

We ended up getting beagle from the pound, who my wife adores, but it naughty as sin, and after a while, our other dog came around. She is quite happy now, and seems to be back to her old self again.

Yes, dogs really do get depressed, just like people.

[Poli]

I was in a hurt locker last year due to Snuggles and other life issues. I broke out in hives right after her death and I swear it had everything to do with her passing.

[PilotMan]

I really hate to bump this thread.

We put our other dog to sleep this morning. She was 14 and had a number of health problems. It's something that has been in the process for some time. This morning she had something resembling a stroke just before the boys went to school. We told them to say their goodbye's and kept them home from school.

My oldest, who is 16, knows no time without her. He was her "puppy", she looked after him his whole life. He and are in the worst shape I think. I have had her since she was 8 weeks. Sleep well, Echo.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Super cute dog. Sorry to hear about this, Pilot Man. It's never easy.

[DaddyTorgo]

Damnit...I hate seeing this thread bumped. Sorry man.

FWIW - when I was a kid and we had to put down "my puppy" that I got when I was like 2 and grew up with (I think I was 11 or so at the time - golden...had seizure), it was in the middle of the night and my parents decided not to wake me up to let me say goodbye/come along to the vet.

To this day I still haven't forgiven them for that (and I'm tearing up right now thinking about it). So I think you definitely made the right decision with your boys as far as dealing with it.

[CleBrownsfan]

Sorry to hear about your loss PM...

[Izulde]

Just got the news that my parents had to put down my dog, Bubba, today. I kind of knew it was coming after I talked to my mom last night and he was in really bad shape.

Still hurts, all the more because he was the first dog we ever had who was really my dog. He'd get so excited whenever I'd come home from being away at school or vacation, barking, racing through the house, jumping on me, and staying pressed close to my side. Loved Swedish Fish and could leap like no other dog I've seen (he cleared my dad's recliner and a tall fence my grandfather built to keep the dogs in).

Always hated leaving him to go back to school and it would always worry me when he got older that it'd be the last time I'd see him, so I made sure to hug him extra tight and long when I left. I promised him I'd come back as soon as I could.

Going to feel even stranger now the next time I go back, because now my parents have no dogs in their house, which I don't remember ever happening.


Bubba and me - one of the few pictures I have of him. He hated having his picture taken, so I'm surprised he stood still for this one

[CrimsonFox]

Awwww sorry man. Awesome looking dog and obviously a great friend! *hugs cute dog*

[Honolulu_Blue]

That sucks, Izulde. Sorry for your loss.

[Sweed]

Sorry to hear of your loss.

[BYU 14]

Damn I hate seeing this thread bumped, always makes me teary. So sorry for your loss my friend.

And Bubba now has a place in my heart, cause you have to love a Dog that grubs on Swedish Fish!!

RIP Bubba.

[MizzouRah]

Didn't want to click on this thread.. so sorry Izulde.

[molson]

It always sucks to see this thread bumped but it's always a little bittersweet too - there's just stories and photos of great dogs in here that were cared for, respected, and had great lives. I especially know how hard that was to leave your dog behind with your parents as you went off to do your thing. But, that's too part of what makes dogs awesome, Bubba just had new great Izulde homecomings to look forward to and get excited about. That's like a bunch of extra Christmases in a dog's life.

[Castlerock]

I hate to see this thread bumped but I love reading the stories of beloved dogs. And a little part of Tomo and all the others stay alive with every bump.

So sorry Izulde and PilotMan.

[Dreghorn2]

Like everyone i hate seeing this thread bumped.

Very sorry at the loss of your friend.

[MizzouRah]

Our chocolate lab, Dozier has to be put to sleep tomorrow, his cancerous tumor has spread too fast and there is nothing the vet can do.

We love you Dozier and will miss you so very much.

[PilotMan]

Tomorrow is going to be a hard day, and the days following it won't be easy. I'm feel for you having to do this. For one dog I didn't sleep much the night before. For the other I slept well knowing that even though I would miss her, it was her time, and she had better things to do and better places to go.

For both dogs it was their time. We are getting ready to celebrate Christmas for the first time in 13 years without my Echo. She always was right there in the middle of the pile of presents. She knew what was going on, and she knew that there were presents under the tree for her. She knew that many treats would be consumed that day, and that we would all be there talking, laughing, playing and paying attention to her. It was her favorite time of the year too.

I'm sorry that you have to do this MizzouRah, but I want you to know, I understand, and I feel for you. Hang in there, and make sure you tell him everything that you want to say. He was a great dog I'm sure. They all have a way of changing our lives.

[DaddyTorgo]

Awww man - sorry Mizzou

[Izulde]

Sorry, MizzouRah. Awesome picture of Dozier.

[TroyF]

It's a little over a year since my chocolate lab had to be put to rest. I still tear up thinking about the old guy. My thoughts are with you.

[molson]

Sorry to hear that. Glad you were able to give Dozier a great life. A dog wants most of all to be a real part of a family's life, and you were able to give him that great gift. It's a gift that will go on long beyond tomorrow, he'll always be a part of your family history.

[Sweed]

Sorry to hear MR. Take comfort in the fact you gave him a great life.

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by PilotMan

Tomorrow is going to be a hard day, and the days following it won't be easy. I'm feel for you having to do this. For one dog I didn't sleep much the night before. For the other I slept well knowing that even though I would miss her, it was her time, and she had better things to do and better places to go.

For both dogs it was their time. We are getting ready to celebrate Christmas for the first time in 13 years without my Echo. She always was right there in the middle of the pile of presents. She knew what was going on, and she knew that there were presents under the tree for her. She knew that many treats would be consumed that day, and that we would all be there talking, laughing, playing and paying attention to her. It was her favorite time of the year too.

I'm sorry that you have to do this MizzouRah, but I want you to know, I understand, and I feel for you. Hang in there, and make sure you tell him everything that you want to say. He was a great dog I'm sure. They all have a way of changing our lives.

Thank you.. and Thank you everyone.. I can barely type, but the thoughts are much appreciated.

[path12]

Such a handsome dog, Mizzou. My condolences to you and yours.

[BYU 14]

Beautiful Dog Mizzou, pets are always such a big part of the family. Hang in there and know that you mean as much to Dozier as he means to you.

Very sorry for your loss.

[Lathum]

Sorry to hear, stay with him to the end. It sucks that your last act of love is so hard.

[Castlerock]

So sorry to hear about Dozier. He is a great looking dog. I already post this in this thread, but it's worth repeating.

Originally Posted by Castlerock

The Last Battle

If it should be that I grow frail and weak,
And pain should keep me from my sleep,
Then will you do what must be done,
For this, the last battle, can't be won.

You will be sad I understand,
But don't let grief then stay your hand,
For on this day, more than the rest,
Your love and friendship must stand the test.

We have had so many happy years,
You wouldn't want me to suffer so.
When the time comes, please, let me go.

Take me to where to my needs they'll tend,
Only, stay with me till the end

And hold me firm and speak to me,
Until my eyes no longer see.
I know in time you will agree,
It is a kindness you do to me.

Although my tail its last has waved,
From pain and suffering I have been saved.

Don't grieve that it must be you,
Who has to decide this thing to do;
We've been so close,we two, these years,
Don't let your heart hold any tears.

Author Unknown

[MizzouRah]

That was great Castlerock.. I already miss him and keep wishing I could have done more for him.

[corbes]

Cassidy, 1998 - Dec. 22, 2011. A yellow lab who went blind at the age of two and deaf at the age of eleven and never once did anything with less than full enthusiasm and joy. A trusty companion and an inspiration to always go with the flow. She'll be missed.