Our dog is dying

[IndyIN]

Our yellow lab went down hill fast (liver), and it was very hard to watch. Love on her as much as you can, for as long as you can.

It's been almost 4 years ago, and I'm getting choked up just typing this to you.

 

[MamaLynn]

Thanks for all your comforting words Guys-it really means a lot to us.
FYI-I'm Mackey's wife.

Butter in happier, healthier times - in the kennel before our summer vacation 2012

 

[Benny]

My best buddy died (old age) about 2 1/2 years ago and I still miss him.

He was 15...7 is too young.

 

[Waveraider]

I lost my Girl last year and it tore me up. Thanks to a fellow Ingo member, I found a vet who made a house call to make it less stressful. My thoughts and prayers are with your family.

 

[mac45]

Very sorry to hear this.
Never easy to loose a friend.
Thoughts and prayers are with you.

 

[A_Brit_In_Indy]

Mackey, I feel your pain friend, last July, we lost my Dad and one of our dogs (murphy) to cancer, within 3 days of each other. We lost our Golden (Ty) in March of this year to the same thing, he was 13 years old. We were heart broken, we got 2 Golden pups (Lily named after my Mum, and Chelsea) in May.
They are turning out to be great dogs, they'll never replace the ones we lost though.
Blessings to you and yours.

 

[SSGSAD]

sorry to hear it. gotta be a tough situation that I too will have to deal with in the near future with ours. Hang in there bro.

I am in the same boat, my Border Collie, is over 14 years old, and I tear up, just thinking about it .....

 

[Mackey]

We're all very grateful for the support and kind thoughts. My wife is kind of surprised
about all the outpouring of compassion (I'm not ... seen it in action here before).
The change in her is so shocking. The video below is the way she used to be.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuCEw-sAw5o[/ame]

 

[TopDog]

Its hard, real hard if you are a dog person like me. I have had dogs all my life except when stationed in Japan for 10 years. Its painful but your daughter will learn a lot about life from the experience. The only thing I know of that makes it better is a new puppy, the cycle of life. Good Luck to you and your family, it is never easy but especially hard when they become one of the family.

 

[donnie1581]

It's always hard to have to watch a best friend go. We had to put one of our golden's down a couple years ago; my wife still gets choked up about it. We still have 2 golden's but our male is almost 10 and is starting to show signs of old age. We are very sorry about Buttercup and will keep you guys in our thoughts.

 

[U.S. Patriot]

Loosing family pets is not easy, becaue they are family.

 

[printcraft]

 

[IndyGunworks]

I think the hardest part about loosing a dog is loosing a part of yourself. A dogs personality is shaped by us in its younger years. even when the dog is older and we have grown up and changed the dogs personality remains true to the way we once were when we raised it. When that dog is replaced by another it develops a personality more condusive to who we are now, not who we were 10 or so years ago which makes it even more difficult because the passing of the dog really is like loosing a little bit of yourself.

I lost several dogs as a kid and learned alot from it but have never been as close to a dog as i am to my german sheperd right now. She is only 2.5 years old and i am already dreading when that time will come because i know that NO other dog will be able to replace her personality.

I am sorry for what you are going through, and while it might be tough to explain things in a very realistic way to your daughter you may want to consider the leason that you can teach as the last gift buttercup gives. teaching a valuable life lesson is one of the truly selfless things our pets give to our families, esp when it comes to children. Embrace the opportunity, do not hate it.

 

[BE Mike]

I have learned so much more over the years, regarding dog ownership. I think my dogs have reflected that. I am a lot closer to my current dog than all of the others that preceded her. I have had to make the decision to put down my dogs. One had Parvo and was still very young. The other got a spinal injury. Most folks consider me a tough guy, but I wept like a baby when I had the dogs put down. It was the right thing to do and it was the right time for each, but that didn't make it easier. The pain is like a cut with a knife. It hurts deeply; the pain subsides over time, but the scar will remain. My sympathy for you and your wife at this difficult time.

 

[gungirl65]

As far as what to tell your daughter, I use to tell my son that the cat or dog went to live with Jesus. Even when he was real young, he knew Jesus was good and living with him must be a good thing.

If there are other pets in the house it is important that they get to say goodbye too. I had a cat that searched for days for the kitty I put down. Her sadness increased mine, so now I always try to let the others say goodbye.

 

[femurphy77]

This thread sucks. (wiping my eyes before my co-workers notice)

 

[Boomstick]

Get you a big chocolate bar, feed it to her, trust me, dogs love chocolate!!!! Love on her while you are doing it, and take her to the vet. Be there with her, dogs are less scared with those they love, and send her away with honor. Look back and love the time you had. Sorry to hear this. I too have a Golden that is my world, best dog I have ever had, shes 11 and I dread havign to also one day make this choice. You guys are in my thoughts

 

[Dybber]

I'm sorry for what you're all going through. I went through the same thing with my 4 year old golden retriever that also had lymphoma. It's very hard to go through that. My prayers are with you and your family.

 

[DustyDawg48]

Last week my wife called me at work, crying. I knew what it was. My old companion Dusty had passed. She wasn't well the last 2 weeks of her life but she led a fantastic life influencing so many areas of our life. She was my good buddy since we adopted her from the shelter back in 2000. A more frustrating, hard-headed, kind and loving being you'd never meet. I had to leave work to drive home to bury her. All that came on the heals of having to put my Golden down back in February. His name was Zeplin but he had the nickname 'Butters' like the South Park character and a hybrid of Buddy Dog, which he was. My constant companion, couch buddy and pizza thief. I almost can't talk about them without getting a bit choked up.

On one hand I never want to have another dog again knowing how hard it was to bury one and have to sign the papers giving permission to put my Zeplin to sleep. But, I also feel that I owe them something for what they selflessly gave me; I rescued them for a small fee but they gave me everything over the years and I owe it to them to do the same for other shelter dogs.

You'll have to grieve and miss them and be sad and mad and wonder why it had to happen. Don't fight it; honor your buddy's memory like you would any other family member. I wish you all the peace in the world during this time.

 

[jeepfreek]

Three years ago I had to put down my 7 1/2 year old great dane. One of the hardest things I have ever had to do. We just recently found a new puppy and took him to the vet where we put our last one down at. I nearly couldn't even walk in that place because I was getting choked up. I still do.

Even with a new puppy it still will not replace your previous pet or "make it all better". The new puppy is a very welcome addition to the family and the kids love him to death. However he is certainly not a replacement, just a new member of the family.

This past weekend a buddy an I were heading to Jasper Pulaski and somehow we got onto this topic about putting our dogs down. Had to nearly wipe my eyes then before I said "How about them Bears!" or some manly comment to get us back on track.