Coping with losing a long time companion fur child

B

Buckeye

Well-known Member
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This is Annie. She crossed Rainbow Bridge yesterday (9/7/2016). She was 15 1/2 years old, mostly blind. mostly deaf, and with 2 bad hips. It was a hard decision to make but I just couldn't stand her suffering every day. The hardest part was making the decision to do what I had to do. Now that it's over, I'm okay.

If you've been thru this yourself, how did you know when it "was time"?
 

One dog had cancer and she was put on a special low-protein diet. We kept her going for six months until she began wasting and my husband would have to carry her up and down steps as she got very weak. Yes, there is a time and we knew it was then. The other dog, not sure what happened to her. One day we came home to a huge mess--water and food all over, she must have fallen into her water dish, doggie diarrhea, and she didn't know us or respond. Took her to an animal hospital where they kept her overnight but the next day, she still didn't recognize me and kept falling on her face. So very sad.

I am so sorry for the loss of your beloved pet. They really do become part of the family. It does come to a point when we have to let go and that is very painful but we do it because we love them. Annie lived a long life and I'm sure she was very much loved. I think we and they sense when it's time.
 
So sorry for your loss. Know that you made the right choice Annie is no longer suffering with any ailments. You made the right decision and I am sure Annie is grateful and know she is waiting for you at Rainbow bridge.

Rainbow bridge is my first stop when I drop dead, I have several furry friends and some feathered friends waiting for me.
 

My condolences to you. When my dog was diagnosed with cancer and had blood coming out of her mouth I made the decision to put her to sleep. She had a tumor in the side of her face. It is a really hard decision to make. I felt it was the best thing for her, though.

I know you will have many good memories of Annie. She sure was a cutie pie.
 
I'm so sorry Annie. I wish I could be there to give you a big hug and shoulder to cry on. I was just reading a book today on the subject of pet grief. Fortunately I was in an almost empty parking lot waiting for my daughter. I don't cry easy...I might start and never stop. But the tears just flew on out and it really helps. I cried for almost the whole hour. My boy Levon I miss him every day.

Two things from the book-
" They are not dead who live in the hearts left behind "

Have the tissues close by, this is a beautiful poem

I’m Still Here
Your heart has been heavy since that day—
The day you thought I went away—
I haven’t left you I never would—
You just can’t see me, though I wish that you could.
It might ease the pain that you feel in your heart—
The pain that you’ve felt since you’ve believed us to part.
Try and think of it this way, it might help you see—
That I am right here with you and always will be.

Remember the times we were out in the yard,
You could not always see me yet I hadn’t gone far.

That’s how it is now when you look for my face
I’m still right beside you still filling my place.

I find it to be so very sad,
That seeing and believing seem to go hand in hand,
The love and the loyalty the warmth that I gave,
You felt them, did not see them, but you believed just the same.

I walk with you now like I walked with you then—
My pain is now gone and I lead once again.
My eyes always following you wherever you roam—
Making sure you’re okay and you’re never alone.

Our time was too short yet for me it goes on—
I won’t ever leave you, I’ll never be gone.
I live in your heart as you live in mine—
An endearing love that continues to shine.

The day will come and together we’ll be,
And you’ll say take me home boy, and once again I will lead.

Until that day comes don’t think that I’ve gone—
I’m right here beside you, and my love it lives on.”
 
My condolences. I've been there and know the pain. It's been many years now, but the memory of losing our old girl is still fresh. Why does it hurt so much to do the right thing?
 
I am sooo sorry for your loss. It is like losing a child! Our dogs tend to live very long ( 15 or 16 years old). We had to have our minature doxie put down about six months ago. He was 16 and he did not want to give up but we knew it was time. My son had to take him to the vet's. I just could not do it. My heart goes out to you!
 
Ruthanne said:
How is Hoot doing? I bet you too will be even closer now.
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Thank you for asking Ruthanne - Hoot will be okay. They did not play together very much. Annie merely tolerated Hoot like any older "sister" tolerates her little "brother".

And thanks to all of you for the kind words.
 
Sorry for your loss,thankfully your beloved fur-child no longer suffers.

We lost 2 cats earlier this year, about a month apart; cause unrelated, other than old age. A good orange tom kitty named Taz, and my close friend Onyx, a black female kitty who was the most personable animal I had eve met.
 
I am so sorry to learn about Annie. My deepest sympathy.
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I've been there and done that so many times. It's a very hard decision to make. (((Hugs))) to you Hoot n Annie.
 
I'm so sorry to hear about your loss. For me, losing a beloved pet is almost unendurable. And making that final decision is so incredibly hard, especially since my pets are much more than pets to me.

My vet of many, many years is wonderful about helping make that decision. She believes, of course, in making all reasonable efforts to save the pet; but if reasonable efforts have failed, we have a realistic talk about (1) whether anything could reasonably be expected to save the pet, and the cost, both in $$ and in suffering for the pet; (2) what quality of life the animal has now, and where it's going (i.e., the expected progression of whatever it is and can palliative measures be reasonably used to alleviate pain and other symptoms) and and would I want the pet to live with increased pain and loss of dignity); and (3) whether my reluctance to let the pet go is really in the best interest of the pet or would I be doing it because I can't face letting the pet go.

I've also found that, in the case of the dogs I've had, the dog has somehow let me know that it is time.

When I lost my beloved Harold and Emily last year within months of each other, I went to the Humane Society and found another doggie within a very few days, because I could not bear the silence and lack of companionship. I found my wonderful Bonnie, a homeless AmStaff terrier, waiting for me there. She is an older girl (about 8 and a half or 9) who hadn't been treated very well in her previous life and had been dumped. She is the sweetest thing, and is now living out her life sleeping upside down on the couch, being cuddled and fussed over, doing fun dog things and giving me lots of sloppy doggie kisses, and I have a loving companion.

One of my friends commented that it seemed awfully soon, but I've always felt that the best way to honor the pet that has passed on is to save another life and give a home and love to another homeless pet. The shelters are full of slightly older dogs who are passed over by younger families wanting a puppy, but many of those older dogs are perfect -- they are calmer, usually housetrained, and they are SOO grateful to find a home and have a second chance at life.

Many shelters will let you take the dog home on a "temporary foster" basis to see how you click before making the final adoption decision. This is what I did with Bonnie, and I knew right away she was the one for me.

Again, I am so sorry for your loss, but I believe you did the right thing.
 
SO sorry about your loss. I know that feeling. That's the one trouble of having a loving pet.

I shan't go into the history in our case because it's the same as what's been said on the other posts.
 
I too have cried more tears over cats and dogs. Even the ones that may not have been our favorites are still very hard to lose.
My sympathy, Hoot N Annie. It does get easier in time.
 
I see that this is almost a year old; but I am just getting to this thread, and also want to extend my sorrow over your loss of your beloved Annie.
My little Yorkie-poo, Chipper is over 15 years old, and he is also blind and deaf. His sniffer still works; but barely. Pizza and chicken, he can smell, and not much else.
Our Blue Heeler mix, Tootsie, is Chipper's escort dog, and she leads him down the front ramp to the yard so that he can do his chores.
We watch him whenever he is out, and Bobby put up special railings on the side of the ramp so that he does not climb through the railing and fall off of the ramp.
He did that once, and ended up under the porch.
We couldn't find him, and finally we heard him crying under there, and Bobby was able to go underneath and get poor Chipper back out again.
So, now we don't take any chances.
He does not seem to be in any pain, and he still jumps and plays, so we will keep him until he shows signs of any kind of suffering.
I do not know how I will bear it when it is time to put my sweet baby to sleep; but sometimes, this is the final act of love and kindness that we can show them.
 
Hoot N Annie -- I wish I could reach through the screen and give you a long hug. There's a special place for you in heaven for you for loving such a beautiful girl. Our lives are so enriched by our wonderful friends , it's beyond heartbreaking to see them go. I'm going through that now ,myself. My Poppie has fast spreading cancer & she has about a month to go. Will Rogers said it best ...........

[h=1]“If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.”[/h]
(((((((((((((((((((((( HUGS ))))))))))))))))))))
 

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