Losing a pet

[blinc]

Ok, I think it's fairly safe for me to be able to post this now without breaking down. On Tuesday, November 7th, we lost Elvis our old hound dog. We only had him a couple years. A hunter had dumped him off, probably because he had heart worms and arthritis so wasn't useful anymore. When he came here the poor ol' guy was nothing but ribs and backbone. We got him healthy again and treated for heartworms, our vet estimated him to be 8 or 9 years old then.

The last couple of years, he's been a treasure to have around. I've never seen a dog enjoy his food so much. We always leave a bowl of dry down for them to munch on during the day in case they get hungry. At night I add cooked chicken and juice to the dry for a good dinner. As soon as I'd reach down to get the bowls up to start the mixing he'd come into the kitchen wagging his tail and just "encourgaing" me to hurry up. His whole body would get into that wagging tail. :)

Anyways, just wanted to say I miss Elvis so. His funny ways, even the irritating things like dragging our shoes, socks, (whatever he could get ahold of), out through the doggie door at night is missed around here.

Well, didn't make it through this post without a few tears. But was wondering if anyone else grieves for a pet for weeks or longer? Do people think you're strange because you do? To us, it's like losing a little best friend.

[Lisa]

I had a Shetland Sheepdog named Max. I got him as a gift when I was 5. He was my best friend in the whole world! Sure he made that awful licking noise all bloomin' night long but he was my shadow! I adored him! When I was maybe 11, we were out playing ball and he collapsed! I freaked out and carried him home. He was freaked out too! Turned out, after 10 days in an emergency vet. hospital, that he had a blood clot in his spine. I spent all day in the kennel with him, it was spring break. They wanted to put him to sleep but I wouldn't have it - I won. He had to wear diapers and was paralized from the middle of his back down. I didn't care - I still loved him! A few weeks later we went to my grandparents house. They had his brother and my aunt and uncle had his parents. The first morning we were there I found my beloved dog at the bottom of the stairs wagging his tail and standing on his own! I cried I was so happy! The drive to be with his brother was so strong he walked himself down the stairs, diaper and all! I was so proud!

Well - that injury caused a lot of long-term problems for him. He was very frequently incontinent and he didn't have a lot of feeling in his back legs. But he was still my shadow. When I was 18, we realized he was blind. We had rearranged the furniture in the living room and he couldn't get out of the room. He was terrified! Poor guy! He had also begun to lose his teeth. My mom had always fed him canned food. Because he wasn't used to chewing on things, his teeth weren't very strong and he began to lose them. It got harder and harder for him to eat. Then, finally one day he had a big seizure. I finally decided we should put him to sleep. That was the worst day! I had scheduled it and prepared myself. BUT two days before, my dad - with some sort of good intentions - took him in and just dropped him off at the vet and said "do whatever you want with him." They knew he was scheduled to be put down soon so they just did it. Then he called me and said, with joy in his voice because he had done such a good deed - "Guess what I did today?" I cried for days! (my dad and I have never seen "eye to eye") The vets office knew enough to keep his ashes for me and I got a nice urn to put them in. I burried him in my grandparents back yard by his mom and dad and his brother.

Now, how long did it take for me to "get over it?" I don't know. For years I'd hear his tags jingling in the hallway and turn to look at him. But he wasn't there. Sometimes I'd cry, sometimes I wouldn't. As time went on it got easier. My kids who weren't even born yet ask me about "MaximillionSniffAScent" sometimes. That was his registered name - cute eh? Now whenever I see a Sheltie like him, I smile and remember my Max.

I am so sorry blinc to hear about Elvis. I know how you feel. Our pets are like our children and our best friends all rolled into one. Sounds like he sure loved you too!

This was much longer than I had planned,sorry.

[blinc]

Oh Lisa... I got all choked up reading your post. That is such a heartbreaking story. Your dad... I'm sure he didn't mean to be so insenstive, or at least I hope he didn't. Oh how awful that must have been for you. You are so right. It is like losing a member of the family. Even though we have 8 other dogs, it still leaves a gaping hole where a happy face used to be. Well, if people thing we're crazy so be it. I'd rather know what it's like to love a pet so much, then be one of the people who don't know what it's like to give and get back so much from our buddies.

Thank you for posting that story. :)

[Lisa]

I'm sorry to make you sad with that story. It occured to me later that it might do that. :(

Losing a pet is real hard! They say that people who have pets live longer - you have 8 dogs? You should live to be 1000! :) That's like having 9 children and one dies. How are the others handling it? Pythagomas, our dog who's 9 now, she was just a puppy when Max died but she sure noticed. She used to walk under him and nip at his belly. :) He hated it!!! She drove him nutts! :) Now, we're considering getting another dog - a puppy. Think it'd be "justice" if the puppy did the same to her?

[blinc]

Oh please don't feel bad! It's nice to share the good AND the bad with other pet lovers. Our other dogs are ok now... but for about a week they were soooo quiet. They usually get rowdy and make all kinds of racket at some point during the day, but they were really, really quiet, like mourning in their own way.

Oooh, I think fair is fair!! If she's still playful, she'll probably get a kick out of having a young whippersnapper to play with! :)

[kezzer]

I think it's completely normal to grieve for a pet. They really are a part of your family. I had a cat when I was about 12-13. It was a hot summer day and we had been out on the boat all day. When we came home he(Velvet) was sitting in the yard, in the sun, panting. I thought it was weird, so I took him inside. He was burning up, for one, he was a mostly black cat, sitting in the hot sun, for who knows how long. I knew something was wrong. I wet a towel and wrapped him in it and then had my mom take him to the vets. The vets first prognosis wasn't good, he had been hit by a car and his third vertabrate broken, he'd never walk again. The very next day though he was walking, they let us take him home ,but we had to keep him isolated. So we kept him in a big dog sized cage in my room. All seemed well. Well maybe 2 days later, I was out playing catch when I heard the cage rattling. I thought maybe one of the dogs or cats had gotten in my room and was irritating him,I ran in only to find him convulsing and foaming at the mouth. My mom got a box and we put him in and rushed to the vets. The moment we pulled in and stopped the car he stopped too. I knew he was gone. My mom and I cried our eyes out. She couldn't drive home so we went down the street to the marina to wait for my dad to get back from his fishing trip. When my dad got in I couldn't even go see him, I sat on the dock, bawling so hard I couldn't even see straight. Nothing seemed the same that whole summer without my silly little kitty. Whenever I go through my pictures and come across one of him I always just stop and think about him. And I still get upset that I lost him. I think the only people that would think it's crazy to grieve for a pet are people who have never owned one or if they have, obviously don't have enough heart to see a pet is more than just a pet. Well, I think I just wrote a book! But that's my 2 cents! =^.^=

[Anat]

Oh, I know what you all mean. Last year, when my Mishmish was maybe 3-4 months old, we could feel a lump on her head. The vet said it could be bone cancer, but he didn't want to do a biopsy (sp?). He said the procedure itself was painful and that if it came out positive, there was nothing to be done for her anyway.

I was so upset. I am now, just thinking about it. I was in tears just thinking I was about to lose her. Fortunately, it wasn't a tumor after all - just some abnormality in the growing bones which got better with time.

When you get to know a pet - each one is a world of its own and no two are alike.

There's a saying I saw somewhere on the net. Something like : "watch out when you see a cat. If you're not careful he mught just steal your heart".

[blinc]

Gosh Kezzer, I bet that was so hard to deal with. Anat, it's scarey when we come close, or think something is wrong that can't be fixed, isn't it? It's amazing how much love they can give and in turn evoke from us. I still get teary just looking at pictures of those we've lost. Sometimes get the grins when I remember their crazy stunts or antics.

[La La La]

Hey, y'all.

I guess letting the world know how much we loved our Chester will help us grieve. Chester was a shorthaired Tabby with very large green eyes. He was the dominant male in the family and had a wonderful personality. He ate a lot and eventually became huge. Then he became very thirsty and went to the box a lot. We took him to the vet and found out he had diabetes. He was diabetic for three years and required two daily insulin shots. His eyes grew cloudy mostly in the last year. He walked on the whole of his back legs because his leg muscles had atrophied. His coat became oily looking.

The last time I saw him, he jumped up on the desk in front of the computer monitor. I petted him and attempted to scooch him aside so I could see. He moved right back in front of the monitor so I craned my neck to see over him. He lowered his head and gently bit my hand as I typed.

I picked him up and gave him all the baby attention he always growled about getting. He purred so loudly. I took some pictures of him with my husband. He looked amazingly healthy and content as if he had never been sick.

I considered him my cat though he liked everyone else better. I loved on him every chance I got and I think it drove him nuts. He came into my life as a newborn kitten when I was in the eleventh grade. I fell in love with him and sang songs about him, took millions of pictures of him, made mugs, framed pictures, collages, etc. of him. He lived for nine years.

Growing up, I always kept my emotions inside. It was difficult for me to show affection. When Chet Chet came along, he drew all of that out of me and I couldn't stop loving - that is why I became so attached to him. I miss him so, but the diabetes had finally beat him. I am joyful that he does not live in pain any longer. I hope that when I get to heaven, the Lord has allowed our pets to be there too. I am so thankful the Lord has given us pets!

[blinc]

La La La, that was a wonderful story... I could almost visualize Chet Chet reaching down to nip your fingers. Thank goodness we've never had a bet that required daily shots. Did you have to give them yourself? Chet Chet, sounded a bit like "Maco"... a cat we had that always was grumpy about being loved on, but really seemed to secretly like it. Just had that attitude about him. :) It is wonderful how a pet can help us to show love isn't it? I think it's because they are just so open about giving affection, no strings attached, that helps us learn. You're right, they are a wonderful gift. :)

[Karenluvs6]

This is totally depressing me!
We had a dog named Sneakers, when we were growing up.
I hated that dog!!
I know that sounds harsh but I was a teenager and he got on my nerves so bad. But let me finish first....K? {toothy}
My parents bought this dog when I was 8 yrs. old. The dog pooped all over my bedroom floor constantly...pee'd on the livingroom floor constantly....and threw up all the time! I swear there was always something wrong with him.
Well, I never did get to like him....I spent my whole childhood hating him.
When I was 23 yrs. old, the dog got sick...well I was the only one home with him and I knew something was wrong.
I suddenly felt this overwhelming sadness.
I called my mom and told her and she asked me to stay there and watch him.
Well, I ended up sitting with the dog for hours that day...and he died laying with his head in my lap.
I don't think I ever felt so genuinely bad in all my life.
and just in case you are wondering, I did make my peace with the dog and told him how sorry I was for treating him so badly all his life.
I guess he just got old.

[micky1]

I found out my cat micky died yesterday and im still devaststed. He belonged to this old lady but one day appeared in our garden. Most cats run away but he just came closer an closer to me and since then hes been a member of the family. He brought so much love to our family. The other day the lady who he belonged to called and said she hadnt seen him all day and i got back from work in the evening. I walked up and down the road to try and find him and found nothing. I got home from work yesterday expecting to se him rolling around on the floor and my sister told me he had ben hit by a car and taken to the vet. I had to go and see him and I could hold myself in. It tore me up seeing him lying helpless on that table. He was always soft and warm and seing him like that killed me inside. Even the slightest thought of him walking just makes me cry and I have no idea how im going to cope. He was always an adventerous cat who like to run around outside and I always tried to keep him indoors. I dont know what im going to do now. It was so sudden and ive never felt this sort of loss before. I feel so bad and depressed.

[Justawoman]

I am so sorry Micky. So very sorry. Just thinking about our Miss Andy not being here can bring tears to my eyes. Words don't do justice when we lose a love one. I am sorry.

[jamesglewisf]

I'm sorry for your loss. That's hard.