My heart is broken. My best mate is gone.
On Tuesday night I took Shawnee for a run in the park which she loved, as usual. She was doing 'zoomies' as dogs are fond of doing in the prevailing strong wind conditions. She was off leash as usual as she is (generally speaking) a well behaved doglet.
Later that evening I noted that she wouldn't settle, she'd only sit down or lie down for a few seconds then get up and wander around - just wouldn't settle anywhere. She seemed to be carrying her right rear leg a bit so i assumed maybe she'd pulled something and that was leading to discomfort.. I examined her and when I applied even mild pressure to her abdomen she screamed.
I still wasn't hugely concerned but decided to err on the side of caution and take her to the 24 hour vet at Stafford.
Once there they had me filling in medical history forms etc while they checked her out. Apparently they pumped her with morphine for what was evidently severe pain and did an ultrasound. Evidently there was some sort of 'mass' involved (I can't remember the term) and they'd checked and noted significant internal bleeding). From what I can remember they said that best case the spleen had ruptured and it would require a more detailed ultrasound in prep for necessary surgery. Worse case it could be the liver not the spleen. Best cased scenario with of course no guarantees whatever would be $3K in surgery costs etc. Liver would be $10K or something silly. I can't recall exact numbers as I was pretty upset by that stage.
What was clear is that despite the morphine she was still very uncomfortable and still in some pain. Taking further with the vet I think she was also of the opinion that it was really a lost cause and would most likely be fatal in any event.
So i had to make that heart-rending decision to have her put down. Knowing it was the kindest thing for her made it no easier for me, The vets/nurses at the clinic were really good - I spent some time alone with Shawnee beforehand, and was there to hold her as she went to sleep forever. I was crying but held it together to some extent during all this. Once I'd left at got out into my car I absolutely lost it. That was around 2am. Once I'd pulled myself together I managed to drive home. I eventually managed to get to sleep and slept to about mid-day yesterday.
The house is missing that 'presence' that dogs have, and cleaning up some of her things like water bowls and bedding was really difficult.
Then when I woke up this morning without thinking I called her for breakfast - then realised she'd never come again.
She was my best mate - seen me through cancer scares, hospitalisations, a divorce, etc. She was 13 1/2 years old, Staffy x Bull Arab, and I'd had her since she was a tiny pup.
Feel for you mate, been there quite a few times and it never gets any easier, go get another one straight away, won't fix it, but it sure helps
Condolences Mike, it's always hard to see your best mate leave, at least you spent so much quality time with her,I'm sure she appreciated it all.
RIP Shawnee.
Sorry to hear of your loss. Kia Kaha Mike.
I feel for you Mike, it's hard just reading it, be way worse to be living it.
Sad news buddy .
Never easy that's for sure.
The only thing you can do is remember all the great times with her and know her pain has stopped .
:cry2:
Feel for ya Vlad. That vet trip is one lifes hardest, enjoy your memories.
So sad - our pets are nicer than most humans :bugga:
You had no option Vlad, always gonna be a sad day at the vets under those circumstances. She had a geat friend in you and the best life, good on you for making it that way.
About 6 years ago my cat I had for 21 years from a Kitten got up from her sleeping spot, lay at my feet and there she passed. I cried all night knowing with pride that she had chosen to be with me at the end. If only we didn't have to lose the things we love so much.
My heart goes out to you Vlad.
Whilst the right thing to do, always a hard and heart breaking decision. Remember her fondly for all the happy memories.
That's sad Mike!
Sorry to hear of this Vlad, they are one of the family. I cried like a girl when I had to have my last one put to sleep.
I feel your pain brother I had something very similar happen to my Springer Ozzy in 2011 and its taken me 10 years to get over it and the only way I decided to get another dog was if I could rescue one - he arrives on Tuesday and he has been in the Dogs trust for nearly a year.
It hard as mate Ive lost family and not felt as bad as when Ozzy passed
Sad :bugga:
We feel for you.
That's gutting, losing a pet is worse than losing people a lot of the time. At least you know they were happy until almost the end though, it's small comfort now though I'm sure.
Thanks all I appreciate the kind words.
So sad Vlad. I've been there before and it's a tough (but right) decision to have to make. We've got another dog now, and I know that at some stage in the future we'll have to go through it all over again. I hope this time that Sully outlives me.
Chin up my friend :onya:
Been 10 yrs now since my Misty Dog left. Never got another, just amazing dog.Bluies are hard to train, but then become family. All the kids still talk about her. Old pic, Dogs gone, Ducati also, Wife still here. I still miss the first two.
Really sorry for you mate. It's an awful time when you lose a great friend. 13 and a half years is a decent age though so she had a good innings, not that doesn't help a jot. Think of the good times you had with her and go find another companion. It will help with the pain and will be the start of another wonderful friendship.
Chin up mate, I lost my gorgeous Westy Sam to Westy lung 8 years ago and it absolutely broke me. I spent over £3500.00 in a week hoping for the best for him but he was to far gone, I held him on the vets table while they put him to sleep and I cried for days, he was 13 and had been my best mate since he was 6 weeks old. I had to take 2 weeks off work I was so heart broken and then I lost my dad and my grandson within a short space of time. I still miss him today so much and every year at Christmas we hang his picture on the tree as he was ALWAYS the first one up to open his presents haha, he really did get very excited at Christmas time. Thinking of ya mate.
Tony.
Thanks fellas.
I might need a new missus - she's already said "We are never getting another dog". :furious:
Na Vlad, read what she's really said.......it's girl speak for "I'll be your pet and wear a collar" :whistling:
ps....not a flea collar
yeah no she didn't mean that. I am sure.
Ooops how did I get that wrong :facepalm:
Hope you're days are starting to brighten Vlad.
Quote from: grog on Friday, 24 September 2021, 06:55 PM
Been 10 yrs now since my Misty Dog left. Never got another, just amazing dog.Bluies are hard to train, but then become family. All the kids still talk about her. Old pic, Dogs gone, Ducati also, Wife still here. I still miss the first two.
@grog you're either very brave or your missus doesn't know your password :happy1: :rofl2: :cheers:
Both. :grin:
You know Vlad, got my 1st dog about 2 years ago. Always heard these stories about people loosing their pets and couldn´t understand it. But my lab is a different story. I´ve got type 1 diabetes for 40 years now, we acquired her to be trained to detect low sugars levels, which can be fatal for me (I´m becoming asymptomatic with the lows). The 1st time she awoke me and I´m with a low, tears came to my eyes. She´s still being trained. She´s not just a dog for me, but a lifesaver. As you can imagine, she´s priceless to me. Part of me and my family. Terribly sorry for your loss.
That's pretty impressive Jeykey, what a great asset. I've had type 1 diabetes for 38 years. Still get hypo symptoms but it's not always easy to recognise them until I'm quite low.
:cheers:
@Jeykey @Kiwifruit A guy on the SMF forum (same software than runs this place) runs a diabetes forum - may be of interest to you.
https://www.diabetesforum.online/
Epileptic helper dogs impress me too, they can smell when you're going to have a fit apparently.
Mike please accept my deepest condolences on your loss. I know plenty of people who have become emotionally attached to their pets.
My experience with pets, is that I've only ever had pets that were eaten when they reached their use by date.
Quote from: Kiwifruit on Wednesday, 29 September 2021, 08:44 AM
That's pretty impressive Jeykey, what a great asset. I've had type 1 diabetes for 38 years. Still get hypo symptoms but it's not always easy to recognise them until I'm quite low.
:cheers:
You can still get the symptoms to become better, a lot of commitment on the diet part and all the rest we know. I also run on a daily basis, keeps me and the diabetes fit. Last year with the covid stuff, barely anything to do, I just ran. Did a lot more than 3k running, less of that on the 14.
Thanks Vlad, I'll check out the diabetes forum.
Jeykey, my type one Wife said shed like a dog like yours. Shes lucky at present, very good knowing a Hypo happening, all those sugary things we keep in fridge. I get tempted often to have one, just type 2 for me. I lost 18 kg which helped a lot, stable last decade.
Thanks Vlad will check it out :cheers:
Quote from: grog on Wednesday, 29 September 2021, 07:12 PM
Jeykey, my type one Wife said shed like a dog like yours. Shes lucky at present, very good knowing a Hypo happening, all those sugary things we keep in fridge. I get tempted often to have one, just type 2 for me. I lost 18 kg which helped a lot, stable last decade.
18kg is a lot! But cooking for 2 diabetics is easier; cooking for 1 and the rest benefitting from it is good too. 18kg less is also good for the 14 ;).