| Author | Message | ||
     Pwnzor |
I'm going to have to leave work in a few minutes to go put down my dog Max. Wife and kids are completely beside themselves, and I'm having trouble holding my composure. He's the white one... he's a good boy.  | ||
| Sifo |
Sad day indeed. Dogs are incredible companions. I believe it was Will Rogers who said "If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went." | ||
| Court |
My thoughts are with you . . .I've had to do that several times in the last 10 years and there is nothing that tears you apart like having to part with a great dog. Relax, reflect and relish the memories of all the wonderful times. Court | ||
| Ourdee |
Composure, go take a break and let it out. Healthy people cry and laugh in the proper seasons. | ||
| Ltbuell |
..lose of a family member is always hard...expecially yours.....LT | ||
| Wolfridgerider |
Sorry to hear. I have been there many times and it never gets any easier. Think of the great life you gave him and all that he gave you. Chewed shoes and all... | ||
| Xdigitalx |
Sorry for your loss. | ||
| Two_seasons |
Sad times indeed. You all are in my prayers | ||
| Paint_shaker |
RIP to your furry 4 legged kid. Been there, not an easy thing to do. | ||
| Zac4mac |
I'be had one dog in my lifetime. He was my best friend for 13 years. He outlasted 2 wives and as many states of residence. I howled to Elton John's Funeral for a Friend while I buried him. Can't do it again, now I'm a "cat-man" Z | ||
| Crusty |
Matt, I'm sorry for your loss. I know how much it hurts to lose a furry family member. | ||
| Reindog |
Goodbye, Max. He looks like such a good boy. So sorry. | ||
| Zane |
A good dog touches your heart like no other person or animal can. To loose a friend like that is one of the hardest things that happens to a man. I pray for you and Max | ||
| Hughlysses |
Very sorry about your pup, Matt. | ||
| Teeps |
Just take comfort in knowing that you have given him the best gift a pet owner can give... And, yes it's never easy making that final trip. But in time you'll enjoy the memories the two of you have shared. And, who knows maybe there will be another friend to find you in the future. | ||
| Buellish |
Sorry to hear that Matthew. | ||
| Pwnzor |
Well, hell.... Now that I've gotten home, he was able to get up and stagger down the stairs. Took him out back, he pooped like normal and brought him back in the house. He got himself a drink of water and now is lying there peacefully. His breathing looks a little labored. His back legs were real shaky, and we all know he's been slowly losing his mind over the last year. Barking in the middle of the night at nothing, standing in a corner just staring at nothing, doesn't listen at all... sometimes have to literally drag him inside at night. He may have just gotten a reprieve. I'm checking him over for ticks, I know if dogs get several at a time it can cause paralysis, especially in the back legs. He does not seem to be in any pain. I can't find any ticks, but his coat is so thick I can't be sure. Now, I don't know what to do. He seems about the same as he was during this last year. I guess we just watch him and keep him away from the stairs until he gets worse. It's inevitable, he's older than his expected life span... so... I don't know. | ||
| Big_island_rider |
Sorry for your loss. This helped me through several losses.  | ||
| Al_lighton |
Sorry to hear it, Matt. Dogs give so much to us, and it feels so bad to have them euthanized even though it is the right thing to do. I dread the day when I'll have to do the same with our dog, hopefully many years away. Al | ||
| Pwnzor |
I really appreciate all the support from everybody. I can't decide what to do. He seems ok for the moment, but 3 hours from now he could be immobile again and suffering. His breathing is very labored right now, more so than 10 minutes ago. | ||
| Hughlysses |
I guess as long as he's not hurting, there's no rush. Maybe it'd be worth investing in a vet visit just to make sure you're not missing something? There might be some kind of meds or supplement to help him get along a little better while he's still here. | ||
| Pwnzor |
When the wife gets home, we will definitely be taking him in to get checked out. Animals have a way of not showing when they're hurting. Yesterday we took our Aussie in for shots and a microchip and that needle was HUGE... it had to hurt, and she didn't even flinch. I'll keep everybody posted on this... A couple of years ago when I had to come home to put Sam (the black dog in the picture) down, he jumped right into my van after not being able to move for 2 straight days. It was a struggle to follow through with it, but he'd had several spells of not being able to move at all over the previous week and was almost blind. This isn't as clear-cut. I'm watching him closely. | ||
| 86129squids |
Matthew- I'm certainly not the judge of this, but- in the last 30 minutes, you've told me enough to indicate that maybe you should go ahead and call the vet, tell them you're on your way. Or, is there ANY way your vet makes house calls to deal with euthanasia? Animals can't "tell" us what they're going through, but... Max needs to transition, my dear friend. Focus also on Gretchen and the girls, they're gonna need as much understanding as they can muster to endure the event- after it's all done, see about dinner/movie/some kind of diversion. Just my $.02, but I know this is painful for your family. Just realize that it's up to you to help Max leave his pain behind. Give me a call if you need to talk. I had dived into the 'net to find that poem that Big Island put up, make sure your wife and especially kids get to read that. | ||
| 86129squids |
For sure, put your vet on standby... if this has been developing for over a year, that's a tell, and if it's accelerated recently, that's a tell. Whatever you do, get Gretchen and the kids prepared... assure them that it's best for Max when the time comes. I feel for you, friend... prayers up, mojo sent south. | ||
| Pwnzor |
The vet we go to is 24 hours, and I'm staying home the rest of the day. So we'll observe and make the decision later today. Right now I'm washing dishes and just watching him, he's laying right here. | ||
| Greg_e |
I'll give you a little insight... Don't let it go too long. The last dog we had to put down, we waited too long, not wanting to be without him. That final night I was up all night with him while he was having seizures and later in the morning on the way to the vets he finally slipped away. It was cruel to hold on to him that long where he suffered in his final hours. Thinking about it still makes me cry. (Message edited by Greg_E on July 18, 2016) | ||
| 86129squids |
Matthew, I can add my testimony to Greg's. My first Basenji, Loki, picked me when I went to visit his breeder in Lebanon TN. He and each of his littermates had their own kennel spaces, to keep them from scrapping with one another to be Alpha- one boy had already lost a little chunk from his ear in a fight, all were beautiful pups. Loki actually climbed his kennel fence up to eye level when I approached... I knew he was the one. Kept him 17 and a half years, as he got skinnier and more feeble towards the end... I just couldn't muster the strength to put him down, day after day, as he weakened. One Saturday, my GF and I had to leave, so we left the back door cracked as we always had done, so Loki could go sun himself, as he always had loved to do. He couldn't get back up that day, alone, and Marcia returned to find him in sunstroke. We rushed to the emergency vet, nothing could be done. He died in my arms. It's on ME that it happened that way, and now it's hard to type this- but I feel you should hear my story. Godspeed to your family's peace... and Max is certainly family. And, hate to say it now, but after Max, there will ALWAYS be more deserving animals in need of a home- your other dog(s) too will long for companionship. Finding a new furkid, after grieving passes, will hasten and finish the healing process. | ||
| Pwnzor |
Adelaide (our Aussie) is the last dog we'll have. We'll have at least another 10 good years with her. We've been watching Max for quite a while for signs that it's going to be "the time". We are blessed that we have an affordable 24-hr vet within 5 minutes of the house. Right now, I'm thinking he lives downstairs, no more climbing. If he fails to be able to walk again today, he goes. Bottom line. He has to be able to move himself around. We have a lot of steep stairs, and it's reasonable to me that he WANTS to go up there, but it's a strain on him. If he can be comfortable downstairs then I think he can go on for some time. We'll see. He really seems fine right now. He jumped up a few minutes ago to bark at the tree guys working outside. | ||
| 86129squids |
Good to hear the update, buddy. Just remember, once Max DOES pass, doggies are pack animals- don't shut off adopting another, down the line. | ||
| Ratbuell |
I've had similar situations. One, my 6 year husky-Samoyed cross, Kayla. Just...down in the dumps. Took her in to be checked and a CAT/x-Ray session showed a hole in her heart, she was filling her chest cavity with blood. The vet was honest - open heart wasn't really a viable option. They could suction her chest and empty it, and it would fill back up. In...a week? Month? Hour? No telling. She was in pain. I could see it in her eyes. I sat on the floor with her in my arms as the shot took her, quietly, and I cried like a little girl. I'm crying now, recounting it. The last one I lost was Calvin, my 18 year old Aussie. Got him as a pup (Kayla too). Calvin hadn't been able to go upstairs for a few months at night, but he slept fine in the living room (once I got him to stop trying to come up, he kept wanting to keep an eye on his pack!). Then, he stopped that and kept wanting to come up, clawing and whining. Other than steps he was good -alert, active, eating, processing, playing with the others as much as he could, definitely not a hermit/old man. Then one morning (he started sleeping outside in the doghouse when he refused to quit trying to come upstairs at night- did that for about 2 months), he couldn't get up. Was in the doghouse, covered in his mess, couldn't get up overnight to go do his thing. Eyes were alert but I could tell he was tired. Ate a good dinner the night before, we played a bit, he batted at the others like usual before bed, nothing to indicate any issues other than the fact he was 18. I got him out, cleaned him off, carried him to the truck, and took him to the vet. The other 2 dogs could tell as we left. I asked the vet if there was anything that could be done...sure. We can keep him alive but he's going to hurt. And not move very well. He's not sick. He's not injured. He's just...18. And he's tired. And now, he doesn't hurt anymore. And I'm crying again. I couldn't bring myself to keep either of them around, just for my own selfish wants. Both of them would have soldiered on, hiding as much of the pain from me as they could, because that's what dogs do. And I couldn't make them do that. I couldn't relegate them to pain, in the name of keeping myself happy. Calvin also went to sleep in my arms. No shaking, no whining, just peaceful sleep. They were both so good to me for so many years, it was the least I could do to repay them. |
