OT - having a beloved pet put to sleep

RIP Hope :(

Just keep those special memories close to you and know that you were special friends to each other, she had a complete life with a family that loved her dearly. I know the loss of a pet hurts really bad and I'm sorry for your pain. HUGS

dbab - thank you. We are cherishing our special memories of her and retelling funny stories, some from long ago, some more recently.

artist guy - I'm so very sorry to hear about your sweet dog Amy's outcome. What a beautiful girl she was! I realize it's hard to verbalize how we feel about our pets. My husband is doing less talking about her than my daughters and I are. It's just important for each of us to grieve in our own way and not be pressured to do it another way. I know with me I can't bring myself to put away her toys and food/water bowls. It's all out as if she's still with us. Today or tomorrow I hope to begin packing it all away. You'll know the best time to scatter Amy's ashes. And possibly never. There is no rush and no need to do anything until you are ready.

Thanks again for your replies.

Sometimes I think I like hanging out over on UC forum, it's much more active than this one and sometimes my symptoms are similar to UC. Just reading your reply artist guy reminded me how nice and active the UC forum is.

artist guy - that makes me feel better. Your dog had to have been extra special to be this attached to her. I'm so sorry you lost her too soon.

Well I sent an email to the neighbor with Goldens who was directly responsible for getting a Golden. My husband, daughter and I were about to run errands far from home and everyone getting shoes, coats on. Then I see a tail go by our front door and realize it's a Golden. I said outloud to my family, there's a dog on our front porch and it's a Golden. My daughter briefly thought - mom's cracking up. My husband said - it's as if Hope said, guys I know you miss a Golden, so I sent you one.

Turns out it was the neighbor, he read my email, started tearing up and decided to stop at our house on their walk. We petted his sweet 11 yo Golden, Tucker for about 15 minutes. Steve, the owner said - I wasn't sure if I should come down but then I thought maybe you just need to pet a Golden right now. I did! It helped greatly. Sadly his dog no longer has his eye sight (condition called Sars?). I hadn't been aware because when I walked my dog I could never stop and pet other dogs being walked by their owners. She was always jealous. So sadly now if I want I can pet as many dogs on walks as I want to.

We've been talking about this neighborly visit and it was perfect timing. I am glad I sent them an email now.

Am I do better tonight? No not much but I haven't cried in a few hours. That's a start.

Thanks again artist guy for your replies. They've greatly helped me at this sad time.

Sorry to hear. A couple of years ago I went thru the same when I lost my dog. It borke my heart and I did not put her stuff away fro a long time. I didn't get another dog right away eiter. After all there is no replacement. Zeba is still my best friend and the pain is still there. I did get 2 more dogs since love them tremendously but neither one will take her place in my heart. Allow yurself to greive and try to think of all the pleasant memories you had wih her and don't put a timeline on putting her toys / bowls away why should you?

You know I may post a memorial page to her, it is so hard to realize I won't see her again (well I believe in my heart I will). Thank you alexdog and artist guy for your heartfelt words of comfort. They do really help.

My daughter created a photo album last night and posted it on facebook, I hope this works. At least you can see our beloved pup. I know she is out of pain and romping freely, probably with her best friend Tilly (she passed away several years ago and Hope still looked for her).

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=37607&id=100000904418375&l=e60439aeed

hey marsky, google, A Pet's Prayer

artist guy - that was a wonderful prayer. I may print it and say it on our memorial walk today. We had hoped to walk along our dog's favorite path and haunts 2 days ago but my daughter kept saying she just wasn't ready yet. I need to grieve in my own way so I of course didn't want to push her until she was ready. She leaves to go back to her college campus tomorrow and today our weather is pleasant, high of 54 after having such a cold and snowy December this year (for Cincinnati, it's rare to be that cold in December). As the snow kept falling, I wished the weather had cooperated better and we could have driven our dog to her favorite park and spots. But then as we all say it might have been a very sad walk. Because she was used to going around the park's entire perimeter on a fitness trail with us and to only go part the way might have been too sad for us (and her). Oh how all of this is so raw and difficult - still.

After reading your wonderful tribute to your sweet Amy, I think over the next several weeks I'm going to start a blog of sorts, just getting down my thoughts and typing stories my daughters and husband have shared. Just saved on our word processing docs and do something with them eventually. But for now it may be very therapeutic for me get my thoughts out and down on paper (I do like to type over hand written notes).

On one hand losing Hope just after xmas has been so incredibly sad, but in some ways, we've all been able to be together. As I said my youngest daughter is still in town, so if I can't sleep, I know she'll be up (night owl that she is), my husband had to go to work only 1 day this week so each morning, he's been telling stories about routines he had with Hope on the weekends as he got up for the day (I used to sleep in until 8 or so). He said Hope was just chomping at the bit, waiting to hear me stirring in the morning and if she heard me she'd walk over to him and look at the stairs, as if to say - can I, can I go up and see mommy? So cute. Things she did long before the amputation surgery.

Well, heartfelt thanks to you artist guy - wish I knew your first name (mine's Mary), lol - you've been so kind and I needed to read that I am no alone in my grief. Thankfully I haven't run across a non-pet owner who doesn't understand. I'm careful who I talk with about my sadness. For all of us that had beloved pets that became full fledged family members, you know there is an equal number of non-pet owners who never quite understand our devotion to them. To them I say - you are missing out in life. As my youngest daughter often says - a family isn't complete without a dog mom.

Thanks again.

Mitzi - thank you so much. The grief hopefully will be less in time. Even in your extreme discomfort you thought of you dog. I am so very sorry to hear how you lost your dog while in the hospital. I feel for you, that had to have been terrible to endure. Like you I would have wanted to be there. I'm so sorry you couldn't be.

Today her Vet sent us a print of her paw, in a round clay disc. I cried the minute I opened the bag. They had it wrapped in purple tissue and placed in a white gift box. Along with a sympathy card. Their office name is Paw Print Animal Hospital. Always thought they'd send a print of her paw on paper, with ink but since they hadn't by now I just figured they wouldn't. This round disc is so much nicer. I can put my fingers into it and almost feel her paw on my hand. If that makes any sense.

Artist guy - like you while walking your property and seeing your dog, I swear the other night when I was starting dinner, I saw her walk by with her tail up high as she often would. When I'd start dinner, she'd walk into the kitchen and plop down in her favorite corner. As if to say - now we're starting dinner, okay, I'll hang out with you mom. So cute. So like my dog. But I honestly thought I saw her tail go by.

But wow this is so hard to let her go. Going to take a while.

Yes, we also received the paw print disc in a gift box with a card!  We keep the disc near the urn with her ashes on a table near the fireplace.  There are bits of fur mixed in the dried clay, which makes it even more precious.  I thought it was something my vet did with her patients, but I guess it's something that is being done by many animal hospitals.

We have her "sister", also a senior dachshund, a rescue Lab mix we got from Animal Control on her last day there before the dreaded injection, and last year a rescue Chihuahua/Pekingnese.  But the memories of Abigail remain.  I love each dog so much...they are all special.  I'm sure we all do!!

I hope your grief becomes less over time.

Marsky, Glad you adopted a new dog. :)

I still miss the pets I have lost for sure, but it does get a little easier with time. You never forget though.

Glad to hear you have a new friend.

Hope your doing well all in all.

Hi Mary. I'm so glad to hear you have a new addition to your family. I've been through the pain of losing beloved pets, and it's one of the hardest things to go through. But you're right, we shouldn't ever try to replace the lost pet, each pet has it's own personality. My current dog, Ginger, is 11 now, and I find myself babying her and hugging her more. I know God has given our pets a certain lifespan and all we can do is give them the best life we can. And look how much more they give us back!!!! I hope Toby and you have many years of happiness together.

BTW: I've been doing very well since my surgery. Best decision I've ever made  . 

God bless!!!!

                                 Tom

Hey all - last night as I tried to fall asleep at 11:30, I began experiencing the awful pains in the rectal area, not quite as bad as some describe here as the spasm type but close. I knew I couldn't sleep like this, it was far too painful and my stool difficult to pass. So I got up, starting sipping hot tea, walking around my house, doing squats and leg lifts, and thought okay, I'd better get our puppy up out of his crate (kept in a front room not near the family room/powder room area). He was as good as gold, slept with me in the bathroom, until 3 am. So sweet. Thought he'd be a handful and hyper but he was sleepy. He just kept letting out these sighs as if to say - there, there, I'm here. It was as if my beloved Hope told him to do that (now you all know I'm some wacky dog owner). I hate when I get into this stool stage, it seems as if they didn't create an opening that's large enough but it's actually from inflamation and my stool not being soft enough. I realized I probably had skipped a few stool softener doses and not eaten enough fruit.

So what a night I had but my new "therapy" dog performed beautifully! As if he knew just what to do to make me feel better. I knew then and there we had made the right decision in getting another dog.

I am able to work today, thankfully. By giving up sleep and letting my crazy GI tract work itself out for 3 hours, I'm feeling better now. Not as close to 100% as I can be, but close.