Lost my best friend today...

[P15-D24]

After 14 years Ruby and I made that dreaded final trip to the vet.  We were not able to control her seizures with meds and they were doing serious damage. She joins her old best friend Lucky (the black lab in the garage pic) and is survived by her step-sister Taco (both loved to play "get me") and loved by all she met. A true gentle soul who could make you smile with a big lick. She also knew how to kick back when the work was done!  Every time I have to go through this I swear I won't get another but we need 4 legged companions.  For those of you who may face this decision at some time in the future it is never easy but euthanasia is the greatest gift of love, when you take away their pain and trade it for your own. We already miss you dearly Ruby.

ruby_and_taco.mp4

 

 

ruby_and_taco.mp4

[Fastback50]

So sorry to hear about your loss.  My fiancé and I can't have kids and our 9 yr. old German Shepherd IS our kid, basically.  I know how they really are part of the family, and dread the day I have to make that drive to the vet with him.  Condolences.

 

J

[Reg Evans]

 

Sorry.  I feel your pain.   Been through it many times.

[knuckleharley]

I just went through this with a new "friend" 3 days ago. Rescued a little black female cat from behind a dumpster,and after a few days of eating regular meals she exploded. WAAAY too pregnant with way too many kittens,and she started miscarrying in the house at night. Had 3 still born before I could get her to the vet the next day to have a C-section. She had a total of 8 kittens,and only one survived. A little black tom cat. Strong and loud,and I really thought he was going to make it. Took him home and was bottle feeding him,and he was unbelievably strong and vocal the first day at home. When I went to get him out of his box and blanket for the 6 pm feeding the second day he was dead.

I always adopt adult cats,the older the better,so I am used to them dying on me. Besides,I am old and not all that healthy,and have no business adopting young animals. All my other cats but one had died of old age in the previous  6 months,so I had plenty of room. I had gone to the local animal shelter and picked out a pair of Tuxedo cats for the house,and was looking for a couple of shop cats to put out in the shop with my old sick tom.Both of the females he had been living with had died in recent months,and besides him being lonely,I needed some females out there to catch snakes and mice. The tom couldn't seem to be bothered with trivial stuff like that. The two tuxedo's I moved into the house were jumping up on my chest at night after the second night with mouse tails hanging out of their mouths. Had the house cats kill a copper head in the house a couple of years ago,and the shop cats had killed at least two cottonmouths. They ate one and left the other by the door for me to step on when I went inside the shop.

I picked this cat out from the others behind the dumpster because she was a skinny young adult,and I wanted to tame her out some and get her spayed before she had kittens. My timing obviously sucks.  I figured I could find a home for her after taming her out,and it would give me a little more time to look for a old cat needing a home. The mother cat survived the operation and is already so tame you would think she had never been out of the house,but losing that kitten hit me hard.

Dogs aren't a good fit with me because I live alone in a very remote place full of snakes with tall grass,lots of fleas,and lots of ticks. If I ever let a pet out the house and shop gets infested with fleas and ticks and I just can't have that. Besides,I have had people drop off stray dogs three times in recent years that wandered up to live in the yard and be fed,and none of them lasted more than 3 months before a snake got them. Cats don't usually last much longer.

There is even a bear that at times likes to pass through my yard at night and take a dump by a light pole.

[Dodgeb4ya]

Yep...

Knowing the time is over for a pet and then having to take them in is really tough. Been there... once.. never got another.. too tough.

Sorry to hear of your loss...

[Brent B3B]

 Definitely a tough deal. She looks like she was loved and spoiled 

 

We had to burry our 16 yr old cat in April... he was blind sided by two of the neighbors dogs, on our property, right in front of us. 

 

[linus6948]

I Stood By Your Bed Last Night
I stood by your bed last night, I came to have a peep. I could see that you were crying, You found it hard to sleep.
I whined to you softly as you brushed away a tear, "It's me, I haven't left you, I'm well, I'm fine, I'm here."

I was close to you at breakfast, I watched you pour the tea, You were thinking of the many times, your hands reached down to me.
I was with you at the shops today, Your arms were getting sore. I longed to take your parcels, I wish I could do more.

I was with you at my grave today, You tend it with such care. I want to reassure you, that I'm not lying there.
I walked with you towards the house, as you fumbled for your key. I gently put my paw on you, I smiled and said "it's me."

You looked so very tired, and sank into a chair. I tried so hard to let you know, that I was standing there.
It's possible for me to be so near you everyday. To say to you with certainty, "I never went away."

You sat there very quietly, then smiled, I think you knew, in the stillness of that evening, I was very close to you.
The day is over... I smile and watch you yawning and say "good-night, God bless, I'll see you in the morning."

And when the time is right for you to cross the brief divide, I'll rush across to greet you and we'll stand, side by side.
I have so many things to show you, there is so much for you to see. Be patient, live your journey out ... then come home to be with me. ~Author Unknown

[Skrambler]

So sorry to hear about your loss.

I own a K-9 Boarding Kennel and hear of the passing of clients dogs that I have become very attached to over the past 11 years in business. Simply one of the hardest phone calls to receive. At 14.5, a Corgi that owns me is facing the same in the not too distant future. He is O.K. with it, I will not be!

Condolences....

[knuckleharley]

7 hours ago, Brent B3B said:

 Definitely a tough deal. She looks like she was loved and spoiled 

 

We had to burry our 16 yr old cat in April... he was blind sided by two of the neighbors dogs, on our property, right in front of us. 

 

I hope you killed both of the dogs. I would have.

[Bobacuda]

A friend of mine told me that when he was about 4, his grandfather gave him his first dog.  As they were playing and having fun, his grandpa called him back and said, "I want to apologize right now...I've given you your first heartache."  My friend said that 15 years later, he thought that was true, until he realized his grandpa had really given him his best friend and some of his best memories.  I am on the 8th dog in my life, and I still remember each fondly.

For a bit of healing, watch the clip for an upcoming dog movie (A Dog's Purpose).

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=a+dog's+purpose+youtube&view=detail&mid=4AFA867362972708C0FD4AFA867362972708C0FD&FORM=VIRE

 

[T120]

Very sorry to hear of your loss...Been there and felt the pain.

[John Reddie]

It's always hard losing a pet. I have been through this many times. My deepest sympathy.

John R

[pflaming]

It has been said "You feed a cat but you own a dog". Cats are independent, dogs serve without qualification.  One leaves and another one is waiting to carry the torch. So sorry to hear.

 

[dale]

We have a Wheaton Terrier named Cleo we got at six weeks old who is 14 now and getting pretty feeble  We made up our minds to keep her until she dies.  Got her on pain pills now.  Thought a couple months ago she was almost gone but she has made a remarkable recovery and gets around much better with a good appitite.  Will be a sad day.  Must be an awfull job to work at the vets and have to do the injection while the dog is wagging his tail for you.  Dammit, now I cant see the keyboard because my eyes are watering.

[Dan Hiebert]

Very sorry to hear of your loss.  Our 9 year old German Shepherd was diagnosed with two kinds of cancer over the summer.  We had the tumors removed from her mammary glands so she would be more comfortable, but she also has lung cancer.  With that combination its only a matter of time and quality of life.  She has a mean streak a mile wide (co-workers call her "Cujo"), she's bitten me a few times, and although I'm not pet person, I'll still miss her.  We'll probably have to have her euthanized mid-winter.  The missus is super-attached to "Xena", which will be the hardest part to deal with.

[Don Coatney]

Wife Lisa and I lost our best friend Mick Jagger a few years back. Putting him down was not easy. He was friends with everybody even Plymouthy Adams.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/DonCoatney/Don%20Coatney/Coatney%20Party/TimandMick.jpg[/IMG]

 

[BigDaddyO]

Sorry for your loss.

[plymouthcranbrook]

You all have heard the story about the Rainbow Bridge where all our pets wait for us to cross over and return to them. My youngest daughter a few years ago remarked that when she crosses that bridge, she will be trampled by pets she has loved and who loved her. May you all be trampled like that when your time comes. 

[1949 Wraith]

I am very sorry for your loss. I know your sorrow as we have had to put down two elderly dogs in the past two years. Both had great lives and created many cherished memories. This is a picture of Max, it took him 9 years, but he is now finally Top Dog. He will sit for hours in cars in my shop waiting for a possible ride. All vehicle windows are cover in dog nose prints and the sides of the vehicles are marked with dog slobber as we drive with his head out the window and ears flapping in the wind. A loved companion.

[Reg Evans]

On ‎10‎/‎18‎/‎2016 at 7:32 PM, plymouthcranbrook said:

You all have heard the story about the Rainbow Bridge where all our pets wait for us to cross over and return to them. My youngest daughter a few years ago remarked that when she crosses that bridge, she will be trampled by pets she has loved and who loved her. May you all be trampled like that when your time comes. 

Oh....I'm glad all my dogs have been mini doxie's !

Edited October 20, 2016 by Reg Evans

[knuckleharley]

One of my basic rules when it comes to judging the character of new people I meet is their attitude towards pets,and especially towards dogs.

If you dislike pets,especially dogs,you are lacking an essential character trait necessary for you to ever be trusted enough by me to be an actual friend. The best you will ever be is someone I know and tolerate because you are lacking in humanity and I strongly suspect you may be a sociopath due to your lack of empathy.

Obviously people that don't have pets because of allergies or living circumstances like living in rental property where pets are banned are exempt because of their circumstances.

[Jeff Balazs]

Yes this is a tough one. I feel for you having been through it several times. The thing about dogs is that they bring so much joy into our lives that it hard to not have them around. The one we have now is a honest to goodness rescue project. 3 time loser at the shelter and was on death row. We are getting through his issues and he is a good dog. Most people thought I was crazy to take him on as he had the personality of a wolverine (towards them) but he and I had an understanding from the very beginning. All I can say is that the love you give a dog gets returned a hundredfold.

Jeff

[Don Coatney]

My wife and I have always had pets raging  from dogs and cats to horses and pigs. We lost both our last dog and cat at about the same time. My wife has allergies but she loved her cat. When we moved a couple years ago we both decided that we would not get any more animals. However for my wife's last birthday I did get her a cat. 

 

[knuckleharley]

21 minutes ago, Don Coatney said:

My wife and I have always had pets raging  from dogs and cats to horses and pigs. We lost both our last dog and cat at about the same time. My wife has allergies but she loved her cat. When we moved a couple years ago we both decided that we would not get any more animals. However for my wife's last birthday I did get her a cat. 

 

Don,what I heard is probably wrong,but I have heard that there is at least one breed of cat that doesn't affect allergies.

[Dartgame]

I'm so sorry to hear of your loss. We lost our Dog and Cat within a year of each other - 16 or 17 years ago, both due to age and health.

The best medicine is to go find a new friend at the shelter. We got two rescue cats a year apart after the others were gone.

The oldest of these two cats - Sox - is now 15 1/2, and I dread the day when he goes. He is a Maine coon and the damned smartest, gentle, most handsome, friendly cat we've ever had. Acts like a dog...I feel for you.