I am sure that a lot of people think that the grief experienced from the loss of a long time companion is crazy, but I can tell you, mine is real, very real. My wife and I had to put down our 14 year old shis tzu (Casey) yesterday. This was one of the most excruciating, painful things that I have ever experienced. This is the 2nd time we have had to go thru this horrible experience. Both times, these loveable, cuddly dogs, contracted glaucoma, causing them to become blind. Our 1st shis tzu had back problems her entire life. Our 2nd one was basically healthy his entire life until his blindness. Both of these adorable creatures filled our life with joy and happiness. They would meet us at the door every day coming home from work. They could not wait for us to pick them up and hug them. They would shower us with "kisses". They were not pets, not dogs, they were our children, as we weren't blessed with any human children. Unfortunately, Casey had developed a cough, almost a crupe cough sound, that he could not shake. He had been on a couple types of medication for about 6 weeks. At one point, I thought that he had gotten over it, but it returned even worse. When he was enduring one of these coughing spells, it broke my heart. I'm not sure if it caused him to be in pain, but it had to hurt him every time they started. He was also on drops for his eyes, and some mild pain relief for arthritis. Before this cough, he would lay beside us on the couch all night, content to be in our lap or cuddled up beside us, especially the wife. After he developed the cough, he was unable to do that. He would rest for a short time and then he would have to move around before he could settle down again. Maybe that was a sign of pain, and I just wouldn't see it. In bed, he would sleep between us, with his head on one of our pillows. You can't believe how this caused us to love him even more. This morning, I awoke at 5 a.m. and saw the snow coming down. My first thought was that Casey didn't like the snow, then it hit me, he was gone, never to see the snow again, and I will never see him again. Funny he didn't like the snow, as he was snow white, with a soft cottony coat and a touch of gold on his ears. We called him our angel, and know he is with the angels, and my parents. Sorry for the ramblings of a 67 year old man that can't stop crying over his best friend's passing.
Grieving the loss of a pet..........my best friend
- Thread starter bnewt
- Start date
Thank you for sharing. I'm very sorry for your loss.
Very sorry for your loss.
I help with a rescue and I'm sort of a doggie hospice guy for nice old dogs that just want a couch to crash on for their few remaining years. It sucks every time one of them have to go. Never gets any easier. Most recently my old buddy I had for 3 1/2 years passed last month. Best old man ever. I miss him every day, but I know he wouldn't have wanted me to stop helping dogs in his spot, so I'll keep fostering.
But yeah, it sucks a whole bunch. I hope it gives you peace knowing what a great life you gave your boy.
I help with a rescue and I'm sort of a doggie hospice guy for nice old dogs that just want a couch to crash on for their few remaining years. It sucks every time one of them have to go. Never gets any easier. Most recently my old buddy I had for 3 1/2 years passed last month. Best old man ever. I miss him every day, but I know he wouldn't have wanted me to stop helping dogs in his spot, so I'll keep fostering.
But yeah, it sucks a whole bunch. I hope it gives you peace knowing what a great life you gave your boy.
I feel your pain. My cat of 19 years past away last Monday from kidney failure. Her mother had bandoned her in my garage when she was 2 weeks old so started bottle feeding her and she imprinted on me as her "person". She past away in my arms peacefully. I am having her cremated and will have her ashes back tomorrow.
Our dog is almost 15 years old. Absolutely dread the day she passes. She is like a daughter to us. I had a Cuddle Clone made of her and plan to give to my wife after she is gone.
We lost Maddie 7 years ago. She was a boxer. Boxers are known as the clowns of the dog world and she was a barrel of laughs. We took daily walks of one to two hours. If I was late, she would bring me her leash. She loved everybody and despite her size, she thought she was a lap dog.
Sorry for your loss bnewt, I know it's tough, as we love them almost like our own flesh and blood.
I lost a dog 10 years ago and told myself at the time that I would never go through that again. Two years ago I "semi retired", and after a couple of months of being alone quite a bit, ( my son had just started his first year at the university), I decided to adopt another one at our local shelter. He was surrendered to the shelter with his litter mates, and spent his first 11 months living there until I came along and just immediately knew we were meant for one another. He's my buddy.
I would just say, try to think of all the joy your dog brought to you, but perhaps more importantly, the joy and love you and your wife gave in return. I'll be thinkin' of you my BBN brother; you'll get through it, and it won't be easy, but you and your wife have each other to lean on in this difficult time.
WW.
I lost a dog 10 years ago and told myself at the time that I would never go through that again. Two years ago I "semi retired", and after a couple of months of being alone quite a bit, ( my son had just started his first year at the university), I decided to adopt another one at our local shelter. He was surrendered to the shelter with his litter mates, and spent his first 11 months living there until I came along and just immediately knew we were meant for one another. He's my buddy.
I would just say, try to think of all the joy your dog brought to you, but perhaps more importantly, the joy and love you and your wife gave in return. I'll be thinkin' of you my BBN brother; you'll get through it, and it won't be easy, but you and your wife have each other to lean on in this difficult time.
WW.
We don't deserve dog (or cats), we have always had pets since my daughters we're tiny. They are grown women now with kids of their own and we have had many fur babies in our lives.
Hated each time we have had to make the decision to let them go.
Never let anyone make you think the loss is insignificant, the pain and the loss are real.
When you are ready/able, get another dog, each are special and the love will be different, but just as real.
Peace be with you!
Hated each time we have had to make the decision to let them go.
Never let anyone make you think the loss is insignificant, the pain and the loss are real.
When you are ready/able, get another dog, each are special and the love will be different, but just as real.
Peace be with you!
We've had 4 cats and 3 dogs in 37+ years of marriage and having to put one down has never been easy. Most of our pets have lived 14+ years and, of course, we got very attached to them. While I'm not an advocate of family leave for a pet death, I was heartbroken 7 times. Our current dog is 9 and very much a lap dog. He's very small (~ 10 lbs) and is a great companion. I'll be inconsolable for days when he goes (hopefully, not for another 10 years). Sorry for your loss. Every one hurts immensely.
Sorry about your loss. It'll get better but that's easy for someone not yourself to say. Since my Wife and I have been together we've had to put down a pair of buddies in a cat and dog. We're on our 2nd pair of buddies now. Our sweet Bichon is about 14 years old and she's going blind and just had more teeth pulled a few weeks ago and her blood work was great. The cat is about 10. They both like to cuddle up with us on the couch and like their lovins we give them. I don't want to think about the future without them but know that it'll come.
Tough to lose a pet. One thing that helps is to realize that you did a good thing by providing them a good home. There are plenty out there not so fortunate, when you are ready for another friend.
thanks for the kind words, as well as your own memories.
it truly is remarkable how loving our pets are
just another gift from God that we take for granted
we are fortunate that we have a companion for Casey.
she is usually very loveable, but now she just stays in her bed, and isn't very anxious to eat. I believe that
she is missing him as well. They were best friends as well.
it truly is remarkable how loving our pets are
just another gift from God that we take for granted
we are fortunate that we have a companion for Casey.
she is usually very loveable, but now she just stays in her bed, and isn't very anxious to eat. I believe that
she is missing him as well. They were best friends as well.
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I have one now that is just over 14 years old that we picked up from a rescue shelter that was the last one of 6 puppies that were dropped off there. She was the odd one out of 6 Pyrenees mixes that was left that did not look like a Pyrenees. She had no tail and very short fur. She has turned out to be the best dog me and my wife have had so far and is on her last leg. She struggles to get up now so we know she will not be here much longer. When she is gone she will be greatly missed as she is part of our family, and we are part of her pack.
I've had more dogs and cats than I can count, but this is why I have none now. The process of going through grief after having them put down or them dying is just something I'm not willing to go through anymore.
The last pair of dogs I had was an Aussie and border collie. They were inseparable until I had to put the border down because she lost her mind at fourteen. The Aussie lost all interest in life after she died, wouldn't eat, wouldn't do much of anything but look for her. He died two months later.
I had a Siamese cat since I was ten. The Chinese killed her with their poisoned pet food many many years ago. Knowing that I fed her that food kills me. I still feel that loss.
Sorry for the loss of your pet. Just remember that you provided them a good home while they were alive and that you gave them a better life than they could have otherwise expected. They know.
The last pair of dogs I had was an Aussie and border collie. They were inseparable until I had to put the border down because she lost her mind at fourteen. The Aussie lost all interest in life after she died, wouldn't eat, wouldn't do much of anything but look for her. He died two months later.
I had a Siamese cat since I was ten. The Chinese killed her with their poisoned pet food many many years ago. Knowing that I fed her that food kills me. I still feel that loss.
Sorry for the loss of your pet. Just remember that you provided them a good home while they were alive and that you gave them a better life than they could have otherwise expected. They know.
Completely understand. I’m so sorry for your loss. Just know you gave Casey the best life he could have possibly had.
Pets bring us immeasurable joy. The worst part about owning a pet is knowing that one day losing them will break your heart into bits. I take solace in knowing that while pets are part of our lives, we are their entire lives. Humans could learn from animals about unconditional love.
I still have a hard time getting over our most recent loss in 2020. Had an 8 y/o female beagle who was the best girl in the world. In May of 2020 I was petting her and noticed a huge lump on her throat. Took her in. She was biopsied and they found rapid spreading lymphoma. They estimated she had another 6 months. Within 5 weeks, our girl was dead (Tumor ruptured in her stomach causing internal bleeding.)
This happened at the height of COVID and the vet wasn’t going to let us come inside for euthanasia. We begged and pleaded as two crying grown adults. My wife mentioned that this dog had severe separation anxiety and we couldn’t leave her to die alone. They relented and let us be there for her final moments. We held her so tightly. I will never forget leaving that place in a snot-covered COVID mask. We still feel cheated that we didn’t get to have her for 12-16 years like most dogs. I still heard her little paws going across the linoleum floor in the kitchen for weeks after she passed. I’m getting choked up retelling the story now.
Pets bring us immeasurable joy. The worst part about owning a pet is knowing that one day losing them will break your heart into bits. I take solace in knowing that while pets are part of our lives, we are their entire lives. Humans could learn from animals about unconditional love.
I still have a hard time getting over our most recent loss in 2020. Had an 8 y/o female beagle who was the best girl in the world. In May of 2020 I was petting her and noticed a huge lump on her throat. Took her in. She was biopsied and they found rapid spreading lymphoma. They estimated she had another 6 months. Within 5 weeks, our girl was dead (Tumor ruptured in her stomach causing internal bleeding.)
This happened at the height of COVID and the vet wasn’t going to let us come inside for euthanasia. We begged and pleaded as two crying grown adults. My wife mentioned that this dog had severe separation anxiety and we couldn’t leave her to die alone. They relented and let us be there for her final moments. We held her so tightly. I will never forget leaving that place in a snot-covered COVID mask. We still feel cheated that we didn’t get to have her for 12-16 years like most dogs. I still heard her little paws going across the linoleum floor in the kitchen for weeks after she passed. I’m getting choked up retelling the story now.
your painful memories of lost pets are helping me thru this nightmare. I grew up on a farm, surrounded by horses, cows, pigs and dogs. My mom was very strict that no dogs were allowed in the house. It wasn't until after I was married that this changed. My wife had a small mixed dog that she loved dearly. It passed in her arms of heart failure. It wasn't long before we had our 1st shih tzu. These "pets" truly are man's best friend, and it is devastating when they pass.
Our dog Norman has laryngeal paralysis. It can cause him difficulty breathing unless he’s kept very calm. He’s about 13. We scheduled his last day twice now, but he managed to rally. I know he’s only got months left.
Ironically, we got him for our daughter. She was an only child. Our thoughts were that a dog would be a good companion for her in case something happened to me or my wife. Our daughter gained her wings almost 6 years ago, so Norman has been a comfort for me and my wife.
Ironically, we got him for our daughter. She was an only child. Our thoughts were that a dog would be a good companion for her in case something happened to me or my wife. Our daughter gained her wings almost 6 years ago, so Norman has been a comfort for me and my wife.
I am sorry for your loss bnewt. It is never an easy thing to go through. Casey was very loved. I hope you and you wife may find comfort in your memories of him. Shih Tzus are very adorable and loving dogs. I have lost 2 dogs in the past 2 1/2 years, one a 16-year-old Shih Tzu and miss them ever so much. The only thing that has helped me get through has been saving the life of another one that needs it from an animal shelter after losing my white shepherd back in June.
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