Yesterday

[kbuzbee]

Thanks guys. Yours thoughts and well wishes mean a lot. We're trying to be upbeat as we have our grandkids today, but honestly, we both just want to cry.

Even our younger dog is missing him, which we honestly didn't expect. She's kinda "all about her" if you know what I mean? But she's clearly out of sorts today.

Ken

[ManixFan]

I love dogs. I like most dogs a lot more than most people. I don't know you but I can empathize with the loss of your little buddy. It took me a few years after the loss of my last dog to a brain tumour at 10yrs old (110lb intact male Shepherd-Rotti). He was my first dog and when I got my next dog (a currently 4yr old spayed 80lb Shepherd-Rotti female) I treated her even that much better after realizing what a gift it is to have the unconditional love of a dog in your life. With my first dog, until you realize the reality of the shorter life span it is easier to take the little guy for granted as part of your life. My new dog gets a ton of loving and is quite the ham and does things to tease me at times that really show her personality. I know that having lost your dog is a real bummer but I wouldn't wait too long before picking up a new little buddy......unless you want to do a little stint of traveling first - which is always difficult when being a dog owner. I don't think that my current dog has ever spent a night without my company since I got her as a 3 month old puppy.

[ManixFan]

Oh, just read your last post - I didn't realize that you had another dog as well. Maybe after she starts to feel a little lonely she might welcome a new little friend.

[kbuzbee]

I wouldn't wait too long before picking up a new little buddy......unless you want to do a little stint of traveling first - which is always difficult when being a dog owner. I don't think that my current dog has ever spent a night without my company since I got her as a 3 month old puppy.

We've travelled with our dogs (that takes both planning and compromise ) but generally we leave them with a very nice lady who we've known forever. She used to breed dogs (both of our dogs who've passed were from her) These days she just does occasional boarding and grooming.

We may at some point get Mysti a brother or sister, but, as hard as these losses are on me, they are 500% harder on my wife. It took her 5 years after Tyler before she could even consider adding Mysti to our lives, but she's been a joy every single day. Mysti was from HALO, a Havanese rescue organization. We were thrilled to work with them and, if we do at some point, want to increase our family, they will be our first call.

Ken

[DeathBySnooSnoo]

I am very sorry ot hear that Ken. I have a dog that I had to give up when I had my kidney transplant, but he went to some friends, and I absolutely dread the day that happens...They are part of the family for sure.

All my best to you and your wife.

[OldSarSwmr]

Sorry to hear this, Ken. Find peace in the fact that your buddie gave your family so many years of unconditional love. You each enhanced each other's lives.
Take care, buddy.

[Jazz]

Sorry for your loss, Ken.

[Rayd]

Condolences on your loss.
Dogs have been a part of my life since the day I was born and it's never easy when they pass on.

[noseoil]

Ken, so sorry for your loss. It's a difficult decision to make, but I'm sure you made the right one. The little guy is waiting for you now and is in a good place.

[benben]

So sorry to hear Ken. We just went through this with our 15yo wirehaired pointer so I feel your pain. As far as his decline it
makes perfect sense. Sounds like he had a great life. You and your family will be talking about all the crazy things he did for
years & years and it will always bring a smile to your face. Again, so sorry.

[MadRookie]

Condolences - always a hard call to make and the hurt is not enjoyable.

Focus on the good side of it.

Regards.

Rookie.

[kbuzbee]

Thanks fellas! I gotta say, this was, in some ways easier on us than our last dog. He'd been battling cancer and seemed to be winning, then he suddenly cratered. This we've known was coming for two years and the last two weeks were day to day. No surprises. Still hard but the transition kinda eased the pain... A bit.

Ken

[tonydahose]

Sorry Ken.

[Water Bug]

Sorry to hear of your loss, Ken.

We had a German shepard years ago who eventually got to the point where he couldn't get up and seemed to have decided to just stay right where he laid outside and wait for the inevitable. He was too big to get to the veternarian, so the vet was kind enough to make a trip out to the house. The dog made only a slight whine and looked towards the sensation of the prick of the needle then he laid his head down, closed his eyes, and appeared to wait for what he seemed to know was coming... that was hard to watch, but he seemed to be content and peaceful.

[SpyderNut]

Not to hijack this thread or anything...

I just wanted to share that we just found out this week that our five-year-old Maltese has an enlarged heart (Stage IV). The vet said this is fairly concerning, considering her heart was not in this condition back on her last visit in Dec. '13. So now she's been prescribed a new cardio med (Enalapril) twice daily to try and keep her heart from fruther enlargement. It's really been kind of tough to accept this because the cardio damage is already done and irreversible. I know it sounds kind of silly, but once you develop an emotional attachment to your pet(s), it becomes fairly painful to see them suffer or be in poor health. It does make me appreciate each day we have with her, though. Sigh. Thanks for listening.

[kbuzbee]

It was a great place to post it, Michael. I'm so sorry your Maltese was diagnosed with an enlarged heart.

I don't know if this has ANY relevance at all, but Tipper was diagnosed with a heart murmur and an enlarged heart when he was 4. I can't tell you what "stage" it was but our vet recommended a "watch and wait", which we did. Initially, we were very concerned but then one year led into the next. He lived with that for 13 years! Then, in mid 2012 she found (through a routine blood test) that a couple immune factors in his blood were dangerously low. That once they fell below a certain number he would be gone*. I don't recall the exact numbers but, conceptually, if normal is .9 his was .4. .2 was the number the vet gave us as "the end". But he "seemed" fine. I mean, he was getting old. Didn't play like he used to and his vision wasn't what it used to be, but you'd never have thought he was "sick". Over the next three months we monitored him and it kept falling... .31, .26, .21. In October she gave him a month to live, so we stopped having him tested. But he just kept going... He lived until August if THIS year. He was 9 pounds of pure strength (meaning spirit) and the the most gentle souls you'd ever want to know.

I hope your Maltese has a long and happy life with you. Dogs add so much to our world.

Ken

* Her suspicion was bone cancer but having gone to HUGE lengths fighting mast cell cancer with our previous dog, we swore we were never putting another dog through that. Given that, she didn't see any reason to test her theory. We were just going to manage any pain he would experience and not try to drag it out. To this day we regret everything we put his brother through. He might have had another 6mo-1 year of good quality life but the cancer "treatments" made his last 6 months miserable, and, in the end, we believe they, not the cancer, were what killed him. Never again...

[SpyderNut]

Thank you, Brother, for sharing that with me about Tipper. It is comforting to know that we may have more time with Poppy despite her condition. You hit the nail on the head regarding dogs adding so much good to our lives. Thank you again, Ken.