I’m so sorry for your loss, Duke.
May I make a practical suggestion in addition to these expressions of sympathy? Notify your vet. This can save you from the heartbreak of re-opening old wounds months from now when you receive a notice to bring Abby in for shots, etc.
Take heart in knowing that you were able to give this dog a great life, and that she was in the presence of the ones who loved her when she died.
My sympathies to you and your family Duke, you did lose a member of your family.
We had to put our dachsund of 7 years down in December; that was a very hard couple of weeks, for me, my children, even for Demo, though he won’t admit it.
The sympathies I received here honestly helped ease my pain a bit, warmed my heart.
Treasure your memories, sounds like Abby will be loved for a long time to come.
Best Wishes.
Shannon
((((Duke))))
So sorry to hear about your beloved Abby. She sounds like she was a wonderful friend.
Brynda
I read this all again.
I’ve lost lots of people and critters in my life, and have slowly hit the point where I am trying to cherish those left a little better. Pretty much anything is an improvement to how I used to be.
These are my dogs-
{{{{{Frankie, Johnny, Cherry, Royal}}}}}}}
my cats- less cause they don’t like the lovin so much except on their terms-
(((Rightcat, Pokecat, Missycat, Littlecat, Little Man, Bebecat, Hairball, Motorhead, Raggycat)))
And the humans I miss
((((((((Mom, Kelly, Shannon, Shawn, Kerri, Kevin, Tony, Conor, my sweet, sweet boy, and Dustin, my sweet boy, Derek and Tess, I love you and Patsy and Dannelle))))))))))))
Fuck, I’m cryin…
Thanks Duke. I mean that.
I’m gonna kind of spoil the dogs tonight.
{{{{{{Duke}}}}}}}my heart really goes out to you, my eleven year old dog, Molly, had to be put to sleep right before Christmas, and I’m still grieving and missing that black and white powerhouse knocking me down to come inside. Animals get in your heart, twisting you 'round their lil paws don’t they? But, we are made better by the love we give away and that’s what we do to pets, and they do it back with heaps of adoration too.
God Bless you, hon.
Good for Abby that she went so quickly and probably painlessly…I feel for you, though, to have had such a shock! We pet lovers usually have the small comfort of anticipating our pet’s passing, especially when they die of natural causes, but this sounds like a real kick in the head.
I’m sorry for your loss. Having lost 3 dogs in less than 6 months last year, I know exactly what you’re going through. My condolences…
stoid
I’m so sorry for your loss, Duke. I know how sad it is to lose a furry family member, especially so suddenly with no warning. Take comfort in knowing that for all the joy she brought to you, she felt equal happiness in your family’s loving care.
May she rest in peace.
Abby was part of your family, Duke, a wonderful part. Dogs give so much uncomplicated, unconditional love if people will just accept it. They become such a joyous part of life it’s all the more painful that their life spans can’t match ours. And never doubt that the love ran both ways. Nothing is more heart-wrenching than watching the mute, bewildered misery of a dog whose human has died or left.
Your Abby was thoroughly loved and loving, and she had the best life a dog could want.
{{{Duke}}}
Veb
I want to thank everyone who has replied to my post. I’m still missing Abby. The night after she died I had a dream that she was still alive, and when I went downstairs she would still be there, sleeping on the couch like she did every day. (I also wondered in the dream how I was going to tell everyone on the SDMB that Abby was still alive!) But I knew when I woke up that she wasn’t going to be there.
My Mom and I had a really sad journey yesterday morning when we had to take Abby to the vet to be cremated. It was upsetting for Mom and for me too; I had to carry her into the vet’s office. Her ashes are going to be buried alongside those of my aunt’s dogs Tramp and Skipper, a mutt and a beagle who Abby loved to play with, and who both died about three years ago.
It’s a lot quieter around the house now, but we’re all starting to adjust to life without Abby now.
Again, thank you all for your replies. It’s been good to hear from people who care.
we’ve had a lot of snow to shovel. It’s times like this when I miss our dog Duchess, who was fifteen and a half when she died this summer.
When I shoveled snow she would come out with me, and find one of her tennis balls and keep bringing it to me to throw (she played the fetch game until a day before she died).
She would bring it back so quickly that I had to figure out really hard places for her to retrieve it from, like deep drifts, or fake the direction I was throwing, so I could get some shoveling done between throws.
Duke, although I am agnostic, I still hope that somehow there is an after-life, and that our dogs are playing there happily, waiting for us.