I’ve been debating posting this, but you (Dopers in general) are my peeps, and “deserve” to know.
I found out two weeks ago, and my world, inner and outer, is transformed almost daily.
If I do not respond, or do so only in the most laconic of ways, please forgive me; my IRL peeps keep me busy with externalizing my working this through/following it until I can hardly take it any more. Much more fun to be goofy and occupied (both) in GQ and Thread Games, my usual haunts.
My Golden Retriever and Service Dog, Buddy, was diagnosed with multiple, metastasic cancer of the liver, spleen, and who knows what other organs. In addition to those clocks, the tumor on his spleen, I’m told, could blow at any time for more or less instant death.
I’m so sorry Leo. He will be in Heaven soon, all dogs go there, and he’ll remember his best friend for eternity. Be strong now for him, he wants to know his best friend is still alright. There will be time to grieve later.
Oh, I am so sorry to hear this. Dogs are such a wonderful part of life. My condolences on his illness. May your strength carry him through his last days as he has undoubtedly aided you in the past.
My wife and I put ours down last July. She’s still broken up about it. I am too, but I know that their lifespans are what they are and our lifespans are what they are. When you buy a dog, that’s part of the price tag.
Our boy had seizure issues and they just got more and more frequent and it got to the point where the medication wasn’t helping anymore. The vets said that eventually he’d go into a seizure and not come out. It hurts like hell, but what can you do?
(Winston was a Golden, as well. He was 11. He was our second, the first lived to 13.)
Oh shit, Leo, I’m so sorry for you. IME, Chacoguy’s right: make a plan now for how you want to handle the emergency—line up where you’d like to have Buddy taken care of, have the car ready, have the funeral arrangements ready (cremation? individual or joined? etc…), make sure everything’s set up. Because if you’re like me when it was my namesake’s last day, you’ll be a wreck. And things will go easier for you if you’ve laid everything out ahead of time.
You will get through it though and it does get better. I still think about her pretty much every day, but I remember the good days a lot more than the pain of losing her.
Goldens are wonderful. Just so eager to please and so loving. I’m glad you were able to have Buddy for as long as you have. He sounds like a great dog.
I’m so sorry to hear it. There’s a saying, “Better a week too early than a day too late”. Keep a close eye on him, because you don’t want him to suffer needlessly.
My condolences. Dog will break your heart every time.
Leo, that just sucks. I had to put down my Bestest Kitty in the World ™ at the end of August due to cancer. He was also too young. To lose your best friend and service dog at the same time is just terrible. May he be comfortable, may his passing be peaceful, and know that you are special to him as he is to you.
I’m very sorry Leo. I lost my Monkeydog (All dog, just named Monkey) on NYE this past year. It was very hard. I’m sure you’ve given your pup the best life. Hugging you hard!
I’m so sorry. The contract we sign with our pets and service animals is to our own advantage for the first while. We get so very much love and devotion in return for some kibble and ear scritches and the annual veterinary checkup. And when we reach the end of our time with our babies, it’s time to pay the return. We make the hard decisions in return for that devotion. It’s worth the price, but it’s so hard. I’m sorry.
Choosing to form a relationship with a pet is like signing a contract, giving you a few years of joy followed by the sorrow of loss, which although increasingly diminishing, will last you forever. You make a gamble, betting that you are mentally prepared for that loss.
The more you invest, the more you loose. And you will loose.
The teachings of life, how enticing. But what would be the right thing to do here, provided you have the will to choose for yourself?;
Forget about the past to better live in the present?
Or cling to the memory, living in anguish?
Either answer is cruel in its own way, as is choosing. Is it even the right choice to form the relationship to begin with?
The answer, in my opinion, is rather ambiguous and therefore not something that should carelessly be conveyed.
But I do hope that you find a way to move on, or not, as long as you impose clarity to your decisions.
