This sucks, my dog is dying.

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

This really sucks, poor dog was born with bad kidneys, and I’ve known this for a couple of years. They told me I would be lucky if she lived to be 3, well, here we are 3 years and 1 week old and I really don’t think she will see tomorrow morning.

They wouldn’t fix her because they were scared of what the anesthesia(sp?) would do to her kidney’s, no problem. Installed a 9000V electric fence to keep other dogs out. Whenever she went into heat she would lose 10 lbs or so really quick, well, this last time a few months ago, she didn’t gain it back. She always had plenty of good high quality dog food, which did nothing but make her sister fat(fixed), I would much rather have 1 fat dog and one live dog than one skinny dog. Looks like I’m going to only have one fat dog now.

When she didn’t gain back weight a few months ago, I started with the cooking good dog food for her. Trying to remember renal diets from my nursing home days. Good stuff, I was eating it too, of course I spiced mine up a bit and maybe added some green chile. She was eating good until about wednesday, and at least maintaining weight, a little slower than she used to be, but still happy and bouncing.

She now hasn’t eaten in almost 48 hours and for a dog that weighed 80 when she was skinny (boxer lab mix), her stomach/waist is smaller than my 7lbs cat stomach. It happened fast, like 5 days, she’s lost I’d guess 20lbs.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3003/2788237997_bf5e1f81c6.jpg?v=0
The one with the red collar.

So today I get home around noon, the poor little girl won’t even come out of her doghouse, and a damn fine doghouse it is. I get her out of the doghouse and she slowly comes inside and I go to take a leak, she’s trying to get up in her recliner(it really is hers, I haven’t sat in it in 2 years) and shes standing there, her head against the back of the chair and convulsing, I’ve never seen a seizure, but I’m guessing that is what it was. I picked her up, put her on the couch, laid her down and she just kept bouncing, it sucked, she finally stopped, I got her to drink some water.

I stayed with her for a while, then wandered over to the computer, she seemed OK, or at least alive. I look over a bit later and she is convulsing badly, especially her head, what drew my attention was my cat hauling ass toward the couch(Lucy is the cat). She jumped up there and curled up with the dog(the sick dog is Cleo BTW), and started licking and nuzzling her. Very strange, Lucy usually pretty much ignores the dogs, but I know cats are smart and can be very attentive when somebody is sick or dying.

I figured that was it, I was wrong, I stayed with Cleo, talked to her, pet her. Lucy nuzzled her and licked her for at least a half hour until she stopped convulsing. Cleo’s sister Daisy, the fat dog, she’s all confused as to whats going on, but she came up and curled up around Cleo too, very calm and gentle like, and Daisy is neither calm or gentle, she is THE bull in the china shop.

Right now, both dogs are on the couch, butt to butt, asleep, and Lucy is rolling around on the floor in a patch of late day sunlight, staring at me like I’m doing something wrong by not rubbing her belly.

Well, the vet opens at 8am tomorrow, if she’s still kicking, I’m putting her down. If I had a gun and some balls I would do it right now. I really wish she would just get better or die(I wish I could make it all better). Sounds selfish of me, but this really sucks, I guess this is the official definition of limbo. I can’t even imagine having to go through this with a parent.

I hate putting an animal down, I’m far too big of a pussy to take it like a man.

Now what do I do with Daisy? These two were best buds before they were even born. She’s been going wacky here the past couple of days, she’s knows something is really wrong. She’s only been alone a few times in the yard at my house, and everytime she was, she shit on my sidewalk. I’m self employed and have 1 acre fenced in at the shop, do I take her to work everyday? I took both of them up there once in a while, so its familiar territory. Do I get a new pup so Daisy has a new bud? I don’t know what to do.

Sorry for the ramble. Its easier to type than to pick up the phone, I don’t think my voice is working so good right now. Did I mention this sucks.

I’m not looking for sympathy, I just want to know I’m not crazy, and what do I do with my fat dog?

2

Well, you might be crazy after all for posting a long-assed message about a dying dog. Don’t get me wrong here: I cried when we had to put down our last dog, but a dog is a dog! You know they have a lifespan of what, 8 to 14 years? Putting a dog down is sad, for sure, but in the overall scheme of things it’s a speed bump in life.

3

Who peed in your Cheerios?

bubba jr, I’m sorry you’re dealing with this. It sucks to have to deal with that. I’ve had to have 4 of our ferrets put to sleep over the years, and it’s tough to do, but (I’ll pull out the phrase one of the vets used) sometimes it’s the last caring act of an owner towards a pet.

Take it one day at a time on Daisy, see how she reacts. She might adapt better than you think, it’s tough to say.

4

You’re right, I’ve lost dogs before, 3 previously, old age, old age and parvo. This just sucks, right now, if I wasn’t here right now, I’d be fine, if she was gone by now, I’d be fine. Thats why I put this in MUNDANE POINTLESS stuff, I just needed to vent for a few. Still sucks.

5

I’m sorry about what’s happening. It’s never easy to lose a pet, especially when it happens so early. As far as how to help Daisy cope with the loss, sometimes it helps to bring the other dog along so they can at least smell and see the deceased dog after they’ve been put down. It gives them a sort of closure outside of “my sister just disappeared one day and I don’t know why”. Most vets will accommodate this for you.

6

Well, what a mean, shitty thing to say. Long-assed message? That OP probably took five minutes to type. The guy’s dog is dying, he feels bad, and it helps him to type a short message saying “This really sucks and I feel bad.” I did the same thing when my dog died. You’re an asshole.

…

bubba jr, it does suck. No getting around it. If I were you I’d tell the doctor to try to save the dog even if the anasthesia was risky. A chance is better than none. But it’s your call and though it’s a hard call you obviously care for your dogs, so I’m sure you’ll make the right one.

7

I believe he meant ‘fix’, as in to spay her.

8

Nice threadshitting, Leaffan. Get your rocks off on that one? The OP placed the thread correctly and there have been plenty of others like it. Feel all good about yourself now, having made a cheap attack, entirely unprovoked and undeserved?

Sorry to hear about Cleo, bubba jr. It sounds like you gave the girl a happy life and a good family. It always hurts to lose them. Daisy will miss her for sure. The pack is changing so give yourself, and her, a little time to adjust before introducing a new pup.

9

I’m sorry to hear about your Cleo, bubba jr, she’s a beautiful, beautiful dog.

Just pay extra attention to Daisy and Lucy. They can feel you’re distraught, and they’re upset about all this, hence their atypical behaviour.

We’re lucky to have such companions as our pets, and I know what a calvary it is to watch one go. Take good care.

10

There really is no saving her, when she was about 8 months old and I tried to get her fixed I sprung for the extra blood work, and it showed her kidneys were shot. They wanted to do a bunch of extra tests to find out why, and I wanted to know if it would make a difference, and they said no, then they did and paid for all the tests on their own dime, my vet is absolutely kick ass, turns out she was born with really crappy, really small kidneys, they just couldn’t do their job.

The options were kidney transplant $$$$$$ or dialysis, which I may have done despite costs, but I know how much the pup hates IV’s, I’ve given her plenty(she went through a bush eating phase, juniper to be specific), plus the drive time, 3 hours on the road twice a week, she would have hated that.

People that knew of her problems would tell me “she isn’t sick” and for 2 and 3/4 years she was pretty damn bouncy, friendly, social, active, dumber than a stump, but in a good way. I’ll be better off for having had her, I think she had a good life, I tried to give her a good life, especially knowing she wasn’t going to last.

I almost took her in Friday, but Friday morning she bounced back, hauling ass around the yard barking at who knows what. Poor girl just finished up her 4th seizure of the day, and I’d take her now but the 24/7 clinic is one long drive(I’m in the middle of nowhere) and I’ve heard some awful things about them.

This just sucks sitting here and seeing her suffer, I’ll give kudo’s to the cat, dogs flopping around, and that damn cat is sticking with it, getting smacked all around.

I’m not looking forward to tomorrow morning, but in the grand scheme, It’ll be better, for me and for her.

Thanx to you all, for the advice and kind words. I love the anonymous internet thing, though I did call the one person that could make me feel better(and not pick on me for being a pussy), mom.

11

This is classic example of being a jerk. Knock it off.

12

Hey Bubba

Just wanted to say how sorry I am to hear about cleo. Many of us here have had to experience the loss of a pet, and you’re in our thoughts.

Quasi

13

{{{bubba jr and cleo}}}

You’re not a pussy. It hurts.

14

I’m so sorry. My dog is dying too and I’m miserable even though I’ve gone through this many times before. I hope that tomorrow isn’t too bad for you.

I’m worried about all of my cats when he dies, but this one particularly. He loves him so much.

15

:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

bubba, I wish there was a way to have pets without the heartbreak of outliving them. I’ve been through it many times, and I will go through it again. Take her to the vet in the morning and hold her and love her while they administer the injection. It’s the very least you can do for her.

As for your other dog, give her a few days to see how she does. When one of my dogs died 2 years ago, his littermate was heartbroken and confused. I had kept his kennel and bed in my car after taking him in for the last time. I brought it in a couple of days later and let her sniff it and she was fine after that.

Sorry for what you are going through.

16

Karyn, you stole my cat
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3053/2788237989_d8142c24b9.jpg?v=0

I’ll be OK, there are no more tears left, f’n’ critters. They can really get you by the sack, 10,000 years ago they would have been food, not a member of the family.

Karyn, I’d give you advice on how to handle it, but, I don’t know, this is the worst animal death I’ve dealt with, and the poor girl isn’t even dead yet, which makes it even worse. Putting her down will pretty much be a relief.

I told myself I would give this little girl as good a life for as long as I could, I think I held up my end of the bargain. Its hard as hell putting an animal down, having the balls to be there while its done is even tougher.

I think part of my end of the bargain is to be there, and I will, and it will suck, I don’t want to be, but she’s my pup, and thats my responsibility, I can’t let her die with strangers. It was my decision to have her to begin with, I fed her, I trained her(she may have trained me), I watered her, I gave her shelter, its my decision to terminate her life(for her own good), I need to be there. This is going to suck, if she makes it until the morning. This just sucks.

17

I come here with my tail between my legs and apologize to bubba jr for my insensitive remarks. I offer no excuses.

In retrospect, I was insensitive. I’m wrong. Please accept my apology.

18

I’ve never been called an asshole before in my entire life. I provided an apology and am truly sorry for my insensitive remarks.

Doug

19

That’s good enough for me, Doug. And this is from another guy who’s been known to screw up majorly more than a few times.:slight_smile:

Q

20

bubba jr - You have my condolences for what you are going through. I had to do this a few months ago. It was the right thing and many (MANY) people here helped me through that pain. Ignore the jerks. They do not deserve your attention.