This sucks, my dog is dying.

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
21

Wow - they’re almost identical down to the look on their faces. All of the cats are very attached to the dog, especially my older one, but that little one seemed to bond to him almost from birth. I hope that you’re hanging in there today. Mine seems a bit better today and he’s been eating enough people food for the past few days that he’s putting on a little weight again. Maybe he has longer than we think.

This may be in horrible taste but I have this gruesomely funny story about a time that I had to have a dog put down, although of course it wasn’t funny at the time. He was a very large rottweiler and technically vets aren’t supposed to let you take the body away. No one pays attention to that in rural areas so the vet put the body in the trunk of my car so that I could take him home and bury him. As I’m driving home, my car breaks down in the 90 degree heat and there I am by the side of the road with a big dead dog in the trunk waiting for a tow truck. I was in a panic trying to decide what to tell the guys at the garage if they noticed the smell, or what was going to happen if I needed to leave the car there. I could just see the headlines the next day - “Crazy woman leaves dog in trunk to suffocate”. In the end I told them the truth and had them tow me home instead of to a garage and they were so nice that they helped me carry the body to where I wanted to bury him and dug the hole for me. Then they towed my car back to the garage.

22

She’s gone, she wanted to go out at about 1am, she was really bouncing off the walls, went ouside, peed, wandered around a bit and then camped out in one of her sleeping holes. When I went out to check on her, she was gone. I’m just glad its over.

The fat dog seems OK. I’ll take her to the shop with me today, I have a feeling she’s going to be stuck to me more than usual.

This still sort of sucks, just no where near as much as yesterday sucked.

Thanx.

23

That was really classy, Leaffan.

bubba, my condolences for your loss.

24

I’m glad she’s at peace now. I’m sorry she had such a short life. It’s hard to lose them anytime, but all the harder, I think, when you didn’t get to enjoy them for as long as you normally would. Sounds to me like she had three good years spent with someone who loved her a lot, though.

25

((((Bubba Jr.))))

26

aw, i’m sorry the both of you had such a tough night. it sounds like she passed on in one of her favourite safe spots.

remember the good years you had together.

27

:frowning: Don’t know if you believe in The Rainbow Bridge, but many of us who love our pets do, and we like to believe we’ll see them again.

(((((bubba jr.)))))

Bill

28

I’m so sorry, bubba.

29

Sorry to hear. I lost my best friend a year ago. Dogs get to be so close…it is terrible to lose them.

30

Bubba, I am so sorry you lost your friend. My dog Sasserfred died on Christmas (I got her on Christmas eve 10 yrs ago) and I cried for days. I still expect her to be there and then it hits me that she is gone. The other dog Jacque and Sasser were best buds, and he is just now getting over it. So expect your other dog to take awhile.

It sounds like you were a great companion for Cleo though the way you handled her problems.

31

Well, got her buried, and I’m feeling a hell of a lot better. I buried her at the shop, for my own reasons it seemed more fitting. Mainly I rent and I planned on moving in the next couple of months, I didn’t want to leave her behind, besides all the tools are at the shop. I had to make a pick axe to get through the first 12 inches or so.

Every animal I’ve ever buried always got a crappy pile of rocks, I’m going to get a big ass rock. I’ve got the toys to move up to 15k lbs so, definitely a big ass rock. Then because I have the toys, a nice plaque, probably 316 stainless, maybe some bronze inlays, maybe convert a picture of her and do a nice 3D contour of her, I’ll have some fun with it.

The fat dog, she’s pretty confused, she won’t even chase a tennis ball, and she won’t eat. She did chase a cat and a squirrel today, so that’s good. I don’t think she has been more than two feet from me all day, I always kicked them out when I took a shower, not this morning, she wasn’t moving, she laid on the bath mat.

She’s always a good traveler, but today she got car(truck) sick. She puked all over my seat at the Border Patrol checkpoint. I usually want to puke going through there too, but she really did it, her aim was off, but it wasn’t too bad, she’s known things haven’t been right these past couple of days, so her stomach was very empty.

I have no idea what you are talking about, I will look it up though, when my first dog died, I was 14, she was 16. A while later we got another pup, and his birthday was the same day the first dog died. I thought that was pretty cool.

32

Bubba, I’m sorry for the loss of your pet. I’ve gone through the loss of a dog a couple of times similar to how you lost yours. Knowing the dog is ill and you can’t do anything is a terrible feeling.

Give Daisy as much affection and attention as you can right now. She knows her companion is gone, but dogs seem to bounce back from loss quicker than humans, fortunately. Don’t hurry to get another dog right away just so she’ll have a companion. Wait until the time feels right for you. If you miss the companionship of having two dogs, get another because you really want it, not because you think it’s the right thing for Daisy. If she’s attached to your cat, that may make it easier on her. The last time one of my dogs passed away and I was left with one dog remaining, I thought I’d just keep that dog for the rest of her life and not add another dog until she was gone. That idea lasted three weeks. I adopted a second dog and couldn’t be happier with my decision. He’s a really nice dog and the two are friends. But the point is, I adopted a second dog for my sake, not for the sake of my remaining dog.

I don’t know if you’re a spiritual person, but the Rainbow Bridge is said to be a place where our departed pets’ spirits wait for us to join them. Sort of like the belief that when you go to heaven, every dog you’ve ever had comes running to greet you. If you find comfort in that concept, that’s good. Whatever gets you through this time emotionally.

33

:slight_smile:

Thank you. I, as well as many others, will sit there waiting for them, and since I have been a little boy, there have been too many tears and too many of those sweet, loyal ones lost.

So much love passed between us, I believe that it created that bridge, and before anyone says it, yes: I know we need that kind of love among us bi-peds, but I do not believe we have the* capacity *to understand unconditional love the way they do, sadly.

Auf Wiedersehen, Cleo :slight_smile:

Q

34

One last whiny post, just to get my thoughts out.

Cleo died early Monday morning, piled her into my truck, took Daisy, went to the shop. Dug a big ass hole, buried Cleo, Daisy stood there watching, did a couple of sniffs even though Cleo was wrapped up in a blanket. Stayed at the shop Monday night, went home Tuesday early since I just wasn’t getting anything done, and it was so…

Quiet.

There was no bouncing off the walls, nobody licking somebody else’s ears with this creepy annoying noise of pure annoying slobber. No 45 minute wrestling matches over who gets the best laying down spot. No shuffling and wrustling and sighing for the next 2 hours from the one that didn’t get the best laying down spot. No push and shove over who can closer to my computer chair, no MWROW, scratch, scratch, hiss over who can lick the cats butt first. It was depressingly…

Quiet.

Back to the shop on Wednesday, took Daisy, she’s in the dumps. Stayed at the shop Wednesday night, she’s stuck to me like glue, but jumpy, scared jumpy, since she was fixed she had never been a people person, that was Cleo’s job, but she has just turned into a real super chicken shit. She is all of a sudden scared of everything, right down to the toilet flushing, and even though she won’t leave my side to the point of crying at the bathroom door while I’m in there for 12 seconds, she’s been really not affectionate.

She’ll come for affection, wants it, but won’t in the slightest return it, I haven’t gotten a lick or a nuzzle all week. I’ve also never seen her so submissive, I’ve never seen her put her ears that flat back, straight back and plastered to her head. I can even give her a kiss on the nose with out having to brush my teeth, blow my nose and wash my forehead and part of my hair. That poor girl is in the dumps.

I’ve been taking her everywhere, work, beer store, grocery store, gas store, hardware store. When we get home she first goes to the sleeping hole that Cleo died in, then sniffs in the dog-majal(I think I mentioned their house is better than my house), then goes inside and lays down on Cleo’s end of the couch. Cleo took up that end as she got sicker since it was the least desirable, no pillows and it wasn’t the recliner, and no wrestling with a big fat dog for a comfy spot.

Poor Daisy, even the cat, who never really got along with Daisy is staying close to her, that cat ALWAYS knows when I’m in the dumps, and if she’s staying close to Daisy, she is definitely way further off than I am. Damn fat dog won’t even eat, I got her to eat some Burger and brown rice Tuesday and Thursday, but she really hasn’t eaten in almost 2 weeks. She is almost resembling a dog shape, not a beer keg shape, so I guess its not all bad, she’s fat and healthy, just depressed and confused, she’ll pop back.

I lost a beautiful little chocolate lab about 4 years back to parvo. That sucked, but it was easy, because when she was gone, I just had to deal with me. Now I have to deal with me, which is still easy, but I have the extra burden of another critter that I am responsible for, that I don’t know what the hell to do with. I almost wish she could talk. I think she’ll be a bit better in a few weeks, I’ll keep giving her the tennis ball test. I keep giving her a butt load of attention, she comes for it, but its not like she enjoys it, rub her belly and its like she don’t care, she used to get her legs up in the air and squirm around and make funny noises, now she is just laying there. (that sounds sick).

If anybody is wondering, Me, I’m fine, I’m a bit bummed, I’m fricken tired, I didn’t sleep for damn near a week, at least with a human you have 911. With a dog you have 22 38 and 45, none of which I have. I’m just glad the horrible part is over, I just hope I’m not going to hell for letting Cleo suffer longer than she needed to.

I’m going to give it about 3 weeks, see how Daisy is doing first, and probably get another pup. I can’t deal with the quiet, Daisy was always the down to earth one, the guard dog, I need another fruitloopy nut to bounce off the walls, make things interesting, 99% probably a lab.

Purely mundane and pointless, just needed to get some thought out.

35

January has not been kind to Dopers. :frowning:

Bubba, it’s hard to let them go and I’m so sorry for your loss. Your plans for Cleo’s grave are really touching. Huggems.

36

Poor Daisy. (And poor you.)

Here’s an idea: take her along to the shelter or wherever you get your pups. Let her do some meet and greets with you. She’s grieving hard and that has its place but going off her feed that much and for so long…well, you’re sad, she’s sad and unsettled. Why not go ahead and get a puppy? You already know you want one and Daisy badly needs the company so might as well go for it. There’s a pup out there waiting to come home to you and Daisy.

37

My dog had the same kind of seizure that you describe in the OP today, only not as severe. For an hour or so afterward his eyes were open but he was completely unresponsive and we were sure it was time to call the vet, but I sat there and held him and he slowly started to come around and now he’s up and ate some food and is shuffling around the house and porch with the cats. I don’t think he can survive another one of those. This just sucks : (

38

bubba jr,

My condolences to you & Daisy. May Cleo be at peace.

I have two lab mixes (Max & Lola) and I can understand the relationship Cleo & Daisy had.

My heart goes out you & Daisy. Best wishes with your new pup.

39

bubba, I just wanted to check in to see how Daisy was doing. Hope she’s starting to eat again.

40

I wish I could say she is doing good, but she is one seriously depressed and confused dog. She’s a dog, she has a hard time remembering how to sit, when she drinks water she gets slobber from her neck up over her head and into her eyes, then again, I get chocolate milk on my glasses, its just weird. She’s really not that smart.

She was always an outdoor dog, they both were, their choice, she doesn’t want anything to do with it, she won’t leave my side, and I think she is stronger than my front door. I let her out, she does two laps of the yard(her little patrol thing, which used to last hours), then she tries coming literally through the door, I try leaving her out and the other day she actually went and slept in the dog house for a while, usually she’ll just curl up on the front stoop, which is a crappy piece of expanded metal and cry.

I took last Monday off, and kicked her out for a while and she crawled up under the trailer,(yes, I live in a trailer, a 1968 double wide with 2 license plates above the front door), and I could hear her down there for over an hour, crying/whimpering. I’ve never seen a dog do that.

I’ve been taking her with me everywhere I go, which is basically work, a few errands and back home. She’s really really skittish, really really jumpy, scared of everything. There are times she’s scared of me, people she knows and likes, who feed her, she won’t let them touch her.

Her tail is always straight down to a bit between her legs (unless shes on patrol[which now only lasts 2 laps instead of 100’s] or trying to get that damn squirrel, and even that is a half assed 30 second effort). Ears which used to be perky, are just flopped around her head. Eyes are always drooping probably because she isn’t sleeping much, just staring off into space. She is always holding her head low.

She’s eating, just not a lot, but enough, I’ve been cooking her the good stuff every 2 or 3 days, pork apples and potatoes or chicken rice and green beans, she wolfs that down pretty good, but doesn’t spend an hour sniffing around hoping to find the grain of rice that got away. No more new dents in my frig from her wagging her tail in anticipation.

Might sound like shes sick too, but shes not physically feeling anything, when I’m at the shop, she’ll stick by my side moving all day for 16 hours. Looking depressed as hell, but she’s right there.

I had no idea a dog could get like this, but, those two were stuck together like glue. They didn’t just sleep together they took turns being the mattress.

Dogs are supposed to make you happy, not depressed.

I’ll give her a few more weeks, let her do her grieving thing, then start looking for another pup. I need more noise around here. Hopefully I can find another nut like Cleo was.