Loss of a pet

[Retired Fly Boy]

I lost my little chihuahua dog on July 9, 2004. Her name was Cleo and she was 17 years old. I adopted her from a shelter in 1987 as a puppy. That little dog was the love of my life. Such a sweet girl and she would follow me all over the house. Some of my friends told me I was nuts when I cried for days over her death. She is just a dog, they told me. She was more than that to me! I had a private cremation and placed her ashes on my family plot. Did any of you ever loose a pet you loved? The vet told me, my reaction is quite common. I plan to get another dog from a chihuahua rescue league. He is blind in one eye and needs lots of love and attention. My doctor told me, her family got a Greyhound from a rescue shelter and that dog loves them for it. Somehow they understand you saved their life.;-)

[MichiganMan]

So sorry for your loss, but you're not alone. I lost my "best friend" Clyde just before Christmas, enjoying his companionship for 13 beautiful years. I can't begin to describe how hard it was, as not once did he ever judge me, scold me, or treat me bad...nothing but unconditional love. He was my shadow, and I still miss him deeply...even today shedding tears now and then. Feel free to email me ANYTIME if you need to chat or share a story, and by all means, get another little rascal, I've still got my Black lab Remmington and my cocker Poo-Bear!!

[OneFinger]

Sorry to hear about Cleo but 17 is a very long life for a dog.

 

I got my first "used" dog in 1986 when he was 6 years old. I lost him to cancer in 1992 which really hurt. But, in 1990, I got another used dog and it was less traumatic since I already had another buddy. Max, who was a Busky (husky/beagle), lived until 2003 when I had to put him down. Making that decision was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do.

 

I only lasted a week before I got a replacement and adopted a 3-year old shepard/retriever. When I got him I knew he had seizures but wasn't prepared for how difficult it can be to care for a special needs dog. His seizure meds have cause liver/kidney problems and he stopped eating about a month ago.

 

Luckily I've got a good vet who has nursed him back to health. But, to encourage him to get active again, the vet recommended getting him a little buddy. So, a week ago I adopted a heeler/aussie mix. The two boys are becoming good friends and it's really helped stimulate my seizure dog.

 

For someone who loves animals, losing a pet is a very traumatic experience. I've decided that I can't survive without at least 1 dog in the house. Great companionship and I love coming home to my two very excited boys.

 

Your feelings of loss are very normal. It's like losing a family member. I admire your willingness to adopt shelter animals and have always had good luck finding the right dog there.

 

Let yourself experience the grief and then rescue another needy animal.

[Justice]

I'm so very sorry to hear about the loss of your beloved Cleo. You are not alone. I still very much miss the dog that I grew up with (also a rescued from a shelter) and he's been gone for many, many years.

 

Justice

[+ Oliver]

Had to put down my miniature Schnauzer, Oliver, several years ago when he was thirteen. One of the hardest things I’ve had to do. He was part of the family. And, of course, he was the smartest dog in the world!

 

True story: My son was about 10 months old and we used a pacifier for him. One evening I was sitting in the living room after dinner reading the paper and Son was sitting on the floor. He was fussy and crying, and there was nothing wrong – he was just at that time of day. Oliver was lying beside me. After a while he evidently couldn’t take it any more and got up, went into Son’s bedroom, put his paws up on the dressing table, got the pacifier in his mouth, came back into the living room, dropped the pacifier in front of Son; Son put pacifier in his mouth and stopped crying. Oliver came back over beside me and lay down, heaving a great sigh. Had I not seen it, I would not have believed it.

 

I'm sure every pet owner has a favorite story about the beloved pet.

 

Oliver

[pierrot]

I don't have anything really to add but to say that I can totally understand your sadness, and I'm very sorry too. I have a 15 yr old wheaten terrier, she'll be 16 in Dec. I know she's living beyond the expected age now, but I keep repressing the thought that I'll lose her soon. I believe having an attachment to animals is very important to our humanity and our sense of balance in nature. They bring us back to our roots, in a way, and of course they are capable of the kind of selfless devotion that few humans can muster.

Anyway, your feelings are absolutely understandable and justified. Don't let anyone tell you Cleo was just a dog. She was your friend and it's natural that you mourn her.

[samwhygy]

As I write this, Coco, my 10year old chocolate lab is laying right beside me ,just like always. I'm trying to prepare myself, but I have no idea how I'm going to cope with her loss. What your going through is very normal,and some people who sadly, have not experienced the unconditional love of a pet just dont get it. Too bad for them. Try to get some comfort in the fact that you hadyour beloved Cleo for so long and that I'm sure you gave her a great life. After I lost my last pet about 12 years ago,a few months after her passing she came back to visit me in a dream, she was young again and playing like a puppy. I'm sure there's a heaven for great dogs like Cleo. Oh, and one other bit of advise, you probably feel that no other dog could possibly take her place, get another one soon, you'll be in for a great surprise. Take care

[+ glutes]

RFB:

You are not alone here Brother, what canines give to mankind is amazing. Remember that all dogs go to Heaven!

[MTLover]

"Friends" who are not pet owners simply cannot understand the bond the pet owner has with a pet friend/companion. It is sometimes (often) closer than the bonds we share with our human friends. I have a friend who grew up with no animals as pets and therefore, came to the understanding they (pets) were nuisances and did not belong in a house. After pet-sitting for me a couple times and bonding with my dogs, he is probably one of the most committed animal rights activists in our area as well as having adopted several (upwards of 7) animal shelter dogs. I am so proud to call him a friend and convert. Please accept my condolences for your loss and try to remember 'time heals all.'

[+ Charlie]

As you can see from the above responses, intense feelings of bereavement are very common when one loses a pet, particularly after many years of companionship. For single people in particular, a pet may be the most stable element in one's life, and for many gay men pets are substitutes for the children we never had. Pets are individuals, of course, and some inspire more love and therefore more grief than others. I have owned seven dogs in my life, and losing or having to give up each one has been painful, but one, an Australian Terrier who was my constant companion from age 34 to 48, was much harder than the others: I felt the loss more deeply than the deaths of many friends from AIDS during that same period. On Sept. 11, it will be thirteen years since I had to put her to sleep, and I still start to cry whenever I think about her.

[Guest bighugbearphx]

This comforted me when I lost my pet of 18 yrs. Hope it helps you:

 

RAINBOW BRIDGE

 

Just this side of Heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge. When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all our special friends, so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water, and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

 

All the animals who had been ill or old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind. They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His/her bright eyes are intent; his/her eager body quivers. Suddenly he/she begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his/her legs carrying him/her faster and faster.

 

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling to each other in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life, but never absent from your heart.

 

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together......

 

>Author Unknown

[Retired Fly Boy]

I want to thank all of you gentlemen who replied to my message. It is interesting to know just how many sides there are to people. I always trust anyone who can love an animal. The local nursing homes now bring in companion dogs to visit the residents. Elderly people who never make contact with family or staff, just love to pet the dogs who visit them every week. I made contact with a rescue league. They come to your home and check you out, like you were about to adopt a child. The foster mother brings the dog, to see how you will get along. Then they interview your vet for more information. If it works out, I will have a little Chihuahua who needs a new home. Thank you guys, you are friends in deed ! :-)

[+ glutes]

And from the looks of it RFB, it will be a 'win - win' for the both of you!

[+ deej]

>"Friends" who are not pet owners simply cannot understand the

>bond the pet owner has with a pet friend/companion. It is

>sometimes (often) closer than the bonds we share with our

>human friends.

 

Indeed. The pet care industry is one of the few recession-proof industries. Even when times are bad, people still take care of their pets. People will actually spend money on their pets that they won't spend on their own children!

 

I am one of those people. I have two cats and I'll go hungry before they will. (Granted part of that is self-preservation. Ever been around a cat that thinks it's time to be fed? :-))

 

It doesn't take much to make me happy with life. Having one of my cats curl up in my lap and snooze contentedly does it every time. That unconditional love is something that non-pet-people have never experienced and they are poorer for it.

 

I come by my love of animals honestly. It's genetic. My grandad was well-known for his love of animals. When I used to visit the home town, the older citizens would remark how they remembered the day granddad bought an old horse at auction just to save the horse from the glue factory, even though he had no viable way to get the horse home. "I remember the day your granddad drove through town with a horse in the back seat of his Model A!" }(

 

(Apparently I come by "outrageous" honestly too. ;-))

[bigguyinpasadena]

RetiredFB,I am in total sympathy with you on your loss.Time will heal your lonliness,and the void will be filled with many happy memories of your beloved Cleo.

Wait a while to work through your grief,and then do a thourough inventory of your lifestyle and then decide if a new pet would be a good thing for you.

Oliver-I too lost a schnauzer-put me off pure breds altogether.His death was slow and lingering-I have decided never to put a pet-or myself through that ever again.If the prognosis is certain-than I will spend a little more quality time with it and then have it put down.And only pound puppies for me from now on!

[Guest skrubber]

Sorr for your loss. My dog is part Rottweiler and part Chow also the love of my life. Your reaction is not at all extreme ar erratic. I rue the day my pet goes as I am sure I will also be devestated

[doctordoctor]

had to put my dog to sleep in early May...she was always happy, loved to say "hi" to everybody and go for walks, never growled, and followed me from room to room...little dogs like yours live longer and 17 seems like a good life for it...it really sucks not having my dog around...I couldn't finish reading that Rainbow Bridge poem here from somebody because I was starting to get too emotional...there are sites dealing with pet loss...try googling one or more...gee, dogs are the nicest kind of pet...

[MichiganMan]

One of my favorite bumper stickers reads "The more people I meet, the more I love my Dogs!"

[ValleyDwellerNorth]

I am sorry to hear of those in this thread who have lost a pet. I lost many a dog, hamster and fish over the years. I know I will be devastated when my little dog "Suzie Q" goes.

 

However, we all need to remember one thing. Our cats and dogs love us because we give them meat.

[+ cougar]

They say the human race is the most intelligent species on the planet...I sometimes have to disagree. Look into the eyes of your dog and watch how they act around you regardless of your attitude, and you will always see something that we just can't grasp.

I had a loved golden retriever that was by best friend for 13½ years, when his time came he went very suddenly. I will never forget that weekend as long as I live. That week had ended on Friday when my boyfriend of 2 years moving to Atlanta with a new job that he had been pursuing for a long time. We both knew that Tampa Bay could not provide him the career of his college degree. When that job came...the time to move on had arrived. He left town on Friday night and my new life began without him, but I still had my best friend, my golden retriever. The next day started out with normal activities, the dog was fine and I went about my life. Later that afternoon, I noticed he hadn't moved for a few hours from where he was sleeping and was able to finally convince him to lets get up and go outside to hang out. When he finally walked out he went to do his thing then walked a few feet away and collapsed. I went over and opened his mouth and saw his tongue and gums were white, telling me he was not getting good blood circulation. At the animal emergency clinic, the vet told me the news and said this would be like "moving chairs around on the Titanic" all I could say was to keep fluids in him and keep him comfortable and I will be back tomorrow after church and check on him. After church, one of my close friends went with me to the clinic, and she was unaware that my boyfriend had just left me two days prior to that, and he appeared fine, he was laying down and holding his head up, I told them I would be back later that afternoon to pick him up and take him home. We all agreed that it would be best to put him down on Monday morning. When I arrived at the clinic later that day, he was so weak he couldn't even acknowledge me. That night I talked to him like nothing was wrong, but I did tell him that it was okay to die, and I prefer he did it here with me at home. He slept that night next to my bed, where he always slept and he woke me up when he took his last breath around 6 AM. A couple of days later, my minister offered to come to my house and perform a private service to acknowledge his passing, I declined the offer, but I thought, this is what I call a real minister, many could learn from his actions.

Here I am now four years later with a new champion bred golden retriever, he's a joy to be with, when friends or even escorts come here they are always naturally drawn to him. I usually get the hellos after they are finished greeting the dog....he is first and plans on keeping it that way always. Completely different personality of the first one, but he rules the roost here and I am happy with that.

[+ deej]

Lovely story, cougar!

 

When I was growing up, I always wanted a dog. When I was too young to remember, my folks actually tried dogs a couple of times but they tended to run around the neighborhood and get hit by cars. :-( Mom finally put her foot down and said NO DOGS!

 

When I was 12 or 13, my kid sister came home one day with a puppy firmly clenched in her arms. She proudly proclaimed "I was lucky! I got the LAST ONE!"

 

People would ask what breed he was. We'd answer "yes". He was just your average neighborhood mutt, but he was the best friend anyone could have. And he was, in fact, well known to everyone in the neighborhood. Neighborhood housewives would see him trotting down the sidewalk and yell "Pepper, go home!" and he would.

 

He lived to be 20. Active and happy to the end. At 18, we took him to the vet and I heard the check-in girl go in the back exclaim "there's a dog out there that's EIGHTEEN YEARS OLD!"

 

The last years of his life, he didn't see very well. But he could smell. I'd go home for a visit and he'd walk right past me until he picked up my scent. Then he'd follow it right to me and it would be "old home week".

 

At 20, he went out one day to chase the squirrels that had been baiting him for 20 years and went down. He was still alive, but the vet said he was in tremendous pain, so we had him put down.

 

We buried him under the peonie bush he'd been pissing on for 20 years and the next year it came back better than ever.

 

We love our companions precisely because they are good companions.

[Holden]

There is nothing worse than loosing a pet that you've had for a while. Last year, I had to put to sleep my beloved calico cat that I had had for 20 years. Like many elderly cats, she developed kidney failure and it was too much to see her suffering. I was completely devastated. I have her ashes on my fireplace mantle.

It took me one year but I finally went to the animal shelter and, after 3 visits, saw a small 1 year old calico cat that just seemed to be begging me to adopt her. I did. This cat has doubled in weight in the 5 months that I have had her and she just cannot leave me alone. Follows me everywhere and sleeps next to me on the bed. I completely adore her and think that adopting her was one of the best things I did.

I still think of my first kitty and look at her picture, next to her ashes and somehow feel that she has been re-incarnated in the new cat. Of course I know that this isn't so but.....

Animal lovers probably understand that.