OT- Man's Best Friend

[familytoad]

It’s a duty most of us had to deal with before.
It’s a lot tougher than it sounds.
It’s as heart wrenching as just about anything I have had to do, in fact.
Tomorrow morning we are putting down our beloved dog.
Sammie has been with us nearly 11 years.
He’s hurting with a very quick onset of cancerous tumors and cannot breathe very well.
I tear up thinking about me driving him in the morning to his “appointment”, because he has some good hours and some bad. Mostly bad in the past couple weeks.
He was very cheerful in the past hour as we drove to McDonald’s to buy him a softserve.
It’s a 16 mile round trip to spend that $1.08 but it’ll be a priceless memory for us as we lose our best buddy tomorrow.
I have to type this now, because I doubt I will be able to tomorrow.

I’ll share a picture, feel free to share pics of your pals.
Sorry to go so far off topic from baseball cards…Thanks for understanding.

[E93]

That's got to be tough Brian. I am sorry.
JimB

[jcmtiger]

Yes, that is very tough, had to do this with 3 dogs, Sunday, Vanessa, Pandora, and my cat Milford. No more pets for me.

Joe

[deebro041]

Brian, I am sorry to hear about your pal. I have had dogs for a companion most of my life. I have never had to put one down and feel that must be one of the toughest thing to do. Dogs are great, they never get mad at you no matter what you do or say to them, they listen(most times) to what you have to say without judging you, they make you smile when they act goofy and everyone is ok with that. I have always said dogs are man's only friend!
Best wishes. Here is a pic of my pal Pete who is 8 on Sunday.
Dan

[Matthew80]

Been there... Like all tough things, time will make it easier, and you'll soon have nothing but happy and funny memories of your beloved pal.

I trust you'll love Sammie up and comfort him tomorrow , which will be very hard to do, I know. But it's what he needs and deserves as family.

[away from my computer, so afraid I can't post pics of my Lucy]

Kudos to you and yours for making the right decision for Sammie despite how dreadful it is.

[Bicem]

Sorry to hear this Brian, have 2 myself and can only imagine how tough it must be.

[wonkaticket]

Sorry to hear this Brian, tough tough thing to deal with.

John

[barrysloate]

I've had to do the same Brian with several pets, and I have an 11 year old cat who is a part of our family. I know how difficult a day it will be. I wish you the best and understand what you are going through. Peace.

[jp1216]

Owning my first dog finally. Grew up with cats. Words can't explain what she means to our family. She is only 2, but I know someday the time will come. Good Luck today Brian. I sense a trip to McDonald's in our plans today...
http://i732.photobucket.com/albums/ww330/jp1216a/Net54/chewy1.jpg

[vwtdi]

Very sorry Brian. I've been a dog and animal lover my entire life and have always tried to return as much of a portion of the love they give to us as I can. My Jessie has been battling Lyme since she's been adopted and is now facing arthritis..I love her up and cherish every day with her.

[yanksfan09]

Sorry to hear this, I've lost dogs before and know how tough it is. Wish you the best.

[Ladder7]

Brian, I've had to say goodbye to four goldens and a beloved old parrot. Each one, I held 'til the bitter end. It never gets easier. When I run by their old beach, I can faintly make out their barks of joy, smile and remember how lucky they were to have a loving family. Life is all about loss and memories. Thanks for sharing your much loved Sammie with us.




Emma 1999-2011

[Vintagecatcher]

Brian,

My thoughts are with you. I inherited my mom's dog about 5 years ago. Unfortunately, she developed diabetes and she wouldn't let me give her insulin injections. I knew putting her down was the right thing to do, because she was suffering, but it didn't make the decision any easier.

Pets are part of our families. It's natural to experience grief at their passing.

Patrick

[Gradedcardman]

I put my Sampson down earlier this year and still dealing with the loss.

[calvindog]

Brian, very sorry to hear this sad news. It's been 18 months since my guy has been gone and it still hurts the same.

[pgellis]

Brian,

Sorry to hear about the bad news. I know exactly how you feel.

We just had to put down our 8.5 year old German Shepherd in March. It was extremely painful. I said, "I'm done, no more". But about 2 months later in May, my wife emailed me a bunch of photos of some shelter dogs and then I was on a mission.

The house was just not the same without a dog. Very quiet, no more walks, etc.

We found a rescue dog in May and both my wife and I are absolutely enamored with him. Dogs change your life, they make you smile.

We are so in love with our new guy, Boomer. It feels wonderful to rescue a dog and give it a loving home. Our Boomer was abandoned in Georgia and was in a high-kill shelter. He was supposed to be gassed 2 times, but for some reason they missed his pen both times.

Brian, you may be saying to yourself "never again" because of the incredible pain of today, but once a dog lover, always a dog lover.

[k-dog]

Breaks my heart too. :( I think I love dogs more than I do people most of the time! I had Kali(a Pharaoh Hound) that was poisoned that I had to put down in the late 90s and Sunni (a Samoyed) that I had for 12 years that I also had to make the hard decision to say goodbye to. So sorry about this. Here are a few pics of our pups in support and a poem:

Klondike: https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc6/5896_113653423558_1262156_n.jpg


Delilah(Klondike's Daughter): https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/5896_113649543558_5958602_n.jpg

And our newest family member Simba: https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc6/s720x720/255517_10151109953723559_978315906_n.jpg


http://rainbowbridge.catsplay.com/rbbc1.jpg

[scooter729]

My heart goes out to anyone losing a beloved pet, as these guys really do become family members. Good luck Brian, and that picture of Sammie with the ice cream cone is precious.

Our "first-born" is my avatar, our 5-year old Wheaten Terrier, Murphy. When my wife became pregnant, we were nervous as to how Murph would react, as he's been the only one on the scene for five years. Little did we know how lucky we'd be, as Murphy has taken to being the ideal protective big brother!

Murphy will often sit and stand guard by his now 3-month old baby brother Alexander, enjoy licking a toe or two sometimes, and gets nervous if "strange people" (friends he doesn't recognize) come over and want to get close to the baby.

This has just made Murphy so much more important to us, and he is as much a member of the family as anyone else.

[rainier2004]

Brian - I am very sorry for your loss.

My whole life I actually disliked dogs. Eventually I got together with my current wife and she had a 6-month doberman and I either got both or neither-package deal. That dog turned out to be one the best friends Ill ever have had held him the day we said good-bye very similar to you from euthanization related to cancer. It was horrible. Dogs are the meaning of unconditional love.

Take your time with your loss. I'm sorry for everyone else's loss as well. In the end we are responsible for the well-being of these animals and that includes this final decision...take solace in the fact that the right decision was made and I believe our animals know that.

[Prof_Plum]

Brian, I feel for you and your family. It's never easy. As with others here, I've had to make that dreaded trip to the vets on a couple of occasions. I even turned back one time because I just couldn't do it - until a couple days later.

After the last vet's visit, I wasn't going to get another dog for quite awhile. But then unexpectedly the vet called a couple of months later and said they had a family from Chicago return their puppy to the breeder here in Missouri and that he was now looking for a new home. Me living in St. Louis while being a Cub fan and the puppy's name being Wrigley seemed too serendipitous to ignore. He's 3 yrs old now and I couldn't be happier with my decision to take this 'rescue' on.

[forazzurri2axz]

Like Steven above, never had a dog, and never felt close til I met my wife 10 yrs ago. Fell in love with her and then her 3 yr old Maltese Prince. I freaked when I went to her place the first time and found myself in bed with a dog!!
Couldn't believe people slept witjh their dogs----Guess where Prince sleeps now---right next to me!!!Guess who goes to the office with me---MY dog Prince!! Guess who is with "his dad" 24/7 MY doggie Prince.

Prince was just diagnosed with the beginning of heart failure. Just typing that sentence makes me cry. So in honor of your Sammie, and my Princie-Doggie, I will go with him to mcDonald's today and let him have a lick of a vanilla soft serve also. Be strong Brian and grateful for the most unconditional love we ever receive

Bill Latzko

[Mark]

Like everybody else, I am sorry to hear about your dog. It is a pretty tough thing to have to do. For me, I suppose it has something to do with the fact that the dog seems innocent of a lot of things, including knowledge of the fact of death. When we had to do it about 7 years ago, when my 12 year old collie was dying of cancer, I tried to remember that we did everything we could to give the old boy as happy a life as possible.

[jbbama]

I know it is a very difficult thing to do, but you are doing the right thing. I had to have my dog put down a couple of years ago, it was hard to do, but i could not watch him suffer anymore. I just wanted you to know you are not alone in your feelings, the loss of a pet is tough. There are many here who understand. Hang in there.

[howard38]

.

[forazzurri2axz]

gave Prince a few licks from a vanilla soft-serve in honor of your Sammie

[atx840]

Sorry to hear this, sad day for sure.

A few years ago me and my wife had to put down our 5yr old Lab/Border Collie. Little dude swam in both oceans, climbed several of the Rocky mountains and flown with us on many trips...I bawld more then my 4yr old.

[brickyardkennedy]

Brian,

As an animal guy, who has lost more companions through the years than I care to recall, I've known the pain you are experiencing, well. May you find the strength to get through this and with time, the abating of the hurt.

[kmac32]

Brian,

Never an easy thing to do. I have put down many pets in my career for various reasons and it never gets any easier. The day it gets easy is the day to leave practice. Rest assured however that it is painless for the pet if done correctly. I usually give the pet a sedative and place an I've catheter if a family member wants to be present.its better for the pet and the family.

Ken McMillan DVM

[ocjack]

I've come to believe that even this is easier for our friend when someone he loves is with him at the end. I've always been there for my pets and always will be, as long as I am able.

It is a peaceful ending, but that doesn't make it easier on us.

Trust that my thoughts are with you.

[nameless]

My condolences.

[CW]

Sorry to hear that, Brian. At least Sammie won't have to go through those bad days anymore, and 11 years is a pretty good life for a dog.

I was scanning some old photos a couple months ago, and dug this one up of me and my childhood dog, Pal, from 1979. She lived to 13 yrs., and it was indeed a tough day when we had to put her down. I was about 17 yrs. old then, and it was the first time I had seen my Dad cry.

And, yes, I definitely knew how to rock the "bowl" haircut back in 1979! :cool:

[Leon]

Sorry to hear this Brian. It is truly one of the most difficult things in life. I am sure I will shed many tears when either of our 2 dogs leaves us. You had some great years with him....

[CubsFanCurt]

Brian, I feel for you and your family. It's never easy. As with others here, I've had to make that dreaded trip to the vets on a couple of occasions. I even turned back one time because I just couldn't do it - until a couple days later.

After the last vet's visit, I wasn't going to get another dog for quite awhile. But then unexpectedly the vet called a couple of months later and said they had a family from Chicago return their puppy to the breeder here in Missouri and that he was now looking for a new home. Me living in St. Louis while being a Cub fan and the puppy's name being Wrigley seemed too serendipitous to ignore. He's 3 yrs old now and I couldn't be happier with my decision to take this 'rescue' on.

Wrigley is adorable!

Brain, I am very sorry for what you are going through and my heart breaks. I lost my guy, Harry in April of this year while he was on the operating table getting a small tumor removed. The loss still hits me like a ton of bricks. In July I got a new guy, Noodles (little fox terrier), from the shelter. A couple weeks back he was mauled by a pit bull but has made a full recovery. I think he has earned a spiked dog collar for that one

[kcohen]

Brian,

Obviously all of us who love dogs, and other animals, empathize deeply. They are able to reach down and touch us at our core, giving so much more than they take.

Hope you don't mind my post of a photo of my buddy Charlie for a bit of comic relief though I don't suppose it will help much at this moment.

Ken

[Butch7999]

Brian, sympathies here, and empathy -- been there.
Too hard to read all the great posts here without choking up thinking of our own four-footed friends that have gone on ahead. But always remember the feel of their fur, the look in their eyes, their peculiar little habits, particular moments of playful mischief, and, in a way, they're still always with ya, always.

[Jlighter]

Sorry to hear about your dog, they truly are Man's best friend.

He may be small, but he's MY Best Friend.

[jimhopkins82]

Really sorry for you, we had to do the same with my childhood dog almost 10 years ago and I still miss him. The memories will always be with me and they will always be with ya'll as well.

[ullmandds]

great thread...sorry to hear about your loss, Brian.

I have a hygienist who had been dealing with a sick pug(her husbands dog)...she has 2 other chinese cresteds...and she had to put him down this past week.

She was so upset about it she couldn't come in on monday! The unconditional love of a pet is incredible...and I sympathize!!!!

I also will be very upset someday when my little Otto moves on!!!!!

[Republicaninmass]

Like Steven and Bill I have never owned a dog, I cant even imagine what something like this would be like. Sorry for all you are going through, maybe a new puppy is the answer as my friend is on his 3rd and it seemed to be a whole new cycle of life

[gashouse34]

Sorry you had to go through this today Brian. The absolute best thing about Dogs IMHO is that everyday when you come home they are elated to see you...no matter what kind of mood you are in. My Two Shih Tzu's:

[Jlighter]

Sorry you had to go through this today Brian. The absolute best thing about Dogs IMHO is that everyday when you come home they are elated to see you...no matter what kind of mood you are in. My Two Shih Tzu's:

+1, one of the best parts of my day is when I come home and he's there waiting for me.

Anyone ever tell you your dogs look a little like Gizmo from Gremlins?

[brickyardkennedy]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8A-NNa2KiU

[baseballart]

Our first Aussie Annie, who had a penchant for squirrels, opening fridges and being far too smart for both of us. Passed away in January 2006. Jennifer and I thought we'd wait another six months before we got another dog, but 2 weeks later Matty leaped into our lives

http://farm1.staticflickr.com/42/90077068_eda7c77c52_o.jpg

Matty

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3145/2642481672_c2555d6730_z.jpg

[botn]

Hi Brian,

So sorry to hear the sad news about your friend. The bond we share with a dog is very profound. The burden and pain that comes with the decision you have had to make is very likely one of the more difficult situations you will face in your life. It hurts because they mean so much to us. Unfortunately there comes that time when the best we can do for them is to let them go. It is the ultimate act of love and devotion we can show them. And as everyone has attested to, it just does not get any easier. Through your sadness you must remind yourself of the rewards of their companionship. And that lasts forever.

I have never been without at least one dog so I am no stranger to the intense loss you are feeling. Over the last 20 years I have rescued 5 dogs and feel I have gotten far more than I have given so there was nothing I would not do for them. Each of them have touched my life immeasurably. Three of them have moved on (2 in the just the last 3 years), and though it does not hurt the same, not a day goes by where I do not think about them. I feel blessed that each one had found me and fortunate to be able to take them in and provide a loving home.

I am in the process of reading this book http://www.amazon.com/The-Loss-Pet-Wallace-Sife/dp/0764579304/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1347165920&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Loss+Of+A+Pet as I have a 15 year old Cocker Spaniel who has been under treatment for cancer for the past 2 years. On 9/20 he is supposed to go back in for surgery to remove another Mass Cell Tumor. It should be fairly routine but at 15 nothing is routine.

Hope it helps for you to see that you are not alone.

Greg

[ullmandds]

that pic of matty is insane!!!!! must have used pretty high speed flim, huh?!?!:)

[Tom S.]

Brian,

I am so sorry to hear about your pal Sammie. Even though he will be leaving your family soon, know that he will be done with his suffering and will be waiting for you in the afterlife.

I have a yellow Lab named Payton who is a little older (11.5 yrs), and I'm dreading the day that I will have to make the same decision. Last Thanksgiving, I got a call from friends who had a littermate of my dog - they had to put their dog down for the exact same reason as Sammie.

This June, I took my Payton in for his yearly checkup. I thought that he had been putting on some weight because he was getting chunky in the belly area, but the vet thought something else was going on. She took an ultrasound of the abdomen area and recommended immediate surgery. It turned out that he had a 13-pound splenic mass removed which fortunately was benign. He is now back in good health again, and I consider every day that he's still with me a blessing.

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u169/toppsopcfan/Payton004.jpg

[Rickyy]

Wow that's heartbreaking...anyone whose had pets can relate...my prayers and thoughts to the family.... :/

Ricky Y

[olrac44]

Brian,

Sorry to hear about your loss. My condolences to your family.

My dogs are with me all the time so the thought of losing them one day is tough to swallow but it makes me appreciate the time I spend with them that much more.

C

[t213]

Brian,

Thanks for sharing. This is our dog Zack sitting by his window where he likes to monitor our front yard and the street. He doesn't do any tricks (other than he can poop on command), lacks any real dog type skills (tracking, fetching, etc), but he loves my sons with all his heart and they love him. That's all I really care about.

Andy

[Tobacco&Gum]

Sorry for you family's loss. A pets time with us here on earth is short, but the lessons they teach us on love, loyalty, and friendship last forever.

Rest In Peace Sammie.

[familytoad]

Guys, these posts really helped.
As I suspected, yesterday sucked bad. Today isn't much better yet.

Reading through this thread comforted me and encouraged me...that's why I reached out here in the first place. We have so much in common that sharing good things (like the pickup threads) and the bad things (this one and others) feels right.

I can't thank you enough, your messages are touching.
You guys have great cards, and great dogs...you must be great guys :D

[brickyardkennedy]

May it be so:

http://petloss.com/rainbowbridge.htm

[Exhibitman]

Sorry for your loss, Brian. I had to euthanize my cat of 16 years [Magic aka Ervin] a few years ago. I still miss him running down the driveway [really] to greet me when I come home.

http://photos.imageevent.com/exhibitman/dropins/websize/Last%20Photos%20of%20Magic%20070.jpg

Now we have a white toy poodie named Giselle and she's great. Just a happy presence in the house. Except when she rolls in cat poop, like she has in this picture:

http://photos.imageevent.com/exhibitman/dropins/websize/giselle.JPG

[kcohen]

This thread made me think of a great bumper sticker I saw which read,

"Lord, help me to be half the man my dog thinks I am." :)

[cubsfan-budman]

Really sorry for your loss. I just lost my buddy about 6 months ago. It sucked.

http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc16/cubsfan-budman/PC%20NFT/leto.jpg

[ALR-bishop]

After my Australian Sheppard died a couple of years back I swore I would never go through that again....but gave in anyway

http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj555/Bishop539/Christmas2011030.jpg?t=1347296303

http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj555/Bishop539/Christmas2011031.jpg?t=1347296262

[uyu906]

I had to euthanize my dog - Maxx after he had been with me for 16 1/2 years. It was the hardest thing I ever had to do. I bawled like a baby after it was over. It took me a couple of years to get to the point that I was ready to adopt another dog. That has helped some. But I still miss Maxx, and I guess I always will.

[LEHR]

Brian, as an animal lover myself, I am truly sorry for your loss! It's amazing the bond that we can form with an animal. They really are just like one of the family.

[teetwoohsix]

Hi Brian-

Sorry to hear about this, it is very sad. Right now we have 2 cats, both are around 18 years old,,,we can see that they don't have too much longer to go. One of them literally sleeps most of the day & night (I call it "preservation mode"), and the other one "howls at ghosts"....it's like he sees things up towards the ceiling and starts howling at it.....very weird (and sad). I know I'll be pretty tore up when they're gone.

Sincerely, Clayton

[emmygirl]

73591Sorry to hear that Brian.... yes I too have had to put down my very best friend "Emmygirl". Hope you recieve lots of support from family and friends as I did. God Bless, Jim

[dlfallen]

I had to put down our dog, Malcolm, many years ago. I can still remember that day clearly. I wish it would fade . . .

The thing I miss most about Malcolm is sharing breakfast with him. Nearly every morning I would toast two blueberry Pop Tarts. I would eat the centers and Malcolm would eat the crusts. It was a special time for us to start each day. To this day, I cannot walk by a Pop Tart display at the grocery store without thinking of Malcolm. And I don't eat them for breakfast anymore. They just don't taste the same.

[Tabe]

Putting down an animal is never easy. Since we married 17 years ago, my wife and I have had four cats, two of whom we had to put down. The first one, Tugger, was really, really hard. He was "healthy" one day, sick the next, and gone the third when we were told he kidney failure. We both bawled a lot when we lost him. He was the most fiercely loving cat you've ever seen. Greeted you at the door and would demand a piece of your lap as soon as you sat down. We lost Teaser about 18 months ago. We'd had her since right after getting married. She had been blind for a few months but still tore all over the house. We knew she could go at anytime so I started doing things just to make her more comfortable. She responded by simply wanting to be me near me - her favorite thing being to sit on the arm of my recliner while I played video games. When she stopped eating, we knew the time had come. It was tough but we'd had a chance to prepare and knew we were doing the right thing.

I'll be honest with you - there's hardly a day goes by that I don't think of one or both of them.

We have two cats now, one of whom is about 12, maybe 13. I'm gonna be a wreck when I lose him. He & I have had a special connection since the day we got him and he first climbed up on my shoulder.

Tabe

[bh3443]

I really love my two dogs.
I have a real life & death crisis right now, and every day when I get back from the hospital my dogs are waiting. Although they greet me and go crazy, it is so sad to see them look out the door wondering where my wife is............
Here's to all our dogs, past and present!
Regards,
Bill Hedin