For anyone with a dog or pets, please read

[Squeeze]

I dread the day I have to put down either of our dogs. They are definitely like family. Our oldest, a German Shepherd / Aussie mix actually scared off a puke-sack who tried to get into our apartment years ago when my wife was home. He is a great dog, but getting up there in the years. Sorry for your loss.

[Jer]

Thanks everyone. It's been 2 years now and I'm finally feeling a little less devastated about it. I still can't believe how hard this experience hit me and I couldn't imagine if my last memory of her was at a cold sterile vet office. I hope you guys don't need to use this anytime soon but it's a sad twist of fate how short of time we have our beloved pets with us. This seems like the least we can do for our best friends and it's not something anyone ever wants to talk about but if you need it... there it is.

[mtnhack]

Sorry for your loss, even now. Pets are definitely more than possessions to me, they are family.


As an aside, another great housecall vet in the quad-city area, is Housecall Veternarian. She won't do emergency hours, middle-of-the-night stuff, but compassionate is her mantra.

[MileHighOutlaw]

Tears filled my eyes while reading this. December 23rd last year we had to put our pup Missy down. I feel for your loss my friend.

[wes56]

Yeah I'm sorry man. I am not looking forward to that day myself. This was a hard read. Sniff sniff.

[970TJ]

I've said this may times, "A dog's only fault is that they don't live long enough".
It seems a guy has one or maybe two dogs in a lifetime that you get an attachment to that you never get with other pets. I've loved them all, but my Rhodesian Ridgeback/German Shepard, Aspen. I adopted her at 6 months after some fucktard threw a whole litter of 5 over the 12' fence at the Humane Society. She was the only one that lived. I had to put her through 2 surgeries before I could even bring her home.
I had her for 14 years, and having to put her down was one of the worst days of my life. I think about her daily.
Now, I have Cletus. He's 120 pound black and tan Bloodhound, and he's worthless as tits on a boar. But he doesn't have a mean bone in his body, and is great with my 5 and 6 year old daughters. I love him to death as well, but he isn't Aspen...
So sorry for your loss, but we sign up for it when we bring 'em home.

[SamuraiCO]

Same feelings here. Lost my first English Setter five years ago to lymphoma. Six months from diagnosis, five months of chemo but it came right back. He was only 9 and had a lot of life still. Just this last January it was time for my first hunting dog Sage an English Springer Spaniel. That dog had guts and never quit. It was the mileage not the years. He lived 17 years. I have his ashes I will be taking out hunting this year and spread some in the fields. It sucks because we imprint our emotions onto our dogs making the decision so much harder.

I have my second setter Luke and just got another from the same breeder, Logan. Don't regret the passing of your pets think of the life you were able to give them and to others that you bring into your family.



Sage and Luke



New puppy Logan

[Fentonite]

...
Now, I have Cletus. He's 120 pound black and tan Bloodhound, and he's worthless as tits on a boar. But he doesn't have a mean bone in his body, and is great with my 5 and 6 year old daughters....

Awesome! I had a 120 pound black/tan bloodhound named Cletus! Many years ago in my cop days, he was my partner, and really enjoyed man-trailing. He died early, on his sixth Christmas. He was a good boy, and I still miss him.

[TheBelly]

We had to put down our 13-ish yr old lab mix, Lilly, about a year ago last Christmas. Wife and I were in England visiting family for the holidays. The pet hotel called and said that she had a bleed in her liver and was fading fast. They could have prolonged her life enough for us to get home. I asked one question: "Will it better her quality of life to keep her alive?"

When the vet said no, the answer was easy.

I miss that dog just about every day.

[TheBelly]

This is Didi the wiener dog that was depressed for about two weeks when she couldn't find her big sister after we got back.

not much sadder than a depressed wiener.