First Time Dealing With Pet Loss Options

[Steve G]

hi everyone,
new at this, as well as new at grieving for my best friend, einstein. she was said to be a chow-mix, but if you google "swedish lapphund" you will see pictures that look exactly like her. she was 15 1/2, 108 in dog years, and we lost her suddenly, last tuesday morning. her labored breathing woke me around 3:30 a.m. - i tried to comfort her, and calm her down - noticed her tummy was kind of bloated - called the emergency vet, had to carry her to the car because she couldn't seem to walk. the vet said she was in shock, and noticed her gums and tongue were almost white - she was bleeding internally and the vet estimated she had lost half her blood into her abdomen. of course the option of blood transfusion, exploratory surgery, etc, etc - what could one do?? how could i subject my 108 year old baby to this medical treatment at her age? my wife and i just looked at each other, and knew we had to make the hard decision...

i first got einstein even before i met my wife, teresa. she's been a very special part of my life. this is the first time in my life, that i've had a pet from "start to finish". we had pets when we were kids, but my parents always seemed to find a reason to get rid of them before they got old - so here i am at 51, having to deal with the death of a pet for the first time ever.

been a horrible week, had to take a day off from work, very hard to stay focused, can't seem to get anything done at home, been scanning through old photos, almost anything dog-related makes me want to cry...

not sure how this all works, but any thoughts, comments, ideas, suggestions, are most welcome. from the way this feels, i doubt if anyone ever really can get used to these feelings, but maybe some of you have found solace in something.......

thanks,
steve g
seattle

Attached image(s)

 

[AngelBear'sLuv]

Steve, I'm so sorry for the loss of your dear girl, Einstein, and the grief you're feeling. It's so sad and painful to lose such a special part of your life. Time is the only thing that can help, and it's a slow process. Your heart has been blown apart, and now it has to learn how to mend itself back together, while keeping Einstein's essence in tact. It's especially difficult losing Einstein so suddenly, with little time to adjust to the idea of not having her around. How wonderful that she lived to such a ripe old age in dog years, but that really doesn't make things any easier I know.

I lost my girl, Abbey, after just nine years, following a short battle with lymphoma. I got her as a puppy for the kids - who were 10 and 12 at the time - but she quickly became my girl. She was with us for our happiest years together as a family, and she brought the purest form of simple joy and laughter into our lives every day. Her loss signifies the end of an era, and reminds us how fragile and precious life is.

This is my second spring without my Abbey girl, and missing her still cuts like a knife. Some days I still half expect to find her outside bringing me a stick to throw, or laying on the front step waiting for my car to come down the street so she can run and meet me in the driveway with her happy tail, smiling eyes, and some crazy toy. Whenever the pain hits, I try to use it as a time for quiet reflection to remember how special she was, and how lucky we were to have her presence and love for the time that we did.

Let the tears fall freely. Einstein lives on forever in your heart. She will always be a special part of you. "The greater the love, the deeper the loss".

[Steve G]

we had also lost our two cats in 2008, hard as that was, at least they had issues before hand and it gave us a few weeks to adjust to that reality. einstein's loss was very sudden and unexpected. i had realized that at the tender age of 15, i could wake up most any morning, to find her expired on her bed - still it doesn't seem real what has happened.

just as you miss abbey when you come home at night, i miss einstein - that little yip and bark as i was unlocking the door, that tail wagging, that seemingly always present doggie smile - tough to beat after a long day - and now, it's gone - these are hard, hard days right now, i know how you must feel as well.

thanks again for the kind words, everyone here is so understanding. i've read several other stories, and it just tears me up right now - time to go for a walk, but i don't know if i can go without rattling that leash.......

steve

Steve, I'm so sorry for the loss of your dear girl, Einstein, and the grief you're feeling. It's so sad and painful to lose such a special part of your life. Time is the only thing that can help, and it's a slow process. Your heart has been blown apart, and now it has to learn how to mend itself back together, while keeping Einstein's essence in tact. It's especially difficult losing Einstein so suddenly, with little time to adjust to the idea of not having her around. How wonderful that she lived to such a ripe old age in dog years, but that really doesn't make things any easier I know.

I lost my girl, Abbey, after just nine years, following a short battle with lymphoma. I got her as a puppy for the kids - who were 10 and 12 at the time - but she quickly became my girl. She was with us for our happiest years together as a family, and she brought the purest form of simple joy and laughter into our lives every day. Her loss signifies the end of an era, and reminds us how fragile and precious life is.

This is my second spring without my Abbey girl, and missing her still cuts like a knife. Some days I still half expect to find her outside bringing me a stick to throw, or laying on the front step waiting for my car to come down the street so she can run and meet me in the driveway with her happy tail, smiling eyes, and some crazy toy. Whenever the pain hits, I try to use it as a time for quiet reflection to remember how special she was, and how lucky we were to have her presence and love for the time that we did.

Let the tears fall freely. Einstein lives on forever in your heart. She will always be a special part of you. "The greater the love, the deeper the loss".

Attached image(s)