My Beautiful Baby Options

[Kristinak]

Last night, my baby was put to sleep....she died happy, eating from a bowl of treats before she just went asleep. She was a 14 1/2 year old Labrador Retriever. She had severe arthritis, she was taking multiple doses of codeine a day to keep the pain down. The past few months she could hardly walk, could hardly get up (she couldn't at all if she was lying down on a linoleum floor), and she could only stand for about a minute, because it was too hard for her....we had to carry her out to the backyard for her to do her business, because she couldn't walk there herself...and it was hard for her to control her bowel movements, so usually she would start doing her business while we were taking her down the stairs outside.... and the past month and a half she just stopped wagging her tail. I saw her wag it slightly maybe twice, since. And she was such a happy dog.

I miss her so much....I love her so much.... I had her since she was a puppy, and I have been through so much with her. and what hurts is that I even feel guilt, like did I do the right thing by putting her down.... is this normal? please.... please help me...I don't know what to do and how to cope with this.

[Brutus]

I am so sorry for what you are going through. I lost my almost 13yr old black lab over 14 months ago and I so felt everything you are feeling. I thought I couldn't go on without my soulmate, I didn't want to go on, I couldn't breathe is the best way I can describe it. I questioned my decision over and over again to send him to the rainbow bridge. I didn't think it would ever get better..... But it does, it's going to take time, but you will look back at your time with your baby and smile.

All these feeling you are having are part of the process and it's just something you have to go through unfortunately. I wish I could take everyone's pain away on here, but it's just something we all have to do I guess. Even after a year I still miss my Brutus so much, but I've learned to smile when I think of him (and still sometimes a tear or two).

Hang in there, be good to yourself and do whatever you need to do, be it scream, cry, get angry, don't hold back at all, let it out.

I hope your travels go well, and although you are questioning the timing, I think it's good to have something to try to keep your mind off this pain so much. It will get better, it really will.

Many hugs to you and your fur baby,
Brutus' Mom