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.

[merlin96]

Hi Kristinak,

I'm just checking back again to see how you're doing. I know this may sound weird, but a change of environment may not be the worse thing for you. You're going to be grieving terribly no matter what but it may make it a bit easier if you have something to take your mind off of it just a little bit. I'm hope I don't sound insensitive in saying that but I speak from experience. When I first put Jack down, I literally could not pick up any of his toys or his food bowl or anything. In fact, even now, almost two years later and with a new companion in the house (my beautiful Sweetie), there is still a beanbag chair in the exact shape of Jack's body. Since he was the last one to lie on it, I have never been able to get myself to move it and disturb his sweet shape. Like Sassy, I have all my dogs' ashes in cremation boxes and a small token or two and for the last two, I wear their ashes in cremation pendants around my neck. You can do some of these things no matter where you are but going to your semester abroad will help you in your grieving. Your memories will come with you. You will make the decision that works best for you I'm sure. I hope you are doing o.k. Just know that people are thinking about you and we care.