Too Young To Leave Her Sweet Life, when a young beloved pet dies Options

[joyo]

Many years ago, when our sons were still at home, I saw a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. I had never seen such a beautiful face and tghe owner told me about the sweet dispositions and charms that come with the breed. I knew we would have one someday.

That day was less than 4 years ago, when Anna literally flew into our hearts, arriving by airplane. She was so excited to see us and get out of the crate she flew on. We were overjoyed to welcome her. Arriving from So. Dakota in the winter, she had never experienced the grass we had in PA. It was funny watching her jump in the air over the strange sensation on her little paws.

Anna came into the lives of my husband and myself when both sons had graduated from college and left home. She even attended our younger son's graduation. Because of "empty-nest" syndrome and her sweet, gentle personality (with a few crazy quirks) she quickly became our baby, even more than some previous well loved dogs.

We took her everywhere and found hotels that accept pets when we traveled. She loved the car and would grab a toy to carry in her mouth and bring with her on car rides.

She loved to eat and barked and twirled on the kitchen floor when we said, "do you want to eat?"

She was a great registered therapy dog on an adolescent behavioral unit and we could see kids calm down just petting her and she sat in their laps and "kissed" them.

But 3 weeks ago, at age 4, she vomited, stopped eating and became too quiet. We took her to our local vet who told us she had fluid around her lungs and in her abdominal cavity. We then took her the U of PA vet Hospital. There she was first diagnosed with Inflammatory Bowel Disease and put on steroids and hypo-allergenic diet. At first she did well and was almost her old self, except for not really being excited about the flavorless food. But a few days ago she started the original symptoms all over again and this time, after multitudes of tests, she was diagnosed with untreatable bowel cancer.

We were and still are devastated. The staff were wonderful and we held Anna on our laps and she licked our faces one more time before her peaceful end of life drugs were given.

We're experiencing waves of grief that wash over us painfully. I can;t believe she is no longer part of our lives. Her tracks in the snow in our back yard are still there. the last toy she brought to my car is still there. Towels i used to dry her after her bath are still by the tub, along with her shampoo.

But there's no wag of a gorgeous plume of a tail in the glass door when we drive up the driveway. there's no click clack of nails on the wood floor. Her beautiful beautiful face resides only in our hearts and memories and pictures. There's no Anna to take on trips and visit our sons. There's no Anna to walk in the park and greet other dogs and owners.

Our hearts are truly broken and will take long to heal.

She was much too young and our time with her was way too short. I know she knew we loved her and she sure loved us. I just want her back.

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[Gretta's Mom]

Dear Yoyo's mom

My heart is crying with you over the passing of your beautiful Yoyo. Is there anything more beautiful than the face of a King Charles? And there is NO better place that you could have taken Yoyo for medical care. The UPenn is THE best veterinary school and hospital in the USA. And I am so sorry that even they could not fix the disease in Yoyo's body.

There is nothing anyone can say in words to comfort you in beautiful Yoyo's going home - and that is where she is now. She is NOT gone. She has shed her physical body but Yoyo is still alive. Now she is a spirit. Soon you will get a message from Moonbeam, who has conforted so many LSers and taught us all about the sensory world we humans live in - if we don't see or hear or touch something, we call it non-existent. Nothing could be farther than the truth. Yoyo has gone back to where she came from - the Perfect World. The amazing thing is that, as a spirit, she is also right where she has even been:by your side. Watching you, guiding your steps, and most important sharing the love you two have always shared.

When two beings share the intense love that you and Yoyo do, many traditions around the world say that the two share a single soul. That's where our word "soulmate" comes from. Soulmates have shared their soul from the beginning of time and will share it until the end of time. When soulmates separate, it's only temporary. There IS a place where souls (or spirits) come from and return to after their earthly life is finished - the Perfect World. Sometimes people get very subtle signs from their fur soulmate letting their other half know that they are OK. Some people don't. When you open the door expecting to see her - that's a sign. When you open a food package in the kitchen and you loook over the the door expecting to see Yoyo waiting at the door for a bite, that's a sign. Sometimes you may catch just a tiny glimpse of the beautifual swishy tail of a King Charles - that's a sign. But whether you get one of these signs or not, KNOW that Yoyo is in the perfect World, where she is healthy, young again, where the food is always tasty and the water always cool. Where it's eternal spring, with beautiful sinny grass fields to play in a cool shade trees to rest under. An zillions of friends to tell stories of their beloved parents.

Yoyo's mom, even though evenone's grief journey is unique to them, many people go through a "robot" period when their baby first goes home. That's your body protecting your heart from overload. You seem to be walking through a heavy fluid and doing the things that have to be done like an automaton - a robot. No matter what - do wahtever you have to do to grieve for Precious Yoyo. Cry (or not), scream in misery (or not). curl up in a ball (or not). This is YOUR grief and no one has any business telling you what you "should do." Especially watch out for the poor people who have never had the gift of a soulmate. They are the ones who say such terribly injurious things as "Oh, it was only a dog." NO IT ISN"T! It's Yoyo, your other half! Or: "Why don't you get another dog?" NO YOYO is NOT "another dog" - she is your special spirit dog - forever. You may decide at some point to get another dog - and your soul - and Yoyo - willl tell you when and if that time comes. And if it does, Yoyo will SEND you another special dog.

I've had the company of two soulmates: Gretta, the kindest chocolate lab who ever lived, and Rufus, my big black dog ( a half black lab, half Newfie). Their vet, Doctor Hinson, is the best vet in the nation - because he trained at UPenn and because he understands the human animal love connection. After Gretta went home, my house and my arms were so empty - nobody to "have and to hold". About four months later, Gretta sent me Rufus - the dog with the strong back and courageous heart. We shared only 21 months together and then Baby Rufus died from spleen cancer, despite Dr Hinson's best efforts and those of the U if MN vet school. I was half a continent away, taking care of a severely ill younger sister and I still feel horrible that my baby passed all by himself. Each of these dogs had a lesson to teach me: Rufus - strength, courage, get-up-and-do-what-has-to-be-done; Gretta - Kindness, patience, quiet hope and forgiveness. Now I know whay I had to learn these lessons: my father is dying in a nursing home and my mentally-ill sister is about to be appointed his Guardian.

Yoyo's mom, you have come to the right place. This is THE BEST site on the net. People care. They write to each other and don't just post snippets about themselves. Each of us have gone through what you're going through now. We get it. And, I say again, we care. Post here as often or a few times as your heart guides you. And one word you will NEVER hear is "should." Each of us knows we make heroic efforts on behalf of our spirit animals. We are a band of brothers and sisters who support each other and are always ready to help a brother or sister out when they are in particular pain. And there is no pain like that in the beginning!!

Every time I see Cavalier King Charles, I will now know her name - it's precious Yoyo.

Until next time .....

Gretta and Rufus's mom

[joyo]

Dear Yoyo's mom

My heart is crying with you over the passing of your beautiful Yoyo. Is there anything more beautiful than the face of a King Charles? And there is NO better place that you could have taken Yoyo for medical care. The UPenn is THE best veterinary school and hospital in the USA. And I am so sorry that even they could not fix the disease in Yoyo's body.

There is nothing anyone can say in words to comfort you in beautiful Yoyo's going home - and that is where she is now. She is NOT gone. She has shed her physical body but Yoyo is still alive. Now she is a spirit. Soon you will get a message from Moonbeam, who has conforted so many LSers and taught us all about the sensory world we humans live in - if we don't see or hear or touch something, we call it non-existent. Nothing could be farther than the truth. Yoyo has gone back to where she came from - the Perfect World. The amazing thing is that, as a spirit, she is also right where she has even been:by your side. Watching you, guiding your steps, and most important sharing the love you two have always shared.

When two beings share the intense love that you and Yoyo do, many traditions around the world say that the two share a single soul. That's where our word "soulmate" comes from. Soulmates have shared their soul from the beginning of time and will share it until the end of time. When soulmates separate, it's only temporary. There IS a place where souls (or spirits) come from and return to after their earthly life is finished - the Perfect World. Sometimes people get very subtle signs from their fur soulmate letting their other half know that they are OK. Some people don't. When you open the door expecting to see her - that's a sign. When you open a food package in the kitchen and you loook over the the door expecting to see Yoyo waiting at the door for a bite, that's a sign. Sometimes you may catch just a tiny glimpse of the beautifual swishy tail of a King Charles - that's a sign. But whether you get one of these signs or not, KNOW that Yoyo is in the perfect World, where she is healthy, young again, where the food is always tasty and the water always cool. Where it's eternal spring, with beautiful sinny grass fields to play in a cool shade trees to rest under. An zillions of friends to tell stories of their beloved parents.

Yoyo's mom, even though evenone's grief journey is unique to them, many people go through a "robot" period when their baby first goes home. That's your body protecting your heart from overload. You seem to be walking through a heavy fluid and doing the things that have to be done like an automaton - a robot. No matter what - do wahtever you have to do to grieve for Precious Yoyo. Cry (or not), scream in misery (or not). curl up in a ball (or not). This is YOUR grief and no one has any business telling you what you "should do." Especially watch out for the poor people who have never had the gift of a soulmate. They are the ones who say such terribly injurious things as "Oh, it was only a dog." NO IT ISN"T! It's Yoyo, your other half! Or: "Why don't you get another dog?" NO YOYO is NOT "another dog" - she is your special spirit dog - forever. You may decide at some point to get another dog - and your soul - and Yoyo - willl tell you when and if that time comes. And if it does, Yoyo will SEND you another special dog.

I've had the company of two soulmates: Gretta, the kindest chocolate lab who ever lived, and Rufus, my big black dog ( a half black lab, half Newfie). Their vet, Doctor Hinson, is the best vet in the nation - because he trained at UPenn and because he understands the human animal love connection. After Gretta went home, my house and my arms were so empty - nobody to "have and to hold". About four months later, Gretta sent me Rufus - the dog with the strong back and courageous heart. We shared only 21 months together and then Baby Rufus died from spleen cancer, despite Dr Hinson's best efforts and those of the U if MN vet school. I was half a continent away, taking care of a severely ill younger sister and I still feel horrible that my baby passed all by himself. Each of these dogs had a lesson to teach me: Rufus - strength, courage, get-up-and-do-what-has-to-be-done; Gretta - Kindness, patience, quiet hope and forgiveness. Now I know whay I had to learn these lessons: my father is dying in a nursing home and my mentally-ill sister is about to be appointed his Guardian.

Yoyo's mom, you have come to the right place. This is THE BEST site on the net. People care. They write to each other and don't just post snippets about themselves. Each of us have gone through what you're going through now. We get it. And, I say again, we care. Post here as often or a few times as your heart guides you. And one word you will NEVER hear is "should." Each of us knows we make heroic efforts on behalf of our spirit animals. We are a band of brothers and sisters who support each other and are always ready to help a brother or sister out when they are in particular pain. And there is no pain like that in the beginning!!

Every time I see Cavalier King Charles, I will now know her name - it's precious Yoyo.

Until next time .....

Gretta and Rufus's mom

Thank you so very much for kind and thoughtful words, special mom of 2. I have waves of grief and have stopped putting anything of Anna's away or cleaning her nose prints off the glass door. her tracks in our backyard snow are still there and her toy is still in my car. I love your belief that she will help guide us as we grieve. I will follow her lead and take my time, not forcing anything. thanks so much and I'm so grateful Joy