So Sad!, Loss of my friend Options

[LoveThem]

It has been a very short time since your loss and crying just is so much a part of everything. I am glad to hear you are making the effort to remember the good memories and pushing the sad ones away. It takes time but the healing seems to come when you can really push the sad ones far, far away.

So keep posting and maybe even post some pictures of your good memories. My pictures of my Little Guy always make me smile because I know he is happy and healthy in all of them.

Take Care.

[Victoria]

Almost to much to bear. Its been alittle over 2 months now since I lost my J-Dog. And now our Goose buddy is failing. Took him to the vet Friday and got the bad new... His blood work came back and he's dying. He's on fluids now, I give him a bag of lacted ringers every day. It's only a matter of time.
My heart is still breaking for Jay and now Goose. I hope I can see the light soon. I'm so tired of griefing... I still have my little girl Dinky but she's 13. They were the greatest 3 dogs they blended so well together. Dinky is having a hard time because all we do anymore is cry. And of course its winter so cold and snowy outside, that doesn't help either. I just needed to get this off my heart if you know what I mean. Thanks

[LoveThem]

I am so sorry to hear about Goose...it is just too soon since Jay was taken. You said you have a 3rd one who is 13. The last ones I had were the first time I had 3 and also they were from the same litter so all the same age. I am finding from my experience and also from some others on this forum that it is much harder when your babies are close in age.....that means they will all become seniors at the same time. It is truly the most heartbreaking of all to lose more than one close together.

I think in the future if I do have more than 1...I will really think about having some years of age between them. I lost 1 in 2002, then the 2nd in 2006 and the 3rd in 2007. It's like your family has all disappeared at the same time...that's more hurt than we should have to bear...except we all find out at some time that life is really not fair even though at times we hope for the best.

My tears are here and I am crying for you and with you for such a painful time. Each day you have with Goose will be a blessing and I am glad you have Dinky..it really helps to have the last one for a while..it did for me.

Hugs and prayers to Goose. All you can do now is simply love him and hug him and tell him how much you care, as often as you can. And be sure and hug Dinky too because she doesn't understand why you are so sad and when we show sadness...our babies are very aware of it and sometimes try to lick away the tears...that's their tenderness and their unconditional love trying to help. Take Care and post whenever you feel the need. There is understanding here of what you are going through so be assured you are not alone in your grief.

[goliath]

I can feel your pain in your words expressed here Victoria and I feel horrible about your worries and your grief. Please come and share more when you can. I am sure you will spending all the time you can with Goose and Dinky.

As Goose passes on and will be with J-Dog you can be rest assured that they are together once again and playing and running and waiting for you and Dinky to meet them once again someday.

It is very hard when our furry kids are close in age. My Goliath and Gidget are only 5 months apart. Even before Goliath passed we had been thinking of having a baby brother for them because of their ages being so close.

I can't even imagine losing Gidget anytime soon as I am not sure I can survive another passing.

My tears, thoughts, and prayers are with you as you go through this very difficult time in your life.

Peace, comfort, and love is what I send to you Victoria from the bottom of my heart

[Victoria]

Thank you both for your input. I know by your words you understand how I feel. And sometime just knowing someone else knows helps. Thanks from my heart.

[forduffy]

I am so sorry to hear about Goose, Victoria. It seems like too much at one time. And the winter can make a person with no grief begin to get depressed. I have never had multiple babies before but I plan to in the future. I know that it has to be so hard to have them all reach old age together but I hope you can take comfort in the fact that they grew up with each other and they will not be alone. Goose and J-Dog will soon be back together. My heart goes out to you because I know that you will miss them both so much. I know that this time will be difficult for you but I would try to savor time with little Goose.
Take care and please know that I am so sorry that you have to endure this. Please know that you will not be alone.

[Victoria]

Last night was very hard. Goose got up at 2am and again at 4am. He wanted outside and it was very cold last night. About 6degrees I wonder if he uses the snow to divert his attention away from his discomfort? He just lays there and licks the snow. When he is with me at home he looks so much worst. When my husband gets home from work he perks up. The hard part is My husband thinks he looks ok. I do have a question... I have been giving him a bag of fluid everyday and at first when I poked him with the needle his skin was very loose and easy to stick. Now after 6 or 7 bag he seems harder to get the needle in and his skin is not as loose. Do you think he is getting scar tissue bulit up because of the fluid seperating his skin? I wonder how long he will endure this? I get up with him at night so my husband can sleep so he can go to work. But I'm getting worn out.

[LoveThem]

I don't have the answer to your question. Maybe you could call your vet who is supervising all of this and ask. I know when my boy was sick, I would call my vet every so often and just leave a message that when they had a moment I wanted to bring them up to date on how my boy is doing and they would always call me and answer any questions on the phone. You might try that.

Other than that, I do a special person here..whose name is jackjackbojack. She is doing and has learned the same medical treatment you are doing. She understands needles and fluids. Unfortunately her computer has been down for about 10 days otherwise she is online everyday. Hopefully, she will be on soon again and I will direct her to your thread and question in case you haven't found an answer by then.

Take Care and really consider just making a phone call to your baby's vet...you don't have to do a vet visit to ask a question. I find vets are quite willing to help a person understand what is going on. Sometimes they have a simple answer to a question that brings a lot of relief. I have urged others to make such calls and have been told they were glad they did because the staff and vets were very helpful on the phone and they didn't realize this was available.

[John B]

Victoria,
I'm so sorry for your loss of J-dog... and now Goose's situation. I can't even imagine what you are going through. It is okay to cry and mourn and talk about all of this until you are blue in the face. J-Dog is fine and at peace. You need not worry about him. I know he wants you to be happy too. Goose needs all of your love now. I know you are giving him that and more. You are in my thoughts and prayers.

Take care
John B.

[myhrtisbrkn]

Victoria,

Ask your vet about the GIF (the greta implantable fluids tube ), it makes it so much more comfortable for the baby to get fluids (no needles ), much easier on you. I researched it on line before I let my vet do it and I swear by it. My 23 year old cat who has chronic renal failure has one, and it not only has saved his life; it has given him good quality of life. Meanwhile, you and your sweet babies are in my thoughts and prayers.

Dayna

[forduffy]

Victoria,
I have no experience with fluids so I will not take up your time. I just wanted to say that I agree with everyone else- I would be sure to ask these questions of the vet and be sure that you can try to assure 24/7 access to the vet for a while, while your baby is sick and be sure that you can get him/her when you need them. From what I have read about dogs' health is that when the skin is loose, it is usually because of dehydration and when the skin is tight, it is a sign that the dog is hydrated. Scar tissue, I think, takes a while to develop-about 2-6 months. I would check this with the vet, though, because I do not know for sure.

[LoveThem]

Victoria: I just spoke with Joanne..the gal who knows about fluids and she said something like ForDuffy just told you.

She said you should take Goose to the vet and get his fluid intake recalibrated.
Something about...if his skin is tight and the needle is difficult..it could mean he is getting enough fluids and is hydrated and overdoing would not help him so it sounds like you should call your vet right away and maybe have to take Goose in so the vet can see him and maybe change what you are doing.

Hope this helps.

Joanne's computer should be fixed next week so maybe she can tell you more at that time. But it sounds like you should talk to your vet because maybe Goose's treatment should be changed. If he is hydrated..it sounds like you are doing a good job.
Joanne has written here before as JackJackBoJack..so look for her or visit her thread.

[Victoria]

Thanks so much for all your input. I have spoken to my vet and adjusted Goose's fluid intake. He also has a heart condition and seem to be fainting regularly. Just loving him right now. Hopeing nothing changes for the worst today. Our highways are closed right now I we could not get to the vet no matter what at this time. Gee this is so hard, just watching and waiting.

[myhrtisbrkn]

Victoria,

I'm so sorry, it must be so difficult to be keeping watch over a loved-one who is ill, knowing you can't get to the vets. Thinking of you and yours.

Dayna

[Victoria]

Up date on Goose. He seems to be staying the same although he is not drinking any water. He is still going pee, but I think thats from the fluids hes getting. He is sleeping alot and still fainting. I think its time. But I am still waiting for my husband to decide. He was so good to me in letting me make the finale choice with J-dog. Goose does not seem to be in pain, no crys or moans or anything like that. But he really can't be comfortable. And there is really no quility of life left. This is so hard to watch having just done it a few months ago with my J-dog. Thanks for letting me share this here.

[Victoria]

I do look forward to coming back and shareing all the good things about my dogs. When I get through this. The good memories of Jay are starting to flow. This helps with what I'm going through with Goose now. I know his good memories will flow some day soon too.

[Victoria]

Up date on Goose. Goose has been holding these last weeks. He's in good spirits, His same goof ball self. What a great dog. But the down hill slid has begun! I can see it in his eyes. His kidney failure is getting the best of him. I feel bad having to poke him with needles every day. And its getting harder on both of us. He puts up with it but I know it hurts. I have been able to trick him into drinking more water by putting it in his food every day. He is still eating well. But he does not drink anymore , besides what I put in his food.
I feel like I have not been able to grieve for my J-dog because of all the time Goose is taking. I'm still very sad at the lost of my buddy! And to top all this off our best freinds dog is dying too. His name is Bodie and he is Goose's buddy too.
This is truly the hardest part of dog ownership. My trio is shrinking to one... Somedays I do fine, but others I still cry. On top of all this my sister inlaw passed away a few weeks ago. I feel a little gulity because my grief for my dog has been so much harder than for her. Just feeling a bit overwhelmed...

[LoveThem]

I can understand feeling overwhelmed...you have a lot going on. All you can do is take it one day at a time and do the best you can each day...and know that each day Goose is with you is a gift of time for you to hug him and love him as you look into his eyes and see his love there for you.

You mention your trio going to one. This past September my first trio went to zero.
It is a very very empty feeling that happens and sometimes you feel as though you are frozen in inaction.

The grief we feel for our babies is different from the grief we can feel for the loss of another human. There are a lot of reasons for this but a big one is the unconditional love we receive from these babies that only they can give us and when we lose them, we know that is something we will miss terribly. You are correct when you say this is the hardest part of having them. We know this day will come but at the time we first get them...we usually can push the thought into knowing it is in the distant future hopefully, and many times, it is.

I read something someone posted after a loss..on another forum and wrote it down because it felt good to me to read it. Maybe it will help you in some way.

"One can ask with the depth of pain we go through WHY do we allow ourselves to become so attached to pets? All one has to do is think of the tremendous amount of unconditional love we get from them and then we can ask WHY wouldn't we?"

In spite of the many times of going through this pain when a time like this arrives, I have never regretted having any of them and even though there was that pain, there were many more times of health and happiness. In fact, a member here once wrote:
"The pain of losing him will never ever be bigger than the joy of knowing him." I agree 1000%.

I am sorry to hear about your best friends' dog also being ill. You have someone nearby that you can relate to about going through what is happening. It may help you both to give each other a hug now and then and cry together.

Again, take it one day at a time and enjoy each good thing about each day you have with Goose and hug him a lot.

Hugs to you from many here!

[Victoria]

Thanks
I does really help knowing other people understand what you are going through. Some day soon I will share some great stories about my pet along with some great pictures. I'm just not quite ready yet.

[LoveThem]

Post when you need to talk. That's what this forum is all about. Whenever you do need to talk, it helps to know there is understanding here and people who do share your pain as it mingles with their own.