Missing My Boy

Hello board,

My friend told me to check out this site as his sister read it when her dog passed.

My best friend and our first child of 12+ years died Saturday night.

He was a Choc lab and full of life to his last day. Many years ago @ the age of 3.5 yrs he developed a deteriorating nasal disease. For many months it was emotionally draining for my wife and I as he deteriorated so, was in such pain, I had to hand feed him, really take my time to take him out, etc. He went from a dog that would go absolutely crazy when we walked into our home to one that could just get enough energy to give a lil thump of the tail. We did 3 surgery’s based on what was suppose to be the top Animal Hospital in America (we lived in NY at the time) and it just got worse. Thru the grace of god we randomly spoke with someone, found a vet in Westchester country and they had a surgeon who they worked and consulted with closely …. 2 more surgery’s and a few weeks of recuperation and our boy was back like he didn’t miss a beat tho compromised some.

The disease lasted abt one year and it ate away a lot of his muscle and tissue in his nose and nasal area. For the rest of his life he would be happy and energetic but he would discharge a lot thru his nose due to lack of proper function cleaning out foreign substances. For the next 8+ years I had no problem cleaning his dried up, clogged nostrils, applying aquafor to keep it moist, etc … it was my pleasure and the least I could do for my guy who never, ever let that lil problem break his spirit. He would sneeze often and we would clean up after him but we didn’t care. We had 2 children afterward and they grew so attached to him and he loved them back …. even if it took a while for them to learn he isn’t a toy whose ears and tail are to be tugged.

This past Saturday night was normal and I took him for his walk, fed him, told him to be a good boy for the sitter, etc b4 my wife and I went out to diner. Got a call arnd 9PM-ish from the sitter that he was having a small seizure. First thought was a typical doggy dream (has had them often recently) where they freak out and she (sitter) was just nervous (first time sitting for us as well). Ask the waiter for the check but then got another call abt 5 mins later .. from everything she had told me, I new it was a seizure not a dog dream.

By the time I got home it had been going on for 30 mins and by the time I got him in the car, gave the wife a chance to just hug him and tell her she loves him, and got him to the vet/hospital it was abt an hour … doc gave me the prognosis and it wasn’t a tough decision at all. The gave him valium to really slow down the seizures so I could have my final time with him.

His temp hit 109 (probably there for awhile during that past hr), Doc told me most of his organs are likely shot (used medical terms), brain damage most likely occurred, etc … toughest was when I had my time alone with prior to him being put to rest I feel like he didn’t hear me cause it was the first time in 12+ years that I spoke in his ear and is tail didn’t wag, no lick to the face, etc .. even when he was really sick those years back I got some reaction.

12+ great years and such great memories and all I can remember for the past 3 days are his seizures from Sat night. When does that go away? Mourning is part of healing but when can I continue to mourn by remembering all the joy he brought to us and us to him? Thank you for listening