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I normally wouldn't do this, but I am sitting in my office going stir crazy and trying not to cry.
My 11 year old lab mix isn't doing well. Early yesterday morning, I found that he had vomited everywhere and had a very bloated stomach. This isn't the first time this has happened - he has a history of eating his own poo/garbage, and has had gastroentiritis several times as a result.
I called the vet who performed an in home visit, and he got his usual antibiotics and anti-nausea medicine. Normally within a couple of hours, he would be improving and back to being his normal self.
This time though, he is just lying there in visible discomfort. He can't put his head down and he is panting in a really weird way. He hasn't eaten or drank anything in 24+ hours, and I can't even convince him to go on a walk (his favorite thing in the world).
I have another appointment scheduled for tonight, but I am fearing the worst (but praying for the best). He has been my faithful companion for most of my adult life - nothing makes me happier than coming home and taking him for a walk through the forest. He is my little brother and my best friend - I can't imagine my life without him.
He had a tough life - he was abused and left on the street as a young dog (when they found him, he was emaciated and covered in dandruff), and was placed in a kill shelter in Ohio. We adopted him using an agency that places kills shelter dogs around the world, and despite his tough start, he is so sweet, playful and gentle. Watching him with my newborn nieces and nephew was amazing, and really showed me how intelligent animals are.
While I don't know how much I believe in the power of positive thinking, please send positive vibes for my dog if you can (Chance).
Update:
This is probably the hardest day of my life - I have lost my best friend, my companion of 11 years, my little brother, my doggoes.
When we got him to the vet, the x-ray revealed that he had a large spleen tumor that had likely spread to his lungs and heart. He had shown no symptoms until now - literally 36 hours ago, he was chasing raccoons and begging me for chicken. My family and I made the excruciatingly painful decision to let him go - the vet advised against surgery, given the poor prognosis and his advanced age.
The guilt I feel is enormous - it felt like I was signing his death warrant. We lay down beside him, singing him his favorite songs as he passed to the other side to be with his older brother (my first dog). I couldn't bare to let him go - I wasn't ready for this. With my first dog, he was sick for a while, so I was mentally prepared that his time had come. With Chance, I feel blindsided - the phrase broken heart is as much physical as it is emotional, because it feels as though my heart resides somewhere in my stomach.
Coming home to an empty house has broken me. His toys, treats and blanket are still out in the open. I don't think I can sleep in my bed tonight, he was my constant companion of eleven years, often sleeping horizontally and pushing me off of the mattress.
Please, please, please hug your pets and tell them you love them. I would trade anything for one more day with Chance, and all I can think about are the times I had to leave him for work, or the times he wanted to play and I was too busy. My only solace is that he didn't suffer long. Until the very end, he was my strong, fun loving and playful boy.
Rest in peace Chance. Be with your brother Hunter, and wait till I join you on the other side of the Rainbow Bridge.
My 11 year old lab mix isn't doing well. Early yesterday morning, I found that he had vomited everywhere and had a very bloated stomach. This isn't the first time this has happened - he has a history of eating his own poo/garbage, and has had gastroentiritis several times as a result.
I called the vet who performed an in home visit, and he got his usual antibiotics and anti-nausea medicine. Normally within a couple of hours, he would be improving and back to being his normal self.
This time though, he is just lying there in visible discomfort. He can't put his head down and he is panting in a really weird way. He hasn't eaten or drank anything in 24+ hours, and I can't even convince him to go on a walk (his favorite thing in the world).
I have another appointment scheduled for tonight, but I am fearing the worst (but praying for the best). He has been my faithful companion for most of my adult life - nothing makes me happier than coming home and taking him for a walk through the forest. He is my little brother and my best friend - I can't imagine my life without him.
He had a tough life - he was abused and left on the street as a young dog (when they found him, he was emaciated and covered in dandruff), and was placed in a kill shelter in Ohio. We adopted him using an agency that places kills shelter dogs around the world, and despite his tough start, he is so sweet, playful and gentle. Watching him with my newborn nieces and nephew was amazing, and really showed me how intelligent animals are.
While I don't know how much I believe in the power of positive thinking, please send positive vibes for my dog if you can (Chance).
Update:
This is probably the hardest day of my life - I have lost my best friend, my companion of 11 years, my little brother, my doggoes.
When we got him to the vet, the x-ray revealed that he had a large spleen tumor that had likely spread to his lungs and heart. He had shown no symptoms until now - literally 36 hours ago, he was chasing raccoons and begging me for chicken. My family and I made the excruciatingly painful decision to let him go - the vet advised against surgery, given the poor prognosis and his advanced age.
The guilt I feel is enormous - it felt like I was signing his death warrant. We lay down beside him, singing him his favorite songs as he passed to the other side to be with his older brother (my first dog). I couldn't bare to let him go - I wasn't ready for this. With my first dog, he was sick for a while, so I was mentally prepared that his time had come. With Chance, I feel blindsided - the phrase broken heart is as much physical as it is emotional, because it feels as though my heart resides somewhere in my stomach.
Coming home to an empty house has broken me. His toys, treats and blanket are still out in the open. I don't think I can sleep in my bed tonight, he was my constant companion of eleven years, often sleeping horizontally and pushing me off of the mattress.
Please, please, please hug your pets and tell them you love them. I would trade anything for one more day with Chance, and all I can think about are the times I had to leave him for work, or the times he wanted to play and I was too busy. My only solace is that he didn't suffer long. Until the very end, he was my strong, fun loving and playful boy.
Rest in peace Chance. Be with your brother Hunter, and wait till I join you on the other side of the Rainbow Bridge.
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