At 11:58am, my dog Tiger passed away - I held him in my lap as he took his last breath. We sang to him as he transitioned from this world to the next.
My heart is absolutely shattered. On Saturday he was begging me for chicken and chasing squirrels on our walk, and by today he was gone. It started innocently enough - he was vomiting and had diarrhea. I decided to take him to the vet as a precaution. They noticed fluid in his stomach and this morning an ultrasound determined he had masses in his bladder and stomach, and enlarged lymph nodes. The vet said there was no treatment that would ensure a good quality of life and advised to euthanize him.
I feel like I betrayed him somehow. He still looked good - he was still asking for treats. In fact, his last meal at the vet's office was chocolate (the irony, as now it didn't matter) and he gobbled it up and wanted more. The vet reminded me that it was better to be a day early than a day late, and if he was showing visible signs of pain, then he must be really hurting.
I adopted Tiger in 2018 shortly after my father passed away. He was a rescue dog from Greece - somebody had tied him to a poll and abandoned him during the Greece fires. I adopted him site unseen and was told he was a half lab and half collie. He ended up being a mixed breed pitbull. He was the sweetest and most loving dog I have ever had. I was his whole world, and he was mine. As cliche as this is to say, I didn't save him, he saved me.
Goodbye my sweet boy - I love you with every ounce of my being and I will meet you on the other side of the rainbow bridge.
Please give your furry family members a hug and tell them you love them. I would trade away the world for one last I love you with Tiger.
The last picture of my good boy at the vet.
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