Saying goodbye to a pet

[Kable24]

I very rarely if ever share much of my personal life on the boards, but I thought I would share this. Yesterday afternoon, we had to put our 13 year old cat Ash to sleep. Overnight a large blood clot had dislodged and ended up paralyzing her hind legs. She had no feeling in her hind quarters. My wife took her to the vet. It was not good and the vets couldn't do anything to help her. So, I left work and met my wife and Ash at our vet to say our goodbyes. While in the room with her she had two mini seizures and would pass out after both. Her blood pressure was dropping and it seemed like she was going fast.

My wife saved Ash from our local Humane Society 6 years ago. She went over to buy our dog Mollie her yearly license and saw Ash sitting there. They told my wife that she was returned 4 times to them. My wife brought her home and we named her Ash because she reminded me of Bruce Campbell's character from Evil Dead 2. Ash had her one ear operated on and they removed a tumor at one time, so her ear was beat up. She also had a small scar going across her nose. To me she looked exactly like Ash at the end of Evil Dead 2. She was our *****y cat. She would look at you and meow, but it also came out like she was complaining. She hated being picked up and would fight her way out of your grasp. I would chase her around saying I was going to get her and pick her up and hug the meanness out of her. She loved laying on the spare bed in the sunlight. When we were spending our last minutes with her saying goodbye we took her outside and left her soak in the sunlight which she loved she much. it was the only time she left either of us hold her without her flipping out and trying to get away.

I'm going to miss my little Ashy girl. She was a sweet little cat and brought us a lot of joy and I only hope we made her life better.

 

[Erzengel]

My condolences. My first cat lived to 14 and we had to put him down and it still upsets me to this day even though it was years ago and I even have another cat.

But the thing you learn is that you can't let whether it be the last painful minutes, hours, days, weeks of your pet being sick overshadow the years of joy they gave you.

 

[Knightsaber Priss]

Aw! My condolences. I once had to put a 15 or so year old cat to sleep a few years ago. It's a very tough thing especially when you've had a pet for so long.

 

[DOG LIPS]

Condolences.

I've had 2 cats pass away over the years, both in my presence, and it was pretty rough. One we had taken to the vet, and they gave her some medicine for a bad stomach problem, but she didn't survive the night. But the passing of those two lead us to our current cat of 9 years, and he's by far the best of the bunch. That big fat beast.

 

[Majic Walrus]

At first I was trying to be cynical about it but I'm pretty attached to my pet too so I can understand. I'm sure you made her life a lot longer and happier though.

 

[Drakon]

I'm sorry. Losing a pet is one of the hardest things to do

 

[Prison Mike]

Sorry to hear about this. I know what you're going through. I had to put my dog down a couple years ago because he had cancer and was in a lot of pain. I still miss him and think about him from time to time.

 

[X-Ray]

Looks like my black cat who I've had for 8+ years now. My condolences.

 

[Franklin Richards]

Pets are great. They listen when no one else will. They love you unconditionally. They also teach us that our lives are precious. That we should cherish our time together. Because like a chalk picture on the sidewalk, our lives are ephemeral and the next day rain could wash it all away.


Celebrate the life or your pet. And don't forget to celebrate the time you have.

 

[Franklin Richards]

Celebrate double posts too.

 

[SuBe]

I'm sorry for your loss. I lost my child hood dog a few years ago. I feel for you.

I want to post this book. It is written by a Conservative Author and Radio Show host, but it's nothing about Politics. http://marklevinshow.com/sprite/

He wrote a book that have helped many coping with the loss of a pet. They are family.

 

[The Chairman]

Losing a pet is hard. I've had my dog for over five years. They really become family. My prayers and condolences.

 

[Spidey-Bat]

My condolences to you and your wife.

My family got our first dog 3 years ago. I dread the day when he's old and we have to put him down. I really can't imagine anything more painful to go through.

 

[Kable24]

Thank you all. I know there are many on here who feel the same way about our pets. They are apart of us. My wife and I don't have children, but we treat our pets like they are our kids.

SuBe - I bought Rescuing Sprite for my wife one Christmas and I bought it for my friend this past Christmas. I may have to sit and read it now.

 

[Spider-Who?]

Not to sound like the broken record (but meaningful all the same) that is this thread, I'm really sorry about your cat. You guys did the best thing for him (her?), both in giving it a home, and laying it to rest.

I had to put my first dog down back in November. He was 17 years old. His name was Shadow, an all black (aside from a stripe of white running from his chin to his chest) lab/beagle mix. I got him when I was 6 or 7. I'm 23 now. He lost his hearing, his vision was starting to go, his hind legs were slowly stopping to work, and we had recently found out he had cancer. The dude was a fighter, fiecerly protecting me and my family (he lost the tip of his ear protecting my younger brother from a much larger dog who had wondered into our yard). He was my best friend, my partner in crime. When I was smaller, I'd lie on the floor to watch tv and he'd run over to me and snuggle up, letting me use him as a pillow. I spent many saturday mornings watching cartoons like that. When we put him down...he just would not let the drugs take their toll. Word cannot express how hard it was to say, "Shadow, buddy, you've loved us enough. It's time to let go..." As soon as I said that, he looked up at me, winked (which he did alot to me), and closed his eyes for the last time.

I consider myself a pretty tough, "keep emotions inside" type of guy, but I lied on the vets floor for half an hour, just holding my buddy and crying.

I payed extra to have him cremated alone (they usually do mass cremations of pets). His urn and a picture of him sit on my night stand and I say "goodnight" to him every evening. I think I always will.

The family still has two other dogs and some cats, and as much as I love them, Shadow was the best, and I'll never forget him. Since then, I have moved into my own place, and I have realized how much we can take pets for granted...sitting alone at night watching tv is a meaningless time spent, unless you've got a dog curled at your feet.

I feel you buddy. Time will heal the wounds, and getting another pet will never replace your Ash, but like a friend, your next pet will help heal the pain.


...*goes to have ciggarette so office buddies won't ask why my eyes are watering*

 

[Timstuff]

I'm really sorry to hear that. A few years ago we had to put our chihuahua down, and I was in the room when he died. It was sad for us, but we at least knew that he was finally resting peacefully instead of suffering.

 

[Spider-Who?]

My condolences to you and your wife.

My family got our first dog 3 years ago. I dread the day when he's old and we have to put him down. I really can't imagine anything more painful to go through.

it is tough, and I too spent many times (not) looking forward to the day Shadow and our other pets would pass, but just like with humans, your time is better spent enjoying their company with the time you have NOW. The better your time is spent with loved ones know, will make their passing easier to bare in the future, because there will be much fewer "if only's".

 

[Bim]

I'm really sorry for ur loss

I dunno if this helps, but i hope u find solace in the fact that u actually got to say goodbye. Last x mas i lost my dog to bloat (Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus). She got taken to the hospital late on the 24th, but i didnt get to say goodbye, because she died early morning on the 25th. My dad got the call early in the morning and he went to pick her up and buried her, he didnt want to have her cremated. I can go visit where she's buried, but i wish i would have known when they got her in the car that it would be the last time i would get to hold her.

It will take some time getting used to (i still dunno if i'll ever get used to it), but the good memories u have of her will stay with u forever.

 

[huskerwebhead]

My condolences. We had to put down our 14 year old cat a few months ago and it was arguably one of the hardest things I've ever done, even though he was more than ready to go. He had kidney failure and the last week he was alive his health just nosedived. I held him as they put him down and I bawled like a baby. It took me two weeks to finally pick up his food dish. It's amazing how strongly pets work their way into your heart/family.

 

[ermmm_no]

Condolences to you and your wife.

I like animals better than most people so I take the loss of a pet as bad as most people take the loss of a person. I feel of you both.

 

[Spider-Who?]

Condolences to you and your wife.

I like animals better than most people so I take the loss of a pet as bad as most people take the loss of a person. I feel of you both.

Heh, agreed.

 

[Paradyme]

My dogs life expectancy is about another 4 years and I've had him since 2000. I can't even begin to imagine how its going to feel when that terrible day comes.

Sorry for your loss.

 

[DV8]

My condolences. My first cat lived to 14 and we had to put him down and it still upsets me to this day even though it was years ago and I even have another cat.

But the thing you learn is that you can't let whether it be the last painful minutes, hours, days, weeks of your pet being sick overshadow the years of joy they gave you.

truth

my condelences, man . . . I know exactly what you're going through . . . we had to put our dog down last Christmas, and people that don't have pets can't understand that it's as painful as losing a relative or any other family member

 

[Nirvana]

R.I.P. Ash

 

[zahanbil]

Uhg. That made me tear up. I'm really sorry you had to lose such an awesome sounding cat. She seems like she had a lot of personality. I'm so sorry for your loss.