Going to be a long night and day tomorrow. Hoping I won't have to say goodbye to my best friend.

[fishin4cars]

I had to take my dog Endy to the vet this morning. She has been suffering from epilepsy for the last two years. This morning I could tell she wasn't eating well and she didn't feel good. I got her to the vet when it first opened and spent morning watching them give her IV's and taking blood samples. They suspect that her kidneys are starting to shut down. I've raised her since she was three days old, she is the last survivor of a litter of 9 puppies that's mom was killed by a car. I've wagged her around in my pocket to feed her when she was a pup. She's ridden with me all over the country and really been there when I needed a friend. It's so hard watching her, she's so weak she can't get up and eat. I was able to get her to eat enough this evening to get her to take her seizure medication but it wasn't much. She's still eating and drinking but going down hill fast. Tonight she has started trembling and she is cold to the touch. Trying to make her as comfortable as possible. We lost one of our other dogs just two weeks ago. She was a stray that made herself home here since we moved in. She had heartworms and was to far advanced to treat. Now Endy may not be with me much longer either.
I've got people coming over tomorrow at noon to help me seine my longfin koi/goldfish pond to remove all the goldfish and culls out to go to the Koi clubs Garden show this weekend. At the same time I'm suppose to be getting a call from the vet with the results from the blood tests today. So hard to believe that I may have to say goodbye to her. She's only 7 years old and our pug is 14 years old, blind and deaf and she's still going strong. But I know her days are getting closer to that time as well. If you believe in doggy heaven please put Endy in your prayers.

 

[addy1]

I dread the loss of every pup I have ever had, it hurts. Always remember you gave your pup a very good life.

 

[mtpond]

Really sorry to hear about your dog Larkin. Our dogs become part of our family. We take care of them, we give them love and they give us love in return. It's so hard when they leave us.

 

[Dave 54]

Sadly Larkin it is our lott that our pets have such short terms on earth and we go on , I'm hooping it wont happen but I know you'll do whats best if the Vet suggests it will be a kindness.
Get yourself a rescue dog to replace yourdiggy best friend, we do this with our cats it gives you a great peice of mind and save another poor dog at the same time, they will repay you in love
But you have to be strong and do whats best

rgrds

Dave

 

[mrsclem]

Larkin- So sorry to hear. It's tough when they are ill. We don't have dogs but cats and we lost 3 (ages 12yrs- 19yrs) in 6 months! Then we had an outdoor stray that we had cared for get hit by a car and we had to put him down.
Hopefully, the vet will be able to do something but know you have given this dog a good full life.

 

[addy1]

It really hurts, I lost 4 yorkies and one husband in 1 year. Not sure which hurt worse. You almost don't want another pup knowing you will have that pain again, but I always end up with another.

 

[CountryEscape]

I've lost more dogs and cats since I bought my house than I like to remember. Each and every one of them was extremely heart wrenching, even though they were not my fault. When God gives us these animals to care for, it is with the promise that we let Him have them back when He decides. Even though she is 7, look at the years you have had together to cherish forever! She had the best life on this earth that any dog could possibly imagine. Those of us who are animal lovers know that each time we take an animal into our care, we feel responsible to give them a great life. Sometimes that life is very short, but sometimes we are allowed to have them for many many years. I feel so much heartache for you, Larkin, knowing what you are going through. Know that you, your family, and Endy are in our hearts and prayers.

 

[fishin4cars]

Thanks for the thoughts and prayers, She has made it through the night but I can tell she's getting weaker and weaker. She's still drinking and eating some which is a good sign. If she passes I doubt we will get another anytime soon. This will be the third dog we will have lost since moving here. Still have Drake the chocolate lab that's only two years old and replaced Johnny sho got hit by a car last year. Butch my son's Mix breed chow chow which is 14 years old, and China the little blind and deaf pug which just turned either 12 or 13. Three dogs and a cat plus all the other critters are enough right now. If she does pass it will allow us more time to spend with the ones we have. Endy is just closest to me, raising her from a bottle when she was three days old and dealing with her seizures and such has really drawn me so close to her. She's my riding buddy and my trail walker. Right now just keeping my fingers crossed the vet will call with some good news from the blood work.

 

[fishin4cars]

Well I got the call from the vet and not what we were hoping to hear. She has been diagnosed with chronic kidney failure. The vet said to try and get as much water and food in her as possible. We can try Kidney dialysis but at $800 +/- a day and her having to spend so much time at the vet just to prolong her life for such a short time is something we have decided not to do. I'm going to try and keep her as comfortable as possible and let her spend the rest of her time at home until it becomes a time to put her to sleep. The vet said it may be hours or weeks, but right now she doesn't appear to be in pain, just really weak and sleeping a lot. So hard to say goodbye, but it is life and it's going to happen as long as I keep animals.

 

[addy1]

Darn so sorry to hear Larkin, sending you a virtual hug

 

[fishin4cars]

Thanks, just can't believe how hard it is to let go of her. I feel so helpless, and can't stop crying. I know I am suppose to be strong, but inside I really feel so weak and hurt so much knowing she won't be my side kick much longer.

 

[addy1]

I am with my little yorkie 24/7 she sleeps with me, watches tv, we take walks together, eat together, she is the house boss. She is 13. I can not even think of her leaving me, my eyes tear up if I even let my mind wander that way.

I can totally understand.

 

[j.w]

Larkin so sorry for the pain your are going through w/ your dear sweet friend Endy. I hope she doesn't suffer and her passing is easy for her. You can be at peace w/ knowing you gave her more than lots of people would have done. W/o your care she would not have been able to enjoy all the good times she had w/ you. Whatever times she has left will be precious moments for both of you. I always like to hope that there is a Heaven for our pets and that they will be waiting for us at those pearly gates. Praying for her and you and if she has a bit more time here than enjoy every minute of it. I know this is so hard for you and it is hard for all of us who have been blessed w/ the love these critters gives us and then they have to leave. Wish it wasn't so but it is and it hurts so much. My heart goes out to you friend.

 

[Mucky_Waters]

Bummer Larkin.
We don't have any pets (besides our pond critters), but we just experience first hand how emotional it can be to lose one (or more).
A good friend of ours nearly had a breakdown last weekend over the loss of her puppies. This friend actually arranged some really nice accommodation for my wife and I up at a local ski hill for our 20th anniversary. We stayed two nights, the first night was just the two of us, and the next night our kids and their friends and some of our friends joined us. The friend who arranged this whole thing planned on coming up for the evening and returning to her house to watch her dog and her seven 1 week old puppies. At the last minute she decided to bring the dog and the puppies up with her so she could stay the night with us. Around 11 pm that night when some of the guests were leaving they checked in on the pups and found one of them had died. Of course this was distressing to her, but what was also distressing was that one of the other pups seemed to be also having problems breathing. By 2 am that morning she decided to take the pups and mother back home, thinking that maybe something in the ski lodge was effecting the pups. The other pup died before she could get home, and then another pup was showing signs of distress. The next day we came down from the hill and visited her, and could see this third pup was still having problems. By the time we got home she sent a text that that pup had died. Then one more pup died the following day. She currently has 3 pups left.
She took very good care of the puppies through this whole ordeal, so it was very puzzling why they were dying. After much research on the internet, she came up with what is the most logical explanation for what happened. The first clue was that the initial pup had some foaming coming out around it's nose, and all the pups that died seemed to have labored breathing. The likely cause was something nobody really would have thought about or expected, but we are now pretty certain was what caused the deaths. High altitude pulmonary edema
It seems the difference in altitude between her house, in the valley below, and the ski lodge, and the delicate constitution of the puppies was enough to cause this life threatening condition.
Of course our friend feels terrible, because she feels it was all her fault for bringing them up the hill. But who would have guessed that it would effect them the way it did?

 

[mrsclem]

So sorry Larkin- When we lost Vader it was bad for me for weeks. I still miss him. He was a very stubborn independant cat. He would not let us pick him up or sit in our laps, He did sit at the dinner table with us but obeyed the on paw on the table only rule. If you upset him in any way, he would leave not so nice presents in your shoes! When he was 10, he gave me the best Christmas present I have ever gotten- he came up and layed down in my lap! Couldn't get him out of it after that.
Remember the good times youv'e had.