Depressed...just put my dog down.

[wooly]

Sorry that this isn't bike related, but I'm quite depressed. Expectedly, but quicker than i wanted to, I had to put my Great Dane, Rocket, down this evening. He's been sick, doctor thought liver cancer, and had some issues with his legs. He was 9.5 years old. I never thought that this would be as tough as it is. My wife, oldest son and I were there to be with him when the doc administered the medication. It was peaceful but it drained me and the family. We're feeling empty and heavy hearted.

Here's a pic of him in his prime.

Anyways, I just needed to vent.

[e-RICHIE]

i feel ya'.
think good thoughts.

rocket will be there waiting for you and
the rest of us when the time comes.

take care -
e-RICHIE

[Serpico]

Wooly,

Sorry to hear that--I had to put down a cat several years ago that I had grown up with since I was 6 years old. It's never easy. :o

-Jason

[slowgoing]

Sorry to hear about your loss. Been there and it's never fun.

[Louis]

Sorry to hear that, Wooly.

Remember that the good times way outnumbered the bad and he was very, very happy to be with you when he was around.

Louis

[manet]

said goodbye to my billy yesterday _

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e61/easterncaster/IMG_0170.jpg

[Louis]

said goodbye to my billy yesterday

Manet, Billy has the exact same coloring / fur as one of my two cats! Sorry.

Abby's been my best buddy for over 10 years and it will be a tough time for me when he (original owner thought that he was a she, hence the name) has to leave us.

Louis

[manet]

the savings account of joy sure comes in handy

[mwos]

Wooly

I'm so sorry to hear about your dog. I lost my orange tabby last year right before Christmas. He too had cancer. It was so sudden. Do a searcj, there are pet grief support websites. One recommended writing everything you remembered about your pet. I did that and it helped me with my grief. On the anniversary of his death I got my writings out and read them. It's a great record of the wonderful times I had with him and the joy he brought to us.

Kathi

[Climb01742]

wooly, a few months ago i had to put down my 15-year-old cocker spaniel sam. i cried then and i've cried a number of times since. there is a hole in my life. i'm not a religious person but i believe that by some greater design, human beings and pets were brought together because inside most of us is an empty corner and our pets are a devine, sweet, funny gift to fill that corner, to ease life a bit. your rocket looks devine, sweet and quite funny. peace.

[JStonebarger]

I've put down a few friends over the years too. It is very hard.

Reading this thread, it's clear that Rocket and Billy and all the other pets remembered here were very lucky in life to be loved so much.

[Kevin]

They are truly members of the family. I am sorry to hear about your loss.

Kevin

[Rapid Tourist]

So sorry to hear about these pet losses. I too believe they will be there for us when our time comes. Think happy thoughts about your pets.

[Tom]

I'm so sorry. It's one of the worst decisions anybody ever has to make but it is part of caring. You did the right thing, which I hope eases the pain a little bit.

[Sandy]

All Great Danes the I have encountered have been wonderful and special dogs. Elegance, strength, wonderful demeanor, dignity, and sweeetness, all in one dog. Most unfortunately, the life span of a Great Dane is normally quite short.

Seeing a Great Dane carrying around a toy like Rocket is seen more often than people would think. You had a special breed, as you know. Sorry to her about your loss.


Sandy

[Sandy]

Thoughts for you on losing billy- appeared to be quite beautiful. I know that you will have wonderful memories of billy. Sorry for your loss.


Sandy

[manet]

thanks Sandy. he was a second st. street cat that walked in
an open door _ open 'cause i was renovating my house, and
that included new doors + windows. he had fjiords for ribs
and more fleas per square inch than skin. the vet said the
fleas had sucked all the iron out of his body _ but he survived.

billy the fluffmeister

[Sandy]

You saved his life and gave him a life. Can't do much better than that!


Sandy

[YO!!!]

The pain is real, but so are the wonderful memories.

We lost our beloved Augie Doggie 2 years ago. Had
his remains cremated. It's kinda cool to pass by his
resting place daily and smile once again.

[H.Frank Beshear]

The Tuesday after Christmas my wife called and said she was woried about our cat Autumn she hadn't followed her out for treat in the morning. I found her under the bed hiding. She had suffered a stroke the vets had a fancy name for it but it is still a stroke. She was not quite 3. Shannon went with me to vet, and we buried her in the corner woods next to Fearless my companion of 20 years. Shannon says that is where the wild kitties live, and play. Frank

[cw05]

I'm sorry to hear that, nothing can match the unquestioning and ceaseless devotion of a dog. Nothing. He was a beautiful animal.

[Catulle]

I'm very sorry to hear it. Two years ago, my daughter's miniature Schnauzer, Oreo, passed away because I accidentally bathed it with too much tick medicine. We always have had large retrievers which worked and kept me company on the field; therefore, ticks was a common occurrence. Oreo caught some ticks while on a trip to the beach and the result was tragic. We are still mourning the poor soul.

[bulliedawg]

I'm sorry for your loss. His memory will be with you forever. God bless.

[huey]

I am sorry to hear about your loss. Animals are truly wonderful creatures that capture our hearts. Rocket will live on in your memory forever.

[wooly]

It's funny but in my grief last night, I came straight to this forum and posted my thoughts. Not RBR, weight weenies, etc... And now I know why.

This site attracts some pretty special people. Thanks for all of your support.

My wife and 15 year old son spent a lot of time last night grieving. As the typical man, I tried to help my son take his off the loss but my wife reminded me that it was good for him to deal with it. Like I mentioned earlier, it's odd how you can't anticipate what you'll feel when something like this happens. I always viewed Rocket as my pet, all be it a very cute, rascally, big lug of a pet. However, I've realized he was such a BIG part of our family.

Anyway...Thanks again for the supprt! You all are really the best.

And, Manet and the others who have recently lost their special friends - I'M FEELIN YOU!

[Len J]

I am sorry to hear about your loss. Animals are truly wonderful creatures that capture our hearts. Rocket will live on in your memory forever.

Been there...feel your pain.

It's definatly the cost of caring.....but sure worth the rewards.

Thoughts & prayers are with you.

Len

[Fixed]

bro you gave him a good life and he gave joy to you family . bro we never know how many times thieves are scared off by your best friend, dogs ask little and give much i.m.h.o.

[72gmc]

I'm sorry you lost Rocket. I'm glad you gave each other all those good years.

[Climb01742]

pets, the best blood pressure medicine ever invented. they are perspective with fur.

[d_douglas]

I am sitting here on a rainy Saturday morning reading this thread and looked over at my princess. She's now 13 years old and is (along with my wife) the centre of my universe. She has sat (OK, slept) beside me during my entire university career, wedding, family deaths...you name it. And always with that sly, comical, cat-smile.

When I hear about people having to contend with their pets mortality, it makes me absolutely dread having to face the day when I need to make the same decision. I am moving to Switzerland in 6 weeks with her, and am worried that whe is going to not handle the flight well (she's never been on a plane) but I cannot imagine leaving her with friends here at home. She's my baby!!

Anyways, this topic makes me happy and sad: sad because I see the loss of pets like Rocket and Billy (and many others) but happy, because people are so effusive about their relationships with their pets.

Animals simply make people happier.

[jeffg]

may time heal your wounds but never dim the memories.

I think of our Bouvier every day and believe I always will.

[Dekonick]

I feel for ya...

The good thing is you were able to give him a peaceful passing surrounded by those who care. I often wish we could do the same for the people we love.

[William]

I'm very sorry to hear of your losses. I know exactly how you feel.

William

[Ginger]

Wooly,
Sorry to hear of your loss. I know how you feel. I had to put my horse down last summer. While he was just a horse, he wasn't just a horse, I had had him for 27 years and we grew up together. Long summer days were usually spent in his company. While it was hard on me, putting him down was the kindest thing for him.

When I put him down I was quite suprised how emotional my 25 year old neice got about the situation. Then I realized that my Shilo had been around as long as she could remember. He was the first horse she rode, and was as much of a buddy to her growing up as he had been to me. So while he was "my horse", others in the family had huge emotional claims on him as well. My dad misses "that ole white horse" wandering around the fields too (that's all he'll say about it).
We may think our pets are our own...but in reality they don't have those boundaries and spread their love to everyone they come in contact with.

Peace to your family,
Mary Ann

[Kahuna]

Those are great words. Ginger [Mary Ann]. It's possible Wooly that you can find peace and many reasons to rejoice that your Rocket had lived a happy life in a safe home and with good people who loved him. It sounds cliche, but he would not want to see you moping around now that he's gone. He'd probably do something quite funny to cheer you up. So cheer up! He's gone but he fulfulled his mission (we should all be so lucky), and in time his memory will serve as a great source of joy and comfort to you and your family! Take care,

-K.

Wooly,
Sorry to hear of your loss. I know how you feel. I had to put my horse down last summer. While he was just a horse, he wasn't just a horse, I had had him for 27 years and we grew up together. Long summer days were usually spent in his company. While it was hard on me, putting him down was the kindest thing for him.

When I put him down I was quite suprised how emotional my 25 year old neice got about the situation. Then I realized that my Shilo had been around as long as she could remember. He was the first horse she rode, and was as much of a buddy to her growing up as he had been to me. So while he was "my horse", others in the family had huge emotional claims on him as well. My dad misses "that ole white horse" wandering around the fields too (that's all he'll say about it).
We may think our pets are our own...but in reality they don't have those boundaries and spread their love to everyone they come in contact with.

Peace to your family,
Mary Ann

[wooly]

You both are so right. He left us with so many great memories. My son used to blow on a harmonica and Rocket would howl like a wolf singing to the tune.

Ginger - 25 years! That is amazing. Very much a part of your family.

They leave us for such great memories. The grief is still here but I see an inkling of light, levity, and good memories pushing thru. It's all a part of life. Better to enjoy their time and grieve when they leave than to not have any memories at all.

[gasman]

Now I understand what you have gone through Wolly, and all the others here who have lost pets. Our beloved lab, Lucky, who was a rescue dog, had to be put down Monday night. We spread his ashes this afternoon on one of his favorite hikes.He was only 6 or 7 but we are so grateful he came into our lives. This photo was one of the last of him.

[Climb01742]

gasman, sorry about lucky. we have our first lab, a 2-year-old chocolate named zoey, who is a bundle of crazy energy and infinite sweetness. dogs touch us in the deepest ways. i lost sammy, a 15-year-old cocker, a few months ago, and still, when i look at pictures of him, i feel the joy of his life and the pain of his passing. one moment this: :D the next this: :crap:

[William]

Gasman, I'm very sorry for your loss.

It's been about fives years since I had to put my buddy Slim down. He had been with me for 13+ years. Moved cross country with me, went through collage, rowed on the Willamette, hiked the coast range and the Cascades, played Frisbee on the beaches, was with me when I met my wife, and was there when my son was born. He got very sick, very quickly and I had to put him down shortly before my daughter was born. I still get teary just thinking about him. But I get a smile on my face when I think about all the fun kooky things we did together. Dogs are great companions that fill your heart more then you know, until it's time for them to leave.


William

[Smiley]

Rocket has crossed over the rainbow bridge and he's in a good place now, our deepest smyphthies to you and your family.

[Skrawny]

... that I deal with people passing away daily, but reading posts about pets dying makes me cry like a baby?
-s

PS: Puck (below) is 8 years old and is the Minister of Security of my apartment.

[BumbleBeeDave]

You made a difficult decision that spared your friend from an even more difficult and painful end. There are certain decisions that must be made where noone is a winner. But they must be made.

You did the very best you knew how for your friend. You did the right thing.

My condolences on a very diffcult loss . . .

BBD

[gasman]

Thanks for your thoughts climb and William. Pets make such an impact in our lives that they stay in our hearts forever.

[Allez!]

Wooly, I feel for you, it's a tough time I know. There's no doubt that dogs own us. Such a spirit can never be gone.

THE CURATE THINKS YOU HAVE NO SOUL
The curate thinks you have no soul;
I know that he has none. But you,
Dear friend, whose solemn self-control,
In our foursquare familiar pew,
Was pattern to my youth -- whose bark
Called me in summer dawns to rove --
Have you gone down into the dark
Where none is welcome -- none may love?
I will not think those good brown eyes
Have spent their life of truth so soon;
But in some canine paradise
Your wraith, I know, rebukes the moon,
And quarters every plain and hill,
Seeking his master... As for me,
This prayer at least the gods fulfill;
That when I pass the flood and see
Old Charon by the Stygian coast
Take toll of all the shades who land,
Your little, faithful, barking ghost
May leap to lick my phantom hand.

-- St.John Lucas

[Bruce H.]

Dear wooley,
I have lost 4 golden retriever's over the past 26 years.
no one can go through this without pain.
I do not know if this will help, but after several days of grieving over the first, i sat down and wrote him a letter telling him what he meant to me and how he brought me happiness and joy. It was a 2 page letter. When
i finished it i felt so much better.
I thought i would share this in the hope that you might find it a way to let your pal know what he meant to you during the time you spent together.
We just started with a new puppy who has already taken over our lives. I hope we are together for a long and wonderful time.
Sincerely,
Bruce H.