Posted on 01/05/2022 10:09:28 AM PST by MountainWalker
We lost our dear dog, Sully, yesterday, and I'm absolutely heartbroken. He was our second recuse dog - the older one is strangely still alive and well. So, this was our first time going through the process. I expected it to be terrible, and it's worse than expected.
He was about 13 and getting pretty rickety, falling down a lot, had trouble going up and down stairs, had poor bladder and bowel control anymore and had some dementia - staring off into walls at times. But, he was still as sweet as he was the day that we decided to keep him after fostering him through the rescue organization that my wife has volunteered for.
He had cancer surgery right before Labor Day when he was starting to get a little wobbly and the surgeon estimated that we might have bought him another year or so. It was eye-wateringly expensive, but we did it anyway without a second thought.
His arthritis accelerated quickly, however. Toward the end of his life, his lower back would slouch down because his hind legs were too weak to hold him up, especially near the end of the day, and had trouble getting comfortable even laying down. We tried some pain killers, but that made him even more clumsy.
It makes no sense, but the sharpness of pain is as much as I remember feeling when we got my father's terminal illness diagnosis. Maybe time has only softened my memory of the pain compared to now, but it's definitely in the same ballpark. Watching a helpless creature whose life revolved around you and was by your side constantly pass away based upon your call is indescribably painful. He was sleeping wedged against me with his head on my pillow next to mine on Monday night and now he's gone.
Any prayers or suggestions for how to manage the pain are appreciated. Thanks, FRiends.
I am so sorry for your loss. It is especially painful to watch your companion slowly fade, and there’s little you can do to stop it.
I’m sorry for your loss. When we lost our Katrina many years ago (she was a rescue dog also) it helped to realize that we gave her a good life and she gave us a good life. Not a bad deal.
I am sorry for your loss. I hope you find it in your heart to remember all of the happy memories you had. In the end, those are moments that mattered.
Condolences to you and yours on your loss.
It may not be rational, but sometimes losing a beloved four-legged member of the family can be more traumatic than losing a two-legged one.
The worse grief I ever felt was when we lost our 6 month old puppy to Distemper. Charlie was a rescue dog as well, but was infected before we got him.
Time heals all wounds, so take solace in your God and in your family and know that the hurting will soften.
That always sucks. Condolences.
Sorry to hear this. Prayers up for ya.
Been there and it’s tough to bear.
It’s loosing one of the family, IMHO.
Very sorry for your loss. Losing a pet is one of the hardest things ever. Please take solace in knowing that you gave him a loving life.
I am sorry for your loss. Get another dog, but not in haste. Mourning will take awhile.
Hell, I sure hate to hear that. The only comfort I can think of is that it’s better that they have the shorter life and not us. That way they are with you the whole way. If it was the other way around, what would become of them if they lost you?
So it’s up to us to deal with that kinda sorrow to ensure they never have to.
hang in there.
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Smile as you remember all the good times you had with Sully.
So sorry for your loss. Dogs don’t live long enough. They come into your life, love you unconditionally and then they are gone. We’ve been through a few of them over our lives.. Best thing you can do is go rescue another one. I found the rescue fills a hole and sure helps to soften the sorrow.
You had a great friend for 11 years, and Sully had a great life. If you get another dog, don’t try to get a similar one. You only get one Sully, from the sounds of it.
Im so sorry for your loss I understand the pain twice over..first lost our beloved Nesmo(16 yr old pom) then lost our sweet Maxie(Shih tzu, almost 14 yrs old) to cutaneous lymphoma..it happened two yrs apart..we never get over losing our beloved fur babies but I know they are all playing together in doggy heaven..RIP to your sweet pup
So sorry for your loss. Our rescue dogs have always lived a long time. And then they pass on. The grief is difficult and understandable but you’ll get through it. We always under-estimate the bond we have with our dogs. Just remember you gave Sully a wonderful life during the time he shared with you, and he knew that.
My deepest sympathy. My Bella (a weimeraner) is 15 and for a 100 pound dog that is pretty old. She is also on her last legs. I also rescued all my dogs. Rest and rejoice that the dog got to live with love and affection too many don’t.
“Dogs’ lives are short, too short, but you know that going in. You know the pain is coming, you’re going to lose a dog, and there’s going to be great anguish, so you live fully in the moment with her, never fail to share her joy or delight in her innocence, because you can’t support the illusion that a dog can be your lifelong companion. There’s such beauty in the hard honesty of that, in accepting and giving love while always aware it comes with an unbearable price. Maybe loving dogs is a way we do penance for all the other illusions we allow ourselves and for the mistakes we make because of those illusions.” from The Darkest Evening of the Year by Dean Koontz
That reminds me of the story that General Patton used to name every dog he owned "William". I find that odd but Patton was cut from very different cloth.
I’m sorry for your loss. On the windowsill by my desk I have a photo of my old dog that passed 30 years ago. He was that important to me, I’ll always have it displayed. At first when I looked at it I became deeply sad and thought only of the loss. Time gave me the gift of being able to look at it and smile, remembering with gratitude the good and goofy times we had together. My wish for you is to for time to give you that same gift quickly.
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