My last buddy Dakota is not doing well. He has developed an enlarged/dilated esophagus as well as a tumor on his spleen. He can't keep down any food or water, and is in the hospital currently receiving fluids and awaiting an abdominal ultrasound to see this tumor more comprehensively. The docs are fearful that the tumor will rupture and he will bleed. In addition, they are fearful of him developing pneumonia from aspirating everything that goes down his throat.

What an effin bummer! I don't know how to act without a labrador around my house.

Someone must be sending me a message. First I lose my brother, my husband loses his job and now we may lose Dakota. 

Hetty....extra strength Happy Coffee, pleeze?! 

Wishing you and Dakota well my friend!

Brian

Twin, you've got extra strength happy coffee and my cyber-shoulder if and when you need it.

It IS an effin' bummer especially when one bad thing comes right after another.     It bites, it sucks...and it hurts like hell.

That's when you reach in and find your extra strength, that you know, Princess. 

The Palace Felines have their paws crossed for "Dakota" too. 

Keep me posted, please?  Lots of ommmmmmmmmmmms and chiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii coming your way from the Left Coast right now.

Hetty 

Twin - we lost both of our "children" last year.  It is a bitch.  The house is soooooooooo empty.  But when the time comes, you have to be ready to let go.  We don't want our loved companions to be in pain for one extra hour, even if it means one more hour to say Gob Bless & Good By.             Tony

I'm truly sorry to be hearing this,twin.

Hang in there and remember all the great times.That helps in the grieving process and brings a smile to your minds eye.

Is the condition operable?

Are you at a regular vet and have you contacted the OSU vet?

Hopefully,if it is operable,DAkota will be able to enjoy a few more years with his family that loves him.

Ray 

Hi,

Gentle strokes and pats for Dakota

We still see our 2nd (almost human but canine) child every time we open the fridge
I still love her smile
It was so easy to make her happy

Here's the deal.

I can't stop crying.

He has laryngial paralysis, megaesophagus, possibly a tumor on the spleen. It doesnt' look good.

They are going to sedate him (not fully under) to examine his larynx. If one side is paralyzed it would be better, but not necessarily good. If both are paralyzed then they can still operate to open up the larynx permanently, but there is a anesthesia risk because of his heart arrythmia, there is risk of pneumonia coming out of anesthesia. If he makes it that long, there is high risk of pneumonia anyway at home with the larynx being open all the time. 

My poor baby. I saw him today and he sounds like a megaphone when he pants. It is awful. I know in my heart what is best. What I can't decide is if putting him down would put HIM out of any misery or put ME out of any misery. I'm trying sooooo hard not to be selfish

I know what the answer is. I just can't accept it right now.

This just sucks to high heaven.

Being that it is always easier looking back, I've had this uncomfortable feeling for a few weeks/months. You know, like the impending doom feeling? 

I JUST CAN'T TAKE MUCH MORE..... 

Ray, he's at MedVet in Columbus. I won't take any dog to OSU ever again. 

Dear Twin, just because you know the right answer doesn't make it any easier to face or carry out.  Acceptance is a way off yet.

We've been cyberfriends for years now.  Your moral compass and compassion for others have always come through strongly on these boards.  You'll do exactly what's best for Dakota.

Ray is so right.  Focus on the wonderful times you had, all the love given and received.

You and Dakota are lucky to have found each other in this Universe.  That's an experience and a beautiful memory that will never leave you and your family.

Hetty 

twin,

I too have gone through your experience. Between last Thanksgiving and Christmas, I had to put my cat and my first Old English Sheepdog down. Putting a pet down is one of the most difficult experiences a pet owner ever has to go through. You know when you first bring them into your life, that someday, this time may come.

My cat had a brain tumor which contributed to her having a stroke and going blind. It was also causing continuous seizures. There was no other humane way of dealing with her condition.

My dog had reached an age (17) where she could no longer even stand. She had given up eating and had become skin and bones.  When I took her to the vet, I think she knew what was coming.  She was so brave and so good. I sat on the floor and held her while the vet shaved her paw to prep her for the IV. I stayed with her until she had passed.

After putting down the animals, our vet wrapped them in burial sheets and taped everything all together. I buried both of them in my back yard, next to one another. When I'm mowing my grass, I'll stop a bit and talk to both.:) They're gone, but not forgotten.

Twin,

I'm so sorry to hear of your pain. I didn't know your brother had passed and now your husband loses his job.  Now this? You will find the strength.  Again, I'm so sorry to hear all of this.

LynnC 

It's a done deal.

No rainbow bridge, please. I can't stand to look at it.

My heart is so broken. 

Dear Twin, just because you know the right answer doesn't make it any easier to face or carry out.  Acceptance is a way off yet.

We've been cyberfriends for years now.  Your moral compass and compassion for others have always come through strongly on these boards.  You'll do exactly what's best for Dakota.

Ray is so right.  Focus on the wonderful times you had, all the love given and received.

You and Dakota are lucky to have found each other in this Universe.  That's an experience and a beautiful memory that will never leave you and your family.

Hetty 

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****sobbing uncontrollably****

Hetty, you guys are the....what is it.....right brain or left......that presents reason? I truly don't know if I am being selfish or not at this point. A part of me is so angry at myself  because of my own doubt. A part of me feels like a coward. I fought so hard for my brother that Im not sure if I've put up a good enough fight for Dakota. And if I didn't, shame on me! I can't get that out of my head, dammit.

I truly didn't/don't want him to suffer (see.....I can't accept him being gone. Won't use the past tense of words). Gawd, he woulda been 12 next month. What an effin shame.

I got some really bad kharma going on. Don't know what to do to change it.

And yes, I am rambling..... 

Edit:

And you know what Hetty? You are right. If there is anything, anything at all that I am most proud of, it is my compassion for people/animals. I AM a good person, contrary to what some on these boards may think. I DO CARE..And I wear my heart on my sleeve.

Im angry, Im incredibly depressed, Im rambling, and I wish the world would just go away! 

You are a good person, Twin.   Do you see the people on this thread who are crying for and with you?  Do you see the people whose hearts and minds you touch with your presence here?

Dakota's spirit will never be gone.  Jarrod and Heath, the twin tomcats, have told me that in honor of his wonderful spirit and his well-loved life, they are going to make a little donation in his name to the Best Friends Sanctuary in Angel Canyon, Utah.  It helps find homes for all types of animals and also gives a home for life to those who need such a place.

Hetty 

Tony....not offended. I know the poem. It breaks my heart. I can't read it. Thanks for the offer, though.

Hetty, this is yet again another reason why you are the most beloved person on this forum. You don't have to do the donation, just the mention of it makes me emotional. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. 

twin: I'm so sorry about Dakota.Take out all the old pictures and enjoy the time that God allowed Dakota to bless and share your life.My screensaver is still a picture of my Matilda hamming up for the camera.She still makes me smile every time I start the computer up.

We all have a special place in our hearts and minds for our four legged companions,no one can take those memories away.

Perhaps when it's time to get the next one it might be from a shelter.Our newspaper had a story in it where black labs are not being adopted (all black dogs) very often and many are being destroyed.The shelters up my way always have a few.

Remember the article I posted some years ago....."How Could You"?

A new companion is often the best way to soften the blow and keep your mind AND body occupied while training the do's and don'ts.Keep in mind that real dog people are just not complete without a furry companion,even if it's only for a little while.

Ray

Thank you Ray. It's just too sad right now. If I ever win the lottery, my goal in life is to open a no-kill shelter big enough to house every animal in the world, in comfort.

I kept "hearing" Cody barking throughout the night. Freaked me out. Hope I'm not schitzo. I would run downstairs to check on him and then I would realize....

I even kept tip-toeing walking around during the night so that I wouldn't "wake" him. Hard to break old habits, eh?

Kids are so amazing. My son is not even fazed. He's compassionate, keeps saying "Im so sorry about Cody, Mom. But he's just going about his business. Something for me to learn from.

Heck, I cried for days at his age when I lost my parakeet. 

Thank you Ray. It's just too sad right now. If I ever win the lottery, my goal in life is to open a no-kill shelter big enough to house every animal in the world, in comfort.

I kept "hearing" Cody barking throughout the night. Freaked me out. Hope I'm not schitzo. I would run downstairs to check on him and then I would realize....

I even kept tip-toeing walking around during the night so that I wouldn't "wake" him. Hard to break old habits, eh?

Kids are so amazing. My son is not even fazed. He's compassionate, keeps saying "Im so sorry about Cody, Mom. But he's just going about his business. Something for me to learn from.

Heck, I cried for days at his age when I lost my parakeet. 

[/quote]

Twin, if that no-kill shelter becomes a reality, count on me as your first volunteer fundraiser!

I had similar experiences, dear Princess:  calling a dog to dinner, stepping carefully over the back porch steps where a cat slept.  Aside from past canines and felines,  I still miss my parakeet and my turtle and my guinea pig from childhood.

A close friend lost two of her boxer dogs within a year of each other.  She'd had them longer than she's had her two-legged children.  Her husband and the kids were stoic; she grieved for a long time.  

We're all wired differently.  I'm in your camp here. 

Ray, once again, is right.  Black dogs and cats have a tougher time getting a home, due to fear and superstition, so enlightened shelter personnel and rescue groups are taking steps to showcase them to prospective pet parents.  One of the dogs I helped sponsor at Best Friends, "Elvis," is a big ol' Lab/Newfie mix.  It took a longgggg time, but one day his human friends got an email saying, "Hooray, Elvis has left the building for his new home!"  .:)

Whatever you choose, when the time is right, there's a perfect new pup waiting for you.  You'll find each other, not a minute too soon, and not a minute later.

For now, a day at a time.

Hetty 

Hi twin--sorry to be so late to this post but computer issues arose.

My thoughts are with you as I have had to put 2 chihuahuas to sleep.

Take care,

Sandy

Hi Twin,

sorry to hear about your loss. Its just so unfair that circumstances are forcing you to go through one grief after another. Have faith in yourself that you will come out of it. Remember, every dog be so lucky to find a family like yours.