By-Tor.com

Lately my oldest and smallest dog Casper, has been getting very sick. I shouldn't be surprised. He's 16 years old. But I raised him from newborn pup and it is painful to see him not able to get up without help. He can't bark anymore and I have to carry him to his water bowl or food bowl. Sometimes he tries but it is a struggle for him. He has bumps all over his body, the fleas have bitten him pretty good after I bathed him several times, and the vet says he has a heart murmur. I sometimes cry because I might not have him with me for Christmas. This hurts so badly.

(((((((((((((((Rushlight)))))))))))))))))))))
I shall keep Casper in my prayers.

aww that's so awful..it's tough to know they're going down the hill & knowing you can't do a thing about it. it hurts even worse to know they're in such pain..but putting them down doesn't even seem like an option. it may not seem like much, but i'm SOOOOOOOOOOOO sorry you have to go through this & i hope he makes until Christmas..

-- sadder still, to watch it die
than never to have known it.. --

much love,
carolynn

Oh my LORD, Rushlight! I'm SO sorry! I'm crying now for you as I know what pain you must feel. Really. They love you so much and don't care what you're wearing. I'm sure you did everything for him and he knows it. Mine did. But 16 is really monumental in doggy years.

Casper is now a friendly ghost. If there is a dog heaven he is there I just know.

It brought all the pain back when I lost my beautiful Akita. I just couldn't let go after thirteen years!

My thoughts go out to you and I give you a cyber hug.

Kares4Rushlight

My deepest sympathy, Rushlight. I can only imagine the pain and heartache you are going thru right now.

Kiddo, I am sorry. OLS and I are almost in the same boat. Our dog Budweiser is 14, 2 1/2 ' tall and about 75 lbs Shepard/retreiver, black longhair, and getting sooooooooo gray in the face. Almost totally blind and deaf now. His area is starting to swell, he has 2 lumps at the base of his tail, hips are getting bad. We moved the dog food up stairs to the kitchen because he won't do the stairs anymore. He is definitely on the down hill run.
We hate the fact that this is most likely his last winter. I doubt he'll make it to spring, and I'm not sure if I should take him on "THE LONG WALK", or let him go natural. The good thing is he appears to be in no pain, except when his hips make him limp for about a day or so. We have to get ready to tell our daughter that he will be running thru the fields of puppy heaven.
That will not be fun. She already walks thru the house calling out "Boo-boo", and he can't hear her. She ends up sneaking up on him and he jumps up like ,"Where did you come from!!!"

awww I'm so sorry light.....it's shitty when pets go

I'm so sorry for your loss I know how hard this is for you...

Take care,
Debbie

oh my goodness, i am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOSOSOSOSOSOSOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO incredibly sorry for you..it's devastating to lose a pet, especially one that's stuck with you for so long. i'm glad he had such a good long life with you & that he was buried in a respectable place. about a year ago, 3 of my beloved kitties passed away in the same week, & one was a 3week old kitten who loved to curl up on my foot (he could fit, too) while i was trying to read. i came home from school one day to find him practically dead, only taking a breath every few minutes. i held him in my lap all the 30minute way to the emerg vet's office, where they told us he only had a 10% chance of survival. ever optimistic, we waited about 2 hours in the waiting room, but eventually we had to face the inevitable & the vet put little Tripp in a box for us. last spring, we had our failing pupdog Bones put to sleep as well. i'd been away on a school trip, so my parents had put it off, but we knew it had to be done, & i think the day after i got back, we had him put to sleep. i miss all of them, but i know i'll see them again & that's something i have look forward to when i think of death! i read somewhere that Heaven is the happiest place in existence, but no matter how must food, water, or how many creeks, bones, toys or forests they're given to play in/with, a pet always longs for its master to come home. not that i'm saying commit suicide, but always remember that he's thinking about you and knows that he's on your mind..i don't think he'd want you to be sad, rushlight.

aww, hairy, that's sooo incredibly sad to hear about your little girl..it's tough for them to understand what it means to lose a pet & to get up every morning without them. it's a tough adjustment & when he passes, please give her a very extra special hug for me.

i have a story to share with you both but it'll have to wait since it's bedtime, but i'll try to be back tomorrow to post it.

love always,
carolynn

Hey everyone,

Rushlight is doing OK, but she's still too upset to post here. However, she has read all of your replies, and thanks everyone for your messages and for your sympathy.


D.

thanks so much for the update, DA. please wish her our best.

carolynn

I would like to thank everyone for expressing their condolences. It has been very hard on me losing my baby like that. And I like to thank my sweet Devil's Advocate for being with me during mourning.

I knew my pup didn't have much more time. But I didn't want to let him go. He stopped eating and he was in pain. I woke up around 3 in the morning when I heard him cry. I kept crying all week until my mother told me it was best to put him to sleep so he doesn't suffer anymore.

I told my family that I would take him alone. I kept petting him and telling him how much I loved him. I arrived at the vet and signed the form giving them permission to put him to sleep. They gave me time alone with him and I cried so much while he nuzzled my chin. The doctor came in and checked him and he did say it was the best thing for my baby. He left me alone with Casper a little while longer while he went to prepare the shot.

He came in with the nurse and I couldn't bear it. I moaned as he was giving Casper the shot and I just started saying no. I kept saying it louder until my sweet angel collapsed and I shouted NO and collapsed with him breaking to pieces. I shouted his name and held him as he started to feel cold. The doctor and nurse left me to mourn. My heart was broken and I felt gone. They took his little body away and I asked if they had a blanket or something to wrap him. I calmed down for a moment to talk to the doctor and I waited until they gave my child back to me.

Another lady who was there heard my despair and hugged me. The staff expressed their condolences and I took my baby home to be buried in the garden. My other doggies knew he was gone. I wouldn't stop crying. I said his name over and kept asking why. My parents tried comforting me and tried to get me to eat. I felt so empty. D.A. stayed with me. Even though I lashed out at him, he stayed. My sweetheart has lost a pet too so he knew how I felt. Casper has been my bundle of fur ever since he was born and I miss him. I'll always love him.

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((Rushlight))))))))))))))))))))))))))

oh rushlight, i'm so sorry!! that's so tough for you..going by yourself..& it's so hard to put them to sleep & just watch them go. i think it was a good decision to put him to sleep though, it sounds like he was in a lot of pain & i think that's the ultimate show of love..if you can give them up.

this has been so rough on you, i'm so sorry you've had to deal with this..i'm glad DA was there for you, thank you DA for helping her out.

carolynn