Sad day at our house

[Passepartout]

We will be saying Goodbye to our beloved cocker spaniel, Cherry. She has been with DW even before she had me to put up with. She won't make it to 16.

She has been wheezing for some few weeks. Our groomer said it is a sign of heart failure. She still was eating and fairly active and happy to 'go'. We went to her vet, got x-rays that showed enlarged heart and other signs of aging. I took her home with heart meds and water pills.

Last weekend though, she stopped eating and has lost her 'joie de vivre', the joy of life. We've made the decision to release her and free her soul. She will be missed. DW's clients will miss her- she has been the 'office hostess' for years and clients expect her cold nose when they come to the office. It seems to ease the visit to a lawyer's office- especially for the elderly. No one has ever complained or said her presence was 'unprofessional.'

I know this is something every pet owner faces, but that doesn't make it easier.

Jim

 

[momeason]

We will be saying Goodbye to our beloved cocker spaniel, Cherry. She has been with DW even before she had me to put up with. She won't make it to 16.

She has been wheezing for some few weeks. Our groomer said it is a sign of heart failure. She still was eating and fairly active and happy to 'go'. We went to her vet, got x-rays that showed enlarged heart and other signs of aging. I took her home with heart meds and water pills.

Last weekend though, she stopped eating and has lost her 'joie de vivre', the joy of life. We've made the decision to release her and free her soul. She will be missed. DW's clients will miss her- she has been the 'office hostess' for years and clients expect her cold nose when they come to the office. It seems to ease the visit to a lawyer's office- especially for the elderly. No one has ever complained or said her presence was 'unprofessional.'

I know this is something every pet owner faces, but that doesn't make it easier.

Jim

I am so sorry. Sounds like she had a long and joyful life. We had to put down our dog about 18 months ago. The first time I had to do that. She was almost 15. All my other pets died w/o assistance. My dog also stopped eating. I waited too long..she lost almost 1/3 of her weight before I took her in. She had liver and kidney failure caused extreme nausea.
You are right to do it before she suffers. Peace.

 

[IngridN]

My heart goes out to you and your family. Know that you are doing the right thing. We lost 2 of our beloved fur children (cats) at 19 within the last 18 months. One of them also told us it was time when she stopped eating.

The pain does go away and I think of them daily knowing that they are happy and pain free and romping with all of our other fur family and friends.

My tax man's dog is also the office mascot. I enjoyed seeing him when I dropped off my tax workbook yesterday.

Ingrid

 

[DaveNV]

Really sorry for your pain, Jim. The thing to hold onto are the wonderful memories she gave you, and the knowledge that you provided her with the best possible life she could have had.

Dave

 

[MILOIOWA]

So sorry for your loss. I can relate some as our beloved Boxer Rebel is really showing his age. He is still very healthy, thank God, but starting to show signs of arthritis/hip displaysia. Dont know who ity will hit harder me or the kids. Pets are so much more than just pets, they are there for you when you need a friend and would never ever do you wrong. Its crazy how in tune they are with their owners-I am currently laid up on the couch having had ACL/Menisuc surgery yesterday and this crazy dog wont hardly leave my side. He knows I am in discomfort. LOVE HIM!!

 

[Catira]

So sorry to hear your furbaby isn't doing well. About a year ago we had to put our beloved Golden Retriever to sleep due to cancer. It was one of the hardest things to do but because of his age (15 yrs) his heart was not strong enough for surgery. Just last month, my husband took me to see a beautiful blonde GR pup and I was not able to bring him home with us. Too many memories of my beloved Woody. We have a our Cocker Spaniel Andy and a Maltese Prince. They bring so much joy to our daily lives.

 

[riverdees05]

So sorry to hear. We have had to have a couple of our family - Old English Sheepdogs put to sleep. It is hearbreaking, but you know that it is best for them.

 

[SOS8260456]

I am very sorry for your loss. It is very difficult to lose any friends, but especially someone who lives with us and gives us unconditional love.

 

[hypnotiq]

That sucks. I know how much it sucks. I hate losing pets.

 

[NWL]

I'm so sorry for your loss, Jim. Hold her close, pet her softly, and remember all of the wonderful times you had with her.

 

[heathpack]

We will be saying Goodbye to our beloved cocker spaniel, Cherry. She has been with DW even before she had me to put up with. She won't make it to 16.

She has been wheezing for some few weeks. Our groomer said it is a sign of heart failure. She still was eating and fairly active and happy to 'go'. We went to her vet, got x-rays that showed enlarged heart and other signs of aging. I took her home with heart meds and water pills.

Last weekend though, she stopped eating and has lost her 'joie de vivre', the joy of life. We've made the decision to release her and free her soul. She will be missed. DW's clients will miss her- she has been the 'office hostess' for years and clients expect her cold nose when they come to the office. It seems to ease the visit to a lawyer's office- especially for the elderly. No one has ever complained or said her presence was 'unprofessional.'

I know this is something every pet owner faces, but that doesn't make it easier.

Jim

Jim,

Consider that Cherry might be sick from her meds. Especially if they started digoxin, that is notorious for causing GI signs/decreased appetite. Also, if they started Lasix, she could just be dehydrated, very correctable with fluid therapy.

Just as an FYI, wheezing is not really a sign of heart disease. It is a sign of small airway disease, like asthma. Signs of heart disease are usually coughing (especially in the morning), exercise intolerance, and labored breathing, usually in the context of a heart murmur (not always). An enlarged heart on rads can be a difficult call and it does not necessarily mean symptomatic heart disease is present. A cardiac ultrasound would be necessary to make this determination. Ideally the cardiac ultrasound would be performed by a board-certified veterinary cardiologist, but there is no one in Idaho, an alternative is an internist. There's one in Eagle, ID and one in Garden City, ID

However if you don't want to take her to a specialist, at least consider trouble shooting the meds. This could be a very simple fix.

H

 

[IngridN]

Jim,

Consider that Cherry might be sick from her meds. Especially if they started digoxin, that is notorious for causing GI signs/decreased appetite. Also, if they started Lasix, she could just be dehydrated, very correctable with fluid therapy.

Just as an FYI, wheezing is not really a sign of heart disease. It is a sign of small airway disease, like asthma. Signs of heart disease are usually coughing (especially in the morning), exercise intolerance, and labored breathing, usually in the context of a heart murmur (not always). An enlarged heart on rads can be a difficult call and it does not necessarily mean symptomatic heart disease is present. A cardiac ultrasound would be necessary to make this determination. Ideally the cardiac ultrasound would be performed by a board-certified veterinary cardiologist, but there is no one in Idaho, an alternative is an internist. There's one in Eagle, ID and one in Garden City, ID

However if you don't want to take her to a specialist, at least consider trouble shooting the meds. This could be a very simple fix.

H

Jim, H makes an excellent point that I should also have mentioned. When our sweetie got worse (not the one that stopped eating, although we tried for a week, working with the vet to reverse her non-eating w/o success), she had to go on additional meds which caused GI issues which caused her to eat very little, losing weight. She was put on Pepcid as well as meds to increase her appetite which worked and stopped her weight loss. Even though she was quite ill, she was alert, happy and engaging and not yet ready to join her sister in kitty heaven.

Ingrid

 

[BM243923]

Sorry for your loss, we had to put down our dog in Feb. of this year. It was a hard decision to make, but it was the right one.

Each day it gets easier and you make the best of things.

Again sorry for your loss

 

[gandalf252002]

Sorry for your loss

For those who do not have pets, it is often hard for them to realize that owning one is like loosing a family member. Having had one put down, and another pass on their own they two totally different experiences. When you have to make the choice, it is much more difficult.

 

[pjrose]

Oh, I just knew it when I read the title of this thread. Most of us have been there and know what you are going through.

{{HUGS}}

 

[kenie]

Best wishes Jim.

I know how hard it is to lose a friend.
Sadly it's times like this that make us appreciate the time we have with our special friends all the more.

kenie..

 

[Passepartout]

Heathpack, thanks so much for your invaluable professional advice. If it had just been a matter of adjusting meds to return our beloved pooch to healthy active life, we would have gladly done that. She was on Lasix and consequently tanked up on water- in fact it was all she would ingest. I had managed to get about a cup of table scraps into her over the last week, and it was a struggle to give her the pills. She was not enjoying her life. After lengthy discussion with her vet, we went ahead with the euthanasia. She had had a good, happy and relatively healthy life. When it was clear that she no longer would be able to be returned to a 'normal', active adult dog life, it was time.

Thanks, everyone, for your kind words and thoughts. You can't know how it helps.

Jim

 

[heathpack]

Heathpack, thanks so much for your invaluable professional advice. If it had just been a matter of adjusting meds to return our beloved pooch to healthy active life, we would have gladly done that. She was on Lasix and consequently tanked up on water- in fact it was all she would ingest. I had managed to get about a cup of table scraps into her over the last week, and it was a struggle to give her the pills. She was not enjoying her life. After lengthy discussion with her vet, we went ahead with the euthanasia. She had had a good, happy and relatively healthy life. When it was clear that she no longer would be able to be returned to a 'normal', active adult dog life, it was time.

Thanks, everyone, for your kind words and thoughts. You can't know how it helps.

Jim

So sorry to hear that. I know she was a great girl. You guys will miss her intensely, I'm sure.

Thinking of you.

H

 

[Elan]

Jim, sorry for your loss.

 

[presley]

So sorry to hear about your loss.

 

[JanT]

Jim,

My prayers are with you at this time. Losing a pet is such a difficult thing, especially when we have to make the decision to let them go. Just know that you made the right decision and that Cherry is running free and wild and is very happy now that she is no longer suffering.

It will be difficult for quite awhile for you as you adjust to life without her. But, remember the wonderful times you had with her and cherish them. Someday you will be with her again.

Hugs to you, my Tugger friend!!!

Jan

 

[cissy]

Hugs to you and your wife.

 

[pwrshift]

Jim, it's almost like losing a child in so many ways...and there will be a pain in your heart for a long time...and an emptiness every time you come home or hear a noise. I had to do the same with my Tandy last June and still think of her every day. Best wishes to you and the family.

Brian

 

[glypnirsgirl]

Hugs to you and Paula --- so sorry for your loss.

elaine

 

[BevL]

I wish there was something that I could say to magically make this easier. It's one of the hardest, yet one of the kindest decision we have to make on behalf of our four legged charges.

Take care

Bev