losing my little buddy

[YY1]

A few years ago we had a feral cat appear in the yard (we've had several appear and have kept most of them).

He was mangy and scrawny. We fed him and when he showed up the next day, took him to the vet.

The Vet said he had highly contagious feline leukemia as well as some communicable skin issues, and treatment would likely be unsuccessful.

While we were discussing putting him down, the cat who we called Cider (because he was that color and also showed up at the side door) was laying in our transporter completely on his back, like cats do when they're really comfortable.

That poor cat. Most likely the best day in his life was the one day he spent with us....and his last.

We knew that guy for one lousy day and I still get choked up about it.

 

[alsant]

Stay strong my friend ! All will be better and remember what you gained and not what you lost. So sorry to hear.

 

[Skytrooper]

I am sorry for your loss.

 

[t.flatt]

Sorry to hear this. Makes me tear up. I love my dog so much it's gotta be one of the hardest things a person could do... Remember the good times!

 

[jprather]

here is a pic of Flash the day we brought him home, you can see why he melted my heart

at least i have these 2 knuckle heads to keep me company

 

[Budnicks]

Had to put my Angel down yesterday. Her hips were going, but yesterday was bad. Took her to the vets. Degenerative myelopathy in her hind quarters and her chest was loaded with cancer. We had no idea about that. 3 weeks ago, she was running around like nothing. I’ll never forget that look in her eyes. What a rotten ******* day.

my deepest heartfelt condolences, to you & yours too
sad for sure, RIP Angel

 

[Budnicks]

we just went thru the same thing 2 months ago with our cat of 13 years. after going thru this with 2 prior cats, when she stopped eating, i knew it would not turn out well, vet says with this operation, there's a 70% chance we can save her, they called during the operation, never good, chance is now down to 5 %. pulled the plug, 6500.00 later.. .

waited about a week and got another 1. after some reading best way to move on is get another....similar to, u know how u get over an ex girlfriend ? get on top of another...

that's so sad too

a new kitten or new puppy
does sort of help speed up the healing process too
after my 16+ y/o Chocolate Lab Lord Budnicks passed

I waited a while, like 5-6 months & got a Foster dog 'Bubba'
Pointer/Lab mix, youngish dog, a couple of years old
full of life & spunky, playful, it helped me heal my heart
But;
I was really wondering if I really wanted to go thru that again
been thru it way more times than I care to think of
BUT;
with the fosters, I still get really close, but I know from the get-go
I'm a temp. home, I still miss them
I helped an animal get a better life too
It works for me, I've done a few fosters over the many years

I waited almost a full year to get another puppy, Elvis another chocolate lab
going on 5+ years & I still think about Lord Budnicks almost daily...

I need a dog/pet in my life...
the unconditional loyalty & love from a pet
IMO is something that can't be measured

 

[Joe66satellite]

Very sorry for your loss and the anxiety involved, rest in peace Flash and Godspeed for your healing

 

[QuickBpBp]

Sorry for your loss.. Been there done that. Horrible. My 80 year old parents had to put down thier German Shepard over a month ago.. They still have not recovered..

 

[soupguy]

jprather and Wojo68
Sorry for the loss of your pups Flash and Angel, for our family loosing a pet is as hard as it comes, they are family. We are big time dog people and as I write this my 3 boys are lying in the living room with me. Niko my Malamute is now 11 and I know his time is coming soon as he's having trouble getting up now but I will cherish the time I have left and all the joy he has brought me and my family. For our family, we have always believed the best way to honor our lost pet is to go out as soon as possible and give another homeless pup a new forever home. While we still truly grieve the pet we lost and know in our hearts that they would like nothing else to be with us but that giving another dog a happy life would be the next best thing for them.

 

[62MAX]

I know how you feel,hang in there.Same thing here,had her for 18 1/2 yrs,will be gone 3 yrs in March,still not over it !

 

[493 70 Runner]

Sorry to hear about Flash, to most of us our 4 legged family members are near and dear. I am dealing with an 11 year old dachshund slowing down.
Flash looked like an AWESOME guy!
Prayers are with you in this difficult time.

 

[chtampa]

"Man's best friend". Says it all.

 

[moparedtn]

Man, I am so sorry to read of your loss....
Dogs get deep in my heart, always have.
Out here on the ridge, we get them all - usually someone will throw one out on the side
of the highway down the ridge and they'll make their way up here.

It's like they know where they'll be safe and cared for - we've had several over the years,
all of them with this or that something that made their heartless owners toss them out in
the country.
There was Lady the border collie, who someone drove over 80 miles to ditch. She'd been very abused and it took us months to get her to trust again:

Wonderful, smart dog who guarded us faithfully for almost 15 years....

Shorty the beagle, who came here out of the blue when he was still very young.
Quite personable and friendly, we couldn't figure out why anyone would throw him
out - until the first time someone did some target shooting nearby and Shorty took
off, not to be seen for two days!
Reckon some Buford hunter wanted him to be a hunting dog.
He wasn't - but he was an amazingly loyal, goofy family member as well as Lady's
buddy (he brought her up the ridge with him one morning...).
They passed away within days of each other, right after my dad had passed.
Rough winter that year....

Lil Bit was a pup the local shelter was just going to put down right away. Poor thing had birth defects (not the least of which was a pronounced underbite); they weren't going to
bother keeping him around, knowing no one would adopt him.
Perfect for us, though. No way we were going to give up on him....
He too lived a good life up here and was all personality.
(All of those pups, as well as others we've had, are all out here buried on our property).


Now of course there's the crown jewel of them all - the pup who actually picked me at
the shelter after all our dogs had passed. I didn't want to go that day, but finally agreed
under condition I wouldn't interact with the dogs - my heart still broken from the others....
until this one very quietly stared me down from a cage near the door I was standing in:

That's Sasha the wonder dog, another they were going to put down for
"food anger" issues....
She's been with us over a decade and has started having health issues, too.
I know she'll break my heart one day in the near future - and I'm pretty sure she'll
be the last one I can bear to see pass.
There won't be any more after her.

 

[Wojo68]

I know how you feel,hang in there.Same thing here,had her for 18 1/2 yrs,will be gone 3 yrs in March,still not over it !View attachment 996325

18 1/2 yrs, wow! Beautiful girl

 

[71dodgechargerrt]

Sorry, been there a few times and its not easy. After the last pup went my wife couldn't stand how empty and quit it was around here and after 2 years we got a new puppy. He is such a great dog.

 

[jprather]

Man, I am so sorry to read of your loss....
Dogs get deep in my heart, always have.
Out here on the ridge, we get them all - usually someone will throw one out on the side
of the highway down the ridge and they'll make their way up here.

It's like they know where they'll be safe and cared for - we've had several over the years,
all of them with this or that something that made their heartless owners toss them out in
the country.
There was Lady the border collie, who someone drove over 80 miles to ditch. She'd been very abused and it took us months to get her to trust again:
View attachment 996373
Wonderful, smart dog who guarded us faithfully for almost 15 years....

Shorty the beagle, who came here out of the blue when he was still very young.
Quite personable and friendly, we couldn't figure out why anyone would throw him
out - until the first time someone did some target shooting nearby and Shorty took
off, not to be seen for two days!
Reckon some Buford hunter wanted him to be a hunting dog.
He wasn't - but he was an amazingly loyal, goofy family member as well as Lady's
buddy (he brought her up the ridge with him one morning...).
They passed away within days of each other, right after my dad had passed.
Rough winter that year....

Lil Bit was a pup the local shelter was just going to put down right away. Poor thing had birth defects (not the least of which was a pronounced underbite); they weren't going to
bother keeping him around, knowing no one would adopt him.
Perfect for us, though. No way we were going to give up on him....
He too lived a good life up here and was all personality.
(All of those pups, as well as others we've had, are all out here buried on our property).
View attachment 996375

Now of course there's the crown jewel of them all - the pup who actually picked me at
the shelter after all our dogs had passed. I didn't want to go that day, but finally agreed
under condition I wouldn't interact with the dogs - my heart still broken from the others....
until this one very quietly stared me down from a cage near the door I was standing in:
View attachment 996376
That's Sasha the wonder dog, another they were going to put down for
"food anger" issues....
She's been with us over a decade and has started having health issues, too.
I know she'll break my heart one day in the near future - and I'm pretty sure she'll
be the last one I can bear to see pass.
There won't be any more after her.

Ed,
i know you were humbled by the auction, this is why the people on here want to help, not many people take in strays and love and care for them. God bless you brother

 

[moparedtn]

Ed,
i know you were humbled by the auction, this is why the people on here want to help, not many people take in strays and love and care for them. God bless you brother

Aww man, thanks - but this is a no-brainer to me.
They are such bundles of unconditional love and loyalty - I mean come on, right?
They don't care who you are financially - but boy, are they great judges of a person's character.
The only bad part to it all is when they pass on. God, that's so hard....but I think it's supposed to be.

 

[jprather]

well, he is not a " replacement " as I could NEVER replace Flash, but, honestly, life aint worth living with out a dog !

say hello to Oliver !!

 

[YY1]

Awwwwwwwww