Crummy news...

[375supermag]

Hi...

Our 14-1/2 yr old Black Lab (Wesson)has been having more and more trouble with going up and down steps lately.
2 weeks ago, he fell down the steps and lost control of his bowels while nobody was home. My wife came home and found him laying in a mess at the bottom of the steps.

We got him cleaned up, but he can't seem to work his hind legs properly anymore.
Anyway, we finally got a vet appointment Friday and the news ain't good. He has a mass on his spleen and is severely anemic. The vet says the mass is probably cancerous and is pressing on his bladder causing him to leak urine sometimes. The vet expects he has a few months left, if he doesn't bleed internally.
He is alert, in no pain and has a good appetite, so they gave us a steroid med to try and help him. The vet said we should see results in a week or so, if he doesn't become more energetic, then the meds probably aren't going to help. They may give him an iron supplement for the anemia, but probably not if the steroid doesn't help his legs.
We will continue to help him up and down the steps and keep him well-fed and comfortable.

Sad days ahead...we knew this was coming at some point, but still...
My wife has been crying since Friday...she didn't think he was coming home from the vet's. His litter mate had to be put down three and a half years ago, during the height of my most recent cancer scare. My wife was never able to properly grieve over that pup because of my terminal cancer diagnosis(which was thankfully rescinded a few months later). I fear that when Wesson passes, my wife will be devastated.

I am now 60, so at 14-1/2 years, I have had this pup for almost a quarter of my life. Wesson has been a good dog, well-trained and obedient. Also tolerant of our presence in what he regards as his house.

[fivegunner]

I read your post and it made me sad,I am sorry for what your going through, I have had 3 dogs that I had to put down in my life. I knew they only live for so long , but it hurt so bad to lose them . mine lived a long life (for a dog) , and I`ll always miss them , its part of life. I hope to see them when I die. my advice when the time come`s, have your vet come out to your car or truck to give him the shot he wont be as afraid, as dogs do when they go to the vet`s office. Give him lot`s of love . best regards Frank

[JSnover]

Sorry to hear that. Tumors are common in old dogs like yours and like my 16 year-old beagle, now deceased. Keep him comfortable. He knows you love him.

[justingrosche]

I had to put down my dog of 13 years a couple of months ago. It was one of the hardest things I've ever done. But it came down to, was I keeping him alive for me, or was it best for him? (Teddy) had similar problems as your beloved friend, the back end wasn't working and the plumbing had gone to hell.
I was with him until the end, as I feel he would have been for me.
My heart truly goes out to you.

[MrWolf]

We are going through something similiar. One of our two dogs, both litter mates, was given six months to live which was over a year ago. Know it is going to happen and nothing we can do about it. Hang in there and be with him till the end.

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

Sorry to hear this. Not much more I can say that the others haven't already. I had to put my boy down a few years back and I did it at the very first sign he showed discomfort. It is hard to do, because selfishly we never want to let them go. I made sure my boy never went through the pain that was looming ahead. He deserved it.

[smokeywolf]

Just as having a dog in the family one of life's greatest blessings, saying goodbye is certainly the most heart wrenching act a dog lover must face. Know that because of you and your Mrs., Wesson has had the best life with lots of love.
Your post shows that no one else could give him more.

You can tell by my avatar that I'm a dog lover.

[AZ-JIM]

We had to put our lab down a few weeks before her 13th birthday (2yrs ago). Like the others have said keep him comfortable and give him love. That was the worst decision I have ever had to make, and still feel like a jerk for it, but it was best for her. We went about 4 months and I couldn't take the quiet in the house so we started looking for another one. We found one and he is as cool as could be.

Remember all the good times with him often, it helps a little

az-jim

[gray wolf]

I am very sorry to hear about your Dog, truly sorry.

I will never understand why such great Animals live for such a short time.

Sam

[nvbirdman]

I had to put my black lab down six months ago. When I called a friend and told him, he was very surprised and asked why? I simply told him it was time. I could have had her for a few more months, but sooner or later the pain would have started and she might as well go before any pain starts. I have a two week trip planned at the end of the year, and after I get back I will start looking for another companion/best friend.

[Teddy (punchie)]

Feel for you!! Sorry for your buddy being under the weather.

[shooter93]

The saddest events in my life has been the loss of pets. I always get another because I don't like the thought of living without them but I know how you feel.

[TXGunNut]

Sorry to hear about your friend. Sad thing about dogs is that we generally seem them as puppies, watch them grow up and watch them grow old. Seems it all goes by too fast. Cherish your memories and when the time comes, let him go as best you can.

[Artful]

My thoughts and prayers go out to you and your family.

[MaryB]

Prayers sent.

Pets may have short lives but they pack more love into that short time than most people manage in a lifetime!

[Bullwolf]

My first black lab suffered a similar fate. After 14 years of life, he began having problems getting up and down. He could not control his urine of stool anymore, and became quite swollen in the abdomen. When I took him to the vet I found out he had a tumor, and that he was anemic. (from leaking/bleeding internally it was assumed) Surgery was not an option at his age, and I was instructed to enjoy what time we had left.

Very similar to your story, however my black lab also was having seizures. They were absolutely heartbreaking to witness.

I kept a rubber sheet underneath him on the bed, and fresh towels and blankets which were washed and changed daily.

Had to pick him up around the middle and help him up to eat, and to go potty. I fed him liver and eggs, and other high iron foods to try to offset the anemia. Sadly it was only delaying the inevitable, however the seizures stopped.

He was the most loyal dog I had ever had, and my best friend. I had him before my marriage and after. He had been a huge constant part of my life. I wanted him to be calm and comfortable, and if possible to be allowed to pass at home.

Alternatively I did not want him to suffer either, but he just hung on no matter what and would not leave me. I could tell that the quality of his life was getting pretty bad towards the end.

I had a vet come out to the house to give him the shot one rainy day in November. It cost a little more, but it was worth it. My best friend got to die at home peacefully in his own bed, with me by his side. The vet had to assess the situation beforehand to see that the dog really was suffering. He gave him a tranquilizer first, and my pup finally relaxed. I hadn't seen him relax in quite a while, and that really drove the point home of just how much pain he was in.

I held him in my arms and petted him one last time, and then let him move on.

It was a hard sad day.

We had great times together, and he stayed with me up until the end. Dogs are loyal that way, and in some ways often kinder than people.

I feel for you and what you are going through. Enjoy the time you had together, and concentrate on the good not the bad if you are able.




- Bullwolf

[MrWolf]

Very nicely said. Thank you

[tddeangelo]

We had to put our lab down a few weeks before her 13th birthday (2yrs ago). Like the others have said keep him comfortable and give him love. That was the worst decision I have ever had to make, and still feel like a jerk for it, but it was best for her. We went about 4 months and I couldn't take the quiet in the house so we started looking for another one. We found one and he is as cool as could be.

Remember all the good times with him often, it helps a little

az-jim

Wow, could have written this post myself.

I lost my 12 yr, 11 month old yellow lab on Halloween 2011. We had a baby on the way at the time, and my daughter was born one week after Molly (our lab) left us. I made it to Jan 1 2012 and on that day I picked up Quincy, my current dog. He was 8 months old at the time, and the family who had him had gotten in WAY over their head. He's a boisterous, rambunctious black lab, now 4 yrs old, and doing great.

It was HARD letting Molly go, but like others said, I stayed with her to the end. I laid on the floor in the vet's office with her and was with her till it was over. It chokes me up just thinking about it, but she would never have left me if our situations had been reversed, so I couldn't leave her. I had been away on a hunting trip for a week, and the morning I left to come home, my wife found Molly passing blood. She'd had bad dyplasia that we'd successfully managed, but she was doing great up to that morning. I think she was just hanging on for me to come home, and her body didn't quite make it.

I knew that night when I got home that there would be no miracle the next day. Molly had several episodes with her arthritis and hips that we thought would be the end, but our wonderful vet was always able to give us a course of treatment that gave Molly back her quality of life. I knew as soon as I saw her that day, though, that it was the end. It was time. I could just see it on her face.

So, we went the next day. Molly walked out of the house under her own power, but I lifted her into my wife's minivan. When we got to the vet, she just couldn't get up. I carried her in, wrapped in a blanket. The vet checked her out and concluded that we could do a ton of testing and maybe surgery, but at 13 years old, she was showing signs of internal bleeding and/or tumors, and even with a lot of expensive testing and surgery that would be hard on Molly, it was unlikely they could give her any quality of life. So, we let her go.

I remember petting Molly as she calmed after receiving the sedative. Her breathing got quicker as the next shot kicked in. I petted her, whispered to her that I loved her, thanked her for being my dog, and told her it was ok, that she didn't have to fight on anymore. She could let go now and be at peace. And she did. And she was.

It is hard. VERY hard, but that's only because they are such important parts of our lives. If we can just let them go without being emotional, we didn't do them justice during their life, I think.

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

it's sad but that's about the age , it doesn't seem long but they are not with us much longer 15 is an old dog

had to put down my Beagle Basset mix 2 1/2 years ago at 13 when we came home and he had lost control of his hind end. after a few days he had stopped eating , if you know beagle bassets the only thing they like better than sleeping is eating.

[captaint]

I suspect most, if not all of us have been there. You have my sympathies. Losing a family member is a very difficult thing to deal with. I've lost a couple of doggie friends. Tough deal.