Pets, loving them and losing them.

It's been a month, and I really miss having a dog. So I went and adopted a Siberian Husky puppy. I can pick her up the weekend before Christmas.
 
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My 18 year old cat passed last Saturday. Got him back in 2015 at a shelter after he had a pretty rough life. They said he was covered in fleas, underweight, messed up teeth, etc. But he was the most loving cat they had so I went with him. Earlier this year he had a seizure and after they ran some tests and bloodwork found he had elevated levels for hyperthyroid. He ended up having another seizure as well and it seemed to be something with his hearing, like crinkly noises is best I can describe. Anyways, after his most recent checkup they decided he should start taking medicine. He had stopped eating as much and dropped about 5lbs down to around 10lb. He was a chunker for sure and lost the weight gradually so not a big concern, but they figured it was due to the hyperthyroid.

They gave me the medicine the weekend before Thanksgiving but I was to hold off until I got back home since I would be gone a couple days. That same weekend, he pretty much gave up on eating and started drinking less, so I took him in Tuesday for checkup and to hold while I was out of town. I picked him up the weekend after and still wasn't eating much. Another day went by where he didn't touch food and noticed his breathing was heavier, so I took him back in. They did x-rays and found he had a bunch of fluid in his chest. After removing as much as they could he seemed to be getting better, ate more, etc. Took him home again and he was eating for me, although only a couple tablespoons a day, at least enough to get him his medicine. Unfortunately, he stopped eating again so I figured it was time.

Last Saturday I took him in to have him put down. On the way in he had another seizure. This time he was too weak to recover and died at the vet. That's probably the worst part about it I guess. Instead of going peacefully he had to suffer one last seizure. With the life he had prior to me getting him, who knows what other kind of issues he might have had. I can only hope that for those three years I gave him a better life.
 
I've lost many doggies over the years. They either wander off and who knows what happens to them, find them killed by coyotes, find them killed and burned at the end of my driveway, or just need to be put down like my last dog did. It was a German Shepherd and developed that hip dysplasia stuff and I couldn't afford to take her to the vet anymore and had to drink myself into a bad place over the course of a few days in order to do it. That was 9 years ago and I haven't had a dog/cat since and probably won't ever again. It was my fault most likely for not letting her outside more unless I was outside too...because something always happens to them around here if left outdoors.
 
About 8 months ago we lost Charlie, one of our greyhounds (bottom in this pic). She was 12 and she had bone cancer in a leg (unfortunately a very common thing for greys). She went from a slight limp to me having to carry her everywhere in a couple of days. We still have our male, Bandit on top who just turned 5.

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On the positive side, there was a female greyhound that one of the agencies we help out had. She had a bad leg injury and was a bit of a "problem child". They asked if we could take her and she's been awesome (her leg is now 100% healed). She's 18 months and a nut. The toughest part is trying to get an 18 month greyhound not to run on her bad leg.

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My 18 year old cat passed last Saturday. Got him back in 2015 at a shelter after he had a pretty rough life. They said he was covered in fleas, underweight, messed up teeth, etc. But he was the most loving cat they had so I went with him. Earlier this year he had a seizure and after they ran some tests and bloodwork found he had elevated levels for hyperthyroid. He ended up having another seizure as well and it seemed to be something with his hearing, like crinkly noises is best I can describe. Anyways, after his most recent checkup they decided he should start taking medicine. He had stopped eating as much and dropped about 5lbs down to around 10lb. He was a chunker for sure and lost the weight gradually so not a big concern, but they figured it was due to the hyperthyroid.

They gave me the medicine the weekend before Thanksgiving but I was to hold off until I got back home since I would be gone a couple days. That same weekend, he pretty much gave up on eating and started drinking less, so I took him in Tuesday for checkup and to hold while I was out of town. I picked him up the weekend after and still wasn't eating much. Another day went by where he didn't touch food and noticed his breathing was heavier, so I took him back in. They did x-rays and found he had a bunch of fluid in his chest. After removing as much as they could he seemed to be getting better, ate more, etc. Took him home again and he was eating for me, although only a couple tablespoons a day, at least enough to get him his medicine. Unfortunately, he stopped eating again so I figured it was time.

Last Saturday I took him in to have him put down. On the way in he had another seizure. This time he was too weak to recover and died at the vet. That's probably the worst part about it I guess. Instead of going peacefully he had to suffer one last seizure. With the life he had prior to me getting him, who knows what other kind of issues he might have had. I can only hope that for those three years I gave him a better life.
You're a good man for adopting an elder cat. I'm sure you gave him the best years of his life for the time that you had with him. Cherish everything about him.
 
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It's been a month, and I really miss having a dog. So I went and adopted a Siberian Husky puppy. I can pick her up the weekend before Christmas.

I missed this thread somehow. The fine upstanding beagle serving as my avatar unfortunately only made it a little past ten years and had to be put to sleep a few years back, although he still retains the title of Senior Beagle Emeritus, while the "younger" one who is now approaching 15 is "Executive Junior Beagle" and the hand-me-down beagle we got when his family was moving out of town is the "Assistant to the Junior Beagle", or "Dammit!" for short.
 
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After 17 years, we had to say goodbye to our boy Bruno. He was such a big part of our lives.

I have know idea what to do with myself.

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I am so sorry to read this, Grim. He was a beautiful old man and I can see the happiness and love he shared his entire life in his peaceful eyes. I’m sure you made his life as happy as he made your lives and he loved you and your family every moment of it.

❤️
 
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My brother lost his 2 dalmations, male and female, 2 weeks ago. Charlie and Oreo. They had puppies just a few months ago. My brother had let the dogs out to go relieve themselves. Long story short, they darted out of the house which was unusual and my brother went after them. Found them 10 minutes later a mile away on the road. They got hit by a car. Car owner stopped traffic to provided assistance. Charlie died instantly. Oreo was alive, but had to be put to sleep because her chances of being saved wasn't guaranteed and the emergency room vet wanted 15 grand right off the bat.

My brother feels really guilty about it. He and his family are devastated. I couldn't help, but cry with them. My family felt the loss as those dogs were family. The only thing that soften the blow was the 3 puppies. The other pups were given away before the accident. The plan was only to keep one. My brother is now keeping the 3 puppies. Named 2 of them after their parents to honor their memory.

We all pitched in to get Charlie and Oreo cremated, so my brother and his family could have the ashes in a nice little box with their actual paw prints imbedded on the wood.
 
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