Lost our dog today

Massive liver infection, but she had a good 12 years. She will be missed. I'm going to feel sorry for myself now. Go on working on your challenge cars.

Sorry bud. That was one of the worst days ever for me. The thing about a dog, they don't care. They just love you, unconditionally.

Been there, felt the pain. Warmest regards for you. Just giving a good home to one is all the thanks they want.

I feel for you. I too have lost a dog and now that my dog is getting up there (12 years old is a serior citizen for an Akita) I'm dreading the day... My condolences. Can you post a pic?

Sorry to hear it. I've lost a few, and it's never easy. Hell, my mom has lost two in the past year.

We're in the rescue business too, and that's not any easier. We are trying to get a 10 year old Staffordshire that is losing his owner on Wednesday (military, shipping out - they should have thought of something earlier, but that's another story) and we hare having a hell of a time finding a place for him, even temporarily. No one wants to foster an older dog. We'd do it, but we don't have the room.

Sorry to hear that.

deepesst condolances. My family used to raise siberians. dozens of dogs later, it still does not get any easier to bury or sell them off.

They really are family

My heart goes out to you. I am sorry for your loss.

So sorry to hear that. We adopted an 8 week old pitbull, and man is she awesome, dogs rule...

Rufus was the quintessential garage dog. He got weld sparked, grinder dust in his tail, laid on the threshold waiting to see who rolled up the drive next, liked brake dust in his muzzle and was happy crawling under the car to see what you were doing.

It's been three years, we miss him and he's why we still don't have a dog. Those are big shoes.

I'm sorry for your loss; she's in a a better place but that doesn't help much.

Wait a month and then Google Rainbow Bridge, Noelle showed it to me.

Real men cry....

I'm so sorry for your loss.

Oh yeah, Rainbow Bridge... been there.

I have lost a few...it never gets easier, but am always better off with a dog than without.

sorry to hear it, man.

I had two go to the rainbow bridge in the last 4 years. Both of them Siberians about 15 years old. Both of them rescued from shelters One was blind. Don't ask me why I rescued an old blind dog and spent way too much money keeping him alive another two years. About 5 years ago I lost a rescue that I pulled from the shelter from parvo about a week after I rescued her. She was a playful little Siberian pup I got to know for about a week before I lost her. Every time I lose a dog it is like a kick in the teeth, yet I keep pulling them from the pound. I guess it's a form of insanity.

On the other hand, the border collie I rescued just two years ago just passed his AKC test for sheep herding and placed 4th in a local frisbee competition all in the same month. Quite an accomplishment for a dog that just missed being put to sleep in the shelter by about a day.

Oh, if real men cry, then I'm a MAN. I think that I might need IV fluids soon. She had loose bowels once in a while for the past couple weeks, had bee nusing a corner of the living room for accidents while we were at work, but we thought that it was because we had changed her food (which we changed due to loose bowels). This morning, wife had to shoo her downstairs so that icould let her out, and I found lots of vomit and feces. I let her out and commenced cleaning, when the wife came down, I went out to let Clara in (she tends to go under the fence, and make her way back to the gate, where she waits patiently). She wasn't there, and didn't come when I called. I walked around the house, and foud her curled up in some wet leaves under the trees beside the house. Deep down inside, I knew what she was telling me, but had to take her to the vet to know for certain. She was borderline Cushings disease, which makes fighting any infection difficult. The vet told us that with 2 Challenge cars, we might keep her for a couple more months, but I don't even have one challenge car's budget now.

Oh, and I won' tliewhen I say that people confuse me with Rainbow Bridge, as there is a bridge in Inverhuron,ON, that goes into the provincial park (foot traffic only) that happens to be known by the same name. for a while, I wasn't sure why all of these people that barely know where Canada is (other than vaguely pointing north) know my local geography.

To finish, here's an older picture that we happened to have posted.

I feel your pain... my stomach still hurts when I think about my horse. Eventually, the memories make you smile, that's what I'm holding out for...

So sorry for your loss, Mistanfo.

Seeing Rainbow Bridge brought up here really brought the tears to my eyes. A few years ago, I had my cat Bernie put down... The same morning my mom had a major stroke. Told the vet to euthanize, and have him cremated. I then went to the hospital.

A couple weeks later I got a card from the "Memorial Garden" that handled the cremation, with the Rainbow Bridge poem on it.

I never said a word to my mother about the card, but a couple days after we got her back home, I got a card from her in the mail with the same poem on it...

Sorry for your loss. one of the greatest joys in life to me are dogs. I have one, 6y/o english springer spaniel. When i joined the military they dont consider dogs "family" or a "dependent" so i wasnt allowed to take her with me (single e-3, have to live in the dorms) She lives with my parents, and hopefully when i move out of the dorms in another 2 years i can take her back...but maybe not because now my parents house is home to her...idk yet, but either way i just about cried when i left, not b/c i was scared of the military but b/c i had to leave my dog behind. they really do become a part of the family.

Every time I read Rainbow Bridge, I start to cry. I never cry. I just can't cry, it doesn't happen. But when I read Rainbow Bridge...

They come with nothing but good intentions and leave behind nothing but good memories. Remember fondly the time you were given with her. I'm very sorry for your loss.

jg

Sorry for your loss but just keep this in mind and it applies to all canine beings. "the more time I spend around people the more I like my dog" They are truly great creatures and will do anything you ask of them give it some time, it heals all.

I feel greatly for you. Cherish what you had and do not focus on what you do not have. Sure, easier said than done.

Personally, I admit it took me a day to even open this thread. I knew it may bring me more emotion that I really wanted at the time. You see, I too have a great little companion who has been with since as a pup I pulled him out of the County Dog Wardon's cages. Thirteen years later, my little terrier mut named Louie still looks like a puppy, but....

He has deteriorating nerve damage in his spine and is loosing feeling in his back legs. Here is a video from 4 months ago of him getting weak. Today he can only drag his back legs while pulling with the fronts. We have a doggie wheel chair for him to go outside (sort of like doggie trainning wheels.)

At his age, they expect that surgery and recovery would likely do him in. He gets smaller and weaker every month. I love him dearly and will miss him greatly.

In this video you will see a strange montage of rugs. Louie can only walk on carpeted surfaces since he needs to grip with his front paws.

Videos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDHA-51JPvg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZabdY6ermM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNSBIc2r46o&feature=related

-John

Maybe a small way to help from this...

A friend's dog died recently. She had cushings, various other problems. He grabbed her stuff like the bed, food, etc and gave it to the local animal shelter. They're a no kill shelter so he figured it all was going to a good cause.

Animals are here to teach us how to be better humans.

Oh, I will be making a good deliver to the local SPCA (no-kill). They have received mucho food over the past few months, as we have been switching the dogs for a bit, trying to settle her stomach. It was never "bad", but we wanted to make sure she was ok, and she always did have a sensitive tummy. So, we'd get a small bag, she'd do fine, we would then buy the bigger bag, and her GI tract would revolt. So, off the the SPCA the food would go, and we'd try another brand's small bag. She'd do fine, and we'd buy the big bag. Repeat as necessary. The toys are all gone though, as they had been re-stuffed and mended so many times over the years.

Thanks to all for your thoughts and well wishes. It really does make me feel better.

very sorry to hear this.

wow.. I had forgotten the Rainbow Bridge Poem. Guess I was trying to.

Few years ago my mom had her Bichon Frise put down. dog was almost 20 years old. I was 15 when that little ball of fluff came into our lives.. and honestly, in the 4 years since then, she has never really left.