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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To ask a possibly upsetting question?

105 replies

Cherrysoup · 11/11/2021 23:19

If you had a dog and it has now died, how old was it and what did it die of? I lost one of mine during the summer and it looks like his brother is going the same way at 11, I’m absolutely devastated. The first one had cancer, his brother also has a tumour, diagnosed today. Isn’t 11 quite young for a medium sized dog? I lost one at 16, same breed (spaniel) so was hoping I’d have the others for longer. 😢

OP posts:

Tanfastic · 11/11/2021 23:21

So sorry 😢

My dog was 15 (just) and I had him pts due to a deterioration in his overall health and quality of life. That was in June and I miss him so much even though I do have another already.

PinkiOcelot · 11/11/2021 23:22

So sorry about your dogs OP.
I can’t answer your question as I’ve never owned a dog.

eeek88 · 11/11/2021 23:23

My dog’s parents and grandparents all died aged 10/11 of cancer. She’s 11 now and I had her checked over by the vet last year as a precaution and she seemed fine so I’m hoping I might get plenty more time with her. She’s fit and well, though not as energetic as she used to be.

Honeyroar · 11/11/2021 23:24

I’m really sorry for your loss.
I’ve lost two labs in the last few years. The first was 11, she died suddenly, they think it was a tumour. The second was ten, he had lung cancer so was PTS. I get that feeling of sadness and frustration- they were both lovely slim, fit labradors, the 11 yr old didn’t even have a grey hair on her. I thought they’d age really well. And yet people with fat, unhealthy labs often see them get to 14. But that’s life. It’s never predictable. Just treasure every moment.

adarkwhisperinthewoodwasheard · 11/11/2021 23:25

So sorry for you losing your dog. They are such a huge part of the family.

My ddog was 7. She had cancer and she was much younger than was expected for the breed. We'd thought she'd keep going until she was 13/14.

anon12345anon · 11/11/2021 23:28

for you...it is heart breaking isn't it?

Lost our 3 year old totally out of the blue last year....on the Monday he seemed totally normal....Tuesday an (unknown) lesion erupted on his throat with complications, Wednesday my darling boy was pts....

A few months later our 12 year old was pts, she had just had enough, and was an old lady, with a great life behind her.

A year on, my heart yearns for my darling dogs...
The 12 year old is slightly easier to bear....but the 3 year old just breaks my heart
I still talk to them both out loud, and I think they are probably looking down on me from the rainbow bridge with a look on their faces!

Both dogs were a breed with a life expectancy of 8-10 years....

Original poster

Cherrysoup · 11/11/2021 23:32

@Honeyroar mine also had lung cancer, which the vet said is really unusual for a dog. He became very ‘flat’ and that made the decision for us. He was a very lively lad.

@adarkwhisperinthewoodwasheard I lost my first at 7, he had spinal and stomach cancer. It was horrific, he just fell over one day and that was it. It would have been cruel to keep him going, the receptionist at the vet had the same issue but kept her incontinent dog going, I was devastated for the wee thing,

OP posts:

snowpo · 11/11/2021 23:34

Springer spaniel, got a cancerous growth at about 11, we didn't want any surgery or him to be in & out of vets. He wasn't in any pain & perfectly mobile & happy until his last day about 18months later. Suddenly stopped eating & didn't want to get up one morning. We knew something bad must have happened inside so took him to be pts. Vet said we could put him on a drip, investigate etc but we didn't want him messed around, miserable & pain for what would likely be the last days or weeks of his life.
16 is a very good age, I think 12/13 is about normal for spaniels. Sorry about your news.

Original poster

Cherrysoup · 11/11/2021 23:34

@anon12345anon that’s awful 😢 A 3 year old? How sad 😢

OP posts:

nigelladawson · 11/11/2021 23:37

My little girls dad just lost his dog. She was turning 2 next week and she ate something poisonous when out her walk (they are not sure what). Such a shock, I would sometimes babysit the dog for him, she was a lovely, kind and gentle dog and he had trained her so well.

When he came over to tell DD (8) last week she started screaming "I don't want Roxy to die, I love her!' Her dad then burst out crying saying 'neither did I'. Oh it was so awful.

She's going to her dads tomorrow after school and I think she will struggle with the dog not being there. It's horrendous. I would love a dog but it's seriously put me off the heartbreak of it all. Sorry for everyone's losses

Original poster

Cherrysoup · 11/11/2021 23:39

@snowpo I think the 16 year old has misled me. 11 seems so young, but my DH thinks that’s about right for a medium sized dog. I feel cheated. I won’t be putting him through multiple procedures, the vet is quite pessimistic about his chances. It’s awful, because he’s fine in himself, same energy, keen to eat, just not going to survive this.

OP posts:

Original poster

Cherrysoup · 11/11/2021 23:42

@nigelladawson This one ate something poisonous when he was quite young and I spent an horrendous weekend holding him, praying he would live. It was so awful. I’m sorry your girl’s dad lost his dog. She’s going to be looking for her at the weekend, isn’t she?

OP posts:

Etinoxaurus · 11/11/2021 23:42

I’m so sorry. Another POV- mine is 15 and her usual very alert very bouncy self 95% of the time. However she’s on approx £100/month tablets and wees in her sleep, normally in her basket but inevitably sofas rugs and duvets have suffered. It doesn’t matter but it does take up headspace. What is really upsetting though is a worry she’s in pain. That 5% of the time she’s barky and unsettled

MaryAndGerryLivingInDerry · 11/11/2021 23:44

My boy died last year aged 10 of lymphoma. He was far too young. I wasn’t ready.

SpookyPumpkinPants · 11/11/2021 23:45

I lost my spaniel when she was 11 too 🥲

thaegumathteth · 11/11/2021 23:48

I'm sorry OP:

Our dogs

Sheltie 15.5
Sheltie 10
Sheltie 5
Border collie 12
Springer 12
Cocker is 13 now and hoping he doesn't go anytime soon 🙏🏻

nigelladawson · 11/11/2021 23:48

[quote Cherrysoup]@nigelladawson This one ate something poisonous when he was quite young and I spent an horrendous weekend holding him, praying he would live. It was so awful. I’m sorry your girl’s dad lost his dog. She’s going to be looking for her at the weekend, isn’t she?[/quote]
It's terrible isn't it, so hard when it's unexpected. Well she knows she's passed away, but as the dog wasn't at my house I think it won't properly hit her until she's at her dads for the weekend and she'll feel her absence. We've been lighting a candle for her every night since so that seems to be helping her. So awful and sad losing pets but so worth it to have them.

JetBlackSteed · 11/11/2021 23:51

My ridgeback was pts at age 6. She was riddled with cancer, which was discovered when we took her to the vets with a sore inside her mouth (we thought from her love of chewing branches)
The breed has a life expectancy of 8 years, but still a big loss to our family.

noblegreenk · 11/11/2021 23:52

I had a mongrel that lived to 15. She had pancreatitis, which was badly affecting her quality of life and she refused to eat, so we had her put to sleep. If it hadn't been for the pancreatitis, I think we could have had her for another couple of years, as she was a very hardy dog.

DancyNancy · 11/11/2021 23:53

Over my lifetime, we've had lots of dogs.
15 yrs pts with severe arthritis couldn't walk anymore.
Beauty Shot by a farmer aged 5
3 youngish dogs ate poison that a neighbour farmer put down .....all at the same time...gutted.
The above were all in 80s/90s rural when I was a kid...no fences..2 farms nearby.

More recently
Boy Choked on a chicken bone aged 4 (a persistent scavenger...we joked through tears that he died so happy after finally getting a whole carcus out of a neighbours bin!)
Girl 12yrs abdominal mass...very fast. Symptoms. Pts within 3 weeks.
Girl 8 yrs. Attacked my child. Much loved dog....heartbroken forever over this one and will forever feel pain and guilt on my decision. Thank goodness my child is OK.

I still have my 15.5 Yr old rescue. Have her 14.5 yrs. She's fading but well. She's outlived 3 of the other younger ones. She's almost died a few times with different ailments but still going!

I'm so sorry about your sweetheart. They are really man's best friend. be kind to yourself

PinkSyCo · 11/11/2021 23:55

My collie cross had a fit and died aged 16. My Jack Russell died suddenly aged 16 and my other Jack Russell died 6 months after him of heart failure aged 17. I’m sorry about your dogs OP.

EmeraldShamrock · 11/11/2021 23:55

I'm so sorry.
My Dsis two dogs died last year both from cancer the King charles was 13 and the Dogue de bordeaux was only 8, they've a short life span.
They were the best canine friends the king charles gave up when her big slobber pal died.

Phoenix76 · 11/11/2021 23:56

@Cherrysoup people like you give me hope for humanity. The love you feel for your dogs is clear. Sadly it’s the same for dogs as it is for any species including ours, these horrible diseases/illnesses claim lives far too soon. To be honest, whatever age my dogs were taken would have been too soon. All we can really do is give them the best lives we can, make sure they know they’re loved (would put money on you exceeding that one), seek medical help for them when needed and generally just being a nurturing owner. You can never blame yourself for any of them being taken too early, just try and enjoy every minute with them and doing what you’re doing. I’ve learnt the hard way, the price you pay for having such pure souls in your life is the pain (torture) when they leave. I have to say though, people like you are amazing.

Magissa · 11/11/2021 23:58

Our 8 year old Elkhound just collapsed one day. Dh and ds were home and took him straight to the vet. Dd and I met them there. We took him in and he died minutes later as vet was scanning him. He had a tumour on his heart. No symptoms beforehand. Absolutely devastating.

purpleme12 · 12/11/2021 00:00

She was almost 12
Died of a stroke, vestibular something
God i love her so much
She loved me so much
I'm so upset cos she'd keep me safe and I don't have her and I loved her so much

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