Saying goodbye

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This afternoon my parents put our family dog to sleep. We got him when my brother and I were teenagers and we’ve since moved out. I’m absolutely devastated but he was very, very old and it’s been a long time coming. I’m so glad he’s out of pain but he’ll leave a huge hole in our hearts. He was around for almost half of my life.
I feel a bit silly talking to my friends without pets about it; hopefully some of you will understand.

So sorry for all of you going through this

I've only just seen this thread. I'm so sorry for all those suffering at the moment. My darling lab is 8 and I already dreading the time I need to say goodbye

He’s 10, which is old enough to be elderly for a lab. And he’s lived every second of his life! Was completely hyper for the first seven years, had four homes before us by his first birthday. So it’s weird to see him slow and sedate. I’m not convinced that this will do anything, but I’ve had it in my head twice this week that it was time, once his treatment helped massively (for a few days) and second time he peeked up. He’s my favourite ever dog (don’t tell the others!), and he and my husband adore each other, so he’s finding it hard. It’s like a heart breaking rollercoaster. He’s not in pain, so he won’t be suffering in this week of waiting and seeing.

When I went into the vets this morning he dragged me in, and was coughing a lot. It sounds just like kennel cough and another lady got her dog and moved to the cat corner with a horrified look on her face. I could’ve cried because that’s what they thought it was for a month. I really wish it had been.

Mine had a cough that sounded like kennel cough but he had a massive lump on his vocal chords.

He couldn't bark anymore. 😰

He's another who lived every moment of his life to the full, untill he snapped his cruciate at New Year.

The scrapes he got in to. I may write a book.

Sending hugs.

I'm taking my beautiful springer to the vets today for the last time. She's 15, blind in one eye and has declined rapidly in the last few weeks.

She is the best dog I could ever have wanted and I love her so much. Life won't be the same without her.

So sorry RedLips, this is the worst club to be in.

There are no consolatory words that will help at all but 15 is an amazing age. 15 and very loved is a wonderful life, just like BoxDog and the others on here.

Boxdog (lab) was just shy of 15.

I can tell you that two days on I feel slightly better than I did yesterday which was better than the day before.

I miss her massively and I am very sad but coming downstairs was a bit easier than it was yesterday.

So very sorry sorry Redlips. Thinking of you today.

Reading our posts, “best dog ever” comes up so much. Don’t they just touch our hearts so much? Amazing animals.

LifeofBox that’s a wonderful age for a lab. Glad to hear you’re doing ok a couple of days on.x

They do Honeyroar.

We had one last holiday with her last month. I specifically booked a cottage where she could walk to the beach (not too far for her).

We lived in a house with a garden that was on the coast when she was a pup/her younger years and she just loved the coast. She would charge down the garden and launch herself off out little pier several times a day on a hot day.

She was amazing, still walking two miles a day drug free in April this year.

Right now I think I might be one of those people who never has another - she was too special.

Sorry to read that RedLips. I wanted mine to make 15 but it wasn't to be.

It does get slightly easier as each new day brings another 'first without' moment.

Tentatively saying, and feel a bit bad saying it on here, but he looks slightly better this morning, barely coughing and actually trotted around in the garden with the younger lab for a minute or two, whereas since Friday he's been hardly able to walk five steps without really coughing and retching. Holding my breath and hoping it's not just a lucky day, as he's only had one dose of the medicine so far.

Oh that’s good news.

That’s wonderful Honeyroar, I know you will be cherishing every minute 💐💐.

I would be and you should absolutely not feel bad about saying anything on this thread.

Can I please join this heartbreaking club?

My beautiful black lab, Sam, has kidney failure and has gone downhill so quickly since we found out just 3 weeks ago. He can't stand on his own now and I'm waiting for the vet to confirm that they can come out tomorrow to help him pass over peacefully. He's almost 12 and has been my bestest baby boy from day 1. Lying on the floor with him under a duvet and he's gently snoring while I quietly sob. I've slept downstairs with him for a couple of weeks as he couldn't get up the stairs and I love him so much. Now I feel broken.

I'm so sorry for all of you who are going through this x

Sending love to you ayup. I slept downstairs with BastardSpaniel his last evening as he could no longer manage the stairs.

Sob.

I'm so sorry Ayupducky. Heartbreaking.xxx

Thank you. It was awful and so sad but I stayed with her and gave her big cuddles and told her what a good girl she was until she was gone. The vets were lovely.

She'll have been glad that you were there and known how much she was loved. It's just so sad for you left behind. 💐.

This thread is strange in that it's very sad, but comforting to speak to others that are going through the same thing. Lots of labs and spring ears too.

I must apologise again to the OP for hijacking her thread but I just couldn't bring myself to start my own.

But it is comforting to know that others are feeling the same iyswim.

Just driven to the local Co op and burst into tears as I drove out of the car park as I always used to turn right and take him for a quick bog snorkel along the Old railway line.

But I'm awaiting my home check to become a fosterer for a spaniel charity.

Too all of you that have lost beloved pooches sending hugs. I lost my sweet boy last Halloween and I still get a massive lump in my throat when I think about him. This is going to sound awful but it was one of the worse days of my life, when I held him as he was pts - up there with my darling dads funeral (he would totally have got it as he was dog lover too). It was doubly horrible as unless you have been through it, people really don't understand. to all of us

I agree there is comfort in others going through the same.

It's very sad but she had had enough. She always disliked the vets and was distressed when we were there. When we were in there I realised that she was behaving in the same way she'd started to at home. As hard as it was, it wasn't right to keep her alive when she was as anxious in her home as she was at the vets.

Hugs here to all who need them. This is the worst time, I think.

I had to have my cat put to sleep on Christmas morning 2017, and was devastated even though I knew it would be coming soon (he was nearly 17, and increasingly frail). I still miss him now, and sometimes think I can still hear him chasing around the kitchen and jumping on the worktops as he used to do.

I also now have a 15 year old labrador. He too is now increasingly creaky and frail, although currently still wanting to be taken for short walks and seeming happy. His back legs are weakening significantly now though, making me painfully aware that we are well into borrowed time and it will not go on for very much longer.

So I know that I too will be facing this decision (again) very soon.

to all. It is very hard.

I agree it’s comforting to be here. My own family (not animal people) just don’t get it.

My elderly dad said yesterday ‘it’s done now and you need to get on with things’. I said she was my friend dad, for fifteen years, a much lived family member for fifteen years I am not going to get over it in a day. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Loved

I think it's nice to have an ongoing thread for Saying goodbye. It's comforting to be around others who understand.

That sounds interesting Ursula. When's your home check?

I'm very jealous of all these 15 year old labs. That's incredible, my last one was 11 when she died (didn't have a single grey hair on her, but got a tumour, we think), this one now that is struggling is 10, my friend's pair lived to 10 and 11. I'd kill for my boy to get to 15!

I feel like posting photos - definitely anonymous photos, no people but here we are, ten weeks old and last month 14.5. 💕 Look at her old lady scar and new skin tag thing. The scar is from a skin tag thing being removed a couple of years ago.

I have decided to rehome a cat, I really don’t thing I can be without a pet for long - my house feels empty. A dog isn’t right for so many reasons but a cat is fine. My best friend’s family owns a cattery so my extended summer travel plans are fine enough.