More than just a furr baby

CharliRenee · Jan 18, 2019

How dare she…

This little girl, having survived life threatening illness as a young one, as one who survived like a champ more than one vicious attack of another three times her size, having been tossed out of a window upon her waking one morning, not to mention many run ins with cactus after cactus, she still is the strongest, most sweetest, most happiest, most lovable furr baby ever there was. I am crying, as I write this because I know her time is running out. Her heart is weak. She has good days, but some real hard ones too. I have been by her side, almost all the time, afraid to leave her, knowing soon she will need to say goodbye.

She and me have been through so much together. She is almost twelve now. I have so so many memories with her. The ache I already feel makes me wonder why do we do this to ourselves. Why do we fall so madly in love with these beautiful creatures; together we go all in, but for such a short time. What will I ever do without her? How dare she have meandered, ever so snuggly, into every crevice of my heart.

Ask anyone who really knows her, they will tell you...she is so much more than just another dog. She is so special.

Say a prayer for her will you? Not necessarily that she keeps on keeping on. I know it has to happen, but when it's time, I want her to go in peace, as comfy as can be. She has loved so well...so so well!!!

Demi777 · Jan 18, 2019

Praying sis. I know the feeling. My cat is 17 this year.
God is with u

blue_ladybug · Jan 18, 2019

Tequila would be 19 in December, if I still had her. Charli, if the dog is suffering, PLEASE send her back "home". I've seen too many friends and family who let their animals linger on and suffer terribly before dying on their own.. As pet owners we need to be smart enough to recognize when they're suffering, and when it would best to end that suffering.

An animal doesn't have to be in physical pain to suffer. You say her heart is weak, so she must be having breathing problems.

Hugs to you..

blue_ladybug · Jan 18, 2019

You should check with your vet to see if they do home visits. Tequila went to sleep here at home. She wasn't stressed, she wasn't scared, she was in her own surroundings and she had me with her. I told her Jesus would come for her, and I have no doubt that He did.

It was expensive but worth it, particularly if you don't want her (or yourself) stressed out. If you take her to the vet, they won't allow you to be with her while they do it, and she'll die alone on a cold hard table, wondering where her mummy is.. You don't want that..

Adstar · Jan 18, 2019

I have a cat Bronny who is 17, nearly 18.. I know her time is soon i also hope she goes peacefully..
But i also know that if i know that she is suffering i will take her to the vet and end it for her..
It's will be a very hard thing to do.. She has been such a sweet heart of a cat..

Journeyman · Jan 18, 2019

Thank you sweet Jesus for the tender heart of your child CharliRenee. May her friend enter your kingdom in peace. Amen.

Journeyman · Jan 18, 2019

blue_ladybug said:

It must depend on the vet sis. I held my Buddy while the Dr put him to sleep. He couldn't go on. Seventeen wonderful years of being hapily greeted by him when I came home from work...and so much more.

CharliRenee · Jan 18, 2019

blue_ladybug said:

I totally agree with you. The problem is this. She wears out quickly and does breath heavy, but not every day. She still eats, wags her tail and even has days when she plays. She is good 2 days and then bad one. I know it is getting to be that time. I agree with you, though, 100%, Sister Blue. Hmmm, maybe it would be better to do it now, but she still has good days. Thank you, hugs.

CharliRenee · Jan 18, 2019

Journeyman said:

Thank you so much. I appreciate your prayers.

CharliRenee · Jan 18, 2019

Adstar said:

Oh she sounds precious. The hard part Adstar is she is at that point where it is time but not quite. She still has good days. I definitely will do that though... Ouch ouch ouch!!!

CharliRenee · Jan 18, 2019

blue_ladybug said:

You should check with your vet to see if they do home visits. Tequila went to sleep here at home. She wasn't stressed, she wasn't scared, she was in her own surroundings and she had me with her. I told her Jesus would come for her, and I have no doubt that He did.

It was expensive but worth it, particularly if you don't want her (or yourself) stressed out. If you take her to the vet, they won't allow you to be with her while they do it, and she'll die alone on a cold hard table, wondering where her mummy is.. You don't want that..

I think that is a brilliant idea!!! Thank you.

blue_ladybug · Jan 18, 2019

CharliRenee said:

Tequila was almost 16, when I sent her back home. Unless you saw her throw up or poop/ do diarrhea on the floor, you would never have known she was sick. She didn't look 16, nor did she act it. I KNOW she didn't enjoy vomiting, nor having to watch me burst into tears as I cleaned it up. She didn't enjoy having chronic, constant diarrhea and the awful gas that accompanied it. Once again, I know she didn't like having to watch me bawl as I cleaned it up, knowing something was terribly wrong but gathering up the courage to make that final call.

Back in late 2014, I slipped on ice and landed on my back and got a herniated disk and sciatica in my left leg. Tequila was starting to get sick during that time, and while I was in the hospital she vomited and pooped all over the house. I took care of her while I had sciatica, and I can't even describe the pain of that. Anyhoo, my point of this is, I had to have steroid shots in my back to make the disk go down so the pain went away.

Now fast forward a year. It's 2016, Tequila had chronic diarrhea so they gave her a steroid shot to make her poop solid again. ONE day before she went home, her poop finally solidified. BUT she would have had to keep having steroid shots to KEEP it solid. I had just been through that myself, and didn't enjoy it. I would NEVER have put her through something that I wouldn't want to have done to myself.

Now, your doggy has maybe two good days out of a week. But how long will it be before she has no more good days at all? I'm sure she doesn't enjoy struggling to breathe, or being winded all the time. And I'm sure she doesn't like having to watch YOU react to her illness.

Believe me, I know this hurts. It's almost 3 years later and I still cry every day. I wanted to be selfish and keep her until she died on her own. But she couldn't keep ANY food down, threw up all the time, had chronic diarrhea. Her entire life, she weighed 11 pounds. When she died, she weighed SIX pounds. She would've kept losing weight until she was only fur and bones. I couldn't put her through that. So I set her free.

blue_ladybug · Jan 18, 2019

CharliRenee said:

Pardon me as I type this, I'm bawling right now.. LOL

DEFINITELY do it at home if at all possible. Like I said, it's expensive but worth it. I paid nearly $175 for Tequila, and the vet tech came out here. He petted her, and she nuzzled his hand, which is something she NEVER did when company came here.. I truly believe she knew why he was here, and what was about to happen. She knew she wouldn't be in pain anymore, and she knew Jesus would come and escort her home.

I picked her up, kissed her on the head and told her it was gonna be okay now. Then the vet tech gave the first shot, and a few minutes later, the final one that set her free. She was completely comfortable, and like I said before, wasn't stressed out or scared. She died right here on my bed.

I want to tell you a couple stories about friends and family who let their pets linger on and suffer until they died horribly on their own. My friend Kelley lives alone, she's in a wheelchair and is almost blind. Despite people telling her several different times that her various cats were ill and needed to be put down, she always let them suffer until they died. I saw some of them: nothing but fur and bones, sunken in eyes, no flesh at all. That was a horrible way for them to die and it made me both sad and angry.

My parent's 2 cats, Sookie and Buffy, both died of thyroid problems, as Tequila did. Sookie died in May 2016, a few months after Tequila died. Sookie had partial paralysis in all 4 legs, she lost tons of weight and was nothing but fur and bones. All of us kids tried telling mom that she needed to be put to sleep, but Mom kept insisting that she wasn't suffering or in pain. Daddy found Sookie in the driveway one day, unable to walk at all. THAT is when she should've been put to sleep, but they allowed Sookie to suffer until she finally died on her own at midnight one night. Luckily Daddy happened to be with her. She crossed her paws, put down her head and was gone.

Buffy died last year, and once again they let her linger on and suffer much more than she had to. She was all fur and bones too, but at least this time, Daddy had the sense to have her put to sleep. She pooped in the car on the way to the vet.. lol

My point is, Daddy finally saw what Mom couldn't see: that Buffy was suffering and didn't have much time left. I think Mom refused to face the truth because she didn't want to lose Buffy or Sookie. I kept reminding her that animals don't always have to be in pain to suffer.

When it comes to our pets, WE need to be observant as to how they're feeling. They can't speak and say "I"m dying, please set me free". We have to be smart enough to recognize when that time comes. Your doggy gets short-breathed, but what happens if she has a heart attack or something because she can't breathe? Wouldn't you feel guiltier if you made her linger and something worse happens, than you would if you had set her free before the worst came?

Ask yourself this question: what would doggy want me to do for her right now?

CharliRenee · Jan 18, 2019

blue_ladybug said:

Tequila was almost 16, when I sent her back home. Unless you saw her throw up or poop/ do diarrhea on the floor, you would never have known she was sick. She didn't look 16, nor did she act it. I KNOW she didn't enjoy vomiting, nor having to watch me burst into tears as I cleaned it up. She didn't enjoy having chronic, constant diarrhea and the awful gas that accompanied it. Once again, I know she didn't like having to watch me bawl as I cleaned it up, knowing something was terribly wrong but gathering up the courage to make that final call.

Back in late 2014, I slipped on ice and landed on my back and got a herniated disk and sciatica in my left leg. Tequila was starting to get sick during that time, and while I was in the hospital she vomited and pooped all over the house. I took care of her while I had sciatica, and I can't even describe the pain of that. Anyhoo, my point of this is, I had to have steroid shots in my back to make the disk go down so the pain went away.

Now fast forward a year. It's 2016, Tequila had chronic diarrhea so they gave her a steroid shot to make her poop solid again. ONE day before she went home, her poop finally solidified. BUT she would have had to keep having steroid shots to KEEP it solid. I had just been through that myself, and didn't enjoy it. I would NEVER have put her through something that I wouldn't want to have done to myself.

Now, your doggy has maybe two good days out of a week. But how long will it be before she has no more good days at all? I'm sure she doesn't enjoy struggling to breathe, or being winded all the time. And I'm sure she doesn't like having to watch YOU react to her illness.

Believe me, I know this hurts. It's almost 3 years later and I still cry every day. I wanted to be selfish and keep her until she died on her own. But she couldn't keep ANY food down, threw up all the time, had chronic diarrhea. Her entire life, she weighed 11 pounds. When she died, she weighed SIX pounds. She would've kept losing weight until she was only fur and bones. I couldn't put her through that. So I set her free.

Oh Tequila sounds like she was such a good baby. You are making good sense. Ugh@pain, physical and emotional. I am adding you to my prayers. Thank you so much for your time and truth.

CharliRenee · Jan 18, 2019

blue_ladybug said:

Pardon me as I type this, I'm bawling right now.. LOL

DEFINITELY do it at home if at all possible. Like I said, it's expensive but worth it. I paid nearly $175 for Tequila, and the vet tech came out here. He petted her, and she nuzzled his hand, which is something she NEVER did when company came here.. I truly believe she knew why he was here, and what was about to happen. She knew she wouldn't be in pain anymore, and she knew Jesus would come and escort her home.

I picked her up, kissed her on the head and told her it was gonna be okay now. Then the vet tech gave the first shot, and a few minutes later, the final one that set her free. She was completely comfortable, and like I said before, wasn't stressed out or scared. She died right here on my bed.

I want to tell you a couple stories about friends and family who let their pets linger on and suffer until they died horribly on their own. My friend Kelley lives alone, she's in a wheelchair and is almost blind. Despite people telling her several different times that her various cats were ill and needed to be put down, she always let them suffer until they died. I saw some of them: nothing but fur and bones, sunken in eyes, no flesh at all. That was a horrible way for them to die and it made me both sad and angry.

My parent's 2 cats, Sookie and Buffy, both died of thyroid problems, as Tequila did. Sookie died in May 2016, a few months after Tequila died. Sookie had partial paralysis in all 4 legs, she lost tons of weight and was nothing but fur and bones. All of us kids tried telling mom that she needed to be put to sleep, but Mom kept insisting that she wasn't suffering or in pain. Daddy found Sookie in the driveway one day, unable to walk at all. THAT is when she should've been put to sleep, but they allowed Sookie to suffer until she finally died on her own at midnight one night. Luckily Daddy happened to be with her. She crossed her paws, put down her head and was gone.

Buffy died last year, and once again they let her linger on and suffer much more than she had to. She was all fur and bones too, but at least this time, Daddy had the sense to have her put to sleep. She pooped in the car on the way to the vet.. lol

My point is, Daddy finally saw what Mom couldn't see: that Buffy was suffering and didn't have much time left. I think Mom refused to face the truth because she didn't want to lose Buffy or Sookie. I kept reminding her that animals don't always have to be in pain to suffer.

When it comes to our pets, WE need to be observant as to how they're feeling. They can't speak and say "I"m dying, please set me free". We have to be smart enough to recognize when that time comes. Your doggy gets short-breathed, but what happens if she has a heart attack or something because she can't breathe? Wouldn't you feel guiltier if you made her linger and something worse happens, than you would if you had set her free before the worst came?

Ask yourself this question: what would doggy want me to do for her right now?

I really do agree with you. It is cruel to make them suffer, if they don't have to. I love your heart for these furr babies. I can read the pain losing her has brought you, but u did a very selfless thing for her.

blue_ladybug · Jan 18, 2019

CharliRenee said:

She was my angel for nearly 16 years.

She was given to me a few months after my Rusty died. I had her to help me deal with losing him. But when Tequila died, I didn't have a kitty to help me deal with losing her. I just feel guilty because with all my back problems, I set her free to end MY suffering as much as hers..

Deror · Jan 18, 2019

God bless you and comfort you CharliRenee. I’m so sorry.

I grew up with a dog, and he made it until he was 13 I think, even though I was only 10 I saw his pain in his eyes, he even looked embarrassed when he started to struggle to walk, cos he got arthritis in his back legs, once he struggled to walk by himself that’s when my parents made the final decision.

Everyone cried, he’d been our family dog all his life!

In the 70’s when I was a baby, my Mum could leave me outside the shop in my pram and my dog would guard me. We had such a bond, we’d go walking together, and I’d take him to my friends houses when I was 5. I’m sure we’d sneak out together and go running.

It’s true they are so precious, and we do bond with them and ultimately they place their lives in our hands so I’m praying for your comfort and your special one and for Jesus to be closer to you through this time. You could ask her if she’s ready, look in her eyes, what do they tell you? God bless you and your special pup. May God help you with your decisions and give you His Peace that passes all understanding

blue_ladybug · Jan 19, 2019

Deror said:

My Rusty was identical to the one in my signature, except he was bright orange, not dark orange like Tequila was.

Especially the eyes, Rusty had golden eyes with that same look in them. Shortly before I sent him home, he would come sit in front of me, and just sit and stare at me with those beautiful golden eyes. Those eyes said to me, "Mummy, when are you going to set me free from this pain"?

See, Rusty had seizures frequently while I had him. He would lose his bladder function. If that weren't bad enough, he had the same problem that later on with Tequila, she also had. He lost weight, stopped eating, was becoming fur and bones. I did the same routine with him that I would repeat 15 years later with Tequila. I cleaned up his poop and vomit. I cried, knowing something was wrong and he wouldn't get better. The night before I set him free, I slept on the living room floor with him. I said, "Rusty, please hang on overnight. Mummy's gonna end your pain tomorrow"..

Until Tequila died, I had forgotten how much it hurts to have to set them free. But it's necessary. Rusty and Tequila weren't mine. They were God's, and He needed them back. God is calling your doggy, Renee. It's up to you to answer that call and do the right thing for her. God needs her back, and she'll be in the best place possible.

I think Deror's suggestion of asking your dog if SHE is ready, is an excellent idea. Animals know when they're sick, and they know when they're dying. They also know whether or not to keep going, despite their pain. So ask doggy if she is ready to go, and tell her it's okay for her to go. Read her eyes, they will tell you her answer.

CharliRenee · Jan 19, 2019

Deror said:

God bless you and comfort you CharliRenee. I’m so sorry.

I grew up with a dog, and he made it until he was 13 I think, even though I was only 10 I saw his pain in his eyes, he even looked embarrassed when he started to struggle to walk, cos he got arthritis in his back legs, once he struggled to walk by himself that’s when my parents made the final decision.

Everyone cried, he’d been our family dog all his life!

In the 70’s when I was a baby, my Mum could leave me outside the shop in my pram and my dog would guard me. We had such a bond, we’d go walking together, and I’d take him to my friends houses when I was 5. I’m sure we’d sneak out together and go running.

It’s true they are so precious, and we do bond with them and ultimately they place their lives in our hands so I’m praying for your comfort and your special one and for Jesus to be closer to you through this time. You could ask her if she’s ready, look in her eyes, what do they tell you? God bless you and your special pup. May God help you with your decisions and give you His Peace that passes all understanding

Oh wow, thank you for sharing the memories of your beloved furr family member. Thanks for your kind words as well.

blue_ladybug · Jan 19, 2019

Now you got me bawling again.. lol

More than just a furr baby

Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Member

Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Member

Senior Member