Death of Longtime Pets

[Elizabeth H]

This last February we were faced with some unexpected news and the need to make a very quick and painful decision. Our 12 year old miniature American Eskimo was acting sluggish and we took her to the vet. The news came back from the vet that she was quite ill and we needed to take her to an emergency clinic. We did so immediately and once there, the doctor and staff did an ultrasound. They found several spots on her organs and a large mass on her kidney. We could have left her in their care for several days to do some immediate treatments, but she would still have needed a biopsy, and the prognosis of recovery from the cancer did not seem very good. We made a very painful and very quick and unexpected decision to say goodbye to her that day at the emergency clinic. We were heartbroken. We also had a 15 year old male Eskimo at home that we knew would soon be in a situation for us to make a decision to put him to rest. That decision came just a month after losing the 12 year old female. Even when you expect to say goodbye to a pet, it is never easy, but to lose two within a month, when they had been with me since they were just a couple months old, was doubly tough. We have both of them resting in our backyard with newly planted trees/shrubs, and will remember them always.

[Crystal W]

Oh gosh Libby! You’re so right, whether you’re ‘ready’ for it or not it doesn’t make the feelings any less real. I’m so glad you did something special to commemorate them. I know they loved you as much as you love them <3

[Elizabeth H]

Thanks, Crystal. I wasn’t able to do that with some previous pets, so I am happy that we could bring both of these pets home with us. We do have an adorable new puppy that is both fun and challenging, and totally different then the two I lost. There are so many animals that need rescuing—and we definitely wanted to share the love we “lost” with a new pet that needed a good home.

I had a similar situation. I’m a vet and KNEW I was going to lose our old big man at any time. I tried to prepare myself but was completely blindsided when our other pet became ill very quickly. We had to make a split second decision with him, and it hit me like a ton of bricks. Less than 6 months later, we were putting our big man down (as I’d anticipated) and it just broke my heart. I counsel people through this on a daily basis and it was still difficult for me. I think it’s just part of our nature to think we could have “done more”, but I knew in my heart it was time for both of them. We also now have a crazy puppy that gives us a different kind of joy that we hadn’t experiences in so many years with our “old farts”.

[Elizabeth H]

I am so sorry. Your story mirrors mine so much. We too now have a crazy mischievous puppy who keeps us on our toes and is a reminder to be grateful for every day we are able to share love with our friends, family and fur babies.