Remembering our furry friends

I'm so sorry to hear about losing both of your babies. It is such a difficult thing to deal with... this past June that happened with me. Dallas, my toy poodle, had been in perfect health. He had a bit of an infection for a few weeks but the vet cleared him and he went in for his yearly physical and they said he was doing fantastic and doing very well for a dog of 11...three days later he started not being able to breathe properly...my parents took him to the vet and they thought he had some food or toy fluff stuck in his throat. We tried to get him to take medications and such but you know how hard that is with dogs...it was very hard. We took him to the vet again a few days later and they rushed him to the emergency vet hospital...they took more Xrays and the spot where they thought the food was had become massive...they realized that's not what it was...that it was a very aggressive form of throat cancer that could not be treated. It was so fast. The vet said less than a week earlier that he was in perfect health. My parents had taken the day off to take him to the vet. I was at work and they had been texting back and forth...they said there was no need for me to come home everything was fine/they didn't know everything...then all of a sudden they told me I needed to come home. My older sister got home before me, I texted asking if I should as my boyfriend (now fiance) over (who lives 90 mins away and works 10-12 hour days) she said yes... my heart broke. I knew something bad was happening...He was only 11...I got home and I saw my sister, my mum and my dad crying. My mum had to tell me what they were doing... I couldn't believe it. I said I would sell my car to pay for treatment, I would take time off work, I would do anything...but they told me the vet said they couldn't do anything, he was suffocating himself and he would pass away painfully and choking if we didn't do anything... I was heartbroken. I tried to take him for a walk (his favourite thing.) We took him to our vet later that day...they had already arranged it. I bawled...I just...this is still a shock for me. I got home and my boyfriend was there and he just held me. He held me all night and I cried for days. I STILL cry about it. I think of him every day... I look for him at the window where he would sit to wait for us to get home...when the doorbell rings... I wonder why he doesn't bark (getting better with this...) I look for him at night to make sure he doesn't get locked in or out of bedrooms... I say hi and bye when I come or go... Dallas had the most playful, puppy demeanor until his last few days...even when we went for that walk down the end of the hall... his playful side came back. He loved our vet. He had such a special relationship with all of us. Helped me though my teen years and to my mid twenties...

I'm sorry to ramble on about my story, it's still difficult for me to talk about but I just wanted to say I understand... we got Dallas' ashes and they are in my parents house... my sister and I both got paw prints and we both got pendants with his ashes. We've framed photographs... our neighbours (and their pup) brought us over a plant... people with animals understand... they will feel for you. If anyone tells you "its just a dog" just ignore them. They are part of the family. They are important to us and they are healing to us. I truly miss having him around, he was a therapy dog even though he wasn't officially. He always calmed me down, he sat with me when I was sick or sad... he played with me, we went on long walks together. I find it hard to visit other dogs but I also find it comforting because I have that sense of unconditional love back, even though its not my animal. I feel Dallas all the time. I know he is watching over us. I'm sure he will open the gates and play with both of your kitties too.. sending love and thoughts your way.

RoxieDawn wrote: »

OP, I love this poem.. maybe it will touch your heart as much as it did mine.

This poem did help me before.
This is Puffy. She was half persian and half siamese. My first love. Mom had to take her when I was in the 9th grade during the time I was at school. She was in a cat fight once, and had a injured eye, that I had to put medicine in.
I loved her so much.


And is my kitty angel Sophie. The white kitty. And my brother holding his kitty Mercedes. They are both in cat Heaven. Sophie was 17. I was there with her to comfort her, hold her and kiss her, when they gave her the shot. And then I had to go to work, and work a full day, and hold up my chin all day without crying. I couldn't wait to get home to cry.

Sorry to hear this. They really do become part of the family. The hardest for me was losing my Rottweiler. He was, without a doubt, the best animal I have ever had the privilege to be around. I wish I had pictures of him. He was truly impressive. Even for a Rottweiler, he was very large and built like a brick *kitten* house with a huge head and a 28" neck. He could pick up a basketball in his mouth. He was wary, reserved, and had a 6th sense about people. He was also extremely loyal and protective as well as one of the most intelligent, loving, and affectionate animals I have ever met. He not only watched over my kids but but the neighbors' as well. I cried like a baby when I lost him.

[img]My beloved Cass. Five years since she was PTS. I still miss her. She was twelve years old, had hypothyroidism, non medicated as she was allergic to the medication. [/img]