Feeling very sad

Landcruiser

Landcruiser

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Thank you all again for your thoughts and empathy. Joe had as good a weekend as he could, with his whole family around him and all the tuna and sardines and treats he could eat. By Monday he couldn't stand unaided and we had to let him go. My wonderful wonderful vets/friends came to our house. Joe quietly fell asleep on his blanket in a shady spot in the garden with his head on our daughter's lap and her head buried in his mane, and the rest of the people he loved sitting with him stroking him and telling him how much we loved him. The other two dogs were there too, quietly by, and with cuddles too. It couldn't have been a better end, but it was so, so hard. It still is, and I'm crying again writing this.

I keep doubting myself and wondering if we should have referred him for MRI and thrown everything at finding out what was going on, maybe, just maybe it was fixable and we could have had longer with him...and then I remember how baffled he was that his legs weren't working, and how sad he looked when the others went off for a walk and he had to stay at home...and how he couldn't even get up to toilet...and how quickly it had all happened...and he was 13...and what if, what if...

We'll never know. I comfort myself by knowing that he had the very best life and the very best end of life, and he had no pain and he had so, so much love.
 
SaddlePsych'D

SaddlePsych'D

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Moobli said:
Please try not to torture yourself with the what ifs, Joe lived a long and happy life and his passing was peaceful, surrounded by love. He’s one of the lucky ones. My sincerest condolences to you and your family x
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I absolutely agree with this. I could not imagine a better ending for anyone (dog or person) than to be peaceful, in a familiar place that feels safe, and surrounded by those who love you most.

Take good care LC, it's a really sad time. I hope the wonderful memories you have of Joe bring some comfort that he had a good life being part of your family.
 
FinnishLapphund

FinnishLapphund

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I got all teary eyed reading about his end, so lovely, hard, and sad, all at the same time. Nothing wrong with thinking through the what ifs, as long as you in the end tell yourself that you took the decision you thought/felt was best for him then and there. That's always going to be the only right decision.

And what memories you have of your beatiful boy, not just the photos, and everything you didn't have time to take a photo of, without stuck up in a tree, and you have it on video! 💓
 
O

oldandgold

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Landcruiser said:
I keep doubting myself and wondering if we should have referred him for MRI and thrown everything at finding out what was going on, maybe, just maybe it was fixable and we could have had longer with him...and then I remember how baffled he was that his legs weren't working, and how sad he looked when the others went off for a walk and he had to stay at home...and how he couldn't even get up to toilet...and how quickly it had all happened...and he was 13...and what if, what if...

We'll never know. I comfort myself by knowing that he had the very best life and the very best end of life, and he had no pain and he had so, so much love.
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Dear Landcruiser, I hope this is not speaking out of turn, but I hope it may help just a little bit. We lost our 15 year old girl, Reeva, on 17th August 2023. 1 day before we lost her she started to trip over her feet, we took her to the vets who hoped it was an arthritis flare up, gave her anti-inflammatory jab and she did seem to improve later. However in the earlyish hours of the Thursday she completely lost her mobility, couldn't stand at all. Got her to our vets and we knew by his face what was going to be the outcome. He said his thoughts with the other symptoms she was showing was neurological but not vestibular syndrome, we could have scans etc but he thought the outcome would be the same and so we made that awful, heart-breaking decision to let her go.

When I read your initial post my heart dropped as it sounded so very similar to what we had gone through, but I didn't want to post. I thought should we have scanned or tried for longer but I don't think it would have made a difference and I hope in time we can both get our heads and hearts to accept the decisions we made.

Joe and Reeva both went to the bridge peacefully and quickly with the ones they loved with them, if only all dogs could be so lucky.

Take care and be kind to yourself. x
 
Landcruiser

Landcruiser

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oldandgold said:
Dear Landcruiser, I hope this is not speaking out of turn, but I hope it may help just a little bit. We lost our 15 year old girl, Reeva, on 17th August 2023. 1 day before we lost her she started to trip over her feet, we took her to the vets who hoped it was an arthritis flare up, gave her anti-inflammatory jab and she did seem to improve later. However in the earlyish hours of the Thursday she completely lost her mobility, couldn't stand at all. Got her to our vets and we knew by his face what was going to be the outcome. He said his thoughts with the other symptoms she was showing was neurological but not vestibular syndrome, we could have scans etc but he thought the outcome would be the same and so we made that awful, heart-breaking decision to let her go.

When I read your initial post my heart dropped as it sounded so very similar to what we had gone through, but I didn't want to post. I thought should we have scanned or tried for longer but I don't think it would have made a difference and I hope in time we can both get our heads and hearts to accept the decisions we made.

Joe and Reeva both went to the bridge peacefully and quickly with the ones they loved with them, if only all dogs could be so lucky.

Take care and be kind to yourself. x
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Thank you, and I'm so very sorry for your loss. It's so bloody tough to lose them... x
 
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