Lost a dear friend yesterday

E. Fudd

My 11 year old german shorthaired pointer, Moss, had to put to sleep yesterday.

She'd been out of sorts for a few days, so on Monday I decided to take her to the vet, who diagnosed a brain tumor. He gave her a few injections, but said that her outlook was bleak.

There was no improvement the next day, she wasn't eating or drinking and she seemed to be slipping in and out of conciousness.

Yesterday I had to go to London for the day, and rang home on regular intervals to see how she was. The mother told me she was the same as she had been, but I had my suspicions she was gone.

I arrived back in Dublin airport last night, and rang to see how she was, and that's when I was told that she had had to be put to sleep that morning.
She had gone into semi-conciousness during the night, and when my mother rang the vet he said that the kindest thing to do was to put her to sleep.

I never thought losing a pet would upset me quite so much.

We learned how to hunt together, I still remember the day we got her, the day she set her first pheasant, so many things that I will always cherish.

She's buried up the top of the garden, with a bar of chocolate, her favourite treat, and the mother lit a candle up there last night so she wouldn't be lonely

Jesus I'll miss her.

Hunt on Moss, hunt on.

Vegeta

Sorry for your loss

It wasn't me!

It's amazing how attached you can get to dogs. I mean, an animal is an animal, but you're right, you do share some experiences with a dog, and losing them is extremely upsetting. Condolences.

foxshooter243

know the feeling elmer..my first hunting dog was a springer many years back, great dog ,he actually used to turn and look at you when he heard the safety go off on the shotgun just in case he missed somerthing i had seen.I had him trained to fetch the cartridge belt from my room when we were going hunting, it was a real eyeopener to my mates who had gathered in the house before we went hunting to see this mutt dragging a fully loaded belt downstairs..we still laugh about it today.
it gutted me to have to put him down after he contracted distemper even after having his shots and it was after a long struggle against it with numerous trips to the vet that i had to put him down.
shortly afterwards i bought myself another springer and started again but i still take a second look when passing the spot i buried him in.

Sparks

But she wasn't just a pet Elmer, she was a companion. Ain't no shame in feeling bad about losing a companion.

Grizzly 45

Sorry for your loss Fox.It is always a hard one to lose a four legged comrade and friend.:(.I've lost enough of them to know how empty and desolate you feel right now.
My Best
Grizzly 45

Invincible

Sorry to hear about your hunting companion departing,Elmar,I know what you're going through,lost my German s/h bitch last December 12 months,aged 13.5 yrs,had her from 9 weeks,had the excitement & enjoyment of training her and hunting with her for years.In the end she got a tumour on her right shoulder,the vet suggested using Metacam to ease her suffering and slow down the growth of tumour,she too got to a stage when she would'nt eat,so I took a day off work,brought her to the vet and said goodbye to her,brought her home and buried her in the bog,that she hunted many a season,the worms won't get her there! Sad times indeed.

meathstevie

Gone to the eternal ditch full of briars to burst through and pheasant to set and retrieve.

flanum

:(lads, ive read more moving posts here on the hunting forum than anywhere else! fair play!

stevoman

sorry to hear about your loss elmer. hope things get better for you. the attachment that we have to our dogs is quite strong and to lose them is like losing a family member. keep the head up and think of the good memories!

Mac Tire

sorry to hear that elmer...I spent the last 5 days in London and i couldn't wait to get back to my dog, Tikka. (not a hunting dog, cross between a Chocolate Lab and German Shepard) I can safely say that i would have alot more time for dogs than i have for most people that i know....
I remember when i was around 3 or 4 my dads ess, Glenn, used to carry me around the garden on his back like a horse. Then one day Glenn went to a better place, and when your that age you dont really cope on to whats happened. Still have a few pictures of me and him though.

triskell

very Sorry to hear that, my sympaty is with you, I lost a 6 year old lab to cancer within 3 days from the time he went off form to when he died, it hit me hard, 11 years later i still miss him. but then to be told it's only a dog, made my blood boil. some people haven't a clue

nice1franko

sorry to hear that pampers.

it's hard when you lose a good dog specially when she's a pet as well. whiteser wrote a great 'Ode to a Hound' that died a couple of months ago.

ps does chocolate not make dogs sick?

Hezz700

Been there, lost a few, it never gets easier.

Sorry to hear of your loss.

Hezz

DeVore

Dogs are like children, they love unconditionally so its always tough when they go but dont mourn the day she died, celebrate the 11 years she lived....

Sorry to hear of this.

DeV.

whitser

sorry to hear that. theres a strong bond between and man and his workers. least she spent her days doing what she was bred to do.

siobhan.murphy

aw,everyone knows of that pain u tell them everything and always seem to listen

E. Fudd

Lads, thanyou for all you're kind words! Really appreciate it.

nice1franko wrote: »

ps does chocolate not make dogs sick?

Well anytime I had a cup of tea and a mars bar (quite often if you saw the size of me gut!!) she got a piece of it. She'd hear the fecking wrapper being opened and she'd be on top of me!!

Once again lads, thankyou.

shaft666

Been in your position all too often so know how you're feeling, my GSPs only 9 months old but I already dread that day.
I know you probably feel like the worlds ended but it does get better with time.
Paul

mallards

I appreciate how you feel Fudd. I 've lost a few in my time. Every one of them broke my heart. Maybe that's why I always have a young dog around. They don't give you much time to think of the past.

All the best.

Mallards.

IRLConor

Sorry to hear of your loss Fudd.

nice1franko wrote: »

ps does chocolate not make dogs sick?

Theobromine (which is found in chocolate) can make them sick since they can't metabolise it as fast as we can. Depending on the type and amount of chocolate you give to the dog and how big they are it can be lethal. There's sod-all cocoa in a Mars Bar so I would expect the risk is lower but it would pay to be careful.

thehair

a dog is a mans best friend i have loved and lost a few dogs over the years all house pets:(

bunny shooter

Sorry

LegacyUser

It's heartbreaking alright...I have my dog 18 years now...still in great nick...but I know it's a slow process before he goes...his hearing has started and I'm pretty sure is vision is not as great as it used to be...can still sprint around anywhere and jump up and down etc...

But yeah...it's amazing how attached you get to dogs. I'm only 23...so my dog has been in my life constantly since I was old enough to appreciate animals properly. I'll be distraught when he goes.

flanum

E. Fudd wrote: »

and the mother lit a candle up there last night so she wouldn't be lonely

This bit especially got to me... fup you e.fudd and the lump in my throat!