Preparing for the inevitable

swingking

My girlfriend's bichon frise has been diagnosed with kidney disease and this will eventually lead to kidney failure. She will have to be put down.

As you can imagine this is heartbreaking news. She's had her for nearly 9 years and to be told that you are gonna lose your best pal is really awful.

The vet hasn't given an exact time for life expectancy but he said that things will get really bad when she starts refusing her food. That has started to happen.

My gf is in bits and I'm wondering if anyone out there can offer advice on how to make this unfortunate circumstance any better for her. I suggested getting loads of photos of the dog put together in a photobook to remember her.

Thanks

ISDW

I'm really sorry for you all. I'm afraid that I don't really have any advice, its such a hard thing to have to go through. Whenever any of my dogs have been coming to the end of their life I just tended to spoil them as much as I could, and spend as much time as possible with them.

I don't honestly think theres anything that makes it any better, its just something horrific that has to be dealt with. But, it is eased a bit I think, by knowing that you can let your dog go with dignity and not have their life stetched out in pain, really wish we could do this for humans sometimes.

Best of luck with it, it will be a very tough time.

suziwalsh

This might give you some ideas http://www.pet-loss.net/

When she does pass I would think the photobook is a love idea and also maybe to plant a tree in the dogs honour......also you could have her ashes scattered somewhere that she loved....

Very sorry x

janja

I know its not for everyone,but I think going out and getting a puppy, not as a replacement as that could never happen, but it would give your gf something to concentrate on. I know nothing will ever replace my little one, but i have made a promise to myself to immediately get a puppy when the time comes. Best of luck.

mylittlepony

Above Poster:

That worked for us when our Lab dog 6yrs got knocked down we were heartbroke and within a week we got another lab of 3yrs old.
The house was too emtpy without a dog.
It really did help us and we love him to bits.

swingking

Thanks for the great suggestions. Much appreciated

anniehoo

+1 ISDW

I had 31 mths to get used to my dog having to be put to sleep. We really didnt know how long we'd get tbh. It couldve been just 6mths but she responded so well to chemo she kept goin. In that time i made sure she was spoiled (not OTT) but just "extra love" i suppose. I took loads of pics, enjoyed more than i wouldve every single walk i brought her on and generally just appreciated every single day extra i had with her.

It sounds weird, but im glad i had that time even though she had lymphoma.The end was of course AWFUL, never cried so much in my life,but i consoled myself with the fact i did EVERYTHING i possibly couldve for her and then some. She was a lucky dog and i was lucky to have had the pleasure of owning such a great dog. I still miss her 8 mths later.

Have a cat now...great little fella and definitely helps fill the space our beloved pets create when they leave. I also have a huge portrait of her that my mates bought me and i adore it (an idea for a present for her also).

Discodog

It's the selfish reason why I will always have 2 dogs. The unselfish one is that it is much nicer for them.

You will feel better knowing that you have done the absolute best for your dog & that includes not letting it suffer. I have made that journey many times & my tears were tempered by knowing that I have to be strong for the sake of the dog.

The Paws

Hello.

I am sorry to hear that. Similar event happened to me years ago. There isn't much you or she can do about it but all I could think of is to keep her dog as comfortable as she can eg warmth, familiar toy etc...

Time will heal and i think it is no harm to "talk" about the funny/sad/bold times she had with the dog every now and them. Then maybe later on have a chat about getting new puppy/dog.

best wishes,

The paws

boxerly

Im sorry to hear about the little dog.I found out a couple of weeks ago that my 11 year old beloved boxer whom I have since he was 3 months old has heart failure.He could go at any time.I cried for the first week but got great advice from lovely doggie peeps and decided that I was gonna enjoy whatever time we have left with him.He knew I was upset and I dont want his last memories or mine to be sad,its not fair on them.I also had to explain to my kids incase he just drops on us ( its very very hard but we are enjoying everyday with him and when he goes however soon that my be we will be left with good memories and he will have died happy.Brunos heart could stop at any time we just dont know,he is snoring his head off beside me now ).Enjoy every minute left with him xxxx

dan_d

OP I'm sorry to hear about your GF's dog.

I posted a thread here recently about losing my cat, and people were so, so good. There's been a lot of crying since, but I'm feeling better, and getting excited about a kitten we plan to adopt when we come back from holidays in a couple of weeks. It's a very raw pain though, the same as losing a person - you share your life with them and they give you a lot of love, so it's very hard.

Tell her it's okay to be sad, but it will get better.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055983467&highlight=dan_d

swingking

lily (bichon) has been in a really bad way since Friday and the family have decided that tonight is the night. The vet will put her to sleep.

I'm heartbroken writing this but we know that if this is drawn out any longer then we are allowing her to suffer and are being unfair.

Thanks for all the support

boxerly

Im so sorry xxxxxx She is beautiful xxxxxx

Discodog

boxerly wrote: »

Im sorry to hear about the little dog.I found out a couple of weeks ago that my 11 year old beloved boxer whom I have since he was 3 months old has heart failure.He could go at any time.I cried for the first week but got great advice from lovely doggie peeps and decided that I was gonna enjoy whatever time we have left with him.He knew I was upset and I dont want his last memories or mine to be sad,its not fair on them.I also had to explain to my kids incase he just drops on us ( its very very hard but we are enjoying everyday with him and when he goes however soon that my be we will be left with good memories and he will have died happy.Brunos heart could stop at any time we just dont know,he is snoring his head off beside me now ).Enjoy every minute left with him xxxx

Hi Stranger . My last Boxer was in a similar situation but luckily he died in his sleep. One blessing is you know that it may happen. One of my previous Boxers dropped dead, totally unexpectedly, during a walk. He had a great sense of humour & would of loved the idea that I had to carry him for over 2 miles !.