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our dog of 12 years has passed

rh71

rh71

No Lifer
Simba

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We picked him up from a shelter back in 2000 - he lived 14 years - the last couple years his trachea started to collapse like a lot of toy dogs. He would cough all the time but only recently it got worse. Vet started him on steroids and a cough suppresant a couple weeks back and while that intially helped he just got worse. An x-ray showed his trachea barely had an opening left and his heart was extremely large compounding his lungs. His airway near the heart looked as small as an ant farm trail - nearly closed off.

Last night he was wheezing so bad we were going to euthanize but after an hour got somewhat better and we decided to wait it out some more. This morning the vet said it's not time to euthanize yet because there are still options and he was still eating and alert; taking tough breaths but not in pain. I left him at about 130pm to go back to my own house - he was breathing quieter but straining to do so and we hoped the new meds would kick in soon enough. My parents got home at 5pm and he was just motionless and breathless still with his eyes open.

It's sad he died alone and for that I feel terrible, but it gives me relief that he no longer has to suffer through every breath. They will be sending us his ashes in a week. My mom has an empty nest at home with my brother and I gone and Simba was like her last son. He followed her everywhere for 12 years and she feels so empty right now without him... truly a broken heart. Because she doesn't want to go through this again she will not get another dog. Not sure if it's better to talk about him with her or not. She asked me how long this feeling will last and I didn't know what to say.
 
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My first dog had the same trachea/lung issue as yours and it was just horrible watching him struggle. After a year of suffering I convinced my parents that it would be more humane to put him down than to watch him struggle for every breath. He was 16 years old 🙁

I'm sorry. I know how it feels.
 
You never get over losing a loved pet. A new pet tends to give you back those happy feelings again.

We lost a dog after only having it for two years. She was a little three-legged Golden Retriever/Corgi and 10 when we got her and no one else wanted her when my grandmother passed away. 6 months later she started developing cancer then diabetes.

We had her cremated and my wife keeps the urn on her night stand.

She was a really sweet dog.
 
There's a little dog exactly like that on the corner of my block. When I drive around the back lane, my truck and trailer make so much noise it barks like crazy. It actually lifts it's front paws off the deck it puts so much effort to be loud and intimidating, LOL. Cute.
 
BlahBlahYouToo said:
is that a pom mutt?
my cousins had one. they were hyper lil bastids.
Click to expand...

Don't think he's a mix... he was just wandering the streets and a shelter picked him up when he was about 2. We saw him there on a Saturday and they said whoever gets here first Monday morning at 7am gets him. That Monday morning at 530am my parents drove over and made sure they were first. Turns out they beat one other guy there and he even asked if they were waiting for him - so he just left. I was away for work orientation or I would've been in that car too. These guys are pretty special.

Yes they are hyper and he did whatever the hell he wanted. On walks around the block he just sits down in the middle of the street and doesn't want to go home... I'm sure a lot of dogs are like that though. He did live a good life with table scraps every single night - my parents spoiled him.

On another note, I talked to my 4yo boys about death for the first time. "Sleeping forever" - they tried to understand and then the next minute they started rambling on about something else. I'm somewhat thankful they didn't get too attached to Simba. No dogs for us in the future either.
 
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that is an extremely sad story. seeing the dog has died was bad enough, but then reading that....gah. sorry about that man.
 
awful to see that you posted in the other dog dying thread that you might have to do the same...then it actually happened. =(
 
I'm sorry that you lost your friend.

My dog is getting up in years, and I know that day is approaching...
 
thats rough, sorry to hear it. steroids were a death sentence for my dog, but at the time we believed we had no other options. they helped her issues but made her arthritis unbearable and quality of life miserable.
 
Wow that is sad he passed away alone..It's really too bad. Hopefully hewasn't in too much pain. You tried your best for him and that's all you could have done. Luckily, my dog is only 1.5 so I have a long while before I have to worry about this, but it kills me to even think about it because my dog is my life. Feel better soon.
 
RIP.

I came back home for Thanksgiving my first year of college in 95 and went to find our cat, he was 18...mom and sister hadn't noticed him for a few days. Found him dehydrated and listless, it was kidney failure. Worst part was my mom took him into the vet...and had him put down before I could say goodbye. 🙁

Funny how good pets can affect us.
 
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