firbeck 860 Posted March 5, 2009 Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 I'm writing this now, with difficulty, because I won't be in a fit state to do it later. 6 years ago we rescued our springer Meg from being put down, the owners were emigrating and couldn't be ars@d to sign the documents and take her with them, we also gathered that she had a horrible life with them and was cooped up in a small flat all day. She's had a lovely life since, running around the countryside with her pal Scooby Doo, swimming in the river, generally making up for the bad times. She's never been the healthiest dog, occasionally having fits and having every illness going, but she's a love all the same. Last friday, for no reason, she collapsed while eating her dinner, her back legs gave way. We took her to the vets who reckoned she had a trapped nerve in her back, steroids and anti-biotics would cure that. No, she got worse, just lying about, not able to move. We took her back on Tuesday suspecting it might be the end, more tablets, try these, see how she goes on. She's worse, can't walk properly, can't poo, cries when she eats and tries to go to the toilet, lying about panting retching and looking awful, she's made her legs sore by pulling out her hair in frustration, I've been sitting up with her since 6:00 trying to get her going but she can't. Our Jack Russell is beside himself, he's guarding her now, he knows she's really ill. We can't let her go on like this, we can't see her getting better and her quality of life is awful, she's panting now, I tried to give her a drink and she won't have it. My missus has just phoned to say that she's booked her in to the vets at 17:40, I'm just having a weep, I don't know what else we can do but have her put to sleep as she's really suffering, if the worst comes to pass, I'm going to bring her back and put her to rest in the garden. Sorry, I can't carry on any more. Here she is how we want to remember her:- Our lovely Meg. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fynger 841 Posted March 5, 2009 Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 Make her last resting place somewhere that is special for her....if you can plant something that will grow over her...( i put a small tree over my cat ) ....you'll love to see it grow and it will be a beautiful reminder everytime you see it. ( and see it florish )( may just be my belief here....but as our ancesters did )....place her possessions with her. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mick2me 3,033 Posted March 5, 2009 Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 So Sorry to hear you are losing your friend. She has been very lucky that you adopted her. If not for you she would not have been here to this day. Its not going to be an easy time for you I know. I have been there. We are animal lovers here too. In fact in my job I often say. "The more I see of people, the more I like dogs" Take care Mick (off to work with a tear in my eye!) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bip 88 Posted March 5, 2009 Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 How sad it is when one loses a love one no matter if they are human or not your report Firbeck brought a tear to my eye and I hope you do what Fynger suggests, he’s spot on with that idea I shall do something like that when my Diezel is called to his maker. Bip. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mick2me 3,033 Posted March 5, 2009 Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 We lost a beautiful cat in January. She was cremated by a place at Holme Pierrpoint. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
denshaw 2,877 Posted March 5, 2009 Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 We had a Collie for 14 years, she started to have fits which came more often and then she had a stroke which paralysed her. I took her to the Vets knowing what the outcome would be, the vet produced a large syringe and the dog looked at me with a knowing look. I walked out of there in tears. We had her Cremated and buried the ashes at the bottom of the garden where she used to lay. It sounds like you had some good times with your Meg, this must be a sad time for you Firbeck. Den. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted March 5, 2009 Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 We lost one of our cats in November, and I did as Fynger suggests , and have placed a rose bush over his grave Quote Link to post Share on other sites
firbeck 860 Posted March 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 Thanks for your kind words everyone. She perked up a bit at lunchtime, but the effort has taken it's toll and she's semi-comatose now. I have the spot, under the plum tree by the pond wrapped in her favourite blanket, and I intend to plant some snowdrops, she loved the snow last month. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
poohbear 1,360 Posted March 5, 2009 Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 You have my sympathies....and the little dog.I've been through this a couple of times and know how awful you feel. One of my lads had a couple of teeth out on Tuesday and I was fretting until I knew he had overcome the anaesthetic...it was so nice to get him back. All the best...Paul. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
plantfit 7,638 Posted March 5, 2009 Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 Such a sad time for you firbeck, my thoughts are with you Rog Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ashley 288 Posted March 5, 2009 Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 Such a sad time for you firbeck, my thoughts are with youRog yes same from me Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mgread1200 141 Posted March 5, 2009 Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 its the hardest to lose a true friend Quote Link to post Share on other sites
radfordred 6,284 Posted March 5, 2009 Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 I feel your pain take care . Quote Link to post Share on other sites
loppylugs 8,429 Posted March 6, 2009 Report Share Posted March 6, 2009 So sorry to hear about the difficulties. Been a doglover for many years. My thoughts are with you. Dave Quote Link to post Share on other sites
chrissy 1 Posted March 6, 2009 Report Share Posted March 6, 2009 So sorry to hear about your dog,whether its a dog or cat or any other animal they are part of your family and its so sad when they have to leave us. My cat was a stray,we found him living under a neighbours hedge so we took him in and made him part of our family. That was 12 years ago. (we think he is about 17 years of age now) He is now on tablets for high blood pressure and kidney problems but we love him to bits and i am dreading the day that we have to say goodbye. God bless you and your family and keep thinking about the good times you had with your dog but also think about his quality of life and how he is suffering. Chrissy. xx Quote Link to post Share on other sites
firbeck 860 Posted March 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2009 IF I SHOULD GROW FRAIL If it should be that I grow frail and weak And pain does keep me from my sleep Then will you do what must be done For this last battle can't be won. You will be sad I understand But don't let grief then stay your hand For on this day more than the rest Your love and friendship stands the test. We've had so many happy years You wouldn't want me to suffer so When the time comes, Please let me go. Take me to where my needs they'll tend Only, stay with me until the end And hold me firm and speak to me Until my eyes no longer see. I know in time you will agree It is a kindness you do to me Although my tail it's last has waved From pain and suffering I have been saved. Don't grieve that it must now be you Who has to decide this thing to do We've been so close, we two, these years, Don't let your heart hold back the tears. Our Moo-Moo, 1997-2009, Rest in Peace, my lovely little girl. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
chrissy 1 Posted March 7, 2009 Report Share Posted March 7, 2009 What a lovely poem. It has brought tears to my eyes. xx Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mick2me 3,033 Posted March 7, 2009 Report Share Posted March 7, 2009 Me too. So sad for you. Great Picture, typical of a spaniel with water, Remember her as she was Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fynger 841 Posted March 7, 2009 Report Share Posted March 7, 2009 Nice memorial ( nice pics )....You know she'll never leave you. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Frank 13 Posted March 7, 2009 Report Share Posted March 7, 2009 Firbeck Sorry to read about your loss. Never easy I know. I thought that these might cheer you up. Enjoy. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Smithylass returns 6 Posted March 7, 2009 Report Share Posted March 7, 2009 Oh this made me cry...i so feel your pain..I have my beautiful gol lab and two puddy cats...there like babies... At least she is now in no pain and will ALWAYS be with you ((((hugs))))) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
firbeck 860 Posted March 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2009 I've never been a pet person, I wasn't allowed to be. When I was a kid, I used to take out my friends neighbours dog. It was a classic case, a christmas present for their spoilt daughter, the poor thing was subsequently neglected, he was a lovely dog too, a border collie called 'Chips'. We trained him and took him everywhere with us, but my friend left the area, I went off to Grammar school and the poor dog was dumped on the streets. He used to sit outside my gate, try to follow me to school, and be waiting when I got home, sometimes he'd go through everyone's back gardens and find his way to our back door, it was heartbreaking. I pleaded with my parents to adopt him, but they wouldn't/couldn't. In the end the owners made an excuse that he had become savage and dangerous, no way, and had him put down, I decided to avoid such emotional tie ups with pets after that. It wasn't until I met Liz, 'Mrs Ultimate Animal Lover' that I got involved with dogs again. I hadn't known her long when she had to have her beloved pony that she used to go show jumping with, put down, that was pretty awful, but I was still relatively detached from such emotional ties then. Even when she got Scooby Doo as a puppy, I wasn't that bothered, in fact I disliked him intensely, well he was a nasty little git then. But then you get involved and along comes Meg and they become an essential part of your family, just like kids, they rely on you for everything. Now I've had some tough times recently, everything that could go wrong has gone wrong. Work has evaporated as a consequence of broken promises, devious clients, corrupt council employees, then the recession, then the horrors of constantly applying for jobs, then the anomalies of the benefit system, if you're self employed, you are treated like cr@p, if I was a criminal, illegal immigrant or terrorist, the system would be more sympathetic, I could at least afford to buy food. Then my father died in tragic circumstances, my son nearly died through developing the worst kind of meningitis, we had to sell our home to pay the debts, this is why I get bitter and twisted, these experiences have changed me forever. Why am I going on about this, well, having to have that poor dog put to sleep was one of the worst things I've ever had to experience, even though we are going through hell at the moment financially, it has had a profound effect on our lives, I can't actually believe how badly I am taking this, it's possibly another psychological blow to our family life, only there's no way back from this one. I have to say, that when you're down, you can always rely on your daft dogs to do something that would make you smile, especially Meg, the pretty, loving, elegant lady that would steal your dinner if you as much as reached for the salt. We actually got a bit optimistic on thursday evening, when we left the house for the vets there was a terrible storm, but looking back, a rainbow seemed to spring from the roof of our house and over the vets was a lovely cloud with a stunning silver lining. The vet decided that her problems stemmed from a weak heart and gave us some more tablets to slow it down and make it stronger. On arriving home, she was really perky, but it didn't last long. She was sick and cowered shaking and red eyed in the corner before falling into a fitfull sleep. She woke up at 10:00, arching in agony, trying to pull out her hair and whining and crying. I cuddled her all night on the living room floor, but I couldn't calm her down, she eventually fell asleep but woke up at 5:00am in a terrible state. There was nothing else to do, I wrapped her in her blanket and we set off crying all the way to the vets at 8:30. By the time we got there, I think she knew and had calmed down, I carried her out and stood on the steps for a moment and let her look round at the world for the last time, it was a beautiful morning, the sun warmed her face. The rest was a horrible experience, but we held her tight to the end. We brought her back, it wasn't pleasant, but she was wrapped in her favourite soft, blue blanket. So I dug a grave under the tree, lined it with her towel and carefully put her in, I could feel her little nose through the blanket, we covered her in primroses, she was always walking on them, and covered her with her fleece, before filling in the grave and planting some flowers. Scooby Doo is really grieving for his friend, he keeps looking round for her and is not himself at all, he won't go down the bottom of the garden either. The mornings are the worse, no tapping on the bedroom door, no elaborate breakfast making ritual involving all the pills and potions that she had and while I'm typing this, she's not lying at the side of me as she always did, asleep, snoring and twitching and instantly awake and scrounging if I opened the pantry door. When I took Scooby out just now, there was no mayhem, no 'backward barking', no jumping up and down or trying to get out before the door was even open. It's very hard, c'est la vie, c'est la morte, my advice, if you don't have a dog, don't get one, especially if you are as an emotional a person as I am.' Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fynger 841 Posted March 9, 2009 Report Share Posted March 9, 2009 Nice to read....shame you have to pour your heart out on here tho. I know what you mean about being self employed....I had my shop for 25 years...just walked away from it at the end of 2007...just emptied it and told no-one....musta confused the hell outa loadsa folk as i keep bein asked 'where'd ya go' Just got most of my customers in my phone now ( dint know they were that small eh )....just tattoo mobile now.....its a lot easier. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
firbeck 860 Posted March 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2009 Sorry Fynger, I had to conclude the story and justify my reaction to myself, thats all. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fynger 841 Posted March 9, 2009 Report Share Posted March 9, 2009 Cant fault you. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.