My baby (dog) is dying

[BringMetheHeadofLeonLett]

... and to add insult, my GF's mom's dog we inherited, an 8 pound Papillon- who's also 12, is almost certainly going to be yapping away for at least another 6-8 years haha

 

I very much hated that dog at her mom's house, but to her credit she's really done surprisingly great with us... I even occasionally love the stupid thing... 

[TBBills Fan]

I feel like today, while I'm still hurting and thinking of her, I'm not so overwhelmed with grief.  I'm sad and miss her, I'm also looking at her pic and smiling about how great she was. 

 

I'm guessing this is going to come in waves with how I feel. 

 

I think I've gotten all the tears out. Friday, Saturday, Sunday and yesterday I cried more than I have in a long long long time. 

[Tombstone]

1 hour ago, TBBills Fan said:

I feel like today, while I'm still hurting and thinking of her, I'm not so overwhelmed with grief.  I'm sad and miss her, I'm also looking at her pic and smiling about how great she was. 

 

I'm guessing this is going to come in waves with how I feel. 

 

I think I've gotten all the tears out. Friday, Saturday, Sunday and yesterday I cried more than I have in a long long long time. 

 

We went through the same situation Aug,2024.   Augustus (Gus) our Basset Hound was 11 years old.   It was one of the most difficult decisions we ever had to make.  The sadness is difficult and definitely comes in waves.   Just remember the good times you had with her and she had with you.  They're only here for a short time.  Which reminds me of a poem....  "People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life — like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right? Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay for as long as we do"

 

It gets easier but sometimes for no reason out of the blue you'll think of her. Just smile and be glad she was in your life.   Hell, I just teared up last week thinking about Gus.   

Not sure if you've ever read the Rainbow Bridge Poem.. 

 

https://vet.uga.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/The-Rainbow-Bridge-Poem-Hand-Out.pdf

 

[gomper]

My dog Gumby died a year ago (11/18/24) out of nowhere.  He was a rescue from NC and we had him 7 years.  Crawled under the porch that night and left us. It was strange that in his last week,  he didn't want to be alone

 It was so pronounced that my Gf and I commented on it.  I guess he was trying to tell us something. My heart goes out to you and anyone who has gone through this.  He had such a sweet spirit.  I miss you buddy.

Edited Tuesday at 06:58 PM by gomper

[BuffaloBill]

On 11/23/2025 at 4:50 AM, TBBills Fan said:

She was my best friend.   I'm gonna miss her so much. I already do.  

Sorry for your loss. They do become a joy in your life and so hard to lose.

[teef]

sorry tb...we had to put our 14 year old lab down in the spring and then my 19 year old cat died a few months later.  you didn't fail anyone.  you have them the best life possible, and you were there until the end.  i'm still thrown off in the morning by not having them as part of my routine.  i even still glance over in my office to see if my cat is where he always sat.  to be honest, i still miss them every day, but i take comfort in the fact they led wonderful lives and received tons of love.

[Trump_is_Mentally_fit]

On 11/21/2025 at 6:51 PM, TBBills Fan said:

She's 13 and been having issues.  She had surgery last month. And since the surgery it's like her body is just breaking down

 

I've been giving her steak and chicken every day to get her eat.  She's lost so much weight I see her ribs and spine

 

I don't want her to be in pain anymore but she is my best friend. She has always been there for me. 

 

She's not eating, not pooping and now not really moving and having difficulty standing. 

 

I keep telling her how happy she makes me and how much I love her as I lay with her. 

 

I'm gonna have take her to put her down. I don't want to. 

 

I can't stop crying.  This hurts so much. I don't want to lose her but I don't want her in pain. 

 

10 years ago she saved my life. I'm not supposed to have her so I can't share this with anyone or reach out to family 

My cat is dying right now, but he seems mostly fine. Clear headed, still a happy little guy but cancer in his ear is taking him away and I just feel horrible that I have to put him down. Just doesn't feel right with him being mentally fine. My last cat was just pretty much done when I took him so though it was tough, I got it. But this cat is just so alive I can't really accept that as I'm holding him that I have to put him down. He's starting to be in more pain so I gave him a pain pill last night which is strange. I do not want him in pain but the pain pills turn him into a zombie. 

 

I just can't get my head around the fact I will have to put him down.  

[TBBills Fan]

7 hours ago, Trump_is_Mentally_fit said:

My cat is dying right now, but he seems mostly fine. Clear headed, still a happy little guy but cancer in his ear is taking him away and I just feel horrible that I have to put him down. Just doesn't feel right with him being mentally fine. My last cat was just pretty much done when I took him so though it was tough, I got it. But this cat is just so alive I can't really accept that as I'm holding him that I have to put him down. He's starting to be in more pain so I gave him a pain pill last night which is strange. I do not want him in pain but the pain pills turn him into a zombie. 

 

I just can't get my head around the fact I will have to put him down.  

I'm so sorry to hear that. You will know when he's ready. 

[Augie]

1 hour ago, TBBills Fan said:

I'm so sorry to hear that. You will know when he's ready. 

 

The student has become the teacher. I wish you all peace of mind with thoughts of loved ones. 

[TBBills Fan]

1 hour ago, Augie said:

 

The student has become the teacher. I wish you all peace of mind with thoughts of loved ones. 

 

That may be true. Thank you and everyone else for giving me a place to just talk and listen. I am grateful for all of you. 

 

 

I've gone through the last month in my brain over and over and over and over thinking about everything. 

 

Im remembering the good moments, thinking about the choices I made here at the end and finding peace. She wasn't eating, moving, and had to be in such pain. But she was at peace with me, her tail wagging to my voice at the end.  The times she came up to me for extra attention, her still getting up to say hi even she couldn't jump and us do our hello petting all crazy. 

 

Ive been listening to reels on grief and that has helped me understand that in those last moments I was doing everything I could in a horrible situation and that is what matters. Second guessing any of that I've heard is just pointless.  So I'm trying to understand and remember that. 

 

I was with her the entire way and she was calm and not nervous. I didn't let her down. That's all she wanted. 

 

 I miss her so much....

 

Not giving her thanksgiving leftovers was a moment for me of sadness but

 

I know she is in a better place. I know she gave me so much love and happiness and I believe I gave her that as well.  So I find myself in acceptance and taking moments to be grateful, figuring out what's next for myself.  She will always be with me and I'll always have memories I can remember.  Some can be sad, some will be happy. I was who she needed and she was what I needed. 

 

I don't feel like I've failed her.

 

I think she loved and trusted me because we were always both their for each other. It is an amazing bond and she was such a happy girl. 

 

Unconditional love is rare to humans but not to dogs. I didn't disappoint her with that as her dad. 

 

The biggest lesson I learned is unconditional love. She gave it when I couldn't love myself. She showed me how to give unconditional love in many respects.  That kind of bond is beautiful and I'm glad I experienced it.  

 

I can honor her by being the best version of me and that is going to be my focus. Work was difficult, I work in a world where you attitude dictates your income and future. It was rough and I wasn't at my best.  I've made a few poor choices this week, which I'm going to have to undo.  So I am reminding myself, she wouldn't want me sad so that I can continue to try and be the best version of me so that my day to day reflects it.  

 

 

Thank you all. 

 

I hope this thread can be there for anyone who might need to reach out or is searching for an answer because when  thought I was alone I had all of you.