Time to say goodbye is getting close.

[bigealta]

My Dog Ena is around 15 years old. She is a lab mix who has been awesome. We rescued her from Texas (thru Labs for Rescue) where they flew her up on a plane to Newark Airport where we picked her up. She army crawled out of the crate she flew in to meet us for the 1st time. She was super thin 35llbs. at about 1 year old or so. She was shy and would only go to the bathroom in the bushes in the back of our yard. Couldn't ask for anything better than that.

As she filled out she developed some incredible speed and focus. The only dog i ever saw that was faster than her was a greyhound. She would track a frisbee across a field and jump high up high to grab it out of the air. Her focus was incredible. At home she is sweet as can be. She does bark to protect the house but not incessant annoying barking. Just hey i'm here so i hope you are one of our friends.

She's been healthy her whole life, but now for a while, her rear is loosing power and one of her front legs makes her limp on and off. Some days she walks well and others she limps. it comes and goes. She recently has splayed out her back legs a few times basically collapsing while standing. But she even recovers from this. I got her pain killers from the vet months ago but have been very reluctant to use them. I just finally gave her one this morning. We'll see how she does with it. But facing reality her days are numbered. We don't have kids. just dogs and she's the last one. A few years ago Our last dog died in my arms on thanksgiving day just as we were going to take her in to the vet for the last goodbye. Good for her, that was an awesome way to go. We buried her in the back yard. Our lab before these 2 girls was put down when we were away in europe. She also was a great dog and lived a long good life.

I dread bringing ENA in to get put down. She has not given up on life and has not given me the look that she's ready to go. My little dog Poopy that passed in my arms did give me the look by staring at me for literally 1/2 hour. 2 hours later she was gone.

So I don't want to cut ENA's life short if she's not ready, and i hate the fact that i have to bring her to the Vet's Not Fun office for her last moments.
She deserves a good end when the time comes.

 

[begreen]

This is such a tough decision, one we have had to make many times. It's never easy. 15 yrs is a good age for a lab, a sign of good care. Ena is lucky to have found a family as loving as yours.

 

[PaulOinMA]

Always very difficult. Never gets any easier.

Lost Whiskers the Friday before last. He was our cutest cat of the cats we've had. Only one we had from a kitten. Hit me really hard. Still does. 12 years four months.

Expected him to be with us a lot longer. Adopted him in March 2012 with an adult female that is still with us. She misses him, too. They would play together.

 

[begreen]

I was present at birth for our last dog and present when he went to be put down. It was one of the harder days of my life. My wife's sisters had both of the parents (huge shepherd and a poodle/lab) and we were also there on the day of conception too. We have not had another dog since then. He was one of a kind.

 

[bholler]

We just found out our 12 year old American bulldog has Lyme disease which has attacked his kidneys. We are trying but I have a feeling the time is near.

 

[joop]

daughters dog got lyme disease.quite sad to watch dog pass.looked painful

 

[barnaclebob]

There are services that will come to your home. Not sure if its available in your area though.

 

[bigealta]

There are services that will come to your home. Not sure if its available in your area though.

Thanks i did just find one today, They are actually better than the vet my wife wants to go to. I'm hoping we have a few more days at least but wife can't bare to see ENA in what she thinks is pain. She wants to go tomorrow, but i walked ENA on a pretty long walk today so i guess we'll just have to see what she's like tomorrow. My wife would jump in front of a bus for ENA so it's not at all like she wants to get rid of her. We love her too much if anything, which makes the decision so much harder.

 

[bigealta]

Thanks Guys for all the comments.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

ENA will let you know when it’s time. My last one wanted to get in the truck and go to work on his last day. He did.

Enjoy the time together. You may be blessed to get more than you thought you had.

 

[all night moe]

We just put our German pointer down last Sept. His health was starting to fail at 13yrs. our Border Collie passed on his own almost 2 mons later. Both buried next to each other, they didn't always get along when younger. They are survived by 2 pups and their parents. Yes, at one point, we had 6 dogs. The parents are Husky and an Akita. The Husky grew up with the other two before the Akita came along. His best friend was the German pointer. He kept watching the door, waiting for the pointer. I told the wife she should bring the Husky to the pointer's burial to say goodbye. She wanted no part of the Husky being there. Afterwards, she told me she wished she had because of the husky's longing for his return. I've been around a boat load of dogs throughout my life. The intelligence of that husky amazes me.

bigealta, you both have given ENA a good life and home. If she still goes out for pody, I'd let her be for now. Maybe a bit of the pain killers on her off days. She seems a smart dog too. She'll let you know when.

 

[marty319]

Going to be a real sad day not seeing the wiener soaking up the stove heat.she is 7 so hopefully lots more years

 

[GrumpyDad]

My Dog Ena is around 15 years old. She is a lab mix who has been awesome. We rescued her from Texas (thru Labs for Rescue) where they flew her up on a plane to Newark Airport where we picked her up. She army crawled out of the crate she flew in to meet us for the 1st time. She was super thin 35llbs. at about 1 year old or so. She was shy and would only go to the bathroom in the bushes in the back of our yard. Couldn't ask for anything better than that.

As she filled out she developed some incredible speed and focus. The only dog i ever saw that was faster than her was a greyhound. She would track a frisbee across a field and jump high up high to grab it out of the air. Her focus was incredible. At home she is sweet as can be. She does bark to protect the house but not incessant annoying barking. Just hey i'm here so i hope you are one of our friends.

She's been healthy her whole life, but now for a while, her rear is loosing power and one of her front legs makes her limp on and off. Some days she walks well and others she limps. it comes and goes. She recently has splayed out her back legs a few times basically collapsing while standing. But she even recovers from this. I got her pain killers from the vet months ago but have been very reluctant to use them. I just finally gave her one this morning. We'll see how she does with it. But facing reality her days are numbered. We don't have kids. just dogs and she's the last one. A few years ago Our last dog died in my arms on thanksgiving day just as we were going to take her in to the vet for the last goodbye. Good for her, that was an awesome way to go. We buried her in the back yard. Our lab before these 2 girls was put down when we were away in europe. She also was a great dog and lived a long good life.

I dread bringing ENA in to get put down. She has not given up on life and has not given me the look that she's ready to go. My little dog Poopy that passed in my arms did give me the look by staring at me for literally 1/2 hour. 2 hours later she was gone.

So I don't want to cut ENA's life short if she's not ready, and i hate the fact that i have to bring her to the Vet's Not Fun office for her last moments.
She deserves a good end when the time comes.

View attachment 322925

Cute dog, deserves every dream left, running after rabbits and chasing away those bad squirrels.

 

[bigealta]

If there is a Dog Heaven ENA just went there. We just put her down after a quality of life exam.
It was the most devastating thing I've ever done.
She truly went out like a champ.

 

[GrumpyDad]

If there is a Dog Heaven ENA just went there. We just put her down after a quality of life exam.
It was the most devastating thing I've ever done.
She truly went out like a champ.

View attachment 323252

Wow Im very sorry to hear that. Her organic matter may be back to the earth but what she was will be with you forever.

 

[all night moe]

Condolences my friend, to you and yours.
They are indeed family.

 

[bigealta]

Condolences my friend, to you and yours.
They are indeed family.

Thank You

 

[EatenByLimestone]

She’s no longer in pain. You can take comfort in that. Everything else comes in time.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Visit the places you liked to go play. She’ll be there with you.

 

[PaulOinMA]

My sincerest condolences. It's hard. Very hard.

 

[stoveliker]

You took good care of her, loved her, and spared her suffering by taking that onto yourself (!). A living being can't wish for better.

Enjoy the memories, feel good about them and your own actions.

Condolences.

 

[bigealta]

Visit the places you liked to go play. She’ll be there with you.

Wife and i took a walk this afternoon, the same walk i took Ena on every day for the last 13 1/2 years. Down to the boat ramp and dock she used to love to fly off of into the river. Man was that painful without her.

 

[all night moe]

Wife and i took a walk this afternoon, the same walk i took Ena on every day for the last 13 1/2 years. Down to the boat ramp and dock she used to love to fly off of into the river. Man was that painful without her.

Man I want to hit the like button and the sad button at the sane time.

I put my first dog down almost 20yrs ago. Got him as a pup at 4 days old. I lived where he was born so I could visit and then leave him with the litter. He grew up with me as I was a young adult and into my 30s. His departure was one of the hardest days of my life. I binged drank for a year after that. Not to get hammered but just to get out and socialize at the local tavern. It was just me back then. You and your wife will find a way to pass the time. It is a wound that time will heal.

 

[MRD1985]

Sorry to hear about your lab. A dog is truly a mans best friend. We have 2 aging lab mixes and dread the day we have to make the same decision. Best wishes

 

[joop]

mans only friend