MP_the4pack

He was so lucky to have had you for his remaining years. They sound like heaven on earth for him. I'm sorry he is gone.

Oh Pat!! NO. I was hoping you would have had more time with him. I'm so sorry. I was just there with my beloved Pearl. I'm there for you if you want to talk.

But why the heck can't they live longer?

It doesn't seem like a year already. He was a very special boy.

Linda, I'm so sorry. How horrible to have him go so suddenly. You're in my thoughts and prayers. I've been there too. There's nothing worse.

Would you let Tina and Bob know, just for extra support, that my Diamond had her leg amputated just 2 weeks shy of her 12th BD. She's going on 6 months post amp now. And even if I lose her tomorrow, it was a very high quality of life for her so far. Good Luck Cofax!

Beautiful photos. You have a beautiful family (and of course I mean both skin and fur).

When I used Care Credit, there was no interest for the first year, but if you carried it over that one year then the interest rate was phenominal. But check with your vets office. Rates change per office and some offices dont' carry it. I got a whole year at my grey's dentist. But the big whoopa$$ hospital only allowed me to have 3 months interest free. The bills were the same. But, it's still worth checking out. I just always made sure I paid CC by the end of their term for 0 interest.

It depends. How does she handle stairs now? If she has no problems especially with her back legs, then she should be okay. But if she has difficulty now, she may have a lot harder time and may not want to do them. However, you can put a harness on her and hold her like she's a suitcase and just support her going up and down all the time. You're not carrying her, but you are making sure she doesn't have an accident. My Diamond had trouble doing the stairs before she lost her leg. So I built a ramp for her to go outside. She can come up stairs, even jump into my SUV, which is very high. But going down, I always help her.

Looking for an update. How's poor Katie doing today?

I used Anita Curtis. My link 10 yrs ago when I lost Topaz, I contacted her 4 months later to ask how Onyx was doing, adapting to her new home. Anita told me that Onyx was kicked out of her home because she fought. No one told Anita that and actually the adoption group and I didn't believe it. But that's what Onyx's previous owner said. Also, when I asked if Topaz was coming back, she said she was in the room with the trophy. I drews a blank. I don't remember any trophy. She asked me if I had a mantle that a trophy sat on. I said 'no', I don't even have a fireplace. She insisted there was a trophy. That Topaz had visited me in the room with the trophy. It was like a dog show trophy. Then it HIT me. Three days earlier, I was in the basement looking thru the dog stuff for Onyx when I came across Topaz's little straw hat that I bought just 2 months before she died. I BAWLED like I never had before. To this day, I still think that was one of the hardest cries I've ever had. Not 6 inches away was my box of horse show ribbons. And sitting right on top, was a trophy. I'm still not sure I believe. But I definitely don't disbelieve.

You're right, it doesn't get any easier. (I now have 3 at the Bridge)

I wish I could do more than just a cyber hug.

I hate that their lives are cut so short. Godspeed Demon. Send your Mom a sign, okay?

Now is not the time to think of another. Concentrate on Girly Girl. But I do want to post something for you to think about now. It will be easier than to wait until she's gone and you hadn't planned. Do you know what you're going to do with her when she crosses the Bridge? Cremation, burial? I wasn't prepared when I lost Topaz, my first. I buried her in the back yard. But, eventually I'll move and she'll stay behind. It bothers me now, 10 yrs later. I cremated Brindle, but the hospital she was at took care of all details and she was returned in a beautiful elegant box with a lock and key. So, I thought all places did it like that. It took years for me to look in the box and her cremains were sealed in a plastic bag and the bag in cloth. Her cremains were a fine ash. I lost Pearl 3 months ago. My vet came out to the house. (the first I've done this). He said that their office does cremations, so I thought I'd get them similarly handled (maybe in a tin box but otherwise in the same shape as Brindle). They weren't. I won't go into details. Just suffice to say I won't be doing that again. I have now researched a place that will take my baby away when I lose her (instead of me transporting the body to the vets) and prepare her in dignity. I think it'll help you if you can find some time to do it now and not wait. You will have enough emotional trauma going on. You don't need the aftercare worries. I'm sorry to have to bring up such unpleasant details, but I'm still traumatized at how Pearl's after treatment went. And it's okay to cry. I cried the entire month I knew I was losing Topaz and Pearl (Brindle passed in less than 12 hrs). Just love on them. That they understand. I'm so sorry you're going thru this.

She could have had an abscess that ruptured. She could have bit her tongue or cheek. But unfotunately it could also be something worse. Are you taking her to the vet?

I am so so sorry. It is never an easy decision to let them go. But you know in your heart if the time is right.

That is it exactly. And then you put your name back on the list and wait to get hit again. Got that right. Why oh why do we put our names back on that list? But, one thing I do know watching my Diamond. She has been pain free for months. So if you had 2 months or 4 months.....your babies have been free of the terrible pain of OS. I'm sure they think it was worth it.

My first two babies went to the Bridge at the hospital. Not my choice. With Pearl, I did have to chose when her last day would be and I definitely wanted it at home. For her sake. Find his aftercare now. Are you cremating or burying him? You don't want to make that decision at the moment he leaves you. Topaz (my first loss) came so unexpectedly, that I didn't think about it and buried her in the back. Something I have regretted for 10 yrs. now. Brindle was cremated, but the hospital (U of Penn) did all the work. I received a beautiful elegant but plain wooden chest with a little lock on it. I was pleased. This was 8 yrs ago. When Pearl was going to leave me, I wanted her cremated as well. My vets said they do their own. Well I was thinking they would take her away, cremate her then pulverize the cremain as my Brindle was. They didn't. They also didn't put her in a decent urn. She came in a black trash bag inside a tin. Completely unsecured. If I had tripped, her ashes would have gone all over. I didn't realize the extreme difference in the way cremains were handled. I now know and will have the body of my next baby sent to a pet funeral home that is fairly local.(I have already done the research) I think they actually did Brindle. They pick up the body when you want it. I had to take my dead Pearl to my vets. They didn't even take her. (but the trauma was all on my end. Pearl had a peaceful passing at home.) Also, have a close friend, one that understands the loss of a pet there with you. My friend consoled me, held me, told me what to do when I seemed non-fuctioning. Then when the part came to move Pearl, she ended up using her car and doing all the talking. She was a GODSEND. I'm so sorry Riley is going. He looks so much like my beloved Pearl. One other thing. When they leave for the Bridge, they let loose everything. Put something under him to absorb it and protect whatever bed/furniture/floor you have, or prepare to throw it out. This is a nasty part of when they leave their bodies. Unfortunately, I just went thru this 3 months ago. It sucks. I wish I could be there for you.

I'm so sorry. He went way too young.

Reaching out to those of use who have been there and felt the pain is a small way to start healing.

I live alone with my greyhounds. I work full time, mostly 1/2 hr away from home. So when Diamond was diagnosed with OS, the fear of her breaking her leg was very much on my mind. That's why I drove 9 hrs to OSU. I wanted Dr. Couto's opinion on whether she could live on 3 legs at her age (2 weeks shy of 12 yrs old). She has arthritis of the lower back and front ankle of her good leg. But he felt she was still a candidate. The fear of the broken leg drove me to the amp route. It took 2 weeks for her to recovery from surgery and feel GREAT. I took her only a few days to learn to get around on 3 legs. But, I watched her like a hawk for 2 months because sometimes she still forgot she only had three and tried to do things she couldn't (like go downstairs....I built a ramp for her to go outside). But she can still use a dog door. Still go up the stairs (she always had trouble going down to begin with). She is currently 6 months post amp. She does spend most of her time on her bed, she tires easily, but so do many 12 yr olds with all 4 legs. She has a great appetite and loves to go outside and sleep in the sun. Which she is doing a lot now that it's spring. She can even handle when the young'uns knock into her. I just wanted to let you know that the fear of a break drove me to do amputation. Because even if they only live a couple months more, it is pain free. They recover from surgery VERY VERY FAST.

For 6 years I fought tooth and nail to keep my Pearl happy and feeling greyt with heart disease and hypertension. We lost control of her BP several times. I always thought I'd lose her to a stroke from the hypertension or congestive heart failure from her heart disease. Cancer took her. In one fell swoop........one month.........and she was gone. No matter how much we try to prepare, you can't. I currently have an OS girl (Pearl's sister) who went the amp route in Oct, but her time is probably coming soon too. And there's not a dang thing I can do about it. It's like knowing you're going to get hit in the gut with a baseball bat. You know it. You know it's going to come. But there's nothing you can do to stop it except wait and take the blow.

All I can say is HOLY SH*T! Oh Manny, get well handsome.

Onyx was 11 1/2 when she had her tie back done. The doctor should give you all the information, but here's what I was told. All dry kibble SOAKED. No more crunchy treats like Milkbones. (I give her people cookies, PB sandwich or Golden Oreos and get them very wet.) When having any other surgery, the intubation tube needs to stay in until the last possible minute. She takes a 20 MG Pepcid daily. If she does vomit, I take her in to the vets to have her lungs listened to and to go on preventive antibiotics. I don't let her overheat in the summer. Even with the tie back, breathing is more compromised. But, just as an FYI, LP even without the tieback has a much higher risk of aspirate pneumonia. Onyx is now 14.5 and still going strong.