Shop-dog Sally

[Groggy]

I've had a good six years with me mate, we've chased wabbits, made rabbets, shared dreams, made and chewed curlies, discovered compressed air and lawn mowers and walked a few hundred miles together.

Every day I get to go in the shop she's there getting underfoot and generally being "right there". If I lose something she helps me to find it, it doesn't matter that she doesn't know what it is, she helps anyway. Nose down, tail up snuffling through the sawdust. Just being a mate, helping out. And she always finds a squeaky toy because that's what I am looking for. It must be, because I always throw it when she brings it.

Last week, I took her to the vet for a regular injection and asked about the lump on her chest. The young girl vet becomes still, and I can tell that her manner is more serious, more thoughtful. "I need to check this" she says, and goes outside to get a needle to sample the lump. After looking in a microscope she is concerned that the lump has uneven cell growth, and suggests that a small surgical procedure is in order to know for sure. Today we got the results and they were not good. The 'growth' is a mast cell which is particularly aggressive.

So, there is not a lot can be done without radical surgery or chemotherapy. I don't mind the expense, but they delay the inevitable and lower the quality of what time remains. For now we'll focus on making fun the time left, leaving snacks around the place by 'accident' and going for more walks.

Ah crap, it's getting foggy in here.

Look after your furry friends folks, they love us more than we deserve..

[Ratbag Oz]

I hold a final memory of a dog enjoying her last days frolicking (as best she could) on an open beach..........
They stick around a lot longer than anyone could ever believe, forever is indeed just that, and a good memory will last forever, even if it mellows into that warm fuzzy feeling, and you're not even sure what it is you're remembering, just that it is good, and it is your friend helping you through.

[E. maculata]

Groggy mate, do what your heart tells you to do, I still have $500 left of a $2500 vets bill from the past year on our "little" Beary(completely unrelated to what got to her in the end), and neither of us begrudge a single cent of it.
You've probably already done it but reasearch it heaps, check with all animal people you can, and you & your mate better chase more rabbits, explore new places with new exciting smells, maybe eat new foods and this part hurts like hell, do the right thing by her when you know it's time.
Not real manly I know but I've discovered talking helps heaps.

[DavidG]

[Tikki]

I feel for you Groggy ... went through the same with my darling Maddie a couple of years ago, opted for surgery ... she had about five mast cell tumours removed in as many months, but she started having strange turns and the vet thought she had one pressing on her brain ... I had to make the biggest gut wrenching decision of my life at this point. They are extremely aggressive tumours and in hindsight I should not have put her through all that surgery.
Hang in there Groggy, make her days extra special ... hugs and pats to Sally.

[Clinton1]

Take care Groggy, losing a dog always hurts. I hope that you can find a way out for her, and if not then your plan of making things special for her is fantastic.

[Iain]

Just picked up on this, we had a Corgi, she was abandoned at Ferntree Gully railway station in about 1983, we took her home and didn't know what to call her.
We just called her 'Mutt' and thought this will do until the owners come and get her.
17 Years later after following me on my fishing escapades, rounding up sheep and cattle and bringing them in when we went camping, coming to work with me and sleeping under my desk etc etc she developed a lump in her stomach.
The vet said there was little that coul;d be done and gave me some pain killers for her.
We made an appointment to have her put down at 5.00pm one day, we spent about 5 days with her before this and she spent most of it in the lounge room in her bean bag with the family.
On the last day at about 4.30pm she was asleep and I went to pick her up and put her in the car for her last trip.
She had quietly died during the last half hour we had spent with her, in her spot with all of us there, and we thought she was just asleep.
It was almost a relief not to have to go to the vet for the last time and we buried her under her favourite tree in the back yard.
She was still called 'Mutt' when she died and responded to the name, the owners never turned up.

[Zed]

I advise that if its terminal or likely to be terminal - dont stress the animal or yourself and your family, accept the inevitable (lets face it the dog will probably suffer horrendiously) and give sally the big sleep. far kinder and gentler let alone the money side.

I have no wish to offend anyone here but us westeners need to remember what is important in the world - if you drop a few grand stretching your dogs life, then ok, you've made it live longer but at what price ? give the money to a charity perhaps ? oh.... get another dog too....

I've had multiple GSD's and one of them I spent 3.5 k and 2 yrs and in the end we had a big sleep, another's balls got cancer and we tried to save him too... inevitably it doesnt help much.

my 2c...

[Muddy]

My heart goes out to you Groggy, went through the same not too long ago. My Sabre was a VSD (very stupid dog) but i loved him for 15 years. miss him heaps.
Memory is a wonderful think, do yourself a favor and nail her bowl to the shed wall, everyday you go in there she will be with you.

God bless.

[Groggy]

Thanks guys. The vet was optimistic last time we went there, she had surgery and the lump was removed - so for now its an observation game. She seems ok and is as lively as ever. I need to paint the deck so I vacuumed under it to get all the dog hair etc. Filled the vac 6 times and the wheelie bin now has enough hair for another two dogs in it. Then the place got pressure washed and finally, the dog was washed - by everyone. Where does all the loose hair come from? After brushing her out I now have enough hair for three dogs .

Iain, you are lucky the dog chose its own time to go, it is easier for the family than having it done, you feel guilty for taking time off them.

cheers.

[Grunt]

Groggy, I read this and my screen got blurry too. We lost our very lovely red boxer Bree, 18 months ago. Bree suffered from kidney failure. We could have kept her alive for a few more months but her quality of life would not have been good. The vet came by on the Saturday and put Bree to sleep. I still get misty eyed when I think about it.

The only thing I can say is that even when one of your best mates passes away, they still live on in your memories.

Chris

[Schtoo]

Hope things work out for the best, whatever that may be.

On the other side of the coin, my wife's dog was really sick about 18 months ago. Couldn't breathe properly, couldn't walk more than a few paces before tiring out, etc, etc.

I kept telling her to take puppy to the vet, and finally she did. Massive dose of heartworm, and the vet said there was nothing he could do...

I said get a second opinion.

After lots of time, some strong medicine and a little love, Ru (the dog) is better than ever, and will not slow down.

And Ru still doesn't quite trust me...

Nothing special, she doesn't really trust anyone. I guess that's what happens when you get found with your head stuck in an automatic door.

[maglite]

Mate,

I know exactly where your coming from.
Almost 4 weeks ago my old mate gave the game away.....we went for a ride in the ute and when we came home.....he couldnt stand....let alone walk.
He seemed to have a body clock that said 5pm was dinner time and he was very rarely wrong......that day was the first since he adopted me as his human that he didnt eat.

We had a wonderful 15 years together, 2 marriages (mine...not his) and a myriad of other problems but HE was always there.
He was basically the only permanent fixture in the seminal moments of life for those years.
I loved him dearly....and miss him terribly....but he is in a better place and i often wonder myself whether i unnessarily dragged his life out for my benefit because i couldnt let go......that will haunt me....ans i hope that he doesnt mind.

Im going outside for a smoke and a sook
Just my thoughts
Steve