<p>I am so very very sorry for your loss. Doggies are our 4 legged kids. They are our ever present best friends. If you get a chance google ’ oatmeal dog paradox’. It is a loving,funny and poignant comic strip look at the life we share with our doggies. (I think it’s considered a blog and therefore against TOS to post the link).</p>
<p>"Maybe that is why we love them. Because their lives aren’t lengthy logical or deliberate…but an explosive paradox composed of fur…teeth…and enthusiasm’.</p>
<p>Oh, I’m so sorry. And I know you feel badly about not being there, I won’t tell you that’s not something we feel. Our 13 y.o. lab died after a long decline, and the weekend before we had to put her down, we left her with our housesitter (who loved the dog) just for a day but our lab was so sick the housesitter called us on our way home and complained about the sick. And I have always felt sad that she wasn’t with someone who didn’t care, because she couldn’t help it. Remember your dog loved you, and knew you loved in return. I sat at the vet’s with her collar, crying all over my car and some stranger there came out with tissues and started to cry, too. So think of us all, being sad too. </p>
<p>((hug)) and sympathy. After some grieving, we became the designated dog-sitters. I don’t think I’ll ever want another dog, I want <em>that</em> dog and she was definitely one big goofy one-of-a-kind. You will always cherish the memories.</p>
<p>We lost ours a few months ago and are still mourning. We imagine her with us, at times. It’s not unlike some who can still feel the presence in their lives of a relative who has passed. Use those moments to remember the love and the profound influence our pets can have in our lives. So sorry for all who go through this.</p>
<p>Oh SportsMama I know how you feel and here’s {{hugs}}. We have been out of town for 3 weeks and our 17+ year old little dog went down hill while we were gone. S1 and DIL had to take him to the vet and we had to make the call long distance as to ending his pain. I still can’t bliieve he won’t be there when we get home. I still tear up and now I will have a good cry wth you too.</p>
<p>SportsMama, hugs. I’m so sorry for your loss.</p>
<p>So sorry, Sportsmama. You did what you thought was the best thing at the time for your dog. Most of us would have done the same.</p>
<p>Almost two years ago my dad got very ill very quickly. He was admitted to the hospital and was clearly going downhill. I spend 48 hours with him, holding his hand, calming him, helping my mom cope, etc. Finally he was sleeping peacefully and his “numbers” had improve. I decided to go run an errand while he rested. He died fifteen minutes after I left the hospital. At first I felt terrible. I hadn’t been there when it really mattered and all that. Then i realized that I HAD been there when it mattered. I was there when he needed me and you were there for your dog when he needed you. You took good care of him and were a good friend for him through his whole life. He must have gone very quickly and peacefully or the vet would have called for you to come. Don’t beat yourself up. You don’t deserve it.</p>
<p>My heart aches for your whole family. Dogs are the best people I know. Here is that Rainbow Bridge poem mentioned above:</p>
<p>Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge. </p>
<p>When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.
There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable. </p>
<p>All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind. </p>
<p>They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster. </p>
<p>You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart. </p>
<p>Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together… </p>
<p>Author unknown…</p>
<p>No different words, but offering more hugs.</p>
<p>So sorry for the sudden loss of your beloved pet. You would have been there with him until the end, had you known he was going to die. How could you have known this? You couldn’t. I think maybe some people and some pets really do want to spare their loved ones from watching them die. It sure seems like it in some cases.</p>
<p>I know our dearly loved dog walked right into the vet office for his final injection, the best he’d walked in months. For the first time with a vet visit, he showed no sign of anxiety. My H and son and I sat on the floor with our doggy friend as he had his injection. I did really feel he knew what was happening and was ready. It wouldn’t surprise me if they want to spare us pain and I absolutely know I will see our Spunky on the other side.</p>
<p>Thank you, friends. Today was so hard. I appreciate your kind words and hugs. They are so helpful. I know time will help, but that takes so long! While I am waiting for time to pass, reading your posts is such a blessing. I love hearing your stories.</p>
<p>Aw SportsMama, so sorry for you. But your dog didn’t know it was the end, he didn’t know he wouldn’t be coming home. I had the opposite experience, I had to bring our beloved 5 year old golden retriever in to be put down when she was diagnosed with incurable lymphoma. She didn’t know what was happening, but the experience still haunts me and I wish I hadn’t insisted on staying with her until the end. The biggest mistake we made was enduring the silent vacant house for 2 years afterward. Although each dog has a unique personality, much of what makes us love them is in every dog. Once we got our second dog we could fondly remember the first dog without the grief and trauma. If you can arrange it, I would recommend a vacation away from home to break the routine, then the search for a new dog. All the best to you.</p>
<p>I am very very sorry for your loss. You took good care of him for 12 years: I know he felt very loved by you. Like others, I think they pick their time to go. Don’t beat yourself up. He died knowing he was loved.</p>
<p>I had to make the difficult choice two years ago in June when my 12 year old , 120 pound alaskan malamute couldn’t rise to stand on her own. She’d slowed down a lot over the previous year, but we (and the vet) assumed it was arthritis. That last week, she limped badly one day and I thought she’d injured herself. She seemed ok the next two days. Then on Saturday, she couldn’t lift herself up to stand. I thought she’d blown out a knee or something. I couldn’t figure out how we were going to deal with that, but was planning on figuring it out. We went to the emergency vet. After a quick checkup, the vet explained the pain seemed to be in the middle of the bone, which meant she either broke her leg, or had bone cancer. She did x-rays and it was the latter… and she had it in both front legs 
I had to make a decision but our options were limited. They could give us pain pills for her that would work for a while, but eventually, they would stop working or we could put her down then. Dogs deserve to run and play and be care free. It didn’t make sense to prolong her suffering and she was clearly suffering. They said we could stay in the room, but my daughter and I couldn’t do it. My son and my ex-husband stayed with her until it was done. I was just a basket case and didn’t think that me sobbing hysterically was going to be helpful to her. My son told me it was very peaceful and he was glad he was there. I still miss her bunches. They truly are part of our families… that’s what makes them so wonderful. That unconditional love, loyalty and devotion is unparalleled. I have been considering getting another dog, but at the same time, realize that S '14 will be going away in a year and a half, which frees me up to really do what I want, when I want. I realize a dog could prevent me from taking off for a weekend or even just going out to dinner right after work. It probably isn’t a good time to be tied down to a dog again. </p>
<p>It does get easier with time though. And it does seem, at first, like it will take a long time. Take care of yourself.</p>
<p>so sorry for your loss. Our doggies are members of our families and when they pass on, it is heart-wrenching and the sense of loss and emptiness is overwhelming. Only time will heal you. {hugs} to you, Sportsmama.</p>
<p>I’m so sorry to hear about your dog. Pets are wonderful, and it is always sad when they die. Take out some photos and enjoy looking back on the memories you created together. Hugs to you.</p>
<p>When our dogs passed, we never waited very long to get another rescue. It wasntthatnwe were replacing our old friend, we were wlecoming another great spirit intomyour hearts.</p>
<p>Dogs bodies sadly don’t last forever. But their love does. And there is never the right time. It’s sometimes better when it’s quick. They don’t suffer and we don’t agonize over when.</p>
<p>We were never ones to wait, our longest time between dogs was a month, and and since we always had two dogs, we quickly foundnanotherndog to sve.</p>
<p>We are their caretakers throughout their lives, and it’s only natural to want/need to be there at the end. Our dog died in the precious minutes I wasted calling the vet, when I should have been holding his head on my lap. Another died in a tragic accident. Am afraid more often than not their deaths are not as we would wish for them. But don’t let that take away from the happy life he had with you! We work with what life gives us. I’m very sorry for your loss.</p>
<p>I am very sorry for your loss.</p>
<p>I had a similar experience to sally305. My dog was seemingly fine, then one day he was pooping blood. It turned out he had cancer in his spleen and other organs, and two weeks later we put him down. It was so sudden and awful. Now I have the opposite problem, with a 15-year-old dog in slow and messy decline. :(</p>
<p>Don’t beat yourself up, there’s no way you could have known.</p>
<p>This morning as I walked downstairs, the sun was streaming in through the living room windows. I immediately thought how happy our little guy would be to have this day to lie on the floor in his “sun spot,” since winter can be so gloomy here. Sigh . . . </p>
<p>This has hit me far more than I anticipated. I had a dog as a child, but that was so long ago and I don’t really remember when he died. I guess it goes to show you that you don’t realize how much a dog becomes part of your life until he’s not there.</p>