<p>Well, Trixie died this morning, she had an extreme reaction to a spider bite…and we had to put her to sleep (the toxins in the bite caused a rare reaction that shut down her system- doing something to the protiens in the blood, etc- it happened fast and was not painful)</p>
<p>My husband is in shock- she was his favorite and he was just hoping she would last until both girls were away in college, the dogs are all confused and my daughters don’t know yet</p>
<p>The oldest is on the East Coast and coming home tomorrow, I will tell her then.</p>
<p>Trixie was still running and jumping and working and begging for treats last night…what a lady</p>
<p>Seeing her doggy bed, holding her collar, the tears just keep coming back</p>
<p>So today, everyone go hug your kids, your pets, your inlaws…you just never know</p>
<p>It was probably a brown recluse spider, and they can cause bad bites, but generally don’t do this kind of damage, our dog just had an extreme reaction</p>
<p>I once got bit by one on the foot and could barely walk</p>
<p>THe vet said once she was bit, if she was going to react this way, there was nothing that we could do</p>
<p>I am so sorry to here about your beloved dog, Trixie. I’m sure you and your family are suffering with such a sudden and unexpected loss of your healthy pet. I’m sure you are all in shock right now. I know we would be. I’ve never heard of anyone losing a pet from a spider bite until now. My thoughts are with your family.</p>
<p>I am SO sorry! We have had to put down dogs over the years, and it is never easy to lose a beloved pet. Huge HUGS to you and your family! Those brown recluse bites are extremely necrotic and poisonous. It was just lugky that it was quick and painless. God bless you all.</p>
<p>I am <em>SO, SO</em> sorry to hear about the loss of your beloved Trixie. :(</p>
<p>What a terrible and unexpected event…we have many brown recluse spiders in this area, so I do know the threat that they can be. I <em>DO</em> know how very hard this loss will be for your entire family, and my heart goes out to each and every one of you. Wishing you all peace and comfort in the days and weeks to come as you cope with this unexpected loss. {{{{{more hugs}}}}}</p>
<p>CGM, I am so sorry. At least it was quick. But that quickness gave you no time to prepare at all.</p>
<p>We had to have S1’s cat Joe put to sleep last fall. Joe had been sick, but went downhill fast, the week S1 was in town to visit - almost as if he’d been hanging on just to see “his” person. S1 and I were both basket cases. Every time we lose a pet, I swear the pain isn’t worth it and we’ll never get another. Then we do anyway.</p>
<p>Joe’s brother (litter mate) Frank is still with us, but he is looking creaky and gray and elderly. He is 16½. He belongs to S2, and they love each other dearly. He accepts D reluctantly as an alternate, when S2 is not available, then is right back to S2’s side the minute he returns. We have an empty nest come fall, and I think Frank will die of lonliness then.</p>
<p>My heart goes out to you and your family. It’s so very hard to lose a beloved family member especially if it is unexpected.</p>
<p>We lost our well loved cat to a previously undiagnosed cardiomyopathy. He was only 3 when he died. He never showed symptoms, in fact he seemed fine when my kids left for school but died that afternoon. It was very hard on everyone.<br>
Having to tell my kids when they came home that afternoon was heartbreaking. </p>
<p>I hope you can take comfort from the fact that you didn’t let Trixie suffer. She knew she was loved and she was happy until the end.</p>
<p>It is very rare and her body’s reaction was extreme </p>
<p>She was 12, and in pretty good shape, but who knows what else was happening, she was at the vets for her annual about 2 months ago, was just getting older</p>
<p>THose brown recluse spiders are nasty buggers who can cause a lot of damage, as I am doing some research now</p>
<p>We didn’t know she was bit, and her external symptoms were not apparent, but her internal ones were pretty severe</p>
<p>Thanks to you all, this is really hard, and I love my cyber family</p>
<p>cgm, I’m so sorry to hear about Trixie. It’s so hard to lose a beloved pet. We’ve been through it many times because we always have a houseful of four legged friends, but it is always a devastating thing when it happens. Big hugs from all of us, two and four-legged, in Toronto.</p>
<p>What both my daughters did, when their respective cats died, was write a letter to them- I think it helped them a lot.
I feel for you having to tell your girls, that is hard.</p>
<p>I hope I can share a laugh
We had two cats who lived into their early 20s. One died suddenly, but the oldest we had to help let go, because she was wasting away and was in pain ( long term kidney failure)</p>
<p>Anyway- even though I miss having cats- I haven’t gotten another, because the medical bills got to be expensive after a while ( and also because of not having a good place for the litter box)</p>
<p>We also have many cats in the neighborhood, including one who feels free to roam into our house and who our dog has given up trying to chase.( he also occasionally sleeps under my daughters bed)
I have also been working in the yard a lot- ( digging up the grass or should we say dandelions- putting in beds)</p>
<p>What with planting catmint and the fish pond in the backyard & a pot of catnip that hasn’t made into the ground yet ( but that the cat was laying on) & all the freshly dug beds that save a poor cat lots of work, the cats in the neighborhood think my place is Disneyland :D</p>
<p>( I am going to keep encouraging them though- I am also planting blueberry bushes and I would like to save some from the birds)</p>
<p>Im sure Trixie knew she was loved- that is the most any of us can hope for.</p>
<p>CGM, I am very sorry to hear of the loss of your beloved dog. It is very sad for all of your family. The unexpected and sudden nature has made it especially difficult. Thinking of you.</p>
<p>Oh, how sad, cgm. I remember how sad I was when our dog of 16 years died…and we had warning. I felt like I’d never smile again and everytime I came home it was a remonder of the loss because he didn’t come running to the door to greet me. Glad you have others, but it doesn’t lessen the loss. Like our kids, they are not replaceable or interchangable.</p>
