Asking you to include me and my dog in your prayers

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mhuff1

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I just got home from the emergency vet hospital. My dog, my baby - Juliet - was throwing up all day today and couldn’t even keep water down. Finally tonight around 10:30, she became very very lethargic. I got worried and took her in. They’ve done xrays and lab and there looks to be an obstruction in her digestive track. When I left they began the barium treatment and if it is really an obstruction, they’ll take her to surgery.

I know what the obstruction is…it’s a piece of a ham hock bone that we gave her yesterday afternoon.

I’ve had Juliet for 10 years. While others have children, I have my cat and dog…and they are like children to me.

I pray that the treatment will go well and that I will be able to bring her home tomorrow…her sister, Socks (the cat) is already missing her. 😦

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Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.Amen.:signofcross:
 
About 45 minutes ago I received a phone call from the vet. I had to make the decision to put my dog to sleep. This is the hardest thing that I’ve had to do. Just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse, they did…
And I had to let go on the one that has been there unconditionally through everything (besides my family)…
 
I am so sorry to hear this! I had a bad feeling when I read your OP just a minute ago. I used to work at a vet’s office and I saw things like this so much. I love my dog so much, I’ve been such a basket case every time there’s even a hint of a problem with her. Things can happen so easily and progress so quickly. I never realized just how fragile their little lives were until I spent those few months in the hardest job I’ve ever had. I cried every time someone’s beloved little friend died.

I’m crying now as I type this. I am so sorry, darlin’, so sorry this happened. I’ve seen a beautiful doggie have to be put to sleep because he ate a piece of aluminum foil that he got out of the garbage can. A cat because he got a string loose off of a new toy and swallowed it, then it wrapped around his intestines.

All life is so precious, so wonderful, so fragile. I’ll keep you in my prayers. And your dear doggie too. St. Thomas Aquinas says that animals have souls. That’s what “anima” means, isn’t it? Soul? I like to think of that anyway. So I’ll keep both you and Juliet in my prayers, and your cat, Socks, too.

May the Lord be with you, mhuff1.
 
Thank you Lee.

I find that I’m blaming myself…I should have never given her to the bone. Or what if I had taken her in sooner, could she have been saved? I hate that she was in pain and I couldn’t do anything all day yesterday. I thought she was going to get better after she threw everything up out of her stomach. But she didn’t. What if I had chosen to go directly to surgery instead of the treatment with barium to see if it was really lodge??

When she went in to surgery, the doctors found that part of her intestines had already started to die due to the obstruction from the bone fragment. They called me for a decision. They could cut part of the intestines and she could try to survive off it, but it was just too much that the doctor felt that even if she were to be brought out of the surgery, the prognosis would not be good. She would be in pain and she may not even survive to recover from it.
Or they could put her to sleep while she was still under anesthesia. I know I made the right choice because I did not want her to suffer.

But the decision is still hard. I wish I could have spent a few more moments with her before they took her to start her treatment.

And now I’m feeling guilty. Here I am, already going to get another dog. My father tells me that I should not feel guilty about that because I’m feeling lonely and lost and I need another dog there to comfort my loss of Juliet. Which is true, I’ve had a dog all my life and even though it’s been only a few hours, it’s unbearable to me without one, even with my cat here. I can’t help but feel guilty for that…
 
I just read your post. You are in my prayers. I also have a dog that is everything to me. Please, please do not feel guilty about giving her the bone. Most people give their dogs bones to chew on–it’s a treat for the dog and it feels good to give our pets extra special treats once in a while. You had no way of knowing what would have happened, so please do not beat yourself up over this. To be honest, I have given my dog ham hocks before, and it never entered my mind that it could be bad.
I can tell from your post that Juliet meant the world to you, and dogs know when they are loved. I am sure you made her time here on earth good, and she was a lucky dog to have you. I will keep you in my prayers!!
 
I am so sorry Maria, we have a 1/2 lab 1/2 husky that’s been part of our family for about 11 years. Will pray for you, keep her memories always close. Don’t blame yourself, I know I am guilty giving our Bailee table scarps sometimes that probably aren’t good for her. And we don’t do these things our of not caring, we do them because we know our dogs love treats…

Take Care…
 
You’re all right. She did mean the world to me…everyone could tell. She was so spoiled and I like to think that I gave her the best life I could.

I still can’t help but feel guilty. I brought home a new pomeranian puppy. I feel like Socks, my cat, is mad at me. She sat in front of the window for a couple of hours and she won’t come to sit with me. When she did come sit on the couch, it was on the other side by the door and she kept staring at the door. It breaks my heart…
I caught myself coming home and wanting to call out Juliet because she wasn’t there are the door. I woke up on the couch wanting to call out to her again…
My heart is broken and I don’t know what to do to fix it. In a way I feel that this is worse than the betrayal I’m going through…
 
Hey, Maria wave

I really do know how you feel. I’ve loved and lost so many animal members of my family over the many years. And I always feel like it’s my fault: I shouldn’t have, I could have, Why did I, Why didn’t I…

Sometimes I still wake up in the middle of the night, thinking, “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, I love you, babies, I’ll always love you, babies.” It’s been years since I lost the last cat and I still can’t think about it without my eyes filling with tears.

Nothing I can say will make you hurt any less. All I can really offer is to sit here with you and hurt right along with you. It gets better, but it never goes away.

Pax in Christi
 
sorry for your loss of your beloved pet. I will keep you in my prayers.

kate
 
Maria, a big hug. I hope your little dog will recover. One’s little companions are such comforts.

God bless you, Trishie
 
mhuffl, I will remember you in my prayers because I know what it feels like to make that decision.

Please don’t blame yourself; as I did for a long time.

It will pass. :console:
 
mhuffl,
I don’t have children and my pets have always been my babies. I also lost one under conditions I felt guilty about. Wherever Juliet is now, she’s loving you, grateful for your love for her, and wanting you to know she’s ok, everything is ok. Praying you’ll find your way through your grief quickly and love your new baby just as much as you did Juliet.

One thing, Socks is grieving Juliet, too. Don’t be surprised if Socks associates the new dog with Juliet’s absence and acts out toward the puppy at first. Pay lots of extra attention to Socks until she gets used to the pup.
 
You are in my prayers.

The love of a dog is wonderful.

May God Bless you through all your sorrow.
 
mhuff1 said:
About 45 minutes ago I received a phone call from the vet. I had to make the decision to put my dog to sleep. This is the hardest thing that I’ve had to do. Just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse, they did…
And I had to let go on the one that has been there unconditionally through everything (besides my family)…
Click to expand...
:crying: I am so sorry!! This is:crying: so hard…I have been there, I know your pain.:console: :byzsoc:
FickleFreckled said:
mhuffl,
…One thing, Socks is grieving Juliet, too. Don’t be surprised if Socks associates the new dog with Juliet’s absence and acts out toward the puppy at first. Pay lots of extra attention to Socks until she gets used to the pup.
Click to expand...
:sad_yes: One thing that may help, is for you to call the new puppy “Socks’ [puppy’s name]”, it will say to Socks that this new baby is as much hers as yours. It also helps, because hearing her name evry time you speak to the puppy, Socks will be getting extra attention, too.
Remember that Socks does not know that Juliet is dead. She will have to come to the realization for herself. Animals understand & accept death, but Socks is feeling upset with Juliet for being away from her. Once she realizes (and she will) that her old friend has died, she will begin to come back around.
In the meantime, show her lots of extra love, and never be afraid to let her see you grieving; your tears for Juliet will help her to understand that you are sad, too, and she will begin to know what has happened.
God bless you for your care for God’s creatures. I will hold my own dear kitty, Lily Daisy all the closer tonight for hearing your :crying: story.
 
Maria,
I felt your pain while reading your post and even started crying just remembering when my dog passed. It’s amazing how we accept pets into our lives and treat them as our family members. I had a hard time when my dog passed away but I really realized how much my older 28 year old brother pretty much accepted him as a brother by taking him on hikes and everywhere he went. When he found out, I spent the night holding him in my arms as he cried, kicked and screamed.
This past summer my dog suddenly got really sick and in a weekend he was gone. My family and I felt so guilty of how he got so sick so fast we had no idea what happened. I’m telling you my story to help you realize how it’s perfectly understandable to feel guilty. It turned out that my dog had cancer that just suddenly attacked him but that’s not the reason I’m sharing this with you. The point is that we gave him 14 wonderful years.
Try not to blame yourself for what happened to Juliet. I know easier said then done. You gave her 10 wonderful years and you should cherish all those wonderful times you spoiled her and gave her the best life a dog could have. You gave her the best thing you could, a loving family.
I know you wish you had a little more time with her in the end but if you think about it, you don’t want to remember her in that way. Try and focus on the good memories. Even talking with friends and family about funny stories and sharing pictures helps a lot.
I’m sorry this was so long and I know I added my own experience that I went through but that was not my point of just telling you about my loss. I hope that telling you about my story, the experiences and realizations I went through during my loss will help you get through your loss.

You’re in my prayers,
Jenn

P.S. That’s great that you got a new puppy! My family and I got a new puppy a few months after our loss as well. . .if it was up to me we would have gotten one a lot sooner. It helps a lot with the silence and helps you focus on making new memories. Good for you for getting another dog. I can already tell that that puppy is in for the time of his life and is very lucky for having you as his owner.
 
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