Tragic, very sorry for Savior and your family

My little dude was the best. Iron stomach who would take any and all food at all times. He was an awesome big bro to my two kids, especially my oldest (3.5 years old).

Any one have advice on how to tell a 3.5 year old? My parents were able to come and get him and he’s sleeping over.

We are thinking of telling him then painting a rock to put outside.

So sorry.

Sorry man. Good pets become a big part of a family, and you dog was a great family member.

I think that I have mentioned this before but...

When our first dog left us, to help our kids deal, we made a shadow box memorial. In the shadow box, we placed his collar, a picture of him, favorite bone and 4 wooden hearts that we each decorated. It is hanging on our kitchen and I still look at it often.

I'll try to post a pic of it if I can remember how to do that.

Phred wrote:I think that I have mentioned this before but...

When our first dog left us, to help our kids deal, we made a shadow box memorial. In the shadow box, we placed his collar, a picture of him, favorite bone and 4 wooden hearts that we each decorated. It is hanging on our kitchen and I still look at it often.

I'll try to post a pic of it if I can remember how to do that.

We plan to do something similar. His collar is hanging next to a picture of my boys.

My son is handling it pretty well. He has a stuffed animal that looks just like the dog, and he keeps saying that he’s got his stuffed animal to remind him.

I’m doing far better today. Managed to actually talk to people about it without crying. Small wins.

I am glad for this thread even as I can hardly type this. It is nice there is somewhere I can remember her. RIP Stella, my dog. Just walked out of the clinic.

Wolfgang622 wrote:I am glad for this thread even as I can hardly type this. It is nice there is somewhere I can remember her. RIP Stella, my dog. Just walked out of the clinic.

Sorry pal. I found it really helpful to talk about my dog, his life and even his abrupt passing. Helped me cope and heal.

The Savior wrote:

Wolfgang622 wrote:I am glad for this thread even as I can hardly type this. It is nice there is somewhere I can remember her. RIP Stella, my dog. Just walked out of the clinic.

Sorry pal. I found it really helpful to talk about my dog, his life and even his abrupt passing. Helped me cope and heal.

Thanks The Savior. The hardest part for me is the feeling that I failed the dog so much in the last few years since my son was born. The time just increasingly wasn’t there, and her aging made the breakdown more apparent in terms of her enthusiasm (she had arthritis that really just reduced her activity). What killed her was cancer, but its discovery was sudden, its judgement swift. Didn’t have much choice. Would love to have brought her home, but it wasn’t clear she would live through the night (the tumors in her had grown such that her airway was getting blocked), and I just couldn’t see bringing her home and then having her go into sudden cardiac arrest with my little boy at home while I waited to take her to our local vet to have the same thing done. So all of a sudden I had to make a most grievous decision.

We rescued her, and she definitely had a much better life than she had been having. It’s just now, of course, I wish I could have done more.

I'm sure you gave her a great life. Everyone always thinks you could have gone for one more walk or play fetch one more time but the reality is you gave the dog a loving family in a time of need, which makes all the difference to them.

Wolfgang622 wrote:

The Savior wrote:

Wolfgang622 wrote:I am glad for this thread even as I can hardly type this. It is nice there is somewhere I can remember her. RIP Stella, my dog. Just walked out of the clinic.

Sorry pal. I found it really helpful to talk about my dog, his life and even his abrupt passing. Helped me cope and heal.

Thanks The Savior. The hardest part for me is the feeling that I failed the dog so much in the last few years since my son was born. The time just increasingly wasn’t there, and her aging made the breakdown more apparent in terms of her enthusiasm (she had arthritis that really just reduced her activity). What killed her was cancer, but its discovery was sudden, its judgement swift. Didn’t have much choice. Would love to have brought her home, but it wasn’t clear she would live through the night (the tumors in her had grown such that her airway was getting blocked), and I just couldn’t see bringing her home and then having her go into sudden cardiac arrest with my little boy at home while I waited to take her to our local vet to have the same thing done. So all of a sudden I had to make a most grievous decision.

We rescued her, and she definitely had a much better life than she had been having. It’s just now, of course, I wish I could have done more.

I felt that same guilt (re: kids). Not as many walks or as long of walks. Fewer dog park visits. Lot of second guessing. But I remembered how much my pup loved my kids especially my oldest. I think he liked the trade off, especially all of the loose food he got!

My pup had an undiagnosed tumor right above his heart. It burst and filled his heart with fluid and his heart could no longer expand to pump red blood cells/oxygen. Happened in a matter of hours. I choose to think it could have happened at any point over past 5 years and instead of dwelling on what might have been I think about how lucky we were to have had him all that time and that he got to meet and fall for my oldest son. Blessed in that sense.

sorry moz

Thanks pals. Not gonna lie, today sucks. Telling my son sucked. Playing with him like nothing’s the matter sucks. Seeing my wife cry sucks.

And most of all, not having Stella around for a walk or just to pet sucks.

Wolfgang622 wrote:Thanks pals. Not gonna lie, today sucks. Telling my son sucked. Playing with him like nothing’s the matter sucks. Seeing my wife cry sucks.

And most of all, not having Stella around for a walk or just to pet sucks.

Man I just lived this exact thing a week ago.

I promise it gets better.

Sorry pal.

The Savior wrote:

Wolfgang622 wrote:Thanks pals. Not gonna lie, today sucks. Telling my son sucked. Playing with him like nothing’s the matter sucks. Seeing my wife cry sucks.

And most of all, not having Stella around for a walk or just to pet sucks.

Man I just lived this exact thing a week ago.

I promise it gets better.

Sorry pal.

Thanks The Savior. Yesterday I had a lot of going in and out to do and the hardest part every time was her not being there (well, who am I kidding, on the couch, but vaguely interested that I was home anyway) when I got home. Dreading it today since I am back to work.

Hilarious - didn't end as expected

Guys

https://photos.app.goo.gl/UHyiv7jrMLR96n1h6

(don't doxx me please)

I like that dog.

She's a good girl.