What pets do you have, and what pets have you had?

[brianmoooore]

Current mutt is 14 years old, and beginning to fall about a bit at the rear end, so we're beginning to realise he won't last forever. He fell down the stairs just after Christmas, so now there's a plywood gate blocking them off.
Thought his time was up a couple of months ago, when we found weeping tumours around his rear. Took him on what we expected to be a one way trip to the vet, but it turned out the tumours were benign and operable, so one arm and a leg later (ours), he's back as he was again, although looking ridiculous with a bald rear end and tail in contrast to the rest of his scruffy long coat.

Sitting here writing this with tears in my eyes.
My poor dog, Max, is just short of 17 years old, and has become more and more wobbly on his legs, but has always managed to struggle to his feet and get around, following my wife everywhere she goes that he can . That was until last Monday afternoon, when we realised that he'd been in his bed ever since he'd ventured outside for five minutes earlier that day. we found that he could no longer stand, or even sit up, and he's been lying on his side, on a quilt, on the carpet, with his head on a pillow ever since.
He doesn't appear to be in any pain, will happily eat any biscuits, chicken or ham that you hold close to his mouth, but flatly refuses to drink any water, even moving his head away if I wet my finger and brush it against his lips.
I suspect that, in his doggy mind, he's decided that it's time to go, and soon I expect that he will drift into unconsciousness, from which he'll never wake, and finally pass away a day or so later.
There's a large clump of ornamental grass at the top of the garden, that he's always undertaken to keep well watered, so I'll soon be up there with my little JCB digger, digging a grave for him a full six feet deep, so that he can remain there, undisturbed for ever.

 

[littlespark]

sorry to hear this, Brian... Its always a sad time...

ive got a big picture of my old dog staring at me from the wall, and his box of ashes in the cabinet.


Youll say to yourself "We cant get another one....." or "Maybe in a year or two"

But then youll see someone you know has had pups... or the local rescue has an appeal to rehome their stock

When our current dog gets a bit older (7 now) we've talked about taking on retired guide dogs

 

[Marvo]

The death of a pet is as traumatic as losing a person you love. Every time it happens I say 'never again' but after a period of grieving we always get another one.

 

[brianmoooore]

Well, stubborn to the end, like he's always been, Max held out until about 7.30am this morning. I sat with him for an hour between 4 and 5am, my wife did the same from 6 to 7, and he was gone when we surfaced at 8.
He's lying here in front of me, head held high, eyes wide open, legs straight, looking for all the world like he was standing focusing on something way in the distance, then just fell over onto his side. RIP, Max, the most faithful dog we've ever had, always free to go wherever he liked, but never leaving the property, and my wife's constant shadow for a month short of 17 years.

 

[littlespark]

So sorry mate.


Maybe not in your thoughts yet, but any food, even open bags… unused bedding, bowls or toys…
Would be appreciated being donated to local rescue kennels

That is, if you’re not planning on getting another dog soon

 

[brianmoooore]

Well, he's laid to rest now, right where I promised him, wrapped in a duvet and lying in his bed.
This is the third dog I've buried in less than a year. Daughter's husband cleared off three years ago, leaving her with two young children and two ancient dogs, both of which have passed away in the last ten months.
No plans for another dog at the moment, but daughter and grandchildren have been hinting that we could get a 'shared' dog, which probably translates as we pay for food and vet's bills, and get to look after it when they're on holiday or she's at work.
The cat eats dog food in preference to cat food, and Max has preferred cat biscuits to his own in recent months, probably due to lack of teeth.
About the only thing left over is a couple of part boxes of dog treats that we could donate. Google says there's a rescue place about half a mile further up the lane that mother in law lives in.

 

[mainline]

Labrador 7yrs old now.