Not a good day

SingItOut

Hi everyone, my 6 year old black Labrador Frankie fell suddenly ill on Sunday night and lost the use of his front and right back legs. At first we thought he had broken his front leg as he could still stand up at this point but his paw was buckling under him. We got him to an on call vet straight away and it was only then that we realised he couldn't walk or feel on his right, his hip was the worst. He was given anti inflammatories and some morphine then sent home, it was arranged for him to go to a larger veterinary practice Monday morning for an X-ray. It was that evening when we were told he had a spinal problem due to a tumour or lesion in his neck.

This morning the vet called and said frankie had gotten worse over night and told me I should consider letting him go. I asked if anything could be done and he said due to the area it would cause frankie un-necessary suffering, we made the horrible decision to let him go but we will be with him when it happens this evening. I am shaking and crying so much I got frankie as a one month old baby on my 18th birthday, we were not prepared for this at all as he was perfectly healthy and bouncy up until 7pm Sunday night. I would like for him to be cremated but I don't know if I can afford that after I pay for his other treatments he's had. Can anybody tell me how much I'll need for the cremation? My heart is broken and I don't want to go through this later but if it stops his pain I can't be selfish

muddypaws

I am so, so sorry, what a horrible thing to be going through. I'm sorry, I don't know how much cremation will be, ask your vet, as different places will probably charge different amounts.

Again, I am so sorry, no words can help I know, but well done for being brave enough to be there with him when you let him go. I have had to let dogs go in the past, and have been feeding them little bits of ham and chicken as they drift off, so that their last moments are nice ones, with the person they love.

Take care of yourself

anniehoo

Aw OP what an awful, awful day for you. It's beyond heartbreaking having to make this decision. My thoughts are with you today.

SingItOut wrote: »

Can anybody tell me how much I'll need for the cremation?

You will be looking at around €200-250 for a Labrador between 30-40kg , but do ask your vet if you can set up a payment plan with them and pay it over a few months if it's something you really want to do. You can get a scatter tube if you would like to spread his ashes in one of his favourite spots or a tribute box, which is what I picked for my cat. Don't feel under pressure to make a decision today though ok.

SillyMangoX

Ah that's awful, I'm so sorry. It's such a hard decision to make, but at least you know that he won't be suffering. X

SingItOut

Thank you everybody, I was hoping for a miracle the whole way to vets but it just wasnt there. He was heavily sedated when we arrived and I don't think he recognised us. We all gave him kisses and hugs and cried together , Frankie slipped away peacefully and gracefully

aonb

You did the right thing for Frankie.

murria

Oh that's heartbreaking. Thinking of you this evening and sending you a hug.

Papillon!

i'm so sorry to hear that hugs

Rigsby

Very sad to hear of this. I know exactly how you feel OP. My wife and I had to make the same decision to have our Tibetian terrior put to sleep, back in June. It was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. At least we had an idea that her time was running out. It is a lot tougher when it happens suddenly, like in your case.

It may not seem like much consulation now, but if Frankie was going to be suffering, with no possibility of recovery, then hard as it is, it is for the best.

Again....I'm very sorry.

Whispered

So very sorry to hear that OP, thinking of you and Frankie this evening. xx

blahblah06

Hi there
Sorry for your loss but I'm sure Frankie is playing with Vegas right now.
Regarding cremation there is a few options.
You can go through your vet who charge you €100 for handing the dog over to the crematorium or you can go direct with the crematorium who will collect Frankie from the vets foc
There's a great company up north who did Vegas for me and you can choose coffins and plaques

SingItOut

Thank you all again, everybody has been so understanding and compassionate towards us, he was very popular in our small neighbourhood as my dad walked him constantly. My dad wanted to take him home with us, we held a funeral and buriel for him in his favourite spot in the garden. The next few weeks are going to be hard as my jack Russell misses him like crazy and is searching everywhere for him. Ill try put a picture up of him later. It's comforting to hear all your stories , animals have always been treated as people in our house too.

Layinghen

I'm so sorry for your loss. Just know a lot of people are thinking about you and your family and what you are going through. Please take good care of each other.

SingItOut

This is our boy in happier times. I never thought I'd miss him barking up in my face because shame on me for not paying attention to him 24/7 He loved swimming and football and got to do both up until sunday. He also "helped" build the garden shed, he saw dad digging a hole so he joined in, gave us all a heart attack when he nicked the screw driver and gave us the run around the garden! He brought happiness into all our lives since the day I got him on my 18th birthday where he arrived in a card board box fast asleep and wearing a little white bow around his neck (which he later ate). He was never a fan of doing what he was told and it was always one of the things I loved the most about him

Loving the river

Frankie

and the most recent from last month xxx
Frankie

bluecherry74

What a fab looking dog - he looks very happy and loved. I'm really sorry you had to go through this, it must have been such a shock finding out so suddenly. Thinking of you.

angeldaisy

So sorry for your loss, never an easy thing to go through especially when its so sudden.

What a gorgeous boy he was and he looked like he enjoyed life to the max and was definately well loved, what more could he have wanted.

njs030

He's gorgeous and so happy and healthy looking, you did a great job op.

I hope you are coping ok.

SingItOut

Thank you all for your kind words, we got his collar back from the vets today and I haven't been able to look at it yet. Our house is so quiet, even the other pets are not themselves especially our jack russel. Frankie was always happy, even if he was in trouble he didn't care! My partner got us a comedy to watch on thursday to cheer me up and just at the end scene there's a shop in the background called "Frankies", on the way back from town we seen two black labradors playing football and on my way home I found a flower magazine in easons called Frankie. Call me crazy but I think it's Frankies way of letting us know he's ok

muddypaws

SingItOut wrote: »

Thank you all for your kind words, we got his collar back from the vets today and I haven't been able to look at it yet. Our house is so quiet, even the other pets are not themselves especially our jack russel. Frankie was always happy, even if he was in trouble he didn't care! My partner got us a comedy to watch on thursday to cheer me up and just at the end scene there's a shop in the background called "Frankies", on the way back from town we seen two black labradors playing football and on my way home I found a flower magazine in easons called Frankie. Call me crazy but I think it's Frankies way of letting us know he's ok

No, I don't think you're crazy at all. One of my dogs died, and I phoned my now grown up foster son in England a couple of days later to tell him, he had been his dog really, as a kid. The dog was called Gus, named after the footballer Gus Poyet, my son chose the name. I told him the bad news, and we talked about the dog, then he went quiet, and told me that he had sat down at a table in the pub he was at when I'd phoned, and he'd just looked down and saw it was number 14, the number that Poyet wore for Spurs, and that was on the back of the shirt that the dog wore when he entered a fancy dress comp with my son. We both took comfort from that 'sign'.

The day the dog died, my other son and I had sat and watched Spurs play Chelsea in the afternoon, with Gus between us on the sofa (the footballer played for both clubs) and then we watched The Matrix - when we got Gus he was called Neo from that film. That night he died, he was ill, and it wasn't unexpected, but just a weird day to choose.

SingItOut

muddypaws wrote: »

No, I don't think you're crazy at all. One of my dogs died, and I phoned my now grown up foster son in England a couple of days later to tell him, he had been his dog really, as a kid. The dog was called Gus, named after the footballer Gus Poyet, my son chose the name. I told him the bad news, and we talked about the dog, then he went quiet, and told me that he had sat down at a table in the pub he was at when I'd phoned, and he'd just looked down and saw it was number 14, the number that Poyet wore for Spurs, and that was on the back of the shirt that the dog wore when he entered a fancy dress comp with my son. We both took comfort from that 'sign'.

The day the dog died, my other son and I had sat and watched Spurs play Chelsea in the afternoon, with Gus between us on the sofa (the footballer played for both clubs) and then we watched The Matrix - when we got Gus he was called Neo from that film. That night he died, he was ill, and it wasn't unexpected, but just a weird day to choose.

It's amazing how they give little signs to let you know their going to be ok. I definetly feel a little better knowing he's happy and probably annoying somebody to play foot ball right now and trying to get them to throw sticks into the river for him

Irish Stones

I feel so sorry for your huge loss. I know how you are feeling now, I went through it two weeks ago with one of my cats.
It's absolutely heartbreaking, I haven't fully recovered from it yet.

We cremated him on the following day, we paid 150 euro and had his ashes in a small box that we have treasured in our home along with other three boxes of the kind.

Be strong, though I know that these two words sound meaningless in this moment. Other people said the same words to me, but I wasn't able to be strong.

Dtp1979

Know exactly how you feel OP. my dog went in to the vet on a Saturday morning a few weeks. He was lame. Turned out to be bone cancer. Had to put him to sleep sat evening

DrPhilG

Dtp1979 wrote: »

Know exactly how you feel OP. my dog went in to the vet on a Saturday morning a few weeks. He was lame. Turned out to be bone cancer. Had to put him to sleep sat evening

One of our girls has bone cancer currently, she's doing fine at the minute with painkillers but the end is not far away.

I'm looking into cremation currently too. £77 in a place in Derry.

We have plenty of garden space but it's just not deep enough for a burial. Plus a lot of the garden is going to need to be dug up in a year's time.

iguana

About 7 years ago we lost a puppy, some allotment owner put out paraquat laced bones to kill foxes and took our beautiful springer spaniel puppy.

Anyway I am so sorry for your loss, non pet owners don't understand the difficulty of losing a pet.

Anyway someone sent me this poem by James Dickey and it really helped me.

"The Heaven of the Animals"

Here they are. The soft eyes open.
If they have lived in a wood
It is a wood.
If they have lived on plains it is grass rolling
Under their feet forever.

Having no souls, they have come,
Anyway, beyond their knowing.
Their instincts wholly bloom
And they rise.
The soft eyes open.

To match them, the landscape flowers,
Outdoing, desperately
Outdoing what is required:
The richest wood,
The deepest field.

For some of these, it could not be the place
It is, without blood.
These hunt, as they have done,
But with claws and teeth grown perfect,

More deadly than they can believe.
They stalk more silently,
And crouch on the limbs of trees,
And their descent
Upon the bright backs of their prey

May take years
In a sovereign floating of joy.
And those that are hunted
Know this as their life,
Their reward: to walk

Under such trees in full knowledge
Of what is in glory above them,
And to feel no fear,
But acceptance, compliance.
Fulfilling themselves without pain

At the cycle's center,
They tremble, they walk
Under the tree,
They fall, they are torn,
They rise, they walk again.

We got our boy cremated. Vet's and crematoriums sympathise and will allow a payment plan. Do what's best for your guy. He deserves it.

I am truly sorry for your loss.

SingItOut

My brother had a memorial plaque of frankie made for his grave, it's a picture of Frankie clutching a football with one paw and a big labrador smile on his face, with 4th July 2007 - September 24th 2013 beneath with a poem. No doubt if frankie was alive the plaque would be peed on at least 100 times or chewed to pieces by now haha

It's awful when we don't get a chance to prepare to say goodbye, I always got stick from people for treating my animals as people but that's what they are to me, their an extension of my human family. Their never with us for a long time so cherish whatever time you have with them. I miss his big bear hugs, him having to be involved in everything we do, the security he gave us, he was my shoulder to cry on when my grandfather died, we miss him a lot and if their was anything more we could have done we would have.

DrPhilG I wish you all the best for when that time comes, you're dog will thank you for all you have done for her

the_wee_eejit

Awww i've just read this post for the first time and my heart is breaking for you. I've been through the loss myself as have many others so know how torn apart you must feel, my prayers and hugs are with you.

The photo of him at the river is an absolute cracker!

When we have lost dogs in the past, me and my husband have always made up an album so we can focus on celebrating the life they had with us. It's actually great therapy because you can cry, you can laugh, you can remember all the cheeky things they did and the all the love you received whilst you are putting it all together. We put photo's in and bits and bobs like their name tags etc.

Big hugs to you and never be ashamed of mourning the loss of a dog, they are more loving and devoted than most humans! They more than deserve a place in our hearts forever.

God bless you xxxxx

coathanger

Am sitting here, crying after reading about poor Frankie, judging by the photos,he had a great life thanks to you & your family, love the pic of him & your jack in the car. I have 2 jacks & they come every where with us. We lost our Cocker Spaniel 6 years ago & we buried her in our garden & we have flowers & a solar light, where she is & everytime I look at the spot in the garden, I am reminded of all our good times together.

Big hugs to you .

SingItOut

the_wee_eejit wrote: »

Awww i've just read this post for the first time and my heart is breaking for you. I've been through the loss myself as have many others so know how torn apart you must feel, my prayers and hugs are with you.

The photo of him at the river is an absolute cracker!

When we have lost dogs in the past, me and my husband have always made up an album so we can focus on celebrating the life they had with us. It's actually great therapy because you can cry, you can laugh, you can remember all the cheeky things they did and the all the love you received whilst you are putting it all together. We put photo's in and bits and bobs like their name tags etc.

Big hugs to you and never be ashamed of mourning the loss of a dog, they are more loving and devoted than most humans! They more than deserve a place in our hearts forever.

God bless you xxxxx

Thank you x

I work as a free lance photographer and The picture of him at the river was my very first to get published in the local paper, he wasn't playing game that day though so i was lucky to get the shot

The album is a beautiful idea, we're having something similar made for my dad next month for his birthday. My dad would have spent the most time with him on their long walks, dads lost without him.

DrPhilG

When our lab Max died, I put together this frame.

Excuse the bad lighting...



His 2 favourite things were snow and the beach, hence the setting of all the pics.

murria

DrPhilG wrote: »

When our lab Max died, I put together this frame.

Excuse the bad lighting...

That's really lovely, looks like he had a fantastic life and was loved very much.

the_wee_eejit

SingItOut wrote: »

Thank you x

I work as a free lance photographer and The picture of him at the river was my very first to get published in the local paper, he wasn't playing game that day though so i was lucky to get the shot

The album is a beautiful idea, we're having something similar made for my dad next month for his birthday. My dad would have spent the most time with him on their long walks, dads lost without him.

Well i must say you photography is absolutely fantastic!!! I would most certainly have that one in a frame it's just beautiful, i'm not surprised it was published! well done, you have a great talent there!
I'm glad you like the album idea, we treasure ours x I hope your dad is ok too, its so heartbreaking, i really feel for you x
DrPhil's photo frame that he posted of his dog is lovely too, great idea!