Pet stories: sometimes happy, sometimes sad

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Fri Mar 19, 2021 10:06 am

Damn, Boss. I'm sorry. I don't remember her, but I'm pretty sure I encountered her dander a couple of times.

Lassr · Post by **Lassr** » Fri Mar 19, 2021 10:09 am

So sorry Zaxxon. 19+ years is a good life but still sucks. I know the Zoom goodbye had to be hard.

Paingod · Post by **Paingod** » Fri Mar 19, 2021 10:16 am

Sorry to hear about your cat; I hope things went easily and peacefully without fear.

Holman wrote: ↑Fri Mar 19, 2021 10:03 amAfter his passing, my dad and I were cleaning out the house and discovered a small notebook in a desk drawer. It contained nothing but a list of all the pets my grandfather had ever owned, fed, or considered neighbors. Each animal had a name, and next to each was the date of its passing. The list went back to the 1940s.

When I read things like this, it makes me wonder if I'm being a good enough human. I've never even considered this.

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Fri Mar 19, 2021 10:54 am

Paingod wrote: ↑Fri Mar 19, 2021 10:16 am
Holman wrote: ↑Fri Mar 19, 2021 10:03 amAfter his passing, my dad and I were cleaning out the house and discovered a small notebook in a desk drawer. It contained nothing but a list of all the pets my grandfather had ever owned, fed, or considered neighbors. Each animal had a name, and next to each was the date of its passing. The list went back to the 1940s.
When I read things like this, it makes me wonder if I'm being a good enough human. I've never even considered this.

The thing is, the man himself was a big curmudgeon. This was his secret soft side.

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Fri Mar 19, 2021 12:17 pm

I remember our pet deaths without a notebook.

dbt1949 · Post by **dbt1949** » Fri Mar 19, 2021 12:34 pm

I can remember all my dogs but not all the other beasties.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Fri Mar 19, 2021 5:31 pm

Condolences, Zaxx.

dbt1949 · Post by **dbt1949** » Fri Mar 19, 2021 6:44 pm

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Sat Mar 27, 2021 4:31 pm

My elderly German Shepherd named Gus died this morning. Buried him in the pouring rain. Ill post about him in a couple days or so after I gather some pictures and my wits. Right now Im mixing up some Everclear.

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Sat Mar 27, 2021 5:20 pm

Daehawk wrote: ↑Sat Mar 27, 2021 4:31 pm My elderly German Shepherd named Gus died this morning. Buried him in the pouring rain. Ill post about him in a couple days or so after I gather some pictures and my wits. Right now Im mixing up some Everclear.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Dae.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Sat Mar 27, 2021 5:31 pm

Condolences. I look forward to reading about him.

hitbyambulance · Post by **hitbyambulance** » Sat Mar 27, 2021 5:31 pm

i didn't even know you had a Germie - thought they were all chih-huie-huies

Zaxxon · Post by **Zaxxon** » Sat Mar 27, 2021 6:12 pm

Sorry to hear it.

dbt1949 · Post by **dbt1949** » Sat Mar 27, 2021 6:25 pm

I am so sorry.

Alefroth · Post by **Alefroth** » Sat Mar 27, 2021 6:50 pm

That's so sad, Daehawk. I didn't know you had a Shepherd either.

Lassr · Post by **Lassr** » Sat Mar 27, 2021 9:23 pm

Sorry Daehawk.

TheMix · Post by **TheMix** » Sat Mar 27, 2021 10:16 pm

Oof. Sorry to hear.

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Sun Mar 28, 2021 9:41 am

Thankls all. Im glad he is not hurting any longer. Im sure he is running and barking and having fun and doesn't even know what happened.

We got Gus the German Shepherd in 2009. My wife worked with a girl who her and her boyfriend had some new German Shepherd puppies. Well new as in old enough to find homes. She was giving them away. My wife had wanted a new dog since our little old fella had passed 2 years earlier. I had wanted a GS since I was a child and the neighbors had one. So we went over to look. My wife picked out one named Killer

He was all but that. The sweetest dog you could imagine and very smart. She wanted a Russian sounding name and picked Gustov. Looking back it seems more German. I got to pick a name too and went with Achilles. Not pronounced like the Greek word but from the tv show Andromeda as Ah kill iss. And together we choose his last name Maximus because we'd just seen Gladiator.

So Gustov Achilles Maximas..Gus. Though funny enough even here lately he'd perk up if I called him Killer. Mostly I called him GusGus or GustheCuss because when he was young he'd fuss with you by jabbering but not barking.

Great dog all his life. A very gentle fella who just adored other dogs and just wanted to play with them all and for them to visit him. He was a wonderful guard dog too because they are very loyal to their family and would always bark and alert us to anyone coming by or even nearby. And smart smart smart. In a way he taught me to teach him to sit. Id go out and he'd sit. After a few times I started crossing my arms when he did it. I guess he thought he finally taught me a trick. After a while Id cross my arms first then he'd sit. Finally I started giving him treats when he'd do it. Never had to say a word to him..no sit! command or anything.

Anyways he was always strong and healthy. He could pull me around the yard on walks very easy and Im 200 lbs . Even lately with his medical problem he could pull me. And that brings me to the end. After Donna passed away a little over 2 years ago I noticed he seemed to have a bad hip. Least I thought he did. I bought him some joint help supplements and vitamins. Over time it got worse slowly and started on the other side too. But something seemed off. So reading up on it all I came to conclude he had Degenerative spinal myelopathy. You can look that up. Its like ALS in humans. Its a degeneration of the nerves in the spinal cord. In dogs they slowly lose the function of their back legs. They still feel them but cant use them as good. Over time it can spread up the chest and into the front legs as well. Gus had just turned 12 this month and the Chihuahua Buster turned 13. We had some birthday cake. So ya he was at the right age.

For Gus he started dragging a foot. Then knuckling under. Then the other. He had this over two years. Up until a month or so ago he could still walk and Id take him out to bathroom. There is no cure not even a treatment. I bought more supplements and vitamins targeted at nerves and muscles over this time.A month ago though we went out normal for the night and the next morning he could not walk at all with his back legs. So for over a month Ive been carrying his back side to go out. Didn't even need a lead for him. He'd go out and do his stuff with me shuffling behind him holding his back legs up and then want to come in. His breathing got harder too on him. It just all got harder. Me I didn't mind. Would have continued if he was ok otherwise. He was bright and ate and drank and peed and pooped all fine. Other than the back legs he seemed to be well. I was counting on the stimulus to get him some stuff like a sling I could more easily carry him with and maybe a used doggy wheelchair.

But over the last week he seemed more tired and more heavy breathing. Id help him up the last couple days to go out and he'd squeak. It was getting close to having to decide something I didn't want to it seemed. Then Friday it was a normal day. I took him out at midnight. He came in and ate his food and got a drink and went to bed. Saturday I got up to go take him out at about 8am and noticed he was breathing fast and shallow. I went to help him up and he actually snapped his jaws at me. When I felt of him I saw he was swollen like a balloon. His stomach was big and tight and sounded hollow. First time we ever had a dog get it but I knew instantly it was bloat. I have no idea why it happened but I also knew it was deadly.

I got him out anyways and he passed some gas and then more inside. I could not help him. It takes surgery and then I think survival is 30%. It happens when the stomach twists and I have read and blocks inside. But he had had poo'd in the night. Just dont know. Of all the things that can cause it that Ive read the only thing I could have done wrong was hold his food bowl up so he could eat easier. If it was on the ground he'd fall over or lay there and and couldn't reach it. But Id helped him eat for a month before this.

I called all the vets I could find numbers for. Most were not open. Those that were had no mobile home visit ability. So stupid in this day and age. They gave me numbers to ones that could come out but they were also closed. I found only 2 vets that would see him but I am not physically able to load him up and get him in. One was in another town and one was in mine. He was too far gone by then. I just wanted to stop his suffering. Both those vets said I could sign up for credit...I have $0 in my bank. I told them how he was . I was so upset I finally told one then he'll die in pain because I cant get there.

I sat in the floor and talked to him and held him and petted him. Brushed him some . He loved being brushed. Nothing I could do. In the end I think his heart gave out and he could not get a breath and seemed no oxygen was being circulated. He passed on with me there with him. Ive refused to leave little guys when its their time to my own mental detriment. It wouldn't be right. He was always such a wonderful buddy.

It seems pets pass away on days when Im always rushed to bury them. I dont get time to grieve. Yesterday a storm was coming. It took me 2 hours to dig his grave because of my physical troubles . Plus Im not in my 20s any longer. I got it dug and him put in his forever bed and partially recovered before it started pouring. I just kept at it in the rain for the next 30 minutes. Was fully soaked. I put his giant fluffy pillow bed in first that Id gotten him this year so he wouldn't get a sore from laying so much. After Id walk him Id sit him on his opposite side that he was on so to help keep sore spots away. Anyways I then wrapped him in his blanket and put his bowls with him and his favorite brush I used to brush him with. I sat his stuffed bear bear with him too. Finally I added some pics I had of me and Donna...his mom and dad. I wanted to add some plywood over him before covering him but I wasn't able to dig it deep enough and the rain caused me to have to leave it out..

bah crying again. I am so emotional with animals. I had thought when we got him Id have my wife when it was his time. I know big dogs dont live as long. I had no idea Id be alone now for this. Im not good with this stuff after spending a life burying little pets and being hurt. It rained again and thundered today. My thought was I hope he doesn't get wet and he was so scared of storms and thunder I hope he isn't scared.

I plan to buy more white pebbles to cover him with. I am hoping to be able to buy some kinda head marker..a good cross or a nameplate or something for all of them and clean them all up. Just need that damn stimulus.

So anyways here is a couple pics of Gus. I wasn't able to find the older ones I took with a normal camera. I have a really good one of when we had had him only a month or so. He is sitting in the kitchen all cute and furry to no end . I wish I could find that. These are from the phone .

This is him last year on the back porch. It was summer or hot and he is on the cool concrete with his fan blowing on him. Behind me in the other room is the AC blowing into the kitchen and then out there. Notice his ears. There was 2 things you didn't touch on Gus..his ears and feet. He wouldn't bite or anything but would pull away and avoid you. His ears itched him all his life. If I was able to get medicine in one then it was near a week before I could sneak and get the other ear. Over time he damaged both by scratching at them. One one year and the other years later. They just flopped over.

Not a great pic. Just him eating a snack years ago. I cant find many good pics. I know I saw those photos a year or so ago but where I have no idea.

Goodbye until later Gus. Best old boy. Be young and free now. I hope to you its no time between when we last saw each other when its my time. I love and miss you.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Sun Mar 28, 2021 11:07 am

You gave him the best life he could have. That's all we can do. RIP Gus.

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Sun Mar 28, 2021 11:29 am

Kraken wrote: ↑Sun Mar 28, 2021 11:07 am You gave him the best life he could have. That's all we can do. RIP Gus.

No. I could have done so much more.

Jaymann · Post by **Jaymann** » Sun Mar 28, 2021 12:02 pm

Don't sweat it, you did enough. RIP.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Sun Mar 28, 2021 12:44 pm

You couldn't have done more. You did more than most people would have, and for longer.

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Sun Mar 28, 2021 3:54 pm

Daehawk, you loved him and took care of him until literally his final moments. It really sounds like he had a good life, and a lot of that was you.

RIP, Gus.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Sun Mar 28, 2021 5:03 pm

You did your best. That's all anyone can do.

Z-Corn · Post by **Z-Corn** » Sun Mar 28, 2021 6:52 pm

Sucks losing a pet. That's what has kept me from getting a new buddy since we had to put our last rabbit down. It just came to the point where we knew it wasn't gonna get any better for him.

We loved our big bunny buddy.

Xmann · Post by **Xmann** » Sun Mar 28, 2021 7:16 pm

Daehawk wrote:
Kraken wrote: ↑Sun Mar 28, 2021 11:07 am You gave him the best life he could have. That's all we can do. RIP Gus.
No. I could have done so much more.

Don't beat yourself up Daehawk. I always say the toughest part of being a pet owner is their short life span. Years seem like days.

You've always sounded like an amazing pet owner. I have no doubt you did everything and more to give Gus the best life ever. If he could tell you, I'm positive he'd tell you that.

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Sun Mar 28, 2021 7:28 pm

This cartoon makes me tear up. Seriously, don't look at it unless you're in a place where you can be emotional:

Spoiler:

EDIT: realizing I posted it in another thread about two years ago. Still very powerful.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Sun Mar 28, 2021 9:15 pm

I was walking Warren today when a leaf blew down the street and he launched into a full gallop after it. When he does that I trot after him so that he can run. He knows how long the leash is, and he knows that I'm a slow old man. Usually he adjusts his own sprint to avoid the Big Yank, but today he had so much momentum when he reached the end of his line that the velcro tore open and he slipped his halter. He was free! FREE!

It's not the first time that he's gotten out, but I was nervous because he was heading at full speed for an area beyond our usual walking perimeter. He knows where home is and how the door works. I know by now that he will come in under his own power when he's ready. I know that I can't catch him unless he wants to be caught. But I didn't want to let him out of sight in terra incognita. I went and got Wife and we spent a good half hour trying to entice him back to our yard.

Finally I remembered my training and called off the effort. We went back in the house. He followed us home, but he wasn't ready to give up his freedom yet. For the next hour we watched him gallop around the neighborhood, going up and down trees, chasing birds, hunting rodents, and generally having the best day of his life. A couple of our neighbors saw him streaking through their yards and texted us to share the excitement.

Ultimately he tired of it and came in. The End.

I just thought we could use a happy story.

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Sun Mar 28, 2021 9:19 pm

Dogs getting loose are so much easier.

I think I've told the story of when our hound got out and went tearing through the neighborhood looking for squirrels. I sent one of the boys out with an unwrapped hunk of stinky cheese, and the dog raced out from behind a neighbor's house almost immediately.

Zenn7 · Post by **Zenn7** » Mon Mar 29, 2021 12:09 am

Sorry to read about Gus Daehawk.

Kraken, thank you for posting a more uplifting story. Lot of sad ones in this thread lately.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Mon Mar 29, 2021 12:49 am

Holman wrote: ↑Sun Mar 28, 2021 9:19 pm Dogs getting loose are so much easier.

I think I've told the story of when our hound got out and went tearing through the neighborhood looking for squirrels. I sent one of the boys out with an unwrapped hunk of stinky cheese, and the dog raced out from behind a neighbor's house almost immediately.

Dogs are like 98% domesticated and cats are maybe 75%. Their call of the wild is stronger. Plus, Warren is not food-centered. Life is good if he can't see the bottom of his kibble bowl and he shuns any canned food from the fridge, no matter how much money I wasted on it. Wet food is only good for 10 minutes after the can is opened.

Zenn7 wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 12:09 am Kraken, thank you for posting a more uplifting story. Lot of sad ones in this thread lately.

The sad pet thread needs balance. I hope I don't ever have to post another sad story about Warren. He already survived a brush with death and now he has an excellent chance of outliving me. He's just 1.5 and I'm almost 64.

I almost deleted this reply because it feels like I'm diminishing Dae's grief and I sure don't mean to do that.

Paingod · Post by **Paingod** » Mon Mar 29, 2021 9:09 am

Sorry for your loss, Daehawk. It sucks, but it hurts less with time.

Holman wrote: ↑Sun Mar 28, 2021 9:19 pmDogs getting loose are so much easier.

You have clearly never seen Siberian Huskies break for freedom. When we sell them to people, we make sure they understand that these are dogs that LIVE for running and only like 1 in 100 will actually come back once they're free. Not out of malicious intent or disdain for humans but because RUNNING. IS. AWESOME. and they won't stop. They make great running partners if you're a runner.

You might be able to lure one back with treats after it gets a little tired, if you can keep up and find it afterwards. If you have two loose at once, they feed off each other and chase each other until they just can't anymore, and ... well... I'm sorry. You may not get them back, or you may have to get them from animal control.

My wife has been letting her puppies out into the back yard and they've generally run from the front door to the yard door without issue. Yesterday they chased each other up the easement and were GONE in seconds. She only lucked out in that she had a bowl of food in hand for them and jingling it brought them back, because the only thing more awesome than running is eating. No more of that, I guess.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Mon Mar 29, 2021 11:00 am

FENTON!

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Mon Mar 29, 2021 11:21 am

Isgrimnur wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 11:00 am FENTON!

A nonny mouse · Post by **A nonny mouse** » Mon Mar 29, 2021 11:30 am

Paingod wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 9:09 am Sorry for your loss, Daehawk. It sucks, but it hurts less with time.
Holman wrote: ↑Sun Mar 28, 2021 9:19 pmDogs getting loose are so much easier.
You have clearly never seen Siberian Huskies break for freedom. When we sell them to people, we make sure they understand that these are dogs that LIVE for running and only like 1 in 100 will actually come back once they're free. Not out of malicious intent or disdain for humans but because RUNNING. IS. AWESOME. and they won't stop. They make great running partners if you're a runner.

You might be able to lure one back with treats after it gets a little tired, if you can keep up and find it afterwards. If you have two loose at once, they feed off each other and chase each other until they just can't anymore, and ... well... I'm sorry. You may not get them back, or you may have to get them from animal control.

My wife has been letting her puppies out into the back yard and they've generally run from the front door to the yard door without issue. Yesterday they chased each other up the easement and were GONE in seconds. She only lucked out in that she had a bowl of food in hand for them and jingling it brought them back, because the only thing more awesome than running is eating. No more of that, I guess.

LOL. The first thing I thought of He sure likes to run

Paingod · Post by **Paingod** » Mon Mar 29, 2021 11:47 am

A nonny mouse wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 11:30 amLOL. The first thing I thought of He sure likes to run

Nailed it! Huskies, though, don't expend any energy barking. They put everything into ZOOOOOOOM!

You know, I don't think I've ever seen anything as happy as a Husky is when it's running free - which is paradoxical since it's so horrifying.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Mon Mar 29, 2021 12:50 pm

Paingod wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 9:09 am Sorry for your loss, Daehawk. It sucks, but it hurts less with time.
Holman wrote: ↑Sun Mar 28, 2021 9:19 pmDogs getting loose are so much easier.
You have clearly never seen Siberian Huskies break for freedom. When we sell them to people, we make sure they understand that these are dogs that LIVE for running and only like 1 in 100 will actually come back once they're free. Not out of malicious intent or disdain for humans but because RUNNING. IS. AWESOME. and they won't stop. They make great running partners if you're a runner.

When I was a kid we had a saluki named Cleo. She got loose once. We jumped in the car and couldn't catch up between stoplights. Salukis were bred to chase down gazelle. They're not quite as fast as a greyhound, but unlike a greyhound they can maintain their speed for hours at a time. (Cleo eventually got bored and decided to stop, hopped in the car, and we brought her home.)

dbt1949 · Post by **dbt1949** » Mon Mar 29, 2021 1:18 pm

I know what you mean. We had an Afghan once. She got loose once and we got in the car to track her down. Told her to go home and she trotted down the road at about 35 mph.

Jaymann · Post by **Jaymann** » Mon Mar 29, 2021 2:08 pm

I inherited a dog once - some kind of chow mix. I was at a park one day, and he came up and started humping my leg. His owner was a Mexican lady, and she insisted that I take him. He was extremely horny, and his various escapes to prowl the neighborhood included breaking a kitchen window, breaking a chain locked to a tree, and jumping out the back of a moving pickup truck. But he always came back, sometimes days later. Even tried to give him away once when I moved to a place that wouldn't allow pets. But he escaped and turned up on the porch of my old house. I gave up and took him back.

He eventually succumbed to cancer, but I had dreams about him for years.

Jaymann · Post by **Jaymann** » Wed Nov 03, 2021 2:40 pm

Sadly my daughter's cat Felix passed away at about 17 years old. Fortunately it was over quickly. I let him in from outside one morning, he coughed strangely a couple times, went into my daughter's bedroom and was gone.

A couple weeks later we brought home a kitty for the grandkids, and they are ecstatic. Which brings me to a question:

How do all cats, even without exposure to other cats, seem to automatically know all the cat moves? Such as stretching, sharpening claws, running, jumping, cleaning themselves, rubbing against human legs, even wrapping their tail around their feet while standing still. Is this stuff all instinct?