It is three days since we had to make the most terrible decision of our lives, Nipper (our Border Collie) had been sick for a few weeks, he was passing blood in his urine, the vet gave us tablets hoping this would clear up the problem. This did not help. he thought it might be his prostate or kidneys. He was 15 years and 2 months old. We had him from when he was 4 weeks old. He had also gone blind in his left eye, and though we were still able to take him out for short walks, it was a bit of a struggle. He had arthritis and was on medication for that. He was almost deaf, and could only hear you if you shouted. We got up on Monday morning and he was banging into everything --- it seems he had gone blind in his right eye. We called the vet and he came and told us this was in fact correct. We had to make the decision that we had dreaded for 15 years. We had him give him the injection while we stroked and kissed him and told him that we loved him, and even though it broke our hearts it was a very peaceful ending to a very extraordinary life. He was a character and we will never forget him. It was the most terrible day of our lives and we are trying to deal with our grief. We just hope that it gets better, well it certainly can't get any worse. We have been reading some of the postings on the website and it is helping us come to terms with our trauma. We know it is normal to feel this way and speaking to people that have been through it helps enormously.

R&K
I am so sorry for your loss of Nipper. It sounds like he was a beloved furbaby. Everyone here understands your grief. This website has been a place for me to pour out my pain and find a group of caring, loving animal lovers who understand, as we all are going through the same journey.

Nipper knows you loved him and you were willing to do what was best for him, regardless of the pain to you.

You are in my prayers tonight for healing and acceptance.

Dugan's Mom
Krissyo

I'm very sorry for your loss of Nipper. I also pray for your healing and acceptance. (thanks Krissyo for putting it that way)
I'm having a difficult day, it is 2 weeks and 2 days since we also had to make that terrible decision to let our beloved Buddy go.

We helped our beloved friends go in peace, to leave a failing body, and we take on the pain they left behind. It is because we loved them so..

God speed to us all.

Wow, you were blessed!! 15 years is a long time for a border collie. I am so sorry for your loss, it's a tough time for you right now but know your baby is safe, free of pain and suffering and is whole again, waiting for you. Know that Nipper is still with you in many ways! I hope this gives you comfort right now.
I will light a candle for both of you at Mass this Saturday. Please know you're in my thoughts and prayers!
Lisa

R&K,

My sincere condolences on the passing of your dear Nipper. I understand, too, how difficult it is to make such a decision on behalf of our babies' lives. But Rockadoodle is right....it is done because of compassionate love, even if we're not 100% sure of anything.

I've barely been able to post of late because I'm doing so poorly myself, at 36 days into my own grief journey....but I had to after reading your post, as your story is so similar to our own ( see "Nissa's Last Days" under this forum ) - she had the same things and then some.

It really is a relief, though, to have LS to come to whenever we need the support, even if all we can do at the time is read. However, having spent a few YEARS on different grief boards lately ( 3 major losses over 6 years ), I know it's very therapeutic to post and put the many feelings that are so intense to words. The reading helps, the sharing helps, with like-minded and understanding people such as you'll find here.

May your angels help hold you in loving kindness now and in the coming days.

If I hadn't found this website, I can't imagine how I would be emotionally right now. Finding it was a godsend. All of us share things that some of the pet loss books I've read don't bother to mention (the physical effects on the pet's owners after the loss). The emotional aspects...well, we all know about that! You can't place a time-frame on grief. I know now that through other people I am not alone and that is the best thing of all. Talking about it, getting it out helped me to deal with it and accept everything.
Thank you, everyone -- it meant so much to me!!
Lisa

Hi everyone, I really cannot explain the warmth and gra***ude that I am feeling from all of these postings. It really is helping both of us to cope with our loss. Its amazing to get this support and we will be forever grateful for all of this support, I have already mentioned to my friends when they have asked how we are coping, that this website has been our saviour. We really cannot thank everyone for all their kindness and empathy. We have also made several postings on the board and hope that, in our grief we can help support another who is going through the same traumatic event. We forgot to mention that we are British and moved over from Scotland 3 years ago and brought Nipper on the plane with us, he was in that box on the plane for 15 hours and never did a thing to dirty it whatsoever. In our opinion, "the best boy in the world" as his grandma and us used to call him. Thank you all once again, it really is helping to get our feelings out into the open.
Ralph/Kathryn

RALPH AND KATHRYN,
SO SORRY ABOUT YOUR NIPPER AND GLAD YOU FOUND THIS SITE. AFTER RAGGS WAS PTS IN JULY I WAS SURFING THE NET AND CAME ACROSS THIS SITE. I FELT AT THE TIME I WAS THE ONLY ONE GOING THROUGH THIS GRIEF AND FOUND THAT MANY WERE AT THE SAME TIME.
MY RAGGS WAS 15YRS AND 7 MOS AND WAS BLIND AND ARTHRITIC BUT HE WAS MY LOVE. WE WILL ALL JUST STICK TOGETHER AND IF WE HAVE A BAD DAY WE CAN WTIE OUT OUR FEEINGS AND WE WILL ALL STICK TOGETHER
RAGGS MOM JOANNE

ROCKADOODLE HOPE YOU FEEL BETTER. BUDDY WAS A GOODLOOKING BOY. OH HOW I ENJOY SEEING YOUR BABIES PICTURES
JOANNE

Ralph and Kathryn,

Thank you so much for your post about my sweet Jack. I've been missing him so much the last couple of days, and your empathy was helpful to me. I'm so sorry for your loss, and I know how much you love and miss Nipper. I'll be thinking of you in the days and weeks ahead, and hoping we all manage to find some peace and comfort.

Amy