We had to put our Penny girl to sleep last Thursday due to a brain tumor. Miles, our other dog, is grieving himself sick.

He seemed to do okay over the weekend but threw up last night. This morning when I went to let him out he began throwing up again and eventually passed very thick mucous stool. In a panic I called our vet and rushed him in. I was so scared to lose him too.

Labs and fecal checked out okay and she feels like he is having anxiety induced colitis. He will fast today to give his tummy time to rest and he was given a shot of antibiotics and anti-nausea meds. We've been loving on him a lot, going for long walks etc. Penny was his side kick for 8 years though and I know he is also hurting.

Does anyone have any advice to help him through? He was a puppy when we rescued Penny. Our vet said her best advice is to let him help us pick out another baby because some dogs just generally don't do well without another dog. My heart is aching at the thought of bringing another dog home right now.

Hi, Lindsey, thank you so much for sharing with us how you and your precious Miles are doing. Sometimes the companions who are the surviving family members after a physical loss of a house mate can grieve to the point of physical illness.

Since you are asking for suggestions, here is mine: Your precious Miles needs your undivided attention right now. Introducing a new companion into the family is stressful even under the best of circumstances, and right now neither you nor Miles need additional stress. Your precious Miles will adjust to being an "only" furchild until YOU are ready to embrace a new companion into your heart and home - - if / whenever that may be. Since you do not feel ready to adopt another furchild at this time, but were to go ahead and do so, you would not be able to properly bond with your new companion and this would NOT be a healthy situation for you, your new companion, and Miles.

From personal experience I do understand your concern for Miles not having a house mate. Although I do caution you to wait until YOU feel more ready, only you can decide what is best in the long run. Adopting a new companion is a very personal decision. Some people adopt quickly after a loss, some people wait until their deep grief has eased, and some people - - for whatever reason - - never adopt another companion. Please know that whatever decision you make, we are here for you to offer our support and encouragement.

Thank you again for sharing with us how you and your precious Miles are doing. I hope today is treating you both kindly. Please know you and your precious Miles are in my thoughts and prayers, Lindsey, and that I look forward to knowing how you both are doing.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

Thank you moon_beam. We are used to being a two dog family so I suspect at some point we will all want another dog but definitely need time to heal. I do think that Penny would want us to extend our home to another who needs a second chance like she did and some day I think I'll know when the time is right - or we will be chosen like Penny chose us. I was able to sit down with our vet today and really discuss Penny - last week everything happened so fast. After she was put to sleep it was evident that she had brain swelling so we likely spared her a long, painful death at home and I got more peace from that conversation than I've had since it happened. Miles is not wanting much to do with me this afternoon. We will go back tomorrow for a re-check and to come up with a plan to help ease his anxiety.

Hi, Lindsey, I am so glad you were able to speak with your vet today about your beloved Penny, and that you received additional comfort and peace about your decision to ease her transition home to the angels.

Just to take a moment to share a personal experience: My precious Noah grieved deeply for his big adopted kitty brother Eli for over 2 years, even though he had his beautiful baby sister Abbygayle and his big doggy brother Oslo for company. He was very upset with me because Eli did not come back home with me that last morning when I took him to the vet to be released from his failing physical body overtaken with cancer. All I could do was comfort my precious Noah to let him know that I love him and am so proud of him for being the best little kitty brother Eli could ever have wanted. My precious Noah is now my sole surviving furchild in a home that once enjoyed the physical presence of 4 precious companions, and I am blessed to have my precious Noah as my loving, faithful companion.

I hope you and your vet will be able to work out a plan to help your precious Miles in his grief adjustment journey. I know your precious Miles has your enduring love, and this will help him through his deep sorrow.

Once again, Lindsey, I hope today is treating you, your family, and your precious Miles kindly. Please know you and your precious Miles are in my thoughts and prayers, and that I look forward to knowing how you both are doing.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

Miles seems to get more lethargic as the day goes on. At times he retreats away from us and at other times he comes and flops over on my feet. I am so scared to lose him too. I'm cautiously watching every breath he takes praying this will pass. I have been so consumed by my grief for Penny and spending time with him has been one of the few things that makes the ache a little less.

I'm trying to be positive and speak to him in upbeat happy tones because I know he senses my own hurt and I want him to know that no matter how much I miss her and am hurting for her - my love for him is tremendous.

Hi, Lindsey, thank you for sharing with us how your precious Miles and you are doing. I know you have a doctor's appointment with him today, and I hope your vet will be able to give you comfort and assistance in helping your precious Miles with his grief journey. I can so understand your concern and fear of losing him, too. Please know you and your precious Miles are in my thoughts and prayers, and look forward to knowing how you both are doing - - and whatever you would like to share with us about his follow up visit to the vet today.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

We need prayers. He got worse overnight so he had xrays and lab work today. His WBC count is very high and his kidneys and liver are struggling. They are keeping him for a few days. He will have an ultrasound in the morning. They are concerned that whatever is going on may turn septic.

I am in shock. Penny's remains where also there today so to walk in with one dog, have to leave him and walk out with the other in a bag is devastating.

Lindsey, thinking about you and Miles this morning. Hope all goes well. Please let us know.

Miles got to come home last night! (Well, to my parents' house at least - we had to go out of town for a wedding)

The vet was not hopeful Thursday. He made it through the night but was not really responding to anyone. After he had his ultrasound I was able to go and visit. He immediately perked up and she said he may have been pouting more than not feeling well. They finally released him last night. His pancreas and gall bladder were both inflamed but not horribly. He was diagnosed with Pancreatitis and we aren't sure what caused it. He'll be on a modified diet for the rest of his life but we can handle that.

Thank you all for the sweet words and prayers. I was not coping well at the thought of losing him a week after losing Penny.

Hi, Lindsey, thank you so much for sharing with us how your precious Miles and you are doing. I am soooo glad that he was able to come back home and is recuperating from his ordeal. Unfortunately our companions are very adept at disguising how badly they are feeling until it gets to a point where they can no longer successfully do it. This is a genetic trait they inherit from their wild cousins - - any sign of weakness, illness, injury makes them easy prey or forces an eviction from the healthier members of their "pack" or "pride". Equally unfortunately this inherited trait is little help to us - - their human caregivers. A flare of pancreatitis can be triggered by stress - - which the physical loss of your beloved Penny is definitely a major stressor. Although this was a very traumatic event, there is little doubt in my mind that your beloved Penny knew Miles was not feeling well BEFORE she transitioned home to the angels and through her loving vigilence enabled you to become aware of his medical needs so that he could continue to have a good quality of life journey with you and his family.

Once again I am so very glad that Miles is back home, and thank you so much for sharing this wonderfully good news with us. Please know you and your precious Miles are in my thoughts and prayers, Lindsey, and please let us know how the both of you are doing.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam