View Full Version : Heart Disease in Dogs
Does anyone have experience with advanced heart disease in a dog?
iris lilies
7-16-20, 10:18pm
Heart is what kills most of my dogs, but I cannot speak intelligently to it.
My last bulldog died of a growth on or by his heart. Our favorite Frenchie died of congestive heart failure, and she was not ancient. As I sit here thinking — a lot of them died of heart failure, either heart gave out after lots of warning or they had massive surprise heart attacks.
My last dog was slowing down and I figured it was his heart, but I had two vets listen to his heart and they couldn’t hear anything wrong. Wasn’t until he had chest x-rays that we saw the growth. The event that caused me to have chest x-rays was that he fainted.
Simplemind
7-16-20, 10:37pm
My most beloved pooch died of congestive heart failure.
How did you know if they were in pain?
iris lilies
7-17-20, 11:16am
How did you know if they were in pain?
I dont kniw if they had pain. I dont think they did, “they” being the latest congestive heart dog and the mass-on-heart dog. They ate normally and were happy, just subdued in their actions and activity.
With Our congestive heart failure Frenchie I knew something was wrong because, after extreme exertion, she would step back and wobble a little on her feet, and breathe hard. This went on for a year before we took her in for another issue and our vet recognized pretty severe congestive heart failure. We euthanized her the next day.
My Lucy is starting to have days when she doesn't eat and then on days when she does eat, vomiting it all up. Four times in one day. Also, what began as coughing turned into chocking sounds and then quickly became difficulty breathing and a wet sound. And sometimes when I pick her up to put her on the couch she cries out in pain, it appears to be from the area by the armpit. She has grade 6 murmur.
There's a network of vets called Lap of Love that provides in home hospice and euthanasia services. I'm thinking of trying them out. Our last dog we waited too long and he was in a lot of pain when we had to rush him in to the vet on a Saturday morning. Luckily, we'd been there 3 days straight so he took us in right away and we put him out of his pain even immediately, though the waiting room was packed. But now, my vet has 2-week waiting periods for appts. and the local emergency vets have 3-4 hour waits. I just don't want her to suffer.
Teacher Terry
7-17-20, 11:52am
G, it sounds like the right decision. Cassie got CHF and was on 3 medications. 8 months later she was suffering and we had to let her go.
iris lilies
7-17-20, 12:00pm
Yeah, Teddy made coughing sounds for months. I noticed his distinct slowing down and coughing about six months before his heart mass was identified on x-ray. He was an old dog so his heart could’ve been failing in addition to the mass.
I am sorry to hear about Lucy.
It's just so hard because some mornings she is super happy and running around wiggling her tiny butt and leaping onto the couch to be with me. Other days she is low energy and has to be lifted on the couch very carefully to avoid hurting her and instead of cuddling with me she separates herself a few feet away. And she is the sweetest, most loving dog I've ever met. I've barely had any time to spoil her and love on her.
And with her being so tiny, just 6.5 lbs., I don't think she will tolerate meds very well.
Yeah, Teddy made coughing sounds for months. I noticed his distinct slowing down and coughing about six months before his heart mass was identified on x-ray. He was an old dog so his heart could’ve been failing in addition to the mass.
IL - did the vet say if Teddy was in pain?
Teacher Terry
7-17-20, 12:08pm
Cassie was 5lbs and did fine on all that medication. She had 3 meds 3x’s a day. Then I think she was having strokes because she would scream, pee herself and fall down.
Cassie was 5lbs and did fine on all that medication. She had 3 meds 3x’s a day. Then I think she was having strokes because she would scream, pee herself and fall down.
Oh, poor thing.
Just talked to two other vets, one is not taking any new clients and even for existing clients they are booked till late August. The other would be about $1,500 for exam, x-ray and ultrasound. They do have openings.
TT - how old was Cassie? Lucy is at least 12.
Lap of Love offers hospice for $450.
VETERINARY HOSPICE
Includes a brief examination by the veterinarian, a full assessment of your pet's quality of life, and a custom treatment plan to help you care for your pet and monitor their condition.
iris lilies
7-17-20, 12:29pm
IL - did the vet say if Teddy was in pain?
Vet did not say he was in pain. But I know my dog and if he was in appreciable pain, I would’ve known. Which is not to say that he didn’t have small pain because bulldogs have a huge tolerance for pain.
You are right to focus on pain because that is my big thing too – if I see evidence of pain lasting pain or also called “ discomfort” That’s my signal to do something because the discomfort will not get any better it will only get worse.
I’m still grateful for the end event of Velma’s life that took place I little more than a year and a half ago. She was 11 1/2 years old. That is a nice age for a bulldog although her mother lived to be 14. Velma ate dinner as usual, and 15 minutes later collapsed with a massive heart attack, dead in front of DH. It was beautifully swift.
Vet did not say he was in pain. But I know my dog and if he was in appreciable pain, I would’ve known. Which is not to say that he didn’t have small pain because bulldogs have a huge tolerance for pain.
You are right to focus on pain because that is my big thing too – if I see evidence of pain lasting pain or also called “ discomfort” That’s my signal to do something because the discomfort will not get any better it will only get worse.
Thanks. I do know Lucy has been in some pain and I do not see that getting any better. I just requested an appointment for hospice and I felt much better just knowing that the vet and I will focus on her comfort.
I’m still grateful for the end event of Velma’s life that took place I little more than a year and a half ago. She was 11 1/2 years old. That is a nice day for a bulldog although her mother lived to be 14. Velma ate dinner as usual, and 15 minutes later collapsed with a a massive heart attack, dead in front of DH. It was is beautifully swift.
This is what DH is hoping will happen but I'm trying to explain to him that it's not always this easy. I can't have her be in pain waiting for her to have a heart attack. :(
Teacher Terry
7-17-20, 12:56pm
As soon as Cassie had a few strokes we ended it. She had just turned 12.
iris lilies
7-17-20, 2:45pm
How sad that Lucy just came to you, and now this. But there can be a real sense of satisfaction in providing a soft landing for hospice care dogs. We have had two of them. I like hospice care because there is no surgical wounds to attend to, and usually no medications unless (for my breed) simple eye drops.
Turns out the Lap of Love doesn't offer hospice right now due to covid. All they can offer is advice (no meds) and euthanasia. So I made an appt. with the expensive hospital nearby. Do you guys see any reason why I should have them do the ultrasound and/or x-rays? It would be $1200-1400. I'm worried that they will pressure me to do them. The appt is in a few hours.
She had a great morning and I keep telling myself that the time to do all this, even the exam, is now, when she's feeling good rather than waiting till it's an emergency and she's feeling terrible.
Teacher Terry
7-17-20, 5:25pm
They can diagnose CHF by listening to the heart and then prescribe medication that makes it easier to breathe, etc.
iris lilies
7-17-20, 5:37pm
They can diagnose CHF by listening to the heart and then prescribe medication that makes it easier to breathe, etc.q
But isn’t that what she’s asking? Spend $1400 to diagnose? Why?
edited toadd: sorry,
i see what you mean, maybe CHS can be diagnosed with some certaintyby stethescope.
Can
the vet tell her exactly how long this dog has to live with medication that’s making her easier to breathe? No.
For me, I’m not going to do it. And $1400 is pretty easy for me to drop.
And then, I will also offer, unhelpfully, that my vet would do chest x-rays for not anywhere near that cost. I don’t remember how much Teddy’s chest x-rays were if it was over $200 I would be surprised.
The $1400 is to find out how far along it is, I'm guessing. A regular exam is $65. My regular vet didn't do anything other than listen to her chest, but he also didn't tell me what to look out for, how far along she is, at what point she's in pain, etc. Her bloodwork was normal. All he said was if her resting rate is under 30 she is ok, which it is, but she still has all these other issues. I don't think he even has the machines to do xrays, which is probably why he didn't offer it. If the xray and ultrasound are not necessary at this stage, I don't want to do it. It will be hard on her and the ultrasound is not done by them, they have to schedule someone to come in and do it so she has to be there all day. An xray with 2 shots is $450. HCOL. >:( My impression was that they would need at least 2 shots - the receptionist kept saying that it would all depend on the what vet found, but I worry that I won't be able to think straight when it's all happening in the moment, hence all the mental prep. If I do 1 xray that would be $225, so not terrible and hopefully they could do it when we're there.
When I called my regular vet yesterday about her not eating and then throwing up 4 times the next day, trouble breathing, etc.. I was told by his assistant that he doesn't have any openings for another 2 weeks. So, too much and too little is what it feels like.
IL - what would you do in my situation? Don't worry about being blunt. I want your opinion.
And Lucy's vision is deteriorating too. She now has to feel her way with her nose when she drinks water, even outside where its bright. I have to start accommodations for her on that.
iris lilies
7-17-20, 6:31pm
I don’t worry about a dog’s vision deteriorating. They will cope with that.
But you are describing multiple signs of discomfort —vomiting, pain when you pick her up.
OK, where again did the idea of a heart problem come from? Is that why you asked the question?
I just checked with DH on my memory of what took place with our French bulldog. Our vet listened to her heart, and heard something that caused him to take her to the back room to do ?xray ? or ?. Diagnosis was severe congestive heart failure.
There’s something wrong with Lucy, but you’re going have to spend money to get it diagnosed. I guess it all depends on how you were viewing this dog. I probably would have viewed her as a hospice dog. In my house she would be a hospice dog who was technically owned by Bulldog Rescue, and our Rescue head would not spend money to do further diagnosIs on a 12-year-old bulldog. Of course little dogs can live to be 17.
I do kind of, anymore, decide in my mind about the dogs. An example was my eldest Frenchie. She came into our house at age 12, She had two bouts of pneumonia each a year apart. I told our vet the next time she gets pneumonia we’re not gonna treat it we’re putting her down. Well that little brat, bless her heart, she lived with a snotty nose for another two years. She was a tough little beast. At that point I decided she was a hospice dog. And the last six months of her life she had occasional bloody stools until they became more frequent. She was still eating like a pig, but that’s bulldogs. When her bloody stools became frequent and extreme, I knew it was time to put her down because clearly Her internal organs were shot. It was the end of the line. And I didn’t do any diagnostics for it.
For me $1400 is easy Money, but it’s really not the $1400 that I don’t want to spend, it is the personal resources Like time to do doctors appointments and follow ups and etc. For a dog who is at least 12 years old and could be much older I do think this is the end of the line for her.
You provided a nice place for her to land and such a happy time in the last few weeks of her life, that is really really a good thing.
Gelia, so sorry you’re having to deal with this. Poor Lucy.
Well, this brings back memories. I was still active on this forum when I asked about putting down my dog Happy. It turns out he had a growth near his heart and exhibited many of the same symptoms your pup is.
Rereading that post made me cry but I would do it all over again.
Teacher Terry
7-17-20, 8:24pm
My vet diagnosed by listening to her heart and prescribed medications. No expensive tests.
iris lilies
7-17-20, 8:28pm
Well, this brings back memories. I was still active on this forum when I asked about putting down my dog Happy. It turns out he had a growth near his heart and exhibited many of the same symptoms your pup is.
Rereading that post made me cry but I would do it all over again.
Was he a three Legged dog?
Teacher Terry
7-17-20, 8:34pm
If the vomiting doesn’t stop then that’s the end. So sorry.
Ok. So the vet appt. went like this.
Him: we need to do lots of diagnostics to find the problem. x-rays, ultrasound, stool sample, blood sample, etc.....
Me: what did you find in your exam? how many x-rays do you need?
Him: I found nothing, we need to do lots of diagnostics, we need to do 3 x-rays tonight, right now. It could be her lungs, it could be her esophagus, it could be a bacterial infection, it could be her heart, there's no way to know without all the diagnostics.
Me: what happens after diagnotics?
Him: oh, then we see what further tests we need, like an exam with a cardiologist, etc... but we need to do 3 x-rays tonight.
So I took Lucy home. Their emailed summary was that the vet found nothing that would indicate Lucy's issues. Grade 4 heart murmur and that's it. He didn't find any pain spots, found nothing wrong with eyes even though she has advanced cataracts, didn't even bother to check her anal glands which I mentioned had been impacted. I was not allowed to be in the room during the exam. He kept pushing for lots of diagnostics and never once mentioned her advanced age. I think he only noted the heart murmur because it was listed on the shelter's paperwork that I gave them.
So their $65 full exam yielded less info than my vet's $25 exam. And I understand now why my vet did not pursue further action.
IL - you are officially Lucy's godmother. And no, the honor cannot be declined. I'm going to spoil the heck out of her for the rest of her days. I will count on you to help me see when it's time to let her go.
I'm doing a Lucy journal so I can keep track of her good days/bad days to know when it's time to let her go. She was great yesterday - and was SO happy when we brought her back home from the vets! And this morning she was happy and energetic but then threw up undigested wet food on her new bed and freshly washed blankie. She thought she was in trouble, but I just put on her warm hoodie (I keep the house pretty cold) and put her in a new bed and now she's napping.
Pain Meds - what do you guys give your dogs for general pain relief? Achy joints and such. She is old and I hear her joints creaking all the time. And most evenings she can't get up on the couch unassisted. My vet is just inundated and the vet last night would not prescribe anything without all the expensive diagnostics.
And finally - thank you, thank you all for your good thoughts and supportive comments. I was a mess yesterday and you guys helped me through it.
iris lilies
7-18-20, 2:05pm
Oh gosh, that’s good news and bad news all rolled into one.
I know for me I absolutely love having Diana, our head of rescue, at the other end of the phone. When I first had Teddy Bear years ago, he stopped being able to pee. I knew that that was serious and I kind of fell apart because it was a Sunday, so I called her right away and she agreed to go to the emergency room where they found kidney stones.
But at that point because she was backing me up and she was there with me, she had made arrangements to take him to our rescue bulldog vet who is easily a third of the price of the emergency vets. And also we know him and trust him. So the ER vet massaged the stones out of his urethrae and the next day at a different bet 40 miles away he had surgery.
I couldn’t have done that without her active support, and that means she was actually with me at the vet appointments. TL; DR It really helps to have support!
iris lilies
7-18-20, 2:19pm
Rimadyl for pain. It’s not just for joints, it is for actual pain. Our current foster dog is recovering from surgery and he’s getting Rimadyl daily.
If your regular vet charges $25 Per exam and does not have x-ray equipment, he sounds like a low tech old school vet that that’s good to go to for low level stuff. My low level vet charges $45 for an exam anymore.
Rimadyl for pain. It’s not just for joints, it is for actual pain. Our current foster dog is recovering from surgery and he’s getting Rimadyl daily.
If your regular vet charges $25 Per exam and does not have x-ray equipment, he sounds like a low tech old school vet that that’s good to go to for low level stuff. My low level vet charges $45 for an exam anymore.
Thanks - I'll get some from my vet.
Oh gosh, that’s good news and bad news all rolled into one.
I know for me I absolutely love having Diana, our head of rescue, at the other end of the phone. When I first had Teddy Bear years ago, he stopped being able to pee. I knew that that was serious and I kind of fell apart because it was a Sunday, so I called her right away and she agreed to go to the emergency room where they found kidney stones.
But at that point because she was backing me up and she was there with me, she had made arrangements to take him to our rescue bulldog vet who is easily a third of the price of the emergency vets. And also we know him and trust him. So the ER vet massaged the stones out of his urethrae and the next day at a different bet 40 miles away he had surgery.
I couldn’t have done that without her active support, and that means she was actually with me at the vet appointments. TL; DR It really helps to have support!
You were my experienced virtual support. Dh was with me and I told them I needed to talk to my rescue org. before making any decisions. Not true since Lucy's mine now, but it was a good exit strategy. The convo with vet was done by phone so it was easier to hold my ground.
IL - is it safe to give her aspirin or ibuprofen for a few days till I get the Rimadyl from the vet?
Geila, we get glucosamine chondroitin chews for our dog who had an acl tear and has ongoing ups and downs with her leg. We also give her salmon oil bt don't think that would help her stomach.
Teacher Terry
7-18-20, 3:38pm
No don’t give her either of those. They were trying to run up the bill because they can hear heart issues with a stethoscope.
iris lilies
7-18-20, 3:54pm
No don’t give her either of those. They were trying to run up the bill because they can hear heart issues with a stethoscope.
I don’t think it is that simple.Two vets could not identify Teddy’s heart growth by simply listening with a stethoscope.
Agree, no aspirin or ibuprofen. Your local vet sounds like a reasonable guy so he should be guiding you in dosing this dog, just tell him you’re giving hospice care now. if Lucy has been putting up with her achy joints until now, she can last another couple of days.
I will say as an aside that I was amazed how effective Rimidyl was for one of our little old fat rescue dogs who waddled around on bad joints. The Rimadyl did make an obvious difference to how she walk.
Teacher Terry
7-18-20, 4:00pm
I L, I meant that they can diagnose CHF that way. I thought that was the concern.
iris lilies
7-18-20, 4:29pm
I L, I meant that they can diagnose CHF that way. I thought that was the concern.
I dont think the second vet was trying to upsell services. He just didn’t have a diagnosis without more advanced testing. That is fine.
He was! You remember!
He was actually my first photo post on FB.
iris lilies
7-18-20, 6:20pm
He was! You remember!
He was actually my first photo post on FB.
Three legged dogs are unusual. I remember you agonized about the leg.
mschrisgo2
7-18-20, 7:14pm
Geila, see if your regular vet will prescribe Flagyl for her stomach upset. We used it a lot in rescue. And most recently, it totally cured my 10 yr old cocker who had all sorts of stuff going on. Very inexpensive med.
She sounds quite a bit like another cocker, that I lost her 3 years ago to lung cancer. We though at first it was heart failure.
Cassie was 5lbs and did fine on all that medication. She had 3 meds 3x’s a day. Then I think she was having strokes because she would scream, pee herself and fall down.
TT - did the medication help with her vomiting and difficulty breathing?
Teacher Terry
7-19-20, 2:33pm
Yes she had a okay quality of life for 8 months. She slept a lot.
Yes she had a okay quality of life for 8 months. She slept a lot.
Thanks. I'm going to show up at my vets tomorrow and ask for meds for her.
Teacher Terry
7-19-20, 3:38pm
2 of the medications she took were vetmindin and gabapentin. The average life with CHF is 6-18 months.
Geila, see if your regular vet will prescribe Flagyl for her stomach upset. We used it a lot in rescue. And most recently, it totally cured my 10 yr old cocker who had all sorts of stuff going on. Very inexpensive med.
She sounds quite a bit like another cocker, that I lost her 3 years ago to lung cancer. We though at first it was heart failure.
Thank you, mschrisgo2. I looked up lung cancer and the symptoms fit that as well.
Thanks, TT. I've written down all the medication you guys have mentioned and will take it with me tomorrow.
Saw vet this morning. Lucy was breathing very hard and he was concerned about that. Confirmed that it's her heart starting to fail. The vomiting is a side effect of the CHF. And the body pain is either a back sprain or OA in her back. Came home with meds for heart, pain, and nausea. He gave me what he had on hand and said if it doesn't help we'll try something else. He's on board with providing hospice only.
Enalapril - for congestive heart failure.
Famotidine - for nausea and pain after eating (esophagus).
Galliprant - for pain, inflammation and osteoarthritis.
iris lilies
7-20-20, 1:43pm
Saw vet this morning. Lucy was breathing very hard and he was concerned about that. Confirmed that it's her heart starting to fail. The vomiting is a side effect of the CHF. And the body pain is either a back sprain or OA in her back. Came home with meds for heart, pain, and nausea. He gave me what he had on hand and said if it doesn't help we'll try something else. He's on board with providing hospice only.
Enalapril - for congestive heart failure.
Famotidine - for nausea and pain after eating (esophagus).
Galliprant - for pain, inflammation and osteoarthritis.
lThis sounds like an excellent plan going forward.
As soon as I decide to let Lucy go I become too emotional to call the vet. And then I decide I should give her a few more days just in case and I get a stomachache.
iris lilies
7-21-20, 7:41pm
As soon as I decide to let Lucy go I become too emotional to call the vet. And then I decide I should give her a few more days just in case and I get a stomachache.
How is she feeling day to day? Is she eating? What is going on with her? I’m going to be very firm and remind you, this is about her, it’s not about you.
Of course, it is about you, too! But we, the humans, are secondary In this end of life scenario. When you say “let her go “you mean any day now? I don’t know what her current quality-of-life is.
In my opinion, there’s nothing wrong with waiting longer as she moves into the continuum of illness. If you need to see evidence of her in pain and suffering, well, a little of that is OK. I know too many people who really need to see that.
I just do not because I’ve done it too many times. I like them to go out when they’re still toddling around and not in pain. Partly that’s because that’s how I would like to go out. Partly it’s because once they start down this path, it doesn’t get any better, and then you find yourself on a Friday afternoon on a holiday weekend and your vet is closed for three days. So then your choice is to go to the emergency room for $1000 and your pet is suffering openly, and you have to do it.
It’s all too much drama for me when it can be a very calm end.
Teacher Terry
7-21-20, 9:21pm
I wait until they are suffering. This is my criteria. They must have more bad days than good.
iris lilies
7-21-20, 10:35pm
I wait until they are suffering. This is my criteria. They must have more bad days than good.
That’s a good way to look at it.
How is she feeling day to day? Is she eating? What is going on with her? I’m going to be very firm and remind you, this is about her, it’s not about you.
Of course, it is about you, too! But we, the humans, are secondary In this end of life scenario. When you say “let her go “you mean any day now? I don’t know what her current quality-of-life is.
In my opinion, there’s nothing wrong with waiting longer as she moves into the continuum of illness. If you need to see evidence of her in pain and suffering, well, a little of that is OK. I know too many people who really need to see that.
I just do not because I’ve done it too many times. I like them to go out when they’re still toddling around and not in pain. Partly that’s because that’s how I would like to go out. Partly it’s because once they start down this path, it doesn’t get any better, and then you find yourself on a Friday afternoon on a holiday weekend and your vet is closed for three days. So then your choice is to go to the emergency room for $1000 and your pet is suffering openly, and you have to do it.
It’s all too much drama for me when it can be a very calm end.
The bolded sections really hit home.
Her days go up and down and just when I think she is on one end, she bounces to the other. But tonight, just an hour ago she drank some water and immediately threw up twice and I can tell she's in discomfort because she ran away each time she threw up, which she's never done before. we were outside and she generally enjoys that, especially on a nice evening like tonight. She wanted to come in and she ran to her bed and buried herself under her blankets. After a while I tried to tempt her with a bit of honey to soothe her throat, which she normally likes, but she just looked at it longingly and didn't budge from her bed.
The medications are not helping. They're supposed to be fast-acting, within 1-2 hours, but I have not seen any changes. The worst part is that she's really hungry, she has a good appetite and is excited to eat, but each time she eats she throws up. Now that she can't keep water down, I know that I need to put her down. This is exactly what happened with my old dog when he went into kidney failure. He was in a great deal of pain within a couple of days. I'm taking her in tomorrow morning, first thing. Dh said he'll come home early from work to go with me (he's at work by 5am.)
IL - don't let me chicken out.
Teacher Terry
7-22-20, 1:46am
Geila, I am sorry but you are doing the right thing. I was hoping she had more time. IL is a great dog lover and we all just want what’s best. Maybe she was sent to you so she could know pure love before passing.
iris lilies
7-22-20, 12:01pm
Today’s the day for Lucy and I hope that goes well. As well as can be expected.
Gelia, I'm so sorry. Hope things go well. You gave her a good ending.
I'm sorry about Lucy--end of life issues are the giant downside of having beloved pets.
Lucy had a beautiful morning after a night of cuddles and lots of love, sleeping right next to mom under her soft blanket. She started the morning with a lovely walk with her whole family, where she got to enjoy all the smells, sunshine, and fresh air she wanted. Then she spent lots of time sniffing every nook and cranny in the front yard for signs of potential invaders. Next, she got all of her favorite treats fed to her in her soft bed, and ate as much as she wanted. That was followed by sitting in the sun in the backyard listening to the birds and enjoying head rubs from mom and dad. And finally, she went in a car ride wrapped up in her favorite blanket and held in mom's arms with all the windows down so she could smell and feel the fresh air, and visited her vet who gave her a quick shot while mom and dad held her and kissed her and told her how much they loved her. And she never vomited, not once. It was the best kind of day: sunny with a nice cool breeze, 70 degrees. Perfect. The perfect day for a perfect girl.
Rest in Peace, Lucylu. A sweet goofy loving soul that we will miss dearly.
iris lilies
7-22-20, 5:04pm
What a beautiful last day she had. Very nice.
What a beautiful last day she had. Very nice.
You had a lot to do with it. Thank you.
Gelia, thank you for sharing the photos. Poor wee Lucy. So glad she had a good day.
Rest in Peace LucyLu, you remind me of our little pudgy Dottie.
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rosarugosa
7-22-20, 6:12pm
I'm so sorry, Geila. You gave her a wonderful final act.
Maybe she was sent to you so she could know pure love before passing.
Thanks, TT. I really needed to hear that this morning. She was definitely loved and I hope she knew it. I held on to your words to get me through.
Thank you, Jane, Tradd, Alan and Rosa. Your thoughts and words are much appreciated.
Can I confess that when I felt my resolve wavering this morning, the thought of having to come on here and incur the wrath of IL kept my from buckling?
iris lilies
7-22-20, 9:14pm
Thank you, Jane, Tradd, Alan and Rosa. Your thoughts and words are much appreciated.
Can I confess that when I felt my resolve wavering this morning, the thought of having to come on here and incur the wrath of IL kept my from buckling?
She who must Be obeyed!!
Teacher Terry
7-22-20, 11:22pm
Geila, I just saw the pictures and read about her wonderful day and am crying. I am so sorry for all of you. This is the hardest part of loving our babies. Hugs:))
Geila, I just saw the pictures and read about her wonderful day and am crying. I am so sorry for all of you. This is the hardest part of loving our babies. Hugs:))
It was hard, but you know, I wouldn't trade it. We had a brief but beautiful love affair, her and I. She was a complete joy and I'm grateful for our time together. When we were outside the vet's office yesterday waiting to go in, I was holding her in my arms and she was looking around so peacefully and then she licked my face several times with the sweetest expression on her face. I think she was trying to comfort me and tell me that she loved me. And maybe that she was ready to go. She sure enjoyed her last meal - she ate a lot of treats! :) And being hand-fed while lounging in bed didn't hurt either. ;)
Today I keep expecting to see her. She loved to sleep on my bed buried under a fleece blanket and I would let her sleep in as long as she wanted. And this morning I started walking to my bedroom thinking: I wonder if Lucy's ready for a cuddle. 💓
I have so many good memories of her that today has actually been a very good day, just thinking about her when she was goofy and cute and loving and smart and sweet...
I'm going to change my screen name to hers so that I will think of her every time I type it in.
That’s so lovely to hear.
Teacher Terry
7-23-20, 3:21pm
I rescued a old sick Maltese that was neglected. He only lived 6 months but I never regretted it.
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