RIP my lovely Lou

[TUTTSI]

Re: RIP my lovely Lou

That is a lovely poem Enaid, it definately pulls at the heartstrings.

God Bless

Tuttsi xxx

[Hurricane Puffrose]

Re: RIP my lovely Lou

your not harping on to my mind, you are grieving, and yes you can grieve for a pet.
They become your baby, your friend and that means you have been the type of owner you wished to be.

After many years of being greeted every day, the sudden lack of that waggy tail is a culture shock. Please.. tell us about her. What was her funniest characteristic, our Lu has a way of looking at you with her head on one side and one ear on inside out.. we call it her Captain Mainwaring look!

RIP means Rest In Peace... in this case I suggest it should also mean Remembering Incredible Pet!

[Inca]

Re: RIP my lovely Lou

That poem is so sweet,I have copied it down. And as for 'harping on',,you 'harp on' as much as you want to.I know when my dads GSD died it was the only time I saw him cry(as a child). My Bustercat died and I was devastated,beyond grief,it was awful and I missed him so much,I thought people might think I was daft,after all,he was JUST a cat,but he wasn't JUST a cat,,he was MY cat and I loved him.

[Turboman]

Re: RIP my lovely Lou

...afraid I have a little tear..as I know we have same to come

[labman]

Re: RIP my lovely Lou

What a lovely poem - it certainly brings tears to your eyes.

[MissFM]

Re: RIP my lovely Lou

Thank you Enaid for sharing that massively moving poem. Tears also (can hardly see to type).

That expresses so well what we all find out as we grow older and wiser to be the truth. When you are young you have false hopes and do anything to keep a loved companion alive, not yet realising that there has to be something in it for them, that the suffering will not end unless you end it for them - that it is your final responsibility to a loved being that has a shorter life span (and is dependent on you) to let them go.

Really feel for you Enaid.

The grief for a loved animal is so very intense because it also closes a chapter in life that one maybe just wasn't ready to close.

Prayers, thoughts, love from my heart even though I don't know you xx

[enaid]

Re: RIP my lovely Lou

I sincerely thank you all for putting up with my grieving and all the lovely things that have been said.
The poem touched me deeply because I did stay with her exactly like was said, holding her tightly and talking to her to the end. I didn't leave her until it was sure she was gone. My husband and daughter said goodbye beforehand then left the room.
She was lay as she did asleep and had I not known the ending I would have thought no different.

Staffies have such a bad press but I can say hand on heart she would never have harmed a hair on any of our heads, especially her bessy mate our Tilly (our daughter with learning difficulties) as for other dogs and indeed any animal apart from the human kind I could not say but never gave her the opportunity to be tested.
I miss her badly and I know it's not going to be a quick healing process for me, am always a little slow at most stuff.
Once again I can not thank each and everyone of you who understand and have been here for me on this very emotional matter .
Enaid xx

[Hurricane Puffrose]

Re: RIP my lovely Lou

its not the breed its the FAMILY that count!

We were told that Ridgebacks were vicious and cruel.. mines mean as cat litter and is atm a pillow for a 9 year old, infact our BEWARE FO THE DOG sign say SOD THE DOG, BEWARE OF THE CAT!!

I know that at the moment you cant think about it, but hopefully there will be another 4 legged companion that, while not filling the Lou shaped space in your heart, can form a them shaped space instead.

You were her best friend all her life, thank you for staying her best friend at the end..

[Inca]

Re: RIP my lovely Lou

It's just dawned on me (cos I'm a tad slow) that HANK,,Robs brothers dog,is a Staffie and that doofus is as vicious as marmalade!! He is such a softie,,he loves company,he goes doolallytat when the phone rings ,adores scaring that poop out of anyone who rings the doorbell but has the softest sweetest nature,they are a lovely breed.

[MissFM]

Re: RIP my lovely Lou

Enaid - my mother used to breed Staffies and they were our best friends during childhood. As you say -it is incredible what they will allow children to do to them (dressed in dolls clothes, pushed in prams, unbelievable indignities - all nobly born). I remember when my mother told me ( after I'd left home) that the oldest old boy (our first) had had to be put to sleep. It was at a solemn function in Oxford, in the Ladies Loo, that she told me - and neither of us could re-enter the function for sobbing.

Ma would never just sell the puppies, homes had to be vetted, and often people didn't measure up so we sort of stock-piled them on and off - then the right home would magically appear.

But they were beasts with other dogs!

Your little Lou reminds me so much of one of the puppies (ours were nearly all brindle and white then this magical little RED appeared!) Ma called her Janine - can't remember where she went, or what her final name was, this is over 40 years ago - but as well as being over the top pretty she had an exceptionally sweet temperament.

A propos of nothing - just wanted to share it with you. xxx

[MissFM]

Re: RIP my lovely Lou

And just remembered also - there was a very snowy winter in the 60's and my eldest bro and i harnessed the staffies to a sled (ridiculously heavy as homemade by the Dad - and we just found it too much effort to pull it back up the hill so the Staffies dutifully did it - they were so intelligent and obliging we didn't even have to train them! Truly wonder dogs!

[enaid]

Re: RIP my lovely Lou

I am putting this article I found on here because I had no idea about the signs of kidney failure in my lovely Lou. The weight loss would not have become obvious to us as she had a large mass in her tummy that made her look quite chunky (bit like her mum), this was 50/50 chance of being cancerous and this would have been operated on if her kidneys would have been healthy enough for her to undergo the op. I am still very upset as you would imagine but reading this has eased my pain a little and the guilt I felt. I hope if you read this it will give a little understanding of what to watch for when your dog is getting on in years or indeed if you have a younger one that is showing the signs in the article.



There are numerous signs of kidney disease in dogs and they can range very subtle and fairly non- specific, to the complete opposite where they are severe. If it is a chronic form of kidney disease, the signs your dog shows may be very slow in developing. In this case, it may just appear that your dog is simply not feeling well, unless you know and understand the different signs to watch for. However, if it is an acute form caused by something like a toxic reaction, the signs will be both very rapid as well as quite severe.

There are several potential causes of kidney disease, but in the vast majority of cases it is the result of your dog aging and their kidneys slowing starting to fail. However, there are other causes including congenital and inherited disorders, viral, fungal, or bacterial infections, as well as cancer. Kidney disease can also be the result of Amyloidosis, which is caused by abnormal deposits of certain types of protein in their kidney, inflammation, or an autoimmune disease. It can also be the result of some type of trauma or a toxic reaction to a poison or medication.

The signs:

Signs of kidney disease in dogs come in several variations and can mimic the same signs seen in liver or pancreatic diseases, as well as urinary tract disorders. However, perhaps the most important thing an owner can do when watching for these signs, is to closely monitor your dogs weight. The weight loss will be gradual, but in the end, it will be very apparent and very alarming.

Polydipsia and Polyuria:

The first signs of kidney disease in dogs are known as polydipsia and polyuria. The term polydipsia refers to an extreme as well as excessive amount of water intake by your dog, which in turn leads to polyuria, which is a formation and then the natural excretion of very large amounts of urine as the result of the excessive drinking. This condition can also be the signs of diabetes mellitus, liver disease, or high blood calcium, but in the majority of cases, it is the result of kidney failure.

This is very easy for an owner to spot, as a normal dog will intake about 40 to 80 milliliters per pound of body weight each day. This equals about 6 to 8 cups of water daily for a 40 pound dog. As such, it is half that amount for a 20 pound dog and double for an 80 pound dog. Anything that exceeds this level is considered to be polydipsia and should be taken very seriously. As it increases in severity, your dog may begin to drink from a faucet or from the toilet as their need increases.

If you do suspect this is occurring, completing shut off all other water sources so you can measure the exact amount that your dog is drinking. If they exceed the normal levels, call your veterinarian as soon as possible.

Oliguria and Anuria:

The next set signs of kidney disease in dogs are referred to as oliguria and anuria, which are the complete opposite of the first set of signs. Oliguria is a slow decrease in your dogs urination even though they may be drinking larger amounts of water. This is a condition that at best is very hard to actually spot in your dog, but anuria is not. Anuria is the lack or urination by your dog, and is almost always the result of acute kidney failure.

It is technically defined as the complete suppression or urine production by your dogs kidneys. In a normal and healthy dog, their kidneys produce one to two ml of urine per kilogram of body weight every hour of the day. If they produce less than 1 ml/kg per hour, it is considered to be oliguria where very little urine is being produced. If no urine is produced, it is anuria and is now a very serious situation.

There is one thing very important to note about this condition, as it can often be confused with kidney stones. Kidney stones obstruct urine from passing properly, but they do not result in the lack of urine production, and must be treated in entirely different ways.

Nocturia:

The next set of signs of kidney disease in dogs is referred to as nocturia, and if you see this sign in conjunction with either of the first set of signs, there is usually very little doubt about what your dog has. This is a situation where your dog will start to basically wet their bed at night. It will usually start as very small amounts but as the kidney disease increases, so does the voiding of urine during your pets sleep.

Hematuria:

Hematuria is the presence of red blood cells in your dogs urine, and it usually is very difficult to spot at first. However, as it increases, it is much easier to spot. This condition has several potential causes, but when it is combined with other symptoms; it is yet another set of signs of kidney disease in dogs.

Weight loss:

Weight loss is perhaps the most chilling and confusing set of signs simply because in most cases it will make absolutely no sense. In isolated cases, dogs with kidney disease will become anorexic and stop eating, but in the majority of cases, especially involving the final stages of the aging process, your dog has a very healthy appetite. However, it will seem that the more that they eat and drink, the thinner they become. This is not an illusion; your dogs body can no longer hold and absorb nutrients and as a result, weight loss occurs.

Halitosis:

Signs of kidney disease in dogs will almost always include halitosis, which is bad breath in dogs. But this is much different than what is referred to as dogs breath, as it will be almost nauseating to owners. It is the result of a toxic build up in your dogs blood stream and the result, is a very extreme and foul odor.

Other signs:

Other signs of kidney disease in dogs will include vomiting as well as diarrhea. Neither one may be severe, but you will begin to notice both occurring much more as your dogs kidneys begin to fail. Your dog may also start to develop a hunched position or a reluctance to move at times, because of the pain of this disease.

More signs may include pale mucous membranes from a decrease in red blood cells, as well as ulcers that may form in your dogs mouth, most commonly on their tongue, gums, or inside or their cheeks.

Summary:

These signs of kidney disease in dogs are certainly not all conclusive, but represent the major signs that your dog will show with this eventually life taking condition. In some cases young and middle aged dogs can be treated successfully, but with an older dog, there is very little than can be done other than comforting them in their final days. In most cases, having them put down is the only viable option as they are basically wasting away right before your eyes.

[MissFM]

Re: RIP my lovely Lou

Thank you for that, Enaid , it's pretty informative.

By-the-by - you have been up all night.

You have no reason to feel guilty, none at all - the wrong thing to have done would be to keep her in this world and suffering because you couldn't bear to let her go. We did this to an adored cat many years ago - knew that the situation was irretrievable but didn't bite the bullet. Had stupid hopes and dreams. Never,never,never again.


You did the right thing and you had to and you did it out of love.

But your grief will remain intense and you just have to endure it - you have to sob - let the tears take over until you can't cry anymore.

Hope this doesn't seem too presumptious to you. It's meant in kindness and I suppose a kind of awe - love and grief always connect people on the deepest level. x

[EXC]

Re: RIP my lovely Lou

Hope this cheers you up Nelly http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVwlMVYqMu4

[enaid]

Re: RIP my lovely Lou

LOL Brill thank you xx