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Dog Days/Afternoons...

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I don't want to drag everyone down, but probably the hardest part of being a pet parent is knowing when to let go and say goodbye.

After ten days and nights of constant, gut-wrenching coughing (which we had initially thought was viral), x-rays a week apart confirmed our worst suspicions: our deaf, adorable Shih Tzu money pit Isabella was in heart failure. Her 15 year old heart was very enlarged; her valves weren't pumping blood efficiently at all. With her other comorbidities, we felt that weeks of medical treatment were merely delaying the inevitable.

Yesterday our former tax-deduction son told his boss he needed off at lunchtime. Didn't ask, TOLD. He wasn't about to miss Izzy's bon voyage.

We have given all our dogs the best, last day ever and Isabella was no exception: after the x-ray and vet visit, with her farewell scheduled later the same day, we made the rounds. We took her to her boarding place so the staff there could love on her one more time. We took her to her groomer for a fond farewell (Izzy was just happy to leave without a bath and grooming!). Later, we took our trash to the county convenience center (we don't have residential trash service in the county) where her friend Lee worked. His wife works at the county recycling center, but it's only open two days a week and we weren't about to string her along two more days. Not in her condition. She was ready.

When son got there, I grilled pork chops and ribeye steaks. Izzy gobbled up a dish loaded with both.

At the appointed time, we all went back into the room. We put her blanket from home on the table. Her favorite toy, a small squeaky duck she'd arrived with, was right there to see her off. We loved on her one last time: I whispered "you're a good doggy" on the top of her head, hoping she would at least "hear me" through the vibrations. And we sent her off to Rainbow Bridge.

The Darling Bride and I were married in 1990... and we have never been without cats, dogs, and/or kids in the house. We've vowed to each other that we will have no more pets; that we're traveling. We've been too busy to really stop and grieve, but I know that time is imminent. We knew we would be train wrecks for awhile when Izzy was finally gone. Now she's gone and it's time for us to be train wrecks. If I'm a little scarce, or if my presence here is same as usual, just understand that I'm trying to cope. I've had little laser beams on me every waking hour of every day, for years. Those laser beams have all gone dark.

It's a new thing I need to work through.

RIP ISABELLA - January 21, 2010 to March 17, 2025
 
I'm so very sorry Chief. Good on you and your wife for not being selfish and doing the right thing. You gave your beloved Isabella a great home that was filled with love and as a good doggie... she returned that love without question. How blessed your life has been with the company of your pet family members. Treasure your memories but have no regrets.
 
The_Chief said:
I don't want to drag everyone down, but probably the hardest part of being a pet parent is knowing when to let go and say goodbye.

After ten days and nights of constant, gut-wrenching coughing (which we had initially thought was viral), x-rays a week apart confirmed our worst suspicions: our deaf, adorable Shih Tzu money pit Isabella was in heart failure. Her 15 year old heart was very enlarged; her valves weren't pumping blood efficiently at all. With her other comorbidities, we felt that weeks of medical treatment were merely delaying the inevitable.

Yesterday our former tax-deduction son told his boss he needed off at lunchtime. Didn't ask, TOLD. He wasn't about to miss Izzy's bon voyage.

We have given all our dogs the best, last day ever and Isabella was no exception: after the x-ray and vet visit, with her farewell scheduled later the same day, we made the rounds. We took her to her boarding place so the staff there could love on her one more time. We took her to her groomer for a fond farewell (Izzy was just happy to leave without a bath and grooming!). Later, we took our trash to the county convenience center (we don't have residential trash service in the county) where her friend Lee worked. His wife works at the county recycling center, but it's only open two days a week and we weren't about to string her along two more days. Not in her condition. She was ready.

When son got there, I grilled pork chops and ribeye steaks. Izzy gobbled up a dish loaded with both.

At the appointed time, we all went back into the room. We put her blanket from home on the table. Her favorite toy, a small squeaky duck she'd arrived with, was right there to see her off. We loved on her one last time: I whispered "you're a good doggy" on the top of her head, hoping she would at least "hear me" through the vibrations. And we sent her off to Rainbow Bridge.

The Darling Bride and I were married in 1990... and we have never been without cats, dogs, and/or kids in the house. We've vowed to each other that we will have no more pets; that we're traveling. We've been too busy to really stop and grieve, but I know that time is imminent. We knew we would be train wrecks for awhile when Izzy was finally gone. Now she's gone and it's time for us to be train wrecks. If I'm a little scarce, or if my presence here is same as usual, just understand that I'm trying to cope. I've had little laser beams on me every waking hour of every day, for years. Those laser beams have all gone dark.

It's a new thing I need to work through.

RIP ISABELLA - January 21, 2010 to March 17, 2025
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Be assured that you enhanced her quality of life, as she did yours. You are and were the best dog parents Isabella could have wished for. I/we know the pain and grief. We had to say goodbye to our latest rescue only 3 weeks ago from a progressive brain tumor and now almost constant seizures. Just 4 years old. But like you Chief, it was a relationship made in heaven, that was meant to be, to provide love and quality care that our dogs (legitimate family members) were not likely to find elsewhere. You did good Chief and Darling Bride.
 
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The pain of letting them go seems nearly overwhelming, in part because that happens all-at-once, and that moment is crammed with thousands of moments, hours and days of love and joy heaped upon love and joy. The pain is horrendous, but only because the love was so tremendous, and who would knowingly foresake all the love and joy just to be spared the deep cuts of pain?

We grieve with you and wish you all the best as you stumble through this chapter of your lives.
 
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