Frankie and Dino are now almost three years old:

haha, Frankie and Dino. Now that's a new kind of rat pack.

Frankie's twin?

His name is Cheeto

orange tabbys are the best

My new best friends
Hunter - less than a year old

Winston - **** hound

Dead ringer for our 15K free cat Riley - got him as a rescue from the no-kill shelter in Reno. They'd been holding him back because he had some sort of viral conjunctivitis as a kitten and they didn't want someone to take him who couldn't afford two or three eye infections a year, or something. (and never had another eye infection after we brought him home.

So we took him. Coolest cat I've ever had. At three he threw a clot to his hindquarters and was paralyzed. Vet told us to give it 48 hours but he had maybe a 1% chance of recovery. Had to pick him up and hold him in the litter box for two days. We agreed after two nights of no improvement we'd do the right thing the next morning and put him down. Walked down stairs and he was up on the counter.

Had him worked up - he has a kitty cardiomyopathy, formed a clot on the left side of his heart that went to his legs. He's on plavix, lasix, potassium, pimobendan and get 2x a day lovenox shots. Has to have a lung tap every 6 weeks or so. This Tuesday will be 1 year and 1 month.

So far, so good. He's curled up in my lap as I type this - as Dom noted, orange tabbies are the best.

MM MD

is there a thread on 2p2 about putting down our pets. wife and i are on the cusp of making the decision to put down our 9 year old lab mix. he's been a great dog but his immune system is breaking him down. cost to fight it is high and effort is a lot and chances aren't good. we don't want to see him suffer.

Not looking for advice, just support, and wondering if there is a thread on 2p2 for it. I don't want to be a downer in this one.

This is what he's facing: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites...cytopenia.aspx

Sorry to hear that, Judge. I don't mind it in this thread...but feel free to start another...everyone w a pet has to go through this at some time

Several pets have died in this thread. My great cat that was in the original post died in 2010, had a bad stroke and had to be euthanized. She had a good life, died at 16. RIP, Gray Kitty! She was a bigger star than George Michael in my book.

My GF had a cat named Gray Kitty!

we've got your back Judge...you can share anything here you're comfortable with.

Old dog is getting older...

There really is nothing better than pets

Thanks guys. It's sure hard. I miss Bricks so much already. Yes, we named him after a character in OZ. He was the best dog, so friendly to everyone. It was a great 9 years. The little things are what hurts the most.

Judge, I'm sorry to hear about Bricks. What you did for him is the most selfless thing any pet owner can do. I'm sure you gave him a great life and in the end, you chose not to prolong his suffering even though you knew his absence would hurt you. Your last act of kindness for him was made out of love. Feel better soon.

Judge,

i can relate to what you're experiencing....not because we've had to do it (yet), but because i have two close friends and also my in-laws that have had to make the same decision over the past few months with their aging buddies.

we found our guy when he was 8 weeks old, but now he is rapidly reaching double digits and it has become more and more apparent how his physical ability and quality of life are gradually deteriorating....it's nothing dramatic, but he just doesn't get around as nimbly as he used to, doesn't quite have the same appetite, seems to be progressively more gimpy when he tries to get up and about...but a couple of times a week he has those prolonged flashes of puppy enthusiasm and energy and we try to ride it out as long as we can. having typed all of that it sounds like a more than valid description of me as i push forward towards 50.

what's my point? whether we realize it or not at the time, what you just experienced and what i will inevitably experience in the next few years is what we sign up for when we let those furry friends into our lives. we miss them because we love them. if we didn't hurt when they're gone it's because we didn't love them, or we didn't appreciate how much they loved us when they were here.

congratulations on having a friend that brought so much joy into your life for so many years.

edit: was reading back through this thread and was reminded daryn went through a very similar experience as expressed in this poignant post. http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/sh...postcount=1010

Mortality helps define us and out little friends... celebrate their lives and be happy as they transition to everafter.

While loss is difficult for each of us in our own personal way, hanging onto that pain only illustrates our own emptiness.

Sharing their lives with us hers is the most pleasant and joyful thing you could do.

Judge,

So sorry.

About 20 years ago I came home from work to find my 13 y/o dog in acute distress. He was already extremely old for his breed and had a few health issues he was being treated for, but finding him like that was a shock and I was 99% certain what was called for. I phoned a vet who met us at his office and confirmed my fears. I was holding him for the injection and his final minutes. I was so choked up I could only nod as the vet asked me what I wanted to do next. I'm still tearing up writing about it now. As hard as that was, it was far outweighed by the prior 13 years. I wouldn't have traded that for anything.

Best wishes going forward.

Jesus, man, I'm sorry to hear this. He looks like one hell of a buddy.

My god phone typing sucks... fixed

I <3 animals. If I was totally rich, I'd open some kind of huge sanctaury for them. I don't know if anyone has ever seen the Hopeforpaws youtube channel, but the guy who does the rescues is something else.

Anyway, I can't remember if I have posted in this thread before, but below is Charlie. He is nearly 10 and is a 'Spoodle' (English Springer Spaniel crossed with a Miniature Poodle). We have never seen another poodle, although plenty of Cockapoos.

He is a legend. He is allergic to pretty much anything, and is on medication, but that doesn't stop him being a loveable lunatic.

We love him very much and he brings us so much joy

[IMG][/IMG]

Sorry to hear about your dog Bricks, JudgeHoldem.

Thanks everyone. It still hurts so much but I'm starting to heal

Sorry for your loss, Judge - he looks like a great companion.

MM MD

Sorry Judge dude. I'm sure Bricks was well loved and you gave him an incredible life.