Life with A Lab Over 10

[windycanyon]

My last 2 have been without any warning. Roxy who died of anaphylactic shock (black widow most likely) last Feb 2015, and then Fuji (12+) 3 wks ago the night before I returned from a trip where I was helping my mom adjust after losing my dad.
Death just sucks folks.... There is no relief in some of these situations. Just emptiness. I'd almost rather deal w/ the known dying dog than this. Anne

[Dakota is my girl.]

I am so blessed to have a vet that will come to my house. I am single also and have no way to get the dog to the vet’s office. Dakota does not like the vet’s office anyway so it was better for her to be able to stay home. I was able to lay on the floor with her before he arrived and love on her and hold her for a little while.
I have a wonderful friend that has stayed with me for Dakota and Jack (He was my German Shepherd that I had to put down last year). She cried with me and stayed with me as long as I needed her to. She is an awesome friend.
My vet took Dakota back to his office and a local pet crematory service picked her up the next day in a little hearse they have. I opted to get her ashes back along with a paw print and a few locks of hair. It was $185. Still need to find out what the vet bill is. He charged me $35 when he came and put Jack to sleep.
I tried not to focus on her being sick because it made me sad and I didn’t want her last few weeks spent with me sending that vibe to her. I tried to be happy and to just give her a lot of love and attention. As POPTOP posted in another thread, “Remember, she does not know she is sick, she is living every day with the pure joy and love Labradors are born with”. POPTOP, thank you for that.

[MontananDakota]

... his ashes will be kept until my time to go and he will be with me forever.

In the end you have to do what is right for you and what makes you comfortable.

I hadn't even thought of this-thank you so much for this beautiful idea.

[Annette47]

I hadn't even thought of this-thank you so much for this beautiful idea.

Yes, we have Scully and Mulder’s ashes too and they will be buried with us (depends on who goes first, LOL). Jolie’s we had shipped back to her owner so that she can be buried with her.

[Annette47]

My last 2 have been without any warning. Roxy who died of anaphylactic shock (black widow most likely) last Feb 2015, and then Fuji (12+) 3 wks ago the night before I returned from a trip where I was helping my mom adjust after losing my dad.
Death just sucks folks.... There is no relief in some of these situations. Just emptiness. I'd almost rather deal w/ the known dying dog than this. Anne

I think my worst fear is losing them without warning, especially a young dog

[Tanya]

thanks again everyone.

Interesting I was thinking it may be a slight bit easier if there wasn't a dragged out build up to their loss (if it were more sudden) but the posts here and a similar story from a friend seem to all indicate it's worse

I have mixed feelings about having it done at home. There are definite "pluses" but then i'd worry that spot would always be "where he died". And going with a vet i don't know (fairly certain my own vet won't do this). I may chat with them next visit if I am up to the conversation for some information. The cost is sad, I see posts online asking for help sending a dog to the bridge because the family is flat broke and it's not cheap.

I do prefer doing it "one day early" so there is less pain. My dad seems to have some guilt at having waited too long with our last family dog

I do try extra hard to be more patient. To accept the changes in my routine and find what works - I am one of those super routine people that finds change hard so it's been a biggg adjustment on that front in the last few months. I am trying to pay attention to what makes him happier and active. He's snuggly so I am taking advantage of that big time. Just lots of little things to enjoy each day. I feel more sad when I am not with him really.

again thanks. I guess I needed to "talk" about it.

[outrag]

I'm sorry you are going through this. It is definitely the heartbreaking stage of their life. I fully understand the anxiety, and not wanting to ask the "direct" questions but the underlying urge to in fact bring these subjects up. In my experience, and how I dealt with the stress and anxiety, is to absolutely perform proper planning. Think about how you want things to go now while you have the time. Don't wait until an emergency crops up at 3am and you're unsure where to turn and the dog is suffering.

The double digits are really tough. I found that planning the end helped, even though it was still very hard. I also found (at least for me) that on that particular day I was more business like to get the deed done and not upset my dog. I grieved terribly before and after but not during the act, I just wanted to get it done. Others may be different.

I had it done at my house, which was soooooo much better than bringing a sick dog to a cold sterile vet office (if you can do that). I also had my other Lab present during the euthanasia, which I think was the right thing to do. Instinctively they can smell death and he smelled the body and moved on. He never ran around the house looking for his older brother who was with him his whole life.

Sending strong thoughts of support to you during this time.

Bob

[3ChocMom]

I understand completely. I do the same thing with Brandy and I hate it because I know I shouldn't, that I should enjoy every second I have with her, but it's hard to keep those thoughts from entering your head. She just turned 11, but honestly, I've been terrified of losing her for the last 4 years. That's when my first lab Luke died. He wasn't even old, he was only 7, and his death was sudden. It was so devastating to me that I am completely terrified of going through a loss like that again. Sometimes I think it will be a little easier if Brandy lives to a ripe old age, but the truth is that it probably won't be.

With Luke, I didn't have the option of doing it at home. He was too sick to take out of the hospital, so it had to be done there. It was so quick and peaceful, he had no more fight left in him. My best friend did come with me and held my hand. We were both a mess, but I couldn't have done it without her. I did take Brandy with me too. I wanted her to understand what happened to him and she just laid down next to him and barely moved throughout the process. She never seemed to wonder where he was after, or look for him, and didn't show any outward signs of grief. I was very grateful for that because I was so upset that I don't know if I could have handled her going off her food, or anything else like that. I like to think it was because I allowed her to be there. That said, I would like to have Jax and Lily present when it's her time, but I don't know. It will depend on their collective maturity whenever that time comes. I would want them to be calm and if I don't think they would be, I wouldn't allow it. The first priority has to be her comfort.

[Tanya]

We had a few bad weeks mobility wise (he is still TOTALLY happy and the same otherwise) but these last two days have been good. I am trying to pay attention to him to see "what works". Turns out he walks much better on grass. And morning are harder (which should have been obvious). I am brainstorming and trying new routines/walks. I don't want to skip the morning walk altogether for a few reasons BUT i need to find a way to do so that isn't too hard on him! I wish I had a bigger yard, he is at his best when offleash following me for food haha. He is a jerk offleash though (eats poop, runs off) so i am limited on where he can do that. Once we hit the agility field a few times a week he can wander there.

3chocmom - maybe not easier but at least when they pass away at 10+ you know they had a good "long" life right. as opposed to having them stolen from you too young like your Luke

I may talk to the vet clinic. I want for Rocky to have me all to himself again when the time comes but will probably "need" penny and want her to sniff him after. If she is with me at the time I suspect she will try to do her usual "squeaze in between Rocky and me" game. Maybe the clinic can kennel her in the back and then bring her in. This all assumes some time to plan all that so who knows.

[Annette47]

I may talk to the vet clinic. I want for Rocky to have me all to himself again when the time comes but will probably "need" penny and want her to sniff him after. If she is with me at the time I suspect she will try to do her usual "squeaze in between Rocky and me" game. Maybe the clinic can kennel her in the back and then bring her in. This all assumes some time to plan all that so who knows.

With all three that we’ve lost, we took them into the vet clinic rather than finding a stranger to do it at home. None had ever felt particularly stressed about being at the vet’s though. In all of the cases, the remaining dogs didn’t seem to look for them at all or show more than brief signs of mourning. I think it was a combination of they were really very sick when we took them in, most likely already in the process of dying so the other dogs knew what was happening, and I noticed with Mulder, that Chloe sniffed my hand that I had been petting him with when he went very thoroughly, sighed and lay down, so I think she could tell what had happened just from that.